**From the Herald Sun (Melbourne) **
Obesity a heavy load for kids to carry
BEING overweight has a significant effect on a child's quality of life.
Melbourne researchers have found as soon as children are heavier than average for their age, their quality of life declines.
One in four Australian children is overweight or obese, and 50 per cent could be by 2020.
Dr Joanne Williams, of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, said the more a child was overweight the poorer their quality of life, and that the study of 1200 Melbourne primary school children found the impacts were mainly physical and social. She said one of the biggest concerns was the psycho-social impact on children.
"Being overweight or mildly obese has a significant impact on psycho-social health. It impacts on self-esteem and self-image.
"Once they have had self-esteem damage in that way, when they are developing, we don't know what the long-term consequences are for mental health and self-image even if they lose weight later on," Dr Williams said. Ability at school was the only aspect of life not affected by weight. The children are part of the long-term Health of Young Victorians Study. They were surveyed in 1997 and again in 2000.
"Overweight children are also more likely to be overweight as adults and then face heart disease, diabetes, cancer and arthritis," Dr Williams said.
"Exercise and healthy eating provide children with the best start in life, but there are also complex social and biological forces at play in childhood obesity."
From the Australian Press
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AussieMark
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AussieMark
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**From the Herald Sun (Melbourne) **
Fad diets are hit and myth
THE key to losing weight might not be which diet you pick, but how closely you stick to the plan.
But weight watchers should choose carefully because most weight-loss programs do not have enough evidence to back their claims.
Two studies from the United States shed new light on diet myths.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found adherence was the key to losing weight.
Researchers took 160 overweight and obese patients with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar and put them on one of four diets -- Weight Watchers with its restricted portion sizes and calories, the low-carb Atkins diet, Zone with its macronutrient balance and glycemic load, and the restricted-fat Ornish diet.
The study found the four weight-loss approaches resulted in modest weight loss and reduced risk of heart disease, but their overall adherence rates were low.
"In each diet group approximately 25 per cent of the initial participants sustained a one-year weight loss of more than 5 per cent of initial body weight and approximately 10 per cent of participants lost more than 10 per cent of body weight," the authors wrote.
The groups following the Atkins and Ornish diets had higher drop-out rates than Weight Watchers and Zone.
In Australia, dieting is big business.
According to experts, seven out of 10 Australians will be overweight within five years and, at any time, 42 per cent of women and 29 per cent of men are on a diet.
Australians spend about $1 million a day on weight-loss programs, drugs and aids in a bid to lose weight.
A second study found only one well-known weight-loss program provided enough evidence to support its claims.
That study of 10 popular programs found Weight Watchers was the only one with strong documentation that it actually helped people shed kilos and keep them off.
The study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, analysed studies of commercial non-medical weight loss programs, medically-based very low calorie diets, commercial internet-based programs, and two non-profit self-help programs.
The authors collected information about each program, the studies that had been done, and weight loss achieved in the studies. They found there were few high-quality studies assessing weight-loss programs.
And many of the studies presented only the best-case scenario because they did not follow people who dropped out.
Weight Watchers had the strongest study, showing participants lost an average 5kg, or 5 per cent of their body weight, in six months and had kept off about 2.5kg or 3 per cent after two years.
The authors said commercial weight-loss programs had not been carefully studied.
Fad diets are hit and myth
THE key to losing weight might not be which diet you pick, but how closely you stick to the plan.
But weight watchers should choose carefully because most weight-loss programs do not have enough evidence to back their claims.
Two studies from the United States shed new light on diet myths.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found adherence was the key to losing weight.
Researchers took 160 overweight and obese patients with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar and put them on one of four diets -- Weight Watchers with its restricted portion sizes and calories, the low-carb Atkins diet, Zone with its macronutrient balance and glycemic load, and the restricted-fat Ornish diet.
The study found the four weight-loss approaches resulted in modest weight loss and reduced risk of heart disease, but their overall adherence rates were low.
"In each diet group approximately 25 per cent of the initial participants sustained a one-year weight loss of more than 5 per cent of initial body weight and approximately 10 per cent of participants lost more than 10 per cent of body weight," the authors wrote.
The groups following the Atkins and Ornish diets had higher drop-out rates than Weight Watchers and Zone.
