Average American Cholesterol Levels No Longer Improving
Americans LDL cholesterol levels have stopped
Surprising Kitchen Dirty Spots
Whats the dirtiest place in your kitchen?
Indulgence Tops Health When Eating Out
Picking healthy foods when eating out is a priority
FDA Cracks Down on Diabetes Scams
The US Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on 15 companies trying to cash
Cereal Scientists Set Whole Grain Standard
How much of a food product has to be whole grains to qualify to use the term
Imported Salsas High in Lead
There may be more than a fiery kick in that imported salsa.
Do Consumers Really Want Menu Info?
Advocates of health-conscious menu labeling have their work cut out for
FDA Eyeing Front-of-Package Nutrition Claims
The US Food and Drug Administra - tion (FDA) is going after misleading nutrition claims on the front of food packages-an effort that may ultimately lead to a single official symbol giving consumers an at-a-glance guide to healthy choices. As the agency sent a warning letter to food companies, Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said the FDA will investigate whether any packaging claims violate its labeling rules and will take enforcement action against any egregious examples.
More US Adults Lighting Up
For the first time since 1994, the rate of cigarette smoking among US adults actually rose a little. Health officials hope the increase-from 19.8% to almost 21%-is just a blip, but expressed disappointment that weve hit a wall in reducing adult smoking, as one anti-smoking activist put it. The news was released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which conducted in-person interviews of nearly 22,000 US adults in 2008. In a separate state-by-state survey, the CDC said West Virginia and Indiana have the highest smoking rates, about 26%, while Utah is home to by far the fewest smokers, only 9%.
Prevalence of Bad Cholesterol Drops by 1/3
On the bright side, another CDC report has found that the prevalence of US adults with high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol dropped by about one-third from 1999-2000 to 2005-2006. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) on a sampling of 7,044 participants age 20 or older, CDC scientists calculated that the percentage of those with high LDL levels declined from 31.5% to 21.2%. The prevalence varied substantially by risk category, with those at highest risk due to cardiovascular conditions or diabetes declining from 69.4% with high LDL to 58.9%.