middle class BBC know nothing

Warning of food price hike crisis

The price of pork sausages has gone up 51% in the past year

A crisis is unfolding in the UK as people in poverty struggle with rising food prices and the recession, the Save the Children charity has warned.

It comes as new figures from The Grocer magazine show food prices rose by more than 18% over the last year.

On Monday, the charity will launch a crisis grant scheme to help families.

The government says it believes food prices have peaked and it is tackling child poverty through increased child benefits and child tax credits.

'More unequal'

Colette Marshall, of Save the Children, said: "We are facing a crisis. Benefits simply haven't been enough and with rising food costs it means that families cannot afford to give children proper decent food.

"We think we are heading towards malnutrition here in the UK."

Pensioner on her struggle with food costs

She is calling on the government to meet its target of halving child poverty by 2010 by putting £3bn in the Budget.

Penny Greenhough, a single mother of two young children, said the family was struggling on a food budget of £3 per head per day.

"I am having to compromise on a daily basis on quality and quantity. I used to manage, but it's getting harder and harder," she told BBC News.

"Once you get into the supermarket then you have got to start looking for the cheapest of everything, every type of commodity you want, whether it is soap powder, some meat or bread or anything else, it's always the cheapest variety," said pensioner Rita Young.

"We have to go for the cheapest of everything and it's just not doing us any good. Too much salt, too much fat, too much sugar - cheap, cheap, cheap, just isn't good enough."

ANNUAL FOOD PRICE RISES Rice - up 81% Pork sausages - up 51% Mince - up 22% Milk - up 14% Source: The Grocer

Kate Green, of the Child Poverty Action Group, said that many families were buying less fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, and consuming more affordable tinned and packet food that was often higher in sugar, salt and fat.

Government efforts had lifted 600,000 children out of poverty in the last 10 years, but one in three still lived below the poverty line, she said.

"Part of the problem is... many people have seen their prosperity improve over the last 10 years, so we have become a much more unequal country," she said.

"That is very damaging for the people who just haven't kept up, and it really is quite wrong morally, and it's economically very stupid actually, not to make sure that we share the resources more equally and protect those who have least."

According to The Grocer, a typical basket of 33 items of food cost £48 a year ago. That has now risen to £57.50.

Seasonal produce has caused a small drop in monthly figures, but the cost of basic essentials remains high.

Extra benefits

James Ball, from the magazine, told the BBC: "It is the staples that have really gone up and that's tough for people who buy the cheapest food.

"Rice costs double what it did last year, baked beans are up more than a third. Lots of everyday items cost a lot more than they used to."

As the UK imports about 40% of its food, the weak pound has driven up prices. Unpredictable world harvests and a spike in oil prices last year have also played a part.

However, as British produce comes into season, prices are expected to drop.

Treasury minister Stephen Timms said a raft of benefits due to come in on Monday would help struggling families.

"Extra help on child benefit, child tax credit, the state pension, and pension credits is going to assist children, families and older people who are feeling the pinch at the moment.

"Of course we always look at the time of the budget to see if there is more that can be done but I think people will appreciate the help that is being provided."

big sister

Polypill 'could become a reality'

The polypill has been hailed as the magic bullet to heart problems

A cheap five-in-one pill can guard against heart attacks and stroke, research suggests.

The concept of a polypill for everyone over 55 to cut heart disease by up to 80% was mooted over five years ago, but slow progress has been made since.

Now a trial in India shows such a pill has the desired effects and is safe and well-tolerated by those who take it.

Although The Lancet study is proof of concept, experts still question the ethics of a pill for lifestyle issues.

There is a danger that lifestyle factors could be overlooked in favour of 'popping a pill' Mike Rich of UK charity the Blood Pressure Association Q&A: The Polypill

Critics say the problems of high blood pressure and cholesterol should be tackled with diet and exercise rather than by popping a pill.

The polypill used in the latest study combines five active pharmacological ingredients widely available separately - aspirin, a statin to lower cholesterol and three blood pressure-lowering drugs - as well as folic acid.

Does what it says on the tin

Trials on 2,053 healthy individuals free of cardiovascular disease, but with a risk factor such as high blood pressure or a long-term smoker, showed combining the drugs into one tablet delivered a similar effect to each drug separately.

Reductions were seen in both blood pressure and cholesterol without any major side effects.

WHAT'S IN IT? Aspirin to thin the blood A statin drug to lower cholesterol Three blood pressure-lowering drugs: ACE inhibitor Diuretic Beta-blocker Folic acid to reduce the level of homocysteine in the blood which is another risk factor for heart disease

The researchers believe that the combined action of all the components in their "Polycap" capsule made by Cadila Pharmaceuticals, could potentially halve strokes and heart attacks in average, middle-aged people.

