WELL ON WINE: Wine drinkers are more likely to eat healthily than their beer-swilling counterparts, researchers have found.
Shoppers who bought beer also bought more processed and high-fat foods in the survey, published in the British Medical Journal.
Researchers from the National Institute of Public Research in Copenhagen analysed more than 3.5 million supermarket purchases from nearly 100 shops to track patterns of drink and food buying.
Wine-buyers were much more likely to buy fruit and vegetables, low-fat cheese, olives and meat. They were also more likely to buy chicken, cooking oil and milk.
Beer-drinkers bought ready meals, sugary foods, chips and butter. They were also keener on sausages and soft drinks.
Some scientists dispute the beneficial health impact of wine, and claim wine-drinkers are healthier because of their diets.
It is widely believed that a small amount of alcohol every day reduces the risk of heart disease.
AWARENESS WEEK: The Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland is holding a National Awareness Week from January 30th to February 4th.
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition. People with CF are prone to respiratory infections which, in turn, leads to the deterioration of the lungs. In some cases, a lung transplant is vital for survival.
The awareness week will highlight the need for funding to improve the present treatment facilities and services in Ireland and the need for organ donations.
TONY OFF TV: A US consumer group wants to keep Tony the Tiger from promoting sugary cereals on the SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon show, or anything else kids are watching.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest said it would sue to try to stop Kellogg's, maker of cereals like Frosted Flakes, and Nickelodeon's cable network parent company, Viacom, from marketing junk food to children.
A planned lawsuit will ask a Massachusetts court to stop the companies from marketing junk foods in venues where 15 per cent or more of the audience is under age eight, and to stop marketing junk foods through websites, toy giveaways, contests and other techniques aimed at that age group.
The planned lawsuit in Massachusetts is the latest attempt to use the courts to try to battle the growing obesity crisis in the United States.
SUDS OR SUBSTANCE?: Medical students will debate the coverage of mental health issues on television soaps later this week in a public speaking competition entitled Soaps and mental health issues: suds or substance?
The All-Ireland Institute of Psychiatry will host the sixth annual Spike Milligan Public Speaking Competition in the Guinness Hop Store at 6pm on Thursday. Participants in the debate will come from the medical schools at NUIG, QUB, RCSI, TCD, UCC and UCD.
The Spike Milligan Award was established in 2001 to promote and foster communication skills among doctors, especially in the area of mental health.
FROM FRAGILITY TO RESISTANCE: An estimated 86,000 people contacted the Samaritans helpline in 2005. Of these callers, 21 per cent expressed suicidal thoughts, according to the organisation's annual report.
In response to the Government's recently published National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention, next month the Samaritans will host a series of talks, From Fragility to Resilience, which are open to the public.
The talks aim to make people aware that vulnerability lies in us all, and by recognising our natural tendencies to feel emotionally insecure, we are taking the first step in developing coping skills.
The first in the series will take place at the Bank of Ireland Arts Centre, Dublin 2 on February 1st at 8pm with principal clinical psychologist at St James's Hospital Tony Bates examining "what constitutes psychological wellness and what factors help to build resilience?".
Other talks in the series will take place on Wednesdays in February.
For further information log on to www.dublinsamaritans.ie/february. Tel: 01- 6712261 to reserve a place. Admission is free.
COMMUTERS' HEALTH: British health secretary Patricia Hewitt yesterday officially launched the NHS's first walk-in health centres for commuters, allowing them to fit a visit to the GP or nurse around their working day.
The centres at railway stations will be run by private firms but operate under the NHS banner and treatment will be free to NHS patients.
The first two surgeries, in London's Liverpool Street and Manchester's Piccadilly, opened their doors a few weeks ago.They will be followed by more including in London's Canary Wharf, Victoria and King's Cross. Each will open for 12 hours, 7am-7pm, and is expected to handle an average 43,000 patients a year.