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Expert says all pregnant women should take vitamin D

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Expert says all pregnant women should take vitamin DPA

A London coroner has written a letter to the Health Secretary calling for all pregnant and breastfeeding women to take vitamin D supplements.

After holding an inquest into the death of a three-month-old last week, Andrew Walker decided to write to Andrew Lansley.

The baby was taken to a GP in July this year and was diagnosed with a suspected viral infection, and sent home with nasal drops.

After a telephone conversation with another doctor, his parents were told to give him paracetamol.

However his parents were worried and called an ambulance, where "it was recognised he was seriously unwell" when he was taken to Northwick Park hospital.

The baby's death was caused by a septic inflammation of the heart and an abnormal aortic heart valve.

The coroner's court was told a lack of vitamin D had exacerbated the progress of the infection and a consultant said women should be told to take the vitamin when pregnant or breastfeeding.

Mr Walker said in his letter that he should think about ''increasing public awareness of vitamin D deficiency'', and that all pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should take 10mcg of Vitamin D every day.

Do you agree with taking supplements during pregnancy or breastfeeding or not? Let us know below...

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Easy entertaining tips

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Easy entertaining tipsJames Creighton/AP Photo

Hosting a party this holiday season? If so, you're probably even more frazzled than the rest of us. What to serve, how to decorate your home and when to fit in the time to manage it all are just some of the thoughts mulling around in your mind, not to mention when you'll actually finish your Christmas shopping...

Well, relax. We've compiled a list of easy entertaining tips to ensure that your hosting goes off without a hitch - and you're not slaving in the kitchen while your guests are in the next room. From creating the cosiest atmosphere to staying on top of the cooking, click through our gallery below for some stress-relieving party-planning tips.


 

Study says one in 100 pupils in UK sick with ME

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Study says one in 100 pupils in UK sick with MEPA

Researchers have warned that as many as one in 100 pupils in UK schools could be taking time off because they suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue - also called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) - causes excessive tiredness, concentration issues, mood swings and memory difficulties.

Around a quarter of a million people are believed to suffer from the condition in the UK

The study, which was published in the BMJ Open journal, looked at 2,855 pupils at three schools and discovered 28 were absent from school with ME.

After studying every pupil between the ages of 11-16 at three schools in Bath, researchers identified 461 pupils who missed school for at least one day a week over six weeks.

Five children had already been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, but another 23 cases were discovered.

The study showed 1% of children had the condition and the illness was the cause of 6% of the high number of absences.

Dr Esther Crawley, researcher at the University of Bristol, told the BBC: "The impact of missing school is potentially devastating."

The chief executive of the Association of Young People with ME, Mary-Jane Willows, said the problems caused by the illness was "horrendous" and that "1% is a phenomenal number. It proves the problem we're up against."

She added: "I would say that it is on the lean side, it is at least 1%, there is a hidden population out there."

Prof Matthew Hotopf, from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, said: "Chronic fatigue syndrome is not uncommon as a cause of recurrent school absence, and therefore something to actively look for."

He added: "There is everything to play for in terms of outcome for chronic fatigue syndrome in kids. This study demonstrates that about two-thirds had recovered by six months, and that's a really important message for families and GPs."

Should ME be considered as a cause of frequent absence or not? Let us know below...

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Psychologists say we're at our most competitive aged 50

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Psychologists say we're at our most competitive aged 50Corbis


Unless your name happens to be Madonna, you might assume that you'd be feeling less competitive by the age of 50 - but scientists now believe that the reverse is true.

Rather than mellowing with age, new research from the University of Oregon indicates that we're actually at our most competitive when we reach our half-century.

The findings could impact upon the workplace where younger, more obviously ambitious workers are assumed to have the edge over their older colleagues.

As part of the study, hundreds of volunteers aged from 25 to 75 were asked to solve maths equations as quickly as possible.

They were given the choice of playing on their own or taking on a rival with a cash incentive for the winner.

