Food and Nutrition Electronic Newsletters

Volume 5, Number 8 (August, 2003)

Contents:

  1. Announcement: Trans Fat Will Now Be Listed On The Nutrition Facts Label
  2. Trans Fatty Acid Labeling Required
  3. Low-CHO Diets - Cornell NutritionWorks Offering
  4. Food Reflections
  5. Cook It Quick
  6. Individualized Nutrition Tool
  7. Nutrition Education Materials for July
  8. Larger Portions May Lead Children To Overeat
  9. ARS May Bring Relief to Peanut Allergy Sufferers
  10. NHLBI Study Tests Novel Ways To Help Americans Keep Weight Off
  11. Philadelphia Schools To Can Sales Of Soda
  12. Reducing Nationwide Obesity Starts In Neighborhoods
  13. Nutritional Supplements and Adolescent Athletes
  14. Promote An African American Healthy Lifestyle - Spotlight on African American Health
  15. For Healthy Diet, Learning Level Counts More Than Earning Level
  16. CIS-Outreach: Information From The Cancer Information Service
  17. Non-English Food Safety Materials
  18. FYI From The ICCA - Service Of The Intercultural Cancer Council
  19. National Cattlemen's Beef Association
  20. NUTRITION & YOUR CHILD
  21. Strong Women Newsletter
  22. USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion New Brochure - HG-267-3
  23. Home Food Safety Tip of the Month - Food Safety "Road Rules" for The Savvy Traveler
  24. Fatty Diet Raises Diabetes Risk - Saturated Fat Intake Linked to Type 2 Diabetes
  25. Diabetes In Schools Guide Now Available
  26. Q & A:

Announcement: Trans Fat Will Now Be Listed On The Nutrition Facts Label [top]

On July 9, 2003, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule requiring manufacturers to list trans fatty acids, or trans fat, on the Nutrition Facts panel of most conventional foods and some dietary supplements. Consumers will soon begin to find trans fat on the nutrition label, listed directly under the line for saturated fat, and it will be required on all food labels by January 1, 2006. This regulation will provide additional information to help Americans lower their intake of trans fat as part of a heart-healthy diet. For more information, please see the following:

Trans Fatty Acid Labeling Required [top]

The FDA has just published a final rule which will require trans fatty acid content to be listed on food labels. Below are highlights of the new rule. More information can be found in FDA's fact sheet Questions and Answers about Trans Fat Nutrition Labeling at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qatrans2.html.

"Trans Fatty Acids: Health and Labeling Issues" is also a featured topic on Cornell NutritionWorks at http://www.nutritionworks.cornell.edu. Click on our "Course Catalog" and you'll see the topic is available in two versions (free or for credit). Dr. Andre Bensadoun, Professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell, is available to answer questions on this topic.

(Below is from FDA's fact sheet)

Q: What are the highlights of the trans fat rule?

A: This final rule is the first significant change to the Nutrition Facts panel since the Nutritional, Labeling, and Education Act regulations were finalized in 1993. Some significant highlights are:

  • This final rule requires manufacturers of conventional foods and some dietary supplements to list trans fat on a separate line, immediately under saturated fat on the nutrition label.
  • Food manufacturers have until January 1, 2006 to list trans fat on the nutrition label. This phase-in period minimizes the need for multiple labeling changes, allows small businesses to use current label inventories, and provides economic savings.
  • FDA's regulatory chemical definition for trans fatty acids is all unsaturated fatty acids that contain one or more isolated (i.e., non conjugated) double bonds in a trans configuration. Under the Agency's definition, conjugated linoleic acid would be excluded from the definition of trans fat.
  • Dietary supplement manufacturers must also list trans fat on the Supplement Facts panel when their products contain reportable amounts (0.5 gram) of trans fat. Examples of dietary supplements with trans fat are energy and nutrition bars.

Christina Stark Christina Stark, M.S., R.D., C.N.
Program Leader, Cornell NutritionWorks
Division of Nutritional Sciences
Web: http://www.nutritionworks.cornell.edu

Low-CHO Diets - Cornell NutritionWorks Offering [top]

Low-carbohydrate diets are back in the news again following the publication of two articles on this topic in the May 22, 2003 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. (See “A Low-Carbohydrate as Compared with a Low-Fat Diet in Severe Obesity” at http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/348/21/2074 and “A Randomized Trial of a Low-Carbohydrate Diet for Obesity” at http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/348/21/2082.)

