Newspaper Page Text
10A
SEPTEMBER 23, 1999
Poor health habits plague Californiablacks
L SACRAMENTO, Calif.
The long-term health of African
American adults is in serious jeop
ardy because of poor dietary habits
and inadequate physical activity,
according to acomprehensivestudy
released by the California Depart
ment of Health Services (DHS).
The“ California Dietary Practices
Survey” indicates that the inci
dence of heart disease, cancers,
diabetes and other chronicdiseases
will escalate unless Californians
adopthealthiereatingand physical
activity habits.
“This study paints a bleak pic
ture for public health,” said State
Health Officer James W. Stratton,
M.D., M.P.H. “We live in the rich
est agriculture state in the world,
yet we're passing up healthy foods
like fruits, vegetables and low-fat
milk for foods highin fatand added
sugar. These eating habits will
cause more illness, premature
deaths, and increased healthcare
costs.”
The study, the first to collec
tively examine trends for eating
and exercise habits needed to fight
chronic diseases.
According to the study, Califor
nia adults are meeting fewer rec
ommendations for healthy eating.
Only about five percent of adults
consumed enough dietary fiber for
good health. Forty-seven percent
of all adults reported drinking no
milk on the day they were sur
veyed and just thirty percent of the
Congestive Heart Failure:
A disease you can live with
By Larry Lucas
SRR ARty
Congestive hefitfidgfifiremurs
when the heart pumpsinefficiently
and fluid builds up in the lungs,
making the heart work harder to
get blood throughout the body.
The blood flow from the heart
slows, and blood returning to the
heart through the veins back up.
Fluid builds up in the lungs, abdo
men, legs and ankles, causing
swelling, legs and ankles, causing
swelling. Patients are constantly
tired, short of breath and in and
out of the hospital. In fact, heart
failure is the leading cause of hos
pitalizationin people 65 and older.
Anestimated 5 million Americans
suffer from this disease, which
costs about s2l billion a year and
claims 45,000 lives annually.
Death rates from all types of
heart disease, are 50 percent
higher in African American
women than for white women.
And African American women
have a 35 percent greater risk of
developing congestive heart fail
ure.
What causes congestive heart
failure?
It is the result of damage to the
heart muscle, often from a heart
attack or high blood pressure.
Since African Americans are more
likely to have high blood pressure
than the majority population, this
is of particular interest to the
African American community.
Controlling blood pressure is a
good way toavoid congestive heart
failure, and statistics show that
this strategy is working. Accord
ing to the Centers for Disease
Control, deaths from heart failure
among Americans 65 and older
fell over the past decade, and bet
ter control of high blood pressure
was a key factor.
If you are diagnosed with con
gestive heartfailure, several medi
cines are available to help im-
Rape crisis and sexual assault
services to conduct training
Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault
services at University Hospital
will offer a five part volunteer
training series for people inter
ested in being a counselor for
victims of rape or sexual assault.
Participants will learn about the
legal and emotional aspects of
this crime.
~ Classes will be held on the
third floor of University Hospi
tal, inthe Education Center. Itis
respondents ate the recommended
fiveservings offruits and vegetables
a day. Twenty percent of respon
dents raported no leisure physical
activityinthelast month. Eatingat
fastfood restaurantsincreased from
33 percent to nearly 50 percent
since 1989 and was associated with
eating fewer healthy foods.
The impact of these unhealthy
habits is already being detected.
The number ofindividuals who are
either overweight or obese rose 50
percent between 1984 and 1997,
and the reported rates of diabetes
increased more than 25 percent.
Puttingthefindingsin perspective,
Startton points out that poor diet
and physical inactivity combined
are the second preventable causes
of death, followed only by tobacco
use.
“In California it’s expected that
approximately 35,000 people will
die this year from illnesses related
to poor diet and physical inactiv
ity,” Stratton said. “The related
health costs total some sls billion
annually, which doesn’t even take
into consideration the level of hu
man sufferingthat could be avoided
with simple changesin our diet and
lifestyles.”
Since 1984, womén were shown
to be most at risk for obesity, with
Latina and low-income women ex
periencing a 75 percent and 80
percent increase, respectively. Af
rican Americans showed the low
estconsumption offruits, vegetables
prove your quality of life and
reduce the risk of death. And
studies show that these medi
cines are helping. ACE inhibitor
drugs, which are used to control
blood pressure, have been shown
to prolong the lives of people
with congestive heart failure.
Used in combination with an
other type of medicine known as
a beta blocker, ACE inhibitor
drugs have been shown to fur
ther reduce the risk of death
from heart failure. A recent study
published in the New England
Journal of Medicine showed that
adding spironolactone, a medi
cine already approved for a vari
ety of conditions, to the treat
ment regimen for congestive
heart failure reduced deaths by
30 percent and hospitalizations
by 35 percent in a two year study
of more than 1,600 patients with
severe heart failure.