Almost 70 per cent of men aged 45-54 chose to go head-to-head with a rival, compared to 50 per cent in the 25-34 age group.

Women were found to be less competitive than men, with only one in three choosing to go head-to-head.

Researchers believe that this is because men need to feel socially dominant as they age.

Have you become more competitive with age? Let us know below...

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Who fancies a £2 Christmas dinner?

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Who fancies a £2 Christmas dinner?Studentbeans.com


We all know that Christmas can be an expensive business, but would you consider cutting costs by serving up wafer-thin turkey and potato waffles for Christmas dinner?

Student money-saving website Studentbeans.com has come up with a recipe for a cut-price Christmas dinner - and it only takes ten minutes to make using a toaster and a microwave.

By replacing roast turkey with a pack of wafer-thin turkey slices, tucking into potato waffles instead of roasties and using cocktail sausages wrapped in wafer thin ham - or topped with Frazzles bacon-flavour crisps - as an alternative to pigs in blankets, you can 'enjoy' a festive meal for a fraction of the usual cost.

Vegetables can be bought ready-chopped and frozen, ready to go straight into the microwave, and stuffing and gravy can be made from a packet mix.

Oliver Brann, editor of Studentbeans.com, says: "Why should those lacking in finance and technical know-how miss out on a Christmas dinner with friends? For less than £2 a head and taking just ten minutes to prepare, you can knock up a meal fit for a king (or at least a flat full of poor, hungry students)."

He adds: "We love a roast potato but at the end of the day, a potato is a potato, no matter what form it comes in.

"This thinking led us to the conclusion that there was only one solution - the potato waffle.

"A few minutes in the toaster and you'll have perfectly cooked waffles without any olive oil, goose far or baking trays in sight."

Would you be tempted to try the budget Christmas dinner? Let us know below...

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Recycle your relationship waste

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Recycle your relationship wasteCorbis

The Divorcée Sales are L.A.'s latest trend - parties where women gather to sell designer gifts from their exes at bargain prices. But, besides flogging unwanted Prada, are there other ways to recycle unhappy romance memories?

The Divorcée Sales are arguably an ingenious notion for women who hate their exes and love designer fashion. How better to leave behind painful memories than by selling off the anniversary Bulgari and consoling yourself with someone else's Chanel, cheap?

Shedding the trappings of a past love provides a psychological lift, says Jill Alexander, entrepreneur behind TDS, who always donates a proportion of the sales to charity. It certainly worked for Kim Basinger who sold the bling Alec Baldwin bought her when their marriage broke up and gave away all the proceeds.

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Every single relationship can be used to improve the next

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And experts say we can work this recycling magic with other relationship baggage, not just the matching Louis Vuitton kind.


The Power of The Past
Gifts, photos, cards... why do we cling to such painful reminders anyway? 'Objects from a relationship hold power because they say, 'somebody loved me,' explains psychologist Marisa Peer, author of Ultimate Confidence. ''Things' show the world that you mattered. One of the biggest human needs is to feel significant. Women especially need this proof and we're reluctant to relinquish it.'

Photos are a biggie - throwing them away is often the only way to save yourself pain - but Peer suggests transferring them to disc first. When you heal, you still have them but while it hurts, you'll be less tempted to pull them out after a few glasses of wine.

Don't burn anything
With every item comes a story. 'If your partner really hurt you and you express that anger by burning mementoes, negativity stays attached to those objects,' explains Peer. 'Whenever anyone asks "what did you do with that stuff?" you'll recount an angry story. But explaining that you gave your wedding dress to someone who couldn't afford one and how much pleasure it gave them re-associates the item with a positive story; one that makes you feel good about yourself.'

Peer suggests inviting friends over for a give-away. 'It's easier to let 'stuff' go in a positive atmosphere with someone explaining you why you no longer need it.'

Recycle The Beginning
'Remembering the horrible bits is actually a survival technique,' explains Peer. 'By reliving uncomfortable experiences, we're actually trying to understand how they happen in order to avoid repeating them. But picking over sad memories long-term is damaging.'

