timesofmalta.com

Fat fathers 'affect child weight'

John von Radowitz, PA — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:40:00 +0200

Fat fathers may be more likely to produce sons and daughters who struggle with weight, a study suggests. Scientists saw the trend in mice whose fathers had grown obese after being fed a high-fat diet. They believe a similar effect may occur in humans and are investigating the biological processes involved. The research points to altered activity levels of inherited genes that speed up or slow down metabolism. In the study, affected offspring mice put on extra weight from six weeks of age despite being fed a healthy low-fat diet. Male mice also had different patterns of body fat composition – which can affect disease susceptibility – from mice with normal weight fathers. “We’ve identified a number of traits that may affect metabolism and behaviour of offspring dependent on the pre-conception diet of the father,” said study leader Felicia Nowak, from Ohio University in the US. Only male mouse parents were given the high-fat diet. Mother mice were fed low fat meals and were not overweight. Previous research linking parental obesity with childhood weight gain in humans has focused on mothers rather than fathers. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine...

Sigmund Freud tops UK refugee poll

Lucy Bogustawski, PA — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:34:00 +0200

Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud has been voted the refugee who has made the most significant contribution to British life. The founder of psychoanalysis, who created an entirely new approach to the understanding of the human personality, came top of the national poll with 50 per cent of votes. Freud fled to the UK to escape Nazi persecution. He is regarded as one of the most influential – and controversial – minds of the 20th century. He was followed by German physicist Max Born, who gained 21 per cent of votes. Born was awarded a Nobel Prize for his contribution to the development of quantum mechanics. One in 10 respondents (10 per cent) cited the French refugee and writer of Les Misérables, Victor Hugo, who settled in the UK after fleeing persecution from Napoleon, as their first choice from a list of prominent refugees who have made a contribution to science and technology, the arts, culture and sport over the years. The Britain Thinks’ poll coincides with the launch of Refugee Week 2013, a nationwide festival of events to celebrate the positive contribution that refugees have made to British society over the centuries under the theme Our History and Heritage. More than...