On a global scale, this would save tens of millions of lives.

The study, led by Dr Salim Yusuf, from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, took in people at 50 centres across India.

A spokeswoman for the British Heart Foundation said: "The results suggest that the polypill has the potential to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

The polypill does exactly what it should, but no more UK researcher Professor Simon Thom

"We now need further research to examine whether the polypill actually reduces mortality."

A UK team led by Professor Simon Thom of Imperial College London is hoping to do just this.

They have been testing a four-in-one polypill called the Red Heart Pill, with the backing of the Wellcome Trust and the British Heart Foundation, which could cost as little as 15 euros per person per year.

Professor Thom said it would be at least five years before there was enough data to convince drug regulators to approve a polypill.

"Mounting evidence shows the polypill does exactly what it should, but no more, whereas exercise has wide reaching effects on health and wellbeing. So a polypill is an addition rather than a replacement for lifestyle interventions."

FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme

Mike Rich of UK charity the Blood Pressure Association said: "This study further stimulates the debate over whether a 'magic bullet' is the answer to the prevention of heart disease and strokes.

"Eating healthily and taking regular exercise are proven ways to lower high blood pressure - and have many other health benefits too - and there is a danger that these lifestyle factors could be overlooked in favour of 'popping a pill'."

Joanne Murphy of The Stroke Association said: "By combining these medications in one pill, it will make it easier for people to take their medication. However, it is important that more research and investigation is done into this pill to ensure its safety."

One GP, Dr Sarah Jarvis, said the pill should not be viewed as an alternative to improving lifestyles through diet and exercise.

"What we need to bear in mind is that this may well cut the likelihood of dying of heart disease dramatically. Fantastic. But it's not going to stop you getting arthritis, it's not going to stop you get lung disease," she said

common infections

How infection may spark leukaemia

Common infections may trigger cancer cell growth

Scientists have shown how common infections might trigger childhood leukaemia.

They have identified a molecule, TGF, produced by the body in response to infection that stimulates development of the disease.

It triggers multiplication of pre-cancerous stem cells at the expense of healthy counterparts.

The Institute of Cancer Research study appears in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

While infection is clearly only one factor in triggering progression, this study greatly increases the strength of evidence for its role in the commonest form of childhood leukaemia Dr Shabih Syed Leukaemia Research

Leukaemia occurs when large numbers of white blood cells take over the bone marrow, leaving the body unable to produce enough normal blood cells.

The researchers had already identified a genetic mutation - a fusion of two genes - occurring in the womb that creates pre-leukaemic cells.

These cells then grow in the bone marrow, effectively acting as a silent time bomb that can stay in the body for up to 15 years.

Evidence suggests the mutation may be present in as many as one in 100 newborn babies, but only about one in 100 of these children then go on to develop leukaemia.

This suggests that the cells will only complete the transformation to fully-fledged cancer cells if they exposed to an independent trigger.

The latest study suggests production of TGF in response to an infection could be that trigger.

Because the molecule hugely increases the rate at which the pre-leukaemic cells multiply, this significantly raises the the chance that some will become even further damaged in a way that results in the child developing leukaemia.

Preventative measures

Researcher Professor Mel Greaves said: "Identifying this step means we can determine how an unusual immune response to infection may trigger the development of the full leukaemia and eventually perhaps develop preventative measures such as a vaccine."

Dr Shabih Syed, scientific director at the charity Leukaemia Research, said: "Before this study, there had been only circumstantial evidence to implicate infections in the progression from a child carrying pre-leukaemic cells to actually having leukaemia.

"There was no evidence of the mechanism by which this might happen.

"While infection is clearly only one factor in triggering progression, this study greatly increases the strength of evidence for its role in the commonest form of childhood leukaemia."

vegetarian means vegetarian, the clue is in the word, veg...from the root vegetable, with no reference to egg, why do meat eaters and milk drinkers an

Thank you for your recent e-mail regarding the Linda McCartney
Vegetarian Roast and the use of egg in the product.

The packaging clearly states egg is included in the making of the item.
This information is located both in the ingredients list and underneath
this list with the other allergens contained within the product. Where
our products are Vegan friendly, we clearly state this on the front of
the packaging with a tick and 'Vegan Friendly'.

Our vegan friendly products are:

* Linda McCartney 6 sausage rolls,
* Linda McCartney 4 country pies,
* Linda McCartney 6 vegetarian sausages
* Linda McCartney 2 vegetable roasties

We sincerely hope you continue to purchase and enjoy our products in the
future.

Yours Sincerely

Helen Moss
Customer Care Coordinator

non-sciense so common

Shopping sprees linked to periods

Sex and the City character Carrie Bradshaw loves to shop

Women may be able to blame impulse buys and extravagant shopping on their time of the month, research suggests.

