Obesity levels could skyrocket in the U.S. and UK by 2030

The United States of America is a nation that has long been associated as suffering with weight issues. ‘Obesity’ is a term used to describe somebody who has a body mass index (BMI) of over 30, and it seems many Americans are going above and beyond this number. Environmental, social and cultural factors have been cited by many as being the causes for the obesity epidemic. Typically American’s favourite foods tend to be high in fat and/or sugar and include unhealthy options such as hamburgers, hotdogs, doughnuts and French fries. Some argue that traditional family meal times have been lost in recent years as households become preoccupied with other activities and opt instead to snack on unhealthy treats throughout the day.

Of course these are just a few of the reasons for the obesity crisis in the U.S. that in 2008 resulted in some estimates pitting 32.2% of men and 35.5% for women as being obese. Even five years prior to this back in 2003, there were researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who claimed that the medical cost attributed to obesity-related conditions stood at a staggering $75 billion.
This was all way before the current day though. Fast forward to today and new predictions have been released that show the U.S. is fatter than ever, and will be getting much, much fatter. So much so that by 2030 half of adults could be classified as obese. This is according to a report released on Tuesday by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, who warn that if Americans continue with their poor eating and exercise habits then their weight will continue to soar.

More recent data shows that 35.7% of adults and 16.9% of children aged 2 to 19 are obese in the U.S., as confirmed by the CDC earlier in the year. However the forecasts by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, paint a much bleaker outlook than the government’s first prediction of a 42% obesity level by 2030. The former decided to thoroughly analyse government figures for 39 of the 50 states and found that in every state, the obesity rate will hit 44% by 2030. In 13 states however, it would be at least 60%.

Even the ‘thinnest’ current U.S. state, Colorado, is not going to fare very well in the future. Currently about a fifth of the people in Colorado are obese, but this could surge to 45% if current trends continue. Two major states in New York and California currently have an obesity rate of just 25% and 24% respectively. In 18 years’ time though, these numbers could be bumped up to 51% and 47%.

All of these statistics may not mean much to people reading them, but if you do happen to have a BMI over 30 (from anywhere around the World, not just America), perhaps it is worth considering the detrimental impact that the extra weight is having to your health and will do so even worse in the future. In fact these latest predictions say that in the next two decades, there may be 7.9 million new cases of diabetes a year in comparison to the current 1.9 million and 6.8 million new cases of chronic heart disease compared to 1.3 million presently.

However it is not just the U.S. that needs to think about ways to stop this from happening in the future. Indeed the problem is one that is also escalating closer to home. Over the last thirty years, the UK rate of obesity has spiralled fourfold. In 1980 it was estimated that 6% of males were obese and 8% of females were. In 2009 this had jumped up to 22% for males and 24% for females.

One study conducted by the National Audit Service found that obesity is draining the NHS of roughly £500 million each year and the economy of £2 billion every year in lost productivity, and the problem looks to be getting worse. Experts say that in 10 to 15 years’ time, three-quarters of the UK population will feel the repercussions of ill-health from extra weight. Obesity is clearly a global problem that should be taken into account by everybody and acted upon today to prevent the dark predictions for the future. The following table shows the scale of the problem that has been growing in recent years:

Country	Adult obesity prevalence rate (%)	Year estimated
Tonga	56	2000
Kiribati	51	2006
Saudi Arabia	36	2000
United States	34	2006
United Arab Emirates	34	2000
Egypt	30	2006
Kuwait	29	2000
New Zealand	27	2007
Seychelles	25	2004
Fiji	24	2004
Mexico	24	2000
Canada	23	2004
Israel	23	2001
United Kingdom	23	2002
Greece	23	2003

Medical Specialists Pharmacy believe the UK coalition government need to take both the U.S. AND UK warnings on obesity very seriously and implement effective preventative measures and policies to promote numerous things such as healthier eating, increased exercise, and the major health benefits that can be had from the maintaining of a healthy weight. Encouraging all of these from an early age would be most ideal, with the responsibility of parents now to drum a healthy mentality into the minds of their children so this hopefully continues well into their adult years.

