Staple surgeons in short supply
Rising obesity among Asians has resulted in growing demand for bariatric procedures such as stomach-stapling - and a major shortage of qualified surgeons. Asia Pacific Bariatric Surgical Society president Lee Wei-Jei told an obesity conference in Kuala Lumpur there were only about 30 bariatric surgeons in the region, compared with about 1,200 in the US. More than 1,300 operations were conducted between 2005 and last year, AFP reports - and demand is expected to rise significantly in the next two years.
Fast food speeding inactive to obesity
Malaysia faces an epidemic of weight-related illnesses within the next decade, Health Minister Chua Soi Lek has warned, blaming the country's rising obesity levels on western fast food and sedentary lifestyles. Chua told an obesity conference in Kuala Lumpur that adult obesity levels have nearly tripled in less than 10 years to 12.2 per cent of the population in 2003, from 4.4 per cent in 1996, AFP reports. He's proposed a ban on fast-food advertising, saying it's the only industry that 'advertises aggressively' and targets children.
Med diet easy on the wheeze
A so-called Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables and olive oil may help reduce childhood respiratory allergies and asthma, a British-Greek study of almost 700 children living on Crete has found. Those who ate the most fresh fruits and nuts were least likely to suffer from breathing allergies, Reuters reports, whereas those who ate the most margarine were most likely to have problems. Different diets appeared to have no effect on skin allergies, but those who ate a lot of grapes, nuts, oranges, apples and fresh tomatoes were much less likely to have wheezing or runny noses.
Geriatrics limber up on the move