Gender Wage Gap Linked to Depression and Anxiety: Study

SUNDAY, Jan. 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The wage gap between American women and men might be one reason why women have higher rates of depression and anxiety, a new study suggests.

Women with lower incomes than men with similar levels of education and experience were about 2.5 times more likely to have major depression than men. But, women who had incomes similar to their male counterparts didn’t have a greater risk of depression than men, the research revealed.

“Our results show that some of the gender disparities in depression and anxiety may be due to the effects of structural gender inequality in the workforce and beyond,” study author Jonathan Platt, a Ph.D. student at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health’s department of epidemiology, said in a university news release.

“The social processes that sort women into certain jobs, compensate them less than equivalent male counterparts, and create gender disparities in domestic labor have material and psychosocial consequences,” he said.

The study was published in the January issue of the journal Social Science & Medicine.

The researchers looked at data gathered from more than 22,000 working adults, aged 30 to 65. The information was collected between 2001 and 2002.

Overall, women were nearly twice as likely as men to have been diagnosed with depression in the past year, the study found.

In addition to finding that women who earned less than men were far more likely to be depressed, the investigators also found that women had more than double the risk of generalized anxiety disorder in the past year.

But, again, when the researchers broke the results down by earnings, they saw the gender wage gap made a difference. Women who earned less than men had about a four times higher risk of anxiety disorder than men. The risk for women whose incomes were similar to their male counterparts was greatly decreased, the study showed.

These findings suggest that women may be more likely to place the blame for their lower income on themselves, and not on gender discrimination, the study authors said.

“If women internalize these negative experiences as reflective of inferior merit, rather than the result of discrimination, they may be at increased risk for depression and anxiety disorders,” Platt said.

According to Katherine Keyes, the study’s senior author and an assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia: “Our findings suggest that policies must go beyond prohibiting overt gender discrimination, like sexual harassment.”

It’s commonly believed that gender differences in depression and anxiety have biological roots, Keyes said in the news release.

But, she added, “these results suggest that such differences are much more socially constructed than previously thought, indicating that gender disparities in psychiatric disorders are malleable and arise from unfair treatment.”

It’s important to note, however, that the study wasn’t designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship between income disparity and mental health.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more about depression.

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Are We Programmed to Overeat in Winter?

SATURDAY, Jan. 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — You can blame evolution for your tendency to overeat during the winter, and for the likely failure of your New Year’s resolution to lose weight, researchers report.

Humans developed a natural urge to eat too much, but have no built-in control to keep from becoming overweight or obese, according to researchers from the University of Exeter in England.

That’s because being overweight was not a significant survival threat to our ancestors, while being underweight was dangerous. And the compulsion to maintain body fat is even stronger in the winter, when our ancestors typically had trouble finding enough food, the study authors explained in a university news release.

The investigators used computer modeling to predict how much fat humans and other animals should store. Their findings were published Jan. 5 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

“You would expect evolution to have given us the ability to realize when we have eaten enough, but instead we show little control when faced with artificial food,” study lead author Andrew Higginson, of the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, said in the news release. “Because modern food today has so much sugar and flavor, the urge humans have to eat it is greater than any weak evolutionary mechanism which would tell us not to.”

Higginson said the model also predicts all animals and humans should gain weight when food is harder to find. “Storing fat is an insurance against the risk of failing to find food, which for pre-industrial humans was most likely in winter. This suggests that New Year’s Day is the worst possible time to start a new diet,” he said.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains how to prevent weight gain.

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‘My Diet Is Better Than Yours’ Trainers Share Their Best Weight-Loss Secrets

When it comes to dieting, the choices are seemingly endless: from Atkins to Paleo to Weight Watchers, it’s easy to fall into the trap of picking one at random. How do you decide which diet plan works best? A new reality TV show called My Diet is Better Than Yours (which debuted on Jan. 7 on ABC) has set out to find the answer.

