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BBC’s junk food diet causes concern for UEL Sports Science staff

Thursday 2 August 2007

Staff from the University of East London’s (UEL) School of Health and Bioscience have been investigating the awful effects of a junk food diet as part of a revealing new BBC series, “Food – what’s really in it?”

UEL Sports Science lecturers Dr Roger Carpenter, Stephen Cousins and Kim Hastings conducted a series of tests on willing volunteer Kech Osamo (31), who gave up her usual balanced and healthy diet for a ten-day junk food binge from 18-27 July.

Kim, a Graduate Teaching Assistant at UEL's Stratford Campus, said: “Instead of water, green tea, grilled fish, and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, Kech survived on a terrible diet of curries, kebabs, burgers, chips, and fizzy and caffeinated drinks.

“We measured her body mass, fat and hydration status both before and after the experiment. Naturally, we weren’t surprised to see a negative impact; what we did find shocking was the size of the change. In the space of ten days, Kech’s body mass had increased by 2kg, her fat content by 2.3kg, and her skin-fold thickness by 4%.

”Her aerobic performance had also declined, and she suffered from poor sleep, mood swings and mild depression. All in all, the results conclusively prove that too much junk food can have a seriously negative impact on our mental and physical health.”

UEL’s Centre for Clinical Education in Physiotherapy, Podiatry and Sports Science, based at the Stratford Campus, offers state-of-the-art Sports Science equipment and facilities. For further information, visit www.uel.ac.uk/hab

“Food – what’s really in it?” will be broadcast on BBC1 in September.

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For details and pictures contact Patrick Wilson: 020 8223 2061 or 07951 797 975

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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