These popular diets are also the focus of a brand new cyber-presentation, available on the Cornell NutritionWorks professional development web site, http://www.nutritionworks.cornell.edu. Dr. David Levitsky, Professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University, takes this controversial topic head-on in his presentation "Sweet Talk About Low-Carbohydrate Diets: A Critical Analysis of High-Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Diets for Weight Reduction.” During this 50-minute audio-visual presentation Dr. Levitsky analyzes the effect of high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets for weight reduction. He reviews scientific studies and metabolic mechanisms of the currently popular diets, and cautions about some negative impacts. Cornell NutritionWorks members can take advantage of this presentation, as well as earn professional continuing education credit.

Cornell NutritionWorks is pleased to announce two other new topics that might be of interest.

  1. “Trans Fatty Acids -- Health and Labeling Issues” Dr. Andre Bensadoun, Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell, provides a written summary of the labeling concerns, as well as other aspects of trans fatty acids, including their formation, sources in the diet, and effects on blood lipids. The overview and questions and answers are available to anyone at no charge. Continuing education credit on this topic is available to Cornell NutritionWorks members.
  2. “Infant Formulas Containing DHA and ARA” Dr. J. Thomas Brenna, Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell, provides a written summary of the scientific basis for why these fatty acids are being added to formulas as well as what sources are used to supplement formulas. This previously featured Ask the Nutrition Expert topic is available to Cornell NutritionWorks members.

Become a member of Cornell NutritionWorks today and take advantage of these timely professional development opportunities. See http://www.nutritionworks.cornell.edu for more details.

Christina Stark, M.S., R.D., C.N.
Program Leader, Cornell NutritionWorks
Division of Nutritional Sciences
Web: http://www.nutritionworks.cornell.edu

Food Reflections [top]

July/August 2003
http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ftj-a03.htm

 

IN THIS ISSUE:

  • Feature: SALAD TOPPERS AND FLAVOR POPPERS
  • About Food Reflections:
    • Subscribe/Unsubscribe/Reproduce/Web archives

*NEW* WEB RESOURCES

SALAD TOPPERS AND FLAVOR POPPERS

"You can put everything and the more things the better into a salad, as into a conversation, but everything depends on the skill of mixing."
~ Charles Dudley Warner

Sometimes people think green salad = lettuce = blah. Not so. The only limits to exciting salads are limits of the imagination.

Begin with salad greens. Enhance the eye appeal and nutrition of a salad by adding colorful fruits and vegetables. Keep it light by limiting the amount of salad dressing to about 1 tablespoon per 1 1/2 to 2 cups of greens. Then make the flavor really POP by adding some of the following ingredients. You can either put them atop or mix them in with your salad.

While some of these salad additions are higher in fat than others, just small amounts (about 1 tablespoon) can give extra flavor without too many calories. Also, many provide a nutrition boost! Add from one to three of these flavor accents, depending on how many other ingredients are in your salad.

  1. ARTICHOKE HEARTS: marinated
    Enjoy the tangy taste of sliced marinated artichoke hearts in your salad. It's as easy as opening a jar and adding as desired.
  2. CHEESE: Parmesan
    If your experience with Parmesan cheese is limited to shaking it from a can, try using a vegetable peeler to shave about a tablespoon per serving from a block of cheese. Or, sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan on salads. As just a small amount kicks up the flavor, you may find you can afford trying some of the more expensive Parmesan cheeses. Add flavor and bone-building calcium, too!

