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Copyright of Praxis (16618157) is the property of Aerzteverlag medinfo AG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Praxis (16618157) is the property of Aerzteverlag medinfo AG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Under the heading “Infill Management”, Berlin now details inner-city building land on the Internet. Since July 2002, information on over 800 publicly and privately owned development sites, covering a total of some 200 hectares, has been available worldwide in interactive form at one single website. A project group set up at the Senate Department of Urban Development has taken on responsibility for the organisational, legal and technical groundwork and for implementing this instrument — referred to as “BLM” (Baulückenmanagement). What has become apparent is that viable solutions are possible, even within a complex administrative structure, if the focus is placed on achieving win-win solutions. In order to ensure that BLM continues in the future to find acceptance among users, it needs to be subjected to continuous evaluation. Moreover, everyone involved in this procedure must receive the necessary training. At a time of a general falling-off in demand for apartment-block construction, the underlying intention is to increase market transparency and to raise interest in Berlin as a place to locate to. An additional purpose of this approach is to support the sale of publicly owned real estate. The cadastral register of building land — introduced in 1998 in the Federal Building Code as an instrument of planning — represents one component of the inner-city development strategy currently being pursued in Berlin. The effective management of building land can, however, only be achieved by joining up housing, business, land and financial policies.

The 2007 Swiss Health Survey is the fourth survey conducted on a random sample of nearly 19,000 adults, living in Switzerland. 37% are overweight or obese, but between 2002 and 2007 no increases in the prevalence of overweight and obesity were observed anymore. Overweight and obesity are associated with a number of socio-demographic and life-style factors. 9% of 15 to 34 years old women are underweight. Of the group of 15 to 49 years old men and women, 52% would like to change their body weight (to loose weight 87%, to gain weight 13%). 20% of them eat very irregularly and binge eating happens to 22%. In summary, life-style modifications are needed in relation to overweight, underweight and eating disorders.

The 2007 Swiss Health Survey is the fourth survey conducted by the Federal Office of Statistics in intervals of five years. Data are collected from a random sample (n = 18760) of persons aged 15 and over, living in Switzerland: 29% are overweight, and additional 8% are obese, but between 2002 and 2007 no increases in the prevalence of overweight and obesity were observed anymore. In relation to nutritional habits, nearly 30% of the interviewed persons do not care about their nutrition. Only 30% of the population eat the recommended five portions of fruits and vegetables per day, and only 10% consume the recommended three servings of milk and milk products. 37% do rarely or never consume fish. Nearly 20% eat meat or meat products every day. According to the four Swiss Health Surveys nutritional habits have hardly improved during the last fifteen years in Switzerland.