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Family dinners can make a difference in children's lives

Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five or more per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are twice as likely to use tobacco or marijuana; more than one and a half times likelier to use alcohol; and twice as likely to expect to try drugs in the future, according to The Importance of Family Dinners V, a new report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

23 Sep 2009

U.S. FDA bans flavored cigarettes

One of the first provisions of the new federal law regulating tobacco products will take effect Tuesday as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforces a ban on candy, fruit and other flavored cigarettes.

22 Sep 2009

Smoking bans result in consistent decline in heart attack rates: Study

A consistent decline in heart attack rates following the implementation of smoking bansStrongly enforced legislation to restrict smoking produces rapid and substantial reductions in community rates of heart attack, according to a meta-analysis published today in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association.

22 Sep 2009

Report on evidence-based disease prevention programs released by TFAH and NYAM

Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) released a new report today featuring a range of evidence-based disease prevention programs that have shown results for improving health and reducing costs in communities.

22 Sep 2009

Three-year clinical results of Medtronic's Resolute Zotarolimus-Eluting Coronary Stent released

New clinical data released today at a major meeting of interventional cardiologists show strong and sustained efficacy and safety of the Resolute® Zotarolimus-Eluting Coronary Stent from Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) in long-term patient follow-up.

22 Sep 2009

Health of American workers trending downwards

In the midst of the most vigorous national health care debate in 15 years, and at a time of heightened economic insecurity, new data on employers show that the health of employed American workers is trending downward in a number of important areas. The State of Health in the American Workforce, a report released today by the Families and Work Institute (FWI), finds that only 28% of employees today report that their overall health is "excellent," down from 34% just six years ago.

22 Sep 2009

A new study links 45,000 deaths a year to lack of insurance

Researchers find that 45,000 deaths a year can be linked to the lack of health insurance. But, some question the study's merits. CBS News reports that the study was conducted by a team "that tracked more than 9,000 people for up to 13 years, comparing the health of those with insurance to those without. After factoring in education and income, smoking, drinking and obesity, researchers found that the uninsured had about a 40 percent higher risk of death, linking 45,000 American deaths a year to lack of insurance. In 1993 it was 25 percent" (Axelrod, 9/17).

21 Sep 2009

TFAH supports ARRA Prevention and Wellness Fund

Trust for America's Health (TFAH) applauds today's announcement of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's (ARRA) Prevention and Wellness Fund by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

18 Sep 2009

HHS Secretary announces a funding opportunity for communities and tribes

Creating ways for healthful lifestyle habits to be the natural first choice for Americans is the goal of a $650 million initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be used to increase physical activity, improve nutrition, decrease obesity, and decrease smoking in U.S. communities.

18 Sep 2009

Strategies for reducing tobacco use and health care costs in the U.S.

The Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative announced today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which includes support for strategies to reduce tobacco use, is a smart investment in the nation's health that will save lives, prevent disease and help reduce health care costs.

18 Sep 2009

Two new smoke-free dining areas in the U.S. House of Representatives

On Thursday, the House's last two indoor smoking rooms are being cleaned and converted to smoke-free dining areas. It is no secret that secondhand smoke is dangerous - it causes 50,000 deaths per year in the U.S. Our halls of government should be playing a leadership role in ensuring clean indoor air for their staff and the visiting public and setting a positive example for other work places and public spaces nationwide.

18 Sep 2009

African Americans at higher risk of developing potentially deadly DVT and PE than other ethnic populations

Speaking at the Venous Disease Coalition (VDC) Annual Meeting today, Dr. Garth Graham from the Office of Minority Health at the Department of Health and Human Services followed up on last year's Surgeon General's Call to Action by focusing attention on the African American population which is at significantly increased risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE).

18 Sep 2009

Fourth-quarter and fiscal year end 2009 results announced by Pioneer Behavioral Health

PHC, Inc., d/b/a Pioneer Behavioral Health (NYSE Amex: PHC), a leading provider of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, reported financial results for the company's fourth fiscal quarter and year ended June 30, 2009. The results exclude the operations of the company`s research division, Pivotal Research Centers, Inc. ("Pivotal"), which was sold during the 2009 third fiscal quarter and was classified as a discontinued operation.

17 Sep 2009

Mayo Clinic Health Letter discusses kidney stone treatment options

Ordinary, loud snoring doesn't seem to be harmful, according to the September issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. But snorers still may want to seek treatment to stop snoring, reduce embarrassment and improve sleep for themselves and their bed partner.

17 Sep 2009

Guide reveals that non-smokers require different treatment for lung cancer

A committee of scientists led by Johns Hopkins investigators has published a new guide to the biology, diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in never-smokers, fortifying measures for what physicians have long known is a very different disease than in smokers.

17 Sep 2009

Pan American Health Organization calls for preventing sickness to curtail health care costs

According to every major health organization, many costly and disabling conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic infectious diseases are linked by common preventable risk factors -- smoking, poor dietary habits, physical inactivity and poor hygiene.

16 Sep 2009

Effective steps to prevent the further spread of E. Coli outbreaks

News that a large and growing outbreak of highly toxic E. coli O157:H7 linked to the Gladstone Farm and Playbarn in Surrey, England has led E. coli expert Bill Marler to urge animal exhibitors on both sides of the Atlantic to implement existing safety guidelines.

16 Sep 2009

Study reveals ineffectiveness of insulin and metformin against inflammatory biomarkers

In patients with recent onset type-2 diabetes, treatment with insulin or the diabetes drug metformin did not reduce inflammatory biomarkers, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, although the treatment did improve glucose control, according to a study in the September 16 issue of JAMA.

16 Sep 2009

Blue Care Network reaches milestone: Enrolls 100,000 members for Healthy Blue Living

Blue Care Network of Michigan's innovative wellness product, Healthy Blue Living, which rewards individuals for committing to healthy lifestyles, reached the 100,000 member benchmark in less than three years.

14 Sep 2009

Concept of wellness can yield greater savings

According to a new survey released today, 90 percent of plan sponsors believe that minimal attention to personal health and increased incidence of chronic illness such as diabetes and heart disease are at the root of rising health care costs.

14 Sep 2009