Tanning Beds Triple Melanoma Risk

Skin Cancer Risk Even Higher for Frequent Users of High-Pressure Tanning Beds

By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News

Regular use of tanning beds triples or even quadruples the risk of developing melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, new research finds.

The study is the largest of its kind to examine whether indoor tanning causes skin cancer, and it comes as federal regulators are considering new rules designed to limit the use of commercial tanning by teens.

Compared to people who had never used a tanning bed, indoor tanners had a 74% increased risk for melanoma.

People who spent more than 50 hours tanning indoors had a threefold increase in risk, compared to people who never used a tanning bed, after adjusting for known risk factors for the deadly skin cancer.

The risk was four times higher among frequent users of high-pressure tanning beds, which emit mostly UVA radiation.

Researcher DeAnn Lazovich, PhD, of the University of Minnesota says the study was designed to address the limitations of past research, which have allowed the tanning industry to continue to deny that indoor tanning causes skin cancer.

“Our data would suggest that there is no safe tanning device,” she tells WebMD.

Slideshow: Precancerous Skin Lesions and Skin Cancer
Melanoma, Indoor Tanning Increasing

The American Cancer Society predicted that in 2009, nearly 70,000 Americans would be diagnosed with melanoma and more than 8,500 people would die of the disease.

Melanoma is one of the fastest-growing cancers among whites, increasing by about 2% a year between 1997 and 2006.

During this time, the popularity of indoor tanning exploded, especially among women under age 30. Only a few tanning salons existed in the United States in the early 1980s. Today, by one industry estimate, more than 30 million Americans use commercial tanning beds each year.

Allan Halpern, MD, who is chief of dermatology at New York’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, says the new study suggests a clear link between the increased popularity of indoor tanning and the rise in melanoma.

“One of the challenges in these studies has been that people who use tanning beds also tend to tan in the sun,” he tells WebMD. “That has allowed the industry to claim that indoor tanning isn’t to blame.”

Also, most previous studies did not distinguish between high-speed machines, which emit some UVB rays, and high-pressure machines, which emit almost exclusively UVA rays.

The latest study included nearly 1,200 melanoma patients and a similar number of age- and gender-matched people in a control group. Using questionnaires and telephone interviews, the researchers determined that 63% of the melanoma patients in the study had used a commercial tanning device at least once, compared to 51% of the people without cancer.

Among the other major findings:

* Melanoma risk increased with exposure, measured by total hours of indoor tanning, the number of individual sessions, or years of exposure.
* The increase in risk was seen for both high-speed and high-pressure machines, suggesting that no type of tanning device could be considered safe.
* Burns from indoor tanning were commonly reported.
* The strongest association was seen for melanomas originating on the trunk, which, in women at least, is an area of the body generally exposed to UV rays only during tanning.

The research showed no specific increase in melanoma risk associated with tanning bed use at a young age, but a clear association was seen for increased exposure over time.

The study appears in the June issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

“Overall exposure was the important thing,” Lazovich says. “Melanoma is the second most common cancer among young women. Young women are particularly vulnerable because they are the most likely to use these devices.”

In response to the study, a tanning industry spokesman said the findings are misleading because the researchers did not distinguish between people with major risk factors for melanoma and the general population.

Those risk factors include having very fair skin, having many moles, and having freckles or red hair.

Melanoma patients in the study were five times as likely as non-patients to have very fair skin and nearly 14 times more likely to have many moles.

John Overstreet of the Indoor Tanning Association tells WebMD that the group’s own scientific analysis of the findings suggests that when high-risk groups are removed, indoor tanning may actually lower melanoma risk.

Overstreet also said indoor tanning may protect against cancer by increasing vitamin D, which is produced in the body in response to UV exposure.

Vitamin D researcher Michael Holick, MD, tells WebMD that although indoor tanning may boost vitamin D levels, he does not recommend it.

“I have never advocated tanning,” he says. “What I have said is that people who want to do it using tanning beds to increase their vitamin D in the winter should do it responsibly. That means protecting your face and staying in for 50% of the time recommended for tanning.”
Feds May Soon Restrict Indoor Tanning

Last year, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) weighed in, concluding that indoor tanning does cause melanoma.

In March, an FDA panel met to consider regulatory changes that could restrict access to tanning salons.

Although an outright ban is unlikely, many believe the group will require minors to have their parents' permission if they want to use commercial tanning devices.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/melanoma-skin-cancer/news/20100527/tanning-beds-triple-melanoma-risk

Too Much Belly Fat Linked to Dementia

Study Shows Deep Belly Fat May Be Linked to Shrinkage in Brain Volume

By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Health News

Excess belly fat may make your brain shrink and boost your risk of dementia later, according to a new study.

The real culprit is deep belly fat, also known as visceral fat, says study researcher Sudha Seshadri, MD, an associate professor of neurology at the Boston University School of Medicine.

