Community Magazine November 2012

To • • Health ARSENIC IN OUR RICE After conducting independent tests, Consumer Reports found high levels of arsenic in many rice products. Arsenic has been linked to increased risk of cancer. Consumer Reports is recommending that the FDA set limits on arsenic levels in food and drinks, and that the government ban sources of arsenic contamination, such as pesticides and fertilizers. The tests on 200 items found arsenic even in organic baby cereal, breakfast cereal, and brown rice. They found both inorganic arsenic, a carcinogen, as well as organic arsenic, which is less toxic but still troubling. There is no federal limit for arsenic in most foods, but the standard for drinking water is 10 parts per billion (ppb). A single serving of some kinds of rice could give an adult almost one and a half times the maximum recommended amount of inorganic arsenic from water. Some infant rice cereals had levels of inorganic arsenic five times more than has been found in other grains like oatmeal. Consumer Reports recommends restricting the consumption of rice products, and has a detailed report of the arsenic levels in different products at www. consumerreports.org . TEEN SMOKING LEADS TO ADULT HEART DISEASE People who start smoking as teens increase their risk of dying from heart disease decades later, even if they stop smoking as adults. Those who do not quit the habit after the teen years have double the risk of dying early compared to non-smokers. The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that those who smoked throughout their lives accumulated a higher risk than those who only smoked in college. The study used health surveys of men who attended Harvard University, and followed up over the next several decades. Smoking as a teen, then quitting later, led to a 29 percent increased risk of early death, compared to double the risk for those who kept smoking. ADULTS NOT GOING TO THE DOCTOR Even when people are sick, they are increasingly not visiting their doctor, according to the U.S. Census. Working age adults visited the doctor about 4.8 times in 2011, and nine years later the average dropped to 3.9 times. Young people and men were less likely to get a health check than older people and women. Dental visit rates were even lower, with only 59 percent of people getting a cleaning, compared to 73 percent who had visited a doctor. GREENFIELD PUSHES RESOLUTION TO EXPAND NEWBORN HEALTH SCREENING Councilman David Greenfield is asking the State Legislature to pass a bill known as Aidan’s Law, named for a seven-year-old boy who died in April due to a rare genetic condition known as adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). ALD affects the brain and all neurological functioning, and cannot be cured, although children with the condition can live well if the condition is detected early. Aidan’s Law would require that ALD be added to the list of over 40 conditions that newborns are screened for. The test is simple and cheap, costing only $1.50 per child. Greenfield also introduced a City Council resolution asking the state to make Aidan’s Law a priority next year. TEENS AFFECTED BY POOR SLEEP Teenagers who have difficulty sleeping, whether due to the use of energy drinks, late-night texting or television, may be ruining their health. Poor sleep in this age group has been linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. In addition, sleep problems have been linked to memory problems, and increased use of alcohol and drugs. A lack of deep sleep can also lead to problems with insulin resistance, a risk factor for diabetes. Sleep-deprived teens are also more impulsive. The findings were presented at a symposium at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. College students in the 1980s got seven to 7.5 hours of sleep nightly, whereas now they report between six and 6.9 hours. Teens go to bed late, and often take smartphones and computers with them. YOUNG PEOPLE HAVING STROKES Researchers have found a growing trend of young people experiencing strokes. The study, published in the journal Neurology, suggests that the trend may be due to an increase in risk factors in young people like obesity, Type 2 diabetes and cholesterol problems. The rise may also be a result of the increasing number of patients receiving diagnoses by MRI. Childhood strokes could lead to more disability over the lifetime. The study found that the average age of stroke victims fell from 71 in 1993 to 69 in 2005, and the rate of heart disease increased among young stroke patients. The researchers recommend that young adults see their doctor regularly to be screened for stroke risk. Courtesy Consumer Reports Councilman David G. Greenfield (center) is joined by (front row, left to right) Assemblyman James Brennan, Councilman Jumaane Williams, Elisa and Bobby Seeger and Jerry Kassar and by members of Aidan’s Posse at a press conference calling on the state Legislature to pass Aidan’s Law when the new session begins in January. 86 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE