Women - Forget bikini perfection, ‘super bodies’ are in for spring 2010

ONE of the UK’s coldest winters has prompted 88% of women to fill their shopping baskets with ‘super fruits’ to help fight off illnesses, rather than buying fad diet foods, a new survey reveals.  In fact, men are now the biggest ‘calorie counters’ with 85% purposely eating foods low in sugar in order to stay in shape. This compares with only 24% of women who feel a diet should be based on low fat foods.

Research commissioned by the Florida Department of Citrus discovered the nation has ditched the dreaded diet with 86% stating that a healthy immune system to fight illness is the ultimate super body goal and is more important than losing weight.

Nancy Brown, marketing manager at the Florida Department of Citrus says:- “It is great to see so many people taking interest in healthy eating but there is still a long way to go. 73% of the nation do not realise many ‘super fruits’ such as Florida Grapefruits can be easily incorporated into meals so you can improve your body with minimum effort. Let’s hope this trend to glow on the inside as well as the outside continues.”

Not enough hours in the day

Despite Brits best efforts, 22% of the nation find it hard to stick to a healthy diet and only manage to cook a meal from scratch once a week due to their long working hours. This is reflected by 54% of working mums who are giving up their ‘leisure time’ to cook meals from scratch so their family have a balanced diet.

Dining out seems to be the perfect solution for 20% of Brits who arrange weekly meals at friends’ houses so they can benefit from eating nutritious meals without having to cook for themselves.

It’s not so grim up North

Leeds residents have perfected the healthy eating lifestyle as the region munches through the most fresh food each week. Londoners closely miss out with 67% stating they would eat more fruit and vegetables if they knew how to incorporate them into homemade dishes. Worryingly, 34% of Mancunians are not eating enough fresh food and only eat one portion of fruit a day to counterbalance an unhealthy lunch.

Recipe for a healthy lifestyle

Celebrity nutritionist Sally Bee has partnered with the Florida Department of Citrus to create a week-long eating plan which incorporates the key ‘super fruits’ into easy to make dishes designed to keep the nation healthy and glowing throughout spring.

Sally Bee said:- “These days many of us live very busy lives but there are easy ways to prepare healthy meals in minutes which include key nutrients such as vitamin C. Once you start eating fresh foods there is no looking back - you will look and feel great!”

Pre-Poster-ous!

FRUSTRATED by politicians dodging discussion of the country's acute housing problems, Northern housing association leader, Derek Long, has decided to play the parties at their own game. He has converted their campaign posters to focus on the election's unspoken issue - the shortage of affordable housing.

A £100 cash prize for the most effective designed/reworked poster to communicate Northern housing challenges is being offered. The designs should reach the National Housing Federation Manchester office by Thursday, 29 April 2010.

The National Housing Federation's head of North said:- "It's preposterous! There are over 600,000 households waiting for decent affordable housing in the North and the politicians are just ducking the issue in this campaign! The only way they will listen is if their own messages come boomeranging back."

A recent poll by the Federation found that a staggering 80% of young adults in the North of England believe owning a home is more a dream than a reality.  The majority of people polled in the North (57%) doubted whether the three main parties would talk about building more affordable homes enough in the run up to the election.

The 3 examples of the posters Derek has adapted, from the iconic 1979 Saatchi and Saatchi poster, Jack Nicholson's Oscar-winning film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and a spoof Conservative poster generated from online site:- mydavidcameron.com,  are included here..

Derek's challenge comes as the first Leader's TV debate barely touched on housing and then only as part of the immigration debate and the Times list of key issues completely overlooked the record growth in housing waiting lists and deposits for first time buyers .

Posters should be emailed to:- north@housing.org.uk by noon on Thursday, 29 April 2010.