8.3 - December 2007

Preventing childhood obesity -how much do we know?
Sigrid Gibson MA MSc RPHNutr

Child obesity has become the major medical “angst" of the year and an increasingly political issue. Alongside serious research has been much peddling of myths and misquotes, such as the assertion that “this will be the first generation of children to die before their parents". This article is a personal perspective on some current concerns about the prevalence, causes and prevention of obesity.

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8.2 - July 2007

Diet and Diabesity
Dr Neville H McClenaghan

The rise in incidence of diabetes and obesity poses a considerable concern for the health professions. This worrying trend prompts the need for new and more effective strategies to curb the socalled ‘diabesity’ epidemic, which represents a considerable global healthcare challenge. While genetic susceptibility to energy storage (the so-called ‘thrifty’ genotype) may underlie diabesity, it is becoming increasingly evident that environmental (acquired) factors are a major driving force.

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8.1 - March 2007

Snacking and weight control
Dr Sandra Drummond

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing at an alarming rate in many countries worldwide. In the UK, Government recommendations to improve the nation’s diet with respect to a range of health issues are well documented, and include a reduction in dietary fats and sugars, an increase in complex carbohydrates and fibre such as whole grain cereals, fruits and vegetables and to reduce intakes of salt. In addition, common public health messages to maintain a healthy body weight, and to promote weight loss in the overweight and obese, include the advice to reduce snacking between meals. The effect of ‘snacking’ or ‘frequent eating’ on body weight control has been the focus of much research over the last 30-40 years, and continues to be so. This paper will focus on the evidence to date on the role of snacking – or increased eating frequency – in body weight control.

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7.3 - November 2006

Carbohydrates and cognition
Professor David Benton

Traditionally, homeostatic mechanisms have been thought to ensure that the brain is adequately supplied with glucose. More recently it has been found that the extent to which blood glucose is released following a meal influences cognition. The possible implications for the diet of both children and adults are therefore considered.

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7.2 - July 2006

Energy density and weight control
S Whybrow and RJ Stubbs

It is frequently suggested that the high energy density of many foods is the major factor causing us to become overweight. It follows, therefore, that lowering the energy density of the diet may help to lower energy intake and result in weight loss, or limit weight gain.

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7.1 - March 2006

Treatment of obesity in childhood and adolescence
Dr John J Reilly

There is a great deal of public and political concern over the obesity epidemic in children and adolescents. Children and adolescents who are obese are presenting in ever increasing number for treatment.

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6.3 - November 2005

The origins and evolution of the Metabolic Syndrome
Dr Mark Daly

The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors that increase ischaemic heart disease risk.

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6.2 - July 2005

Micronutrient intakes among children: a cause for concern?
Sigrid Gibson

Two parallel strands of concern over children's diets are currently reflected in the media. Centre stage is the "obesity epidemic", but in addition, we see a more generalised anxiety about "junk food" or poor quality diets. There is considerable emotional power in the assertion that our vulnerable children are simultaneously overfed and malnourished because of energy-dense but nutrient-poor foods, and that sub-clinical nutrient deficiencies are widespread, with potential long term effects.

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6.1 - March 2005

Physical activity and appetite: implications for energy balance and weight control
J E Blundell & N A King

It is frequently questioned whether the current prevalence of obesity is due to excessive energy intake (EI) or low physical activity (PA).

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5.3 - November 2004

Fruit and vegetables and their impact on disease
Carrie Ruxton PhD

The beneficial effects of fruits and vegetables on human health are undisputed. However, much of the evidence comes from epidemiological studies, which rely on associations rather than intervention data demonstrating cause and effect.

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5.2 - July 2004

Eating for exercise
Prof Ron Maughan

Exercise means different things to different people. For the elite marathon runner it may mean an average of 20 miles of hard running per day, with only the very occasional "rest day".

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5.1 - March 2004

Mood and Food
David Benton

Although there are many instances of a diet grossly deficient in a nutrient resulting in changes of mood, there is also growing evidence that a marginal intake of a particular nutrient, or the balance between nutrients, can have a less dramatic effect.

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4.3 - November 2003

Nutrition and Cancer
Dr Nora O’Brien and Dr Tom O’Connor

Cancer is a major cause of mortality. In excess of 10 million people worldwide develop some form of cancer annually.

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4.2 - July 2003

Children who pick up a dangerous taste for dieting
Bryan Lask

Dieting is an extraordinarily common behaviour. Recent studies suggest that over 40% of school-aged children want to lose weight and feel they look fat.

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4.1 - March 2003

Fortification and supplementation
Professor David Richardson

Inequalities in health, arising, in part, from poor nutrition are known to be major contributors to morbidity and mortality rates, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis.

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3.3 - November 2002

Diet and coronary heart disease - getting the messages across
Sara Stanner and Colette Kelly

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of death in most affluent societies.

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3.2 - July 2002

Insulin resistance in relation to diabetes
Professor Vincent Marks

Type 1 diabetes, characterised by insulin deficiency, is generally diagnosed in young people and insulin treatment is required for successful management.

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3.1 - March 2002

Keeping the body hydrated: why it is necessary and how to achieve it
Ronald Maughan & Susan Shirreffs

Dehydration, even in mild form, can induce negative effects on health ranging from headaches and tiredness to compromised cardiovascular function and heat exhaustion.

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2.3 - November 2001

Prevention of type 2 diabetes
Norma McGough

There are 1.4 million people currently diagnosed with diabetes in the UK and, of these, more than one million adults have Type 2 diabetes.

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2.2 - July 2001

Improving blood lipid profiles
Marion Ireland

It is widely understood that there are multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

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2.1 - April 2001

Parental influence on childrens eating
Dr Andrew J Hill

The demise of the Oxo family and surveys of family eating behaviour tell us that the collective family meal is becoming a ting of the past.

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1.2 - November 2000

Nutrition in pregnancy
Dr Gail R Goldberg

Issues related to pregnancy impose extra responsibility and concerns on health professionals.

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1.1 - July 2000

Nutrition, physical activity and immunity
Dr David C Nieman

From birth, we are exposed to a continuous onslaught of bacteria, viruses, and other disease-causing organisms (pathogens).

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