April 2016 Health Newsletter

Looking for effective, safe and affordable care to treat those aches and pains? New research indicates chiropractic care could be the answer. A group of scientists recently published a study to determine whether chiropractic treatment was linked with lower healthcare costs for older patients with low back pain. The study looked at more than 72,000 patients ages 66 and older to determine whether chiropractic treatment was a good option. The results determined that older patients who used chiropractic therapy for lower back pain had lower overall healthcare costs along with shorter pain episodes. The cost of care per episode day was also lower. Those who combined convention medical care with chiropractic care also saw lower costs of care. Interestingly, the cost of treatment was higher for people who did not use any chiropractic treatment at all. The findings show that chiropractic care alone or used in conjunction with other forms of care are a cost effective, viable method for those who want to manage and lessen their pain.

In early 2016, the global population totaled more than 640 million obese people. These new totals now show that more than half the world is overweight. This increase in obesity means that one in seven women and one in 10 men are obese, with a body mass index of more than 30 (overweight is 25). During the last 40 years, the average male BMI has risen from 21.7 to 24.2 while females saw a rise from 22.1 to 24.4. That totals to an average of 3.3 pounds gained per decade. The study looked at almost 20 million adults worldwide. It's an epidemic that has seen worldwide attention as countries address food labeling practices, food pricing, taxes on unhealthy foods, and government nutrition recommendations. At the same time, many of the world's poorest are underweight, suffering from a lack of food. Obesity can have both health and economic effects. As healthcare costs rise, problems due to an unhealthy weight can affect the economic stability of millions of households. But it doesn't have to be this way. Leading a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise and a smart diet can allow you to live a longer and better life.

Fitness trackers are exploding in popularity, tracking everything from heart rate to steps taken. But a new study from the National Institute of Health and Nutrition in Tokyo shows that this technology isn't always accurate at tracking energy expenditure. Researchers tested 12 fitness trackers against current methods of detecting energy expenditure. The results suggest that these trackers can both under and overestimate energy expenditure, sometimes by hundreds of calories. Some devices underestimated calories burned by almost 600 calories while others overestimated by around 200. Researchers say it is possible the trackers are inaccurate due to people taking them off during the day. For people who use fitness trackers to make health decisions based on fitness level, both over and underestimates can be harmful. Those trying to lose weight could be actually burning too few calories. Those watching their activity levels due to heart problems may be too active. There’s not much research on trackers yet, and devices could vary from brand to brand. Either way, people using fitness trackers to make health decisions should be cautious about relying too much on device data.