Month: December 2011

Health

Americans Who Have Health Insurance Have Better Health Habits

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According to the latest Gallup Poll.

Americans who have health insurance have higher Healthy Behaviors Index scores than the uninsured at any age in the 18 to 64 cohort. This holds true even after controlling for age, gender, education, ethnicity, employment, and income.

Overall, 80% of American adults younger than 65 report having health insurance coverage. This analysis is based on about 200,000 interviews conducted between January and October 2011 as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which includes the Healthy Behaviors Index as a sub-component. Specifically, respondents are asked to report on whether they smoke, on how many days in the last week they exercised for at least 30 minutes, if they ate healthy all day “yesterday,” and on how many days they consumed five or more servings of fruits and vegetables in the last seven days.

This is not really shocking since you would expect people who value their good health would also tend to want to protect it.

Other findings of the poll:

  • Insured Less Likely to Smoke, More Likely to Eat Healthy
  • Insured are more likely than the uninsured to report eating at least five servings of produce at least four days in the last week
  • In physical activity the difference between the insured and uninsured group while present is not large.
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Obesity

Obesity in Older Adults Linked to Risk of Falls?

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Michael Moore

Yes, according to a new study.

Obese older adults may be more likely than their thinner peers to suffer a potentially disabling fall — though the most severely overweight may be somewhat protected from injury, according to a U.S. study.

Falls are often seen as a problem for thin, frail older adults, since their bones are especially prone to fractures, but obesity carries its own risks, said researchers whose findings appeared in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

“People who are obese may have a harder time with balance,” said Christine Himes, of Syracuse University in New York, who worked on the study.

And when obese older adults lose their footing, they may be less able to react quickly and stop a fall, she added.

Looking at 10,755 people aged 65 and up, Himes and colleague Sandra Reynolds found that obese older adults were anywhere from 12 percent to 50 percent more likely to suffer a fall over two years than their normal-weight peers.

Another great reason to start the year off right and lose some body weight…..

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Dentistry

Christmas 2011

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Luke

Chapter 2

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Merry Christmas Everyone

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Diabetes

Poll Watch: American Diabetes Rate Levels Off and Obesity Rate Declines Slightly

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According to the latest Gallup Poll.

In the third quarter of 2011, 11% of Americans reported having ever been diagnosed with diabetes. This measurement and the 10.6% that Gallup and Healthways measured in the second quarter of this year are among the lowest levels recorded since 2009. The diabetes rate was below 11% throughout 2008, but then began to increase in 2009 and 2010.

Gallup and Healthways measure the diabetes rate in the United States by asking Americans: “Have you ever been told by a physician or nurse that you have diabetes?” The question does not discern between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

And, the United States obesity rate has decreased slightly.

The graph:

Good news and since type 2 diabetes (the most common form of diabetes) is preventable with diet and exercise, it only makes sense that when the obesity rate declines so will diabetes.
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Health

Is There Quality of Life After Cigarettes?

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You betcha, there is.

Life without cigarettes is not all doom and gloom. In fact, successful quitters are more satisfied with their lives and feel healthier, both one year and three years afterwards, than those who continue to smoke. That’s according to new research by Dr. Megan Piper, from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in the US, and her team. Their work, which looks at whether quitting smoking can improve psychological well-being, is published online in Springer’s journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

It may be tough to quit, but it certainly pays health dividends.

The authors conclude: “This research provides substantial evidence that quitting smoking benefits well-being compared to continuing smoking. Smokers might believe that quitting will decrease life satisfaction or quality of life — because they believe it disrupts routines, interferes with relationships, leads to a loss of smoking-related pleasure, or because cessation deprives them of a coping strategy. Our findings suggest that, over the long-term, individuals will be happier and more satisfied with their lives if they stop smoking than if they do not.”

So, go ahead and quit. Improve your health, the health of others around you and your quality of life.

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