If you are overweight or obese though now, but wish to lose weight safely and reap the benefits of doing so, let Medical Specialists help. We can provide suitable patients ‘Xenical’, the only clinically proven and prescription-only slimming medication available today. It works in the digestive system, blocking roughly one-third of the fat in the food you eat from being digested and absorbed by your body.
We are pleased to inform patients that we are now able to drastically reduce the cost of the medication from £89.50 for one month’s supply, down to just £59.95 with free delivery for UK orders.

Brits are still oblivious to the dangers of high cholesterol

Are you clued up about cholesterol? If not, you are part of potentially a third of the population who are still ignorant when it comes to knowing about what cholesterol is, the dangers of high cholesterol and what factors can put you at high risk of raised cholesterol. It is estimated that every four minutes somebody in the UK suffers a heart attack. Often high cholesterol is a major cause of this, and it seems the UK needs to be more aware of the dangers associated with having raised cholesterol levels.

Therefore as part of ‘National Cholesterol Week’ which is running this week until Friday, The Charity ‘Heart UK’ recently randomly quizzed 455 members of the public during August and September. Almost a third of those who took part were unaware that high cholesterol can be brought on by a bad diet as well as by being inherited through conditions such as familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH).


This is a genetic defect that affects roughly 1 in every 500 of the population and causes them immediately from birth to be lacking in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors, which get rid of cholesterol from our blood. Because these people have high cholesterol from the moment they are born, they are at great risk from vascular diseases and hardening of the arteries, much earlier than normal. For anybody unfortunately who has FH, usually the most effective treatment is through statin therapy (e.g. Lipitor or Crestor). These medications decrease the production of LDL cholesterol by the liver, which in turn decreases LDL cholesterol blood levels by around 50%.

Heart UK says that there are approximately 120,000 people in Britain alone who have familial hypercholesterolaemia and are ‘ticking time bombs’  because they don’t know they actually have the condition that can cause premature death in some people who are just 30 years of age. In fact Heart UK claim that only 15% of these 120,000 sufferers are even aware they have FH .

Another worrying find from the study of the 455 people was the fact that only 38% of participants knew that two-thirds of people have cholesterol above the recommended level of 5mmol/L.  The results from the survey caused Jules Payne, chief executive of Heart UK, to voice his concerns and he said, “More must be done to ensure that everyone in the UK is aware of the risks associated with raised cholesterol. Heart disease is still the biggest killer in the UK and unhealthy cholesterol the greatest modifiable contributor to heart disease.”

The study results have emerged in the same week that scientists based at the University of Rochester Medical Center in America, linked statins to the protection against developing cancer and even in the treatment of tumours.

Cholesterol-busting statins such as the previously mentioned Crestor and Lipitor do not break the bank for patients and are used by roughly seven million Brits.  Statins have been used in countless experiments this year alone as scientists explore their wonderful capabilities in the fight against many different health problems besides high cholesterol.  Their emerging potential has led to calls from doctors for at least everybody over the age of 50 to be prescribed them as a matter of course, due to their abilities to massively reduce to risk of developing a whole range of life-threatening diseases and health conditions.

The researchers at Rochester Medical Center identified a genetic connection between cancer and raised cholesterol levels. The gene they analysed is the ‘ABCA1’ gene, which acts as a barrier preventing tumours from developing or getting bigger, whilst also maintaining cholesterol levels at a low level. The link was established after a defect was noted in a particular ABCA1 gene, which was first known to help regulate cancer-causing genes, and the defect led to the build-up of cholesterol.

Lead researcher Dr Hartmut Land commented on the study findings and said, “Scientifically it is very satisfying to have data that support longstanding ideas about cholesterol in the context of cancer. Our paper provides a rationale for cholesterol targeting as a potentially fruitful approach to cancer intervention or prevention strategies.”

