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Anne Diamond Calls for Volunteers to Play Bejeweled Twist and put a New Weight Loss Theory to the Test

When broadcaster and health campaigner Anne Diamond reviewed some videogames earlier this year, her damnation was so scathing that it overshadowed The Byron Review, a major government-commissioned report on the subject.

Fast forward eight months and the leading health campaigner is now working with researchers to test a theory that certain casual games may actually help weight loss and she’s recruiting volunteers for a clinical trial to put the theory to the test.

This study was prompted by work already undertaken in the U.S. by East Carolina University research published in May 2008 which showed casual videogames relieved stress [see the following for more information http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/news/releases/2008/4/ecupopcapstudy04282008.cfm].

“Of course, we are not talking about the kinds of violent games I reviewed earlier in the year, and which caused such a stir in the gaming world” Diamond comments. “We’re looking at casual videogames. Research suggests that, unlike the violent and adrenalin-fuelled titles I reviewed, certain “casual” games can reduce stress levels, enhance mood, and even reduce depression. What’s more, they could actually help with weight loss - a subject very close to my heart. The theory is that playing casual games like PopCap.co.uk’s Bejeweled Twist for a few minutes, say at lunchtime, or at a stressful time of day, can provide a simple distraction from food cravings, helping dieters remain focussed, de-stress them and lift their mood - very important features in weight loss… So naturally, I wanted to know more.”

Respected dietician and nutritionist, Nigel Denby, who will conduct the research throughout January 2009 added: “Beating cravings and ‘grazing’ are two of the most challenging aspects of dieting for many people and January 1st is traditionally when many people embark on a diet. The majority have fallen off the wagon within three weeks. We’ve therefore decided to make this trial a real torture test and see if Bejeweled Twist can help New Year dieters achieve their goals.”

Cathy Orr of PopCap.co.uk, the company behind Bejeweled Twist and whose games were used in the clinical trials in the US said, “We are delighted Anne is involved in the new trial. We are just beginning to understand some of the positive health benefits casual games can have and we hope that we can find some good news for the millions of dieters in the UK.”

Dieters who wish to participate in the trial should visit http://www.popcap.co.uk to try out Bejeweled Twist and sign up for the study. The research will take place throughout January 2009.

Anne Diamond added: “Losing and managing weight is a struggle - some experts say that 12.8 million Brits are on a diet at any one time and all my research shows that it is a life sentence, and people need to develop strategies to stop snacking or comfort eating. Anything that can help make dieting even a little bit easier and less stressful is a positive development and playing casual games is something that anyone can do, any time, anywhere.”

Bejeweled is the most popular casual game franchise of the 21st century, with more than 350 million copies downloaded and over 25 million units sold. Bejeweled Twist is the first new Bejeweled title in almost four years.

Filed under : Beauty, Chat, Entertainment, Fun, Health & Fitness

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Gradual, Long-Lasting Results and Physician Expertise Most Important

A new study conducted by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) and Dermik Laboratories, a business of sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC, reveals the influencers that impact a woman’s decision when considering medical anti-aging treatments. The study surveyed women ages 35-69 who’ve considered a medical anti-aging treatment, as well as previous patients who have had fillers or injectable procedures.

According to the study, the top three factors that influence a woman’s decision to either move forward or decline a medical anti-aging treatment, such as injectables are:

1. Physician Training and Expertise: 95 percent of women considering a treatment ranked a physician’s training and experience with the procedure or product as most important compared with other factors, such as how the product works or how quickly results appear.

2. Gradual Results that Last Two Years: 89 percent of women preferred gradual results lasting two years over immediate results lasting six months. Additionally, 75 percent of women preferred gradual results lasting two years versus 25 percent who preferred immediate results lasting one year.

3. Information from Physician and Web sites: 99 percent of women receive information about medical anti-aging treatments from health care providers or health and medical Web sites. When making a final decision, a woman’s doctor was cited as the best source of information.

“These findings illustrate a positive trend toward more consumers being educated about procedures before moving forward with any type of cosmetic treatment. Women are not willing to sacrifice the safety or quality of their procedures,” says Susan Weinkle, M.D., member of the ASDS. “Anti-aging treatments are medical procedures and should be approached as such. For this reason, the ASDS has made a concerted effort over the past few years to educate the public about the importance of conducting research to identify a qualified and properly trained practitioner to ensure a safe and optimal treatment outcome. Our patient’s safety is our main concern, so we are pleased to see that these messages are being heard.”

Additional study results show:

• Only 15 percent of women who have undergone previous anti-aging procedures are influenced by friends, family or a co-worker’s recommendation.

• 60 percent of women are influenced by the price of a treatment.

• One-in-three women who have had an injectable treatment have also had another type of non-invasive medical anti-aging treatment.

• 58 percent of women who’ve considered an anti-aging procedure are more likely to trade off cost for long-lasting results.

• 91 percent of injectable users and women considering anti-aging treatments would rather have results last longer rather than occur immediately.

Source: The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery

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Kayla Collier is a remarkable teenager — a great student, a community volunteer and most recently she was crowned Miss Florida Teen USA 2009. Kayla is also a cancer survivor. At age 16, the teen from Pahokee, Florida was diagnosed with skin cancer. Now at 18, she has not only beaten the disease, she is also an advocate for teen cancer prevention. Kayla plans to use her new Miss Florida Teen USA title to inform other young people about the dangers of excessive tanning and unprotected sun exposure.

Kayla beat out 40 other pageant contestants to win the coveted Miss Florida Teen USA title, on Sunday, October 5th, 2008. The crowd cheered as Kayla, who represented the Treasure Coast, was crowned the winner at Broward Community College’s Bailey Concert Hall in Davie.

Winning the Miss Florida Teen USA title is just one of many achievements in Kayla’s life. After overcoming skin cancer, Kayla has dedicated herself to educating other teens about prevention and early detection of skin cancer. At the time of her diagnosis, Kayla was shock that she would have to deal this disease at her age. Her message to other teens — you are never too young to worry about protecting yourself from skin cancer.

Kayla is a dedicated volunteer for the American Cancer Society. The organization advises people to avoid the mid-day sun, use sunscreen generously and avoid the use of sun lamps or tanning beds for the prevention of skin cancer. Also check your skin often and report changes to your physician. For more cancer prevention and detection information, visit www.cancer.org.

In addition to her duties as Miss Florida Teen USA 2009, Kayla is a student at Stetson University. She hopes to purse a career in publishing.

The Miss Florida Teen USA Pageant is produced by Tel-Air Interests, which also produces the Miss Florida USA Pageant. Under the leadership of Pageant Director Mary Lou Gravitt, Miss Florida USA and Miss Florida Teen USA are regarded as the premier state pageants in the Miss USA System. For more information about the Miss Florida Teen USA Pageant, click on to the site: www.missfloridateenusa.com.

Source: Miss Florida Teen USA

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