HEALTH EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TARGETS SMOKERS WITH STORIES

FROM: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL
Education campaign returns with powerful stories to help Americans quit smoking

Campaign to expose tragic health impact of smoking

Continuing with the success of last year’s national education ad campaign, "Tips from Former Smokers," a second series of ads was launched today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The ads, funded by the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund, feature compelling stories of former smokers living with smoking-related diseases and disabilities. Beginning Monday, ads will run for at least 12 weeks on television, radio, and billboards, online, and in theaters, magazines, and newspapers nationwide.

"This campaign is saving lives and saving dollars by giving people the facts about smoking in an easy-to-understand way that encourages quitting," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. This campaign is effective. The increase in calls to quitlines after last year’s campaign shows that more people are trying to quit smoking as a result of these ads."

The messages in these new ads are emotional, telling the story of how real people’s lives were changed forever due to their smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. The ads feature smoking-related health conditions— including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, more severe adult asthma, and complications from diabetes, such as blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, and amputation—and candidly describe the losses from smoking and the gains from quitting.

"Smoking and secondhand smoke kill – and they also harm smokers and non-smokers. The Tips from Former Smokers campaign shows the painful effects of smoking through former smokers, in a way that numbers alone cannot," said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. "These are the kinds of ads that smokers tell us help motivate them to quit, saving lives and money."

The new ads feature Tiffany, who lost her mother when she was 16 to lung cancer, and recently quit smoking herself as her own daughter turned 16 because she did not want her daughter to suffer the way she did; Bill, a 40-year-old with diabetes whose smoking led to heart surgery, blindness in one eye, amputation, and kidney failure; Michael, who suffers from COPD, and is agonizing about how to tell his grandson he may not be around to share his life much longer; as well as Nathan, who suffered severe lung damage from secondhand smoke exposure at work. And, a new ad featuring Terrie, who appeared in last year’s ads showing what a head and neck cancer survivor has to do to "get ready for the day," and who wishes she had recorded her voice before she had to have her voicebox removed, since her grandson has never heard any voice but her current one.

Despite the known dangers of tobacco use, nearly one in five adults in the United States still smoke. Almost 90 percent of smokers started before they were 18, and many of them experience life-changing health effects at a relatively early age. Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body. A "tip" from Bill, the ad participant with diabetes: "Make a list. Put the people you love at the top. Put down your eyes, your legs, your kidneys, and your heart. Now cross off all the things you’re OK with losing because you’d rather smoke."

The ads that ran last year had immediate and strong impact. Compared with the same 12-week period in 2011, overall call volume to 1-800-QUIT-NOW more than doubled during the Tips campaign, and visits to the campaign website for quit help increased by more than five times.

More than 440,000 Americans each year lose their lives to smoking-related diseases, and for every one death 20 more continue living with one or more serious illnesses from smoking. Nearly 70 percent of smokers say they want to quit. This education campaign provides motivation, information, and quit help to those who want it.

MEMOPHILIA AWARENESS MONTH

FROM: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL

Hemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot properly. This can lead to spontaneous bleeding as well as bleeding following injuries or surgery. Because the genetic mutation that causes hemophilia is carried in the X chromosome, men are more severely affected. However, some women (referred to as carriers of the hemophilia gene mutation) can also be affected.

Blood contains many proteins called clotting factors that help to stop bleeding. People with hemophilia have low levels of either factor VIII (8) or factor IX (9). Depending on how much clotting factor is in the blood, a person’s hemophilia may be mild, moderate, or severe.

The two most common types of hemophilia are:
Hemophilia A (Classic Hemophilia) - This type is caused by a lack or decrease of clotting factor VIII.
Hemophilia B (Christmas Disease) - This type is caused by a lack or decrease of clotting factor IX.
Hemophilia occurs in about 1 of every 5,000 male births. Currently, about 20,000 U.S. males are living with the disorder. Hemophilia A is about four times as common as hemophilia B and about half of those affected by Hemophilia A have the severe form of the disorder. Hemophilia affects people from all racial and ethnic groups.

The severity of hemophilia that a person has is determined by the level of the clotting factor in the blood. The lower the clotting level, the more likely it is that bleeding will occur that may lead to more serious complications.

