tag:theconversation.com,2011:/nz/topics/food-and-nutrition-61/articlesFood and nutrition – The Conversation2024-02-26T19:00:52Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2121142024-02-26T19:00:52Z2024-02-26T19:00:52ZI want to eat healthily. So why do I crave sugar, salt and carbs?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567024/original/file-20231221-29-wxqo9t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C565%2C5973%2C3422&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/donut-with-sprinkles-1785852/">Lisa Fotios/Pexels</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>We all want to eat healthily, especially as we reset our health goals at the start of a new year. But sometimes these plans are sabotaged by powerful cravings for sweet, salty or carb-heavy foods. </p>
<p>So why do you crave these foods when you’re trying to improve your diet or lose weight? And what can you do about it?</p>
<p>There are many reasons for craving specific foods, but let’s focus on four common ones:</p>
<h2>1. Blood sugar crashes</h2>
<p>Sugar is a key energy source for all animals, and its taste is one of the most basic sensory experiences. Even without specific sweet taste receptors on the tongue, a strong preference for sugar can develop, indicating a mechanism beyond taste alone.</p>
<p>Neurons <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-021-00982-7">responding to sugar</a> are activated when sugar is delivered to the gut. This can increase appetite and make you want to consume more. Giving into cravings also drives an appetite for more sugar. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/im-trying-to-lose-weight-and-eat-healthily-why-do-i-feel-so-hungry-all-the-time-what-can-i-do-about-it-215808">I’m trying to lose weight and eat healthily. Why do I feel so hungry all the time? What can I do about it?</a>
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<p>In the long term, research suggests a high-sugar diet can affect <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m2382">mood</a>, digestion and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33339337/">inflammation</a> in the <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.aay6218?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed">gut</a>.</p>
<p>While there’s a lot of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763402000040?via%3Dihub#aep-section-id23">variation between individuals</a>, regularly eating sugary and high-carb foods can lead to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30951762/">rapid spikes and crashes</a> in blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar drops, your body can respond by craving quick sources of energy, often in the form of sugar and carbs because these deliver the fastest, most easily accessible form of energy. </p>
<h2>2. Drops in dopamine and serotonin</h2>
<p>Certain neurotransmitters, such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30595479/">dopamine</a>, are involved in the reward and pleasure centres of the brain. Eating sugary and carb-rich foods can trigger the release of dopamine, creating a pleasurable experience and reinforcing the craving. </p>
<p>Serotonin, the feel-good hormone, suppresses <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569733910700886">appetite</a>. Natural changes in serotonin can influence daily fluctuations in mood, energy levels and attention. It’s also associated with eating more <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5829131/">carb-rich snacks in the afternoon</a>. </p>
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<img alt="Woman sits at her desk, tired" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567025/original/file-20231221-27-ljdcvp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567025/original/file-20231221-27-ljdcvp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567025/original/file-20231221-27-ljdcvp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567025/original/file-20231221-27-ljdcvp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567025/original/file-20231221-27-ljdcvp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567025/original/file-20231221-27-ljdcvp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567025/original/file-20231221-27-ljdcvp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Do you get 3pm sugar cravings? Serotonin could play a role.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-holding-her-head-4064177/">Marcus Aurelius/Pexels</a></span>
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<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21985780/">Low carb diets</a> may reduce serotonin and lower mood. However, a recent systematic review suggests little association between these diets and risk for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032722013933?via%3Dihub">anxiety and depression</a>. </p>
<p>Compared to men, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4189179/">women tend to crave more carb rich foods</a>. Feeling irritable, tired, depressed or experiencing carb cravings are part of premenstrual <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29218451/">symptoms</a> and could be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560698/">linked to</a> reduced <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9928757/">serotonin levels</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/got-period-pain-or-cramps-what-to-eat-and-avoid-according-to-science-218344">Got period pain or cramps? What to eat and avoid, according to science</a>
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<h2>3. Loss of fluids and drops in blood sugar and salt</h2>
<p>Sometimes our bodies crave the things they’re missing, such as hydration or even salt. A low-carb diet, for example, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537084/">depletes</a> insulin levels, decreasing sodium and water retention. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1933287419302673">Very low-carb diets</a>, like ketogenic diets, induce “ketosis”, a metabolic state where the body switches to using fat as its primary energy source, moving away from the usual dependence on carbohydrates. </p>
<p>Ketosis is often associated with increased urine production, further contributing to potential fluid loss, electrolyte imbalances and salt cravings.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-do-we-crave-the-food-our-bodies-need-53218">Health Check: do we crave the food our bodies need?</a>
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<h2>4. High levels of stress or emotional turmoil</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4214609/">Stress</a>, boredom and emotional turmoil can lead to cravings for comfort foods. This is because stress-related hormones can impact our appetite, satiety (feeling full) and food preferences. </p>
<p>The stress hormone <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3425607/">cortisol</a>, in particular, can drive cravings for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453000000354">sweet comfort foods</a>. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453000000354">2001 study</a> of 59 premenopausal women subjected to stress revealed that the stress led to higher calorie consumption. </p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37295418/">A more recent study</a> found chronic stress, when paired with high-calorie diet, increases food intake and a preference for sweet foods. This shows the importance of a healthy diet during stress to prevent weight gain.</p>
<h2>What can you do about cravings?</h2>
<p>Here are four tips to curb cravings:</p>
<p><strong>1) don’t cut out whole food groups.</strong> Aim for a well-balanced diet and make sure you include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><em>sufficient protein</em> in your meals to help you feel full and reduce the urge to snack on sugary and carb-rich foods. Older adults should aim for 20–40g protein per meal with a particular focus on <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jhn.12838">breakfast and lunch</a> and an overall daily protein intake of at least <a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/43411">0.8g</a> per kg of body weight for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35187864/">muscle health</a></p></li>
<li><p><em>fibre-rich foods</em>, such as vegetables and whole grains. These make you feel full and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32142510/">stabilise your blood sugar</a> levels. Examples include broccoli, quinoa, brown rice, oats, beans, lentils and bran cereals. Substitute refined carbs high in sugar like processed snack bars, soft drink or baked goods for more complex ones like whole grain bread or wholewheat muffins, or nut and seed bars or energy bites made with chia seeds and oats</p></li>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-protein-do-i-need-as-i-get-older-and-do-i-need-supplements-to-get-enough-215695">How much protein do I need as I get older? And do I need supplements to get enough?</a>
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<p><strong>2) manage your stress levels.</strong> Practise stress-reduction techniques like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga to manage emotional triggers for cravings. Practising <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30570305/">mindful eating</a>, by eating slowly and tuning into bodily sensations, can also reduce daily calorie intake and curb cravings and stress-driven eating </p>
<p><strong>3) get enough sleep.</strong> Aim for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33054337/">seven to eight</a> hours of quality sleep per night, with a minimum of seven hours. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9031614/">Lack of sleep</a> can disrupt hormones that regulate hunger and cravings</p>
<p><strong>4) control your portions.</strong> If you decide to indulge in a treat, control your portion size to avoid overindulging.</p>
<p>Overcoming cravings for sugar, salt and carbs when trying to eat healthily or lose weight is undoubtedly a formidable challenge. Remember, it’s a journey, and setbacks may occur. Be patient with yourself – your success is not defined by occasional cravings but by your ability to manage and overcome them.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hayley O'Neill is a wellness coach for Hayley M O'Neill Enterprises.</span></em></p>We all want to eat healthily, especially as we reset our health goals at the start of a new year. But sometimes these plans are sabotaged by powerful cravings for sweet, salty or carb-heavy foods.Hayley O'Neill, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2233412024-02-13T02:26:14Z2024-02-13T02:26:14ZWhy ban ham from school canteens? And what are some healthier alternatives for kids’ lunches?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/575144/original/file-20240212-18-jxuhh8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=37%2C37%2C4100%2C2773&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/toasted-sandwich-ham-cheese-176817788">Shutterstock/Joe Gough</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Western Australia has introduced a limit on ham in school canteens. Parents are reportedly <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/school-life/western-australia-introduces-new-limits-on-ham-at-school-canteens-banning-iconic-lunch/news-story/19b927b35e1122a01ab4539bc477a95d">confused and frustrated</a>. So what has changed and what evidence is it based on?</p>
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<h2>Reclassifying processed meats</h2>
<p>The WA Department of Health has reconfigured its system for classifying food and drink in public schools. It uses a traffic light approach, allocating green, amber or red colours to foods and drinks. </p>
<p>Ham and other processed red meats <a href="https://www.health.wa.gov.au/%7E/media/Corp/Documents/Health-for/Obesity-physical-activity-and-nutrition/WA-school-food-and-drink-criteria-FAQ.pdf">have been moved</a> from an “amber” label to a “red” label. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-we-still-need-to-cut-down-on-red-and-processed-meat-124486">Yes, we still need to cut down on red and processed meat</a>
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<p>Each colour is <a href="https://www.health.wa.gov.au/%7E/media/Corp/Documents/Health-for/Obesity-physical-activity-and-nutrition/WA-school-food-and-drink-criteria-FAQ.pdf">associated with restrictions</a> on how food and drinks can be sold:</p>
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<li>green items must account for at least 60% of items on a menu</li>
<li>amber items must account for less than 40% of items on a menu</li>
<li>red items cannot be on the menu.</li>
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<p>There’s one catch. The new guidelines allow ham to be sold as if it is an amber item, only two days per week, if ham was already on a canteen’s menu prior to the reconfiguration. </p>
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<img alt="Kids sit in a lunchroom" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/575145/original/file-20240212-22-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/575145/original/file-20240212-22-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575145/original/file-20240212-22-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575145/original/file-20240212-22-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575145/original/file-20240212-22-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575145/original/file-20240212-22-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575145/original/file-20240212-22-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Ham can still be sold two days a week if it’s already on the canteen’s menu.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cute-schoolchildren-having-meal-canteen-452918419">Shutterstock/WBMUL</a></span>
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<h2>Why restrict ham?</h2>
<p>Singling out nutrients or foods as “good” or “bad” can lead to <a href="https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84907554121&partnerID=10&rel=R3.0.0">confusion and polarised views</a> on diet. Rather than focusing on individual foods, long-term health outcomes are more closely linked to overall <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071223/">dietary patterns</a>.</p>
<p>Ham itself is not inherently considered junk food. It’s a source of protein and many other nutrients. </p>
<p>However, certain types of ham products – especially highly processed or cured hams – are less healthy options for several reasons:</p>
<p><strong>High sodium content</strong></p>
<p>Many commercially available hams, especially highly processed and cured varieties, can be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6267163/">high in sodium</a>, which is salt.</p>
<p>Excessive sodium intake is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32992705/">associated</a> with health issues such as high blood pressure and can increase the risk of heart disease and strokes. </p>
<p>On average, Australian children <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212267218302569">consume more sodium</a> than the <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/salt">recommended upper limit</a>: 600 mg a day for children aged four to eight and 800 mg a day for those aged nine to 13. </p>
<p>The World Health Organization says reducing sodium is <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/salt-reduction#:%7E:text=Excess%20sodium%20is%20linked%20to,as%20milk%2C%20meat%20and%20shellfish.">one of the most cost-effective ways</a> nations can improve the health of their populations.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-how-much-salt-is-ok-to-eat-58594">Health Check: how much salt is OK to eat?</a>
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<p><strong>Additives</strong></p>
<p>Some processed hams may contain <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1051227621002120">additives</a>, preservatives and flavour-enhancers we should limit.</p>
<p><strong>Saturated fat</strong></p>
<p>While ham is a good source of protein, certain cuts can be higher in saturated fat. </p>
<p>Any ham sold in canteens under the new rules (where ham is treated as an “amber” food until the canteen menu changes) must have <a href="https://www.health.wa.gov.au/%7E/media/Corp/Documents/Health-for/Obesity-physical-activity-and-nutrition/Selected-RED-items">less than 3g of saturated fat per 100g</a>. </p>
<p>Diets high in saturated fat are <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/bundles/healthy-living-and-eating/fats-oils-and-heart-health#:%7E:text=Unhealthy%20saturated%20and%20trans%20fats%20can%20heighten%20your%20risk%20of,and%20mortality%20from%20heart%20disease.">linked to an increased risk of heart disease</a>. However, not all research <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2824152/#:%7E:text=Conclusions%3A%20A%20meta%2Danalysis%20of,risk%20of%20CHD%20or%20CVD.">supports this claim</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Processing methods</strong></p>
<p>The methods to process and cure ham may involve smoking, which can produce compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In large quantities, these <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8537007/">may cause health concerns</a>, including increasing the risk of bowel cancer.</p>
<h2>What are some ham alternatives?</h2>
<p>Lean, minimally processed ham, prepared without excessive sodium or additives, can potentially be a part of a healthy overall diet. And parents in WA can <a href="https://www.health.wa.gov.au/%7E/media/Corp/Documents/Health-for/Obesity-physical-activity-and-nutrition/WA-school-food-and-drink-criteria-FAQ.pdf">continue packing ham</a> in their child’s lunchbox. </p>
<p>When choosing ham, read the labels and select products with a lower sodium content, minimal additives and healthier preparation methods. </p>
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<img alt="Girl picks up celery while shopping with her brother and dad" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/575150/original/file-20240212-16-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/575150/original/file-20240212-16-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575150/original/file-20240212-16-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575150/original/file-20240212-16-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575150/original/file-20240212-16-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575150/original/file-20240212-16-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575150/original/file-20240212-16-ey3jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Involve kids in preparing their lunchboxes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-shopping-son-daughter-supermarket-149629991">sirtravelalot/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>When looking for low-salt alternatives to ham, there are several options to consider: </p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>turkey breast</strong>. Turkey is a lean meat and can be a good substitute for ham. Look for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties</p></li>
<li><p><strong>chicken breast</strong>. Skinless, boneless chicken breast is a versatile and low-sodium option. Grilling, baking or roasting can add flavour without relying on salt</p></li>
<li><p><strong>smoked salmon</strong>. While salmon naturally contains some sodium, smoked salmon tends to be lower in sodium than cured ham. Choose varieties with little or no added salt</p></li>
<li><p><strong>roast beef</strong>. Choose lean cuts of roast beef and consider seasoning with herbs and spices instead of relying on salt for flavour</p></li>
<li><p><strong>homemade roasts</strong>. Prepare your own roasts using lean meats such as pork loin, beef sirloin or lamb. This way, you have more control over the ingredients and can minimise added salt</p></li>
<li><p><strong>grilled vegetables</strong>. These can be a tasty alternative to meat. Eggplant, zucchini, capsicum and portobello mushrooms have a satisfying texture and flavour</p></li>
<li><p><strong>beans and legumes</strong>. Beans, lentils and chickpeas can be used as alternatives in various dishes. They are naturally low in sodium and high in protein and fibre.</p></li>
</ul>
<h2>What are some other lunchbox tips?</h2>
<p>Packing lunchboxes can be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10107882/">challenging and frustrating</a> for parents. </p>
<p>Consider planning ahead, involving your kids, reducing pre-packaged foods, balancing cost and convenience, and giving your kids lunchbox accountability. </p>
<p>Many websites provide <a href="https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/budget/galleries/lunch-box-recipes-kids-31-back-school-lunches/vy6bf9xp">ideas for parents</a>, including websites focused on <a href="https://www.frugalandthriving.com.au/frugal-lunchbox-ideas/">low-cost foods</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/sick-of-packing-school-lunches-already-heres-how-to-make-it-easier-179675">Sick of packing school lunches already? Here's how to make it easier</a>
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<p>Remember to keep portions appropriate for kids and to consider any allergies or school regulations when packing lunches. </p>
<p>Making the lunch experience interactive and enjoyable can encourage kids to <a href="https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-019-0798-1">embrace healthier eating habits</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/223341/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lauren Ball works for The University of Queensland and receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Queensland Health and Mater Misericordia. She is a Director of Dietitians Australia, a Director of the Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network and an Associate Member of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.</span></em></p>Western Australia has introduced a limit on ham in school canteens. Here’s what has changed and the evidence it’s based on.Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2145802023-12-26T20:30:36Z2023-12-26T20:30:36ZYou can’t reverse the ageing process but these 5 things can help you live longer<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565071/original/file-20231212-19-m904rz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C437%2C6500%2C3746&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/seniors-enjoying-breakfast-1105683980">Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>At this time of year many of us resolve to prioritise our health. So it is no surprise there’s a <a href="https://digiday.com/marketing/health-food-brands-ramp-up-marketing-efforts-around-consumers-new-years-resolutions/">roaring trade</a> of products purporting to guarantee you live longer, be healthier and look more youthful. </p>
<p>While an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4822264/">estimated</a> 25% of longevity is determined by our genes, the rest is determined by what we do, day to day. </p>
<p>There are no quick fixes or short cuts to living longer and healthier lives, but the science is clear on the key principles. Here are five things you can do to extend your lifespan and improve your health.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/no-you-cant-reverse-ageing-by-injecting-young-blood-and-fasting-but-that-doesnt-stop-people-trying-207038">No, you can't reverse ageing by injecting 'young blood' and fasting. But that doesn't stop people trying</a>
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</p>
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<h2>1. Eat a predominantly plant-based diet</h2>
<p>What you eat has a huge impact on your health. The evidence overwhelmingly <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8210981/#:%7E:text=According%20to%20an%20expansive%20review,13%20Given%20that%20so%20many">shows</a> eating a diet high in plant-based foods is associated with health and longevity. </p>
<p>If you eat more plant-based foods and less meat, processed foods, sugar and salt, you reduce your risk of a range of illnesses that shorten our lives, including heart disease and cancer. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Delicious Mediterranean serving platter." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565062/original/file-20231212-19-nxaeys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565062/original/file-20231212-19-nxaeys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=371&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565062/original/file-20231212-19-nxaeys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=371&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565062/original/file-20231212-19-nxaeys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=371&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565062/original/file-20231212-19-nxaeys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565062/original/file-20231212-19-nxaeys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565062/original/file-20231212-19-nxaeys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest and most studied eating patterns.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/tray-of-food-on-white-surface-K47107aP8UU">Louis Hansel/Unsplash</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Plant-based foods <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-019-0552-0">are rich</a> in nutrients, phytochemicals, antioxidants and fibre. They’re also anti-inflammatory. All of this protects against damage to our cells as we age, which helps prevent disease. </p>
<p>No particular diet is right for everyone but one of the most studied and <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/mediterranean-diet/#:%7E:text=%5B6%5D%20Those%20who%20had%20the,who%20had%20the%20lowest%20adherence.">healthiest</a> is the <a href="https://www.eatingwell.com/article/291120/mediterranean-diet-for-beginners-everything-you-need-to-get-started/">Mediterranean diet</a>. It’s based on the eating patterns of people who live in countries around the Mediterranean Sea and emphases vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds, fish and seafood, and olive oil.</p>
<h2>2. Aim for a healthy weight</h2>
<p>Another important way you can be healthier is to try and achieve a healthy weight, as obesity <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/obesity/how-obesity-affects-body">increases the risk</a> of a number of health problems that shorten our lives.</p>
<p>Obesity puts strain on all of our body systems and has a whole myriad of physiological effects including causing inflammation and hormonal disturbances. These <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK572076/">increase your chances</a> of a number of diseases, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and a number of cancers.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-body-mass-index-cant-tell-us-if-were-healthy-heres-what-we-should-use-instead-211190">The body mass index can't tell us if we're healthy. Here's what we should use instead</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>In addition to affecting us physically, obesity is also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6052856/">associated with</a> poorer psychological health. It’s linked to depression, low self-esteem and stress.</p>
<p>One of the biggest challenges we face in the developed world is that we live in an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6817492/">environment</a> that promotes obesity. The ubiquitous marketing and the easy availability of high-calorie foods our bodies are hard-wired to crave mean it’s easy to consume too many calories.</p>
<h2>3. Exercise regularly</h2>
<p>We all know that exercise is good for us – the <a href="https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/au/news/breaking-news/hcf-reveals-australias-most-popular-new-years-resolutions-for-2023-431665.aspx">most common resolution</a> we make this time of year is to do more exercise and to get fitter. Regular exercise <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">protects</a> against chronic illness, lowers your stress and improves your mental health. </p>
<p>While one of the ways exercising helps you is by supporting you to control your weight and lowering your body fat levels, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1402378/#:%7E:text=For%20instance%2C%20routine%20physical%20activity,HDL%5D%20cholesterol%20levels%20and%20decreased">effects</a> are broader and include improving your glucose (blood sugar) use, lowering your blood pressure, reducing inflammation and improving blood flow and heart function.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman with grey hair does yoga outside" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565049/original/file-20231212-27-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565049/original/file-20231212-27-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565049/original/file-20231212-27-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565049/original/file-20231212-27-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565049/original/file-20231212-27-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565049/original/file-20231212-27-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565049/original/file-20231212-27-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Do the types of exercise you enjoy.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-in-black-tank-top-and-gray-denim-jeans-sitting-on-green-grass-field-during-daytime-FGQQho5XXn4">Kelly Newton/Unsplash</a></span>
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<p>While it’s easy to get caught up in all of the hype about different exercise strategies, the evidence <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320760">suggests</a> that any way you can include physical activity in your day has health benefits. You don’t have to run marathons or go to the gym for hours every day. Build movement into your day in any way that you can and do things that you enjoy.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cant-afford-a-gym-membership-or-fitness-class-3-things-to-include-in-a-diy-exercise-program-206204">Can't afford a gym membership or fitness class? 3 things to include in a DIY exercise program</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>4. Don’t smoke</h2>
<p>If you want to be healthier and live longer then don’t smoke or vape. </p>
<p>Smoking cigarettes affects almost every organ in the body and is associated with both a shorter and lower quality of life. There is no safe level of smoking – every cigarette increases your <a href="https://theconthatkills.org.au/?utm_source=googlesearch&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=theconthatkills23&utm_content=RSA&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqP2pBhDMARIsAJQ0Czrlep6EQHC-8_9xUhpz0h9v2ZglMF-6-k7_65awq8FxVaIL5HRoivwaAqJwEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds">chances of developing</a> a range of cancers, heart disease and diabetes. </p>
<p>Even if you have been smoking for years, by giving up smoking at any age you can experience <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit/benefits/index.htm">health benefits</a> almost immediately, and you can reverse many of the harmful effects of smoking.</p>
<p>If you’re thinking of switching to vapes as a healthy long term option, <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-vaping-help-people-quit-smoking-its-unlikely-204812">think again</a>. The long term health effects of vaping are not fully understood and they come with their own <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-vapes-arent-95-less-harmful-than-cigarettes-heres-how-this-decade-old-myth-took-off-203039">health risks</a>.</p>
<h2>5. Prioritise social connection</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Older men play chess outdoors." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565064/original/file-20231212-21-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565064/original/file-20231212-21-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565064/original/file-20231212-21-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565064/original/file-20231212-21-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565064/original/file-20231212-21-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565064/original/file-20231212-21-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565064/original/file-20231212-21-u1vhzr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Don’t forget about friendship and socialising.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/two-men-playing-chess-ItphH2lGzuI">Vlad Sargu/Unsplash</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When we talk about living healthier and longer, we tend to focus on what we do to our physical bodies. But one of the most important discoveries over the past decade has been the recognition of the importance of spiritual and psychological health. </p>
<p>People who are lonely and socially isolated have a much higher risk of dying early and are <a href="https://healthnews.com/longevity/healthspan/social-connection-and-longevity/#:%7E:text=One%20of%20the%20biggest%20benefits,the%20following%20factors%20and%20influences.">more likely</a> to suffer from heart disease, stroke, dementia as well as anxiety and depression. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/are-you-part-of-a-social-group-making-sure-you-are-will-improve-your-health-81996">Are you part of a social group? Making sure you are will improve your health</a>
</strong>
</em>
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<hr>
<p>Although we don’t fully understand the mechanisms, it’s likely due to both behavioural and biological factors. While people who are more socially connected are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3150158/">more likely</a> to engage in healthy behaviours, there also seems to be a more direct physiological effect of loneliness on the body. </p>
<p>So if you want to be healthier and live longer, build and maintain your connections to others.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214580/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hassan Vally does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Don’t believe the hype about products claiming they can help you live longer. Here are five lifestyle changes to prioritise instead.Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2191142023-12-18T19:09:51Z2023-12-18T19:09:51Z5 ways to avoid weight gain and save money on food this Christmas<p>As Christmas approaches, so does the challenge of healthy eating and maintaining weight-related goals. The season’s many social gatherings can easily tempt us to indulge in calorie-rich food and celebratory drinks. It’s why we typically <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1602012">gain weight</a> over Christmas and then struggle to take it off for the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938414001528">remainder of the year</a>.</p>
<p>Christmas 2023 is also exacerbating cost-of-living pressures, prompting some to rethink their food choices. Throughout the year, <a href="https://dvh1deh6tagwk.cloudfront.net/finder-au/wp-uploads/2023/03/Cost-of-Living-Report-2023.pdf">71% of Australians</a> – or 14.2 million people – <a href="https://retailworldmagazine.com.au/rising-cost-of-living-forces-aussies-to-change-diets/">adapted</a> their eating behaviour in response to rising costs.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there are some simple, science-backed hacks for the festive season to help you celebrate with the food traditions you love without impacting your healthy eating habits, weight, or hip pocket.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/when-christmas-comes-so-do-the-kilos-new-research-tracks-australians-yo-yo-weight-gain-210709">When Christmas comes so do the kilos. New research tracks Australians' yo-yo weight gain</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>1. Fill up on healthy pre-party snacks before heading out</h2>
<p>If your festive season is filled with end-of-year parties likely to tempt you to fill up on finger foods and meals high in fat, salt, and sugar and low in nutritional value, have a healthy pre-event snack before you head out.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015032/#sec-a.g.atitle">Research</a> shows carefully selected snack foods can impact satiety (feelings of fullness after eating), potentially reducing the calories you eat later. High-protein, high-fibre snack foods have the strongest effect: because they take longer to digest, our hunger is satisfied for longer.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Person pours a handful of mixed nuts" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Nuts are a good option.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hands-holding-jar-nuts-dried-fruits-1112521214">Shutterstock/NazarBazar</a></span>
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<p>So enjoy a handful of nuts, a tub of yoghurt, or a serving of hummus with veggie sticks before you head out to help keep your healthy eating plan on track.</p>
<h2>2. Skip the low-carb drinks and enjoy your favourites in moderation</h2>
<p>Despite the marketing promises, low-carb alcoholic drinks <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hpja.531">aren’t better for our health or waistlines</a>.</p>
<p>Many low-carb options have a similar amount of carbohydrates as regular options but lull us into thinking they’re better, so we drink more. A <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/K-013_Low-carb-beer_FactSheet_FINAL.pdf">survey</a> found 15% of low-carb beer drinkers drank more beer than they usually would because they believed it was healthier for them.</p>
