From Newsweek's cover story: New research shows how some common tests and procedures aren’t just expensive, but can do more harm than good. 

The article ends by stating: "Many doctors don't seem to be getting the message about useless and harmful health care. Medicare pays them more than $100 million a year for screening colonoscopies; some 40 percent are for people in whom they will almost certainly harm more than help. Arthroscopic knee surgery for osteoarthritis is performed about 650,000 times a year; studies show that it, too, is no more effective than placebo treatment, yet taxpayers and private insurers pay for it. And although several large studies, including the Occluded Artery Trial in 2006, have shown that inserting a stent to prop open a blocked artery more than 24 hours after a heart attack does not improve survival rates or reduce the risk of another coronary compared with drugs alone, the practice continues at a rate of 100,000 such procedures a year, estimate researchers led by Dr. Judith Hochman, a cardiologist at New York University. "We're killing more people than we're saving with these procedures," says UT's Goodwin. "It's as simple as that."

Actually, this research is not so new. There are many books and reports that have been around for a while that discuss the over-testing, over-diagnosis, and over-treatment of Americans. Hey, it's a huge business.

Based on my research, I will forgo the EKG, chest  x-ray, and PSA test.

For additional information and a fascinating read, check out this article: Lies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science.

Here we go again: The "study of the day". This article states: A sweeping review of shifts in the labor force since 1960 suggests that a sizable portion of the national weight gain can be explained by declining physical activity during the workday.

Here's the thing: Of course, we're less active in the workplace. Most, not all, people sit in front of a computer for much of the day. We need a study to tell us the obvious? 

We've known this for a long time. That's why there have been tips like  this: Use the stairs, park far away from the office, get up during the day and move.

Here's the article in the New York Times.

Here's my prediction: Studies like this will be used to sell workstation treadmills.

Say what? Now read a review of that headline and article. This is one of the reasons that I am constantly telling people to ignore the research. You can read the review here.

This article (Medicine on the Move) in the New York Times will shed some light on the subject. Or for a very in-depth read, I suggest Lies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science.

I also recommend subscribing to Gary Schwitzer's blog: Health News Review. 

Living a healthy lifestyle ain't that difficult. You just have to want to do it. As I advise people in my book, ignore the study of the day. Frequently, the studies are contradictory and confusing. Thus, if you ignored the research of the day, you would not have been taking vitamin D supplements*.

The latest and greatest: As of today, we are being advised that we do not need vitamin D supplements. We, in fact, get enough from our wonderful Sun. 

This cartoon appears in my book. Once again, point made!

This article states:The very high levels of vitamin D that are often recommended by doctors and testing laboratories — and can be achieved only by taking supplements — are unnecessary and could be harmful, an expert committee says. Read on.

Here's another interesting article by Marion Nestle. Wise advise almost two years ago.

In this article, Dr. David Katz responds and sheds some light on the vitamin D hoopla.

I also recommend reading: Lies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science (not about vitamin D).

*My multivitamin contains 1,600 IUs of vitamin D and since I love nature, I am outside frequently. Thus, I get plenty of vitamin D.

Before you believe all the research findings that you hear about, I recommend reading these articles:

Lies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science

Experts and Studies: Not Always Trustworthy

And, I subscribe to this blog: Health News Review.

Other interesting reads.

Here's a report on this study. It states: 

These so-called "empty calories," mainly in soda, pizza and desserts, are fueling the obesity epidemic among young people and putting them at risk for developing weight-related illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease, the U.S. government researchers said.

I've got news for you: I didn't need a study to tell me the obvious and the same problem exists for adults.