    COOK'S TIP: Storing Cheeses
    According to the American Dairy Association http://www.ilovecheese.com, larger blocks of cheese tend to keep longer than shredded cheese.
  3. CROUTONS
    Add crunch, flavor and fiber with homemade whole grain croutons. Enjoy the recipe at the end of this article.
  4. DRIED FRUIT: cherries, cranberries, raisins
    Add these dried fruits for their flavor. Benefit from their antioxidants that may help protect against cancer and heart disease.
  5. FRESH HERBS: basil, chives, dill, parsley
    Toss small basil leaves or chopped larger ones in with your greens. Try chopped fresh dill. Add some minced chives or parsley. Start with about a teaspoon of herbs per person and adjust according to taste preference. Herbs boost flavor without increasing calories. Researchers also are finding many culinary herbs (both fresh and dried) have antioxidants that may help protect against such diseases as cancer and heart disease.
  6. FRESH FRUIT: apples and pears
    Slice apples with their skins into salads. The skin adds eye appeal and important dietary fiber, as well. Research shows an apple a day may indeed help keep the doctor away by helping reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.
    Some commonly available apples that may be especially tasty in salads include Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Red Delicious and Winesap.
    The juicy sweetness of pear slices, skin included, also tastes great in salads. Pears continue to ripen after they're picked. To determine if a pear is ripe, gently press it at the stem end. Most types yield to pressure when ripe.
    To speed the ripening of pears, put them in a ripening bowl or in a loosely closed brown paper bag at room temperature. Or, just set them in a pretty bowl on your counter and enjoy their appearance as they ripen. Plastic bags don't work for ripening. Refrigerate when ripe in an open or a perforated plastic bag in your refrigerator crisper drawer. (If you don't have access to commercial perforated bags, use a sharp object to make several small holes in a regular plastic bag.)
    Store fruits in a refrigerator crisper drawer separate from the one in which you store vegetables. Fruits give off ethylene gas which can shorten the storage life of vegetables. Some vegetables give off odors that can be absorbed by fruits and affect their quality.
    For more information on handling fresh fruits and vegetables, check "Storing Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Better Taste" by the University of California, Davis Postharvest Technology Research and Information Center at http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/Produce/Storage/FVstorage.pdf and "Proper Care and Handling of Fruits and Vegetables from Purchase" by Penn State University at http://foodsafety.cas.psu.edu/PDFs/ProprCareFrt=Veg10=31=00.pdf .

    COOK'S TIP: Keep Cut Fruit from Browning
    Keep cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas and peaches, from turning brown by coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange or pineapple juice. Or use a commercial anti-darkening preparation with fruits, such as Ever-Fresh (TM) or Fruit-Fresh (R), and follow the manufacturer's directions.
    Cut fruits as close to serving time as possible. Cover and refrigerate cut fruit until ready to serve. Refrigerate peeled/cut fruits and vegetables so the TOTAL time they're at room temperature is less than 2 hours.
  7. OLIVES: black or green
    Add extra oomph with olives. For ease of eating and to distribute their flavor throughout the salad, pit and slice olives before placing them in your salad (see directions below for pitting olives).
    About a tablespoon of olives per serving should be sufficient. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/index.html , a tablespoon of canned ripe olives provides about 10 calories.
    Experiment with different types for different flavors. For example, many people enjoy the rich flavor of kalamata olives, a black olive frequently found in Greek salad, pasta and pizza recipes. (By the way, did you know olives are a FRUIT?).

    COOK'S TIP: Pitting Olives
    Several methods have been suggested for pitting olives. Here are two of the most common -- you might experiment to find which is most convenient for you.
    1. If you already have a cherry pitter, you might try this on your olives also. This is the easiest method for pitting olives. Cherry/olive pitters are available in the kitchen gadgets section of many stores. Or, you can search for a source on the Internet by putting the words "cherry/olive pitter" into your favorite search engine.
    2. A second method is use a rolling pin to lightly roll over olives to loosen the pits. Then pick out the pits. The resulting pitted olive may not look as good with this method as when you use a cherry/olive pitter.
  8. NUTS: toasted almonds and walnuts
    Though almonds are a source of fat and calories, they contain mostly unsaturated fat that may help protect against heart disease. They also provide vitamin E, a nutrient that may be good for your heart. Almonds have about 7 calories apiece.
    Likewise, the fat in walnuts is mostly unsaturated. Walnuts also provide heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. A tablespoon or two of walnuts adds just 50 to 100 calories to a meal.
    Toast nuts to crisp their texture and bring out their rich aroma and taste. See toasting directions at the end of this article.
    For more information about using nuts in recipes, check the International Tree Nut Council's Web site at http://www.nuthealth.org/consumer/recipebook.pdf.
  9. ONIONS, red
    Slip thin slices of sweet red onions into salads.

