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Enjoying another spring day in New York yesterday was loved-up pair Sienna Miller and fiancé Tom Sturridge. The two were snapped without their newborn tot, baby Marlowe, as they soaked up the warm weather ahead of Tom's TimesTalks conference in the city for his new Broadway production of Orphans, in which he stars opposite Alec Baldwin.
SEE THE TV BAFTA 2013 NOMINATIONS IN FULL
By Brenda Goodman
HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, June 12 (HealthDay News) -- There's fresh evidence that the chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, may play a part in childhood obesity.
BPA is a chemical that is widely used in food packaging. Government studies have shown that 92 percent of Americans have detectable levels of BPA in their bodies.
There's intense scientific interest in BPA because it is chemically similar to the hormone estrogen, and there's some concern that it may mimic estrogen's effects in the body, causing harm to the brain and reproductive organs, particularly in children.
Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration formally banned BPA from baby bottles and sippy cups, though manufacturers had already stopped using it. The agency declined to ban it from other food containers, pending further research.
In a new study published online June 12 in the journal PLoS One, researchers measured BPA levels in the urine of more than 1,300 children in China and compared those levels to their body weights.
The study authors also asked the kids about other things that may influence body weight, such as how often they ate junk food, fruits and vegetables, how much exercise they got, whether their parents were overweight and how long they played video games, on average, each day.
After taking all those factors into account, the investigators found that girls aged 9 to 12 who had higher-than-average levels of BPA in their urine were about twice as likely to be obese as those with lower-than-average levels. The researchers didn't see the same association for boys or for older girls.
One explanation for the results may be that girls who are entering puberty are uniquely vulnerable to the effects of hormone-disrupting chemicals, said study author Dr. De-Kun Li, an epidemiologist at Kaiser Foundation Research Institute and the Stanford School of Medicine, in California.
"Human studies are starting to confirm animal studies that show BPA can disrupt energy storage and energy metabolism," said Li.
One of the most recent questions raised about BPA is whether or not it may be an obesogen, or a chemical that contributes to the development of obesity.
In laboratory studies, BPA produces many of the molecular hallmarks of obesity. It makes fat cells bigger, it blocks the function of a protein called adiponectin, which protects against heart disease, and it disrupts the balance of testosterone and estrogen -- hormones that are important for maintaining a healthy body mass.
One expert found the study results troubling.
"Clearly, unhealthy diet and physical activity are still the leading causes of the childhood obesity epidemic worldwide, but this study adds further concern to the notion that environmental chemicals may be independent contributors," said Dr. Leonardo Trasande, an associate professor of pediatrics, environmental medicine and health policy at NYU Langone Medical Center, in New York City.
By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay ReporterTUESDAY, June 11 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight or obese women who are pregnant are more likely to give birth prematurely, and the risk of preterm delivery increases with their amount of excess weight, according to a study of more than 1.5 million deliveries in Sweden.
Researchers speculate that the health problems associated with overweight and obesity -- high blood pressure, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, increased chance of infection -- have a direct impact on a woman's ability to carry their child to term, according to the study, which was published in the June 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Birth of an infant prior to 37 weeks of gestation is the leading cause of infant mortality, neonatal illness and long-term disability in children, said researchers led by Dr. Sven Cnattingius of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
A U.S. expert not involved with the study said he wasn't surprised by the findings.
"This just reinforces the fact that the complications of obesity and additional weight gain are deleterious to both mother and fetus," said Dr. Raul Artal, a professor and chairman of the department of obstetrics, gynecology and women's health at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine.
Artal said this study, along with previous research, makes the case that overweight and obese women who are pregnant can protect the health of their unborn child by maintaining their current weight or even shedding some pounds.
"The concept that we propagated for years that pregnancy is not a good time for weight loss and physical activity is wrong," he said.
For the study, researchers analyzed the records of 1.59 million births between 1992 and 2010, reviewing the body-mass index (BMI) of the women at their first prenatal doctor's visit as well as information recorded following birth about health risks, maternal diseases and pregnancy complications.
BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.
