Health News Roundup

Let's start with the depressing news: If you're not already fat, you'll probably become so, at least according to a new study. Over time, 7 out of 10 women and 9 out of 10 men will become overweight or obese. (Is it wrong of me to want to nudge my Body Mass Index back below 25 partially so I'll be able to feel smug instead of uneasy when I read articles like this?) The obesity problem fascinates me, in part because it's clear that over time our environment has changed so that you have to work really hard NOT to be overweight or obese. It's been interesting to watch over the past few years as communities have started realizing that maybe school lunches don't have to be laden with fat and empty calories, maybe sidewalks are good, and maybe it's a bad idea to take recess away from kids.

Other depressing news: Avian flu is probably going to kill us all, or at least most of us. What did we ever do to the birds to deserve this?

If you're worried about senility, though, take heart--one study showed that eating fish once a week helps prevent decline in brain function. Ben and I had tuna for lunch yesterday to help us stay sharp into old age (as long as we don't get mercury poisoning first).

Ben is less than 17 months old, and already the experts have changed the sleeping and feeding guidelines for babies. This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics came out more strongly against cosleeping, and for the first time the AAP suggested offering a pacifier at bedtime. Also, some doctors are challenging conventional wisdom about what foods babies should be allowed to eat when. That article made me feel better about Ben's peanut butter consumption, as well as his fondness for spicy foods. I guess my mom was right--these guidelines change all the time, but most babies turn out fine regardless.

Photo by Earth Sanctuary on flickr.com.