Fat’s Where It’s At

They’ve packed on some fat, but maybe still no guilt. Those SnackWell’s cookies that used to cause a run on stores whenever shelves were restocked now average 0.5 to 3.5 grams of fat; the crackers now average 1.5 grams. According to Ann Smith, spokeswoman for Nabisco, the snacks’ maker, “When we showed people how much better the products could taste with just a gram or two of fat per serving, they were sold.” And now, after a steady sales slump, perhaps the snacks will get sold.

Step Safely and Lively

Everyone’s got one or two--ladders to help tackle all kinds of tasks, from reaching objects on high shelves to washing windows. But the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says too many of us may be taking ladders for granted. Big mistake, as more than half a million people a year who use ladders unsafely or incorrectly find out. Some 511,000 people seek medical help annually for ladder-related injuries. In addition, about 300 people a year die from ladder injuries. The academy has launched Climb It Safe, a ladder-safety program. To get the academy’s free brochure, call (800) 824-BONES, or send a stamped, self-addressed business-size envelope to Climb It Safe, AAOS, P.O. Box 1998, Des Plaines, IL 60017.

Don’t Linger

Antitheft detectors in retail stores and other places could be hazardous to certain heart patients’ health, new medical findings indicate. The portal in the detector scans patrons with a magnetic field in search of stolen goods. The fields can interfere with implanted electronic devices, such as pacemakers. While the consequences can be life-threatening, they are rare and easily corrected, so the likelihood of harm is low, the Nov. 7 Science News reports. The specialists say that simply moving away from the portals can put a patient out of harm’s way. Specialists urge patients with implanted heart controllers to walk normally through the detector gates and move away promptly.