Iodine deficiency is creeping back. Vegans, vegetarians and pregnant women are most at risk

Iodine deficiency is often seen as a problem of the past, but this isn’t entirely true. During the 20th century, the iodisation of salt became one of the most effective public health interventions for preventing conditions caused by a lack of this mineral, including goiter (enlargement of the thyroid gland) and preventable damage to neurological […]

Continue Reading

‘Carb-loading’ is a myth. But how much carbohydrate do athletes really need?

For many years, sports nutrition was rooted in a simple metaphor: the body is an engine, glycogen (the body’s quick-release carbohydrate reserve) is its fuel, and fatigue occurs when the tank runs low. Under this logic, nutrition strategy seemed quite obvious: eat lots of carbohydrates, fill the tank, and if possible, keep topping it up […]

Continue Reading

Food insecurity is on the rise: a look at the world’s ‘hunger hotspots’

On November 12 2025, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) published a joint report that raises alarm bells about the state of global food security. Both agencies warn of a “shrinking window to prevent millions more people from facing acute food insecurity”. The report identifies sixteen regions around […]

Continue Reading

Obesity is now legally recognised as a chronic disease in Italy – a historic advance for public health in Europe

On October 9 2025, Italy took the unprecedented step of approving a law that recognises obesity as a chronic, progressive, and relapsing disease. The law came into effect on October 25. To date, no other European country has enacted a national law that recognises obesity with such breadth: as a chronic condition with specific guarantees […]

Continue Reading