Scots shy about bikini bodies

By Rory Reynolds

SCOTS women are losing the battle of the bulge with their European sisters – and it’s ruining their holidays.

Two-thirds of Scottish women say they can’t enjoy their trip abroad because they are fretting about their beach bodies – while their French and German counterparts bare all.

New research carried out by women’s gym firm, Curves, has found that 71% of Scottish women feel anxious about wearing a bikini and 63% reckon that this ruins their holiday.

Over 80% of 16-26 year-olds are most apprehensive about stripping off and over 60% of 16-35 year-olds reckoned they are struggling with mounting pressure to be thin.

IRN BRU RECIPE REVEALED

By Cara Sulieman

SCOTLAND’S best-kept secret has been revealed – Irn Bru really is made from girders.

The keep of the recipe, Robin Barr, has let it slip that there is 0.002 per cent of ammonium ferric citrate (AFC) in the national drink.

And ferric means iron – even if it is tiny quantities of the metal.

AFC is one of the 32 ingredients that Robin mixes together once a month to make the sweet fizzy drink.

Bouncing breast lecture

By Cara Sulieman

STUDENTS at one of Scotland’s universities will be getting a lecture on bouncing breasts this month.

A world-class expert on sports bras is visiting Napier University give a lecture on the movement of the breast during exercise.

Dr Joanna Scurr, from the University of Portsmouth, has done extensive research on the topic and hopes to spread the word of her buoyant results.

Tests used during research involved women up to a G cup running at 20 miles an hour on a treadmill. Their ‘level of bounce’ was then measured both with and without a sports bra.

Her research, with the catchy title “the biomechanics of breast movement during exercise,” has led to the re-design on the sports bra.

Dr Scurr said: “This is an important area because so many women in the UK suffer from breast pain – and often don’t bother to report it. Women need to make sure they are fitted for a bra, and don’t keep the same bra for too long – I’ve spoken to some women who keep the same bra for 10 years.

“My research suggests that, when it comes to sports bras, the traditional ‘encapsulated’ design, where each breast is held separately in a cup which encloses it completely, works better than some of the more modern designs which work by pressing the breasts into the chest to stop movement.”

Professor Davison from Napier is looking forward to welcoming Dr Scurr to the university.

He said: “I’m pleased that Joanna has found the time to come and deliver her research to our staff and students. It is highly important that we offer our students the chance to see the many possible directions their Sports Science degree can take them.”