The ‘24/7’ culture of Western societies, whereby wakefulness is extended due to work or social pressures, has implications for our quality of sleep, and perhaps our risk of obesity and diabetes, according to research.

In view of the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in Europe, the role of certain carbohydrates, like sugar, is often controversially discussed. Here are some facts about the role of carbohydrates, sugars and sugar in our diet.

One in six Europeans, and up to one in three in some EU countries, have the metabolic syndrome, a condition that greatly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke, and can lead to premature death. Rapid increases in the rates of overweight and obesity at increasingly earlier ages drive the massive prevalence of the syndrome. The metabolic syndrome even creeps up in geographical areas that were traditionally protected through healthy diets and lifestyle such as Greece or France. The impact on society is huge, with experts expecting health and social welfare costs to rise in Europe, in the near future.

Wholegrain foods are important sources of nutrients and phyto-protective substances, which are in short supply in the diet of people across Europe. Increasing the variety and availability of good-tasting, wholegrain foods and encouraging individuals to increase their consumption levels could have important public health benefits.

There are two main types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2, and numbers of cases of both types are rising worldwide in adults. Recently type 2 diabetes has been reported to be also increasing in children. What is behind this worrying phenomenon and what can be done about it?

How do foods affect blood sugar levels? The old myth that a sugary snack will cause a dramatic rise, and then a fall, in blood sugar levels has been overturned as researchers find out more about the physiological effects of foods on blood sugar levels. New ways to measure just how our blood sugar will react to various foods has provided insights into the prevention and control of conditions such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease and has also revolutionised diet in sport and the foods eaten in the hours before physical exertion in sport.