Teens face their own battles, if parent is war

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• Teens face their own battles, if parent is war
• Children rate OK if MOM works, study finds
• Bed with a small child parts will not damage
• Overweight teens often miss obesity screening
• Health Tip: Keep cool kids lunch
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Friday, July 22 HealthDay News) - teenagers who have a parent in the military are binge more likely as the civilian population of children - drink, drugs and perform poorly in school, suggests a new study.

If a parent to war may be more at risk as a girl, reported researchers at the University of Washington School of public health goes, young people most threatened and young.

"There are a lot of research about veterans and active duty soldiers, and how they deal with or fight when they return from a deployment of" study author Sarah C. Reed said in a press release of the University. "These studies suggested that rightly are tip of the iceberg as families and their children do."

In 2007 had almost 2 million children in the United States serve at least one parent in the military. Previous research has found that teenagers' healthy development, including the identification of a sense by itself, may be interrupted during a parent active military service.

Media representations of and the need, additional responsibilities take on their ability to impact can the researchers said.

In carrying out this study published online in the American Journal of public health, researchers survey data on more than 10,000 young people in 8, 10 and 12 types compiled.

They found that risk for depression and suicidal thoughts 8th grade against used girls with parents. In the meantime teenager in all three grades were more likely to have low quality of life, abusing drugs and alcohol and academic fight.

"We need to find out, more of what is going on within families and children and what is going to be helpful to mitigate the difficult things-including risky behaviors of instruments-what happens in families," Reed said.

A way to reach the troubled teens military parents would be to strengthen and streamline support groups for high risk population, the study came to the conclusion.

The researchers said they work at school on a follow-up study combat to investigate weapons possession and gang membership among young people who have provided parents.

--Mary Elizabeth Dallas

Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Source: University of Washington, press release, July 21, 2011

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Epidemic of obesity in US kids began in late 90s

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- The epidemic of excess weight gain and obesity among young Americans began about 15 years ago, a new study finds.

"Our research documents the emergence of the obesity epidemic among adolescents in the later half of the 1990s, and among young adults in 2000," said Hedwig Lee, who led the study while at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is now an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Washington in Seattle.

"The jury is still out about all the possible causes for the increasing weight gain among adolescents . . . as well as for the entire population," said Lee.

However, she cited a number of possible factors, including a rise in time spent in front of computer or TV screens and longer time spent in post-secondary education, "transitioning" to adulthood. According to Lee, poor diet and couch-potato lifestyles rise when young people leave the parental home and go out on their own, before starting their own families.

The research focused on a measure called the body mass index, or BMI, which calculates a relationship between weight and height.

As BMI grows, so do concerns arise about obesity-related illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, stroke, liver disease, gall bladder disease, osteoarthritis and fertility problems, Lee said.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one-third of Americans are now either overweight or obese, with slightly more women than men affected.

The study of about 100,000 adolescents and young adults used four large national databases tracking the BMIs of 12- to 26-year-olds from 1959 to 2002.

The results showed that BMIs increased "sharply in the adolescent ages beginning in the 1990s, and among young adults around 2000," especially among black females. Overall, BMI increases started earlier and rose faster for females versus males, according to the study, which was published online this month in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

BMI scores of 18.5 to 24.9 fall within a "healthy range," while those between 25 to 29.9 are classified as overweight. A BMI of 30 or more is considered obese.

According to the study, the BMI of the average 18-year-old from 1959 to 1980 stayed relatively stable at 22. However, it had risen to 23 by 1990, and to about 25 by 2000, the researchers found. That would translate into a weight gain from an average of 149 pounds to an average of 166 pounds for a 5-foot 9-inch, 18-year-old male. An average 5-foot 5-inch female's weight increased from 132 to 147 pounds.

Trends were shown only for blacks and whites because racial categories for other ethnic groups were not part of all the data sets. Data for these groups were included as part of the total picture.

According to one expert on nutrition and weight, the study documents how a problem that used to begin in middle-age is now affecting young adults.

"It used to be middle-age creep," said Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. "It's scary because the earlier weight gains mean earlier onset of chronic illness such as hypertension (or high blood pressure) in the 20s instead of 40s."

While it is unclear why black girls, especially, began gaining more weight more quickly, Sandon noted that black female adults are also heavier, on average, than other women. Poor access to health care may be a bigger issue for black women, she said.

