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If your child is overweight when they start school at the age of six, unless you do something about it at that point, the indications are that they are going to be overweight teenagers and obese adults. Evidence has shown that overweight children and teenagers have a greater risk of developing lifestyle diseases such as type …

If your child is overweight when they start school at the age of six, unless you do something about it at that point, the indications are that they are going to be overweight teenagers and obese adults. Evidence has shown that overweight children and teenagers have a greater risk of developing lifestyle diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease later in life – and dying prematurely. Obesity is a global pandemic rapidly spreading among adults and children, in developed and developing countries alike. A new study has found that children who are overweight by the time they turn six should be screened for weight problems. This should be done in a sensitive and compassionate way.

Why six-year-olds?

Children who are overweight between the ages of two and five are five times more likely to be overweight when they are 12. There are two periods in a normal life cycle when the body makes new fat cells. The first is in the uterus and the second is around the age of six-years-old. The second phase lasts from the age of six to puberty. Outside these periods, our body’s existing fat cells are fixed and swell out or shrink as we gain or lose fat. In lean toddlers, their fat cells gradually shrink in the course of their early childhood. By the time they turn six-years-old, their body’s fatness is at its lowest point and it can then start reproducing fat cells until puberty when fat cells stop forming. But for obese toddlers, the second phase starts before they turn six and their bodies make pronouncedly more fat cells than lean children’s bodies. The consequence is that obese toddlers become obese adolescents with much more fat cells than the child who started out with a normal weight at six.

A fat finding mission

The study assessed the prevalence of obesity in six-year-olds as part of a campaign in South Africa to raise awareness of the problem among parents and educators. A total of 99 children were chosen from seven schools in Mangaung, the capital city of Free State province. The schools were chosen from quintile four and five schools, which when measured by their own resources and economic circumstances are well resourced and serve largely middle class and wealthy communities. The children’s weight, height, and waist circumference were measured and used to calculate a body mass index score and waist-to-height ratio. Both these figures are good predictors for future lifestyle disease risks such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. A person with a good waist-to-height ratio can wrap a piece of string equal to their height around their waist at least twice. When the children had higher body mass indexes, they also had an increased waist to height ratio. The study found that one in four children from the schools surveyed were overweight when they started primary school. The only other South African study to look at child obesity is the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. It surveyed children between the ages of six and nine. Its 2012 results showed a lower national average than the Mangaung survey which surveyed only six-year-olds.

Nipping fat in the bud

Although there are many factors that play a role in preventing childhood obesity, parents’ perceptions of their children’s weight play an important role. A recent meta-analysis of 69 studies found that more than 50% of parents underestimate the weight of their obese children. These parents remain unaware of the risks their children face and are also unmotivated to take any action. At least half of the parents whose children are overweight struggle to recognise their children’s weight problems fearing that they will be labelled. To get involved, parents must first acknowledge the problem. Interventions aimed at preventing obesity in the pre-school years should be a priority for parents. Parents have to be involved in these interventions as they play a crucial role in modelling and establishing children’s dietary and physical activity patterns. By the time they turn six, overweight children should be referred to dieticians and nutritionists who are qualified to guide their parents in getting them to eat well and be more physically active at pre-primary and primary schools. The high prevalence of weight problems among six-year-olds found in this study is an urgent call to health care professionals to step up and empower parents, educators, and children with the necessary skills for healthy dietary practices and adequate physical activity.  

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Bubba the turkey was genetically altered at birth to gain weight and then be carved up for dinner.

Turkeys usually have very little to be thankful for on Thanksgiving because they’re typically the main dish.

But this year, at least one bird at a northern California animal sanctuary has a new lease on life.

Bubba the butterball of a turkey was genetically altered at birth to gain weight and then be carved up for dinner.

But life presented him with a second chance when a rescuer found Bubba limping along a busy road.

And an animal sanctuary in Placer County just happened to have room for one more.

Now the bird has plenty of space to rest his swollen feet and enjoy the rest of his days.

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A study that was presented at the Radiological Society of North America annual meeting evaluated the effects of different sports on degeneration of the knee joint in overweight patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and found that racket sports—such as tennis and racquetball—sped up the degeneration process.