<p>A typical lager or ale will contain less than 1.5 grams of carbohydrate per 100 ml while the “lower-carb” variety can range anywhere from 0.5 grams to 2.0 grams. The calories in drinks come from the alcohol itself, not the carbohydrate content. </p>
<p>Next time you go to order, think about the quantity of alcohol you’re drinking rather than the carbs. Make sure you sip lots of water in between drinks to stay hydrated, too.</p>
<h2>3. Don’t skimp on healthy food for Christmas Day – it’s actually cheaper</h2>
<p>There’s a perception that healthy eating is more expensive. But studies show this is a misconception. A <a href="https://southwesthealthcare.com.au/swh-study-finds-eating-a-healthier-diet-is-actually-cheaper-at-the-checkout/#:%7E:text=A%20recent%20study%20from%20the,does%20not%20meet%20the%20guidelines">recent analysis</a> in Victoria, for example, found following the Australian Dietary Guidelines cost the average family A$156 less a fortnight than the cost of the average diet, which incorporates packaged processed foods and alcohol.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/trying-to-spend-less-on-food-following-the-dietary-guidelines-might-save-you-160-a-fortnight-216749">Trying to spend less on food? Following the dietary guidelines might save you $160 a fortnight</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>So when you’re planning your Christmas Day meal, give the pre-prepared, processed food a miss and swap in healthier ingredients:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>swap the heavy, salted ham for leaner and lighter meats such as fresh seafood. Some seafood, such as prawns, is also tipped to be cheaper this year thanks to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/lobsters-up-prawns-stable-a-buying-guide-to-seafood-this-christmas-20231208-p5eq3m.html">favourable weather conditions</a> boosting local supplies</p></li>
<li><p>for side dishes, opt for fresh salads incorporating seasonal ingredients such as mango, watermelon, peach, cucumber and tomatoes. This will save you money and ensure you’re eating foods when they’re freshest and most flavoursome</p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman holds platter at Summer Christmas lunch outdoors" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Swap in healthier ingredients.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/be-jolly-fill-your-belly-cropped-2146240039">PeopleImages.com - Yuri A/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<ul>
<li><p>if you’re roasting veggies, use healthier cooking oils like olive as opposed to vegetable oil, and use flavourful herbs instead of salt</p></li>
<li><p>if there’s an out-of-season vegetable you want to include, look for frozen and canned substitutes. They’re cheaper, and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157517300418">just as nutritious</a> and tasty because the produce is usually frozen or canned at its best. Watch the sodium content of canned foods, though, and give them a quick rinse to remove any salty water</p></li>
<li><p>give store-bought sauces and dressings a miss, making your own from scratch using fresh ingredients.</p></li>
</ul>
<h2>4. Plan your Christmas food shop with military precision</h2>
<p>Before heading to the supermarket to shop for your Christmas Day meal, create a detailed meal plan and shopping list, and don’t forget to check your pantry and fridge for things you already have. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4586574/">Eating beforehand</a> and shopping with a plan in hand means you’ll only buy what you need and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8206473/">avoid impulse purchasing</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bring-a-plate-what-to-take-to-christmas-lunch-that-looks-impressive-but-wont-break-the-bank-196565">Bring a plate! What to take to Christmas lunch that looks impressive (but won't break the bank)</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>When you’re shopping, price check everything. Comparing the cost per 100 grams is the most effective way to save money and get the best value. Check prices on products sold in different ways and places, too, such as nuts you scoop yourself versus prepacked options.</p>
<h2>5. Don’t skip breakfast on Christmas Day</h2>
<p>We’ve all been tempted to skip or have a small breakfast on Christmas morning to “save” the calories for later. But this plan will fail when you sit down at lunch hungry and find yourself eating far more calories than you’d “saved” for. </p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32073608/">Research</a> shows a low-calorie or small breakfast leads to increased feelings of hunger, specifically appetite for sweets, across the course of the day. </p>
<p>What you eat for breakfast on Christmas morning is just as important too – choosing the right foods will <a href="https://theconversation.com/im-trying-to-lose-weight-and-eat-healthily-why-do-i-feel-so-hungry-all-the-time-what-can-i-do-about-it-215808">help you manage your appetite</a> and avoid the temptation to overindulge later in the day. </p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24703415/">Studies</a> show a breakfast containing protein-rich foods, such as eggs, will leave us feeling fuller for longer. </p>
<p>So before you head out to the Christmas lunch, have a large, nutritionally balanced breakfast, such as eggs on wholegrain toast with avocado.</p>
<p><em>At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can <a href="https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=RKTXPPPHKY">register here</a> to express your interest.</em> </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/5-ways-to-make-christmas-lunch-more-ethical-this-year-218351">5 ways to make Christmas lunch more ethical this year</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nick Fuller works for the University of Sydney and has received external funding for projects relating to the treatment of overweight and obesity. He is the author and founder of the Interval Weight Loss program.</span></em></p>Many of us gain weight over Christmas and spend more than we’d like entertaining. Here’s how to keep both in check.Nick Fuller, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2158082023-12-10T19:07:34Z2023-12-10T19:07:34ZI’m trying to lose weight and eat healthily. Why do I feel so hungry all the time? What can I do about it?<p>Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States, famously said nothing is certain except death and taxes. But I think we can include “you’ll feel hungry when you’re trying to lose weight” as another certainty. </p>
<p>The reason is basic biology. So how does this work – and what can you do about it?</p>
<h2>Hormones control our feelings of hunger</h2>
<p>Several hormones play an essential role in regulating our feelings of hunger and fullness. The most important are ghrelin – often called the hunger hormone – and leptin.</p>
<p>When we’re hungry, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11739476/">ghrelin</a> is released by our stomach, lighting up a part of our brain called the hypothalamus to tell us to eat. </p>
<p>When it’s time to stop eating, hormones, including <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8717038/">leptin</a>, are released from different organs, such as our gut and fat tissue, to signal to the brain that we’re full.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/chemical-messengers-how-hormones-make-us-feel-hungry-and-full-35545">Chemical messengers: how hormones make us feel hungry and full</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Dieting disrupts the process</h2>
<p>But when we change our diet and start losing weight, we disrupt how these <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4766925/">appetite hormones function</a>. </p>
<p>This triggers a process that stems from our hunter-gatherer ancestors. Their bodies developed this mechanism as a survival response to adapt to periods of deprivation and protect against starvation. </p>
<p>The levels of hormones <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23126426/">managing our hunger increase</a>, making us feel hungrier to tell us to eat more, while the ones responsible for signalling we’re full decrease their levels, intensifying our feelings of hunger.</p>
<p>We end up increasing our calorie consumption so we eat more to regain the weight we lost. </p>
<p>But worse, even after the kilos creep back on, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22029981/">our appetite hormones don’t restore</a> to their normal levels – they keep telling us to eat more so we put on a little extra fat. This is our body’s way of preparing for the next bout of starvation we will impose through dieting. </p>
<p>Fortunately, there are things we can do to manage our appetite, including:</p>
<h2>1. Eating a large, healthy breakfast every day</h2>
<p>One of the easiest ways to manage our feelings of hunger throughout the day is to eat most of our food earlier in the day and taper our meal sizes so dinner is the smallest meal.</p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32073608/">Research</a> shows a low-calorie or small breakfast leads to increased feelings of hunger, specifically appetite for sweets, across the course of the day. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man spreads avocado" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563857/original/file-20231206-16-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563857/original/file-20231206-16-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563857/original/file-20231206-16-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563857/original/file-20231206-16-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563857/original/file-20231206-16-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563857/original/file-20231206-16-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563857/original/file-20231206-16-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Prioritise breakfast over dinner.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/soft-focus-shot-man-having-delicious-759322450">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(22)00344-8">Another study</a> found the same effect. Participants went on a calorie-controlled diet for two months, where they ate 45% of their calories for breakfast, 35% at lunch and 20% at dinner for the first month, before switching to eat their largest meal in the evening and their smallest in the morning. Eating the largest meal at breakfast resulted in decreased hunger throughout the day.</p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32073608/">Research</a> also shows we burn the calories from a meal 2.5-times more efficiently in the morning than the evening. So emphasising breakfast over dinner is good not just for hunger control, but also weight management.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/should-we-eat-breakfast-like-a-king-lunch-like-a-prince-and-dinner-like-a-pauper-86840">Should we eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>2. Prioritising protein</h2>
<p>Protein helps contain feelings of hunger. This is because protein-rich foods such as lean meats, tofu and beans suppress the appetite-stimulating ghrelin and stimulate another hormone called <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550413106002713">peptide YY</a> that makes you feel full. </p>
<p>And just as eating a breakfast is vital to managing our hunger, what we eat is important too, with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24703415/">research</a> confirming a breakfast containing protein-rich foods, such as eggs, will leave us feeling fuller for longer. </p>
<p>But this doesn’t mean just eating foods with protein. Meals need to be balanced and include a source of protein, wholegrain carb and healthy fat to meet our dietary needs. For example, eggs on wholegrain toast with avocado.</p>
<h2>3. Filling up with nuts and foods high in good fats and fibre</h2>
<p>Nuts often get a bad rap – thanks to the misconception they cause weight gain – but nuts can help us manage our hunger and weight. The filling fibre and good fats found in nuts take longer to digest, meaning our hunger is satisfied for longer. </p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12791613/">Studies</a> suggest you can include up to 68 grams per day of nuts without affecting your weight. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-will-eating-nuts-make-you-gain-weight-108491">Health check: will eating nuts make you gain weight?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Avocados are also high in fibre and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, making them another excellent food for managing feelings of fullness. This is backed by a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6567160/">study</a> confirming participants who ate a breakfast incorporating avocado felt more satisfied and less hungry than participants who ate a meal containing the same calories but with lower fat and fibre content. </p>
<p>Similarly, eating foods that are high in soluble fibre – such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24820437/">beans</a> and vegetables – make us feel fuller. This type of fibre attracts water from our gut, forming a gel that slows digestion. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Couple cook together" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563854/original/file-20231206-25-s2excn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563854/original/file-20231206-25-s2excn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563854/original/file-20231206-25-s2excn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563854/original/file-20231206-25-s2excn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563854/original/file-20231206-25-s2excn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563854/original/file-20231206-25-s2excn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563854/original/file-20231206-25-s2excn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fibre helps us feel fuller for longer.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-man-and-a-woman-preparing-food-in-a-kitchen-hQocGyy0unQ">Sweet Life/Unsplash</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>4. Eating mindfully</h2>
<p>When we take time to really be aware of and enjoy the food we’re eating, we slow down and eat far less. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28718396/">review</a> of 68 studies found eating mindfully helps us better recognise feelings of fullness. Mindful eating provides our brain enough time to recognise and adapt to the signals from our stomach telling us we’re full.</p>
<p>Slow down your food consumption by sitting at the dinner table and use smaller utensils to reduce the volume of food you eat with each mouthful.</p>
<h2>5. Getting enough sleep</h2>
<p>Sleep deprivation disturbs our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945708700133">appetite hormones</a>, increasing our feelings of hunger and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms3259">triggering cravings</a>. So aim to get at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep a night.</p>
<p>Try switching off your devices <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1477153515584979">two hours before bed</a> to boost your body’s secretion of sleep-inducing hormones like melatonin.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-our-brain-needs-sleep-and-what-happens-if-we-dont-get-enough-of-it-83145">Why our brain needs sleep, and what happens if we don’t get enough of it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>6. Managing stress</h2>
<p>Stress increases our <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18568078/">body’s production of cortisol</a> and triggers food cravings.</p>
<p>So take time out when you need it and set aside time for stress-relieving activities. This can be as simple as getting outdoors. A <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00722/full">2019 study</a> found sitting or walking outdoors at least three times a week could reduce cortisol levels by 21%. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Person walks in house, next to grey dog" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563849/original/file-20231206-23-4atw7u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563849/original/file-20231206-23-4atw7u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563849/original/file-20231206-23-4atw7u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563849/original/file-20231206-23-4atw7u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563849/original/file-20231206-23-4atw7u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563849/original/file-20231206-23-4atw7u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563849/original/file-20231206-23-4atw7u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Take time out to reduce your stress levels.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/gray-dog-looking-at-the-person-qqpfqFwAyDQ">Evieanna Santiago/Unsplash</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>7. Avoiding depriving ourselves</h2>
<p>When we change our diet to lose weight or eat healthier, we typically restrict certain foods or food groups. </p>
<p>However, this <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18568078/">heightens activity</a> in our mesocorticolimbic circuit – the reward system part of the brain – often resulting in us craving the foods we’re trying to avoid. Foods that give us pleasure release feel-good chemicals called endorphins and learning chemicals called dopamine, which enable us to remember – and give in to – that feel-good response.</p>
<p>When we change our diet, activity in our hypothalamus – the clever part of the brain that regulates emotions and food intake – <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18568078/">also reduces</a>, decreasing our control and judgement. It often triggers a psychological response dubbed the “what-the-hell effect”, when we indulge in something we think we shouldn’t feel guilty about and then go back for even more.</p>
<p>Don’t completely cut out your favourite foods when you go on a diet or deprive yourself if you’re hungry. It will take the pleasure out of eating and eventually you’ll give into your cravings. </p>
<p><em>At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can <a href="https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=RKTXPPPHKY">register here</a> to express your interest.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215808/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Nick Fuller works for the University of Sydney and has received external funding for projects relating to the treatment of overweight and obesity. He is the author and founder of the Interval Weight Loss program.</span></em></p>When we change our diet, we disrupt our appetite hormones. Here’s how it works – and how small changes to our diet can help us feel fuller for longer.Nick Fuller, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2150642023-12-06T00:00:07Z2023-12-06T00:00:07ZCurious Kids: why do some farts smell and some don’t? And why do some farts feel hot?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563527/original/file-20231205-25-zu7j1t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=27%2C315%2C5979%2C3692&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://theconversation.com/drafts/219203/edit#">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><blockquote>
<p><strong>Why do some farts smell and some don’t, and some feel hot? – Kian, age 6, from Maleny in Queensland</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/curious-kids-36782"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291898/original/file-20190911-190031-enlxbk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=90&fit=crop&dpr=1" width="100%"></a></p>
<p>Hi Kian, thanks for your interesting questions!</p>
<p>Let’s start with the smell. Whether or not farts smell depends on what you’ve been eating and whether or not you have an upset tummy. </p>
<p>Having a tummy bug can also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30191735/">change the smell of your poo</a>, especially if you have diarrhoea (runny poo). This is because of the smell of undigested food and the bugs, too.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-do-whales-fart-and-sneeze-159636">Curious kids: do whales fart and sneeze?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Really smelly farts</h2>
<p>When you digest food your intestines produce gas as part of the normal process of breaking food down. </p>
<p>Most <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19830557/">gasses produced</a> – like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen and methane – don’t smell at all. That is why you can fart sometimes and nobody really notices. </p>
<p>But there is one gas found in some farts that is <em>really</em> <em>really</em> smelly. It’s called <a href="https://www.health.wa.gov.au/articles/f_i/hydrogen-sulfide-and-public-health">hydrogen sulphide</a> and has the nickname “rotten egg gas” because that is exactly what it smells like. </p>
<p>This is why sometimes you can do a small fart but everyone has to hold their nose. These smelly farts contain <em>more</em> hydrogen sulphide.</p>
<h2>Food and farts</h2>
<p>If you eat foods that have a lot of sulphur, your gut will produce more hydrogen sulphide. </p>
<p>Some <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassica">vegetables</a> have a lot of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-with-sulfur#food-beverage-sources">sulphur</a>, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, turnips and Asian greens. </p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10198924/">Meat</a> does too. If you eat a really huge piece of meat, your body can have trouble digesting it all at once. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Digestive system" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563550/original/file-20231205-23-8elmtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563550/original/file-20231205-23-8elmtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563550/original/file-20231205-23-8elmtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563550/original/file-20231205-23-8elmtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563550/original/file-20231205-23-8elmtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563550/original/file-20231205-23-8elmtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563550/original/file-20231205-23-8elmtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Food moves from our stomach, through our intestines, and out through the anus.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/medical-education-chart-biology-digestive-system-638539159">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As you digest food, it moves from your stomach into the <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/digestive-system#what-is">large intestine or colon</a>. Once the foods with sulphur get there, bugs in your gut break them down and produce the hydrogen sulphide gas. </p>
<p>If a lot of it builds up and gets released in a fart, it will be very, very smelly. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-food-should-my-child-be-eating-and-how-can-i-get-them-to-eat-more-healthily-130470">How much food should my child be eating? And how can I get them to eat more healthily?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>So why do farts sometimes feel hot?</h2>
<p>Farts sometimes feel hot because of the temperature difference between inside your body, which is a very warm 37 degrees, and the air temperature outside, which is usually cooler. </p>
<p>This means that fart gas feels hot as it moves from your large intestine, leaves through the opening in your bottom called the <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/digestive-system#what-is">anus</a>, and touches the cooler skin. </p>
<p>You’re not as likely to notice the temperature if farts comes out really fast because speedy ones don’t have as much contact with your bottom.</p>
<p>There is another reason why farts can feel hot. Sometimes people get a hot or burning feeling in their bottom after they eat really spicy food. This is due to a spicy food chemical called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsaicin">capsaicin</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Older child eating spicy soup." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563551/original/file-20231205-15-82bjts.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563551/original/file-20231205-15-82bjts.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563551/original/file-20231205-15-82bjts.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563551/original/file-20231205-15-82bjts.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563551/original/file-20231205-15-82bjts.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563551/original/file-20231205-15-82bjts.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563551/original/file-20231205-15-82bjts.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sometimes farts feel hot after eating spicy foods.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/happy-boy-eating-noodles-long-hands-2370482909">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If you eat food that has chilli or hot spices in it, the capsaicin makes your mouth feel hot. When you eat lots and lots of spicy food, some of the capsaicin <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35644413/">travels all the way to your large intestine</a> and gets passed out in your poo. </p>
<p>The capsaicin then gives you a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36601592/">hot feeling in your bottom</a> when you go to the toilet. The reaction is the same as that burning feeling in your mouth after eating spicy food, except it happens at the other end.</p>
<h2>Did you know there are fart-proof undies?</h2>
<p>Researchers did some experiments to test whether they could catch fart smells by getting people to wear <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15667499/">special undies</a> that can absorb hydrogen sulphide gas. </p>
<p>And the experiments worked! </p>
<p>Now a <a href="https://shreddies.com.au/about/">company in Australia sells</a> these undies to help people who have gut problems. Their company says it wants to help people “fart with confidence”.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-happens-when-you-hold-in-a-fart-98310">Health Check: what happens when you hold in a fart?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Hello, Curious Kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215064/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clare Collins AO is a Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Newcastle, NSW and a Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) affiliated researcher. She is a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Leadership Fellow and has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, MRFF, HMRI, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation, Rijk Zwaan Australia, WA Dept. Health, Meat and Livestock Australia, and Greater Charitable Foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute, Dietitians Australia and the ABC. She was a team member conducting systematic reviews to inform the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines update and the Heart Foundation evidence reviews on meat and dietary patterns.</span></em></p>Kian, age 6, has some interesting questions about farts that we’re probably all wondering about.Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2167492023-11-27T04:05:31Z2023-11-27T04:05:31ZTrying to spend less on food? Following the dietary guidelines might save you $160 a fortnight<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561692/original/file-20231126-28-ghfjbo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=80%2C130%2C6629%2C4335&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/black-woman-checking-expiration-date-on-1851995269">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>A rise in the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook47p/CostOfLiving#:%7E:text=Consumer%20Price%20Index%20over%20time,but%205.1%25%20in%20the%20second">cost of living</a> has led many households to look for ways to save money. </p>
<p>New research suggests maintaining a healthy diet, in line with the <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/guidelines">Australian Dietary Guidelines</a>, is cheaper than an unhealthy diet and <a href="https://southwesthealthcare.com.au/wp-content/uploads/SWH-HP-Healthy-Diets-ASAP-Protocol-Warrnambool-Report-2023.pdf">could save A$160</a> off a family of four’s fortnightly shopping bill. </p>
<p>Poor diet is the most common preventable risk factor contributing to chronic disease in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30752-2/fulltext">Australia</a>. So improving your diet can also be an important way to reduce the chance of developing chronic disease. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-5-for-lettuce-is-too-much-government-should-act-to-stem-the-rising-cost-of-healthy-eating-182295">Yes, $5 for lettuce is too much. Government should act to stem the rising cost of healthy eating</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>First, what are the dietary guidelines?</h2>
<p>The guidelines provide information on the quantity and types of foods most Australians should consume to promote overall health and wellbeing. </p>
<p>Recommendations include eating a wide variety of nutritious foods from the main five food groups:</p>
<ul>
<li>vegetables and legumes</li>
<li>fruit</li>
<li>grains</li>
<li>lean meats and meat alternatives such as tofu, nuts and legumes</li>
<li>dairy products.</li>
</ul>
<p>The guidelines recommend limiting our intake of foods high in saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol. </p>
<h2>What are Australians eating?</h2>
<p>Fewer than <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/dietary-behaviour/latest-release">7%</a> of Australians eat sufficient vegetables, in line with the Australian Dietary Guidelines. In fact, Australians have an average healthy diet score of <a href="https://www.csiro.au/-/media/News-releases/2023/Total-Wellbeing-Diet-Health-Score/Diet-score-2023-Report_September.pdf">55 out of 100</a> – barely passing. </p>
<p>Foods that aren’t part of a food group are known as “discretionary” items, which includes alcohol, cakes, biscuits, chocolate and confectionery and most takeaway foods. Because they’re typically high in kilojoules, saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend they only be eaten occasionally and in small amounts (ideally zero serves). </p>
<p>For many households, discretionary items make up a big portion of their grocery shop. Australians consume an average of <a href="https://www.csiro.au/-/media/News-releases/2023/Total-Wellbeing-Diet-Health-Score/Diet-score-2023-Report_September.pdf">28 serves</a> of discretionary choices per week (equal to 28 doughnuts, 28 slices of cake, or 28 cans of soft drink or beer). This is an increase of ten serves since 2015. </p>
<p>One recent <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12966-022-01389-8">study</a> estimated 55% of Australians’ total energy intake was from discretionary items.</p>
<h2>What did the researchers find?</h2>
<p>Researchers from the Health Promotion Team at South West Healthcare <a href="https://southwesthealthcare.com.au/wp-content/uploads/SWH-HP-Healthy-Diets-ASAP-Protocol-Warrnambool-Report-2023.pdf">recently</a> visited four local supermarkets and takeaway stores in Warrnambool, Victoria, and purchased two baskets of groceries. </p>
<p>One basket met the Australian Dietary Guidelines (basket one), the other aligned with the typical dietary intake of Australians (basket two). </p>
<p>They compared prices between the two and found basket one would cost approximately $167 less per fortnight for a family of four at the most affordable supermarket. That’s equal to $4,342 a year. </p>
<p>Basket one was sufficient to supply a family of four for a fortnight, and aligned with the Australian Dietary Guidelines. It cost $724 and included:</p>
<ol>
<li>fruit and vegetables (made up 31% of the fortnightly shop) </li>
<li>grains and cereals (oats, cornflakes, bread, rice, pasta, Weet-bix) </li>
<li>lean meats and alternatives (mince, steak, chicken, tuna, eggs, nuts) </li>
<li>milk, yoghurt and cheese </li>
<li>oils and spreads (olive oil). </li>
</ol>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Shopping bags with healthy food" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561736/original/file-20231127-19-hfexsr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561736/original/file-20231127-19-hfexsr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561736/original/file-20231127-19-hfexsr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561736/original/file-20231127-19-hfexsr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561736/original/file-20231127-19-hfexsr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561736/original/file-20231127-19-hfexsr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561736/original/file-20231127-19-hfexsr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Basket one aligned with the dietary guidelines.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/apples-and-bananas-in-brown-cardboard-box-8RaUEd8zD-U">Maria Lin Kim/Unpslash</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Basket two reflected the current average Australian fortnightly shop for a family of four. </p>
<p>In the project, the team spent over half of the fortnightly shop on processed and packaged foods, of which 21% was spent on take-away. This is based on actual dietary intake of the general population reported in the 2011-2012 <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/australian-health-survey-nutrition-first-results-foods-and-nutrients/latest-release#:%7E:text=Food%20consumption,across%20the%20major%20food%20groups.">Australian Health Survey</a>. </p>
<p>Basket two cost $891 and included:</p>
<ol>
<li>fruit and vegetables (made up 13% of the fortnightly shop) </li>
<li>grains and cereals (oats, cornflakes, bread, rice, pasta, Weet-bix) </li>
<li>lean meats and alternatives (mince, steak, chicken, tuna, eggs, nuts) </li>
<li>milk, yogurt and cheese</li>
<li>oils and spreads (olive oil, butter) </li>
<li>drinks (soft drink, fruit juice) </li>
<li>desserts and snacks (muffins, sweet biscuits, chocolate, ice cream, potato chips, muesli bars) </li>
<li>processed meats (sausages, ham) </li>
<li>convenience meals </li>
<li>fast food (pizza, meat pie, hamburger, fish and chips) </li>
<li>alcohol (beer, wine).</li>
</ol>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/are-home-brand-foods-healthy-if-you-read-the-label-you-may-be-pleasantly-surprised-189445">Are home-brand foods healthy? If you read the label, you may be pleasantly surprised</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>But a healthy basket is still unaffordable for many</h2>
<p>While this piece of work, and other <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/11/2469">research</a>, suggests a healthy diet is less expensive than an unhealthy diet, affordability is still a challenge for many families. </p>
<p>The Warrnambool research found basket one (which aligned with guidelines) was still costly, requiring approximately 25% of a median household income. </p>
<p>This is unaffordable for many. For a household reliant on welfare, basket one would require allocating 26%-38% of their income. This highlights how the rising cost of living crisis is affecting those already facing financial difficulties.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Tofu and vegetables" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561711/original/file-20231126-27-cfxlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561711/original/file-20231126-27-cfxlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561711/original/file-20231126-27-cfxlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561711/original/file-20231126-27-cfxlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561711/original/file-20231126-27-cfxlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561711/original/file-20231126-27-cfxlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561711/original/file-20231126-27-cfxlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Even a basket the follows the guidelines can be unaffordable.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/grill-meat-and-veggies-dish-iJlYqriF-X0">Ann Nguyen/Unsplash</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Around 3.7 <a href="https://reports.foodbank.org.au/foodbank-hunger-report-2023/">million</a> Australian households did not have access to enough food to meet their basic needs at some point in the last 12 months. </p>
<p>Policy action is needed from the Australian government to make recommended diets more affordable for low socioeconomic groups. This means lowering the costs of healthy foods and ensuring household incomes are sufficient. </p>
<h2>What else can you do to cut your spending?</h2>
<p>To help reduce food costs and support your health, reducing discretionary foods could be a good idea. </p>
<p>Other ways to reduce your grocery bill and keep your food healthy and fresh include: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>planning for some meatless meals each week. Pulses (beans, lentils and legumes) are nutritious and cheap (a can is <a href="https://coles.com.au/product/coles-chick-peas-420g-8075852?uztq=46abcbb7e16253b0cdc3e6c5bbe6a3f0&cid=col_cpc_Generic%7cColesSupermarkets%7cPLA%7cCatchAll%7cAustralia%7cBroad&s_kwcid=AL!12693!3!675842378376!!!g!326304616489!&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwkY2qBhBDEiwAoQXK5SceYhU2VtKepNLXWN218GH8Cp8Vs9cnYynCBwRqQPaW3UYNX2SVIBoC_6EQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">less than $1.50</a>. Here are some great pulse recipes to <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/filter/keywords--vegetarian/p2">try</a></p></li>
