Nutrition News

Halting obesity rates now could save £940 million in dementia care in the future

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:01:39 GMT

The results from a recent study presented at the European Congress on Obesity suggest that the rise in obesity could lead to an increase in the prevalence of dementia.

Is food addiction related to the obesity epidemic?

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:22:08 GMT

Researchers from the University of Cambridge, UK have investigated if there is any evidence to support the claimed link between food addiction and obesity.

Report Card 11

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:12:55 GMT

A new UNICEF report, Report Card 11, puts the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and the UK in 10th and 16th position respectively in a league table of child well-being in the world's richest countries.

Is a healthy diet an environmentally friendly one?

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:30:28 GMT

The increasing concern about future global food security and climate change has been the drive behind the renewed interest in the concept of a healthy and environmentally sustainable diet.

Launch of Healthy Ireland - A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013 – 2025.

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:39:03 GMT

Today the Department of Health launched Healthy Ireland, a new government framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in Ireland.

Parental and familial influence are key to increasing children’s fruit and vegetable consumption

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:52:18 GMT

Results from recent research support the positive role of parents and the family setting in motivating children’s daily intake of fruits and vegetables (F&V).

Heart healthy benefits to a vegetarian diet

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:07:16 GMT

Researchers from the University of Oxford in the UK examined the association of a vegetarian diet with the risk of developing coronary heart disease (e.g. angina or heart attack).

Does being overweight really mean a longer life expectancy?

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:13:58 GMT

Yesterday newspaper headlines worldwide claimed that being overweight can extend life rather than shorten it.

Obesity is now killing more people than hunger

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:51:33 GMT

Research results compiled from the work of nearly 500 researchers in 50 countries conclude that obesity and the diseases that arise as a result are overtaking problems related to hunger on a global scale.

The family that eats together… eats healthily!

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:21:01 GMT

New research shows that eating meals as a family improves children's eating habits - even if it only happens once or twice a week.

Can drinking coffee half your risk of mouth cancer?

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:10:59 GMT

A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology examined associations of caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee and tea intake with deaths from oral or pharyngeal cancer.

Obesity rates declining in the US?

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:34:12 GMT

After decades of rising childhood obesity rates, several American cities are reporting their first declines.

Wine not so good for the heart after all?

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:05:26 GMT

It has long been thought that moderate wine consumption was good for the heart.

Effect of reducing total fat intake on body weight

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:57:02 GMT

A low fat diet works for achieving a healthier body weight.

Cost of Obesity and Malnutrition in the UK

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:51:52 GMT

Public Sector 100: Health and Nutrition in the Public Sector Report 2012 shows the health, social and economic cost of poor diet in the UK.

Men’s Health!

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:00:52 GMT

Men, on the island of Ireland, experience an unequal burden of ill-health.

The economic cost of obesity

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 14:07:52 GMT

Findings from new safefood funded research into the cost of overweight and obesity on the island of Ireland has estimated the annual cost to be €1.64 billion (€1.13 billion Republic of Ireland; €510 million Northern Ireland).

Health Survey Northern Ireland 2011/12

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 16:16:43 GMT

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) have presented the first results from the 2011/12 Health Survey NI with a sample size of 4,390 individuals.

Food Poverty on the increase?

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 14:03:54 GMT

Rising food prices and shrinking incomes are driving up consumption of fatty foods, reducing the amount of fruit and vegetables we buy, particularly for people on the lowest incomes.

Infant Feeding

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:42:48 GMT

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) have published two reports highlighting key recommendations to improve the nation’s baby feeding patterns and nutrition.

Physical activity, superfoods and coeliac disease... more on EUFIC Online

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:53:31 GMT

The European Food Information Council (EUFIC) has published a new edition of EUFIC Online, the newsletter that provides you with insights into food safety & quality and health & nutrition for a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Men matter!

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:02:54 GMT

Men, on the island of Ireland, experience a unequal burden of ill-health.

The relevance of health-related claims.

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 12:17:22 GMT

Nowadays more and more food labels have nutrition and health information that gives us useful knowledge about the food we buy.

Low Glycaemic Index (GI) foods and pregnancy

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:51:33 GMT

Women who switch to a low GI diet during pregnancy reduce their chances of excessive weight gain by up to 20%.

Parents’ influence on their children’s food preferences

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 09:28:49 GMT

New research sheds light on how parents can positively influence the foods their young children like.

Shift work and health

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 09:20:46 GMT

Shift workers can be at a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, digestive problems, sleep disorders, depression and vitamin D deficiency than those who work standard hours.

Beneficial effect of chocolate on stroke risk

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 12:04:08 GMT

Eating a standard chocolate bar every week could lower a man’s risk of having a stroke in later life by 17%.

Antibiotics and increased weight gain

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:54:15 GMT

New research from the United States (US) has added to the theory that antibiotics can disrupt people’s gut bacteria causing them to put on weight.

Obesity and cognition

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:49:11 GMT

New research links obesity to declining mental performance. The study published in the journal Neurology, looked at over 6,000 people over a decade.

Obese children and gallstone risk

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:44:54 GMT

Obese children are over seven times more likely than those of healthy weight to be diagnosed with gallstones.

Belly fat and risk of heart disease

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:37:12 GMT

Normal weight people who carry weight around their belly have a greater risk of dying than people who are obese.

A Body Shape Index to measure obesity

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 08:18:46 GMT

Researchers have developed a new metric to measure obesity, called A Body Shape Index (ABSI) that combines Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference. ABSI shows better correlation with death rate than the measures used separately.

Eggcellent news!

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:46:54 GMT

Headlines in todays news have stated that 'todays’ eggs are better for us than those from the 1980s'. New research funded by the Department of Health (UK) has found that today’s eggs have 70% more vitamin D and double the amount of selenium than those from 30 years ago.

Determining optimal seafood consumption

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:57:51 GMT

New research from France has found that the ideal amount of fish to eat in a week for adults is 181-213g/week (equal to 2 portions) of oily fish and 26-72g/week (equal to one portion) of lean fish, molluscs and crustaceans.

NICE guidance on preventing type 2 diabetes

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:52:54 GMT

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have published new guidance “Preventing type 2 diabetes: risk identification and interventions for individuals at high risk”.

Low-calorie sweeteners

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:48:30 GMT

Research has shown that low-calorie sweeteners can reduce calorie intake and aid weight control in healthy adults when used instead of sugar.

Dietary sodium levels among adults in England

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 08:52:45 GMT

A new study in England has shown that 7 out of 10 people are consuming too much salt.

TV viewing and obesity in children and young people

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:19:25 GMT

The National Obesity Observatory (NOO) have looked at the evidence around TV viewing and obesity in children and young people.

Nutrition knowledge of food shoppers across Europe

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:14:54 GMT

Researchers from Denmark and the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) have looked at the socio-demographic and attitudinal determinants of nutrition knowledge of food shoppers from six European countries.

The National Pre-School Nutrition Survey

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:34:56 GMT

Results from the National Pre-School Nutrition Survey were published yesterday by the Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance (IUNA).

Survey finds poor awareness of cancer risk factors

Thu, 31 May 2012 10:36:47 GMT

A survey conducted at University College Cork in conjunction with Breakthrough Cancer Research and the Irish Cancer Society has found poor awareness of cancer risk factor among Irish people.

Link between lack of sleep and risk of obesity and diabetes

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:10:10 GMT

New research has shown that a lack of sleep or disrupted sleep patterns may lead to an increased risk of obesity and diabetes.

Association between drinking coffee and living longer

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:20:57 GMT

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has looked at the association between drinking coffee and risk of death among 402,260 people aged between 50 and 71 years.

The effect of labelling food as ‘low in salt’

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:12:06 GMT

New research published in Public Health Nutrition has looked at the effect of front-of-pack labels on people’s taste perception and use of table salt for currently available and sodium-reduced soups.

Pregnancy and weight

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:06:56 GMT

New research is placing an emphasis on achieving a healthy weight both before and during pregnancy.

New nutrition labelling regulations

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:02:11 GMT

The European Commission has published a new regulation on nutrition labelling which applies to all EU countries.

Eating fish may lower risk of Alzheimer's disease

Thu, 03 May 2012 10:49:19 GMT

New research has found eating fish and other foods containing omega-3 fatty acids may lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Breastfeeding and risk of overweight and obesity at nine years of age

Wed, 02 May 2012 09:40:08 GMT

New research has found that breastfeeding protects against children becoming obese at nine years of age.

Launch of Caloriewise

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:10:12 GMT

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) Northern Ireland have launched Caloriewise, a six-month pilot scheme in which local food businesses will display calorie information on menus for the first time.

People underestimate sugar levels in drinks

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:02:40 GMT

New research from the University of Glasgow has shown that people in the UK are significantly misjudging the amount of sugar in drinks such as milkshakes, smoothies, energy drinks and fruit juices.

Irish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2010

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:58:35 GMT

The findings from the HBSC Ireland survey 2010 have been published. The results showed that overall one in five children eats fruit and vegetables more than once a day.

Overweight and obese adults - lifestyle weight management

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:10:08 GMT

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) are developing new guidelines on lifestyle management services for overweight and obese adults and children and young people.

Operation GIY Nationwide

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 12:02:37 GMT

Grow it Yourself (GIY) have launched Operation GIY Nation which aims to get families to grow food together.

Hydration: a basic aspect in Nutrition

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:58:56 GMT

The European Food Information Council have published a podcast interview with Professor Ron Maughan and Dr. Patrícia Padrão, both experts who participated in a symposium "Hydration: A Basic Aspect in Nutrition".

Frequent consumption of chocolate associated with lower BMI

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:49:45 GMT

New research found that the more often people ate chocolate the lower their BMI. The research was conducted in 975 adults in California.

Television food advertising to children

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:34:11 GMT

New research published in PlosOne has looked at the impact of restrictions on television food advertising to children in the UK.

Positive role of breastfeeding on infant health in first six weeks

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:41:23 GMT

New research published in the Irish Medical Journal shows the positive role of breastfeeding during the first 6 weeks.

Red meat consumption and mortality

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:35:05 GMT

New research of two prospective studies in the United States has looked at the diets and health of over 121,000 men and women over periods of up to 28 years, assessing their diets every four years and following the development of any heart problems or cancer.

Dietary fat and male fertility

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:30:49 GMT

New research published in the journal Human Reproduction has looked at the relation between dietary fats and quality of semen among men attending a fertility clinic.

Launch of ‘A Fitter Future for All’

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:01:52 GMT

The Framework for Preventing and Addressing Overweight and Obesity in Northern Ireland 2012-2022: ‘A Fitter Future for All’ has been launched by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS).

Growing up in Ireland - How Families Matter for Social and Emotional Outcomes of 9-Year-Old Children

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:53:22 GMT

Growing Up in Ireland – The National Longitudinal Study of Children have published a new report from the study on how families matter for children’s social and emotional well-being.

Obesity and Alcohol: An Overview

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:50:02 GMT

A new report from the National Obesity Observatory (NOO) gives an overview of the current evidence on the relationship between obesity and alcohol.

Teenage girls sit or lie down for 19 hours a day

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:45:21 GMT

A study undertaken by researchers at the University of Limerick has found that teenage girls spend an average of 19 hours a day either sitting or lying down.

Age, Income and Food in Ireland

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:59:22 GMT

The Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (CARDI) has published a report “Age, Income and Food in Ireland” which examines the demographic and socio-economic influences on food expenditure in older populations in Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI).

Physical Activity and Nutrition Intervention Tool

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:51:07 GMT

A new all-Ireland web tool, the PANI (Physical Activity and Nutrition Intervention) tool, has been made available on the Health Well website.

