Behind the Headlines

Obesity

Can you sleep yourself thin?

03 May 2012
woman sleeping If you want to lose weight you should “get more sleep”, says the Daily Mail. The newspaper says that going on a ‘sleep diet’ of extra shuteye may be a more relaxing way to shed pounds than counting calories or going to the gym.
Read more

Study probes weight gain after diets

25 Apr 2012
scales “Trying to lose weight alters your brain and hormones so you're doomed to pile it on again,” the Daily Mail fatalistically reported today.
Read more

Mixed opinions over fast food labels

27 Jul 2011
Cheeseburger and Chips “Calorie counts on menus prompt healthy choices,” BBC News has today reported, saying that US research has found it helps healthy eating “but only in a limited way”. The research involved a...
Read more

Is obesity a major cause of breast cancer?

20 Jul 2011
scales “Obesity is the biggest driving force behind the most common form of breast cancer,”, BBC News has reported. Alcohol and then cigarettes are the next largest culprits, it added. The news is based on research...
Read more

Are sweets 'good for kids'?

01 Jul 2011
Chocolate “Sweets are ‘good for children and may stop them getting fat in later life’,” reported the Daily Mail. This news story is based on a US study that assessed the diet of more than 11,000 children and adolescents over 24 hours.
Read more

Diet, lifestyle and long-term weight gain

23 Jun 2011
Cheeseburger and Chips “A simple way for people to stay slim without counting the calories has been discovered,” the Daily Express reported. It said that research suggested that instead of worrying about the amount of food we eat...
Read more

Nicotine 'obesity drug' needs more study

10 Jun 2011
packet of tablets “Smokers will soon be able to stub out their habit – without having to worry about piling on the pounds,” reported the Daily Mirror. It said that “scientists have discovered how nicotine suppresses the appetite and could...
Read more

'No weight gain' from the pill

09 Jun 2011
packet of tablets “The popular belief that taking the Pill makes you pile on the pounds has been exposed as a myth by an expert in women’s health,” reported the Daily Express.
Read more

Lack of sleep and child obesity

27 May 2011
feet sticking out of bed “Children who get insufficient sleep at night are more likely to become overweight,” reported BBC News. The news report was based on a study of 244 children, whose sleep patterns were assessed between...
Read more

Does 'eating for two' make mums gain weight?

18 May 2011
Pregnant woman holding stomach The Daily Mail reported that there is a “life-long obesity risk of 'eating for two' in pregnancy”. The common advice, it says, is reinforced by the results of a study that followed women for a number of years. The study used...
Read more