Associated Press, July 1, 2010
The Danish government has increased taxes on cigarettes, ice-creams, sweets and other products in an effort to make Danes healthier.
The tax reform came into effect Thursday and also means taxes have increased on soft drinks and flavored alcoholic beverages, so-called alcopops.
The tax per liter of ice-cream was increased to 4.25 kroner ($0.67) from 3.40 kroner ($0.56) previously, while the tax on cigarettes was raised by 2 kroner ($0.33) per pack.
The World Health Organization has called taxation one of the most effective interventions to fight alcohol-related harm, …

The Guardian, Randeep Ganesh, July 7 2010
Beer companies, confectionery firms and crisp-makers will be asked to fund the government’s advertising campaign to persuade people to switch to a healthier lifestyle and, in return, will not face new legislation outlawing excessively fatty, sugary and salty food, the health secretary, Andrew Lansley, announced today.
In a move condemned by campaigners as the government “rolling over on their backs in front of the food lobby”, Lansley told a conference of public health experts that he wanted a new partnership with food and drink …

Newsweek, Kate Dailey, June 29, 2010
New data released today from thePartnership for a Drug Free America suggest that not only are girls now drinking more than boys, they turn to drugs and alcohol for more serious reasons as well. The report, which analyzed results from the 2009 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), a survey of teen attitudes and behaviors, shows that the number of middle- and high-school girls who say they drink has increased by 11 percent in the past year, from 53 percent to 59 percent. Boys have stayed at …

Los Angeles Times, David Lazarus, June 29, 2010
What to do about the obesity epidemic? Here’s a thought: Substitute “tobacco” for “junk food.” That provides a pretty clear road map about what government authorities should be doing to safeguard public health.
Unfortunately, officials are instead just reheating the same old leftovers.
Dietary guidelines issued recently by the U.S. Department of Agriculture basically say Americans need to ease up on the salt, sugar and saturated fats, and instead eat more fruits and veggies.
This is the same advice given by the department three decades ago. …

The Wall Street Journal, Shirley Wang, June 22, 2010
Americans increasingly view the food they eat as medicine to help lower cholesterol, reduce high blood pressure and control blood sugar. But as with prescribed drugs, the health-improving qualities of foods such as olive oil, nuts and fruit can interact with other medications, causing possible problems.
Pharmacists often warn people not to mix anti-cholesterol drugs known as statins with grapefruit juice. Newer research suggests that other fruit juices, including cranberry and pomegranate, as well as olive oil may also interfere with how …

Harvard School of Public Health, June 14, 2010
Boston, MA—In a new study, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found that eating five or more servings of white rice per week was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, eating two or more servings of brown rice per week was associated with a lower risk of the disease. The researchers estimated that replacing 50 grams of white rice (just one third of a typical daily serving) with the same amount of brown rice …

Reuters, March 25, 2010
Obesity compounds the harmful effects of heavy drinking on the liver, new research in more than 9,000 Scottish men shows.
Based on the findings, the investigators argue that lower limits for “safe” alcohol consumption in heavier people may be necessary.
Deaths from liver disease have risen in certain parts of the world, and alcohol consumption patterns don’t completely explain this observation, Dr. Carole L. Hart of the University of Glasgow and her colleagues write in the British Medical Journal.
Given that obesity is on the rise, and that excess weight …

By now, it is a familiar litany. Study after study suggests that alcohol in moderation may promote heart health and even ward off diabetesand dementia. The evidence is so plentiful that some experts considermoderate drinking — about one drink a day for women, about two for men — a central component of a healthy lifestyle.
But what if it’s all a big mistake?
For some scientists, the question will not go away. No study, these critics say, has ever proved a causal relationship between moderate drinking and lower risk of death — only that the …