Harvard Health Content API

About 12% of people with type 2 diabetes are at a normal weight when diagnosed. A new study finds that these diabetics are more than twice as likely to die early as others who are overweight. The finding surprised researchers. But overweight diabetics in the study were more likely to develop other health problems linked with poor control of the disease. Researchers combined the numbers from 5 long-term studies of diabetics. They included 2,600 people, all over age 40. During follow-up, about 450 people died. Researchers adjusted the numbers to account for other factors, such as smoking, that affect death risk. They found that death rates were 2.32 times as high among those who were not overweight when diagnosed. Researchers said they didn’t know why this group had higher death rates. They said it may be related to genes.

Cigarette smoking continues to decline, says a new government report. However, the use of non-cigarette tobacco products has increased. These include roll-your-own tobacco, pipe tobacco and cigars. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found a 25% decrease in overall tobacco consumption from 2000 to 2011. But from 2010 to 2011, the decrease was less than 1%. That’s because smokers were turning to other forms of tobacco, according to study authors. They noted a 2009 increase in the federal tobacco excise tax. It taxed cigarettes more heavily. That made non-cigarette tobacco products less expensive. The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published the study. The New York Times wrote about it Aug. 3.

Avoiding violent TV or shows meant for older kids may improve sleep in preschoolers, a new study suggests. Nearly 600 families took part in the study. The children’s ages ranged from 3 to 5. Families were randomly divided into 2 groups. Both groups were asked questions about many things, including sleep and eating habits. One group received education about the best kinds of TV and other media for young children. They also got suggestions about suitable programs on channels available to them. Examples included Dora the Explorer and Sesame Street. They were encouraged to watch TV with their kids and talk about what they saw. The other group received education about healthy eating. Both groups kept sleep diaries for their children. They also received home visits and other follow-up. After a year, kids in the group who got education about TV had fewer sleep problems.