BPA may affect sexual function in adult men, study finds

While the Food and Drug Administration continues to review the safety of the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA), a new epidemiological study finds for the first time that the ubiquitous substance may well have a serious impact on male sexual function in adults who are exposed to substantial amounts. The men affected worked in factories that manufactured BPA-containing materials and were exposed to relatively high levels of BPA.

Lower levels of BPA exposure are also a concern, and our latest tests found the chemical in just about every canned food we looked at. In that recent investigation, we found that consumers eating just one serving of the canned vegetable soup we tested would get about double what the FDA now considers typical average dietary daily exposure--though that is still far less than the occupational exposures that were noted in factory workers.

BPA is a chemical that can mimic estrogen, and it has been used for years in clear plastic bottles and food-can liners. Some studies have linked exposure to BPA with reproductive abnormalities and a heightened risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, and heart disease. Use of the chemical has been restricted in Canada and some U.S. states and municipalities because of potential health effects. An FDA scientific advisory panel weighed in a year ago that the agency’s rationale for setting safety standards for BPA was inadequate. A congressional subcommittee determined earlier this year that the FDA relied too heavily on industry sponsored studies.

It’s about time for a school lunch makeover

When I read that the Institute of Medicine (IOM) had released new guidelines to improve the nutrition of school lunches, my first reaction was "It’s about time!" The guidelines include setting a maximum number of calories in a meal, lowering the sodium, saturated fat and starchy vegetables, and increasing the amount of fruit, vegetables and whole grains.

Having lived through school lunches of chicken fried steak with cream gravy, mashed potatoes, and a big cup of ketchup as the "vegetable" (thank you Ronald Reagan), I realize that many school cafeterias have made some strides. But placing a largely ignored bowl of apples at the end of the line does little to negate the greasy pizza, and fried chicken patties that usually precede that bowl. And my children have been known to throw at me that a meal of macaroni and cheese with French fries can’t be that bad, since it’s served at the school cafeteria.

One of my brothers tells me that I worry too much. We ate it, and it didn’t kill us. But it is killing us. And it’s setting up our children for a lifetime of poor health. A new national survey released by the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association found that most Americans don’t realize that heart disease risk doesn’t wait until adulthood. The American Heart Association even held a conference this year looking at the dangers of the growing girth of our children. And they are growing—some estimates say that 1 in 3 of our kids are overweight.

5 tricks for healthier Halloween treats

Halloween is a time of year for kids to indulge their sweet tooth. That can mean heaps of sugar-covered and chocolate-dipped treats of every variety—a scary prospect for parents concerned with their kids maintaining healthy eating habits. Luckily, there are some simple ways to make sure kids avoid a frightful sugar overload and still have a scream:

Don’t skip dinner. Feeding your children a nutritious meal or snack prior to parties or trick-or-treating will help discourage them from filling up on too many sugary sweets.

Help kids practice portion control. When your children return home with treats, sort through it and set limits on an acceptable amount to eat over the next several days. In a KidsHealth survey, 82 percent of parents say they set limits using a variety of strategies to keep kids from going overboard on the Halloween treats. One tactic is to remind your kids that if they don’t eat it all now, they’ll have more treats for later.

Get a little creepy… and creative. If you’re hosting a Halloween party, have fun with fruits and veggies, and get the kids to help. Create carrot-finger food or banana ghosts, and make pizza faces with low-fat cheese, bell pepper strips, black olive slices, carrot slices, and pizza sauce. And instead of serving chips or cheese puffs, go for pumpkin seeds.

Using face paints this Halloween?

