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A new study from the United States has shown that people who suffer with depression are far more likely to be obese and to smoke than people who are not depressed. The knock on effect of this statistic is that those suffering from depression are also more likely to suffer from the chronic diseases associated with smoking and obesity.

The research comes from the Division of Adult and Community Health in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The lead author, Tara Strine, said, "The relationship between obesity and depression is plausible for several reasons. First, some patients who are overweight may be prone to depression because of societal attitudes towards obesity. Also, while depression can lead to decreased appetite and weight loss in some individuals, others eat more and gain weight.” It seems then that many patients suffering from obesity are in a no win situation. The depression causes them to overeat and to smoke and the resulting weight gains lead to them becoming more depressed.

The results were taken from interviewing more than 200,000 adults in 38 American States. About 8.7 percent of the respondents had current depression, 15.7 percent had a previous depression diagnosis and 11.3 percent had had an anxiety diagnosis at some time. The people who were currently suffering from depression were 60 percent more likely to be obese as people who were not depressed. The depressed respondents were also twice as likely to be smokers than their non-depressed counterparts. The survey also highlighted that people with depression were more likely to have problems with alcohol.

Whilst perhaps not revelatory, the results do show the inherent difficulties people have in tackling obesity and the importance of treating patients as soon as they become overweight. Ignoring a patient’s condition, the survey suggests, will make it much more difficult to treat at a later date.

Professor Philip James, the head of an international taskforce on obesity, has said that we as a planet, as well as a nation, need to completely reassess the way in which we regard obesity. The obesity epidemic, he says, needs to be addressed with the same sense of importance and urgency with which we now regard the problem of Global Warming. Obesity, of course, does not have the same (supposedly) trendy credentials as saving the Amazon Rain Forest. The threat to human kind, however, is just as profound and disturbing.

When one looks at the statistics, it is hard to disagree with Professor James. At this moment in time, obese children outnumber malnourished youngsters by two to one and the figure is growing. This is already having a devastating effect on health, with the problem set to worsen considerably in the near future. By the year 2030 the number of people on the planet with type II diabetes is expected to have doubled to the staggering figure of 366 million people.

Professor James suggests that it is political leaders who need to grab the reins to prevent this epidemic from worsening. In the last few years we have seen fast food retailers particularly vilified as largely responsible in the huge rise in obesity. The individual has also been criticised for not taking personal responsibility for their weight, either as a result of over eating or a lack of exercise.

Professor James says that this ‘blame mentality’ serves no practical purpose, and that we need to change the environmental factors that are making the world fat. He says that the fat content of food needs to be clearly labelled on all packaging, that advertisers have to be prevented from targeting children and that we as a planet should be encouraged to get out of out of our cars.

New research from Scandinavia shows that a child’s weight at the age of 7 to 12 indicates whether they are going to die early from obesity related illnesses.

The first study, by scientists in Denmark, found that large children, especially boys, are at an increased risk of coronary disease as adults.

The second, based on a computer model, found that overweight adolescents are at increased risk of heart disease and premature death.

Both studies are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions around the world. In the U.S.A. scientists suggest that 9 million adolescents (17 per cent of the population) are overweight and 80 percent of overweight adolescents grow up to be obese adults. Childhood obesity rates have tripled since 1970.

Worldwide, children are becoming heavier at younger ages. In the United States, 19 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 11 are overweight in the U.K this figure is already at 30 per cent.

Being overweight or obese puts you at increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

The first study looked at a group of almost 277,000 Danish children -- all schoolchildren in Copenhagen -- from 1930 to 1976Out of that initial group, more than 10,200 men and 4,300 women were identified whose childhood body-mass index was measured who had received a diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD) or died of CHD as adults.

Boys with a high BMI at 7 to 13 years of age and girls with a high BMI from 10 to 13 years of age had a higher risk of a heart disease in adulthood, the researchers found, suggesting that overweight and obese children have an increased risk of cardiovascular events at as early as 25 years of age."

