Facts

The reason for the difference is unclear but may be related to elevation’s effect on appetite hormones, growth and metabolism. A drop in the risk of a person being obese was tied to every 200 m (about 660 ft) increase in elevation. International Journal of Obesity, online January 29, 2013

Rats given large alcohol doses to simulate a 3-day bender developed abnormal brain responses to glucose and insulin resistance, which lasted for days after the alcohol wore off. Inflammation in the hypothalamus disrupted insulin receptor signaling in the brain. If these results apply to humans, binge drinking is not only …

According to a study in Diabetes Care, the rate of type 1 diabetes in Philadelphia children grew by 29% between 1985 and 2004 and increased by about 70% in those under 5 years old during the same period. The rate of type 1 diabetes was 18 times higher than that …

Patients expect their medical professionals to use more technology such as text and emails. According to a report, patients expect technology to aid communication with providers for faster and more cost-effective healthcare. Key findings also included: 85% of patients feel that high-tech communication channels such as email, text messages and …

Individuals with type 2 diabetes have increased fracture risk despite higher bone meal density. The study had 4,135 participants including 420 participants with type 2 diabetes grouped according to their blood sugar control using A1c as a measure. The first group consisted of patients with adequately controlled blood sugar (A1c …

A meta-analysis found high-dose statin treatment may increase the risk of new onset diabetes in people with two or more risk factors for diabetes. However, those who were at low risk of diabetes did not show an increased risk of diabetes despite receiving high statin doses, researchers said. Journal of …

U.S. researchers looked at 1,218 6- to 11-year-olds included in the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and found that only 38.3% met both daily physical-activity and screen-time recommendations. More than 70% of respondents got the recommended one hour or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily, while 53.5% had …

Many frustrated physicians are likely to abandon Medicare this year over its unpredictable funding despite the decision to delay for one year a cut in Medicare payments for doctors, according to medical associations and physicians. "The Medicare program has become unreliable and its instability undermines efforts by physicians to implement …

In a recent study, the majority of physicians also said that nutritionists and dietitians are better suited for the job. Lead author Sara Bleich added, "In order to begin improving obesity care, medical education should focus on enhancing those obesity-related skills primary care physicians feel most qualified to deliver." PCPs …

Medical professionals are among the most trusted people in the U.S. a new Gallup survey shows with 85% of survey respondents ranking nurses highest for honesty and ethics, followed by pharmacists (75%) and physicians (70%). The sampling of 1015 people came from all 50 states. Nurses, who have led the …