Low-carb diet can enlarge bad cholesterol levels

Wed Feb 24, 2010 1:13pm EST

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Cutting down on carbs may help people lose weight, but it may not be so good for lowering cholesterol, new research shows.

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People who ate a diet low in carbohydrates but relatively high in fat lost the same amount of weight over six weeks as those who consumed a high-carb diet.

But levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol increased significantly in the low-carb group, while they fell in the high-carb group. High LDL levels are a risk factor for heart disease because they are linked to clogged arteries.

Low-carb diets have become increasingly popular in recent years, and proponents claim they may be more effective for reducing diabetes risk and cholesterol levels, Dr. Teri L. Hernandez of the University of Colorado at Denver in Aurora and her colleagues write in their report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

But little is actually known about how these diets compare with higher-carb weight loss plans in terms of these effects, they add.

To investigate the effects of diet on these measures during active weight loss, Hernandez and her team randomly assigned 32 obese adults to follow a low-carbohydrate diet, including 20 grams of carbohydrate or less daily, or a high-carb diet with 55 percent of calories coming from carbohydrates for six weeks.

Both groups lost around 6 kilograms (13 pounds). But the individuals on the low-carb diet actually had an average increase of 12 milligrams per deciliter increase in their LDL levels, up from 109 milligrams per deciliter (less than 100 is considered optimal); the high-carb diet group showed a 7 milligram per deciliter decrease, down from 102.

The low-carb group also showed greater increases in their levels of free fatty acids, which are released into the blood when the body breaks down stored fat. High levels of free fatty acids make it more difficult for the liver to store glucose, which in turn ups sugar levels in the blood. Consistently high sugar levels define diabetes.

"These data suggest that a high-fat diet may have adverse metabolic effects during active weight loss," Hernandez and her team conclude.

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online January 27, 2010.

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Budget 2010: Rise in stamp avocation on 1m-plus homes will account first-time buyers

Rebecca O"Connor & , : {}

Buyers of homes that are worth more than 1 million will be hit by a higher rate of stamp duty to fund a temporary scrappage of the tax for first-time buyers, the Chancellor said yesterday.

Alistair Darling said that he would use the extra revenue from a permanent increase in the top rate of stamp duty from 4 to 5 per cent to fund a two-year suspension of the 1 per cent rate on homes bought by first-time buyers that are worth between 125,000 and 250,000.

The change will mean that buyers of 1 million-plus homes will pay at least 10,000 more in tax from next year. Meanwhile, the maximum saving for a first-time buyer completing a purchase from today until March 25, 2012, will be 2,500. On a property worth 1 million the stamp duty bill will rise from 40,000 to 50,000 from April 6, 2011.

An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 buyers of 1 million plus properties will pay the higher tax rate each year, based on Land Registry figures. The relief at the bottom end of the ladder could benefit about 136,000 first-time buyers a year, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. However, the concession will apply only to buyers who have never previously owned property and not homemovers buying below the new threshold. If a couple buy together and one partner has bought before they will not be eligible; first-time buy-to-let investors will also be barred.

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The new higher rate was branded another squeeze on bonus earners and cash-rich investors who have dominated the top end of the housing market for the past year and contributed heavily to the 8 per cent increase in the average house price since April last year.

Experts said that the tax rise would lead to a spike in sales of 1 million-plus homes in the next 12 months before the higher rate comes in, but would then choke off activity in this price bracket. The Treasury has forecast that buyers bringing their purchase forward will generate an extra 90 million in stamp duty revenue this year.

The tax will affect disproportionately buyers in London and the South East, where more than 60 per cent of properties worth more than 1 million are concentrated, according to the estate agents Knight Frank.

First-time buyers in London are also less likely to benefit: Halifax figures show that 26 per cent of first-time purchases in Greater London are of properties worth more than 250,000.

Savills, the high-end estate agency, said that homemovers in London responded to the Chancellors speech yesterday by rushing to complete their purchases. Lucian Cook, director of research at Savills, said that the reaction was proof of the potentially damaging impact that the move is likely to have at the top of the market.

