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22/10/2008
TV Is Making The UK Fat: BMJ
A top UK medical website has targeted the scourge of obesity with one of its latest editorials - and has blamed watching television as part of the cause of this epidemic.
The British Medical Journal's report first noted that until the last decade or so most adults did not have the opportunity to consume enough energy to enable fat to be stored and also concluded that a combination of eating quickly and eating until full trebles the risk of being overweight.
That's according to a study published today on bmj.com which also highlights the increased availability of inexpensive food in larger portions, fast food, and fewer families eating together and eating while distracted (e.g. while watching TV), eating behaviours are changing, and this may be contributing to the obesity epidemic.
The website report is based on work by Professor Hiroyasu Iso, of Osaka University, in Japan.
Professor Iso and colleagues recruited over 3,000, Japanese men (1,122) and women (2,165) aged 30-69 between 2003 and 2006 to examine whether eating until full and speed of eating are associated with being overweight.
Participants were sent a diet history questionnaire about their eating habits including questions about eating until full and their speed of eating.
The researchers reported that around half (50.9%) of the men and just over half (58.4%) of the women said they ate until they were full. And just under half (45.6%) of men and 36% of women said they ate quickly.
The group of participants who said they ate 'until full and ate quickly' had a higher body mass index (BMI) and total energy intake than those who did not 'eat until full and did not eat quickly'.
The researchers also found that both men and women in the 'eating until full and eating quickly' were three times more likely to be overweight than the participants from the 'not eating until full and not eating quickly' group.
The authors conclude that a combination of eating until full and eating quickly has "a supra-additive effect on overweight".
These findings demonstrate how current eating patterns may contribute to the current epidemic of obesity, said Elizabeth Denney-Wilson from University of NSW and Karen Campbell from Deakin University in Australia, in an accompanying editorial.
They call on doctors to work with parents to encourage healthy eating habits in their children like eating slowly, serving appropriate portion sizes, and eating as a family in a non-distracting environment.
(BMcC)
The British Medical Journal's report first noted that until the last decade or so most adults did not have the opportunity to consume enough energy to enable fat to be stored and also concluded that a combination of eating quickly and eating until full trebles the risk of being overweight.
That's according to a study published today on bmj.com which also highlights the increased availability of inexpensive food in larger portions, fast food, and fewer families eating together and eating while distracted (e.g. while watching TV), eating behaviours are changing, and this may be contributing to the obesity epidemic.
The website report is based on work by Professor Hiroyasu Iso, of Osaka University, in Japan.
Professor Iso and colleagues recruited over 3,000, Japanese men (1,122) and women (2,165) aged 30-69 between 2003 and 2006 to examine whether eating until full and speed of eating are associated with being overweight.
Participants were sent a diet history questionnaire about their eating habits including questions about eating until full and their speed of eating.
The researchers reported that around half (50.9%) of the men and just over half (58.4%) of the women said they ate until they were full. And just under half (45.6%) of men and 36% of women said they ate quickly.
The group of participants who said they ate 'until full and ate quickly' had a higher body mass index (BMI) and total energy intake than those who did not 'eat until full and did not eat quickly'.
The researchers also found that both men and women in the 'eating until full and eating quickly' were three times more likely to be overweight than the participants from the 'not eating until full and not eating quickly' group.
The authors conclude that a combination of eating until full and eating quickly has "a supra-additive effect on overweight".
These findings demonstrate how current eating patterns may contribute to the current epidemic of obesity, said Elizabeth Denney-Wilson from University of NSW and Karen Campbell from Deakin University in Australia, in an accompanying editorial.
They call on doctors to work with parents to encourage healthy eating habits in their children like eating slowly, serving appropriate portion sizes, and eating as a family in a non-distracting environment.
(BMcC)
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Poor children to gain from fruit and veg vouchers
Hundreds of thousands of parents will receive vouchers for free fruit and veg as part of a drive to encourage healthy eating habits and tackle obesity, it has been announced today. The move is aimed at young children in poorer families, and will be worth at least £5.60 a week to families with children under one and at least £2.
Poor children to gain from fruit and veg vouchers
Hundreds of thousands of parents will receive vouchers for free fruit and veg as part of a drive to encourage healthy eating habits and tackle obesity, it has been announced today. The move is aimed at young children in poorer families, and will be worth at least £5.60 a week to families with children under one and at least £2.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:After a dry start this morning rain will spread from the northwest across all parts. This afternoon will be dull with some patchy rain and drizzle. Becoming much milder through the afternoon. Maximum temperature 11 °C.Tonight:A cloudy evening and night with a little light rain or drizzle, perhaps some clear periods developing along the east coast. A very mild night everywhere. Minimum temperature 10 °C.
