Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.health From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: health Mon, May 11 1992 Date: Mon, 11 May 92 05:22:18 EDT Message-ID: 05-11 0000 DECISIONLINE: Health USA TODAY Update May 11, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network AIDS-VASECTOMY STUDY URGED: A major study is needed to learn if vasectomies in HIV positive men can reduce the spread of AIDS, experts said Sunday. Preliminary research presented at an American Urological Association meeting in Washington, D.C., suggests it is possible, says Dr. John Krieger, University of Washington, Seattle. Cited: Vasectomies dramatically reduce sperm and white blood cells that may harbor the AIDS virus. INITIAL FINDINGS PROMISING: Whether vasectomies can reduce AIDS transmission is "worthy of a systematic study," says Dr. John Krieger, University of Washington, Seattle. Of semen samples from 18 HIV-positive men without symptoms, HIV was present in 26% of the samples. After four men had vasectomies, HIV couldn't be found in their semen. However, the HIV may simply be below detectable levels, experts caution. EXERCISE BENEFITS DISCUSSED: The preventative and medicinal benefits of any exercise are gaining acceptance, say experts at the International Conference on Physical Activity, Fitness and Health meeting in Dallas this week. But exercise doesn't have to be vigorous to improve health, says John J. Duncan, exercise physiologist at the Institute for Aerobics Research, Dallas. (For more, see special Fitness package.) OSTEOPOROSIS WEEK BEGINS: Osteoporosis Prevention Week is this week. Questions and requests for more information can be directed to the Calcium Information Center at 800-321-2681 or the National Osteoporosis Foundation at 800-223-9994. PREGNANCY HOTLINE AVAILABLE Child & Parent Services is providing a hotline for women going through an unplanned pregnancy who need advice about free adoption counseling and legal and medical assistance. Call the Child & Parent Services' birth mother hotline at 1-800-248-0106. MCDONALD'S ANNOUNCES TOY DANGER: McDonald's and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Friday said that the "Doc DeLorean Car," a toy distributed nationwide, may pose a choking threat to young children. Over eight million of the toys were distributed as part of McDonald's "Back to the Future" Happy Meal program. The cars can be exchanged at local restaurants. No injuries have yet been reported. MICHIGAN CONSIDER AIDS BILL: A bill that would require private physicians to notify the sexual partners of any AIDS carrier will go before Michigan's Senate this week. Currently, only public health officials are required to notify the partners of AIDS carriers. VERMONT BILL TO BE SIGNED: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is expected to sign a bill Monday under which a family of four earning less than $30,150 annually would be eligible for free medical care for its two teenage children. The signing will take place in Bennington, the hometown of House Speaker and bill sponsor Ralph Wright. SEATTLE AIDS CENTER MAY CLOSE: A nationally recognized center for women and children with AIDS in Seattle will close if the state slashes $192,000 from its $332,000 budget, say officials. The state has proposed the cut in funding for the Northwest Family Center as a part of $1.1 million in legislative budget reductions. A final decision is expected in June. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON FITNESS: STANDARD ADVICE STILL HOLDS: To increase fitness, says the American College of Sports Medicine, do aerobic exercise, like running, walking or swimming, at least three times a week for at least 20 minutes, and strength training with weights or Nautilus-like equipment at least twice a week. But new evidence suggests that less vigorous exercise increases health and decreases the risk of chronic illness. BUT ANY EXERCISE WILL HELP: Last year, exercise physiologist John J. Duncan reported that pre-menopausal women who walked slowly for three miles, five times weekly, reduced heart disease risk by 18%. Also, by walking at a 4-mile-per-hour pace, women got benefits similar to jogging, with less injury risk, his study said. Any regular exercise is meaningful and could have a measurable effect, says Duncan. TIPS TO MEASURE EFFORT: For people to measure their effort, Duncan offers some tips: If someone's sweating, they're exercising vigorously. But a person should be able to converse while exercising. Also, to target an ideal heart rate during exercise, people can subtract their age from 220, then try to exercise at 60% to 90% of this number. During a workout, count pulse beats in 15 seconds and multiply by four. THE PERCEIVED-EXERTION TEST: Some researchers and aerobics teachers also ask participants to use a number scale to grade their own exertion level. For instance, while exercising estimate the level of effort on a scale of zero to 10, with zero being at rest and 10 being "very hard." For those starting an exercise program, try working regularly to level six, or "somewhat hard"; eventually work up to a level nine, "hard." (End of package.) Health Editor: Christopher Goldthwaite. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. 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