    COOK'S TIP: Storing Onions
    Aboutproduce.com http://www.aboutproduce.com recommends storing onions before they're peeled at room temperature in a "cool, dry well-ventilated area" and "Do not store whole onions in plastic."
    "Cut onions can be stored in sealable containers and refrigerated for 2 to 3 days," aboutproduce.com says.
  10. ORANGES
    Sliced oranges juice up the flavor of salads and add brightness with their sunny color. Plus, they give you a healthy dose of vitamin C and folate.
  11. SUNFLOWER SEEDS: toasted
    Add some vitamin E by tossing a tablespoon of sunflower seeds per serving into salads. One tablespoon provides about 50 calories and mostly unsaturated fat. Toast them for extra flavor -- directions are given at the end of this article.
  12. RADISHES
    Thinly slice radishes and sprinkle into salads for their crisp texture and peppery flavor.
    If the leafy radish tops are attached, remove them before storing. Radishes don't keep as well if their tops are left on. Store unwashed radishes in an open or perforated plastic bag in a refrigerator crisper drawer that is separate from the one in which you store fruits. Wash radishes and trim their roots just before using.
    (Here's a fun fact on radishes from aboutproduce.com -- Radishes were so highly esteemed by the ancient Greeks that they made small gold replicas of them in connection with Apollo worship.)

HOMEMADE WHOLE WHEAT CROUTONS

Whole grain bread*
Olive oil OR olive oil-flavored/garlic-flavored cooking spray*

*If desired, use a low sodium bread; check with your grocery store or local health food stores as to availability in your area.

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    IF USING OLIVE OIL: Lightly brush top side of bread with olive oil. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes and spread in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet.
    IF USING A COOKING SPRAY: Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes and spread in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Spray bread cubes lightly with an olive oil-flavored or garlic- flavored cooking spray.
  2. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 10 minutes or until browned and crisp.
  3. Enjoy! These taste best if eaten the same day they're made.

TOASTED NUTS OR SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Oven Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toast walnuts BEFORE chopping them into smaller pieces. Almonds may be toasted whole, sliced or slivered.
  2. Place nuts/seeds in a single layer in an ungreased shallow pan or RIMMED baking sheet such as a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. (DO NOT use a baking sheet without sides. You may have nuts or seeds all over the oven if you accidentally tip the sheet when removing it from the oven.)
  3. Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until they are GOLDEN brown. A toasted nut or seed may look more GOLDEN than BROWN. They will continue to brown slightly after they're removed from the oven. Stir once or twice or shake the pan during toasting to aid in even browning. Sliced and slivered almonds will toast faster than whole almonds. Remove from pan to cool. NOTE: The first time you try toasting nuts or seeds, it's better to err on the side of under-toasting than over-toasting. As nuts and seeds toast, you'll notice a change in their fragrance as well as their color.

Stove-top Toasting

Stove-top toasting works well for small batches of nuts. With this method, the parts of the nuts or seeds touching the skillet may become darkest, unlike the oven method where the nuts/seeds become more of an overall golden color.

  1. Toast walnuts BEFORE chopping them into smaller pieces. Almonds may be toasted whole, slivered or sliced.
  2. Heat nuts or seeds in a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until they're golden brown and they give off a rich, toasty fragrance. Watch closely when using this method as it's easy to burn them. Whole almonds will take longer than slivered or sliced forms.
  3. Stir or toss nuts or seeds frequently for even toasting.
  4. Remove from pan to cool.

STORING TOASTED NUTS AND SUNFLOWER SEEDS Rather than toast just a handful of nuts or seeds for one meal, make extra for later use. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 1 to 2 weeks for best quality.

ABOUT FOOD REFLECTIONS

  • This issue and past issues of Food Reflections can be found at http://www.lancaster.unl.edu/food/archives.htm.
  • Subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter at: http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/FoodTalk.htm.
  • You may reproduce Food Reflections for educational but not for sales purposes. Please credit as follows: Food Reflections E-mail Newsletter University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County (http://www.lancaster.unl.edu/food/FoodTalk.htm).
  • You're welcome to link to Food Reflections' Web site from your Web site.
  • Use of commercial and trade names does not imply approval or constitute endorsement by the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County. Nor is criticism implied of products not mentioned.
  • Your comments and suggestions about this newsletter are welcome.

