news & archives —
health

obesity and exercise

Progression of obesity worldwide

“Cycling has been shown to produce significant health benefits, including weight loss and reductions in risk of mortality. Life years gained outweigh life years lost in traffic accidents by 20:1.”

Comparing countries’ obesity and cycling rates of children

“The advantage of cycling as a method of physical activity for the general population is that it can be carried out easily as part of daily life (shopping, school and work commuting). The Finnish study concluded that: “Walking and cycling during work trips currently provide the possibility for regular physical activity for a considerable proportion of the working population, and there is potential for a substantial increase of actively commuting people.” Cycling to and from work has also been suggested as more acceptable and more cost-effective than formal work-site exercise classes. For children, strategies to promote less sedentary lifestyles are emerging as being the most effective in preventing obesity.”

Comparing countries’ obesity rates with active modes of travel

Comparing walking and cycling by country. Image credit: cycle-helmets.com

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nhs under tories > 1000 cases a year; under the lying clown > 55,681 in 2006 - and that’s just one problem

As usual, socialist Labour put their union clients before public responsibility, while the lying ministers try to pretend that it is “'an isolated incident”:

“Mr Johnson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning that the Kent outbreak was an isolated incident [...].”
—
“[...] But the health service marches relentlessly on, having hoovered up two thirds of the increase in public spending in the past five years.”
—
“The Healthcare Commission's report concluded that the infection probably or definitely killed at least 90 patients and was a factor in the deaths of a further 241.” [Quoted from telegraph.co.uk]

But don’t worry, there’s to be a new ‘target’ - 30% drop in the next 4 years.

C’mon - how many of you believe it?

Here is some new figures claimed even by the government propaganda arm:

So nothing to worry about, the British and the National Health Service are safe in ‘New’ Labour’s hands, if only they'd wash them!

“The NHS is Britain’s last big state monopoly. It is the largest employer in the developed world. Its 1.4 million staff outnumber the private and public healthcare workforce of Germany, a country with 25 per cent more people and better health outcomes. Its powerful unions view any slowdown in spending growth as a "cut". And cut is a deadly word in political terms. The Government had its chance, when it was flush with cash, to demand reform as a quid pro quo for more money. But it did not go far enough.

“In the 1990s it was possible to argue that the NHS was starved of cash. But not any more. Britain is now spending at about the European average, but lags behind too many other European countries in terms of results. Far too many cancer patients, babies and stroke victims are still dying needlessly. Far too many patients, particularly the elderly, are treated with a callousness bordering on brutality. Almost everyone I know who has had a baby recently has been told by the nurses to bring their own Jif, and not to set foot in an NHS shower without scrubbing it. World-class that isn’t.

“Sir Derek Wanless, Gordon Brown’s former health guru, reported last month that almost half of the extra £45 billion that has been spent in the past five years has gone on pay and price inflation [...]” [Quoted from timesonline.co.uk]

‘New’ Labour under police investigation again:

“Hospital managers could face criminal prosecution for the worst ever recorded outbreaks of the superbug Clostridium difficile which killed at least 90 patients.

“Police have launched an investigation into the infection of more than 1,100 Kent hospital patients, after a report published today blamed the spread of the disease on appalling hygiene standards.” [Quoted from timesonline.co.uk]

This is, of course, just one of the deadly bugs colonising the UK’s filthy hospitals. See the state of the uk national health service after 10 years of socialist incompetence, with figures on MRSA infections, cancer survival etc in Brown the Clown’s NHS.

“Between January and September 2006, the trust had the twelfth highest rate of C. difficile per 1,000 bed days for patients 65 years and over, out of 166 trusts which submitted data. In the full year January to December 2006, the trust had the twenty-first highest rate of C. difficile per 1,000 bed days for patients 65 years and over, out of 167 trusts that submitted data. From January to December 2005 the trust had the twenty-sixth highest rate, while from January to December 2004 the trust had the twelfth highest rate.

“The trust had the 41st highest MRSA bacteraemia rate per 10,000 bed days for the period from April 2006 to March 2007 [...].” [Quoted from bbc.co.uk]

further background
borrow still and borrow - wider still and wider - deeper still and deeper, brown clown digs britain’s hole

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https://www.abelard.org/news/health2006.php#colorado_education_121007

“Your chances of surviving cancer in the UK remain below the European average.

“And only in former eastern bloc states are you more likely to die if you develop lung, breast, prostate and colorectal cancer. Why?” [Quoted from bbc.co.uk]

“Almost half of hospital kitchens fail to meet basic standards of hygiene, it has been revealed.

“The catalogue of breaches of food safety rules includes infestations of cockroaches and mice and used needles and syringes left on meal trays.

