CDC Kicks Off National Travelers’ Health Public Awareness Campaign; Effort Aims to Educate Travelers About H1N1

Every holiday season, millions of Americans travel through the nation’s airports, seaports, and train stations to spend time with loved ones. Special holiday get-togethers -- and traveling itself -- bring people close together, but also provide an ideal way for illness to spread. To help travelers avoid the flu this holiday season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today launched its largest ever public awareness campaign about staying healthy while traveling.

"The holidays are one of the busiest travel times of the year," said Anne Schuchat, M.D., director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. "People are in close contact -- whether they’re on a plane, train, ship or just visiting with loved ones. This campaign provides practical advice to help travelers prepare for their trips and stay healthy during their holiday travel."

CDC is urging people to take the following steps when planning their travel, and to stay informed about what to do if they get sick while they’re gone, including:

* Traveling only when they are feeling well

* Getting vaccinated for flu [both seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 if they are in a priority group]

* Washing hands often

* Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve

"We know that flu -- and, specifically, H1N1 this year -- is a big concern for people, but flu shouldn’t ruin the holidays," Dr. Schuchat said. "By practicing a little prevention, people can enjoy their holidays and stay well at the same time."

CDC developed the campaign in response to the emergence in April of the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic. Since then, flu has spread throughout the country and around the world. In the United States, it has accounted for millions of cases and more than 4,000 deaths since April.

CDC launched the campaign at a joint event with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today in Washington, D.C. The campaign will run through the holiday season and use a variety of media, including informational posters at major airports, ports of entry and border crossings; national radio and print advertising; and social media and online outreach.

CDC will also partner with local health departments, travel professionals, health care professionals, and colleges and universities to further educate the public. Campaign themes include "Prevention Can Be Travel-Sized" and "Stop, Wash and Go."

For more information about the CDC Travelers’ Health campaign, recommendations regarding travel, visit http://bit.ly/H1N1FluTravel.

For more information about the H1N1 virus, visit http://www.flu.gov/.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Highest Rates of Obesity, Diabetes in the South, Appalachia, and Some Tribal Lands; Estimates of Obesity Now Available for All U.S. Counties

Wide sections of the Southeast, Appalachia, and some tribal lands in the West and Northern Plains have the nation′s highest rates of obesity and diabetes, according to estimates released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In many counties in those regions, rates of diagnosed diabetes exceed 10 percent, and obesity prevalence is more than 30 percent.

The estimates, in this week′s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, are the first to provide county-level snapshots of obesity across the United States. They also update diabetes county-level estimates released in 2008.

Eighty-one percent of counties in the Appalachian region, which includes Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia, have high rates of diabetes and obesity. So do three-quarters of counties in the southern region, which includes Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina.

"Diabetes is costly in human and economic terms, and it′s urgent that we take action to prevent and control this serious disease," said Dr. Ann Albright, director of CDC′s Division of Diabetes Translation [pictured]. "The study shows strong regional patterns of diabetes, and can help focus prevention efforts where they are most needed."

The estimates come from the agency′s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System [BRFSS], which uses self-reported data from state-based adult telephone surveys, and 2007 Census information. The information may help public health workers, health care providers, community organizations, and policymakers focus on high-risk regions to prevent type 2 diabetes and its complications, as well as other chronic diseases linked to obesity -- e.g., heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.

The proportion of U.S. adults who are obese was 26.1 percent in 2008, according to BRFSS data. CDC estimates that nearly 8 percent of the population, or about 24 million people, have diabetes. Of these, 5.7 million are undiagnosed.

"The small-area estimates for obesity will be an important tool to help communities better understand and battle this serious public health problem," said Dr. William H. Dietz, director of CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. "Communities are in the best position to prevent and reduce obesity among their citizens through innovative programs."

The medical costs of obesity reached an estimated $147 billion in 2008, and the medical costs of diabetes were $116 billion. People with diagnosed diabetes have medical costs that are 2.3 times higher than those without the disease.

Obesity is one of several factors linked to type 2 diabetes. Where people live, how much money they earn, their culture and their family history also play a role. An unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and socioeconomic factors contribute to both obesity and type 2 diabetes, as well as to complications of diabetes. Some population groups also are at higher risk, including a number of racial and ethnic minorities.

CDC and its partners are working on a variety of initiatives to prevent type 2 diabetes and to reduce obesity. CDC has recommended 24 community strategies to prevent obesity -- from providing greater access to healthy foods, to redesigning communities to encourage more physical activity.

