| Hamming it up in a test run before they do their live broadcast from ... Hamming it up in a test run before they do their live broadcast from UOW’s Calorimeter Room tomorrow (Wednesday 14 May) are ‘Bigger Breakfast’ on Wave-FM personalities Jade and Greg | 
| Wave-FM on air personalities Jade and Greg prepare to lock themselves... Wave-FM on air personalities Jade and Greg prepare to lock themselves into the Calorimeter Room ahead of today’s live broadcast from UOW |
Good fat might help you slim
13 May 2008 | Bernie Goldie
The Smart Foods Centre at the University of Wollongong is about to begin a new trial – the first of its kind -- focusing on how fat in the diet or in supplements might influence weight loss.
The Director of the National Centre of Excellence in Functional Foods, Professor Linda Tapsell, said individual participants taking part in the trial will have their metabolism measured in Australia’s only Human Whole Room Calorimeter.
The specially fitted out room creates a controlled living environment to study human metabolism and accurately measures energy expenditure in individuals. By analysing air samples taken from the Calorimeter, researchers can measure participants’ oxygen consumption and then calculate energy expenditure. Gas analysers attached to the unit measure changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the chamber air, reflecting the body's use of carbohydrates, protein and fat.
Professor Tapsell said there has been an increasing interest in the effect of fats in the management of obesity.
“It may seem contradictory to some, but there is increasing evidence that some fats in the diet may actually assist in weight loss,” Professor Tapsell said.
The Smart Foods Centre has been granted a National Health and Medical Research Council award in recognition of the importance of its groundbreaking research.
Professor Tapsell said the unique aspect of the trial was the fact that participants would be tracked over a period of 12 months where they will receive dietary advice through continuous support from a qualified dietitian as well as monitoring body fat distributions and percentages. These measurements will be made when participants spend time in the Calorimeter Room.
The trial is one of three that the Smart Foods Centre is conducting this year looking at various effects of foods, diets and nutrients on health outcomes. The other two trials are a two-month “Appetite Study Trial” and a six-week “Cholesterol Study Trial”. The appetite trial will look at the effects on appetite from consuming different meats, and involves breakfast and lunch meals. The cholesterol study will look at the effects of various breakfast cereals on blood cholesterol levels and participants will receive a six-week supply of products to consume.
The ‘Bigger Breakfast’ WAVE-FM radio personalities, Jade, Greg and Dave will be doing a live broadcast on 96.5 from the Calorimeter Room on Wednesday (14 May). The broadcast will run from 6am to 9am to help promote the trials.
The centre is now looking for up to 300 volunteers to take part in one or more of these three trials. Further information on all three trials can be found at the following website: www.uow.edu.au/health/smartfoods/clinical-trials-2008.html
Volunteers wishing to take part in any of the studies can ring the Smart Foods Centre hotline on (02) 4221 4600 to register their details or email smart_foods@uow.edu.au
|
