Obsity spreads to South Africa

Xinhua - English: "JOHANNESBURG, May 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Obesity is a great public health problem in South Africa, with 23 percent of men and 57 percent of women being overweight, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said on Monday.

Physical inactivity and unhealthy eating were the cause of obesity, the minister said in a media statement.

Seventeen percent of adolescents were found to be overweight inthe Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted in public schools in 2002,with 25 percent of South African adolescents watching television for more than three hours a day. Girls were found to be at a greater risk for physical inactivity than boys, according to the survey. "

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Mad Dogs Englishmen and Midday Sun

bmj.com -- UK health news 20050527: "Midday sun may be good for you

Source: The Guardian

Date: 27/05/2005

The Guardian and The Sun report on the news that Ann Webb, an ultraviolet radiation expert at the University of Manchester, has reported that the best time to be out in the sun to maximise vitamin D production is midday, spending 10-15 minutes outside without sunscreen. Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphate from food, and is essential in the formation of bones and teeth. A deficiency leads to bones failing to grow and causes rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults. Ms Webb said that she does not advocate people not protecting themselves with sunscreen, but 'if you put sunscreen on before leaving the house you will not reap the health benefits provided naturally by the sun'. Cancer Research UK however, has recommended that people stay out of the sun between the peak hours of 11am and 3pm. "

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Secret Research on GM food Risks

Natural Products Magazine: "IOS says secret GM study reveals scientists health fears - May 25, 2005

The Independent on Sunday (IOS) says that a secret report produced by GM food giant Monsanto has renewed fears among scientists that eating genetically engineered food products could pose serious risks for human health.



The IOS says that a 1,139-page confidential report on its GM corn codenamed MON 863 reports that rats fed on a diet rich in the genetically modified corn developed abnormalities to internal organs and changes to their blood. According to the survey, these defects were absent in another batch of rodents fed non-GM food as part of the research project.



The disclosures come as EU member states, including Britain, prepare to vote on whether the GM corn should go on sale to the public in Britain.



The IOS article claimed that the report's revelations had intensified the row over whether the corn is safe to eat without further research. It says that doctors have voiced their concerns that the changes in the blood of the rodents could indicate that the rat's immune system had been damaged or that a disorder such as a tumour had grown and the system had been mobilising to fight it.



Dr Vyvyan Howard, a senior lecturer on human anatomy and cell biology at Liverpool University, called for publication of the full study, saying the summary gave prima facie cause for concern. "

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