WHICH? survey of breakfast cereals

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:26:01 GMT

WHICH? have published the results of a survey of breakfast cereals. They found that 32 out of 50 cereals were high in sugar. In only two cases this was due to the fruit they contained; for the rest it was added sugar.

Plate size and colour help reduce servings

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:22:49 GMT

New research has shown that plate size and colour effect people’s eating behaviours. Researchers found that the larger the plate the bigger the portion size.

National Household Survey

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:17:59 GMT

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) have published findings of a survey examining consumer responses to the economic downturn. The research conducted as part of the CSO’s Quarterly National Household Survey was designed to assess at a high level how households have reacted to the recession.

Can genes influence healthy eating?

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:50:09 GMT

In Ireland, we do not eat enough fruit and vegetables. Dr Eileen Gibney’s team at UCD showed that genetic variation plays a minor role in food choice whereas factors such as knowledge and attitudes about healthy eating have a large impact on food choice

Childhood obesity in general practice

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:13:34 GMT

A recent study has looked at childhood overweight and obesity in general practice. The results showed that among child-parent pairs, 15% of the children and 52% of parents were overweight/obese. 12% of the children were underweight.

Interventions for Preventing Obesity in Children

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:53:45 GMT

The Cochrane Library recently published an updated review “Interventions for Preventing Obesity in Children”. The review included 55 studies.

The 21st century gingerbread house

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:27:32 GMT

The British Heart Foundation and Children’s Food Campaign have launched a report which examines the ways that food companies are marketing unhealthy foods and drinks to children online.

Fruit and vegetable consumption in Europe – do Europeans get enough?

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:21:16 GMT

A new European Food Information Council (EUFIC) Review has looked at whether people in Europe get the amounts of fruit and vegetable which are recommended for good health.

Fish and cardiovascular disease in women of reproductive age

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:42:32 GMT

A recent population based study carried out in Denmark looked at whether or not eating more fish might reduce cardiovascular disease risk in young women

Growing Up in Ireland (Infant cohort at 3 years)

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:12:07 GMT

The latest key findings from the Infant Cohort at 3 years in the Growing Up in Ireland study were launched yesterday.

Survey on Income and Living Conditions (2010)

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:16:15 GMT

Preliminary results from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2010 in Ireland were published yesterday. The results showed that the at risk of poverty rate grew from 14.1% in 2009 to 15.8% in 2010.

Households Below Average Income in Northern Ireland 2009/10

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:53:30 GMT

Households Below Average Income in Northern Ireland (HBAI, NI) 2009/10 has been published by the Department for Social Development NI. The data used in the report was taken from the Family Resources Survey (FRS) 2009/10 which was also published today.

EU Health Literacy Survey

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:40:09 GMT

A new EU Health Literacy Survey has found that four out of ten people in Ireland have difficulty understanding information about health.

Diet, Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Europe

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:48:03 GMT

This report launched by The European Heart Network (EHN) is the result of two years of collaborative research involving a larger number of European universities and experts.

UK Government disbands advisory group on obesity

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:27:32 GMT

The British Medical Journal has reported that the UK government has disbanded its expert advisory group on obesity.

Northern Ireland Sport and Physical Activity Survey (SAPAS) 2010

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:06:15 GMT

Today a report was launched by Sport Northern Ireland providing a complete picture of adult participation in sport and physical activity across Northern Ireland.

Health Survey Northern Ireland 2010/11

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:06:36 GMT

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) have presented the first results from the 2010/11 Health Survey NI with a sample size of 4085 individuals. The survey provides information on a range of health related matters such as general health, mental health, physical activity, diet and nutrition and obesity.

Are women in early pregnancy following national guidelines for healthy eating?

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:24:02 GMT

A recent study conducted with 101 women in the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin has found that while the majority of women thought they had a healthy diet, less than half met the recommended guidelines for each individual food group.

Dietary fibre, wholegrains and risk of colorectal cancer

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:15:55 GMT

New research published in the British Medical Journal has investigated the association between intake of dietary fibre and wholegrains and risk of colorectal cancer. The study involved a systematic review and meta-analysis of 25 prospective observational studies.

