Although many new college students are aware of the “freshman 15” weight gain, new research suggests that implementing healthy habits early in the school year could help counteract the weight gain.

According to researchers at the University of Georgia, students typically gain approximately 8 lbs over the course of their first year of college, with approximately 3 lbs expected during the first semester. Although this is significantly less than the “freshman 15” misnomer suggests, exercising regularly and making healthy diet choices could help avoid it, according to the investigators.

, found that vigorous physical activity was almost nonexistent among first-year students at a public university used for the research. The study authors defined “vigorous” activity as the kind of exercise that increases the heart rate and releases sweat.

Researchers tracked more than 100 students and measured things such as physical activity, body mass index (BMI), motivation to exercise, and how friends and family viewed their exercise habits. Researchers also examined whether university services influenced students’ activity levels.

At the beginning of the study, only 2 out of every 5 students were meeting recommended levels of activity as set by the American Heart Association (AHA). According to a press release, the AHA recommends that all adults participate in 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of intense exercise.

Despite their findings at the beginning of the study, the researchers noted that moderate physical activity, such as walking across campus or biking at a casual pace, did not change significantly from when students were in high school. Some students even increased their levels of moderate activity.

The study followed students throughout their first semester at school, and found that by the end of the semester, approximately 70% of the students reported no vigorous physical activity at all. This was in stark contrast to the beginning of the semester, when just 40% of students said they were not exercising hard enough to start panting.

“You have to be really motivated to engage in that level of activity,” said lead study author Yangyang Deng, a graduate student in the Mary Frances Early College of Education, in the press release. “In high school, there are many opportunities to be involved in sports, but those disappear for many students in college.”

As a result of this lack of physical activity, study participants saw modest but significant increases in BMI. By the end of the semester, the students added an average of just over 3 lbs. Although this is relatively small, the study authors noted that 3 lbs per semester can add up over the course of 4 years.

Interestingly, the researchers found that neither meal plan status nor on- or off-campus living significantly impacted weight gain; however, whether participants had physical exercise did have a substantial impact.

Students reported being aware of recreational activities at the student fitness center, and the availability of intramural sports and fitness classes had a positive effect on students’ physical activity levels. Having friends who exercised and supported their efforts to work out also increased the levels of vigorous physical activity.

“Vigorous physical activity most often occurs because of something like playing on a sports team, or if you’re really motivated to achieve a goal, like running a marathon,” said study author Sami Yli-Piipari, PhD, associate professor in the College of Education, in the press release. “You have to be really motivated to push yourself to that limit where you really are working hard to get those health benefits that come from that level of activity.”

From an institutional perspective, the authors said promoting healthy cooking classes, exercising courses, or other resources could positively impact students’ health. Students who want to increase their fitness levels should consider signing up for intramural sports teams, group exercise classes, or sessions with a personal trainer, according to the study authors.

“The students’ increased BMI is obviously a concern, but we should really focus on a more holistic view of health, especially increasing moderate and vigorous activity for students,” Deng said in the press release. “Establishing these good exercise habits now can have lifelong benefits.”

Beeson L. Weight gain isn’t inevitable when you start college. University of Georgia Today; August 24, 2021. Accessed September 22, 2021. 

https://news.uga.edu/weight-gain-isnt-inevitable-when-you-start-college/

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By the end of the first semester, almost 70% of students participating in the study reported no vigorous physical activity at all.



Implementing Healthy Habits Early Can Prevent Freshman Weight Gain for College Students

The Carlyle Impact Foundation and Hispanic Star teamed up to launch the Comeback Lounge at Barney’s New York Inc’s Madison Avenue building to celebrate “Back to La Vida” and Hispanic Heritage Month. The partnership has already raised a total of 142 scholarships.

“The Comeback Lounge will celebrate the accomplishments of women in art, music, and philanthropy. But our real purpose is to make a difference,” said Alex Charlton, chairman and CEO of the Carlyle Global Partner, in a prepared statement. “We are proud to join with Hispanic Star to tap into the Hispanic community to help build the next generation of nurses. We are proud to have a program that not only addresses a looming crisis, but also advances the cause of diversity and inclusion.”

