LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THE U.S.

The estimated life expectancy at birth in 2011 for persons living in the United States is 78.37 years, according to THE WORLD FACTBOOK. The United States ranks only 50th in the world, however, in spite of the fact that we spend 16% of our GDP on healthcare. We lead the world in healthcare expenditure as a % of GDP by a wide margin as most other industrialized countries spend 9-10% of their GDP on healthcare. Monaco is no. 1 in life expectancy at 89.73 years, Japan is fifth at 82.25 and our friendly neighbor Canada is 11th at 81.38 years. So maybe hockey, more wide open spaces and less stress works for ya, eh? If Americans want to do better, we need to improve our diets and reduce and manage our levels of stress. We also need to make sure that all of our infants get the proper pre- and post-natal care.

11/08/2010: RUDD CENTER REPORTS THAT FAST-FOOD CHAINS INCREASE MARKETING TO KIDS

Researchers at Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity released their most comprehensive study on fast-food nutrition and marketing today. Their findings were that out of a possible 3,039 possible kid's meal combinations, less than half of 1% met the researchers' nutrition criteria for chidren. In addition, lead researcher Jennifer L. Harris stated that "Fast-food companies seem to be stepping up their efforts to target kids. Today, preschoolers see 21% more fast-food ads on TV than they saw in 2003, and somewhat older children see 34% more." Go to the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity website to find out more.

METABOLIC SYNDROME RESEARCH

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that greatly increases the chance of developing diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. More than one in five Americans has MetS, including 40% of individuals in their 60's and 70's. MetS has the following characteristics: central obesity, elevated insulin, elevated triglycerides, low levels of high-density lipoprotein, high blood pressure, and glucose intolerance. Individuals are diagnosed with MetS if three or more of the preceding risk factors are present. The exact cause of MetS is unknown but researchers believe it is a combination of genetic inheritance, poor diet, and a lack of physical activity. Exercise training is emerging as an effective treatment for MetS. Persons who participate in supervised diet and exercise programs that result in an increase in cardiorespiratory ftness may reverse the syndrome. Maxwell et al(2008) examined the effects of changes in cardiorespiratory fitness on MetS status in a study published in Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders. Participants in a health enhancement program at Oakland University were clinically examined for changes in their MetS status and estimated aerobic capacity over a 3 year period. Two physical examinations that included a maximal treadmill stress test took place within this time frame. The relationships between MetS characteristics at exam 1 and exam 2 and changes in graded exercise test (GXT) duration were contrasted. Increases in GXT duration (increased fitness) accompanied MetS reversal while declines in GXT (decreased fitness) occurred with MetS acqusition. Maxwell concluded that changes in GXT duration may be an indicator of disease status on an individual basis. Hassinen et al(2010) studied the association of maximal oxygen uptake with MetS Status for 2 years in older individuals. This study was published in Diabetes Care. VO2max was measured directly during maximal exercise testing. They found that one SD increase in VO2max between exams made it 1.8 times more likely a person would resolve MetS. Higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness help to prevent the onset of MetS. This study emphasized cardiorespiratory fitness as a predictor of cardiometabolic health in older individuals.