Hemophilia can result in:
Bleeding within joints that can lead to chronic joint disease and pain
Bleeding in the head and sometimes in the brain, which can cause long-term problems such as seizures and paralysis
Death can occur if the bleeding cannot be stopped or if it occurs in a vital organ such as the brain
The best way to treat hemophilia is to replace the missing blood clotting factor so that the blood can clot properly. This is done by infusing (giving medication by injection into a vein) commercially prepared factor concentrates. People with hemophilia can learn how to perform these infusions themselves so that they can stop bleeding episodes. By performing the infusions on a regular basis, people with hemophilia can also prevent most bleeding episodes.

Hemophilia is a complex disorder. Good quality medical care provided by doctors and nurses knowledgable about the disorder can help prevent serious problems. Often the best choice for this care is to visit a comprehensive Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC). An HTC provides care to address all issues related to the disorder, and also, provides education that helps people with hemophilia stay healthy.

NORMAL VISION PROBLEMS OCCURRING WITH AGING VS SERIOUS EYE DISEASES

FROM:  HHS HealthBeat (July 9, 2012) 
Older Eyes
Vision, like a lot of things, is less sharp when you’re older than when you’re younger. But there’s a difference between normal aging and things that go wrong. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Xinzhi Zhang:

''Some vision problems are a normal part of aging, like having trouble reading small print in a newspaper. And those can be corrected with glasses. However, many serious vision problems are caused by age-related eye diseases.''

These include cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. That last one – related, as it is, to diabetes – could be prevented, along with diabetes, through weight control with proper diet and physical activity.

And a preventive visit to an eye specialist can head off trouble.

"IT'S UNHEALTHY TO TREAT THE POOL LIKE A TOILET" SAYS CDC OFFICIAL

FROM:  HHS HealthBeat (June 27, 2012) 
What's in the pool
Chlorine can kill germs in the pool, but it can’t work miracles. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Michele Hlavsa says the idea that swimming pool disinfectants kill germs instantly is a myth. She says that’s why it’s unhealthy to treat the pool like a toilet, and healthy to shower off any germs before getting in.

Mostly, people just have fun. But Hlavsa notes they can get a variety of diseases.
“They can get gastrointestinal infections, viral meningitis, ear infections – also known as swimmer’s ear – but the most common infection is diarrhea.”

So, she advises, don’t swallow the water, or swim with open sores.
An article on healthy swimming information is in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

CDC PILOT PROGRAM: HIV TESTS AT PHARMACIES

FROM:  CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL

Innovative CDC Effort Expands HIV Testing into Pharmacies

A pilot project to train pharmacists and retail store clinic staff at 24 rural and urban sites to deliver confidential rapid HIV testing was announced today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The goal of the initiative is to extend HIV testing and counseling into the standard everyday services offered by pharmacies and retail clinics.

CDC will use the results of the pilot effort to develop a model for implementation of HIV testing in these settings across the United States. The project is part of CDC’s efforts to support its 2006 testing recommendations, which call for all adults and adolescents to be tested for HIV at least once in their lives.

“We know that getting people tested, diagnosed and linked to care are critical steps in reducing new HIV infections,” said Kevin Fenton, M.D., director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention. “By bringing HIV testing into pharmacies, we believe we can reach more people by making testing more accessible and also reduce the stigma associated with HIV.

CDC estimates that 1.1 million people are living with HIV in the United States, yet nearly 1 in 5 remains unaware of the infection. In addition, one-third of those with HIV are diagnosed so late in the course of their infection that they develop AIDS within one year, missing years of opportunities to receive life-extending medical care and treatment, and potentially reduce transmission to partners.

Community pharmacies and retail clinics, with their convenience and easy accessibility, could play a critical role in ensuring more Americans have access to an HIV test. Data suggest that more that millions Americans enter pharmacies every week, and an estimated 30 percent of the U.S. population lives within a 10-minute drive of a retail clinic. Compared to health care settings and conventional HIV testing sites, these locations may provide an environment that is more accessible to persons who may be anxious about seeking an HIV test.

