How much food advertising is there on Australian television?

The purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive content analysis of television food advertising and provide data on current levels of food advertising in Australia. All three commercial stations available on free-to-air Australian television were concurrently videotaped between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. on two weekdays and both weekend days in four locations across Australia to provide a total of 645 h for analysis. Each advertisement was categorized as 'non-food ad', 'healthy/core food ad' or 'unhealthy/non-core food ad' according to set criteria. Thirty-one percent of the advertisements analyzed were for food. Eighty-one percent of the food advertisements identified were for unhealthy/non-core foods. When comparing the results of this study with previous research, it was found that the number of unhealthy advertisements screened per hour had not changed over the past few years. On weekdays, the number of advertisements increased throughout the day to peak at more than five advertisements per hour in the 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. time slot. The early morning time slot on Saturday was the most concentrated period for advertising unhealthy/non-core food with more than six advertisements screened per hour. The regional areas screened a significantly lower level of unhealthy/non-core food advertisements (19.5%) compared with the metropolitan areas (29.5%). Fast food and takeaway was the most advertised food category, followed by chocolate and confectionery. A total 194 breaches of the Children's Television Standards were identified according to our interpretation of the standard. It is well recognized that childhood obesity is a worldwide problem. The heavy marketing of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods influences food choices and contributes to the incidence of overweight and obesity in children. Despite the recognition of this growing problem, little has been done to ensure children are protected against the use of large volumes of unhealthy/non-core food advertising.     

How much asthma is occupationally related?

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that is increasing in both prevalence and mortality in developed countries around the world. Occupational exposures to sensitizers and irritants are causes of both asthma cases and asthma exacerbations in adults. The determination of how many cases of asthma may be caused or worsened by occupational exposures is highly dependent on how asthma is defined, what constitutes work-relatedness, and what specific methodology is employed. Surveillance-based methods generally have found the lowest proportion of work-related asthma, ranging from 1-8% of cases. Other types of studies, using exposed-unexposed methodology or interviews of incident asthma cases, have determined that 10-25% of cases are occupationally related. Ultimate determination of how much asthma may be related to occupational or environmental exposures will require better surveillance of asthma, along with a better understanding of this disease and its natural history.     

How effective is your safety culture?

Safety cultures are nothing new. How a company implements its management systems and determines who will drive them will ultimately affect its success.     

How much vitamin B6 is toxic?

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) causes neuropathy at intakes of 1000 mg per day or more, which is about 800 times the daily intake from foods. There have also been occasional reports of toxicity at intakes of 100-300 mg per day. The US authorities set the no-observed-adverse-effect-level at 200 mg per day and the safe upper limit at 100 mg per day. A report of neurotoxicity in 2 patients who had taken 24 mg and 40 mg of vitamin B6 per day respectively, may be coincidence rather than a true toxic effect of such relatively low doses. However, physicians need to remain alert to high intakes of vitamin B6 as a cause of unexplained neuropathy.