If you want to improve your cholesterol levels, Medical Specialists Pharmacy can help. For suitable patients, we can provide both cholesterol-lowering statin medications Crestor (Rosuvastatin) and Lipitor (Atorvastatin). Along with diet, they lower ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL-C), increase ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL-C), and also slow the progression of atherosclerosis in adults with high cholesterol, as part of a treatment plan to lower cholesterol to goal. We are pleased to inform our patients that we now also offer legal generic Atorvastatin, with prices from as little as just £11.25 per pack.

Britain’s raising cancer risk by not reporting symptoms to GP

Let’s face it, none of us like paying a visit to the doctors, especially if it involves discussing something of an embarrassing nature. However, it has now been found in a survey commissioned by Cancer ResearchUKand carried out by YouGov, that a worrying proportion of Brits put their health at risk by putting off visiting their GP.

The online survey of more than 2,000 adults was part of the ‘Spot Cancer Early’ campaign and it was designed to encourage people to see their GP, sooner rather than later if they notice any unusual or any persistent changes to their body. The campaign also aims to increase awareness of the huge improvements in cancer survival rates, since the 1970s. For instance, today in the UK, you are twice as likely to survive cancer than 40 years ago.

Dr Claire Knight, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said, “We want people to know that you are more likely to survive cancer if it’s found at an early stage. It’s important to get to know your body so you’re familiar with what’s normal for you. If you notice any unusual or persistent changes, it’s really important to take the time to visit your doctor to talk about it.”

“People of all ages who notice a change, that’s persisted for a few weeks, should get it checked out by a doctor. More than likely it won’t be anything to worry about and it’ll be a load off your mind. But if it is something serious, spotting it early can make a real difference, because treatment is often simpler and more likely to be effective. A quick visit to your doctor could save your life.”

These statistics from the YouGov survey show the reasons why we wouldn’t report any unusual or persistent change to our bodies:

• Not wanting to waste the doctor’s time 19%
• Thinking that it will go away in its own time 32%
• Being worried about what the doctor might find 20%
• Not having time to visit the GP 14%
• The hassle of getting an appointment with the GP 24%
• Being embarrassed about the change to my body 14%
• None of these 29%
• Don’t know 2%

And these further statistics from the survey demonstrate our attitude towards any changes in our body and where on our list of priorities they would come, by asking the people surveyed, which one of these they would act on soonest:

• A broken washing machine 3%
• A lost/ stolen bank card 61%
• An unusual or persistent change to my body 12%
• Weeds in the garden 1%
• An unwell pet 17%
• A broken mobile phone 2%
• A leaky tap 1%
• None of these 1%
• Don’t know 2%

Cancer is most common in the over 50s, however people of all ages are also at risk, a fact that reinforces the importance of heading to the doctors in the event of spotting anything suspicious. By diagnosing cancer when it is in its infancy, it can, for the most part, be easier to treat, which in turn increases the chances of recovering.

Ann, 77 from Merseyside, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2003. She said, “I was diagnosed after my GP referred me for an X-ray following an appointment. I had an operation and now, more than eight years on, I am living a very full and active life doing all the things I enjoy. Catching cancer early is so important. I think if anyone has any signs or symptoms they should see their doctor right away.”

Dr Knight was keen for people to note that any changes in a person’s body, aren’t necessarily synonymous with cancer. In most cases, it probably won’t be all that serious. What is important is for people to get it checked. So in conclusion it is much better to make a wasted trip to the doctor and have peace of mind, rather than allow a treatable cancer develop into full blown cancer, where treatment can no longer help.

New study offers hope for asthma sufferers

A new study has offered fresh hope for asthma sufferers by identifying ways to reduce the factors that lead to an asthma attack.  Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) believe they have found a way to help asthma sufferers by impeding the two most significant biological responses that lead to an asthma attack.