In the 10 days before their periods began women were more likely to go on a spending spree, a study found.

Psychologists believe shopping could be a way for premenstrual women to deal with the negative emotions created by their hormonal changes.

Professor Karen Pine will present her work to a British Psychological Society meeting in Brighton later this week.

She asked 443 women aged 18 to 50 about their spending habits.

The spending behaviour tends to be a reaction to intense emotions Professor Pine

Almost two-thirds of the 153 women studied who were in the later stages of their menstrual cycle - known as the luteal phase - admitted they had bought something on an impulse and more than half said they had overspent by more than £25.

A handful of the women said they had overspent by more than £250.

And many felt remorse later.

Professor Pine, of the University of Hertfordshire, said: "Spending was less controlled, more impulsive and more excessive for women in the luteal phase.

"The spending behaviour tends to be a reaction to intense emotions. They are feeling stressed or depressed and are more likely to go shopping to cheer themselves up and using it to regulate their emotions."

Hormonal

She said much of this could be explained by hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle. And the findings were exaggerated in the women with severe PMT.

"We are getting surges and fluctuations in hormones which affect the part of the brain linked to emotions and inhibitory control. So the behaviour we found is not surprising."

Another explanation might be that women are buying items to make themselves feel more attractive - coinciding with the time of the month when they are most fertile.

Most of the purchases made by the women were for adornment, including jewellery, make-up and high heels.

Professor Pine said: "Other researchers have found there is an ornamental effect around the time of ovulation."

Researchers have found women tend to dress to impress during their fertile days.

Professor Pine, author of the book Sheconomics, said if women were worried about their spending behaviour they might avoid going shopping in the week before their period was due.

Africa facing major cancer blight

Africa facing major cancer blight

The rise in cancer is a consequence of people living longer

A major conference is taking place in London to raise awareness about the cancer threat to Africa. The meeting, which is being attended by health ministers from across the continent, will examine the need for cancer programmes across the region.
Cancer is often thought of as a disease of the western world but that is changing fast.
The World Health Organisation says that cancer kills more than HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria combined.
And the International Agency for Research on Cancer calculates annual new cases of cancer are expected to rise from 11m in 2000 to 16m in 2020, of which which some 70% will be in developing countries.
Increased incidence
Speaking before the conference began, the former British health minister Alan Milburn, who is chairing the conference, said the geography of cancer was indeed changing and that a new cancer epidemic was facing Africa.
"In Africa, literally every day, hundreds, possibly thousands of people die needlessly in pain from cancer for want of pain relief that could cost literally pennies rather than pounds.
"The basic infrastructure and resources to cope with the new health epidemic is basically not there and we have to do something about it. We know that there is a steam train that is coming down the track and we have a choice - we can wither, build some new track or we can wait for the train to hit us."
In some parts of Africa, the increased incidence of cancer is a consequence of economic development and populations that are living longer.
But in other parts, where HIV/Aids is slashing longevity, cancer rates may be rising directly as a result of the HIV/Aids epidemic with cancers such as Kaposi's sarcoma, tumours which appear under the surface of the skin or on mucous membranes, becoming increasingly common.
"HIV/Aids lowers the immunity of a patient and you know that throughout your lifetime the immunity keeps things in balance," Dr Mompati Malane, the head of clinical services in Botswana, told the BBC.
"You know you've got those bad cells that will go wrong and then they get eliminated by the immune system.
"But now with with HIV and immunity lowered, these cells are not killed that quickly and therefore it means that the the abnormal cells will multiply and cause cancer. We are seeing a lot of Karposi sarcomas which was not common in the past and this is mainly due to HIV/Aids."
Of course one of the main problems for Africa is funding for treatments.
For example, radiotherapy is only available in 21 countries in Africa.
But what the delegates were keen to stress as the conference began was that batting cancer is not just about expensive facilities.
Screening, early diagnosis and the uptake of inexpensive drugs were equally important, they said.

eggs

The Big Question: Was Edwina Currie right about salmonella in eggs, after all?

By Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

Friday, 17 November 2006

Why are we asking this question now? 

Salmonella is back in the news, because the Food Standards Agency has found high levels of salmonella in foreign eggs. The Government's food watchdog said that one in 30 boxes of imported eggs had salmonella, a bacterium that can cause nasty - and occasionally fatal - food poisoning. In Spanish eggs, the figure was one in eight. Quite separately, the Government has uncovered the mis-labelling of millions of battery-farm eggs as free-range.

Where does Edwina Currie come into it?