“Environmental health reports from around the country also describe medicines being stored in kitchen fridges, milk being kept in freezers used for drugs and drinks such as orange juice being stored next to chemicals.

“In all, almost half of the 377 hospitals surveyed failed to meet the most basic standards of food hygiene.” [Quoted from thisislondon.co.uk]

“Elderly people are suffering from abuse, neglect and malnutrition in hospitals and care homes, according to a report by peers and MPs.

“The report, published today by the Joint Committee on Human Rights, calls for changes in the law to safeguard the care of older people, and for a "complete change of culture" in health and care services.

“More than a fifth of care homes have been found to be failing basic standards for privacy and dignity, with the most vulnerable residents struggling to eat without proper help, being subjected to verbal and physical abuse or being left to lie in their urine or excrement.

“Two thirds of NHS hospital beds are occupied by the over65s, while the number of older people in the population is growing such that, by 2050, there will be twice as many Britons aged over 80 as there are today. Although the committee was told that some patients received excellent care, it said "there are serious concerns about poor treatment, neglect, abuse, discrimination and ill-considered discharge".” [Quoted from timesonline.co.uk]

“Forty-one per cent of strains of Staphyloccus aureaus in UK hospitals were found to be antibiotic resistant compared with one per cent in Sweden and Finland and zero in the Netherlands. Israel and Greece were only slightly better than the UK with recorded levels of 44.1 per cent and 38.6 per cent respectively.” [Quoted from direct-healthcare.com]

“Despite improvements in recent years, the number of people awaiting surgery is currently above 200,000 people on the books, 20 percent of whom have been waiting for more than year, despite a maximum five-month period being stipulated by the National Health Service.

“NHS officials are looking to reduce this number to below the 200,000 mark by the end of 2008, though seem to have a considerable battle ahead.” [Quoted from google.the-news.net]

And here’s yet another one:

“The findings have implications for the UK government's proposals to close local emergency care departments in favour of fewer more specialised centres, in a bid to save lives, say the authors. Local closures will inevitably spell longer ambulance journeys for critically ill patients, they say.

“In all, the risk of death rose by 1% for every 10 kilometres (6 miles).” [Quoted from sciencedaily.com]

the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/health2006.php#uk_health_220807

particulate pollution by laser printers in the office

“An investigation of dozens of laser printers revealed that almost 30 per cent emit potentially dangerous levels of tiny toner-like material into the air.

“These ultra-fine particles are capable of infiltrating the lungs and causing lasting damage on the scale of inhaled cigarette smoke, said researcher Professor Lidia Morawska, from the Queensland University of Technology.

“ "Ultra-fine particles are of most concern because they can penetrate deep into the lungs where they can pose a significant health threat," Professor Morawska said.

“ "These [printer] particles are tiny like cigarette smoke particles and, when deep inside the lung, they do the same amount of damage." ” [Quoted from theage.com.au]

These two models caused most concern:

• HP LaserJet 4200dtn
• HP LaserJet 8000DN
  [Quoted from sfgate.com]

In my view, the comparison with fags is dubious. While fags are a dangerous source of particulates they also produce a great manner of other crud.

the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/health2006.php#particulate_printers_040807

rise up and walk....

“In the case of a spinal cord injury like Jennifer French's, the leg muscles, for example, aren't damaged. They just don't receive a signal from the brain telling them what to do. The system developed by Hunter Peckham and colleagues at Case Western Reserve University bypasses the injured part of the nervous system and applies an electrical stimulation to replicate the signal that the muscles no longer receive. But the artificial system takes some getting used to."

the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/health2006.php#spinal_injury_300307

using tile cleaner to reduce the appearance of aging

“With increasing research into what causes wrinkles and the effects of photoaging, alpha hydroxy acids[AHAs] have increased greatly in popularity. Alpha hydroxy acids have been used for thousands of years as a skin rejuvenating product. Cleopatra is reported to have bathed in sour mild (lactic acid) to improve her complexion. Now hydroxy acids are a common additive to numerous skin care products including moisturizers, cleanser, toners, and masks”
—
“Alpha hydroxy acids work mainly as an exfoliant. They cause the cells of the epidermis to become "unglued" allowing the dead skin cells to slough off, making room for regrowth of new skin.”
—
“The two major side effects of alpha hydroxy acids are irritation and sun sensitivity. Symptoms of irritation include redness, burning, itching, pain, and possibly scarring. People with darker colored skin are at a higher risk of scarring pigment changes with alpha hydroxy acids. The use of alpha hydroxy acids can increase sun sensitivity by 50% [...]” [Quoted from dermatology.about.com]

“Alpha hydroxy works by exfoliating the skin; that is, causing the surface skin cells to slough off, revealing newer, less damaged skin cells beneath. This can be done in a dermatologist's office, using a high concentration of Alpha hydroxy acid, in which case it is known as a 'chemical peel'. Lower concentrations of AHA applied over a longer period of time have a similar effect, but can take weeks or longer for the effects to appear.

