Dr Rana Conway has published a second edition of her book ‘What to eat when you’re pregnant: including the A-Z guide of what’s safe and what’s not’, Pearson (1st published August 2008). The latest edition includes the revised guidelines regarding caffeine consumption during pregnancy. It also describes what women should and shouldn’t eat during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as providing advice for vegetarian mothers-to-be, tips for handling morning sickness and guidance on achieving a healthy weight gain. Rana has both professional and personal knowledge of the subject. The research she carried out with pregnant women has been published in peer reviewed journals and she has three young children of her own.

‘What to eat when you’re pregnant: including the A-Z guide of what’s safe and what’s not’ is available from: //www.pearsoned.co.uk/Bookshop/detail.asp?item=100000000271017

Fiona Wilcock was invited to write the UK version of the ‘alli diet plan’ after working closely with GSK Consumer Healthcare for 18 months as their nutrition consultant. Alli (orlistat) is a weight loss drug which is used in conjunction with a lower fat, reduced calorie diet and increased activity. Fiona has been working with GSK Europe to ensure culturally and nutritionally appropriate advice and recipes are developed for consumer literature in the different markets. Her involvement led GSK to ask Fiona to write the book which was co-launched with the drug in April. The type of diet which alli users need is a healthy diet based on 30% energy from fat and the 200 recipes in the book which Fiona devised and tested can be used for all the family. Basic information about how to use the drug is provided in the first chapter by GSK, and the remaining dietary information and recipes are based on good basic nutrition and can be used by anyone. All recipes have full dietary analysis and appropriate retail alternatives have been suggested for days when readers don’t want to cook. Menu plans and fat and calorie tables per portion are also provided. The book was given to a group of alli users prior to launch and had very positive feedback, with several users reporting an improvement in the diet of the whole family.

Alison Ludwig’s MSc dissertation has been published (co-author, Professor Jim McKenna) in the September 2008 issue of the Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health. The article is entitled ‘Osteoporotic Caucasian and South Asian Women: a qualitative study of general practitioners’ support’, Vol.128, No.5, p.263-270. An abstract of the article can be found at //rsh.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/128/5/263

Sigrid Gibson has two new scientific publications:

Sigrid Gibson and Alison Boyd. Associations between added sugars and micronutrient intakes and status. Further analysis of data from the NDNS of young people aged 4 to 18 years.
British Journal of Nutrition, First View article
doi:10.1017/S0007114508981484, Published Online by Cambridge University Press 08 Jul 2008

Gibson S (2007) Dietary sugars intake and micronutrient adequacy – a review of the evidence. Nutrition Research Reviews 20, 121-131. doi:10.1017/S0954422407797846

Contact Sigrid direct (sigrid@sig-nurture.com) if you would like a pdf copy.

Jane Griffin has just had her third book published “Food for Rugby” with a foreword by Keith Wood. Her publisher is The Crowood Press who published her previous books “Food for Sport” in 2001 and “Nutrition for Marathon Running” in 2005. All books can be obtained from the publishers (www.crowood.com), Amazon or bookshops.

Chris Hawkins, Secretary to SENSE, received the MBE in the December 2004 Honours List, for services to the Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO). Like the ASO Chris provides invaluable support to SENSE and SENSE members agree this honour is well deserved.

Judy More has worked with the Department of Health to procure 2 low cost vitamin D supplements to support the DH recommendation for vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy, breastfeeding, infants and children under 5 years and the elderly.

Further information on Healthy Start vitamins for women and Healthy Start Children’s vitamin drops can be found at:

//www.healthystart.nhs.uk/en/fe/page.asp?n1=1&n2=8&n3=95&n4=97

Ms Fiona Wilcock has served as a SENSE committee member from September 2002 to March 2007. Fiona took on the role of factsheet coordinator, which has entailed updating and amalgamating factsheets written by various members over time, as well as originating and coordinating development of new fact sheets on a range of topics for the benefit of the membership. The SENSE members are extremely grateful to Fiona for her generous contribution and overall professionalism.

Ms Sigi Gibson has contributed significantly to the development of SENSE as a founding SENSE committee member, serving as programme coordinator from March 2004 to March 2007. Both prior to becoming programme coordinator and during this appointment, Sigi has coordinated numerous successful and informative meetings for members on a twice yearly basis. The SENSE members are particularly grateful to Sigi for her professionalism and technological skills!

Gaynor Bussell has written a book which is a guide on diet and health to help women overcome the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome.

//www.amazon.co.uk/Managing-PCOS-Dummies-Gaynor-Bussell/dp/0470057947/sr=1-1/qid=1169068615/ref=sr_1_1/026-2497379-4425255?ie=UTF8&s=books