DiabetesPro SmartBrief from American Diabetes Association – news for diabetes health professionals (free, daily)

I’ve deleted a few of the live links (hoping not to make it too easy for people to inadvertently unsubscribe us!) but this is a nice daily service with info about diabetes. I’m also pleased that there’s a sign-up button in the email, which shows commendable forward planning and the hope / expectation that someone like me will forward this to a friend, or a blog 😉

You might also like Glycosmedia’s weekly news roundup – it looks like this

Jo

April 18, 2011 Sign up Forward Archive Advertise News for diabetes health professionals   Diabetes in Focus  ??  Researchers link immune system abnormalities to diabetes A study in the journal Nature Medicine found immune system cells in insulin-resistant individuals create antibodies that attack fat cells instead of foreign substances, causing insulin resistance and inhibiting fatty acid processing. "The main point of this study is trying to shift the emphasis in thinking of type 2 diabetes as a purely metabolic disease, and instead emphasize the role of the immune system," study co-author Dr. Daniel Winer said. U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News (4/17) ??  Research finds sugar-sweetened drinks increase diabetes risk Researchers followed more than 40,000 men for 20 years and found that those who drank an average of one sugar-sweetened beverage daily had a 16% increased risk of diabetes compared with those who didn’t consume such drinks. The study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that intake of noncarbonated sugar-sweetened fruit drinks and diet sodas was not associated with an increased risk for diabetes, while drinking coffee every day was tied to a lower risk for the disease. Reuters (4/15) ??  Study: Artificial pancreas reduces risk of nocturnal hypoglycemia An artificial pancreas helped patients with type 1 diabetes attain an average 22% improvement in blood glucose control and reduced the risk of nocturnal hypoglycemia, according to a study in the British Journal of Medicine. Researchers hope to test the device in home trials by the end of the year, the study’s lead author said. MSN/HealthDay News (4/14), WebMD (4/15) ??  Diabetes drug Bydureon gains positive feedback from EU agency The European Medicines Agency said Eli Lilly and Co. and Amylin Pharmaceuticals’ once-weekly injectable Bydureon is suitable for adults with type 2 diabetes. Bydureon, a potential rival to Novo Nordisk’s once-daily treatment Victoza, was rejected by the FDA last year. "While we believe the EU decision is completely separate from the FDA’s decision … we believe the EU’s decision suggests they view Bydureon safe enough for use and the U.S. may likely follow," wrote analyst Robyn Karnauskas of Deutsche Bank. Reuters (4/15)   Nutrition & Wellness  ??  BMI may not be the right tool to measure health risks The government relies heavily on body mass index to assess the nation’s health, but some experts say the tool is imprecise and may be the wrong way to evaluate individual health risks. Obesity expert Richard Bergman says BMI was intended to track the health and nutrition of large populations, not individuals, and other critics say BMI does not take into account race, muscle and fitness level. Los Angeles Times (4/17)   ??  Simple steps can increase metabolism to enhance weight loss Dieters should eat more nutrient-dense foods and protein rather than restricting consumption or eating empty calories to help boost metabolism and lose weight, according to this article. Other ways to increase metabolism include getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, buying organic foods, consuming chili peppers and eating a good breakfast. MSNBC/Men’s Health (4/17) ??  Exercise type is less important than long-term commitment Experts have different ideas on what may be the single best exercise, but they agree that the important thing is for people to find an activity they can stick with long term even if they can’t do it for long periods of time. Study data show that the biggest effects of exercise come in the first 30 minutes of activity. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/15) ??  Other News ??         Obesity may be linked to knee osteoarthritis, study says Reuters (4/15)   Practice Update  ??  HHS gives states more options for Medicaid programs New HHS provisions give state Medicaid programs flexibility in how they serve beneficiaries and expand options for lowering costs. The plans call for using a coordinated care model for those eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, more flexibility to help Medicaid beneficiaries access home care instead of using institutional care and increases in federal money for states that retool IT systems to boost enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP. The Hill/Healthwatch blog (4/14)   Trends & Technology  ??  CMS database will monitor state health insurance exchanges The CMS plans to create a new database as part of its effort to monitor the development and activities of state health insurance exchanges. The Health Insurance Assistance Database aims "to collect and maintain information on consumer inquiries and complaints regarding insurance issuers." Modern Healthcare (free registration) (4/15), Health Data Management (4/15) aaaa