Peer recommends mentally returning to the beginning of your relationship - alone or with a friend - and remembering all the things your partner said they loved about you. 'Go through old cards and letters. Write down the love messages and then throw the cards away so only the compliments remain.

Remember: you are still this person. Someone was attracted to you because of those amazing traits - and you still posses them all.'

Recycle criticisms as an inspiration
... rather than using them as a stick to beat yourself with. If a cruel ex called you fat or unsexy how much of this truly resonates? If it hurt because you feel it too, use the money you make from selling their gifts on E-Bay to hire a personal trainer or to buy a new wardrobe.

'Do whatever you have to do to prove to yourself that they were wrong,' says Peer. And while we're on the subject, recycle the term 'my ex.' 'Using "my" means you continue to own someone,' says Peer. 'Use his name or use "my child's father" - there's less hurt attached to these labels.'

Recycle the problems as warning signs
Every single relationship can be used to improve the next,' states Peer. 'When you start dating again, ask yourself: "how do I feel about myself with this new person?" If it's bringing up similar feelings to the ones you had with your ex, be wary. See what patterns you followed in your last relationship and monitor whether new dates follow or deviate from this path.

The brain loves familiarity so we shy away from things that seem different. But this can mean we follow the same destructive patterns. If you react differently or a new date approaches something in another way - don't see it as a problem. Repetition of the unfamiliar makes it the new familiar!'

And if there's something you can't bear to part with?
If that D&G LBD you bought for your anniversary dinner in Prague is just too gorgeous to part with, give it a makeover. 'Add a new collar, new buttons, a corsage or have it adjusted,' says Peer. 'If it's hard to alter, wear it with pride and remember that you bought that item because someone loved you in it - and you are still that loveable person. Think of it as you would a vintage outfit - forget the memories of that previous owner.'

Because that previous owner has been recycled and is moving on to bigger, better things.
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Body hair keeps bed bugs at bay

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Body hair keeps bed bugs at bayAFP/Getty


Most women spend lots of time and money on hair removal - but new research suggests that staying hairy could stop you being bitten by bugs.

Researchers from the University of Sheffield's Department of Animal and Plant Sciences have discovered that hairy people are better protected from parasites because the hair makes it harder for bugs to make contact with the skin.

Bed bugs, mosquitoes, midges and ticks prefer smooth areas like the wrists and ankles but they are more likely to be noticed and swatted away if they pass through body hair.

Researchers studied 29 volunteers who had one arm shaved before bed bugs were placed on their skin.

The results showed that people with more hair - both longer hairs and fine, almost invisible hairs - were more protected as the hair extended the insect's search for a feeding ground and increased the likelihood of it being detected.

Study leader Professor Michael Siva-Jothy, said: "Our findings show that more body hairs mean better detection of parasites.

"The hairs have nerves attached to them and provide us with the ability to detect displacement. By forming a barrier and providing detection, these hairs prolong search time and make detection more likely because the bug has to spend more time clambering over them.

"The results have implications for understanding why we look the way we do, what selective forces might have driven us to look the way we do, and may even provide insight for better understanding of how to reduce biting insects' impact on humans."

He continues: "Our proposal is that we retain the fine covering because it aids detection and if we lost all hair, even the relatively invisible fine hair, our detection ability goes right down."

However, he says that the findings don't mean that women are more likely to be bitten than men as insects always prefer to bite in relatively hairless areas.

Would you stop shaving your legs if it meant you wouldn't get bitten? Let us know below...

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Would you try the happiness diet?

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Would you try the happiness diet?Getty


Anyone who has ever been on a diet knows that all that denial and self-control can make you pretty grumpy.

But a new book, called The Happiness Diet, claims that we can improve our mood as we lose weight.

Drew Ramsey, a clinical psychiatrist at Columbia University in the US, and health writer Tyler Graham say that weight-loss diets should contain natural mood-boosters such as magnesium, vitamin B12 and conjugated linoleum acid if we want to feel happy - and reach our goal.

