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CNN Your Health

What Goes in Your Burger or Steak?; Controversy Over Mammograms Leaves Women Confused; Should You Trust Animal Testing Results?

Aired February 02, 2002 - 14:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, HOST: That beefy burger or sizzling steak, have you ever wondered what goes into getting your food from the farm to the freezer? You'll want to see our first report before you take another bite.

The heated controversy over mammograms is leaving women confused about their health. We'll try to clear the air.

And, if you're trying to lose a few pounds, we'll weigh in with the facts you need to know before you pick a weight loss plan. These stories and other health news are just ahead on YOUR HEALTH.

Welcome to CNN's YOUR HEALTH. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta. This week on YOUR HEALTH, we'll look at some of the issues that are confusing to consumers. What kind of medical tests should I get? Can weight loss centers really help me keep off those extra pound? And how safe is the food I eat?

We're here at the supermarket, where you make decisions every week that affect your health. That's where we begin. Our Thelma Gutierrez shows us what can take place before food hits your plate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The hills of Southern California, where you'll find some of the largest dairy farms in the country. What you may not know is when these milk cows get old or injured, they aren't put to pasture, they're sent to slaughter for beef.

(on camera): These animals were separated from the herds because they're sick, anything from hoof ailments to digestive problems, and if for any reason they weren't able to walk or stand because of disease or injury, they'd be considered "downed animals."

(voice-over): The slaughter of downed animals for human food is where the controversy begins.

GENE BAUSTON, DIRECTOR, FARM SANCTUARY: Animals with frightening diseases are being approved for human food and the USDA knows this.

BOB FEENSTRA, CALIFORNIA MILK PRODUCER: The USDA nor anyone else is going to let an animal that has unhealthy meat get into the food process. It's just not going to happen.

GUTIERREZ: But a non-profit group called Farm Sanctuary says it is happening. It claims this videotape of sheep, pigs and cows was shot undercover at slaughter houses over the last decade, and shows sick and injured animals being dragged to slaughter.

BAUSTON: I think consumers would be appalled to learn that animals that are too sick to walk are routinely entering the food supply.

GUTIERREZ: Farm Sanctuary wants all downed animals banned for human food, so the group filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture, alleging tens of thousands of downed livestock slaughtered every year may be diseased and pose a serious threat to our health.

FEENSTRA: Sickly animals do not make the cut.

GUTIERREZ: Bob Feenstra's the spokesman for the dairy industry. He says meat from injured animals is wholesome and healthy compared to those that are sick.

FEENSTRA: We don't process cows that have been ill or have been drugged.

GUTIERREZ: He claims Farm Sanctuary is really fighting for animal rights, and is against the handling and transport of injured animals. Farm Sanctuary doesn't deny it.

SHELDON EISENBERG, FARM SANCTUARY'S ATTORNEY: Farm Sanctuary's central concern here is the fact that the process of slaughtering downed animals truly involves acts of terrible cruelty.

FEENSTRA: We have to handle it as an industry and as a business, and we do it as humane as we can. We don't run petting farms.

GUTIERREZ: Meet Syp Vander Dussen. He has 3,000 cows.

SYP VANDER DUSSEN, DAIRYMAN: I've been a dairyman for 34 years. It's my entire life.

GUTIERREZ: It's been a good life. Syp Vander Dussen's cows produce a $500,000 a month in milk alone. When his cows stop producing, he sends them to slaughter.

VANDER DUSSEN: An average cow that is walking and can go to slaughter, she'll bring up $500, the average cow. Any downed cow, in other words one that can not walk, will bring up $300.

GUTIERREZ: Syp says his downed cows go to slaughter because they're injured, that their meat is completely wholesome. He says he'd never send a sick animal.

(on camera): Would you ever eat meat from a diseased downed animal?

VANDER DUSSEN: No, nor would I expect anyone else to.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): But according to USDA inspection records obtained by Farm Sanctuary through the Freedom of Information Act, downed animals from other dairy farms have passed inspection with disease like malignant lymphoma, pneumonia, and hepatitis.

BAUSTON: We do not believe that it's acceptable for animals with gangrene, with cancer, with yellow gelatinous edema to be used for human food, and we don't think it's acceptable for just that part of that animal to be removed.

GUTIERREZ: USDA officials declined an on-camera interview, but in a written response told CNN Federal regulations allow for slaughter any animal that does not pose a health risk to humans, that animals with central nervous system conditions and generalized infection are automatically condemned, and that by law diseased meat is prohibited for human consumption.

