Page 4 - Healthbeat Jan 2015

health bits
[ TERMS ]
Quantitative nephelometry: This is a test to quickly and accurately measure the level of certain proteins called immunoglobulins in the blood. Immunoglobulins are antibodies that help the body fight infection.
SOURCE: UNITED STATES NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE
[ THE LATEST ]
Medical complexity leads to unmet needs, study finds
[ DID YOU KNOW?]
Consuming excessive amounts of sodium not only affects your health but may also affect your appearance. A diet rich in sodium has long been linked to a host of health problems, including high blood pressure, stroke, kidney disease and stomach cancer. But consuming too much sodium also leads to increased water retention, which can cause weight gain and make men and women appear puffy and bloated. According to the American Heart Association, the recommended daily sodium in- take is 1,500 milligrams. But the AHA notes that the average American consumes more than double that amount on a daily basis. While sodium is an essential nutrient, the human body does not need a lot of sodium to reap its benefits. Bread, processed meats and soups are some of the major contributors of dietary sodium. The AHA notes that people are far more likely to develop high blood pressure as adults if they consume a high-sodium diet as children. Therefore, men, women and children should study nutrition information on food items to ensure that they ar- en’t overloaded with sodium.
— Courtesy of Metro Creative Services
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THE NUMBER IN MILLIONS OF ADULTS AFFECTED BY RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, AN INFLAMMATORY DISEASE THAT CAUSES PAIN, SWELLING, STIFFNESS AND LOSS OF FUNCTION IN THE JOINTS
SOURCE: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
LITTLE ROCK — Special-needs children who have complex medical issues and see multiple specialists for more than one chronic condition are more likely to have a health care need go unmet, according to a paper published recently in the journal Health Affairs by Dennis Kuo, M.D., an associate professor of pediatrics at the Uni- versity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute.
“Among the children with medical complexity, unmet need was not associated with primary language, income level or having Medicaid,” wrote Kuo and second author Anthony Goud- ie, Ph.D., an assistant professor of pediatrics at UAMS. “We concluded that medical complexity
itself can be a primary determinant of unmet needs.”
Based on a secondary analysis of data from the 2005-06 and 2009-10 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, the in- equities the paper examined were those based on race or ethnicity, primary language in the household, insurance type and poverty status. The paper compares inequities of children with special needs to those of children with special needs who also have medical complexity.
The results indicate that children with medical complexity are more than twice as likely to have at least one unmet need compared to children with special needs without medical complexity.
Schools get grants to create healthier meals using local foods in 2015
LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute will host several farm-to-school summits in the new year that will help schools create healthier meals using local produce, thanks to nearly
$50,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The funds will help the institute build on the work of its Arkansas Grow Healthy Study, directed by Dr. Judith
Weber, professor of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, by convening local farmers, child-nutrition staff, city administrators, health professionals, education professionals and community members. The Arkansas Grow Healthy Study is a five-year farm-to-school feasibility pilot program aimed at assessing and building capacity for farm to school in Arkansas. The study will culminate in a year-long farm-to-school pilot
during the 2014-2015 academic year.
“Community partners are coming together to ensure a
bright and healthy future for students, and local farmers and ranchers,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “These inspiring collaborations create long-term benefits for students as they develop a meaningful understanding of where food comes from, and support our farmers and ranchers by expanding market
opportunities for local and regional foods.”
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