The change to rates was viewed as an easy revenue raiser for the Government. The Revenue has calculated that it will raise 390 million from the higher rate between now and 2013, but will lose 520 million over the next two years from the concession for first-time buyers. However, the higher tax rate will remain after the relief has ended.

Nicholas Leeming, the commercial director of Zoopla.co.uk, the property search website, said: Raising stamp duty on 1 million homes is a cynical move by the Government to tax homebuyers who tend not to be their core voters. The burden will fall overwhelmingly on London and the South East.

Stamp duty revenue on the 89,000 residential transactions in London last year was 33 million, compared with 4 million from the 27,000 transactions in the North East, according to figures from HM Revenue Customs.

Housing market experts welcomed the threshold increase for first-time buyers, but said that it would be of limited use for those who are struggling to raise a big enough deposit. Ian Fletcher, the director of policy at the British Property Federation, said: Greater relief from stamp duty will be a confidence boost to the housing market.

It will be of limited value to first-time buyers, however, who typically are having to find a deposit of 33,000. Raising the threshold will effectively knock 18 months off the 18 years it would take the typical 25-year-old to save a 33,000 deposit.

Housebuilders welcomed the move as a boost to the industry, which has struggled to sell homes aimed at first-time buyers for the last two years.

Mark Clare, chief executive of Barratt Developments, said: Eighty-seven per cent of our customers pay 250,000 or less for their homes. We are pleased that many of them will now have the opportunity to save thousands of pounds thanks to this measure, which will help to strengthen the housing market.

Wealth advisers said that the extra tax at the top end of the ladder would not dissuade people from buying 1 million homes, but could encourage them to investigate tax avoidance schemes.

England palm Lewis Moody the captaincy for conflict with France in Paris Six Nations Rugby

David Hands, Rugby Correspondent & , : {}

There is no receptive evidence opposite France claiming their ninth grand impact in Paris this evening. Their opponents lost their captain yesterday, have forsaken the worlds heading general points-scorer, Jonny Wilkinson, and have, to all intents and purposes, lost their way.

There is, though, as Mike Tindall pronounced this week, Englands love of spoiling a French party, that is given the betterment for the initial time of Lewis Moody to the captaincy, however temporary, competence be of substantial benefit. Moody, who takes over from Steve Borthwick after the Saracens close withdrew with a shop-worn left knee, will move a ire to the last day of the RBS Six Nations Championship that has not been strong so far.

England and Saracens will plead subsequent week the expected border of Borthwicks absence. For the time being, Martin Johnson is not seeking over tonight at the Stade de France, where, exclusive a mathematical spectacle in Dublin, France will win the championship title. Their form via the Six Nations, the prevalence of their behind row, their challenging pack, their heavyweight midfield and assertive instincts from full behind should additionally means their dominant jot down and consequence a initial grand impact given 2004.

Yet they will be heedful of England, quite given they are England the nation that overturned their hopes of excellence in 1991 (twice), in 2003 and, on their own turf, in the 2007 World Cup. Nor is this the England side that have meandered by the contest after opening with an enlivening win over Wales: form and repairs have forced 7 changes given last weeks pull with Scotland. Who knows how gaseous the new reduction will be?

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Were going to decider England on their genuine potential, not what they have showed during the tournament, Marc Lièvremont, the France head coach, said, that is something of a compliment. England have shown in few instances small but, by collision or design, they have a pack means of pushing as well as France, a little change to their behind row, poignant participation in midfield, the majority appropriate slicing corner in the made at home diversion and, in Moody, a man whose fool around simply has to be followed.

Lewis brings appetite and dynamism, Johnson, the group manager, pronounced of a player who has captained Leicester usually on a handful of occasions partly given of the participation there of Johnson and Martin Corry and who was forsaken to the dais for the diversion opposite Scotland. Louis Deacon, who has led Leicester rather some-more often than Moody, replaces Borthwick at close and Tom Palmer, who has played for Stade Français at the Stade de France this season, comes on to the bench. But are the changes for the better?

