Plans by the European Commission to allow claims that sugary drinks and energy drinks containing caffeine boost alertness or concentration have been vetoed by the European Parliament.

A ‘breastfeeding welcome here’ sign has been launched to help normalise breast-feeding in public.

Facts, not fads, should lead discussions about rising obesity levels, the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute has said.

A leading immunologist has called for a national food-allergy strategy to improve patient diagnosis and care.

Ciara McDonnell finds out how to handle the party season without the painful post-drinking aftermath.    

Vegan diets, once considered extreme, are becoming more mainstream, but the jury is out on health benefits, says Sharon Ní Chonchuir.

MENTION exams and the crammers among us (guilty, your Honour) will recall long, sleepless nights, vats of black coffee and sugar in all its forms.

Parents looking for healthy options for their children can now turn to top chef Neven Maguire’s homegrown food bible for recipe ideas, writes Marjorie Brennan.

The advertising industry loves to suggest that retirement is one holiday after another but for many people, it takes time to get used to endless time and a limited budget. Margaret Jennings talks to the experts about how to approach life after work 

IF you’re looking for an example of a modern food miracle, look no further than coconut oil. 

That January credit card made Kay Cairns baulk and so she’s been on a strict budget since. She is managing to eat well for an incredible €30 a week

So it seems our mothers were right after all — if you eat up all your porridge, you could enjoy a long and healthy life.

January may seem the perfect time for a detox, but is there any scientific basis behind the concept of washing away our calorific sins, asks Sharon Ní Chonchúir.

Research finds people who reported drinking a standard can of fizzy drink per day had DNA changes typical of cells 4.6 years older.

YOU’RE passionate about healthy eating for your child and you keep treat foods to a minimum. The only problem is that he’s offered junk food when he goes to play at his friends’ houses.

830,000 babies die every year because they weren’t even breast-fed for an hour

Guidelines on diagnosis and management of childhood food allergy have been published for the first time, says Ruth Charles

Beyoncé, Gwenth Paltrow and Sarah Jessica Parker have deprived themselves of solid food for days on end in order to lose weight.

An Irish dietitian has clashed with a group of leading American scientists who believe that vitamin supplements should be avoided because they have no health benefit.

Men who are obese in their early 20s are twice as likely to die in their 50s than healthier people — with half having fatal heart attacks within 30 years.

Clinical dieticians say community-based childhood obesity services are either rare or non-existent.

The average person puts on half a stone over the festive period.

IRELAND has the fourth highest prevalence of asthma in the world.

Up to 16,000 medical card holders who have coeliac disease will no longer be able to use their cards to buy gluten-free products — a change in policy that could add up to €80 a month to a person’s grocery bill.

Helen O’Callaghan gets the skinny from experts on the latest blockbuster diet which promises results in six weeks flat.

HOW do they do it? From Beyoncé to Victoria Beckham and Tipperary pop star Una Healy — all the glamorous new mothers seem to snap back into shape within weeks of having a baby.

HOW do they do it? From Beyoncé to Victoria Beckham and Tipperary pop star Una Healy — all the glamorous new mothers seem to snap back into shape within weeks of having a baby.

LIFE can be pretty hectic for new parents — the constant schedule of feeding, changing, bathing and sleeping can leave even the most organised people feeling flustered.

AVOID dodgy celebrity diets, eat fewer calories, make better choices and move a bit more.

ONE in four hospital patients are suffering from malnutrition, with the problem now costing the state almost €1.5 billion every year.

A COOK book specifically focused on the needs of people on dialysis treatment has been launched by a Cork-based survivor of life-threatening kidney disease.

CONSUMER and health groups are pitted against the processed food industry in a battle about how to illustrate food packaging with information on what is in our food.

WITH the excesses of Christmas almost over, Safefood is advising those who want to lose the extra pounds not to turn to quick-fix fad diets.

AN Irish dietician has challenged EU scientists who say probiotic yoghurt health claims cannot be proven.

CHILDREN are being lured into unhealthy diets by cartoon characters like Tony the Tiger and the Dairylea Cow.

PARENTS were yesterday warned they are putting their children’s health at risk by unwittingly giving them too much salt in their diet.

THOUSANDS of people will be “vegging out” and celebrating all things from the good earth this weekend.

THE fat, salt or sugar levels of each product on sale in Tesco outlets is to be clearly displayed on its foods within the next 18 months.

A NEW diet pill made from nappy material is as filling as a plate of pasta, according to its creators.

KEEPING the brain supplied with plenty energy is vital to proper concentration during exams.

SAVOURY meals lick vanilla ice cream in terms of sugar content, a leading consumer organisation discovered.