Can environmental interventions reduce the consumption of sugar sweetened drinks? A new Cochrane review.

Sugar‐sweetened beverages (SSBs) have become part of most people's everyday lives. They are cold and hot drinks containing added sugar. Typical SSBs are non‐diet soft drinks, regular soda, iced tea, sports drinks, energy drinks, fruit punches, sweetened waters, and sweetened tea and coffee.

Source: Unsplash

Environmental interventions to reduce the consumption of sugar‐sweetened beverages and their effects on health. Cochrane Systematic Review - Intervention Version published: 12 June 2019

Peter von Philipsborn,Jan M Stratil,Jacob Burns,Laura K Busert,Lisa M Pfadenhauer,Stephanie Polus, Christina Halzapel, Hans Hauner and Eva Rehfuess.

The authors of this review wanted to find out whether the measures taken so far have made a difference to the amount of SSBs people consume, and whether it's led to an improvement their health. They focused on measures that change the environment in which people make drink choices. They did not look at studies on educational programs or on SSBs taxes, as these are examined in separate reviews. They did however, look at the increased prices of SSBs that were not due to taxes.

The review shows that actions which change the environment in which people make beverage choices can help people drink less SSB. Based on the findings it is suggested that such measures may be used more widely. Government officials, business community members and health professionals implementing such measures should work together with researchers to find out more about their effects in the short and long term.

Read more here.

MNCLHD Newsletter

Paramedic PTSD double that of other health professionals

Rates of PTSD among Australian paramedics are estimated to be twice as high as other health professionals, according to a new study.

Research commissioned by the Ambulance Employees Association (AEA) and conducted by Flinders University, found that paramedics are the ‘forgotten profession’ within the healthcare system and are not receiving enough help to overcome psychological injuries caused by accumulated traumas they confronted by in their work.

The situation is often compounded by the fact that WorkCover (called Return to Work in South Australia) claims are prolonged, stressful and often difficult, as burden of proof is hard to establish and the onus is on an individual to provide evidence of psychological injury while they are unwell.

Read more here at Hospital and Healthcare

How to navigate complex ethical dilemmas

When our care system is in crisis, how do hospitals decide how to distribute scarce resources?

The recent crisis in Queensland’s hospital system shines a light on the complex challenges practitioners and administrators grapple with every day.

Hospitals were faced with multiple public health events, a glitch-ridden system upgrade, and a bed shortage that led to emergency departments dealing with a flood of people seeking help and waiting days for admission. Experts warned that the situation was heading to a point where lives were at risk.

How should hospitals tackle this impossible task? Click here to read more

                                                                                                          source: Hospital & Healthcare

Flashback Friday - Can you have your curry and eat it too?

Revisiting an article whose lead author is our very own Alan Tankel.

The VHOT (Vindaloo Hastens Outpouring of Tropinins) Study.

Alan S. Tankel, Yusuf Nagree, Peter Jones, David Mountain, Stephen P.J. MacDonald, Paul Hill, Martin Than. (2016) Emergency Medicine Australasia 28(6): 654-657.

In this study the authors considered that multiple cardiac and non-cardiac processes may cause elevation of highly sensitive troponin (hsTn), they postulated that the consumption of a seriously hot vindaloo might cause and increase in hsTn levels in healthy volunteers.

This study undertook to investigate the risks involved in consumption of "seriously hot" Lamb Vindaloo vs the mild yogurt and cream based curry "for those very odd people who do not like their curries too spicy" Butter Chicken. The 30 volunteer participants who were staff at the hospital where the study was undertaken, enjoyed a fabulous meal of butter chicken and this was followed up to weeks later with the seriously hot lamb vindaloo - side dishes accompanied both meals.

This was a prospective observational cohort study with pre-test post-test bloods drawn for hsTn levels. To cut to the chase so as not to ruin it all for you; it's fabulous for all of us spicy hot curry lovers, that eating vindaloo does not seem to be a risk factor for troponitis, and people may consume their curries safely with reasonable confidence that their meal will not cause significant damage to their myocardium.

The researchers were assisted by "Big Pharma", who demonstrated how to conduct a post hoc analysis, maximising the opportunity to obtain results to support the researchers' predetermined conclusions. However the study was still negative and therefore of no commercial value to anyone. The volunteers paid for their own meals and no external funding was obtained.

I very much enjoyed reading this article and have not spoiled all of the good bits for you. I'm visiting India later in the year so am very pleased that there will be no problem eating my way through various curries! If you would like to obtain the full text of this awesomely amusing yet informative article contact your Librarian at Coffs or Port Macquarie for a copy.