Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Opponents Want Delay in Implementation of NYC Sugary Drink Rule
Groups fighting New York City’s ban on the sale of supersized, sugary drinks have asked a judge to stop it from taking effect next month.
In the request filed Friday in a Manhattan court, opponents asked that enforcement of the measure be put on hold until there’s a ruling in their lawsuit to scrap the new law altogether, the Associated Press reported.
Opponents of the rule include the beverage industry, restaurant owners and other types of business. They say they shouldn’t be burdened with the expenses of complying with the rule before it’s clear whether it will survive a court challenge.
Enforcement of the measure is scheduled to begin March 12. It bars restaurants and other food outlets from selling sugary beverages in cups or containers larger than 16 ounces, the AP reported.
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U.S. Leads World in Plastic Surgery
The United States leads the world in the number of plastic surgery procedures, a new survey finds.
It found that there were 6.3 million surgeries and 8.3 million non-surgical procedures (such as chemical peels, laser hair removal and Botox injections) performed by plastic surgeons around the world in 2011, USA Today reported.
Just over 31 percent, or 3.1 million procedures, were done in the U.S., according to the survey by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. Brazil was a close second to the U.S.
However, rates by population were highest in South Korea, Greece and Italy, where more than 10 procedures were performed for every 1,000 people, USA Today reported.
Breast augmentation was the leading type of plastic surgery in the U.S., while liposuction (fat removal) led the way worldwide. The U.S. has the most plastic surgeons at 5,950, followed by Brazil (5,024), and China (2,000). The United Kingdom and Canada have only 450 and 425, respectively.