Coretta Scott King Had Stroke, Friends Say
Coretta Scott King, the 78-year-old widow of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., was reported in fair condition Wednesday after suffering a stroke, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
A Piedmont Hospital spokesperson in Atlanta said King was brought to the emergency room Tuesday morning and was resting comfortably later in the day. The spokesperson but did not provide any information about the reason for King's hospitalization.
However, people close to King said she was diagnosed this spring with a heart condition called atrial fibrillation, which causes irregular heartbeat, the Journal-Constitution reported. Since the problem was diagnosed, King suffered several small strokes and then a more serious stroke on Tuesday, the newspaper said.
The Rev. Joseph Lowery, former president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which Martin Luther King Jr. helped found in 1957, also told the Associated Press that King had had a stroke and was having trouble speaking.
"She did have a stroke; take my word for it," Lowery said.
Poet Maya Angelou, a personal friend, also said Wednesday that King had suffered a stroke, the AP reported. She said they spoke two weeks ago by phone and discussed King's health problems. Angelou said she planned to go to Atlanta to see her.
The King family released a statement Wednesday, saying only that King was resting comfortably. It expressed thanks for the "outpouring of care and support that's being sent from around the world."
Concerns have been raised about King's health after she cancelled recent and upcoming public appearances. At a June 30 ceremony, King's son, Martin Luther King III, said his mother was "doing well" and following her doctor's orders to limit her activities. He did not provide any additional details.
Coretta Scott married Martin Luther King Jr. in 1953 and they had four children.
FDA Denies Bid to Ban Weight-Loss Drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has denied a consumer group's request to ban the Abbott Laboratories weight-loss drug Meridia (sibutramine), the Chicago Tribune reported.
Despite studies that have shown that the drug elevates blood pressure in some patients, the FDA found that Meridia's benefits continued to outweigh its risks, the newspaper reported. In lieu of the decision, the drug's maker pointed out that the medicine's risks are clearly spelled out on FDA-required labeling.
Nonetheless, the consumer group Public Citizen, which three years ago filed a complaint with the FDA that Meridia had contributed to dozens of deaths since its approval in 1997, condemned the agency's decision to allow the drug to stay on the market.
"Once again, the FDA is siding with a large drug company," Public Citizen Director Dr. Sidney Wolfe said in a statement. "How many more dangerously flawed decisions will the FDA make before the Congress repeals the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, which brings the agency ever closer to the companies that give it almost $200 million a year in funding."
An FDA spokesman said the company has been working with the drugmaker to improve Meridia's labeling.
In a statement, Abbott said Meridia had been proven safe and effective "for people who need to lose 30 pounds or more depending on height and "when combined with diet and exercise," the Tribune reported.
Last fall during hearings into the possible dangers of some pain drugs, FDA safety officer Dr. David Graham listed Meridia among five potentially dangerous drugs that the agency needed to review, the newspaper said.
Keeping Children in Back Seat Saves Lives: Study
A nearly decade-old campaign encouraging drivers to keep children out of the front seat and properly restrained has saved some 200 lives each year, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
The nine-year-old effort was established by the Air Bag and Seat Belt Safety Campaign, a coalition of car companies, parts makers, and government agencies. For children 12 and under, the number of deaths in motor vehicle crashes fell to 1,110 in 2003 from 1,345 in 1996, the newspaper concluded from an analysis of federal crash records.
Concurrently, the number of front-seat deaths involving children fell to 314 in 2003 from 586 in 1996, the Times said.
Moving all children who continue to occupy the front seat to the back would save an estimated 100 additional lives each year, campaign director Phillip Haseltine told the newspaper.
Video Games Are Too Violent, Mental Health Experts Say
Violent video games are hurting children by fostering aggressive behavior and angry thoughts, the American Psychological Association said in a statement issued Wednesday.
"Showing violent acts without consequences teaches youth that violence is an effective means of resolving conflict," said psychologist Elizabeth Carll, co-chair of the APA Committee on Violence in Video Games and Interactive Media.
The APA recommended that video game makers and other members of the entertainment industry link violent behavior with negative social consequences, the Associated Press reported.
A spokesman for the Entertainment Software Association, a trade group representing the U.S. video game industry, told the wire service that the APA had discounted credible research challenging claims that video game use led to an increase in aggressive behavior or crime.
U.S. Beverage Industry to Back Soft Drink Limits in Schools
As pressure mounts to halt the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States, the American Beverage Association will recommend limiting the availability of soft drinks in schools across the country.
The organization's new policy recommendation was expected to be announced Wednesday at the annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Associated Press reported.
The beverage association will work with school districts to ensure that vending machines in elementary schools carry only bottle water and 100 percent juice. Middle school students would have access to additional drinks, such as sports drinks, no-calorie soft drinks and low-calorie juice drinks.
Under the plan, high school students would have access to all types of drinks, including soft drinks. However, soft drinks would comprise no more than 50 percent of vending machine selections in high schools, the AP reported.
Parents should feel assured that their children aren't drinking excessive amounts of sweetened drinks at school, said beverage association president and CEO Susan Neely.
Food Fact:
Go with the grain.
Older women who eat the right amount of whole grains cut their risk of a fatal heart attack significantly. At ages 55 - 69, women who eat whole grains for at least three of their daily carbohydrate servings were found to be in better heart health during the next 10 years. Whole grain breads, crackers and cereals -- made from grains that have not been stripped of their bran and germ -- protect against heart disease and diabetes. It's unclear which part of the whole grain -- the fiber, the vitamin E, the folate, the magnesium or some of the health-protective phytochemicals -- provides the health benefits. Read labels carefully. Look for "whole-grain" or "whole-wheat flour" as the first or second ingredient.
Fitness Tip of the day:
If the shoe fits...
Choosing the right type of shoe for your activity is only a start to avoid foot pain. A good fit is essential to providing comfort and preventing injury. When buying shoes, look for knowledgeable salespeople and be sure to have your feet measured -- size and width can change over time. For the best fit, try on shoes after you've exercised and your feet are at their largest, and be sure to put on the socks you normally wear.
FAQ of the day:
Does fiber prevent colon cancer?
Many studies find a link between higher fiber intake and lower colon cancer risk, but not all do. It's possible that it's the cancer-fighting phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables rather than the fiber that are most protective. But one thing seems clear: People who eat more fiber-rich fruits and vegetables have much lower risk of colon cancer.
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