“In our study, progression of overall knee joint degeneration was consistently higher in overweight and/or obese patients engaging in racket sports,” said lead study author Silvia Schirò, MD, of the University of California San Francisco and the University of Parma in Parma, Italy, when discussing the findings. “We also found that workouts using an elliptical trainer were associated with reduced progression of overall knee joint and cartilage defects. Moreover, our findings showed that when comparing different low impact activities with each other, such as bicycling, elliptical trainer and swimming, the elliptical trainer was associated with the lowest increase in WORMS (Whole-Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score) sub-scores over 48 months.”

Dr. Schirò and her colleagues assessed 415 participants with a mean age of 59 ± 8.6 years, all of whom had a body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m² and knee radiographic Kellgren-Lawrence score <3. The average BMI was 30 kg/m² ± 3.5, and 44% of participants were female. Patients were recruited from the Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort. Patients reported whether they regularly took part in ball sports, bicycling, jogging/running, elliptical trainer, racquet sports, and swimming. The modified WORMS was used to assess structural knee abnormalities.

Over a two-year period, participants who regularly took part in racquet sports had much greater increases in WORMS compared to those who regularly used the elliptical trainer (average difference in changes in WORMS, 4.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.86–8.10; P<0.001) and who reported regular jogging/running (average difference in changes in WORMS. 2.88; 95% CI, 0.42–5.33; P=0.009).

“A large lateral force imparted at the foot during side-to-side movements may be driving large knee adduction moments, a key feature in medial compartment disease, which imparts high compressive loads on the medial tibia and femoral condyle,” Dr. Schirò said. “In support of this premise, the racket sports group showed elevated cartilage degeneration in the medial tibia.”

While the data suggest that some people may benefit from switching to other sports—such as swimming—there are safe ways to play racquetball sports, and degeneration may not be the same in everyone, according to Dr. Schirò.

“It is possible that some individuals with sufficient strength and motor control may be able to safely play these sports,” she noted. “Our data suggests that as a group, though, overweight and obese individuals who play racket sports are at higher risk for disease progression.”

The post These Sports May Be Bad for Knee Joints in Overweight Patients with OA appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Researchers from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark have found a 12 percent risk associated with being dangerously overweight.

The researchers in their new study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine found that being overweight or obese increases the risk of several common cancers.

The team of researchers raised concern that the rising rates of obesity and severe obesity will increase the rates of cancers across the board, as well as take a toll on healthcare costs and see more people dying prematurely.

The team looked at cancer data in Denmark over a 40-year period, from 1977 to 2016 and found 20,706 cancers among 313,321 adults who were clinically diagnosed as being overweight or obese.

By comparison, there were 18,480 cancers diagnosed among the general Danish population over the same time period, which means that weighing above average increased the risk of all cancers by 12 percent, according to their findings.

According to the researchers, the heightened risk was the same for cancers previously identified as obesity-related, such as kidney cancer and pancreatic cancer, and for blood and neurological cancers.

Explaining reasons obesity is linked to an increase in cancer risk, the scientists found that obesity is associated with a rapid rise in the number of cells, as well as the secretion of high levels of proteins and hormones that are pro-inflammatory such as estrogen – all of which is linked to cancer.

The authors wrote in the study: “Given the increasing obesity epidemic, our findings have contributed much needed recent data on the overall burden of cancer among patients hospitalized for overweight and obesity.”

Obesity is known as a risk factor for several chronic health conditions aside from cancer including type 2 diabetes, strokes and heart attacks.

The United States health officials say that addressing the obesity epidemic will not only lead to better health outcomes but also reduce medical costs.

Meanwhile, in 2012, a study from Cornell University in New York found obesity to account for about 21 percent of total US healthcare costs, approximately $190.2 billion per year.

Obesity, however, continues to plague more than one-third of adults in the US, and experts have warned that the proportion will only grow as younger generations do.

Also, researchers from Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health predict that nearly half of all Americans will be obese by 2030.

