Your health: Here's another reason to quit smoking

More reasons to quit

Once considered weak, evidence supporting a link between long-term smoking and colorectal cancer has gotten a boost, thanks in part to a new study.

The study looked at 13 years of data from nearly 200,000 people. Researchers found that current smokers had a 27 percent higher chance of developing the cancer than those who had never smoked. People who smoked for at least 50 years raised their chances by 38 percent.

Better with Coke?

Nutrition and diet associations have come under fire for their relationships with food companies; most recently, the American Society for Nutrition was criticized for its role in administering the controversial Smart Choices food-labeling program.

Now, the American Academy of Family Physicians has announced its own corporate partnership program, called the Consumer Alliance, and said that the Coca-Cola Co. will be its first partner. Under the terms of the arrangement, Coke will provide a grant - which AAFP President-elect Lori Heim says is "in the strong six figures" - annually to the group, which will develop consumer education content on beverages and sweeteners for its consumer-oriented Web site, FamilyDoctor.org.

The AAFP, Heim said, "has total control over editorial materials" and Coke won't be using an AAFP symbol in marketing its products, though the company's financial assistance will be credited on the site.

Heim says the AAFP doesn't have specific policies on food, such as advice on how much soda to consume. "We encourage active lifestyles," she says. "And we talk about moderation."

New for kids' health

Seeking advice from pediatricians on your kids' health just got easier.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, based in Elk Grove Village, has launched healthychildren.org in an effort to bring pediatrician-approved health information to the often confusing world of online medical advice.

The group is already online at aap.org, but until now that site has mashed together health information aimed at parents with professional information for its 60,000 members. The new site focuses on parents' questions on frequently encountered issues like finicky eating, toilet training, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

It includes a section where you can ask questions of a team of doctors.

Another plus: Information on specific topics is arranged chronologically so that the newest thinking on fast-changing health topics like vitamin D supplements for kids comes up first.