(September 18, 2009 - Insidermedicine)

From Cambridge - People without health insurance face significantly increased risk of death, according to a report published in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers undertook a survival analysis of data taken from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey--a survey that examined 9,000 adults under 64 years of age for 8 years--adjusting for factors such as lifestyle and baseline health. Results showed that people without insurance face a 40% increased risk of death.

From Cleveland - According to a report published online in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, weight loss could help obese people who have kidney disease preserve the function of their kidneys.  Researchers analyzed 13 studies that examined obese adults who lost weight through either exercise, diet, or surgery. Those who lost weight through diet and exercise reduced the amount of excess protein excreted in their urine, while surgical weight loss normalized abnormally high waste filtration rates--a risk factor for kidney disease.

And finally, from Mississippi - Binge drinking temporarily weakens the immune system, according to a report published in the journal BMC Immunology. Researchers gave mice water that was laced with ethanol. They found that, for at least 24 hours following the dosage, the production of signaling molecules essential to the immune system were inhibited, thereby weakening the body's ability to fight infections.