Filmed in Atlanta over a 14-week period, the show features five contestants who are each paired up with a different fitness expert. The five experts all have different diet and fitness philosophies—from a no-carb diet that centers around “wild” ingredients to a “super swap” plan where you switch out favorite foods for healthier versions. Contestants remain in their homes and continue with their daily routines during filming.

The show features weekly challenges and weigh-ins, and is hosted by Shaun T, creator of several mega-popular workouts, including Insanity. Unlike NBC’s The Biggest Loser, no one is eliminated, but the contestant who loses the most weight will take home $50,000 in cash and $20,000 worth of groceries, and will also be featured alongside their coach in People magazine.

We caught up with two of the show’s trainers, Carolyn Barnes and Jovanka Ciares, to learn more about their diet and fitness plans, as well as their personal weight-loss secrets.

RELATED: The Best Superfoods for Weight Loss

Carolyn Barnes

A 20-year fitness vet, Carolyn Barnes is a classically trained professional dancer, certified master trainer in Pilates, and certified health and wellness life coach.

Tell us about your plan.

The ‘cLean’ Momma Plan is truly about helping real people in the real world get real results. It’s all about moderation, balance, and feeling comfortable in your own skin. My program is different primarily because it’s about incorporating exercise and motion into everyday tasks that you have to do no matter what.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about dieting?

That being thinner means that you’re healthier and happier. If you focus on being healthy and active, you’ll find your right weight and you’ll be perceived as beautiful. Nothing is prettier than a sincere smile.

What are your favorite pre- and post-workout snacks?

I don’t snack before workouts, but I do drink water. If I’m hungry, however, I will eat good fats like raw almonds or avocado. We need fat to burn fat! It’s all about staying hydrated. Of course, if I haven’t eaten for a while and I know I will be very active, I’ll grab an apple or some leftover grilled chicken.

What’s a mantra you tell yourself (and clients) to stay motivated?

‘Find an excuse to do it, not an excuse not to do it!’

RELATED: 24 Ab-Burning Exercises (No Crunches!)

Jovanka Ciares

An entertainment executive-turned-wellness expert, Jovanka Ciares is a certified life coach detox specialist, nutrition educator, and author.

Tell us a little about your plan.

The ‘Wellness Smackdown’ is an anti-inflammatory vegan diet that involves a 9-hour eating window and has a no-snacking policy. Natural herbs are used to detoxify the body and dieters following the plan drink a gallon of water daily and fill their bellies with fruit smoothies, fresh vegetables, and whole grains.

What do you think is the biggest mistake women make when deciding to go on a diet?

Not managing the underlying causes of the weight gain first. It doesn’t matter what you eat. Anyone can put together a diet plan that will eventually help you lose weight. But how do you maintain that weight loss? Weight loss is only a by-product of a healthy lifestyle. Identifying the causes of your weight gain—like not getting enough sleep, extra stress, and poor body image—will lead to an overall shift in lifestyle and put you down a better path.

*SPOILER ALERT: Another thing we should mention about My Diet is Better Than Yours is that if a contestant isn’t happy with his or her particular diet/exercise program, they have the option to switch to another one, eliminating their coach in the process. On last night’s episode, Ciares was eliminated from the competition.

Can you tell us how it felt to be eliminated?

I will vouch for my program and for Taj and say that my plan was not why she eliminated me. You have to remember this is TV and it’s limited, and there’s a lot that wasn’t shown that contributed to Taj’s decision. But I’m excited about the future. This is just the tip of the iceberg about what’s to come for the programs that I offer. I want to reach many, many people and teach them about self-love and leading a healthy lifestyle.

Speaking of a healthy lifestyle, what’s your favorite workout to do?

My absolute favorite is dancing! I’m Puerto-Rican, so salsa dancing especially. It’s beautiful and I love it. Yoga is my second favorite.

What’s a mantra you tell yourself (and clients) to stay motivated?

‘Assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled.’ It means to imagine the moment when you’ve accomplished something and you get that moment of absolute joy. Embrace that feeling everyday in everything, even in things that haven’t manifested yet.

