A slimming shot of yoghurt

Already functional, yoghurt drinks can be further enhanced with weight management ingredients OVERWEIGHT and obesity are major health concerns in the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf states, where World Health Organisation data show that over 50% of the population is at risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes due to such weight conditions. High levels of obesity are caused by lack of exercise, sedentary lifestyles and poor eating habits. The WHO''s definitions of "overweight" and "obese" are based on an individual''s body mass index (BMI), which measures weight relative to height (kg/m2). A BMI greater than or equal to 25 is defined as overweight, and a BMI greater than or equal to 30 qualifies the person as obese. Based on the WHO''s most recent estimates, five Middle East countries are in the Top 30 countries with the most overweight adults above age 15: Kuwait at No.8; Egypt at 14th; the United Arab Emirates at 18th; Bahrain at 26th; and Saudi Arabia at 29th. Middle Eastern women are particularly at risk. By 2010, the prevalence of overweight will exceed half of the populations of women in the region ?including women of childbearing age ?data from WHO indicate (see graph). Health experts recommend a more active lifestyle and better nutritional balance to reduce overweight and obesity. Weight management products The global weight management sector has an estimated value of $4.65 billion in the U.S. alone, reports Frost & Sullivan. It estimates worldwide demand to be above $7 billion. Weight management promotes the consumption of a balanced diet rather than dieting. However, aligned particularly with the obesity epidemic, there is an increased convergence towards consumption of products that claim to burn calories faster and promote satiety or the feeling of fullness. There is an ongoing shift in the weight management drinks from products that are low in calorie or fat, products with appetite suppressants or inducing satiety and calorie burners, according to Frost & Sullivan. Yoghurt ?slimming by nature Drinkable or spoonable yoghurt, which aid in weight-loss, are a popular segment in the weight-management product category. The yoghurt constitutes a suitable base product to which developers can add weight management ingredients. Yoghurts perceived as innately healthy, and especially positive for gut health. They are popular in several countries as pleasant-tasting dairy products. Single-shot drinks Companies such as DSM, Aqua Nova and Interhealth Nutraceuticals have developed weight management ingredients that can be used for slimming dairy blends, particularly in single-dose drinkable yoghurts. Aqua Nova''s NovaSol Sustain weight loss solution combines Coenzyme Q10 and alpha-lipoic acid for fat reduction and satiety. NovaSol is touted to have promising potential as it has the ability to be both water and fat soluble in beverage addition and provides the active substances in micellar form. Another ingredient, Super CitriMax by Interhealth, contains hydroxycitric acid. Its colourless, odourless and tasteless properties in solution form make it a highly attractive ingredient for adding to drinkable yoghurts and beverages. It is has Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) status in the U.S., and is clinically proven to reduce body weight and curb appetite. Market forerunners One way to resist the temptation of over-eating and limit daily calorie intake is to replace with beverages that provide a sense of fullness. DSM''s weightmanagementing redient, Fabuless? is found in a number of single-shot drinking yoghurts, including ActifControl by Latteria Merano (Italy), AdagioVersus by Lactogal (Portugal), and Opt ime l /Opt iwe l l Cont rol by Campina (Netherlands and Germany). Latteria Merano first introduced ActifControl drinking yoghurt, marketed under the Bionessere brand, in 2006. In addition to having the recommended 5g per serving of Fabuless, the singlesAir Jordan 1