<li><p>checking the specials and buy in bulk (to store or freeze) when items are cheaper</p></li>
<li><p>making big batches of meals and freezing them. Single-serve portions can help save time for lunches at work, saving on takeaway</p></li>
<li><p>Australian supermarkets are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/2023/jul/27/cost-of-living-grocery-store-price-rises-cheapest-fresh-produce-australia-woolworths-coles#:%7E:text=The%20results%20showed%20independent%20and,best%20place%20for%20affordable%20groceries">almost never</a> the cheapest place for fresh produce, so shop around for farmers markets or smaller local grocery shops</p></li>
<li><p>buying generic brands when possible, as they are <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/streamlined-datagathering-techniques-to-estimate-the-price-and-affordability-of-healthy-and-unhealthy-diets-under-different-pricing-scenarios/872EA6396533166E0C6FA94C809D9CAC#r">notably cheaper</a>. Supermarkets usually <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-science-that-makes-us-spend-more-in-supermarkets-and-feel-good-while-we-do-it-23857">promote</a> the items they want you to buy at eye-level, so check the shelves above and below for cheaper alternatives.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bring-a-plate-what-to-take-to-christmas-lunch-that-looks-impressive-but-wont-break-the-bank-196565">Bring a plate! What to take to Christmas lunch that looks impressive (but won't break the bank)</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216749/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emily Burch works for Southern Cross University. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lauren Ball works for The University of Queensland and receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Queensland Health, Mater Misericordia and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. She is a Director of Dietitians Australia, a Director of the Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network and an Associate Member of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.</span></em></p>A healthy diet in line with the Australian Dietary Guidelines is cheaper than an unhealthy diet. Switching could save $160 off a family of four’s fortnightly shopping bill.Emily Burch, Dietitian & Academic, Southern Cross UniversityLauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2052032023-10-31T19:18:21Z2023-10-31T19:18:21ZCan I actually target areas to lose fat, like my belly?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555196/original/file-20231023-17-dj2vz1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=16%2C74%2C5481%2C3585&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/full-male-runs-on-treadmill-gym-1456626641">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Spend some time scrolling social media and you’re all-but-guaranteed to see an ad promising to help you with targeted fat loss. These ads promote a concept known as “spot reduction”, claiming you can burn fat in a specific body area, usually the belly, with specially designed exercises or workouts. </p>
<p>It’s also common to see ads touting special diets, pills and supplements that will blast fat in targeted areas. These ads – which often feature impressive before and after photos taken weeks apart – can seem believable. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, spot reduction is another weight-loss myth. It’s simply not possible to target the location of fat loss. Here’s why. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/using-bmi-to-measure-your-health-is-nonsense-heres-why-180412">Using BMI to measure your health is nonsense. Here's why</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>1. Our bodies are hardwired to access and burn all our fat stores for energy</h2>
<p>To understand why spot reduction is a myth, it’s important to understand how body fat is stored and used.</p>
<p>The fat stored in our bodies takes the form of triglycerides, which are a type of lipid or fat molecule we can use for energy. Around 95% of the dietary fats <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/triglycerides">we consume are triglycerides</a>, and when we eat, our bodies also convert any unused energy consumed into triglycerides.</p>
<p>Triglycerides are stored in special fat cells called adipocytes, and they’re released into our bloodstream and transported to adipose tissue – tissue we more commonly refer to as body fat.</p>
<p>This body fat is found all over our bodies, but it’s primarily stored as subcutaneous fat under our skin and as visceral fat around our internal organs.</p>
<p>These fat stores serve as a vital energy reserve, with our bodies mobilising to access stored triglycerides to provide energy during periods of prolonged exercise. We also draw on these reserves when we’re dieting and fasting.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Person does button up on tight jeans" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555199/original/file-20231023-21-rf34fu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555199/original/file-20231023-21-rf34fu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555199/original/file-20231023-21-rf34fu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555199/original/file-20231023-21-rf34fu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555199/original/file-20231023-21-rf34fu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555199/original/file-20231023-21-rf34fu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555199/original/file-20231023-21-rf34fu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The fat stores we use for energy come from everywhere on our bodies, not just the belly.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-trying-put-on-tight-light-1521248603">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, contrary to what many spot-reduction ads would have us think, our muscles can’t directly access and burn specific fat stores when we exercise. </p>
<p>Instead, they use a process called lipolysis to convert triglycerides into free fatty acids and a compound called glycerol, which then travels to our muscles via our bloodstream.</p>
<p>As a result, the fat stores we’re using for energy when we exercise come from everywhere in our bodies – not just the areas we’re targeting for fat loss. </p>
<p>Research reinforces how our bodies burn fat when we exercise, confirming spot reduction is a weight-loss myth. This includes a randomised <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25766455/">12-week clinical trial</a> which found no greater improvement in reducing belly fat between people who undertook an abdominal resistance program in addition to changes in diet compared to those in the diet-only group. </p>
<p>Further, <a href="https://www.termedia.pl/A-proposed-model-to-test-the-hypothesis-of-exerciseinduced-localized-fat-reduction-spot-reduction-including-a-systematic-review-with-meta-analysis,129,45538,0,1.html">a 2021 meta-analysis</a> of 13 studies involving more than 1,100 participants found that localised muscle training had no effect on localised fat deposits. That is, exercising a specific part of the body did not reduce fat in that part of the body.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/7/3845">Studies</a> purporting to show spot-reduction benefits have small numbers of participants with results that aren’t clinically meaningful. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/does-exercise-help-you-lose-weight-198292">Does exercise help you lose weight?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>2. Our bodies decide where we store fat and where we lose it from first</h2>
<p>Factors outside of our control influence the areas and order in which our bodies store and lose fat, namely:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>our genes. Just as DNA prescribes whether we’re short or tall, genetics plays a significant role in how our fat stores are managed. Research shows our genes can account for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24632736/">60% of where fat is distributed</a>. So, if your mum tends to store and lose weight from her face first, there’s a good chance you will, too</p></li>
<li><p>our gender. Our bodies, by nature, have distinct fat storage characteristics <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11706283/">driven by our gender</a>, including females having more fat mass than males. This is primarily because the female body is designed to hold fat reserves to support pregnancy and nursing, with women tending to lose weight from their face, calves and arms first because they impact childbearing the least, while holding onto fat stored around the hips, thighs and buttocks</p></li>
<li><p>our age. The ageing process triggers changes in muscle mass, metabolism, and hormone levels, which can impact where and how quickly fat is lost. Post-menopausal <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-menopause-making-me-put-on-weight-no-but-its-complicated-198308">women</a> and middle-aged <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/sex-differences-in-fat-storage-fat-metabolism-and-the-health-risks-from-obesity-possible-evolutionary-origins/00950AD6710FB3D0414B13EAA67D4327">men</a> tend to store visceral fat around the midsection and find it a stubborn place to shift fat from. </p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-menopause-making-me-put-on-weight-no-but-its-complicated-198308">Is menopause making me put on weight? No, but it's complicated</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>3. Over-the-counter pills and supplements cannot effectively target fat loss</h2>
<p>Most advertising for these pills and dietary supplements – including products claiming to be “the best way to lose belly fat” – will also proudly claim their product’s results are backed by “clinical trials” and “scientific evidence”.</p>
<p>But the reality is a host of independent studies don’t support these claims. </p>
<p>This includes two recent studies by the University of Sydney that examined data from more than 120 placebo-controlled trials of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31984610/">herbal</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33976376/">dietary</a> supplements. None of the supplements examined provided a clinically meaningful reduction in body weight among overweight or obese people.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman takes diet pill" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555202/original/file-20231023-29-7dt3ul.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555202/original/file-20231023-29-7dt3ul.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555202/original/file-20231023-29-7dt3ul.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555202/original/file-20231023-29-7dt3ul.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555202/original/file-20231023-29-7dt3ul.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555202/original/file-20231023-29-7dt3ul.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555202/original/file-20231023-29-7dt3ul.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Supplements won’t help you target ares weight-loss either.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/senior-woman-taking-tablet-glass-water-1498026977">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The bottom line</h2>
<p>Spot reduction is a myth – we can’t control where our bodies lose fat. But we can achieve the results we’re seeking in specific areas by targeting overall fat loss. </p>
<p>While you may not lose the weight in a specific spot when exercising, all physical activity helps to burn body fat and preserve muscle mass. This will lead to a change in your body shape over time and it will also help you with long-term weight management. </p>
<p>This is because your metabolic rate – how much energy you burn at rest – is determined by how much muscle and fat you carry. As muscle is more metabolically active than fat (meaning it burns more energy than fat), a person with a higher muscle mass will have a faster metabolic rate than someone of the same body weight with a higher fat mass. </p>
<p>Successfully losing fat long term comes down to losing weight in small, manageable chunks you can sustain – periods of weight loss, followed by periods of weight maintenance, and so on, until you achieve your goal weight.</p>
<p>It also requires gradual changes to your lifestyle (diet, exercise and sleep) to ensure you form habits that last a lifetime.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-true-the-faster-you-lose-weight-the-quicker-it-comes-back-heres-what-we-know-about-slow-and-fast-weight-loss-198301">Is it true the faster you lose weight the quicker it comes back? Here's what we know about slow and fast weight loss</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><em>At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can <a href="https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=RKTXPPPHKY">register here</a> to express your interest.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205203/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nick Fuller works for the University of Sydney and has received external funding for projects relating to the treatment of overweight and obesity. He is the author and founder of the Interval Weight Loss program.</span></em></p>Ads for targeted fat loss, especially
for belly fat, are everywhere on social media. But is there any evidence to support this type of ‘spot reduction’?Nick Fuller, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2139802023-10-29T19:11:25Z2023-10-29T19:11:25ZSlashing salt can save lives – and it won’t hurt your hip pocket or tastebuds<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554200/original/file-20231017-24-k6ygeh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C0%2C5447%2C3628&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/salty-snacks-pretzels-chips-crackers-637166818">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Each year, more than <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/eb5fee21-7f05-4be1-8414-8b2bba7b4070/ABDS-2018-Risk-factor-supp-data-tables.xlsx.aspx">2,500 Australians</a> die from diseases linked to eating too much salt. </p>
<p>We shouldn’t be putting up with so much unnecessary illness, mainly from heart disease and strokes, and so many deaths. </p>
<p>As a new <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/sneaky-salt/">Grattan Institute report</a> shows, there are practical steps the federal government can take to save lives, reduce health spending and help the economy.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/essays-on-health-how-food-companies-can-sneak-bias-into-scientific-research-65873">Essays on health: how food companies can sneak bias into scientific research</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>We eat too much salt, with deadly consequences</h2>
<p>Eating too much salt is bad for your health. It <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41569-018-0004-1">raises blood pressure</a>, which increases the risk of <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.14240">heart disease and stroke</a>. </p>
<p>About <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/risk-factors/high-blood-pressure/contents/summary">one in three</a> Australians has high blood pressure, and eating too much salt is the biggest individual contributor.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the average Australian eats far too much salt – <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.5694/mja17.00394">almost double</a> the recommended daily maximum of 5 grams, equivalent to <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/sodium-and-salt-converter#:%7E:text=We%20recommend%20adults%20eat%20less,about%201%20teaspoon%20a%20day">a teaspoon</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-how-much-salt-is-ok-to-eat-58594">Health Check: how much salt is OK to eat?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Australian governments know excessive salt intake is a big problem. That’s why in <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-preventive-health-strategy-2021-2030?language=en">2021 they set a target</a> to reduce salt intake by at least 30% by 2030. </p>
<p>It’s an ambitious and worthy goal. But we’re still eating too much salt and we don’t have the policies to change that. </p>
<h2>Most of the salt we eat is added to food during manufacturing</h2>
<p>Most of the salt Australians eat doesn’t come from the shaker on the table. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7231587/">About three-quarters</a> of it is added to food during manufacturing. </p>
<p>This salt is hidden in everyday staples such as bread, cheese and processed meats. Common foods such as ready-to-eat pasta meals or a ham sandwich can have up to half our total recommended salt intake. </p>
<h2>Salt limits are the best way to cut salt intake</h2>
<p>Reducing the amount of salt added to food during manufacturing is the most effective way to reduce intake. </p>
<p>Salt limits can help us do that. They work by setting limits on how much salt can be added to different kinds of food, such as bread or biscuits. To meet these limits, companies need to change the recipes of their products, reducing the amount of salt.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman at supermarket compares bread" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554201/original/file-20231017-25-bh0m9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554201/original/file-20231017-25-bh0m9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554201/original/file-20231017-25-bh0m9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554201/original/file-20231017-25-bh0m9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554201/original/file-20231017-25-bh0m9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554201/original/file-20231017-25-bh0m9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554201/original/file-20231017-25-bh0m9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Food manufacturers can reduce the salt content of their food.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hands-girl-holding-sliced-white-bread-1891015522">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Under salt limits, the United Kingdom reduced salt intake <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16649">by 20% in about a decade</a>. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41371-021-00653-x">South Africa</a> is making even faster gains. Salt limits are cheap and easy to implement, and can get results quickly.</p>
<p>Most consumers won’t notice a change at the checkout. Companies will need to update their recipes, but even if all the costs of updating recipes were passed on to shoppers, we calculate that at most it would cost about 10 cents each week for the average household. </p>
<p>Nor will consumers notice much of a change at the dinner table. <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/6/10/4354">Most people don’t notice</a> when some salt is removed <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622031224">from common foods</a>. There are many ways companies can make foods taste just as salty without adding as much salt. For example, they can make <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704534904575131602283791566">salt crystals finer</a>, or use <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4520464/">potassium-enriched salt</a>, which swaps some of the harmful sodium in salt for potassium. And because the change will be gradual, our tastebuds will <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvac060.077">adapt to less salty foods</a> over time. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-we-may-think-are-the-healthiest-bread-and-wrap-options-actually-have-the-most-salt-74831">What we may think are the healthiest bread and wrap options actually have the most salt</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Australia’s salt limits are failing</h2>
<p>Australia has had voluntary salt limits since 2009, but they are badly designed, poorly implemented, and have reduced population salt intake by just <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/healthy-food-partnership-reformulation-program-two-year-progress">0.3%</a>.</p>
<p>Because Australia’s limits are voluntary, many food companies have chosen not to participate in the scheme. Our analysis shows that 73% of eligible food products are not participating, and only 4% have reduced their salt content. </p>
<h2>Action could save lives</h2>
<p>Modelling from the University of Melbourne <a href="https://mspgh.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/4783405/The-Health-and-Cost-Impacts-of-Sodium-Reduction-Interventions-in-Australia.pdf">shows</a> that fixing our failed salt limits could add 36,000 extra healthy years of life, across the population, over the next 20 years. </p>
<p>This would delay more than 300 deaths each year and reduce health-care spending by A$35 million annually, the equivalent of 6,000 hospital visits. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/jhh2013105">International experience</a> <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16649">shows</a> the costs of implementing such salt limits would be very low and far outweighed by the benefits.</p>
<h2>How to fix our failed salt limits</h2>
<p>To achieve these gains, the federal government should start by enforcing the limits we already have, by making compliance mandatory. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S216183132300042X">Fifteen countries</a> have mandatory salt limits, and 14 are planning to introduce them.</p>
<p>The number of foods covered by salt limits in Australia should more than double, to be as broad as those the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/604338/Salt_reduction_targets_for_2017.pdf">UK set in 2014</a>. Broader targets would include common foods for which Australia does not currently set targets, such as baked beans, butter, margarine and canned vegetables. </p>
<p>A loophole in the current scheme that lets companies leave out a fifth of their products should be closed. The federal government should design the policy, rather than doing it jointly with industry representatives.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/concerned-about-your-risk-of-a-heart-attack-here-are-5-ways-to-improve-your-heart-health-178631">Concerned about your risk of a heart attack? Here are 5 ways to improve your heart health</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Over the coming decades, Australia will need many new and improved policies to reduce diet-related disease. Reducing salt intake must be part of this agenda. For too long, Australia has let the food industry set the standard, with almost no progress against a major threat to our health. </p>
<p>Getting serious about salt would save lives, and it would more than pay for itself through reduced health-care costs and increased economic activity.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213980/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Breadon's employer, Grattan Institute, has been supported in its work by government, corporates, and philanthropic gifts. A full list of supporting organisations is published at <a href="http://www.grattan.edu.au">www.grattan.edu.au</a>.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lachlan Fox's employer, Grattan Institute, has been supported in its work by government, corporates, and philanthropic gifts. A full list of supporting organisations is published at <a href="http://www.grattan.edu.au">www.grattan.edu.au</a>.</span></em></p>Eating too much salt is bad for our health. Governments and food manufacturers have a big role to play in reducing the salt content of Australians’ diets.Peter Breadon, Program Director, Health and Aged Care, Grattan InstituteLachlan Fox, Associate, Grattan InstituteLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2122502023-09-24T20:02:40Z2023-09-24T20:02:40ZAre fish oil supplements as healthy as we think? And is eating fish better?<p>Fish oil, which contains omega-3 fatty acids, is promoted for a number of health benefits – from boosting our heart health, protecting our brain from dementia, and easing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. </p>
<p>But what exactly are omega-3 fats and what does the evidence say about their benefits for keeping us healthy? </p>
<p>And if they <em>are</em> good for us, does eating fish provide the same benefit as supplements?</p>
<h2>What are omega-3 fats?</h2>
<p>Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid. They are essential to consume in our diet because we can’t make them in our body. </p>
<p>Three main types of omega-3 fats are important in our diet:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is found in plant foods such as green leafy vegetables, walnuts, flaxseed and chia seeds</p></li>
<li><p>eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), which is only found in seafood, eggs (higher in free-range rather than cage eggs) and breast milk</p></li>
<li><p>docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is also only found in seafood, eggs (again, higher in free-range eggs) and breast milk.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Omega 3s are key to the structure of our cells, and help keep our heart, lungs, blood vessels, and immune system working.</p>
<h2>Eating fish vs taking a supplement</h2>
<p>The initial studies suggesting omega-3 fats may have health benefits came from <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.0954-6820.1976.tb08198.x">observational studies on people eating fish</a>, not from fish oil. </p>
<p>So are the “active ingredients” from supplements – the EPA and DHA – absorbed into our body in the same way as fish?</p>
<p>An <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523281484">intervention study</a> (where one group was given fish and one group fish oil supplements) found the levels of EPA and DHA in your body increase in a similar way when you consume equal amounts of them from either fish or fish oil. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Raw salmon in paper" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546820/original/file-20230907-21-g4294m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546820/original/file-20230907-21-g4294m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546820/original/file-20230907-21-g4294m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546820/original/file-20230907-21-g4294m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546820/original/file-20230907-21-g4294m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546820/original/file-20230907-21-g4294m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546820/original/file-20230907-21-g4294m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Eating fish might have other benefits that supplements can’t give.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/kC9KUtSiflw">Unsplash/CA Creative</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But this assumes it is just the omega-3 fats that provide health benefits. There are other <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/afcd/pages/default.aspx">components of fish</a>, such as protein, vitamins A and D, iodine, and selenium that could be wholly or jointly responsible for the health benefits.</p>
<p>The health benefits seen may also be partially due to the absence of certain nutrients that would have otherwise been consumed from other types of meat (red meat and processed meat) such as saturated fats and salt.</p>
<h2>So what are the benefits of omega 3 fats? And does the source matter?</h2>
<p>Let’s consider the evidence for heart disease, arthritis and dementia. </p>
<p><strong>Heart disease</strong></p>
<p>For cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and stroke), a <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003177.pub3/full">meta-analysis</a>, which provides the highest quality evidence, has shown fish oil supplementation probably makes little or no difference. </p>
<p>Another <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/8/2278">meta-analysis</a> found for every 20 grams per day of fish consumed it reduced the risk of coronary heart disease by 4%. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/getmedia/f1d22267-7381-4513-834b-df317bed9a40/Nutrition_Position_Statement_-_DIETARY_FAT_FINAL-4.pdf">National Heart Foundation</a> recommends, based on the scientific evidence, eating fish rich in omega-3 fats for optimal heart health. <a href="https://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/17/3/385.pdf">Fish vary in their omega-3 levels</a> and generally the fishier they taste the more omega-3 fats they have – such as tuna, salmon, deep sea perch, trevally, mackeral and snook. </p>
<p>The foundation says fish oil may be beneficial for people with heart failure or high triglycerides, a type of fat that circulates in the blood that increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. But it doesn’t recommend fish oil for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (heart attack and stroke).</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/omega-3-supplements-dont-protect-against-heart-disease-new-review-100111">Omega 3 supplements don't protect against heart disease – new review</a>
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<p><strong>Arthritis</strong></p>
<p>For rheumatoid arthritis, <a href="https://arthritis-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13075-022-02781-2">studies</a> have shown fish oil supplements do provide benefits in reducing the severity and the progression of the disease. </p>
<p>Eating fish also leads to these improvements, but as the level of EPA and DHA needed is high, often it’s difficult and expensive to consume that amount from fish alone. </p>
<p><a href="https://arthritisaustralia.com.au/managing-arthritis/living-with-arthritis/complementary-treatments-and-therapies/fish-oils/">Arthritis Australia</a> recommends, based on the evidence, about 2.7 grams of EPA and DHA a day to reduce joint inflammation. Most supplements contain about 300-400mg of omega-3 fats. </p>
<p>So depending on how much EPA and DHA is in each capsule, you may need nine to 14 capsules (or five to seven capsules of fish oil concentrate) a day. This is about 130g-140g of grilled salmon or mackeral, or 350g of canned tuna in brine (almost four small tins).</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Fish tacos" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546824/original/file-20230907-15-3ox0ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546824/original/file-20230907-15-3ox0ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=512&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546824/original/file-20230907-15-3ox0ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=512&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546824/original/file-20230907-15-3ox0ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=512&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546824/original/file-20230907-15-3ox0ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=644&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546824/original/file-20230907-15-3ox0ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=644&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546824/original/file-20230907-15-3ox0ko.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=644&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Eating fish also leads to improvements in arthritis, but you’d need to eat large quantities.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fish-tacos-slaw-lemon-zest-cilantro-256178206">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p><strong>Dementia</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0952327807001421?via%3Dihub">Epidemiological studies</a> have shown a positive link between an increased DHA intake (from diet) and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a type of dementia.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0952327807001421?via%3Dihub">Animal studies</a> have shown DHA can alter markers that are used to assess brain function (such as accumulation of amyloid – a protein thought to be linked to dementia, and damage to tau protein, which helps stabilise nerve cells in the brain). But this hasn’t been shown in humans yet.</p>
<p>A systematic review of <a href="http://betamedarts.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/31Psychiatriki03_2020.pdf#page=58">multiple studies in people</a> has shown different results for omega-3 fats from supplements.</p>
<p>In the two studies that gave omega-3 fats as supplements to people with dementia, there was no improvement. But when given to people with mild cognitive impairment, a condition associated with increased risk of progressing to dementia, there was an improvement. </p>
<p>Another <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25446949/">meta-anlayses</a> (a study of studies) showed a higher intake of fish was linked to lower risk of Alzheimers, but this relationship was not observed with total dietary intake of omega-3 fats. This indicates there may be other protective benefits derived from eating fish.</p>
<p>In line with the evidence, the <a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/risk-factors-and-prevention/omega-3-and-dementia#:%7E:text=This%20could%20suggest%20that%20taking,its%20own%20may%20not%20be.">Alzheimer’s Society</a> recommends eating fish over taking fish oil supplements.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/are-there-certain-foods-you-can-eat-to-reduce-your-risk-of-alzheimers-disease-117096">Are there certain foods you can eat to reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease?</a>
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<h2>So what’s the bottom line?</h2>
<p>The more people stick to a healthy, plant-based diet with fish and minimal intakes of ultra-processed foods, the better their health will be. </p>
<p>At the moment, the evidence suggests fish oil is beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis, particularly if people find it difficult to eat large amounts of fish. </p>
<p>For dementia and heart disease, it’s best to try to eat your omega-3 fats from your diet. While plant foods contain ALA, this will not be as efficient as increasing EPA and DHA levels in your body by eating seafood.</p>
<p>Like any product that sits on the shop shelves, check the use-by date of the fish oil and make sure you will be able to consume it all by then. The chemical structure of EPA and DHA makes <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224421005422">it susceptible to degradation</a>, which affects its nutritional value. Store it in cold conditions, preferably in the fridge, away from light.</p>
<p>Fish oil can have some annoying side effects, such as fishy burps, but generally there are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3664575/">minimal serious side effects</a>. However, it’s important to discuss taking fish oil with all your treating doctors, particularly if you’re on other medication.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/can-supplements-or-diet-reduce-symptoms-of-arthritis-heres-what-the-evidence-says-184151">Can supplements or diet reduce symptoms of arthritis? Here's what the evidence says</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212250/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Evangeline Mantzioris is affiliated with Alliance for Research in Nutrition, Exercise and Activity (ARENA) at the University of South Australia. Evangeline Mantzioris has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, and has been appointed to the National Health and Medical Research Council Dietary Guideline Expert Committee.</span></em></p>Fish oil has been promised to provide all sorts of health benefits – from boosting our heart health, protecting our brain and easing arthritis. Here’s how the claims stack up for fish and supplements.Evangeline Mantzioris, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, University of South AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2039262023-04-19T08:00:21Z2023-04-19T08:00:21ZCranberry juice can prevent recurrent UTIs, but only for some people<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521741/original/file-20230419-24-kc6toy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=170%2C131%2C4966%2C3313&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sweet-red-water-glass-juice-nectar-706221325">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many of us know cranberries as a tasty condiment to have with our Christmas turkey, or the juice that accompanies vodka in a cosmopolitan cocktail. You might have also heard cranberries <a href="https://www.phc.ox.ac.uk/news/blog/cranberry-for-acute-urinary-tract-infection-2013-an-old-wives2019-tale-or-mother-nature2019s-cure-1">prevent urinary tract infections</a> (UTIs).</p>
<p>While this is often dismissed as a myth, our <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001321.pub6/full">new review of the evidence</a> shows consuming cranberry juice or supplements reduces the chance of repeat UTIs for women, children, and those who are more susceptible to them due to medical procedures. </p>
<p>But this wasn’t the case for elderly people, pregnant women, or for people with bladder-emptying problems. </p>
<p>The review didn’t look at the use of cranberry for the treatment of UTI – and cranberry juice <a href="https://kidney.org.au/uploads/resources/KHA-Factsheet-urinary-tract-infections-2018.pdf">cannot cure a UTI on its own</a>. So, if you do get a UTI make sure you seek medical care from your GP or other health provider.</p>
<h2>Remind me, what is a UTI?</h2>
