Primary care professionals: do they know about probiotics? (27 Aug 2004)

Probiotics ? live bacteria ingested by mouth to improve health ? have been picked up by the food industry and so by the public. This interest may be a simple reaction to the manufacturers? claims for the health benefits of their products, and may be motivated by the subliminal desire to be feel ?involved? in one?s own health. Whatever the reason, many GPs and practice nurses must have been asked about them, and many must have found they did not know all that much.
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News summary (27 Aug 2004)
Fruit compound ?cuts LDL cholesterol?
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Obesity and diabetes (20 Aug 2004)

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the developing world, and excess body weight is now the most common childhood disorder in Europe. In childhood and adulthood, excess weight can cause dyslipidaemia, hyperinsulinaemia and hypertension. Adult obesity is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and in 2001, the first obesity-related cases of type 2 diabetes in adolescents were reported¹.
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News summary (20 Aug 2004)
Weight gain prevention
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News summary (13 Aug 2004)
Carbohydrates and breast cancer
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An assessment of the nutritional adequacy of children?s meal provision in restaurants (13 Aug 2004)

It is understood that the quality of the diet in childhood is important for short and long-term health. In the United Kingdom, reflecting trends internationally^1-4, there is a prevalence of obesity amongst the paediatric population^5-7. A number of governmental and non-governmental organisations are currently assessing the need to set a range of obesity specific policies, with the aim of highlighting the need for nutrients such as fat, saturated fat, sugar and sodium to be reduced in the diet^8-12.
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Nutrition and supplementation in older people (06 Aug 2004)

Older people make up the fastest growing sector in society. Many people in this age group are fit and active, while others are frail and require care, but overall, this group has fairly specific nutritional needs.
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