Like us, the Brits are facing an obesity crisis, one that dramatically ups the risk of heart disease, cancer and other problems. And though heart problems are the biggest killer over there, and will be for some time, it's now being thought that the number of people estimated to be at risk of developing heart disease has been over-calculated -- by a whopping 1.9 million. The reason for the discrepancy? New risk factors have been taken into account, providing a more reliable overall picture. Nonetheless, heart disease is sill a major killer, both at home and in Europe.

Now if we could just get that number to come down by getting healthier ....

Following in the footsteps of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruling that all food manufacturers indicate trans fat and cholesterol content of food on food nutrition labels, UK medical researchers are proposing that food labels list all fats in the UK as well. This will go a long way in helping consumers make informed food purchases in reducing the increased risks of heart disease due to certain dietary fats.

Past evidence-based scientific research has demonstrated that an excessive consumption of transfatty acids, or trans fat, and saturated fat have been associated with an increased risk of heart disease, obesity and cancer. Trans fat can be found in most processed foods and some dietary supplements.

According to an explanation by the FDA, trans fat occurs in foods when manufacturers use hydrogenation, a process in which hydrogen is added to vegetable oil in order to turn the oil into a more solid fat. Trans fat is often found in the same foods as saturated fat, such as vegetable shortening, some margarines, pastries, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, french fries, fried foods, baked goods, salad dressings, energy and nutrition bars, and fast foods. Trans fat is also present in meat and dairy.

The FDA has published How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label that offers educational information on topics including serving size, calories, nutrients, daily food values, and percent daily values. The information is available as a PDF document.

Fourteen percent of British children are obese. To help curtail this problem, which can lead to future heart issues, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) of Britain wants TV junk food ads banned before 9 pm. With 80 percent of all British TV ads promoting junk food, the TV companies are worried about a serious loss of revenue. Ofcom, the UK media regulator, proposed that junk food ads be banned during pre-school aged TV programs and restriction of the ads aimed at children under age 10. The FSA said that's not good enough and parents agreed. With the average British child watching an estimated 20 hours of TV a week, all childrens health needs to be protected from the influence of poor dietary choices. America, why can't you be more like your older brother?

There are so many blogs in the world! Even one solely dedicated to the bounteous natural health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil-- aptly named the fish oil blog. It was there that I learned that Britains department of education has proposed a plan to improve concentration, behavior and nutrition in schools by administering a daily fish oil capsule to its students. The benefits could reach even further than anticipated, as fish oil has been documented as having long term heart healthy effects.

The department of education is awaiting research results from the Food Standards Agency on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on childrens ability to concentrate and focus. If the study is successful, the implemented daily dose could improve students overall academic performance and classroom behavior. Omega-3 fatty acids come from fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel, and are essential to brain cell development. It is believed that due to the prevalence of convenience foods in todays popular diets, that proper amounts of omega-3's are deficient.

Tomatoes contain a flavorless extract that helps maintain healthy blood flow, reports two new UK studies. Normal blood flow is partially regulated by a component in the blood called platelets. They help wounds heal and prevent bleeding by clotting a cut. As we get older, platelets react to lifestyle factors including alcohol consumption, diet, smoking and stress by becoming sticky. When platelets become sticky, they can form unhealthy blood clots in the blood vessels.

The scientists involved in the study isolated the part of the tomato found to be the most heart healthy and named it FruitFlowTM. The extract is found in the yellow fluid surrounding the tomatoes seeds, and acts as a smoothing agent for platelets-- preventing them from sticking together and thus regulating healthy blood flow. Improvement in blood flow was evident in 97 percent of study participants, from one-and-a-half to three hours after consumption. Shortly after the results of the study concluded, a fruit drink containing FruitFlow was produced called SircoTM. Drinking the extract has faster absorption rates and is more effective than simply eating tomatoes, researchers claim. So far, Sirco is only available in the UK. 

The first beating heart transplant took place in the UK two weeks ago. The 58-year old recipient is in excellent condition, with no signs of rejection.

Usually, donor hearts are given a large dose of potassium to halt their beating and then packed on ice for transport. The donor heart for the Cambridge transplant was transported in a sterile chamber where it was kept warm and beating by pumping oxygenated blood through it. The old method only allowed a four to six hour time frame for donor hearts to be transported and then transplanted to the recipient-- not allowing hearts available in remote regions to be utilized as transplants, as most are transported by road in the UK.

The new system will triple the number of transplants possible, enabling donor hearts to be kept longer without any damage, as well as provide an opportunity to be inspected for complete compatibility. Transplants quadruple with the ability to resuscitate hearts that are currently unsuitable for transplant and reverse deterioration. Future plans for the new system also include a higher number of successful liver transplants.