Contact: Alice Henneman, MS, RD, LMNT, Extension Educator
University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County

University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension educational programs abide with the non-discrimination policies of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Cook It Quick [top]

July 2003

 

Here's what I've cooked up for you for July.

  • JULY "COOK IT QUICK IN ACTION"
    View some quick ideas for "Enjoying Fresh Herbs at the Table" at: http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqherbplate.htm.
  • QUICK FOOD TIP OF THE MONTH
    We hope this month's tip about pears will "bowl" you over! http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqtips.htm.
  • NEW ITEMS: FOOD SAFETY FOR HOME COOKING
    With an abundance of fresh produce available to us in the months ahead, I've added some links on storing fruits and vegetables at: http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/foodsafety.htm#fruits.
    If you've ever wondered whether to toss a moldy food, check: http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/foodsafety.htm#mold.
  • JULY THEME MONTH LINKS
    July celebrates the 4th of July, National Blueberry Month and National Ice ream month. July is a time we do a lot of traveling with foods. And our thoughts turn to cool summer foods. Find information and recipe ideas at: http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqlinks.htm#july.
  • HAVE YOU SEEN OUR WEB SLIDE SHOW ON HERBS & SPICES YET?
    I've moved the spice/herb slide show to a new location and reworded some of my directions. To view tips on healthy cooking with spices and herbs and print off related handouts, go to: http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/spiceherb.htm.
    (NOTE: If you have PowerPoint software on your computer, you can also download a PowerPoint presentation.)
  • SEE ALL UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION HAS TO OFFER
    Check our other resources for youth, environment/natural resources, household pests, gardening, home environment and acreages/agriculture at http://lancaster.unl.edu/.
    If you have a friend or relative who might enjoy a once-a-month e-mail when new tips are added to the COOK IT QUICK Web site, please forward this e-mail to them. To sign up for this FREE monthly e-mail, new subscribers can click on http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqupdat.htm.

Alice Henneman, MS, RD, LMNT, Extension Educator
University. Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County
Web site: http://www.lancaster.unl.edu/food

Individualized Nutrition Tool [top]

As all of us in the nutrition field are aware, the movement towards researching, developing and communicating more highly tailored nutrition advice is gaining momentum rapidly. Genetic and nutritional research is fueling this movement… new recommendations such as the recent DRIs are incorporating a higher level of individualization… ‘niche’ foods are increasingly in the marketplace… and consumers are requesting and demanding advice and foods specific to meet their needs.

We at Dairy Council of California, in collaboration with nutritional science experts around the country, recently developed an interactive, internet-based tool to help the consumer individualize their diet based on their specific lifestyle, gender, ethnicity, activity level, age, disease risk, and other factors. This tool incorporates the new exercise and nutrition recommendations out of the DRI reports and includes a weight-management section geared to specific goals. The tool is called the Personal Nutrition Planner and can be found at: http://www.dairycouncilofca.org/.

Obviously no tool can provide the same service and highly tailored advice that one-on-one individualized counseling does, but it’s a first step towards educating people about their specific needs and empowering them to take action to improve their health.

Any feedback on the tool is appreciated, either directly or if it would benefit the group, to the list. Thanks!

Lori Hoolihan, Ph.D., R.D.
Nutrition Research Specialist
Dairy Council of California

Nutrition Education Materials for July [top]

For July

Judy Doherty
Food and Health Communication

Larger Portions May Lead Children To Overeat [top]

ARS News Service Agricultural Research Service, USDA
Alfredo Flores

 

Preschool children generally took bigger bites and consumed more food when served super-sized portions of their normal entrees, according to a research study at the Children's Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) in Houston, Texas. But when these same children were offered smaller portions, they ate less than when served the super-sized portions.

The CNRC is operated by Baylor College of Medicine in cooperation with Texas Children's Hospital and the Agricultural Research Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency.

Jennifer Fisher, assistant professor of pediatrics at Houston's Baylor College of Medicine, led the six-month nutrition study with co-investigators Barbara Rolls and Leann Birch, both nutrition researchers at Penn State University in University Park.

