Summers bring high fever, headaches

Despite the realtively pleasant weather during the weekend, the summer seems to be taking its toll on Delhiites as complaints of severe headache, high fever, vomiting and dehydration have started flooding city's hospitals.

The Out Patient Departments (OPD) of major hospitals are getting large number of patients who are suffering from typhoid, diarrhoea and jaundice which the doctors say are getting aggravated due to heat. 20-30 cases a day "We are getting several patients in the OPD everyday who are suffering from headache, high fever, vomiting and dehydration problems. Also, 20- 30 cases of diarrhoea and three to five cases of jaundice are reported on daily basis," said Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, Head of Department, Internal Medicine at Max Healthcare.

The scene is similar in other hospitals too. "Four to five people come to our OPD daily complaining of high fever, headache and vomiting due to the heat," said Dr Viver Nangia, Head of Department, Infectious and Pulmonary Disease, Fortis Healthcare.

The high temperatures have left a lot of Delhiites high and dry as they are forced to stay indoors to avoid heat strokes. "It's unbelievably hot during the day. So we are forced to stay indoors to avoid heat strokes. There is no shopping, no outing. Summer is so dull," said Anjana Basao, a first year Delhi University student.

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10 ways to avoid hay fever

1 Stay indoors when the pollen count is reported as being high or when it is very humid.

2 Avoid mowing the grass if at all possible and stay indoors when the grass is being cut.

3 Keep windows closed during high pollen season. If you have air conditioning in your car, office or home, use it as it cleans the air as well as well as cools it.

4 If you are allergic to pollen, dry your clothes indoors during the pollen season.

5 Shower and wash your hair daily once you come indoors.

6 Wear wraparound sunglasses to avoid pollen exposure to eyes.

7 Pollen season can vary each year depending on the weather conditions, but is usually at its peak in mid-June. If you are very sensitive to pollen, it's worth planning your holiday for this time.

8 Exam time usually coincides with pollen season, so if you suffer from symptoms ensure you are on the right treatment that will control your symptoms with minimal side effects during this period.

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Reported typhoid cases from ages 20-29

Most of the reported cases of typhoid from the Bua Province were recorded from the ages of 20-29.

To date there are 42 reported cases.

Health Ministry spokesperson, Peni Namotu confirmed that the main cause of the spread is by healthy carriers moving around and spreading the bacteria.

Healthy carriers are people that have the bacteria but do not show symptoms of Typhoid.

Therefore, when they do not wash their hands with soap and water after visiting the toilet and they then mix grog or prepare food, they spread the bacteria to people that consume the grog, food or water.

Namotu confirmed that this is the whole reason why they have cancelled mass gatherings and the consumption of grog is prohibited.

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Risks of hypertension, rewards of healthy living

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is one of the leading contributors to Americans developing heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Today, 74 million Americans suffer from hypertension, including an astounding 50 percent of Alaska Native and American Indian elders (age 55 and older). Although this can be a deadly disease, hypertension can be detected and treated with your awareness and the help of your doctor.

May is National Hypertension Awareness Month and a perfect time to learn more about high blood pressure. By finding out if you are at risk for developing high blood pressure and understanding the things you can do to keep your blood pressure controlled, you can help prevent some of the disease's devastating consequences.

Hypertension is a commonly misunderstood disease. Many of us may think that only people who are stressed out or anxious get high blood pressure. But in fact any of us, even if we are extremely calm and relaxed, are at risk for developing high blood pressure. Some people are at increased risk of developing high blood pressure due to their age, gender, race, lifestyle or even genetics. If you are over 50 years old, overweight, smoke, have diabetes, or drink alcohol, you may be at increased risk.

Blood pressure is a measurement of the amount of pressure pushing on the walls of your blood vessels or arteries. It's measured using two numbers: a systolic pressure, the top number, and a diastolic pressure, the bottom number. For example, you might be told at the doctor's office that you have a blood pressure of "130/80." The top number (systolic) tells you the amount of pressure on the vessels while your heart is actively pumping blood. The bottom number (diastolic) tells you the amount of pressure on the walls while your heart is relaxed.

Both numbers are important, and if elevated can signal a sign of trouble. An ideal blood pressure is 120/80, but it's important to discuss with your doctor a specific blood pressure goal for you and to find out what you can do to decrease your risk of developing or worsening your high blood pressure.