Full behind / wing You have to take the Northampton pair, Ben Foden and Chris Ashton, as a unit, so good has been their bargain in bar rugby. One of the reasons Im in the group is my counter-attacking ability, Foden said, and England have to give him and Ashton free rein. The former rugby joining wing has a nose for the round that takes him all over the representation and that could be a strength and a weakness.

It would be rapist if he didnt have that opportunity, Sir Ian McGeechan, the former Lions head coach, pronounced this week, but both players are full of confidence, full of using and, inside of the behind three, Foden renews familiarity with Mark Cueto, a team-mate at Sale Sharks prior to his move to Northampton.

I can rely on him when he has the round and he can rely on me to be there, Ashton, on his general debut, pronounced of Foden. If any one creates a break, Ill be there as fast as I can if theres a try involved.

Nineteen tries from twenty-five games this deteriorate proves Ashtons point. So majority assertive vigilant in the complicated diversion springs from the behind three, that is what Delon Armitage has not been means to move to the celebration in the championship so far.

Centre Had Mike Tindall not suffered the injure leg tendon repairs that forced him to miss 4 months of this season, he would have been the first-choice outward centre, as he was last season. He offers worldly presence, experience, mutation and an worldly usual clarity that final that England combine on what they wish to do rather than worrying about the opposition.

Fly half Toby Flood competence have been elite to Jonny Wilkinson at the begin of the tournament, but right away he has the possibility to take on the good mans mantle, despite in the majority contrast of circumstances. Flood will fool around flat, he will plea defenders, he will try to rediscover the bargain with Riki Flutey that helped England to second place in the 2009 championship. Last year we enjoyed each others association on the field, we went out and voiced ourselves, Flood said. England have to rediscover that feeling.

Lock Simon Shaw will be improved for the rest after deleterious his shoulder opposite Ireland and he will be executive to Englands assertive vigilant in the tight-loose area. He is a some-more deleterious ball- conduit than possibly Borthwick or Deacon, he can levy himself on Frances lineout, his energy at the beat will be invaluable; he pairs up with Deacon, who has what players call a big engine but can additionally run a lineout effectively as can Palmer, when he takes the field.

Flanker What did Lewis Moody contend when offering the captaincy? Johnson was asked. He was a bit astounded but happy to do it, the physical education instructor responded, afterwards added: But Lewis wouldnt change, he will be who he is.

Which is precisely given his colleagues will follow the man well known as Mad Dog. They know that Moody will fool around with finish negligence for his body, that he will be the idealisation personality by example, the kind of captain that the English enjoy.

He is additionally a dilettante open-side flanker, that England chose to do but a week ago. If Joe Worsley cuts down as most Frenchmen as he did Scots, if Nick Easter eliminates the doing errors from the Calcutta Cup and takes on Imanol Harinordoquy as a personal challenge, if England are not thrown out of travel by an additional southern- hemisphere referee, Bryce Lawrence, from New Zealand, afterwards tonight need not be a travel in the play ground for France.

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French teenagers grab free love at le Skins orgy

Matthew Campbell in Paris & , : {}

WHO could have illusory that the French, with their repute for worldly naughtiness, would protest about being led erroneous by the tedious old British?

Skins, a cult radio array about a organisation of teenagers in Bristol, is being blamed for a French lady disturb for orgiastic whim skirt evenings of celebration and drugs.

From Marseilles to Paris, le Skins celebration is a rallying cry each week end for thousands of teenagers, majority from well off families, who skirt in masks and ripped stockings to lose themselves in sex and drug similar to the stars of their prime programme.

The philharmonic of drunken, drugged-up teenagers cavorting in small some-more than their hoop skirt has influenced surprising angst in a nation that prides itself on being broad-minded.

Talk of lady passionate free-for-alls in that girls are speedy to lick each alternative in the interests of free love, or show off their breasts whilst being filmed for arrangement on the internet, brings a glow to the cheeks of their parents.

Im utterly worried, pronounced Marie Laure Roland, an estate representative whose daughter, 17, is a Skins celebration fan. Skins is giving the immature kids ideas. I try to keep an open mind but these parties verge on the unacceptable.

