American journal of preventive medicine
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Both medication and surgical interventions can be used to treat obesity, yet their use and effectiveness in routine clinical practice are not clear. This study sought to characterize the prevalence and management of patients with obesity within a large U.S. academic medical center. ⋯ Despite a high prevalence of obesity within primary care clinics of a large, U.S. academic health center, the use of pharmacologic and surgical therapies was low, and most patients had no weight change over 3 years. This highlights the significant need for improvement in obesity care at a health system level.
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Firearm injuries and motor vehicle injuries are 2 leading causes of fatal injury in the U.S., each accounting for approximately 35,000 deaths annually. Research on firearm injuries is under-represented compared with research on motor vehicle collisions. This study seeks to identify perceived barriers to firearm injury research versus motor vehicle injury research. ⋯ When compared with motor vehicle injury researchers, firearm injury researchers are significantly more likely to report limited support and threats to personal safety as barriers to research. Further research to understand the impact of these barriers and methods to overcome them is needed.
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Health and safety warnings are a regular part of the consumer protection landscape. However, the only sugar-sweetened beverage policy passed to date was found unconstitutional under the First Amendment. This paper evaluates sugar-sweetened beverage warning policies in light of existing health and safety warnings on consumer products and the First Amendment. ⋯ Sugar-sweetened beverage warning policies that mirror health and safety warnings long established as permissible on other consumer products should be considered constitutional; however, evolving First Amendment jurisprudence leaves outstanding questions, especially on the interpretation of controversy, formatting requirements, and levels of required specificity for warning language.
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Diabetes might confer a modestly increased risk of latent tuberculosis infection, which without treatment can progress to active tuberculosis disease. Three recent analyses of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found a positive association between diabetes and a positive test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. This study examines whether prevalence of a positive test still varies by diabetes status after stratifying by race/ethnicity. ⋯ Hispanic and Asian subpopulation results drove much of the previously reported positive association between diabetes and a positive test for M. tuberculosis infection. Hispanic and Asian adults with diabetes might particularly benefit from screening and treatment for latent tuberculosis infection.