What signs or symptoms should you look out for to indicate that you have high blood pressure? There are none! Although with severely elevated blood pressure, or hypertensive crisis, you may experience vision changes, headache, and bloody nose, with most cases of high blood pressure there are no symptoms. Hypertension does the damage to your body and organs silently and you may not know there's a problem until it's too late.

The damage to your heart, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, and brain can happen slowly or suddenly, and lead to permanent injury, disability, and even death. If untreated, even mildly elevated blood pressure can lead to these terrible consequences. This makes it important to identify high blood pressure early in its course, begin treatment and make lifestyle changes as soon as it is identified.

With your doctor's help and your own commitment, you can get control of your blood pressure. By checking your blood pressure regularly, being active, watching what you eat (low salt/low calorie diet), quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption, you can decrease your risk of serious outcomes.

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Are you Taking Care of Your Kidneys?

If you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with kidney disease, you might be interested in a webpage that outlines “10 things you can do to protect your kidneys." This was created by the National Kidney Disease Education Program for National Kidney Month, which happens every year in March.

What is kidney disease all about? That’s explained in Number 6 on the list, where experts said that a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease means that your two kidneys aren’t filtering blood like they should, which can cause wastes to build up in your body. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease. The condition always sets off alarms because kidney disease can lead to heart disease, and vice versa.

More than 20 million adults have chronic kidney disease and an estimated 16.3 million -- or roughly 7 percent of adults — have heart disease. And over 7.1 million people have both, according to a media release from the National Institutes of Health. Patients whose kidneys fail must face dialysis or a kidney transplant.

The site includes a downloadable brochure as well as a chart that you can take with you to your health care practitioner whenever it’s time to track your blood pressure, your glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and the presence of albumin -- common measures for how well your kidneys are filtering wastes.

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Lower blood pressure naturally

“I don't want to start medicines for high blood pressure. There is no way I want to take medicines life- long” is the common response of a patient when suggested to start pharmacological help for hypertension. The unenthusiastic response is usually do to the fact the patient suffering with this problem does not always have any disturbing symptom that compels him to take medicines. But the fact is that in spite of any obvious disturbance the disease tends to have its own effects gradually on the human metabolism as it is called as the ‘silent killer.'

The heart pumps blood to various parts of the body and the force that is exerted on the blood vessels is called as systolic pressure and as the heart relaxes to receive blood from the lungs and then gets ready for the next contraction is called as diastolic pressure. Ideally, it should be about 120/80mm of Hg., and if the lower one touches 90 or go beyond it is called as hypertension. The body tends to adjust gradually to the new conditions and no obvious symptom may be exhibited by the patient but for the examination of the pressure which shows otherwise. As the blood pressure is not in normal limits it tends to cause a stress on the blood vessels and when those in the brain are put under this tension there is fine leak or a block of the vessel causing a stroke.

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Homemade baby food serves up healthy eating habits and savings

When it comes to caring for your bundle of joy, you only want what's best. And these days, with early nutrition top-of-mind for many, it's no wonder that a growing number of parents are turning to homemade baby food to help instill healthy eating habits from the start.

Prepping and pureeing easy, everyday ingredients in the home also gives you the satisfaction of knowing exactly what is going into your baby's belly, from avocado and green beans to diced apples, sweet potatoes and peaches. Using fresh-from-the-market finds also lets you avoid preservatives and additives. And by introducing a variety of healthy foods at an early age, parents can help children develop a taste for similar flavors for the rest of their lives.

Another benefit to pureeing baby's meals at home is the savings. Ranging from 50 cents to $1.50 per jar, the cost of buying premade baby food can quickly add up. By preparing homemade meals for your little one, you're not only ensuring better control of his overall diet, you're also helping keep an eye on your household budget.

Follow these easy tips and tasty recipes to discover ways in which you can hop on this back-to-basics movement and be well on your way to puree perfection.

Preparing the baby food
* Avoid costly specialty baby food mixers or gadgets and opt for an equally effective, easy-to-use food processor, like those from Black & Decker, that puree for baby but also stand up to other culinary tasks.
* Steam, bake or broil the ingredients. Healthy tip: steaming maintains the most nutrients.
* The liquid the vegetables and fruits were cooked in can be added to the puree to adjust consistency. Breast milk or formula can also be used to thin the puree.