<p>UTIs are unpleasant and very common. About <a href="https://kidney.org.au/your-kidneys/what-is-kidney-disease/types-of-kidney-disease/utis">one-third of women</a> will have one at some point in their life. They’re also common among elderly people and those with bladder issues caused by spinal cord injury or other conditions. </p>
<p>Typically, a UTI feels like peeing razor blades and the urine can be smelly, cloudy, and sometimes has blood in it. Other symptoms include the frequent urge to pass urine, a stinging or burning sensation when passing urine, and pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis. </p>
<p>UTIs are caused by bacteria. Normally bacteria do not live in the urinary tract, but when they do, they stick to the bladder wall, multiply and can cause a UTI. </p>
<p>When a UTI persists untreated, the infection can move to the kidneys and cause complications, such as severe pain, or sepsis (a blood infection) in the worst cases. </p>
<p>Most UTIs are effectively and easily treated with antibiotics. Sometimes just one dose of antibiotics can resolve the infection. Unfortunately, for some people, UTIs keep coming back. </p>
<h2>What medicinal properties do cranberries have?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/131127-cranberries-thanksgiving-native-americans-indians-food-history">First Peoples of North America</a> have long known the benefits of eating cranberries, including their benefits for bladder problems. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Cranberries on a bush" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521738/original/file-20230418-24-v1evw9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521738/original/file-20230418-24-v1evw9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521738/original/file-20230418-24-v1evw9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521738/original/file-20230418-24-v1evw9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521738/original/file-20230418-24-v1evw9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521738/original/file-20230418-24-v1evw9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521738/original/file-20230418-24-v1evw9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cranberries are a native fruit of North America.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cranberry-wild-bunch-red-berries-cranberries-2079933316">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
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<p>More recently, in the <a href="https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1016/S0022-5347%2817%2950751-X">1980s</a> and <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/366888">1990s</a>, laboratory scientists started to explore several plausible explanations for these benefits. </p>
<p>The most widely accepted explanation is their high concentration of the antioxidant <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332219305359">proanthocyanidin</a>. Cranberries (<em>Vaccinium macrocarpon</em>) – a native fruit of North America – have a high concentration of proanthocyanidin, which protects the cranberry plant against microbes. </p>
<p>Researchers think the compound also prevents the most common UTI-causing bacteria – <em>Escherichia coli</em> (<em>E.coli</em>) – from sticking to the bladder wall. </p>
<p>It was this apparent ability that researchers concluded was responsible for the cranberry’s medicinal properties. </p>
<p>However, without strong evidence of how or if cranberry worked, health-care providers were left without clear guidance on who might benefit from cranberry. As a result, the ongoing debate in the academic literature has persisted for more than 30 years.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/phytonutrients-can-boost-your-health-here-are-4-and-where-to-find-them-including-in-your-next-cup-of-coffee-132100">Phytonutrients can boost your health. Here are 4 and where to find them (including in your next cup of coffee)</a>
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<h2>The evolution of the evidence</h2>
<p>Researchers periodically review the evidence to support tests, treatments and interventions for all sorts of health conditions.</p>
<p>Proving efficacy became a focus with randomised trials starting to be published from 1994. The first Cochrane compilation of four clinical trials on this topic – <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001322/full">published in 1998</a> – concluded the evidence was too poor to determine efficacy. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman holds per pelvis, in pain" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521743/original/file-20230419-22-eipspl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521743/original/file-20230419-22-eipspl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521743/original/file-20230419-22-eipspl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521743/original/file-20230419-22-eipspl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521743/original/file-20230419-22-eipspl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521743/original/file-20230419-22-eipspl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521743/original/file-20230419-22-eipspl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Researhers have long been investigating the role of cranberries in preventing UTIs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/abdominal-pain-woman-stomachache-illness-menstruation-1840882021">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>A Cochrane Review involves identifying of all the available peer-reviewed academic evidence on a health care or health policy topic. The evidence is reviewed independently and in an unbiased way by members of the <a href="https://www.cochrane.org/">Cochrane Network</a>, a network of independent researchers, professionals, patients and carers interested in answering health questions.</p>
<p>Updates in 2004 and 2008 suggested cranberry products reduced the risk of repeat UTI in women, but most of the studies were not considered high quality evidence and so the findings were not conclusive. </p>
<p>By 2012, <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001321.pub5/full">the volume of evidence had increased</a> to 24 clinical trials, but the data was imprecise and the conclusions were that cranberry juice was of no benefit. </p>
<p>As one of Cochrane’s most popular reviews, and the ever increasing volume of evidence, updating the review was important. </p>
<p>Over time, research has improved in the consistency of how cranberry is consumed – as juice or tablets – as well as improved in the measurement of the effective dosage and estimates of how much active ingredient (proanthocyanidin) in the different products. </p>
<h2>What’s new?</h2>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001321.pub6/full">Cochrane Review</a> update, published this week, now includes 50 clinical trials of cranberry products. </p>
<p>More than 8,800 people have participated in the clinical trials which randomly assigned people to take either cranberry products or a dummy treatment – either a placebo (a substance that has no therapeutic effect) or “usual care” (where people might receive another preventive product, such as probiotics).</p>
<p>The recent increased volume of high-quality evidence has shown cranberry products work for people who experience recurrent UTI or are susceptible to UTI. Recurrent UTIs are defined as <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2021/april/recurrent-utis-and-cystitis-symptoms-in-women">two or more UTIs within six months</a>, or three or more UTIs within a year. </p>
<p>Cranberry products reduce the risk of repeat symptomatic, culture-verified (tested in a laboratory ) UTIs in women (by about 26%), children (by about 54%), and people susceptible to UTI following medical interventions (by about 53%).</p>
<p>The findings don’t relate to people who don’t get UTIs very often but want to avoid them. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/should-pharmacists-be-able-to-prescribe-common-medicines-like-antibiotics-for-utis-we-asked-5-experts-195277">Should pharmacists be able to prescribe common medicines like antibiotics for UTIs? We asked 5 experts</a>
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<p>What is still unclear is the formulation and dosage of cranberry products. The evidence was not able to clarify whether cranberry tablets or liquids are more effective, what dosage of cranberry works best, or how long people need to take cranberry products to get the full benefits. The clinical trials varied in the duration of cranberry consumption, from four weeks to 12 months. </p>
<p>Among the many complicating issues addressed in this update was who funded each trial. Each clinical trial was classified as either being supported by funds from commercial organisations (such as juice manufacturer) or conducted by not-for-profit organisations (such as universities or hospitals) who paid for their own cranberry product. </p>
<p>However, we found no difference in the results for clinical trials supported by juice companies compared to those conducted by academic institutions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203926/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jacqueline Stephens receives funding from NHMRC, Channel 7 Children's Research Foundation, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, and Flinders Foundation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gabrielle Williams does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A new review shows consuming cranberry products reduces the chance of repeat UTIs for women, children, and those who are more susceptible to them due to medical procedures.Jacqueline Stephens, Epidemiologist & Senior Lecturer in Public Health, Flinders UniversityGabrielle Williams, Epidemiologist, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2003362023-02-23T23:40:03Z2023-02-23T23:40:03ZClear nutrition labels can encourage healthier eating habits. Here’s how Australia’s food labelling can improve<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511873/original/file-20230223-2314-y3xpfj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=83%2C845%2C7856%2C4452&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/VHMvdS720Hc">Unsplash/Atoms</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>In your trips to the supermarket, you’ve probably come across the <a href="http://www.healthstarrating.gov.au/">Health Star Rating</a> on the front of some foods. You might even be one of the <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/publications/Documents/Consumer%20label%20survey%202015/consumerlabelsurvey2015.pdf">70%</a> of Australians who say they read the detailed nutrition information on the back of product packaging.</p>
<p>Nutrition labelling is designed to help people make informed food purchases, and encourage shoppers to select and eat healthier options. </p>
<p>But Australia’s food labelling system is under-performing. Here’s how we can make it more effective. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-is-dragging-its-feet-on-healthy-eating-in-5-years-weve-made-woeful-progress-192393">Australia is dragging its feet on healthy eating. In 5 years we've made woeful progress</a>
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<h2>Labels help us choose healthier options</h2>
<p>Nutrition labelling has been <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30573335/">shown</a> to lead to small but important improvements in the healthiness of what people eat. </p>
<p>A recent <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/07439156231158115">review</a> concluded that food labels tend to encourage people to consume higher amounts of healthier foods. But most food label formats aren’t very effective in stopping people from selecting unhealthy foods.</p>
<p>While the effects of food labels may be small, such changes on a large scale can lead to healthier eating habits <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21079620/">across the population</a>.</p>
<h2>Which labelling format works best?</h2>
<p><a href="https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/2339cf79-2f25-11ed-975d-01aa75ed71a1">Studies</a> show people favour having front-of-pack nutrition labels in addition to the more detailed back-of-pack information.</p>
<p>People tend to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950329322001665">understand</a> simpler, colour-coded labels more easily than more complex, monochrome labels. And they consistently <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003765">prefer</a> “interpretive” labelling, like Australia’s Health Star Rating, that provides clear guidance on how healthy a particular product is.</p>
<p>Recent <a href="https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/52740">evidence</a> indicates warning labels, such as those indicating high amounts of particular nutrients, are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/07439156231158115">likely</a> to be helpful in steering people away from unhealthy foods.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511862/original/file-20230223-14-53qfqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511862/original/file-20230223-14-53qfqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=1067&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511862/original/file-20230223-14-53qfqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=1067&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511862/original/file-20230223-14-53qfqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=1067&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511862/original/file-20230223-14-53qfqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1340&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511862/original/file-20230223-14-53qfqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1340&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511862/original/file-20230223-14-53qfqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1340&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Chilean warning labels indicate high levels of energy (calories), sugar, saturated fats and sodium.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tijuana-mexico-september-24-2020-processed-1821237416">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Several countries have recently introduced warning labels on unhealthy foods. In Chile, for example, it is mandatory for products to display black, octagon-shaped “stop” signs on foods that exceed limits for sugar, sodium (salt), saturated fat and energy.</p>
<p>The introduction of Chile’s warning labels, as part of a comprehensive nutrition policy suite, has led to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34390670/">improvements</a> in the healthiness of Chilean diets at the population level.</p>
<h2>How do Australia’s labelling rules stack up?</h2>
<p>Australia’s Health Star Rating system performs <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950329322001665">relatively well</a> in helping people to understand the healthiness of different products.</p>
<p>And it has likely led to <a href="https://nutrition.bmj.com/content/early/2022/08/17/bmjnph-2022-000459">some improvements</a> in product healthiness, as manufacturers have reformulated products to achieve a higher Health Star Rating.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1009617040368390147"}"></div></p>
<p>But, as a voluntary scheme, Health Star Ratings have been implemented on <a href="https://foodenvironmentdashboard.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/203/2021/06/HSR-Uptake-Year-5-and-6-Eligibility-reporting.pdf">less than half</a> of eligible products. This limits people’s ability to compare product healthiness across the board.</p>
<p>Perhaps as a result of the limited rollout, there’s <a href="https://nutrition.bmj.com/content/early/2022/08/17/bmjnph-2022-000459">no compelling evidence</a> to show that the Health Star Rating system has changed what people buy. </p>
<h2>How can we make our food labelling more effective?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-nutr-111120-094932">Research</a> points to several suggestions to optimise the design of food labels in Australia.</p>
<p>First, if the Health Star Rating scheme were made mandatory, it would help people compare the healthiness of each product – not just the select few products that are labelled now. </p>
<p>This would work best if coupled with <a href="https://www.obesityevidencehub.org.au/collections/prevention/health-star-rating-system-proposed-improvements">improvements</a> to the algorithm used to calculate health stars to better align the scheme with the <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-09/n55_australian_dietary_guidelines.pdf">Australian Dietary Guidelines</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-looked-at-the-health-star-rating-of-20-000-foods-and-this-is-what-we-found-141453">We looked at the health star rating of 20,000 foods and this is what we found</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Second, the addition of colour (through the use of a spectrum linked to the product’s healthiness) to the existing Health Star Rating design would increase its visibility and is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020022000176">likely</a> to enhance the performance of the scheme. </p>
<p>One option for colour-coding would be for the healthiest rating to be green, with red for the least healthy. </p>
<p>Third, the addition of warning labels could be used to clearly show products high in risky nutrients such as sodium and sugar. </p>
<p>There is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34838869/">emerging evidence</a> that the use of warning labels and Health Star Ratings in combination is more effective, and can discourage consumption of unhealthy products.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1627885175454711808"}"></div></p>
<p>Flipping to the back of food packaging, <a href="https://www.phaa.net.au/documents/item/5265">public health groups</a> consistently recommend including added sugar levels in the existing nutrition information panel. This is currently <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/labelling/Pages/Sugar-labelling.aspx">under consideration</a> by the food standards regulatory body. </p>
<h2>What else could we do?</h2>
<p>In considering ways to enhance the impact of food labels, it’s worth looking to other elements of package design.</p>
<p>The packaging on many unhealthy Australian products, such as sugary breakfast cereals and snack bars, currently features <a href="https://www.generationnext.com.au/2017/07/cartoon-characters-food-packaging-fuelling-australias-childhood-obesity-crisis/">cartoon characters</a> and other promotional techniques designed to appeal to children. </p>
<p>Chile banned the use of cartoon characters on food packaging alongside the implementation of warning labels. This likely contributed to the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34390670/">benefits</a> observed there. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/no-its-not-just-a-lack-of-control-that-makes-australians-overweight-heres-whats-driving-our-unhealthy-food-habits-162512">No, it’s not just a lack of control that makes Australians overweight. Here’s what’s driving our unhealthy food habits</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>More radical options include exploration of plain packaging for unhealthy food – similar to the packaging rules for tobacco. <a href="https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-016-0421-7">Evidence</a> from New Zealand has shown plain packaging can lower young people’s desire to buy unhealthy products such as sugary drinks. </p>
<p>Experts have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/mar/06/obesity-sell-high-calorie-foods-in-plain-packaging-says-2017-brain-prize-winner-wolfram-schultz-peter-dayan-ray-dolan">argued</a> plain packaging would help challenge the marketing power of large food manufacturers. It would also put unhealthy foods on a level playing field with unbranded fruits and vegetables.</p>
<p>The inclusion of <a href="https://www.croakey.org/what-if-we-had-a-health-star-rating-to-protect-the-planet/">environmental sustainability labelling</a>, alongside Health Star Ratings, is likely to provide additional important information for shoppers.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman looks at food label" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511871/original/file-20230223-787-2hwll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=95%2C95%2C4817%2C3157&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511871/original/file-20230223-787-2hwll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511871/original/file-20230223-787-2hwll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511871/original/file-20230223-787-2hwll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511871/original/file-20230223-787-2hwll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511871/original/file-20230223-787-2hwll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511871/original/file-20230223-787-2hwll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Visual cues such as colour can make it easier to judge a product’s healthiness.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/london-june-7-2014-pregnant-woman-1714561165">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>We need a comprehensive approach</h2>
<p>While food labelling is an important tool to inform people about product healthiness, it is only likely to play a <a href="https://www.foodpolicyindex.org.au/_files/ugd/8200a1_02916eab3c5543acae33e219d10273a7.pdf">supporting role</a> in efforts to address unhealthy diets.</p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30700377/">Broader changes</a> to the way foods are produced and marketed are likely to be <a href="https://y97516.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ACE-Obesity-Report_Final.pdf">more potent</a>. These changes, such as legislation to reduce children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing and taxes on sugary drinks, can work in conjunction with food labelling regulations as part of a cohesive strategy to improve population health.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/are-home-brand-foods-healthy-if-you-read-the-label-you-may-be-pleasantly-surprised-189445">Are home-brand foods healthy? If you read the label, you may be pleasantly surprised</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200336/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gary Sacks receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the Australian Research Council (ARC), National Heart Foundation of Australia and VicHealth.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jasmine Chan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Australia’s food labelling system is under-performing. Here’s how we can make it more effective.Gary Sacks, Professor of Public Health Policy, Deakin UniversityJasmine Chan, Associate Research Fellow, Food Policy, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1633642023-01-30T23:45:22Z2023-01-30T23:45:22ZCan chewing help manage stress, pain and appetite? Here’s what the science says<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506959/original/file-20230130-438-xxwvw6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=62%2C161%2C5928%2C3826&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/portrait-photo-of-woman-in-black-and-white-polka-dot-dress-eating-grapes-while-standing-in-front-of-gray-background-3746265/">Pexels/Anna Shvets</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Ever feel a bit stressed or need a concentration boost? Research suggests one remedy may be right under your nose. Chewing has benefits for brain function, stress, anxiety, exam performance, pain perception, as well as hunger and food intake. </p>
<p>Here’s what the research about chewing more says, in experiments that used either food or chewing gum. </p>
<h2>What do teeth have to do with your brain?</h2>
<p>Being able to chew efficiently is related to how many teeth you have. While <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/how-many-teeth-do-adults-have#How-many-teeth-do-adults-have?">adults usually have 32 teeth</a>, you need 20 teeth, with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17594368/">at least nine or ten pairs</a> making contact, in order to chew properly. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocampus">hippocampus</a> area of the brain assists with information transfer from short-term to long-term memory. It also processes <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spatial_memory">spatial memory</a>, which helps you remember practical things, like where you’ve put your phone or how to get to the shops. </p>
<p>Research shows <em>not</em> being able to chew properly, whether due to tooth loss or <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/gum-disease">gum disease</a>, affects the hippocampus through stimulating the production of stress hormones, called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucocorticoid">glucocorticoids</a>. These impair your ability to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28771175/">acquire and process information</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Older man eats rice" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506966/original/file-20230130-24-2ulu5q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506966/original/file-20230130-24-2ulu5q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506966/original/file-20230130-24-2ulu5q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506966/original/file-20230130-24-2ulu5q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506966/original/file-20230130-24-2ulu5q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506966/original/file-20230130-24-2ulu5q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506966/original/file-20230130-24-2ulu5q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The ability to chew is important for healthy ageing.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/unhappy-asian-senior-older-man-sit-2014017578">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A review of research on <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31140598/">chewing and cognitive decline in adults</a> found people with fewer teeth didn’t get the same amount of brain activation. The more strongly people could chew, the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31140598/">more blood flowed to their brains</a>, leading to more oxygen and activity in regions of the brain linked to learning and memory. </p>
<p>Another review found <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28042986/">poorer chewing was associated with</a> faster cognitive decline and the risk of developing dementia. </p>
<p>This adds to the evidence that chewing ability and oral health are central to healthy ageing. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-is-chewing-gum-actually-good-for-your-teeth-51555">Health Check: is chewing gum actually good for your teeth?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Anxiety reliever and attention booster</h2>
<p>Chewing gum cab be an inexpensive and effective way to help relieve anxiety and boost attention. </p>
<p>Results across eight research trials that included more than 400 adults <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35140905/">found</a> chewing gum more often, compared to never chewing gum, resulted in a significant reduction in anxiety. </p>
<p>Although the exact mechanism in not currently known, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36605612/">research in animal models suggests</a> not being able to chew properly leads to the stimulation of neurons involved in emotional regulation. </p>
<p>Another meta-analysis of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30611764/">eight intervention studies</a> that tested the effect of chewing gum found there was a small improvement in levels of sustained attention, with improved ability to maintain alertness during mentally demanding tasks in the group given gum to chew. </p>
<p>To <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35434703/">reduce the amount of dental plaque</a> and risk of <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/tooth-decay">tooth decay</a>, opt for sugar-free chewing gum.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Middle-aged woman eats chewing gum in the car" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506964/original/file-20230130-12-ape5bb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506964/original/file-20230130-12-ape5bb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506964/original/file-20230130-12-ape5bb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506964/original/file-20230130-12-ape5bb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506964/original/file-20230130-12-ape5bb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506964/original/file-20230130-12-ape5bb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506964/original/file-20230130-12-ape5bb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Chewing can improve your alertness.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/elegant-middleaged-woman-eating-chewing-gum-2226809139">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Stock up on gum when preparing for exams</h2>
<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31125164/">2019 intervention study</a>
tested the effect of regularly chewing gum or not, on stress, anxiety, depression, attention and exam success. </p>
<p>They randomised 100 final year nursing students to either chew sugarless gum for at least 30 minutes a day for 19 days, a group who chewed gum for seven days only, or a control group who did not chew gum at all. </p>
<p>They found levels of depression, anxiety and stress were significantly lower in both chewing gum groups, while academic success scores were higher in 19-day gum chewers only compared to the other groups. There was no effect on self-focused attention. </p>
<p>So chewing gum before exams may help students overcome exam stress and enhance exam success, but might not help those who have difficulty focusing their attention.</p>
<h2>Chewing may alter your perception of pain</h2>
<p>Another <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23470575/">study</a> randomised 161 adults undergoing routine colorectal surgery to either chew gum four times a day post-operatively, or not chew gum. </p>
<p>People in the chewing gum group reported lower perceived pain on days two to five post-surgery. </p>
<p>Interestingly, there was no difference between groups in how long it took to pass flatus (fart) or a bowel motion. These signal a return to normal gut function after surgery. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man sits on side of hospital bed" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506983/original/file-20230130-508-2uvwwp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506983/original/file-20230130-508-2uvwwp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506983/original/file-20230130-508-2uvwwp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506983/original/file-20230130-508-2uvwwp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506983/original/file-20230130-508-2uvwwp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506983/original/file-20230130-508-2uvwwp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/506983/original/file-20230130-508-2uvwwp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In one study, people who chewed gum reported lower levels of pain.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/patient-sat-on-bed-looked-out-1687562503">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A trial in a children’s hospital in Turkey randomised 73 children having an <a href="https://www.rch.org.au/rchcpg/hospital_clinical_guideline_index/Peripheral_Intravenous_IV_Device_Management/">IV cannula</a> inserted to receive <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31889572/">either a chewing</a> gum intervention during the procedure or standard care only. </p>
<p>Both nurses and children reported significantly lower pain levels among the chewing gum group compared to the usual care. </p>
<p>While exact mechanisms are not confirmed, the analgesic effects of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26090381/">chewing gum appear to be mediated via neurons in the brain</a> related to <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/serotonin">serotonin</a>, a neurotransmitter that affects body functions including mood and anxiety.</p>
<h2>Chewing your food well can reduce your appetite</h2>
<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29408331/">systematic review</a> of studies using foods looked at the impact of people receiving advice to consciously slow down when eating and chew more, on aspects of appetite and food intake.</p>
<p>The study participants reported less hunger, desire to eat and ate significantly less food, compared to people eating as usual. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-should-we-really-chew-each-mouthful-of-food-32-times-50956">Health Check: should we really chew each mouthful of food 32 times?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Putting all this research together, it appears that chewing gum may be an easy “go to” intervention with benefits for your brain. Take care though, as “sugar free” gum usually contains sorbitol, a common artificial sweetener and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35565890/">can trigger diarrhoea</a> if consumed in excess. </p>
<p>Chewing gum can also lead to <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/aerophagia#selfmanagement">aerophagia</a>, meaning too much air is swallowed, and trigger abdominal distention or discomfort – although researchers found <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26486285/">chewing gum does not make you burp more</a>. </p>
<p>When it comes to food, the advice to “take time to chew your food properly” is wise. </p>
<p>Maintain good oral health by brushing your teeth, having regular dental check ups and, for those with tooth loss, good fitting dentures. And, if you grab some chewing gum, make sure it’s sugar-free.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/163364/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clare Collins AO is a Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Newcastle, NSW and a Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) affiliated researcher. She is a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Leadership Fellow and has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, MRFF, HMRI, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation, Rijk Zwaan Australia, WA Dept. Health, Meat and Livestock Australia, and Greater Charitable Foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute, Dietitians Australia and the ABC. She was a team member conducting systematic reviews to inform the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines update and the Heart Foundation evidence reviews on meat and dietary patterns.</span></em></p>Chewing can impact brain function, stress, anxiety, exam performance, pain perception, as well as hunger and food intake.Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics AO, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1654662022-02-08T19:08:13Z2022-02-08T19:08:13ZDon’t drink milk? Here’s how to get enough calcium and other nutrients<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/444932/original/file-20220208-26-4g1zsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/asian-girl-drinking-milk-beverage-grow-429610183">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Cow’s milk is an <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33920532/">excellent source of calcium</a> which, along with vitamin D, is needed to <a href="https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/osteoporosis/bone-mass">build strong, dense bones</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/milk#nutrients-in-milk">Milk also contains</a> protein, the minerals phosphorus, potassium, zinc and iodine, and vitamins A, B2 (riboflavin) and B12 (cobalamin). </p>
<p>As a child I drank a lot of milk. It was delivered in pint bottles to our front steps each morning. I also drank a third of a pint before marching into class as part of the <a href="https://education.qld.gov.au/about-us/history/history-topics/free-milk-scheme#:%7E:text=Teachers%20and%20children%20of%20the,into%20the%20bottle%20was%20challenging.">free school milk program</a>. I still love milk, which makes getting enough calcium easy. </p>
<p>Of course, many people <a href="https://nutrition.org/going-nuts-about-milk-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-plant-based-milk-alternatives/">don’t drink milk</a> for a number of reasons. The good news is you can get all the calcium and other nutrients you need from other foods. </p>
<h2>What foods contain calcium?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/calcium#good-sources-of-calcium">Dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt</a> are rich in calcium, while non-dairy foods including tofu, canned fish with bones, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds contain varying amounts. </p>
<p>Some foods are fortified with added calcium, including some breakfast cereals and soy, rice, oat and nut “milks”. Check their food label <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/how-to-decode-food-labels">nutrition information panels</a> to see how much calcium they contain.</p>
