Daily Rounds: The Fitness Gene; Meatball Recall; GOP On Health Care Dole; ER For The Aged

The Genetics of Fitness - NYTimes.com "Scientists long have known that when any given group of people faithfully follows the same aerobic workout routine, some increase their cardiorespiratory fitness substantially, while an unfortunate few seem to get no benefits at all. But what, beyond the fundamental unfairness of life, makes one person’s body receptive to exercise and another’s resistant? According to the new study, which will soon be published in The Journal of Applied Physiology, part of the answer may depend on the state of specific genes." (ell.blogs.nytimes.com)

Some Lean Cuisine dishes recalled | Reuters "More than 10,000 pounds of Lean Cuisine frozen spaghetti and meatball dishes have been recalled because of the possible presence of foreign materials, the Department of Agriculture said." (Reuters)

Dems To GOP: Show Us Your Health Insurance : Shots - Health Blog : NPR "Now a House bill being pushed by Democrats would require Republicans to publicly state whether or not they are accepting taxpayer-subsidized health benefits under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.
They're entitled to such coverage as members of Congress, but Democrats say it's hypocritical for Republicans who are voting to take health coverage away from millions of Americans to accept coverage subsidized by those same people." (npr.org)

"Some hospitals open ERs just for graying patients - Boston.com "Many hospitals run emergency rooms just for children. Now a few are opening ERs specially designed for seniors, without all the confusion and clamor and with a little more comfort. It's a fledgling trend, but expected to increase as the population rapidly grays. The question is whether they'll truly improve care. "Older people are not just wrinkly adults. They have totally different needs," says Dr. David John, who chairs the geriatric medicine division of the American College of Emergency Physicians." (boston.com)