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Carbs are addictive, find Kiwi researchers
Friday, 09 January 2009
Cornflakes, croissants and other carbohydrate-rich foods could be as addictive as cigarettes, Auckland University researchers say.
In fact compulsive eaters might not be "greedy", but simply fighting addiction. .
His controversial paper, published in the journal Medical Hypotheses, suggests the sugar content of foods can predict their "addictive potential" and it calls for tougher regulation.
This "sugar rush" stimulated the same areas of the brain associated with addiction to nicotine and other drugs.
Like those addicted to cocaine and alcohol, people with a higher body mass index had fewer brain pleasure receptors.
Dr Thornley and his colleagues found that people who binged on high-carbohydrate foods experienced symptoms of addiction loss of control, a compulsion to keep taking higher amounts to get the same "buzz", and suffering depression if they went "cold turkey".
The paper suggests that reducing sugar content in commonly consumed food items enforced by regulation could break addiction and bring large public health benefits.
Low-carb, high-protein diets, such as the popular Dr Atkins weight-loss regime which cuts carbohydrates in favour of fatty foods, have been criticised by dieticians, who say 40 per cent to 60 per cent of calories in a healthy diet should come from carbohydrates.
Speaking to Britain's Daily Mail, Dr Thornley said there was a good case for treating highly refined foods in the same way as cigarettes banning TV advertisements, taxing them and insisting on health warning labels.
A diet high in simple carbohydrates from processed foods, such as white bread, sweets, fizzy drinks and syrups, causes obesity.
Good complex carbohydrates are found in starchy foods including wholegrain breads, cereals, starchy vegetables and legumes.
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Coromandel beauty starts party
Monday, 29 December 2008
CHARMER: Sharma Slavich, centre, took out her fourth Miss Whangamata title as the party season heats up in the Coromandel.
It's her fourth win, but don't bank on a fifth title for Miss Whangamata winner Sharma Slavich. Miss Slavich was a popular choice, with dozens of people screaming out her name and competition number to the judges.
The 19-year-old clinched the hometown win yesterday afternoon in front of about 2000 people at a warm Williamson Park.
"I try not to go in too confident," Miss Slavich told the as she was hugged by a camera-toting well-wisher.
Even at such a young age she is a veteran at beauty contests, winning several titles around the country over the past couple of years. .
"Each year I try to get more local girls to enter, and to win in my hometown is always special.
"It's always a big day, getting out there."
The medical centre receptionist said she always enjoyed the build-up to the event. It depends where I'm living. But I don't know if I'll be back next year.
Visitors swarmed the Coromandel Peninsula's popular beaches, baches and camping at the weekend."
The Miss Whangamata contest kicked off the countdown to New Year's Eve celebrations on Wednesday night.
There were delays throughout the day, but no crashes were reported.
Saturday was particularly busy on the region's roads, with the usual logjam at the Kopu bridge.
Fine, warm weather also ensured decent crowds on beaches at Tairua and Pauanui, while back in Whangamata there seemed to be almost as many people on the beach as driving around in cars and shopping on Port Rd.
In Whitianga, the crowds had arrived in plenty of time to prepare for a big New Year's party, and just south at the Coroglen Tavern the party had already started with several big concerts over the weekend.
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Police numbers across the peninsula have swelled in preparation for the party season, but no major incidents have been reported
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Source of fumes that led pupils to faint unknown
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
A Christchurch primary school has yet to find the source of fumes that caused three pupils to faint.
A close toby marble factory, originally thought to have caused the September incident at Phillipstown School, has been ruled out.
"No agency has been able to conclusively state to me or my board the actual source of the fumes," Simpson said.
However, principal Tony Simpson said there were up to seven possible sources of air pollution around the school. .
On September 23, three pupils from Hillview Christian School, who were visiting Phillipstown's technology department, fainted.
Fumes from a new marble factory were initially blamed. Two staff members reported feeling ill.
"Here we are at December 22 and we haven't actually conclusively ended the story," Simpson said this week. Tests by the Christchurch City Council, Environment Canterbury (ECan), the Department of Labour and Community Public Health found that in particular wind conditions odour concentrations would be detectable, but were not a health hazard."
The school was working with the Ministry of Education "to eliminate every possible identified source of concern".
"There are up to seven different possible sources of air-quality concern but determining if they're harmful or not has not been able to be achieved yet.
The school had set up procedures to react if strong smells caused concern again and would log the smell, notify the principal and contact the ECan pollution hotline.
"We're looking at employing private consultants to test some fabrics just to make sure that we've covered all the basics," Simpson said.
"We're primarily concerned with teaching and learning.
"We're not experts in the field of air quality and we're not an agency to deal with that," Simpson said."
The Department of Labour this month sent a letter to the parents of the children affected in the September incident. The procedure is a safeguard for the safety of staff and pupils and I think it's a common sense one and it involves the appropriate authorities.
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"The school is subject to a number of smells, including from the local brewery, pickle company, coffee company, bakery and a close toby industrial manufacturer," it said
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I didn’t kill Jhia, says accused
The Tuesday, 09 December 2008
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HAYDEN WALLACE: Denies being in a gang convoy.
