Can Fat Be Fit? & New Osteoporosis Drug

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7:00am Segment Info:
Do you remember that study that found people can be fat and fit at the same time?

Well now researchers are challenging that idea saying that being active and overweight can lower heart disease risk, but it doesn't eliminate it completely. A new study of nearly 39,000 women with an average age of 54 found that compared with normal-weight active women, the risk for developing heart disease was 54% higher if they were overweight and active, and 87% higher if they were obese and active.

But those numbers had to be better than women who didn't exercise at all.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP...

They were, to give you an idea, overweight women who didn't exercise had about the same risk as obese women who did exercise - so exercise helps there's no doubt, but carrying excess weight can raise the risk of heart disease by increasing blood pressure, cholesterol, and the risk of diabetes. Exercise even moderate exercise counteracts all three. But if you really want to lower your risk of heart disease, you've got to lose the weight as well.

Speaking of heart problems and women, there's a new report about the drug Fosamax.

Many older women take Fosamax to prevent osteoporosis.

Now a new study finds women who take it may be at an increased risk of developing an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation. While this isn't usually a life threatening rhythm, it can lead to strokes. And this particular study found it increased the risk by 86%.

Should women stop taking the drug?

Not at all, in fact the there are a lot of studies on this. Some found a much lower risk and some found no risk at all. If you're taking this medication it's probably a good idea to talk to your doctor especially if you have other conditions that may predispose you to develop atrial fibrillation, but for the most part, the study concluded that for most women the drug's benefits outweigh the risks.

8:00am Segment Info:
A concerning report from the CDC this morning.

A quarter of american children are not meeting the government's recommendations for childhood vaccinations. They say 28 children between 18 months and three years of age did not either get the right number of doses of vaccines or get them on time. About 2/3’s of those were due to missed doses. This is a serious concern because doses that are given too early or too close together are not as effective as doses that are given the proper spacing and the proper age.

Why is this happening?

Part of the problem is that there are so many shots and the schedule is very complex. It can be tough for parents to get their kids to the doctor for the shots they need. But while these numbers are higher than expected for the vast majority of parents are bringing their children to get vaccinated.

In other news, there's another good reason to eat chocolate. Especially when you're pregnant.

A new study finds indulging in chocolate during pregnancy can help prevent preeclampsia, a condition where blood pressure rises during pregnancy. Researchers say chocolate stimulates the heart, relaxes smooth muscle and dilates blood vessels, and has been used to treat chest pain, high blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries.

How much chocolate do you have to eat to have this beneficial effect?

In this study, women who ate five or more servings of chocolate a week in their third trimester of pregnancy were 40% less likely to develop preeclampsia than those who ate chocolate less than once a week. But it's not a license to pig out on chocolate. Remember too much of a good thing can be bad for you.