Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/444527
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 11 JANUARY 2015 8 JAMES DEBONO NEW design plans for a proposed lido on the Gzira strand opposite Manoel Island, including reclaimed land, will enable pedestrians to walk by the sea, after a two-metre passage was introduced at the edge which will serve as a pedestrian walkway. Presently pedestrians can stroll freely enjoying unobstructed sea views along the wide uninterrupt- ed promenade linking Sliema and Gzira. But if the project is approved by MEPA at its board meeting on Thursday, walking directly along the seashore on this part of the Gzira coast will only be possible along the new, two-metre wide passageway which will be wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The new development, consisting of two triangular shaped restaurants each on a 160-square metre foot- print, and a private swimming pool, will be constructed on 2,300 square metres of land reclaimed from the sea. The walkway, part of which will be cantilevered over the sea, was only introduced to address concerns ex- pressed by the Environment Protec- tion Directorate. The passage will also serve as an access to fishermen and boatowners. It has been added to ensure that the facility will conform to the Struc- ture Plan, which lays down that the foreshore should be fully accessible to the public. The project consists in the con- struction of the pool and the two News FUSION: The Research & Innovation Commercialisation Voucher Programme is now open! The Malta Council for Science and Technology is inviting new applications for funding under the FUSION Commercialisation Voucher Programme. Researchers, innovators and organisations interested in undertaking research and innovation initiatives and commercialising their ideas are invited to attend one of two information sessions being held on the 16th and 19th of January 2015. These events, which will be held at Villa Bighi at 14.00hrs, will consist of a number of presentations, guidance on how to complete an application form and opportunities for one-to- one sessions with the programme administrators. Interested parties can download their registration form from http://www.mcst.gov.mt/news and send it to laurasue.armeni@gov.mt by not later than noon on Thursday 15th January 2015. Further information can be obtained by calling on 2360 2115, 21660340 or 2360 2172 The Malta Council For Science And Technology, Villa Bighi, Kalkara KKR 1320, Malta www.mcst.gov.mt GPs drink less, exercise more but they are still overweight JAMES DEBONO FAMILY doctors may be ex- ercising more and drinking less alcohol but male GPs have re- mained as overweight as they were 10 years earlier, a study published in the Malta Medical Journal shows. The survey, conducted in 2011, was based on a questionnaire filled by 91 out of a total GP popu- lation of 300. Its results have now been published in the Journal. According to the study doctors have become more health con- scious. "More doctors check their own cholesterol and blood pressure levels yearly, perform exercise and take vaccinations and less doctors smoke cigarettes and consume more than 15 alcoholic drinks a week". The mean Body Mass Index for female GPs was within normal limits but the BMI among male GPs was within the overweight category. The average BMI values were similar to the mean BMIs of GPs in 2000. The study shows a slight im- provement when it comes to drinking, smoking and exercise habits of GPs. It shows that the number of daily smokers among GPs has decreased slightly from 15% to 14.3% while the percentage of GPs who do not exercise at all has fallen from 24% to 12%. While 7.7% smoke cigarettes, 6.6% smoke cigars or a pipe. This suggests a small 0.7% drop since 2000 when 15% admitted to smoking. But the same survey shows the percentage of GPs smoking ci- gars or a pipe increasing from 3% to 7%. The latest study shows that the percentage of GPs who consume more than 15 units of alcohol a week has declined from 6% to 2%. The survey shows that 37.3% of GPs reported that they do not drink alcohol, 16% consume one to two drinks a week, 44% con- sume three to 14 drinks a week and only 2.2% consume 15 units or more. The consumption of alcohol by GPs in the 2000 study showed 25% consuming on to two drinks a week, 31% consuming three to 14 drinks per week and 6% con- suming 15 units or more per week. In 2011 58.3% of GPs exercised regularly (daily or two to three times a week), 29.7% exercised rarely (just once a month or week), while 12% of GPs never exercised at all. This represents an improve- ment compared to 2000 when only 37% of GPs exercised regu- larly, 39% exercised rarely and 24% never exercised. The study shows that GPs who smoke find it harder to advise smoking cessation. On a similar note, doctors who are obese find it harder to advise exercise. One shortcoming of the study is that only 30.3% replied to the questionnaire. "GPs who did reply probably had a greater interest in health promotion and disease preven- tion compared to family doctors in general, and this could have affected the results," the authors admit. The study was written by Lynn Pace, Mario R Sammut from the Department for Primary Care, and Charmaine Gauci from the Disease Prevention Directorate. Pedestrians get walkway in new Gzira lido plans The development, on 2,300 square metres of reclaimed land, includes two restaurants and a private swimming pool