Council to impose 'No Fry Zone' around primary schools in drive against obesity

Lewisham Council is considering adopting the radical proposal of a 1,300ft 'No Fry Zone' around all of its 65 primary schools after it was revealed that one in four 10-year-old children are obese. If agreed by councillors later this month it would mean that no new fast food shops - such as fried chicken shops and burger bars - will be allowed to open within 400m of a school.
So if children want to visit a fast food shop at lunch time they will have to walk over a 800m to get there hands on a fattening lunch - hopefully burning some calories off on the way.
With a distance of just over half a mile, a brisk walk to the nearest takeaway and back to school would take at least 10 minutes.

Councillor Ute Michel, of the Green Party, said the proposal was being put forward to full council later this month. She said: 'Our children's health actually gets far worse rather than better during their time in school. 'Despite making progress in making school meals healthier and teaching about healthy diets, takeaways are fuelling junk food culture just outside the school gate undoing much of that good work.'

She said that council chiefs would also work with existing takeaways - who will not have to close under the proposals - to provide 'healthier options' on their menus.
Adele Greenway, who has two children aged six and nine, said there was still time for a child to walk to a takeaway at break time.

She said: 'It's all very well encouraging children not to eat greasy fried food, but with a lunch break of 50 minutes that gives them plenty of time to nip to the kebab shop for a burger and chips even if it's 10 minutes there and back.
'At least the kids will be getting some exercise and burning off the calories, but they'll still be eating lord knows how many calories.'

Takeaway shop worker Khalid Mohammed said the scheme wouldn't stop kids getting their hands on unhealthy food.
He said: 'Whether they put the no fry zone in place or not doesn't really matter.
'If someone wants chips and a burger or fried chicken they will walk the five minutes it takes to get there. 'All it is is a hassle for them - they'll still make the trip and they'll probably take orders from all their classmates too.'
Waltham Forest Council in East London pioneered the scheme last year after 93 per cent of locals backed the plan.

Obese passengers to be charged double to fly with Air France

Obese passengers who are unable to fit into a single plane seat are to be charged double to fly with Air France. Obese flyers will be asked to pay double, or not be allowed on board for 'safety reasons', the airline announced today.
Air France spokeswoman Monique Matze added: 'People who arrive at the check-in desk and are deemed too large to fit into a single seat will be asked to pay for and use a second seat. They will be charged 75 per cent of the cost of the second seat, which is the full price excluding tax and surcharges, on top of the full price for the first.
"The decision has been made for safety reasons. 'We have to make sure that the backrest can move freely up and down and that all passengers are securely fastened with a safety belt.'

The average economy class seat on most planes is between 43cm wide and 44cm wide, Ms Matze said. She added: 'People who cannot fit into a single seat will then be fastened by slotting the belt tip of one seat into the plug of the next, stretching over both seats. 'However the charge will only apply on flights that are full booked. They will get their money back on flights where spaces are available.'

The overweight charges come two years after Air France was ordered to pay £5,000 damages for 'humiliation' to a 27-stone passenger who had his stomach measured at an airport check-in desk. He was told to buy two seats.
Frenchman Jean-Jacques Jauffret, 43, was measured by Air France staff with other passengers looking on as he tried to board a flight from New Dehli to Paris.
Cinema screen-writer Mr Jauffret said at the time: 'The woman came out from behind the check-in desk with a tape measure and measured my waist in front of dozens of other people.
'Then she looked at me and said, 'People as fat as you need to buy two seats'. 'I asked her if there was a chance I could simply have an empty seat beside me, but she said the flight was almost full. 'It was highly embarrassing, and the law has now recognised the humiliation I suffered.'

British Airways has no weight limits for passengers, but advises overweight people to buy a second seat for their own comfort and safety if necessary.
In America, budget carrier Southwest Airlines caused outrage when it announced in 2006 that it would charge overweight people for two seats. Southwest said it was simply enforcing a long-standing unwritten policy of charging passengers who encroach on the space of those seated around them.
Air France's new charges will apply for people who book their tickets from February 1 for all flights from April 1, the airline said.