In Australia, dieting is big business.
According to experts, seven out of 10 Australians will be overweight within five years and, at any time, 42 per cent of women and 29 per cent of men are on a diet.
Australians spend about $1 million a day on weight-loss programs, drugs and aids in a bid to lose weight.
A second study found only one well-known weight-loss program provided enough evidence to support its claims.
That study of 10 popular programs found Weight Watchers was the only one with strong documentation that it actually helped people shed kilos and keep them off.
The study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, analysed studies of commercial non-medical weight loss programs, medically-based very low calorie diets, commercial internet-based programs, and two non-profit self-help programs.
The authors collected information about each program, the studies that had been done, and weight loss achieved in the studies. They found there were few high-quality studies assessing weight-loss programs.
And many of the studies presented only the best-case scenario because they did not follow people who dropped out.
Weight Watchers had the strongest study, showing participants lost an average 5kg, or 5 per cent of their body weight, in six months and had kept off about 2.5kg or 3 per cent after two years.
The authors said commercial weight-loss programs had not been carefully studied.
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AussieMark
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- Location: near Sydney, Australia
**From the Herald Sun (Melbourne) **
The weight is over after amazing transformation
NO carbs, more vegies, the zone diet -- Danni Penna tried them all.
The Bendigo 21-year-old consulted specialist dietitians and road tested every diet in women's magazines. But it wasn't until she joined her local Weight Watchers branch that Ms Penna actually started to lose weight.
She is now half the size of her former self, having shed 60kg in 24 months, dropping from 122kg to 60kg, and plummeting from a size 24 to a size 10.
Ms Penna is confident she has won her lifetime battle with obesity.
At 11, she was wearing a size 18, and her weight ballooned after she was diagnosed with poly-cystic ovarian syndrome at 16. After moving back to Bendigo from Melbourne two years ago, Ms Penna resolved to do something about her weight.
"I wanted to enjoy life but it got to a point where I was so embarrassed to be seen in public -- I'd be at home with my nanna on a Saturday night and my friends would be out having a great time at the footy or clubbing," she said.
Now Ms Penna leads an active life and eats balanced meals.
The weight is over after amazing transformation
NO carbs, more vegies, the zone diet -- Danni Penna tried them all.
The Bendigo 21-year-old consulted specialist dietitians and road tested every diet in women's magazines. But it wasn't until she joined her local Weight Watchers branch that Ms Penna actually started to lose weight.
She is now half the size of her former self, having shed 60kg in 24 months, dropping from 122kg to 60kg, and plummeting from a size 24 to a size 10.
Ms Penna is confident she has won her lifetime battle with obesity.
At 11, she was wearing a size 18, and her weight ballooned after she was diagnosed with poly-cystic ovarian syndrome at 16. After moving back to Bendigo from Melbourne two years ago, Ms Penna resolved to do something about her weight.
"I wanted to enjoy life but it got to a point where I was so embarrassed to be seen in public -- I'd be at home with my nanna on a Saturday night and my friends would be out having a great time at the footy or clubbing," she said.
Now Ms Penna leads an active life and eats balanced meals.
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AussieMark
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**From the Herald Sun (Melbourne) **
Shattered family hopes for miracle after drownings
A FAMILY'S hopes of finding their missing boy alive were fading yesterday after police scaled down a search for him off the coast of Warrnambool because of bad weather.
Seven-year-old Cody Wright has been missing since Sunday.
A freak wave swept eight members of his family out to sea at Stingray Bay, killing his mum, Joanne Wright, 25, and his sister, Thaneisha, 5.
The wave also claimed the lives of his grandmother Cheryl Burrell, 54, and his uncle, Shane Burrell, 31.
The Burrell and Wright families, of Ballarat, were walking between two islands off Stingray Bay when a large wave dragged them to sea.
Cody's father, Gary Wright, has maintained a beachside watch while 25 State Emergency Service volunteers scour an area 25km either side of Stingray Bay to find his son.
A helicopter, beach motorcycles and boats have been used in the search.
But bad weather off the coast of Warrnambool dented hopes of the boy being found yesterday.
Craig Burrell, who lost his mother, sister, brother and niece, said the family was clinging to hope.
"We just need to find him to have closure," he said. "We're expecting the worst."