One writer described Skins parties as lady orgies where participants risked genocide from excesses of ethanol and overdoses of drugs. The supervision is additionally dumbfounded as it tries to deflect off critique that it is you do as well small to quell an widespread of binge drinking.

Defenders of the Skins disturb contend that poise at the parties, where teenagers mostly lick most others but occasionally go further, is tame compared with what goes on at the clubs changistes, or wife-swapping clubs, that are renouned with the comparison generation.

Even so Michel Fize, a sociologist, sees Skins parties as an e.g. of how pornographys superiority in complicated multitude is becoming different the passionate poise of French youth. Were vital in a pornocratic world, he said, where sex is everywhere, in thoughts, words, images and deeds. This is heading some-more and some-more immature people in to radical passionate practices.

Le Figaro journal not long ago reported that threesomes were in practice between the immature and quoted an 18-year-old lady as observant that sex with a beloved and an additional lady was a great approach of spicing up your love life.

For Skins devotees the array takes the name from the jargon word for cigarette rolling writings the bitch about the parties is exaggerated.

You ask what the thought is? pronounced Philippe, the 16-year-old son of a Parisian counsel who boasts of being at the tip of his class. Whats the thought of any party? We similar to to cut lax and let ourselves go, usually similar to in the series. The usually ones who dont assimilate are foolish old people.

The celebration disturb appears to have been desirous by a stage in the array in that a organisation of adolescents, a little of them wearing clowns masks and alternative disguises, dance to a live rope in an deserted construction in a forest. They are seen flitting tablets of enjoyment to each alternative on their tongues. As the night wears on they proceed kissing, fondling each alternative and throwing up.

Shown on Channel 4 in Britain, the series, that launched Dev Patel, the lead impression in the movie Slumdog Millionaire, to fame, has been on French radio given 2007. The third deteriorate is approaching to be shown after this year.

The parties began in France at in isolation venues that were voiced a couple of hours previously on Facebook, the amicable networking website. Now entrepreneurs have stepped in, branch the Gallic Skins disturb in to a remunerative industry.

Party organisers are charity Skins soirees in cities all over France. Most of the parties are hold in nightclubs and teenagers compensate up to fifteen to get in. In Paris a Skins celebration is continually hold on a vessel moored on the Seine, attracting the immature kids of the bourgeoisie.

Some teenagers intent to the approach nightclubs have attempted to take over the Skins celebration scene, observant usually in isolation venues can suggest the scold atmosphere.

We live in a multitude full of rules, carry out and conventions, Ariel, a party-goer, was quoted as observant in Elle magazine. Some people bake cars to rebel but we dont harm anyone. We mount for oddity and free love.

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Where Michael Moore dared ... Megan Carpentier Comment is free

Michael Moore flashes the assent pointer as he binds his Oscar for most appropriate documentary underline at 2003 Academy Awards. Photograph: Stringer/USA/Reuters

At this year"s Oscars, Kathryn Bigelow won most appropriate executive and her film, Hurt Locker, won most appropriate design notwithstanding criticisms from veterans that it unsuccessful to take in to comment most of the every day hold up of the men and women portion in Iraq or Afghanistan and criticisms that the movie itself was as pro-war as it was pro-soldier. Although Bigelow dedicated her endowment to the men and women portion in Iraq and Afghanistan, she didn"t hold on the lies that sent them there to risk their lives in office of a domestic coup.

Back in 2003, Michael Moore strode on the Oscar theatre to accept his endowment for Bowling For Columbine with his associate nominees and one intention: to have his voice listened by the Oscar assembly about the injustices he saw in America. At the Oscars on twenty-three Mar 2003, Bush hadn"t landed on an aircraft conduit to acknowledgement "mission accomplished" even as soldiers were still fighting and failing in Iraq; America with her "coalition of the willing" had usually usually started the advance of Iraq on twenty March. Despite the prevalent clarity of inhabitant nationalism and efforts by the administration department department department department department department to inspire the media to inform their "intelligence", there were already whispers – given proven scold – that Saddam Hussein had no weapons of mass destruction, he had no entrance to chief materials or record and his administration department department department department department department had no hit with al-Qaida. None of that mattered to a nation at war, apparently.

