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Div. of Media Relations
1600 Clifton Road
MS D-14
Atlanta, GA 30333
(404) 639-3286
Fax (404) 639-7394 |
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Synopsis for October 15, 1999
MMWR articles are embargoed until 4 p.m. Eastern
time on Thursday.
- Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Safer and
Healthier Foods
- Folic Acid Campaign and Evaluation — Southwestern
Virginia, 1997-1999
- Self-Reported Asthma in Adults and Proxy-Reported
Asthma in Children — Washington, 1997-1998
Synopsis for October 15, 1999
Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Safer and Healthier Foods
One of the greatest achievements of this century has been the production
of safer and healthier foods.
PRESS CONTACT:
Julia Smith, M.P.H.
CDC, National Center for Infectious Diseases
(404) 639-4647
(Alternate: Tim Hensley, National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention & Health Promotion, 770-488-5820) |
Early in the 20th century, contaminated food, milk, and water were
responsible for many foodborne infections including typhoid fever,
tuberculosis, botulism, and scarlet fever. Once the characteristics and
sources of foodborne diseases were identified, they could be controlled by
new technology and procedures: handwashing, sanitation, refrigeration,
pasteurization, pesticide application and reduction of foodborne
pathogens. Similarly, nutritional sciences were in their infancy at the
start of the 20th century. Requirements of protein, calories, vitamins,
and other nutrients necessary to prevent diseases caused by dietary
deficiencies were unknown. Classic nutritional deficiency diseases such as
rickets, scurvy, beri-beri and pellagra were thought to be infectious
diseases. By 1916, emerging data led to the discovery that food also
contained vitamins.
Folic Acid Campaign and Evaluation — Southwestern Virginia, 1997-1999
A community based folic acid campaign, with multiple partners and a
limited budget, resulted in increases of awareness and knowledge about the
benefits of folic acid.
PRESS CONTACT:
Kristin Broome, M.P.H.
CDC, National Center for Environmental Health
(770) 488-7160 |
Southwest Virginia was identified as having a higher rates of birth
defects compared to Virginia. With minimal resources, the community
implemented a campaign based on the 1992 U.S. Public Health Service
recommendation that all women of childbearing age, who are capable of
becoming pregnant, consume 400 mcg (0.4 mg) of folic acid every day to
decrease their risk of having a pregnancy affected with spina bifida or
other neural tube defects. The southwest Virginia campaign showed
increases in awareness and knowledge about the benefits of folic acid
among childbearing age women. National surveys indicate that awareness of
folic acid among reproductive-aged women increased from 52% in 1995 to 68%
in 1998.
Self-Reported Asthma in Adults and Proxy-Reported Asthma in Children —
Washington, 1997-1998
More state and local data on asthma is needed to better target asthma
intervention programs.
PRESS CONTACT:
Steve Redd, M.D.
CDC, National Center for Environmental Health
(770) 488-7320 |
This article reports the lifetime prevalence of asthma among adults and
children in Washington State. Overall, asthma was reported among 10.8% of
adults and 10.1% of children. Adults with asthma were twice as likely to
report a fair or poor health status, compared with adults without asthma
(18.8% vs. 9.9%). These estimates of asthma prevalence are higher than the
current national estimates of asthma in the past year of 5.4%. While
differences in the specific questions used may explain the differences
between the national and state data, there may also be state and local
differences in the incidence, prevalence, and severity of asthma. More
state and local data is needed to better target asthma intervention
programs.
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