The week's top stories in family medicine

Healio.com/Family Medicine presents the week’s top news stories, including increased risk of depression in perimenopausal women, low rates of second MCV4 vaccine and abdominal fat and increased mortality risk.

Nearly two-thirds of women do not have appropriate gestational weight gain

Nationwide, only one-third of women gain the proper amount of weight during pregnancy that is recommended by IOM guidelines. Study results demonstrated that 32.1% of women had gestational weight gain within IOM recommendations. Inadequate weight gain was seen in more than 20% of women across 20 states and NYC. Excessive weight gain was observed in over 50% of women across 17 states. Read more.

AAP, AAFP, CDC urge PCPs to recommend, deliver second dose of MCV4

A group of medical organizations has issued a joint call-to-action stressing the importance of health care professionals recommending and administering the second dose of meningococcal ACWY vaccine at age 16 years. According to the CDC, more 79% of children aged 11 or 12 years have received an initial dose of the meningococcal vaccine (MCV4). Currently only 28.5% of 17-year-olds have received a second MCV4 dose. Read more.

Public transportation linked to lower risk of diabetes, hypertension, body fat

In Japan, individuals who took public transportation were 44% less likely to be overweight, 27% less likely to have elevated BP and 34% less likely to have diabetes, compared with those who drove a car, according to data presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions. Read more.

Abdominal fat linked to greater mortality risk

Normal-weight individuals with more abdominal fat had a greater mortality risk compared with overweight or obese individuals with normal fat distribution. Study results demonstrated that normal-weight participants with central obesity had the worst long-term survival rates compared with other participants. After controlling for age and BMI, anticipated survival estimates were consistently lower among participants with central obesity. Read more.

Shifting estrogen levels in perimenopausal women may increase risk for stress, depression

Women with fluctuating estradiol levels due to entering menopause were more likely to have emotional sensitivity to psychosocial stress, which may contribute to depression when experiencing a stressful life event. Study results demonstrated that at 14 months, women who had more fluctuation in their estradiol levels and more stressful life events at baseline were more likely to have greater depressive symptoms. Read more.