To support the organizations’ goal of raising scholarship funds for Hispanics interested in a career in nursing, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, and TikTok contributed funds to the cause, with Nurse Heroes Hispanic Star Partnership and the Carlyle Impact Foundation offering a $1 million match for the donated funds.

“Last year we saw the contributions and sacrifices of 19 million Hispanics, who served as essential workers everywhere. While 1 in 5 worked in health care, the percentage of Latino nurses is disproportionately small compared to the critical need of new nurses. These scholarships will create new opportunities for Hispanics who are eager to fill the nursing gap but do not have the means to do so,” said Claudia Romo Edelman, founder and CEO of the We Are All Human Foundation, a platform of Hispanic Star, in a prepared statement.

The opening of the Comeback Lounge featured a performance of the Spanish version of America’s National Anthem by Jennifer Lopez, accompanied by the Nurse Heroes Hispanic Star Choir.

Additionally, the Comeback Lounge premiered the “Women Who Dared” art exhibition, which featured Latina artists from around the world for their first public exhibition.

The Carlyle Impact Foundation and Hispanic Star launch the Comeback Lounge at the iconic Barney’s Madison Avenue store in support of Hispanic Nurse Heroes. News release. We Are All Human. September 15, 2021. Accessed September 20, 2021.

The Carlyle Impact Foundation and Hispanic Star raised a total of 142 scholarships for Hispanics who are pursuing a career in nursing.

For Hispanic Heritage Month, Organizations Host Event Featuring Jennifer Lopez to Raise Money for Nursing Scholarships

The indications pertaining to COVID-19 and seasonal flu are not very different, but with a combination of symptoms, particularly loss of smell and taste for COVID-19 and a sore throat for the flu, predicting the possibility of being infected with either has become easier.

Although the symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to those of the seasonal flu, including chest pains, fatigue, fever, and a persistent cough, the addition of anosmia, the loss of anosmia and dysgeusia, or smell and taste is a big indicator of whether an individual has been affected with COVID-19.

Investigators for a study in 2021 selected 1702 individuals who had an RT-PCR COVID test and symptoms, including loss of smell and taste. The number of individuals who tested positive was 579, and the number who tested negative was 1123.

Of those who tested positive, 59.41% reported a loss of taste and smell, while 18.97% of those who tested negative reported the same symptoms.

The investigators also concluded that the combination of abdominal pain, anosmia, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, and persistent cough is most associated with a positive COVID-19 test and that individuals with a loss of smell and taste are 3 times more likely to have contracted COVID-19.

However, the investigators mentioned that the study was limited and comprised a self-assessment of the participating individuals.

Investigators from another study published in October 2020 compared the clinical features of seasonal flu and the COVID-19 pandemic.

They found that COVID-19 more frequently reported altered or loss of smell, diarrhea, a dry cough, frontal and retro-orbital headaches, or loss of or altered taste.

Anosmia and dysgeusia after or during an influenza infection is possible, but it is uncommon. These symptoms are not clinical features of influenza like they are for COVID-19.

The study results showed that 17% of the influenza group reported anosmia and 20% reported dysgeusia, while 53% and 49% of the COVID-19 group reported these symptoms, respectively.

In addition, the mean duration of these symptoms for influenza (3 days) was significantly shorter than the duration from COVID-19 (7 days).

In the study, 40% of the confirmed individuals with COVID-19 reported diarrhea, and investigators report that gastrointestinal symptoms could also be a tool to distinguish COVID-19 from the seasonal flu.

However, there are a few differences when it comes to the flu that can help an individual determine if their symptoms are more flu-based or COVID-19-based.

In the results of the literature study, investigators found that a sore throat was more common for individuals with influenza than COVID-19. In addition, less than 5% of the COVID-19 group experienced bloodshot eyes, while 30% of the influenza group experienced this symptom.

