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A study published in the medical journal JAMA reveals that the
number of maternal deaths within a year after pregnancy in the
United States more than doubled between 1999 and 2019, with the
highest mortality rates among Black women. The study estimated
that there were 1,210 maternal deaths in 2019 compared to 505 in 1999.
The analysis of state-by-state data showed that Black women had the
highest maternal mortality rates in some Northeast states, challenging
the notion that Southern states consistently have the worst rates. The
most common causes of death included mental health conditions,
excessive bleeding, cardiac and coronary conditions, infections, blood
clots, and pregnancy-related high blood pressure. The researchers
anticipate a continued increase in maternal mortality rates across all
populations in the coming years.
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A new study suggests that being overweight, as defined by the body
mass index (BMI), may not be directly associated with an increase in
early death when considered separately from other health issues.
The
study found that BMI alone is a poor indicator of mortality risk and
health risk and should be supplemented with other measures such as
waist circumference, other measures of adiposity, and weight
trajectory. However, experts caution that the study has limitations, and
that BMI is just one factor to consider when assessing health.
Observational studies cannot establish causation, and other outcomes
such as quality of life and the development of comorbidities were not
examined. The study also found that fluctuations in BMI levels were
associated with increased mortality risk, except for adults older than
age 65. The study highlights the need for further research and
comprehensive health assessments that consider multiple factors
beyond BMI. Waist circumference, as a measure of abdominal obesity,
has been linked to increased mortality risk and should be considered
alongside BMI in health assessments. The American Medical
Association and American Heart Association have recommended using
multiple measures beyond BMI to evaluate an individual's health.
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