The man accused of shooting Wanganui toddler Jhia Te Tua in a drive-by shooting says he was not the killer. .
Hayden Wallace has given evidence at the High Court in Wellington denying being in any of the three cars in a Mongrel Mob-based convoy from which the Crown says the fatal shot was fired. "I live my own life and I live it how I want to with my own decisions," he told prosecutor Grant Burston.
But giving evidence yesterday Wallace denied being the gunman, or a prospect, or taking orders from Check. He said he was a gang associate.
He agreed he could have told a police officer in 2005 that he was a gang prospect, but he had been very drunk and could have said things that were not true.
Wallace's evidence came on the day that one of his co-accused, Godfrey Muraahi, pleaded guilty to manslaughter reduced from a murder charge and being part of an organised criminal group.
Opening Wallace's case to the jury one of his lawyers, Noel Sainsbury, said the jury had to decide if Wallace was "the villain or the dupe, the shooter or the fall-guy".
The main evidence against Wallace, Muraahi, and the other five men on trial came from two men who said they were in the convoy and were given immunity from prosecution in return for giving evidence. Earlier in the day, Muraahi was discharged on an assault charge relating to a separate incident.
The other said he thought they had been going to fight Black Power members but when he asked why they had no weapons Muraahi had told him: "The lead car will do it, Hayden will do it". One of the men said he saw Wallace fire a rifle outside the house. The jury has seen security camera footage of Wallace getting out of the front passenger seat of Forbes' car at a service station after the shooting.
The Crown alleged Ranji Forbes drove the car from which the shots were fired.
The Crown's final address begins today. Wallace said he got in the car only minutes before when Forbes offered him a ride.
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Killing ‘mistaken gang identity’
Friday, 05 December 2008
A Mongrel Mob member is charged with murdering an innocent bystander in a case of mistaken identity, after earlier being beaten and stripped of his patch by a rival gang, court documents claim.
Charlie Karaka is charged with the murder and The can now report the police case against him, after defence lawyers fought unfavourably in the High Court to suppress some of the evidence till next year's trial.
Karaka and his brother, Johnathan Poese, have been committed to stand trial for the murder of Fitzgerald Risati – an IHC caregiver who was fatally stabbed in the early hours of December 8, his 24th birthday. They were at the Cannons Creek shopping centre, singing Samoan songs and hymns as they waited for a taxi.
Mr Risati was out celebrating with his younger brother and five friends.
He died of a stab wound to the heart.
Karaka, who was injured from a gang fight earlier that night, got out of his mother's car and asked the group, "Are you guys Crips?" – and then fatally stabbed Mr Risati, the Crown says. His brother, Risati Risati, 22, was stabbed in the back but survived.
Karaka, 33, and Poese, 26, have pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder. A butcher's knife with a 15-centimetre blade was found at the scene.
The Crown says Karaka was out looking for revenge after being beaten up and robbed of his Mongrel Mob patch by Crips gang members. Karaka is in custody and Poese is freed on bail. .
Statements to police described a brawl between Mongrel Mob gang members and members of the Crips – a Porirua youth gang affiliated with Black Power – at a Cannons Creek service station forecourt hours before the murder.
Leo and four other Crips chased the men and caught them at the service station.
Leo and four other Crips chased the men and caught them at the service station.
"The following morning I can remember waking up and looking at the Mongrel Mob patch," the youth later told police.
Another young Crip, who has name suppression, said Karaka was "whacked" with fence palings at the forecourt and that he had run off with Karaka's gang patch after it was ripped off."
Poese and Karaka's sister, Cassino Narayan, said their mother had asked her to come to her home about 1. "I was pretty happy with my efforts.
"Charlie was sitting on the front doorstep.15am because she was "anxious" about Karaka."
She said Karaka told her: "I got jumped by some Crips. I could see he was bleeding from a wound to his head."
Karaka had told Poese to drive them around Cannons Creek to "find the people who took his colours", Ms Narayan said. They took my colours.
Crown witness Boaza Pokoati, 19, told police he had just started talking to Fitzgerald Risati, whom he did not know, when Karaka got out of a car and asked: "Are you guys Crips?"
"I could see he was hiding something in his right hand," Mr Pokoati said.
Crown witness Boaza Pokoati, 19, told police he had just started talking to Fitzgerald Risati, whom he did not know, when Karaka got out of a car and asked: "Are you guys Crips?"
"I could see he was hiding something in his right hand," Mr Pokoati said. "He raised his hand towards Fitzgerald Risati with a bent elbow … and brought his hand down in a stabbing motion. I saw something going into Fitzgerald Risati's arm."
Witnesses said Mr Risati fought back, striking Karaka in the head and pushing him toward the car.
Risati Risati said he went to help his brother: "While I was watching Karaka, I got hit with what felt like a fist in my back. I turned around and saw … Poese right behind me."
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Auckland armed robbery suspect hands himself in
– Monday, 24 November 2008
The last of the three men accused of robbing an Auckland supermarket at gunpoint has handed himself into police.