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Healthy Eating For A Healthy Heart - Nutrition Matters

El Centro, California (NAPSI) - More women of all ages are getting the message that heart disease is their #1 killer. However, one-third of women still underestimate their own risk for heart disease and most fail to make the connection between risk factors and their chance of developing heart disease.

To help, The Heart Truth, a national awareness campaign for women, recommends four healthful lifestyle changes-eating right, being physically active, not smoking, and keeping a healthy weight-to help women lower their risk of heart disease by as much as 82 percent. One great way to keep a healthy weight is to eat a diet low in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. In cooking and at the table, flavoring foods with herbs, spices, wine, lemon, vinegar or salt-free seasoning blends creates great-tasting meals, often with heart-healthy benefits.

In just 30 minutes, you can cook a heart-healthy meal.

Asian-Style Chicken Wraps

For Sauce:

1 small jalapeño pepper, rinsed and split lengthwise-remove seeds/white membrane and mince
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
1 Tbsp garlic, minced

3 Tbsp brown sugar

½ cup water

½ Tbsp fish sauce

2 Tbsp lime juice

For Chicken:

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Tips for healthy hair

RENOWNED dermatologist and co-creator of Sunsilk Lively Clean & Fresh, Dr Francesca Fusco believes that early intervention will help patients avoid invasive treatments.

“Use shampoo properly. Lather and massage your scalp with your fingertips and not your fingernails. Apply conditioner to hair shafts, and not the scalp. Rinse with cold water,” said Fusco.

Other quick tips include:

● Wear a headscarf made from natural and breathable fabrics such as cotton.

● Keep hydrated by drinking at least two litres of water daily.

● Stress and anxiety are common causes of an unhealthy scalp. Examine your life and identify areas that cause anxiety, and work on improving them.

● Increase your intake of essential fatty acids which can be found in foods such as oily fish, avocados and nuts to improve the general condition and overall appearance of scalp and skin. Poor nutrition, yo-yo dieting and low protein intake can result in hair loss.

● Hair loss can occur due to extremes of heat and blow dryers, flat irons or curling irons. Avoid hairstyles that pull too tightly at the hairline as they can cause traction alopecia.

● If there is excessive hair loss – i.e. more than 100 strands of hair a day for several weeks – and there had been no sudden changes in your life or medication routine, it could indicate an underlying medical condition such as thyroid deficiency, anaemia or low iron levels. Consult a doctor.

● For those with scaly scalps, a monthly warm oil treatment is helpful.

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The key to eye health: Sunglasses

UV Damage and Your Eyes
Much more than a fashion accessory, sunglasses are an essential tool in protecting your vision. Studies show that exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays can harm the lens and cornea of the eye, leading to problems -- like cataracts and macular degeneration -- that can impair vision. And the thin skin around the eye and the eyelid itself are especially vulnerable to skin cancer and to sun-induced signs of aging. Dr. Gail Royal, an ophthalmologist in Myrtle Beach, S.C., admits that she sometimes appeals to her patients' vanity when she discusses the importance of proper sunglass use. "I'll point out that sunglasses will protect not just against basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas and melanoma," she says, "but also against the formation of wrinkles like crow's-feet and the unsightly thickening of the skin that can sometimes be caused by UV exposure."

Here's how to choose a pair of sunglasses that will safeguard your eyes.

Look for Complete UV Protection
Whether you spend $200 for a pair of designer sunglasses or buy one off the drugstore rack for $20, both can do an equally good job of blocking harmful ultraviolet rays. Look for a label or sticker that says the lenses block 99 or 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays. Sunglasses with full protection might also say something like, "Lenses meet ANSI Z80-3 blocking requirements," or "UV 400 protection." Sunglass boutiques sometimes remove these labels or stickers for a more attractive display. Chances are the shades provide full UV protection; just be sure to ask.

Color Counts If You're Behind the Wheel
It may seem logical that a darker lens would do a better job of blocking the sun's harmful rays than a lighter lens, but that turns out not to be the case. The coating that blocks UV radiation is clear, so shades of any hue are equally effective at filtering those rays. Yellow or rose-tinted lenses can, however, make it difficult to distinguish changes in traffic lights. Gray, green and brown lenses minimize color distortion.

Focus on Fit
To block the light that hits your eye from the sides, choose wraparound frames. Your next best bet? Sunglasses with large lenses and wide temples, like the iconic oversized frames Audrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Whatever the style, frames should fit snugly on your nose and ears without pinching or rubbing, but not so close that your eyelashes hit the lens.

