News from Medicine

A new article in the Annals of Internal Medicine has raised the possibility that fat from weight gain may accumulate in the heart muscle.  For many years, doctors have been aware that overweight people can accumulate fat in the liver and pancreas.  These organs are not meant to have fat inside their cells.  Now, new advances in MRI technology have allowed researchers to look inside heart cells.   It appears that with advancing obesity, there is an increased level of fat in these cells.  This fat can cause cell destruction leading to malfunction of the heart.  It is possible that heart failure may occur from the long term affects of fat accumulation. 

Efforts by President Bill Clinton have led to an exciting move by the major soft drink companies.  Concerned about the possibility of future lawsuits, soda manufacturers have agreed to remove non diet soft drinks from the vending machines of public schools.  This could be a very positive step in the fight against childhood obesity.  However, the manufacturers intend to replace these drinks with milk and juices.  Juice and sports drinks are extremely high in easily processed calories so we will have to take a wait and see attitude about the end result of these changes.

A recent study of Americans and Britains has revealed that, despite our superior health care system, we are less healthy than our English counterparts.

High BMI (weight) combined with high blood sugar are independently associated with an increased risk of dying of leukemias and other blood cancers.  This evidence was found in a study of over 35,000 people being evaluated at the University of Chicago.  Previously, there have been well known links between weight and many cancers such as breast and prostate cancers.  This study showed that both men and women with the highest BMIs were 2 to 2.4 times more likely to die of leukemia than those at lowest weights.  

Clinic News

We are proud to announce the addition to our staff of Maxine Smith, RDLD.  Maxine has extensive experience as a dietician and with weight management patients.  She comes to us from the Summa health system in Akron.   She will see patients at our Hillcrest location on Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons.

Dietician Jill Brown has gone into “retirement”.  We are very sorry to see Jill, who was so popular with our patients, leave practice.  However, Jill has decided that she needs more time to spend with her four young children.  We wish the Brown family well and want Jill to know how much she will be missed.

Linda  Koenig, a successful maintenance patient and skilled group leader, will be running a weekly group for those who want help losing and maintaining weight.  The group will be based on the principles of Dr. Berkeley’s OptOut philosophy and will touch on issues of proper long term diet, physical activity and the personal struggles that accompany change.  The first run of the group begins May 20 and continues for 8 Saturdays.  For information call Linda at 440 605-9236.  Or call our office.

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