The post Overweight increases risk of cancers by 12%, fuels premature deaths appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

A nationwide Danish study has revealed that being overweight or obese increases the risk of getting several common cancers by 12 percent. This includes breast cancer, kidney cancer, gallbladder cancer, leukemia, brain cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The study is published in the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark are concerned that the rising rates of obesity will increase the rates of cancers and more people will die prematurely. As reported by a UK daily, the researchers also fear that obesity epidemic will take a toll on healthcare costs.

How obesity increases cancer risk? According to the scientists, obesity leads to rapid rise in the number of cells as well as the secretion of high levels of proteins and hormones that are pro-inflammatory such as estrogen – all of which is linked to cancer.

Health experts say that addressing the obesity epidemic will not only lead to better health outcomes but also reduce medical costs.

Now the question is – How can you fight against obesity? The answer is weight management and healthy eating. Here are a few effective ways to fight obesity –

A Balanced Diet

Diet can play a crucial role in fighting against obesity. Eat a balanced diet to reduce your calorie intake and reduce the threat of obesity. Make sure to eat five pieces of different fruit and vegetables every day. Check the calories you’re consuming, so that you do not eat more than your body needs. Fish oil & a low-calorie diet can work wonders for your weight, according to a study report. The credit goes to the omega-3 fatty acids, which are also known for great hair and skin.

Avoid Fast Food And Takeaways

The best is to prepare food fresh at home. Also avoid unhealthy and sugar laden drinks as consuming too much sugar can lead to weight gain and obesity. Fizzy drinks, instant powered drinks, and squashes contain a lot of added sugar and very less nutrients. You can opt for healthier choices like fruit juices and smoothies. But they also contain sugar, so limit your consumption to just 150ml a day.

Reduce Alcohol Consumption

Many alcoholic drinks are high in sugar. Moreover, our body can’t store alcohol and so as it works to get rid of the alcohol, processes such as absorbing nutrients and burning fat are interrupted. One trick to reduce alcohol intake- drink water between alcoholic drinks.

The post Being overweight increases cancer risk: Here are three easy tricks to fight obesity appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Hayley Lloyd, 44, from Caerphilly, gained weight after having children and in 2001 reached her heaviest weight of almost 19 stone.

She decided to lose weight and joined WW (formerly Weight Watchers) and lost four stones – but despite this achievement, she disliked the impact that being overweight had done to her body.

“With pregnancies and being overweight, the skin had stretched and was loose”, she added.

She had told her husband that having a tummy tuck would give her the confidence she needed.

In January 2019, with her children grown up, there was now time and money to pursue this dream and a tummy tuck operation was booked.

“I spoke to my surgeon who told me I needed to be within a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index) to get the best results, as the operation was not a weight loss solution,” she said.

“I set myself a goal to lose three-and-a-half stones by the summer, as that was when I had set my mind to have the operation”.

Hayley therefore joined the WW Workshop in Caerphilly, weighing in at 14 stone 9lb. Soon the weight was dropping off and Hayley was feeling much better about herself.

She credits the flexible eating plan at WW for never making it feel like she was on a diet and in July 2019, reached her goal weight of 11st 1lb by losing a total of 3 stone 8lb, and underwent the tummy tuck operation two weeks later.

“I am now proud of my body. My confidence has rocketed, and I am able to get undressed with the light on. I wish I had done this for myself years ago.

“This is all thanks to WW who gave me the support I needed to succeed on my weight loss journey to find myself again”.

The post Tummy tuck target inspires Caerphilly woman’s four stones weight loss in just six months appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Being overweight or obese increases the risk of several common cancers, a new study finds. 

Researchers from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark found a 12 percent risk associated with being dangerously overweight.

This includes breast cancer, kidney cancer, gallbladder cancer, leukemia, brain cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The team says that the rising rates of obesity and severe obesity will increase the rates of cancers across the board, take a toll on healthcare costs and see more people dying prematurely. 

For the study, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, the team looked at cancer data in Denmark over a 40-year period, from 1977 to 2016. 

Researchers found 20,706 cancers among 313,321 adults who were clinically diagnosed as being overweight or obese.

By comparison, there were 18,480 cancers diagnosed among the general Danish population over the same time period.

This means that weighing above average increased the risk of all cancers by 12 percent.  

