News of Interest to Moms July 6, 2009

News to know:

Autism may be linked to mom's autoimmune disease

Mothers who have autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and celiac disease increases their children's risk of having autism, according to a new study.

The study is the first to find a link between autism and celiac disease. People with celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye and barley. The report is published in the July 6 online edition of Pediatrics.


Researches said the study reinforces the association between autism and a mother's autoimmune disease. But, they added the increased risk that autoimmune diseases contribute to autism is not huge.


Kids of parents who value exercise are more active

Both boys and girls are more likely to join a sports team or be active if their parents like team sports, according to a study in the July issue of Health Psychology.

Researchers found children of parents who valued high-intensity team sports watched less TV, spent less time on their computers, and were more active than other children.

The study involved 681 parents and 433 fourth- and fifth-grade students at 12 schools in Houston.

News of Interest for Late-in-Life Moms March 18, 2009

News to know:

Unwed birth rate reaches all-time high

More than 4.3 million babies were born in in the United States in 2007, federal researchers reported Wednesday. This is a record number of births--topping the birth rate of any year in the nation's history.

The birth rate rose slightly for women of all ages, and births to unwed mothers reached an all-time high of about 40 percent, continuing a trend begun years ago.


Migraine in pregnancy tied to stroke, heart attack

Women who suffer from migraines while they are pregnant are at increased risk of having a stroke, heart attack, or other vascular disorders, according to a recent study published in the British Medical Journal.

Researchers found that 185 out of every 100,000 women had migraines during pregnancy. Women with migraines had a 15-fold higher risk of having a stroke and twice the risk of a heart attack compared to women without migraines. Migraines were also associated with increased risks of developing high blood pressure or a blood clot in the lungs.


Hassled teens may face high heart risk later

Teenagers who experience a lot of daily interpersonal stress have increased blood levels of a protein linked to chronic inflammation. The finding in a small study published in Psychosomatic Medicine might indicate a greater risk of heart disease later in life.

Researchers had 69 high school seniors kept daily records for two weeks of negative interpersonal interactions, such as conflict with family, harassment by peers, or reprimands from teachers. The teens' blood levels of C-reactive protein were measured about 8 months later. Previous research has linked higher blood levels of C-reactive protein, a marker for body-wide inflammation, with increased risk for cardiovascular disease in adults.


Sustained exercise seen best for kids' weight

Longer bouts of exercise may help children maintain a healthy weight better than sporadic activity throughout the day, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The study of 2500 youngsters 8 to 17 years old found the more moderate-to-vigorous exercise they got, the less likely they were to be overweight.

Lack of vitamin D tied to teen health problems

Low levels of vitamin D in teens has been linked to high blood pressure and high blood sugar, which can lead to ominous early health problems, according to a study presented at an American Heart Association conference.

Teens in the study with the lowest levels of vitamin D were four times more likely to have metabolic syndrome -- defined as have three of more conditions that contribute to heart disease and diabetes -- including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, big waists and high cholesterol.

News of Interest for Late-in-Life Moms August 22, 2008

News to know:
Latest celebrity Mommy-Come-Lately:Singer Gwen Stefani, 38, gave birth to her second son on Thursday. Zuma Nesta Rock joins big brother Kingston.

Vaccine-wary parents spark public health worrySmall but growing clusters of parents seek exemptions to keep their kids from being vaccinated.Skeptical of government mandates and leery of feared links to disorders from asthma to autism, parents say they’re exercising their rights to protect their kids from risk.But health officials say there’s no question that the risk of vaccination is far outweighed by the benefits of inoculation. Officials also believe that children who aren't immunized are at risk, while also endangering the collective resistance that keeps everyone else safe, too.

France ban broadcast of TV shows for babies Concerned about channels dedicated to 24 hours a day baby-targeted programming, France's broadcast authority has banned French channels from airing TV shows aimed at children under 3 years old.

Want to boost kids' grades? Get them movingMiddle-school students who performed best on fitness tests — which gauged aerobic capacity, strength, endurance, flexibility and body composition — performed better academically as well, according to recent research linking physical activity with better academic performance.Results from the study, which included 317 students in grades six through eight, showed that the fittest group of students scored almost 30 percent higher on standardized tests than the least fit group.