''The greater the amount of visceral fat, the smaller the brain," she tells WebMD. While she didn't follow the participants to see if they developed dementia, she says that ''smaller brain volume is associated with poor cognitive function on testing and a greater risk of dementia on follow-up.''

The study is published online in the Annals of Neurology.

About 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. It's the most common form of dementia -- the loss of cognitive ability affecting memory, language, thinking, and judgment.

Much previous research has looked at the dangers of belly fat, with experts warning it boosts the risk of heart attack and heart disease. More recently, researchers have found the link with brain health.

Before her study, Seshadri says, "It was known that midlife obesity, from age 55 on, was a risk factor for dementia. It's not just your BMI but the central obesity which seems to add increased risk over just the BMI [if it's in the obese range, 30 and higher.]"

While previous research has linked excess visceral belly fat with dementia, Seshadri says many studies have included fewer than 300 participants. One exception is a study published in 2008, involving more than 6,500 participants, finding the more belly fat, the greater the risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's or other dementias later in life. Those with the biggest bellies had nearly a three times greater risk of dementia compared to the people with the smallest bellies.
Measuring Belly Fat

Seshadri and her team performed CT scans of the abdomen and MRI scans of the brain of 733 men and women who were participants in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort. On average, they were age 60; about 70% of participants were women.

Seshadri's team looked at the potential associations of body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and the CT measure of abdominal fat with the total brain volume.

The CT measured both visceral or deep belly fat and subcutaneous fat -- the fat that lies right below the skin.

While Seshadri can't quantify the risk of having a high amount of belly fat with a specific brain shrinkage, she says the results she found are linear: the more belly fat, the lower the brain volume.

The deep fat is the culprit, she says. "We found that subcutaneous was not [significantly] associated with any adverse effect on the brain volume, whereas visceral fat was clearly associated with smaller brain volume."

She also found a link between higher BMI and higher waist circumference, but the strongest association was between high visceral belly fat and lower brain volume.

The average BMI of study participants was 28 (30 and above is termed obese, 25 and above overweight.) The average waist circumference was 39 inches. Women should keep waist circumference below 35 and men below 40, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Exactly why the belly fat reduces brain volume isn't known, Seshadri says. Inflammation may play a role, as obesity is linked with inflammation in the body.

Some research has found that people on anti-inflammatory drugs show smaller age-related volume changes in their brain than do those not on the drugs.

Hormones produced by visceral fat tissue could pay a role in brain shrinkage, too, she says.
Second Opinion

The study results are another reminder that paying attention to heart disease risk factors is also a good way to preserve your brain health, says William Thies, PhD, chief medical and scientific officer at the Alzheimer's Association.

"The key message in this study is another reason for people to keep good control over the factors that influence their heart health -- such as body weight, blood sugar, and blood pressure -- as an important way to also keep their brain healthy as they age, and possibly reduce their risk for cognitive decline and dementia."

But he also cautions that ''we don't have all the answers yet. You can do everything 'right' and still not prevent Alzheimer's."

Without a CT scan to measure belly fat, people can look to their BMI and waist measurement for a rough estimate of how much belly fat they carry, Seshadri says.

"If your BMI is in the obese range, it's 99% [certain] that you have too much visceral fat," she says. If your waist circumference is above 35 inches for women, above 40 inches for men, that's another good predictor, she says.

"If your BMI is under 25, you are probably OK,'' she says.

To reduce the dangerous visceral belly fat, she says, pay attention to diet and exercise regularly.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20100520/too-much-belly-fat-linked-to-dementia

Breathe Easy: 5 Ways To Improve Indoor Air Quality

By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Feature provided in collaboration with Healthy Child Healthy World

We tend to think of air pollution as something outside -- smog, ozone, or haze hanging in the air, especially in summer. But the truth is, the air inside homes, offices, and other buildings can be more polluted than the air outside. The air inside your home may be polluted by lead (in house dust), formaldehyde, fire-retardants, radon, even volatile chemicals from fragrances used in conventional cleaners. Some pollutants are tracked into the home. Some arrive via a new mattress or furniture, carpet cleaners, or a coat of paint on the walls.

In that mix, you'll also find microscopic dust mites -- a major allergen -- plus mold and heaps of pet dander, says David Lang, MD, head of Allergy/Immunology at the Cleveland Clinic. "Even if you don't have pets, you've probably got pet dander," he tells WebMD. "It's become what we call a community allergen. Pet owners carry it around on their clothes and shed it throughout the day. You can't get away from it."

Children, people with asthma, and the elderly may be especially sensitive to indoor pollutants, but other effects on health may appear years later, after repeated exposure.