This study results also showed that roughly the first 5 days of both viruses have the 3 first symptoms appear in the same order. The first symptom was pain syndrome, followed by a fever and cough. The fourth symptom to appear, if it appeared at all, was diarrhea.

Individuals with COVID-19 also became critically ill later, usually around day 10 than individuals with the flu, around day 7.

The investigators of this study analyzed data from 124 individuals, 70 with COVID-19 and 54 with influenza A/B.

Thirty-three individuals with COVID-19 were hospitalized for a mean of 7 days. Of the 33, 23 individuals required oxygen therapy, and 11 were admitted to the intensive Care Unit for acute reparatory failure and needed artificial ventilation for 8 days.

Investigators said their biggest limitation was the number of patients in the study.

Menni C, Valdes AM, Freidin MB, et al. Loss of smell and taste in combination with other symptoms is a strong predictor of COVID-19 infection

Zayet S, Kadiane-Oussou NJ, Lepiller Q, et al. Clinical features of COVID-19 and influenza: a comparative study on Nord Franche-Comte cluster. 

. 2020;22(9):481-488. doi:10.1016/j.micinf.2020.05.016

More than half of individuals with the coronavirus reported anosmia and dysgeusia, according to study results published in Microbes Infection.

Loss of Smell and Taste Can Predict COVID-19 Instead of Flu

A recent clinical trial found that a telephone-delivered nursing care strategy that combined heart failure care management with depression treatment improved patients’ clinical outcomes, according to a University of Pittsburgh press release.

The Hopeful Heart trial involved a first of its kind “blended” collaborative care model for treating heart failure and depression. Under the blended model, medical nurses were trained to deliver depression and heart failure care under guidance of a study cardiologist, psychiatrist, and primary care physician.

“Heart failure is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases in the United States, and it’s growing even more prevalent as the population ages,” said lead author Bruce Rollman, MD, MPH, UPMC endowed chair and professor of medicine at Pitt, in the press release. “I’m very excited about our results because they show that we can successfully train medical nurses to deliver effective depression care as part of heart failure care management they may already be delivering, and that this pragmatic approach can significantly improve patients’ mood and help them regain a better quality of life.”

Few studies have examined the benefits of depression treatment on the recovery of heart failure patients, which prompted the researchers to test a telephone-delivered blended model of collaborative care. Medical nurses trained in depression care had weekly care-review conference calls with a study psychiatrist and a study cardiologist, after which they relayed treatment recommendations to patients and their primary care physicians.

The study nurses then monitored patients via regular telephone calls and made recommendations for adjustments in care depending on the patients’ responses to treatment.

“Collaborative ‘blended’ care model provides extra layers of emotional and educational support for patients and their families,” said co-author Amy Anderson, MS, clinical coordinator for the Hopeful Heart Trial at Pitt, in the press release. “When we sit in on case review sessions with doctors and nurses, we end up learning a great deal about these patients’ lives; it becomes personal. So, it is always very rewarding to see these patients overcome hurdles and improve over time.”

The trial analyzed 756 participants with heart failure from 8 Pittsburgh-area hospitals, including 629 patients who screened positive for depression. The 12-month follow-up showed that blended care patients reported better mental health-related quality of life, including fewer limitations in social activities, improved general well-being, higher energy and less fatigue, and improved mood compared to patients receiving usual care and improved mood compared to those who received collaborative care for heart failure alone, according to the study.

The research team expressed hope that this approach to patient care could be implemented more broadly, as both patients and health care workers have become more accustomed to telemedicine than ever before.

“Depression often goes unrecognized and untreated in heart failure patients, and we are encouraged that our integrated approach to addressing depression was not only effective, but that it can be easily scaled up and expanded nationally,” Rollman said in the press release. “A ‘blended’ collaborative care that is built on existing systems of care also may enable organized health care systems such as UPMC to deliver effective first-line care for depression and other mental health conditions to patients with complex medical conditions.”

