Young pair of rare endangered hyenas arrive at zoo
"They are one of Africa's least understood carnivores - shy, solitary and beautifully adapted for survival in some of the toughest environments on Earth," he added.He said brown hyenas (Parahyaena brunnea) were the rarest of the four hyena species, with as few as 5,000 estimated to remain in the wild, in southern Africa.
Mr Meek explained the species played "a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem health as nature's clean-up crew" because they ate carcasses that prevented disease spread and helped recycle nutrients back into the environment.
He described brown hyenas as "perfectly adapted scavengers", which ate almost every part of a carcass, including bone, while also supplementing their diet with fruit, eggs and insects. Flo and Quinn were housed in the old lion enclosure, he added, where their habitat included shelter areas, naturalistic landscaping and space for enrichment opportunities to encourage natural behaviours.
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Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
The simple food swaps that can double your weight loss
'If two diets are nutritionally equal, according to nutritional guidance, does the level of processing still affect weight and health?' It's the question Dr Sam Dicken, a research fellow in the department of behavioural science and health at University College London (UCL), set out to answer in a landmark study published in Nature. The results showed that people who ate a diet of minimally processed foods (MPFs) lost twice the weight as those eating ultra-processed foods (UPFs) – even when both diets met Government healthy-eating guidelines. In the UK, more than half our calories come from UPFs such as ready meals, breakfast cereals and mass-produced bread. These everyday foods have been linked to more than 30 chronic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and stroke. Until now, most research has centred on nutritionally poor UPFs – high in sugar, salt and saturated fat, while low in fibre. This is the first study to focus on 'healthy' UPFs that meet nutritional recommendations for fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrate, salt, fibre, fruit and vegetables. 'Not all UPFs are inherently unhealthy,' says Dr Dicken, the lead author of the study. 'Supermarkets now offer plenty of healthier, nutritionally balanced UPFs, like wholegrain breakfast cereals and high-fibre ready meals.' Rob Hobson, a nutritionist and the author of Unprocess Your Family Life, says the study adds to concerns about the role of UPFs in weight gain and wider health. 'It's not just about additives, calories or sugar, but how food is made and how that affects our eating behaviour,' he explains. 'Relying less on UPFs – even ones marketed as 'healthy' – can support better weight management and long-term health.' While cutting out all UPFs is unrealistic in our current food environment, making a few, smart food swaps can make all the difference, say the scientists. Here's how to do it. Swap breakfast cereal with milk for overnight oats with frozen or fresh fruit Most breakfast cereals are ultra-processed, even those labelled 'wholegrain'. While often fortified with vitamins and minerals, they are typically sweetened and low in fibre – leaving you hungry again by mid-morning. 'Switching from a sugary, ready-made cereal to homemade oats with milk and fruit reduces calorie and sugar intake while boosting fibre, protein, antioxidants, vitamins and calcium,' says Dr Adrian Brown, the study's co-author and a senior research fellow in nutrition and dietetics at UCL. ' Oats provide slow-release energy, helping control blood-glucose levels, which may keep you feeling fuller for longer. Overall, they're a better option.' A review in Current Nutrition Reports found eating oats can support weight management by reducing body fat and regulating appetite. Rob Hobson's quick-and-easy overnight oats recipe Mix 50g rolled oats with 100ml semi-skimmed milk and 100ml apple juice Add half a grated apple, 1 tbsp chia seeds, and a squeeze of lime juice. Leave overnight in the fridge Top with berries and a spoonful of natural yogurt Swap a meal-deal chicken sandwich for homemade chicken-salad flatbread Even healthy-sounding sandwich fillings, such as chicken, can be processed or loaded with saturated fat and calories, especially with added mayonnaise. ' Pre-packaged sandwiches, often made with ultra-processed bread, have a soft texture that may encourage faster eating and less awareness of fullness,' says Hobson. A study in Cell Metabolism found people on a UPF diet ate twice as fast and consumed 50 per cent more calories per minute – an extra 500 calories per day. 'A homemade flatbread with grilled chicken, salad and a yogurt-based dressing contains lean protein and fibre in a more structured meal, encouraging you to eat more slowly and feel more satisfied,' says Hobson. Rob Hobson's quick chicken flatbread recipe Fill a wholemeal flatbread with 80-100g grilled chicken breast, mixed salad leaves, sliced cucumber and tomato Add a spoonful of plain yogurt, lemon juice and fresh herbs, such as coriander or parsley Swap a spaghetti bolognese ready meal for a homemade equivalent 'A ready-made spaghetti bolognese will contain processed meat that may be higher in fat and saturated fat,' says Dr Brown. 'It will be more energy-dense, providing more calories per bite.' The soft texture doesn't require much chewing, so you will eat faster and potentially override your body's satiety signals, consuming more before you realise you are full. 'Switch to a homemade version, made with lean, 5 per cent mince, and you'll likely eat fewer calories and less saturated fat for the same portion size,' says Dr Brown. 