NEWS EXERCISE UPDATE RESEARCH IN BRIEF

l Eight-year-old children who drink full-fat milk every day have a lower BMI than those who seldom drink milk. This is not the case for children who often drink medium- fat or low-fat milk. This is one conclusion of a thesis presented at the Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden. http://bit.ly/MilkMagic

l According to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, there is evidence that a one- day on, one-day off fasting diet may be effective in both reducing weight as well as several risk factors associated with heart disease. The fasting day involved eating 25% less than a normal day’s intake but was a specially constructed diet to ensure a balanced intake of nutrients. Link to original research http://bit.ly/FastingDiet and more comprehensible Medical News Today version http://bit.ly/FastingDiet2

l Data published suggests the rapid rise in child obesity may be levelling off. The figures, produced by a team of independent experts based at Oxford University, looked at children’s overweight and obesity levels that have been forecast to 2020. Analysis using data from the past few years indicate a 17% drop in the forecasted number of overweight 2-11 year old girls and a 4% drop in the anticipated numbers of obese girls of the same age. In boys of the same age, the figures indicate a 5% drop in the forecast number of overweight and a 7% drop in the anticipated numbers of obese boys. Medical News Today http://bit.ly/ObesitySlows

10 Health at every size

Most weight-control strategies emphasise energy-restricted diets and increased physical activity - and most are not effective over the long term. In a study of a “weight- acceptance” intervention, published in the November 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers found that there could be long-term beneficial effects on certain eating behaviours using a weight- acceptance intervention approach.

In a shift from the traditional “weight-centred” approach to a more “health-centred” approach, a new weight paradigm called “Health-At-Every-Size” (HAES) argues that health is related to behaviours independently of body weight status. HAES approaches do not focus on weight loss and instead focus

on a healthy lifestyle with an emphasis on size acceptance and non-dieting.

In a study conducted by researchers from Laval University, Quebec , 144 pre- menopausal, overweight/obese women (48 in the HAES group, 48 in a social support group and 48 in the control group) participated in a randomised controlled trial. Measurements

of eating behaviours, appetite sensations, physical activities, metabolic and anthropometric profiles were made at the beginning of the study, at the end of the intervention period, and at 6 months and 1 year post-intervention.

It was found that food intake in response to feelings and perceptions of hunger were significantly lower at 1 year follow-up in both the HAES and SS groups when compared to the control group. In addition, overconsumption of food in response to a variety of stimuli associated with a loss of control on food intake, was significantly lower at 1 year follow-up in the HAES group than in the control group. Source: Journal of the American Dietetic Association via Medical News Today http://bit.ly/HealthAtEverySize

Link between obesity and MS

New research has investigated the possibility that teenage obesity may be linked with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) in women.

The results of the study, carried out by The Harvard School of Public Health and published in the scientific journal Neurology, examined information gathered from women who claimed they were

JUICY BENEFITS

A new study published in Nutrition Journal indicates that a mangosteen fruit juice, may be able to offer both a reduction in heart disease risk and diabetes risk as well as weight management.

XanGo Juice, a drink based on the mangosteen fruit, has lowered levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a chemical marker that measures inflammation in the body. A reduction in CRP indicates a reduction in risk of heart disease and diabetes. The study also suggests that the juice may play a role in weight reduction. Source: Nutrition Journal - http://bit.ly/MangosteenJuice

The REPs Journal 2009;15(Dec):10-12

obese between the ages of 18 and 20 and linked a two- fold increase in the risk of developing MS. Source: Neurology - http://bit.ly/ObesityMS