Our weekly roundup of the latest developments in the world of health. This week we look at whether breastfed babies have a lower risk of becoming obese adults, at new guidelines for healthy school snacks, and at the link between abortion and a woman's breast cancer risk. We also look at a new HIV drug recommended for approval.
Stay well.
This Issue:
Breastfeeding and Obesity School Snack Standards Abortion and Breast Cancer New HIV Drug In The News:
Breastfeeding and Obesity Breastfed babies don't necessarily grow up to be thinner adults. A Harvard study published in the International Journal of Obesity found no difference in risk of obesity between women who were breastfed as infants and women who weren't breastfed. The findings contradict some previous research as well as statements contained in current government recommendations, The Associated Press reports. The new study looked at nearly 14,500 women who were breastfed as infants and over 21,000 who were not. The women, who were between 25 and 42 when the study started in 1989, were asked about their current height and weight and about their height and weight as children and at age 18. The women updated their weight information every two years through 2001. The women's mothers were contacted to find out about whether they had breastfed their daughters. The researchers found that women who were breastfed for at least a week had an almost identical risk of being overweight or obese compared to women who were bottle-fed -- and those breastfed the longest amount of time had no added benefit. The researchers note that breastfeeding still has many benefits for mothers and babies, but they say it is not the solution to reducing obesity rates. The findings are unlikely to change any recommendations about breastfeeding, the AP says.
School Snack Standards
School snacks may get a healthy makeover. The Institute of Medicine this week issued new standards for school snacks. The Institute of Medicine on Wednesday recommended new standards for school snacks as part of the effort to address childhood obesity in the United States. The new recommendations are for foods not sold under the federal lunch program, since the federally-assisted meals must already meet nutritional standards, The Associated Press reports. Under the IOM recommendations, foods permitted at all grade levels for all hours would have to include at least one serving of fruits, vegetables, whole grains or nonfat or low-fat dairy, with limits on the amounts of fat, sugar and salt. Foods available only to high school students and only after school hours would have limited calories, salt, sugar and fat; drinks would have to have five or fewer calories per serving and no caffeine. Sports drinks could be available to students involved in athletic activities at coaches' discretion.
Abortion and Breast Cancer
Having an abortion does not appear to raise a woman's later risk of developing breast cancer. That's the finding of a Harvard study that backs up an earlier conclusion from the National Cancer Institute. In the study, researchers looked at data on close to 106,000 women participating in the Nurses' Health Study. The women were between 29 and 46 at the start of the study, and were followed for 10 years. They were asked every two years about abortions, miscarriages and breast cancer diagnoses. The researchers found no higher rate of breast cancer among the women who reported having abortions compared to those who did not. Additionally, they found no greater risk with multiple abortions or miscarriages. The Associated Press quotes an expert who criticized the study, saying the women's abortions were too recent to determine whether they could contribute to long-term cancer risk. The study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
New HIV Drug
A new type of HIV drug could soon be available. A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has recommended approval of maraviroc, a drug that works by blocking one pathway through which the AIDS-causing virus enters white blood cells. If given final approval, maraviroc will be the first medication of its class called "CCR5 receptor antagonists," to be sold, The Associated Press reports. Previous studies found that adding maraviroc to a traditional HIV treatment regimen was more effective at bringing the virus below detectable levels. Maraviroc and other CCR5 receptor antagonists carry risks including a greater risk of infection, lymphoma or liver damage, and they have been linked to heart rhythm changes in animal studies. The drugs also have the potential to accelerate a shift from one HIV variant to another. The FDA advisory panel recommended further study of maraviroc's interactions with other drugs and its effects in women and minorities. If approved, maraviroc manufacturer Pfizer Inc. plans to sell it under the name Celsentri, the AP says.
Used with the permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. The above summaries are not intended to provide advice on personal medical matters, nor are they intended to be a substitute for consultation with a physician.
