U.S. Failing to Meet Goals for Women's Health: Report

The United States has failed to achieve almost every goal set for women's health, a new report says.

Conducted by the National Women's Law Center and Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU), the report -- based largely on federal objectives drawn from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2010 agenda -- is the fifth in a 10-year look at the status of women's health in this country. In this current analysis, a satisfactory rating was only handed out on three of 26 measures of fine health for women.

Some health insurers raising rates again

Some health insurers are bumping up rates yet again to reflect changes mandated by the latest federal health overhaul law as well as state reforms that will go into effect Jan. 1.

Blue Shield of California, for example, has sent letters informing customers with individual policies that their premium will go up in the low single digits because of the federal law.

Some of those similar policyholders also could see their rates go up as much as an extra 17.7 percent to account for a new state law that will prohibit insurers from charging women more for insurance than men.

Orexigen Vote Provides Hope For Approval, Other Cos

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel's positive recommendation of Orexigen Therapeutics Inc.'s (OREX) weight-loss drug Contrave raises the likelihood for approval and provides hope for Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ARNA) and Vivus Inc.(VVUS), both of which had their diet drugs rejected by the agency in October.

The FDA doesn't have to follow the panel's recommendation, but the positive vote puts Orexigen ahead of the other two companies--which received negative recommendations from similar panels previous this year--by easing investor concerns that major clinical studies would be needed before approval.

Although cautious, the panel on Tuesday was persuaded that Contrave's potential protection risk can be managed and tested after it hits the market. The FDA is expected to make its decision on Contrave in January, but some analysts expect a delay to work out post-marketing requirements.

"We think yesterday's vote suggests Contrave is likely to get FDA approval during 2011," Cowen & Co. analyst Phil Nadeau said in a note to clients. After the FDA panel decisions on Arena and Vivus, Wall Street had low expectations for Orexigen, Nadeau said.

Half of Europeans overweight: report

More than half of adults in the European Union are fat or obese, according to a new report.

The European Commission and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development published the report, Health at a Glance: Europe 2010, on Tuesday.

The rate of obesity has more than doubled over the past 20 years in most EU countries, which has main implications for health, health systems and the wider economy, the report's authors said.

Among adults, 50.1 per cent are currently overweight or obese, based on the body mass index or BMI — a calculation based on a person's weight-to-height ratio.

Healthy adults should have a BMI of between 18.5 and 25, the World Health Organization recommends. Overweight people have a BMI of between 25 and 30 and obese people have a BMI of 30 or more.

Treating Eating Disorders and Paying for It

Notoriously hard to treat, eating disorders may persist for years, wreaking havoc not just on the patient’s health and personal relationships but often on family finances, as well.

Hospitalizations for problems caused by eating disorders grew 18 percent from 1999 to 2006, with the steepest increase among children under age 12 (up 119 percent), followed by adults ages 45 to 64 (up 48 percent) and men of all ages (up 37 percent), according to the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Care for these patients can be costly. Many must be seen on a weekly basis by a team of specialists, including a psychiatrist, a physician and a nutritionist. A residential program costs $30,000 a month on average. And many patients need three or more months of treatment, often at a facility far from home. Even after leaving a specialized program, patients may need years of follow-up care.

Employer Insurance Costs Rising for Workers

Although premiums for employer health insurance have risen 41 percent since 2003, latest research says that employees are getting less bang for their buck.

In addition, individual deductibles have skyrocketed 77 percent, according to the statement from The Commonwealth Fund.

"Health insurance has become increasingly unaffordable for families during the years before enactment of the Affordable Care Act," Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis told during a Tuesday afternoon press conference.

"During that time, benefits were scaled back as employers and employees struggled to keep up in a difficult economy," she said. "The new law provides us with the opportunity to reverse these unsustainable raises and ensure that families in every state have access to affordable, comprehensive health insurance."

The report says that if expenses continue to rise at the same pace as they did from 2003 to 2009, annual premiums shared by employers and employees would increase 79 percent, costing an average family $23,342 by 2020.

No evidence linking vitamin D to most chronic diseases

Most North Americans get enough calcium and vitamin D through their diets, according to a comprehensive report containing updated dietary reference intakes (DRIs), released Tuesday by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The statement also concludes that there is "insufficient evidence" to suggest that low levels of either nutrient could be associated with a range of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, although the authors underscored the importance of calcium and vitamin D in maintaining bone health.

Dr Catharine Ross (Pennsylvania State University, University Park) chaired a committee of 14 experts appointed to assess present data of health outcomes associated with calcium and vitamin-D intake.

"We could not get solid evidence that consuming more of either nutrient would protect the public from chronic disease ranging from cancer to diabetes to improved immune function," said Ross during a press conference about the new report. "On the other hand, regarding bone health, the amount of proof that has been accumulating is really quite impressive."

The group reviewed more than a thousand studies looking at the link between vitamin D and a wide range of chronic diseases.