So says a study from the German Institute of Human Nutrition published in the medical journal Cancer Epidemiology and Biomarkers Prevention in January 2007.

The study looked at over 200,000 women and showed that you do not even need to go to the gym to get the effect – housework had a significant reduction in breast cancer risk, specifically in postmenopausal women.

Earlier research in December 2006 had also shown this effect and found the benefit was greatest for those women with oestrogen receptor positive breast cancers.

Beat your appetite by swapping classic snacks such as mid afternoon biscuits for foods that feel more like a meal.

Researchers at State University of New York in Buffalo, US, found that people who viewed their afternoon treat as a snack ate 87% more food for their evening meal than those who ate the same food at the same time, but labelled it a meal.

Try these swaps to trick your tummy into feeling fuller: have half a pitta with hummous and salad rather than a pot of yogurt or try a slice of toast with scrambled egg instead of a handful of nuts and seeds.

Children with behaviour difficulties and learning problems behaved better after they were offered healthier school meals and fish oil supplements, a new study has found.

It’s the latest evidence that children’s diet does affect their behaviour. In the new research 28 pupils aged 10 to 16 at the Norfolk County Council special school in Norwich were studied for six months. The pupils were offered healthier meals which contained less sugar and salt and fewer transfats, preservatives and additives and were also encouraged to take supplements containing omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids.

The children’s behaviour improved dramatically compared with the previous six months. (A good liquid children’s fish oil is called OmegaBerry and as the name suggests contains fish oil and berries which gives it a pleasant taste. Many children can’t or won’t take capsules and liquids usually taste so bad children won’t swallow them – for details call 01892 507598.)