Price promotions are widely used by supermarkets to encourage purchase of targeted products more quickly, more frequently, and/or in greater quantities. These promotions have been shown to be effective in altering consumer behaviour, albeit in the short-term (1,2) . US research has shown that price promotions favour processed, energy dense foods (3) . On the other hand, price promotions have been successful in increasing the sales of healthier food (4)(5)(6) suggesting that appropriately targeted pricing strategies could be used effectively to improve diet patterns. The aim of this study was to conduct a content analysis of online 'Top Offers' promoted by supermarkets across Northern Ireland (NI).Food promotions (n = 1885; food (n = 1613, 86 %), beverages (n = 272, 14 %); Branded (n = 1407, 75 %), Own-brand products (n = 478, 25 %)) from the 'Top Offer' section of leading NI supermarkets (Tesco, ASDA, and Sainsbury's) and a convenience store (SPAR) were collected online every 3 weeks between April 2014 and April 2015 (12 months; 18 data collections). For each food product promoted the energy and nutrient information was obtained (per 100 g / 100 ml) and the healthiness assessed using 1.) Nutrient Quality (NQ) scoring method based on the Food Standard Agency's Front-of-Pack labelling system (focusing on the risk nutrients sugar, salt, fat, saturated fat) and energy cut-offs defined by Bell et al.( 7) , and 2.) Food Type score, as defined by the sections of Public Health England (PHE)'s Eatwell Plate.Overall NQ scores for the food items collected was high (mean 10·7 / 15 ± SD 2·9) and the median score was in the high NQ band (⩾12 NQ score; 34 %), followed by the medium NQ (8-12 NQ score; 37 %) and lastly the low NQ band (<8 NQ score; 29 %). There was no significant difference between the NQ score obtained by supermarkets and the convenience store (P = 0·405), or between branded and own-branded products (p = 0·107). Food types promoted differed significantly to the PHE Eatwell recommendations (P < 0·001; Pearson Chi-squared value = 744·2) and were as follows (current study vs Eatwell recommendations) 'High Fat High Sugar Foods' (33 % vs 7 %), 'Bread, Rice, Potatoes & Pasta' (21 % vs 33 %), 'Meat, Fish Eggs and Beans' (20 % vs 12 %), 'Fruit and Vegetables' (14 % vs 33 %), 'Milk and Dairy Products' (12 % vs 15 %).In contrast to the popular perception that food promotions favour less healthy foods, findings in the current study showed that NI supermarkets are promoting a wide range of both healthy (high NQ) and less healthy (low NQ) foods, with the majority of foods falling into the high NQ band. However there was some over-representation of 'High fat High sugar foods' and under-representation of 'Fruit and Vegetables' compared with the PHE Eatwell plate recommendations. More research is needed to investigate how findings within the present study impact on consumer behaviour and food intake.

Gastric Bypass (GB) surgery continues to be one of the few effective treatments for sustainable weight loss in obese individuals (1). Apart from the primary weight loss mechanisms of energy restriction and malabsorption, studies have postulated that GB is associated with an increased shift in energy expenditure (EE) that contributes to sustained weight loss in the longer-term (2-5). However this positive effect on EE in humans remain equivocal. The effect has mainly been observed in experimental animal studies which adjusted EE for changes in total body weight (TBW) and body composition (BC) observed postoperatively (3-5). The aim of this study was to assess the impact of GB on Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) in 17 GB patients (5 males; BMI 45•8 ± 6•3 kg/m 2 ; 47•2 ± 13 y) and 13 time-matched and weight-stable controls (5 males; BMI 25•8 ± 4•3 kg/m 2 ; 39•4 ± 15•1 y) at baseline (one month pre-surgery) and at three months post-surgery. BMR was measured under standardised conditions using indirect calorimetry (ECAL, Metabolic Health Solutions). Lean body mass (LBM) and fat mass (FM) were measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA, GE Healthcare). BMR values were expressed per kg of TBW, LBM and FM. A paired sample t-test was used to compare changes in BMR between baseline and 3 months post-surgery. Mean absolute BMR (kJ/day), TBW (kg), BMI (kg/m 2), LBM (kg) and FM (kg) significantly decreased by 16•1 ± 21%, 16•9 ± 4•3%, 16•7 ± 4•4%, 9•8 ± 4•7% and 24•7 ± 7•1% respectively in patients (P < 0•05) and by-0•5 ± 24•4% 1•1 ± 2•4%, 0•4 ± 2•8%, 0•3 ± 3•1% and 2•1 ± 8•1% respectively in controls (all non-significant). When expressed relative to TBW and LBM, GB attenuated the compensatory reductions in BMR while BMR expressed relative to FM increased three months post-surgery in patients. In conclusion, weight loss following GB is associated with a favourable increase in BMR when expressed relative to postoperative changes in TBW and BC. This may contribute to the successful weight loss outcomes observed postoperatively. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanism for this apparent beneficial impact of GB on BMR.

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Excretion of urinary nitrogen and acetone at rest and during four controlled levels of work output (treadmill running) was examined in five postabsorptive dogs. With resting energy-expenditures of 600–800 Cal., the average outputs of nonprotein nitrogen, urea nitrogen, creatine nitrogen, and acetone were 2.19 gm, 1.69 gm, 74.7 mg, and 11.6 mg, respectively. With the possible exception of acetone, output of the various urinary constituents was significantly higher (4 x) at rest than during work of comparable cost. Energy metabolism during the performance of 300, 600, 1200, and 1800 Cal. of work was estimated from the respiratory gas exchange and urinary nitrogen. During long-sustained physical work, the percentage of energy derived from the oxidation of carbohydrate, fat, and protein was relatively constant at 65, 32, and 3%, respectively. Preliminary calculations suggest that all of the energy, whether combusted as carbohydrate or fat, was derived ultimately from the body lipids. Submitted on October 26, 1960