"If you don't have access to health care, you're not going to focus on your health," she said.

Intervention is important before weight gain become entrenched, Sandon stressed. She believes that educational efforts need to focus on younger children. Schools also can change the types of food and drinks they serve, she added.

For adults, workplaces need to become "exercise friendly" because that's where adults spend most of their time, Sandon explained. "We need to remove the barriers" that keep people from exercising and eating healthy foods, she said.

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Vital signs: hazards: tobacco smoke can affect hearing

The long list of the harmful effects of tobacco smoke to add yet another element: hearing loss in teens.

Researchers, writing in the July issue of the archives of Otolaryngology - Head and neck surgery, an indicator of exposure to tobacco smoke and cotinine more than 2,000 young people tested. After the removal of smokers from the trial, they remained the cotinine levels 799 non smoking exposure to tobacco smoke, with 754 display that were exposed to not smoke.

Of control many variables they, found that the higher the cotinine level in the blood of the person the greater the likelihood that it was some type of hearing loss. More than 17% in the, highest quartile for cotinine levels had hearing loss at low frequencies.

It is not clear, just as exposure to tobacco smoke could cause the damage, but tobacco is known that the smallest blood vessels affect blood flow, the type depends on the inner ear

"Most of the children, about 85 percent, their hearing loss, were not aware," said Dr. Anil k. Lalwani, the main author of the study. "You can rely on self reports."

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Vital signs: exercise: frontiers in the heart of screenings for young people

Screening young athletes with Electrocardiograms for the prevention of sudden cardiac death ineffective, may be a new study has found. It turns out, also Pediatric cardiologists often not the tests correctly interpret.

Researchers at Stanford University selected underlying 18 ECG, 8 anomalies of patients with normal heart and 10 patients with one of the six different, the often sudden cardiac death. The scientists showed the ECG to 53 experienced paediatric cardiologists, whether she could make the right diagnosis properly restrict or allow sports activity and order appropriate follow-up audits. The correct diagnosis and recommendations based on the report by two Electrophysiologists, cardiologists specialized in the interpretation of the ECG.

Properly, only 68 percent of really abnormal cases identified the cardiologist - 32 per cent of young people with abnormal ECG were never found. And the cases that identify doctors as abnormal, 30 percent were in fact normal.

"One of the most remarkable discoveries was the inability of the cardiologists give correct sport," said Dr. Anne M. Dubin, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University and author of the new study lead. Should be 26 percent of patients who were allowed to exercise were not, and 19 percent of patients who should have restricted were not, she noticed.

The report appeared of Pediatrics online on Thursday in the journal. Dr. Dubin received scholarship support from Medtronic Inc., a manufacturer of medical equipment.

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For research on human proposed rule changes

The Government proposes changes in the rules for research involving human sweeping, officials say an effort that would strengthen protective measures, and at the same time may interfere with the bureaucracy, the studies.

Officials said that the changes are necessary, deal with a heavily modified research climate, its new features include genomics studies with patients DNA samples, the use of the Internet and a growing dependence on studies that take place in many locations at once.

"Which are the first significant changes that have been taken to the rules on human subjects in decades, so this is really quite a historic moment," said Kathy Hudson, Deputy Director of national institutes of health in a press conference on Friday.

Rules that issues such as the consent, the respondents must provide cover and the institutional review boards would be the changes in the, to oversee the research at universities and hospitals. First by the Department of health and human services in the 1970s and 1980s, the system was adopted by the 14 other federal agencies and departments in 1991 and became known as the general rule.

But some experts said that it had become too cumbersome.

"It is done, for getting good research a terrible drag," said Dr. Robert j. Levine, Professor of medicine and biological Ethikerin at Yale University, who directed the University institutional review board for 31 years. He said Sunday, while lengthy proposal by the Government had not thoroughly checking, he was encouraged by, what he had seen.

The process is still at an early stage. The Government has described possible changes and asked for public comment on the next 60 days; Specific rules are formulated and again sent out for comment.

The Government said its proposal in January call for agencies, weed out with President Obama executive order was compatible unnecessary provisions. But some of the proposed changes would add regulation.

A change would increase the rules cover all studies of facilities, to get the money, which have adopted the joint rule of each of the 15 federal agencies. If a University by the national institutes of health, then also a study on the financing rules the University of Heidelberg, of a plant would be covered such as through the paid.

