The familiar metaphor about tightening one’s belt during hard times may be a bit misleading, public health experts warn. There is growing concern in fact that the Great Economic Crisis of 2008 will promote further expansion of America’s already plump waistline.

Faced with shrinking cash on hand and increasing food prices, tens of millions of American consumers are likely to turn to inexpensive but calorie-leaden meals such as fast food or macaroni and cheese.

“All evidence suggests that obesity is the toxic consequence of a failing economic environment,” Adam Drewnowski, an epidemiologist at the University of Washington, told MSNBC.

Drewnowski’s most recent investigation of the matter showed for example that obesity rates were 5 times higher in poorer sections of Seattle than in its tonier suburbs.
 
The disheartening trend has already begun. According to a survey published last week by Hormel Foods, 60% of US households have cut back on either the quality or the quantity of purchased food during the past year.

“It is quite possible to spend less and eat more,” Drewnowski added. “The very cheapest foods are calorie-rich and nutrient-poor. Because they contain refined grains, sugars and fats, they also taste good and, of course, are easy to come by.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one third of US children and adults and children are obese, but recently the incidence of obesity had begun to stabilize, especially among those younger than age 20. But even that modestly positive development is unlikely to be maintained.

“Now that we are all poor, the rates will go up again,” Drewnowski told MSNBC. “I predict an increase that will become apparent in about three years.”

Senior managers at Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions are buying back shares of their company, believing it stands poised to benefit from a rapidly expanding US market for its flagship electronic medical record.

“Health care is one of the last industries on the planet to use information technology to improve quality,” Executive Chairman Michael Lawrie told the Wall Street Journal. 

Last week Lawrie paid $356,300 for 70,000 shares of his company. Joining him in the buyback were Chief Executive Glenn Tullman, Director Michael Kluger, and the President of Professional Solutions, Roger Davenport. They purchased 100,000 shares, 10,000 shares and 50,000 shares respectively.

Just last month, the board of Chicago-based Allscripts signed off on a merger with London-based Misys Healthcare to form the new entity. Misys had specialized in back-end functions such as billing, patient registration and scheduling. Allscripts had focused on the clinical medical record. The combined entity will have quarterly revenues approximating $400 million.

The activity comes days after the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced it will provide bonus payments of up to 2% to physicians that e-prescribe drugs for Medicare patients.

Allscripts estimates that 25% of US physicians use electronic health records right now, and that utilization should double in 2 years.

The Allscripts web site asserts that 150,000 physicians, 700 hospitals and thousands of other healthcare providers in clinics, post-acute care facilities, and homecare agencies utilize Allscripts solutions.

President elect Obama supports the use of EMRs and related technologies that can purportedly improve quality and control costs.

Normandy High School students have more on their minds these days than their studies, their undefeated football team, and their state’s still too-close-to-call presidential election.

All that faded instantly on October 13, the day school officials informed parents they had reason to believe that HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, might have been spread “among some Normandy Senior High School students.” Subsequent rumors pegged the number of exposed students at 50.

Normally, epidemiologic investigations of HIV exposures proceed quietly and in confidence, but Stanton Lawrence, the suburban St. Louis school district’s superintendent said the potential scope of the exposure mandated that he inform all students.

Lawrence knew the story would be leaked to the press. It was. There was some sensationalism and damage to the school’s reputation. And there was some panic. For example, parents from a rival school inundated officials with concerns about whether it was safe to play a football game against Normandy. 

Yet Lawrence stands by his decision. “Given the choice between spurious headlines and meeting these kids’ needs, I’m going to try to meet these kids’ needs,” he told the New York Times.

Jamar McKinney, a Normandy High junior probably spoke for many students when he told the New York Times, “it’s the only thing we talk about. Who could have HIV, who started it, and how many people may have it.”

But it’s just talk right now because there isn’t a lot of information out there. We know the potential mass exposure had nothing to do with tattoos. We know that one person did test positive, but we don’t know whether that person was a student at Normandy…and that’s about all we know.

By the way, Carl Hudson, Normandy’s principal assured those parents it was safe to play the football game. So they played and Normandy won, advancing into the playoffs with a 9-0 record.

The kids at Normandy High could use more good news. After the story broke last month, all students were offered free HIV testing. 97% chose to be tested. Results become available this week.