I can’t be the only parent who is engaged in the last-minute scramble to please the Great Pumpkin.  I pulled orange Halloween storage boxes out of the attic last night and my kids and I dreamed about costumes far too complicated for the time we have left to make them.  Then I read these items that came through our internal news alerts:

• Recent findings by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that 10 out of 10 of the face paint products they sent to independent labs for testing contained low levels of the neurotoxin lead (there is no safe level of lead exposure for children).  According to the report, 6 out of 10 of the face paints tested included nickel, cobalt and chromium, all of which may cause lifelong skin sensitization.
• A Medill Report notes that despite FDA requests for recalls, cosmetics can stay on the market for months before being deemed too hazardous for production. To make matters worse, some products that pass cosmetic safety standards can expire while on the shelf. When a product expires its ingredients begin to deteriorate. 

Flu vaccine FAQs: Pneumonia vaccine can help prevent flu complications

Q: Should I get the pneumonia vaccine in addition to the H1N1 vaccine? And should my 3-year-old get it too?

A: Your child should definitely get the pneumonia vaccine. Whether you need it too depends in part on your age and health status. The pneumonia vaccine immunizes you against pneumococcal pneumonia, the most common form of bacterial pneumonia. Pneumonia can be a serious illness in its own right, but in combination with the flu it has been shown to be especially vicious. That’s because your immune system is already weakened by fighting the flu, increasing your susceptibility to the bacteria that cause pneumonia to infect the lungs, and in turn multiplying your risk of flu complications. Infection with both pneumonia and influenza is called a coinfection, and a recent study found it’s likely to be an important contributing factor in some of the deaths that have occurred so far from the swine flu.

Two pneumonia vaccines are available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that all children younger than 5 receive the pediatric pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV; Prevnar), given in four doses over roughly a one-year period. (Ideally, kids should get the first dose at 2 months of age.) The other vaccine, called the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV; Pneumovax), is recommended for adults older than 65 and anyone between the ages of 2 and 64 with chronic heart, lung, or liver disease, alcoholism, or impaired immunity. It’s given in a single shot, with a five-year booster after age 65 or for very people at very high risk.

Read more about the pneumonia vaccine and how it can help prevent flu complications for more information.

--Kevin McCarthy, associate editor

For more see our flu vaccine safety FAQs, and Who should get the swine flu vaccine?

Mumps outbreak hits New York and New Jersey: Know the symptoms

An outbreak of mumps in Brooklyn, New York and Lakewood, New Jersey proves that even diseases that have largely been eradicated can still find a foothold and spread. Here’s what you need to know about the symptoms and complications of mumps.

According to New York City’s NPR station, a Brooklyn-based child went to summer camp in England—where vaccination rates are lower—and brought the mumps back home. Now at least 57 children in Brooklyn, and about 30 people in Lakewood, New Jersey have contracted the disease. Most of those in New Jersey who got the mumps had been fully vaccinated, according to local reports. And a reported 75 percent of the Brooklyn children infected had also been vaccinated.

Studies show that 9 in 10 people vaccinated against the mumps will develop antibodies, and therefore immunity, against the disease, but that means that 10 percent won’t. And those that don’t get vaccinated—like the reported 25 percent of cases in Brooklyn—have little or no protection against the disease. The lower the vaccination rate, the easier it is for the disease to get a foothold and spread—even to those who have been vaccinated. But when more people are vaccinated, it’s harder for the virus to gain traction. That’s called “herd immunity,” and it’s why vaccine programs are more effective when a greater proportion of the population takes part.

Antipsychotic drugs pose weight gain risk to kids

Antipsychotic drugs can markedly improve schizophrenia and other mental disorders, but they may come with a hefty cost, especially in kids. A study released this week found that children and teens treated with antipsychotics gained significant weight in less than 3 months, potentially putting them at increased risk of obesity and heart problems. These results prompted experts to call for more caution when it comes to treating children with these drugs.

There has been an increased use of antipsychotics in children in recent years, which is concerning because most of these drugs are not approved for use in children. In addition, the drugs can have serious side effects, such as abnormal limb and body movements, seizures, and rapid heart beat. These drugs are also sometimes prescribed off label. Antipsychotics were also the highest earning class of drugs last year, racking up $14.6 billion.