In the study, two series of lunches were served to 30 preschool children, aged three to five, in central Pennsylvania in 2000. One series offered an age-appropriate portion of a macaroni-and-cheese entree; the other, a portion twice as large. The researchers found that, overall, the children ate about 25 percent more of the entree when they were served the larger portion, and their overall calorie intake at lunch was 15 percent higher.

Fisher and her colleagues noted that the capacity of large portion sizes to encourage overeating among young children is alarming, given the growing problem of obesity in children. The findings imply that minimizing children's exposure to excessive portions may reduce overeating.

The study was published in the May 2003 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Desiré H Stapley, RD, LD
Technical Information Specialist
Healthy School Meals Resource System, Team Lead
Food and Nutrition Information Center
National Agricultural Library
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic

ARS May Bring Relief to Peanut Allergy Sufferers [top]

ARS News Service Agricultural Research Service, USDA
Erin Kendrick-Peabody
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2003/030710.htm

 

Americans reach for peanuts at baseball games, picnics and in between meals. Savory and satisfying, peanuts pack a nutritional punch in the form of protein, fiber, vitamin E, niacin and folic acid. But not everyone can enjoy the popular legumes, for peanuts induce an allergic reaction in 1.5 million Americans.

Now Agricultural Research Service scientists are bringing hope to peanut-sensitive consumers in the form of a hypoallergenic peanut. Soheila J. Maleki and her colleagues at the agency's Southern Regional Research Center (SRRC) in New Orleans, La., have found a peanut variety lacking one of the major peanut allergens. If their search turns up another allergen-free variety, researchers can cross-breed them to produce a safer nut.

Maleki's peanut allergy work is being presented today at a news conference, by phone, hosted by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology http://www.aaaai.org/.

To find a friendlier nut, scientists needed a diverse supply of peanut plants to screen. So, SRRC researchers obtained 300 peanut varieties from a collection at North Carolina State University http://www.ncsu.edu/. Maleki and her colleagues then developed antibodies against the three main peanut allergens to determine if any of the varieties were missing the allergy-causing components. Using the ARS antibodies, they found what they had hoped for: a peanut variety lacking a key allergen.

Varieties showing lower levels of allergens can be used in traditional cross-breeding experiments to produce a hypoallergenic peanut plant. Along with new peanut processing methods and vaccine development in the works, a cultivar with reduced allergens could be the answer peanut allergy sufferers have long been awaiting.

ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency.

 

NHLBI Study Tests Novel Ways To Help Americans Keep Weight Off [top]

Tracy A. Fox, MPH, RD
President, Food, Nutrition & Policy Consultants, LLC

 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
NIH News
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/new/press/03-07-14.htm

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) today announced the launch of a major study that could help solve one of the hardest aspects of weight loss-keeping off lost pounds. The study, called the "Weight Loss Maintenance Trial," will be done in two phases at four clinical sites.

The study will include 1,600 men and women in its first phase, and 800 in its second. Phase I is a 5-month weight loss program; phase II will try to help those who lose 9 or more pounds in phase I keep the weight off for 2½ years.

The study has begun seeking participants, who must be overweight or obese, age 25 or older, and taking medication to control high blood pressure and/or high blood cholesterol. About 60 percent will be women and 40 percent will be African American.

"Maintaining weight loss is a critical element in the struggle against overweight and obesity, which have reached epidemic proportions in the United States," said NHLBI Director Dr. Claude Lenfant. "Two of every three adults are overweight or obese. This study could yield answers that can help many Americans lead healthier lives."

"Americans have shown that they can lose weight in the short-term," said Dr. Laura Svetkey, Director of the Duke Hypertension Center and of Clinical Research at the Sarah Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center at Duke University in Durham, NC, and lead investigator in the study. "Yet, only a small proportion of them achieve long-term weight control. To successfully fight the obesity epidemic, clinicians and other health care providers must have options that are effective and feasible for a broad range of people.

"The best weight-loss strategy will not only lead to long- term weight control, but also achieve it by establishing a healthy dietary pattern and physical activity routine that lasts a lifetime," she added.

Overweight/obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Overweight and obesity increase the risk of heart disease and other conditions, including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, and some cancers.

About 65 percent of American adults-about 129 million persons-are overweight or obese, and the prevalence is increasing. In 1988-94, almost 60 percent of American adults were overweight or obese, while in 1999-2000, nearly 65 percent were overweight or obese.

