Month: February 2015

Many foods for toddlers contain high amounts of salt or added sugars, a new study shows. Researchers looked at information on more than 1,000 infant and toddler foods. The foods were commonly found in U.S. grocery stores in 2012. All but 2 of the infant foods were low in sodium (mainly salt). This was defined as less than 140 milligrams (mg) per serving. Except for mixed grains and fruits, most infant foods were free of added sugars. Foods marketed for toddlers were much more likely to contain excess salt and sugar. More than 70% of the toddler dinners were high in salt. This was defined as more than 210 mg per serving. One-third of the dinners had added sugar. Most of the snacks, desserts and juices for toddlers contained added sugar. Dried-fruit snacks were particularly sugar-dense. Sugars made up more than one-third of the calories for nearly 90% of these snacks.

Delirium is common among older patients in hospitals, but simple methods can help prevent it, a new study concludes. Delirium is a sudden and usually short-term state of confusion. People may not be aware of where they are. Estimates suggest that one-third to two-thirds of elderly hospital patients develop delirium. This increases the risk of falls, which can lead to serious injury. The new study looked at prior research on non-drug methods used to prevent delirium in older hospital patients. They analyzed the combined results of 14 earlier studies. Different studies used one or more methods to help prevent delirium. Hospital staff reminded patients of where they were and the date and time. They tried to get them out of bed and walking as soon as possible. They made sure people had their glasses and hearing aids if needed. They tried to avoid waking patients at night.