Health Care Revolution:
Nurses Health Study

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, July 13 and August 31, 2008
Show 515

It's one of the most comprehensive and significant studies ever done on women's health, and its results are revolutionizing health care. The Nurses' Health Study began in 1976 as a way of tracking the long-term effects of birth control pills on women's health. Since then, over 100,000 nurses sent in detailed questionnaires every few years that tracked their diet, exercise habits and overall health, which have resulted in over 250 scientific papers. They include topics such as the effects of trans fat on heart attack and diabetes risk, different foods and their effects on cholesterol, how vitamin D and calcium help prevent hip fractures, and the positive long-term impact of walking on memory. Dr. John La Puma talks with Dr. Walter Willett from the Harvard School of Public Health to discuss those results and more.