By YASEMIN TALAT
A VICTORIA University Honours student is calling on the community to help with a new weight loss research study.
St Albans campus Honours student, Hayley Loftus is now recruiting volunteers for the not-for-profit study investigating the effects of the natural supplement ‘Coleus Forskohlii’ on weight management and appetite.
“I think obesity and being overweight are great risk factors for developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes,” Ms Loftus said.
“Basically we are trying to improve the overall health and the risk factors for developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and certain forms of cancer,” she said.
“I want to reduce people’s risk of developing these diseases and this treatment can be a great treatment.”
Ms Loftus said she had an interest in nutrition and lifestyle related diseases and hoped to help people improve their quality of life.
The study will run for 12 weeks with each participant also receiving free nutrition advice fortnightly.
Tests conducted as part of the study include body measurements, blood pressure, monitoring of physical activity and food intake, medical questionnaires, appetite, cholesterol, blood sugar levels and hormones associated with obesity.
To be eligible to participate in the study you must be overweight (Body mass index >25 or waist circumference >94cm for males/ >80cm for females) and between 20-60 years of age.
Ms Loftus will run the study under the supervision of Dr Xiao Su and Associate Professor Michael Matai at the St Albans Campus of Victoria University.
For further information or to book a screening appointment call 9919 2318, 0431 580 501 or email hayley.loftus@live.vu.edu.au
