news 2020

More than one third of UK teenagers are starting adult life with excess weight (either overweight or obese), and rates are even higher among the poorest, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The research, published today in a briefing paper  by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) at the UCL Social Research Institute, shows that one in five (21%) young people were obese at age 17, and a further one in seven (14%) were overweight, based on data collected in 2018-19 .

A new study, led by researchers at the University of Bristol and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), has revealed that where fat is on our body may lead to different health outcomes for men and women. The research, co-funded by World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), Cancer Research UK and Diabetes UK, found that having more body fat around your waist is more dangerous for women than it is for men when it comes to risk of developing colorectal cancer (also known as bowel cancer).

Mammals, birds and amphibians worldwide have lost on average 18% of their natural habitat range as a result of changes in land use and climate change, a new study has found. In a worst-case scenario this loss could increase to 23% over the next 80 years. We found that the higher the carbon emissions, the worse it gets for most species in terms of habitat loss.

Three-quarters of people over-40 in Sierra Leone have at least one health factor that could contribute to cardiovascular disease - creating a 'ticking time bomb' of death and disability in one of the world's poorest countries, a new study reveals. Researchers found that cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVDRFs) such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity are much more common in Sierra Leone than expected, whilst access to health care for these conditions is low.

Low carbohydrate diets are often driven by beliefs that are influenced by internet resources, and do not represent a one-size-fits all approach to dieting. In a new study led by the University of Glasgow and published today in Nature Scientific Reports , researchers have provided further insights into the motivations for following low carb diets and the experiences of current and past dieters.

Households eat more healthily when retailers display clear nutritional information on own-brand food products, say researchers. Nutritional information displayed prominently on food products which give consumers information on salt, sugar and calorie content play a significant role in nudging people towards better dietary choices, according to new research.

Researchers have found that a common plant owes the dazzling blue colour of its fruit to fat in its cellular structure, the first time this type of colour production has been observed in nature. I first noticed these bright blue fruits when I was visiting family in Florence. I thought the colour was really interesting, but it was unclear what was causing it Silvia Vignolini The plant, Viburnum tinus , is an evergreen shrub widespread across the UK and the rest of Europe, which produces metallic blue fruits that are rich in fat.

Scientists have completed large-scale tests on a new type of five-minute urine test that measures the health of a person's diet. The test also produces an individual's unique urine 'fingerprint'.

Scientists from the UK, Europe and the USA, including experts from the University of Birmingham, have published a vitamin D consensus paper warning against high doses of vitamin D supplementation. According to the study, there is currently insufficient scientific evidence to show vitamin D can be beneficial in preventing or treating Covid-19.

High wind speeds can significantly reduce the efficiency of a honey bee's search for food, according to a new research paper published this week. Experts at the University of Sussex found that the foraging rate of honey bees significantly decreased in higher wind speeds due to increased hesitancy to take off.

Researchers at the University of Oxford and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have discovered a new gene that improves the yield and fertilizer use efficiency of rice. The worldwide late-20 th century 'Green Revolution' saw dramatic year-by-year increases in global grain yields of rice and other cereals.

International food supply patterns are supporting healthier diets in parts of the world, but causing malnutrition and obesity elsewhere. Research carried out by the University of Kent and Imperial College London has revealed diets are changing in complex ways worldwide. Advances in science and technology, together with growing incomes, have allowed many nations to have access to a diversity of foods.

Professor Martin Yeomans ' research is helping food producers address the growing problem of obesity. In the latest episode of Impacted , the University of Sussex podcast series about research for real change, Yeomans explains how sharing his research on satiety with industry helps manufacturers create new food products that satisfy consumers and reduce the risk of overeating.