The second study projected the number of overweight adults based on the number of overweight adolescents in 2000. Using a computer model, it predicted that up to 37 percent of men and 44 percent of women will be obese when these people -- now teenagers -- turn 35 in 2020. This could result in up to 5,000 additional deaths from heart disease and 45,000 heart attacks, cardiac arrests and related events by 2035 among this group of young adults. It would raise the death toll from obesity-related coronary heart disease by 19 percent.

Obese people find it harder to fight infections due to a weakened immune system, suggests a new study from Boston University researchers. In experiments carried out by scientists, mice were infected with the bacteria that cause gingivitis. The results showed that obese mice had less ability to fight off the gum infection than their normal-weight counterparts.

For years, we have had difficulty understanding why obese people have difficulty clearing an infection," said researcher Dr. Salomon Amar

In the study, Amar's team tied silk threads infected with the bacteria around the molars of obese and normal-weight mice. They then compared the animals' responses to infection, by measuring both the amount of bone loss and the growth of the bacteria around their teeth. The researchers found that the obese mice had a compromised immune response to the bacteria, which made the animals more susceptible to the infection.

Amar's group also looked at the animals' white blood cells, which are the main line of defence against infection. The white cells of obese mice had lower levels of an important signaling molecule and some of the genes that fight inflammation were altered, the researchers found.

The same result is seen in humans, Amar added. Various studies of obese people have shown they are more likely to have gum disease than people with a normal body mass index. The disease is caused by bacteria, which causes inflammation and destruction of the bone underlying teeth.

Amar thinks that obese people need to be treated differently to help them fight infections. "We need to be more aggressive in the use of targeted antibiotics in infections among obese people," he said. "Also, we need to boost the immune response."

The results of a study published in the American Journal of Nutrition show that genes account for 75 per cent of the difference between obese and slim children, with factors such as diet and exercise, previously thought to be far more significant, playing a smaller role. The study by Professor Wardle and Susan Carnell examined 5,092 sets of twins, some identical and some fraternal. Identical twins share all of their genes whilst fraternal twins share only half. By studying twins who live together and who share similar environmental factors, the scientists were able to establish that identical twins were far more likely to share patterns of obesity than fraternal twins. This suggests that the environmental factors play a far less significant role than twins’ genes.

In the U.K. over 30 per cent of children are now overweight or obese and the number is rising steadily. There has been a 7 per cent increase in the number of obese children aged between 2 and 10 in the past decade.

The results, whilst proving that certain children have a genetic predisposition to obesity, also reiterates that exercise and good diet will counter balance the genes which Mother Nature has dished out

Well now there is another reason to lose weight.  Researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered a correlation between obesity and bad breath.  A study of 88 volunteers uncovered that a large number of these (more than people with a normal body mass) had bad breath.  The researchers also uncovered a correlation between alcohol consumption and bad breath but this was less surprising as there was considerable anecdotal evidence of this relationship before the study was undertaken.

The researchers are now going to try to discover why this might be the case.  A lot of bad breath is caused by bad dental hygiene.  If people do not take care of their bodies through over-eating and not taking any exercise it would be safe to assume that they are highly unlikely to be taking care of their teeth and gums! However, let's wait for the results of the tests to see if there is a more "scientific" reason

A study by conducted by Professor Henry at Oxford Brookes University has suggested that providing children with a low GI breakfast will keep them fuller for longer and cut their calorie intake by around 61 kcal per day – at total reduction of over 1800 over a month.  The study was conducted using two groups of children in the UK and this was the first time that children have been used in a research programme examining the effects of consuming foods which are low on the glycemic index.  The study took place over a 10 week period with 38 children participating between the ages of 8 and 11.  The group was randomly split into two, with one group being fed a low GI breakfast on two non-consecutive weekdays for 10 weeks and the other group being fed a high GI breakfast on two non-consecutive weekdays.  The groups were then swapped over for a further 10 week period.  An interesting result from the study showed that the children on the low GI diet also ate less on the days when they chose their own breakfasts.

