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Main Category: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 15 Jun 2011 – 11:00 PDT

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This week, The New York City Health Department has issued hundreds of violations to restaurants failing to post a letter grade reflecting the result of an inspection. More than 800 violations have been issued for not displaying a grade, or putting it in a place where patrons can’t spot it easily. The grading system was started last July and about three-quarters of the city’s more than 24,000 restaurants have been inspected. The rest must post a “Grade Pending” sign.

An A, B or C reflects cleanliness, food safety and other requirements such as number of sinks. The Health Department conducts unannounced inspections of restaurants at least once a year. Inspectors check for compliance in food handling, food temperature, personal hygiene and vermin control.

Each violation of a regulation earns a certain number of points. At the end of the inspection, the inspector totals the points, and this number is the restaurant’s inspection score, the lower the score, the better. An inspection score of 0-13 is an A, 14-27 points is a B, and 28 or more points is a C. Grade cards must be posted where they can easily be seen by people passing by.

The following disclaimer appears on the department’s Web site regarding inspection data:

“As a result of an inspection, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene may issue violations to the establishment. Owners have the opportunity to dispute these violations at the Department’s Administrative Tribunal, except when there are only general violations that result in fewer than 14 points. In these instances the violations must be corrected, but are not heard at the Administrative Tribunal. The information presented here may reflect inspections that have not yet been adjudicated.”

Americans dine out frequently due to their rushed schedules, and while it makes for a nice treat every once in a while doing so also means facing considerable health risks as well. Whether the effects settle in the present or the future, they still have considerable impact on their overall well-being. Sanitation, allergy, infections, and additives both intentional and unintentional can all lurk undetected in restaurant food, waiting for unsuspecting consumers to chomp down so they can spread their ugliness further.

Most restaurant trips, of course, will not result in a traumatic experience of explosive diarrhea or potential injury. But patrons still need to be made aware of the possible dangers that exist when dining at restaurants, no matter if they be dive or five stars.

The New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA) which originally opposed the new grading system in 2010, also alerts their members that there is a scam being conducted which involves a phony government official calling restaurants and falsely claiming to be a health department inspector. The phony official will often ask to collect specific information (Ids, account numbers, etc.) from the restaurant and notify the recipient that they will receive an inspection in the coming weeks. NYSRA is unaware of any follow up inspection ever occurring.

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH) inspections are conducted in person and an owner/manager may always ask to see an inspector’s ID and badge.

Sources: The New York City Department of Health and The New York State Restaurant Association

Written by Sy Kraft

Copyright: Medical News Today

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Main Category: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Article Date: 15 Jun 2011 – 0:00 PDT

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A lot of Americans struggle with digestive difficulties with many not knowing how to fit in regular physical activity or make the best dietary choices that can actually promote digestive health.

According to the International Food Information Council Functional Foods/Foods for Health Consumer Trending Survey, 81 percent of Americans believe foods and beverages may improve digestive health. Many are also aware of the relationship between fiber, probiotics and prebiotics and maintaining a healthy digestive system.

Yet, few Americans are consuming these types of foods and beverages to experience their health benefits.

Getting regular physical activity and eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and grains as well as certain yogurts and fluids can help promote optimal digestive health. “Making the right choices in your diet is your best assurance of keeping your digestive system running smoothly,” says David Grotto, registered dietitian and author of “101 Optimal Life Foods.”

Using these tips will have you well on your way to staying healthy and regular.

Ten Tips To Achieve Optimal Digestive Health:

1) Consume a Balanced Diet. Choose a variety of foods from each food group, especially fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and grains as well as certain yogurts and fluids.

2) Establish an Eating “Routine.” Eat regular meals to help promote consistent bowel movements.

3) Eat Small, More Frequent Meals. Aim for 4-5 small meals per day versus 2-3 large meals.

4) Chew More. Digestion starts in the mouth. Chew thoroughly. Chewing can help with the needed breakdown of some nutrients.

5) Remember a Mealtime Beverage. Fluids help move solids through the digestive system.

6) Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Veggies. Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables can also provide prebiotics that support the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract.

7) Eat Yogurt or Kefir Daily. Certain yogurts and kefir contain probiotics that can help promote digestion.

Relax After Eating. Give your body time to digest your meal before being active again.

9) Avoid Overeating. Excessive intake can burden the digestive system.

10) Get Moving. Focus on fitting physical activity into your day to help promote digestive health. Even slow activities like stretching and walking will promote good digestive health.