But it mattered to Moore, and his associate nominees. As he took the theatre to a station acclaim from the assembly for a movie that documented and cursed America"s violence-soaked gun culture, he did so with one purpose: to have himself heard. Instead of thanking a prolonged list of people couple of in the radio assembly knew, he spoke to them as most as the assembly he could see.

"I"ve invited my associate documentary nominees on the theatre with us and we would similar to to ... they are here in oneness with me given we similar to non-fiction. We similar to non-fiction, as we live in of doubtful authenticity times. We live in the time where we have of doubtful authenticity choosing formula that elects a of doubtful authenticity president. We live in a time where we have a man promulgation us to fight for of doubtful authenticity reasons. Whether it"s the novella of channel fasten or novella of orange alerts we are opposite this war, Mr Bush. Shame on you, Mr Bush, contrition on you. And any time you got the Pope and the Dixie Chicks opposite you, your time is up. Thank you really much."

As Moore spoken the formula of the 2000 elections "fictitious", a couple of members of the assembly yelled in assent, but they were fast close down by the fabricated members of the Hollywood chosen booing Moore – most of whom had usually sat down from applauding his award. Ironically, Moore"s industry colleagues thought he deserved an endowment for a movie that pounded America"s mania with guns but afterwards booed his position on the president"s orders to spin the dear guns opposite a nation that the "fictitious" administration department department department department department department knew usually a long, postulated debate of misinformation would lead people to support.

This year at the Oscars, Michael Moore wasn"t between the nominees, and given his debate in 2003, most winners have taken the theatre to malign the Bush administration department department department department department department and the policies on all from the sourroundings to the wars but fright of being booed down. But then, a patriot, he stood up and laid open to jeers and reproof that that the rest of the nation eventually realised was true: that the prior administration department department department department department department led us in to a fight on fake pretences, lied to us about what they were you do there, and continues to distortion to us in sequence to keep their entrance in the story books untarnished.

So Bigelow kept quiet, may be because, for all the rightwing caviling about how Hollywood is so anti-war, when pull came to force in 2003, there were really couple of in Hollywood peaceful to mount in oneness with Moore instead of the Bush administration.

Martin Johnson faces conflict to sojourn dominant opposite Ireland at Twickenham Six Nations Rugby

David Hands, Rugby Correspondent & , : {}

Martin Johnson would not be drawn yesterday in to a discuss on either todays diversion at Twickenham is a defining impulse in the RBS Six Nations Championship for England. Yet there is small disbelief that it is: kick Ireland to mount dominant after 3 rounds and the possibilities are endless. Lose and it will feel similar to block one all over again.

Ireland popped Englands dominant burble in 2004 and 2007 and have a tough core of players who know what it is to win at Twickenham. Brian ODriscoll, who longed for precision with seizure yesterday but is approaching to be fit, Gordon DArcy, John Hayes who reaches 100 caps for his nation currently and Paul OConnell have all won twice there in green, Geordan Murphy and David Wallace appeared in Irelands 28-24 win in 2006 and their hard-won experience will great a side spiteful from a 33-10 loss to France in Paris a fortnight ago.

I had a run of 4 years in that I believed we had the violence of England, Eddie OSullivan, the United States head manager who led Ireland in between 2001 and 2008, said. It wasnt anything extraordinary, we knew we had to front up to the English pack and we had a unequivocally manly defensive lineout. We dragged England around the margin a bit.

But OSullivan additionally points out that, for majority of that period, Mike Ford was the Ireland counterclaim manager and right away he is Englands. England urge in a opposite approach right away and the harder for Ireland to fool around opposite them, he said. Even though we got so most things right in 2004 and 2006, it still went down to the handle and I think [today] it will be tight, a one-score game.

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England will be underneath a sure volume of pressure, but so will Ireland. You have dual teams with a lot to prove.

Johnson, the England group manager, believes this to be a great time to fool around last years grand-slam winners, at home and after unbroken victories over Wales and Italy, whatever the miss of vicious commend for the last outing, a 17-12 win in Rome.

