About one in four adults in the United States suffers from arthritis, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vital Signs report. About 60 percent of the 54 million Americans with arthritis are between ages 18 and 64. Activity limitations from arthritis increased by 20 percent since 2002, the report found. Everyday tasks such as walking or lifting bags are challenging for 24 million Americans affected by the condition. Even though movement is painful and difficult for people with arthritis, the report suggests that increased physical activity can mitigate arthritis symptoms by 40 percent.
Stress can make the pounds accumulate
There is some evidence that stress prompts people to turn to sweet, high-calorie "comfort foods." Now scientists have confirmed a link between long-term stress and obesity. The new study quantified stress by measuring levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, in hair clippings. After controlling for other factors that might be linked to obesity, researchers found that the higher the level of cortisol, the greater the body weight, BMI and waist circumference. Higher cortisol levels were also associated with persistence of obesity over time.
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