July 14, 2012 Clippings

Nail polishes cause diabetes in women

A new study has found an association between increased concentrations of phthalates in the body and an increased risk of diabetes in women.

Phthalates are endocrine disrupting chemicals that are commonly found in personal care products such as moisturizers, nail polishes, soaps, hair sprays and perfumes. They are also used in adhesives, electronics, toys and a variety of other products.

Researchers, lead by Tamarra James-Todd, PhD, a researcher in the Division of Women's Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), analysed urinary concentrations of phthalates in 2,350 women who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They found that women with higher levels of phthalates in their urine were more likely to have diabetes. Specifically:

Women who had the highest levels of the chemicals mono-benzyl phthalate and mono-isobutyl phthalate had almost twice the risk of diabetes compared to women with the lowest levels of those chemicals. Women with higher than median levels of the chemical mono-(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate had approximately a 60 per cent increased risk of diabetes.

Women with moderately high levels of the chemicals mono-n-butyl phthalate and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate had approximately a 70 percent increased risk of diabetes.

The study population consisted of a representative sample of American women and was controlled for socio-demographic, dietary and behavioural factors. However, the women self-reported their diabetes and researchers caution against reading too much into the study due to the possibility of reverse causation.

"This is an important first step in exploring the connection between phthalates and diabetes," said Dr. James-Todd.

"We know that in addition to being present in personal care products, phthalates also exist in certain types of medical devices and medication that is used to treat diabetes and this could also explain the higher level of phthalates in diabetic women. So overall, more research is needed," she noted.

This finding is published in the July 13, 2012 online edition of Environmental Health Perspectives.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

14.07.2012

Beware if you have a sweet tooth

CHENNAI: Ever wonder what that bite of your Mysorepa may do to you? A team of nutritionists of the consumer association of India (CAI) conducted a nutritional analysis which found that sweets and savouries sold in the shops across the city have high levels of sugar, salt, fat, cholesterol and fiber as against the prescribed standards by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and WHO.

Releasing the results of the two month study, CONCERT (foods director) G Santhanarajan said, "Traditional sweets and savories sold in most shops can be hazardous to health." The team had studied 10 samples picked from shops including well-known sweet and savouries shops in the city. Food picked for tests included kesari, rava laddu, adhirasam, bholi, modhagam, kolukattai, murukku, thattai, pototo chips, karabhoomdhi and halwa.

Samples were tested at National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited labs including the King Institute in Guindy. "Tests showed mysorepa had 81.5% of fat in the total ingredients as against prescribed limit of 20% while sugar for the same sweet is 175.3% as against the norm of only 15%," said nutrition specialist Dr S Rajagopalan.

Earlier, sweets and savories were homemade during festivals and functions. Today many families buy them from shops where they do not check the quality of foods they buy and the amount of ingredients used to prepare it. "State and central health agencies should ensure quality foods are sold," said R Desikan, trustee, CAI.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

14.07.2012

An ounce of performance is worth pounds of promises

Mae West