Cody's cousin, Chloe, 7, who has been fighting for her life at the Royal Children's Hospital since the wave struck, is showing signs of improvement.
Her mother, Andrea Burrell, has not left her bedside since she was taken to Melbourne.
Mrs Burrell was watching from the shore when the wave took the life of her husband, Shane, and injured her two other daughters, Ashleigh, 9, and Zoe, 5.
"Andrea is being strong for the sake of Chloe," Mr Burrell said.
Mr Wright, who has a remaining son Jake, a toddler, is being supported by family.
Craig Burrell said the family was struggling to deal with the tragedy.
"We're not the best, but everyone's pulling together," he said. "Because it was so many people at once, you don't know how to grieve. As a family, we're all numb."
The search for Cody will continue this morning.
Shattered family hopes for miracle after drownings
A FAMILY'S hopes of finding their missing boy alive were fading yesterday after police scaled down a search for him off the coast of Warrnambool because of bad weather.
Seven-year-old Cody Wright has been missing since Sunday.
A freak wave swept eight members of his family out to sea at Stingray Bay, killing his mum, Joanne Wright, 25, and his sister, Thaneisha, 5.
The wave also claimed the lives of his grandmother Cheryl Burrell, 54, and his uncle, Shane Burrell, 31.
The Burrell and Wright families, of Ballarat, were walking between two islands off Stingray Bay when a large wave dragged them to sea.
Cody's father, Gary Wright, has maintained a beachside watch while 25 State Emergency Service volunteers scour an area 25km either side of Stingray Bay to find his son.
A helicopter, beach motorcycles and boats have been used in the search.
But bad weather off the coast of Warrnambool dented hopes of the boy being found yesterday.
Craig Burrell, who lost his mother, sister, brother and niece, said the family was clinging to hope.
"We just need to find him to have closure," he said. "We're expecting the worst."
Cody's cousin, Chloe, 7, who has been fighting for her life at the Royal Children's Hospital since the wave struck, is showing signs of improvement.
Her mother, Andrea Burrell, has not left her bedside since she was taken to Melbourne.
Mrs Burrell was watching from the shore when the wave took the life of her husband, Shane, and injured her two other daughters, Ashleigh, 9, and Zoe, 5.
"Andrea is being strong for the sake of Chloe," Mr Burrell said.
Mr Wright, who has a remaining son Jake, a toddler, is being supported by family.
Craig Burrell said the family was struggling to deal with the tragedy.
"We're not the best, but everyone's pulling together," he said. "Because it was so many people at once, you don't know how to grieve. As a family, we're all numb."
The search for Cody will continue this morning.
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AussieMark
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**From the Herald Sun (Melbourne) **
Motorists pumped up about petrol prices
PETROL prices have plunged by 10c a litre to a six-month low.
The average national price of a litre is 95.4c.
In Melbourne motorists celebrated Christmas with prices in the low 90s.
RACV corporate relations manager David Cumming said the Christmas prices – 91c a litre – were virtually unheard of.
"This is the first time in my memory that the industry hasn't hiked prices across Christmas," he said. The fall is attributed to a stabler Middle East and a warm northern hemisphere winter.
Australian Institute of Petroleum statistics indicate average metropolitan prices of 93.4c a litre.
Regional areas averaged 99.5c.
But it has not been good news for all Australian motorists: those in Tasmania are preparing to lobby state and federal governments as petrol prices soar above $1 a litre.
Motorists pumped up about petrol prices
PETROL prices have plunged by 10c a litre to a six-month low.
The average national price of a litre is 95.4c.
In Melbourne motorists celebrated Christmas with prices in the low 90s.
RACV corporate relations manager David Cumming said the Christmas prices – 91c a litre – were virtually unheard of.
"This is the first time in my memory that the industry hasn't hiked prices across Christmas," he said. The fall is attributed to a stabler Middle East and a warm northern hemisphere winter.
Australian Institute of Petroleum statistics indicate average metropolitan prices of 93.4c a litre.
Regional areas averaged 99.5c.
But it has not been good news for all Australian motorists: those in Tasmania are preparing to lobby state and federal governments as petrol prices soar above $1 a litre.