Although the British egg industry insists its eggs are safe to eat, the FSA's salmonella survey brought back memories of Edwina Currie's infamous comments in the late 1980s which plunged the egg industry into crisis. On 3 December 1988, the outspoken junior health minister told ITN: "Most of the egg production in this country sadly is now infected with salmonella." Sales of eggs plummeted 60 per cent overnight. The loss of revenue forced farmers to slaughter four million hens and destroy 400 million unwanted eggs.

What happened to Ms Currie?

She had a torrid time. Ms Currie had spoken out because cases of Salmonella enteritidis, associated with poultry production, had almost trebled in a year. But the egg industry rubbished her comments. British Egg Industry Council said the risk of getting salmonella from eating an egg was less than one in 200 million and took out adverts in all the newspapers headed "Eggs. The facts". Officials at the Ministry of Agriculture were reported to be very "angry" at their health colleague's remarks. Amid the crisis, the government mounted a multimillion-pound compensation package for egg producers. Margaret Thatcher stated her views. "I had eggs for breakfast," she said. Ms Currie resigned on 17 December.

What is salmonella?

The salmonella bacterium was first found in pigs by the 19th-century American veterinary pathologist, Daniel Elmer Salmon. It lives in the stomach and intestines of animals and humans. The chances of catching it from eating an egg are slim but the disease can be nasty, especially for vulnerable groups like children and pensioners.

A sufferer may experience fever, stomach pain, diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting. Most patients recover in a week but it can be deadly, particularly if it spreads into the bones or blood. For such vulnerable groups the Health Protection Agency says that salmonella can be "extremely unpleasant".

Are British eggs now safe to eat?

British eggs do have salmonella. But very few. The latest FSA study, in 2003, found salmonella in 0.3 per cent of UK eggs. There was no difference between battery, free-range or organic eggs. Salmonella is almost always killed in cooking. Even then, a fit person may fight off an infection. Alas, the British egg industry was not always so healthy.

Although Ms Currie undoubtedly exaggerated the degree of salmonella in British egg production, the industry did have a problem and was giving too many people food poisoning. Farms tried to clean up but the real breakthrough came in 1998 when the vaccination of hens for salmonella was introduced at farms backing the new British Lion mark. All the big egg producers put the marks on their eggs. From 1998 there have been falls almost every year in the number of human cases of Salmonella enteritidis. In 1997, there were 22,254 cases. In 2005, there were 6,677. Yesterday a spokesman for the British Egg Information Service said: "British eggs are about as safe as you can eat."

What about foreign eggs?

A survey by the European Food Safety Agency this year found far higher rates of salmonella on the Continent than in Britain. Checks were carried out at 5,317 hen-laying farms in 23 countries; those in the EU and Norway. The proportion of UK egg farms with salmonella was 11.9 per cent, the sixth lowest. Swedish, Finnish and Danish farms had extremely low figures, between 0 and 3 per cent, probably because of the cold.

But salmonella was found in 73 per cent of Spanish farms, 77 per cent of Polish farms and 79 per cent of Portuguese farms. In France the figure was 17 per cent, in Germany 28 per cent and in Italy 30 per cent. The actual level of salmonella in eggs from these farms is far lower. The Food Standards Agency's testing of 1,744 boxes of imported eggs on sale in London and the North-west, found salmonella present in one in 30 boxes.

What does the Government say?

Cook eggs thoroughly. The Food Standards Agency advises cooking eggs until the white and yolk are solid. It especially warns against consumption of raw eggs by anyone who is very young, elderly, pregnant or already unwell, because their chance of contamination is greater. Raw eggs are used in many home-cooked and restaurant dishes such as mayonnaise, Béarnaise and hollandaise sauces, salad dressings, ice cream, icing, mousse and tiramisu and other desserts.

Does that mean we can't eat mayonnaise or tiramisu?

Not necessarily, just be careful, particularly if you have a weak immune system. Food manufacturers tend to use safe pasteurised egg for raw egg dishes. The FSA also advises caterers and home cooks to use pasteurised eggs, which are available in supermarkets. In restaurants, the FSA suggests diners ask the waiter whether the eggs have been pasteurised.

The advice was repeated at the height of the bird flu scare earlier this year because of the theoretical risk that bird flu can spread to humans through raw eggs. The FSA advises eggs be stored in the fridge away from other foods and should always be eaten by their best-before date. Not all eggs have best-before dates. But all eggs carrying the Lion Mark - 85 per cent of the country's annual 8.5 billion eggs - have them.

Did Ms Currie help?

Salmonella levels in the late 1980s were too high. By making her comments, she highlighted the problem, which was eventually solved - in Britain at least - by the introduction of vaccination. But she caused an unnecessary crisis in the poultry industry and a pointless panic among the public.

In 2006, eggs are far safer. Doing a few things can make their consumption safer still: buy Lion Mark British eggs, use them before the best-before date and don't eat dishes with raw eggs. Or take a risk and accept that you might, just might, get food poisoning.