The heightened risk was the same for cancers previously identified as obesity-related, such as kidney cancer and pancreatic cancer, and for blood and neurological cancers.

So why is obesity linked to an increase in cancer risk?

Scientists have found that obesity is associated with a rapid rise in the number of cells as well as the secretion of high levels of proteins and hormones that are pro-inflammatory such as estrogen – all of which is linked to cancer.

‘Given the increasing obesity epidemic, our findings have contributed much needed recent data on the overall burden of cancer among patients hospitalized for overweight and obesity,’ the authors wrote in the study.

Obesity is known as a risk factor for several chronic health conditions aside from cancer including type 2 diabetes, strokes and heart attacks.

US health officials say that addressing the obesity epidemic will not only lead to better health outcomes but also reduce medical costs.

In 2012, a study from Cornell University in New York found obesity accounts for about 21 percent of total US health care costs, approximately $190.2 billion per year.

Obesity continues to plague more than one-third of adults in the US, and experts have warned that that proportion will only grow as younger generations do.

Researchers from Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health predict that nearly half of all Americans will be obese by 2030

Over the last two decades, the US has implemented countless awareness programs aimed at both adults and children to try to combat the obesity epidemic.

Former first lady Michelle Obama became a mascot for healthier children while her husband was in office, spearheading the ‘Let’s Move’ campaign, designed to motivate children to eat healthier and stay active in an effort to promote overall health.

The post Being overweight or obese increases the risk of getting ANY kind of cancer by 12 percent, study finds appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Losing weight and keeping it off is a lifelong battle. While it can be really challenging, there are certain easy ways to keep those extra few pounds away for good.

Say no to these foods and weight loss should be just a cakewalk:

1. Deep-Fried Foods

As much delicious they are, deep-fried foods including French fries and chips can make you gain a lot of weight. They are highly fattening and absorb enormous amounts of oil and you will be consuming a lot of calories if you eat them. A 2013 study has reported that frequently eating fried foods was linked to an increased risk of becoming obese or overweight.

2. White Bread

Avoid this if you are trying to lose excess body weight. It contains a lot of added sugars and can raise your blood sugar levels since it has a very high glycemic index. A 2015 study has reported that reducing white bread while following a Mediterranean diet is associated with lower gains in weight as well as abdominal fat.

3. Sugar-sweetened Drinks

Refrain from consuming sugar-sweetened beverages if you want to prevent weight gain. They contain a lot of added sugars and consuming them is unhealthy and can lead to weight gain. A 2006 study has reported that sugar-sweetened beverages especially carbonated soft drinks increase one’s likelihood of gaining weight and becoming obese.

4. Ultra-Processed Foods

Avoid canned vegetables, cheese, tofu, smoked meats, salted nuts, and canned broth if you’re trying to lose weight. They contain a lot of artificial flavors, colors, sugars, and preservatives. A 2017 study has reported that consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with weight gain and the likelihood of overweight/obesity.

5. Potatoes- Baked, Fried or In Chips

The humble potato can be blamed for your excessive weight gain. A study conducted on 120.000 healthy, non-obese individuals found that consuming potato chips and baked potatoes topped the list of foods that led to weight gain, according to a Harvard health blog.

6. Red Meat

Being rich in fat and protein, red meat consumption can promote weight gain. A 2019 study has reported that red meat consumption was associated with higher weight and waist circumference gain.

The post Stop Eating These Foods If You’re Trying To Lose Weight appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

With the new year kicking off, Americans all over the country are making resolutions to live healthier, more balanced lifestyles. But the question is how long will those resolutions last, and will they really make a difference in America’s growing obesity rate?

A new study done by the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that half of America will be considered obese within this decade. Although difficult to pinpoint the exact reason behind the alarming increase in numbers, a big part of it can do with unhealthy eating habits, sedentary lifestyles and lack of accessibility to healthier food options.

“I think what’s even more important is quality of life. When we start looking at quality of life and realize that we can’t do many of the things we want, like spending time with family or even just walking, then it becomes something bigger,” said Dr. Benjamin Clapp of El Paso Bariatric surgery.