Choose Polarized Lenses If You Water Ski, Surf or Fish
Polarized lenses reduce glare by filtering out the reflected light that bounces off water. Polarization, however, has nothing to do with UV light absorption, so check the label to make sure they provide maximum UV protection. Keep in mind that, when you're wearing polarized lenses, it may be difficult to read your cell phone, GPS device or a liquid-crystal display on a dashboard or an ATM machine.

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Headaches in teens increase with stress

I just read an interesting study about teenagers with headaches. About one to two per cent of adolescents have chronic daily headaches, defined as greater than 15 headache days per month for more than three months.

Once school begins, teen stress levels increase with each week of school, and with that come more complaints of chronic headaches. It's not unusual for me to see several teens a week who complain that they have headaches every day.

Despite these persistent headaches, the majority of adolescents continue to participate in school activities, sleep well once they fall asleep, and spend their weekends doing whatever it is all teens do.

I see very few teenagers who look like they're in "severe" pain, although they may insist, "My head is killing me" while chattering away about where it hurts, how often it hurts, etc.

In these cases, it's important to obtain a good history to rule out any underlying pathology, as well as to inquire about family history of migraines.

In the study I reviewed, the authors followed adolescents ages 12-14 who met criteria for chronic daily headaches.

They followed the group after both one and two years, then again after eight years. The results showed that after one year, 40 per cent of the adolescents still complained of chronic headaches. After two years, only 25 per cent reported headaches.

After eight years, only 12 per cent of those studied reported chronic headaches. Most participants reported substantial or some improvement in headache intensity and frequency during the eightyear follow-up.

The most significant predictor for ongoing problems with headaches was the onset of chronic headaches before the age of 13. For the most part, 75 per cent of adolescents with chronic daily headaches improved over the eight-year period.

This study seemed to confirm that teens and headaches go together.

It's important to spend time with adolescents to explore ways to alleviate stress as a trigger for chronic daily headaches. Basic changes in lifestyle, such as healthy eating, regular exercise, and a good night's sleep, will often help reduce headaches.

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14 steps to a healthy summer diet!

Here are some other useful lifestyle tips you can follow to beat the summer heat.

1. Water is the best option to quench thirst.
It is a key ingredient in keeping the body cool. With high humidity levels, sweat will not evaporate quickly. This prevents the body from releasing heat in an efficient manner. This is why it is necessary to hydrate and drink water, even when you are not thirsty. Increase water intake regardless of your activity levels.


2. Avoid caffeinated or carbonated beverages, alcoholic beverages, and those high in sugar.

All these drinks contain preservatives, colours and sugars. They are acidic in nature and act as diuretics. They cause loss of fluids through urine.

Many soft drinks contain diluted phosphoric acid, which damages the inner linning of the digestive tract and, therefore, affects its functions.

An excessive intake of soft drinks increases phosphorous levels in the blood. This separates calcium from the bones and moves it into the blood.

This calcium displacement from the bones makes them porous and brittle. It also causes plaque on the teeth, kidney stones, arthritis and bone spur.

Soft drinks also reduce mineral levels in the body to such an extent that enzymes are unable to function well, resulting in indigestion.

3. Do not drink very chilled liquids.

They do not really help cool you down in summers, though they make you cool for some time. Drinking really cold liquids when feeling hot may lead to a slight constriction of the blood vessels in the skin and decrease heat loss, which is not advisable when trying to cool down.

4. Limit all strenuous activity.

5. Eat light, nutritious and non-fatty meals.

6. Reduce intake of heaty vegetables and fruits, like spinach, radish, hot peppers, onions, garlic, beetroot, pineapple, grapefruit and ripe mangoes (if you cannot resist mangoes, soak them overnight in water).

7. Minimise the intake of dried fruits. Increase the intake of fresh fruit.

8. Use sabza (tulsi seeds) in your drinks -- this has very cooling effect on the body.

9. Include lots of fruits and vegetables in the form of salads and fresh juices, preferably without sugar, in your diet.

10. Drink lemon juice, coconut water and thin buttermilk, to replenish the fluids that are lost in sweat.

11. Avoid sugary foods, especially honey and molasses, and stick to natural sugars available from fruits and veggies.

12. Minimise the intake of hot, spicy foods and extremely salty foods. The body retains salt in the organic form found in fruits and veggies; the inorganic salt, meanwhile, is digested and needs to be thrown out of the body. And this is why you need to drink water!