Researchers from UCSF, Johns Hopkins University and Duke University have demonstrated that a specific calcium activated chloride channel, holds valuable clues to reducing two biological processes that contribute to the severity of asthma. These channels regulate airway secretions and smooth muscle contraction, the two major factors that lead to an asthma attack.

“Maybe if we could inhibit both of these processes by blocking this one channel, then we could affect the two symptoms of asthma”, said senior author Jason Rock, PhD, assistant professor at the UCSF Department of Anatomy, who has had his study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Normally humans have few mucus producing cells but asthma sufferers have an elevated number of these cells in the lining of the tubes that lead to the lungs. Asthmatics also have an abnormal amount of smooth muscle surrounding the airway tubes. Even the slightest stimulus can cause these to contract.

“The overabundance of mucus plugging the airways combined with hyper contractility of the smooth muscle when the tubes get really small, make it difficult to move air in or out. A lot of people equate that with breathing through a straw”, Rock said.

Rock and his colleagues focused on a calcium activated chloride channel called TMEM16A. Rock continued, “We found that the level of this channel was increased in the mucus producing cells of asthmatics, compared to non asthmatics. And we also validated this in several models of asthma, including mouse models. That was step one.”

Step two consisted of a screen to identify chemicals that inhibit the activity of TMEM16A. The researchers identified three chemicals that inhibit the channel. Professor Rock explained, “We tested the ability of these chemicals to inhibit TMEM16A and other channels, and we found that they specifically block TMEM16A.

“It is great that we came across these molecules that were unknown previously, since we can now try to get into clinical trials to benefit patients.” Rock and his colleagues are in the pre-clinical phase to test the safety and effectiveness of the blockers in animal studies. If that goes well, Phase One of clinical trials can begin.

New mosquito threatens to bypass current safety measures

A potentially dangerous new malaria transmitting mosquito has been discovered in Kenya by scientists from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. This species, which has previously been unknown, poses a threat because it bites humans at times when they are not protected by current malaria control techniques.

The commonly caught Anopheles mosquitoes that transmit malaria in Africa generally prefer to rest indoors and feed on humans at night. This led to the development of programmes to stop the spread of malaria, such as spraying insecticide in homes and issuing bed nets for people to sleep under. However, this mosquito was found to be active outdoors and bite people, earlier in the evening and soon after sunset.

Researchers said the discovery is worrying because the insect does not behave like normal mosquitoes. Already nearly one million people a year die from malaria caused by bites. But that number would be much higher if not for mosquito nets.

They prevent the female Anopheles, the main cause of the disease from biting at night, when it sucks blood as part of its egg production cycle. Nearly one million people are thought to have cheated death over the past 12 years by sleeping under nets coated with insecticide.

The new type of mosquito, however, does not wait until night time; it bites while people are outdoors in the early evening. Even more worrying for the scientists is that they are as yet unable to match the DNA of the new species to any existing mosquito variety.

Jennifer Stevenson of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who was part of the research group, said, “We observed that many mosquitoes we caught including those infected with malaria did not physically resemble other known malaria mosquitoes. Analysis indicated that their DNA differed from sequences available for known malaria transmitting mosquitoes in Africa.”

Researchers are worried that the daytime feeding pattern of the new tropical bug, posed a serious challenge to controlling the disease. Andrew Griffiths, from the children’s charity World Vision, said, “The findings are a setback in the worldwide battle against malaria. It’s concerning because bed nets are one of the most important tools in combating malaria and we’ve seen deaths go down dramatically.”

He added, “That while nets are not the only answer to reducing the incidence of the disease, they are one of the main ways. It would mean that one of the important parts in the response to malaria would be taken away. We have to be talking about protecting yourself at different times of the day and put even more focus on the community and other systems, without too much reliance on bed nets.”

The researchers concluded by saying that, “As these mosquitoes had so far been seen only in one location in Kenya, it was essential that tourists still protected themselves with a mosquito net, treated with a long lasting insecticidal treatment whilst travelling.”

