Community Magazine September 2011

To • • Health 74 COmmuNItY mAGAZINe MUSCLE UP TO PREVENT DIABETES Working out and increasing your muscle mass can help lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III found that increases in the ratio of muscle to total weight were linked to lowered insulin resistance, a known precursor to diabetes. Rates of pre-diabetes, involving high levels of blood sugar, were also linked to lower muscle mass. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to use insulin properly, so the body requires additional insulin, forcing the pancreas to produce it in excess. The pancreas gradually becomes unable to supply enough to regulate blood sugar levels. Researchers published their findings in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. The US Department of Health and Human Services reports that as of 2010, over 200,000 Americans under age 20 have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In 2007, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death. SPEEDCAMERAS SAVE LIVES Traffic fatalities at intersections with cameras were reduced by 26 percent over five years, according to a study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on the effects of speed cameras. D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said in a published report that there were fewer high-speed crashes and fewer crashes overall at previously bad intersections. Additionally, cars involved in accidents at these intersections tend to have been driving slower, resulting in a decreased number of fatalities. Speeding kills four times as many people in New York City as drunk driving, and twice as many people as distracted driving, and is the number one cause of deadly crashes. A NY Health Department 2010 Report found that 63 people were killed in speed-related crashes in the city in 2009, and 2,150 people were injured. Car accidents are the top cause of death from injury for children. A pedestrian hit by a car traveling at 40 mph, only 10 mph above the speed limit, had a 70 percent chance of being fatally injured. The study, published in the journal Injury Prevention, estimates that about 1.3 million people are killed annually in traffic accidents worldwide. PREDICT ALZHEIMER’S DECADES BEFORE IT STARTS An inherited form of Alzheimer’s disease may be detectable up to 20 years before the onset of symptoms like memory loss and difficulty thinking. The new findings, presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Paris, could lead to the possibility of early intervention to treat the disease before brain cells are damaged. Generally, the disease has already caused irreparable brain damage by the time dementia symptoms appear. Researchers tracked subjects between the ages of 30 and 50 from families who have specific gene mutations that cause the development of Alzheimer’s. As children of parents with the gene may develop dementia at the same age that their parents did, scientists can track the disease for many years before it is expected to begin showing symptoms. The study found that changes in brain chemistry were detectable two decades before symptoms began, changes that can then be targeted for prevention. FILTEREDDRINKINGWATER REALLY IS BETTER Filtering drinking water has been shown to be a cost-effective way to lower exposure to pollution in water. Although federal, state and local agencies regulate contaminants in water, toxins still exist in drinking water in low concentrations, and over 100 known toxins are unregulated. Contaminants include chemicals such as medication and shampoo that can leak from wastewater back into the supply system, and no municipal systems can fully eliminate these dangers. Chlorine is a commonly used disinfectant that can be found in both wastewater and drinking water, but when it breaks down it can create carcinogens that cause cancer. Over the long term, filtering drinking water can reduce exposure to these chemical, biological and physical toxins. Additionally, some unfiltered water supplies, such as that in New York City, contain tiny microorganisms called crustaceans, members of the shrimp family. Water can be filtered at several points, including a home’s main supply, kitchen sink, refrigerator, and ice maker. An activated carbon filter has been found to be effective for these purposes, and for both health and safety reasons, filter parts should be replaced regularly according to the manufacturer’s schedule so that the system works efficiently. For more information visit water.epa.gov.