Growing up in Ireland – overweight and obesity among 9-year-olds

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:24:02 GMT

Growing up in Ireland - National Longitudinal Study of Children, have published a new report on overweight and obesity among 9 year old children in Ireland. Findings showed that 1 in 4 children were carrying excess weight - 19% were overweight and 7% obese.

European Men’s Health Forum response to EU Report

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:21:37 GMT

The European Men’s Health Forum (EMHF) has published its response to the EU report ‘The State of Men’s Health in Europe’. This report highlighted how the health of European men is a serious concern.

Development of type 2 diabetes in men at lower body mass indices than women

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:17:30 GMT

New research has looked at the associations between age, sex and BMI at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. The study involved analysing data from 51,920 men and 43,137 women included in a diabetes register in Scotland.

New data on salt intake from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:03:06 GMT

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) have reported a reduction in salt intake in adults from food (not including salt added while cooking or at the table).

National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Blood Analytes

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:51:26 GMT

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) supplementary report on blood analytes for years 2008/09 and 2009/10 have been published.

Mother's Trans Fat Consumption Linked to Baby's Size

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:40:14 GMT

A new study by Harvard School of Public Health found that women who ate more food containing Trans fats, such as fried foods and baked goods, gave birth to larger babies. The study involved 1400 pregnant women in Boston...

Mental Health Awareness Week

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:25:15 GMT

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week. To find out what is happening in your area go to Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health for events in Northern Ireland and Mental Health Ireland for events in Republic of Ireland.

Does breakfast skipping help with weight loss?

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:18:56 GMT

Some people choose to skip breakfast to help them lose weight. The National Obesity Observatory has looked at the evidence around the role of breakfast in maintaining a healthy weight.

New 'Get Ireland Active' website

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:23:08 GMT

The new Get Ireland Active website was launched on Wednesday October 5th 2011. The aim of the website is to encourage people to become more physically active by creating awareness of the opportunities for physical activity at local, regional and national levels in the Republic of Ireland....

Growing Up in Ireland Qualitative Findings

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:18:20 GMT

Key findings from the Growing Up in Ireland qualitative study were recently published. The report summarised the findings of the in-depth study with nine-year-old children and their parents in 120 families selected from the 8,570 who had participated in the quantitative survey and were subsequently interviewed about their views and experiences.....

Overweight and obesity in fathers-to-be

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:58:42 GMT

A new study which measured the BMI and body composition of fathers-to-be in a maternity hospital in Ireland found that of the 167 fathers-to-be in the survey two out of three were overweight or obese....

Effect of television viewing on life expectancy

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:05:06 GMT

A new study has estimated the impact of watching TV on life expectancy. Researchers used data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study and mode...

Comparison in body composition of pregnant Irish and Indian women

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:01:55 GMT

A new study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology compared body composition in early pregnancy between Caucasian Irish and Indian women. The Irish women were taller and weighed more t...

Hidden vegetables in meals reduce energy intake and increase vegetable consumption

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:06:37 GMT

A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at whether the calorie intake of individuals could be reduced by replacing some foods in a meal with hidden pureed vegetab...

Body weight and eating habits in 5-12 year old Irish Children - The National Children’s Food Survey

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:09:37 GMT

The National Children’s Food Survey (NCFS) was carried out by nutritional scientists at University College Cork and University College Dublin (www.iuna.net) in 2005. Following the launch of the prelim...

Maternal and Infant Nutritional Supplementation Practices

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:14:41 GMT

New research from the Republic of Ireland, recently published in the Irish Medical Journal, has examined maternal and infant nutritional supplement use. The study found that less than 50% of the sampl...

Kids Size Me

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:17:09 GMT

The Nutrition and Health Foundation and the Restaurants Association of Ireland have launched a new initiative called ‘Kids Size me’. The initiative aims to ensure children have access to healthier foo...

