Daily Rounds: Strict Snack Laws; HIV Stigma; Ryan's Medicare Plan; Med School Bullies

Study links healthier weight in children with strict laws on school snacks (The New York Times) - "Adolescents in states with strict laws regulating the sale of snacks and sugary drinks in public schools gained less weight over a three-year period than those living in states with no such laws, a new study has found. The study, published Monday in Pediatrics, found a strong association between healthier weight and tough state laws regulating food in vending machines, snack bars and other venues that were not part of the regular school meal programs. Such snacks and drinks are known as competitive foods, because they compete with school breakfasts and lunches."

Stigma of HIV keeps thousands silent about their status (The Boston Globe) - "Three decades after the start of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, thousands of people like her are unwilling to disclose their condition because they fear losing their jobs, their friends, or a significant other. More than one in five Massachusetts residents living with HIV reported that they “work hard” to keep their infection status a secret from everyone, and nearly half said that they had not revealed their status to anyone outside of immediate family, according to a 2009 study conducted by Harvard Law School’s Health Law and Policy Clinic."

FAQ: How Paul Ryan proposes to change Medicare (Kaiser Health News) - "Ryan would gradually raise the eligibility age of Medicare from 65 to 67 by 2034, and cap its spending increases at half a percentage point higher than the growth rate of the economy, or the gross domestic product. Ryan’s plan would provide a set amount of money annually for future Medicare beneficiaries — those currently under age 55 — to be used to purchase either a private health plan, or the traditional government-administered program through a newly created Medicare exchange."

Longtime culture of mistreating students persists at med schools (amednews.com) - "A survey of 12,195 students at 126 U.S. medical schools found that 47% experienced some form of mistreatment, according to the Assn. of American Medical College’s 2012 Medical Student Graduation Questionnaire. Of those, only 17% reported the incidents to a faculty member or administrator. Some of the most common complaints include students being publicly humiliated, subjected to sexist remarks or required to perform personal services, said the report, released in July."