Have you seen the new CDC report on the nation’s waistline?

Apparently, it show that when it comes to weight, there is no shrinkage. Some state may be holding steady but the major seem to be growing.

For the report,  400,000 American adults provided information about their height and weight which was used to calculate their body mass index (BMI).

Weighing up all the information, the CDC has determined that ‘the proportion of U.S. adults who are obese increased to 26.1 percent in 2008 compared to 25.6 percent in 2007.’

According to the CDC press release  “In six states – Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia – adult obesity prevalence was 30 percent or more. Thirty-two states, including those six, had obesity prevalence of 25 percent or more. Only one state, Colorado, had a prevalence of obesity less than 20 percent. But no state showed a significant decrease in obesity prevalence from 2007 to 2008.”

As for the ‘fattest state’, this dubious honor goes to Mississippi.

Here are the percentages of obese adults in U.S. states and Washington, D.C., according to the new CDC data:

Mississippi: 32.8%
Alabama: 31.4%
West Virginia: 31.2%
Tennessee: 30.6%
Oklahoma: 30.3%
South Carolina: 30.1%
Kentucky: 29.8%
North Carolina: 29%
Michigan: 28.9%
Arkansas and Ohio: 28

(source: WebMD)

 

Based on numerous research studies that illustrated the unique benefits of marijuana in counteracting the pain, nausea and  the “wasting-effect” that often often occurs in the late stages of AIDS and cancers, Californian’s voted in 1996 to legalize medical marijuana.

The state even went as far as providing marijuana vending machines to supply those who were in need and medical qualified to have it.

Now the state lawmakers have decided that, while it’s of medical benefit to treat side effects of serious illnesses, it possibly can cause cancer.

That doesn’t mean that medical marijuana will now be banned. Instead, the plan is to have a warning label (just like on cigarettes) informing people of it’s potential cancer-causing risks.

Interesting idea, but somehow I don’t think those that need it will be reading the labels.

For more of on this, read California Adds Pot to List of Cancer-Causing Substances.

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Check out this innovative low-cost, low-tech concept waterless toilet system created by industrial designer Virginia Gardiner.

This waterless toilet, aptly named LooWatt, is a closed-loop management system that will recycle human waste and eventually turn it into energy.

Here’s how it works. After defecating, you turn the crank on the toilet which, instead of flushing, magically pushes the waste down into a receptacle that is lined with a carbon-rish biodegradable film. Once this prototype sealed container is full, it is removed and the compressed waste is taken to an anaerobic digester which, in turn, will produce cooking gas from the methane.

It sounds a little gross but makes a whole lot of sense…

Despite all the smoking bans in place, there are still some places, such as casinos, where workers are still consistently exposed to second hand smoke.

A new study, funded by the Flight Attendent Medical Institute, finds that casino workers face higher risks of heart disease and lung disease because a smoke filled work environment.

In the study, the air quality in three Pennsylvania casinos was tested for levels of two indicators of tobacco smoke - cancer-causing chemicals and particles small enough to inhale. 

At the same time, eight volunteers, each of whom spent four hours in the casinos, provided urine samples which were measured for levels of a tobacco smoke byproduct.

Measuring the air quality revealed that the tobacco smoke indicators inside the casino was four to six times higher than outside.

And testing the volunteer’s urine samples showed a 10 fold increase in tobacco smoke byproduct levels in the urine.

All in all, a fairly clear indication that the air that you breathe in casinos is full of smoke.

Seems to me it might be time for casinos to follow the lead of restaurants and bars and ban smoking altogether.

It works pretty good here in New Zealand. And there doesn’t seem to be any evidence it’s reduced the number of people visiting the casino. If anything, it might have actually increased the number of visitors.

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Pity the poor wine makers, tasters, and judges.

Researchers in Australia are finding that they are at a higher risk of tooth erosion.

Of course, tooth erosion can happen to anyone, but those who are constantly tasting wine are much more susceptible due wines acidic nature.

Acid dissolves the calcium and phosphate from teeth’s enamel surfaces, a process that is irreversible.

Researchers aren’t advocating that professional wine assessors give up their job but they are suggesting that they look at ways of protecting their teeth.

Ways they can do this include drinking plenty of water to increase saliva production which helps flush way and dilute the acids.

Another, more extreme idea, is for them not to brush their teeth on the mornings of a wine tasting session. Sounds gross, but the idea is that by not brushing, the plaque on the teeth will protect the enamel.

But what, you have to wonder,  will that do to the taste of the wine?

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New York City and subways go together like bacon and eggs or coffee and donuts. But subways, like bacon and donuts,  aren’t necessarily good for you.