But a USDA document, obtained by CNN, states Federal inspection regulations "clearly provide for the slaughter and processing of diseased animals for human food, and the diseased part can be removed to make a wholesome product."

DR. LAURENE MASCOLA, LA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT: If you saw that cow standing in front of you, you would not pick that cow and say "I want to eat that one" you know from the lot.

GUTIERREZ: Public health expert, Dr. Laurene Mascola says the idea may be disgusting, but it's not likely to hurt you.

MASCOLA: They're not at risk to give disease that we know of, that we know of.

GUTIERREZ: There is not way to know if you're eating meat from downed animals. Syp says USDA inspected meat is healthy and we shouldn't worry. As for his animals, he says he respects them, after all his livelihood rests on their backs.

Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: In our schools, some of the meat items really aren't meat at all. That's our first story as we check the pulse of the news affecting your health. Here's Christy Feig.

CHRISTY FEIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We've all heard of mystery meat, but prune burgers? The fact is, Congress is pressuring the Agriculture Department to buy and use surplus crops. So when there was a prune glut, school cafeterias got creative, and made burgers from beef and prunes.

The government has official student taste testers rate the recipes. One 12-year-old girl said the prune burgers were better than the real thing. Girl Scout cookies and ice cream, it's a sweet combination, but in this case not if you're allergic to peanuts or eggs. Edis (ph) is recalling 5,000 cartons of its limited edition Girl Scout Samoa's ice cream, for fear peanuts and eggs aren't clearly listed on the label. If you can't or shouldn't eat peanuts or eggs, don't eat this ice cream.

And here's a phone number that could save your life or the life of someone you love. The American Association of Poison Control Centers now has a toll free hotline, which will route your call to a local poison expert. Considering they handle a new case every 14 seconds, this is an important number to keep around. The new number is 1-800-222-1222.

And finally, a World Trade Center victim with the invincible will to survive, leaves the hospital. Burns cover more than 77 percent of Elaine Duke's body. On September 11th, a co-worker found her standing in a hallway with scraps of her dress melted into her skin.

People on the crowded stairwell stood off to the side to let two strangers carry Duke down 88 flights of stairs. It's an incredible story. Find out more by logging on to our Web site at cnn.com/health.

I'm Christy Feig, checking the pulse for YOUR HEALTH.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: It's a classic tale of mice and men, why medical research seems to provide more hope for animals than for humans. And getting an annual mammogram, when researchers can't find the answer, can you? That and more when YOUR HEALTH continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GUPTA: Welcome back to YOUR HEALTH. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta. It happens all the time. We hear about promising new research in nutrition, or treatments for your health and then another study comes along and contradicts it.

In fact, that's just what happened in recent weeks on the issue of mammograms. Our Rhonda Rowland looked into it for us and may have found the answers we're looking for.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RHONDA ROWLAND, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a right of passage for women turning 40, a doctor's prescription for a mammogram. For more than 20 years, official guidelines have recommended from then on, women should have the X-rays done every one to two years. That's because studies show regular mammograms can pick up tiny cancerous tumors before they can be felt and are most treatable, and reduce deaths from breast cancer by one-third. But a new study is threatening to shatter that conventional wisdom.

DR. JANICE GALLASHAW, GEORGIA CANCER SPECIALISTS: There's a lot of uproar over it and I'm puzzled by it.

ROWLAND: The new analysis based largely on European data, suggest mammography does not reduce major breast surgeries or prevent deaths from breast cancer. The surprising finding is being debated among European and American doctors.

GALLASHAW: Their methods and their materials did not meet the level of scrutiny I think most of the American designed files would require.

ROWLAND: Dr. Gallashaw, who just treats breast cancer patients, says it's unlikely American doctors will change their recommendations based on this one study. However, it's a reminder to not oversell the benefits of mammography.

GALLASHAW: Unfortunately, a lot of women do walk away from their normal mammogram and think they're free and clear and they don't do anything above and beyond that and that's also a mistake.

ROWLAND: Because mammography is not a perfect test, all women are advised to do monthly breast health exams.

(on camera): For women who already have breast cancer, another study raised questions. The study looked at drugs to prevent recurrences. It suggests a new class of medications known as aromatase inhibitors may work better than Tamoxifen, which has been considered the gold standard.

(voice-over): The study looked at post-menopausal women with early stage breast cancer who could benefit from hormonal therapy. Those who took the aromatase inhibitor had lower rates of cancer recurrence, compared to women who took only Tamoxifen or a combination of both drugs.