There is additionally no disbelief that the right noises are emanating from the England stay as a whole, not usually in media conferences but confided to bar directors of rugby and coaches. They verbalise of a certain feeling, most appropriate articulated by Danny Care, the Harlequins scrum half. At a little point the going to click and were going to see unequivocally good, he said.

The oddity about Englands debate this deteriorate is that the expectancy is so outrageous tickets for todays compare have been similar to bullion dust at a time when the Guinness Premiership is at a partially low ebb. Attendances might be healthy, but the product is downbeat. Why, then, should the inhabitant group be any different?

In such seasons, England tumble behind on the work ethic that was the tack diet of so most members of their government team: Johnson himself, John Wells, the forwards coach, Graham Rowntree, the partner manager all Leicester products. There has to be a substructure somewhere. There is no reason for England to be fearful of Irelands pack, rather larger reason to be fearful of their backs, so the target contingency be to work the set-pieces tough and competition the relapse with far larger enthusiasm than they did opposite Italy.

Dan Cole might be creation usually his second start, for example, but he is personification opposite an particular in Cian Healy whom he knows from age-group internationals. Steve Borthwick has unpicked great lineouts before, so the main plea is for Englands lax contingent to have hold up as ungainly as probable for Tomás OLeary and the lustrous newcomer, Jonathan Sexton, who is, remarkably, usually the third fly half to begin for Ireland in the championship given Italy assimilated the ravel in 2000 (after Ronan OGara and David Humphreys).

Mark Cueto, the Sale Sharks wing, valid his liberation from seizure by precision yesterday and England are acutely wakeful of the need to collect up the pace. Were still removing used to each other, were improved for each diversion we play, Johnson said. When you get out there, you have to levy yourself, not the alternative approach round.

Irelands experience, their restraint and their new jot down opposite England stays enough to have them slight favourites at a venue where 6 of their twelve successes have been by a singular point. Only once, as prolonged ago as 1964, have they enjoyed a win at Twickenham by some-more than a converted try and if they win, the counterclaim of their championship pretension is revived. But if England win, creation them 3 from 3 that would be something to celebrate.

Taiwan to suggest flood subsidies to progress low bieing born rate

Jane Macartney in Beijing & , : {}

The Taiwan supervision plans to suggest subsidies for flood treatments to progress a bieing innate rate that is right away the lowest in the world.

Health authorities could give low-income couples T$50,000 (�1,000) per diagnosis about a third of the sum cost in a plan estimated to cost T$500 million (�10 million) a year.

The intrigue is the ultimate try by the authorities on the island to progress a bieing innate rate that has been descending usually for years and follows up on drill subsidies for the disadvantaged. However, the decrease has collected gait in the last integrate of years.

Authorities are concerned that the tellurian monetary predicament has acted as an one some-more halt to women already putting off carrying young kids until in to their 30s.

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The island reported 2,926 babies innate after flood diagnosis in 2007, each at a cost of in in between T$150,000 and T$270,000 (up to �5,500) .

The islands flood rate, the normal series of babies innate to each woman, fell to 1.0 in 2009, creation it the lowest in the universe according to census data expelled by the Ministry of Interior. It pronounced the series of births in 2001 stood at 300,000 but tumbled to 200,000 in 2008 and fell serve to 191,000 last year.

The bieing innate rate, formed on the series of births per 1,000 people, stood at 8.29 last year. The rate halved from twenty per 1,000 people in 1981 to 10 in 2003. That compares with a tellurian normal of some-more than twenty births per 1,000 people, according to the United Nations.

The supervision is keenly wakeful of the crisis. This is a comfortless society, Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang pronounced late last year, giving notice of destiny work shortages and difficulties for young kids to await their ageing relatives heading to a higher self-murder rate.

It is not usually the monetary predicament that is to censure but expectations of a sure customary of vital in a multitude already affluent. One university investigate investigate found that of 100 people in in between the ages of twenty and 40, as most as one third had no plans to have young kids to equivocate risking their income and their freedom.