Objective: To investigate the association between the weight status of first-year female students (FYFS) and various weight management-related characteristics to identify possible components of a weight management programme for students. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Female residences at a South African university. Subjects: A total of 360 FYFS. Results: Mean (^standard deviation (SD)) body mass index (BMI) of the FYFS was 21.8^2.6 kg m 22 , with 7.2% being underweight, 81.9% normal-weight, 10.0% overweight and 0.8% obese. Underweight, normal-weight and overweight students differed with regard to their perception of their weight (P , 0.001), weight goals (P , 0.001) and previous weight-loss practices (P , 0.001). Mean^SD score on the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was 8.5^9.0 with 8.4% classified as high scorers. Mean^SD score on the 34-item Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) was 87.7^32.2, with 76.1% classified as low, 11.9% as medium and 11.9% as high scorers. The self-concept questionnaire indicated that 36.7% had a high, 43.9% a medium and 19.4% a low self-concept. Higher BMI correlated with a higher BSQ score (P , 0.001), a lower self-concept (P ¼ 0.029) and a higher EAT-26 score (P , 0.001). Smoking was prevalent amongst 13.1% of students, and 51.2% used vitamin and/or mineral supplements. Students who quitted smoking had higher (P ¼ 0.006) BMI (22.7^2.9 kg m 22) than those who never smoked before (21.6^2.5 kg m 22 ). Normal-weight students were more physically active than underweight or overweight students (P ¼ 0.038). Conclusions: The specific weight management-related needs of FYFS include information about supplement use, smoking, realistic weight goals, safe and sound weight-loss methods, weight cycling, body-shape perceptions, eating attitudes and behaviours, self-concept and physical activity. Interventions aimed at correcting these problems should target all students, regardless of their BMI.

Chromhidrosis or the production of coloured sweat is a rare clinical finding. A 26-year-old female presented with marked pink staining of her uniform and lingerie. Extractions of clothing, skin surface samples, eccrine sebum, urine and a fast food product were spectrophotometrically analysed to identify the pink staining pigment. Three water-soluble colouring agents have been idenfified. An eccrine route of excretion probably produced chromhidrosis. An overview is presented.

Albendazole, a newer paracidal drug, seems to be more effective and less expensive than some other drugs in use for the treatment of neurocysticercosis.

Increased concentrations of arachidonic acid and prostaglandin E2, but not 12-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid, were found in the skin in human contact dermatitis due to nickel and chromate allergens. Significant levels of neutrophil chemokinetic activity, with similar properties to leukotriene B4, were found in a high proportion of exudates from inflamed skin treated with allergen but not in exudates from untreated skin. Neither arachidonic acid nor its metabolites were increased in primary irritant dermatitis due to benzylalkonium chloride.