Topic: Health/Nutrition

States in U.S. With Higher Tax Rates Are Better for Children
A new index of child well-being finds a strong relationship among state tax rates, the size of state investments in children, and children's quality-of-life. The STATE Child Well-Being Index—developed for the Foundation for Child Development by demographers William O'Hare of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Mark Mather and Genevieve Dupuis of the Population Reference Bureau—provides the most-comprehensive measure of children's quality-of-life on a state-by-state basis. (February 2012)

Planning for Retirement and End-of-Life Care
This e-newsletter is the 24th in a series funded by the University of Michigan Demography Center. The topic highlights work by National Institute on Aging (NIA)-supported researchers and others that examines the impact of planning on the well-being of older people and their families. Many of the findings are based on analysis of data collected through the NIA-supported Health and Retirement Study (HRS) that surveys every two years a representative sample of Americans ages 51 and older. (January 2012)

Genetics Make Quitting Difficult for Some Smokers
Today's smokers are more strongly influenced by genetic factors than in the past and that influence makes it more difficult for them to quit, according to a new study of twins published in the December issue of the journal Demography. The study shows that adult identical twins sharing a common genetic structure are significantly more likely to quit smoking at the same time than are fraternal twins who do not share identical genes. (December 2011)

The Effects of Military Deployment on Family Health
Extended involvement of the United States military in Iraq and Afghanistan has led to new realities for military personnel and their families. The mental health consequences for returning and redeployed soldiers are well-established, but the psychological, financial, and social burden on the spouses and children of deployed military personnel is only now emerging as an important issue. On Oct. 28, 2011, the Population Reference Bureau and the Hopkins Population Center sponsored its 5th Annual Symposium on Policy and Health: "The Effects of Military Deployment on Family Health."

Integrating Coffee Agribusiness and Community Health Initiatives in Rwanda
Population, health, and environment approaches address the complex links between human health, environmental management, poverty, and population pressures in order to solve problems in areas critical for biodiversity and natural resource management. A relatively new USAID funding mechanism, "wrap-around," integrates USAID health funds into existing economic growth, livelihood, and conservation projects. The SPREAD Project in Rwanda's agribusiness programs focuses on research and extension of improved agricultural and processing practices to increase coffee quality and quantity, cooperative and business development assistance for farmer cooperatives and private enterprises. (October 2011)

PRB Discuss Online: Chronic Diseases Affect Youth Globally
In 2008, 36 million people died from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Deaths related to these chronic diseases are increasing, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Over half of deaths are associated with behaviors that begin or are reinforced during adolescence, including tobacco and alcohol use, poor eating habits, and lack of exercise. Global trends indicate that NCD-related behaviors are on the rise among young people, and that they establish patterns of behavior that persist throughout life and are often hard to change. Despite the contribution of adolescent health to reducing NCDs globally, the September 2011 High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York did not address these issues. What is known about adolescent contributions to NCDs? What are effective strategies to address them? In a PRB Discuss Online, Dr. Robert Blum, William H. Gates Sr. professor, and chair, Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and director, Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute, answered questions from participants about how chronic diseases affect youth and what we can do to prevent them. Read a transcript of the questions and answers. (September 2011)

Chronic Diseases Do Affect Youth
It may seem odd to put "youth" and "chronic diseases" in the same category. Worldwide, not many young people currently suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and lung disease, so why worry? The World Health Organization has made the answer abundantly clear. There is a global epidemic of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). And the four primary risk factors for these chronic diseases—tobacco, alcohol, lack of exercise, and poor nutrition—are typically initiated during adolescence or young adulthood, setting the stage for later disease. (September 2011)

The Effect of Girls' Education on Health Outcomes: Fact Sheet
This fact sheet outlines the links between education and improved health for girls and women. The studies link education with reduced child and maternal deaths, improved child health, and lower fertility. Women with at least some formal education are more likely than uneducated women to use contraception, marry later, have fewer children, and be better informed on the nutritional and other needs of children. (August 2011)

Noncommunicable Diseases and Youth in Developing Countries: Interview With Wendy Baldwin, PRB
A lot of attention is given to infectious diseases in developing countries such as malaria, measles, and HIV/AIDS, but noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs, are increasingly prevalent in developing countries as people move to cities, incomes rise, and lifestyles change. NCDs are diseases of long duration and generally slow progression. They include heart disease, cancer, asthma, and diabetes. In this interview, PRB president Wendy Baldwin discusses how NCDs affect youth and the challenges for burdened health systems. (August 2011)

Integrating Family Planning and Maternal/Child Health Services: Interview With Debbie Bain Brickley, UCSF
Offering family planning together with maternal and child health care is a cost-effective way to prevent unintended pregnancies among women, and contributes to a healthier population. In this interview, Debbie Bain Brickley, senior researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, discusses integrating family planning services with maternal and child health care. Brickley is a member of the Cochrane HIV/AIDS group, Global Health Sciences. The group has conducted a systematic review of research and evidence on family planning and maternal child health integration, funded by USAID. (August 2011)