Australia: Heart Foundation investing US$12 million to fight heart disease
The National Heart Foundation of Australia recently announced a US$12 million investment in CVD research over the next year, with US$4.3 million going to new awards...
UK: Healthy vending machine project launched
In an effort to encourage kids to eat healthier snacks during the day, the British Heart Foundation launched a pilot project to install healthy vending machines in 30 schools across the UK...
South Africa: NCDs and HIV/AIDS treatment should be integrated
Because of the projected increase in NCDs such as diabetes and because the health needs of people on anti-retroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS resemble the health needs of people with NCDs, primary level care should integrate the treatment of NCDs and infectious diseases...
Brazil: Government called to address Chagas drug shortage
The Brazilian government should take leadership in addressing the critical shortage of benznidazole - a drug used to treat Chagas disease - according to Doctors Without Borders...
Brazil: Taxing sugar-sweetened beverages would reduce consumption
A tax based on purchased weight or volume of sugar-sweetened beverages would lead to a decreased in consumption within households, according to new research involving more than 48,000 people...
US: Pizza counts as a vegetable in school lunches
Thanks to a US$5.6 million lobbying effort by food companies, Congress rejected proposed changes that would stop counting pizza as a vegetable and limit potato servings in federally subsidized school lunch programs...
Australia: Laws needed to fight tobacco's "dirty tactics"
While addressing the Australian Council on Smoking and Health forum, Peter Gordon, an Australia lawyer, said the federal government needs to enact legislation that fights the "dirty tactic" of tobacco companies such as corruption and racketeering...
Trinidad and Tobago: Health Minister seeks out junk food companies
Dr. Fuad Khan, Trinidad and Tobago's Health Minister, is seeking to include representatives from junk food and soft drink companies on his Working Committee on Chronic NCDs...
Indonesia: Islamic group leads anti-tobacco efforts
Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's second-largest Islamic group, is launching an anti-tobacco campaign in its health and education institutions across the country...
Global: Diabetes will affect 552 million by 2030
Around 10% of the global adult population - representing 552 million people - will have diabetes by 2030 if nothing is done, according to the International Diabetes Federation's 5th edition of the Diabetes Atlas...
US: Food companies fight for junk food advertising
Several large food manufacturing and advertising companies successfully lobbied for a drop in age limit from 17 years to 11 years for upcoming Federal Trade Commission voluntary guidelines that ban junk food advertising targeting children...
Australia: Smoking law passes final legislative test
The upper house of parliament agreed on an anti-tobacco law that bans brand labels on cigarette packages...
UAE: Graphic tobacco warnings approved
The UAE Cabinet recently approved legislation that requires tobacco manufacturers to display graphic picture warnings on packages of cigarettes...
US: Judge blocks graphic warnings on cigarette packs
A federal judge blocked legislation that requires tobacco companies to display graphic images on packages of cigarettes...
Senegal: Pregnant women at greater risk for RHD
Pregnant women in developing countries like Senegal are at a far greater risk for heart disease - particularly rheumatic heart disease (RHD) - compared to women in high-income countries, according to new research...
Sri Lanka: Decline in cigarette production
Cigarette production has decreased 20% over the last five years, according to Dr. Sajeewa Ranaweera, Sri Lanka Medical Association committee member...
Africa: Call to spend more on chronic disease
Health scientists need more funding and support to tackle Africa's growing burden of chronic diseases, according to Olive Shisana, chief executive officer of the South African Human Sciences Research Council, who spoke at the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany...
East Africa: Deaths result from insufficient fruit and vegetable intake
Around 27% of all deaths in the East Africa region can be attributed to low fruit and vegetable intake, according to a recent WHO and Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report...
Fiji: Schools to ban junk food
Health inspectors will soon be visiting school cafeterias to ensure nutrition guidelines are followed...
US: Sugary drinks advertisements target young people
Exposure to full-calorie soda television advertisements doubled for children and teenagers from 2008 to 2010, and black and Hispanic young people saw the greatest increase in advertisements, according to new research...