'Improve the protein and fibre content by adding lentils, vegetables, herbs and spices, and serving with wholewheat pasta. This will help you feel fuller.' Swap low-fat fruit yogurt for low-fat natural yogurt with fruit Low-fat fruit yogurts are often highly processed, with added sugars or sweeteners, flavours and thickeners. 'The label may show moderate calories, but the texture and sweetness can make them less filling and more rewarding to the brain, encouraging you to eat more,' says Hobson. 'A natural yogurt with whole fruit or a little honey is less processed, has more texture, and provides protein and natural fats that keep you fuller for longer. You can also control the sugar content.' If you're trying to lose weight, Dr Brown advises checking labels. 'Some natural yogurts are higher in fat – look for a reduced-fat option,' he says. Swap processed nut snacks for whole nuts 'Processed nut snacks [such as a fruit-and-nut bar], especially flavoured ones, are often UPFs even if they include nutritious ingredients,' says Hobson. 'Their engineered textures and sweet-salty profiles can drive reward-driven eating.' That's why it's so hard to stop at one handful. Whole nuts with dried fruit provide more fibre, slowing down eating speed and energy release. 'This reduces calorie intake and help control appetite,' says Hobson. A Harvard study found people who ate whole nuts were less likely to gain weight gain. If processed fruit and nut bars are your go-to, Dr Brown recommends the following: 'Swap for a small, 25g handful of unsalted nuts, such as almonds or walnuts, plus a piece of fruit,' he says. 'You'll get less salt, more vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre – and the fruit counts towards your five a day.' What we can learn from the UPF v MPF trial In the trial, 55 overweight adults were given either: a UPF diet of convenience foods, such as cottage pie ready meals, fortified cereals and pre-packaged sandwiches an MPF diet of homemade meals, such as cottage pie, overnight oats with berries, and chicken salad with flatbread Both diets met the UK's Eatwell Guide, which outlines the main food groups and their recommended proportions for a healthy, balanced diet. Meals were delivered for eight weeks, with no calorie counting or portion control. After a four-week break, participants switched diets, for another eight weeks. Both groups lost weight, but people eating MPF meals lost twice as much (2 per cent of body weight, versus 1 per cent on the UPF diet). 'Continued over a year, the MPF diet could mean a 9 to 13 per cent weight loss, compared with 4 to 5 per cent on the UPF diet,' says Dr Dicken. 'That's significant.' The MPF diet also led to greater fat loss, especially visceral fat, which raises the risk of metabolic disease. Neither diet caused muscle loss – likely because the diets were nutritionally balanced. 'The main message is that nutritional guidelines work – both groups lost weight,' says Dr Dicken. 'However, processing still makes a difference. Choosing foods that are less processed may help you lose more weight.' UPFs are engineered to be moreish. 'They can often be energy-dense, with more calories per bite, and softer in texture,' says Dr Dicken. 'This makes them easier to eat quickly, so you consume more before your brain realises you're full.' By contrast, MPFs are bulkier, higher in fibre and take longer to eat, so they are more filling. In the trial, MPF participants consumed about 290 fewer calories a day, compared with 120 fewer on the UPF diet. They also found it twice as easy to resist cravings. Healthy weight loss tips from the experts Dr Sam Dickens says: Follow the Eatwell Guide: more fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, pulses, nuts, lean proteins. Fewer than 0.1 per cent of Britons follow all the guidelines. Prioritise high-fibre foods. Check calorie density and be cautious with calorie-dense foods that have a soft texture, because they're easier to overeat. Using front-of-pack labelling as a guide, aim for foods with around 120-130 kcal per 100g. Dr Adrian Brown says: Speak to a GP or practice nurse. You may be eligible for structured support, such as the NHS Digital weight management programme or a local referral scheme. Avoid focusing solely on weight loss. Concentrate on improving your general health and small-scale victories, such as better sleep, improved energy, or being able to play with your grandchildren. Having other goals keeps you motivated and supports long-term success. If it feels overwhelming, reach out for support. Weight regulation is complex. No one should feel they're expected to do it alone.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
What body odour reveals about your health
We emit a barrage of whiffy chemicals through our pores and in our breath. Some are a sign that we might be getting ill – and could be used to diagnose diseases up to years in advance. It was obviously nonsense. That was how analytical chemist Perdita Barran reacted when a colleague told her about a Scottish woman who claimed she could smell Parkinson's disease. "She's probably just smelling old people and recognising symptoms of Parkinson's and making some association," Barran remembers thinking. The woman, a 74-year-old retired nurse called Joy Milne, had approached Barran's colleague Tilo Kunath, a neuroscientist at the University Edinburgh, at an event he was speaking at in 2012. Milne told Kunath that she had first discovered her ability after noticing her husband, Les, had developed a new musky odour years earlier. He was later diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative illness characterised by tremors and other motor symptoms. It was only when Milne attended a group meeting for Parkinson's patients in her home town of Perth, Scotland, that she made the connection: all the patients had the same musky smell. "So, we then decided to test whether she was right," says Barran, who worked at the University of Edinburgh at the time but is now at the University of Manchester.
