Behind the Headlines

Your guide to the science that makes the news

Spicy food 'curries favour' with alpha males

Monday Dec 15 2014

'Alpha males' like spicy foods, study suggests

“Men who like spicier food are 'alpha males' with higher levels of testosterone,” The Daily Telegraph reports. A small French study found an association between a preference for spicy foods and elevated testosterone levels…

Food additive could reduce appetite

Thursday Dec 11 2014

"Appetite suppressing additive could be added to food to create 'slimming bread'," ITV News reports. A compound called inulin-propionate ester is thought to stimulate the production of appetite suppressing hormones, making people feel full-up…

Obesity could 'rob you' of 20 years of health

Friday Dec 5 2014

"Obesity knocks 20 years of good health off your life and can accelerate death by eight years," the Mail Online reports. A study has estimated very obese men aged 20 to 39, with a body mass index (BMI) of 35…

Nitrate-rich leafy greens 'good for the heart'

Thursday Dec 4 2014

“Leafy vegetables contain chemical nitrate that improves heart health,” the Mail Online reports. In a recent study, researchers looked at the effects of a nitrate-rich diet on rats…

Do time-restricted eating habits reduce obesity?

Thursday Dec 4 2014

Time-restricted eating habits may reduce obesity

“Want to lose weight? Eat all your food in an eight-hour time frame – and never snack at night,” reports the Mail Online. However, these tips are based on a mouse study – no humans were involved…

Weight loss surgery 'not a quick fix' for good health

Tuesday Dec 2 2014

"Weight loss surgery isn't just a quick fix to becoming healthy – you have to exercise too," the Mail Online reports. Weight loss surgery, such as fitting a gastric band, usually results in significant weight loss…

Majority of supermarket chickens carry food bug

Friday Nov 28 2014

“More than 70% of fresh chickens being sold in the UK are contaminated,” BBC News reports. A Food Standards Agency investigation found worryingly high levels of contamination with the campylobacter bug, which can cause food poisoning…

Ten point plan to tackle liver disease published

Thursday Nov 27 2014

"Doctors call for tougher laws on alcohol abuse to tackle liver disease crisis," The Guardian reports. But this is just one of 10 recommendations for tackling the burden of liver disease published in a special report in The Lancet…

No proof 5:2 diet prevents cancer

Tuesday Nov 25 2014

"Could 5:2 diet help to ward off cancer?" is the question posed by the Mail Online after the publication of a study into experimental diets. An honest and accurate answer to the question, based on the study, would be "we don't know"…

Can a yoghurt a day reduce diabetes risk?

Tuesday Nov 25 2014

A yoghurt a day may reduce diabetes risk

"Eating a small portion of yoghurt every day may reduce diabetes risk," The Independent reports. This news comes from a US study that assessed the eating habits of more than 100,000 people and then followed them up every four years, looking...