The findings in that study suggest that by 2030, nearly 1 in 2 adults will be obese, with at least 35% of people in each state across America being considered obese.

“The good news is that this is completely treatable. It’s something that we can do something about whether that’s a surgical or non-surgical method but the patients really needs to get help and think about getting some help,” said Clapp.

Nearly 1 in 4 adults is projected to be severely obese, which means that person will weigh 100 pounds more than what is considered to be a healthy weight. The study also mentions that severe obesity will likely be most common among women, non-Hispanic black adults, and low-income adults who earn less than 50,000 dollars a year.

“When I talk to my patients about obesity I like to point out that that’s the root underlying cause of other complex medical issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and high cholesterol,” said Clapp. He suggests making small lifestyle changes that can help in living a more balanced lifestyle.

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Obesity in childhood is a serious issue increasing in the United States of America and the officials from different health sectors and regulatory bodies are on the way to update new and influential recommendations for early interventional steps to be taken to address the issue at hand.

According to statistics, nearly 20 per cent of the total children population in the United States is the victim of obesity.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force held a review on the literature regarding children between he ages 2 to 18. It has come up with recommendations that children that are over the age of 6 should undergo screening utilizing a measurement of bodily fat that is characterized according to the anthropometrics regarding height and weight – also known as the Body Mass Index or BMI.

In addition to this measure, the Task Force is also recommending an extensive behavioural therapy regime for the children that are the victims of obesity. Moreover, the cognitive behavioural therapies were resulting in the reduction of lowered blood pressure. However, it did not show any alleviation in the cholesterol levels of the children that were obese.

Although the Task Force considered that there was no benefit regarding the obesity performance on screening on children that were younger than the age of 6, this is yet an important issue to be resolved. Children coming in the ages of 2 and 5 are present in a group and they demonstrated a rapid incline in the rates of getting obesity over the past few years. This statistic was reported from the American Academy of Pediatrics – also known as AAP.

The report given by the American Academy of Pediatrics in the year 2018 showed that there is a rising in the trend of different varieties and definitions, categorizations of being overweight and the obesity relating to people coming in the ages of 2 to 19 year old that were more considered in the category of adolescents.

It also included some of the ethnic groups that showed that they were more likely to get the obesity condition in relation to the other kids. White and Asian children living in the United States have highly decreased rates regarding obesity in comparison to the kids belonging to black and Hispanic categories of ethnic groups.

The report also got it into addition that, in contrast to the belief that the obesity concerning to the young children and adolescent has been quite sustained or depreciated in the past few years, it got to find no proof of any declination in any age.

In addition to that, the negative health consequences that obesity shows in people in the long run soon after they reach a certain age due to stimulating factors that trigger these conditions, it is highly important to get a good discussion with the paediatrician as well as the experts of adolescents and growing children regarding important steps that one can take to prevent the obesity from prevailing in the community as focusing on individual health.

The post What’s the Biggest Health Threat to American Children? appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

The latest ISD Scotland statistics show that more than a one in five children (22 per cent) in primary one in Scotland were found to be at risk of being overweight or obese.

Professor Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK’s prevention expert, based at the University of Edinburgh, described the figures as “shocking”.

She added: “Obesity is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking, so tackling this is crucial if we’re to improve the health of future generations.”

As well as the cancer risk, overweight and obesity in childhood is associated with a wide range of other health problems such heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, emotional distress and mental health difficulties.

In addition, overweight and obese children are at risk of remaining overweight or obese as adults.

Since 2001/02, the overall proportion of P1 children who are at risk of overweight or obesity has remained fairly constant.

However, there are now substantial inequalities in child unhealthy weight across Scotland.

Since 2001/02, the proportion of P1 children at risk of overweight or obesity has increased in the most deprived areas but decreased in the least deprived areas.

Children living in more deprived areas were more than twice as likely to be at risk of obesity than children living in the least deprived areas.

Boys in P1 are slightly less likely than girls to have a healthy weight.

Professor Bauld believes there were step that should be taken to tackle overweight and obesity in children.

“The Scottish Government has a role to play here,” she said.

“It must ensure planned legislation to restrict junk food promotions is introduced and passed before the next Scottish Parliament elections.

