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The latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2009-2010 reveal that more than 1 in 3 adult men and women in the United States are obese, as are more than 1 in 6 children and adolescents. The good news I that the figures for both adults and children are largely unchanged from previous periods, suggesting a slowing or leveling off of obesity prevalence.

The pivotal roles of vitamin D and calcium in skeletan metabolism are well known. It's their potential non-skeletal health effects-particularly in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD)-that are controversial. In vitro and in vivo experimental studies have shown that vitamin D (Figure 1) and calcium (Figure 2) act independently and together to influence multiple physiologic processes that may modify CVD risk.

An estimated 12 million woemn in the United States use the oral contraceptive (OC) pill, making it the most popular reversible method of birth control. Many new hormonal delivery systems offer benefit superior to those of the pill. The vaginal ring, injection, and patch allow less-frequent dosing, which may improve compliance. The intrauterine device and implant are significantly more effective than the pill, with failure rates rivaling those of sterilization. Nevertheless, the pill remains the method of choice for the majority of women, and pharmaceutical companies are therefore eager to develop new formulations. Since the pill was first introduced more than 50 years ago, many of these new formulations have been little more than updated packaging. However, several new brands have emerged recently that are advertised as having noncontraceptive benefits beyond those of older pill formulations, as well as improved bleeding and side-effect profiles.

High levels of estradiol (E2), present during ovulation and immediately after, diminish a woman's ability to protect against infection, according to a recent study from Spain and Austria. This means that women are more susceptible to fungal infection, such as with Candida Albicans (C albicans), or sexually transmitted diseases, such as HPV or HIV, during ovulation than at any other time during the reproductive cycle.

A survey of 72 health organizations found that the growth of physician use of smartphones also has increased the incidence of data breaches, with 96% of respondents experiencing at least 1 data breach in the past 2 years.

Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) reduce menstrual pain in some women, a Swedish long-term study has found. Although COCs are commonly recommended to treat primary dysmenorrhea, a 2009 Cochrane Review called their efficacy into question.

Women with sleep problems have a higher risk of developing fibromyalgia than women who don’t have trouble sleeping, according to a large prospective Norwegian study.

Baseline T score is the most useful way to determine how often to test bone mineral density (BMD) in older postmenopausal women with normal BMD or osteopenia at initial assessment, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2012;366[3]:225-233).

Women feel pain more intensely than men across a number of diseases, including diabetes, arthritis and certain respiratory infections, according to a study of gender differences in self-reported pain.

As a gynecological oncologist, I often see patients who want to be tested for cancer because a close family member has just been diagnosed. Understandably, they want to be sure they don’t have it.