They advocate a diet rich in 'good' fats like olive oil, whole grains, vegetables and quality meats because it makes us feel happier and more satisfied, enabling us to lose weight effortlessly.

Dr Ramsey told Today.com: "Focusing on getting skinny by eating a low-fat, low-calorie diet, fails for most people.

"Your brain is made of food, and the right foods are the foundation of good mental health. You can't feel your best if you starve the brain."

They also insist that eating well doesn't have to be expensive - but say that we'd do better to spend our extra cash on good food rather than cable TV.

Tyler Grahams says: "What's more important, having 200 cable channels or feeding your brain the nutrients it needs?"

Do diets make you miserable? Let us know below...

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Blood test could spot Alzheimer's five years before it kicks in

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Blood test could spot Alzheimer's five years before it kicks inGetty


A new blood test could detect Alzheimer's five years before symptoms start to show - and it could be widely used within three years.

Quick detection of the disease would allow early treatment, meaning that those who test positive may never fully develop the disease.

An early warning could also give sufferers the opportunity to change their diet and take more exercise in order to keep the disease at bay.

Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia affect more than 800,000 Britons and this is expected to double within a generation.

At present sufferers are only diagnosed when the disease has already damaged the brain, but the new test could provide a much earlier diagnosis.

The blood test was devised by Professor Matej Oresic, of the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finalnd, after he analysed the blood of 226 men and women in their late 60s ad 70s and tracked their health for five years.

At the start of the study, 37 had already been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, 46 did not have any memory problems and 143 were suffering from forgetfulness.

By the end of the study, 52 of that 143 had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Comparing their blood samples with those of people who were simply forgetful revealed clear differences in the concentration of chemicals which are produced by reactions in the body.

Working out how these chemicals, known as metabolites, relate to the progression of Alzheimer's could help to develop new treatments for the disease.

Professor Oresic says that delaying the onset of Alzheimer's in older people "is almost as good as preventing it" and says: "A delay of even a couple of years would immensely improve quality of life."

He says that more work is needed to show how accurate his test is, but he hopes it will be in small-scale use within a year and widely used in two or three.

Would you take a test to predict if you were at risk of Alzheimer's? Let us know below...

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Dutch lingerie company gets a man to model bras

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Dutch lingerie company gets a man to model brasHEMA


Dutch department store Hema has caused controversy by using male model Andrej Pejic to front their new lingerie campaign.

The 20-year-old Serbian-born, Australian-raised supermodel, is no stranger to modelling womenswear - but this campaign is already being hailed as 'revolutionary'.

Hema claims that their Mega Push-Up Bra can boost your bra size by two cup sizes - and it seems to work on Andrej, whose flat chest appears to be a B-cup in the ads.

The campaign has already sparked a huge response on Twitter where one user wrote: "That HEMA campaign is brilliant: Andrej Pejic sporting a push-up bra?! If a man looks good in that bra, it must be good stuff."

Would you buy a bra that had been modelled by a man? Let us know below...

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Decorating dilemmas: Choosing the right fireplace

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It's the heart of the home, so giving your fireplace a facelift is always money well spent. Whether it's open fire, Scandi-style stove, multi-fuel or coal-effect it can be hard to choose which is best for your home. We asked fireplace guru Paul Chesney, from Chesney's, a specialist fireplace company, to share his tips for improving your fireside appeal.

Decorating dilemmas: Choosing the right fireplace for your homeThe Fitzroy, Chesney's


Smarten up your hearth
The first step to getting a fireplace in perfect condition for the winter season is to have the chimney swept. This should be done at the start of every heating season. If the slate hearth is looking a bit tired, treat it with Linseed oil to restore its lustre. Using a non-abrasive cloth to apply a weak mix of water and detergent will clean any surface dirt from a marble or limestone chimneypiece. If there is a Victorian grate in situ, it should be polished using graphite paste or Zebrite to revive its finish. For a smart-looking slate hearth, try the Great Slate Company, prices start from £100 for 20mm thick.

