TARGETING SALT: The intake of salt will need to halve in the next five to seven years to prevent heart disease and related conditions," says epidemiologist Prof Ivan Perry at the recent launch of Salt - an All Ireland Health Challenge.
The challenge is the first initiative of the All-Island Food and Nutrition Forum which is made up of government agencies and departments, north and south.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has established an agreement with food companies and industry bodies to reduce the level of salt in manufactured foods by 2010.
ARTISTIC EXPRESSION: Finding ways to express oneself creatively has well-documented therapeutic benefits for those suffering from varying forms of mental illness.
The Lundbeck Art Initiative was created six years ago to encourage artistic expression among clients of the mental health services in Ireland.
An exhibition of works produced by participants of the initiative is on show in the Office of Public Works, St Stephen's Green, Dublin until Friday, opening hours are 9am-5.30pm, admission is free.
INFANT DEVELOPMENT: How babies grow in the womb may be important in predicting growth and development throughout childhood, according to researchers at the University of Ulster.
So far, the researchers, headed by Prof Barbara Livingstone, have discovered that being active as a child is of greater importance than being small.
The team is currently keen to make contact with families in Northern Ireland who participated in the first part of its study in 1997 to collect follow-up data. Email mbe.livingstone@ulster.ac.uk or tel: 048 70324471.
(Lifelines is compiled by Sylvia Thompson)