Informed

Informed is our quarterly newsletter aimed at health professionals. It brings you the latest news on diet, lifestyle and cancer prevention. The information is based on science and is reviewed by a team of experts. We also feature articles on new programmes and Government recommendations and how you can use them in your everyday practice. Read our latest issue or download past issues.

The latest issue of Informed is now available and you can read the articles online or download the PDF.

The truth about processed meat and bowel cancer risk
Recently there was global media interest in our advice to parents to avoid giving children ham in packed lunches. Here we talk about the scientific evidence behind this Recommendation, explain what processed meat is and how it raises the risk of bowel cancer.

First WCRF/AICR update on breast cancer
The Continuous Update Project is a WCRF/AICR initiative in collaboration with Imperial College London that aims to keep the evidence from the Second Expert Report updated. The first update from the project on breast cancer was recently released – find out more about the results.

Improving physical activity in the community
Promoting active lifestyles should be at the core of health professional practice according to Health Secretary Andy Burnham, who spoke during the build up to the 2012 Olympic Games. Low physical activity levels cost the NHS £3,000 every minute so why not explore practical ways to help patients get fit.

The big South Asian health challenge
Experienced dietitian, broadcaster and best-selling author, Azmina Govindji, explains why South Asians today face such a big health challenge and shares her top tips for a balanced diet for people from this community.

Recognising good science in the media
A YouGov survey commissioned by WCRF UK found that 52 per cent of people think scientists are always changing their minds about cancer. Also, 46 per cent said they generally do not trust news stories about what increases or decreases cancer risk. Read our advice for identifying good studies.

Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption
In autumn this year, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs published the first report from the Council of Food Policy Advisors on food sustainability, public health and food policy. The report identified increasing fruit and vegetable intake as a health priority. Find out what you can advise patients.

Early food education for life-long healthy eating
The Food Standards Agency has recently published a new range of workbooks and downloadable resources to help young people learn about food and health. The new resources will hopefully help children improve their food knowledge and encourage them to eat healthily.

Breastfeeding reduces premenopausal breast cancer risk
In a large, prospective cohort study of premenopausal women, breastfeeding was protective against premenopausal breast cancer, especially in women with a first-degree family history of breast cancer. The study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Read more about the study's findings.