New erectile dysfunction drug called Avanafil will be much faster than Viagra, Cialis & Levitra

A Pharmaceutical company called Vivus is hoping to launch an erectile dysfunction drug called avanafil. Vivus issued a press release stating that there new drug Avanafil will be much faster than Viagra Cialis & Levitra.
Mr Leland Wilson, chief executive officer of VIVUS stated "Erectile dysfunction is a significant problem among more than half of all men over the age of 40. While sales of currently available ED therapies exceed $3.8 billion a year, persistent switching by patients suggests that patients are less than satisfied with current therapies," "These phase 3 avanafil data not only confirm the robust efficacy we've seen in earlier trials, but potentially differentiate avanafil from other PDE5 inhibitors when it comes to side effects and time-to-onset of efficacy. We are confident that avanafil can effectively compete in the oral ED therapy market."
Mr Charles Bowden, M.D., Senior Director, Clinical Development at VIVUS stated "From our discussions with patients and physicians, we knew that rapid onset was an important attribute in the selection of an ED therapy. A recent study in 1,900 patients with ED showed that 75% of patients identified rapid effect as an important treatment expectation. Knowing that avanafil can be effective within 15 minutes should create an attractive position in the PDE5 market,"
Existing erectile dysfunction medication tends to work after 30 minutes and therefore this would make Avanafil’s shorter effective medication of 15 minutes quite popular.
Medical Specialists News will be looking out for any updates regarding the new Avanafil erectile dysfunction medication.

An exclusive dating website for attractive people has booted out members for gaining weight over Christmas.

BeautifulPeople.com made more than 5,000 users re-apply after they posted pictures of themselves looking over weight after celebrating the festive season.

Existing members were asked to decide if they were still pretty enough to be part of the website.

Only a few hundred were allowed back in.

The site, which bans so-called "ugly people" and calls itself an "exclusively beautiful community", said it was responding to complaints from its customers.

Founder Robert Hintze said: "As a business, we mourn the loss of any member, but the fact remains that our members demand the high standard of beauty be upheld.

"Letting over weight people roam the site is a direct threat to our business model and the very concept for which BeautifulPeople.com was founded."

Managing director Greg Hodge said: "People can be big and beautiful but it doesn't suit everyone. If you join as a size six, or with ripped abs and a slim physique, you have to maintain this look or expect to be re-rated.

"Remember this is the opinion of our members, who have the final and completely democratic vote on who is let in or cast out of their community."

Most of the people who were kicked off the site were from the US, the UK and Canada.

Managers sent them emails encouraging them to reapply when they can lose weight.

World Cup 2010 - England recommended Viagra at World Cup

A sports scientist has recommended giving the England team Viagra at next year's World Cup in South Africa to help them cope with playing at altitude.

Doctor Richard Pullen, who is working with the FA, said the anti-impotence medication would boost the players' lung capacity while they train and play in Rustenburg, nearly 5,000 feet above sea level.

He said: "I'll point out to the England squad the potential benefits of using Viagra for games played at altitude.

"It's scientifically proven that the process of how Viagra works in the body, by enlarging the blood vessels, can improve performance of some athletes.

"Also known as sildenafil, it's been used by football teams in South America and some cyclists because it's not a banned substance.

"I'm sure several countries at the World Cup will consider using Viagra."

England are expected to pitch their tent in the north-western city of Rustenburg where they will play the USA in their opening game, on paper their stiffest opponents in Group C.

Should England qualify as runners-up from a group that also includes Algeria and Slovenia, progress is likely to be more difficult as there is a good chance they will face old rivals Germany in the second round.

Bookies have installed England as third favourites for the tournament, making them bona fide contenders, but an FA spokesman said the drug was unlikely to be used to help the players raise their game.

"The England medical staff are conducting detailed research with a variety of experts ahead of next year's World Cup," the spokesman said.

"However, there has been no discussion with regard to Viagra and certainly no plans for the players to take it in South Africa at the tournament."

Viagra for women

Viagra is the most famous prescription only drug for erectile dysfunction in men. The term "Female Viagra" has been around for some time although there was nothing as such available for use in women. It has now been reported by the BBC that a drug that failed tests as an antidepressant is being hailed as "Viagra for women" after surprising but not unpleasant side effects.

The drug surprisingly increased women's sex drive in three separate trials. The accidental discovery of this drug is similar to Viagra's discovery ten years ago. Viagra was originally designed as a heart medicine.

Police seize thousands of fake Viagra pills in Costa Blanca swoop

The haul in Calpe is one of the biggest ever made in Spain

A National Police operation has seized more than 160,000 fake Viagra pills, one of the biggest hauls ever made in Spain. They are reported by Europa Press to have come from India and China, and were seized in the course of three property searches which took place in the town.
Officers also found 15 kilos of benzylpiperazine, a synthetic recreational drug which is known as BZP and which has effects similar to those produced by amphetamines.
Five suspects were taken into custody and will now face charges from the courts.