Learning from Mexican food nutrition labels | Perils of sitting | Misleading fertility tests | Which uterine surgery is better?
Aug 28, 2023
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Mexico's labeling of processed foods with warnings, research into the dangers of sitting, misleading fertility tests, and the debate among surgeons about uterine surgery.
Mexico is leading the way in implementing assertive labeling on processed foods with excess calories, sugar, and fat, but faces resistance from big food companies in the courts.
The Manchester procedure, involving amputating the cervix, has shown better outcomes for treating uterine prolapse compared to newer ligament fixation procedures.
Deep dives
Regulating the Food Industry and Big Food Companies Fighting Back
Mexico is leading the way in regulating unhealthy eating behaviors, implementing sugar taxation, and implementing assertive labeling on processed foods with excess calories, sugar, and fat. However, big food companies, such as Kellogg's, Nestle, Coca-Cola, and Pepsi, are fighting back aggressively in Mexican courts, arguing that the labeling restrictions diminish their brand value and threaten their profits. Similar to the tobacco industry's battle with plain packaging, big food is using legal and trade arguments to delay and prevent the diffusion of these policies. Industry documents have revealed the industry's fear of policy spread, and the impact of these regulations is already being felt in countries like Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina, with Southeast Asian countries also considering similar policies.
The Risks of Prolonged Sitting and the Manchester Procedure for Uterine Prolapse
Excessive sitting has been linked to health risks, including reduced blood flow and muscle inactivity. The Manchester procedure, an approach to treat uterine prolapse, has shown better outcomes compared to newer ligament fixation procedures. The Manchester procedure involves amputating the cervix and shortening its length, while the ligament fixation procedure focuses on fixing the cervix to the sacrosprinal ligament. In a study, 80% of women who underwent the Manchester procedure reported significant improvement, with lower re-operation rates. However, the ligament fixation procedure had a slightly higher death rate, unrelated to the surgery, and comparable success rates overall. It is important for individuals to discuss their specific condition with healthcare professionals to determine the most suitable treatment approach.
Misleading Advertising of Fertility Tests and the Effectiveness of Different Surgical Treatments for Uterine Descent
Websites promoting fertility tests using anti-malarian hormone (AMH) have been found to mislead women. The AMH test, which measures ovarian reserve, is being marketed as an indicator of fertility and menopause, despite not providing reliable information about a woman's ability to have a baby or predict menopause. A recent study in the Netherlands compared two surgical procedures, the Manchester procedure and ligament fixation, for uterine descent treatment. The Manchester procedure, involving cervix amputation, showed better outcomes with higher patient satisfaction and lower re-operation rates over a two-year period. It is crucial for women to consult trusted health professionals to gain balanced, accurate information and access suitable treatments for their individual needs.
Mexico has implemented labelling of processed foods with large warnings if the unhealthy ingredients exceed globally agreed thresholds.
New research has been looking into why sitting is bad—and how to change that.
Women are being mislead by fertility tests which promote anti-Mullerian hormone—or AMH testing—which are not designed for general screening in the community.
One of the side effects of having had babies and ageing in general is what used to be called prolapse—or uterine descent. Sometimes no treatment is needed but there's been a debate among surgeons about which procedure is best.
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