The researchers who conducted the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, said kids should be monitored more frequently for weight gain and other factors when starting on antipsychotics. And two physicians with Children’s Hospital in Seattle—Christopher Varley and Jon McClellan—wrote in an accompanying editorial that the weight gain seen in the children and its potential to lead to obesity and other problems should prompt doctors to reconsider using these drugs in children and teens.

Cereal ads might be bad for your child’s health

The average preschooler sees 642 cereal ads per year on television alone, almost all for unhealthy cereals. And the fact that commercials for these sugary, frosted, candy-colored breakfast cereals run during your child’s favorite television shows is no coincidence. According to a new study from Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, the least healthy breakfast cereals are the most frequently and aggressively marketed to children. The researchers looked at the nutrient composition and comprehensive marketing efforts of 115 cereal brands and 277 individual cereal varieties, and here’s what they found:

• Cereals marketed directly to children have 85 percent more sugar, 65 percent less fiber, and 60 percent more sodium than cereals marketed to adults.
• Forty-two percent of child-targeted cereals contain artificial food dyes, compared with 26 percent of adult cereals.
• Of the children’s cereals, only 8 percent meet the nutrition standards needed to be included in the USDA’s food stamp program, and not one meets the nutrition standards required to advertise to children in the United Kingdom.

Flu vaccine FAQ: Shot or spray?

 
This year’s swine (H1N1) flu outbreak and subsequent vaccine program has spurred a great deal of interest, confusion, and misinformation about flu vaccines. We recently discussed the five most common misconceptions about flu vaccines, but rumors and questions about this year’s swine flu vaccine persist. We’re going to continue to answer your questions, so keep them coming in the comments section.

Q: Should I get the flu shot or the nasal spray version of the vaccine?

A: Both are safe and effective according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but the shot is probably best for most people. The nasal spray is not approved for those under 2 years old, those age 50 and over, or anybody with an underlying condition. This version contains a weakened live virus, rather than a dead virus, can cause some minor flu-like symptoms as a side effect, unlike the flu-shot.

--Kevin McCarthy, associate editor

For more see our flu vaccine safety FAQs, including Who should get the vaccine?

Gardasil approved for preventing genital warts in males

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the Gardasil vaccine for preventing genital warts in boys and men, from ages 9 through 26. Gardasil was previously approved for the prevention of cervical cancer and genital warts in girls and women ages 9 through 26. Both cervical cancer and genital warts are caused by strains of human papillomavirus, the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. About 2 out of every 1,000 American men develop genital warts each year.

The FDA said the new approval was based on a trial involving more than 4,000 boys and men, ages 16 to 26, that found Gardasil was nearly 90 percent effective in preventing genital warts caused by two types of HPV. Other studies that looked at the immune response in boys ages 9 through 15 indicated the vaccine would be just as effective in this younger age group.

Flu vaccine FAQ: Mercury and flu vaccines

Question: I’ve heard that the swine flu vaccine contains thimerosal, a preservative that has mercury in it. Is that true, and can it cause autism and other health problems?

Answer: It’s true that some formulations of the swine (H1N1) and seasonal flu vaccines contain thimerosal.  Numerous studies have found no association between the mercury-containing preservative and autism or other health problems. Nevertheless, thimerosal has been the subject of much controversy and, unfortunately, much misinformation.

Since the 1930s thimerosal has been used in vaccines to prevent dangerous bacterial or fungal contamination,which can occur, for example, inside multi-dose vaccine vials. The preservative became a concern in the late 1990’s. That’s when research by the FDA showed that the cumulative amount of mercury an infant received from vaccines over his or her first 6 months of life could be more than the EPA’s recommended limit for methylmercury. The type of mercury used in vaccines, called ethyl mercury, has been found to be less toxic in humans than the methyl mercury you get from environmental sources (eating certain fish, for example). Methyl mercury is so dangerous because it’s difficult for the body to purge, meaning it’s more likely to build up in your system over time than ethyl mercury.