To find out more about the GI diet, we recommend visiting http://www.the-gi-diet.org/

A few moths ago we brought you the news about the discovery of a gene variant that can lead to obesity as carriers of the variant gene appeared to have an inbuilt propensity to carry extra weight.  Further work has been done on this discovery and it now appears that the FTO gene can directly act on DNA to alter it.  This suggests that the variant FTO gene might be able to switch other genes on and off.

The FTO gene is found in large quantities in the hypothalamus of the brain which is the region that controls hunger and satiety.  A lot of work still needs to be done to discover exactly how the FTO gene works but it does appear that it has a role in the brain’s ability to sense hunger and fullness.  As the activity of FTO can be altered by molecules it is possible that therapeutic compounds can be created which will manipulate the FTO and lead to the development of new weight loss drugs.

A study published in the International Journal of Obesity has revealed some very interesting statistics for the UK which seems to demonstrate that overweight and obese people in the UK are actually bigger than they were 10 years before but thin people have not noticed any change in their body shape at all.  This would suggest that the average increase in weight over the last 10 years has been very unevenly distributed.

The study compared a sample of 12,000 men and women taken in 1993/4 with a similar sample taken in 2003/4.  Male obesity had risen from 13.4% to 22.7% and female obesity had risen from 15.8% to 22.4%.  The waist circumference had increased by 3.48cm and 4.35cm, respectively.

The research was led by Cancer Research UK.  Obesity can lead to several types of cancers so there is a much wider imperative in getting people to lose weight other than just the fact that it looks aesthetically unpleasing.  Those of us encouraging people to lose weight are not body fascists – we just want to help overweight patients get down to the right weight so that they can lead long and healthy lives, without being a burden on the NHS.  There is plenty of advice out there as to how to lead a more healthy life and we are prepared to prescribe weight loss medication where we think that it is appropriate.

A new survey out today has revealed that Scotland has the highest obesity rate in the UK at 25.5 per cent.  This makes Scotland second only to the US when it comes to obesity levels and it would appear that the problems are starting early with childhood obesity reaching alarming proportions.  The Scottish Executive has decided to take action and you will never guess what they are suggesting!  Healthy fish which is rich in omega 3 will be served in schools once every three weeks and fried foods will be reduced to three times a week, with chips only being served as part of a “balanced diet.”  Somehow, I don’t think that this “radical” move is going to have any impact on Scotland’s obesity crisis.  How about cutting out fried food and chips completely?  The kids probably get plenty of that at home anyway!

You would think that carrying all that weight around would be incentive enough for people to avoid a high fat diet, never mind the wider health consequences.  Obese people are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, have raised blood pressure and suffer strokes.

Although England is behind Scotland in the obesity stakes, there is no room for complacency as the obesity rate is 22.5 per cent there.

Whilst schools can do their best to serve healthy meals to the children, this will not stop parents pushing junk food through the railings at lunchtime as we saw in various places in England after the implementation of healthier options at schools.  At the end of the day, we have to acknowledge that we cannot shove junk food down our throats (as delicious as some of it might be) without reaping the consequences in later life!

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in the US have proved that a gene which was discovered 50 years might actually control the body type that we have as individuals and could point the way to new treatments for obesity.  The gene is called adipose and we have written about this gene before.  The new research was based on research involving mice where this particular gene was switched on and off and up and down.  The results showed that when adipose activity was increased then the mice ate the same as or more than normal mice but they did not pile on the pounds.  They had improved health which included having diabetes resistant fat cells and were better able to control insulin and blood sugar metabolism.  Animals with reduced adipose activity were fatter, less healthy and had diabetes.

This latest development is excellent news for future obesity treatments as the activity of the adipose can be turned up and down, not just on and off.  Any drug that targets this gene’s activity will be many years off so please do not ask us if we have anything to deal with this now! If you are looking for diet pills then please navigate to our home page and request a free consultation.

The FDA in the USA has given the go-ahead for a trial involving injection lypolosis which has become commonly known as fat dissolving.  Essentially, various compounds are injected into the subcutaneous fat in certain parts of the body where there is an unwanted local accumulation of fat.  The fat is apparently broken down and then excreted by the body.  Various forms of this treatment have been in existence for sometime in the US but there are no standardised procedures or protocols in place.  The study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of these treatments and to come up with the most effective and safe way of their implementation.

