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A new study which found Kiwis do not consider the potential impact of their food choices on their cholesterol levels is worrying according to a leading academic expert.

Ministry of Health statistics,1,2 show approximately one in four New Zealand adults need to manage their cholesterol levels for their heart health.

But a new study* has shown that almost half of Kiwis don’t take into account how their diet could be impacting their cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in blood. While it is needed to build healthy cells, elevated cholesterol can impact heart health.

The nationwide Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering Study investigated New Zealanders awareness of, and attitudes towards cholesterol.

The research found that four in ten adults get themselves tested regularly and nearly two thirds of Kiwis have high cholesterol, or know someone who has high cholesterol.

The survey also showed that around half (47%) of respondents said they do not consider the potential impact of their food choices on their cholesterol levels.

Professor in Human Nutrition and Medicine at Otago University Dr Jim Mann says this is a concern.

“The really interesting thing is while a significant proportion of New Zealanders in the recommended age group are getting their cholesterol measured, the problem is they’re not doing anything about it,” he says.

More than half (57%) of respondents in the study said they knew the difference between good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterol.

“I think it’s good to know the difference between good and bad cholesterol but I don’t think that is the critical thing in the public health message at all. It’s more important that we persuade Kiwis that it’s worth them actually doing something about their cholesterol,” says Professor Mann.

“Cholesterol remains an incredibly important determinate of heart health and it always has been and still is, and although there are a number of other contributing factors identified it has not diminished the importance of cholesterol.

“People need to act on their cholesterol, they need to understand how their food and lifestyle choices impacts on their cholesterol,” he says. Professor Mann’s advice for those who have been told they need to  manage their cholesterol is to implement a number of lifestyle changes, this he says includes the substantial reduction of saturated fat wherever possible from their diet.

“There is a role for a range of other modifications including increasing polyunsaturated fats, dietary fibre, and plant sterols, all of these dietary factors can influence cholesterol levels,” he says.

The study showed that for the remaining six in ten Kiwis who don’t have their cholesterol levels monitored every two years, complacency and a general lack of understanding of the factors influencing cholesterol levels were primary reasons for not getting tested.

A quarter of these Kiwis say they have never thought about having their cholesterol tested, a fifth (21%) said their doctors had not suggested they be checked, while others felt maintaining a healthy diet (18%) and lifestyle (17%) or a lack of family history of high cholesterol (13%)  alone was sufficient.

The research was commissioned as Sanitarium launches a New Zealand-first line extension to the country’s number one breakfast cereal Weet-Bix, Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering which contains plant sterols.

Plant sterols are known to naturally lower cholesterol by reducing the absorption of bad cholesterol in the digestive system. They are found in a variety of foods like grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds but only in very small quantities.

Professor of Nutrition at the University of South Australia and lead researcher for the clinical trial Dr Peter Clifton says while increasing your intake of plant sterols is one of the most effective dietary measures to lower cholesterol, getting sufficient amounts in plant foods alone can be difficult.

“The latest Weet-Bix cereal is the most innovative cholesterol lowering product I’ve seen in 15 years – it’s easy, convenient and proven to work. Breakfast is an essential part of every diet, so combining the cholesterol-lowering properties of plant sterols into a cereal product is a truly clever solution to one of the biggest health challenges we face in our busy, modern lives,” he says.

The general manager of Sanitarium NZ, Rob Scoines, says the company is dedicated to improving the lives of Kiwis through better nutrition.

He says maintaining good heart health is one of the most important considerations for making a significant and positive impact on the long-term wellbeing of New Zealanders.

“We commissioned the New Zealand research to help us better understand Kiwis attitudes towards their cholesterol levels as well as any barriers that were preventing them from getting checked regularly.

“We are committed to investing in innovative food solutions which will make a real difference in the lives of thousands of Kiwis managing their cholesterol. Weet-Bix Cholesterol Lowering is a convenient way for consumers to effectively take charge of their heart health,” he says.

Breakfast meeting, school run, work lunch, gym class, dinner date – if your diary looks a little like this, you’ll know that life’s too short for bad skin – so banish blocked pores for good with the new Pore Extractor Pomegranate Mask from Murad!

Boasting an intensive Volcanic Clay formula, Murad’s new Pore Extractor Pomegranate Mask rescues clogged pores after just one use, with its unique formulation acting as a magnet to help extract impurities and excess oil from pores.

If glowing skin is on your wish list, Pomegranate Extract works to visibly refine pores, while strengthening and rejuvenating the top layer of skin, giving you the luminosity you want. Pore Extractor Pomegranate Mask also features biodegradable Polylactic Acid polishing beads, clever creations that serve as an exfoliate, lifting away dirt, debris and dead skin cells that have clogged pores throughout the day, leaving your skin visibly smoother and minimising pore appearance.

Pore Extractor Pomegranate Mask is part of Murad’s Pore Rescue® collection of scientifically formulated solutions to clear and refine the appearance of pores, reduce T-zone shine and improve skin texture.

Pore Extractor Pomegranate Mask (RRP $79; 50ml) will be available at Caci Clinics nationwide from 9 August 2017.