While the more medical research would include, was not clear whether studies funded by pharmaceutical companies and individual physicians performed would be covered offices.

Another proposed change would enable to oversee a single institutional review board of studies taking place at several locations.

Needs right now, the institutional review board at each site generally support a trial which may result in long delays. Federal officials said that in addition to eliminating redundancy and delays, with actual supervision could strengthen a single editor who is really responsible for their decisions.

Other proposed changes would aim, so that it less cumbersome, surveys or other social science research, in which usually are the risks for the participants to do less than for medical studies.

Carl e. Wieman, Associate Director for Science at the White House Swiss Federal Office of science and technology policy, said it was now difficult to observe teachers and students in classrooms, to determine what makes a good teacher all required approval given. He said "You not here do anything except just people".

Another possible change would be required, donors of blood, DNA or tissue samples that would consent to give before these examples in subsequent research could be used. Now, if the identity of the donor cannot be determined, samples can be used often for further research without permission. But Dr. Hudson, who said Health Institute, that with modern DNA sequencing, are biological samples "inherently identifiable." so that the proposal would you vote required.

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Marijuana can be examined for battle error

DENVER - for years some veterans groups and marijuana have argued supporters that the therapeutic benefits of the drug can help to calm the psychological wounds of the battle. But with only individual reports for support, their demands have still widespread acceptance in medical circles.

Now, however, researchers to the Federal Republic are approval for what that probably, first study will look at the effects of marijuana on veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.

The proposal that multidisciplinary Association for psychedelic studies in Santa Cruz, California, and researchers to which would University of Arizona College of medicine, by examining the potential benefits of cannabis who suffer from 50 combat veterans, on the condition and have not responding, look at other treatment.

"With so many veterans from the wars in the Iraq and Afghanistan, it is a widely recognized need for a new treatment of PTSD," said Rick Doblin, founder and CEO of psychedelic studies group. "These are people, the we in danger, and we have a moral obligation to help them."

In April, the food and Drug Administration said it content was security worried about the trial of Mr Doblin and Dr. Sue Sisley, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and internal medicine at the Arizona, had provided fixed according to a letter from Mr Doblin drug management.

But the letter pointed out that the project could go forward not, until the researchers found, where she would receive their marijuana. And this can not happen, Mr Doblin said, until the project of a scientific assessment of Department of health and human is approved services, agencies belong to the representatives from a range of federal health.

If the proposal is approved, said Mr Doblin, the researchers are grown on drug abuse marijuana use by the University of Mississippi under a contract with the National Institute. May the only marijuana, used in State-approved studies.

A health and human said services spokeswoman the proposal still in the year under review. "The production and distribution of marijuana for clinical research is carefully restricted under a series of federal laws and international obligations," said the spokeswoman, Tara Broido, in an E-mail. "Proposals are for scientific quality, and the likelihood that they are providing data to meaningful benefits study, be reviewed."

An institutional review Board also the study as well as the drug enforcement Administration must approve Mr Doblin said.

Getting final approval from the Federal Government could be difficult, Mr Doblin and Dr. Sisley conceded. They said it was far more challenging to get permission, which examines the benefits of an illegal drugs than their risks for a study.

"We really believe that science should replace politics,", said Dr. Sisley. "This disease must be treated in a multidisciplinary way." Drugs such as zoloft and paxil have proven completely inadequate. "And it is individual reports by veterinarians that cannabis entlastend systematic."

Medical marijuana is in 16 States and the District of Columbia. But only New Mexico and Delaware especially post-traumatic stress disorder as a qualifying condition for treatment according to the marijuana policy project, a Washington-based group, the legal regulation of the drug supports.

Currently nearly a third of 4,982 people approved for medical marijuana in New Mexico suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, more than any other condition according to the State Health Department. It is unclear how many veterans are.

A recent Army veteran from Texas, who in 2006, fought in the Iraq said for 18 months from the year that he used marijuana three times a day he was prescribed instead of the painkillers and antidepressants, after the return. He asked that his name not be used because Texas does not allow medical marijuana.

The veteran, who said he already shot in the leg and marijuana suffered numerous injuries from explosions his physical and mental pain helped quiet, while not caused due to its prescription medications said weight loss and sleep deprivation, while provided as a gunner humvee.

He said "I it have seen with my own eyes". "It works for the boys come home to many."