Seems a new study that compared the numerous mass transits modes available in NYC has found that subways, with noise levels ranging between 80 and 102 decibels, were the loudest means of transport around.

That’s not good.

The EPA and WHO both recommend that in order to protect your hearing your daily average level of noise exposure should be no more than 70 decibels. To give you an idea of the level that is, normal conversation is between 60 and 70 decibels.

The study’s results indicates that the estimated 33 million Americans who use the subways daily are consistently over exposing themselves to potentially deafening levels of noise.

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A ‘Coffee’ Breath Mint ?

Sounds a little strange given that coffee, which has a dehydrating effect in the mouth, can make someone’s breath smell, to honest, not so good.

But new research from Israel has turned up a coffee extract that can inhibit the bacteria that lead to bad breath.

This surprised even the researchers. Expecting to find that coffee did indeed cause bad breath, they found instead some components in coffee that actually inhibit bad breath.

Prof. Mel Rosenberg, the lead researcher, now aims to isolate the bacterial-inhibiting molecule in coffee. If he’s successful, it could result in a whole new class of mouthwashes, breath mints, and chewing gum. 

Imagine the possibilities…

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Would I lie to you? Maybe, but the truth, according to David Matsumoto, Ph.D., a psychologist at San Francisco State University in San Francisco, Calif., will be written all over my face. It might not be easy to see, but it’s there.

Dr. Matsumoto, who has made a career out of focusing not on what people say but what the face itself says, works with police and experts around the world to find the truth by reading faces.

 It’s a fascinating topic that’s become even more interesting since the arrival of the television show Lie to Me, based on the work of Paul Ekman, which is turning all of us into amateur face readers.

And let’s face it, there’s plenty of scope of practice, especially with all the television interviews featuring politicians and celebrities.

After all, even famous people aren’t aware of the micro-expressions they are conveying.

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Emergency Rooms account for nearly half of all hospital admissions so it’s not surprising that it turns into a waiting game for most patients.

A new report released today by Press Ganey Associates has found that there has been a 27 minute increase in waiting time in ER nationwide since 2002.

The report, ”2009 Emergency Department Pulse Report: Patient Perspectives on American Health Care”, which analysed the experiences of almost 1.4 million patients who were treated in 1,725 Emergency Departments during 2008.

Interesting facts from the report include…

South Dakota has the lowest total time spent in the emergency department (3 hours, 52 minutes) while Utah had the highest total time (6 hours, 48 minutes).

Virginia patients spent 23 fewer minutes in the emergency department in 2008 than they had in 2007, while patients in Maryland spent 14 fewer minutes in the ED last year.

The metro areas with the highest patient satisfaction in the emergency department for 2008 were, in order, Miami, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Boston, Chicago, Baltimore, Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth and New York/Long Island.

Patients who arrive in the emergency department between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. report higher satisfaction than those who arrive in the evening or overnight hours. Lowest satisfaction was reported among those who are in the emergency department between 3:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.

While average total times have increased since data was first collected in 2002, patient satisfaction is improving as many hospitals are communicating better with patients about delays.

The economy is having a significant impact as the proportion of emergency department patients without insurance is increasing. Fewer patients are seeking inpatient and elective services.

Alongside this report, Press Ganey has also released easy to use information on Solutions for Consumers and Tips for Hospital Administrators.

Warnnig: Reusable Shopping Bags Could Be Making You Sick

That’s the word from a recent study commissioned and funded by the Environment and Plastics Industry Council(EPIC)  in Canada. Randomly testing of reusable bags used by consumers in Toronto turned up an interesting result. It appears that the bags were not only carrying groceries. They are also carrying around high levels of mold, bacteria, and yeast.

Full results indicated that…

* Sixty four percent of the tested reusable bags were contaminated with some level of bacteria

* Nearly 30 percent had bacterial counts higher than what is considered safe for drinking water.

* Forty percent of the bags contained the presence of yeast or mold.

* Some of the sampled bags contained unsafe levels of coliforms and fecal intestinal bacteria.

 Pretty gross really.

But before you start throwing away the reusable bags, give some thought to how you are using and maintaining these bags.

Do you place improperly wrapped meat into the bags?  Are they used for multiple purposes, such as for sports events and as a diaper bag? Have they had spilt or perishable foods in them?  Do you wash them regularly? Where are they stored?

Like anything else, proper care is important. Bags need to be washed between uses or at least once a week. They need to be stored in a dry, clean environment. And each bag should have a designated use - groceries, gym clothes, diapers, wine, etc.

I guess, in the end, it all comes down to common sense and good hygiene.

(article source / image source)