The statistics came from the Swedish Medical Birth Register, which maintains detailed data on all births in that nation and serves as a valuable resource for researchers, a U.S. expert said.
"There's a lot of good obstetric data that comes out of Sweden because of that register," said Dr. Russ Fothergill, vice chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Scott and White Healthcare in Temple, Texas.
The researchers found that the risk of extremely premature (22 to 27 weeks), very premature (28 to 31 weeks) and moderately premature (32 to 36 weeks) deliveries increased with a woman's BMI.
The authors said that even though the study is Swedish, the results can be generalized to other populations with similar or higher rates of maternal obesity or preterm delivery.
I would describe my style as casual, comfortable with a contemporary twist. I'm wearing Swedish Hasbeens shoes, a COS dress, a coat that I bought in a boutique in Hong Kong, and my mum's leather jacket. I don't have a style icon but I get outfit ideas from street style and Scandinavian style. I am also inspired by the lifestyle blog Convoy.tumblr.com. My favourite designers are Prada, Jill Sander, COS and Stella McCartney.
Photographed by Suzanne Middlemass.
Entertainer Nick Lachey, 39, says being a new dad surprised, delighted, and challenged him -- and gave him something new to sing about.
You have two nephews. Did that experience prepare you for having your own son, Camden?"To some extent, yeah, in that any experience you have is good. I mean, at least I had changed some diapers and all that. But it’s a whole other ballgame when it’s your own child -- and certainly when you’re changing multiple diapers a day. With that and with everything, you learn on the fly and you learn fast."
Was it at all difficult to watch your little brother have kids before you, when it was something you’d always desired yourself?
"You know, it wasn’t really. I just knew that there’s a time and a place for everything and that eventually I would get to the place where my life was ready for a child."
What has been the most challenging part of this first year of parenthood for you and your wife, Vanessa?
"Oh, definitely the first few days home with Camden. You’re still so new as a parent, and he’s so new, and there’s just all this uncertainty. You just don’t want to screw up. I remember that even just that first ride home from the hospital was incredibly nerve-wracking."
Has sleep deprivation been a major issue?
"I think we’ve both gotten really lucky and made some good choices in terms of how he sleeps. He’s a great baby -- very easygoing and has been sleeping through the night for months. But I think that’s also because we both read a bunch of books to prepare for the sleep issues, and we made sure we didn’t travel too much within his first 6 months, to get him on a pretty strict schedule. Keeping to that schedule is the best thing we’ve done. When he’s rested, he’s happy -- and so are we."
What have you done to keep Camden and yourself healthy during his first year?
"Like most typical new parents, we were pretty vigilant about germs when he was really young -- so anyone who was going to be in close contact with him had to scrub up. But otherwise I think we’ve been pretty mellow, overall. As for me, I made a concerted effort to stay in shape. To start, I tried not to gain any pregnancy sympathy weight. That’s partly just because of the business I’m in, but also partly so I feel good."
Have you had any moments where you thought, whoa, “Daddy FAIL!”?
"Well, I will say that the first time Vanessa went out of town and I had to do his bath solo, it sure wasn’t pretty, and it was not nearly as smooth as when his mom does it. Oh, I got him clean, in the end...but I felt like I was subjecting him to a sub-par bath experience."
I'm wearing boots and socks from Topshop and dress and jewellery from Juicy Couture. The headphones are from Wesc. I wear whatever makes me feel happy - I love bright colours!
Photographed by Suzanne Middlemass.
By Brenda Goodman
HealthDay ReporterTUESDAY, June 11 (HealthDay News) -- People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who have signs of chronic inflammation in their blood are more likely to have flare-ups of the lung disease than those who do not, a large new study shows.
In addition to the slow, steady deterioration in lung function caused by COPD, patients can have sudden, distressing flare-ups. These so-called "exacerbations" are periods of worsening breathing problems that are typically triggered by infections or air pollution.
Patients who experience frequent flare-ups decline more quickly than those who do not; they also tend to have worse quality of life and poorer survival rates than those whose conditions are more stable, according to background information in the study.
Preventing flare-ups is a major goal of COPD treatment, but these episodes can be difficult to predict.