GALLASHAW: It's very exciting to think that we may actually be able to reduce the recurrence rate of breast cancers by this new class of drugs, but there are a number of caveats in there that I think women need to hear.

ROWLAND: For one, the study was relatively short, just under three years. Breast cancer can recur after five years or longer. There's no evidence it would be beneficial to switch from Tamoxifen to an aromatase inhibitor and it could even be harmful. And, women on aromatase inhibitors appear to have a higher rate of osteoporosis- related bone fractures. Still, another new study conflicts with the longstanding belief that support groups can extend survival in women with advanced breast cancer.

GALLASHAW: That's usually not my main motivation for referring a patient to a support group anyway. The stress that surrounds a cancer diagnosis can not only affect the patient, but her family and friends.

ROWLAND: While the findings regarding treatment and prevention of breast cancer raise new questions, doctors say they won't dramatically change medical protocol at least for now.

Rhonda Rowland, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: It can all be very confusing. Here's my opinion. Mammograms find cancer early and that early detection saves lives. Starting at age 40, women should get yearly mammograms and perform monthly breast exams.

Down the road, we will surely hear of promising new studies and even new treatments. At times, these studies will be hard to interpret. Rhonda Rowland now returns with what you should watch for as you read those promising headlines.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLAND (voice-over): It's good to be a mouse. Gene therapy made brain tumors disappear in this one in just five days, and gene therapy will insure this rat and two future generations will never suffer from high blood pressure. This paralyzed mouse was able to walk again just days after being given an experimental drug.

And in mice, an Alzheimer's vaccine halted and in some cases reversed the disease. In fact, the vaccine was so promising, in a matter of months, it was tried on people. Scientists declared it the most promising area of Alzheimer's research.

DR. LEON THAL, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA: I think there will be a great sense of disappointment if these drugs do not work.

ROWLAND: Scientists are betting on it.

THAL: Yes.

ROWLAND (on camera): Now the Alzheimer's vaccine has hit a snag. Four of the study volunteers in France developed inflammation of the central nervous system. To be on the safe side, the drug maker suspended the study to figure out what went wrong. An independent monitoring group will decide if the study should move forward.

(voice-over): A disappointment for those hanging their hopes on the vaccine?

FRANKIE TRULL, FOUNDATION FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH: I don't think, even with the disappointments in this Alzheimer's vaccine, that you've heard anybody say well that's it for Alzheimer's.

ROWLAND: It may simply mean scientists have to go back to the bench for a few adjustments. In reality though, 80 percent of potential medicines tried in animals never work out in humans. The reason? Well, there are some similarities between mice and men. Rodents are not mini humans.

So, this medical emphasis says, while the public has the right to be informed of research progress, early findings should not be hyped.

ART CAPLAN, CENTER FOR BIOETHICS, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA: It has to be presented, if I could put it this way, it's a back page story.

ROWLAND: Caplan advised the public to be wary of promising animal findings. CAPLAN: There's almost an Enron syndrome in some areas of biomedical research. They're pumping up press releases because they want investors.

ROWLAND: But Trull disagrees. She has no problem with mouse cures making front page news.

TRULL: I think that medical research is probably one of the most important aspects of what this society undergoes. So, do I think it should be buried on the back page? No.

ROWLAND: Remember, almost every vaccine, therapy used at the patient's bedside, and drug on the pharmacy shelf has a mouse as the first beneficiary.

Rhonda Rowland, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: Making decisions about your health can be tough. You may have wondered, for example, if a weight loss program is for you. Coming up, we have the skinny on what they can offer. Plus, can bacteria actually be healthy? The answer may surprise you. Those stories just ahead, but first, our Doctor Q&A.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GUPTA: It's happening all across the country, probably even in your neighborhood, people taking live bacteria to stay healthy. Surprised? Liz Weiss explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LIZ WEISS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They come in pills, packets and powders, with hard to pronounce names like Bifidobacterium, Acidophilus, and Lactobacillus.

DEBRA STARK, DEBRA'S NATURAL: Probiotics are the friendly bugs from the gastrointestinal system. They're what keep us healthy and protect us from the outside world and the bad bugs.

WEISS: Probiotics or good bacteria are sold as dietary supplements. They claim to promote healthy intestinal function and to support colon health. But experts say they may also have other benefits.

