The Checkup: February 6, 2011 - February 12, 2011

Is that right? Drinking diet soda increases stroke risk?

I don't typically report on research that's not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. But the provocative study about diet soda and stroke risk presented this week at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference in Los Angeles has generated enough confusion to warrant some attention here.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget  | February 11, 2011; 7:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (11)
Categories:  Cardiovascular Health, Is That Right?, Nutrition and Fitness, Sodium, Strokes  
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On energy drinks, a voice of caution -- and reason

The thing I most appreciate about this JAMA editorial is its clear-headed presentation of information without an accompanying demand for government regulation. Its stance seems to be that the public (and the health professionals who advise the public) needs to be aware of the potential risks of energy drinks -- not that people shouldn't be allowed to enjoy energy drinks if they so choose. And there is, thankfully, no mention of an energy-drink tax.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget  | February 10, 2011; 7:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (6)
Categories:  Alcohol and Drugs, FDA, Family Health, Kids' health, Parenting, Pregnancy, Teens  
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Study: Womb surgery for spina bifida beneficial

Performing surgery on babies with the most severe form of spina bifida when they are still in the womb doubles the chance that they will be able to walk, according to a federally-funded study released Wednesday.

By Rob Stein  | February 9, 2011; 5:00 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  Parenting, Pregnancy, Reproductive Health, Women's Health  
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Breast-cancer study questions lymph node removal

Some women with early breast cancer do not appear to need to have their lymph nodes removed, as is often currently recommended, according to a new federally funded study, released Tuesday.

By Rob Stein  | February 8, 2011; 6:06 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  breast cancer  
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Why flu vaccine may cause narcolepsy

Scientists think they have found a clue to why there may be an increased risk for the sleeping disorder narcolepsy among some people who got the H1N1 flu vaccine: The cases appear to have occurred among those carrying a gene that increases the risk for the rare disorder, which causes...

By Rob Stein  | February 8, 2011; 9:46 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (3)
Categories:  Influenza, Parenting, Sleep, Vaccinations  
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USDA finds eggs better than cracked up to be

Eggs, which hadn't been evaluated since 2002, turn out to have 14 percent less cholesterol and 64 percent more Vitamin D than before. Specifically, a large egg now has 185 mg of cholesterol and 41 IU of Vitamin D. That's down from 212 mg of cholesterol and up from 18 IU of Vitamin D.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget  | February 8, 2011; 9:43 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (6)
Categories:  Nutrition and Fitness, Vitamins, usda  
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More on babies and solid food

A study published this morning in the journal Pediatrics adds new information to the mix. It found that among babies who had been formula-fed or who had been weaned by 4 months, those who were introduced to solid foods before 4 months were at greatly increased risk of being obese at age 3. That relationship wasn't explained by rapid early growth among those infants, the study found.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget  | February 7, 2011; 12:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (5)
Categories:  Childhood obesity  
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