“Since alpha hydroxy is an acid, it may irritate the skin, leaving it red, itchy or painful. In commercial, over-the-counter preparations, AHA should be in concentrations of less than ten percent. Its long-term use also appears to leave the user more sensitive to UV light (photosensitive) and therefore more prone to sunburn. The FDA warns that alpha hydroxy users should be sure to wear wide brimmed hats or strong sunscreen when outdoor, to prevent them from re-damaging the skin they have gone to such lengths to repair.” [Quoted from wisegeek.com]

And what’s this about tile cleaner? (Or scum or rust stain or limescale remover, or....)

Products that contain this ingredient

product	category
TRJN DriveAway Brake Dust Remover	Auto products
Eagle One All Wheels Cleaner	Auto products
Zep Shower Tub and Tile Cleaner	Home inside
Lime A Way Tub and Tile Lime Remover	Home inside
Sure Trac Tile Cleaner	Home inside
Tarn-X Metal Tarnish Remover	Home inside
Zep Calcium, Lime, and Rust Stain Remover	Home inside
Whink Steam Iron Cleaner	Home inside
Clorox Bathroom Cleaner With Teflon Surface Protector	Home inside
Simple Green Limescale Remover	Home inside
Lime A Way Extra Lime Remover	Home inside
X 14 Soap Scum Remover	Home inside
Zep Calcium, Lime, and Rust Stain Remover	Home inside
Sure Trac SC	Home inside
Sure Trac Tile Cleaner	Home inside
Zep Calcium, Lime, and Rust Stain Remover	Home inside
Ponds Age Defying Complex, Delicate	Personal care/use
Ponds Age Defying Prevent & Correct Lotion	Personal care/use
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion-SPF 15	Personal care/use
Avon Clearskin Facial Cleansing Scrub	Personal care/use
Avon Keep it Fresh! Multi-Vitamin Toner	Personal care/use
Ponds Age Defying Complex, Regular	Personal care/use
Ponds Age Defying Eye Cream	Personal care/use
Avon ANEW CLINICAL Line and Wrinkle Corrector	Personal care/use
Avon Clearskin Targeted Blemish Remover	Personal care/use

circumcision as an aids health issue

“Male circumcision could significantly reduce the burden of HIV in Africa, a study suggests.

“It concluded that the operation could avert about six million HIV infections and three million deaths in sub-Saharan Africa over the next 20 years.

“The findings build on research, published in 2005, that suggested circumcision reduced HIV infection risk in heterosexual men by about 60%.”

Statistics background

Lowering the probability of infection per 1000 contacts can slow infections down.

Infections work like nuclear reactions.
If each infected person infects one other, then the disease does not increase.

If each infected person infects less than one other person, then the disease loses ground.

If each infected person infects more than one other person, you have a chain reaction.

Therefore, a major objective in any infectious disease is to lower the infection rate below one.

sticking it to fatso - consequences of being overweight

“Men had more success with the shots [injections] than women. Shots succeeded in more than half of the men (56%) compared with 8% of women, who usually have more fat in their buttocks than men.

“ "Our study has demonstrated that a majority of people, especially women, are not getting the proper dosage from injections to the buttocks," says Chan in a news release.” [Quoted from cbsnews.com]

“The company has spent $5,000 for the stretcher, manufactured by the Stryker firm, which can accommodate a patient weighing as much as 1,600 pounds. The stretcher has all the bells and whistles: lap-belt extensions and additional handles for easier lifting.” [Quoted from washingtonpost.com]

“Obese Americans are overwhelming medical imaging machines that now have a hard time peering inside their bodies, doctors reported Wednesday.

“ "Hospital radiology departments are increasingly unable to adequately image and assess obese patients because of the limitations in current radiology equipment," said Raul Uppot, a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

“The main problem is that ultrasound waves have to penetrate body tissue to produce a quality image [...]." ” [Quoted from msnbc.msn.com]

another step toward dealing with those feelthy smokers

Let the polluter pay - through the nostrils!

“ A California agency voted on Thursday to classify second-hand tobacco smoke as a "toxic air contaminant," a first-in-the-nation move that could ultimately toughen state regulations against smoking.

“The designation by California's Air Resources Board starts a process that could lead to further smoking bans in the nation's largest state, which has often pioneered in health and environmental regulation.”

I suppose, logically, this will lead to people beins sued for knowingly and deliberately dispersing poisons in public places.

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the address for this document is https://www.abelard.org/news/health2006.php

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