13. Cut the intake of fried foods, like vadas, samosas, chips, bhajias, farsans, etc. Fat has a thermal effect.

14. Maintain good hygiene levels.

Since the sultry heat of summer increases with each degree rise in the mercury, by rooting ourselves to nature's provision of healthful food choices we can experience the bloom of our health

Source

Healthy food drive

Foods that support a healthy diet aren’t always easy to provide on a budget. The Salvation Army is hoping to alleviate some of the impact on local wallets without compromising nutrition with their local Good Food Box initiative, a part of the organization’s Dignity Project.
The food boxes will provide families and individuals with a month’s supply of fresh fruits and vegetable at a subsidized cost. The Salvation Army will buy the produce in large quantities at discounted costs and redistribute it in the boxes.
Captain Peter van Duinen said this will be the first time the Salvation Army has taken on the local dignity initiative.
“It’s being done, of course, because nutritional foods can be the most expensive to access,” he said. “A balanced nutritious diet is important.”
According to van Duinen, the box program has a tentative start date of May 18. Participants will pay one month ahead and boxes will arrive on the third Wednesday of each month.
The Salvation Army currently operates the largest food bank in the district, but van Duinen said, while it does meet a need, most food is processed and canned, and not the most nutritious.
Other community groups on board with the project include the Parry Sound District Social Services Board (DSSAB), which donated funds to the project and Sobeys, the food supplier.
“We’re looking at initially launching the program with 40 participants,” said van Duinen, who also said residents can call in to be put on a customer list.
The boxes include the good food box, a family-sized assortment of fresh fruit and vegetables, emphasizing season produce for $18, with a smaller version for singles and seniors at $13; the fruit box, $13, and the organic box with mostly certified organic produce $34 or $24.
The Salvation Army is also looking for volunteers to help with the program.

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Massage parlours under govt scanner

The Delhi government is planning to carry out a mapping exercise of massage parlours across the city. Citing reports that found 18% of massage parlours to be dens of risky behaviour and potential hotbeds for the spread of HIV, the government has proposed to National AIDS Control Organisation that an intervention mechanism for massage parlours needs to be formulated.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the State AIDS Council on Thursday. The mapping will be done to assess the knowledge, behaviour, attitude and practices of the workers, clients and owners of 1050 massage parlours and categorize them by assessing the "vulnerability factor".

Delhi is a low HIV prevalence state, with the prevalence in general population being 0.21%. The state is implementing the third phase of National AIDS Control Programme which aims at reducing the number of new infections by 40%. There has been reduction in new HIV infections by 30% since 2007.

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With asthma rates on the rise, here's how to manage symptoms

The rise in asthma rates has researchers a bit baffled. But while they focus on figuring out the reason, people with asthma have more practical concerns: preventing and controlling asthma attacks.

Data released Tuesday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show an increase in the number of Americans with asthma despite better air quality and a marked decline in smoking rates, as reported in the Los Angeles Times.

Doctors don't know how to prevent asthma because it's not clear what causes the disease — it may be caused partly by genetics and partly by exposure to irritants such as pollution and tobacco smoke. And there isn't a cure either.

But doctors know a lot about preventing asthma attacks — unpleasant, sometimes life-threatening bouts of coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing.

One of the first steps is to clean the house of common triggers, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

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5 Reasons you are losing your hair

Everyone loses hair. It happens during your morning shower, while you're blowing it dry, or when you give it a quick brush—and that's normal. ""On average, we lose fifty to a hundred hairs a day,"" says Francesca Fusco, MD, a New York City dermatologist who specializes in hair loss.

""That's just hair going through its cycles, and there will be a new one to replace it."" But hair loss may be a sign of a more serious medical condition that needs an evaluation by a dermatologist and possible treatment. Here are five causes of hair loss and how to deal with them.

1. Telogen effluvium

Telogen effluvium is a phenomenon that occurs after pregnancy, major surgery, drastic weight loss, or extreme stress, in which you shed large amounts of hair every day, usually when shampooing, styling, or brushing.

It can also be a side effect of certain medications, such as antidepressants, beta-blockers, and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

During telogen effluvium, hair shifts faster than normal from its growing phase into the ""resting"" phase before moving quickly into the shedding, or telogen, phase.

