This month’s edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published a study which found that women drinking four or more cola drinks a week were at increased risk of reduced bone density (1). And this is not the first evidence that has linked the drinking of fizzy drinks to weaker bones. A number […]
Archive | Children’s Health RSS feed for this section
Soft drinks cause soft bones, but is it also time to slay the sacred cow?
Is breast really best?
A study published this week in the British Medical Journal has analysed the relationship between breast-feeding and subsequent intelligence. Breast-feeding was associated with enhanced intelligence, but this study found that this benefit was associated not with the breast-feeding itself, but by other factors including the mother’s intelligence. No doubt, the results of this study will […]
Snack attack ” are crisps really causing our children a major oil crisis?
The British Heart Foundation has launched a hard-hitting campaign which highlights the fact that a child consuming a packet of crisps a day will down a full 5 litres of cooking oil over the course of a year. I’m all for the idea of highlighting the hazards of processed foods, but I have a couple […]
Jamie Oliver takes dim view of parents who their kid’s lunchboxes with rubbish
Jamie Oliver is on the rampage again, and is putting his all into improving the nutritional status of our young. Yesterday, Jamie took his ire out on typical items to be found in school lunchboxes, including crisps and soft drinks (including Red Bull) and described the parents that provide such foodstuffs as ‘tossers’. Even for […]
Older dads at risk of fathering autistic children ” and the diet that can help those affected by this condition
In the news this week a story has been just circulating about the fact that men aged 40 ” 49 (that includes me) are many times more likely to father autistic children than younger men. We’re unlikely to know what the mechanism is here, but what is good about this story is that it at […]
Foetal feeding – the evidence that supplementation during pregnancy helps ensure babies have all their fingers and toes
This week I’ve been working outside Toronto, and today found my eye diverted by a story on the front cover of the Canadian Globe and Mail about the use of nutritional supplements in pregnancy. The research, published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Canada (1) was a meta-analysis of studies in this area […]
Practical advice for those wanting to construct healthy lunchboxes for their kids
The Government has recently announced that school dinners are to undergo a much-needed audit and overhaul. It seems that this particular move towards healthier eating has been come about, at least in part, as the result of Jamie Oliver’s efforts to highlight the generally woeful quality of food on offer in UK schools. Bearing in […]
Kid’s breakfast cereals are notoriously rubbishy – what can you feed them in the morning that really sets them up for the day?
Recently, I have noticed a spate of adverts which suggest that eating a bowlful of cereal in the morning can help kids’ concentration. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) recently received several complaints about one such advert claiming that ‘Studies show a breakfast like Shreddies helps give kids the mental energy they need to stay involved […]
Could folic acid help prevent Down’s syndrome?
Folic acid enjoys a reputation as the pre-eminent pregnancy nutrient, one that is based on its ability to help ward against what are known as neural tube defects (NTDs) such as spina bifida. However, recent evidence suggests that folic acid may have broader benefits for babies: a study has suggested that adequate levels of folate […]
The benefits of taking omega-3 fats in pregnancy
Whilst most would-be mums will be cognisant of folic acid’s role in the prevention of birth defects such as spina bifida, they may be less familiar with other dietary factors that can influence the development of their unborn child. For instance, evidence suggests that certain nutritional elements found in fish can contribute to the healthy […]
Search drbriffa.com
Recent Blog Posts
- Walking versus running
- Article reveals unseen cause of bias that risks compromising the evidence-base for statins and other drugs
- Not all men with symptoms of an enlarged prostate have an enlarged prostate. What’s going on?
- How accurate are Professor Collins’ claims about the rates of muscle problems with statins?
- Why the device that counts the number of bites of food we take in a day is unlikely benefit health or weight
- Evidence links higher cholesterol with lower risk of death in older individuals
- Can getting more sun help protect against dementia?
Blog Categories
- Brain and Behaviour (191)
- Children's Health (93)
- Cholesterol and Statins (180)
- Daily Mail Archive (35)
- Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome (130)
- Exercise and Activity (114)
- Food and Medical Politics (405)
- Healthy Eating (627)
- Herbal Medicine (43)
- Low-Carbohydrate (182)
- Men's Health (46)
- Nutrients and Supplements (224)
- Observer Archive (189)
- Podcasts (42)
- Pregnancy and Fertility (24)
- Sleep (55)
- Specific conditions (215)
- Stress (5)
- Sunlight (115)
- Uncategorized (53)
- Unhealthy Eating! (312)
- Weight Loss (296)
- Women's Health (159)
Dr Briffa’s tweets
Disclaimer:
Information and advice contained on this site should not be used for diagnosis or be used as a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your doctor or healthcare professional before beginning any new treatment.
Dr John Briffa assumes no responsibility or liability for any consequence resulting directly or indirectly for any action or inaction you take based on the information, services, or material on or linked to this site.
Any links to external web sites are provided as a courtesy, and should not be construed as an endorsement by Dr John Briffa of the content or views of the linked materials.