EGGSPECTATION
Can't do without that scrambled egg every morning during breakfast ? There's good news for you. A study has found that eating protein-rich eggs for breakfast reduces hunger and decreases calorie consumption at lunch and throughout the day by almost 18 per cent. Published in the journal Nutrition Research, the study found that men who consumed an egg-based breakfast ate significantly fewer calories when offered an unlimited lunch buffet compared to when they ate a carbohydrate-rich breakfast of equal calories. Earlier studies had shown that eating eggs for breakfast helped overweight dieters lose 65 per cent more weight and feel more energetic than dieters who ate a bagel breakfast of equal calories and volume.

FROM FAT TO FIT
Recent figures released by the World Health Organisation say that obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with at least 2. 6 million people dying each year as a result of being overweight or obese. One billion adults are overweight — without action, this figure will surpass 1. 5 billion by 2015. Another 300 million are obese. Globally, over 42 million children under five years of age are overweight. Childhood obesity has become one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Overweight children are likely to become obese adults. They are more likely than non-overweight children to develop diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age, which, in turn, are associated with a higher chance of premature death and disability. Sixty-five per cent of the world's population lives in countries where being overweight and obese kills a high percentage of people. Globally, 44 per cent of diabetes, 23 per cent of ischaemic heart disease and 7-41 per cent of certain cancers are attributable to overweight and obesity. The global health watchdog says people should engage in adequate levels of physical activity throughout their lives. At least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity physical activity on most days reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colon cancer and breast cancer. Muscle strengthening and balance training can reduce falls and improve mobility among older adults.

NO SMOKING PLEASE
Smoking can not only kill you, it can also leave you handicapped. Doctors in India are now reporting that the number of foot amputations amongst smokers is on the rise. Very few smokers are likely to be aware of the fact that smoking causes gangrene, a serious side effect of Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD).
PVD occurs when the arteries (blood vessels) that supply blood to various parts of the body become narrow because of the buildup of fatty deposits (atherosclerosis) — sometimes called plaques or lesions — on the inside walls (linings) of the blood vessels. When the arteries that carry blood to your legs become too narrow because of a buildup of deposits, the flow of blood is correspondingly reduced and the leg muscles do not get adequate oxygen to support physical activity. This causes pain and the condition is called ischaemia. Smokers are two and a half times more likely to develop PVD than someone who has never smoked. Smoking is the number one risk factor for PVD and over 32 per cent of people with PVD affecting the lower limbs are either smokers or ex-smokers.