As a precaution, in 1999 health officials recommended that vaccines typically administered in early childhood should have their thimerosal content reduced or eliminated. Manufacturers responded. Since 2001, all vaccines recommended for children 6 and under have been produced with either no thimerosal or only trace amounts, with the exception of  some versions of the flu shot. Newer studies have overwhelmingly found that the amount of thimerosal used in the childhood vaccines before 2001 did not cause neurological damage. Today, influenza vaccines are the only ones given to young children that may contain more than trace amounts of thimerosal as a preservative.

Is it ADHD, or something else?

An 11-year-old boy I’ll call Joseph was brought to my office by his concerned parents. He was throwing fits every morning because he hated to go to school.

As a psychologist with a part-time practice assessing attention and emotional disorders, my first thought was that Joseph’s refusal to go to school might be related to either separation anxiety or a behavior disorder. But as I questioned the parents, I learned that Joseph didn’t have trouble separating from his parents when it was time for his soccer games or to play with his friends. In general he was a well-behaved, compliant boy who, except for school refusal, showed no signs of defiant behavior.

On further questioning, the father revealed that he himself had some trouble with reading and often lost interest in activities at work. When I asked about Joseph’s reading and attention, his parents said that they knew he was a smart boy, but the teacher had mentioned that he had been missing details and tended to space out during reading assignments.

After a learning evaluation with a clinical neuropsychologist that included getting feedback from the school, Joseph was diagnosed with a minor reading disability and attention deficit disorder. It turned out that he was avoiding school because he was embarrassed about his declining performance and inability to complete reading assignments as quickly as his peers.

Joseph’s parents asked the school to make the recommended accommodations, including sessions with a reading specialist, extended time for reading assignments, and moving his seat to the front of the classroom. This helped improve Joseph’s performance and attitude. He was soon able to go to school without the morning outburst.

While most people think of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as screaming and climbing the walls, a number of children like Joseph suffer primarily from symptoms of inattention, such as missing details, losing things, being forgetful, or avoiding disliked activities. It can be difficult to untangle learning and attention problems from the emotional consequences of experiencing these issues.

Pneumonia vaccine may help prevent swine flu complications

Getting pneumonia while you have the flu can be dangerous. It’s known as a coinfection, and in previous flu pandemics pneumonia has been a leading factor in deaths. Earlier in this year’s swine flu outbreak, some studies indicated that coinfection with pneumonia for the H1N1 virus was rare, but a new study of the autopsies of 77 patients who died from the swine flu found that 29 percent had coinfections of bacterial pneumonia.

The patients in this study weren’t selected randomly, so they don’t reflect the population overall. And the autopsies don’t reveal whether the cause of death was flu, pneumonia or both. But the study does show that pneumonia can play a role in the severity of disease for this year’s swine flu, and could even lead to death.

Pneumoccocal pneumonia is the most common bacterial pneumonia, and it can be prevented with a vaccine. Yet few Americans get vaccinated.

There are currently two vaccines available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV; Pneumovax) for everyone over 65 and those from 2 to 64 years old with certain health conditions, such as chronic heart, lung, or liver disease, alcoholism, or impaired immunity. The PPSV is a single shot, with a 5-year booster for those who got it their first shot before they turned 65, or who are at very high risk. It offers protection against a wide spectrum of bacteria.

Turning into your mother can be good for your health

Not all of the changes are good (I still can’t believe I actually used the "If all your friends jumped off a bridge…" speech on my daughter), but it turns out that on the nutrition front, she may have been ahead of her time. Although it pains me to admit it, my mom was right about some things.