In a study of more than 61,000 people in Denmark, researchers found that COPD patients who had increased levels of certain proteins and cells in their blood were at greater risk for frequent flare-ups.
These particular proteins and cells -- C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and leukocytes -- increase in response to infections, tissue damage and inflammation.
People with higher levels of all three of these "markers" were more likely to experience frequent flare-ups than those with normal levels. That was true regardless of the stage or severity of their COPD.
But the risk was especially pronounced for patients in the study with the worst breathing problems. Among patients who had the highest grade of COPD symptoms, 24 percent with no elevated markers had frequent flare-ups compared to 62 percent of those who had high levels of all three markers.
Patients with frequent exacerbations had two or more flare-ups each year they were followed for the study.
The study is published in the June 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
According to Dr. Elizabeth Regan, who is studying the genetics of COPD at National Jewish Health in Denver, the researchers "give compelling evidence that those are useful tests." Regan was not involved with the study.
"These are tests that are readily available. The practicing physician kind of has them at their fingertips. They're not unusual, they're not high-risk," said Regan. "If I were seeing patients, I'd be strongly attracted to doing it."
The price of each test varies, but in general, they're inexpensive, ranging between $10 and $40. Insurance often covers the cost. The only trouble with doing the tests now, Regan said, is that doctors still don't know exactly how to use the information.
"While these tests look like they're strong predictors, we don't have the next piece of this clearly in place," she noted.
The study wasn't able to prove that inflammation causes COPD exacerbations, or that lowering inflammation with medications could head off future flare-ups, Regan explained.
Other studies currently underway are testing whether antibiotics or newer medications can prevent such attacks, she noted.
Until more is known, the researchers say there is still one good reason for COPD patients to get the blood tests.
"Many patients with COPD aren't very adherent to their inhalation medication. Patients don't like to be sick, so they think 'it's doing well now, so let me stop,'" said study author Dr. Borge Nordestgaard, a clinical professor in the department of diagnostic sciences at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
"But if you're one of these patients with high biomarkers, then you should be even better at taking your daily inhalation medication," he said. "That's the best advice at present."
By Amy NortonMONDAY, April 15 (HealthDay News) -- Friends and family may be key in parents' decisions on whether to vaccinate their young children, a small study suggests.
The study, of about 200 parents, found that those who had opted not to follow the standard vaccine schedule often sought advice from anti-vaccine friends and family.
Experts said it's not certain that the advice actually steered parents in an anti-vaccine direction: Parents who were already prone to shunning vaccines may have turned to like-minded people for reinforcement.
"It's the chicken-and-egg question," said researcher Emily Brunson, an assistant professor of anthropology at Texas State University, in San Marcos. "The answer is, we don't know which came first."
To be more sure, Brunson said, parents would have to be followed over time, to see whether undecided parents actually base vaccine decisions on advice from other people.
But Brunson said she thinks family, friends and others in parents' "social networks" really are an important influence.
Dr. Douglas Opel, of Seattle Children's Research Institute and the University of Washington, agreed.
"It is unclear how these groups influence parents. Do they simply reinforce the vaccine decisions parents would have made otherwise, or do they actually function as a way that provokes a parent to consider other ideas?" said Opel, who wrote an editorial published with the study, which appears online April 15 and in the May print issue of the journal Pediatrics
Opel said his hunch is that family and friends reinforce parents' existing views. But even if that's true, they are still a big influence by bolstering parents' beliefs.
Experts recommend that babies and young children routinely receive vaccinations against a host of common (or once common) infectious diseases, such as measles, mumps, whooping cough, chickenpox and hepatitis.
But some parents balk at those recommendations, largely because of a purported link between vaccines and autism. More than a decade's worth of studies have failed to confirm that link exists, but anxiety remains: A recent study of U.S. parents found that about one-third thought children receive too many vaccinations in their first two years, and they thought the shots could contribute to autism.
Brunson wanted to see where parents are turning to get their information, so she recruited nearly 200 parents of children 18 months old or younger. About 130 had their child up to date on all vaccines (and were dubbed "conformers") and 70 had opted to skip or delay at least some vaccinations ("nonconformers").
