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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