<p>However, it’s <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35011055/">harder for your body to absorb calcium</a> from non-dairy foods. Although your body does get better at absorbing <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34281429/">calcium from plant foods</a>, and also when <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15068499/">your total calcium intake is low</a>, the overall effect means if you don’t have dairy foods, you may need to eat more foods that contain calcium to maximise your bone health. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Healthy tofu stirfry with leafy greens." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/444946/original/file-20220208-25-tm13jp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/444946/original/file-20220208-25-tm13jp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444946/original/file-20220208-25-tm13jp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444946/original/file-20220208-25-tm13jp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444946/original/file-20220208-25-tm13jp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444946/original/file-20220208-25-tm13jp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444946/original/file-20220208-25-tm13jp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Tofu is just one source of calcium.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/nutritious-okinawan-tofu-vegetable-stirfry-set-1981809443">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How much calcium do you need?</h2>
<p>Depending on your age and sex, the <a href="https://www.nrv.gov.au/nutrients/calcium">daily calcium requirements</a> vary from 360 milligrams per day to more than 1,000 mg for teens and older women. </p>
<p>One 250ml cup of cow’s milk contains about 300mg of calcium, which is equivalent to one standard serve. This <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/milk-yoghurt-cheese-andor-their-alternatives-mostly-reduced-fat">same amount is found in</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li>200 grams of yoghurt</li>
<li>250 ml of calcium-fortified plant milks </li>
<li>100 grams of canned pink salmon with bones</li>
<li>100 grams of firm tofu</li>
<li>115 grams of <a href="https://www.nutsforlife.com.au/resource/almonds/">almonds</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>The <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/recommended-number-serves-adults">recommended number of daily serves</a> of dairy and non-dairy alternatives varies: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>children <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/recommended-number-serves-children-adolescents-and">should have</a> between 1 and 3.5 serves a day, depending on their age and sex </p></li>
<li><p>women aged 19 to 50 should have 2.5 serves a day, then 4 serves when aged over 50</p></li>
<li><p>men aged 19 to 70 should have 2.5 serves a day, then 3.5 serves when aged over 70. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>However, the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4364.0.55.012%7E2011-12%7EMain%20Features%7EMilk,%20yoghurt,%20cheese%20and%20alternatives%7E17">average Australian intake</a> is just 1.5 serves per day, with only one in ten <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/milk-yoghurt-cheese-andor-their-alternatives-mostly-reduced-fat">achieving the recommendations</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/soy-oat-almond-rice-coconut-dairy-which-milk-is-best-for-our-health-146869">Soy, oat, almond, rice, coconut, dairy: which 'milk' is best for our health?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What other nutrients do you need?</h2>
<p>If you don’t drink milk, the challenge is getting enough nutrients to have a balanced diet. Here’s what you need and why. </p>
<p><strong>Protein</strong></p>
<p><em>Food sources: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, legumes, dried beans and tofu.</em></p>
<p>Needed for growth and repair of cells and to make antibodies, enzymes and make specific transport proteins that carry chemical massages throughout the body.</p>
<p><strong>Phosphorus</strong></p>
<p><em>Food sources: meat, poultry, seafood, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, dried beans and lentils.</em></p>
<p>Builds bone and teeth, supports growth and repair of cells, and is needed for energy production.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Whole grain loaf of bread." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/444950/original/file-20220208-20-ri7mnm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/444950/original/file-20220208-20-ri7mnm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=282&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444950/original/file-20220208-20-ri7mnm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=282&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444950/original/file-20220208-20-ri7mnm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=282&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444950/original/file-20220208-20-ri7mnm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=354&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444950/original/file-20220208-20-ri7mnm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=354&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444950/original/file-20220208-20-ri7mnm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=354&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Whole grains are a source of phosphorus, zinc and vitamin B12.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/top-view-sliced-wholegrain-bread-on-1084483424">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>Potassium</strong></p>
<p><em>Food sources: leafy green vegetables (spinach, silverbeet, kale), carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, beans and peas, avocados, apples, oranges and bananas.</em></p>
<p>Needed to activate cells and nerves. Maintains fluid balance and helps with muscle contraction and regulation of blood pressure.</p>
<p><strong>Zinc</strong></p>
<p><em>Food sources: lean meat, chicken, fish, oysters, legumes, nuts, wholemeal and wholegrain products.</em> </p>
<p>Helps with wound healing and the development of the immune system and other essential functions in the body, including taste and smell. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Chick pea curry with brown rice." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/444948/original/file-20220208-21-1gqlfwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/444948/original/file-20220208-21-1gqlfwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444948/original/file-20220208-21-1gqlfwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444948/original/file-20220208-21-1gqlfwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444948/original/file-20220208-21-1gqlfwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444948/original/file-20220208-21-1gqlfwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444948/original/file-20220208-21-1gqlfwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Legumes such as chick peas contain protein and zinc.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/indian-vegetarian-curry-potatoes-chickpeas-lentils-251307334">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>Iodine</strong></p>
<p><em>Food sources: fish, prawns, other seafood, iodised salt and commercial breads.</em></p>
<p>Needed for normal growth, brain development and used by the thyroid gland to make the hormone thyroxine, which is needed for growth and metabolism.</p>
<p><strong>Vitamin A</strong></p>
<p><em>Food sources: eggs, oily fish, nuts, seeds. (The body can also make vitamin A from beta-carotene in orange and yellow vegetables and green leafy vegetables.)</em></p>
<p>Needed for antibody production, maintenance of healthy lungs and gut, and for good vision.</p>
<p><strong>Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)</strong></p>
<p><em>Food sources: wholegrain breads and cereals, egg white, leafy green vegetables, mushrooms, yeast spreads, meat.</em></p>
<p>Needed to release energy from food. Also supports healthy eyesight and skin.</p>
<p><strong>Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)</strong></p>
<p><em>Food sources: meat, eggs and most foods of animal origin, some fortified plant milks and fortified yeast spreads (check the label).</em></p>
<p>Needed to make red blood cells, DNA (your genetic code), myelin (which insulate nerves) and some neurotransmitters needed for brain function. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-balanced-diet-anyway-72432">What is a balanced diet anyway?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>When might you need to avoid milk?</h2>
<p>Reasons <a href="https://nutrition.org/going-nuts-about-milk-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-plant-based-milk-alternatives/">why people don’t drink milk</a> range from taste, personal preferences, animal welfare or environmental concerns. Or it could be due to health conditions or concerns about intolerance, allergy and acne. </p>
<p><strong>Lactose intolerance</strong> </p>
<p>Lactose is the main carbohydrate in milk. It’s broken down in the simple sugars by an enzyme in the small intestine called lactase. </p>
<p>Some people are <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/lactose-intolerance">born without the lactase enzyme or their lactase levels decrease</a> as they age. For these people, consuming foods containing a lot of lactose means it passes undigested along the gut and can trigger symptoms such as bloating, pain and diarrhoea. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man holds his stomach after drinking a milky coffee." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/444949/original/file-20220208-21-15rhf28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/444949/original/file-20220208-21-15rhf28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444949/original/file-20220208-21-15rhf28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444949/original/file-20220208-21-15rhf28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444949/original/file-20220208-21-15rhf28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444949/original/file-20220208-21-15rhf28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/444949/original/file-20220208-21-15rhf28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Lactose intolerance can cause bloating and pain.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/white-man-dark-hair-sits-wooden-617367890">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Research shows <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20404262/">smalls amounts of lactose</a> – up to 15 grams daily – can be tolerated without symptoms, especially if spread out over the day. A cup of <a href="https://www.dairy.com.au/dairy-matters/you-ask-we-answer/what-is-the-lactose-content-of-different-dairy-products">cows milk contains about 16 grams of lactose</a>, while a 200g tub of yoghurt contains 10g, and 40g cheddar cheese contains less than 1g. </p>
<p><strong>Cow’s milk allergy</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/cows-milk-allergy">Cow’s milk allergy</a> occurs in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31083388/">about 0.5-3% of one year olds</a>. By age five, about half are reported to have grown out of it, and 75% by adolescence. However, one survey found <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31083388/">9% of pre-school children</a> had severe allergy with <a href="https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/about-allergy/anaphylaxis">anaphylaxis</a>.</p>
<p>Symptoms of cow’s milk allergy include hives, rash, cough, wheeze, vomiting, diarrhoea or swelling of the face. </p>
<p>Symptom severity varies, and can happen immediately or take a few days to develop. If a reaction is severe, call 000, as it can be a medical emergency. </p>
<p><strong>Acne</strong> </p>
<p>The whey protein in cow’s milk products, aside from cheese, triggers an increase in insulin, a hormone that transports blood sugar, which is released into the blood stream. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, milk’s casein protein triggers an increase in another hormone, called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin-like_growth_factor_1">insulin-like growth factor</a> (IGF), which influences growth. </p>
<p>These two reactions promote the production of hormones called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androgen">androgens</a>, which can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21034984/">lead to a worsening of acne</a>. </p>
<p>If this happens to you, then avoid milk, but keep eating hard cheese, and eat other foods rich in calcium regularly instead.</p>
<p>While milk can be problematic for some people, for most of us, drinking milk in moderation in line with recommendation is the way to go.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-milk-good-for-me-or-should-i-ditch-it-45764">Is milk good for me, or should I ditch it?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/165466/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clare Collins is Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetic at the University of Newcastle, NSW and a Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) n affiliated researcher . She is a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Leadership Fellow and has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, MRFF, HMRI, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation, Rijk Zwaan Australia, WA Dept. Health, Meat and Livestock Australia, and Greater Charitable Foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute, Dietitians Australia and the ABC. She was a team member conducting systematic reviews to inform the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines update and the Heart Foundation evidence reviews on meat and dietary patterns.</span></em></p>People who don’t drink milk can choose other foods to get the calcium, protein, vitamins and minerals their bodies need.Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1703662021-11-11T18:58:40Z2021-11-11T18:58:40ZGut bacteria don’t cause autism. Autistic kids’ microbiome differences are due to picky eating<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431254/original/file-20211110-17-t6tf1u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/spoon-fork-on-empty-plate-778735972">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>There has been much speculation that the community of bacteria living in the gut – known as the microbiome – may be different among people on the autism spectrum than the wider population. This has led some researchers and clinicians to speculate that gut bacteria could cause autism.</p>
<p>But our new research, <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(21)01231-9">published today</a> in the journal Cell, turns this theory on its head. </p>
<p>Rather than differences in gut bacteria influencing brain development, our research suggests changes in gut bacteria are driven by restricted diets, or “picky eating”. </p>
<p>Restricted diets are more common among children with autism because of their sensory sensitivities and restricted and repetitive interests. Some may have strong preferences for a select few foods, while others find some flavours, smells or textures unpleasant or off-putting. </p>
<h2>What’s the theory?</h2>
<p>You may have heard claims the microbiome is related to autism: it may have a “causal” role, or microbiome “therapies” <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-42183-0">can alter autistic behaviours</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-causes-autism-what-we-know-dont-know-and-suspect-53977">What causes autism? What we know, don’t know and suspect</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Interest in the autism gut microbiome first came from observations people on the autism spectrum are more likely to experience gut problems, such as constipation and diarrhoea. </p>
<p>Further <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13099-020-0346-1">studies</a> seemed to suggest children on the autism spectrum had different combinations of bacteria living in their gut.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Child sits on the end of a bed, clutching their stomach." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431259/original/file-20211110-27-1sjgqag.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431259/original/file-20211110-27-1sjgqag.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431259/original/file-20211110-27-1sjgqag.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431259/original/file-20211110-27-1sjgqag.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431259/original/file-20211110-27-1sjgqag.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431259/original/file-20211110-27-1sjgqag.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431259/original/file-20211110-27-1sjgqag.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Autistic children are more likely to have restricted diets.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/abdominal-pain-preschool-child-poisoning-children-1783437671">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>These intriguing relationships inspired studies of mice and rats, some of which indicated the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31150625/">microbiome may cause differences in behaviour</a>. </p>
<p>But the excitement has been misguided. </p>
<h2>Assessing the evidence</h2>
<p>Weighing up all the findings, the evidence linking the microbiome to autism is <a href="https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/despite-flurry-of-findings-doubts-dog-gut-microbes-role-in-autism/">highly inconsistent and many studies have significant problems</a> with their scientific design. </p>
<p>There are also problems in relating mouse studies to humans, because autism does not exist in mice. </p>
<p>Despite the uncertainty in the science, the hype around the microbiome and autism has continued to gather momentum.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1134474617492578305"}"></div></p>
<p>Out of this momentum emerged speculative therapies claiming to support children with autism by altering the microbiome, including faecal microbiota transfers and diet therapies. </p>
<p>These “therapies” were long on hope but short on evidence for efficacy and safety, and come with their own risks and substantial costs.</p>
<h2>What our study did</h2>
<p>We worked with the <a href="https://www.autismcrc.com.au/biobank">Australian Autism Biobank</a>, which includes extensive clinical and biological data from children on the autism spectrum and their families, as well as the <a href="https://qbi.uq.edu.au/QTABproject">Queensland Twin Adolescent Brain Project</a>. </p>
<p>We compared microbial DNA from stool samples of 99 children on the autism spectrum to two groups of non-autistic children: 51 of their siblings and 97 unrelated children. </p>
<p>We also looked at clinical, family and lifestyle information, including about the child’s diet, for a comprehensive, broad look at factors that may contribute to the their microbiome. </p>
<h2>What we found</h2>
<p>We found no evidence for a relationship between autism and measures of the microbiome as a whole, or with microbiome diversity. </p>
<p>Only one bacterial species out of more than 600 showed an association with autism. We found no evidence for other bacterial groups that have previously been reported in autism (for example, <em>Prevotella</em>). </p>
<p>Instead, we found children on the autism spectrum were more likely to be “picky eaters” – consistent with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15449518/">reports</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23371510/">from</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2936505/">earlier</a> <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.668297/full">studies</a> – and this was related to particular traits associated with autism, such as restricted interests and sensory sensitivity.</p>
<p>We also found pickier eaters tended to have a less diverse microbiome, and runnier (more diarrhoea-like) stool. We’ve also known for some time children on the autism spectrum are more likely to have <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0033224">gastrointestinal</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3981895/">issues</a> such as constipation, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431388/original/file-20211110-19-16o7kq4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431388/original/file-20211110-19-16o7kq4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431388/original/file-20211110-19-16o7kq4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431388/original/file-20211110-19-16o7kq4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431388/original/file-20211110-19-16o7kq4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431388/original/file-20211110-19-16o7kq4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431388/original/file-20211110-19-16o7kq4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Changes in gut bacteria are driven by restricted diets.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The genetic information told a similar story: autism and restricted interests corresponded to a less-diverse diet, but not directly with the microbiome. </p>
<p>These genetic data are critical, because they rule out other environmental factors that may have influenced the findings.</p>
<p>Overall, our results did not support the popular view that gut microbes cause autism. </p>
<p>What we propose instead is strikingly simple: autism-related traits and preferences are associated with less-diverse diet, leading to a less-diverse microbiome and runnier stool.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431407/original/file-20211111-5078-awhy25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431407/original/file-20211111-5078-awhy25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431407/original/file-20211111-5078-awhy25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=112&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431407/original/file-20211111-5078-awhy25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=112&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431407/original/file-20211111-5078-awhy25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=112&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431407/original/file-20211111-5078-awhy25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=141&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431407/original/file-20211111-5078-awhy25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=141&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/431407/original/file-20211111-5078-awhy25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=141&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Here’s how our study maps the effect of diet.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What do our findings mean?</h2>
<p>Our findings have important implications for the autism community. </p>
<p>First, microbiome interventions for autism, such as faecal microbiota transplants, should be viewed with caution. Our findings suggest they are unlikely to be effective and <a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/medical-product-safety-information/fecal-microbiota-transplantation-safety-alert-risk-serious-adverse-events-likely-due-transmission">may do more harm than good</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/these-4-diets-are-trending-we-looked-at-the-science-or-lack-of-it-behind-each-one-136045">These 4 diets are trending. We looked at the science (or lack of it) behind each one</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Our study also draws attention to the importance of diet for children on the autism spectrum. Poor diet in children and young people is a <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/food-nutrition/poor-diet/contents/poor-diet-in-children">major public health concern in Australia</a>, with important implications for their well-being, development and health conditions such as obesity. </p>
<p>We need to do more to support families at mealtimes, in particular for families with autistic children, rather than resorting to fad “therapies” that may do more harm than good.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170366/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chloe Yap receives funding from the University of Queensland, the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), and the Australian-American Fulbright Commission. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Whitehouse receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Research Council, and the Autism CRC.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jake Gratten receives funding from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC). </span></em></p>New research dispels the myth that gut bacteria causes autism. Rather, changes in the gut bacteria of some people with autism are driven by restricted diets or ‘picky eating’.Chloe Yap, MD-PhD candidate, The University of QueenslandAndrew Whitehouse, Bennett Chair of Autism, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western AustraliaJake Gratten, Senior Research Fellow, Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1625122021-06-15T20:07:22Z2021-06-15T20:07:22ZNo, it’s not just a lack of control that makes Australians overweight. Here’s what’s driving our unhealthy food habits<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406359/original/file-20210615-19-eheg95.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/melbourne-australia-may-25-2018-snack-1130116451">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Public health experts have long <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21872749/">argued</a> that when it comes to preventing obesity, we need to stop blaming individuals. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://foodenvironmentdashboard.com.au/">new online tool</a>, released today, confirms we live in an environment where the odds of having a healthy diet are heavily stacked against us.</p>
<p>Unhealthy foods are readily available and heavily marketed to us by the food industry. This makes it very easy to over-consume unhealthy foods. It also makes it very difficult to consistently select healthy options.</p>
<p>Our online tool – <a href="https://foodenvironmentdashboard.com.au/">Australia’s Food Environment Dashboard</a> – brings together the best-available data to describe Australia’s food environments. For the first time, we have a clear picture of the ways our environment drives us to consume too much of the wrong types of foods.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h_VHcguig5w?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">How healthy are Australia’s food environments?</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Supermarkets heavily promote unhealthy food</h2>
<p>Australian supermarkets are a key setting in which unhealthy foods are pushed at us.</p>
<p>More than half of the <a href="https://foodenvironmentdashboard.com.au/food-composition/">packaged food</a> on Australian supermarket shelves is unhealthy. At <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/abs/availability-and-placement-of-healthy-and-discretionary-food-in-australian-supermarkets-by-chain-and-level-of-socioeconomic-disadvantage/3E6EB41E7F3DE6DE7D24DD8B38F31E22">end-of-aisle displays</a>, unhealthy products are promoted much more often than healthier products.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/supermarket-price-deals-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-40703">Supermarket price deals: the good, the bad and the ugly</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Unhealthy products are also “<a href="https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305229">on special</a>” almost twice as often as healthy foods. What’s more, the <a href="https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305229">discounts</a> on unhealthy foods are much larger than the discounts on healthier foods.</p>
<p>And at <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/abs/availability-and-placement-of-healthy-and-discretionary-food-in-australian-supermarkets-by-chain-and-level-of-socioeconomic-disadvantage/3E6EB41E7F3DE6DE7D24DD8B38F31E22">checkouts</a>, it’s almost impossible to pay for groceries without being exposed to unhealthy foods. </p>
<p>All of this intense marketing for unhealthy foods contributes to the unhealthy mix of products in our supermarket trolleys.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406352/original/file-20210615-25-lfpm00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406352/original/file-20210615-25-lfpm00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406352/original/file-20210615-25-lfpm00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406352/original/file-20210615-25-lfpm00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406352/original/file-20210615-25-lfpm00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406352/original/file-20210615-25-lfpm00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406352/original/file-20210615-25-lfpm00.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">It’s difficult to ignore all the prompts to buy junk food.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/rear-view-man-doing-grocery-shopping-573369514">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Children’s exposure to junk food promotion</h2>
<p>Australian children cannot escape unhealthy food marketing. As they <a href="https://www.phrp.com.au/issues/march-2020-volume-30-issue-1/childrens-trips-to-school-dominated-by-unhealthy-food-advertising-in-sydney-australia/">travel</a> to school, and play and watch <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/abs/statewide-audit-of-unhealthy-sponsorship-within-junior-sporting-clubs-in-victoria-australia/88DF0655D119B86B42213C363E048A24">sport in their community</a>, kids are exposed to a constant barrage of promotions for unhealthy food and drinks.</p>
<p>When they turn on the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jpc.13929">TV</a> they will see more than twice as many ads for unhealthy food compared to healthy food.</p>
<p>And when kids are on their <a href="https://preprints.jmir.org/preprint/28144/accepted">mobile devices</a>, they are hit with as many as ten unhealthy food and drink ads every hour.</p>
<h2>It’s worse in more disadvantaged areas</h2>
<p>Our dashboard shows food environments in disadvantaged areas are less healthy than those in advantaged areas. The <a href="https://foodenvironmentdashboard.com.au/equity/">cost of a healthy diet</a> is generally higher in low socioeconomic areas and is much higher in very remote parts of Australia.</p>
<p>Critically, the cost of a healthy diet is simply <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/11/2469">unaffordable</a> (meaning it costs more than 30% of a household’s income) for people on low incomes and those living in rural or remote areas.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/supermarkets-claim-to-have-our-health-at-heart-but-their-marketing-tactics-push-junk-foods-138292">Supermarkets claim to have our health at heart. But their marketing tactics push junk foods</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>People living in low socioeconomic areas are also exposed to more promotions for unhealthy food. A <a href="https://www.telethonkids.org.au/globalassets/media/documents/projects/junk-food-advertising.pdf">study</a> in Perth, for example, found low socioeconomic areas had a significantly higher ratio of unhealthy food ads to healthy ads within 500m of schools, compared to high socioeconomic areas.</p>
<h2>Some good news stories</h2>
<p>While almost all the key aspects of food environments in Australia are currently unhealthy, there are some areas that support health.</p>
<p>Our major supermarkets are leading the way in <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/6/1791/htm">displaying</a> the Health Star Rating on their home-brand product labels, which helps consumers make more informed food choices.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-looked-at-the-health-star-rating-of-20-000-foods-and-this-is-what-we-found-141453">We looked at the health star rating of 20,000 foods and this is what we found</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Some state governments have shown great <a href="https://foodenvironmentdashboard.com.au/food-in-settings/hospitals-and-health-services/">progress</a> in creating healthier environments in their hospitals and other health services, by offering water and nuts in vending machines, for example, rather than <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-14/soft-drinks-banned-in-wa-hospitals-healthy-options-policy/100206334">sugary drinks</a> and lollies.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="People line up for vending machine" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406361/original/file-20210615-19-15shain.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406361/original/file-20210615-19-15shain.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406361/original/file-20210615-19-15shain.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406361/original/file-20210615-19-15shain.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406361/original/file-20210615-19-15shain.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406361/original/file-20210615-19-15shain.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406361/original/file-20210615-19-15shain.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some hospitals are providing healthier options in their vending machines.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/st-petersburg-russia-october-8-2018-1229890807">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Greater monitoring is needed</h2>
<p>Unhealthy diets and obesity are <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/burden-of-disease">leading contributors</a> to poor health in Australia. For that reason, it’s critical to closely monitor the key drivers of our unhealthy diets.</p>
<p>We’re pretty good at monitoring our exposure to other key health risks and taking public health action accordingly. For example, the government has successfully reduced <a href="https://www.roadsafety.gov.au/performance/road-deaths-trend">road fatalities</a> through a range of measures, including prominent identification and eradication of <a href="https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure_investment/black_spot/">traffic “black spots”</a>.</p>
<p>Now we need the same level of attention paid to our food environments, where there are still some key gaps in our knowledge.</p>
<p>For example, while most state governments have policies to guide foods available in schools, only Western Australia and New South Wales <a href="https://foodenvironmentdashboard.com.au/food-in-settings/schools/">monitors and/or reports</a> adherence to policies.</p>
<p>In many other areas, such as <a href="https://foodenvironmentdashboard.com.au/food-promotion/">food promotion</a>, data is not routinely collected. This means we often need to rely on data that’s a few years old and that might only be relevant to small geographic regions.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Little boy on bed watching TV" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406354/original/file-20210615-23-1s7jd9o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/406354/original/file-20210615-23-1s7jd9o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=374&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406354/original/file-20210615-23-1s7jd9o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=374&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406354/original/file-20210615-23-1s7jd9o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=374&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406354/original/file-20210615-23-1s7jd9o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=470&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406354/original/file-20210615-23-1s7jd9o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=470&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/406354/original/file-20210615-23-1s7jd9o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=470&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Data isn’t routinely collected on food promotion.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/little-boy-lying-on-bed-watching-505250551">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Governments need to take stronger action</h2>
<p>The unhealthy state of our food environments indicates <a href="https://www.foodpolicyindex.org.au/">much stronger policy action</a> is needed from all levels of government in Australia. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://consultations.health.gov.au/population-health-and-sport-division/national-obesity-strategy/">National Obesity Strategy</a> which is currently in development and now overdue, can provide the framework for Australian governments to fix up the “black spots” in our food environment.</p>
<p>Improvements can be made by introducing globally recommended policies, such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-longer-do-we-need-to-wait-for-australia-to-implement-a-sugary-drinks-tax-162434">taxes on sugary drinks</a> and <a href="https://www.opc.org.au/brands-off-our-kids">higher standards</a> for how the food industry markets its unhealthy food and drink products.</p>
<p>These actions can help ensure all Australians have access to food environments that support healthy diets.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-longer-do-we-need-to-wait-for-australia-to-implement-a-sugary-drinks-tax-162434">How much longer do we need to wait for Australia to implement a sugary drinks tax?</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/162512/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gary Sacks receives funding from the National Heart Foundation of Australia, National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Research Council and VicHealth.