In an online survey, Brunson asked the parents to list the people and other sources -- such as websites and books -- they had gone to for vaccine advice.
She found that nearly all parents had sought advice from other people -- usually several people, including their doctor, spouse, family members and friends. And parents' ultimate decisions generally fell in line with that advice.
Among nonconforming parents, nearly three-quarters of their social circle recommended not vaccinating, on average. That was in sharp contrast to the conformers, whose social circles by and large said they should have their child vaccinated on time.
Brunson found that the more anti-vaccine views parents heard from their circle, the more likely they were to skip or delay vaccinations. And people seemed to matter more than information sources, such as the media.
She noted that the media often "gets a bad rap" as being a well of vaccine misinformation. But in this study, nonconforming parents actually got a more positive view of vaccines from the media than they did from their social circles.
Brunson and Opel said the findings speak to the power of the people in our lives.
"Parents do not make immunization decisions in a vacuum," Opel said. "Parents listen to and are influenced by other parents."
He said parents who vaccinate might try being more "vocal" to other parents about why they made their decision.
Brunson said efforts to encourage parents to vaccinate often focus on the role of pediatricians. "But this study is saying that we probably need to have a much broader approach than that," she said.
Media campaigns and other approaches that reach the general public, not just parents, might work better, Brunson said.
By Robert Preidt
HealthDay ReporterTUESDAY, June 11 (HealthDay News) -- The next time you reach out to shake someone's hand, consider this finding: A recent study of hand-washing habits found only 5 percent of people who used the restroom scrubbed long enough to kill germs that can cause infections.
Thirty-three percent didn't use soap, and 10 percent didn't wash their hands at all, according to the study, based on Michigan State University researchers' observations of more than 3,700 people in a college town's public restrooms.
"These findings were surprising to us because past research suggested that proper hand washing is occurring at a much higher rate," lead investigator Carl Borchgrevink, an associate professor of hospitality business, said in a university news release.
Among the other findings:
Men were less likely than women to clean their hands. Fifteen percent of men and 7 percent of women didn't wash their hands at all. When they did wash their hands, only 50 percent of men used soap, compared with 78 percent of women.People were less likely to wash their hands if the sink was dirty.People were more likely to wash their hands earlier in the day. This may be because when people are out at night for a meal or drinks, they are relaxed and hand washing becomes less important, the researchers suggested.People were more likely to wash their hands if they saw a sign encouraging them to do so.Hand washing is the single most effective thing a person can do to reduce the spread of infectious diseases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Failure to sufficiently wash hands contributes to nearly 50 percent of all foodborne illness outbreaks, the agency says.
It takes 15 to 20 seconds of vigorous hand washing with soap and water to effectively kill germs, the CDC says, but people only wash their hands for an average of about 6 seconds, according to the study, published recently in the Journal of Environmental Health.
The findings have implications for consumers and restaurant and hotel owners, says Borchgrevink.
"Imagine you're a business owner and people come to your establishment and get foodborne illness through the fecal-oral route -- because people didn't wash their hands -- and then your reputation is on the line," he said. "You could lose your business."
Scary thought: Bikini season is around the corner. No worries -- our Drop 10 diet and fitness plan will help you lose 10 pounds in just five weeks. One of the secrets to your success? Your Drop 10 trainers, Karena and Katrina of ToneItUp.com, aka the bikini bod magicians.
For today's Tone It Up Tuesday, K+K are sharing a strength-building bonus move to keep your Drop 10 workout fresh. Not a Drop 10 member yet? Sign up now, it's totally free!
THIS WEEK'S TIP
Not every day has to be, or can be, an all-out workout! You want to give your muscles a chance to recover and get stronger. Dedicate at least one day to rest or light exercise, like a walk or yoga class, and let your body reboot.
THIS WEEK'S BONUS MOVE
Waving pushup
Katrina demos this move; all you need is a mat.
Start sitting with knees tucked behind you and to the right, arms raised and leaning far to your right side (as shown).
Log in (or sign up!) to see the complete move!