“Our goal is to make HIV testing as routine as a blood pressure check,” said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., director of CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. “This initiative is one example of how we can make testing routine and help identify the hundreds of thousands of Americans who are unaware that they are infected.”

Throughout the two-year initiative, CDC will provide training for staff in community pharmacies and retail clinics in 12 urban areas and 12 rural areas with high HIV prevalence or significant unmet HIV testing needs. Training will focus on how to deliver rapid HIV testing and counseling and link those who are diagnosed with the virus to care and treatment.

Based on lessons learned, CDC will develop a comprehensive toolkit that pharmacists and retail clinic staff from around the country can use to implement HIV testing.

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/hiv.

VETERANS AFFAIRS AND DEPARTMENT ON DEFENSE WORK TO PREVENT SUICIDE

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

DOD, VA Partner to Help Prevent Suicide

By Cheryl Pellerin

WASHINGTON, June 20, 2012 - Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said his agency is working with the Defense Department to end veteran homelessness and to identify possible contributors to service member and veteran suicide.

On the first day of the June 20-22 Annual DOD/VA Suicide Prevention Conference here, Shinseki -- a retired Army general, former Army chief of staff and a combat-wounded Vietnam veteran -- took the stage to a standing ovation from hundreds of mental health professionals, clinicians and military leaders.

"Suicide is a national concern. The Centers for Disease Control's annual report on the top 10 leading causes of death ... lists suicide as one of the top four causes of death in Americans ages 10 to 54," Shinseki said.

Suicide is the second-highest cause of death for young people ages 25 to 34, he added.

"These also happen to be the recruiting years," the secretary said. "Should we be surprised that recruits out of such a population bearing some level of increased stress for much of the past decade would experience suicides at some elevated level, or that the suicide rate among male veterans appears to be almost twice that of the general population?"

Shinseki said intervention, or the act of interrupting a potential suicide, primarily is a reactive response.

"We have demonstrated that we can react well," the secretary told the audience, "but is that good enough for the long term?"

To aggressively tackle some potential precursors of suicide, officials said, the VA is focusing on veteran homelessness and on creating a "warm handoff" for service members who transition from the military to the VA.

Three years ago, Shinseki said, the VA made ending veterans homelessness by 2015 one of its key priorities "because homeless veterans are evidence, no matter how good we think we are at this, that we have gaps in our system of care and benefits."

The VA team decided to challenge all of its assumptions about homelessness to find and close those gaps, he said.

"Many experts on homelessness felt then that the primary contributor to homelessness was mental illness. Today, after nearly three years of work, they've concluded that the leading contributor to veteran homelessness is more specifically substance abuse. That gives us a target to go after."

He added, "My question to this audience is, have we made similar assumptions about suicides over time? Do we know causes, cures and measures of effectiveness in our treatment regimens for those vulnerable to suicide? Do we have sufficient tools to prevent as well as rescue when dealing with those at risk? Are we asking the right questions to challenge all of our assumptions about suicide ideation?"

Veterans suffer disproportionately from depression and substance abuse, and they are high on the list for joblessness as well, Shinseki said. All of these factors, he added, contribute both to homelessness and suicide.

Another focus at VA is the transition of the service member to veteran, and how that process works for those who may be vulnerable to suicide or its precursors.

"At VA we know that when we diagnose and treat, people get better. This is reflected in our suicide treatment data that shows a declining trend between 2001 and 2009, the last year for which we have verifiable data," the secretary said.

"But we also know that veterans who commit suicide, perhaps as many as two out of three, are not enrolled in the VA health care system," he added. "So as good as we think our programs are -- we don't even get a shot at these veterans."

To narrow this gap, Shinseki said, efforts at the VA must focus on aggressive outreach to veterans and families, and the provision of high-quality and cutting-edge mental health treatments to those in need.

"We do this best with 'warm handoffs' between [DOD and VA]," he added, referring to a fledgling process through which a health care liaison is tasked to collect transitioning service members' medical records, make initial appointments in an appropriate VA medical center, and facilitate a personal handoff to the new facility.

"VA will continue to work closely with DOD to strengthen our collaboration on behalf of veterans leaving the service and reservists returning from operational deployments," Shinseki added. "We simply must transition them better."

