DELAY IN DIAGNOSIS: Difficulties in distinguishing between normal signs of ageing and the onset of Alzheimer's Disease is causing delays in diagnosis, according to a European survey of sufferers, care-givers, physicians, policy-makers and the general public.
Over 70 per cent of doctors surveyed believe Alzheimer's disease is underdiagnosed. Almost 90 per cent believe early treatment can delay the progression of the disease. Researchers at the market research agency Millward Brown also found that a fear of the condition itself contributes to a late diagnosis.
TOO MUCH FRUCTOSE: A huge rise in the use of fructose - a cheap alternative to glucose and cane sugar - is contributing to the rise in obesity, according to American researchers from the Pennington Biomedical Research Centre. They say that high fructose corn syrup, which is sweeter than sugar, should be reduced and replaced, especially in soft drinks. Unlike glucose, fructose is not converted to energy and is therefore more likely to be turned into fat in the body. It is estimated that between one-third to one-half of the increase in calorie intake since the 1970s comes from soft drinks and fruit drinks with high levels of the syrup.
DEVIL'S CLAW BENEFITS: The South African herb, Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum), valued for its anti-inflammatory properties has been found to be beneficial for patients suffering from rheumatism and arthritis. Seventy per cent of patients have reported improvements in global pain, stiffness and specific pain in an ongoing clinical trial carried out by Bioforce UK.