An Israeli study released in the latest issue of the journal, Steroids, has suggested that adding dessert foods such as cakes, cookies or chocolate to a balanced breakfast meal, could aid in the functionality of weight-losing dieting to help control cravings. The study was conducted by a team of scientists led by Dr Daniela Jakubowicz, a leading professor Tel Aviv University’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine. Over 32 weeks, One hundred and ninety three clinically obese, non-diabetic adults were randomly... ...Read more »

The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) has urged young women in Australia to ‘ditch the detox’ and instead pledge to eat a balanced diet, after new research found that many women are resorting to unproven detox diets to try to shift unwanted kilos. A Newspoll survey of 200 women aged 18-24, commissioned by the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), found 60 per cent have tried to lose weight in the past year. Of those, one in four have used a ‘fad diet’, with lemon detox and liver... ...Read more »

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)’s new draft dietary guidelines, published today, have been welcomed by leading Australian scientists and nutrition experts. Emphasis on whole foods rather than nutrients Associate Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos, Head of Department of Dietetics at La Trobe University, in Victoria, said the revised dietary guidelines are “critically important” for healthy eating in Australia. Professor Itsiopoulos said that healthy eating and physical... ...Read more »

Australians making New Year’s resolutions to lose weight by improving their diets should follow daily intake labels which have been expanded to thousands of products, according to new research by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC). The latest industry research found Daily Intake Guide (DIG) front-of-pack labelling – first introduced in Australia in 2007 – is currently on more than 2000 food and beverage products and is used by about 180 leading brands. AFGC Chief Executive... ...Read more »

For years, restrictive high-protein/low-carb diets were the bane of the United States’ declining market for grains and grain-based foods. However, the low-carb fad is fading as health-minded eaters, who prefer a wider variety of foods and the health advantages these foods offer, re-integrate grains into their diet and inadvertently resuscitate the market. According to market research publisher Packaged Facts in the brand-new report, The U.S. Market for Whole and Other Grains: Trends and Developments,... ...Read more »

An investigation by leading consumer group Choice has discovered that popular diet plans and products often fall short of what they promise. A damning undercover survey of diet plans and products offered at pharmacies failed to recommend any of them, with problems including a lack of training, supervision and, in some cases, irresponsibility. The report suggests that, while the pharmacy diet plans may assist in weight loss, most fail to deal effectively with the complex broader issues around obesity... ...Read more »