Detective senior sergeant Dave Pizzini said Siaumau Leilua, a 27-year-old Samoan now living in the South Auckland suburb of Flatbush, had been charged with aggravated robbery and threatening to kill.
The Countdown Supermarket in Botany Downs was robbed late on Tuesday night.
Lielua, who was believed to be the principal offender, would appear in Manukau District Court tomorrow, he said.
They got away with “tens of thousands of dollars”. Two men involved were captured on security video.
One was a 20-year-old from Otara, the other a 21-year-old from Glen Innes.
Two former Countdown employees were arrested last week and charged with aggravated robbery. Investigations were continuing to locate the remainder of the money, he said.
Mr Pizzini said the majority of the stolen money had since been located north of Auckland.
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Jhia trial begins amid tight security
The Monday, 10 November 2008
TRIAL BEGINS: Jhia Te Tua, 2, was fatally shot on May 5 last year, as she slept on a couch at her Wanganui home.
Ten prison officers accompanied the accused at the High Court at Wellington where the trial of six men charged with murdering Wanganui toddler Jhia Te Tua started today.
A jury of six men and six women was chosen this morningfor a case that is expected to take about five weeks to complete.
It is alleged the bullet that killed her was fired from one of three cars containing Mongrel Mob members and supporters that drove by during a day of escalating tensions between the gangs.
The two-year-oldwas fatally shot on May 5 last year, as she slept on a couch at the Puriri St home of her Black Power member father. Others are giving evidence from behind screens.
Jurors have been told that some witnesses will be giving evidence via closed circuit television and will not onlyhave name suppression, but their evidence will be given anonymously, including theirnamesnot appearing on the witness list.
Jurors are expected to view parts of Wanganui on November 21, where the events took place.
Prosecutor Grant Burston told the jury that two men had already been convicted of manslaughter and four of being part of an organised criminal group, but those convictions were irrelevant to the Crown's case.
Justice Warwick Gendall also told the jury to ignore anything they might have heard previously about the case and not to look websites for information.
All but the jury panel and media were excluded from entering the court during jury selectionas members of the public waited in the foyer.
Asign outside the High Court where the trial is taking place reads : "Nogang patches or colours".
Charged with murder are: Karl Unuka Check, 26; Ranji Tane Forbes, 21; Godfrey Thomas Muraahi, 27; Erueti Chase Nahona, 19; Richard Anthony Puohotaua, 28, and Hayden Wallace, 27.
The public is being searched as it enters the courtroom.All but Karl Check are also charged with taking part in an unlawful organised criminal group.All but Karl Check are also charged with taking part in an unlawful organised criminal group.
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Man dies at rail crossing
The Saturday, 01 November 2008
Aman believed to be in his 20s was killed instantly when the car he was driving smashed into a slow-moving train in Napier.
At midday yesterday a late-model Toyota Corolla hatchback passed a long queue of cars that had been stopped by KiwiRail staff at a crossing in Prebensen Drive.
The line is a siding used to take containers from a depot to the Palmerston North-Gisborne line.
There are no barrier arms or flashing lights at the crossing, which has been in use since December last year and is used up to twice a day in off-peak hours. Visibility was good and it was a clear, sunny day. The train was travelling at about 15kmh.
Sergeant Ray Wylie said it appeared speed may have been a factor, but it was too early to say what caused the collision.
Witnesses said the eastbound hatchback, which hit the sixth carriage, was in the westbound lane.
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Net lures gang prospects to library
By WARWICK RASMUSSEN – Monday, 15 September 2008
PETER DRURY/
WATCHFUL EYE: A security guard in Chartwell library at the weekend.
Gang prospects using a busy Hamilton library as a meeting point, and a huge growth in patronage due to free internet, has prompted the city council to hire a security guard.
The building was particularly busy on Thursday nights, as Westfield Chartwell over the road was open late that night.
The guard, paid for by the council, is stationed at Chartwell Library in Lynden Ct on Thursday nights and Saturdays and Sundays.
"We've got twice the number of personal computers (PCs) there now and with the introduction of free internet it has become more and more popular.
Libraries director Faye Clark told the that the decision to bring in security was largely driven by a large increase in patrons.
"A lot of people who have traditionally not used libraries are coming in and we have to manage those new types of behaviours in a different way."
But that also created its own new set of issues, Ms Clark said.
"We also have an obligation as an employer to provide a safe working environment."
She said the introduction of a security guard a few weeks ago was to ensure the "safety and protection" of staff and legitimate library users."
She said no particular incident prompted the introduction of bringing in "a non-obtrusive watching eye". We are being prudent really. I'm talking about people who haven't traditionally been part of our library clientele.
"What we have is gang prospects out there.
Of the city's six council-run libraries, only Chartwell and Hamilton Central in Garden Pl had security guards, Ms Clark said."
She said the decision to bring a security guard in was made after a security review of the building.
Council's community services general manager Sue Duignan said there hadn't been any "unpleasant incidents" at Chartwell, but staff were conscious of an unwelcome "social element" at times. There were no plans to introduce more at any of the other facilities.
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Chartwell Library issues 31 per cent of all books in Hamilton and based on the size of the building was easily one of the busiest in the city