He added, "There are folks still not convinced that warm handoffs are key to preventing suicides."

In May, Shinseki and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta met in Chicago to announce the goal of creating a fully operational integrated electronic health record that seamlessly will be able to move from DOD to VA by 2017.

"A significant challenge," Shinseki said, "but without it these warm handoffs are just more difficult."

Shinseki said VA investments in mental health programs increased from $4.4 billion in 2009 to $5.9 billion in 2012.

"Our funding specifically for suicide prevention has doubled, from $35.8 million in 2009 to $72.8 million in our 2013 budget request, with $6.2 billion requested for 2013 for overall mental health," he said.

As DOD anticipates growth in its mental health patient load, Shinseki said, the VA will pace its own growth accordingly.

"But that takes warm hand offs or else we're stuck in that primarily reactive response of rescuing [those who attempt suicide] during crisis, he added.

"Secretary Panetta's leadership and close partnership on behalf of those who wear the uniform today and those who have worn the uniform in times past has been monumental," Shinseki said. "As a result, we've brought our two very large departments much closer together than they've ever been before."

CDC ON SKIN CANCER

FROM:  HHS HealthBeat (June 21, 2012) 
Cook until done? 
If you cook your skin in the sun or, for that matter, a tanning bed, you could be done – as in done for. UV rays from the sun or tanning beds can increase your risk of getting skin cancer, which can be disfiguring and sometimes deadly. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dawn Holman says skin cancer is quite common:

"Skin cancers are the most common types of cancer in the U.S. If current trends continue, 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime."

Holman recommends that, during your time outside, you can reduce sun exposure with clothing, sunglasses, shade, and regular reapplications of broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. And, she says, avoid tanning beds altogether.

THE VACCINE SCHEDULE FOR KIDS

FROM:  HHS HealthBeat (June 6, 2012) 
On the vaccine schedule
Parents are doing well in getting their kids vaccinated on schedule. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says rates are at record highs, or near them. But some kids are still coming down with diseases they would not have gotten if they were vaccinated.

At the CDC, Dr. Lance Rodewald:
"There are 14 diseases that are preventable through vaccination before the second year of life. Routine vaccination in the U.S. prevents 42,000 deaths every year, and over 20 million cases of vaccine-preventable disease."

Rodewald says vaccines are thoroughly tested and safe. He also says vaccination prevents almost all cases, and can make the disease milder in those uncommon cases when the disease occurs anyway.

GUM DISEASE AND ARTHRITIS

FROM:  HHS HealthBeat (June 8, 2012) 
Mouth and knees
Bacteria might link the mouth and the knee. Researchers looked at data on 36 patients with gum disease and arthritis of the knee. In about 15 percent, the researchers found that the fluid that lubricates the knee had bacteria with the same DNA as the mouth plaque.

Dr. Nabil Bissada of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, suspects gum inflammation let the bacteria get into the bloodstream and wind up in the knee, where he thinks it could cause problems for arthritis patients. So he says:

“The easiest way is to minimize that risk by treating gum disease, or even better, preventing gum disease.”

The study in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

CDC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TESTING FOR CHLAYDIA

FROM:  HHS HealthBeat (June 7, 2012) 
Checking for chlamydia
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that women ages 25 and younger be tested for chlamydia every year. Sometimes, symptoms are unnoticeable.
Karen Hoover is an epidemiologist with the CDC:

“Pregnant women, those previously diagnosed and treated for chlamydia, and women who have symptoms, should talk to their doctor about being tested for chylamidia as well.”
It can be treated and cured with antibiotics. If it’s not treated, it can progress, create chronic pelvic pain, and lead to infertility.

“Treatment protects infected individuals from major health consequences, and prevents the spread of disease to others.  Anyone who has been diagnosed and treated for chlamydia should be retested three months after chlamydia treatment.”

