Current evidence suggests that a naturally occurring chemical, or chemicals, found in the cocoa bean, an ingredient in most chocolate, when combined with exercise, may improve the elasticity of blood vessels and other risk factors for heart disease.

PhD health sciences student Kade Davison also hopes that drinking cocoa daily will improve the fat burning effects of exercise.

Davison is seeking overweight volunteers to participate in a 12 week diet and exercise study to improve their body shape and heart health. The study involves taking a twice-daily dietary supplement and participating in exercise three times a week.

To be eligible for the study, volunteers must be aged between 18-65 years, overweight but otherwise healthy and not on treatment for blood lipids or blood pressure, able to walk for 45 minutes three times per week and able to drink cocoa for 12 weeks starting in July. In addition, participants will need to attend the clinic at UniSA ™s City East campus for testing at the beginning, middle and end of the trial.

During these visits we will perform an exercise test and a number of non-invasive tests of cardiovascular function and body composition.

We are expecting to see an increase in fitness, reduced body fat and lower heart disease risk factors in all subjects and an even greater change in those consuming an active cocoa drink, Davison said.

The cocoa trial is one of three studies being undertaken at the Nutritional Physiology Research Centre, a joint initiative of UniSA and the University of Adelaide.

As part of Medical Research Week, UniSA ™s School of Health Sciences will have a booth in Rundle Mall on Wednesday (June 8), where PhD students from the two universities will be on hand to provide diet and exercise information, undertake cholesterol and blood pressure screening, and weight and body mass index measurements. People who meet certain criteria will be invited to volunteer for one of three 12 week dietary intervention trials involving the use of soy with dairy, fish oil combined with exercise, or cocoa and exercise.

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"But research has shown that children can learn to like foods more if they try them often enough. So providing healthy foods in schools would make a valuable contribution to improving children's diets in the future."

Richard Davidson, director of public affairs for Cancer Research UK said: "Education on healthy eating in schools is essential. Teachers throughout the country should be given information on the best way to help children learn about the advantages of eating fruit and vegetables and the effects of being seriously overweight. Practical lessons on how to prepare healthy food could be useful as an informal approach."

Top ten foods for girls were:

Chocolate Strawberries Fruit juice Pasta Pizza Ice Cream Grapes Ice lollies Chocolate biscuits Cakes

Top ten foods for boys were:

Pizza Chocolate Ice cream Choc biscuits Fruit juice Ice lollies Fizzy drinks Pasta Cakes Crisps

British Journal of Nutrition

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