Health

ADHD contributes to higher ed learning problems

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By MICHAEL KRANSZ
Capital News Service
LANSING — Nearly 12.8 percent of all Michigan residents ages 4 to 17 are diagnosed with ADHD, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics. ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, is marked by inattention, lack of focus and sometimes hyperactivity, and that can present problems for young learners as they move into higher education, said Adelle Cadieux, a pediatric psychologist at the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids. That population of ADHD youths has increased by 39 percent since 2003, according to the latest CDC figures. As with other disorders such as autism, growing awareness and identification of ADHD has contributed to the increase of diagnoses, Cadieux said. But, Cadieux said, there are always some practitioners and psychologists who over-diagnose.

Health

Finally, obesity rates take hike downward

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By AMELIA HAVANEC
Capital News Service
LANSING – New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the high rate of obese adults nationally is finally steadying from an upward climb since the 1990s, and Michigan is no exception. The portion of Michigan adults estimated to be obese in 2014 was 30.7 percent, the lowest it’s been since 2010. Sanilac, Saginaw and Chippewa counties are the most obese, while Ottawa, Washtenaw and Oakland are the least, according to the CDC. “Our most recent Community Health Needs Assessment, compiled earlier this year, identifies obesity as a significant health issue for the area we serve surrounding Ludington,” said Bill Kerans, marketing coordinator of Spectrum Health Medical Group in Ludington. “Two thirds – 67.6 percent – of adults in our service area are considered overweight (33.5 percent) or obese (34.1 percent) based on their BMI.