According to research out today eating Tangerines could protect you against heart attacks, diabetes and strokes as well as staving off obesity, as they contain Nobiletin, which helps prevent these conditions.

The study was undertaken by researchers at the University of Western Ontario, in Canada, were they fed two groups of mice a high fat content diet and the other group simple sugars.

The first group that were fed the high in fat diet became obese, had elevated cholesterol, high blood levels of insulin and glucose and a fatty liver, all these symptoms increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease. 

Whereas the second group of mice that were feed the simple sugars diet, which had tangerines in, gained a normal amount of weight and showed no rise in cholesterol, insulin or glucose.

Lead researcher Dr Murray Huff said: ‘The Nobiletin-treated mice were protected from obesity.

A recent study has shown that there could be a link between tooth decay and obesity within young children.

In the study 65 children aged between two and five had cavities in need of treatment. Of the 65 children tested, 28% of the children showed an overweight or obese body mass index (BMI). The results indicated that the children which were over weight or obese tended to exceeded the recommended calorie intake of 1,200 for children by 71%. The results placed emphasis on the idea that it isn't as much due to the children overeating, but down to the lack of nutrition within their meals and the wrong type of food choices.

The results of the study conducted by Dr. Kathleen Bethin, an associate professor of paediatrics at the University at Buffalo, are important within the dental and medical industry due to the distinct lack of published information associating children's tooth decay with obesity. The suggestion is to start educating families about nutrition and the risks of obesity and dental decay within the dental practice.