The paradox of diet sweeteners

To lose weight, forget the diet drink.

That' the message from the latest studies on the effect of sugar on body weight. Well, in this case, it's rats' body weight. The studies, carried out at the Purdue University, Indiana, had rats given yogurts sweetened with either sucrose or saccharin. Throughout the studies, unrestricted supply of rat food as well as water were also made available.

After five weeks, rats which were on the saccharin diet, had gained more weight than the others. The researchers also found that by giving the sucrose-fed rats high-calorie chocolate, they (the rats, of course) eat less afterwards.

The explanation? Well, the researchers conclude that animals, just like human being, use cues such as sweetness, to predict satisfaction over food. The body normally understands that more sweetness means more calories, so that understanding is used to automatically regulate food intake. With saccharin and the like, sweetness does not necessarily come with calories. With this inconsistencies, the body can't regulate.

Anyhow, some parties have already come up with arguments to dispute these findings. That is just expected, isn't it?

Fight fire, anyone?

Firefighters are attacked while on duty.

Funny? No, as that is what happening throughout the UK, as reported by the Fire Brigades Union. The culprits are of course, teenagers. The Brigades receive on average of 40 attacks a week. The attacks involve things like bricks, stones, woods and knives. And the trend has been on the increase, with the latest figure at 15% over 2006-2007 period. The Union's secretary general was quoted as saying that "...In some areas attacking fire crews has become a recreational activity, with very serious consequences,.."

Any mentally healthy citizen would be wondering why would you attack fire fighters, who, in the first place are in the area to help stop a fire from spreading, and at the same time probably save lives. Well, I don't have the answer. Neither do the Fire Brigades. They just want more protection, in the form of Government-funded national strategy. In the meantime, fire fighters in the Tyne and Wear has been given `spit-kits' to collect DNA of those spitting at them.