… A study published in January 2008 provides further support for making time for regular family meals. Previous reports by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse have concluded that teenagers who eat regularly with their families are less likely to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, or try marijuana. The latest study, by researchers at the University of Minnesota, suggests that adolescent girls who eat meals frequently with their families are less likely than other girls to develop eating disorders later on…
… Mental health problems, such as depression, ranked first among the top three reasons Americans sought medical treatment in 2005, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Mental health visits have increased 30% since 1996. The agency collected data from physicians, medical clinics, and hospital outpatient departments. In 2005, there were 156 million visits to doctors for mental health problems, 139 million visits for back problems, and 133 million visits for trauma and injuries…
… New research shows that happily married adults have lower blood pressure than singles with supportive social networks, suggesting that marriage may literally be a matter of the heart. Brigham Young University professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad found that men and women in happy marriages scored four points lower on 24-hour blood pressure than single adults. Having a network of supportive friends did not translate into improved blood pressure for singles or unhappily marrieds, which surprised the researchers. "There seem to be some unique health benefits from marriage," said Holt-Lunstad. "It's not just being married that benefits health – what’s really the most protective of health is having a happy marriage." …
… Mental disorders account for about a third of sick days, roughly equal to those caused by back and neck pain, according to the most comprehensive report yet on the effect of illness on disability. Adult Americans with depression, anxiety, or other psychological disorders annually miss 1.3 billion days of work, school, or other daily activity, according to a report published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. Back and neck pain cause sufferers to miss 1.2 billion days, the report said. The study was based on a nationwide survey of 9,282 adults. Participants reported the number of days they had been completely unable to work or carry out their normal activities within the previous month. They also said which of 30 mental and physical conditions they had had during the last year. Taken together, all chronic conditions – including cancer, heart attack, ulcer and vision loss – sideline adults for 3.7 billion days a year, researchers said. Among mental disorders, depression counted for the most sick days, 387 million. Other reasons included social phobia, 214 million days; post-traumatic stress disorder, 113 million; generalized anxiety disorder, 110 million; bipolar disorder, 103 million; panic disorders, 101 million; substance abuse, 93 million; agoraphobia, 37 million; and separation anxiety disorder, 20 million.