OBESITY UPS COLON CANCER RISK

Federal Researchers reporting in the American Journal of Epidemiology report that overweight men and women face an 86% higher risk of colon cancer. Researchers compared individuals with body-mass indexes (BMIs) of 22 to people with BMIs between 24 to 26. They note that people with higher BMIs (above 26) face an even higher risk of colon cancer. A BMI of 30 is considered obese.

Total calculate your BMI Weight (kg)

SALT RISK
A diet high in salt could increase your risk of osteoporosis, according to recent research in The Lancet. Studies involved measuring the blood pressure, bone density and bone loss in 3,676 menopausal women, with these measurements being repeated after three and a half years. The study found that there was faster bone loss in women with the highest blood pressure. Eating too much salt raises the blood pressure, which causes the body to excrete more calcium. The body then replaces this lost calcium from the bones, eventually leading to osteoporosis.

A HEALTHY BREAK
Having a morning snack could help ward off cancer. Tea and chocolate are sources of the anti-oxidants catechins. A study in The Lancet found that milk chocolate has 15.9mg of catechins/100g, dark has 53.5mg and black tea 13.9mg, and a survey showed that a daily cuppa can make up to 55%of our cathechin consumption. So snacking could be better for you than you thought.

AN APPLE A DAY FOR HEALTHY LUNGS
In a study of 2.500 men ages 45 to 59, those who ate 5 or more apples per week had better lung function than men who ate no apples. Researchers measured lung function at the start of the study and again 5 years later and counted factors such a smoking and exercise. They speculate that bioflavonoids in the apples, namely quercetin, may help to protect against cellular damage caused by smoking and air pollution. (Reported in Thorax, 2000;55: 102-108)

SMOKERS ARE LESS PRODUCTIVE
Smokers who claim that a cigarette helps them work better are wrong, according to a study which show they need more time off for sickness and are also less productive than non-smokers. Current smokers were absent from work due to sickness for 6.16 days per year on average, compared with 4.53days among former smokers and 3.86 among those who never smoked. Performance of smokers was the worst, falling 4% below those who never smoked and 8,35% below former smokers. In addition, to taking more sick leave, a smoker could be less productive due to regular smoking breaks and feelings of being unwell. (Published in ‘Tobacco Control’, a publication of the British Medical Journal)