KIDS WITH HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

FROM:  HHS HealthBeat (June 5, 2012)
Hands, feet and mouths
Kids can’t get hoof and mouth disease – that’s for livestock – but they can get something that sounds very similar. It’s hand, foot and mouth disease, and it’s more common among kids ages 5 and younger. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Eileen Schneider says this viral condition typically occurs in the spring and summer. She says it usually causes mild symptoms, if any:

“They’ll have a fever, they’ll have a rash on the palms of their hands and the soles of their feet, as well as perhaps the rest of the body, and they may have blister-like lesions on the skin as well as in their mouth.”

There is no specific treatment for the virus, but the symptoms can be relieved.
An article on the virus is in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

TRAVELING AND DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS

FROM:  HHS HealthBeat (June 4, 2012) 
Deep vein travelers
It’s possible, but rare, for some people who have to sit for long periods, like on a long airplane flight, to get deep vein thrombosis. That’s when a blood clot forms in an arm or leg. If part of the clot breaks off and travels to the lungs, it can be fatal.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Phyllis Kozarsky says people who have to sit for long periods can reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis by doing a few simple things:

“Get up occasionally, and walk around. Exercise your calf muscles, and stretch your legs while you’re sitting. And select an aisle seat, when possible.”

She says travelers with higher risk of deep vein thrombosis can talk with their doctor about other steps, such as wearing special stockings.

TANNING AND CANCER

FROM:   HHS HealthBeat (June 1, 2012) 
Tans, burns and cancer
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Is a tan really worth risking skin cancer for? Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at national survey data, and reported that half of adults under 30 had at least one sunburn in a year. Burns raise the risk of skin cancer.

The researchers also were surprised to see how popular indoor tanning is among young women. The CDC’s Gery Guy:

“For example, among non-Hispanic white women between the ages of 18 and 21, 32 percent reported indoor tanning, with an average of 28 sessions in the past year.”

Guy points out that, beyond raising their risk of cancer, their skin is likely to age – and wrinkle – faster.

The study is in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

QUITTING THE SMOKING HABIT

FROM:  HHS HealthBeat (May 22, 2012) 
Life after smoking
It’s not easy, but it could be the most important decision you ever make. Quitting smoking, or never starting, is so vital to your health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched a new campaign, Tips from Former Smokers, to show just how harsh tobacco can be, first and second hand.

Suzy was 15 when she started smoking. When she was 57 she suffered a stroke.
"Apparently, a lot of people don’t know smoking can cause a stroke. It can. It caused mine. I used to love to travel. Now, I can’t leave the house by myself. And I can’t drive anymore."

Tobacco use causes cancer and other diseases. CDC offers free resources to help people quit.

HHS WARNING ABOUT SALMONELLOSIS INFECTIONS

FROM:  DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
HHS HealthBeat (April 12, 2012)
Tiny turtles
Salmonellosis is an infection from the bacteria Salmonella, which lives in food, water, and animals. In a 13-month period spanning to September, 2011, small turtles were a frequent culprit for spreading this infection.

Dr. Janell Routh is at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Most persons infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection.”

The infection usually lasts four to seven days. Those at higher risk include infants, older adults, and those with a weakened immune system.

“People need to wash their hands with soap and warm water after touching any retile or amphibian. Don’t let children under five handle reptiles or amphibians.” (10 seconds)
An article on salmonella is in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

CDC SAYS AMERICANS HAVE GOOD LEVELS OF VITAMINS AND NUTRIENTS IN BODIES

FROM:  CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL
CDC report finds U.S. population has good levels of some essential vitamins and nutrients
Higher deficiency rates in some groups deserve attentionOverall, the U.S. population has good levels of vitamins A and D and folate in the body, but some groups still need to increase their levels of vitamin D and iron, according to the Second National Report on Biochemical Indicators of Diet and Nutrition, released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report offers a limited but generally favorable review of the nation’s nutrition status although the findings do not necessarily indicate that people consume healthy and balanced diets.

CDC’s Division of Laboratory Sciences in the National Center for Environmental Health measured these indicators in blood and urine samples collected from participants in CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Data are presented for the years 1999-2006, with emphasis on newly available data for 2003-2006.

 “These findings are a snapshot of our nation’s overall nutrition status,” said Christopher Portier, Ph.D., director of CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health.  “Measurements of blood and urine levels of these nutrients are critical because they show us whether the sum of nutrient intakes from foods and vitamin supplements is too low, too high, or sufficient.”