The dangers of second hand and third hand smoking

By now everybody should be fully aware of the dangers of first hand smoking. Medical Specialists Pharmacy have covered them in great depths during 2012 such as here and here. What we have not reported on yet in detail, is how second hand and even third hand smoking can negatively impact a person’s health.

Secondhand smoking (SHS) may be also described as ‘passive’ or ‘involuntary’ smoking, as it occurs when somebody breathes in another person’s cigarette smoke. SHS causes many of the same conditions and diseases that direct smoking can result in, including cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, a brain tumour, asthma, dementia and numerous other problems. It is actually estimated that in the UK alone a staggering 11,000 people die each year from heart disease, cancers and strokes that are directly connected to the damage brought on by SHS.

The major health risks involved with SHS were the main driving force behind the government’s 2007 nationwide smoking ban, prohibiting anybody from smoking in all public spaces including pubs, nightclubs, restaurants, shops and many other popular places. When the ban first came into effect five years ago, opponents to the law raised fears that it would lead to an increase of smoking inside the home and thus it would cause children to be more exposed to SHS.

However it seems that these fears were unnecessary. In the five years since the ban came into effect in the UK, there has been plenty of evidence to show that people are taking the subject of smoking seriously in comparison to previous years. Some argue than the ban of smoking in public spaces has opened people’s eyes to the massive dangers of breathing in cigarette smoke and many parents are actually putting in extra effort, to protect their children from inhaling in the smoke.

Scotland was the first country in the UK to be hit with a smoking ban, which came into effect in March 2006. A study carried out by Glasgow University found that there was a 15% drop in the number of children with asthma being admitted to hospital, one of the main health conditions that is both caused and then triggered by cigarette smoke. The benefits that have been seen by the various smoking bans across UK countries is something Medical Specialists looked at earlier in the year.

So who is mainly at risk from the after-effects of breathing in SHS? Basically the answer is everybody and there are absolutely no ‘safe’ levels of secondhand smoke. But there are certain groups who are more vulnerable and may develop serious health problems from it. For example, babies and newborns are a particularly major high-risk group. If a woman smokes during her pregnancy this means the unborn baby will receive less oxygen and will have more carbon monoxide in their bloodstream.

Other problems that could therefore arise include the baby having a low birth weight,  miscarriage, premature birth or sudden infant death syndrome; whereby babies of mothers who smoke are twice as likely to die from this compared to babies carried by a non-smoker. Children who are exposed to SHS also face suffering with persistent colds, ear infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, and severe asthma. SHS can severely impact lung growth in children and can then cause them to cough, wheeze, and suffer with breathlessness.

It is not just babies and newborns though who are impacted by the smoking of others. Only last week, researchers at Northumbria University claimed that the results of a study they had conducted, showed that non-smokers  who breathe in second hand smoke on a regular basis, could suffer from memory problems. The researchers who conducted the study compared a group of current smokers with two different groups of non-smokers; those often exposed to SHS and those who weren’t. The exposed group either lived with somebody who smoked or spent time with smokers, for example at designated smoking areas at work, etc.  And this was for around 25 hours each week for an average of four and a half years. The groups were then tested on time-based memory and event-based memory. Worryingly it was found that the non-smokers who were exposed to SHS actually forgot nearly 20% more in memory tests compared with those who were not regularly exposed. It was even worse for the current smokers, with this group forgetting 30% more than people who were not exposed to SHS.

If all the above was not a big enough cause for concern, there is also the issue of ‘third hand’ smoke, sometimes also known as residual tobacco smoke. Third hand smoke might be a term that some people have never even heard of or are not familiar with, but it is a subject that does need considering. This is a term that used for tobacco residue that lingers, sticking to things such as walls, carpets, furniture, clothing and other surfaces. Although smokers going outside a building to designated smoking areas will reduce secondhand smoking, the residue clings to their clothing and skin and follow them back inside.