If the study is approved, would veterans who participate on the basis of the patient more than three months to comply with Mr Doblin said. During two four-week increments it would causes up to 1.8 grams to treat marijuana per day, anxiety, depression, nightmares and other symptoms by PTSD. Researchers also veterans for periods would watch if they are not allowed to use marijuana.

In addition to a placebo of Explorer four marijuana strains in the study, different levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a major component of the drug to use. One of the varieties contains Cannabidiol (CBD), another ingredient accepted, that anti-anxiety effect.

Mr Doblin said that the veterans would be allowed, the marijuana use in its sole discretion. Half will be asked to smoke the drug, while the other half is to inhale it through a vaporizer.

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Scientific advances in contraceptive for men

Steve Owens getting birth control had left to his wife, who took the pill. After all, male vasectomy, which he did not, and methods condoms, were the it as: "Well, condoms are condoms."

Then Mr Owens said voluntary to test for potential methods, which reduced his sperm count so much, that "I not degree of interoperability in the ability to produce a child", he. His count recovered weeks after the end of each method, and he had a daughter between research studies.

"I would do male a type of long-term contraceptives, in any case", said Mr Owens, 39-year-old school social worker from Seattle.

Male contraceptives are growing interest pulls from scientists, who believe, that they hold promise as a safe, effective and, as important, reversible.

"We have a number of iron in the fire," said Diana L. Blythe, program director for contraceptive development for the National Institute of child health and human development. "I think that men actually want to do this."

During the male contraception studies been before meets the strict no way safety and effectiveness criteria, to do the female methods. It was also not clear whether men would use.

Now, scientific advances producing approaches that could be passed to pattern. Asked by women's organizations, global health groups and surveys are that men are receptive, Federal agencies research funding. At a Conference of October by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation sponsored some methods are presented.

"Male contraception is a critical region", said Jenny Sorensen, a foundation spokeswoman. "It makes sense not everyone in the discussion included."

The most studied approach in the United States used testosterone and progestin hormones that produce to stop the body signals send sperm. While effective and safe for most men, they have worked not for everyone and remain questions about side effects.

Scientists are also other ways of the interruption of sperm production, ageing or mobility test.

A potential male birth control pill, Gamendazole, derived from a cancer drug sperm maturation interrupts, so that "You are not functional sperm," said Gregory S. head, associated Vice Chancellor for research administration at the University of Kansas Medical Center. The Center has tested administration of the drug, discussions with the food and drug in rats and monkeys started.

Dr. John k. Amory, reproductive scientist at the University of Washington, examine a drug which was developed for worm infections, and later men attempted, because it causes infertility. Rabbit, Dr. Amory said he discovered the drug production blocks of the Retinoic acid, important for sperm production.

Unfortunately, the drug acts as one for the control of alcoholism, so drink, if you make it people makes sick. Dr. Amory is working to make this cocktail compatible.

"The joke," he said, "no one is if it were not for alcohol, contraception must."

Debra j. Wolgemuth, a geneticist at the Columbia University Medical Center, tests a different treatment that inhibits the Retinoic acid without alcohol interactions in mice. Bristol-Meyers Squibb for skin diseases developed, but thought it was "a testicular toxin."

At Harvard University, Dr. David Clapham, neurobiologist, discovered that sperm tails calcium ion channels with electrically charged atoms "Turbo-download the sperm" contain to obtain eggs, he said. He developed a drug that disable the channel.

"You simply turn the engine, instead of old people in a car," he said.

Elaine Lissner, Director of the male contraception information project, created a foundation to develop other approaches. A "reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance", or Risug, includes to gel in the scrotum inactivate sperm injection. Another includes just heating the testicles with ultrasound, which can stop sperm production for months, she said.

"I imagine a world where you take your car in every six months, to get your oil changed, and go can get next door and your ultrasound for 50 dollars," she said.

US scientists remain skeptical, if research shows that Risug switchable or ultrasound is effective.

There are one to two drugs, an antihypertensive and an antipsychotic, to prevent that men ejaculate during orgasm found. The drugs have to changes not to high blood pressure or mood to influence.

Of course, women can have confidence that their partner, birth control use as men now do. But at least one method, hormone implants, visible from a man's bicep bulbous. "It like guys because they can show it," said Dr. Amory. "Prove that the male is contracepting."

Pharmaceutical companies have not yet a process, embraced waiting how female methods and risk-free enough healthy men give something as effective.

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