Air pollution linked to cognitive intelligence, study says

  • 7 September 2018

Chronic exposure to air pollution could be linked to cognitive performance, a new study in China suggests. Over four years, mathematics and verbal skills of some 20,000 people in China were monitored by researchers from Beijing's Peking University and Yale University in the US. Researchers tested people of both sexes aged 10 and above between 2010 […]

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Quarter of calories are consumed out of home, according to research

  • 21 August 2018

Obesity Action Scotland's new research “Chips to Go” has found that the UK consume up to a quarter of their calories out of home. It also found that chips are the most commonly consumed takeaway item in Scotland.  Obesity Action Scotland visited 30 outlets offering chips to take away in Glasgow during the last two […]

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Third of farmed fruit and vegetables deemed too ugly to sell

  • 21 August 2018

More than a third of farmed fruit and vegetables never reaches supermarket shelves because it is misshapen or the wrong size, research suggests. A University of Edinburgh study found more than 50 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables grown across Europe were discarded each year. This was in part because they did not meet supermarkets […]

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Fife Council introduce healthy eating vans at schools

  • 21 August 2018

Fife Council have launched new fast food vans to help deliver healthy snacks for Fife’s secondary schools. The Council’s facilities management service new “Smash It” food vans will sell healthy food and drink to pupils outwith the dining room. It is hoped that the “Smash It” vans will encourage school pupils to choose a healthy […]

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Hoarding classified as mental disorder for first time by World Health Organisation

  • 21 August 2018

Hoarding has been classified as a medical disorder for the first time by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Hoarding as well as gaming disorder and olfactory reference disorder are now included in the International Classification of Diseases. It is here that hoarding is described as the "accumulation of possessions due to excessive acquisition of or difficulty discarding […]

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Scotland’s Drinking Water Quality Remains High

  • 15 August 2018

The Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) for Scotland's latest annual report shows that Scottish Water's compliance with the stringent standards for drinking water remains high at 99.91%. Scottish Water take and analyse samples of drinking water from across Scotland 365 days a year. The report on Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 2017 states that a […]

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Scottish protected food names under threat

  • 15 August 2018

In an article, Michel Barnier, the European Commission's Chief Negotiator with the United Kingdom has said the UK Government has not yet agreed to protect ‘Geographical Indications’ (GI) such as Scotch Whisky. The Scottish Government has been pressing UK Government to agree a need for a UK GI System post-Brexit. The Cabinet Secretary for Rural […]

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Babies in prams exposed to 60% more pollution than parents, says study

  • 15 August 2018

Young children in prams may be exposed to up to 60% more pollution than their parents at the kerbside, a study has suggested.  A study, conducted by the Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) at the University of Surrey in the Environment International journal, investigated the potential exposure of infants based on their proximity […]

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Multi-country outbreak of Salmonella Agona infections possibly linked to ready-to-eat food

  • 15 August 2018

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have published a rapid outbreak assessment following a multi-country outbreak of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Agona (S. Agona) in the European Union (EU). Overall, 147 outbreak cases have been reported by five EU countries, namely, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland and […]

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Family secures damages for secondary asbestos exposure in landmark case

  • 14 August 2018

A family from Paisley have been awarded £247,000 in a ground breaking legal case after losing their mother from mesothelioma caused by second-hand exposure to asbestos. This is the first time in Scotland in which a case has been successfully pursued on behalf of someone who suffered from secondary exposure to asbestos from their spouse’s […]

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