Nutrition

According to the latest thinking, eating healthily and taking more exercise are not enough by themselves to combat the nation's rising obesity levels. Instead we need a better understanding of the issues underpinning compulsive eating so that psychological help can be successfully targeted.

WHAT: Food prices rose by 5.5 percent in the past year and are expected to increase up to an additional 4 percent in 2009. Americans are seeking to get the most out of their dollar, and since together, dairy foods provide a unique package of nine essential nutrients, they are a nutritional bang for the buck.

New call to the people of Somerset to 'Be Active and Be Healthy' Shocking figures published last week show 27 million adults in England are not getting enough exercise. We should aim to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days of the week. It doesn't have to be a sport; it can be gardening, going for a walk or having a good spring clean, as long as it is enough to get you warmer and breathing a little heavier.

Researchers reviewing 25 studies on protein suggest that the protein in eggs makes a valuable contribution to muscle strength, helps to satisfy hunger and provides a source of sustained energy. They suggest that because research shows eggs are rich in leucine, an essential amino acid that plays an important role in how muscles use glucose, they would be a valuable food for men and women undergoing endurance training.

A diet that is low in calories but still nutritionally substantial appears to incur weight loss and fat loss without significant bone loss in young adults, according to an article released on September 22, 2008 in Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Biological aging can be slowed by calorie restriction. However, it is also known that chronic energy deficiency diminishes mineral uptake into bones, thereby weakening them.