New Zealand Listener 03.14.2020

MARCH 14 2020 LISTENER 35

PSYCHOLOGY

Death is a sure bet,

but a heads-up of

the fateful date is

hard to come by

36

FOOD

American-style

snacks to prepare

ahead of your

next barbecue

38

TECHNOLOGY

Coming to a phone

near you – unlimited

mobile data plans

go mainstream

42

to eat less and only drink water,” says Taylor. “I’m

there to be a listening ear, find out what their hur-

dles are and help guide them along the way.”

Some need help managing pain so they can be

more active. Others might want to be referred to

a dietitian, physiotherapist, psychologist or sports

trainer. Taylor mentors each patient on a monthly

basis, or more frequently if they need it, and helps

them through the red tape of Accident Compensa-

tion Corporation and medical services.

“A patient has to be ready and willing,” says

Taylor. “They’re the ones doing the hard yards.”

W

hen Meijer first proposed Fit for Surgery, Fit

for Life, there was scepticism and a sense

that weight-loss programmes don’t work.

In fact, many patients have lost weight, and some

have felt so much better once their BMI has dipped

below 40 that they have continued their efforts.

“There have been many success stories,” says

Taylor. “One man lost 33kg. He had

less pain and was more mobile as he

wasn’t carrying as much weight on

the joints, so decided he didn’t need

the surgery yet. One woman has just

bought her first size-16 dress and

another patient stopped needing a

seat-belt extender on a plane.”

The results have been positive

enough for ACC to come on board

with 75% of the programme’s fund-

ing because of the potential to make

significant savings in disability costs.

It is estimated that each year 87

people with a BMI over 40 will need

hip or knee surgery at Whanganui

Hospital. And there are plans to

extend the programme beyond that

to other orthopaedic procedures and

eventually include all elective surgery.

Such programmes are known as

“prehabilitation”. Growing interna-

tional evidence shows that getting

patients into the best possible shape

before surgery shortens hospital stays

and reduces post-operative

pain and complications.

The first patients

from the programme

have now reached

their target and

been through

surgery suc-

cessfully.

They will be

monitored

for a year to

see if they

manage to maintain the weight loss.

“It’s been so rewarding to see

people embrace this,” says Taylor. “It

doesn’t matter where you are in life;

you can always make a change.” l

If patients are very

overweight, everything

from moving them

to keeping airways

open is more difficult.

BOXING CLEVER

Researchers have developed

a new technology to screen

women for breast cancer

without exposure to radia-

tion. The system, developed

by the University of Waterloo,

uses microwaves and artificial-

intelligence software to detect

even small early-stage tumours.

It consists of a small sensor in

an adjustable box. Patients lie

face down on an examination

table so that one breast at a

time is positioned in the box.

ALZHEIMER’SHEART LINK

Newcastle University scientists

have concluded that amyloid-

beta, which is known to be

involved in the development of

Alzheimer’s disease, may also

have a key part to play in heart

disease. The findings suggest that

the higher the level of amyloid

beta in the blood, the greater

the risk of developing serious

heart complications. It is hoped

patients most at risk will be able

to be identified with a blood test.

ADD WEIGHT, LOSE PUFF

The decline in lung function as

we age has been found to be

steeper in those who

experience moder-

ate or high weight

gain. The Barce-

lona Institute for

Global Health

analysed

the effect

of weight

changes

on res-

piratory

health

over a

20-year period. The research

is based on data collected

from 3700 participants in Europe

and Australia, between the ages

of 20 and 44.

HEALTH BRIEFS

G

ET

TY

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AG
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