Research

More tests: A third of diabetes cases in the United States are undetected. But testing adults who have just one risk factor for the disease would wipe out that deficit, a new study says.

Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston also noted that patients respond better to diabetes treatments when they are diagnosed younger than current guidelines recommend.

The researchers, Florence J. Dallo and Susan C. Weller, found that diabetes screening guidelines would be highly effective if they were followed more often.

They suspect physicians are too busy. Risk factors for diabetes include being over 45, being black or Hispanic, having high blood pressure, family history and high lipid levels. Eight out of 10 Americans have at least one of those risk factors.

Current guidelines call starting screenings at 45, but that mark misses about half the Hispanics and blacks who have already developed diabetes by that age, researchers said.

They recommend that diabetes screenings start at age 40 for white and at 30 for minorities.

About 17 million Americans have diabetes, a leading cause of death, blindness, kidney failure and amputations.

Nutrition

Food sense: From the August issue of the Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource, here are some ideas for "right-sizing" food portions:

• A medium apple or orange is the size of a tennis ball.

• A medium potato is the size of a computer mouse.

• An average bagel is the size of a hockey puck.

• A cup of fruit is the size of a baseball.

• Three ounces of meat is the size of a deck of cards.

• Three ounces of fish is the size of your checkbook.

• An ounce of cheese is the size of four dice.

• A teaspoon of peanut butter is the size of the tip of your thumb.

Resource

Brochure: The American Health Care Association is offering a free booklet, "Tips on Visiting Friends and Relatives." To order, call (800) 628-8140 or log on to www.longtermcareliving.com

Calendar

Fair: The North Central Area Health Education Center will hold a Hispanic Health Fair/Community Health Fair at 1 p.m. Sunday at Holmes High School, Covington. Free health screenings will be provided. Information: (859) 655-8037, Ext. 23.

Benefit: The Breast Cancer Alliance of Greater Cincinnati will hold its fourth "Breast Cancer Brick Silent Auction" from 1-4 p.m. Sept. 21 at The Shops at Harper's Point, 11330 Montgomery Road. Information: 588-4142 or www.bcacincy.org.

Shelf help

New release: Naturally Healthy Babies and Children (Ten Speed Press; $16.95) by Aviva Jill Romm offers nutrition, herbs and techniques for carsickness, chickenpox and other everyday kid issues.

Contact Peggy O'Farrell by phone, 768-8510; fax, 768-8330, or e-mail, pofarrell@enquirer.com