Drink your milk. In my earlier years, milk was about as exciting as, well, milk. By my twenties, I only drank a few glasses per month. Now I find myself pushing it on my daughter with all the fervor of an infomercial salesman. Milk gets an "A" grade because of the strong link shown between calcium and healthy bones. But I also think "D" with milk, or rather the lack of vitamin D in our diets. In a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers found that seven out of ten U.S. children may be vitamin D deficient. Fast becoming haled as a "miracle" vitamin, D has recently been associated with a reduced risk of hypertension and heart disease, preventing bone ailments and maintaining muscle strength. It also lowers the risk of being overweight or obese, prevents cognitive impairments later in life, gives possible protection from colds and flu, and some evidence even suggests vitamin D may protect against some cancers. And if that weren’t enough, having low levels of vitamin D has been linked with an increased risk of death overall. 

According to the USDA, my teenage daughter should be drinking at least 3 cups of low-fat milk a day (although ice cream is made from milk, I have yet to have bought into her argument that the government wants her to eat three bowls of ice cream a day). And with all these potential health benefits, a glass of moo juice (or fortified soymilk or OJ, if you prefer) positively glows with good health.

Don’t even think about leaving this house until you’ve eaten some breakfast. For years I’ve told myself that coffee was a perfectly good breakfast option (coffee’s made from beans, beans are vegetables—so I was having vegetables for breakfast). Yet now I find myself spouting that dreaded phrase from my childhood: "Breakfast makes you smarter." Turns out moms are right on that as well. Several studies have shown that regularly eating breakfast may improve memory, test grades, and even school attendance. There’s also some evidence that kids who regularly eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight as teenagers.

Soda pop is a treat, not a drink. This past summer, the American Heart Association recommended that Americans reduce the amount of added sugars we all consume. And let’s face it, a significant source for many of us, especially teenagers, comes with those luscious little soda bubbles or in the form of an energy or sports drink. Not only are these beverages loaded with calories, for some people they may be replacing more nutritious options (no dear, just because it’s orange doesn’t make it juice).

You don’t need a big piece of meat to have a good meal. Although done for economical reasons (trying to feed four teenagers on a limited budget), my mother was a master at making a small amount of meat "stretch" by using it more as a flavoring than as a main course. There were many "guess what’s in the casserole" nights. Although derided by many as a sign of being economically impoverished, it turns out that the reduction of meat in our diets is yet another way that my mother was ahead of her time. Associated with heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and even some forms of cancer, a diet high in red meat has been linked to a higher mortality rate. In an article published this past year in the Archives of Internal Medicine, people who ate the equivalent of a ¼ pound burger or a small steak every day had about a 27% higher risk of dying over a 10-year period. So in Mom’s best tradition, break out the casserole recipes and serve up some stew, but keep the meat to a minimum.

—Erin Gudeux, sensory senior project leader

Preventing swine flu at daycare and preschool

If you’re sending your child to a child care center, preschool, or other program, you may be nervous about what to do now that swine flu is in our midst. And that’s not unwarranted, since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has designated children younger than 5 years a high-risk group for complications when it comes to this virus. (Infants younger than 6 months old are at the highest risk because they are too young to receive the seasonal or swine flu vaccine.) In fact, children 6 months and older are on the CDC’s list of those who should get vaccinated first.

As of now, authorities expect that children will require two doses of the swine flu vaccine, because their bodies have less experience developing immunity. But other common-sense measures can help prevent the spread of the virus. As we’ve mentioned in previous reports, while the CDC is still determining how severe the swine flu will be this year, they’re also publicizing preventive measures schools and child-care centers can take to offset its impact.

Here are some things parents can ask their caregivers, to be proactive about staying healthy.

According to swine flu advice from the CDC, any child care center or preschool should:

• Make sure all caregivers have received the seasonal flu vaccine, and the swine flu vaccine when it becomes available. This applies to anyone who lives with or baby sits a young child.

• Make contingency plans to cover for staff who become ill.

• Update staff sick policies so they can stay home if they or a family member are sick. (A doctor’s note to validate illness should not be required.)