- What are the symptoms?

Women with telogen effluvium typically notice hair loss 6 weeks to 3 months after a stressful event. At its peak, you may lose handfuls of hair.

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Tradjenta Approved for Type 2 Diabetes

Tradjenta (linagliptin) tablets, combined with diet and exercise, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, the agency said Monday.

Click here to find out more!

People with type 2 diabetes don't produce the pancreatic hormone insulin, or don't respond to it properly. Insulin helps control the levels of sugar (glucose) in a person's blood. People with too much blood sugar at are risk of serious complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney damage, and nerve damage, the FDA said in a news release.

Type 2 diabetes is the disease's most common form, affecting up to 95 percent of the estimated 24 million people with diabetes in the United States, the FDA said.

Tradjenta boosts hormones that stimulate the release of insulin after a person eats. The drug was evaluated in clinical trials involving 3,800 people with type 2 diabetes. The most common adverse reactions reported included upper respiratory infection, stuffy nose, sore throat, muscle pain and headache.

Tradjenta should not be used by people with type 1 diabetes or by those who have above-normal levels of ketones in their blood or urine, the agency advised.

The drug is co-marketed by Ridgefield, Conn.-based Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals and Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co.

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Cycle for a healthy life

According to a recent study conducted by the Columbia Asia Hospitals among corporate professionals, 33 per cent of people between the age groups of 21 and 30, and over 50 per cent of people between 31 and 40 years of age were reported to have abnormal cholesterol levels. The

primary reason for this abnormality is attributed to increased stress

levels, unhealthy lifestyle and negligible focus on exercise regimes.

Fast paced life along with a hectic schedule has resulted in physical fitness taking a backseat. Urban India is fast becoming obese. One of the easier and cost effective solutions is cycling, which is a great form of exercise that can be easily integrated in our daily routine. Keeping this in mind and to spread the message of healthy living, Columbia Asia Hospitals, organised a cycling event titled ‘Tour De Fitness 2011’ on Sunday.

The event was flagged off by Transport Commissioner and cycling enthusiast, Bhaskar Rao and renowned athlete, Reeth Abraham. The event began from Kanteerva Stadium and culminated at Columbia Asia Referral Hospital, Yeshwanthpur.

More than 1,000 people from different organisations, professional cycling associations, as well as amateurs participated in this event. Adding to the fun element of the event, participants were also given a chance to win special prizes which were handed out during the event.

Anunay Sinha from Ranchi, who has shifted recently to Bangalore, participated in the event. He said, “I hardly get time to exercise due to hectic work schedule. Such events emphasise the importance of healthy living and make people to sit up and take notice. ”

Speaking on the occasion, Tufan Ghosh, CEO, Columbia Asia Hospitals, said, “We, at Columbia Asia are committed towards building a healthy society and this is a small effort in this direction. We are pleased that Bangaloreans participated in large numbers and took a pledge to lead a healthy lifestyle.”

“The rigours of a fast-paced lifestyle manifest itself into a number of lifestyle diseases. Fitness has taken a backseat triggering multiple health issues.” said Jairam, Group Medical Director and Chairman of Columbia Asia Hospitals.

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Family meals benefit health of children

A study in the journal Pediatrics finds that children and adolescents who share meals with their families at least three times per week are less likely to be overweight, eat unhealthy foods or be at risk for eating disorders.

"It tells parents what they can do to help in those nutritional issues with their children," said lead study author Amber Hammons, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

"We understand that parents are really busy, and that's definitely one of the biggest problems that's cited by parents- that it's just so difficult to manage time to prepare it and then to get all the family members to be present," she said. "What this study is suggesting is that sitting down for three meals out of the week tends to show this significant benefit." The researchers examined 17 previous studies, which involved 182,836 children aged 2 to 17. Their findings reinforced the recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics, as part of its campaign to prevent childhood obesity.

The researchers found that three or more family meals per week were associated with a 12% reduction in the odds for being overweight, a 20% drop in the odds of eating unhealthy foods regularly and a 35% reduction in disordered eating- including purging, the use of diet pills, skipping meals or the use of smoking cigarettes as a way to control weight.

Unhealthy foods included soda, fast food, fried food and sweets or candy.

In addition, the kids were 24% more likely to eat healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, breakfast and also more likely to take a multivitamin.

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