All current clinical reports in this area are anecdotal and have not been subjected to scientific testing.  As soon as we have more information on this development, we will bring it to you.

For years we have been hearing from women who claimed that they put on weight following the menopause but there was no scientific explanation why this might be the case.  Following the publication of some interesting research in the US we now might just have the answer. It appears that oestrogen receptors in the hypothalamus of the brain act as master switches which regulate appetite, fat distribution and energy expenditure.  The research was the result of animal experiments where the oestrogen receptors in this region of the brain were switched off and the animals suddenly began to eat more food, expend less energy and add body weight – particularly around the middle region.

An area of the hypothalamus called the ventromedial nucleus has already been explored using gene silencing techniques to examine the effects of deactivating oestrogen receptors in this region.  The result showed that there was a drop in the metabolic rate and energy levels fell.  The animals gained weight without an increase in calorie consumption.

The research team now proposes to explore the arcuate nucleus region and, based on the earlier research where the entire oestrogen receptor population in the hypothalamus was switch off, they expect that when the receptors are switched off in this region, the animals’ appetites will increase.

A virus from the same group as the one which causes the common cold has been linked to obesity according to a study undertaken at Louisiana State University.  The research found that an adenovirus called Ad-36 can transform adult stem cells in fat tissue into fat cells.  It has also been discovered that obese people are much more likely to carry the virus than lean people, giving an indication that it could be a contributory cause of obesity.

What must be emphasised is that nobody is claiming that this virus is the solitary cause of obesity and the importance of diet and exercise are still central to whether or not a person is likely to fall into the category of obese.  Further work needs to be done on this but it seems that if a link can be fully demonstrated then we would postulate that it might be possible to introduce an anti-viral which tackles this particular virus as part of an overall weight management programme for someone who is a carrier.

It will be essential to understand the underlying factors which will predispose an obese person to develop the Ad-36 virus and further work is being undertaken.

A study by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre has produced some rather extraordinary results which suggest that body shape can have a huge impact on the propensity to heart disease in later life, even if the overall weight of the person is normal.  The scientists have used something called the waist hip ratio (WHR) to measure a person’s likelihood of developing heart disease later in life.

A number of volunteers were tested using blood samples and MRI scans to establish if there was any calcium build up in the arteries surrounding the heart. The results were then placed in a table of the participants against their WHR and there appeared to be a direct correlation, even after other factors such as blood pressure, age, smoking, diabetes and cholesterol levels were taken into account.  The likelihood of there being calcium deposits grew in direct proportion to the WHR.

It has subsequently been determined that the safe WHR for a man is 1.0 and for a woman it is 0.85.  A man’s health is also deemed to be at risk if the circumference of his waist exceeds 37 inches and for a woman the figure is 32 inches.  You can test your WHR by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement.

If you are worried about your weight, The Online Clinic will be prepared to offer you a free consultation to see if medication would be an appropriate option for you.

Leptin, a hormone which occurs naturally in the body, has been found to control people’s fondness for food as well as regulating appetite.  Hunger may be a critical influencing factor involved in how much we eat but it is by no means the only factor.  Eating is normally a pleasant experience which activates reward centres in the brain and this can overrule any indication from the brain to stop eating as we are no longer hungry.

Research by a team at the University of Cambridge has found that leptin affects emotional responses to food. A group of patients with a rare genetic condition which means that they cannot produce leptin was compared with a group of healthy volunteers.  The area of the brain which processes rewards, known as the striatal region, was monitored in both groups of volunteers.  It was observed that the group of patients who lacked leptin responded to pictures of food even after they had eaten whereas the group of healthy volunteers only responded if they were hungry.  The group of patients with the genetic defect were observed to produce normal brain activity when they were treated with leptin.

Obviously treatment with leptin is not going to be appropriate for overweight people who are overweight for other reasons.  For people who are experiencing appetites which are difficult to control, treatment with Reductil or Acomplia may be appropriate.