The agency is also in a new partnership with state, federal, and nonprofit agencies targeting health disparities in Mississippi, which has the nation′s highest obesity rate and one of the highest rates of diabetes. CDC′s national diabetes prevention and control program provides resources and technical assistance to state health departments, national organizations, and communities.

To see county-level estimates of obesity and diagnosed diabetes, go to www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics.

For more information on diabetes and preventing the disease, visit www.cdc.gov/diabetes.

To learn more about CDC′s efforts in the fight against obesity or for more information about nutrition, physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight, go to www.cdc.gov/obesity/index.html.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Dr. Sanjay Gupta's 'Cheating Death' Special Debuts Oct. 17; CDC Reports Continued Rise in Obesity

This weekend, neurosurgeon and CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, M.D., explores the world of physicians whose work promises to stretch survival time -- and, possibly even, to reverse the process of dying. They, and their patients, are cheating death.

The program, titled "Another Day: Cheating Death," follows just days after the release of Dr. Gupta's latest book, "Cheating Death: The Doctors and Medical Miracles That Are Saving Lives Against All Odds," which is already a bestseller on Amazon. The show debuts at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, and again at 11 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 18, "Cheating Death" airs at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. [NOTE: All times Eastern.]

CDC: Obesity Among U.S. Adults Continues to Rise
One way to "cheat death" is to control obesity, which is related to about 20 major diseases; e.g., heart disease, diabetes, cancer.

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] reported that the prevalence of obesity is 25 percent or higher in 32 U.S. states. In fact, the proportion of U.S. adults who are obese increased to 26.1 percent in 2008, compared to 25.6 percent in 2007. The data come from CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System [BRFSS], a state-based phone survey that collects health information from adults aged 18 and over.

In six states -- Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia -- adult obesity prevalence was 30 percent or more. Thirty-two states, including those six, had obesity prevalence of 25 percent or more. Only one state, Colorado, had a prevalence of obesity less than 20 percent. But no state showed a significant decrease in obesity prevalence from 2007 to 2008.

More than 400,000 U.S. adults were surveyed in the 2008 BRFSS, which is the world’s largest telephone health survey. To assess obesity prevalence, survey respondents are asked to provide their height and weight, which is used to calculate their body mass index [BMI]. A person is considered obese if they have a BMI of 30 or above.

"Obesity is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes," said Dr. William Dietz, director, CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. "As obesity increases among all age groups, we are seeing chronic diseases in much younger adults, compared to a few decades ago. For example, we now see young adults who suffer from heart disease risk factors and other conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, that were unheard of in the past."

For more information on obesity trends, including an animated map, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html.

SOURCES: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CNN [photo], U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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During Memorial Day Weekend, Make Time to Honor the Service of Troops and Their Families

This morning, President Barack Obama called on the American people to join him in paying tribute to America’s veterans, servicemen and women – particularly those who have made the ultimate sacrifice -- and their families. America’s troops and their families embody what is best in America, and the American people have a responsibility to serve them as well as they have served us.

During his weekly radio address, President Obama called on all Americans to honor the service of troops and their families. Following, is the full text of his prepared remarks:

* * *

This Memorial Day weekend, Americans will gather on lawns and porches, fire up the grill, and enjoy the company of family, friends, and neighbors. But this is not only a time for celebration. It is also a time to reflect on what this holiday is all about: to pay tribute to our fallen heroes; and to remember the servicemen and women who cannot be with us this year because they are standing post far from home -- in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world.

On Friday, I traveled to Annapolis, where I spoke at the Commencement of the United States Naval Academy. It was an honor to address some of America’s newest sailors and Marines as their Commander-in-Chief. Looking out at all of those young men and women, I was reminded of the extraordinary service that they are rendering to our country. And I was reminded, too, of all of the sacrifices that their parents, siblings, and loved ones make each day on their behalf and on our behalf.

Our fighting men and women -- and the military families who love them -- embody what is best in America. And we have a responsibility to serve all of them as well as they serve all of us.

And yet, all too often in recent years and decades, we, as a nation, have failed to live up to that responsibility. We have failed to give them the support they need or pay them the respect they deserve. That is a betrayal of the sacred trust that America has with all who wear -- and all who have worn -- the proud uniform of our country.

