Cut the growth in rates of obesity by just 1 percent a year over the next two decades, and you’ll slice health costs by $85 billion. Keep obesity rates at their current levels – which is well below a 33 percent increase being projected — save nearly $550 billion.
Younger patients and those with several chronic illnesses are more likely to report difficulties with care coordination than older patients with just one chronic illness,
For type 2 diabetics who are not on insulin, monitoring their blood sugar does little to control blood sugar levels over time and may not be worth the effort or expense, according to a new evidence review.
“I lost 90 pounds with the Lap-Band!,” read the billboards. Sounds tempting, doesn’t it? But there are serious risks with the weight-loss surgery promoted by these ads.
As obesity among young people continues to rise, a growing number of clinicians say that weight-loss surgery may be their best chance to take off significant weight. But although health plans frequently cover bariatric surgery in adults, coverage for patients under age 18 is spotty.
After 20 years of U.S. residency, rates of hypertension, diabetes and obesity rise sharply for Hispanic immigrants.
Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign for children now has a counterpart for the 50-plus set. The National Institute on Aging on Wednesday launched its “Go4Life” campaign, aimed at increasing physical activity among Baby Boomers and their parents.
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study suggests that, in postmenopausal women at least, dietary weight loss alone is effective while exercise alone is not effective — but both together are best of all.
The percentage of adults in Washington state who are obese has more than doubled over the past two decades from 10 percent to more than 26 percent — and two-thirds, 62 percent, are either obese or overweight.
Why don’t physicians provide counseling to obese patients? — lack of financial incentives, lack of adequate training in weight management and counseling and language barriers.
Despite improvements in diabetes care in the U.S., kidney disease due to the complications of diabetes continues to rise, a study by researchers at the University of Washington report.
Kay A. Branz was previously vice president of Communications and Marketing for the American College of Healthcare Executives based in Chicago.
LocalHealthGuide is a health news and information web service for Seattle and the Puget Sound Region. We are independent and unaffiliated with any hospital, medical association or insurer. If you have questions or if your group has an upcoming event that you would like us to cover, please let us know by going to our "Contact Us" page and dropping us a note. -- Michael McCarthy, Editor
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Lost in translation: Lack of trained interpreters can lead to medical errors
Interpreter services at hospitals and other medical settings are often inadequate, forcing family members, including children, to step in, or the task falls to medical staff members who may not speak the language well.
Some insurers deny ER coverage to people who have been drinking
Laws in more than half the states permit insurers to deny payment for medical services related to alcohol or drug use. Faced with the prospect of not getting paid for care, some ER personnel sidestep the problem by simply not testing patients’ blood or urine for alcohol.
Travel insurance can protect your wallet — and your health on vacation
Think your regular health insurance policy will cover you if you get into medical trouble overseas?
Don’t bet on it.
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