Gas stoves
Both Chesney's gas and solid fuel stoves are very efficient, but the advantage of a gas stove is the convenience to turn on and off at will and control it from the comfort of your armchair with a remote control, plus they do not require cleaning. Chesney's range of gas stoves are only 5.6kW gas input which means they deliver an outstanding efficiency rating of up to 82% while using a relatively small amount of gas. They also do not require any additional room ventilation. The Alpine 6 Series, £1620 from Chesney's.

Wood burners
The wood burning stove has always been an attractive heating choice for many, however recent years have seen the market soar as new technology, innovative designs and eco-credentials take centre place below the mantle piece. The latest stoves on the market boast advanced technology offering outstanding eco efficiency levels of up to 84% with minimal emissions, qualifying them for use in urban areas as well as rural. The Barrington 4KW (also available in 6KW and 8KW), £954 from Chesney's. Also see the Squirrel 1442 4KW, £1339 from Morsø.

Georgian style
If you love period features, preserve them. Take into account the function and furnishings in the room to ensure that its formality or otherwise is matched by the choice of fireplace. Thus, a Georgian sitting room would benefit from a Georgian-style fireplace. Fireplaces from this period tended to be based on the classical orders and give grandeur to formal rooms. You could think along the lines of a neo-classical design in white statuary marble incorporating carved detail to the jambs, corner blocks, frieze panels and centre tablet. The Fitzroy, £4740, shown here in statuary marble with Giallo Treviso marble ingrounds, Osterley steel fire basket, black slate hearth and slips, from Chesney's.

Old flame
Open fireplaces are not only environmentally friendly, but can also make good economic sense. Timber for fuel is typically up to 30% cheaper than oil or gas and with recent price rises in both, the savings are only likely to increase. An additional environmental benefit is that timber is usually sourced locally, so transport miles and associated emissions will also be kept to a minimum. Plus open fires are atmospheric and bring all kinds of warmth in the currently chilly climate (economic and otherwise).

For more design, decorating and shopping inspiration and expert advice, visit Stylenv.com Do you have any decorating dilemmas? If you want to know how to get your house style-ready for winter or get ideas on how to give your front door a facelift for added curb-side appeal, email decodilemmas@aol.co.uk.

- Go shopping for your home

 

Fit celebrities over 40

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Fit celebrities over 40EMPICS Entertainment/bauergriffinonline.com/PA

Some say 40 is new the new 20, but these celebrities live by that mantra. They're not afraid to flaunt their toned bodies on the red carpet - or in a bikini, for that matter - and they're also willing to admit to the hard work they put in to keep their bodies in peak shape.

Check out our gallery of fit celebrities over 40. Do these stars look better now than they did at the beginning of their careers?

 

Why Mr Right does not exist

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Why Mr Right does not existCorbis

Tall, dark, handsome and houseproud - most of us have an idea of our perfect man.

Unfortunately, according to the results of a new study, that flawless specimen of manhood really doesn't exist.

Researchers polled 2,000 women on behalf of Remington and found that not a single one would describe their partner as 100% perfect.

In fact, the average score women gave their partner was just 69% on the perfection scale.

Men who did not not get on with a woman's relatives topped the list of imperfections, followed by using her toothbrush, not cleaning the toilet, not liking her mates, not liking children and being lazy.

Leaving nail clippings around, driving dangerously, burping, farting and leaving dirty washing on the floor also made the top 20 list.

Nikki McReynolds, marketing director for the company said: "It seems women are quite realistic on what they look for from their partner."

"While they might happily overlook a few common flaws, there are certain behaviours that men just won't get away with."

She added: "The average guy may not be able to compete with the image of a David Beckham, but there are still a number of small changes they can do to make a big difference."

Has the study got it wrong? Is there a perfect man out there or not? Let us know below...

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Don't bin that egg!

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Don't bin that egg!Getty

When it comes to best before dates, most of us fall into one of two camps.

There are the food police, who will toss the cheese into the bin on the morning of its expiry date and then there are those of us who will happily scrape mould of a piece of bread that went off when the Duchess of Cambridge was still a commoner.