The four centers involved in the Weight Loss Maintenance study are: Duke University; Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge; Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (KPCHR) in Portland, OR; and The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, MD. KPCHR also serves as the study's coordinating center.

In the study's first phase, participants will receive counseling to help them make lifestyle changes to reduce their weight. These lifestyle changes will include reducing calories and increasing physical activity. Participants will be encouraged to follow the DASH eating plan, which has been shown to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. DASH is high in fiber and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat, and emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and lowfat dairy foods. Phase I participants will keep food and fitness diaries to monitor their diet and physical activity. Those who lose 9 or more pounds after 5 months will be eligible to enroll in phase II.

In phase II, participants will be randomly assigned to one of three weight-maintenance strategies: self-directed/usual care (SD/UC); personal contact (PC); and interactive technology (IT). The SD/UC group will meet once with a health counselor for advice on how to maintain their weight loss and to discuss their own weight loss plans. They also will receive educational materials about diet and physical activity.

Those in the PC group will receive personal guidance and counseling on how to maintain their weight loss through monthly telephone calls and occasional visits with a health counselor.

Participants in the IT group will use an Internet-based, individually tailored, interactive computer program to help them keep their weight off. They can use the program as often as they wish and can log on anywhere they have Internet access: at home, work, a school, or a public library. They also will receive weekly e-mails with tailored messages on their progress that include links to the Web site. Further, they will receive reminders by an interactive voice phone system to log onto the study's Web site and respond to e-mail.

"The study will compare these two methods with the self-directed/usual care group," said Svetkey. "The study involves a large, diverse group of overweight and obese people, and will determine the impact of these maintenance strategies on their weight and heart disease risk factors. It also will see if the strategies have other effects, such as on participants' quality of life."

"The Surgeon General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the medical community-everyone recommends that Americans maintain a healthy weight," said Dr. Eva Obarzanek, NHLBI nutritionist and project officer for the Weight Loss Maintenance study. "But very few people become 'successful long-term losers.' This study will test two behavioral methods to help people keep lost weight off for the rest of their lives, especially people who are at a high risk of developing heart disease and other serious conditions."

Those interested in finding out about enrolling in the study can call the site near them:

  • for Duke University, (919) 419-5904
  • for Pennington, (225) 763-2596
  • for Kaiser Permanente, (503) 499-5766
  • for Johns Hopkins, (410) 281-1881.

NHLBI press releases and other materials, including an "Aim For A Healthy Weight" Web page, are available online at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov.

Philadelphia Schools To Can Sales Of Soda [top]

Philadelphia Inquirer
Posted on Wed, Jul. 09, 2003
By Marian Uhlman and Susan Snyder
Inquirer Staff Writers
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/6260814.htm

Alarmed by students' poor nutrition and a growing obesity problem, Philadelphia plans to ban the sale of soda in public schools, schools chief executive Paul G. Vallas said yesterday.

"It is safe to say that there will be ... no soda in the schools," he said. "There is a consensus [on the School Reform Commission that] what is sold in the schools needs to be of nutritional value."

Philadelphia will join New York, Los Angeles, and several other major urban districts in eliminating soft drinks from school buildings.

The Philadelphia ban won't become policy until the commission votes on a beverage contract, according to Cecilia Cummings, a district spokeswoman. The district plans to enter into negotiations for an exclusive vending contract this summer.

Vallas said that juices and water would still be sold and that the district would examine the nutritional quality of other beverages and snacks sold in the schools.

As concern has mounted over the rising rate of childhood obesity and related health problems, school districts around the country have begun to set stricter food standards. New York City's school system announced last month that it would eliminate soda, hard candy and doughnuts from its vending machines. The Los Angeles Unified District voted last year to ban carbonated beverages in all its schools, effective next January.

"These are positive trends that we are going to continue to see across the country as administrators and boards of education and others in key positions recognize the link between what kids are eating in school and obesity rates and other chronic diseases," said Tracy Fox, a nutrition policy consultant in Bethesda, Md.

Though the issue of selling soft drinks and other sugary drinks has snowballed in the last few years, it is not universal.

In the Palisades School District in Bucks County, the matter has not been debated, and "there has not been any kind of public outcry," Board President James Beerer said. He said the high school offers healthful choices, such as water and juice, as well as soda, and that good nutrition is emphasized in classes.

