Chinese Investigators Find Melamine in 69 Brands of Baby Milk Powder

Melamine has been found in 69 brands of baby milk powder in China and the government has ordered a halt to the sale of all the brands, made by 22 different companies, state television CCTV reported Tuesday.

"In order to ensure the safety of the milk products, the relevant government departments have pulled them from shelves, sealed them, recalled them and destroyed them," CCTV said in its nightly broadcast, Agence France Presse reported.

Until now, the Sanlu brand had been the sole focus of government officials looking into tainted baby milk powder that has killed two infants and sickened more than 1,200 across several provinces. Authorities said they expect that the number of infants affected by tainted milk powder will continue to grow.

So far, four people have been arrested in connection with the scandal. It's believed they added melamine to milk sold to infant formula manufacturers in order to make the milk appear to have a higher protein content, AFP reported.

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Use of Meth Increasing More Than Other Drugs

In many countries, methamphetamine is becoming more popular than heroin or cocaine, according to experts at an international conference in Prague, the Czech Republic.

"The rates of amphetamine-type stimulants have increased more than any other drug group worldwide," Louisa Deghenardt, of the Australian Drug and Alcohol research center, said Monday at the First Global Conference on Methamphetamine, Agence France Presse reported.

About 34 million people worldwide have used amphetamine-type stimulants, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

The experts discussed ways to deal with the growing use of meth, which is easily made using household products and improvised equipment. This is one of the main reasons for the rapid growth in meth use, according to U.S. drug enforcement officials, AFP reported.

"Meth users appear to be a younger population than opioid users, and different strategies may be required to target this group," Deghenardt said.

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Exercise, Nutritional Supplements May Help Older Adults Maintain Active Lifestyle

A combination of nutritional supplements and moderate exercise may help older adults maintain an active lifestyle, according to a British study of 60 healthy, independent-living volunteers, age 65 and older.

The 12-week study found that taking carbohydrate and protein supplements just before and after low-resistance exercise could increase muscle performance and slow muscle wastage, United Press International reported.

"Though we still need to assess precisely what level of exercise gives the best results, we believe we've shown that regular low-resistance exercise complemented by the right nutritional supplements could boost the well-being of the aging population, study leader Dr. Gladys Pearson, of Manchester Metropolitan University, said in a news release.

The study was presented at the BA Festival of Science in Liverpool, England.

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Job Uncertainty Linked to Poor Mental Health

There's a link between job uncertainty and poor mental health, says a World Health Organization report.

Compared to people with full-time jobs that include benefits, those with precarious job situations -- like temporary contracts or part-time work with low wages and no benefits -- suffer significant adverse physical and mental health effects, United Press International reported.

For example, work-related stress is associated with a 50 percent increased risk of coronary heart disease, said Dr. Carles Muntaner, of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada, who conducted research for the WHO report.

Muntaner and colleagues also found consistent evidence that jobs with high demands, low control and effort-reward imbalance increase the risk of such mental health problems as major depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse, UPI reported.

The WHO report was presented at the Fifth World Conference on the Promotion of Mental Health and the Prevention of Mental and Behavioral Disorders, being held in Melbourne, Australia.

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Campaign Pushes Blood Clot Awareness

Both consumers and doctors need to improve their awareness of dangerous blood clots, which affect between 350,000 and 600,000 Americans a year and result in at least 100,000 deaths, says acting U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Steven Galson.

On Monday, he announced a new education program to increase recognition and treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), the Associated Press reported. A DVT forms in large veins, usually in the leg or groin, and can be fatal if it moves into the lungs, where it's called a PE.

"It's a silent killer. It's hard to diagnose. I don't think most people understand that this is a serious medical problem or what can be done to prevent it," Galson said.

Risk factors include: recent surgery or a broken bone; being immobile for long periods; a fall or a car crash; pregnancy or taking birth control pills or menopause hormones. The risk increases with age and is higher among people who are obese or smoke, the AP reported.

Symptoms include: swelling; pain, especially in the calf; a warm spot or red or discolored skin on the leg; and shortness of breath or pain when breathing deeply.

People with these risk factors and symptoms shouldn't hesitate to go to an emergency department or call a doctor, said Galson, who also called for more research into DVT and PE.