THE research which shows that women who keep their homes clean and tidy are less likely to develop breast cancer reveals an obvious truth.

Regular moderate exercise, combined with a healthy diet, is the best way to keep bodies in decent working order and with a better chance of repelling nasty diseases.

Of course, other factors may be involved, and breast cancer can affect the fit and busy as well as the idle and slovenly.

However, it's a positive message to take into a new year and we can all learn from it.

On a lighter note, though, women may be suspicious of the research on a different level. It would be interesting to know if the main compilers were men.