National Diet and Nutrition Survey: headline results of the rolling programme 2008/9 – 2009/10

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:16:02 GMT

Findings for the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) headline results from years 1 and 2 combined (2008/09 – 2009/10) have been published. The findings show that the overall picture of the diet ...

Global Update on Nutrition Labelling

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:18:32 GMT

The European Food Information Council (EUFIC) and food organisations worldwide have produced a ‘Global Update on Nutrition labelling’ which provides a comprehensive overview of the state of play on nu...

Link Between Overweight and Risk of Breast Cancer

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:20:38 GMT

Cancer Research UK have reported on the findings of new research published in the British Journal of Cancer which found that increasing weight is the biggest factor affecting the level of sex hormones...

Long Term Consequences of Early Fruit and Vegetable Feeding Practices

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:19:18 GMT

Many media sources have reported today on research which looked at the long term consequences of early fruit and vegetable feeding practices in the UK. The original research was published in Public He...

New UK Guidelines for Physical Activity

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:21:48 GMT

The four UK Chief Medical Officers have published new Physical Activity Guidelines covering early years (under 5s), children and young people, adults and older adults

New EU Food Labelling Rules

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:23:11 GMT

New EU food labelling rules were approved by MEPs yesterday. Further information is available from the European Parliament website. Concern has been expressed that Front of pack labelling has not been...

Insufficient vitamin D intakes among pregnant women

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:24:58 GMT

New research which was conducted at University College Dublin has shown low dietary intakes of vitamin D in pregnant women. The median dietary intakes of vitamin D among a cohort of 64 women were 80%...

A simple guide to classifying body mass index in children

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:23:59 GMT

The National Obesity Observatory has launched ‘A Simple Guide to Classifying Body Mass Index in Children’, which looks at the different methods that can be used to interpret body mass index (BMI) in c...

Perinatal Statistics Report 2009

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:26:10 GMT

The most recent Perinatal Statistics Report (2009) was launched today by the ESRI. The report showed that 45% of babies were exclusively breastfed at discharge from hospital, compared to 44% in 2005 a...

Miracle Foods: Myths and the Media

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:27:33 GMT

NHS Choices have published “Miracle Foods: Myths and the Media” which analyses health stories that make the news, providing an unbiased and evidence-based analysis of the stories

Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks for Children and Adolescents in the US

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:32:59 GMT

The Committee on Nutrition and The Council on Sports Medicine in the US have recently released a commentary on the appropriateness of sports drinks for children and adolescents. The ingredients of the...

Waist circumference predicts increased cardio-metabolic risk in normal weight adolescent males

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:31:39 GMT

Researchers in the USA have found that males with a normal BMI but have an elevated waist circumference have a higher cardio-metabolic risk. This study also identified waist circumference cut off pint...

WHO database on nutrition, obesity and physical activity (NOPA Database)

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:30:28 GMT

The WHO has created a database which compiles information monitoring nutrition, diet, physical activity and obesity for the WHO European member states. It will be continuously updated and expanded wit...

The State of Men’s Health in Europe

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:29:14 GMT

A summary of the State of Men’s Health Report was launched last week. The study compared men's health status both across and within EU Countries. Patterns emerging from the data show marked difference...

Launch of USDA's 'myplate.gov' icon

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:40:07 GMT

The United States Department of Agriculture have launched the myplate.gov icon to help consumers make healthier choices. The purpose of the icon is to prompt consumers to think about building a health...

World Cancer Research Fund - Update on Colorectal Cancer

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:39:02 GMT

A report on the updated evidence on food, nutrition, physical activity, and colorectal cancer, prepared by the Continuous Update Progress (CUP) team at Imperial College London, has been published. The...

New Nutrition Guidelines for Europe

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:37:56 GMT

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is currently updating the dietary reference values (DRVs) published in 1993. These will provide comprehensive nutrition guidelines, for example for food label...

Supplements - Who Needs Them?

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:36:42 GMT

NHS Choices has published a new special report on supplements which aims to make sense of some of the issues surrounding them, and looks at a selection of the evidence on some of the most popular supp...

