Health Trends in 2007

In 2007, health and fitness news ran the gamut from the very good (healthier restaurant food) to the bad (dangerously lead-laden toys), with stops in between for the very sneaky (hiding veggies in other dishes) and the jaw-droppingly weird (toys laced with date-rape drug). Here’s a recap of the year that was, but this isn’t just ancient history: These trends and issues will carry on into 2008, as the regulatory, medical and nutritional communities look to address concerns and build on recent breakthroughs.

Hot in 2007

Sleep medications

With more than half of the population reportedly suffering from at least occasional insomnia, sleeplessness has become something of a national epidemic. So it’s no surprise that we’re spending $4.5 billion a year on drugs designed to give people back their zzz’s. And if your Ambien or Lunesta still don’t lull you into the restful sleep you crave, you could always try a $60,000 handmade Hasten’s mattress.

Tricking your children

Can’t get your kids to eat their vegetables? Well, apparently you’re not alone, judging by the fuss over Jessica Seinfeld’s new book full of vegetable trickery. Recipes for broccoli-battered chicken nuggets and brownies that hide pureed carrots and spinach in the batter have vaulted Deceptively Delicious to the top of The New York Times best seller list. But some critics claim that all you’re doing is teaching kids not to bother eating vegetables—and who would when you can eat brownies instead?

Going green

As trends go, this one has not only swept the nation like wildfire, but it also seems to have long-term staying power. According to Mintel, a consumer trend-tracking company, the green products market has topped $500 billion a year. Besides eating organic food (now readily available at discounters like Wal-Mart and Costco), using cleaning products that don’t pollute the environment (or your home), and buying phthalate-free plastic bottles and toys, more and more people are going green while they drive. The market for hybrid cars, as well as the number of models available, continues to grow. And to sweeten the deal, some insurance companies are offering discounts to hybrid drivers and companies like Google and Bank of America implemented incentive programs for employees who drive green.

Medical tourism

By some estimates, more than 300,000 Americans traveled abroad for medical care in 2007. Not that surprising when you consider that you could save tens of thousands of dollars on surgery by having it done someplace like India or Thailand. This savings is especially attractive to the millions of Americans who don’t have health insurance. Rather than having to come up with over $40,000 for a hip replacement stateside, you could travel to Asia and have it done for about $12,000. Of course, like all bargain hunting, the buyer must beware. Critics cite concerns about substandard care, but in most cases, medical tourists are no longer just those seeking plastic surgery mixed with a beach vacation. In fact, so-called “health travel agents” and the blessing of some insurance plans are making medical tourism more legit—and more popular—than ever.

Kids’ mental health

A trend no one likes to see is a rise in the rates of mental illness and developmental disorders in children. A study released early this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that one in 150 American children are suffering from autism—a statistic that shows a consistent rise in the disorder. And just as young people are dealing with health conditions previously associated with middle age (like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes), more children and adolescents are now being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Results from a recent study showed that bipolar diagnosis in young people has increased more than 40 times over the past decade.

> Talk About It: What health trends were hot in 2007?

Not Hot in 2007

Friends who make you fat

A much-reported study spurred alarmist headlines claiming that “obesity is contagious” and “fat spreads like a virus.” Attention-grabbing, sure, but could it possibly be true? Actually, yes. But don’t panic: You’re not going to suddenly “catch” 10 pounds from sitting next to an overweight person at the movies. “We found that strangers and acquaintances had no effect on your behavior or your weight,” says James H. Fowler, associate professor of political science at University of California, San Diego, and co-author of the study. “You have to care about the person before they can influence you.” The study found that if a good friend (even one who lives thousands of miles away) becomes obese, there’s a 57 percent greater chance that you’ll also start to tip the scales. But there is some good news: If you choose your friends wisely, the “contagious” fatness syndrome can work in reverse. “Your friends have just as powerful an effect on losing weight and adopting other healthy eating and exercise behaviors,” Fowler says.

Trans fats in restaurant food

First it disappeared from Oreos and potato chips, then the major fast food chains figured out how to make fries without it, and now, some cities and their eateries are going completely trans fat-free. New York City enacted a ban last December that took effect in 2007; Philadelphia soon followed suit, and other cities—including Boston and Los Angeles—may soon join the trans fat-free tide. Critics argue that people should be able to eat themselves to death if they want to, but health advocates estimate that if the movement went nationwide, it could prevent up to 25 percent of heart disease cases.

Kids’ cold medicines

There was bad news this year for coughing and congested children—several cold remedy drugs were pulled from the market, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended that over-the-counter cold medicines and cough syrups not be given to children younger than 6 The new warnings stemmed from reports of dangerous side effects—or, in many cases, no effects. In fact, in a recent study that pitted cough syrup against a spoonful of honey, honey actually did more to soothe troubled young throats.

Toys from China

Tainted toys made several headlines this year—and all of the bad news seemed to emanate from Chinese factories. There was lead paint on the toddler-favorite Thomas & Friends wooden toys, and then Mattel issued a recall of nearly 1 million lead-paint covered toys, including many featuring Sesame Street or Nickelodeon characters. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the year wrapped up with a recall of 4.2 million Aqua Dots bead toys made in China. While free of lead paint, these beads were coated with a chemical that, if swallowed, is converted into the toxic drug GHB (also known as the date rape drug). Who knew playtime could be so dangerous?

Tanning beds

You know what smoking is doing to your lungs? Hitting the tanning bed on a regular basis is doing equivalent damage to your skin. Studies have linked tanning bed use to deadly melanoma and basal cell carcinoma. In fact, some experts hypothesize that the rise in melanoma rates among young women may be directly related to the popularity and prevalence of tanning salons. This year, the government took a step in the right direction—President Bush signed a law that requires the FDA to reevaluate warning labels and other ways of educating consumers about the extreme risks of using tanning beds. Under consideration: Affixing a prominent, cigarette-package-style label to tanning beds that reads “Ultraviolet radiation can cause skin cancer.” Don’t say you haven’t been warned…

> Talk About It: What health trends were not hot in 2007?