A recently published study has suggested that reducing LDL cholesterol through the use of statins may actually increase the risk of cancer.  The study was the result of a review of data from previous trials involving 41,000 patients. It is not clear whether the higher incidence of cancer (around one person per thousand) is the result of the drugs, the low levels of LDL achieved or just plain coincidence.

The study leader, Professor Richard Karas, was at pains to point out that the drug is not implicated here and that the benefits of statins in lowering the risk of heart disease were clear.  No particular type of cancer predominated, so if the aggressive lowering of LDL did have an impact on the incidence of cancer, it would have to affect all types of cancer.

Other experts have cast doubt on the findings saying that as the trials only lasted five years, the onset of cancer would have to have been very rapid indeed.  What is more likely is that people who may have died from heart disease prior to the treatment with statins simply lived a bit longer and died of cancer instead!

A spokesman for the British Heart Foundation said that there is overwhelming evidence that the use of statins saves lives by preventing heart attacks and strokes and that the potential benefits far outweigh the potential risks.

Back in January we brought you a story about a UK Government think tank proposing a “fat tax” on certain foods which are deemed to be unhealthy.  Well, you guessed it, the fat tax is back on the agenda and this time it has been splashed all over the media.

The proposal has come from Dr Oliver Mytton who works at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.  Dr Mytton and his colleagues are proposing that the tax is applied to foods high in fat, salt and sugar in order to discourage people from purchasing these types of foods, hopefully diverting their spend to more nutritious foods instead.

The tax being proposed would work out at 67p a week, raising approximately £2 billion per annum.  The research suggested that around 3,000 lives a year would be saved from reduced numbers suffering from obesity related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

I have to say, anything that saves lives is undoubtedly welcome but I am not sure how they work out their figures.  At 67p a week, it is a bit unlikely that this will be sufficient in order to divert spending from unhealthy to healthy foods. Also, for someone on a low income for whom the odd pound here or there does have an impact, is it not more likely that they might forego the odd bit of healthy fruit and vegetables in order to be able to buy a bar of chocolate or a Kentucky fried chicken? At the end of the day, people are going to eat what they like unless the price differential was so enormous as to make it worthwhile switching to more healthy alternatives.

A rather extraordinary study by some scientists in Sweden has revealed that the key to beating diabetes could lie in adopting a Palaeolithic diet similar to our hunter-gatherer ancestors.  A diet consisting of fruit, nuts, vegetables and lean meat or fish appears to be much more beneficial than a traditional Mediterranean diet, the study revealed.  14 glucose intolerant heart patients were placed on the stone-age diet while another group was placed on the Mediterranean diet for 12 weeks.  At the end of the study period the blood glucose levels in the first group had returned to normal while those on the Mediterranean diet had barely changed.

Scientists at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. have made a discovery while observing mice that could lead to anther treatment for obesity.  It has been noticed that mice placed in a stressful environment were more likely to gain weight than mice in a calm environment, even although the calorific intake of the two groups was identical. Not only were the stressed mice fatter, they also displayed other characteristics of obesity, such as glucose intolerance, high blood pressure, inflammation of the blood vessels and fat in their livers and muscles.

The physical effects of the stress were caused by the production of a naturally occurring chemical which can activate and deactivate cells in fat tissue.  When this chemical, neuropeptide Y2 receptor, was blocked by the injection of a Y2 receptor antagonist, the mice lost 40% of their belly fat.

The scientists behind the study have emphasised that they do not believe that the drug could be used for gross obesity but it is likely to have applications for body reshaping by plastic surgeons.

You may have recently read or heard about the discovery of a human gene (FTO) that can predispose people to being overweight.  Before you get too concerned about whether you have this gene you should look at the details of the research as the way that this story has been played in the media is very misleading.