You Are What You Think You Eat

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:35:39 GMT

New research from Yale University suggests that people's state of mind may influence how physically satisfied they feel after a meal and how likely they are to still feel hungry and consume additional...

Nutrition Exchange Programme

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:34:03 GMT

The next deadline for applications for the Nutrition Exchange Programme is 15th July 2011. Further information about the programme is available on the safefood website.

Prolonged Bottle Use and Obesity in Childhood Link

Fri, 06 May 2011 13:41:17 GMT

A new research report ‘Prolonged Bottle Use and Obesity at 5.5 Years of Age in US Children’ used recent data from a cohort study of US children born in 2001 to examine the association between bottle u...

Incidence of Cancer Attributable to Alcohol

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:44:42 GMT

Results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Study (EPIC) published today found that about 10% of total cancer in men and 3% in women could be attributed to current an...

Maternal Obesity in the UK

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:46:44 GMT

A recent report “Maternal Obesity in the UK: Findings from a National Project” has revealed the prevalence of severe maternal obesity (BMI ≥35) in the UK. The prevalence of women with a BMI ≥35 at any...

Salt Levels in Soup on the island of Ireland

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:48:09 GMT

A new “Survey of salt levels in soup in catering establishments on the island of Ireland”, funded by safefood, provides a snapshop of the salt content of ready to eat soups available on the island. Ke...

Nutrition Exchange Programme

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:50:22 GMT

The next deadline for applications for the Nutrition Exchange Programme is 15th May 2011. Further information about the programme is available on the safefood website.

BMI and waist circumference still important to heart disease risk

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:51:39 GMT

A recent study in The Lancet, about using BMI, waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio to predict risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), has received a lot of media attention. The study found that BM...

Insights into Attitudes to Food

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:57:43 GMT

The Food Standards Agency has published the first wave of an extensive new survey called “Food and You”, which reveals information about people’s behaviour and attitudes towards food issues such as fo...

Iron and Health

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:56:42 GMT

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition has reviewed the role of iron in human nutrition and has published a new report “Iron and Health” which is available on the SACN website.

Value for Money Tool

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:55:44 GMT

The National Social Marketing Centre in consultation with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and an advisory committee, are developing guidance on how to calculate the cost a...

Introduction of Gluten into an Infant's Diet

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:54:41 GMT

The Food Standards Agency is reminding parents of advice to exclusively feed babies breastmilk for around 6 months and not to introduce solid food until after this time. This is following an in-depth ...

Food Security on the island of Ireland

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:53:40 GMT

The Institute for Public Health in Ireland have developed a discussion paper “Food Security on the island of Ireland: are we sleepwalking into a crisis?” , around the issue of food security on the isl...

New advice for vitamin D supplementation

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:05:55 GMT

The HSE, Department of Health and Children and Food Safety Authority of Ireland have issued new advice on vitamin D in the Republic of Ireland. All infants under 12 months, whether breastfed or formul...

Recent Headlines in the Media about Breastfeeding

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:04:42 GMT

A recent “analysis” piece in the British Medical Journal by Mary Fewtrell and colleagues about breastfeeding received a lot of media attention. The paper claimed to review the evidence on current reco...

Community education and its effect on health outcomes

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:02:30 GMT

A new research report ‘More than just a Course’ published on February 23rd is the first ever national study on the outcomes of community education activities funded by the Department of Education and ...

Shake the Salt Habit

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:01:06 GMT

Research published in November 2010 entitled 'Salt Hard to Shake led by Professor Ivan Perry and colleagues in University College Cork found that dietary salt intakes in the Irish population remains...

Obesity Forum E-Bulletin

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:59:08 GMT

The current edition of All-island Obesity News is available on the safefood website.

Operation Transformation

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 13:06:49 GMT

Operation Transformation, which was sponsored by safefood, has come to an end for another year. safefood are encouraging people to continue their transformation for good by logging on to weigh2live,...