All articles tagged with #public health policies
The American Academy of Pediatrics has lost several federal grants from the Department of Health and Human Services due to misalignment with the current administration's priorities, leading to concerns about impacts on child health programs and ongoing legal disputes over vaccination policies and public health guidance.
Researchers highlight the rising costs of e-scooter injuries, with Irish hospitals spending over $150,000 annually on such cases, mainly involving musculoskeletal injuries and head traumas, emphasizing the need for stricter safety regulations and helmet laws to reduce injuries and healthcare burden.
Children worldwide are now more likely to be obese than underweight, reflecting a shift in global nutrition driven by increased consumption of ultra-processed foods and sedentary lifestyles, with significant health and economic implications. Efforts to address this include policy measures like warning labels and taxes, but challenges remain, especially in regions still battling undernutrition.
A study published in The Lancet shows that from 2010 to 2019, the risk of dying from non-communicable diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes decreased in most countries, driven by better treatments, vaccines, and policies restricting tobacco and alcohol, although progress has slowed in recent years.
A new evidence review, the largest conducted to date, has linked ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to 32 harmful health effects, including obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and early death. UPFs are industrial formulations with little to no whole food content and are associated with a global shift towards an increasingly unhealthy diet. The review, involving nearly 10 million people, found direct associations between UPF consumption and adverse health outcomes, prompting calls for public health policies to reduce UPF intake and regulate these foods similar to tobacco.
A decade-long decline in blood lead levels among American Indian adults has been linked to long-term cardiovascular health benefits, including reduced blood pressure levels and a reduction in a marker associated with heart failure. The study, supported by the National Institutes of Health, found that even small decreases in blood lead levels can have meaningful health outcomes, with the most significant changes occurring in participants who experienced reductions of about 55%. The improvements are credited to public health policies and efforts to reduce lead exposure through paint, gasoline, water, plumbing, and canned items. This research highlights the importance of conducting similar studies in other communities with elevated risks for lead exposure and cardiovascular disease.
Researchers from France have highlighted the need to inform the public about the adverse effects of ultra-processed foods, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. They argue that efforts to reduce or eliminate these foods lack sufficient support and propose a combination of government policies, limitations on marketing, and consumer education to address the issue. The researchers emphasize the importance of independent research to identify specific processes and substances contributing to the adverse effects, including known toxins and contaminants. They urge immediate public health outreach to help citizens identify and limit their exposure to ultra-processed foods, stating that everyone's health is at stake.
Despite the declining severity of Covid-19 and the end of the national emergency, new Covid restrictions, including mask mandates and vaccine boosters, are being implemented by private institutions and encouraged by the government. The reasons behind these measures are unclear, with theories ranging from financial interests of pharmaceutical companies to potential manipulation for political purposes in the upcoming 2024 election. Skepticism arises as the science does not support the renewed hysteria surrounding Covid, with no reported changes in disease severity and symptoms comparable to a common cold. As a result, many Americans are resistant to following these new restrictions and recommendations.