Progressive resistance exercise increases strength and leads to small reductions in glycosylated haemoglobin that are likely to be clinically significant for people with type 2 diabetes. Progressive resistance exercise is a feasible option in the management of glycaemia for this population.

Bed occupancy in psychiatric nits in Greater London is 113% ED1ToR,-On 26 May this year we surveyed bed occupancy in the acute psychiatric units in inner and outer London. Using a telephone method described elsewhere,' we obtained information from all 117 wards within 50 NHS units covering 29 districts. The bed occupancy of all the Thames regional areas of Greater London exceeded 100%(table 1). Beds were available in only four districts.These figures are lower an those found in other studies2 but exceed those found in our four year study (in 1990-3) by a startling margin (113%, compared with 101% for 1993).1 Table 1-Bed occupancy in all acute psychiatric units In Greater London No of Total acute No of Occupancy beds patients (%)