HEALTH BRIEFING:IRISH MEP Jim Higgins is proposing to introduce limits on the use of trans fats found in thousands of foodstuffs such as biscuits, ready meals and margarine because of concerns they can damage health.
Mr Higgins is proposing the regulation of the use of industrially produced trans fatty acids (TFAs) as they are a factor in coronary heart disease (CHD). He has called on the European Commission to limit the maximum permissible content of industrially produced TFAs in all ingredients intended for food products for human consumption within the EU to no more than 2 per cent of the total fat content.
In 2003, Denmark became the first country to regulate the sales of foods containing trans fats. The restriction was put on the ingredients rather than the final product, leading to much lower concentrations of the harmful additive in the final product.
While TFAs are naturally present in dairy and meat products, they are also industrially produced and used as an ingredient in processed foods.
Originally, the industrial production of TFAs was aimed at lengthening storage times for liquid fats, but today they are used to increase the shelf life and enhance the texture of many processed foods.
A 2006 review of all the studies of trans fats in the New England Journal of Medicine stated: “On a per-calorie basis, trans fats appear to increase the risk of CHD more than any other macronutrient, conferring a substantially increased risk at low levels of consumption.”
Outdoor enthusiasts warned about ticks
PEOPLE WHO engage in outdoor activities have been warned to be vigilant against tick bites, which can cause Lyme disease.
The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has warned that ticks are more common during summer months, particularly in grassy and forested areas.
Early symptoms of Lyme disease include fever and headache and, if left untreated, it can affect the heart and nervous system.
Dr Paul McKeown of the HPSC said: “Officially, Ireland is estimated to have between 50 and 100 cases of Lyme disease every year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was twice or three times as high as that .
“In the majority of cases it is a mild disease, but in 10 per cent of cases, it is more severe, and affects the heart and neurological system.”
Dr McKeown said that if a tick is removed from the skin within a few hours, the risk of infection is low. The entire insect, including any parts which might break, should be taken off with a tweezers by gripping it close to the skin.
The skin where the tick was found should then be washed thoroughly with soap and water and the area checked over the next few weeks for swelling or redness.
Tick bites can be avoided by using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved garments, trousers and closed-top footwear.
A doctor should be consulted if a rash or irritation persists after the tick has been removed.
Noises from babies with autism differ
BABIES WITH autism can be identified by listening to the noises they make, scientists have discovered. The babbling of infants with the disorder is not the same as that of children who do not have autism. Automated vocal analysis was used to spot the differences.
Prof Steven Warren of the University of Kansas, US, said: “This technology could help paediatricians screen children for ASD [autism spectrum disorder] and get them into earlier and more effective treatments.”