“Our shopping environment has a big influence on what we buy with special offers and multibuys on junk food powerfully persuading us to stock up on unhealthy items.”

The post Cancer charity warns overweight children face long-term health risks appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

An overweight engineer told by doctors he would need a kidney transplant if he didn’t lose weight has shed an impressive 10 stone.

Andrew Hembra, from Margate, admits he reached 24 stone from eating too much due to medication he was on and when he wasn’t at work spent much of his time in his armchair.

The 64-year-old, who had a transplant more than 20 years ago due to a kidney condition, received a huge shock when, following a routine blood test, he was told he would end up back on the transplant list.

“I had a kidney transplant in 1998 and I was on steroids so I put on a lot of weight,” he said.

“In 1999 I lost eight stone through Slimming World but I left the group and started to put weight on again as I was eating lots because of the steroids.

“I was going on cruises, eating too much and I wasn’t very active.

“I’d had kidney failure as a child but they’d manage to stop the disease and I lived with my own kidney until I was in my forties, when I had the transplant.

“But my blood results for my kidney were getting worse due to my lifestyle.”

Mr Hembra, of Northdown Park Road, says after the doctor’s warning about needing another transplant, he joined Slimming World again in January 2016 and has never looked back.

“It’s more like a social club, so it’s really enjoyable,” he said.

“I’ve learned to manage and maintain how I eat so now it’s part of my life.

“You get meal ideas from people, you get support.

“Before I went I was a bit shy about going to a group which is predominantly women, but that soon passes.

“I first started going with my wife but she no longer goes as she doesn’t have the weight to lose.”

Mr Hembra, who now weighs 14 stone, says his life has changed and he is is now much healthier – but that he also still gets to enjoy good food and treats.

He doesn’t have to have medication for his blood pressure and has also been told he is no longer at risk of needing another transplant.

“I’m much more active,” he added.

“I did Race for Life earlier this year, I joined a gym, I walk much more – I can now walk up all the stairs at work without feeling like I need an oxygen mask.”

The post Overweight engineer from Margate loses 10 stone after doctor’s kidney transplant warning appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

After a study, US scientists found that by 2030, nearly half of the older Americans will be overweight, BTA reported. The problem of obesity turned out to be more serious than expected.

“It’s very disturbing,” said Dr. John Lawrence Appel of Johns Hopkins, a nutrition expert. “We will have terrible medical and financial problems because too many people will weigh too much,” Dr. Apple added.

The study was conducted by scientists at Harvard and George Washington University and published by the New England Journal of Medicine.

Being overweight increases the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, cancer, and many other health problems. Obesity is determined by the body mass index, which is related to the ratio of height to weight. the normal norms of this index are below 25. In overweight people it is from 25 to 30. The average obese people are in the index from 30 to 35, and in those with severely overweight the index is at 35 and up.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 40% of older Americans have obesity problems. According to a new survey, by 2030, more than 49% of Americans will be overweight. In the 29 states, they will be more than half.

Obesity is most prevalent among women (28%) and people with low-income (32%).

The paradox is that people with low incomes and opportunities to buy food weigh more. The good news so far is that diabetes has been declining due to early diagnosis and treatment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a decline in obesity in pre-school children who are served government food at schools. Obesity declined from 16% in 2010 to 14% in 2016.

The post By 2030, More than 49% of Americans Will be Overweight appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

The link between aspirin intake and a lower cancer risk is not a new discovery. But, a recent US study found that aspirin could also protect overweight people from colon cancer.

The link first appeared in 2012, in a research paper that analyzed over 100 studies. The paper published in The Lancet journal showed that “the regular intake of Aspirin could reduce the risk of many types of cancer.”

Three years later, another research paper published in the Annals of Oncology journal found that people aged 50 to 65 who consumed Aspirin over 10 years showed a relatively lower risk of cancer – 7 percent in women and 9 percent in men.

However, the recent study published in the American Medical Association journal in December, said aspirin should be taken three times a week, and found that protective effect appears particularly pronounced among people who are overweight.

