Health Notes
PrintA look at the latest medical studies and trends
Belly fat dangerous in older adults
Abdominal fat can be deadly for older adults, even those who aren’t overweight or considered obese. A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found men and women with the biggest waistlines have twice the risk of dying compared to those with smaller waistlines. The study used data from more than 100,000 people who were followed from 1997 to 2006. Nearly 15,000 people died during that time.
Booster seat laws reduce injuries
A study of New York traffic injuries among kids shows that booster-seat laws can sharply reduce the number of children injured in car accidents. Traffic injuries among kids ages 4 to 6 dropped 18% in New York after a state law requiring booster seats took effect in 2005, according to a study published in Pediatrics.
Study: MRSA infections on the decline
According to an analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dangerous infections caused by the bacterium methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, appear to be declining in healthcare settings across the nation. The CDC found a 28% drop in cases of MRSA contracted in hospitals from 2005 to 2008.