Newspaper Page Text
14A
May 6, 2004
Living
SENIOR HEALTH FOCUS
Q: I understand that fish is good for the
heart. Is this true? N.S. Edgefield, S.C
Yes, certain types of fish
are heart healthy. This
includes fatty, cold-water
fish such as salmon,
mackerel, lake trout, her
ring and sardines. These
fish are rich in omega-3
fatty acids. “Studies show
that omega-3 fatty acids
benefit the hearts of
healthy people, people at
high risk of heart disease
and people who have
heart disease, says Cheryl
Mehia,. BD. LD,
C.D.E., with University’s
Millions more have pre-diabetes than earlier estimated
By LAURAN NEERGAARD
AP Medical Writer
WASHINGTON
(AP) — Millions more
Americans than previ
ously thought have
signs of what could
later turn into diabetes,
the government says.
Doubling previous
figures, the govern
ment estimates that 41
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Weight Management and
Nutrition Center.
The exact ways in which
omega-3 fatty acids
reduce the risk of cardio
vascular disease are still
being studied. But
research has shown that
omega-3 fatty acids:
decrease the risk of
irregular heart beats,
which can lead to sudden
cardiac death
slow the growth rate of
clogged arteries
lower blood pressure
million Americans have
pre-diabetes — blood
sugar high enough to
dramatically increase
their risk of getting the
full-blown disease.
The figures released
Wednesday, April 28
are significantly higher
than previous estimates
because doctors have
changed the criteria for
diagnosing the condi
decrease triglyceride lev
els
Eating fish may be par
ticularly important to
women, as elevated
triglyceride levels are a
more significant risk fac
tor of heart disease for
women than for men.
The American Heart
Association’s Dietary
Guidelines recommend
everyone include at least
two servings of fatty, cold
water fish per week. If you
suffer from heart disease
tion after research
showed they were miss
ing too many at-risk
patients.
“These latest num
bers show how urgent
the problem really is,”
said Health and
Human Services Secre
tary Tommy Thomp
son, who was announc
ing the new estimates
at a federal health
AUGUSTA FOCUS
or have a high triglyceride
level, your physician may
also suggest omega-3 fatty
acid supplements. “But
speak to you physician
before starting these sup
plements, particularly if
you're taking blood thin
ners or aspirin. Omega-3
fatty acids can act as
blood thinners,” says Ms.
Mehta.
In September 2004, the
government will begin
requiring markets to label
the fish they sell accord
meeting Thursday,
April 29 in Baltimore.
“We need to help
Americans take steps to
prevent diabetes or we
will risk being over
whelmed by the health
and economic conse
quences of an ever
growing diabetes epi
demic.”
The good news is that
modest diet and exer
cise can delay, if not
prevent, the onset of
diabetes in many pre
diabetics.
But “most of these
people have no idea”
they’re at risk, said Dr.
Francine Kaufman,
past president of the
American Diabetes
Association.
Some 18 million
Americans have full
blown diabetes, a lead
ing cause of blindness,
kidney failure, amputa
tions and heart disease
that claims 180,000
U.S. lives a year.
Some people are born
with it, but the vast
majority have Type 2
diabetes, an illness that
develops, often in mid
dle age, when their
bodies lose the ability
to turn blood sugar
into energy. Obesity,
an increasing problem
in the United States, is
associated with dia
betes.
The loss in ability to
turn blood sugar into
= 1
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_‘ . Hypertension and Diabetes Care
i 3 o Dietand Weight Management Proarams
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ing to where it’s from and
whether it's wild or
farmed. If you’re con
cerned about mercury and
other contaminants, Ms.
Mehta suggests you select
wild Alaskan salmon
instead of farm-raised
salmon, as wild salmon is
generally less contaminat
ed. “Canned Salmon is
another good option. It’s
usually wild salmon from
Alaska and low in con
taminants. It’s also less
expensive, says Ms.
energy is very gradual,
and it can be measured
by blood tests. Glucose
levels that are above
normal but not yet in
the diabetic range sig
nal pre-diabetes — and
a change in what one
test considers normal
prompted the govern
ment’s new increased
estimates.
Doctors once
thought blood sugar
levels below 110 mil
ligrams per deciliter as
measured by the
“impaired fasting glu
cose” test - given
before eating anything
in the morning —were
normal. But the Amer
ican Diabetes Associa
tion in November
changed the definition
of normal to below 100
milligrams — meaning
anyone with a fasting
glucose between 100
and 125 milligrams is
now classified pre-dia
betic.
That seems like a
small change. But a lot
of people are in that
100 to 110 range, data
that conclude about 40
percent of people ages
40 to 74 are pre-dia
betic, explained Dr.
Frank Vinicor, diabetes
chief for the Centers
for Disease Control
and Prevention.
Changing the pre
diabetes cut-off “isn’t
an arbitrary decision,”
Mehta.
For more information
on heart health or help
finding a physician, call
University’s Heart Line at
(706)828-2828 or toll
free at (866)601-2828. If
you have a question you
would like addressed in
this column or would like
more information on Uni
versity’s Seniors Club,
please write to Shirley
Mclntosh at 4106
Columbia Road, Mar
tinez, Ga., 30907.
Vinicor said. “It’s based
on emerging science
from the last two to
three years,” that
found the risk of glu
cose-spurred heart dis
ease began rising at
lower levels than once
thought.
Cut-offs for a second
test — where blood
sugar levels are meas
ured two hours after a
glucose-rich drink i—;
remain unchanged’
Levels between 14‘02
and 199 milligrams ate
considered pre-diabetid
in that test. ' ;
So who needs to seclks
‘one of these tests? The
ADA says: ’ E
— Anyone 45 or oldcnz
who is overweightg
should seek testing
during the next routing
doctor visit. 2
— Anyone over 455
who are of normag
weight should ask thciz
doctor if testing is
appropriate. '
— Doctors should
consider testing
younger people if they
are overweight and
have another risk fac
tor: a diabetic relative;.
bad cholesterol; high:
blood pressure; dia
betes during pregnancy!
or gave birth to a baby
bigger than nine pounds;
or belong to a racial
minority group.
Doctors typically repeat
the test every three years
if results are normal, but
may test people with
multiple risk factors more.
often.
If the test diagnoses
pre-diabetes, there are
proven ways to lower the
risk of full-blown illness,
Vinicor stressed, such’
as walking 30 minutes
a day, five days a week,
and losing five perceng
to seven peércent QZ
body weight. e