5 February, 2014

Consumption of added sugar linked to death from cardiovascular disease

Researchers have used national health survey data to examine added sugar consumption as a percentage of daily calories and to estimate association between consumption and cardiovascular disease (CVD). A new study by Quanhe Yang, Ph.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, and colleagues indicate that the average percentage of daily calories from added sugar increased from 15.7 percent in 1988-1994 to 16.8 percent in 1999 to 2004 and decreased to 14.9 percent in 2005-2010.

Major sources of added sugar in American’s diets are sugar-sweetened beverages, grain-based desserts, fruit drinks, dairy desserts and candy. A can of regular soda contains about 35g of sugar (about 140 calories). In 2005-2010, most adults (71.4 percent) consumed 10 percent of more of their calories from added sugar and about 10 percent of adults consumed 25 percent or more of their calories from added sugar.

The authors note the risk of death from CVD increased with a higher percentage of calories from added sugar. Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (seven servings or more per week) was associated with increased risk of dying from CVD. The authors concluded saying that their results support current recommendations to limit the intake of calories from added sugars in U.S. diets. The study was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Source: http://health.india.com

05.02.2014

Common colds during pregnancy boost kids’ asthma risk

A new study has revealed that the more common colds and viral infections a woman has during pregnancy, the higher the risk her baby will have asthma. The study found that a mother’s infections and bacterial exposure during pregnancy affect the in utero environment, thus increasing a baby’s risk of developing allergy and asthma in childhood. ‘In addition, these same children that had early exposure to allergens, such as house dust and pet dander, had increased odds of becoming sensitized by age five,’ allergist Mitch Grayson, MD, Annals deputy editor and fellow of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) said.

‘When dust mites from the mother and child’s mattresses were examined, children with high dust mite exposure yet low bacteria exposure were more likely to be allergic to dust mites than those with low mite exposure and high bacteria contact,’ the researcher added. The study was published in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Source: http://health.india.com

05.02.2014

If you never chase your dream, you will never get it