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Move of the Week: Advanced Leg Crunches

Trying to get rid of the dreaded lower belly flab? Regular crunches just won’t do—you need advanced leg crunches. This move is just like a regular leg crunch, but with an added dumbbell for extra sculpting power. Grab a 3-to-10 pounds dumbbell and learn how to tone your tummy with the help of Health’s contributing fitness editor Kristin McGee.

RELATED: 24 Fat-Burning Ab Exercises (No Crunches!)

Here’s how to do it: Lie down and tuck your hands underneath your lower back. Grab the weight between your feet and lift it up. Then scoop the knees in, tighten your lower abs, and then shoot the legs out. That’s one rep. Try for 15 to 30 reps, three to four times a week.

Trainer tip: Make sure you keep your hands tucked under your lower back for extra support.

 

 

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Many Disney-Goers Happy to Skip the Fries

FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Kids at Walt Disney World are taking advantage of healthier foods and drinks, new research finds.

A study of 145 restaurants at the Orlando, Fla., theme park revealed that about 50 percent of consumers of kids’ meals were content to eat vegetables or fruit instead of a typical side order of fries.

In 2006, the Walt Disney Co. began replacing the default side orders of soda and fries in kids’ meals with healthier choices, including low-fat milk or water and either fruit or vegetables. Customers could still choose soda and fries, however.

To assess the change, researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center analyzed sales of kids’ meals from 2010 to 2012.

The study found that 48 percent of diners accepted the healthy sides, and two-thirds stuck with milk or water instead of soda.

The healthier sides with kids’ meals reduced calorie content by about 21 percent. Kids also consumed almost 44 percent less fat and about 43 percent less salt, the researchers said. The study authors noted these nutritional changes didn’t increase the cost of the meals.

They said the findings demonstrate that improving nutrition at restaurants can be beneficial for both businesses and diners.

“While these results were obtained in a theme park setting they may have broader applicability and may encourage other restaurants to try the opt-out approach for making healthier choices easier for consumers,” study lead author John Peters, chief of strategy and innovation at the Anschutz center, said in a Cornell Food & Brand Lab news release.

The article was published recently in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more on healthy eating.

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Parents Can Play Big Role in Thwarting Teen Fights: Study

FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Almost 25 percent of teens admit to being in a fight within the past year, but new research suggests that parents can play an important role in preventing physical violence.

“Fighting can lead to serious injuries and even death, so we felt it was important to identify effective ways to prevent physical altercations among adolescents,” said the study’s lead researcher and corresponding author, Dr. Rashmi Shetgiri, from the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

“Most violence-prevention programs focus on school-based interventions with little involvement of families. This study suggests that it is crucial to involve families, especially parents, in violence-prevention programs,” Shetgiri said in an institute news release.

Researchers conducted focus groups involving parents of black and Latino teens to address higher rates of violence reported among young people in these groups. There were a total of 17 participants and 76 percent of them were women. The parents had teens between 13 and 17 years old, and lived in urban areas.

All of the parents involved in the focus groups believed that fighting prevention begins at home. The Latino parents, in particular, believed that parents are the greatest influence in teaching kids about resolving conflicts in nonviolent ways.

Some of the black parents in the focus groups felt fighting was sometimes necessary. Although they supported nonviolent methods of resolving conflicts, they expressed doubts about how well these strategies would actually work. These parents also suggested corporal punishment as one way to stop kids from fighting, but acknowledged this isn’t a long-term solution, the study authors said.

Latino parents also said they taught their kids the consequences of fighting as well as how to control their emotions and settle disputes without fighting. Still, they also saw physical violence as a last resort, the researchers said.

Previous research suggests these views are likely associated with more violence among teens, the study’s authors noted. Addressing parents’ attitudes about fighting, engaging them in violence-prevention programs and tailoring programs to different racial or ethnic groups might help deter teen violence, the researchers said.

“In addition to addressing parental views about fighting, our study suggests that teaching parents and adolescents how to effectively use nonviolent methods to resolve conflicts and increasing their use of these methods may help reduce violent altercations among African-American and Latino teens,” said Shetgiri.