According to the study authors, low-dose aspirin reduced overall cancer death risk by 15 percent and all-cause death by 19 percent among more than 146,000 people who participated in a cancer screening trial conducted between 1993 and 2008.

Overweight folks also experienced a marked decline in their risk of death from gastrointestinal cancer (28 percent) and colon cancer (34 percent).

In a report published on the institute’s website on December 4, Researcher Holli Loomans-Kropp, a cancer prevention fellow with the US National Cancer Institute, said: “Our primary focus was really on colorectal cancer deaths, since there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that aspirin use may lower risk of gastrointestinal deaths.”

The study results support the standing recommendation of the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which says people 50 to 59 should take low-dose aspirin to prevent colon cancer if they’re not at increased risk for bleeding.

Daily aspirin use as a preventive health measure has become controversial over the past few years, however.

Remarkably, the new study recommended people to take Aspirin three times a week to avoid the negative effects underscored in another US study, which found that excessive intake of aspirin could cause ulcers. The former study carried out by researchers at Harvard University examined data by the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) in 2017, and found that over half of the US population, aged 70 years and above, who didn’t suffer from heart diseases or strokes (around 10 million people), take Aspirin on daily bases to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

In their study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal in July, the researchers recommended doctors to ask their patients about their aspirin intake.

Dr. Ali Ezz al-Arab, liver cancer consultant, said people should consult their physician before adopting the new recommendations and taking aspirin three times a week.

“A person should undergo an upper GI endoscopy to determine whether he suffers from gastritis or not, as aspirin intake by people with gastritis could cause ulcers,” Ezz al-Arab told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Commenting on the new findings, the liver cancer consultant said: “Overweight people are more likely to develop colon cancer, so they are the most benefiting from the recommendations of this new study.”

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Major food system changes have further complicated the issue of malnutrition, especially in the low and middle income countries. In a recent Lancet study, it has been revealed that major food system changes have led the poorest countries to have high levels of obesity and overweight people along with under-nutrition.

“Our research shows that overweight and obesity levels of at least 20% among adults are found in all low-income countries. Furthermore, the double burden of high levels of both under nutrition and overweight occurs primarily in the lowest-income countries – a reality that is driven by the modern food system. This system has a global reach and is preventing low and even moderate-income countries and households from consuming safe, affordable and healthy diets in a sustainable way,” says Barry M. Popkin, lead author of the first paper and W.R. Kenan Jr., Professor of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health.

Almost 2.3 billion children and adults across the world are overweight, while more than 150 million children are stunted, the estimate revealed. However, in low and middle income countries, these issues are overlapping with individuals, families and communities. Known as the double burden of malnutrition, the study explores the trends behind the intersections, the societal and the food system changes that influence it, the biological explanation and effects, and also the policy measures with a view of addressing malnutrition in all its forms.

The researchers used survey data as their tool. They used the data of low and middle income countries in the 1990s and 2010s to find out the countries that were facing the double burden of malnutrition. This means that “more than 15% of people had wasting, more than 30% were stunted, more than 20% of women had thinness and more than 20% of people were overweight.”

What the results of the analyses have to show is that more than one third of the low and middle income countries are suffering from overlapping form of malnutrition – 45 out of 123 countries in the 1990s and 48 out of 126 countries in the 2010s. The regions of the world plagued by this problem include sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific. In these regions 29, seven and nine countries were affected, respectively. 

During the 2010s, 14 countries of lowest incomes in the world had newly developed the double burden of malnutrition compared to the 1990s. This trend reflects increasing prevalence of overweight people in the poorest countries, while large sections of the population still face stunting, wasting and thinness. 

“Emerging malnutrition issues are a stark indicator of the people who are not protected from the factors that drive poor diets. The poorest low and middle-income countries are seeing a rapid transformation in the way people eat, drink and move at work, home, in transport and in leisure. The new nutrition reality is driven by changes to the food system, which has increased the global availability of ultra-processed foods that are linked to weight gain while also adversely affecting infant and preschooler diets. These changes include disappearing fresh food markets, increasing numbers of supermarkets, and the control of the food chain by supermarkets and global food, catering and agriculture companies in many countries,” said Popkin, the lead author of the published paper.

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