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Junk food tax, obesity rising and the suspicious painkiller mix-up

Our round-up of the health headlines on Friday 26 August.

Britain is piling on the pounds and the number of obese people in the UK could rise by 73% to 26 million by the year 2030, reports The Independent.

The story is based on a report in The Lancet argues that the Government is failing to protect the health of its country's inhabitants. It states that a tax on food high in fat would help to improve the nation's diet.

In another blow to the UK's waist line the Independent also reports that cutting out chocolate won't have as big an effect on weight loss as originally thought. The research, carried out by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, showed that over a three-year period forgoing a chocolate bar a day would results in 25lb weight loss rather than the initial estimate of 78lb.

Consumers who have purchased Nurofen are being warned that they may instead have bought the antipsychotic, Seruquel X, following a mix-up. The cause of the problem, which could affect as many as half a million pills, is currently being investigated. However, the Daily Mail are claiming that it is the result of the action of animal rights activists targeting Neurofen manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser. The MHRA has advised anyone who thinks they may have taken the wrong medication to contact their GP.

The Times (paywall) are reporting that individuals who have been conceived using donated sperm will no longer be able to get in contact with their fathers and half-siblings due to plans being considered by the government. The plan is part of cost-cutting measures that have seen the charity UK DonorLink lose its funding.

The eternally sprightful Silvio Berlusconi has revealed his secret, herbal tea. The Italian premier has been on a special diet, including a regiment of herbal tea, which he claims has helped him to lose 9lb in a week.

Are you carrying genes from the Neanderthal immune system? Well, the Times (pay wall) reports that due to interbreeding between Neanderthal and our ancestors 30,000 to 65,000 years ago 80% of the Asian population and 50% of the European population carry the Neanderthal variant of the Human leukocyte antigen gene.