For more information, visit www.murad.co.nz

-Ends-

Written on behalf of Murad by Impact PR. For further information or images, please contact Mark Devlin, [email protected] (021509060).

Vehicle designs of the future will take into account the evolving demands of our modern lifestyle – including how to stop your bag of takeaways from spilling on your front seat, according to a leading car maker.

Volvo’s New Zealand general manager Coby Duggan says their recent global research into how motorists use their cars has provided a number of insights which are being integrated into upcoming vehicle designs.

“One of the key out-takes from the research was a better understanding of the universal issues faced by drivers when it came to storing items associated with  today’s lifestyle.

“No matter what part of the world they came from, motorists all needed to address issues like having mobile devices sliding around in the mid-console, takeaway bags at constant risk of falling over and fumbling to take petrol cards out of their wallets.

“The underlying issue is a lack of suitable and functional storage space inside their car,” he says.

Duggan says a new approach to vehicle design will seek to address these issues as well as a range of others.

“A shortage of suitable storage spaces in areas like doors can be particularly noticeable in smaller SUVs.

“Volvo’s first entry into this compact SUV space will be the XC40 and it will be clear to drivers that all elements of the vehicle’s spatial design will incorporate the latest customer research with the designers choosing a completely new approach .

He says by moving speakers from the door and developing a world-first, air-ventilated sub-woofer, Volvo created enough storage in the XC40’s door compartment for a laptop and a tablet, or a couple of water bottles.

“The designers wanted to ensure that in additional to aesthetic considerations, the vehicle’s features remained usable in the way they were intended – so that cup-holders can be used as cup-holders  – and that the design itself provides separate areas for storing coins, cards or charging cables.

“Another area of focus was developing usable space for phones which offers wireless charging as well as the option for USB ports,” he says.

Duggan says a small fold-away hook has been added to the glove compartment, allowing drivers to secure small shopping or takeaway bags.

The XC40 will also offer slots for credit and service cards that can be neatly inserted into the dashboard, making them readily available when needed. In the tunnel console, under the armrest, there is a large storage area with room for a tissue box. A special, removable bin allows you to discard and quickly get rid of waste.

“In the boot a smart floor system has been added which can fold and separate your luggage and allows you to use the entire load space without removing the floor from the car. The rear-seat electronic folding mechanism gives you a flat loading floor at the touch of a button,” says Duggan.

The XC40 includes a fold-up boot divider with two hooks to help secure shopping bags or other luggage. A private locking storage compartment is also available under the load floor.

The XC40 SUV will be launched in New Zealand in Q2 2018.

The quality of beef, pork and their products, including the level of their contamination with pathogens has a significant impact on the health of consumers. In order to eliminate the risks associated with the consumption of potentially hazardous food, the European Union has introduced the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). This system plays a key role in ensuring the free movement of safe and healthy food in Europe.

Ensuring food safety requires taking action in a coordinated and integrated manner and is of interest to the government authorities, the general public, non-governmental organisations and trade organisations.

The strategy of food safety in the European Union includes inter alia the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). It is a network for the exchange of information on risks of foodstuffs and feed and products intended to come into contact with food between EU Member States. This means that the process of risk analysis of EU beef, pork and their products is much more complex than the analysis of the quality of meat alone. It includes also the entire environment in which farming, slaughter, processing and trade takes place. The information obtained from the RASFF system enables the early prevention of hazards and immediate remedial action, which is an important part of the strategy of food safety.

EU beef, pork and their products are not anonymous.

The threats associated with the consumption of potentially hazardous food include not only microbiological risk, but also the presence of pesticide residues, medicines and other contaminants present in food. It is worth stressing that these threats increase with the increase of turnover in international trade as an anonymous manufacturer produces a product for an anonymous consumer.

In the countries in the Community beef, pork and their products are not anonymous. Since 1978 there has been the Community information exchange system and later Council Directive 92/59/EEC on general safety of products contained an article about the rapid alert system. In turn, the RASFF system itself has been established by Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EC) No. 178/2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and laying down procedures in matters of food safety. It includes the EU Member States, the countries of the European

Economic Area (EEA), the European Commission and the EFSA. The principle of operation of the system is very simple – Member States create a point of contact that collects all information concerning the direct or indirect risk from food or feed and then transmits the data to the European Commission which, after confirming the validity of the declaration of a risk factor, immediately informs the other members of the network. In the European Union, the RASFF as part of the process of risk analysis allows the Member States to act significantly faster and in a more coordinated way in response to identified risks to human health from food or feed.

To the RASFF system database there is both access for entitled entities (via the CIRCA portal), as well as public access through a website (http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/rapidalert/rasff_ portal_database_en.htm), while respecting the appropriate rules of entitlement and confidentiality.

The RASFF system is now an important element of sanitary and epidemiological surveillance and the policy for public health protection. This system allows taking immediate action in relation to the threat, enables quick elimination of products dangerous to health and provides a consistent level of food safety throughout the territory of the European Union. The data from the RASFF constitute the basis for making changes in the food legislation of the European Union and the guarantee of safety of EU beef, pork and their products.