The clinical course of osteoporosis in anorexia nervosa: a longitudinal study of cortical bone mass

Article Abstract:

Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric condition characterized by restricted food intake accompanied by an intense fear of gaining weight, a faulty perception of body image, and mood changes. It generally affects young women, but can occur in men as well, and is associated with weight loss, malnutrition, and loss of bone mass. Previous studies have indicated that anorexia nervosa causes a loss of bone mass (osteoporosis), which may increase the likelihood of bone fracture. It is not known what causes this loss of bone mass, but it is thought that malnutrition, vitamin D deficiency, estrogen deficiency, and excess cortisol may be involved. Also, it is not known whether the lost bone mass returns during recovery from anorexia nervosa. To investigate this further, 27 women with anorexia nervosa were examined over a period of 25 months and the effect of weight gain, estrogen and calcium supplements, and exercise on bone mass was determined. At the beginning of the study, bone density was measured (by single-photon absorptiometry) in all of the women, and was found to be low. During the follow-up period, the women exercised, took calcium supplements, and gained weight. Less than half of the women were able to gain enough weight to reach 80 percent of their ideal body weight, had their menstrual cycle return to normal, or received estrogen supplements. During the follow-up period bone density increased slightly, but there was no difference in bone density between the women who were able to reach 80 percent of their ideal body weight and those who did not. Also, there was no difference in bone density between the women who exercised, took calcium or estrogen supplements and those who did not. Two of the women had bone fractures prior to entering the study, and four others developed bone fractures during the study period. It is concluded that bone density that is lost during anorexia nervosa is not rapidly recovered during recovery from anorexia nervosa, and that this loss of bone mass may increase the risk of fractures. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Measurement, Causes of, Complications and side effects, Physiological aspects, Anorexia nervosa, Osteoporosis, Bone regeneration

---

No-smoking laws in the United States: an analysis of state and city actions to limit smoking in public places and workplaces

Article Abstract:

The majority of laws to regulate smoking in public places and, hence, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are state and local ordinances, rather than federal ones. Therefore, restrictions vary widely, and little is known about their effects. To learn more about the extent of no-smoking laws at a time when the tobacco industry plans to try to block new legislation and reverse current laws, a study was undertaken of state and local no-smoking laws (covering cities with populations of 25,000 or more). Letters requesting information concerning such laws were sent to each state's Legislative Reference Bureau and to city clerks. No-smoking ordinances were defined as those that specifically restricted or banned tobacco smoking in one or more public places or workplaces to protect people from ETS exposure; thus, fire hazard laws were excluded. Ninety-two percent (922) of 980 cities responded and copies of laws were obtained from 404 cities. By July 1989, some form of smoking restriction had been adopted in 44 states and 500 cities, or 51 percent of those surveyed. However, the content of these laws varied. Cities in major tobacco-producing states had fewer laws, while Western cities had more laws. States with fewer adult smokers also had more laws. Some proportion of the cities studied had laws that limited smoking in government buildings (42 percent), public places (27 percent), restaurants (24 percent), or private workplaces only (18 percent). Comprehensive laws limiting smoking in all four of these environments had been passed in only 17 percent of the cities and 20 percent of the states. City no-smoking laws had increased by a factor of 10 between 1980 and 1989. Overall, no-smoking ordinances are relatively widespread but rarely comprehensive. Additional state and local action is needed to curtail ETS exposure. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Laws, regulations and rules, Smoking, Passive smoking

---

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Teaching the use of bases and liners: a survey of North American dental schools. Disinfectant and communication practices: a survey of U.S. dental laboratories
• Abstracts: Physical and pharmacologic restraint of nursing home patients with dementia: impact of specialized units. Low Bone Mineral Density and Risk of Fracture in White Female Nursing Home Residents
• Abstracts: National patterns in the treatment of smokers by physicians. US College Students' Use of Tobacco Products: Results of a National Survey
• Abstracts: Alcohol consumption and mortality among middle-aged and elderly U.S. adults. Smoking vs Other Risk Factors as the Cause of Smoking-Attributable Deaths: Confounding in the Courtroom
• Abstracts: Does tobacco advertising target young people to start smoking? evidence from California. A comparison of smoking patterns in the People's Republic of China with the United States: an impending health catastrophe in the Middle Kingdom

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.