The report also found that deficiency rates for vitamins and nutrients vary by age, gender, or race/ethnicity and can be as high as 31 percent for vitamin D deficiency in non-Hispanic blacks.

“Research shows that good nutrition can help lower people’s risk for many chronic diseases. For most nutrients, the low deficiency rates, less than 1 to 10 percent, are encouraging, but higher deficiency rates in certain age and race/ethnic groups are a concern and need additional attention,” said Christine Pfeiffer, Ph.D.,  lead researcher, in the Division of Laboratory Sciences in CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health.
CDC’s Second Nutrition Report establishes blood and urine reference levels for 58 biochemical indicators; more than twice as many indicators as its first report, published in 2008.  The report includes first-time data for a new indicator of iron deficiency and for 24 healthy and unhealthy fatty acids.

Folic acid fortification:  A sustained public health success
The report found that the fortification of cereal-grain products with folic acid, which began in 1998, has had a sustained positive impact on blood folate levels.  The report shows folate deficiency dropped to less than 1 percent after fortification.  The report also shows that blood folate levels in all race/ethnic groups are 50 percent higher since fortification began.

Before fortification began, approximately 12 percent of women of childbearing age were deficient in folate, as determined by blood folate levels.  Folate is essential during periods when cells rapidly divide and grow, which is particularly important for women prior to and during pregnancy and for children during infancy.  Folic acid can help prevent some major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine, such as spina bifida.

Vitamin D deficiency much higher in black Americans
The report found the highest rates of vitamin D deficiency in non-Hispanic blacks (31 percent) despite clinical data showing greater bone density and fewer fractures in this group. Further research is needed to explain why non-Hispanic blacks have better bone health but yet have a higher rate of vitamin D deficiency. According to the report, the vitamin D deficiency rate for Mexican-Americans was 12 percent and for non-Hispanic whites it was 3 percent.
Vitamin D is essential for good bone health but it may also improve muscle strength and protect against cancer and type 2 diabetes. Researchers are investigating these potential benefits, as well as, the vitamin D requirements for various groups.

Iodine levels border on insufficiency in women of childbearing age
Findings were not as encouraging with regard to the iodine status in young women (20-39 years of age). This age group had iodine levels that were just above iodine insufficiency. The young women also had the lowest iodine levels among any age group of women. Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormones that regulate human growth and development.  Iodine deficiency disorders include mental retardation, hypothyroidism, goiter, cretinism, and varying degrees of other growth and developmental abnormalities.  Iodine is especially important in women during childbearing years to ensure the best possible brain development of the fetus during pregnancy.
First measurements of new iron deficiency marker and of both healthy and unhealthy fatty acids

Using a new marker of iron status, the report indicates higher rates of iron deficiency in Mexican-American children aged 1 to 5 years (11 percent) and in non-Hispanic black (16 percent) and Mexican-American women (13 percent) of childbearing age (12 to 49 years) when compared to other race/ethnic groups. The new iron marker measurements will help clinicians better interpret iron status in individuals, especially in persons with chronic disease that includes inflammation, such as certain cancers.
The report provides first-time data on blood levels of fatty acids in the U.S. population. These include heart healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids as well as saturated fatty acids that increase risk of heart disease.  The report found heart healthy polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in plasma differ by race/ethnicity.  These first time measurements provide a baseline that will allow CDC to track fatty acid levels over time, which will evaluate our nation’s progress toward heart healthy diets.

Most comprehensive biochemical assessment of the nation’s nutrition status
CDC’s report is a detailed biochemical assessment of the nutrition status of the U.S. population. It is the second in a series of publications that provide an ongoing assessment of the U.S. population’s nutrition status. The series of reports provide information specific to population groups defined by age, gender, and race/ethnicity to show how these factors affect nutrition status in the United States.
CDC plans further analysis of report data that will help identify the influence of socio-economic and lifestyle factors on levels of nutrients in blood and urine. The agency also plans to continue its assessment of the nation’s nutrition status in future reports.

