Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Nearly 1 in 3 US Teens Has Prediabetes, CDC Data Indicate
A new federal estimate shows a rise in prediabetes among American adolescents, a finding that is spurring concerns about the health of U.S. children — and the way Trump administration health officials are conducting research and communicating information, experts said. In 2023, nearly 1 in 3 U.S. youngsters ages 12 to 17 had prediabetes, according to recently released data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That is far higher than a previous estimate that the condition affects about 1 in 5 kids. (Aleccia, 7/10)
Barbie is expanding its repertoire with the launch of a doll that has Type 1 diabetes and is outfitted with medical devices, such as a wearable insulin pump, commonly used by people with the condition. Mattel announced the newest member of its Barbie Fashionistas line on Tuesday, saying that it not only lets children see themselves in the doll, but also encourages play "that extends beyond a child’s own lived experience." The doll has a continuous glucose monitor attached to her arm and an insulin pump attached to her waist. (Madani, 7/9)
Jerry Abrams, a 64-year-old marketing strategist in Minneapolis, used to run marathons. But two decades of degenerative spine disease have left him unable to run — and he's grieving. For Abrams, losing running felt like "the loss of a loved one – that friend who's been with you every day you needed him. "You know, having that taken away from you because of pain is the hardest thing of all," he says. (Lupkin, 7/10)
A scroll through Aurora McCausland’s wildly popular social media accounts — she has more than 300,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram — shows an active young mom dancing, cleaning and tackling major renovation projects in her Utah home. Behind the scenes, though, is a painful reality: McCausland has lipedema, a progressive and debilitating disease that causes fat in connective tissue to build up disproportionately, most often in the legs, ankles and hips. (Edwards, Patterson, Herzberg and Gilbard, 7/10)
Doing exercises that increase your heart and breathing rate on a regular basis may reduce your risk of an early death across all causes by up to 40%, according to a new meta-analysis of 85 studies that looked at 7 million people worldwide. (LaMotte, 7/10)
