To Your HealthTYH Archives

December 30, 2003 [Volume 5, Issue 1]

 

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In this issue of To Your Health:

In Need of a Few Adjustments?

Parents of schoolchildren with behavioral problems can testify to the difficulties their children encounter: poor academic performance, low self-esteem and anger. Now, a new study suggests that schoolchildren who suffer from behavioral difficulties are also at an increased risk for developing lower back pain (LBP).

Researchers examined 1,000 schoolchildren between the ages of 11-14 and found that those who experienced behavioral problems, as well as those that repeatedly complained of other symptoms, such as abdominal pain, headaches and sore throats, were at a substantially higher risk of developing LBP than those without those problems. In short, the study concluded that behavioral problems and other somatic complaints may eventually lead to the onset of LBP.

If you have a child who suffers from LBP, behavioral problems and/or other health concerns, talk to your chiropractor about treatment options. In addition to helping relieve LBP, a chiropractor can recommend wellness and lifestyle changes that promote physical, mental and emotional well-being.

For more information on back pain, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/musculoskeletal/backpain/index.html.

Reference: Jones GT, Watson KD, Silman AJ, Symmons DPM, Macfarlane GJ. Predictors of low back pain in British schoolchildren: a population-based prospective cohort study. Pediatrics, Apr. 4, 2003:111(4), pp 822-28.

The Lowdown on High Blood Pressure

Hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure, is defined as a systolic reading of 140 mm Hg or higher (the top number of a blood pressure reading) or a diastolic reading of 90 mm Hg or higher (the bottom number). Systolic pressure measures the pressure exerted on the artery walls when the heart beats; diastolic pressure measures the force on the arteries between heartbeats.

In 2002, the American Medical Association (AMA) warned that the majority of the estimated 50 million Americans with hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, were failing to keep it "under control." A year later, few people seem to have heeded that warning, a point emphasized by this study published in the association's main journal.

Researchers surveyed a random sampling of the U.S. population as part of the latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), gathering data on prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of high blood pressure. Results were compared with data from the two phases of NHANES III (1988-91 and 1991-94).

As of 1999-2000, 28.7 percent of NHANES participants suffered from high blood pressure - a 3.7 percent increase from 1988-91. Moreover, the condition was controlled in only 31 percent of patients - albeit a 6.4 percent increase from 1988-91. Increasing age, female gender and high body mass index (BMI) were associated with a higher risk of hypertension.

So, now you know all about high blood pressure. The question is, "What are you going to do about it?" If you're one of the millions who suffer, talk to your doctor about the best way to keep it under control.

For more information on hypertension, read some of the latest research summaries at www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general/wellness/index.html.

Reference: Hajjar I, Kotchen TA. Trends in prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in the United States, 1988-2000. Journal of the American Medical Association, July 9, 2003:290(2), pp199-206.

No Grain, No Gain

Weight loss has become a cultural obsession; these days, it seems that diet fads vanish as quickly as they appear. A study published in the November 2003 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, however, shows that weight loss might be as simple as eating a diet rich in whole-grain foods.

Researchers evaluated the eating habits of 75,000 U.S. female nurses ages 38-63 during a 12-year period. The study found that women who consumed more high-fiber whole-grain foods, including brown rice, whole-grain breads and whole-grain cereals, were 49 percent less likely to gain weight and, on average, nine pounds lighter than their non grain-eating counterparts.

But that's not all: Other studies have shown that a diet consisting of whole-grain foods can lower your risk for developing heart disease. So, ditch those sugary cereals and refined breads and replace them with whole-grain options; while you're at it, trash the junk food like chips and cookies. You'll feel better, lose weight, and your heart will thank you for it.

For more information on nutrition and the benefits of a healthy diet, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition/foods/index.html.

Reference: Liu S, Willett W, Manson JE, et al. Relation between changes in intakes of dietary fiber and grain products and changes in weight and development of obesity among middle-aged women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition November 2003:78(5), pp 920-27.

Moo Over, Asthma: You've Got an Udder Thing Coming!

Milk isn't just for healthy bones anymore. According to a recent study, the consumption of milk fat may also be associated with a reduced risk of asthma in preschool children. Researchers gathered data related to food consumption of 2,978 two-year-olds then compared the frequency of asthma symptoms in the same children at age of three. The children who consumed full cream milk and butter daily had a lower incidence of asthma-related symptoms than those who did not.

Among the milk drinkers, only 3.4 percent displayed symptoms of asthma compared to 5.6 percent in the non-milk group, and 1.5 percent among daily butter consumers compared to 5.1 percent that did not. What's more, children who consumed milk products daily were less likely to wheeze than the others.

This is good news, considering that one in 17 million Americans have asthma, with as many as 10-12 percent of those being children. With symptoms ranging from shortness of breath and chest pain to chronic coughing, battling asthma can be difficult and frustrating, especially for little tykes.

If your little one has asthma, or is at risk for developing the condition, try increasing their whole milk consumption. In addition to helping reduce their risk for asthma attacks, they'll benefit from the many vitamins and nutrients essential to healthy growth, including calcium, protein, vitamins A, B-12 and D, potassium, phosphorus, niacin and riboflavin.

For more information on general health and wellness, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general/index.html.

Reference: Wijga AH, Smit HA, Kerkhof M, et al. Association of consumption of products containing milk fat with reduces asthma risk in preschool children: the PIAMA birth cohort study. Thorax (2003):58, pp 567-72.

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