1 IN 88 KIDS IN US HAS AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

CDC estimates 1 in 88 children in United States has been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder

CDC data help communities better serve these children

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 88 children in the United States has been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a new study released today that looked at data from 14 communities.  Autism spectrum disorders are almost five times more common among boys than girls – with 1 in 54 boys identified.

The number of children identified with ASDs ranged from 1 in 210 children in Alabama to 1 in 47 children in Utah.  The largest increases were among Hispanic and black children.

The report, Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders – Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 14 Sites, United States, 2008, provides autism prevalence estimates from 14 areas. It was published today in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

“This information paints a picture of the magnitude of the condition across our country and helps us understand how communities identify children with autism,” said Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.  “That is why HHS and our entire administration has been working hard to improve the lives of people living with autism spectrum disorders and their families by improving research, support, and services.”

“One thing the data tells us with certainty – there are more children and families that need help,” said CDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “We must continue to track autism spectrum disorders because this is the information communities need to guide improvements in services to help children.”

The results of CDC’s study highlight the importance of the Obama administration’s efforts to address the needs of people with ASDs, including the work of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The IACC’s charge is to facilitate ASD research, screening, intervention, and education.  As part of this effort, the National Institutes of Health has invested in research to identify possible risk factors and effective therapies for people with ASDs.

Study results from the 2008 surveillance year show 11.3 per 1,000 8-year-old children have been identified as having an ASD.  This marks a 23 percent increase since the last report in 2009.  Some of this increase is due to the way children are identified, diagnosed and served in their communities, although exactly how much is due to these factors is unknown.  “To understand more, we need to keep accelerating our research into risk factors and causes of autism spectrum disorders,” said Coleen Boyle, Ph.D., M.S.Hyg., director of CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. 

The study also shows more children are being diagnosed by age 3, an increase from 12 percent for children born in 1994 to 18 percent for children born in 2000. “Unfortunately, 40 percent of the children in this study aren’t getting a diagnosis until after age 4. We are working hard to change that,” said Boyle.

The most important thing for parents to do is to act quickly whenever there is a concern about a child’s development. 

• Talk to your child’s doctor about your concerns.
• Call your local early intervention program or school system for an assessment. 
• Remember you do not need a diagnosis to access services for your child.

The above excerpt is from the Centers For Disease Control website:

HHS SAYS RAW MILK PUTS CHILDREN AT RISK

The following excerpt is from a Department of Health and Human Services e-mail:

Raw milk has its following, but experts say the followers are putting themselves at risk – and their children and families, too. Raw milk is nonpasteurized, which means it has not been treated against germs that can be found in cows – even if the cow looks healthy. Some people think raw milk is better, but researcher Adam Langer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention knows what happens to people who drink it.

“Raw milk and other nonpasteurized dairy products can carry harmful bacteria and other germs that can make you very sick or kill you.”  (8 seconds)

He says some raw milk drinkers have wound up needing weeks of kidney dialysis, and even ventilators to help them breathe.

The study is in the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

CDC LAUNCHES NEW ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN

The following excerpt is from the CDC website:

March 15, 2012

Washington, DCToday, we’re announcing the latest step this Administration is taking in our fight against the number one cause of preventable death in America. The new ad campaign we are launching today will feature some of the most moving and attention-grabbing stories about smoking’s devastating health effects ever seen in popular media. And we expect it will lead more than half a million smokers to seek out the resources they need to quit.

When we look back just a few decades to the days of smoking on airplanes and elevators, it can be easy to focus on how far we've come since then. It can be easy to be lulled into a sense of complacency and start to think of tobacco use as a problem that will go away on its own.

But the numbers tell a very different story. Tobacco continues to kill 443,000 Americans each year. And for every person who dies from smoking, at least two new young smokers take their place. In total, nearly 4,000 young people under 18 smoke their first cigarette every day, recruited by a tobacco industry that spends more than $10 billion a year to sell its products as cool and fun.

The ad campaign we’re launching today will tell the real story of how tobacco use can change your life. The courageous people who have volunteered to be in this campaign have lost lungs, legs, fingers, and the ability to speak as a result of smoking's toll.