Medical News Today
3 hours ago
- Medical News Today
The secret to weight loss? Opt for minimally processed foods
People whose diet contained fewer processed foods lost more weight than people who ate more ultra-processed foods, a recent study both groups lost weight, those eating less in the way of processed foods shed twice as many key to weight loss in both groups was likely that they both consumed a well-balanced diet, with the only difference being the amount of ultraprocessed foods they who ate a diet of minimally processed foods lost twice as much weight as other people consuming ultra-processed foods in a new randomized crossover groups shed pounds during the weight-loss trial, in which all participants followed a diet based on the UK Eatwell Guide. The only difference between their diets was the proportion of processed foods they people in the minimally processed foods group lost twice as much weight as those in the ultra-processed foods group, suggesting that eating less processed foods can better help one maintain a healthy on a minimally processed foods diet consumed 289.9 fewer calories per day, and lost 2% of their body weight on average. According to the study authors, this could amount to as much as a 13% weight loss for men and 9% for women over a period of 1 eating ultra-processed foods reduced their daily calorie intake by less, 119.5 calories, and lost 1% of their weight over the course of the study appears published in Nature processed foods linked to fewer cravings, more weight lossAt the outset, the authors of the study ran a battery of tests on all 55 participants, capturing measurements for a comprehensive suite of health were divided randomly into either the minimally processed or ultra-processed foods group, and followed the corresponding diet for 8 the individuals could choose what to eat, they chose from food delivered to them by the researchers that matched both the Eatwell profile and the minimally processed foods/ ultra-processed foods group to which they had been food they received contained more calories than they needed, and they were instructed to eat as much as they wanted. Participants regularly responded to questionnaires on which they reported their food Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished, who was not involved in the study, commented to Medical News Today that 'the free-living setup makes the findings more realistic but also introduces variables that are hard to control, so while the results seem compelling, they should be interpreted with caution.'Individuals on the minimally processed foods diet reported greater success at resisting cravings, although they were the group that turned out to be losing the most 8 weeks, a 4-week washout period took place, during which participants returned to their normal diet. This was followed by a 2-week baseline period in which the researchers performed additional health tests to observe the effects of individuals' 8-week minimally processed foods or ultra-processed foods this break, participants switched sides, with the individuals in the minimally processed foods group moving to the ultra-processed foods diet and vice versa for another 8 the end of those 2 months, the researchers once more assessed both groups' health metrics.'The study's crossover design and use of a washout period strengthened its internal reliability, and coaching likely improved adherence,' noted Routhenstein.'However,' she said, 'reliance on self-reported food diaries and the exclusion of certain dietary groups limit generalizability.''Unusual' finding: Ultra-processed foods may not increase bad cholesterolUnexpectedly, the researchers found that the ultra-processed foods diet was associated with a lower LDL ('bad') cholesterol level. Ultra-processed foods are often criticized for adding unhealthy elements into a person's described this finding as 'unusual,' saying that it 'doesn't align with most existing research.' She noted, however, that 'it may reflect the specific types of ultra-processed foods consumed, such as those lower in saturated fat or fortified with cholesterol-lowering ingredients.''This underscores the importance of considering the full dietary context rather than judging foods by broad categories alone,' Routhenstein a balanced diet can aid weight lossIt is likely that the reason both groups lost weight is that they both ate to Routhenstein, 'a balanced, nutrient-dense diet, such as the one outlined in [United Kingdom] guidelines, helps to support weight management, metabolic function, heart health, and healthy aging by providing the essential nutrients the body needs.''While ultraprocessed foods are often linked to poor outcomes,' she said, 'what we choose to include in our diet may matter even more than what we avoid.'MNT also spoke with Mir Ali, MD, medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, who was not involved in this told us that:'What we recommend to our patients, and what is the basis for most successful diets, is reducing carbohydrate and sugar intake and emphasizing protein and non-starchy vegetables in the diet. Minimizing carbohydrates and sugars helps direct the body towards burning fat.''Ultraprocessed foods,' he cautioned, 'tend to have additional additives that can be detrimental, so it is better to minimize these foods as well. Therefore, having the proper nutrients and a good source are both important.''It's also,' added Routhenstein, 'important to consider the nutritional quality of individual foods, as not all [ultra-processed foods] are the same, and broad labels can miss meaningful differences in the nutritional composition, and therefore health impact.'How do ultra-processed foods affect weight loss?'While ultra-processed foods may not directly hinder weight loss, prior research has linked them to poor metabolic health, increased cardiovascular risk, higher mortality, and negative impacts on gut health,' Routhenstein told us.'Their engineered flavors, low satiety, and high palatability can lead to overeating, and they often contain additives, preservatives, or contaminants with unknown long-term effects,' she ultra-processed foods still afforded study participants a measure of weight loss, the trial 'did show a benefit of minimally processed foods over ultra-processed foods,' Ali further shakes are one type of processed food that may be of value in healthy dieting — with some caveats — said Ali. They 'can be helpful for weight loss, provided they have the right ingredients.' He cited 'smoothies with a lot of fruit, though not ultraprocessed.''Low-sugar shakes that are high in protein can be beneficial, but not ultraprocessed [shakes, which] will not help weight loss due to sugar content,' he added.