Funding for Australia’s Food Environment Dashboard was provided from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). The MRFF provides funding to support health and medical research and innovation, with the objective of improving the health and wellbeing of Australians. MRFF funding was provided to The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre under the MRFF Boosting Preventive Health Research Program.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sally Schultz does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Unhealthy foods are readily available and heavily marketed to us, especially at supermarkets.Gary Sacks, Associate Professor, Deakin UniversitySally Schultz, PhD Student, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1397632020-06-07T11:20:26Z2020-06-07T11:20:26ZAfter COVID-19’s tragic toll, Canada must improve quality of life in long-term care homes<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/338763/original/file-20200601-83195-18jm1k5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=528%2C0%2C3070%2C2644&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A resident walks down a hallway at a seniors' residence in Montréal on Jan. 30, 2020. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Long-term care homes and nursing homes have become the centre of attention in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2020/05/07/82-of-canadas-covid-19-deaths-have-been-in-long-term-care.html">over 80 per cent of deaths</a> from the virus in Canada occurring in these homes. </p>
<p>This tragedy leads us to reflect on what we learned from a decade-long <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/the-sunday-edition-for-april-26-2020-1.5536429/canada-s-for-profit-model-of-long-term-care-has-failed-the-elderly-says-leading-expert-1.5540891">project led by Pat Armstrong</a>, a distinguished research professor at York University, that <a href="https://reltc.apps01.yorku.ca">looked at long-term care</a> in four Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia) and five countries (Germany, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States).</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/338765/original/file-20200601-83243-1b2q8z8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/338765/original/file-20200601-83243-1b2q8z8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=417&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338765/original/file-20200601-83243-1b2q8z8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=417&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338765/original/file-20200601-83243-1b2q8z8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=417&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338765/original/file-20200601-83243-1b2q8z8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338765/original/file-20200601-83243-1b2q8z8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338765/original/file-20200601-83243-1b2q8z8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A man looks out the window at the Camilla Care Community centre overlooking crosses marking the deaths of multiple people that occured during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mississauga, Ont., on May 26, 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our perspective was not as academics but as doctors: Bob James was a family physician and medical director of a nursing home in Dundas, Ont.; and Joel Lexchin an emergency physician in Toronto who frequently saw patients sent from long-term care homes.</p>
<p>When Bob worked in his nursing home, he was primarily in contact with the registered nurses (RNs), and we suspect this is a common pattern for doctors. When Joel would call to get more information about the patients he was seeing in the emergency room, the people he spoke with were the nurses (usually the RNs). This was largely because of the RNs’ roles in leading the care teams for the homes.</p>
<p>But working in this project taught us many things that changed the way we thought about long-term care homes and the people who live and work in them.</p>
<h2>Laundry, support and care</h2>
<p>First and foremost, was the importance of the other workers to the care of residents. Specifically, <a href="https://laps.yorku.ca/2018/08/new-study-about-the-elderly-and-their-laundry-asks-long-term-care-facilities-to-clean-up-their-act/">cleaning and laundry staff</a>, as well as kitchen staff, and of course the care aids, or personal support workers (PSWs). We suspected that they played an important role, but over the course of the project it became increasingly clear the importance of those roles in making life for the residents more enjoyable, or even more tolerable.</p>
<p>Laundry and food matters to residents and their families; and the cleaning staff often have long-term and close relationships with the residents. These relationships improve the quality of residents’ lives and their physical health. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/338768/original/file-20200601-83243-1jte14r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/338768/original/file-20200601-83243-1jte14r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338768/original/file-20200601-83243-1jte14r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338768/original/file-20200601-83243-1jte14r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338768/original/file-20200601-83243-1jte14r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338768/original/file-20200601-83243-1jte14r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338768/original/file-20200601-83243-1jte14r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Martima, a Personal Support Worker with West Neighbourhood House’s Parkdale Assisted Living Program, prepares to help a resident wash in his room at Toronto’s May Robinson apartments, part of TCHC seniors housing, in Toronto, on April 17, 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>That recognition has become even more acute during the crisis in long-term care homes that has followed the COVID-19 pandemic. First, these workers are women — almost 100 per cent of PSWs, plus the majority of laundry, kitchen and cleaning staff, are women. As well, <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.12927%2Fhcpol.2017.25324">many are immigrants</a>. They are the <a href="https://thelocal.to/providing-care-barely-getting-by/">backbone of the care</a> that residents receive in these homes. When these women are not able to work because they are ill or fear being ill, care collapses — especially when families are not able to step into the breach. Many are also single mothers or are precarious in their employment, so they travel between jobs at two or three homes to earn enough income to survive.</p>
<h2>Art and space</h2>
<p>Second, incorporating <a href="https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/physical-environments-long-term-care">architecture, history and art</a> into the project provided insight into a whole other way of looking at long-term care — one that we had mostly ignored. We realized how much these aspects of homes influence the way that residents interact among themselves and with the staff.</p>
<p>Space matters. How long and wide are the corridors? How is the dining area set up — how many residents to a table? Do people always sit in the same place at every meal? And outside of meals, is there an easily accessible and safe outdoor space for residents to experience the natural world?</p>
<p>What kind of artwork and music does the home have, and does it resonate with the life experience of the residents and provide something to look at other than the ubiquitous television set?</p>
<h2>Re-thermalized on a budget of $8.33 per day</h2>
<p>We also looked at food and food service in a new way. When Bob was the director of the Dundas home in the late 1990s, the province provided $7 per resident per day for food; by 2017, that had only risen to <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/03/10/ontario-nursing-homes-feed-seniors-on-833-a-day.html">$8.33 per day</a>. That meant that the kitchen had to accommodate all the special diets (regular, minced, puréed, diabetic, renal and so on) on less money than our federal government gives to prisons to feed their prisoners.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/338766/original/file-20200601-83225-3y7gvr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/338766/original/file-20200601-83225-3y7gvr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338766/original/file-20200601-83225-3y7gvr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338766/original/file-20200601-83225-3y7gvr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338766/original/file-20200601-83225-3y7gvr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338766/original/file-20200601-83225-3y7gvr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338766/original/file-20200601-83225-3y7gvr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Food may be prepared off-site and delivered for reheating.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Unsplash)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Many homes don’t prepare their own food and don’t use locally available foods. It is trucked in and then reheated — or in the terminology of some homes, re-thermalized. Missing were the smells of food being prepared, <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/03/10/ontario-nursing-homes-feed-seniors-on-833-a-day.html">smells that are often meaningful to residents</a>. In some homes we visited, the quality of the food was wonderful, but in others it was bland and didn’t carry any appeal beyond just filling people’s stomachs.</p>
<p>Of course, with COVID-19, we have learned that every time a new worker comes into the building to deliver food or services, a new risk is introduced as well.</p>
<h2>Future directions</h2>
<p>We were struck by the <a href="https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/promising-practices-long-term-care">innovation seen in Germany</a> where there was adequate staffing, and co-operative workspaces (here we mean co-operative between the various staff positions, as well as between the staff and the residents). In Germany, one of the staff doubled as a clown, and her non-verbal way of communicating through touch and facial expressions were also lessons for Bob in working with patients with dementia. </p>
<p>The German staff were able and, in fact, encouraged, to do the work that was needed, whether that meant that RNs washed dishes or registered practical nurses combed a resident’s hair. And the residents were encouraged to help with the “chores” of the units, sweeping floors, setting tables, even cutting up the vegetables for the lunch meals! There seemed to be a much more relaxed attitude toward the hierarchy than we see in Canadian homes.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/338770/original/file-20200601-83297-19rjf36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/338770/original/file-20200601-83297-19rjf36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=438&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338770/original/file-20200601-83297-19rjf36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=438&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338770/original/file-20200601-83297-19rjf36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=438&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338770/original/file-20200601-83297-19rjf36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=551&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338770/original/file-20200601-83297-19rjf36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=551&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/338770/original/file-20200601-83297-19rjf36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=551&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A resident sits in her room at a seniors’ residence in Montréal on Jan. 30, 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For those of us doctors who are interested in changing the system, and we suspect that there are many, the project and its conclusions has given us a vocabulary to use when working for change.</p>
<p>COVID-19 has taught us how much we in Canada have to do to improve long-term care, as we cope with over-stressed staff in understaffed and aging, underfunded facilities where workers — instead of being seen as essential — are paid at minimal wages and treated as temporary staff.</p>
<p>As they say, this is a marathon rather than a sprint. We were hoping to have some reforms of the system before we need residential care ourselves since both of us are now over 70. We are no longer sure of that, but we still have hope that in the post-COVID-19 world, things might begin to change in the directions we have witnessed elsewhere.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/139763/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>In 2017-2020, Joel Lexchin received payments for being on a panel at the American Diabetes Association, for talks at the Toronto Reference Library, for writing a brief in an action for side effects of a drug for Michael F. Smith, Lawyer and a second brief on the role of promotion in generating prescriptions for Goodmans LLP and from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for presenting at a workshop on conflict-of-interest in clinical practice guidelines. He is currently a member of research groups that are receiving money from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council. He is a member of the Foundation Board of Health Action International and the Board of Canadian Doctors for Medicare. He receives royalties from University of Toronto Press and James Lorimer & Co. Ltd. for books he has written. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Robert James does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A research project may offer insight into how factors like laundry, food and art may be good places to start in addressing problems in long-term care homes.Robert James, Associate Clinical Professor, Family Medicine, McMaster UniversityJoel Lexchin, Professor Emeritus of Health Policy and Management, York University, Emergency Physician at University Health Network, Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine, University of TorontoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1320102020-04-09T20:02:40Z2020-04-09T20:02:40ZWhat a simulated Mars mission taught me about food waste<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/326719/original/file-20200409-109213-nq31dd.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2048%2C1480&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">George Frey/EPA</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As a food waste researcher, I’m interested in how humans prepare food, eat and manage leftovers. This interest is not just confined to Earth – it extends to other planets.</p>
<p>I recently spent two weeks at the Mars Desert Research Station in the US state of Utah, and experienced the intimate and challenging conditions of a Mars mission simulation. I <a href="https://mdrs.marssociety.org/crew-214/">was part of</a> a small, isolated team of four with limited choice of food, preparation and cooking options.</p>
<p>I wanted to know how these conditions would affect the food waste we generated. This research is particularly pertinent now, as COVID-19 forces people into social isolation and raises the (real or imagined) risk of food scarcity.</p>
<h2>Measuring waste</h2>
<p>According to the latest figures, in 2016-17 Australia <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/waste-resource-recovery/food-waste">produced 7.3 million tonnes of food waste</a>. And every year, <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/25e36a8c-3a9c-487c-a9cb-66ec15ba61d0/files/national-food-waste-baseline-executive-summary.pdf">each one of us sends almost 300kg of food</a> to landfill. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, an estimated 5% of Australians <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/food-insecurity-australia-what-it-who-experiences-it-and-how-can-child">experience food insecurity</a> – inadequate access to, supply of and use of food.</p>
<p>Food waste in landfill produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Tackling this is a key part of taking action on climate change. </p>
<p>The Mars Desert Research Station is run by the Mars Society, a volunteer-driven non-government organisation dedicated to the human exploration and settlement of the red planet.</p>
<p>The first agenda item of the daily team meeting each morning was developing the day’s menu. Sharing meals encouraged <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40750-017-0061-4">social cohesion</a>.</p>
<p>My research involved detailing the quantities and nutritional profile of our food waste over the fortnight, comparing inputs with the waste generated. </p>
<p>I collected data for spoilage, preparation and “plate waste” – the food served but not eaten. It was a painstaking process. For each meal, I weighed chopping boards, pots, pans, dishes and utensils containing food scraps. I then washed, dried and reweighed them. </p>
<p>I calculated <a href="https://mynutrition.wsu.edu/nutrition-basics">macronutrients</a> (the main nutrients in the food we eat) as well as micronutrients (those needed by living organisms in tiny amounts).</p>
<h2>Food: appreciated, but wasted</h2>
<p>Australian households waste around 1.325 kilograms of food <a href="https://fightfoodwastecrc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Summary-Report_final.pdf">each week</a>; our crew produced less than one-tenth of that.</p>
<p>This is not surprising as the food supplied was not perishable, being either dehydrated or tinned. Most waste (86%) was produced during preparation (for example, thick soup stuck to a pot) and 12% was left on plates.</p>
<p>The need to rehydrate food and then cook large meals suitable for sharing (such as rice and pasta) meant food was commonly left in pots and pans. They are stickier, and the food is more commonly overproduced.</p>
<p>Carbohydrates were wasted more than fats or proteins. Carbohydrates such as rice, spaghetti and flour comprised 57% of the total food supply but contributed 63% of waste. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/i-could-sow-the-seeds-of-a-new-civilisation-mars-one-hopefuls-vision-of-a-stellar-future-37777">'I could sow the seeds of a new civilisation': Mars One hopeful's vision of a stellar future</a>
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<p>This is not unusual – carbohydrates provide less nutrient density but more bulk than protein or fats, and are often cheaper. We value individual items in a meal subjectively, and sometimes consciously ensure the most valuable components are fully consumed. </p>
<p>Affluent societies, where food is assured, may not <a href="https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/emerald-publishing/reducing-food-waste-an-investigation-on-the-behaviour-of-italian-eQyk7zCWso">see reducing waste as a necessity</a>, or may value <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0159250">time saving, illness prevention, or freshness</a> over waste avoidance.</p>
<p>But <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1499404611000480">research has shown</a> less waste occurs when food availability is constrained, such as during economic downturns. But even then, some food is still wasted. </p>
<h2>Getting the results right</h2>
<p>I didn’t want my own low-waste food behaviour to influence my fellow crew members. So unlike them, I consumed a protein shake-based meal for every meal. Monotonous, but necessary to avoid skewed results.</p>
<p>But my colleagues knew I was monitoring them, and they modified their behaviour - a phenomenon known as the <a href="http://methods.sagepub.com/book/key-concepts-in-social-research/n22.xml">Hawthorne Effect</a>.</p>
<p>One crew member said he was conscious to waste less food during preparation and dining. Another said being observed liberated him to dine like he would at home, cleaning his plate entirely, rather than leaving some uneaten (a social custom in <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/empty-plate-cultural-differences_n_5807822de4b0dd54ce368d7e">some cultures</a>).</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/melbourne-wastes-200-kg-of-food-per-person-a-year-its-time-to-get-serious-60236">Melbourne wastes 200 kg of food per person a year: it's time to get serious</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The third crew member began keeping water used to rehydrate one meal, and using it to rehydrate the next meal – something he might not have done if not being observed. </p>
<p>This indicates my results probably underestimated how much food would be wasted in an unmonitored scenario.</p>
<p>It’s worth noting our crew wasn’t trained in food and nutrient waste minimisation; trained Mars astronauts may produce less waste. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/326725/original/file-20200409-188945-1pxfox9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/326725/original/file-20200409-188945-1pxfox9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/326725/original/file-20200409-188945-1pxfox9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/326725/original/file-20200409-188945-1pxfox9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/326725/original/file-20200409-188945-1pxfox9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/326725/original/file-20200409-188945-1pxfox9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/326725/original/file-20200409-188945-1pxfox9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Participants at the Mars research station wearing space suits to go outside.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">George Frey/EPA</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Know more, do better</h2>
<p>My research highlights that non-perishable food can create less waste in constrained circumstances - a finding highly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, waste is more likely when preparing meals that alter in form (such as cooking dried rice) and/or combine multiple ingredients. </p>
<p>Also, waste is generated differently due to individual human behaviour responses and our socioeconomic background. </p>
<p>These lessons are timely. Member states of the United Nations, including Australia, <a href="https://www.eu-fusions.org/index.php/14-news/242-the-un-sustainable-development-goals-set-food-waste-reduction-target">aim to halve food waste by 2030</a>. These steps can help:</p>
<p>• buy only what you need, and will use</p>
<p>• if you run a food business, divert excess consumable food to food rescue organisations and charities that feed the hungry</p>
<p>• where possible, give food waste to animals, such as backyard chooks</p>
<p>• composting food in your backyard or a community garden</p>
<p>• Allow ample time to eat, as more waste is generated during <a href="http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Food%20waste%20in%20schools%20full%20report%20.pdf">rushed mealtimes</a>.</p>
<p>Humans crave a variety and abundance of food. But self-interest should not allow us to deplete what is actually a shared, limited resource.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/before-we-colonise-mars-lets-look-to-our-problems-on-earth-87770">Before we colonise Mars, let's look to our problems on Earth</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/132010/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dianne McGrath does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Even on ‘Mars’, humans waste food. And some types of food are more likely to end up in the bin than others.Dianne McGrath, Environmental Engineering PhD candidate; sustainability and food waste expertise, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1304702020-03-03T03:22:58Z2020-03-03T03:22:58ZHow much food should my child be eating? And how can I get them to eat more healthily?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318183/original/file-20200303-18291-1ro5bmw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=44%2C67%2C4992%2C3250&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/students-outdoors-eating-lunch-selective-focus-77073568">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Children need healthy food in the right amount so they get all the nutrients needed to grow, learn and thrive. </p>
<p>The Australian dietary guidelines outline the number of <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/recommended-number-serves-children-adolescents-and">daily servings children need each day</a> from each food group, based on their sex and age: </p>
<p><iframe id="XBvmp" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/XBvmp/2/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><iframe id="Zo35s" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Zo35s/1/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>This is just a guide; your child’s needs will depend on their activity levels, but it’s good to get a sense of what you should be aiming for. </p>
<p>Keep in mind <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-sizes">serving sizes vary</a> for each of the five food groups. For example, here’s what constitutes a serve of grains:</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318182/original/file-20200302-18308-pvtzct.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318182/original/file-20200302-18308-pvtzct.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318182/original/file-20200302-18308-pvtzct.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318182/original/file-20200302-18308-pvtzct.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318182/original/file-20200302-18308-pvtzct.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=610&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318182/original/file-20200302-18308-pvtzct.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=610&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318182/original/file-20200302-18308-pvtzct.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=610&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A sandwich would equal two serves.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-sizes">NHMRC</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Choosing from five food groups sounds simple enough. But <a href="https://www.phaa.net.au/documents/item/2336">supermarkets can carry up to 30,000 products</a>. Many foods are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27427474">heavily marketed</a> and it’s rarely the healthy ones. </p>
<p>So children end up eating more junk foods and fewer fruits and vegetables than recommended. A 2011-12 survey of two to 18 year olds found 38% of children’s average total energy intake <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17356553">came from junk foods</a>. Cakes, muffins, slices, biscuits, chips, packet snacks, processed meats and sugary drinks were the main contributors.</p>
<p>In 2017-18, just <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/PrimaryMainFeatures/4364.0.55.001?OpenDocument">one in 17 children</a> aged two to 17 years ate the recommended daily serves of vegetables.</p>
<p>So how do you get kids to eat less junk and more healthy food?</p>
<h2>Say no to junk foods</h2>
<p>While young children can recognise healthy foods fairly easily, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23973928">they find it hard to know which foods</a> are energy-dense, nutrient-poor “junk” foods. </p>
<p>The foods available in your home act as a powerful signpost to your children about what to eat. When there are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29096640">unhealthy snack foods in the pantry</a> children (and adults) eat more of them. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-balanced-diet-anyway-72432">What is a balanced diet anyway?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Unfortunately, it’s hard for parents to avoid some messages their children receive around food, especially from advertising. </p>
<p>But try to ignore <a href="https://www.wcrf.org/int/blog/articles/2019/03/power-pestering">those requests</a>; eventually your child will stop asking. A survey of 7,800 children found that kids who “often” asked for items advertised on TV were <a href="http://www.ideficsstudy.eu/home.html">30% more likely to become overweight</a> during two years of follow-up.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318199/original/file-20200303-18295-1hx3dv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318199/original/file-20200303-18295-1hx3dv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318199/original/file-20200303-18295-1hx3dv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318199/original/file-20200303-18295-1hx3dv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318199/original/file-20200303-18295-1hx3dv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318199/original/file-20200303-18295-1hx3dv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318199/original/file-20200303-18295-1hx3dv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children have a good sense of what’s healthy but are less clear about unhealthy foods.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cute-preschooler-boy-has-lunch-home-1474182767">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Avoid portion distortion</h2>
<p>Keep a watch on the size of portions. Serving bigger amounts can lead to unconsciously eating more. </p>
<p>We reviewed <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24886094">portion sizes of common foods and drinks</a> that children aged two to 16 years consumed, from 1995 to 2007. </p>
<p>We found typical portion sizes for cooked meat and chicken, mixed chicken dishes, bacon and ham, fish and pizza had increased.</p>
<p>Portion sizes decreased for most dairy products, breakfast cereals, vegetables and some packaged snacks.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-do-bigger-portion-sizes-make-you-eat-more-23193">Health check: do bigger portion sizes make you eat more?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Don’t let fussy eating derail healthy eating plans</h2>
<p>It is common for children to go through a period of fussy eating with reports varying from <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31900163">one to three out of every five.</a> </p>
<p>Kids’ appetites can vary a lot, particularly among toddlers who are more likely to only eat when they are hungry, regardless of whether it is meal time or not. </p>
<p>Strategies that help children eat healthily <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13679-018-0297-8">include</a> learning by seeing what others do and having direct contact with foods through touch, taste and smell. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-tell-if-your-kids-fussy-eating-phase-is-normal-92118">How to tell if your kid's 'fussy eating' phase is normal</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Try to have set meal and snack times (breakfast, lunch and dinner and two to three snacks) and offer children foods from each of the food groups daily. If a child isn’t hungry at that time, wait until the next scheduled meal or snack and offer food then.</p>
<p>At the dinner table focus on the behaviours you want to see. Do this by praising the child who is trying the meal and tasting new foods. For example, “I love the way you tasted that eggplant”.</p>
<p>Finally, plan inexpensive meals that do not take long to prepare and that children can feed themselves, such as those on the <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/">No Money No Time</a> website.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318197/original/file-20200303-18303-11p49dm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318197/original/file-20200303-18303-11p49dm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318197/original/file-20200303-18303-11p49dm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318197/original/file-20200303-18303-11p49dm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318197/original/file-20200303-18303-11p49dm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318197/original/file-20200303-18303-11p49dm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/318197/original/file-20200303-18303-11p49dm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Encourage children to experiment with different foods.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/family-saying-grace-before-dinner-283815863">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Want more information on nutrition for kids?</h2>
<p>We have developed two free three-week Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). </p>
<ol>
<li><p><a href="https://www.edx.org/course/food-for-kids-a-parents-guide-to-encouraging-healt">Food for Kids: Discovering Healthy Eating</a> is an interactive course designed for primary school aged children. Topics include: what’s in food; how it gets digested in the body; identifying healthy food and drinks; and reducing food waste.</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.edx.org/course/food-for-kids-discovering-healthy-eating">Food for Kids: A Parent’s Guide</a> is designed for parents, teachers and everyone interested in child nutrition. Topics include: how food and drinks influence growth and development; which foods and how much are needed for children to meet nutrition guidelines; and how to develop healthy household eating habits. </p></li>
</ol>
<p><a href="https://www.edx.org/course/food-for-kids-a-parents-guide-to-encouraging-healt">Courses start</a> March 4 but you can enrol any time during the course, once it starts.</p>
<p>If you want to know how your child’s current dietary patterns rate, and are looking for some specific tips to improve their nutrition, you can do the Healthy Eating Quiz <a href="https://healthyeatingquiz.com.au/">here</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/five-things-parents-can-do-to-improve-their-childrens-eating-patterns-95370">Five things parents can do to improve their children's eating patterns</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/130470/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clare Collins is affiliated with the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, the University of Newcastle, NSW. She is an NHMRC Senior Research and Gladys M Brawn Research Fellow. She has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Meat and Livestock Australia, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation, Rijk Zwaan Australia and Greater Charitable Foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute and the ABC. She was a team member conducting systematic reviews to inform the Australian Dietary Guidelines update and the Heart Foundation evidence reviews on meat and dietary patterns.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tracy Burrows is associated with Priority research Centre of Physical Activity and Nutrition, the University of Newcastle and Affiliate to Hunter Medial research Institute. She receives funding from NHMRC as part of an Investigator grant </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kerith Duncanson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Just one in 17 Australian children eats the recommended daily serves of vegetables. But it’s tough getting kids to eat healthy foods. These tips might help.Clare Collins, Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of NewcastleKerith Duncanson, Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of NewcastleTracy Burrows, Associate Professor Nutrition and Dietetics, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1310242020-02-27T05:35:20Z2020-02-27T05:35:20ZLet’s ‘declare war on type 2 diabetes’ – Australian of the year James Muecke on why we need to cut back on sugar<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/315130/original/file-20200212-187223-qdkwir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=35%2C8%2C5955%2C3979&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/american-donuts-570984256">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Humans are physiologically hardwired to love and seek out sweet things. It’s an ancient survival mechanism that evolved to prepare our bodies for periods of fasting when food supplies were scarce. </p>
<p>Like nicotine, alcohol and other drugs, sugar activates the reward system in our brains, resulting in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31125634">the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine</a>. It feels good, so we want to do it again. </p>
