Dr David Allen's blog

On 1st October, Denmark introduced what’s believed to be the world’s first fat food tax, in an effort to combat obesity, heart disease and cancer. The new tax applies a surcharge to foods with more than 2.3 percent saturated fats equal to $2.90 per kilogram of saturated fat and including foods like butter, milk, cheese, pizza, oils and meat.

Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) is a protein referred to as “Miracle-Gro” or fertilizer for the brain. BDNF improves the functions of neurons, encourages new neurons to grow and protects them from stress. Sprinkled on neurons in a petri dish, BDNF is observed to cause brain cells to sprout the structural branches required for learning. On the other hand, low levels of BDNF have been associated with depression and even suicide.

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death and disability in Western populations with much research undertaken to identify the risks and the most effective means of prevention and treatment. The concept of a “Polypill” was introduced in 2003 which is a combination of six pharmacological components whose benefits could multiply to reduce cardiovascular disease by more than 80%. The concept has been welcomed in general but with concerns raised about the associated side effects and cost of the intervention.

Depression is often thought to go hand in hand with getting older but this is not the case. Older adults may go through significant life changes - such as losing a spouse, having a chronic health condition or being institutionalised - that may trigger depression. However, those who are single, don’t have support, have a medical problem or drink too much alcohol are more susceptible

If you are aged in your fifties you may be aware that you are not as strong or as quick as you used to be. We generally laugh this off as “old age” or, at least, “getting older”. The fact is you are probably right!

Excessive amount of TV watching has been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. This risk has been quantified by a new analysis of past studies by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health.

It is estimated that the average American spends about 5 hours a day watching TV, which is more time than is devoted to any other activity with the exception of sleeping and working. TV watching in Australia would be expected to follow a similar pattern whilst Europeans watch an average of about three hours of television a day.

It is no surprise that an Australian study has found that smoking accelerates mental decline and damages parts of the brain linked to dementia. However, a recent article posted in the Sydney Morning Herald reports the good news that quitting reverses these effects.

Experts warn that employees returning from holiday can return to work more stressed than when they left because of the increasing accessibility of technology. Modern technology has blurred the boundaries between holiday and work with the internet and the ability to check emails wherever you are. In addition, the workforce has become more competitive and employees feel they need to work harder to keep their jobs

A recent study found that ten simple and modifiable factors comprise 90% of a person’s risk of suffering a stroke. These are:

• History of high blood pressure
• Current Smoking
• Abdominal obesity
• Diabetes
• Lack of physical activity
• Poor diet
• More than 30 drinks per month or binge drinking
• Heart disease
• Psychosocial stress/depression
• Ratio of blood fats known as apolipoprotein B (apo B) to apolipoprotein AI (apo AI)

A recent study found that people who logged in to an interactive weight loss maintenance web site to record their weight at least once a month for 2.5 years maintained more weight loss than participants who logged in less frequently.
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