The American journal of medicine
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Dietary fiber may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors. We examined trends in dietary fiber intake among diverse US adults between 1999 and 2010, and investigated associations between dietary fiber intake and cardiometabolic risks including metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular inflammation, and obesity. ⋯ Low dietary fiber intake from 1999-2010 in the US, and associations between higher dietary fiber and a lower prevalence of cardiometabolic risks suggest the need to develop new strategies and policies to increase dietary fiber intake.
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Reports suggest worse health-related outcomes among black (vs white) men diagnosed with prostate cancer, but appropriate cause-effect inferences are complicated by the relationship of race and other prognostic factors. ⋯ Mortality among black and white patients with prostate cancer is similar in equal-access healthcare systems. Studies that find racial differences in mortality (including cause-specific mortality) among men with prostate cancer may not account fully for socioeconomic and clinical factors.
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Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte abnormality in hospitalized patients and is associated with adverse outcomes, but its prevalence and significance in the general US population is unknown. Our aims were to determine the prevalence of hyponatremia and its association with mortality in the population. ⋯ Our findings suggest that hyponatremia is a predictor of mortality in the general population independently of age, gender, and comorbid conditions.
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Acquired hearing loss is highly prevalent, but prospective data on potentially modifiable risk factors are limited. In cross-sectional studies, higher body mass index (BMI), larger waist circumference, and lower physical activity have been associated with poorer hearing, but these have not been examined prospectively. ⋯ Higher BMI and larger waist circumference are associated with increased risk, and higher physical activity is associated with reduced risk of hearing loss in women. These findings provide evidence that maintaining healthy weight and staying physically active, potentially modifiable lifestyle factors, may help reduce the risk of hearing loss.