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AussieMark
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- Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 6:36 pm
- Location: near Sydney, Australia
**From the Herald Sun (Melbourne) **
Historic Queenscliff hotel in revamp
ONE of the state's landmark hotels will be transformed into luxury apartments in a $5 million redevelopment.
Developers yesterday lodged a planning application to overhaul Queenscliff's grand old Ozone Hotel.
Eight apartments would be built in the heritage-listed, three-storey building, including one incorporating the hotel's showpiece turret.
Another two apartments would be built over the beer garden and a shop and residence would be built on vacant land next door.
The two and three-bedroom apartments are expected to fetch between $800,000 and $2 million-plus.
The redevelopment would be the end of an era at the landmark hotel, which has hosted thousands of guests, diners and drinkers since it was built in 1881 by the Baillieu family.
Queenscliff locals yesterday said they feared the redevelopment would tarnish a piece of the town's history.
"That's why people come here, because of these beautiful old buildings, especially the old hotels along Gellibrand St," Queenscliff Community Association president Joan Kenwood said.
"They are real gems."
But real estate agent and project spokesman Tim Fletcher said great effort would go into preserving the hotel's historic character, replacing the front brick fence with a picket fence the only external change.
"This icon building is being restored for another use without losing any of its heritage character and neighbourhood appeal," he said.
Queenscliffe Borough Council chief executive Gary Price said it was too early to say if the plan would go ahead.
Historic Queenscliff hotel in revamp
ONE of the state's landmark hotels will be transformed into luxury apartments in a $5 million redevelopment.
Developers yesterday lodged a planning application to overhaul Queenscliff's grand old Ozone Hotel.
Eight apartments would be built in the heritage-listed, three-storey building, including one incorporating the hotel's showpiece turret.
Another two apartments would be built over the beer garden and a shop and residence would be built on vacant land next door.
The two and three-bedroom apartments are expected to fetch between $800,000 and $2 million-plus.
The redevelopment would be the end of an era at the landmark hotel, which has hosted thousands of guests, diners and drinkers since it was built in 1881 by the Baillieu family.
Queenscliff locals yesterday said they feared the redevelopment would tarnish a piece of the town's history.
"That's why people come here, because of these beautiful old buildings, especially the old hotels along Gellibrand St," Queenscliff Community Association president Joan Kenwood said.
"They are real gems."
But real estate agent and project spokesman Tim Fletcher said great effort would go into preserving the hotel's historic character, replacing the front brick fence with a picket fence the only external change.
"This icon building is being restored for another use without losing any of its heritage character and neighbourhood appeal," he said.
Queenscliffe Borough Council chief executive Gary Price said it was too early to say if the plan would go ahead.
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rainstorm
tropicalweatherwatcher wrote:**From the Herald Sun (Melbourne) **
The weight is over after amazing transformation
NO carbs, more vegies, the zone diet -- Danni Penna tried them all.
The Bendigo 21-year-old consulted specialist dietitians and road tested every diet in women's magazines. But it wasn't until she joined her local Weight Watchers branch that Ms Penna actually started to lose weight.
She is now half the size of her former self, having shed 60kg in 24 months, dropping from 122kg to 60kg, and plummeting from a size 24 to a size 10.
Ms Penna is confident she has won her lifetime battle with obesity.
At 11, she was wearing a size 18, and her weight ballooned after she was diagnosed with poly-cystic ovarian syndrome at 16. After moving back to Bendigo from Melbourne two years ago, Ms Penna resolved to do something about her weight.
"I wanted to enjoy life but it got to a point where I was so embarrassed to be seen in public -- I'd be at home with my nanna on a Saturday night and my friends would be out having a great time at the footy or clubbing," she said.
Now Ms Penna leads an active life and eats balanced meals.
exercise and a sensible diet is all it takes
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AussieMark
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- Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 6:36 pm
- Location: near Sydney, Australia
Govt pulls out of IR test case
NEW South Wales Industrial Relations Minister John Della Bosca has called the Federal Government spineless and deceitful for pulling out of the NSW state wage case.
The hearing was due to start Monday with the NSW government hoping to push for a $20 increase to the minimum wage.
But Mr Della Bosca said the Commonwealth had now withdrawn at the last minute.
He said it is part of a ploy by the Federal Government to intervene in proceedings so that the case is delayed until after the first hearing of Prime Minister John Howard's Fair Pay Commission.
