New health and nutrition news breaks every day. Here's the pick of the stories, from around the world.
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Drinking fruit juices reduces risk of developing Alzheimer's disease So good to hear a piece of news that people can act on, and make a real difference to their health. Research published today in the American Journal of Medicine, reveals that drinking fruit or vegetable juices more than three times a week, reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by 76%. This is true even for people who have a genetic disposition towards this devastating illness. BBC News, 31 August 2006
Great Britain is the fattest nation in Europe Government figures show that two-thirds of British men and 60% of women are overweight, and numerous children are heading for obesity. The problem stems from shopping and eating habits, now deeply ingrained and hard to shift. People also fail to take enough exercise, as well as eating unhealthily. The government is targetting children, and wants to halt the continual rise in obesity by 2010. But it's hard to shift eating habits among adults, and the government could well have a struggle on its hands. 13 October 2006
Trans fats lead to heart disease - and supermarkets respond The British Medical Journal of 28 July 2006 reported on a research review published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which recommended that people should cut down or completely stop their intake of trans fatty acids (hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils) in order to minimise the risk of coronary heart disease. The review concluded that even a very small intake of trans fatty acids, as little as 20-60 calories per day was enough to produce adverse effects. Supermarkets, whose shelves are stacked high with products containing hydrogenated oils, have responded. Sainsbury's, Tesco and Asda have now decided to ban these fats from their 'own label' products by the start of 2007. Marks & Spencer have already removed these oils from their products. Hydrogenated oils are found in a wide range of goods, including biscuits, cakes, pastry, ice cream and ready-meals. This is a great step forward - although you'll still need to scrutinise non-own-label foods carefully. British Medical Journal/Earthtimes, 04 August 2006
Organic bird shortage this Christmas? Fears concerning the arrival of bird flu in the UK this autumn, mean that some organic farmers will stop farming turkeys and geese, rather than risk having to cull the birds, or take them inside if there is an outbreak. Farmers simply don't want to make the investment, so there may a shortfall of the increasingly popular organic birds this year. 21 July 2006
New Jamie Oliver initiative targets family meals He's at it again! Fresh from his triumph over British school meals, Jamie Oliver is now in talks with the Department of Health and Sainsbury's supermarkets to launch a campaign that encourages families to eat together more often, in order to improve the nation's diet. As few as three families in ten eat together more than once a week, and the aim is to get them back to sharing meals, and talking, rather than watching tv. It's a tricky one, given the busy lives that people lead, and the panoply of demands on their time. But if anyone can do it, Jamie can.27 June 2006
Wal-Mart encourages healthy eating Organic food has hit the States, at a time when Americans are starting to think more carefully about what they eat. With obesity at an all-time high, and a national diet that's decidedly unhealthy, it's time for a change. Wal-Mart have begun selling organic food at low prices, and the organic and fair trade sector of the grocery market is expanding by 20% every year. There's a long way to go, but the first steps have been taken. Source: Center for Food Safety, Washington DC, June 2006
Healthy eating for kids: ever more important to read food labels The Trading Standards Institute yesterday urged parents to check food labels carefully. Some crisps, ready meals and breakfast cereals deliver twice as much fat and salt as others. Comparing widely available products, the TSI found, for example, that the healthiest cereal bars had 0.5g fat per serving, while the least healthy had 18.2g. The same differences apply to salt, with some meals providing only traces, but others packed with 6.9g per serving - twice the recommended daily amount ofr a child aged 3-6. Bad offenders? Scooby Doo chicken burgers have 3g salt and Golden Grahams have 2.5g salt per 100g. 21 June 2006
Sales of fruit smoothies are booming Juice bar chain Crussh is set to invade Britain, as the nation's taste for healthier thirst-quenchers takes off. The chain of juice bars sells more than 1m smoothies a year, and is opening a new branch every six weeks. The leading shop-bought brand, Innocent, is already selling to school canteens, and both businesses will gain sales if government plans to clamp down on junk foods go ahead. It's all good for the nation's health, and smoothies taste delectable too. June 19 2006
