INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES

EAST LANSING, Mich. — A drug commonly used to treat Type 2 diabetes may reduce the risk of diabetes-associated cancers, including breast cancer, according to a new study.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A study published online earlier this month by the American Journal of Cardiology concluded that supplementation with vitamin D conferred substantial survival benefits, specifically in patients with documented deficiency.

According to the research, evidence supported an association between vitamin D deficiency and hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease and heart failure.

NEW YORK — A test commonly used to identify patients with diabetes or those at risk of developing the condition may not produce accurate results among children, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan.

The study, published online ahead of print in the journal Diabetes Care, tested 254 overweight children using both fasting and nonfasting methods. Researchers found that the recommended test, hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), missed more cases of prediabetes or diabetes, compared with other tests.

NEW YORK — Heading into the holiday season, it was widely expected that online sales would enjoy another year of double-digit growth, and now new data from the online measurement firm ComScore confirms those earlier expectations.

NEW YORK — Opting for private-label Thanksgiving staples could help consumers save nearly 33%, according to a new survey conducted by the Private Label Manufacturers Association.

COLUMBIA, Mo. — A new tool developed by researchers at the University of Missouri improved both the efficiency and accuracy of acquiring data needed for high-quality diabetes care, according to a new study.

NEW YORK — Most consumers have their wallets ready for Thanksgiving weekend and are armed with plans to spend an average of $224, according to Deloitte's pre-Thanksgiving shopping survey.

NEW YORK — The use of retail-based health clinics increased tenfold between 2007 and 2009, and, if the trends continue, health plans can expect to see a dramatic boost in retail clinic utilization, based on the findings of a new Rand Corp. study.

“It is clear that enrollees are ‘voting with their feet’ and that retail clinics are meeting an unmet need for simple acute care and/or addressing a shortage of traditional healthcare providers,” according to the American Journal of Managed Care, which published the study.