Can a new star system help us to eat healthily? - a podcast by BBC World Service

If you’re trying to work out what’s healthy to eat and what to avoid – there’s a new five star rating system. Researchers in the US have looked at previous studies which examined how much certain foods increased the risk of developing a particular disease – or if they could even protect you. Dr Chris Murray from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Washington says he hopes the star ratings will help people to make informed decisions about their health. We hear from Dr Tammy Tong, a nutritional epidemiologist at Oxford University about the strengths and limitations of this approach.

Millions of people around the world use open-pit toilets – a hole in the ground where they can see and smell other people’s waste. The walls are often made of bits of metal and cloth and they are often shared between many families, provoking feelings of shame and disgust. Dr Ian Ross from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has been measuring the difference a nicer toilet can have on people’s quality of life in Mozambique – with help from Zaida Adriano Cumbe who talked to families involved in the study in Maputo.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Paula McGrath

(Picture: Tacos with grilled steak and vegetables, avocado, tomato, cilantro and lime. Photo credit: Istetiana/Getty Images.)

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