Are eggs potentially threatening to human health?

Yes...

* Although the incidence of salmonella in eggs can be reduced, it cannot be eliminated

* People are not going to stop eating dishes such as mayonnaise and tiramisu, which require raw eggs in their preparation

* Although salmonella has been drastically reduced in the UK, a large number of imported European eggs still have the bacterium

No...

* If you cook your eggs thoroughly, you will not have a problem as cooking kills the salmonella

* Recipes that require raw eggs can still be followed, as long as the cook uses pasteurised eggs

* Not since vaccinating chickens reduced the incidence of salmonella to very low levels of risk

NHS and social services in England are failing to meet the health needs of people with learning disabilities, investigators say.

The Health Service and Local Government Ombudsmen said the standard of care was an "indictment of our society" after reviewing the deaths of six people.

They found one man died as a result of failings in his care, while a second death could have been avoided.

The government said it was taking steps to address the problems.

The ombudsmen investigated the cases after they were highlighted by the charity Mencap.

CARE LINKED TO DEATH Mark Cannon - The 30-year-old died eight weeks after being admitted to hospital with a broken leg. He waited three days to see a pain team and developed an infection. Complaints were upheld against the hospital and council - he was in a care home when he was first injured. The ombudsmen ruled care contributed to death. Martin Ryan - Died several weeks after having stroke. While in hospital, the 43-year-old went 26 days without being fed. The hospital was criticised: death could have been avoided if care had been better. Will shocking care be addressed?

They looked into complaints made by the families of the six people who died between 2003 and 2005.

The report found failings by hospitals, local health bosses, the official NHS regulator and social care services provided by councils, although none of the complaints against GPs were upheld.

It linked the care of two of the six - Mark Cannon, 30, from Romford, east London, and Martin Ryan, 43, from Richmond, west London - to their eventual deaths.

It also said the failings in the care of two more - Tom Wakefield, 20, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and Ted Hughes, 61, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire - was partly due to the fact that they had learning disabilities.

In the final two cases - those of Emma Kemp, 26, from Newbury, Berkshire, and Warren Cox, 30, from St Leonards, East Sussex - the complaints were not upheld, although some aspects of their care were criticised.

The ombudsmen also ruled that investigation of their complaints was flawed, although at different stages in the process.

The investigtors said there was enough evidence to suggest problems were endemic across the services.

'Inadequate care'

Ann Abraham, the Health Service Ombudsman, said: "The recurrence of complaints across different agencies leads us to believe that the quality of care in the NHS and social services for people with learning disabilities is at best patchy and at worst an indictment of our society."

Allan Cannon, father of Mark, said the family had to push at every stage to try to get better treatment.

He said no proper checks were done following Mark's surgery, and it was later discovered he had lost 40% of his blood.

"After the surgery, he was in an awful lot of pain and it just continued. He was being neglected by staff, we were calling for help."

In total, the role played by 20 different bodies in the cases was investigated.

Hospitals were criticised for the inadequate care and treatment given to people with learning disabilities as well as the way they looked into complaints.

POOR CARE BECAUSE OF DISABILITY Tom Wakefield - The 20-year-old had long history of stomach problems before dying of pneumonia and reflux problems. The council and the NHS were criticised for not planning and providing adequate care. The Healthcare Commission complaint handling was also found at fault. Ted Hughes - After spending most of his life in care homes, the 61-year-old died the day after being released from hospital after an operation. Discharge arrangements by the hospital were found to be inadequate. Anger over care for son who died

Councils were attacked for failing to provide or secure adequate levels of health care, while local health managers working for primary care trusts were said to be struggling to plan services properly.

The Healthcare Commission, the NHS regulator, was even ruled to have not handled complaints properly in some of the cases.

The ombudsmen said there was sufficient policy and guidance available, but agencies were not following it and, as a result, were in breach of human rights and disability discrimination laws.

They recommended all agencies review the systems they have in place for making sure the needs of people with learning disabilities were met.

Communication

In particular, they said staff needed to improve communication with the patients and their families, and social care and NHS teams had to work together better to ensure discharge arrangements were good enough.

The ombudsmen's report comes after the government has already promised to improve training and carry out a full inquiry into premature deaths among people with learning disabilities.

POOR INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINT Emma Kemp - The 26-year-old died shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. Her mother complained she should have been diagnosed earlier and given chemotherapy treatment. The complaint not upheld, but the way it was handled was criticised Warren Cox - Died 90 minutes after being admitted to hospital with stomach pains. The hospital was found to have acted correctly, but the Healthcare Commission failed to offer them proper review of case

Ministers made the announcements earlier this year after an independent inquiry last year into the deaths found significant failings.

