Seattle/LocalHealthGuide

Researchers at the University of Washington and Intel Research Seattle have developed two cell phone application that keep track of your activity and encourage you to keep at it.

One application, called UbiFit, uses a device that monitors your physical activity and then translates it into images that appear on your cell phone as flowers in garden.

The other UbiGreen tracks your use of eco-friendly transportation.

In the case of the UbiFit, the system can detect and keep a record of different kinds of activities, say, running or bicycling. 

Each week, your cell phone background image starts as an empty lawn. Then, depending on your activity, flowers appear and, with more activity, your garden grows.

Different kinds of workouts create different color flowers. And butterflies appear when you’ve met your week’s workout goals.

Good

Sunny Consolvo, Ph.D., who recently graduated UW Information School and is one of UbiFit’s creators, says in a trial of the device people using the image-based UbiFit stuck with their exercise programs better than those who just tracked their progress using data recording their activity.

Why those who used UbiFit did better in attaining their goals is not clear, Consolvo says, but it may be that because cell phone image is always there, it provides a subtle reminder to users of their commitment to exercise and their progress towards their goals.

Better

Ubifit was a research project and is not yet a commercial product.

Note: It is also possible to manually enter your workout information, if the device makes a mistake—or if you want to cheat.

Read more »

Obesity is often blamed on making poor dietary choices, leading a sedentary lifestyle and genetics.

Not so, says UW Professor Adam Drenowski in an op-ed piece in today’s Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 

Obesity is due to poverty, Drewnowski argues. Read more »

Is lung cancer only a problem for smokers?

No, in fact, it’s the sixth leading cancer killer of nonsmokers.

Is lung cancer a major problem? 

Yes, in fact, it kills more people than breast, colon and prostate cancer combined.

These and other facts will be discussed at the Washington State Lung Cancer Awareness Forum, a free event open to the public being held tonight, Nov. 19 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Swedish Medical Center’s main campus. Read more »

Gingko biloba, a popular herbal preparation used to prevent or treat memory problems, failed to prevent the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s diseases in a large study of older men and women.

The study appears in today’s issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association

Gingko biloba is one of the most popular herbal products with worldwide annuals sales of over $249 million.

More than 3,000 men and women age 75 or older participated in the study, called the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) trial.

Most of the participants had normal cognitive function, but a subset, 482, had mild cognitive deficits.

The participants were randomly assigned to take either 125-mg of Ginkgo extract twice a day or a placebo.The participants were followed for a median of just over six years. Read more »

Nestlé Prepared Foods Company is recalling specific lots of three Lean Cuisine frozen chicken meal products after bits of plastic were reported to have been found in the products.

The health risk is considered high. 

The recall includes specific lots of the following products:

• 9.5-ounce packages of “LEAN CUISINE PESTO CHICKEN WITH BOW TIE PASTA” brand frozen meals.
• 10.5-ounce packages of “LEAN CUISINE CHICKEN MEDITERRANEAN” brand frozen meals.
• 12.5-ounce packages of “LEAN CUISINE CHICKEN TUSCAN” brand frozen meals.

Posted: November 18th, 2008 under Diet & Nutrition, Product Recall.
Tags: Food Safety, Lean Cuisine, Nestle, Product Recall
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