Source: International Food Information Council (IFIC)

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Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology;  Men’s health
Article Date: 12 Jun 2011 – 9:00 PDT

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The use of bariatric surgery among older, severely obese patients was not associated with a decreased risk of death, according to a study in the June 15 issue of JAMA. This study is being released early online to coincide with its presentation at the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting.

“Obesity incidence has stabilized after decades of rapid increases, whereas the prevalence of patients with a body mass index [BMI] greater than 35 increased 39 percent between 2000 and 2005, the prevalence of severe obesity (BMI greater than 40) increased 50 percent, and the prevalence of superobesity (BMI greater than 50) increased 75 percent. Obesity is difficult to treat, and bariatric surgery is the most effective means to induce weight loss for the severely obese. Consequently, obesity surgery rates rapidly increased in tandem,” according to background information in the article. “To date, no study to our knowledge has examined the long-term survival of high-risk patients who underwent bariatric surgery.”

Matthew L. Maciejewski, Ph.D., of the Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, N.C., and colleagues conducted a study to determine whether bariatric surgery is associated with reduced mortality among predominantly older male high-risk patients at Veterans Affairs medical centers. Mortality was examined for 850 veterans who had bariatric surgery in January 2000 to December 2006 (average age 49.5 years; average BMI, 47.4) and 41,244 nonsurgical controls (average age 54.7 years; average BMI 42.0) from the same 12 Veteran Integrated Service Networks; the follow-up was through December 2008.

Eleven of 850 surgical case patients (1.29 percent) died within 30 days of surgery. The surgical case patients had lower crude mortality rates than the nonsurgical controls (at 1 year, 1.5 percent vs. 2.2 percent; at 2 years, 2.2 percent vs. 4.6 percent; at 6 years, 6.8 percent vs. 15.2 percent ). In unadjusted analysis, bariatric surgery was associated with reduced mortality. However, in further analysis that included 1,694 propensity-matched patients (using a statistical approach to compare patients who appear to be “similar” in many ways, except for one of the matched patients having had the operation), bariatric surgery was not significantly associated with reduced mortality.

“Our results highlight the importance of statistical adjustment and careful selection of surgical and nonsurgical cohorts, particularly during evaluation of bariatric surgery according to administrative data. Previous studies claiming a survival benefit for bariatric surgery had limited clinical information to conduct detailed risk adjustment or matching. The survival differences between the bariatric surgery and control groups were modest in most previous studies, so the beneficial effects of surgery may have been attenuated if adjustment for confounders had been possible. We demonstrated that risk adjustment with regression analysis resulted in a significant association of surgery and survival that was reduced when equivalence in baseline characteristics improved via propensity matching in this high-risk patient group,” the authors write.

The researchers add that even though bariatric surgery is not associated with reduced mortality among older male patients, many patients may still choose to undergo bariatric surgery, given the strong evidence for significant reductions in body weight and co-existing illnesses and improved quality of life.

(JAMA. 2011;305[23]2419-2426.)

Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

Source: JAMA

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Bariatric Surgery Among Older, High-Risk Patients Not Associated With Reduced Mortality

posted by LUKE tUNYICH on 13 Jun 2011 at 2:21 pm

Weight loss surgery is a terrible medical practice based on a misunderstanding of the biological basis of fat formation, and the mechanisms underlining fat mass distribution.

For bariatric surgeons, it is very comfortable to talk about weight loss surgeries because weight loss surgeries are not for medical doctors.

To my knowledge, no medical doctors or their family members have had to undergo weight loss surgery.

If you know any medical doctor or his member of family that have had to undergo weight-loss surgery please let me know.

They should ask the question; why have patients experienced weight loss if any other program/method for weight loss has not caused any meaningless weight loss.

In the end, WLS isn’t so effective weight loss treatment because after WLS patients lose mostly muscle mass and bone mass. Fat in excessive skin has to be surgically removed in at least one additional (cosmetic) surgery.

The mechanism underlining weight loss induced by WLS is explained in the article: “Weight Loss Surgeries, Weight Loss, Diabetes and the Biomechanics of Sitting and Walking”. The same article explains the mechanism underlining remission/cure of Type 2 Diabetes. The link to the article is: http://www.biomechanicsandhealth.com/wlsandtype2diabetes.htm

The human society has to confront with the terrible blunder in medical science and medical practice.

Luke Tunyich
Biomechanics and WeightGain/Weight Loss

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