CAROL COUGHLIN, MAINE DIETETIC ASSOCIATION: Probiotics are great for people on antibiotics, so they don't get diarrhea or yeast infection. It can help prevent an upper respiratory infection in children, and it can help people with allergies and just with overall colon health.

WEISS: Friendly bacteria are found naturally in certain foods like kefir and yogurt, but they're hard to get from the typical American diet. That's why Cathy Glass (ph) and her family take acidophilus every day. CATHY GLASS: We mostly do it primarily for immune boosting and that's why we really like intensify it when we know something's coming on.

WEISS: This shopper pops pills when she travels.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It really prevents the traveler's distress that happens, particularly in third-world countries.

WEISS (on camera): So you eat one a day and you get a billion bacteria.

(voice-over): Consuming live bacteria may be tough for some people to swallow. Yet the Danning (ph) company thinks more consumers will learn to stomach the thought. They're test marketing this bacterial brew in one U.S. city, and hope the concept of a probiotic health drink catches on.

For "Feeling Fit," I'm Liz Weiss.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GUPTA: Do you need help losing weight? What kind of plan would work for you? Good questions. Our Elizabeth Cohen has some answers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It's that time of year again, the time of year when people think this year I'm really going to lose weight. So that got us around to thinking, what's the best way to choose a diet plan.

(voice over): All you have to do is look on the Internet to see there's a lot of them out there, and the Federal Trade Commission says, when you're looking around, ask these questions. What are the staff qualifications? In some programs, counselors don't receive much training. And what are all the costs? There might be hidden fees, for example, for special foods or vitamins. And are there any risks? And how successful are other people on this program?

That last one really caught our eye. We saw all these fabulous looking pictures, but they usually said "results not typical." So what is typical? You can't really tell.

(on camera): But the really big question, in fact the one the weight loss experts say is the most important question is, do people keep the weight off once they lose it? We visited a couple of diet program Web sites. Come and have a look.

(voice over): This is what we found, pretty much nothing. We went to sites for several different programs and found very little data on long-term weight loss results.

(on camera): Now over the years, consumer advocates and the Federal Trade Commission have been trying to get weight loss programs to publicize their long-term weight loss results, but without much success.

(voice-over): Lynn McAfee has been in on some of those FTC meetings.

LYNN McAFEE: And we asked them to track their results long-term, not because we wanted to show that they didn't work, but because we thought we want their program to be made better. We want to know what programs work for what people.

COHEN: So what do the weight loss programs have to say?

KAREN MILLER, WEIGHT WATCHERS: It seems like such an easy question to say what people take weight off and keep it off, and in the Weight Watchers System that's actually a very difficult number to capture.

COHEN (on camera): So the bottom line is, if somebody wants to lose weight and take it off, there's not a lot of good long-term data to say if diet programs work or not. So in the end, if you want to lose weight and keep it off, it will ultimately be up to you -- Sanjay.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: Thanks, Elizabeth. I'm glad you decided to watch YOUR HEALTH today. I hope we cleared up some of the confusion about your food, your diet and your health in general. I want to take some time now to answer some of your e-mail questions.

First question: "Do protein diets really work?" Thanks, J.J. Protein diets have been very controversial, known at Atkins, the Zone, Protein Power, Sugar Busters and Stillman, all these diets count on low carbohydrates and high protein.

Most agree that you will lose weight and may even lower your cholesterol, at least initially. The problem may lie later on down the road when your weight stabilizes. At that time, the bad type of cholesterol may become elevated despite the lower weight.

There are no quick and easy ways to lose weight without first trying to be as healthy as possible. The American Dietary Association recommends balanced meals and balanced exercise.

Our next question: "What is acid reflux and how is it treated? Thanks you, Diane. Acid reflux is quite simply the backup of acid from the stomach into the esophagus. It can cause heartburn, a sour taste in the mouth, and even difficulty swallowing. It is treated using medications, such as antacids, which are over the counter.

Another medication, Xantax, can actually decrease acid production and in low doses may actually also be found over the counter. There is a prescription medication known as Trilocet. It's the latest type of drug that actually turns off the acid pump. If the symptoms persist, the cause may actually be a bacteria in the stomach. You may need antibiotics to try and treat it.

Well I hope we've shed a little light on your health questions, but you can still find out more about your health. Just click on our Web site, cnn.com/health, and while you're there, don't forget to send us your "Ask the Doctor" e-mails. That address is: yourhealth@cnn.com.

For everyone on the CNN Health Team, I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta. We hope you'll join us again next week.

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