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clippings

Indian Pediatr 2012;49: 770

Clippings


K Rajeshwari

Email: [email protected]  
 

After-school dance reduces risk factors for heart disease (J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 2012; 25(5-6):509-16)


Forty-three percent of New York City’s (NYC) school-age children are overweight or obese, placing them at risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).The objective of this study was to determine if an intensive after-school dance and lifestyle education program would reduce risk factors for heart disease, T2DM, and improve lifestyle choices. Subjects included were 64 fourth- and fifth-grade students at an elementary school in NYC. Students received freestyle dance and lifestyle classes for 16 weeks and were evaluated for changes in body composition, endurance, biochemical measurements, and lifestyle choices. Significant improvements in BMI percentiles were found among children in the overweight and obese categories as well as in endurance and biochemical measurements that reflect heart disease and diabetes risk. Improvement was also reported in lifestyle choices. An intensive after-school dance and lifestyle education program can reduce risk factors for heart disease and T2DM and improve lifestyle choices among elementary school children.


Honey for acute cough (Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012 Mar 14;3:CD007094)


This meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of honey for acute cough in children in ambulatory settings. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing honey given alone, or in combination with antibiotics, versus nothing, placebo or other over-the-counter cough medications to participants aged from two to 18 years for acute cough in ambulatory settings were included. The studies compared the effect of honey with dextromethorphan, diphenhydramine and ‘no treatment’ on symptomatic relief of cough using the 7-point Likert scale. Honey was better than ‘no treatment’ in reducing frequency of cough. Moderate quality evidence suggests honey did not differ significantly from dextromethorphan in reducing cough frequency. Low quality evidence suggests honey may be slightly better than diphenhydramine in reducing cough frequency. It was concluded that there is no strong evidence for or against the use of honey.


 

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