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The Big Lottery Fund's Reaching Communities programme has announced that it will be donating a cash boost to people living with dementia in North Yorkshire. Those who wear Alzheimer's Medical Alert bracelets to inform others of their condition are set to receive £432,446 from the organisation. As part of its Living well with Dementia project, the Scarborough Whitby and Ryedale Branch of the Alzheimer's Society will use the money over a period of three years to help those living in the area. It is thought that up to 3,500 people could benefit. Colin Barnes, manager of the Scarborough branch of the Alzheimer's Society, said that the initiative will 'help people cope and reduce the isolation and loneliness that so often accompanies a diagnosis, especially in the sparsely populated areas of the North Yorks Moors and the Esk Valley'. In related news, a survey conducted by Turning Point recently revealed that three-quarters of people in the UK have suffered from depression at some point, although many do not seek any help. 
Women who avoid drinking too much alcohol are less likely to be overweight, it has been claimed. Dr Jacquie Lavin, head of nutrition and research at Slimming World, said that although people can enjoy the odd glass of wine when they are on a diet, they should not see it as a way to shed the pounds. This is because alcohol contains liquid calories and although they do not fill a person up in the same way that food does, they will contribute to weight gain. Ms Lavin said that 'the best way to lose weight is to choose satisfying foods that are low in energy density as this means you'll fill yourself up for fewer calories'. These include fruit and vegetables, pasta, fish, lean meat and potatoes. Cutting back on the booze may also reduce the risk of having to wear a medic alert pendant, as drinking lead to liver and cardiovascular problems. A study conducted by the British Heart Foundation recently revealed that 68 per cent of adults do not get enough exercise. 
If children are obese they may be more likely to suffer from food allergies, it has been revealed. Jeffrey Zavik, founder and chief executive officer of Immuno Laboratories, has commented on statistics which revealed that the occurrence of food allergies increased by 18 per cent between 1997 and 2007. Published in the May 2009 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the study also found that people who were overweight were at a greater risk of developing atopic diseases such as eczema. Mr Zavik described the figures as 'startling'. He also pointed out that 'testing for food allergies and following a nutritional program based on the diagnostic results could help parents make healthier family choices'. This may also mean that children are less likely to require allergy alert bracelets. Cathy Ross, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart foundation, recently claimed that if people eat a diet that is low in saturated fat, they are less likely to develop cardiovascular diseases. 
A new study has been conducted to investigate the link between consuming sugary drinks and the development of diabetes. Presented at the American Heart Association Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, the research found that people were more likely to need a diabetic bracelet if they drank excessive amounts of fizzy drinks. American researchers discovered that sugary drinks, which can contain up to 200 calories each, contributed to more that 130,000 cases of Type 2 diabetes between 1990 and 2000. Florence Brown, care advisor at Diabetes UK, said that such drinks may lead to easy weight gain 'which can increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, a serious life-long condition that can lead to complications such as blindness, heart disease and amputation'. Last month, a new report issued by organisations including the NHS Diabetes Information Service suggested that more needs to be done to help sufferers manage the condition. 
It is important that people realise how important mental health is, as looking after their mind is just as vital as looking after their body, it has been claimed. New research from Together has revealed that 62 per cent of people in the UK have experienced at least one time in their life when they struggled to cope mentally. However, one expert believes that psychological problems are still 'the elephant in the room'. Lucie Russell, director of campaigns at YoungMinds, said that many people are 'still ashamed to admit we are finding it hard to cope or are unhappy'. She added that both young people and adults need to be educated about the problem as 'helping them to talk about their feelings is vital'. If such action were taken, it could encourage more people to consider wearing Alzheimers medical alert bracelets to inform others of their condition. 
There is more to obesity than simply eating too much and being overweight, one expert has suggested. Chrissie Palmer, director of the British Obesity Surgery Patients Association, explained that depression often occurs as a side effect of the condition, as people have an unhealthy relationship with food. Similarly, their weight can also lead to other health problems such as heart disease, which sufferers can inform people about by wearing medical alert pendants. Ms Palmer explained that psychological disorders, such as body dimorphic, 'are unfortunately becoming more common because as we lose weight, we are unlocked from our fat prison and can talk about feelings, relationships et cetera'. She said that people who are being treated their weight, such as by having a gastric band fitted, must have access to counselling services if they feel they need them. A press release from Diabetes UK recently stated that those who have gastric band surgery to lose weight are likely to suffer from low self-esteem and relationship problems. 
If the price of cigarettes was increased, it could encourage more people to kick the habit, it has been claimed. Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), said that that if smoking were more expensive it could act as an incentive for people to quit. This could then reduce the number of people that have to wear beaded medical alert bracelets because they have developed lung cancer. However, Ms Arnott also pointed out that those who are really hooked on the habit cannot give it up at the drop of a hat. She said that they need 'all the other measures to help them quit, such as the advertising campaigns warning people of the harm caused by tobacco smoke, warnings on the packs and stop smoking services'. In her opinion, if more smokers are encouraged to give up the habit, fewer youngsters will start in the future. Ash recently published a report entitled The Effects of Increasing Tobacco Taxation, which revealed that if tobacco prices were five per cent higher, the number of smokers could be reduced by 190,000. 
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