New research reveals that yuppie flu hits one in 50 teenagers
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@charles shepherd - this was featured on the MEA FB page. Is the MEA contacting The Sun?
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BBC coverage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-35383832
BBC said:Not yuppie flu
In the study, those with CFS/ME missed, on average, more than half a day of school every week.
Boys and girls appeared to be equally affected at the age of 13, but by the time they were 16, CFS/ME was more common in girls.
Children from families with poor housing, financial difficulties and a lack of support for their mother were more likely to report problems of severe fatigue.
The study authors said this dispelled the commonly held view that CFS/ME was a "middle-class" illness, or "yuppie flu".
This implies that the "yuppie flu" issue was raised by the study authors in the press release in order to dispel it, but it's not clear whether they're being directly quoted or whether that "yuppie flu" is just in "scare quotes" like the ones I'm using.
Children from families experiencing greater adversity were more likely to have the condition, dispelling the commonly held view that CFS is a ‘middle-class’ illness or ‘yuppie-flu’.
After excluding children with high levels of depressive symptoms, the prevalence was 0.60% (95% CI: 0.37 to 0.84).
She said experts still did not know exactly why or how the condition is triggered, but research showed it could be successfully treated with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in young people.
I think she also miraculously cured many of the tired teenagers by instructing them to go to bed at a reasonable hour. So just how many of these teenagers actually have ME rather than persistent tiredness through lack of sleep and poor diet?
MEA letter to the Editor of The Sun at 10am today
URGENT: Inaccurate headline in The Sun
And: INTENDED FOR PUBLICATION
Dear Sir
Re the headline in the news item in today's SUN covering children with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS):
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...that-yuppie-flu-hits-one-in-50-teenagers.html
Yuppie flu is a derogatory and inaccurate description for the serious and debilitating neurological illness known as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
The name was invented by journalists and has NEVER been used by the medical profession
And as you say in the news item, ME/CFS is an illness that is 'more prevalent in poorer families' - it has no social class bias and has nothing to do with so-called yuppies
To comply with the press code of conduct on accuracy please take immediate steps to remove this appalling headline from your on-line news item and place a suitable correction and apology in the paper edition tomorrow
Yours
Dr Charles Shepherd
Medical Adviser, ME Association
7 Apollo Office Court
Radclive Road
Gawcott
Bucks MK18 4DF
Website: www.meassociation.org.uk