She added that the researchers also felt it would be beneficial to include all influential members of a teen’s community, from teachers to peers, in efforts to prevent fighting.

The study was published online recently in the Journal of Child and Family Studies.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on how to prevent youth violence .

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Brains of Compulsive Video Gamers May Be ‘Wired’ Differently

FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The brains of compulsive video game players may be “wired” differently, new research suggests.

A study of nearly 200 South Korean boys conducted by University of Utah scientists linked chronic video game playing with differences in connections between certain regions of the brain. The researchers noted, however, that not all of these changes are negative.

Obsessive video game-playing is sometimes called Internet gaming disorder. Those affected play the games so much they often miss meals and lose sleep, according to background information with the study.

Brain scans were performed on 106 boys ages 10 to 19 who sought treatment for the disorder, which is a serious problem in South Korea, the researchers said. Their MRIs were compared to the scans of 80 other boys without the disorder.

The researchers wanted to see which regions of the brains were activated simultaneously during rest, a sign of connectivity.

Scans of boys with gaming disorder showed greater connectivity between several pairs of brain networks. Some of these may lead to lack of focus and poor impulse control, but others could help players react to new information, according to the study published online recently in the journal Addiction Biology.

“Most of the differences we see could be considered beneficial. However, the good changes could be inseparable from problems that come with them,” the study’s senior author, Dr. Jeffrey Anderson, said in a university news release. Anderson is an associate professor of neuroradiology.

Among the potential benefits is enhanced coordination between brain networks that process sight and sound and another that focuses attention on important events, preparing the person to take action, the researchers said. In a video game, they added, this enhanced coordination could help a player react faster to an oncoming fighter. And in life, it could help a person react to a ball rolling in front of a car or an unfamiliar voice.

“Hyperconnectivity between these brain networks could lead to a more robust ability to direct attention toward targets, and to recognize novel information in the environment,” Anderson said. “The changes could essentially help someone to think more efficiently.”

On the flip side, the researchers said chronic video game playing is associated with differences in brain connectivity also observed in people with schizophrenia, Down syndrome and autism. Increased connectivity in these brain regions is also associated with poor impulse control, they noted.

“Having these networks be too connected may increase distractibility,” Anderson said.

While the study found an association between gaming disorder and brain differences, it didn’t establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

It remains unclear if chronic video game use causes these brain changes or whether people who have these differences are drawn to video games, Anderson and his colleagues said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse provides more information on video game addiction.

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Kids With ADHD May Be More Likely to Have Accident in Traffic: Study

FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be more likely to have accidents when crossing busy intersections on their bicycles because they’re impulsive and have trouble paying attention, a new study suggests.

Researchers said it was known that these children were at increased risk, but the reasons were unclear.

“Crossing roads on a bicycle requires decision and action. What we found is children with ADHD have deficits in both areas,” study corresponding author Molly Nikolas said in a University of Iowa news release. Nikolas is an assistant professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences.

Bicycle crashes are a leading cause of severe injuries in children. Each year, nearly 400,000 kids are treated in U.S. emergency departments for bicycle-related injuries, according to the study.

Using a lab-based stationary bicycle, researchers studied how 27 children with ADHD and 36 children without the disorder crossed busy intersections, shown by computer simulation. The children were between the ages of 10 and 14. None of those with ADHD was on medication at the time.

Overall, children crossed when there were similar-sized gaps between cars. But those with ADHD were less precise in timing when to enter the intersection and had less time to spare, according to the study in the December issue of Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

Moreover, after being exposed to heavy traffic with shorter gaps between cars, youngsters with ADHD had difficulty readjusting when traffic eased and gaps between cars widened. Rather than waiting for the wider gaps, the children with ADHD continued to choose shorter gaps, increasing their risk of an accident.

“The timing issues were more related to symptoms of inattention while the decisions about which gaps to cross were related to hyperactivity and impulsivity — all core symptoms of ADHD,” Nikolas said.

