The BBC recently reported that men and women who were considered to be apple or pear shaped, were far more likely to suffer from Deep Vein Thrombosis. In a recent 10 year medical test, researchers took data from over 50,000 women and men. During this time the scientists saw that there was a definite pattern emerging, and proved that those with an apple or pear shape were far more likely to suffer from deep vein thrombosis.

Women with excess amounts of fat on both their tights and hips, were among some of the worst affected. Male cases who hard larger waists and stomachs were again at high risk. The areas where your body collects its fat can have a profound effect on your health. Doctors are still unsure as to why the fat in these areas increases the risk of DVT, but there is now enough research to prove their is a definite link between the two.

Large amounts of fat around the body do not only increase the risk of DVT, the excess fat can also lead to a number of health conditions including heart disease, fatty liver disease and even type 2 diabetes.

Reports from the Guardian have shown that young children who are taking psychiatric drugs are far more likely suffer from obesity or become overweight as a result. Over 300 young people were monitored in a recent test, and the results have now shown that that young people who regularly used certain brands of prescription psychiatric pills were putting on anything up to 20 pounds in just as little as three months. Not only did many of the young test patients gain substantial amounts of weight, but their blood sugar and cholesterol levels had also increased considerably.

Young people who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disease or who have challenging behavioural problems, are now more commonly being given Antipsychotic medication. It is widely known that Antipsychotic treatments can cause adults to gain substantial amounts of weight, and in some extreme cases, it can even increase the users risk of diabetes. But until now, no research had been carried out, in terms of the drugs effect on young people.

The drug is more widely used in the US, and healthcare professional are worried that the drug will soon become widely used in the UK. If your child is currently using psychiatric drugs to treat any mental health condition, be sure to discuss the full list of side effects with your doctor or pharmacist.

We all know that following a healthy eating plan, and regular exercise is great for our health, but could this be the answer to lowering the rates of diabetes? The BBC recently reported the test results from a three year diabetes trail that took place in the US. During this lengthy trail 3000 individuals took part to test the risk of diabetes.

The groups were spilt into three. The first group followed a healthy diet, the second group took the diabetic drug metformin, whilst the third and final group were given a placebo pill. The results showed that maintaining a healthy diet, along side regular exercise is the best way to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Those who were able to shed 7% in their body mass were able to reduce their risk of developing diabetes by a whopping 58%. Those who were using metformin, also showed impressive results, and reduced their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to a third.

The links between type 2 diabetes and obesity continue to grow, and there are more cases of diabetes being caused patients being overweight than ever before. This new information will hopefully encourage people to stay in better shape, in order to avoid a long list of health conditions, including diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic, life threatening condition which has a life-long impact on those diagnosed with it and their families. It is an autoimmune condition that develops when a person’s immune system mistakenly attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.

There is currently no cure for type 1 diabetes and it lasts for a lifetime. It normally strikes children and stays with them for the rest of their lives. People with the condition rely on multiple insulin injections or pump infusions every day just to stay alive – but it doesn’t cure their condition. (more…)

The Guardian recently reported that your surroundings can have a profound effect on your daily outlook, mood and health. Studies have shown that those who live near greener spaces, such as parks and gardens are less likely to suffer from depression and some of the most common health conditions.

Not only is a green environment better for adults, but it’s also said to be greatly beneficial to young children too. Spending time in a green garden or at your local park can be great for you. Studies have now shown that those living in the greener areas don’t suffer from as many common health problems, unlike those in the more built up and inner city areas. Not only is it important for us to spend time outside and top up on the essential vitamin A, but it can greatly increase our moods too.

The number of people with asthma was far less, for those living in green areas. The most surprising results came from the difference in adult depression rates. Again, those who lived in close proximity to greenest spaces were far less likely to suffer from any form of depression or anxiety disorder.

Reality TV celebrity Jade Goody, who lost her life to cancer at the young age of 27, seems to have had a profound effect on women in the UK. Goody’s televised battle with cervical cancer, has successfully raised women’s awareness of the disease, and encouraged more and more women to regularly get cervical screenings.

The number of screenings in the UK was slowly falling, and many women were ignoring there reminders, and not bothering with the tests at all. It’s thought that Jade’s public battle has been a reality check for women, and has prompted them to take action before it’s too late. The number of cervical screenings has drastically increased since Goody’s death, and numbers still seem to be on the rise. This surprise increase has seen more and more younger women attending screenings all over the country.

On average, 4,500 lives are saved by these screenings every year, and early detection is key to the treatment of this cancer type. It was also reported that the turn around time for results are also on the rise. This increase in testing will in turn save thousands of more lives, and health care professionals hope that Jade’s story is not quickly forgotten, and that this number will continue to grow in the future.

The BBC broke the news that a new diabetes drug is more effective for weight loss, than the leading obesity aid Orlistat. Research has so far shown that the drug is extremely effective at promoting weight loss, whilst also reducing the risks of type 2 diabetes.

Liraglutide an injectable drug, encourages the body to produce more insulin than it needs, and in turn suppresses the appetite. If it’s used with a healthy daily diet, it can be an extremely effective way to lose large amounts of weight in a relatively short period of time. Some of the most successful test cases were placed on a diet of just 500 calories a day, and exercised just once every day. Most participants saw on average just over a stone in total weight loss, or up to a loss of 5% of their total body weight.

Health care professional have predicted that in the future half of the UK population will become obese, and are confident that this new drug will be key in reducing these growing numbers of obesity cases. Unfortunately, once a patient stops using Liraglutide, the weight loss is unlikely to continues, unless patients are able to maintain a healthy diet and a regular exercise program.

The number of people with obesity in the UK and US is soaring. More and more men and women are turning to slimming aids to help shed those unwanted pounds. Slimming aids like Alli are producing excellent results and the reported weight loss with this pills is staggering. But, are these slimming pills as safe as they claim?

Alli can boost your weight loss by up to 50%. It claims that for every 2lbs you lose, you’ll lose another 1lb with the slimming aid. The pill is intended for users with obesity or a BMI of 28 and over. But, because Alli is the first aid of its kind available without prescription, there been worrying reports that much slimmer men and women have been able to use the pill.

(more…)

Reported this week on the Guardian website.

A doctor says you put your health - particularly your child’s health at risk if you buy drugs online.

Dr Nadeem Afzal, a consultant pediatrician at Southampton General hospital carried out an investigation of medicines for sale on eBay for common gut complaints such as constipation, diarrhea, colic and abdominal pain.

He found that 53% of the 186 gastrointestinal drugs on offer were advertised for children. One of these, Infacol for colic, was being sold with a broken seal and the description ‘slightly used’.

(more…)

It’s official – Diet Debate is pleased to announce the launch of its brand new Health Blog. Covering a varied and growing number of health related subjects, the Diet Debate Health Blog aims to uncover and educate readers on various issues that contribute to and support the process of dieting and weight loss.

Whether you want to learn more about Food and Nutrition, Exercise and Fitness or Body and Mind, our new Health Blog will gradually grow to provide a concise yet straightforward resource written by industry professionals and specialist journalists.

Our first month of publications provide an in depth look at the connection between Nutrition and Cancer, the Power of Vegetables and Getting to Know Your Body through the principles of Massage.

As well as our contributions from industry specialists we have a growing number of dedicated health journalists; each eager to bring you the very latest in current health news.

As with the development of the entire Diet Debate website, we want our new Health Blog to be a truly useful resource. If you have any suggestions or feedback, get in touch via our contact page – we’d love to hear from you, especially if you’ve got some recommendations or ideas for future articles.

Enjoy!