Integrated treatment for depression and heart failure improves quality of life and mood. UPMC. August 30, 2021. August 31, 2021. 

https://www.upmc.com/media/news/083021-rollman-hopeful-heart

The Hopeful Heart trial involved a first of its kind “blended” collaborative care model for treating heart failure and depression.

Study Finds Integrated Treatment for Depression, Heart Failure Improves Quality of Life and Mood

interviewed Lea Davis, PhD, an associate professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and an investigator in the Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, on a recent study she co-authored that was published in 

 on the epidemiology of functional seizures among adults treated at a university hospital.

During the discussion, Davis explained that approximately 80% of patients who experience functional seizures are initially misdiagnosed with epilepsy and treated with anti-epileptic drugs. To address this issue, Davis describes some methods by which this problem could be managed within health systems so that providers can more accurately identify and diagnose functional seizures in the future.

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Lea Davis, PhD, of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, describes some methods by which the frequent misdiagnosis of functional seizures could be addressed within health systems. 

Expert: 80% of Patients With Functional Seizures Are Initially Misdiagnosed With Epilepsy

Individuals with diabetes and severe COVID-19 have reduced levels of interferon-beta than those without diabetes, which leads to a worsening in their COVID-19 symptoms, the results of a new study show.

“Interferon has been studied throughout the pandemic as a potential therapy, with efforts going back and forth between trying to increase or decrease interferon levels. My sense is that its efficacy as a therapy will be both patient and timing specific,” Kathrine Gallagher, MD, of the Michigan Medicine Departments of Surgery and Microbiology and Immunology, said in a statement. “We’re trying to home in on what controls SETDB2, which is sort of the master regulator of a lot of these inflammatory cytokines that you hear about as being increased in COVID-19, such as IL-1B, TNFalpha, and IL-6.”

Interferon, a cytokine important for viral immunity, has been previously linked to increased SETDB2 response to heal inflammatory wounds.

The results of the study showed that when coronavirus-infected diabetic mice were injected with an interferon beta, SETDB2 was increased and helped decrease the inflammatory cytokines.

The results of the study not only highlight the continued study of interferon but also a need to understand the timing and cell-specificity in therapy for individuals with underlying conditions.

Why do people with diabetes develop severe COVID-19? EurekAlert. News release. September 7, 2021. Accessed September 8, 2021. 

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/927716

The results of a new study show that when coronavirus-infected diabetic mice were injected with an interferon beta, SETDB2 increased and helped decrease the inflammatory cytokines.

Individuals With Diabetes Develop More Severe COVID-19 Symptoms

Maintaining good hydration throughout life could reduce the risk of developing heart failure, according to researchers at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

Recommendations for adequate hydration range from 1.6 to 2.1 liters for women and from 2 to 3 liters for men. However, surveys from around the globe have found that many people do not meet even the lower end of these recommendations, as measured by serum sodium. According to the NHLBI, when individuals drink less water, the concentration of serum sodium in the body increases. The body then attempts to conserve water, which activates processes that contribute to the development of heart failure.

“Our study suggests that maintaining good hydration can prevent or at least slow down the changes within the heart that lead to heart failure,” said study author Natalia Dmitrieva, PhD, in the press release. “The findings indicate that we need to pay attention to the amount of fluid we consume every day and take action if we find that we drink too little.”

In the study, researchers examined whether serum sodium concentration in middle age can predict the development of heart failure 25 years later. They also investigated links between hydration and thickening of the walls in the left ventricle—called left ventricular hypertrophy—which is a precursor to heart failure diagnosis, according to the NHLBI.

These analyses were performed in 15,792 adults who were included in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Participants were between 44 and 66 years of age at the time of recruitment and were evaluated over 5 visits until 70 to 90 years of age.