Even better news is the fact
that pharmaceutical companies
are currently working on 19 ad
ditional medicines to treat con
gestive heart failure. Your doc
tor is the best person to diagnose
and treat congestive heart fail
ure. The most common signs of
the disease are swollen legs or
ankles or difficulty breathing.
Weight gain due to the build up of
fluid is another symptom. Ac
cording to the American Heart
Association, treatment consists
of: -
. rest
. proper diet
. modified daily activities
. a variety of medicines
Most cases of mild and moder
ate congestive heart failure are
treatable. Patients with conges
tive heart failure don’t have to
become invalids, if they follow
their physicians’ advice.
Larry Lucas is Associate Vice
President of the Pharmaceutical
Research and Manufacturers of
American (PhRMA).
necessary to attend all five
classes. The classes are:
Oct. 22, 6-9:30 p.m.
Oct. 23, 8:15 a.m.-5 p.m.
Oct. 24, 1-5 p.m.
Oct. 25, 6-9 p.m.
Oct. 26, 6-9 p.m.
To register, call Kimberly
Pitcher at Rape Crisis and
Sexual Assault Services, (706)
774-2729.
AUGUSTA FOCUS
and low-fat dairy products. While
Latino adults have shown themost
improvements in healthy eating,
nopopulation segmentis approach
ing the recommended dietary and
physical activity levels.
“Obesity offers the first tangible
evidence of poor diet and physical
inactivity. The study shows mea
surable increases in diabetes, but
it’s likely that heart disease risks
also are higher,” Stratton said.
“What’s more, obesity is a warning
sign for only some Californians.
Even though others are less prone
toobesity, poor healthhabitsinvite
the same chronic diseases.”
To coincide with 5 A Day month
in California, the study was re
leased at a press conference today
to underscore the need for greater
fruit and vegetable consumption
and behavioral changes that will
lead to a healthy California.
“Californians cangreatlyimprove
their health by choosing to eat five
servings of fruits and vegetables,
whole grain cereal and breads ev
ery day, and one percent orless fat
milk,” Stratton asserted. “Adults
need 30 minutes of moderate physi
cal activity every day.”
The study serves asa vital toolin
directing and creating health edu
cation and outreach programs for
thestate. Analysis of specific popu
lation segments, theirattitudes and
behaviorsallowsthestatetocreate
programs that address the most
adversely affected populations. For
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What's so special about having your baby at the L
| W.C. Watson, MD. Women's Center at University Hospital? ™ yuen o
. Knowing that our Dcputation for providing quality care has been proven over time..that the
| reputation of our skilled and dedicated physicians is inspired by our namesake, Dr. W.G. Watson.
The opportunity to take advantage of the many childbirth Education classes and other support services
designed to help parents build confidence, including individualized breast-feeding support by
certified lactation consultants.
Having Choices during your childbirth experience. Our fully equipped suites are designed to
quickly transform after delivery into a warm living arca for you and your family.
' Having complete confidence in our nurscs, physicians and technological
/ P - ‘ Cflpflbllltl@& to manage unexpected problems.
| - ¢ What's so special about the W.G. Watson, MD.
. A i Women's Center? Come sce for yourself
[ e HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
‘ [l eeet™ o WG. Watson, MD. Women's Center
' o U AVt
Living
instance, several programs are al
ready in place to help Californians
in affected population segments.
DHS’s California Nutrition Net
work for Healthy, Active Families
(Network)todaylaunched the third
in a series of radio and television
public service announcements
aimed at promoting key eatingand
exercise practices.
The Network is also orchestrat
ing an aggressive community and
publiceducation program tosupple
ment the media awareness cam
paign, includingbus card advertis
ing and in-store promotions.
CaseLLA Eve CentEß, PC.
“SERVING AUGUSTA SINCE 1948” "
DR. THOMAS V. CASELLA DR. VICTOR CASELLA |
QUALITY EYECARE, SPECTACLES AND CONTACT LENSES AT AFFORDABLE PRICES \
WITH AN ACCENT ON PERSONAL SERVICE AND ATTENTION 9
[Houns 9 A.M.-5:30 PM.
WED . 9AM.-IPM.|
SAT | 9AM.-IPM.
A REMINDFR... THE RECORDS OF DR. BENJAMIN BOGLA, DR. JOSEPH SELDIN, DR. O. M. MURPHY, &
DR. JOHN PAUL JONES AND DR. HOTLZCLAW OPTICIANS REMAIN ON FILE AT CASELLA EYE CENTER ”
e [ 722-0817 722-2428
o 767 BROAD ST. (1 BLOCK FROM RIVER WALK) BROAD @ Bth ST ;
>y . (-
What if... .
Children were born without prejudice?
, ...They are!
Come learn about the Baha’i Faith
Speaker: Mr. Robert Reynolds
Sunday, September 26, 1999, 3 to 4:30 p.m.
University Hospital Prompt Care
4106 Columbia Rd., Evans, Ga. (Corner of
Columbia Rd. and Flowing Wells Rd.)
For more information call the Augusta-Richmond
County Baha'i information line ... (706) 863-9498
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