Obese individuals who lose as little as 5 percent of their body weight can improve their metabolic function and reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart dis-ease, a new study has found. Many current guidelines urge patients to lose between 5 and 10 percent of their body weight in order to experience health benefits. The study, a clinical trial, found that insu-lin sensitivity improved sig-nificantly after participants lost just 5 percent of their body weight, as did triglyc-eride concentrations, blood pressure and heart rate.
Heartburn drugs tied to dementia risk
The popular heartburn drugs known as proton pump inhibitors have been linked to a range of ills: one fractures, kidney problems, infections and more Now a large new study has found that they are associated with an increased risk for dementia as well Pro-ton pump inhibitors, or PPIs, include Prevacid, Prilosec and Nexium. German researchers studied PPI use in 73,679 men and women older than 75. Over an average follow-up period of more than five years, about 29,000 developed Alzheimer’s disease or other dernentias. They found that regular use of PPIs increased the risk for dementia in inen by 52 percent and in women by 42 percent, compared with nonusers.