Written by Thu Tran, MD,FACOG
June 9, 2015
1. Infant Exposure to Peanut Products Reduces Risk of Peanut Allergy.
The Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) study, supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and conducted by the NIAID-funded Immune Tolerance Network (ITN), reported an 81% risk reduction in peanut allergy at age 5, in infants at high risk for peanut allergy but who were given peanut products in their diet. Study subjects included those who avoided peanuts completely versus those who consumed at least 6g of peanuts weekly in their diet. This study was published online in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual meeting.
A follow-up study is underway to determine if a continuous consumption of peanut products is needed to maintain this risk reduction in peanut allergy.
For more information please visit NIH.gov.
2. Poor Sleep and Possible Link to Overeating.
A study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found a potential correlation between a bad night’s sleep and excessive eating secondary to appetite-controlling hormone impairment. The study was published in the Journal of Health-Psychology. The authors found similar results in previous studies linking disrupted sleep to overeating.
The researchers also found a higher risk of both poor sleeping and excessive eating in individuals in lower social economic levels or those who are highly stressed. They believe health psychologists need to be aware of sleep patterns when trying to work on patients’ dietary habits and behavior.
Reference: MPR and SagePub.com
3. Global Diabetes Rate has greatly increased.
A study published online in the Lancet reported a 45% increase in diabetes incidence from 1990 to 2013, with the majority of them being type 2 or adult onset diabetes. This study, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, found the incidence increase most likely is related to the increased rate of obesity worldwide. Data in this large study were gathered from 35,000 sources in 188 countries.
4. Mammograms Most Beneficial for Women from 50-69, a New International Panel Opinion.
A study recently published online in the New England Journal of Medicine from the InternationalAgency for Research on Cancer (IARC) showed mammograms being most beneficial for women in their 50s and 60s. This study came from 29 cancer experts in 16 countries. They believe women from 70-74 benefit to a lesser extent from mammograms.
On April 20, 2015, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released its preliminary advice on mammogram screening frequency, with average risk women being screened every two years from 50-74. Dr. Marsha Seidelman summarized the USPSTF’s new recommendation in a recent blog.
Also recently, the American College of Physicians (ACP) released their new cancer screening recommendations in the Journal Annals of Internal Medicine, agreeing with the USPSTF’s new recommendation.