<p>It can also give us solace when we’re down and can alleviate stress, as the dopamine hit counters cortisol, a stress hormone which is released during anxious times. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fact-or-fiction-is-sugar-addictive-73340">Fact or fiction – is sugar addictive?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The problem is, the more sugar we ingest, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31125634">the more we need</a> to make us feel good. It’s a vicious cycle that’s hard to break.</p>
<p>Excessive and sustained sugar consumption increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a metabolic disorder where the body can’t maintain healthy levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. </p>
<p>Globally, the number of adults with type 2 diabetes, which is related to diet and lifestyle, has <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes">quadrupled over the past 40 years</a>. In 2017-18, <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4364.0.55.001%7E2017-18%7EMain%20Features%7EDiabetes%20mellitus%7E50">one million Australians had type 2 diabetes</a> and many more were at <a href="https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/what-is-diabetes">risk of developing the condition</a>. </p>
<p>It’s not impossible to cut down on sugar. Some strategies require change on a personal level, while others must be taken on by industry and governments. </p>
<h2>Personal strategies</h2>
<p>At the personal level, it’s a matter of slowly winding down our addiction. Going cold turkey would be incredibly difficult, given <a href="https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/37/4/950">75% of our food and drinks have added sugar</a>.</p>
<p>I started omitting the obvious products loaded with sugar – soft drinks, fruit juices, dried fruit, chocolate, candy, ice cream, cakes and sweet biscuits. I stopped sprinkling sugar on my cereal and stirring it into my tea and coffee.</p>
<p>Even these simple strategies gave me <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-what-happens-to-your-brain-when-you-give-up-sugar-for-lent-37745">withdrawal symptoms</a> such as irritability, headache, sluggish thoughts, and fatigue, which began on the very first day. These symptoms and the cravings were unpleasant but only lasted three days. </p>
<p>Progressing to the next level might include cutting out commercially produced foods that contain excessive amounts of added sugar such as jams, condiments, and most breakfast cereals.</p>
<p>It might also mean cutting out or down on heavily processed products that contain refined carbohydrates such as white flour (white bread, pastries and pasta), white rice, and white potatoes (especially fries and crisps). Such carbs are broken down to glucose in the gut, and are really just another form of sugar consumption.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/317211/original/file-20200225-24651-3xxbmy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/317211/original/file-20200225-24651-3xxbmy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317211/original/file-20200225-24651-3xxbmy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317211/original/file-20200225-24651-3xxbmy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317211/original/file-20200225-24651-3xxbmy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317211/original/file-20200225-24651-3xxbmy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317211/original/file-20200225-24651-3xxbmy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Is it time to cut back on jams and sugary spreads?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-young-caucasian-man-wearing-casual-1243183228">Shutterstock</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>It helps to be aware of the times we’re consuming sugar out of habit, such as eating a bag of sugary treats at the movies or a block of chocolate in front of the TV, or using sugar as a reward for a job well done. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/if-sugar-is-so-bad-for-us-why-is-the-sugar-in-fruit-ok-89958">If sugar is so bad for us, why is the sugar in fruit OK?</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>It’s also important to be aware of those times when we’re using sugar to make us feel better or alleviate stress. The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31125634">brain doesn’t care where it gets its feel-good chemicals</a> from, so try going for a walk, run or cycle, listen to your favourite music playlist, or try doing a good deed instead. </p>
<h2>Government response</h2>
<p>From a public health perspective, the government must play a pivotal role in helping Australians cut down on sugar. </p>
<p>Strategies at the government level should be aimed at accessibility, addition and advertising.</p>
<p>Making sweet products less obvious and accessible in supermarkets, delicatessens, post offices and service stations would be a good start. Moving them away from check-out counters means those reflex purchases are less likely to happen. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/317216/original/file-20200225-24694-1tz0qbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/317216/original/file-20200225-24694-1tz0qbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317216/original/file-20200225-24694-1tz0qbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317216/original/file-20200225-24694-1tz0qbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317216/original/file-20200225-24694-1tz0qbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317216/original/file-20200225-24694-1tz0qbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317216/original/file-20200225-24694-1tz0qbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Lollies and chocolates should be moved away from supermarket checkouts.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cash-desk-cashier-serving-customers-supermarket-273291662">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Second, we need a levy (or a tax) on products containing high levels of added sugar, particularly on sugar-sweetened drinks. There is <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-believe-the-myths-taxing-sugary-drinks-makes-us-drink-less-of-it-130694">strong evidence</a> a tax on such drinks would reduce consumption and <a href="https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2019/09/18/dc19-0734">result in a decline in type 2 diabetes</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-believe-the-myths-taxing-sugary-drinks-makes-us-drink-less-of-it-130694">Don't believe the myths – taxing sugary drinks makes us drink less of it</a>
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</em>
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<hr>
<p>Third, a more transparent system for labelling of the added sugar content of products should be implemented. The current health star rating system is only voluntary and is in need of reform. </p>
<p>Fourth, advertising time and space for sugary products should be restricted, as we have done for cigarettes, starting with ads targeting children on TV and social media.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/317206/original/file-20200225-24672-1d20gak.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/317206/original/file-20200225-24672-1d20gak.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317206/original/file-20200225-24672-1d20gak.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317206/original/file-20200225-24672-1d20gak.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317206/original/file-20200225-24672-1d20gak.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317206/original/file-20200225-24672-1d20gak.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/317206/original/file-20200225-24672-1d20gak.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Kids shouldn’t be exposed to ads for sugary foods.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/little-cute-girl-watching-tv-250881613">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Fifth, powerful and hard-hitting awareness campaigns should be introduced, as we have done for cigarettes. Who could forget those graphic TV adds of tar being poured over lungs or fat being squeezed out of an artery?</p>
<p>Finally, we need a multi-disciplinary think tank to raise awareness about the health dangers of sugar. Such a body could engage endocrinologists (medical doctors who treat diabetes), public health physicians, neuroscientists, nutritionists, marketers, PR experts, and government representatives to deliver clear and united messages. </p>
<p>The sugar industry and the food and beverage industries will need to be included in discussions about reform, but we can’t let commercial interests stop us from acting. </p>
<p>Type 2 diabetes is a growing epidemic and one of the nation’s biggest health challenges. It’s time for Australia to declare war on type 2 diabetes.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/abc-four-corners-five-articles-to-get-you-informed-on-sugar-and-big-sugars-role-in-food-policy-95775">ABC Four Corners: five articles to get you informed on sugar and Big Sugar's role in food policy</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/131024/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>James Muecke does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>We’re hardwired to love sweet things, but too much sugar is leading to an increase in type 2 diabetes. Here’s what individuals and policymakers can do cut our collective sugar intake.James Muecke, Clinical senior lecturer in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of AdelaideLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1306942020-01-30T03:52:32Z2020-01-30T03:52:32ZDon’t believe the myths – taxing sugary drinks makes us drink less of it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312710/original/file-20200130-154354-gk17rc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C17%2C3988%2C2676&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">2020 Australian of the Year James Muecke has called for a tax on sugary drinks – and the evidence is behind him.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/melbourne-vicaustraliaaugust-18th-2018-variety-soft-1417058798">Shuang Li/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>This year’s Australian of the Year, Dr James Muecke, is an eye specialist with a clear vision. He wants to <a href="https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/news-and-media/media-releases/article/?id=2020-australian-of-the-year-awards-announced">change the way the world looks at sugar</a> and the debilitating consequences of diabetes, which include blindness. </p>
<p>Muecke is pushing for Scott Morrison’s government to enact a tax on sugary drinks to help make that a reality. </p>
<p>Such a tax would increase the price of soft drinks, juices and other sugary drinks by around 20%. The money raised could be used to fund health promotion programs around the country.</p>
<p>The evidence backing his calls is strong. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-sugary-drinks-tax-could-recoup-some-of-the-costs-of-obesity-while-preventing-it-69052">A sugary drinks tax could recoup some of the costs of obesity while preventing it</a>
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<h2>Taxes on sugary drinks work</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.obesityevidencehub.org.au/collections/prevention/countries-that-have-implemented-taxes-on-sugar-sweetened-beverages-ssbs">Several governments</a> around the world have adopted taxes on sugary drinks in recent years. The evidence is clear: they work.</p>
<p>Last year, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.12868">a summary of 17 studies</a> found health taxes on sugary drinks implemented in Berkeley and other places in the United States, Mexico, Chile, France and Spain reduced both purchases and consumption of sugary drinks. </p>
<p>Reliable <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.12868">evidence</a> from around the world tells us a 10% tax reduces sugary drink intakes by around 10%.</p>
<p>The United Kingdom soft drink tax has also been making <a href="https://theconversation.com/sugary-drinks-tax-is-working-now-its-time-to-target-cakes-biscuits-and-snacks-124325">headlines</a> recently. Since its introduction, the amount of sugar in drinks has decreased by almost <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sugar-reduction-progress-between-2015-and-2018">30%</a>, and six out of ten leading drink companies have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-019-1477-4">dropped the sugar content</a> of more than 50% of their drinks.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/sugary-drinks-tax-is-working-now-its-time-to-target-cakes-biscuits-and-snacks-124325">Sugary drinks tax is working – now it's time to target cakes, biscuits and snacks</a>
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</em>
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<p>In Australia, modelling studies have shown a 20% health tax on sugary drinks is likely to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002326">save almost A$2 billion in healthcare costs</a> over the lifetime of the population by preventing diet-related diseases like diabetes, heart disease and several cancers. </p>
<p>This is over and above the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cky087">cost benefits</a> of preventing dental health issues linked to consumption of sugary drinks.</p>
<p>Most of the health benefits (nearly 50%) would occur among those living in the lowest socioeconomic circumstances. </p>
<p>A 20% health tax on sugary drinks would also <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002326">raise over A$600 million</a> to invest back into the health of Australians. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312726/original/file-20200130-41554-1lwq00w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312726/original/file-20200130-41554-1lwq00w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312726/original/file-20200130-41554-1lwq00w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312726/original/file-20200130-41554-1lwq00w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312726/original/file-20200130-41554-1lwq00w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312726/original/file-20200130-41554-1lwq00w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312726/original/file-20200130-41554-1lwq00w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">After sugar taxes are introduced, people tend to switch from sugar drinks to other product lines, such as bottled water and artificially sweetened drinks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/pretty-young-woman-buying-groceries-supermarketmallgrocery-229037452">l i g h t p o e t/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>So what’s the problem?</h2>
<p>The soft drink industry uses <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1753-6405.12639">every trick in the book</a> to try to convince politicians a tax on sugary drinks is bad policy. </p>
<p>Here are our responses to some <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980017003330">common arguments against</a> these taxes: </p>
<p><strong>Myth 1: Sugary drink taxes unfairly disadvantage the poor</strong> </p>
<p>It’s true people on lower incomes would feel the pinch from higher prices on sugary drinks. A 20% tax on sugary drinks in Australia would cost people from low socioeconomic households about <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002326">A$35 extra per year</a>. But this is just A$4 <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/impact-of-a-tax-on-sugarsweetened-beverages-according-to-socioeconomic-position-a-systematic-review-of-the-evidence/587CFDC392441741771A93E7F652E222">higher</a> than the cost to the wealthiest households.</p>
<p>Importantly, poorer households are <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/impact-of-a-tax-on-sugarsweetened-beverages-according-to-socioeconomic-position-a-systematic-review-of-the-evidence/587CFDC392441741771A93E7F652E222">likely</a> to get the biggest health benefits and long-term health care savings. </p>
<p>What’s more, the money raised from the tax could be targeted towards reducing health inequalities. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-sugary-drinks-tax-could-prevent-thousands-of-heart-attacks-and-strokes-and-save-1-600-lives-56439">Australian sugary drinks tax could prevent thousands of heart attacks and strokes and save 1,600 lives</a>
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<p><strong>Myth 2: Sugary drink taxes would result in job losses</strong></p>
<p>Multiple studies have shown <a href="https://www.obesityevidencehub.org.au/collections/prevention/arguments-against-an-ssb-tax-in-australia">no job losses</a> resulted from taxes on sugar drinks in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.09.001">Mexico</a> and the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213218">United States</a>. </p>
<p>This is in contrast to some <a href="https://www.britishsoftdrinks.com/write/MediaUploads/Publications/The_Economic_Impact_of_the_Soft_Drinks_Levy.pdf">industry-sponsored studies</a> that try to make the <a href="https://theconversation.com/case-against-soft-drink-levy-is-sugar-coated-66067">case otherwise</a>.</p>
<p>In Australia, job losses from such a tax are likely to be <a href="https://www.obesityevidencehub.org.au/collections/prevention/arguments-against-an-ssb-tax-in-australia">minimal</a>. The total demand for drinks by Australian manufacturers is unlikely to change substantially because consumers would likely switch from sugary drinks to other product lines, such as bottled water and artificially sweetened drinks. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312724/original/file-20200130-41495-1khzec2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312724/original/file-20200130-41495-1khzec2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312724/original/file-20200130-41495-1khzec2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312724/original/file-20200130-41495-1khzec2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312724/original/file-20200130-41495-1khzec2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312724/original/file-20200130-41495-1khzec2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312724/original/file-20200130-41495-1khzec2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A tax on sugary drinks is unlikely to cost jobs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-drinking-cola-617854511">Successo images/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Despite industry <a href="http://www.acfa.com.au/industry-opposes-amas-sugar-tax-news-mail/">protestations</a>, an Australian tax would have minimal impact on sugar farmers. This is because 80% of our locally grown sugar is <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/a-sugary-drinks-tax-recovering-the-community-costs/">exported</a>. Only a small amount of Australian sugar goes to sugary drinks, and the expected 1% drop in demand would be traded elsewhere. </p>
<p><strong>Myth 3: People don’t support health taxes on sugary drinks</strong></p>
<p>There is <a href="https://www.obesityevidencehub.org.au/collections/prevention/the-case-for-a-tax-on-sweetened-sugary-drinks#cite1362">widespread support</a> for a tax on sugary drinks from major health and consumer groups in Australia.</p>
<p>In addition, a national survey conducted in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31248926">2017</a> showed 77% of Australians supported a tax on sugary drinks, if the proceeds were used to fund obesity prevention. </p>
<p><strong>Myth 4: People will just swap to other unhealthy products, so a tax is useless</strong></p>
<p>Taxes, or levies, can be designed to avoid substitution to unhealthy products by covering a broad range of sugary drink options, including soft drinks, energy drinks and sports drinks. </p>
<p>There is also evidence that shows people <a href="https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.117.251892">switch to water</a> in response to sugary drinks taxes. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/sweet-power-the-politics-of-sugar-sugary-drinks-and-poor-nutrition-in-australia-95873">Sweet power: the politics of sugar, sugary drinks and poor nutrition in Australia</a>
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<p><strong>Myth 5: There’s no evidence sugary drink taxes reduce obesity or diabetes</strong></p>
<p>Because of the multiple drivers of obesity, it’s difficult to isolate the impact of a single measure. Indeed, we need a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980018003324">comprehensive policy approach</a> to address the problem. That’s why Dr Muecke is calling for a tax on sugary drinks alongside improved food labelling and marketing regulations. </p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cRl06PNn8xE?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
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<h2>Towards better food policies</h2>
<p>The Morrison government has previously and repeatedly <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/health-minister-rebuffs-sugar-tax-calls/news-story/fc89cd403d68e6c931ae5edbd78bd18f">rejected</a> pushes for a tax on sugary drinks. </p>
<p>But Australian governments are currently developing a <a href="https://consultations.health.gov.au/population-health-and-sport-division/national-obesity-strategy/">National Obesity Strategy</a>, making it the ideal time to revisit this issue. </p>
<p>We need to stop letting myths get in the way of evidence-backed health policies. Let’s listen to Dr Muecke – he who knows all too well the devastating effects of products packed full of sugar.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/130694/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gary Sacks receives funding from the National Heart Foundation of Australia, National Health and Medical Research Council and VicHealth. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christina Zorbas receives funding from the Australian Government Research Training Program, The Cancer Council Victoria and VicHealth. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kathryn Backholer receives funding from the National Heart Foundation of Australia, The Cancer Council Victoria and VicHealth</span></em></p>Myths that taxes on sugary drinks unfairly disadvantage the poor and will result in job losses don’t hold up. Here’s what the evidence says.Gary Sacks, Associate Professor, Deakin UniversityChristina Zorbas, PhD Candidate, Deakin UniversityKathryn Backholer, Senior research fellow, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1233642020-01-29T03:01:15Z2020-01-29T03:01:15ZHad constipation? Here are 4 things to help treat it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312186/original/file-20200128-81395-ge8ymf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Medications, being out of your routine and not getting enough exercise can all cause constipation.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mans-hand-he-holds-roll-toilet-1435142270">Seasontime/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Chronic constipation is incredibly common. Around <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30364088">one in four people</a> worldwide report symptoms, while in Australia and New Zealand, it’s around <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18269746">one in seven</a>. </p>
<p>Lots of things can trigger <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/constipation">constipation</a>: being out of your usual routine (think holidays, illness or injury), <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31292358">having a low fibre intake, not drinking enough water</a> and <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/common-causes-of-constipation">inactivity</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29382180">Certain medications</a> can also cause constipation including iron supplements, painkillers, diuretics (to help you get rid of sodium and water), and other drugs to treat heart disease, mental health conditions and allergies. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-causes-constipation-114290">Health Check: what causes constipation?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Constipation is more common in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16342852">older adults</a> and in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10805262">women</a>, due to hormonal changes that slow bowel motility – the time it takes for your body to digest food and expel the waste products (stools or bowel motions). <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25803402">Pregnant</a> women are particularly prone to constipation. </p>
<h2>How do you know you’re constipated?</h2>
<p>Symptoms include:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://www.continence.org.au/pages/bristol-stool-chart.html">lumpy or hard stools</a><br></li>
<li>feeling that your bowels haven’t emptied completely or your <a href="https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/picture-of-the-anus#1">anus</a> is blocked </li>
<li>straining to pass a bowel motion</li>
<li>manipulating your body position to try and pass a bowel motion</li>
<li>having fewer than three bowel motions per week.</li>
</ol>
<p>If over a three-month period you answer yes to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30364088">two or more of these symptoms</a> most weeks, then you have “constipation”. </p>
<p>The good news is it can be treated and then prevented. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312377/original/file-20200129-93007-1k732ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Women are more likely to become constipated than men because they experience more horomonal changes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sign-toilet-wc-175899578">Kongsak/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If your bowels are so packed you can’t pass any bowel motions at all, see your GP. You may need treatment with specific laxatives to clear your bowels before you can start on a prevention plan. </p>
<p>Here are four things that research shows improve bowel function, which refers to the time it takes for food to move through your digestive system and be expelled as a bowel motion (called gut transit time), the frequency and volume of bowel motions, and stool consistency.</p>
<h2>1. High-fibre foods</h2>
<p>Dietary fibres are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28676135">complex carbohydrates that aren’t digested or absorbed</a> in the gut. </p>
<p>Different types of dietary fibres improve bowel function through the following processes:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>the fermentation of fibre in the colon produces water and other molecules. These make stools <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27170558">softer and easier to pass</a></p></li>
<li><p>absorption of water into stools stimulates the gut to contract and makes bowel motions softer</p></li>
<li><p>a higher fibre intake creates bigger stools, which pass more quickly, resulting in more regular bowel motions.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-are-you-eating-the-right-sorts-of-fibre-20089">Health Check: are you eating the right sorts of fibre?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>A good source of fibre is psyllium. It forms a viscous gel, which gets fermented in the colon, leading to softer bowel motions. Psyllium is the main ingredient in Metamucil, which is commonly used to treat constipation. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312188/original/file-20200128-81336-9yh27q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Psyllium is a type of fibre that helps soften bowel motions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/heap-psyllium-husk-wooden-spoon-bowl-1303334332">Shawn Hempel/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A review <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31764399">comparing the effect of psyllium to wheat bran</a> in people with chronic constipation found psyllium was 3.4 times more effective at increasing the amount of stool passed. </p>
<p>This is important because having a bigger bowel motion waiting in the colon to be passed sends signals to your gut that it’s time to expel the stool – and it helps the gut contract to do just that.</p>
<p>The review found <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31764399">both psyllium and coarse wheat bran had a stool-softening effect</a>, but finely ground wheat bran had a stool-hardening effect. </p>
<p>Other foods rich in fermentable carbohydrates include dark rye bread and <a href="https://daa.asn.au/smart-eating-for-you/smart-eating-fast-facts/food-and-food-products/legumes-what-are-they-and-how-can-i-use-them/">legumes</a> (chickpeas, lentils, four-bean mix, red kidney beans, baked beans); while <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/how-much-fibre-should-i-be-eating">wholemeal and wholegrain breads</a> and cereals are high in different types of dietary fibres.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/multigrain-wholegrain-wholemeal-whats-the-difference-and-which-bread-is-best-89538">Multigrain, wholegrain, wholemeal: what's the difference and which bread is best?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>2. Kiwi fruit</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30706488">Kiwi fruit fibre</a> absorbs about three times its weight in water. This means it helps make stools softer and boosts volume by increasing the amount of water retained in bowel motions. This stimulates the gut to contract and moves the bowel motions along the gut to the anus. </p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12074185">study of 38 healthy older adults</a>, researchers found adding two to three kiwi fruit per day to their diets for three weeks resulted in participants passing bowel motions more often. It also increased the size of their stools and made them softer and easier to pass. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312189/original/file-20200128-81341-8njfqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Kiwi fruit can help you go to the loo more regularly.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fresh-kiwi-fruit-background-556378681">Nitr/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Kiwi fruit are also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30706488">rich in the complex carbohydrate inulin</a> a type of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fructan">fructan</a>. Fructans are a <em>prebiotic</em> fibre, meaning they encourage growth of healthy bacteria in the colon.</p>
<p>But fructans can also <a href="https://www.monashfodmap.com/ibs-central/i-have-ibs/">aggravate symptoms in some people with irritable bowel syndrome</a> (IBS). If you have IBS and constipation, check in with your GP before upping your fructan intake.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-irritable-bowel-syndrome-and-what-can-i-do-about-it-102579">Explainer: what is irritable bowel syndrome and what can I do about it?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>If you don’t like kiwi fruit, other <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17625872">vegetables and fruit high in fructans</a> include spring onion, artichoke, shallots, leek, onion (brown, white and Spanish), beetroot, Brussels sprouts, white peaches, watermelon, honeydew melon and nectarines.</p>
<h2>3. Prunes</h2>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prune">Prunes</a> are dried plums. They contain a large amount of sorbitol, a complex carbohydrate that passes undigested into the colon where bacteria ferment it. This produces gas and water, which triggers an increase in bowel movements. </p>
<p>Eating prunes is even more effective than psyllium in improving stool frequency and consistency. </p>
<p>One study of adults with constipation compared <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25109788">eating 100 grams (about ten) prunes</a> a day for three weeks to those who ate psyllium. The prune group passed an average of 3.5 separate bowel motions per week compared to 2.8 in the psyllium group. </p>
<p>The prune group’s stools were also softer. They rated, on average, 3.2 on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_stool_scale">Bristol stool chart</a> compared to 2.8 for the psyllium group, meaning their bowel motions were more toward smooth to cracked sausage-shaped motions rather than lumpy ones. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=764&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=764&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=764&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=960&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=960&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/141158/original/image-20161011-3909-p1j1kp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=960&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Conversation</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If you don’t like prunes, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19765364">other foods that contain sorbitol</a> include apples, pears, cherries, apricots, plums and “sugar-free” chewing gum and “sugar-free” lollies.</p>
<h2>4. Water</h2>
<p>Not drinking enough water is the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27933718">strongest predictor of constipation</a>. When your body is a bit dehydrated, there’s less water for the fibre in your colon to absorb, meaning your bowel motions also become dehydrated and harder to pass. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27933718">Aim for</a> around 1.5 to two litres of fluid per day, which can include liquids such as tea, coffee, soup, juice, and even jelly and the liquid from stewed fruit. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-your-pee-and-poo-colour-says-about-your-health-59516">Health Check: what your pee and poo colour says about your health</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Putting it all together</h2>
<p>Start by increasing the amount of water or other liquids you drink. You should be drinking enough that your urine is the colour of straw. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/312190/original/file-20200128-81346-rfkj9r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Aim for two litres of water a day.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/glass-jug-fresh-water-on-wooden-1212018088">Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Next, add in psyllium. Start with a tablespoon once a day with breakfast cereal. </p>
<p>Psyllium forms a gel as soon as it comes into contact with liquids so to make psyllium more palatable, mix it with a small amount of stewed fruit or yoghurt and eat it straight away. If needed, increase psyllium to twice a day. </p>
<p>At least once a day, have some prunes (either dried or canned) or kiwi fruit and a variety of other foods high in fibre, fructans, sorbitol and fermentable carbohydrate. </p>
<p>If your bowel habits don’t improve, see your GP.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/123364/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clare Collins is affiliated with the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, the University of Newcastle, NSW. She is an NHMRC Senior Research and Gladys M Brawn Research Fellow. She has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Meat and Livestock Australia, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation, Rijk Zwaan Australia and Greater Charitable Foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute and the ABC. She was a team member conducting systematic reviews to inform the Australian Dietary Guidelines update and the Heart Foundation evidence reviews on meat and dietary patterns.</span></em></p>One in seven Australians report symptoms of constipation, which might include hard stools, straining to poo, or having fewer than three bowel motions a week. These four things can help.Clare Collins, Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1209752019-12-02T18:13:14Z2019-12-02T18:13:14ZWhy is my poo green?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304599/original/file-20191202-156112-1jujxsa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Strange coloured poo is usually due to the food we've eaten, medication we've taken, or the processes involved in breaking down what we ingest.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-looking-toilet-bowl-424455349">Nomad_Soul/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s happened to many of us at some point in our lives: we finish our bowel movement, look down in the bowl and have a moment of panic when we see an unusual colour. </p>
