Some tips to stave off the munchies

Nibbling on goodies between meals often makes it hard to lose weight, according to the Berlin-based consumer protection group Stiftung Warentest. The best protection against these excess calories is to not have the tempting foods around, so well-considered shopping lists can help.

Besides deciding what is really necessary before entering the store, the dieter should read the list of ingredients on packaged foods carefully. At the top of the list are those in the greatest portions. When fat and sugar are up there, the food is not particularly figure-friendly. Nevertheless, Stiftung Warentest says that committing a "food sin" now and then is permissible because otherwise the dieter might quickly become frustrated and quit.

The best way to forestall "the munchies" is to eat regular meals every four or five hours, which keeps blood sugar levels from falling too low, the group says. The stomach should be well filled, preferably with vegetables or salad. This not only helps to satisfy the appetite, but also delays a drop in blood sugar. Carbohydrates, which the body utilizes slowly, are also good at fending off snack attacks. They are found in foods high in roughage such as whole grain and legumes.

When dining in a restaurant, a dieter should start with a salad and order dressing separately. To cut down on calories, the fork only should be dipped in dressing before every bite. Ordering soup with a clear broth, not a thickened one, avoids a lot of calories, too. And the dieter should ask that side dishes that are filling, such as potatoes, rice or noodles, be prepared without fat.

Sleep training helps insomniac kids

Two psychologists at the University of Wuerzburg in Germany have developed sleep training aimed at helping insomniac children and adolescents fall asleep more easily and sleep through the night without waking. Bed position and evening activities play key roles.

The bed should not be placed too close to a desk because a desk is a reminder of schoolwork, the psychologists said. Refraining from computer games and television viewing in the evening can also help to improve sleep, they point out, as can regular bedtimes.

The second component of the training program involves breathing techniques and fantasy trips, which teach children to relax and "power down."

For young children, a stuffed animal can be used. Parents can tell their children that the toy will protect them and help them to be alone in the dark. This bolsters the children's sense of self and they will not immediately call their parents if they are unable to fall asleep, the psychologists say.

According to the University of Wuerzburg, recent studies show that some 30 percent of all 13- to 25-year-olds have trouble falling asleep or sleeping through the night. Estimates of the number of 5- to 10-year-olds with the problem range from 20 to 43 percent.

Fish oil protects against obesity risk

A study of Alaska's Yup'ik Eskimos, who consume 20 times more omega-3 fats from fish than most Americans, suggests these oils can prevent obesity-related illness such as diabetes and heart disease, researchers say.

The researchers analyzed data from 330 people living in the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta region of Alaska.

Although 70 percent of the population was overweight or obese, they did not show the same risk factors for heart disease and had a lower prevalence of diabetes than the overall US population.

The fats the researchers were interested in measuring were those found in salmon, sardines and other fatty fish - docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

In participants with low blood levels of these fats, obesity strongly increased heart disease risk measured by triglycerides and C-reactive protein, a measure of overall body inflammation.

Additionally, the researchers say that although the Yup'ik Eskimos have overweight/obesity levels similar to those in the US overall, their prevalence of type 2 diabetes is significantly lower - 3.3 percent versus 7.7 percent.

"Because Yup'ik Eskimos have a traditional diet that includes large amounts of fatty fish and have a prevalence of overweight or obesity that is similar to that of the general US population, this offered a unique opportunity to study whether omega-3 fats change the association between obesity and chronic disease risk," says Zeina Makhoul, a researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and lead author.

AFP-DPA