January 17, 2001 [Volume 2, Issue 2]

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In this issue of To Your Health:

• Early Joint Trauma May Lead to Osteoarthritis
• Breastfeeding Reduces Childhood Asthma Risk
• The Road to Regulating Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
• Lower Your Cholesterol with Macadamia Nuts

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of joint disease, and numerous factors can contribute to its development, including general "wear and tear" and family history of the condition. Osteoarthritis is fairly common in the elderly population, although it can also strike younger people. Evidence now suggests that joint trauma in childhood or young adulthood may contribute to osteoarthritis in later life.

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine recorded prior and current injury status in 1,321 young medical students (average age: 22 years). Injury was defined as trauma to the knee or hip joint. Subsequent trauma and specific sites of arthritis were reported during a 36-year follow-up period.

Nearly 14% of participants who reported a knee injury in youth or young adulthood developed osteoarthritis of the knee by age 65, compared with only six percent of those without any such prior injury. Overall, prior joint injury significantly correlated with risk for later-life osteoarthritis at the specific injury site. The authors urge the use of proper sports equipment under safe conditions to help prevent joint injuries in youth.

For more information on ways to keep your children as healthy and pain-free as possible, contact your doctor. You can also find additional exercise and fitness information on line at https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/sports.html.

Reference: Gelber AC, Hochberg MC, Mead LA, et al. Joint injury in young adults and risk for subsequent knee and hip osteoarthritis. Annals of Internal Medicine 2000: Vol. 133, pp321-28.

Breastfeeding Reduces Childhood Asthma Risk

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease to affect children (an estimated 7-10% of the pediatric population). Various environmental and maternal factors have been suggested as possible causes, but what about the solution to this frustrating condition?

A recent study published in the Journal of Asthma found that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of children developing asthma. Among nearly 5,200 Brazilian schoolchildren 7-14 years of age, children who had not been breastfed during infancy were more likely to suffer from asthma, wheeze (labored breathing, particularly when exhaling, sometimes accompanied by tightness in the chest), or wheeze after exercise compared with children breastfed for six months or more. This association was noted only in children without a family history of asthma, emphasizing the independent protective influence of breastfeeding on asthma risk.

These findings add to the considerable evidence linking breastfeeding with positive health benefits for the child. For more information on pediatric health, talk to your doctor and visit https://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/pediatrics/

Reference: Romieu I, Werneck G, Velasco SR, et al. Breastfeeding and asthma among Brazilian children. Journal of Asthma 2000: Vol. 37, No. 7, pp575-83.

The Road to Regulating Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

The benefits of exercising during pregnancy include shorter labor and timely delivery; higher birth weight babies; and reductions in nausea, fatigue and other pregnancy-related discomfort. Add regulating blood pressure to this list, according to a study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine.

Sixteen expectant mothers were recruited for the study before 14 weeks of gestation, observed for four weeks, then assigned to an exercise or a control group. The exercise group performed 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, consisting of activity on a motorized treadmill or bicycle ergonometer, three times a week for 10 weeks. The control group maintained individual levels of physical activity.

Systolic blood pressure did not change significantly in either group, but diastolic blood pressure decreased in the exercise group and increased slightly in the control group. Both groups engaged in similar levels of daily physical activities and were similar with respect to weight and body composition, suggesting that the added exercise sessions exerted an independent influence on blood pressure.

Reference: Yeo SA, Steele NM, Chang M-C, et al. Effect of exercise on blood pressure in pregnant women with a high risk of gestational hypertensive disorders. The Journal of Reproductive Medicine 2000: Vol. 45, pp293-98.

For more information on women's health, visit https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/women.html.

Lower Your Cholesterol with Macadamia Nuts

Heart disease is all-too-common, especially in the United States. Although there's a definite tendency for heart disease to run in families, lifestyle factors such as diet, smoking and stress also play a substantial role.

Dietary practices have long been linked to heart disease, especially the consumption of foods that help lower cholesterol levels. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine evaluated the cholesterol-lowering ability of macadamia nuts in 30 volunteers, aged 18-53. Subjects consumed three specific diets in random order: a "typical American diet," with 37% of energy derived from fat; an American Heart Association "Step 1" diet, with 30% of energy from fat; and a macadamia-nut based diet, with 37% of energy derived from primarily monounsaturated fat.

After one month, cholesterol levels were lower in the group consuming the macadamia nut diet, compared with the other two groups. The typical American diet proved the least effective of the three diet plans in lowering cholesterol. No significant side effects were noted from ingesting large quantities of macadamia nuts, leading the authors to conclude: "Physicians can recommend the consumption of these and other nuts as part of a satisfying and healthy diet."

Reference: Curb JD, Wergowske G, Dobbs JC, et al. Serum lipid effects of a high monounsaturated fat diet based on macadamia nuts. Archives of Internal Medicine 2000: Vol. 160, pp1154-58.

For more information on nutrition, go to https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html.

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