"When applying to intervene in the state proceedings in late March, the Commonwealth claimed it had important evidence to present," Mr Della Bosca said.
"But its representations and the public statements of the federal workplace relations minister have turned out to be nothing more than naked threats and an attempt to obstruct the NSW system."
He said the NSW government would have welcomed the Federal Government's participation if it had been willing to address the concerns of low-paid workers.
NEW South Wales Industrial Relations Minister John Della Bosca has called the Federal Government spineless and deceitful for pulling out of the NSW state wage case.
The hearing was due to start Monday with the NSW government hoping to push for a $20 increase to the minimum wage.
But Mr Della Bosca said the Commonwealth had now withdrawn at the last minute.
He said it is part of a ploy by the Federal Government to intervene in proceedings so that the case is delayed until after the first hearing of Prime Minister John Howard's Fair Pay Commission.
"When applying to intervene in the state proceedings in late March, the Commonwealth claimed it had important evidence to present," Mr Della Bosca said.
"But its representations and the public statements of the federal workplace relations minister have turned out to be nothing more than naked threats and an attempt to obstruct the NSW system."
He said the NSW government would have welcomed the Federal Government's participation if it had been willing to address the concerns of low-paid workers.
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AussieMark
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Minister tight-lipped on reactor site
DEPUTY Prime Minister Mark Vaile won't say whether he would accept a nuclear reactor in his country New South Wales electorate of Lyne.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has suggested a nuclear-powered desalination plant in his home state of South Australia to curb pressure on the Murray River.
Meanwhile, a submission to federal cabinet nine years ago reportedly lists 14 possible sites for a nuclear power plant, including the Sydney suburb of Holsworthy, Queensland's Mt Isa, and south Darwin.
The document, obtained by a Sydney newspaper, detailed which coalition electorates would be affected and canvassed locations for possible nuclear waste dumps.
Then-science minister Peter McGauran approved the document outlining the sites for cabinet discussion on July 8, 1997.
Prime Minister John Howard last month called for a national debate on nuclear power in Australia, but has refused to name potential locations for a nuclear reactor.
Today, Mr Vaile would not commit to having a reactor in his seat.
"I'd like to have the debate and get hold of all the scientific facts before I answered that question. That's all that we should be doing," he told the Ten network.
"We shouldn't take any decisions in ignorance."
A national Ipsos Mackay poll for the Ten network found 45 per cent of Australians were against using nuclear-powered electricity to reduce greenhouse gases.
Forty per cent of people surveyed were in favour, while 15 per cent did not know.
Mr Vaile said the results of the poll were proof there should be a debate on the issue.
"That poll would indicate that at least there's enough grounds to have an emotion-free, fact-enriched, public debate about this issue," he said.
DEPUTY Prime Minister Mark Vaile won't say whether he would accept a nuclear reactor in his country New South Wales electorate of Lyne.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has suggested a nuclear-powered desalination plant in his home state of South Australia to curb pressure on the Murray River.
Meanwhile, a submission to federal cabinet nine years ago reportedly lists 14 possible sites for a nuclear power plant, including the Sydney suburb of Holsworthy, Queensland's Mt Isa, and south Darwin.
The document, obtained by a Sydney newspaper, detailed which coalition electorates would be affected and canvassed locations for possible nuclear waste dumps.
Then-science minister Peter McGauran approved the document outlining the sites for cabinet discussion on July 8, 1997.
Prime Minister John Howard last month called for a national debate on nuclear power in Australia, but has refused to name potential locations for a nuclear reactor.
Today, Mr Vaile would not commit to having a reactor in his seat.
"I'd like to have the debate and get hold of all the scientific facts before I answered that question. That's all that we should be doing," he told the Ten network.
"We shouldn't take any decisions in ignorance."
A national Ipsos Mackay poll for the Ten network found 45 per cent of Australians were against using nuclear-powered electricity to reduce greenhouse gases.
Forty per cent of people surveyed were in favour, while 15 per cent did not know.
Mr Vaile said the results of the poll were proof there should be a debate on the issue.
"That poll would indicate that at least there's enough grounds to have an emotion-free, fact-enriched, public debate about this issue," he said.
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