<p>Poo can be found in many colours other than brown, with green poo often eliciting concern. But it’s surprisingly common and is usually no reason to be alarmed. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/do-we-have-to-poo-every-day-we-asked-five-experts-98701">Do we have to poo every day? We asked five experts</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Why poo is usually brown</h2>
<p>The brown colour of poo initially comes from the red of blood. Haemoglobin is the red protein in blood that transports oxygen around the body. It’s eventually broken down into a substance called bilirubin. </p>
<p>In the liver, bilirubin is used to form bile and is released into the small bowel to help digest food. Bile then passes into the colon and the bilirubin is broken down by bacteria. </p>
<p>The final stage in the process is the addition of a substance called stercobilin, which gives poo its brown colour. </p>
<p>All shades of brown are considered normal. </p>
<h2>Green poo in adults</h2>
<p>Stool colour is very heavily influenced by the substances in the gut that digest food and what you eat. </p>
<p>Green stools contain <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2305176">significantly more bile acids</a> than brown stools. If food is moving through the bowel very quickly – if you have diarrhoea, for instance – there isn’t enough time for the green bile to break down completely, giving stools a green colour.</p>
<p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2004.tb09947.x">Green leafy vegetables</a> such as spinach and lettuce contain large amounts of chlorophyll (green pigment) bound to magnesium. This can lead to stools turning green. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304600/original/file-20191202-156103-13mp0rm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sometimes it comes down to what you ate.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fresh-green-baby-spinach-leaves-background-583556305">Natali Zakharova/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Some green food dyes such as <a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Natural-green-3">natural green 3</a> contain chlorophyll (green pigment) bound to copper which can <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/98/25/14601">turn stools a dark green</a>. </p>
<h2>Why do babies have green poo?</h2>
<p>A newborn’s first stool, called meconium, is very often dark green. </p>
<p><a href="https://fn.bmj.com/content/97/6/F465.long">Green stools in formula-fed infants</a> are often due to formulas containing <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3876420">high amounts of iron</a>. </p>
<p>But even for breastfed infants it’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12318490">normal</a> to have yellow-green or green poo. </p>
<p>In fact, it’s normal for babies’ poo to be many different colours. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/col.21919">One study</a> found pale stools were caused by partially digested milk fats, yellow stools were due to stercobilin (which is also involved in making poo brown) and other similar compounds, and dark stools due to bilirubin or the presence of meconium. </p>
<h2>What about other colours of poo?</h2>
<p><strong>Blue</strong></p>
<p>Some food dyes, food additives and naturally occurring colours are unable to be completely broken down in the gut and this can distinctly colour poo. Children who have consumed a lot of blue-coloured drinks, for instance, often poo blue. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-how-does-my-tummy-turn-food-into-poo-110353">Curious Kids: how does my tummy turn food into poo?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Blueberries can also turn poo blue because of a type of antioxidant called anthrocyanin. Most anthrocyanins in blue berries are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/03602532.2014.978080">broken down</a> by the time they reach the colon, so kids with blue poo will either have consumed quite a lot or the berries are moving quickly through the gut.</p>
<p>Children with diarrhoea have a very rapid gut transit and stools often come out the same colour as the food that went in. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304601/original/file-20191202-156082-1esvchl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Eating lots of blueberries can turn poo blue.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/kid-holding-blueberries-hands-318208460">Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>Orange</strong></p>
<p>Orange stools can be due to beta carotene, a compound found in particular vegetables such as carrots and butternut pumpkin. </p>
<p>Poo can also be <a href="https://health.ucsd.edu/news/features/Pages/2018-05-11-listicle-what-color-is-your-poop.aspx">orange</a> because of the effects of antacids containing aluminium hydroxide, a naturally occurring salt.</p>
<p><strong>Yellow</strong></p>
<p>Yellow-coloured poo is often normal but a greasy, foul-smelling yellow stool that floats on the toilet water can mean it contains an excess of fat.</p>
<p>Occasionally, this can arise from conditions such as undiagnosed coeliac disease, where the immune system reacts abnormally to gluten and the small bowel doesn’t properly absorb fat. </p>
<p><strong>Pale, cream or clay-cloured</strong></p>
<p>Abnormally pale or clay-coloured stools can indicate a blockage of bile from the liver to the small intestine. This means it doesn’t go through the last stage of getting its brown colour, through the addition of stercobilin. This results in poo having a very distinct pale cream appearance. </p>
<p><a href="https://adc.bmj.com/content/archdischild/52/5/360.full.pdf">One in 14,000 Australian babies</a> are born with a condition called biliary atresia, where the bile ducts outside and inside the liver are scarred and blocked. Bile is unable to flow out of the liver, which can lead to liver scarring. Biliary atresia can be treated with surgery but early diagnosis is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22933100">important</a>.</p>
<p>Pale coloured poo may also indicate the presence of an intestinal <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19825279#">parasite</a> or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6013661/">bacteria</a>. </p>
<p><strong>Red</strong></p>
<p>Red poo could be due to red food colouring, tomato juice and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/713000">beetroot</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/304602/original/file-20191202-156112-eqvme7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Last night’s beetroot salad could be to blame.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/beet-salad-213335788">Gayvoronskaya_Yana/Shtterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, bright red blood in the poo usually means internal bleeding from the bowel. </p>
<p>Causes of red blood in the poo can include conditions such as haemorrhoids and anal fissures (small, thin tears) but may be the sign of a more sinister bowel cancer. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/your-poo-is-mostly-alive-heres-whats-in-it-102848">Your poo is (mostly) alive. Here's what's in it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Black</strong></p>
<p>There can be a number of harmless causes for black poo such as eating black licorice.</p>
<p>Medications are another reason. Iron tablets and many antibiotics can turn poo black. (Antibiotics are also known to turn poo into <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736790/">different shades</a> of green, white, pink and orange.) </p>
<p>Black, tar-like poo can indicate bleeding from higher up in the digestive tract, such as from an oesophageal or stomach ulcer. </p>
<h2>Should you be worried?</h2>
<p>Changes to the colour of your poo are usually temporary. Getting rid of the culprit – by finishing the medication or removing the responsible food from the diet, for instance – should be able to return poo colour to its normal shade of brown. </p>
<p>If the odd colour persists, it may signify an underlying medical condition and warrant further investigation. </p>
<p>Black, red and very pale poo are the more concerning colours and should be checked out by your GP.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120975/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Vincent Ho does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Poo can come in a range of colours, including green. Most of the time there’s nothing to worry about, but there are a few signs it’s time to see your GP.Vincent Ho, Senior Lecturer and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1237552019-10-08T18:58:14Z2019-10-08T18:58:14ZNo, serving sizes on food labels don’t tell us how much we should eat<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295918/original/file-20191007-121056-1rczji9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Standard serving sizes are anything but standard.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/content/n55_australian_dietary_guidelines.pdf">Australian Guide to Healthy Eating</a> sets out how much we should eat from each of the food groups. If we eat the recommended number of “standard serves” from each food group for our age and sex, it puts us in a good position to have a healthy, balanced diet. </p>
<p>But what is a <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-sizes">standard serve</a>? And does it match what’s on our food labels?</p>
<h2>Standard serves</h2>
<p>Despite the name, standard serves are not very standard, even in the <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/content/n55_australian_dietary_guidelines.pdf">Australian Guide to Healthy Eating</a>. Serves can be described by energy (kilojoules or kJ for short) contained in a serve, units of food such as “one medium apple”, or “one slice of bread”, by weight, or by volumes like a cup. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/food-as-medicine-why-do-we-need-to-eat-so-many-vegetables-and-what-does-a-serve-actually-look-like-76149">Food as medicine: why do we need to eat so many vegetables and what does a serve actually look like?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-sizes">A “serve”</a> is also different between each of the food groups and even within the food groups.</p>
<p>One serve of grains is about 500kJ. That’s one English muffin but only half a bread roll. Or it could be half a cup of porridge, one-quarter of a cup of muesli, or three-quarters of a cup of wheat cereal flakes. </p>
<p>One serve of dairy is 500-600kJ, which could be one cup of milk, but is only three-quarters of a cup of yoghurt, or a half cup of ricotta cheese. Hard cheeses are defined by slices, with two slices to a serve, assuming each slice is about 20g. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295929/original/file-20191008-128705-npf3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295929/original/file-20191008-128705-npf3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295929/original/file-20191008-128705-npf3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=704&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295929/original/file-20191008-128705-npf3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=704&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295929/original/file-20191008-128705-npf3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=704&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295929/original/file-20191008-128705-npf3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=884&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295929/original/file-20191008-128705-npf3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=884&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295929/original/file-20191008-128705-npf3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=884&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Australia’s Guide to Healthy Eating outlines the number of serves we need each day to stay healthy.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/content/The%20Guidelines/n55g_adult_brochure.pdf">eatforhealth.gov.au</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Serves on food labels</h2>
<p>Nearly all packaged foods in Australia have nutrition information panels. These include information meant to help us make better food choices. </p>
<p>The exact information depends on the food. But they have to at least include how much energy (kJ), protein, fat (total and saturated), carbohydrates (total and sugars) and salt (sodium) is in the product. These contents are always listed twice, per 100g (100mL for liquids) and <em>per serving</em>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295920/original/file-20191007-121060-1i5byfh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295920/original/file-20191007-121060-1i5byfh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295920/original/file-20191007-121060-1i5byfh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295920/original/file-20191007-121060-1i5byfh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295920/original/file-20191007-121060-1i5byfh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295920/original/file-20191007-121060-1i5byfh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295920/original/file-20191007-121060-1i5byfh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The manufacturer sets the food label’s serving size.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/confirm/1480983944?size=huge_jpg">Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But the serving on the label has nothing to do with the standard serves in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. The serving size on the label is not a recommendation on how much you should eat – it is decided by the manufacturer. It’s based on how much they expect a person to typically eat, or the unit size the product is eaten in. </p>
<p>This could be <em>very</em> different to a standard serve. For example, the labelled serving size on a chocolate bar might be “one bar” – 53g of chocolate containing 1,020kJ. But the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating says a serve is <a href="https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/nhsc-guidelines%7Eaus-guide-healthy-eating">half a small bar</a> (25g) or about 600kJ, and it’s recommended we limit discretionary food (junk food) to <a href="https://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/resource/australian-dietary-guidelines-standard-serves">one serve per day</a>.</p>
<h2>Comparing serving sizes between brand and package sizes</h2>
<p>In Australia, there are no rules about how these serving sizes are set. A serving might not be the same in similar products, or in different brands of the same product. </p>
<p>This can make products hard to compare. The serving size of a soy sauce in one brand, for example, could be one-tenth of a soy sauce made by another company. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fat-free-and-100-natural-seven-food-labelling-tricks-exposed-25143">Fat free and 100% natural: seven food labelling tricks exposed</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>To add to the confusion, a serving also doesn’t necessarily reflect portion size: how much a person consumes in a meal or sitting.</p>
<p>A 250g packet of microwave white rice, for example, might be labelled as having two 125g servings. This is because the manufacturer expects it to serve two people. But one of those labelled servings is almost two standard serves of grains.</p>
<p>To make it even more confusing, in the same brand of rice, a 450g family pack could be labelled as having four serves, with each serve 112g. That’s 10% smaller than the serving size in the smaller packet. But it assumes a family of four could split the pack between them in a meal. So, in this package, one labelled serving size would be the equivalent of about 1.7 standard serves of grains. </p>
<h2>How serves on labels impact our food choices</h2>
<p>Even though labelled serving sizes are not related to standard serves or the recommended amounts that should be eaten, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666315003785">research shows</a> consumers often interpret the labelled servings as being recommendations for portion size or for following dietary guidelines.</p>
<p>Studies show the listed serving size impacts how much people choose to eat. Larger serving sizes on labels can make it appear that a large serve is recommended, leading to people eating or serving themselves more. This has been shown with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666315003785">several foods</a>, including cookies, cereal, lasagne and cheese crackers. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295921/original/file-20191007-121065-r43p37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295921/original/file-20191007-121065-r43p37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=353&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295921/original/file-20191007-121065-r43p37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=353&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295921/original/file-20191007-121065-r43p37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=353&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295921/original/file-20191007-121065-r43p37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=443&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295921/original/file-20191007-121065-r43p37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=443&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295921/original/file-20191007-121065-r43p37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=443&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A larger serving size on the lasagne label might mean you’re likely to eat more of it.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/confirm/736145572?size=huge_jpg">Stockcreations/shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But for some foods, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666316300848">like lollies</a>, larger serving sizes can make them look less healthy, leading to reduced consumption or smaller portion sizes. This is likely because the large number of kilojoules stands out in the per serving data.</p>
<h2>So what should you do?</h2>
<p>Because serving sizes can vary by product and manufacturer, it’s easiest to use the per 100g or 100mL information, instead of the per serve information when comparing products. But think about the actual weight or volume you will consumer when you consider how it fits your daily intakes. </p>
<p>The recommended diet for the average adult is based on <a href="http://www.mydailyintake.net/daily-intake-levels/">eating 8,700kJ</a> of energy per day. To get this much energy from a balanced diet, that’s 50g protein, 70g fat and 310g carbohydrates. We also want to aim for 24g or less of saturated fats, and 30g or more of fibre. </p>
<p>But needs will differ by life stage, activity level, sex, your current weight and your weight goals. There are <a href="https://www.8700.com.au/kj-explained/your-ideal-figure/">online calculators</a> to estimate your requirements. </p>
<p>Memorising serving sizes and guidelines can be hard. To make it easy, you can print a copy of the <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating">Australian Guide to Healthy Eating food groups</a> and <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-sizes">serving sizes</a> to keep where you can see them when preparing food. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-how-to-work-out-how-much-food-you-should-eat-30894">Health Check: how to work out how much food you should eat</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/123755/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emma Beckett receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and the AMP Foundation. She has consulted for Kelloggs Australia. She is a member of the Nutrition Society of Australia, the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology and the Early and Mid Career Researcher Forum Executive. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tamara Bucher has received research funding from government and non-government organisations and industry. Funding sources include the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Swiss Foundation for Nutrition Research, the European Commission, the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Walter Hochstrasser Stiftung, Nestlé S.A., SafeFood UK, Goodman Fielder and Rijk Zwaan Australia. She is a member of the Nutrition Society of Australia and the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity.</span></em></p>When a manufacturer lists a serving size on their food label, it’s based on their expectations of what you’ll eat, not what the dietary guidelines recommend.Emma Beckett, Lecturer (Food Science and Human Nutrition), School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of NewcastleTamara Bucher, Senior Researcher, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1200802019-08-27T20:12:51Z2019-08-27T20:12:51ZThe science behind diet trends like mono, charcoal detox, Noom and Fast800<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289561/original/file-20190827-184234-oxa0m3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C7348%2C4912&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Mono dieters restrict their intake to one food or food group per day.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/confirm/247502347?src=-1-90&size=huge_jpg">Alliance Images/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Every year a new batch of diets become trendy. In the past, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/blood-type-pioppi-gluten-free-and-mediterranean-which-popular-diets-are-fads-104867">blood group</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-ketogenic-diets-help-you-lose-weight-81810">ketogenic</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/blood-type-pioppi-gluten-free-and-mediterranean-which-popular-diets-are-fads-104867">Pioppi and gluten-free</a> diets were among the most popular. These have made way for the mono diet, charcoal detox, Noom, time-restricted feeding and Fast800. </p>
<p>So what are these new diets and is there any scientific evidence to support them? </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-six-tips-for-losing-weight-without-fad-diets-52496">Health Check: six tips for losing weight without fad diets</a>
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<h2>1. Mono diet</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotrophic_diet">monotrophic or mono diet</a> limits food intake to just one food group such as meat or fruit, or one individual food like potato or chicken, each day. </p>
<p>The mono diet has no scientific basis and no research has been done on it. It’s definitely a fad and should not be followed.</p>
<p>It leads to weight loss because your food intake is so limited (one food per day) that you get sick of that food very quickly and so automatically achieve a reduced kilojoule intake. </p>
<p>If you ate three apples at each main meal and had another three as between-meal snacks then your total kilojoule intake from the 12 apples would be about 4,000 kilojoules (950 calories). </p>
<p>The mono diet is nutritionally inadequate. The nutrients most deficient will depend on the individual foods consumed, but if you follow the mono diet long term, you would eventually develop vitamin and mineral deficiencies.</p>
<h2>2. Charcoal detox</h2>
<p>The charcoal detox diet claims to help people lose weight by “detoxing” them. It involves periods of fasting and consumption of tea or juice drinks that contain charcoal. </p>
<p>It is definitely <em>not</em> recommended. </p>
<p>Medical professionals use <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482294/">activated charcoal</a> to treat patients who have been poisoned or have overdosed on <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3766051">specific medications</a>. Charcoal can bind to some compounds and remove them from the body. </p>
<p>There is no scientific evidence to support the use of charcoal as a weight loss strategy. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289564/original/file-20190827-184207-14mp4xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289564/original/file-20190827-184207-14mp4xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289564/original/file-20190827-184207-14mp4xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289564/original/file-20190827-184207-14mp4xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289564/original/file-20190827-184207-14mp4xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289564/original/file-20190827-184207-14mp4xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289564/original/file-20190827-184207-14mp4xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Avoid the charcoal detox diet.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/confirm/699336109?src=-1-0&size=medium_jpg">Andasea/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/five-supplements-that-claim-to-speed-up-weight-loss-and-what-the-science-says-89856">Five supplements that claim to speed up weight loss – and what the science says</a>
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<p>Charcoal detox plans also include dietary restrictions or fasts, so people might lose weight because they’re consuming fewer kilojoules. </p>
<p>Charcoal is not selective. It can bind to some medications and nutrients, as well as toxic substances, so there is the potential for charcoal to trigger nutrient deficiencies and/or make some medications less effective. </p>
<p>Side-effects of using charcoal <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10584586">include nausea and constipation</a>.</p>
<h2>3. Noom diet</h2>
<p>The Noom diet isn’t actually a diet at all. It is a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27819345">smartphone app called Noom Coach</a> that focuses on behaviour change techniques to assist with weight loss. It allows users to monitor their eating and physical activity, and provides support and feedback. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/xpGKfFJZrA","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<p>The Noom diet does not provide a diet plan, but it gets users to record within the app, all foods and drinks consumed. It then uses a traffic light system (red, yellow, green) to indicate how healthy the foods are. </p>
<p>One advantage of Noom is that is doesn’t eliminate any foods or food groups, and it encourages healthy lifestyle behaviour change to assist with weight loss. </p>
<p>A disadvantage is that while you can download the app for a free short-term trial, membership is <a href="https://web.noom.com/support/support-question-topic/my-account/2018/03/what-are-my-purchase-options/">about A$50 per month for four months</a>. And additional services cost extra. So consider whether this approach suits your budget.</p>
<p>One study has examined the app’s effectiveness. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27819345">In a cohort of 35,921 Noom app users over 18 months</a>, almost 78% reported a reduction in body weight. About 23% of these people reported losing more than 10% of their body weight. </p>
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<p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-should-you-weigh-yourself-regularly-92177">Health Check: should you weigh yourself regularly?</a>
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<p>Although the data are observational and don’t compare Noom app users to a control group, the results are promising. </p>
<p>In other weight-loss interventions in adults at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, researchers found losing 5-10% body weight and being active for about 30 minutes a day <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22020084">lowered the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than 50%</a>.</p>
<h2>4. Time-restricted feeding</h2>
<p>Time-restricted feeding is a type of intermittent fast that involves restricting the time of day that you are “allowed” to eat. This typically means eating in a window lasting <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27304506">four to ten hours</a>. </p>
<p>While energy-restriction during this period is not a specific recommendation, it happens as a consequence of eating only during a shorter period of time than usual. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289568/original/file-20190827-184252-16v3nre.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289568/original/file-20190827-184252-16v3nre.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289568/original/file-20190827-184252-16v3nre.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289568/original/file-20190827-184252-16v3nre.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289568/original/file-20190827-184252-16v3nre.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289568/original/file-20190827-184252-16v3nre.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289568/original/file-20190827-184252-16v3nre.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">It’s unclear whether weight loss results from changes in the body after you fast, or if it’s just because you can’t eat as much in a short period of time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/confirm/1278900526?src=-1-49&size=medium_jpg">Best_nj/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>The difference between time-restricted feeding compared to other intermittent fasting strategies is that recent research suggests <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31023390">some metabolic benefits are initiated</a> following a fasting period that lasts for 16 hours, as opposed to a typical overnight fast of ten to 12 hours. </p>
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<p>
<em>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-whats-the-best-diet-for-weight-loss-21557">Health Check: what's the best diet for weight loss?</a>
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<p>Researchers have reported <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31023390">some promising effects on the amount of body fat, insulin sensitivity and blood cholesterol</a> with time-restricted feeding windows, although some studies have reported benefits for weight <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29951594">but not for fat mass, blood cholesterol</a> or markers of type 2 diabetes risk. </p>
<p>Further research is required to determine whether any health effects of time-restricted feeding are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31023390">due to regular 16-hour fasting periods</a>, or simply because eating over a small time window reduces energy intake. </p>
<p>If this approach helps you get started on a healthy lifestyle and your GP gives you the all clear, then try it. You will need to follow up with some permanent changes to your lifestyle so your food and physical activity patterns are improved in the long term.</p>
<h2>5. Fast800</h2>
<p>The Fast800 diet by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Mosley_(broadcaster)">Dr Michael Mosley</a> encourages a daily intake of just 800 calories (about 3,350 kilojoules) during the initial intensive phase of the <a href="https://thebloodsugardiet.com/">Blood Sugar Diet</a>. </p>
<p>This lasts for up to eight weeks and is supposed to help you rapidly lose weight and improve your blood sugar levels. You can buy the book for about A$20 or pay A$175 for a 12-week online program that says it includes a personal assessment, recipes, physical and mindfulness exercises, tools, access to experts, an online community, information for your doctor and advice for long-term healthy living. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289571/original/file-20190827-184229-1nfgbs2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289571/original/file-20190827-184229-1nfgbs2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289571/original/file-20190827-184229-1nfgbs2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=305&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289571/original/file-20190827-184229-1nfgbs2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=305&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289571/original/file-20190827-184229-1nfgbs2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=305&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289571/original/file-20190827-184229-1nfgbs2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=383&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289571/original/file-20190827-184229-1nfgbs2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=383&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/289571/original/file-20190827-184229-1nfgbs2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=383&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Michael Mosley’s diet program is based on a very low daily energy intake.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://thefast800.com/">Screenshot of https://thefast800.com/</a></span>
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<p>Two recent studies provide some evidence that supports these claims: the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29221645">DiRECT</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30257983">DROPLET</a> trials. </p>
<p>In these studies, GPs prescribed patients who were obese and/or had type 2 diabetes an initial diet of 800 calories, using formulated meal replacements. This initial phase was followed by a gradual reintroduction of food. Participants also received structured support to help them maintain the weight loss. </p>
<p>Both studies compared the intervention to a control group who received either usual care or treatment using best practice guidelines. </p>
<p>They found participants in the 800 calorie groups lost more weight and more of the adults with type 2 diabetes achieved remission than the control groups. </p>
<p>This is what you would expect, given the intervention was very intensive and included a very low total daily energy intake. </p>
<p>But the low energy intake can make the Fast800 difficult to stick to. It can also be challenging to get enough nutrients, so protocols need to be carefully followed and any recommended nutrient supplements taken. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-fasting-diets-and-do-they-help-you-lose-weight-76644">What are 'fasting' diets and do they help you lose weight?</a>
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<p>Fast800 is not suitable for people with a history of eating disorders or health conditions such as liver disease. So if you’re considering it, talk to your GP. </p>
<p>When it comes to weight loss, there are no magic tricks that guarantee success. Have a health check up with your GP, focus on making healthy lifestyle changes and if you need more support, ask to be referred to an <a href="https://daa.asn.au/find-an-apd/">accredited practising dietitian</a>.</p>
<p><em>If you would like to learn more about weight loss, you can enrol in our free online course <a href="https://www.edx.org/course/the-science-of-weight-loss-dispelling-diet-myths-2">The Science of Weight Loss – Dispelling Diet Myths</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120080/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clare Collins is affiliated with the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, the University of Newcastle, NSW. She is an NHMRC Senior Research and Gladys M Brawn Research Fellow. She has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Meat and Livestock Australia, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation, Rijk Zwaan Australia and Greater Charitable Foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute and the ABC. She was a team member conducting systematic reviews to inform the Australian Dietary Guidelines update and the Heart Foundation evidence reviews on meat and dietary patterns.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lee Ashton is affiliated with the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rebecca Williams is affiliated with the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. </span></em></p>Diets like mono, charcoal detox, Noom, time-restricted feeding and Fast800 are growing in popularity. Here’s what the evidence says about them.Clare Collins, Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of NewcastleLee Ashton, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of NewcastleRebecca Williams, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.