Certain foods, such as eggs, usually get short shrift after their best before dates, as anyone who's opened up a bad egg for breakfast will confirm.

However the Food Standards Agency has released new guidance which says eggs can be eaten for up to two days after their best before date, "provided they are cooked thoroughly".

Previous guidance had stated that consuming eggs after their best before date could cause salmonella poisoning.

The new guidance is part of a drive by the FSA to reduce food wastage in Britain. It is estimated that 660,000 eggs, as part of food wastage in Britain of more than £10 billion annually, are binned by people every year because they have gone past their best before date.

The FSA's new guidance added: "Apart from eggs, most foods can be eaten safely after the 'best before' date, as this is mostly about quality rather than safety. Past this date, it doesn't mean that the food will be harmful, rather that its flavour, colour or texture might begin to deteriorate."

"However, it is still important to remember that if food has a 'use by' date, then it shouldn't be used after this date as it could put your health at risk."

Do you agree with the FSA's new guidance or not? Let us know below...

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Miley Cyrus denies boob job claims

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Miley Cyrus denies boob job claimsWireImage

Miley Cyrus has denied rumours that she;s had cosmetic surgery to boost her bust.

The former Hannah Montana star appeared at the 2011 CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles dressed in a yellow Roberto Cavalli dress with an extremely low neckline.

The 19-year-old star then took to Twitter to quash reports that she'd had a boob job.

She tweeted: "Thank you for the compliment but these babies are all mine," and added "I wish they'd realise you don't have to be fake to be beautiful!"

Miley was accompanied to the ceremony by her boyfriend Liam Hemsworth, an Australian actor.

Perhaps Miley's new-found curves are due to her love of good food, as her boyfriend revealed last month: "There is this place in Nashville called Steak and Shake, which is pretty much the best food, ever. That is our secret, sexy place to go."

"When I look over at her when she's biting into a steak sandwich and there is some steak sauce dripping down her chin, there is nothing sexier than that."

Has Miley had a boob job or not? Let us know below...

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AOL Lifestyle mobile is here!

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Want instant AOL Lifestyle news, gossip and features at your fingertips?



AOL Lifestyle mobile is here!AOL Lifestyle


We're thrilled to announce the launch of our AOL Lifestyle mobile site. Just type in our web address on your phone and you'll be automatically redirected to the mobile site, which features all the latest health and beauty news, fabulous recipes, celebrity gossip and home and relationship features.

From love advice to the newest workout trends, celebrity weight loss to the latest diets, AOL Lifestyle mobile has all of the info you love to read about - at the touch of a button. Happy tapping!

 

Why are a third of primary school children fat?

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Why are a third of primary school children fat?PA

Newly released figures have revealed that a third of children in England are overweight or obese.

The data, which was published by the NHS Information Centre, showed that by the age of 11, 19% of children in Year Six were obese.

A further 14% were classed as being overweight, taking the total number up to 33%. In Inner-city locations the amount of obese children was 25%.

The number of children in the obese category has risen by 10% over the past four years, the research showed.

The heaviest children were found in Southwark in London, where 26.3% of kids were obese, and in Sandwell in Birmingham (26.2%).

Tracy Parker, dietician at the British Heart Foundation, said of the research: "This is a really sad statistic. It is a shame that even more of our children are finishing primary school obese."

"We've got to realise children's food and lifestyle choices today could have long-term consequences on their future health. Kids are turning their backs on fruit and veg in favour of snacks laden with fat, salt and sugar as a regular part of their daily diet."

What do you think of the research? Let us know below...

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Quarter of young women say they've had underage sex

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Quarter of young women say they've had underage sexPA

New research has found that 27% of young women have had sex before they reached the legal age of consent.

The Health Survey for England 2010 data showed the number of young women who had underage sex is double the 14% of women aged 35-44 who had sex under 16.

Just 4% of women aged between 55-69 said they had had underage sex.

