March 9, 2004 [Volume 5, Issue 6]

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In this issue of To Your Health:

• Reducing Workplace Injuries Using Proper Ergonomics
• Can You Stomach That Much Salt?
• Eliminating Low Back Pain: Just Another Walk in the Park
• Soft Drinks and School Kids Don't Mix

Every year, almost a million people are forced to take time off from work due to repetitive motion injuries or overexertion. Many of these conditions are caused by poor ergonomics - in other words, the environment in which a person works isn't designed properly to reduce the risk of injury and maximize productivity.

In a recent study, office workers were selected to participate in one of three study groups. One group received an adjustable office chair and training in office ergonomics; the second group received training only; and the third group received the training only, but not until the end of the study period. Workers who received the adjustable chair and the training had lower average pain levels and fewer symptoms of injury during the course of the study than workers in the other two groups.

If you want to have healthy, productive employees, just training them in ergonomics won't do the trick. In addition to proper training, make sure your employees have equipment that is easy to use and can be adjusted to a variety of heights to accommodate their needs. And if you're an employee, make sure your boss provides adequate training and work equipment, including the appropriate chair, to keep you healthy, happy and productive. It's a win-win situation on both sides.

Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about the importance of proper ergonomics. For more information on the benefits of chiropractic, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/whatischiro.html.

Reference: Amick BC, Robertson MM, DeRango K, et al. Effect of office ergonomics intervention on reducing musculoskeletal symptoms. Spine 2003;28(24), pp2706-2711.

Although the number of deaths caused by stomach cancer has dropped dramatically over the past decade, it's still one of the leading forms of cancer fatalities worldwide. According to recent data, the disease accounted for an estimated 776,000 deaths in 1996. One factor that may contribute to stomach cancer is salt, which can lead to a precancerous condition called atrophic gastritis.

In this study, researchers evaluated the impact of salt intake in more than 39,000 middle-aged Japanese men and women over an 11-year period. High salt intake was linked with an increased incidence of stomach cancer in both men and women. Men who consumed the most salt had twice the risk of developing stomach cancer compared to those who ate the least salt; the risk was less in woman, but still significant.

To reduce your risk of stomach cancer, avoid foods naturally high in salt, along with foods processed using high amounts of sodium. Your doctor of chiropractic can help coordinate a comprehensive wellness plan that includes plenty of nutritious foods and limits those with high sodium content.

Want to know more about nutrition? Visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition for information on vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements and foods key to staying fit and healthy.

Reference: Tsugane S, Sasazuki S, Kobayashi M, et al. Salt and salted food intake and subsequent risk of gastric cancer among middle-aged Japanese men and women. British Journal of Cancer 2004;90, pp128-134.

Low back pain (LBP) may be no picnic, but a new study suggests that something as simple as taking a walk in the park, or engaging in other common physical activities, can help LBP sufferers cope more effectively and reduce the amount of sick time needed to recover.

In a three-year observational study, 457 patients suffering from LBP and placed on sick leave from work were divided into an intervention and a control group. The intervention group received a clinical examination, doctor advice and information, and was encouraged to stay physically active, while the control group received an exam and other primary health care treatments.

At a six-month follow-up, patients from the intervention group were less likely to use bed rest, and more likely to stretch or walk to treat their LBP than the control group, and after 12 months, 68.4 percent of patients from the intervention group had returned to work, as opposed to 56.4 percent of patients from the control group. Researchers concluded that encouraging patients to resume physical activity soon after the onset of LBP, as well as offering further guidance and support during the examination process, reduces the number of sick days taken in association with the pain.

If you suffer from back pain, talk to a doctor of chiropractic about a treatment plan. To learn more about the benefits of chiropractic for managing LBP, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/musculoskeletal/backpain.

Reference: Hagen EM, Grasdal A, Eriksen HR. Does early intervention with a light mobilization program reduce long-term sick leave for low back pain: a 3-year follow-up study. Spine, Oct. 15, 2003;28(20), pp2309-2316.

Despite the soft drink industry's insistence to the contrary, mounting evidence suggests that soft drink consumption, particularly by children, is a leading cause of childhood obesity. Up to 85 percent of all children enrolled in school consume at least one soft drink a day, and 20 percent consume a whopping four or more soft drinks daily.

To combat the increase of childhood obesity and subsequently improve the health of schoolchildren, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released a policy statement outlining ways to reduce or eliminate the consumption of soft drinks in schools. Among the AAP's recommendations:

1. Pediatricians should work to eliminate sweetened drinks in schools, and promote healthy alternatives, such as real fruit and vegetable juices, water, and low-fat white or flavored milk.
   
   
2. Pediatricians should push for the creation of a nutrition advisory council at each school, composed of parents, school and community officials, food service groups and health care providers. This will help ensure that student health remains the foundation of a school's nutritional policy.
   
   
3. School districts should hold public hearings before deciding to sign any contract with a food or drink vendor. If a school district already has a soft drink contract in place, it should be modified so that it doesn't promote overconsumption by students.
   
   
4. The consumption of sweetened soft drinks in the classroom should be eliminated, as should any advertising that promotes soft drinks.

How can parents help? By making sure their children have limited access to soft drinks and sweetened beverages - at school and at home. Take those bottles of soda out of the refrigerator and replace them with 100% fruit juices, which have the vital nutrients growing kids need - and far less of the corn syrup, sugar and other empty calories found in sodas. They may complain a bit, but in the long run, they'll probably thank you for it.

Find out more about pediatric health at www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/pediatrics.

Reference: American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on School Health. Policy Statement: Soft Drinks in Schools. Pediatrics January 2004;113(1), pp152-154.

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