Care services minister Phil Hope said: "Preventable deaths of people with learning disabilities are absolutely unacceptable.

"We are taking action to ensure that people with learning disabilities get the equal access to the health care that they deserve."

But Mencap chief executive Mark Goldring said the findings were "damning".

He said: "We would have liked to see individuals held accountable where they have not met required standards.

"We will continue to fight for justice for the families and, with them, consider referring the individual doctors who failed in their duty of care to the General Medical Council."

Oxford research

 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Overweight/obesity increases the risk for cancers of the oesophagus (adenocarcinoma), colorectum, breast (postmenopausal), endometrium and kidney; body weight should be maintained in the body mass index range of 18.5-25 kg/m(2), and weight gain in adulthood avoided. Alcohol causes cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, oesophagus and liver, and a small increase in the risk for breast cancer; if consumed, alcohol intake should not exceed 2 units/d. Aflatoxin in foods causes liver cancer, although its importance in the absence of hepatitis virus infections is not clear; exposure to aflatoxin in foods should be minimised. Chinese-style salted fish increases the risk for nasopharyngeal cancer, particularly if eaten during childhood, and should be eaten only in moderation. Fruits and vegetables probably reduce the risk for cancers of the oral cavity, oesophagus, stomach and colorectum, and diets should include at least 400 g/d of total fruits and vegetables. Preserved meat and red meat probably increase the risk for colorectal cancer; if eaten, consumption of these foods should be moderate. Salt preserved foods and high salt intake probably increase the risk for stomach cancer; overall consumption of salt preserved foods and salt should be moderate. Very hot drinks and foods probably increase the risk for cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx and oesophagus; drinks and foods should not be consumed when they are scalding hot. Physical activity, the main determinant of energy expenditure, reduces the risk for colorectal cancer and probably reduces the risk for breast cancer; regular physical activity should be taken

this is vegan, vegetarian has no meaning in the context of the bbc headline

Vegetarian diet 'cuts heart risk'

The diet combines vegetables, fruit and nuts

Eating more vegetables and soya-based products may be as effective at reducing cholesterol as medication.

Researchers in Canada have developed a vegetarian combination diet which they say cuts cholesterol by almost a third in just one month.

The diet includes vegetables, such as broccoli and red peppers; soy milk and soy sausages; oat bran cereal and bread; and fruit and nuts.

There is hope for a drug-free treatment for some people with high cholesterol Prof David Jenkins

The researchers believe the food programme could be a possible drug-free alternative to cutting cholesterol and protecting people from heart disease.

Coronary heart disease kills more than 110,000 people a year in England. A major cause is cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream.

Combination diet

It has been known for many years that individually soy protein, nuts and fibres like oats and barley can cut cholesterol by up to 7%.

Professor David Jenkins and colleagues at the University of Toronto decided to test whether the impact was stronger if these foods were combined.

They drew up a seven-day food plan using foods that are commonly available in supermarkets and health stores.

A typical day on the diet included:

A breakfast of soy milk, oat bran cereal with chopped fruit and almonds, oatmeal bread, vegetable-based margarine and jam;

a lunch of soy cold cuts, oat bran bread, bean soup and fruit; and

A stir-fry dinner with vegetables, tofu, fruit and almonds.

The researchers put 13 people on the combination diet for a month. They found that their cholesterol levels had dropped by 29% by the end of the period.

The researchers said the findings suggested the combination diet may be as effective as statins.

These drugs have been used extensively for 15 years to treat patients with high levels of cholesterol.

Professor Jenkins said further and larger studies are needed before the diet could be recommended to patients.

He said: "The take home message right now is that there is hope for a drug-free treatment for some people with high cholesterol.

"For us, the main feature now is to move this forward into longer-term studies."

But he added: "This opens up the possibility that diet can be used much more widely to lower blood cholesterol and possibly spare some individuals from having to take drugs."

The study is published in the journal Metabolism

why old age abuse

Care homes warned over dementia

By Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC News

Dementia affects about 700,000 people in the UK each year

Care homes need to improve their approach to people with dementia, a report by a firm of health and social care analysts has concluded.

Laing and Buisson found training was "fragmented and ad-hoc" with a third of homes failing to provide staff with specialist instruction.

The survey of 6,000 UK care homes also questioned the care provided.

It said only 57% of home residents affected by dementia were cared for in settings "dedicated" to the condition.

The figure rose to two thirds once all those who ended up with dementia while in care homes were taken into account.

The number of people in Britain with dementia is expected to more than double to 1.7m by 2051.

Ministers have already pledged action, promising to improve services, including those in care homes, in their dementia strategy published earlier this year.

In less than 15 years there will be a million people living with dementia, we need to gear the while of the care home sector to delivering good dementia care Neil Hunt, of the Alzheimer's Society

Laing and Buisson said the care home sector had started to revamp its services, but there were still serious gaps in provision.

