4 HEALTH • Fall 2018
C E N T R A L M A S S A C H U S E T T S
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HEALTH Editor
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HEALTH
{ From The Editor }
V
irtually any parent of a young child today has likely been there: you're in the waiting
room of a doctor's office or maybe at a restaurant with friends, and you're unable to
get a few minutes of quiet from your child. Who hasn't reached for their phone or a
tablet to keep their kid busy? It can be tempting.
But doctors have been strongly cautioning parents that too much screen time for
kids can be damaging. As our story notes, doctors say hours a day on an electronic device —
especially if it's overstimulating with bright and flashing colors — can harm brain development,
contribute to a inactive lifestyle, and lead to delayed or poor reading skills. The American Academy
of Pediatrics has issued guidelines that any parent would be wise to consider.
In this issue of HEALTH, we also highlight another health concern we think readers should know
more about: the rising number of cases of substance abuse among older adults. Between 2014 and
2017, the number of Massachusetts residents over age 65 admitted for substance use treatment grew
by 27 percent. This has rightfully worried health providers, who say older adults may have outdated
perceptions on the risks of prescription drugs, for example, or the benefits of a glass of wine.
We also take a look at the latest with dieting and eating healthier. The Atkins diet and others have
come and gone in popularity, and one study indicates that fewer Americans today say they are on
diets. Eating the right way today, as our story explores, is more often to be about choosing the right
foods for our bodies and not simply counting calories, which can be a too-simplistic way of choosing
our meals.
Speaking of trends, there's a good one to be aware of: far more people are going to medical school
these days in order to fill a growing need expected to accompany an aging population. Nationally,
medical school enrollment is up 28 percent since 2002, and it's up even sharper at UMass Medical
School, where the number of students in its School of Medicine has risen 30 percent in the past
decade. Those soon-to-be doctors are studying not just at the expanded Worcester campus but also
at a new satellite in Springfield and at a new partnership on Cape Cod. It's encouraging to see so
many bright minds choosing to study medicine.
- Grant Welker, WBJ news editor
Trends, good and bad, to consider
Central Massachusetts HEALTH is published 4
times a year by New Engand Business Media LLC.