And that is a sacred trust I am committed to keeping as President of the United States. That is why I will send our servicemen and women into harm’s way only when it is necessary, and ensure that they have the training and equipment they need when they enter the theater of war.

That is why we are building a 21st century Department of Veterans Affairs with the largest single-year funding increase in three decades. It’s a commitment that will help us provide our veterans with the support and benefits they have earned, and expand quality health care to a half-million more veterans.

That is why, this week, I signed a bill that will eliminate some of the waste and inefficiency in our defense projects -- reform that will better protect our nation, better protect our troops, and save taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.

And that is why we are laying a new foundation for our economy, so that when our troops return home and take off the uniform, they can find a good job, provide for their families, and earn a college degree on a Post-9/11 GI Bill that will offer them the same opportunity to live out their dreams that was afforded our greatest generation.

These are some of the ways we can, must, and will honor the service of our troops and the sacrifice of their families. But we must also do our part, not only as a nation, but as individuals, for those Americans who are bearing the burden of wars being fought on our behalf. That can mean sending a letter or a care package to our troops overseas. It can mean volunteering at a clinic where a wounded warrior is being treated or bringing supplies to a homeless veterans center. Or it can mean something as simple as saying "Thank you" to a veteran you pass on the street.

That is what Memorial Day is all about. It is about doing all we can to repay the debt we owe to those men and women who have answered our nation’s call by fighting under its flag. It is about recognizing that we, as a people, did not get here by accident or good fortune alone. It’s about remembering the hard winter of 1776, when our fragile American experiment seemed doomed to fail; and the early battles of 1861, when a union victory was anything but certain; and the summer of 1944, when the fate of a world rested on a perilous landing unlike any ever attempted.

It’s about remembering each and every one of those moments when our survival as a nation came down not simply to the wisdom of our leaders or the resilience of our people, but to the courage and valor of our fighting men and women. For it is only by remembering these moments that we can truly appreciate a simple lesson of American life -- that what makes all we are and all we aspire to be possible, are the sacrifices of an unbroken line of Americans that stretches back to our nation’s founding.

That is the meaning of this holiday. That is a truth at the heart of our history. And that is a lesson I hope all Americans will carry with them this Memorial Day weekend and beyond.

Thank you.

* * *

If you'd like to view the video of President Obama's Memorial Day-themed weekly address, click here.

Make time this weekend to remember and recognize those who have served our country. And, please, be safe!

SOURCE: The White House
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FedEx Office Provides Free Resume Printing on March 10

On the hunt for a job? Want to save a few bucks on submitting resumes to prospective employers? We've got some good news for you...

FedEx Office [formerly FedEx Kinko's], an operating company of FedEx Corp. [NYSE: FDX], just announced plans to offer its printing services in an effort to help job seekers across the nation. The company will host "FedEx Office Free Resume Printing Day" on March 10, 2009, offering to print up to 25 copies of each customer's resume for free.

As reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, the nation's unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent and the number of unemployed persons increased to 11.6 million in January 2009. With so many people looking to get their printed resumes in the hands of recruiters and hiring managers, FedEx Office is prepared to help.

The company invites customers to take advantage of this one-day event by visiting any of its 1,600-plus FedEx Office Print and Ship Centers in the United States during regular business hours. This offer is good for 25 black-and-white resume copies per customer, and is only valid for orders placed and picked up in-store. Customers may place orders by submitting their resume in printed format or as a digital file, and the copies will be printed single-sided on resume-quality paper.

"We understand that the economy has affected many people in a very profound way, and we want to help," said Brian Philips, president and CEO of FedEx Office. "Printing resumes is one small way we can use our resources to help those who need it."

To find the nearest FedEx Office Print and Ship Center, visit http://www.fedex.com/ or call 1-800-Go-FedEx [1-800-463-3339].

About FedEx Office
FedEx Office [formerly FedEx Kinko's] provides access points to printing and shipping expertise with reliable service when and where you need it. The Dallas-based company has a global network of more than 1,900 digitally-connected locations. FedEx Office services include copying and digital printing, professional finishing, document creation, direct mail, signs and graphics, Internet access, computer rental, FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipping, and more. In addition, the company offers FedEx OfficeSM Print Online, an online printing solution for business and personal printing, at home, at the office or on the go. Products, services and hours vary by location. For more information, please visit http://www.fedex.com/.

About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. [NYSE: FDX] provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $39 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 290,000 employees and contractors to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.
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