Ian and Chris have shown that 100 grams of tasty sprouted vegetables every day for a fortnight can have clear protective effects against DNA damage in human blood cells.

DNA damage is associated with cancer risk. Sources of DNA damage include diet-related carcinogens, and bodily processes like oxidative stress “ and the raw sprouts protect against this kind of damage.

And just a portion “ 113 grammes - per day of a mix of broccoli, radish, alfalfa and clover sprouts was enough in our tests to show the protective effect, said Professor Rowland.

Professor Rowland ™s research is to be published this summer in Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, a respected academic journal of research in the field.

The findings were presented today at BioIreland 2004, “ Stepping Stones To Success, a major all Ireland biotechnology conference being held at the University ™s of Ulster ™s Coleraine campus from June 20-22.

Scientists, politicians, enterprise agency representatives and venture capital finance experts from the US, Europe and beyond are at the University of Ulster ™s Coleraine campus for the conference, showcasing the strengths and business opportunities opening up for the island ™s burgeoning biotechnology sector.

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Prevention Strategies: The IDF report notes that while the emphasis should be on lifestyle changes there is also a need to address the problem with medication.

Professor Martin Silink, President-Elect of the IDF, and also a member of the committee said: Because of the sudden rise in type 2 diabetes in the young, there are as yet no approved drugs for treatment - apart from insulin and metformin. In addition, children and adolescents often require medical interventions for high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They face a life-long need for medication and their risk of developing diabetes complications is equal to those with type 1 diabetes.

School based programmes have been shown to be effective in Mexico and Singapore. Major governmental actions that focus on lifestyle are required too. The IDF report recommends that priority be given to:

Assessing the costs and psycho-social impact of screening young people Assessing the safety and efficacy of oral hypoglycaemic drugs in young people Developing innovative ways of working with children and adolescents with diabetes and their families so as to achieve longstanding and sustainable lifestyle change.

According to Professor Lef bvre, prevention programmes should focus on the prevention of obesity by encouraging and facilitating physical activity and healthy diets, and controlling access to energy dense foods and drinks.

In particular for children, policies and legislation need to ensure safe play outdoors, safe transport to and from school by foot and bicycle, and protection from highly influential advertising which promotes inappropriate (and unnecessary) consumption of energy dense food and drink, he added.

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