IN THI LARG • C LE
study of the relationship between
obesi ty and vario di e e proce -
ses, researchers found ob i ty to be
associated with a doubling of the
prevalence of high blood pre ure, a
1.5-fold increase in' high blood
cholesterol and four time the
prevalence of diabetes.
While obesity alone is a ri k fac­
tor, it is frequently compounded by
high blood cholesterol that tends to
accompany it. Ob ity contributes to
an increase in total blood cholesterol
and low-density lipoprotein
chole terol through the blood
stream, says Dr. Luther Clark, of the
department of me4iclDc at State
University of New York Health
Science Center in Brooklyn.
Alzheimer� A
II Don.'
in
Y 0 un rlyf
e of the ob ity problem
mOD lac ppear to be cultural
in na ture, r ther than genetic,
uthori' y.
"A q tion that often co
bether amount of t COD-
umed by most African-America
. greater than that consumed by
white Americans," Clark poln out.
"Given the amount 0 pork, fried
food and organ food in the
African-American diet, it would p­
pear that thi . true. But lnce t
whit get more of their fat from
beef and other ouree ,it m y be the
type of fat, rather tbanj t the quan­
tity, that mat the dif erenee."
Th composition of the diet I an
important con ideration,
Wagenknecht agre . She cite a
Phil delphi tudy that found that
m t Black women do not share
many white women's intere t in
health-conscious diets built around
uch foods as fruit and low-fat cot­
tage cheese and yogurt. These Blac
women w�re much more frequent
consumers of high-fat, high-calorie
fast foods and wee .
"A cultural leaning toward foods
that are rich in saturated fats and
sweets, and perhaps a 1 favorable
attitude toward health-conscious
food may contribute to gre ter
levels of obesity in African-
Americans," he aid.
ocistion warn :
car
"Long term care insurance is no
guarantee against the cost of
t,\lzheimer' dl ea e, the greate t
long term care risk facing most
America families," according to a
report released recently by the
Alzheimer's Association.
"Don't Count On It! A Report on
long term care insurance coverage of
Alzheimer'S disease" was released
recently during a hearing of the U.S.
Senate Labor and Human Resource
Committee, chaired by Senator Ed­
ward Kennedy (MA).
The report is based on a study of
11 market-leading long term care in­
surance policies.
"Any insurance program-public
or private-that promise long term
care protection is not worth much
unless it covers care for a person with
Alzheimer's disease," tated
Michael Bartus. "the best we can say
about long term care insurance 15,
"Don't Count On It!"
ALZHEIMER'S DISEA E
currently affiic one in ten persons
over the age 65 and nearly half of
those who reach 85. Michael Bartus
described it as "the costliest and least
imuredillness that can trikeanolder
American."
"If you already have Alzheimer's
disease, or even memory problems
that may pr may not be Alzheimer'
disease, you can't buy insurance,"
Michael Bartus explained. "If you
buy a policy, you will spend much
$4,000 a year for the best available
coverage, but you will not be guaran­
teed protection if you get
Alzheimer' di "
'The oci don report found:
- Only ix of 11 polici will
assure that a policy holder who get
Alzheimer' di e can "get in the
door" to collect benefi
HEALTH
Other cultural factors that could
, affect women in p rticular may in­
clude the facts that Black women
tend to have children at an earlier
age, that they have more children on
the average, and that fewer Black
mothers bre tfeed their babies.
"THERE' GOOD bit of in-
formation that sugge t the
reproductive characteristic of
African-American women in com­
parison to white women may partial­
ly explain their higher frequency of
obesity," Wagenknecht ays. "Preg­
nancy and raising children greatly
impacts that life-style of a woman."
Having children often reduces
woman' tim for phy ieal activity.
If she has a child at a very young age,
thi may tart a weight gain e rlier in
life than if he waited to have
on long t rm
anc 'coverage II
- Of tbose ix, none 0 rs p- the highe t risk of Alzheimer' dis­
propriate home care benefits for ease.
Alzheimer's sufferers, and only two
"I you already
have Alzheimer's
disease, or even
memoryproblems
that mayor may .
not be Alzheimer's
disease, you can't
buy insurance. "
offer ufficient flexibility in the
"nursing home" benefit to cover the
kind of care mo t people with
Alzheimer' need and want.
- Only one policy continue
coverage for policy holders who for­
get to pay a premium because they
develop a cognitive impairment.
- None offers automatic infla­
tion protection, nor do the policie
provide for fixed premiums at a� 75
when a policy holder typically faced
declining d' cretionary income and
"IT'S VERY BLEAK picture,"
aid Michael Bartus.
To correct these problems, the
As ociationrecommends the follow­
ing action:
Congre must require minimum
national tandard for any long term
care in urance product on the
market.