Stories like these are already familiar to the millions of Americans currently suffering from tobacco-related illnesses and their families. But we hope these ads, based on successful campaigns in several states, will be a wakeup call for the smokers and potential smokers who are not yet aware of the enormous damage they may be doing to their health.

This campaign will build on a broad agenda we’ve undertaken in the last three years to stop kids from starting to smoke and help the 70 percent of smokers who want to quit make that difficult leap.

We’ve enacted historic anti-tobacco legislation that cracks down on the backdoor tactics tobacco companies use to market their products to kids and restricts the use of misleading terms like “light” or “mild.” These reforms had been debated for years. Now they’re the law of the land.

We’ve passed a health care law that’s making it much easier for people to get counseling to help them quit smoking. And we made a key change so that Medicare now covers this treatment before people get sick, instead of forcing them to wait until after symptoms start showing up.

We’re also supporting state-based quit lines, and backing proven local anti-tobacco programs, that can eventually become models for the rest of the country. And there are signs that momentum is building around the country. For the first time, we now have comprehensive smoke-free laws in more than half of states.

As we pursue these efforts, we’re also conscious of the enormous burden tobacco use puts on our economy: almost $200 billion a year. Any step we can take to reduce tobacco use even a small amount is likely to have a huge payoff in reduced health care costs and higher productivity. And in fact, we estimate that this campaign will save $170 million over the next three years.

As last week’s Surgeon General’s report made clear, if we want to accelerate falling tobacco rates, we need to take an all-of-the-above approach that reaches everyone from the 12-year-old thinking of taking his first puff to the 75-year-old lifetime smoker who could still reap huge health benefits from quitting.

That’s what we’ve been doing, and this campaign is a key addition to those efforts.

CDC SAYS ALMOST ALL AMERICANS GET TOO MUCH SODIUM IN THEIR DIET

The following excerpt is from the Centers For Disease Control website:

Nine in 10 U.S. adults get too much sodium every day
Main sources of sodium include many common foods
Nearly all Americans consume much more sodium than they should, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Most of the sodium comes from common restaurant or grocery store items.
The latest Vital Signs report finds that 10 types of foods are responsible for more than 40 percent of people’s sodium intake. The most common sources are breads and rolls, luncheon meat such as deli ham or turkey, pizza, poultry, soups, cheeseburgers and other sandwiches, cheese, pasta dishes, meat dishes such as meat loaf, and snack foods such as potato chips, pretzels and popcorn.  Some foods that are consumed several times a day, such as bread, add up to a lot of sodium even though each serving is not high in sodium.
“Too much sodium raises blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke,” said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “These diseases kill more than 800,000 Americans each year and contribute an estimated $273 billion in health care costs.”
The report notes that the average person consumes about 3,300 milligrams of sodium per day, not including any salt added at the table, which is more than twice the recommended limit for about half of Americans and 6 of every 10 adults.  The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day.  The recommendation is 1,500 milligrams per day for people aged 51 and older, and anyone with high blood pressure, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, and African Americans.
Key points in the Vital Signs Report:
Ten types of foods account for 44 percent of dietary sodium consumed each day.
65 percent of sodium comes from food sold in stores.
25 percent of sodium comes from meals purchased in restaurants.
Reducing the sodium content of the 10 leading sodium sources by 25 percent would lower total dietary sodium by more than 10 percent and could play a role in preventing up to an estimated 28,000 deaths per year.
Reducing daily sodium consumption is difficult since it is in so many of the foods we eat.  People can lower their sodium intake by eating a diet rich in fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables without sauce, while limiting the amount of processed foods with added sodium.  Individuals can also check grocery food labels and choose the products lowest in sodium.  CDC supports recommendations for food manufacturers and restaurants to reduce the amount of sodium added to foods.
“We’re encouraged that some food manufacturers are already taking steps to reduce sodium,” said Dr. Frieden. “Kraft Foods has committed to an average 10 percent reduction of sodium in their products over a two year period, and dozens of companies have joined a national initiative to reduce sodium.  The leading supplier of cheese for pizza, Leprino Foods, is actively working on providing customers and consumers with healthier options.  We are confident that more manufacturers will do the same.”