Controls planned on junk food advertising The UK government is panicking. With 15% of Britain's 5 million kids aged from 2-11 obese, and a further 15% overweight, something has to happen. Controls on junk food advertising, already planned for tv, could be extended to websites, text messaging, computer games, cinemas and posters. The government is also thinking about offering extra loyalty points to supermarket customers who buy healthy, low fat/salt/sugar foods. The problem for Britain's kids doesn't just stem from unhealthy food. Lifestyle is to blame as well. Public Health Minister, Caroline Flint, said: "There was a time when a 8 or 9-year-old said the best present they could have is a bicycle. Now it's more likely to be a PlayStation.". June 16 2006 Do fresh fruit and veg really matter? Five brothers in their 80s claim never to have eaten fresh veg. 'They're a pain,' said one, who never eats peas because he can't get them on the fork. So is medical science wrong? Are fresh fruit and veg a waste of time? All the evidence says no - perhaps these siblings have particularly strong genes, and aren't predisposed to the cancers which fruit and veg protect against. I'm not giving up my five portions for anyone - quite apart from doing some good, they just taste fantastic. June 7 2006
Convenience foods gone crazy - ready-made beans on toast Heinz are testing a frozen, fused baked bean sandwich that is cooked in a toaster. If tests in NZ are successful, this delightful product will soon be on the shelves in the UK. At the moment, it takes about 2 minutes to toast a slice of bread and, while it's browning, warm some beans in a pan or in the microwave. A frozen sandwich will take - who knows - at least 2 minutes to defrost and cook through in the toaster. Giving a net time saving of, um, zero. I've only one question. Why? May 20 2006
Protect your heart - eat more fruit and veg Consuming five or more portions of fruit and veg daily is known to protect people against heart and circulatory diseases, which kill 37% of those in the UK who die before the age of 75. Yet only around 15% of us eat that amount every day. The British Heart Foundation is alarmed by the rising cost to the NHS of heart drugs like statins, and is putting pressure on the government and food industry to do more to encourage healthy diet and lifestyle, in an attempt to cut the numbers succumbing to coronary disease. Source: The Guardian, May 10 2006Eat more fruit and veg - it's easy, especially in the summer months. Check out the delights in store: summer fruit and vegetables.
Protect kids from junk food ads UK proposals to control the advertising of junk foods to children were watered down after Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator was lobbed 29 times by the food and advertising industry. Ofcom has now suggested three options, including a ban on junk food ads being shown during programmes aimed at the under 10s. Anti-obesity campaigning groups had hoped for a blanket ban on junk food ads before the 9pm watershed. Which? the consumer watchdog, said that the proposals don't go nearly far enough in tackling childhood obesity, which has doubled in the last decade, saying that "even the toughtest of the weak options proposed by Ofcom would not cover the programmes that children are actually watching." May 5 2006
It looks like it's down to parents to monitor more closely what their children are eating. See junk food facts to find out more about why it's vital to steer your kids away from rubbish food.
Sugary drinks banned from US schools At last, manufacturers are starting to see sense - or have it forced on them. The American Beverage Association, along with Cadbury Schweppes, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and the American Beverage Association have signed up to a deal with anti-obesity campaigners, agreeing to sell only water, juice and low-fat milks to primary and middle schools. May 4 2006
Americans less healthy than Brits? I fear this is disturbing news for my pals across the pond, but according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, Americans are a darned sight less healthy than Brits. Americans aged 55-64 are up to twice as likely to have diabetes, lung cancer and high blood pressure as their English counterparts, and even the healthiest Americans have disease rates similar to the least healthy groups over here. Oh dear. The cause? A mixture of different healthcare systems, unknown factors - and diet/exercise. This helps explain why my favourite search term 'healthy eating' is tapped into Google three times in the UK, for every one search in the US. Could it be time to check out my healthy eating site, and make some much-needed changes? May 3 2006
Live 3 years longer - eat more fruit and veg Research in progress at Cambridge University has calculated that eating five portions of fruit and veg a day can increase life expectancy by up to 3 years. Couple that with giving up smoking and taking more exercise, and you could increase your life span by 11 years.
Even small additional amount of fruit or veg can make a worthwhile difference, researchers discovered, in their study of 25,000 people aged 45-79 in Norfolk, discovered. People who don't exercise can still benefit, simply by adding an apple or pear to their daily diet. Source: The Guardian, April 26 2006Inspired? Here's how to increase your fruit and veg consumption to five a day.