The best way to help children with ADHD cross busy intersections may be to teach them to look for longer gaps between cars, no matter how heavy the traffic, she said.

“Even if their timing remains off, if they have a big enough gap, they will be OK,” Nikolas said. “If we can have some intervention or prevention strategies that focus on the decision-making, that may help compensate for the timing deficit.”

Almost 6 million American children between the ages of 3 and 17 have ADHD, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more about ADHD.

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U.S. Flu Activity Remains Low: CDC

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Flu activity remains low in the United States, possibly due to the mild temperatures that have blanketed much of the nation, federal health officials said Friday.

But officials expect flu activity to pick up in the next few weeks, so anyone who hasn’t gotten a flu shot should get one now.

“Flu is relatively low, but it’s starting to increase and there is still time to get vaccinated,” said Lynnette Brammer, an epidemiologist in the influenza division at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This year’s slow start to the flu season isn’t out of the ordinary — other flu seasons have had the same pattern, Brammer said.

“The last three years’ flu season was earlier than normal, so this one feels late,” she said. “But this is really not unusual for flu season.”

Brammer expects flu activity to pick up in the next few weeks. In past similar flu seasons, the peak didn’t come until February, and in one case the flu peaked in March, she said.

Milder weather may be one factor delaying this year’s flu, Brammer said. But it’s only one factor of many that affect how flu spreads. Other factors include how many people are immune because they’ve been vaccinated and the low number of people with flu who could infect others.

Right now flu activity is widespread in North Carolina and Maryland, but not in the rest of the country, according to Brammer.

Even when flu is epidemic, it’s not too late to get a flu shot, Brammer said. “But you get the most benefit if you get vaccinated before there is a lot of flu activity,” she said. “The sooner, the better.”

In a typical flu season, flu complications — including pneumonia — send more than 200,000 Americans to the hospital. Death rates linked to flu vary annually, but have gone as high as 49,000 deaths in a year, the CDC says.

Virtually everyone older than 6 months of age is advised to get a flu shot. The exceptions are people with life-threatening allergies to the flu vaccine or any ingredient in the vaccine, according to the CDC.

Pregnant women are at high risk and should get vaccinated. Women with newborns also need to get their flu shot to help protect their infants, who can’t be vaccinated until they are at least 6 months old. Also at risk are seniors and people with chronic health problems, such as lung and heart disease, the CDC says.

How effective the vaccine is in preventing the flu depends on how good a match it is to the strains of flu virus circulating that year. Most years, the vaccine is between 40 and 60 percent effective, according to the CDC.

Last year, the vaccine offered little protection against the most common flu strain that circulated, an H3N2 virus, Brammer said.

That happened because the virus that experts had predicted to be predominant wasn’t, and the new H3N2 virus was not included in the vaccine, she explained.

This mismatch caused a severe flu season, especially for the very old and very young, and led to a record number of hospitalizations for flu among the elderly, according to the CDC.

This year’s vaccine contains the new H3N2 strain, but it’s too early to tell which strains will dominate, Brammer said.

Based on what has happened so far, Brammer thinks this year’s vaccine is a good match for the circulating flu viruses and is an improvement over last year’s shot. “It’s a better match for sure,” she said.

Plenty of vaccine is still available, but Brammer said supplies may be dwindling in some regions. In some areas of the country you may need to make a couple of calls to find the vaccine, she added.

“It’s not too late to get vaccinated,” she said. “We are expecting a lot more flu coming down the road. So this is still a great time to go get vaccinated.”

More information

For more on flu, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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5 Things You Seriously Should Stop Worrying About

Photo: Getty Images

The month of January is traditionally a time for lofty goals and new commitments. But in the midst of all the self-promises and good intentions, have you taken a moment to consider your anti-resolutions? Here, a few suggestions for things you can stop giving a crap about in 2016—because YOLO.

