Media Release

Main stories from 8 September 1997 Adelaidean

Yoghurt gives the gut a 'helping hand'

It's long been suspected that yoghurt is good for the body - but now speculation is giving way to knowledge as researchers put this popular food under analysis. Emma Southcott, a Master of Science student with the University of Adelaide's Department of Physiology, is researching the effects of yoghurt on the intestinal function of children. Her work, being undertaken at Adelaide's Women's & Children's Hospital under the supervision of Dr Ross Butler, looks at how yoghurt could help ease the symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in children. Yoghurt is a probiotic, a culture of bacteria known to benefit the host. Probiotics can help maintain a healthy balance of naturally occuring bacteria in the gut, which is essential for protection against disease and for normal digestive function. It's hoped that by eating yoghurt, children suffering Inflammatory Bowel Disease will be less susceptible to severe cramps and other problematic symptoms.