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PARENTS FAIL TO SEE OBESE CHILDREN -- Many parents are failing to recognize obesity and overweight problems in their children, a British study finds. Researchers surveyed the parents of 277 children in Britain and found only a quarter recognized when their offspring were overweight. When children were obese, 33 percent of mothers and 57 percent of fathers thought their sons and daughters were "about right," according to a study in the British Medical Journal. In addition, parents were less likely to recognize overweight boys than girls in the study. The study authors say the findings also reveal some parents showed a lack of concern toward their children's weight problems.

TIPS FOR SAFE TEEN DRIVING -- A Maryland public health expert says the ultimate responsibility for safe teen driving rests with parents and guardians. "Parents need to do a much better job of monitoring and restricting the driving privileges of their teens," says Ken Beck. Research shows parents who set restrictions and monitor their children have teens who are significantly less likely to report a variety of high-risk activities, including unsafe driving. Driving restrictions should include: when - not late at night; where - not on high-speed and dangerous roads, and with whom - not with multiple passengers in the car, Beck said. His study, conducted for the state of Maryland, shows the vital role parents play. Beck includes other tips on the web site http://www.parentsofyoungdrivers.com

HEALTHY DRESSING -- Fat-free dressing may not be the most nutritious choice for your salads. A bit of healthy fat can help raw veggies pack a more powerful nutrient punch, according to research. In a new study, people who ate salads with dressings that had some fat in them absorbed more carotenoids from the vegetables compared to people who used non-fat dressing. Carotenoids are a family of potent antioxidants. Carotenoids protect against cancer and give fruits and veggies their bright red, orange, and yellow hues. Carotenoids are fat-soluble, which means they require fat in order to be absorbed in the small intestine. Remember, however, that fat is high in calories, so use fat-containing products such as salad dressing in moderation. Also, choose salad dressings with healthy fats, such as olive oil or canola oil, which are unsaturated and have a favorable effect on blood cholesterol levels. In a study, people who consumed salads with equal amounts of spinach, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and carrots absorbed more alpha carotene, beta carotene, and lycopene from the salads when they used fat-containing salad dressing.

UPBEAT NOW, HEALTHY BEATS LATER -- More and more research is suggesting that depression can impact heart health. Now a recent study in postmenopausal women revealed that even a mild case of the blues may increase the risk of developing heart disease down the road. When you feel a blue mood coming on, cut it short by spending time with good friends or going for a brisk walk. Short bouts of exercise can improve mood. Exercise helps to release mood-boosting hormones into the bloodstream. Exercise also helps you to foster a positive self-image. In a study, a group of women who began an exercise program felt better about their body image regardless of whether they lost weight.

ENERGY DRINKS AND ALCOHOL DO NOT MIX -- While energy drinks like "Red Bull" are a common choice these days, Health Canada says drinking them excessively and mixing them with alcohol can have serious health effects. Here's how to minimize your risk: Limit your consumption of energy drinks to 500 mL, or two cans per day. Do not mix energy drinks with alcohol. Rehydrate your system with water after intense physical activity or exercise. If you have an adverse reaction to energy drinks, seek medical attention.

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WELLNESS QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

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The bird flu strain that has devastated flocks and killed dozens of people in Asia has been confirmed in tests on birds from Romania, the Romanian agriculture ministry announced Saturday. The ministry said lab tests in Britain showed that the flu detected in wild birds found dead in the Danube delta is the H5N1 strain. That is the strain authorities around the world fear could mutate into a form that can be passed among people, leading to a global pandemic, the Associated Press reported. The announcement comes a week after H5N1 was discovered on a farm in Turkey, prompting the European Union (EU) to ban poultry imports from both Turkey and Romania. Meanwhile, the International Herald Tribune reported that EU health officials unveiled tough new measures to help eradicate the virus, including keeping poultry indoors to prevent contact with wild migratory birds that are bringing the disease westward from Asia. But the organization's top veterinary officials sought to temper growing alarm and stressed that the bird flu outbreak did not currently pose a public health risk. "Recent information from the outbreaks of this week in Romania and Turkey suggests that the disease remains confined to poultry and wild birds, and at this stage no human cases have been confirmed," the organization said in a statement. "Therefore, at present, avian influenza does not represent a risk to the general public."

Key facts about Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) and Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus (excerpted from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) web site at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/ ):

Q & A #1:
What is avian influenza (bird flu)?

Bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.

Q & A #2:
Do bird flu viruses infect humans? Bird flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but several cases of human infection with bird flu viruses have occurred since 1997.

Q & A #3:
What are the symptoms of bird flu in humans?

Symptoms of bird flu in humans have ranged from typical flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches) to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases (such as acute respiratory distress), and other severe and life-threatening complications. The symptoms of bird flu may depend on which virus caused the infection.

Q & A #4:
How does bird flu spread?