Forget losing those last 5 pounds

Sometimes making a healthy weight loss goal is what’s needed to kick you into gear. But if this is the umpteenth year in a row you’ve pledged to shed those final 5 pounds, and you’re already moving plenty and eating your veggies, maybe it’s time to just… let those 5 pounds be?

Give yourself a break from the endless pressure to be just a little bit thinner. That’s what Jenna Bush Hager decided to do after she found a New Year’s diary entry by her fourth-grade self. Scrawled in cursive across the pink page, number one on her resolution list reads: “Loes [sic] 4 pounds.” “It broke my heart,” the journalist and mom of two girls said on the Today show earlier this week. “It’s probably been on my list in some form or another for 25 years.”

RELATED: 12 Worst Habits For Your Mental Health

Instead of obsessing over some arbitrary number on the scale, focus on how you feel in 2016. Exercise because moving gives you energy, and boosts your mood. Eat cleaner because you want to think clearly, and sleep soundly. You might still end up slimmer by December, but for all the right reasons—which means you’ll be happier and healthier above all.

Forget the guilt that comes with saying “no”

Repeat after Elsa: Let it go, let it goooo! Seriously, those pangs of guilt you feel when you turn down a request (from a friend, your car pool mate, a third cousin) mean you’re on the right track. Every time you say no to someone else—because you don’t have time to do whatever is they’re asking, or your heart simply isn’t in it—you are saying yes to yourself. And self-care isn’t selfish. It is essential.

Does just the thought of uttering “no” trigger a guilt trip? If so, Gail Saltz, MD, Health’s contributing psychology editor, recommends practicing this bulletproof response: “Thanks for thinking of me. I appreciate the vote of confidence—but I’ve got a lot on my plate, and I can’t fit this in right now.” End of story. Move on.

RELATED: Foods to Boost Your Mood

Forget measuring up to other people’s lives

Between the nip-tucked pics of models on Instagram (take Chrissy Tiegen’s word for it: “I’ve seen these women in person, they are not like that”) and the carefully curated and filtered snaps of “friends” in your Facebook feed, it’s easy to fall into the Why-don’t-I-look-that-hot/happy? trap. (Is it any surprise that research has linked Facebook to depressive symptoms?) But in the year ahead, vow to give fewer craps about other people’s selfies. Forget making comparisons between you and them. For the next 12 months, you just do you, and see how refreshing it feels.

While you’re at it, you might want to start caring less about your own selfies, too. When your get preoccupied with creating the perfect image of your brunch/vacation/girl squad, your lose out on some of the joy in that moment, explains Dr. Saltz.

One worthy exception: the healthie, in which you photo-brag about, say, your yoga headstand, or your spiralized cucumber noodles. “Occasionally patting yourself on the back for health achievements in social media can propel you to keep them up,” Dr. Saltz says, “especially if you get reinforcement from friends like ‘Go you!’”

RELATED: Happiness Really Is Contagious, Study Finds

Forget all those “shoulds” in your head

You know the thoughts: I should be more present with my family / putting in extra hours at work / having frequent fantastic sex. It seems like everyone else is accomplishing so much (thanks again, Facebook!). The fear of falling short becomes habitual, Dr. Saltz explains, and can even turn into shame: We end up feeling that we’re crappy mothers, employees, partners and friends, when just the opposite is true, she says. You are doing the best you can, and that is plenty good enough. Here’s an assignment for that bossy inner-critic of yours: quit using the word “should.”

Forget perfectionism

Consciously, you know you’re not, of course, and that nobody is. But like most of us, you’re probably still haunted by your flaws—right? “There is no such thing as perfection and yet so many people exhaust themselves and erode their confidence in the pursuit of it,” writes happiness expert Dominique Bertolucci in her book The Kindess Pact ($12, amazon.com), published last year. She urges us to shed that burden, and accept our imperfections once and for all. Only then, she says, will you be free to employ your positive qualities to their fullest. In other words, acknowledging your weaknesses will actually make you stronger.

If you make no other changes in 2016, at least take Bertolucci’s advice, and adopt her mantra as your own: “I am perfectly imperfect.” Just the way you are.

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