Many adolescent girls who diet and use appetite suppressants, laxatives and
vomiting in an attempt to lose weight may end up with the opposite result _ weight
gain.
This seemingly contradictory phenomena may occur for two reasons: Either the
girls are eating more calories than they think, or they already are on a course to
becoming obese, said Eric Stice of the University of Texas at Austin.
A study of 692 adolescent girls found that those who engaged in weight-
reducing strategies were more likely to gain weight over time, and were at a greater
risk of becoming obese, he reported in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical
Psychology.
The findings indicate that girls who are concerned about their weight should
seek the help of experts in devising weight-control programs.
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Some smokers use cigarettes to ease depression or anxiety. But a new study
suggests that smoking may actually cause another mental disorder _ panic attacks.
A study of more than 5,000 people found that smokers have a greater risk of
developing panic attacks, and that current smokers are at a higher risk than past
smokers, said Naomi Breslau of the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in
Cleveland.
How smoking may cause panic attacks is unknown, but investigators are looking
at the possibility that carbon monoxide in smoke may trigger a suffocation alarm
threshold, she reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
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An estimated 14 million Americans suffer from serious heartburn, a condition
called gastroesophageal reflux. The condition is caused by a weak valve between the
esophagus and stomach that allows acids to seep upward into the esophagus.
These patients either have to take potent medications daily to control the
acid, or they undergo surgery to reconstruct the valve.
Now Stanford University Medical Center researchers are testing a simple new
technique that uses heat to reshape and tighten the valve. Preliminary results from
100 patients show that four months after treatment, 85 percent experienced relief and
have been able to discontinue daily medications, said Stanford's Dr. David Utley.
``The advantage of the procedure is that it doesn't involve surgery,'' said
Dr. George Triadafilopoulos, a Stanford professor of medicine. ``If it doesn't work,
the procedure can be repeated or can be followed by surgery. It's cheaper, it doesn't
require hospitalization, it takes one hour and the patient can play golf the next
morning.''
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(Jon Van and Ronald Kotulak cover science and medicine for the Chicago
Tribune. Write to them at: the Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill.
60611.)