The research, which was published by the NHS Information Centre, also showed that a tenth of young people between the ages of 16 and 24 had 10 or more sexual partners.

Almost half of younger women (44%) had been tested for the STD chlamydia, in comparison to just 12% of women aged 45-54.

The figures also showed that over a quarter (26%) of women and nearly a third of men (32%) aged 16-24 were virgins.

Shadow health minister Diane Abbott said: "The rising numbers of girls having underage sex is alarming. It is not a cost-free phenomenon. It poses public health policy challenges and social challenges."

"The underlying cause must be the 'pornification' of the culture and the increasing sexualisation of pre-adolescent girls. Too many young girls are absorbing from the popular culture around them that they only have value as sex objects. Inevitably they act this notion out."

"[The] government needs to respond to spiralling underage sex, not with pointless schemes to teach abstinence, but with better PSHE (personal, social, health and economic) teaching in schools for both girls and boys."

Is the "pornification" of culture really influencing young people to have sex at a younger age? Let us know below...

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Figures show sharp rise in potentially fatal allergies

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New figures show sharp rise in potentially fatal allergiesGetty


There has been a huge rise in the number of people admitted to hospital with anaphylactic shock, which is often triggered by an allergy to foods like nuts and shellfish.

The number of people affected by allergies has trebled in the last 20 years and the number of hospital admissions has increased by at least 700 per cent.

It is estimated that a third of Britons will develop an allergy at some time in their lives and anaphylaxis causes about 20 deaths a year in otherwise healthy people.

According to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) around 50,000 people in England suffer an anaphylactic attack over the course of their lifetime.

Hospital admissions have increased from about 300 a year in 1990 to more than 2,100 in 2004 - and are likely to have risen further since.

Food allergies affect four per cent of adults and six per cent of children under the age of three.

Allergies to shellfish and nuts are the most common, and some studies suggest that allergies to peanuts have more than trebled in the past decade, now affecting more than one in a hundred children.

Today NICE have published the first guidelines for treating the condition and say that doctors should record the circumstances immediately before the reaction to help identify the cause and ensure an adrenalin injector is given to patients so that they can then give themselves an in injection of adrenalin if they have another attack in the future.

Do you suffer from allergies? Let us know below...

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Half of all orange juice from cafés may contain bacteria

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Half of all orange juice from café's may contain bacteriaGetty


Freshly squeezed juices might not be quite as healthy as we thought.

Scientists have found that almost half of the orange juice served in cafés and restaurants could be contaminated with potentially dangerous bacteria such as salmonella.

Researchers from the University of Valencia analysed 190 batches of juice from café's and restaurants in Spain. Under EU food regulations, 43 per cent contained 'unacceptable' levels of enterobacteriaceae, the bacteria family which includes Salmonella and E.coli.

They also found that one in ten samples contained unacceptable levels of mesophilic bacteria, which thrives at room temperature.

This is thought to occur because staff squeeze a large amount of juice at one time and leave it jugs where it heats up, allowing bacteria to thrive.

More than 80 per cent of juice kept in metal jugs contained unacceptable levels of enterobacteriaceae, compared to one fifth of samples served freshly-squeezed into a glass.

Study author Isabel Sospedra said: "Some orange juice is consumed immediately after squeezing but in many cases it is kept unprotected in stainless steel jugs.

"We found that some juices that were kept in metal jugs presented unacceptable levels of enterobacteriaceae in 81 per cent of cases and in 13 per cent of cases with regard to mesophilic aerobic bacteria.

"However, when the freshly squeezed juice is served in a glass, these percentages fall to 22 per cent and two per cent respectively."

She explained: "Juicers and juicing machines have a large surface area and lots of holes and cavities. This promotes microbial contamination, which is picked up by the juice as it is being prepared.

"To ensure consumer health, we recommend that juicers are cleaned and disinfected properly. The same goes for the jugs in which the juice is stored, although its consumption is better as and when it is squeezed."

Does this put you off ordering juice in café's and restaurants? Let us know below...

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