We have always known that people are genetically predisposed to having a certain body type so there is nothing really new other than the fact that a group of scientists has been able to identify the genes that can cause people to retain more fat than other people. This does not however, account for the explosion of obesity in recent years.  It is not as if these genes have suddenly appeared – they have been around for as long as we have been around. Giving people the impression that there is nothing they can do about being overweight is quite simply wrong and irresponsible. The gene merely contributes to the body type that we have – it is not the only relevant factor.  Gene differentials go some way in explaining why two people with identical lifestyles and eating habits may have different body types, although other medical factors may also contribute.

The study by the group of British scientists who made the gene discovery has determined that people who have the most vulnerable genetic make-up (comprising around one in six people), weigh on average only 3 kg more than those with the lowest risk.  Although the weight differential was entirely accounted for by fat and not bone or muscle, this hardly explains the levels of obesity that we regularly see with our patients so people should not be resigned to being overweight because they believe that they may have this gene.  A weight differential of 3 kg is significant in terms of a comparative study but it is not an insurmountable problem on an individual basis.

A scientific study into the controversial Atkins diet suggests that it can be one of the most effective ways for women to lose weight without the aid of slimming pills.  At the end of a 12 month trial, overweight subjects on the Atkins regime had lost twice as much weight on average as women on three competing diets. Atkins minimises carbohydrates, such as bread and sugar, in favour of meat and other proteins.  However, amid increasing concern that its devotees miss out on vital nutrients, it has recently been supplanted by new dietary regimes such as the GI diet, which consists of foods that release glucose slowly and evenly into the bloodstream.

Last week however, the study has revealed that Atkins produced more weight loss with no signs of undesirable side effects – at least in the short term.  In the study, 311 pre-menopausal women, overweight women were asked to follow four regimes: the Atkins; Zone; LEARN or Ornish diet.  Each diet involves a different level of carbohydrate intake.  The Atkins recommends the lowest level of carbohydrate, the Zone diet a little more.  The LEARN (Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships and Nutrition) diet follows the American government’s recommendations for a diet low in fat and high in carbohydrates.  The Ornish diet is very high in carbohydrates and extremely low in fat.

After one year, the 77 women on the Atkins group lost an average of 10 pounds – about twice as much as those on the LEARN and Ornish diets. Women on the Zone lost an average of 3.5 pounds.

A spokesman for the Medical Research Council said that the reason for the success of Atkins was that people found a diet that allowed high intakes of meat and fat easier to follow than other more Spartan regimes.

In Britain, the Atkins diet reached its peak in 2003 when a survey indicated that 3 million people were on it. The diet was endorsed by celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston.

The Online Clinic does not support the use of the Atkins diet as the long term effects of having a diet high in fats and proteins is not known but we can make a reasonable guess that it is not going to be good for you.  Some people have even suffered ill effects of being on the diet for a short period of time, with one 16 year old American girl actually dying after being on the diet for two weeks as her body was so low on potassium that the normal electrical function of her heart was interrupted.  Other users of the diet have had lucky escapes, including a doctor from Illinois who was a former enthusiast for the diet but ended up having to call the emergency services after suffering from arrhythmia (irregular heart beat.)  Also, don’t forget that even although Dr Atkins died in a tragic accident, he was overweight at the time of his death and he was suffering from cardiovascular problems.

It is possible to have a diet that is low in refined carbohydrates, thereby stopping the insulin spikes which can cause the retention of sugars as fat, without the diet being dominated by fats and proteins.

An alarming report from the European Union’s statistical office this week claimed that 23% of British women are clinically obese, topping the European league table. British men are not much better with 22.3% being classified as obese – just behind Malta with 25.1%.

Obesity is measured using the body mass index (BMI) which is a mathematical function determined by weight and height. A person with a healthy BMI would measure between 19 and 25 on this scale. Anyone with a BMI over 25 would be classified as overweight and anyone measuring 30 and above is classified as clinically obese.

According to medical sources, being obese can take around 9 years off your life and can lead to a host of health complications such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, infertility and depression. Obesity has also been linked to a number of cancers such as colon, kidney and stomach. It is obviously in the interest of every overweight person to lose weight but the problem seems to be getting worse rather than better! What is causing this obesity epidemic? And why is it so much worse in the UK than anywhere else in the developed world other than that US?

