Stemming the tide of obesity
Article Type: Food facts From: Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 39, Issue 3.
We may be headed for lean times inan economic sense, but according to government figures the march of obesity is not showing similar signs of slowing down. Indeed, according to the Government Office for Science's Foresight Report,by 2050 no less than 60 per cent of men and 50 per cent of women in the UK could be obese.
In an attempt to reverse what it calls “the rising tide of obesity and overweight” in this country, a new Department of Health initiative, called Change4Life, has just been launched. Initially, the initiative will focus on improving children's diets and levels of activity its goal being to help every family in England eat well, move more and live longer.
The Department of Health claims research shows that parents acknowledge childhood obesity is a problem, they just do not think it is their problem. Parents also underestimate the amount of food they eat while at the same time overestimating the amount of exercise their families take part in. Families also do not make the connection between being overweight and obese and long-term health problems yet, as the Department of Health states, there is a clear link between having too much body fat and your risk for illnesses such as diabetes,heart disease, cancer and depression.
Weight loss made simple
The Change4Life movement will involve government, health care, media,commercial and voluntary groups to develop new initiatives, starting with an integrated communications plan that will include a soon-to-be-launched ad campaign.
There are, however, steps you can take to lose excess pounds without government intervention. Anyone who has a weight problem knows how difficult it can be cut down on portion sizes and eat more healthily.
Hoodia gordonii is a cactus-like succulent plant that grows in the deserts of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Angola. Anthropologists became interested in the plant after discovering how it has been used for centuries by a Kalahari desert tribe called the San Bushmen to stop them getting hungry while out on a hunting trip.
Hoodia Mint is a supplement made from South African hoodia gordonii and contains high levels of the plant's active ingredient, a molecule called P57. Tests show P57 is a potent appetite suppressor in that it sends signals to the brain to suggest fullness (Brain Research, September 2004). Trials (unpublished)show that taking hoodia gordonii could help lower your calorie intake by as much as 40 per cent a day.
Each mint contains 1,000mg of pure, refined hoodia gordonii. They are also sweetened with xylitol, a natural, low-calorie alternative to sugar and contain no stimulants whatsoever. In fact, Hoodia Mint has no known side effects. The supplement is also suitable for vegetarians.
Information is available from www.hoodiamint.co.uk