Participants were then divided into 4 groups based on their average serum sodium concentration at study visits 1 and 2. Group 1 had concentrations between 135 and 139.5 mmol/l; group 2 had concentrations between 140 and 141.5 mmol/l; group 3 had concentrations between 142 and 143.5 mmol/l; and group 4 had concentrations between 144 and 146 mmol/l. For each group, the investigators then analyzed the proportion of individuals who developed heart failure and left ventricular hypertrophy at visit 5, which occurred 25 years later.

According to the study, higher serum sodium concentration in midlife was associated with both heart failure and left ventricular hypertrophy at visit 5, even after adjusting for other factors related to the development of heart failure, such as age, blood pressure, kidney function, blood cholesterol, blood glucose, body mass index, sex, and smoking status.

“It is natural to think that hydration and serum sodium should change day to day depending on how much we drink on each day,” Dmitrieva said in the press release. “However, serum sodium concentration remains within a narrow range over long periods, which is likely related to habitual fluid consumption.”

Specifically, every 1 mmol/l increase in serum sodium concentration during midlife was associated with 1.2 increased odds of developing left ventricular hypertrophy and 1.11 increased odds of developing heart failure. The risks for both left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure between 70 and 90 years of age began to increase when serum sodium concentration exceeded 142 mmol/l in midlife.

“The results suggest that good hydration throughout life may decrease the risk of developing left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure,” Dmitrieva said in the press release. “In addition, our finding that serum sodium exceeding 142 mmol/l increases the risk of adverse effects in the heart may help to identify people who could benefit from an evaluation of their hydration level. This sodium level is within the normal range and would not be labelled as abnormal in lab test results but could be used by physicians during regular physical exams to identify people whose usual fluid intake should be assessed.”

Drinking sufficient water could prevent heart failure. News release. European Society of Cardiology; August 24, 2021. Accessed September 9, 2021. 

https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/Drinking-sufficient-water-could-prevent-heart-failure

When the body attempts to conserve water, it activates processes that contribute to the development of heart failure.

Research Suggests Hydration Could Prevent Heart Failure

A new study from researchers at the University of Cambridge and Addenbrooke’s Hospital found that most patients who contracted COVID-19 while in the hospital did so from other patients rather than from health care workers.

The research team analyzed data between March and June 2020 and identified 5 wards at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in which multiple individuals, including patients and health care workers, tested positive for COVID-19 within a short period of time, insinuating an inner outbreak may occurred, according to the study.

The team used new statistical methods that combine viral genome sequence data with clinical information about the locations of individuals to help look at where the data were consistent with transmission occurring between individuals in the hospital.

The results of the study showed that the patients who were infected in the hospital were mostly infected by other patients rather than by the hospital staff, according to the authors. Additionally, out of 22 cases in which the patients were infected in the hospital, 20 were the result of the virus spreading between patients, according to the study.

“The fact that the vast majority of infections were between patients suggests that measures taken by hospital staff to prevent staff transmitting the virus to patients, such as the wearing of masks, were likely to have been effective,” said lead study author Chris Illingworth, MD, in a press release. “But it also highlights why it is important that patients themselves are screened for COVID-19 regularly, even if asymptomatic, and wear face masks where possible.”

In contrast, health care workers were almost as likely to be infected by patients as they were by other health care workers, according to the study. Further, a trend was found toward individuals either infecting no one else or infecting multiple other people, with just over one-fifth of patients causing 80% of the infections.

“Preventing new cases of hospital-based infection is a critical part of our work.Here we have shown that analyzing clinical and viral genome sequence data can produce insights that inform infection control measures, which are so important for protecting patients and health care workers alike,” said co-lead author William Hamilton, MD, in the press release.

Hospital-acquired COVID-19 tends to be picked up from other patients, not from healthcare workers. University of Cambridge. August 24, 2021. Accessed August 25, 2021. 