Infected birds shed flu virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with contaminated excretions or surfaces that are contaminated with excretions. It is believed that most cases of bird flu infection in humans have resulted from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces. The spread of avian influenza viruses from one ill person to another has been reported very rarely, and transmission has not been observed to continue beyond one person.

Q & A #5:
How is bird flu in humans treated?

Studies done in laboratories suggest that the prescription medicines approved for human flu viruses should work in preventing bird flu infection in humans. However, flu viruses can become resistant to these drugs, so these medications may not always work. Additional studies are needed to prove the effectiveness of these medicines.

Q & A #6:
What is the risk to humans from bird flu?

The risk from bird flu is generally low to most people because the viruses occur mainly among birds and do not usually infect humans. However, during an outbreak of bird flu among poultry (domesticated chicken, ducks, turkeys), there is a possible risk to people who have contact with infected birds or surfaces that have been contaminated with excretions from infected birds. The current outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1) among poultry in Asia and Europe is an example of a bird flu outbreak that has caused human infections and deaths. In such situations, people should avoid contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces, and should be careful when handling and cooking poultry. In rare instances, limited human-to-human spread of H5N1 virus has occurred, and transmission has not been observed to continue beyond one person.

Q & A #7:
What is an avian influenza A (H5N1) virus?

Influenza A (H5N1) virus - also called "H5N1 virus" - is an influenza A virus subtype that occurs mainly in birds. It was first isolated from birds (terns) in South Africa in 1961. Like all bird flu viruses, H5N1 virus circulates among birds worldwide, is very contagious among birds, and can be deadly.

Q & A #8:
What is the H5N1 bird flu that has been reported in Asia and Europe?

Outbreaks of influenza H5N1 occurred among poultry in eight countries in Asia (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, South Korea, Thailand , and Vietnam) during late 2003 and early 2004. At that time, more than 100 million birds in the affected countries either died from the disease or were killed in order to try to control the outbreak. By March 2004, the outbreak was reported to be under control. Beginning in late June 2004, however, new outbreaks of influenza H5N1 among poultry were reported by several countries in Asia (Cambodia, China [Tibet], Indonesia, Kazakhastan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Russia [Siberia], Thailand, and Vietnam). It is believed that these outbreaks are ongoing. Most recently, influenza H5N1 has been reported among poultry in Turkey and Romania. Human infections of influenza A (H5N1) have been reported in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Q & A #9:
What is the risk to humans from the H5N1 virus in Asia and Europe?

The H5N1 virus does not usually infect humans. In 1997. However, the first case of spread from a bird to a human was seen during an outbreak of bird flu in poultry in Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region. The virus caused severe respiratory illness in 18 people, 6 of whom died. Since that time, there have been other cases of H5N1 infection among humans. Recent human cases of H5N1 infection that have occurred in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam have coincided with large H5N1 outbreaks in poultry. The World Health Organization (WHO) also has reported human cases in Indonesia. Most of these cases have occurred from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces; however, it is thought that a few cases of human-to-human spread of H5N1 have occurred.

So far, spread of H5N1 virus from person to person has been rare and has not continued beyond one person. However, because all influenza viruses have the ability to change, scientists are concerned that the H5N1 virus one day could be able to infect humans and spread easily from one person to another. Because these viruses do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no immune protection against them in the human population. If the H5N1 virus were able to infect people and spread easily from person to person, an influenza pandemic (worldwide outbreak of disease) could begin. No one can predict when a pandemic might occur. However, experts from around the world are watching the H5N1 situation in Asia very closely and are preparing for the possibility that the virus may begin to spread more easily and widely from person to person.

Q & A #10:
How is infection with H5N1 virus in humans treated?

The H5N1 virus currently infecting birds in Asia that has caused human illness and death is resistant to amantadine and rimantadine, two antiviral medications commonly used for influenza. Two other antiviral medications, oseltamavir and zanamavir, would probably work to treat flu caused by the H5N1 virus, but additional studies still need to be done to prove their effectiveness.

Q & A #11:
Is there a vaccine to protect humans from H5N1 virus?

There currently is no commercially available vaccine to protect humans against the H5N1 virus that is being seen in Asia and Europe . However, vaccine development efforts are taking place. Research studies to test a vaccine to protect humans against H5N1 virus began in April 2005, and a series of clinical trials is underway.

Q & A #12:
What is the risk to people in the United States from the H5N1 bird flu outbreak in Asia and Europe?

The current risk to Americans from the H5N1 bird flu outbreak in Asia is low. The strain of H5N1 virus found in Asia and Europe has not been found in the United States . There have been no human cases of H5N1 flu in the United States. It is possible that travelers returning from affected countries in Asia could be infected if they were exposed to the virus. Since February 2004, medical and public health personnel have been watching closely to find any such cases.

For more information about avian influenza and food safety issues, visit the World Health Organization web site at http://www.who.int/foodsafety/micro/avian/en/ For more information about the H5N1 vaccine development process, visit the National Institutes of Health web site at http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2004/flucontracts.htm

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THE HERBAL CORNER