Spain prepares for anti-smoking laws

On Sunday the 2^nd of January Spain will find that smoking a cigarette with a drink at their local bar - has overnight become illegal. One of the laxest anti-smoking laws in Europe will have become one of the strictest, along with that of Ireland.

Spanish smokers will no longer be able to light up in bars, restaurants and cafes as new legislation takes effect that bans smoking in all enclosed public spaces. It will also be illegal to smoke in children's playgrounds and on school or hospital grounds, according to the law, which received final approval from parliament on December 21.

Spain already has an anti-smoking law, in force since January 2006. But it is less restrictive than that in other European countries, which bans smoking in the workplace, on public transport and in shops. It allows owners of bars, restaurants and cafes to decide whether to allow smoking or not. Most, faced with a drop in business, naturally chose to permit their customers to light up.

The new measures take effect nearly seven years after Ireland became the first European country to outlaw smoking in public places, a move that unleashed a domino effect across Europe in favour of smoke-free bars and cafes.

In the UK smoking has been banned since 2007 and has been enforced strictly and all bars and pubs have slowly complied and people have gotten used to it. It has been reported that since the smoking ban in 2007 half the people who where smoking now have quit.

So what seems like a New Year’s resolution for the UK population will be law for the Spanish. But for people who are considering quitting smoking for the New Year Champix has been a big success since its release an even the Government handing Champix out for people who are considered eligible.

For more information on Champix please visit Buy Champix Online.

Many UK women face cancer risk 'due to Obesity'

Nearly fifty percent of women in England are at increased risk of some cancers because of their large waistlines, says a cancer charity.

The World Cancer Research Fund warning is based on data from the Health Survey for England suggesting 44% have a waist size exceeding 31.5 inches (80cm). Research has found that these women are particularly at risk from bowel and breast cancer. A third of men had a larger than recommended waistline.

The Health Survey for England, which monitors trends in the country's health and is commissioned by the Department of Health, was published earlier this month. It contained information and statistics on obesity and raised waist circumference in men and women in England. Previous scientific studies have shown that excess body fat increases cancer risk.

Strong evidence

There is strong evidence that a large waistline is particularly harmful and raises the risk of cancers of the bowel, pancreas, breast (post-menopausal) and womb lining, the World Cancer Research Fund says.

Dr Rachel Thompson, deputy head of science for WCRF, said it was often thought that men were more likely to put on weight on their stomach. "But these statistics show that, actually, women in England are more likely to have a raised waist circumference than men.”This is why it is important that we let women know that this is just as relevant for them, particularly as breast and endometrial cancers account for about a third of newly diagnosed cancers in women," she said. Dr Thompson added: "Over the last few years the evidence has become increasingly strong that excess body fat and particularly fat carried around the middle, is a cancer risk factor."

What treatment is available for Obesity?

So far there are only two treatments that are available in the UK which are Xenical and Alli, both are the same drug Orlistat. Orlistat works in the digestive system in the small intestine as a fat absorber. It blocks out a third of the fat in food eaten in a patient's diet.

Xenical is the stronger of the two medications which is double the strength of Alli which is why it is only available on prescription for people who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 28. To Buy Xenical Online please click the highlighted link

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Alli is available without the need for a prescription and has shown to be able to aid weight loss buy cutting out the fat in a person’s diet. To Buy Alli Online please click the highlighted link

70,000 fake Viagra tablets found by customs officials at Ben-Gurion Airport

A Passenger who arrived from Beijing via Frankfurt found to have NIS 1.5 million worth of illegal Viagra pills in his suitcase.

Customs authorities at Ben-Gurion International Airport over the weekend foiled an attempt to smuggle 70,000 fake Viagra pills into Israel from China. The value of the pills was estimated to be

1.5 million shekels or 271,639.91 Pounds.

The passenger flew to Israel from Beijing via Frankfurt. Authorities think that the passenger chose that itinerary out of the belief that customs officials would be less vigilant at 4 a.m. in the morning, which was the arrival time of the Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt.

The fake pills were found in the passenger's suitcase.

Average UK male weight up 16lb in 15 years, study finds

The average British man was more than a stone heavier in 2000 than he was in 1986, an Oxford University study found.

Scientists put the average weight rise of 7.7kg (16.9lb) down to men eating more calories and taking less physical exercise than 15 years earlier. The British Heart Foundation research in the British Journal of Nutrition analysed changes in food consumption and body weight between 1986 and 2000.

Women's average weight gain over the period was 5.4kg (11.9lb). By studying official figures on body weight from 1986 and 2000 and calculating the food energy available during that time, researchers were able to work out the expected extra food eaten by men and women during that period.