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/hospital-acquired-covid-19-tends-to-be-picked-up-from-other-patients-not-from-healthcare-workers

Study: Hospital-acquired COVID-19 Picked Up Through Other Patients Rather Than Health Care Workers

Children in the United States 15 years of age or younger living in the Midwest have the highest body mass index (BMI) levels on average, whereas those in the Western United States have the lowest, according to a study published in 

. The investigators said the results of the study suggest regional differences may play a role in the development of childhood obesity.

"If we know the factors that affect children's body size, we can help prevent them from becoming overweight or obese," said the study's senior author Dana Dabelea, MD, PhD, professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health and director of the LEAD Center, in a press release. "This study looked at factors related to children's body size, like where children live, how much they weighed at birth, and their ethnic background."

The study also found that a higher birthweight and lower levels of formal education among mothers was associated with a higher BMI in children. Further, Black and Hispanic children had a higher BMI than non-Hispanic white children in some parts of the United States, but not all.

To conduct the research, investigators drew their study population from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Program, which investigates the effects of environmental exposures on the health of children. More than 14,000 children were enrolled in the study, with the investigators studying their height and weight between the years 2000 and 2018, calculating BMI based on these data.

According to the investigators, children in the Midwest had the highest average BMI, followed by the Northeast, the South, and the West. This connection between geographical regions and BMI is not well understood, according to the study, especially when studying the BMI of children.

Although adult data show diet quality and time doing moderate-to-vigorous exercise are higher in the West and Northeast compared to the South and Midwest, other studies have shown no regional variation in physical activity, according to the authors of the current study. Further, environmental factors such as density of fast food restaurants, supermarkets, and recreation facilities have been linked to childhood BMI, according to the investigators, but there is currently little evidence of regional variation. The study authors hope that their findings will lead to additional research further investigating why BMI varies by region.

"For example, researchers could study whether children's eating habits and their physical activity levels also vary based on the area they live in," Bekelman said in the release. "Another next step is to find out why there are racial and ethnic differences in BMI in some areas but not others."

Study finds body mass index for children greatest in Midwest, least in West [news release]. Science Daily; September 1, 2021. Accessed September 7, 2021. 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210901142710.htm

The study also found that a higher birthweight and lower levels of formal education among mothers was associated with a higher BMI in children.

Body Mass Index of Children Highest in Midwest, May Be Linked to Regional Factors

For individuals driving with groups outside their households or using ride-share services, keeping the windows rolled down and wearing masks can decrease the risk of spreading COVID-19, according to research results from the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom.

A team at the university’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) used sensors to monitor the concentration of pollution particles to map how those particles varied during different settings in the vehicle and to evaluate exposure doses for 3 different ventilation settings. They evaluated scenarios with the air conditioning on and using fresh air, with air conditioning on and using air recirculation, and the windows open.

The team found that maintaining a continuous intake of fresh air by keeping the windows open while also wearing a mask is the best way to guard against the transmission of COVID-19, according to a statement.

However, this scenario also increases occupants’ exposure to toxic air pollution particles.

This creates a dilemma because guarding against air pollution in turn increases the risk of COVID-19. The study results showed that the probability of transmission increased by 28.5% when windows were closed and air recirculation was switched on.

To balance both these issues, the team found that the best chance of remaining safe from both air pollution and COVID-19 was to keep the windows closed while running the air conditioning on ambient mode, in which it draws in fresh air from outside. This approach avoids external air pollution while minimizing exposure to COVID-19.

Lead author Prashant Kumar, PhD, founding director of GCARE at the University of Surrey, said in the statement research like this is essential to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s vital that the scientific community provides society with the data it needs so we can learn from the painful experience of the past 2 years,” he said. “Our research found that if your priority is to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19, wearing a mask and keeping car windows open is the ideal approach.”

The combination of mask wearing and keeping windows open is best for reducing COVID-19 risk in cars, finds a new study. University of Surrey. News release. August 24, 2021. Accessed August 27, 2021. 

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/combination-mask-wearing-and-keeping-windows-open-best-reducing-covid-19-risk-cars-finds-new-study

Guarding against external air pollution while reducing the risk of infection when driving presents a challenge. 

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