Low-Fat Dairy May Cut Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk
Low-fat dairy products may reduce the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, says an American Cancer Society study just published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention.
The review of data from more than 68,000 women found that those who consumed at least two servings of mostly low-fat dairy products a day had up to a 20 percent less risk of postmenopausal breast cancer than women who ate the least amount of dairy products.
"Our findings suggest that dairy products, composed mainly of low-fat sources, or some component within these foods are associated with a small but significantly lower risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women," study leader Marji McCullough, a senior epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society, said in a prepared statement.
"Work is still needed to more clearly identify what may be the responsible factors. And while we controlled to the best of our ability for other possible explanations, it's certainly possible women who consume low-fat dairy products have other health-related behaviors that could also lower the risk," McCullough said.
She also cautioned women to be careful about how they interpret the study's findings.
"It is important to keep in mind that some dairy products, like whole milk and many types of cheese, have a lot of saturated fat, which we know can increase the risk of heart disease and possibly other cancers. Also, many diary products have growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor I, which have been shown to promote breast cancer cell growth," McCullough said.
Sharp Increase in School Breakfast Use
About 7.5 million children in the United States received free or reduced-price breakfasts at school in 2004-05, a 5.3 percent increase over the previous school year and the largest spike in a decade, says a report by the Food Research and Action Center.
Even with that amount of growth, the School Breakfast Program only serves 20 percent of students who need it, the report said. The increase reflects the fact that more schools are serving breakfast, the Associated Press reported.
According to the center, at least 1.8 more children could get breakfast if more schools served them. The U.S. federal government does not require schools to serve breakfasts to students, the AP reported.
Some states offer schools startup funding or financial incentives for breakfast programs while other states require certain schools, usually those with low-income students, to provide breakfast.
More Deaths Linked to Guidant Heart Device Failures
Medical device maker Guidant Corporation has submitted new reports to U.S. officials on three recent patient deaths associated with short circuits in heart devices made by the company, The New York Times reported.
This brings to seven the number of known deaths associated with a flaw that can cause short circuits in the Guidant heart devices. The recent reports submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration show that the three newly revealed deaths occurred after Guidant issued a recall of the heart devices in June.
These new reports may indicate that publicity about the problems with the Guidant heart devices may be prompting more doctors and families to have the units checked after a patient's death, the newspaper reported.
The issue came to public attention in May when the Times reported that Guidant had not told doctors for three years about more than two dozen cases in which its implantable defibrillator models, the Prizm 2 DR, had short-circuited and failed. Further tests revealed similar problems with two other Guidant heart devices, the Contak Renewal and Contak Renewal 2.
Parts of Cloning Study May be Fabricated, U.S. Researcher Charges
A former American colleague of South Korean stem cell researcher Hwang Woo-suk is charging that some of Hwang's much-heralded human cloning work may have been "fabricated."
In a letter to the journal Science, University of Pittsburgh researcher Gerald Schatten demanded that the journal remove him as senior author of a report published in June that outlined how cloning was used to create individual stem cell colonies for 11 patients, the Associated Press reported.
That study received international acclaim as groundbreaking research. Since then, Hwang has admitted to some ethical lapses and minor data reporting errors.
"My careful re-evaluation of published figures and tables, along with new problematic information, now casts substantial doubts about the paper's accuracy," Schatten wrote. "Over the weekend, I received allegations from someone involved with the experiments that certain elements of the report may be fabricated."
Schatten won't make any further comments while the University of Pittsburgh investigates the matter, university spokeswoman Jane Duffield told the AP.
While Science acknowledged receiving the letter, it did not plan to release it because it contained what a journal spokesperson said were, " unsubstantiated allegations." The journal also said it has no reason to believe that Hwang's primary finding "is in any way fraudulent or questionable," the AP reported.
Hwang was not available for comment, the AP reported.
Government Delays Could Cause Medicare Drug Plan Problems
U.S. federal government delays in handling applications for Medicare's new prescription drug benefit could cause problems for some beneficiaries when the plan begins in January, say insurance companies.
Because of the delays, insurers haven't been able to issue identification cards to some people who want to enroll in the new Medicare benefit and aren't able to guarantee they'll be able to get cards to everyone who signs up before the start of the program on Jan. 1, The New York Times reported.
Without those identification cards, some beneficiaries may not be able to take advantage of the new drug benefit when they go to drug stores to purchase medications, pharmacists warned.
The reason for the government's delay in handling applications wasn't clear, The Times reported. However, a spokesman for the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said that errors have been found in data submitted by some of the health insurance plans and that those faulty applications are sent back to insurers for correction.
Former President Ford Released From Hospital
Former President Gerald Ford, 92, was released from hospital Tuesday night, after being admitted a day earlier for what his aides termed routine medical tests, the Associated Press reported.
Ford's chief of staff, Penny Circle, said Ford was released from Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., and was as healthy as a man his age could be.
In 2003, Ford was hospitalized after he experienced a dizzy spell while playing golf in hot weather. The former president also suffered a mild stroke while attending the 2000 Republican National Convention.
Ford was vice president to President Richard Nixon and became president in 1974 when the Watergate scandal forced Nixon to resign. Ford was defeated by Jimmy Carter in the 1976 election.
Food Fact:
Go mango.
Nature packs a lot of vitamins A and C into these low-calorie appetizers. Half a medium-sized mango supplies 40% of the vitamin A and 50% of the vitamin C that most of us need daily. All for a mere 67 calories. And it tastes great!
Fitness Tip of the day:
Walk for Fitness.
Even a five-minute walk can boost your health, once you know how to make it count. The key is to do it regularly -- aim for a total walking time of 30 - 45 minutes a day, in as little as 5-minute increments, to give your body a boost.
FAQ of the day:
Is it true grapefruit juice and prescription medications don't mix?
Amazingly, grapefruit juice can interfere with some prescription medications. Grapefruit and its juice contains a phytochemical that inhibits the enzyme needed to break down antihistamines, calcium-channel blockers, immunosuppressants, sedatives and protease inhibitors (treatments for AIDS), among others. As a result, blood levels of those drugs stay higher than expected, with potentially serious side effects. If you drink grapefruit juice regularly and are prescribed medication, mention it to your health care provider.
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