Indoor allergens and irritants have become much more important in recent decades because we're spending more time indoors, Lang says. And because modern homes are airtight, these irritants can't easily escape. "We're all exposed to a greater degree than we were three or four decades ago," he says.

5 Simple Steps to Improve Indoor Air Quality

1. Keep your floors fresh.

• Suck it up. Chemicals and allergens can accumulate in household dust for decades. By using a vacuum with a HEPA filter you can reduce concentrations of lead in your home. You can also get rid of other toxins, like brominated fire-retardant chemicals (PBDEs) as well as allergens like pollen, pet dander, and dust mites.

Using a vacuum cleaner that has strong suction, rotating brushes, and a HEPA filter ensures that dust and dirt won’t get blown back out in the exhaust. In high traffic areas, vacuum the same spot several times. Don't forget walls, carpet edges, and upholstered furniture, where dust accumulates. For best results, vacuum two or more times each week and wash out your filter regularly.

• Mop it up. Mopping picks up the dust that vacuuming leaves behind. You can skip the soaps and cleaners and just use plain water to capture any lingering dust or allergens. New microfiber mops (and dust cloths) reportedly capture more dust and dirt than traditional fibers and don’t require any cleaning solutions whatsoever.
  
  
• Keep it out. Put a large floor mat at every door.People track in all sorts of chemicals via the dirt on their shoes. A door mat reduces the amount of dirt, pesticides, and other pollutants from getting into your home. If the mat is big enough, even those who don't wipe their shoes will leave most pollutants on the mat -- not the floors in your home.

2. Keep a healthy level of humidity. Dust mites and mold love moisture. Keeping humidity around 30%-50% helps keep them and other allergens under control. A dehumidifier (and air conditioner during summer months) helps reduce moisture in indoor air and effectively controls allergens, Lang says. An air conditioner also reduces indoor pollen count -- another plus for allergy-sufferers.

More tips for dehumidifying your home:

• Use an exhaust fan or crack open a window when cooking, running the dishwasher, or bathing.
• Don't overwater houseplants.
• Vent the clothes dryer to the outside.
• Fix leaky plumbing to prevent moisture-loving mold.
• Empty drip pans in your window air conditioner and dehumidifier.

3. Make your home a no-smoking zone. "Probably the single most important aspect of indoor air pollution is secondhand cigarette smoke," says Philip Landrigan, MD, a pediatrician and director of the Children's Environmental Health Center at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals. Research shows that secondhand smoke increases a child's risk of developing ear and respiratory infections, asthma, cancer, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). For the smoker, this addiction causes cancer, breathing problems, heart attacks, and stroke.

If you want to stop smoking, support groups, nicotine-replacement therapy, and other medications can help. Find a method that works for you, get some support (friends, family, fellow quitters, counseling), and think positive. Focus on your reasons for quitting -- not on your cravings.

More Americans than ever before have kicked the habit, according to the CDC. But if you relapse, make sure you don’t smoke inside the house. "If you just can't quit, at least smoke outside," Landrigan says.

4. Test for radon. Whether you have a new or old home, you could have a radon problem. This colorless, odorless gas significantly raises the risk of lung cancer. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. today. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

5. Smell good naturally. You may associate that lemony or piney scent with a clean kitchen or clean clothes.But synthetic fragrances in laundry products and air fresheners emit dozens of different chemicals into the air. You won’t find their names on the product labels. Conventional laundry detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, and air fresheners in solid, spray, and oil form may all emit such gasses.

In one study, a plug-in air freshener was found to emit 20 different volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including seven regulated as toxic or hazardous under U.S. federal laws. But these chemicals were not included on the label -- only the word "fragrance" is required to be listed. But the actual composition of the fragrance is considered a "trade secret."

Most fragrances are derived from petroleum products, and generally haven’t been tested to see if they have any significant adverse health effects in humans when they are inhaled. (Tests usually focus on whether a fragrance causes skin irritation.) Some that have been tested raise concern. Phthalates are a group of chemicals often used in fragrances and also used to soften plastics. Studies show that phthalates disrupt hormones in animals.What can you do?

• Look for fragrance-free or naturally-scented laundry products.
• Switch to mild cleaners that don't include artificial fragrances.
• Stop using aerosol sprays -- deodorants, hair sprays, carpet cleaners, furniture polish, and air fresheners.
• Let in fresh air. Open windows so toxic chemicals don't build up in your home. What if you or your child has pollen allergies? Then keep rooms ventilated with a filtered air- conditioning system.
• Use sliced lemons and baking soda to get a clean scent in the kitchen.
• Bring nature indoors. Any room is prettier with a fern, spider plant, or aloe vera. It’s also healthier. NASA research shows that indoor plants like these act as living air purifiers -- the foliage and roots work in tandem to absorb chemical pollutants released by synthetic materials. If you have kids or pets, make sure the plants aren’t poisonous if ingested.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/indoor-air-quality