Young children and babies are most susceptible at ingesting these cancer-causing toxins as they are more likely to be in a closer proximity, crawling/playing on the floor and tend to put things into their mouths. Although no specific cancer-risks have been properly measured to get an idea of the magnitude of the issue and the risks of third hand smoke are likely small compared to SHS, many people are now appreciating the possible dangers. In fact in October 2011, Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital in Alexandria, Louisiana, made the news after it was revealed that they would ban third hand smoke from July 2012. Therefore employees whose clothing smell of smoke will be forbidden from being at work. The ban came about primarily because of the threat of third hand smoking, on the developing brains of infants and small children.

Now you know about just some of the dangers that both second and third hand smoke can cause to people, it could be time to consider about making positive changes today, to vastly improve the health of you and your loved ones. It might be sometimes impossible to eliminate your exposure, but there are steps you can take to drastically reduce the threat to an absolutely minimal level. Alternatively, if you are a smoker and worried about those around you, now might be the point to get on board with next months ‘Stoptober’ campaign,  to try and quit for good or at least consider the improvements you could make to protect the health of others.

Don’t allow smoke into your house. If you, a friend or family member wants to smoke, go outside to do it. Explain this policy to your guests when they enter your home and do not put out any ashtrays around the house.

. Don’t allow smoke into your car. If you or a passenger wishes to smoke, stop at a place where you can they smoke outside of the vehicle.

. If a family member smokes, offer your full support and encourage them to quit. Be gentle yet firm.

. Only choose childcare facilities that operate with a no smoking policy. Also let babysitters know in advance that you house is a smoke-free zone.

. If you are at a nightclub or pub with a friend who smokes, do not accompany them outside when they decide to have a cigarette.

. Open windows and use fans to keep your home ventilated.

. If you are going away on holiday, request strictly a non-smoking room and other such facilities.

. If you smoke and are thinking of quitting, try effective smoking cessation medication such as Champix.

New erectile dysfunction drug in the pipeline

Apricus Biosciences Inc. has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, to market Vitaros, a treatment for erectile dysfunction in the UK. The marketing authorization application for Vitaros, was accepted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for review in June 2011 and the license is anticipated in 2013.

European health regulators approved a marketing application for Vitaros last year. According to market researcher IMS Health, the erectile dysfunction (ED) market in the U.K. was valued at 202 million euros in 2011.

“We look forward to expanding the reach of our Vitaros product for erectile dysfunction in the U.K., the second largest ED market inEurope”, Apricus’ chief executive Bassam Damaj said in a statement.

Apricus say that, “Vitaros is a topically delivered formulation of alprostadil delivered with Dodecyl 2-N, N-(dimethylamino)-propionate hydrochloride (DDAIP HCl), Apricus’ proprietary NexACT delivery technology, for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

When absorbed through the skin, alprostadil, a vasodilator, directly boosts blood flow, thereby causing an erection. The NexACT technology is designed to enhance the delivery of an active drug, to improve therapeutic outcomes and cut down systemic side effects, associated with oral and injectable medications.

Vitaros has received marketing authorization in Canada and is being marketed by Abbott Laboratories Ltd. In theUSA, commercial rights to Vitaros have been licensed to Warner Chilcott. Agreements have also been signed with Sandoz-Novartis in Germany, Bracco inItaly, Elis Pharmaceuticals in certain Middle East, and Neopharm inIsraelfor marketing the erectile dysfunction therapy.

This application for Vitaros to the EMA comes hot on the heels of Stendra (avanafil), which received approval inAmericafrom the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Stendra is the latest in line to try and steal Viagra’s crown as the best selling erectile dysfunction drug, however whilst Stendra has been approved in America, it has yet to receive approval in the UK and Europe.

Currently in the UK we have available Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, which are approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Here at Medical Specialists, we have helped many men suffering from erectile dysfunction through our discreet, online consultation process. One thing for sure is, if the likes of Stendra and Vitaros receive approval in the UK in the coming years, then we here at Medical Specialists will be stocking it, to provide our patients with the widest choice and range of erectile dysfunction drugs.