"fpa welcomes this report and supports all findings of the review. We have to recognise that drugs and alcohol influence some young people's sexual behaviour consequently putting them at risk. This is why we need a national strategy relevant to young people's experiences. It would also connect the work of different organisations that are currently operating in isolation from each other.

"As this report shows, young people receive messages and behavioural cues not just from family and friends but from different sources including advertising and the media. We know from the community based work fpa does with young people that this can affect decision-making. For the first time fpa will be including information about sex, drugs and alcohol in our campaign information for Sexual Health Week[1].

A fresh look at the value of dried fruit

I kept telling myself it was just to taste them for research. I tried not to be fooled by the health halo: "It's a fruit, so it's healthy." But I wasn't mentally prepared, so I overindulged. I wanted to find out if dried fruit really is healthy — and here's what I discovered. Before the invention of chemical additives to keep foods fresh, drying was one method of preserving food. Organisms that create food spoilage need water to survive. Basically, the drying process removes most of the moisture from the fruit, thus preserving it. The three most common methods of drying are solar, using an oven and using an electric dehydrator.

Even though many supermarkets put dried fruit in the candy section, it can be an excellent source of fiber, nutrients, antioxidants and complex carbohydrates.

YS child fitness lagging

Sutter and Yuba county schools are taking a critical look at their programs in the wake of a new report showing that students need to do a better job of exercising their young minds and bodies. Children Now, an Oakland-based national health-care research and advocacy group, ranked the states 58 counties based on 45 criteria. Among the local findings: Less than one-third of Yuba-Sutter students are considered physically fit, and local students need improvement in meeting English and math proficiency standards. Other data from the 2007 California Counties Data Book shows: • 42 percent of Yuba Countys second- through sixth-graders are proficient in English language arts, which ranked the county 33rd out of 58 counties. • The same grade levels ranked 32nd in math, with 50 percent of students being proficient.

Whole Grain, Not "Fiber", Lowers Colorectal Cancer Risk

Experts at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) offered praise for a recently published study which showed that whole grain fiber, and not fiber from other food sources, is associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer.

The AICR experts said the study is to be commended because, unlike many earlier investigations, its authors took care to analyze the role of dietary fiber from different food sources. By acknowledging that the fiber one gets from whole grains is different than the fiber one gets from "starchy" foods like white bread and processed cereal, the study represents an important step toward a more precise understanding of a long-standing scientific controversy.

Findings from the Study

The study in question, published this month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that consumption of whole grains was associated with lower risk for colorectal cancer.

Science Shows Nutritional Intervention May Reduces Chemical ...

In a recent review, Using Nutrition for Intervention and Prevention against Environmental Chemical Toxicity and Associated Diseases, Hennig et al (2007) set out to find evidence to make the recommendation that nutrition should be considered a necessary variable in the study of human disease associated with exposure to environmental pollutants.

The need to further understand the complex interplay between environmental exposure, nutrition, and disease risk was noted along with need to developing better tools to evaluate exposures, nutritional intake, and activity levels to determine how they interact with specific genotypes in correlation to disease.

Atkins Advantage Announces the Coupling to Watch This Summer

NEW YORK, June 14 /PRNewswire/ -- This summer, Atkins Advantage is excited to introduce the Atkins Advantage Peanut Fudge Granola bar, the newest flavor in its popular granola bar line. With low sugar, the Peanut Fudge Granola bar offers the perfect combination of chocolate and peanuts without the dreaded "spike and crash" that often follows sweet indulgences.

"We know the chocolate and peanut pairing is a weak spot for many people who otherwise make healthy eating choices," said nutritionist Colette Heimowitz, M.Sc., vice president, nutrition communication and education of the Atkins Advantage nutrition brand.