They predicted that the average man in 2000 ate more food than the average man in 1986 - enough to make him 4.7kg (10.3lb) heavier in weight. But the actual observed increase in average male weight turned out to be higher.

This was much more than expected, so the study concluded that a reduction in physical activity was behind the increased weight as well as the extra food. The extra food available in 2000 was enough to explain the increased weight in women compared to 1986 as well.

Now at the end of 2010 and looking towards 2011 what does the future hold for obesity in England?

Anti-Obesity Drug Contrave Gains FDA Advisory Approval

Orexigen Therapeutics has had their weight loss drug Contrave passed by the FDA Advisory Board. 

Orexigen achieved a major milestone for the two out of three Americans who are overweight or obese. There has not been a new weight loss medication introduced in the last 10 years leaving Xenical as the main weight loss aid. and several drugs that were on the market have been withdrawn due to safety concerns. Two other drug makers submitted NDA applications for anti-obesity treatments earlier this year, but the same advisory panel that approved Contrave rejected their applications because of side effect concerns. The difficulties faced by others in gaining approval further demonstrate the significance of this achievement. 

Contrave combines the anti-craving drug naltrexone with the antidepressant bupropion in a single tablet. The combination boosts metabolism while curbing appetite and cravings. 

Fish oil won't help you lose weight, experts say

While there is some evidence from animal studies that fish oil can aid weight loss, new research on humans states otherwise.

Published on December 15 in the medical journal American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, US researchers tested the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids among a group of 128 overweight and obese adults enrolled in a diet and exercise program.

Participants in the study took five fish oil capsules (about three grams of omega-3 fatty acids) or five placebo capsules every day for 24 weeks. They were also asked to do 150 minutes per week of aerobic activity and 20 to 30 minutes of strength training at least twice a week.

People in both groups lost more than 5% of their body weight, but researchers found no difference between the groups, except in one area: the fish oil group had increased levels of omega-3s in their blood, which produced "a positive cardiovascular effect," the researchers stated in a release.

While omega-3 may not increase weight loss, there are plenty of great reasons to add omega-3 fish oil to your diet, experts say. Fish oil is reported to ward off heart disease, depression, and even psychological disorders. A January 2010 UCLA study concluded that a dietary increase of marine omega-3 fatty acids prolonged the lifespan of patients with coronary heart disease.

Deciding to add marine omega-3 fatty acids to your daily diet may be simple but finding sustainable and mercury-free fish high in omega-3 can be a challenge, so you may turn to supplements. If that is the case make sure you purchase marine omega-3 supplements that are pure, fresh and natural, and contain balanced EPA and DHA.

If you prefer to eat your oils, look to salmon, bluefin tuna, mackerel, herring, rainbow trout, crustaceans, anchovies, and sardines.

Access the study here. 

Weight loss business growing at fast pace

As obesity remains a health concern for most of Europe and especially the UK, the market for weight loss supplements or diet pills has grown strong in the UAE.

"Despite the economic crisis across the globe, the weight management market is still accelerating as the core targets of this market are the consumers for whom health and beauty is of higher importance than the cost. Such impulsive consumers are driving the growth of the market," Dr Safeek Ali, a dietician at Welcare Hospital, told Gulf News.

"The market players are therefore formulating attractive advertisements and brand promotions to gear up their product revenues amongst the numerous other alternatives and substitutes that are available in the market."

Big names

The two biggest players in the UAE weight-loss pills market were Xenical, produced by Swiss giants Roche, and Reductil, made by the US's Abbott Laboratories.

At the beginning of this year, Reductil was recalled from the shelves of 300 licensed pharmacies across the emirates due to risks they carried of increasing the chance of heart attack and stroke. Following this, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched a campaign against weight-loss products that contained certain prescription drugs and chemicals, many of which were being sold as dietary supplements.

They issued warnings about more than 70 products found to contain undeclared chemicals. According to pharmacists, Xenical is the only chemical product on the market. According to recent national statistics, more than 60 per cent of Emiratis are overweight.

The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 25 per cent of men and almost 40 per cent of women aged over 15 in the UAE are obese. Health experts have put it down to diet, lifestyle and education.

Obesity in the UK

More than half of the adult population in the UK is either overweight or obese. About 2 in 5 adults in the UK are overweight while 1 in 5 adults are obese. The number of obese people in the UK is rising, particularly among young adults.

How do you know if you are overweight or obese?

Your BMI (Body Mass Index) relates your weight to your height and describes how much of your body is made up of fat. If your BMI is greater then 25 then you are overweight and if it is greater then 30 then you are obese.

If you have a BMI which is greater than 28 and would like to Buy Xenical Online please click the highlighted link.