Flu vaccine flew the coop — or did it?
Some studies show 97 percent of this year’s flu is from H3N2 — and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the current vaccine is only 16 percent effective in protecting you from mild or moderate infection with that strain, even though its part in the vaccine was updated from last year. (The strain mutated in an unexpected way.) But that doesn’t mean this year’s flu vaccine can’t save you from serious flu symptoms and even death. It does.
Furthermore, getting your flu shot year after year provides cumulative protection from distinct H3N2 viruses. So, even if this year’s vaccine misses that mark, chances are your body’s defense system won’t. A study in Clinical & Translational Immunology found that cumulative and staggered influenza vaccination generates high antibody responses and “influenza vaccination should be considered for its benefits for immediate protection and future virus encounters.”
So when someone says “I told you I didn’t need a flu shot,” remind them that this is a battle fought over decades, not months or years, and anyone who gets an annual flu shot is in much better position to beat the flu in any given year than people with sporadic or no vaccinations.
Obesity before age 50
Hard to imagine: Eminem is turning 50 this year. So are Tracee Ellis Ross and Jennifer Garner. As much of a turning point as that is for those stars, for folks who have obesity before age 50, growing older is a much tougher challenge.
A study in Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology reveals that if you’re severely overweight before age 50, you have five times the risk of developing an additional, life-threatening condition in the next 12 years, compared to a healthy weight person.
Treatment for obesity may require lifestyle changes, support/therapy and medical intervention using medications and/or surgery. If you’re 50 or younger and have obesity, to reduce your risk for life-shortening complications, talk to your doctor about:
■ Changing your diet, exercise and sleep management techniques. Get a referral to a nutritionist and have a checkup to evaluate your health and determine appropriate physical activity.
■ Using medication that may help with weight loss.
Together, set a realistic goal for the first six months of your new routine. At six months, if you’re not seeing results, discuss surgical alternatives. There are solutions.
Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare.com.