Month: August 2013

People with diabetes may be less likely to develop kidney disease if they eat a healthy diet and drink moderately, new research suggests. The study included more than 6,200 diabetes patients. Researchers kept track of them for more than 5 years. In that time, about 32% developed chronic (long-lasting) kidney disease. About 8% died. People who scored highest on a scale measuring the health of their diets were 39% less likely to die than those with the least healthy diets. They were 26% less likely to develop kidney disease. About one-third of those in the study drank alcohol regularly. People who had about 5 drinks per week were 25% less likely to develop kidney disease. They also were 31% less likely to die during the study. The journal JAMA Internal Medicine published the study. HealthDay News wrote about it August 12.

Children who have long-lasting stomach pain may have a higher risk of anxiety or depression as adults, a new study finds. The study included 332 school-age children. All had been having belly pain that lasted at least 3 months and had no clear medical cause. Doctors call this functional abdominal pain. They were compared with 147 children who did not have long-lasting belly pain. By the time they were young adults, 51% of the children with belly pain and 20% of the other group had developed an anxiety disorder at some point. About 40% developed depression, compared with 16% of the other group. These conditions occurred even though many no longer had stomach pain. Doctors say it’s important for children with this type of pain to keep up their regular activities as much as possible. Avoiding them can increase anxiety and make the pain worse.