. Until uch standards are in place,
Congre, hould not approve tax in­
centives for the ale or purchase of
long term care insurance.
Congre must enact comprehen­
sive ocial insurance to guarantee
basic protection for all Americans.
FOUNDED IN 1980, the
Alzheimer's Association a nation­
al voluntary health organization
dedicated to research into the cause,
cure and treatment of Alzheimer'
d ease and related di orders and to
providing upport ervice and
programs to the more than four mil­
lion Americans afflicted, their
families and caregivers. The As­
sociation works tbroughanetwor of
215 €hapters with more than 1,600
upport groups and 35,000 volun­
teers nationwide.
THE ITCH STOPS HE E!
Colodryl reli�ves poison ivy, insect
bites and allergiC rashes the way
plein calam' can't. Justu �I
lotion, Cream ex Spray as
and feel the CoJodryl diff ence
for yourself.
C 1991 'WaI -lambert Co
rnoking, lack of exerci e and high
blood chole terol a modifiable ri
f ctor f�r heart att ck .
"Knowledge and concern about
nutrition is lower among Blacks, and
they are le likely to change their
dietary habits to reduce their ri k of
'heart disea e and stroke," he ay .
"We beleive the current health
crisi confronting Black Americans
can be controlled only if there i
renewed commitment to expand re­
earch, improve public health
measure and include raci I
minoritie in clinical trials. Great
emph is must also be placed on '
identifying and rectifying environ- I
metal factors that underlie t en- I'
documented heal th difference
between Black and white," t
Cooper concludes. f
r-----------------------------------------------�--------------�- I
B-Complex Vitamins
The B-complex vitamins are water-soluble
and are found evenly distributed throughout the
body tissues. The B vitamins are 8-1 (thiamine),
8-2 (riboflavin), B�3 (niacin), B-5 (pantothenic
acid), 8-6 (pyridoxine), B-9 (folic acid) and 8-12
(cyanocobalamin). ,
Thiamine is needed to form part of a
co-enzyme that converts starch into energy for
the muscles and nervous system. Thiamine,
when used with vitamin A maintains mucous
membranes lining the respiratory, digestive,
circulatory and excretory tract.
It is required as a daily supplement for alcoholics, people with stomach
problems, burn patients and those suffering from liver disease. I
Thiamine, like all B-complex vitamins, can be depleted more readily than
?thers beca�se it is water-so.luble. Thiamine deficiency occurs when a person
IS undernourished. In most Circumstances, when a person is defiecient in one
of the B-complex vitamins, he may be deficient in other vitamins as well.
Those who are deficient in thiamine will experience symptoms such as
cracks and sores in the corners of the mouth, tongue and lip inflammation
light sensitivity i� the eyes, itching and scaling skin, trembling and fatigue. '
One B-comple?C supplement a. �ay can supply the required daily allowance
for 8-complex vitamins. In addition, a balanced diet is necessary. Include'
foods such as beef kidney, beef liver, rye or whole wheat bread, flour, brown
rice, wheat germ and dried chickpeas. Also include lots of green vegetables
and be sure not to overcook them, because this removes thiamine. '
children. And having everal
children clo e together decreases her
likelihood of weight 10 s after
childbirth.
In 1985, 65 percent of white
women breast-fed their infants while
only 33 percent of Black women
breast-fed theirs. Wagenknecht ays
a particular type of fat laid down
during pregnancy for breast-feeding
may be difficult to 10 e if a woman
doe n't breast-feed.
In addition, among Blacks, there
i less ocial stigma attached to
obesity. "African-American girl
aged 9 to 11 who were overweight
felt, much more ocially accepted
than did imilar- ized white girls,
ay Wagenknecht. "It seems that
African-Americans may have a more
tolerant attitude toward moderate
20178 Uv rnol.
(3 bl ofW 8 I)
Detroit, MI 48221
(313) 1-3303
overweight. "
THERE 0 imple olu-
tions to the problem of obesity and
its health implications among
Blacks, medical authorities agree. .
But they al 0 agree that firm and
immediate step hould b taken to
find olution, reg rdless of how
complex the problem may be.
Edward S. Cooper, M.D. the first
Black president-elect of the
Americ n Heart As celation, calls
the ituation "a tate of emergency in
the Black community," one that only
a massive educational effort can
re olve.
HECITESAFEDERAL urvey
showing that Blacks are le likely
than whites to identify obesity,
o
. ,
a
a
a
12854 Woodward
(01 ndale and W Davlaon)
Highland Park, MI 48203
(313) 887-0771
12884 E. Jeff r on
(Conn rand Chalmer.)
Droit, I 48214
(313) 331-0484
