28th October 1998

Email this Page |

The Northern Ireland Centre for Diet and Health (NICHE) has announced details of four new research projects which will include work with many of the major food producers and retailers in the province.

The Centre, which is based at the University of Ulster at Coleraine, has been awarded over £1.2 million by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for the work, which is expected to take three years to complete.

One of the projects, which will be led by Dr Barbara Knox, will look at the use of low-fat products here:

"We hope to have discussions with representatives from every food company in Northern Ireland on issues such as reduced-fat foods. At the same time, customers will be invited to discuss the barriers to the up-take of such products within shops throughout the province," she explained.

Another of the projects, led by Professor Ian Rowland, will look at the benefits and drawbacks of foodstuffs such as soy beans and soy milk:

"These items are considered to have beneficial effects against breast and prostate cancer in adults. There are worries, however, that they may have negative effects in areas such as the reproductive organs. While there is no evidence to support such concerns, they represent fears that we have to investigate," explained Professor Rowland.

Another of the projects hopes to develop an improved method for establishing levels of copper in the body - low levels may be related to problems with cholesterol and blood clotting.

Copper levels in the body are affected by diet - copper rich foods include some seafood, liver, nuts, most vegetables and chocolate. Professor Sean Strain says:

"If a person has a low level of copper; symptoms are difficult to detect in the short term but it might eventually lead to several serious conditions. We need a method of measurement of body copper levels which would help signal such problems much earlier."

The Centre will also work on research into a medical condition which could be as damaging a risk factor as raised cholesterol levels in bringing about heart disease and strokes.

The condition, known as homocysteinaemia, is caused by raised blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine. Dr Helene McNulty is leading the research:

"I suspect that in the next five years the condition will be as well known and as well understood as high cholesterol levels. More importantly, although it is just as dangerous, I suspect it will be more responsive to diet change that cholesterol appears to be," she said.

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk