Tax Processed Food to Subsidise Healthier Options & Tackle Obesity, Says Think Tank

The tendency for common processed foods such as crisps and biscuits to become cheaper over the past 30 years, while fruit and vegetables have become more expensive, is driving the obesity epidemic, a think tank has said. It recommends that governments consider introducing taxes on unhealthy foods and use these to subsidise other food groups.… Read More

‘Gold Standard’ Treadmill Test vs One-mile Walk Test

Research Paper Title Validation of One-mile Walk Equations for the Estimation of Aerobic Fitness in British Military Personnel under the Age of 40 years. Background To provide an accurate estimate of peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) for British Royal Navy Personnel aged between 18 and 39, comparing a gold standard treadmill based maximal exercise test… Read More

Genes & the Placebo Effect: Are You Easily Pleased?

The effectiveness of placebo may depend on someone’s DNA, so writes The Economist. Give someone who is sick a sugar pill that you have told him is a powerful drug, and it will often make him feel better. Even if you tell him what it really is, he may still feel better. The placebo effect,… Read More

Policy to Improve England’s Diet has Failed, Study Finds

Evidence is scant that a voluntary agreement between the government and food manufacturers to improve eating habits has worked, a study has concluded (Knai et al., 2015). The food “responsibility deal” was launched by the coalition government in March 2011 as a key policy, aimed at improving public health by reducing the prevalence of obesity… Read More