(May 28, 2009 - Insidermedicine) From Charleston - According to research in The American Journal of Medicine, fewer Americans are following a healthy lifestyle, despite increasing evidence of its benefits. In a survey of over 15,000 people over an 18-year period, researchers found that the proportion doing exercise 12 times a month or more dropped from 53% to 43%. Meanwhile, the proportion with a BMI higher than 30 rose from 28% to 36%.

From Boston - According to research in the Journal of the American Medical Association, anti-acid drugs have been linked to pneumonia. In a study of nearly 64,000 hospital admissions, researchers found that those treated with acid-suppressing drugs had a 30% increased risk of getting pneumonia while hospitalized. Anti-acid drugs are increasingly used in hospitals, mainly to prevent conditions such as stress ulcers.

And finally, from Washington - According to updated guidelines released by the Institute of Medicine, obese women should limit their weight gain during pregnancy to 20 pounds. The new recommendations come as a response to increasing obesity rates, and the researchers note that pre-pregnancy BMI is an independent predictor of many adverse outcomes.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.