Training was highlighted as a key area that needed addressing, with an estimated 248,000 people in care homes suffering from dementia.

The research also suggested that the aim of reducing the use of anti-psychotic drugs to sedate dementia patients would increase the need for better services.

Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, said the findings were a "sad indictment of the current state of dementia care".

"In less than 15 years there will be a million people living with dementia; we need to gear the whole of the care home sector to delivering good dementia care."

Concern

And Stephen Burke, chief executive of Counsel and Care, a charity which represents elderly people with caring needs, said: "This report should give cause for concern."

He said the Care Quality Commission, the new health watchdog that was being launched in April, needed to make the issue a priority.

Martin Green, chief executive of English Community Care Association, suggested NHS and social care chiefs were starving the sector of money.

"Providers suffer from a lack of vision and innovation by commissioning bodies - who tend to commission block contracts at low cost for minimum services.

"What we need is commissioning that understands the complexity inherent in supporting people with dementia and delivers the resources to develop intensive one-to-one bespoke services."

Meanwhile, Prince Charles is set to call for more of a focus on dementia in a statement to open the the Alzheimer's Research Trust's annual conference in London later.

He will say: "Sadly, dementia will have an even greater impact as, in the future, the risk of dementia increases as people live longer, and the emotional, social and economic burden we all will face if this threat is left unchecked will be catastrophic."

Care services minister Phil Hope said he wanted to see care homes take a more active role in the management and care of people with dementia.

"The national dementia strategy will improve the quality of care in care homes."

same confusionmore on report

Vegetarians 'get fewer cancers'

Almost a third of adults in the study were vegetarian

A vegetarian diet may help to protect against cancer, a UK study suggests.

Analysis of data from 52,700 men and women shows that those who did not eat meat had significantly fewer cancers overall than those who did.

But surprisingly, the researchers also found a higher rate of colorectal cancer - a disease linked with eating red meat - among the vegetarians.

Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition the team said the findings were worth looking into.

Although it is widely recommended that people eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day to reduce their risk of cancer and other diseases, there is very little evidence looking specifically at a vegetarian diet.

It suggests there might be some reduction in cancers in vegetarians and fish-eaters and we need to look carefully at that Professor Tim Key, study leader

In the latest study, researchers looked at men and women aged 20 to 89 recruited in the UK in the 1990s.

They divided participants into meat-eaters, fish-eaters, vegetarians and vegans.

During follow-up there were fewer cancers than would be expected in the general population - probably because they were a healthier than average group of people.

But there was a significantly lower incidence of all cancers among the fish-eaters and vegetarians compared with the meat eaters.

'Confusion'

For colorectal cancer, however that trend was reversed with vegetarians having a significantly higher incidence of the condition than the other groups.

The researchers were surprised at the finding, which contradicts previous evidence linking eating lots of red meat with the disease.

Study leader Professor Tim Key, a Cancer Research UK epidemiologist at the University of Oxford, said no previous study had looked at diet in this way and there had been a lot of confusion about the issue.

"It's interesting - it suggests there might be some reduction in cancers in vegetarians and fish-eaters and we need to look carefully at that."

He added: "It doesn't support the idea that vegetarians would have lower rates of colorectal cancer and I think it means we need to think more carefully about how meat fits into it."

More work is needed to unpick the links between diet and cancer but such studies are incredibly hard to do, he said.

Dr Joanne Lunn, a senior nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, said the findings highlight the fact that cancer is a complex disease and many different lifestyle factors play a part in determining a person's risk.

"An interesting observation was that the vegetarians had a higher rate of colorectal cancer than the meat-eaters.

"When you look at the detail of their diets, the meat-eaters, to which the vegetarians in this group were compared, are eating only moderate amounts of meat each day - well within the recommendations.

"Both groups are also just about meeting the recommendation to eat at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day."

norfolk potter

linda carnell potter

cameron knows nowt as well

Cameron attacks chocolate sellers

Consumers are "inundated" with chocolate offers, said Mr Cameron

"Irresponsible" marketing techniques are being used to sell chocolate and fuel Britain's obesity problem, Tory leader David Cameron has said.

In a health speech, Mr Cameron pointed to shops, including at train stations, offering cut-price chocolate bars.

He asked: "As Britain faces an obesity crisis, why does WH Smith's promote half-price Chocolate Oranges at its checkouts instead of real oranges?"

WH Smith denies acting irresponsibly and says it offers customers choice.

A spokeswoman said dried fruit and other products, as well as chocolate, were on sale in its outlets.

And promotions varied - with water among the healthy options promoted in the past, she said.

"They are marketed at adults," she said. "It's about choice - you don't have to purchase the products."

