Healt Briefs
by"- MARIANN MEISTER FISHBEIN
News Writer
African American
infant mortality
HYATTSVIILLE, MD -- African
American infants suffer twice thie mor-
tality rate of white infants, even when
both parents are college-educated, ac-
cording to a study in the June 4 New
England Joumal of Medicine.
Researchers found that, in contrast
to African American infants in the
general population, African American
infants born to college-educated
parents have higher mortal'ity rates than
similar white infants. They say the
reason is higher rates of low and very
low birt weights among African
American infants.
More African American thian white
women received late or no prenatal
care; however, this doesn't account for
the gap in mortal'ity rates, researchers
said. Instead, researchers point to othier
possible reasons, includ'ing: te effects
of ongoing inadequate access to health
care, and te chronic stress associated
with being African American in
America.
Researchers also cited a positive
finding: African American and white
infants of normal birth weights have
equivalent mortality rates.
Researchers based their findings on
U.S. birthi and infant death certificates
filed from 1983 to 1985.
Cow's milk triggers
diabetes mellitis
TORONTO Cow's milk may in-
--
crease the possibility that a newborn
with an inherited risk for diabetes will
develop insulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus, according to a new study pub-
lished in the July 30 New England
Journal of Medicine.
While the study does not prove that
cow'9s milk or cow's milk-based for-
mula is dangerous for children who are
genetically predisposed to diabetes, it
traces a clear connection between con-
suming the milk and later development
of diabetes mellitus.
Researchers from the Hospital for
Sick Children in the Departrnent of
Pedilatrics and Immunology at the
University of Toronto studied 142
diabetic FinIiish children. They found
that cow's milk triggered the immune
system to produce antibodies that attack
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Copyright 1992 by the American Academy of Pediatrics, an organization of 43,000 pediatricians dedicated to
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Researchers recently found that African American infants suffer twice the
mortalfty rate of white Infants, despite their parents' education levels.
a protein in the milk that is similar to
one on cells that produce insulin. These
antibodies inadvertently damaged in-
sulin-producing cells when attacking
the cow-produced protein, according to
the study.
The research team also found that
it wasn't until nine months that the im-
mune system leamned to distinguish
between thie two proteins. By this time,
damage is iffeversible and a future in-
fection attacks and weakens many of
the insulin-producing cells. It takes a
future illness or virus for the diabetes
to appear.
Teens and AIDS:
reducing risky behavior
BETHESDA, MD -- Providing
adolescents with infonnation about the
connection between AIDS and risky
sexual behavior discourages them to
become sexually active, according to
a recent study funded by the National
Institutes of Child Health and Human
Development (NICHD).
Participants in the study included
more than 150 Afiican American
adolescent males from a local medical
clinic, a high school and a YMCA in
thie Philadelphia area. Of those who at-
tended high school, one third reported
having had sex with more thian one
partner in the previous three months.
The participating adolescents were
randomly assigned to eithier a career
opportunities class or an AIDS educa-
tion class, where they were informed
a-bout sexually transmitted diseases and
the risks associated withi IV-drug use
and specific sexual activities. Educa-
tilonal methods included videotapes,
small-group discussions, games and
othier exercises involving active par-
ticipation.
Three months later, those who
received AIDS education reported
weaker intentilons to engage in risky
sexual behavior than adolescents who
were assigned to the career oppor-
tunities class.
The study appeared in the March
1992 Journal of Public Healthi.
More children at risk
for eating disorders
CHARLESTON, S.C.-- An alarm-
ing number of children, ages 10 to 13
years, have demonstrated symptoms or
are potential candidates for developing
serious eating disorders, according to
The Kids Eating Disorders Survey.
T'he self-report survey of more than
3,100 grade school children in S.
Carolina showed thiat more than 40 per-
cent of the participants thought they
were overweight.
The report also identified a high fre-
quency of weight control behaviors
among the children, including dieting
(3 1 percent), fasting (9 percent), vomit-
ing (4.8 percent), and the use of diet
pills (2.5 percent) or diuretics (1.5 per-
cent).
Owen Christian
Weight: not just an 'adult' Issue.
These weilght control practices have
adverse effects, including: extreme
emaciation and a higher risk ofdevelop-
ing othier senious eating disorders. In
addition, these practices can lead to
convulsions, renal faillure, cardiac ar-
rhythmias, gastric rupture and
osteoporosis, researchers said. In
adolescent females, eating disorders
can delay the onset of menstruation and
permanently minimnize - stature and
breast development. Researchers found
that thiese behaviors were more com-
mon in females than males.
For more infonnation about the sur-
vey, contact the National Mental Health
Association at (703) 684-7722.
Drug may decrease
variety of infections
BETHESDA, MD Scientists at the
--
National Institute of Child Healthi and
Human Development (NICHD) found
that Intravenous immune globulin
(IVIG) is effective against a wide
spectrum of bacterial and viral infec-
tions.
IVIG is a solution given intravenous-
ly that contains concentrated
antibodies. The antibodies, actually
proteins produced by thie body, help
kill bactenia and othier infectious agents.-
These antibodies are present in the
blood of normal, healthy donors and
are purified and prepared for infusion
into individuals who need them.
Researchers found that IVIG not
only prevents a single type of infection,
such as pneumococcal disease, but it
also is effective against a broad
spectrum of infecti'ons due to different
kinds of organisms, including: serious
bacterial infections such as
bloodstream infections and pneumonia;
minor bacterial infections such as ear
and skin infections; and a number of
othier viral infections that can cause sig-
nificant disease in children, according
to NICHD officials.
Last year, NICHD scientists dis-
covered that IVIG reduced the
incidence of serious bacterial infections
and hospiltalization in HIV-infected
children.
Although IVIG reduced the frequen-
cy of serious and minor bacterial and
viral 'infections seen in HIV-infected
children, it is not a cure for HIV in-
fection or AIDS, or a substitute for
antiretroviral or prophylaxis agailnst
Pneumocystis carnii pneumonia, a
severe type of pneumonia common in
HIV-infected people.
The findings of thie study were pub-
lished in thie July 22 Joumnal of the
American Medical Association.
Editor's note: Health Briefs sum-
marizes journal and magazine articles.,
news reports, child health statistics and
new resources of interest to
pediatricians and parents. To submit
a Health Brief, contact: Mariann
Meister Fishbein, News Writer, AAP
News, American Academy of
Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Blvd.,
P.O. Box 927, Elk Grove Village, IL
60009-0927; (800) 433-9016., ext.
6791.