The massive increase in the incidence of obesity in recent years is blamed on poor diet and the reliance on labour saving devices around the home. People also lead extremely busy lives, with many people spending a great deal of time in sedentary jobs with little time for exercise. Although efforts have been made by the food manufacturing industry to make processed foods healthier, it is all too easy to rely on products which are high in fats, sugars and salt as the staple base when you lead a busy life with little time to prepare meals from scratch with natural ingredients. But does this not demonstrate lack of imagination and little bit of laziness? Is it really so difficult to cook a healthy meal and take a bit of exercise? If you are out at work all day and have a family to look after then maybe it is. However, what is completely clear is that nobody wants to be fat so there seems little point in these EU surveys as they do not come up with any solutions. People already know what causes obesity so we have to just let them get on with their lives and make decisions for themselves, fully aware of the consequences.

A study by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in the US has recently published a study which suggests that childhood obesity can have serious short and long term consequences. Girls as young as nine showed an increased risk of heart disease as a result of being overweight. Further, girls who were overweight at 9 were nearly 15 times more likely to be overweight as young adults as those who were a normal weight at the same age.

Higher blood pressure and unhealthy changes in cholesterol and triglycerides in the bloodstream suggest that the long term consequences of childhood fat could be serious. Also demonstrated was the fact that the years between 9 and 12 are crucial in determining whether or not a child will be overweight as an adult: once weight is gained at this early age, it is appears to be extremely difficult to shed.

More than 2,300 girls aged 9 and 10 were enrolled in the study and followed for more than 10 years. The study group measured the height, weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels of the subjects every year until they were 18, with extra measurements being made at the ages of 21 and 23.

The latests reasearch on British dieting habits commissioned by Tesco, the supermarket chain, and carried out by YouGov suggests that around a third of UK adults are on a diet at any one time.  Those aged over 55 appear to be the most concerned about their weight as the middle age spread takes its toll.

Around a third of the adults in the UK are on a diet at any one time according to a survey by YouGov commissioned by Tesco, the supermarket chain. Those aged over 55 seemed to be the most diet obsessed as the middle age spread takes its toll.

Apparently we Brits over-eat to a huge extent and the latest estimates suggest that around 60% of us will be overweight by 2050. According to the survey, 15% of us worry about our weight for 30 minutes of every day and 5% of women worry about their weight for 3 hours a day!  Maybe if they spend a little bit less time worrying about it and a bit more time doing something about it they would need to worry a lot less!  Everyone is looking for a quick fix and we are always prepared to consider prescribing slimming pills if it is appropriate for that individual but this must be combined with diet and exercise. It is not possible to pop a pill and pig-out on all your favourite foods, take no exercise and still expect the pounds to drop off!

Everyone has their own reasons for wanting to lose weight - for some people it is a medical necessity or they will find themselves in an early grave.  Others (20% of men) want to lose weight so that it will make them more appealing to women and 10% of both men and women say that losing weight would lead to better relations in the bedroom.

A tax on unhealthy foods has recently been proposed by a think tank associated with the Government. Although the Government has apparently rejected the idea, it is not without support amongst certain economists and public health advocates. An article by Tom Marshall was published in the British Medical Journal which advocated a tax on the main sources of fat in the British diet – namely butter, whole milk, cheese, biscuits and cakes. He contended that such a measure could prevent around 1000 premature deaths a year in the UK from heart related diseases.

Unhealthy diets are the cause of an estimated 30% of coronary heart disease deaths (British Heart Foundation estimate.) Data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey and the National Food Survey show that the consumption of fat and saturated fat is significantly higher than Government recommendations.

Although there does not appear to be much in the way of an international precedent for the fat tax, some States in the USA do impose a tax on soft drinks and confectionery, the proceeds of which are then ploughed back into state funded healthcare schemes to help those on low incomes.

Many people have opposed the idea for a fat tax saying that it would be unworkable and would be highly regressive in nature, i.e. the burden would fall disproportionately on the less well off. What do you think? Please feel free to post your comments!