Double-edged sword

He told the King's Fund in London that business had a shared responsibility to help improve public health.

"Modern marketing techniques can be used to great effect to tackle the root causes of preventable ill-health... just as irresponsible marketing techniques can have the opposite effect," he said.

"Try and buy a newspaper at the train station and, as you queue to pay, you're surrounded, you're inundated by cut price offers for giant chocolate bars."

Mr Cameron said many shops could do more to promote healthy diets and lifestyles - and that was good business because it reduced sickness costs.

"Of course we cannot regulate in this regard but can point the finger, we can ask awkward questions and we can put some pressure on and I believe politicians and others should do so," he added

good or bad @

Scottish GPs have voted against a proposal for chocolate to be taxed in the same way as alcohol and cigarettes to tackle increasing levels of obesity.

Dr David Walker, a GP in Lanarkshire, warned that chocolate had lost its status as a "treat" and had become a harmful addition for some people.

However, his motion calling for a tax on chocolate was defeated by two votes at a BMA conference in Clydebank.

He said he was "disappointed" but glad his suggestion had provoked debate.The BBC News website's Laura Pettigrew has been speaking to one chocolate shop owner, and self-confessed chocolate lover, who is strongly opposed to the idea.

Marion sells chocolates and truffles in her shop near Glasgow

"Good chocolate is fine in moderation", said Marion Dougan.

She is the owner of Cacao chocolate shop in Milngavie, near Glasgow.

chicken and egg

e.mail from me to Linda McCartney foods
I buy a lot of pies and sausages , and occasionally other items , I am vegan
, and I have purchsed an oven stuffed chicken roll and I cannot eat it as it
is full of egg which I consider to be chicken and I have wasted my money ,
please could you and other manufacturers please be honest and make it
obvious that these products contain animal produce and true vegetarians

 eat only veg not egg.
             Thanks, a reply would be interesting

'Chocolate tax' to tackle obesity

Food industry representatives said the "chocolate tax" would not work

A Scottish GP has called for chocolate to be taxed in the same way as alcohol and cigarettes to tackle increasing levels of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Dr David Walker, a GP in Lanarkshire, said many people eat their entire daily calorie requirement in chocolate, on top of their normal meals.

The doctor said chocolate used to be seen as a "treat" but had now become an harmful addiction for some.

He will put his proposals to colleagues at a BMA conference in Clydebank.

Dr Walker, who is also a trained food scientist and nutritionist, told the BBC news website: "Obesity is a mushrooming problem. We are heading the same way as the United States.

"There is an explosion of obesity and the related medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes. I see chocolate as a major player in this, and I think a tax on products containing chocolate could make a real difference."

Dr Walker said that a 225g bag of chocolate sweets contained almost 1,200 calories - almost half the recommended daily calorie intake for a man - and could be eaten incredibly quickly.

People have been lulled into a false sense of security about chocolate Dr David Walker

He warned that many people were consuming this amount of chocolate on a daily basis, as well as their normal meals, and were unaware of the harm it was doing.

He said: "There is lots of negative publicity about other fast food and junk food but chocolate is sneaking under the radar.

"People have been lulled into a false sense of security about chocolate.

"I had one patient recently who said to me she thought chocolate was good for you. People are being brainwashed into believing this."

Under Dr Walker's proposal, to be presented at the annual conference of Scottish Local Medical Committees, revenue raised from taxing chocolate products would be used by the NHS to deal with the health problems caused by obesity.

He will also argue that the extra money raised could be spent on increasing and improving sports facilities.

'Lighter wallets'

Dr Walker said: "After eating a bag of chocolate sweets you would have to walk continuously for three hours to burn off the calories consumed.

"It is simply not enough to say people should get more exercise. They also need to moderate their chocolate intake and this tax would help them do that."

Representatives from the food and drinks manufacturing industry have dismissed Dr Walker's suggestion.

Julian Hunt, of the Food and Drink Federation, said: "Introducing regressive taxes on the foods that consumers love would result only in lighter wallets, not smaller waists - particularly as we already have to pay VAT on all our chocolate purchases.

"While good for grabbing headlines, there is no evidence to suggest that such 'fat taxes' would actually work in reality.

"Indeed, when the BMA debated a similar motion in 2003 its members voted against such an idea on the grounds that such a taxation policy would have no effect on obesity, would hit lower income groups hardest and would be a bureaucratic nightmare."

However, Dr Walker, said he hoped Scottish GPs at the BMA conference would back his proposal.

He added: "The idea of a tax on fatty foods has been raised before and it was seen as unworkable. But I think a special case should be made for chocolate.

"It has lost its status as a 'special treat' and I think that if we charged a tax on it then, over a number of years, we could restore that status."