Top Story

• Ruling: College must provide allergen-free food
  The U.S. Department of Justice ruled Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., must provide gluten-free and allergen-free food for students with food allergies under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The settlement, which also requires Lesley to pay $50,000 to students who filed the claim, "puts all universities on notice that they're going to have to make these accommodations for students with celiac, gluten sensitivity and other food allergies," said Marilyn Geller, chief operating officer of the Celiac Disease Foundation. National Public Radio/The Salt blog (1/8)

Guide to Healthy Living

• Have resolutions gotten healthier?
  Weight-loss systems, gyms and restaurant chains have new ads for the new year aimed at people looking to shed pounds, and there's evidence that more consumers are taking a longer-term view when it comes to healthy-eating resolutions. Surveys show consumers want more healthy choices, and they're broadening the definition of "healthy" to include local, sustainable and organic. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Food & Beverage (1/8)

• U.S. News list puts DASH diet at top for best overall plan
  U.S. News & World Report's annual "Best Diets" list ranked the DASH diet as best overall and tops for healthfulness and diabetes prevention and management. Of the 29 plans studied, Weight Watchers came in first for weight loss and ease of use, while the Mediterranean diet was named the best plant-based diet. ABC News/Medical Unit blog (1/8)

• Supplements have varied amounts of caffeine, study says
  Dietary supplements vary widely in how much caffeine they contain, according to Harvard Medical School research. Some had little to no caffeine while others contained up to 310 mg of the substance although their labels did not reflect the presence of caffeine. Inaccurate labeling and a lack of product information were common problems, and researcher Pieter Cohen said people "really have no idea when they're purchasing supplements what's in them, even if they carefully read the label." Reuters (1/8)

• Ads open the door on inflammatory bowel disease
  An ad campaign for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America features a clown, Santa Claus, a bride and others behind bathroom stall doors along with headlines such as, "I.B.D. is no laughing matter." Neither the advocacy group nor the agency initially wanted to use any type of bathroom humor, but they say the message strikes the right tone in showing that thousands of people from all walks of life suffer behind closed doors. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (1/7)

Diagnosis & Treatment

• IBD presentation varies by ethnicity, study says
  A study that assessed 325 adult patients showed differences in the presentation of inflammatory bowel disease among U.S.-born Hispanic patients, foreign-born Hispanic patients and non-Hispanic white patients. According to the report in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, Crohn's disease was more common among non-Hispanic whites compared with Hispanics, and foreign-born Hispanics presented with more cases of ulcerative colitis than did non-Hispanic whites or U.S.-born Hispanics. Healio (1/8)

• Gene discovery could guide HCV treatments, study suggests
  National Cancer Institute research identified a gene named IFNL4 that interferes with the body's clearance of infection with the hepatitis C virus. Researchers said the gene predicts the outcome of HCV treatments among African-Americans better than standard tests and may explain why some patients do not respond well to interferon therapy. MedWire News (U.K.) (1/7)

Policy Watch

• FDA shifts focus to prevention in proposed food safety rules
  The FDA proposed new food safety rules that would subject processors to stricter safety monitoring and require produce farmers to keep deadly bacteria out of their fields. All aspects of growing and harvesting produce will be covered by the proposed safety standards. The proposal represents a shift from the current emphasis on reactions to disease outbreaks to disease prevention. The Wall Street Journal (1/4)

• Health care spending growth remains at historic low
  Data from a CMS report showed U.S. spending on health care grew by 3.9% in 2011, the third year in a row of relatively small increases and continuing a 52-year low. However, researchers said spending growth may pick up in the coming years as the economy rebounds. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (1/7), Reuters (1/7)

• Study: ACA will increase premiums for young adults
  Affordable Care Act provisions that link premiums for younger and older beneficiaries will mean higher costs for the young, according to analysis by management consulting organization Oliver Wyman. Insurers are not permitted to charge older people more than three times the rate for younger people. The Hill/Healthwatch blog (1/7)

The Last Word

News and information from the American College of Gastroenterology

• Gastroparesis: What you need to know
  Diabetes is one of the most common causes of gastroparesis, a digestive disorder in which the stomach takes a long time to empty its contents. While diet is important in easing symptoms of gastroparesis, certain medications can worsen the condition. Learn the facts about gastroparesis and what you can do to ease the pain and discomfort.

SmartQuote

If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today." --E. Joseph Cossman, American entrepreneur and inventor