"I think if schools provide a lot of choice and what traditionally would be viewed as healthy offerings in addition to soda, you're basically allowing students to make educated decisions," said Beerer, who is also a retired high school principal of Quakertown High School.

The Hatboro-Horsham School District in Montgomery County does not sell soda in any of its schools, Board President Thomas J. Hagan said. The board considered reversing that policy several years ago, but decided against it, he said. "For health reasons, they didn't feel it was appropriate," he said.

Vending machines can generate significant income for schools, but also are blamed for selling junk food. In particular, exclusive beverage deals requiring schools to buy from one company have been criticized by parents and nutrition advocates.

In advertising for bids last spring, the Philadelphia School District said the "primary objective" of an exclusive deal would be to increase revenue for its cash-strapped schools. The district encouraged companies to consider "the opportunities that might be available" by adding more vending machines and increasing use of their products, "including carbonated beverages in the elementary schools."

But Vallas said yesterday that when members of the School Reform Commission started to focus on the bids, they decided to steer clear of soda and to stock vending machines with water and juices instead.

"The funding side always takes a backseat to health," he said.

Still, he said, the school district generally can do better with its contracts. The beverage issue is part of a larger district effort to review other contracts, he said. It's possible that none of the current beverage bids would be approved, school officials said.

"It is terrific if they decide to implement a policy that no sodas are in the schools and move beyond that to look at all foods that are sold in schools to make them healthy and nutritious," said Duane Perry, executive director of the Food Trust in Philadelphia, which is working with the district to develop a school nutrition policy. "That would be a great step forward."

Over the last few years, the assortment of beverages available in school vending machines has increased. Now, water, 100 percent juice, and sports drinks such as Powerade make up a quarter of sales, school officials said.

Three years ago, the Philadelphia school board turned down a 10-year, $43 million deal with Coca-Cola because it was not lucrative enough and raised nutritional concerns.

Reducing Nationwide Obesity Starts In Neighborhoods [top]

Tracy A. Fox, MPH, RD
President, Food, Nutrition & Policy Consultants, LLC
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
NIH News
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/

Hearts N' Parks Program Brings Science, Skills to 50 Communities, http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/new/press/03-07-03.htm.

Children, adolescents, and adults reported adopting healthier behaviors -- such as choosing heart-healthy foods more often -- after participating in a Hearts N' Parks program, according to a new report on the community-based lifestyle initiative. In addition, adults said they boosted their level of regular physical activity after the program. Hearts N' Parks was developed in 1999 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) to reduce the growing trend of obesity and the risk of coronary heart disease in the United States.

The new report, available on the NRPA Web site http://www.nrpa.org, summarizes the results of written questionnaires administered by Hearts N' Parks program staff to more than 1200 children, adolescents, and adults on their knowledge, behavior, and attitudes regarding heart-healthy eating and physical activity before and after participating in a program in 2002. Overall, participants improved in nearly every indicator.

"High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke -- these are just a few of the health problems that obesity and overweight contribute to," said Dr. Claude Lenfant, director of NHLBI, a component of the National Institutes of Health. "Hearts N' Parks is all about bringing what research has shown about the health risks associated with overweight and obesity to the community -- and empowering people to make better lifestyle choices in order to improve their overall health."

Hearts N' Parks incorporates science-based information about lifestyle choices that can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and skills for adopting heart-healthy behaviors into regular activities offered by park and recreation departments and other community-based agencies. The program focuses on encouraging Americans of all ages to aim for a healthy weight, follow a heart-healthy eating plan, and engage in regular physical activity. Training for recreational staff and tools for measuring the impact of their activities is provided.

More than 50 Hearts N' Parks sites ("magnet centers") are now active in 11 states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, and Ohio. Many magnet centers held special "FunFit" events in July -- including several that were tied to local Fourth of July celebrations.

"We want to reinforce the idea that celebrating good health is as important as celebrating democracy -- and that individuals and families can have fun doing both," commented John Thorner, CAE, executive director of NRPA. July events also commemorate Recreation and Parks Month, an annual public awareness initiative of NRPA. "This year's theme, 'Community Sports and Health,' ties in nicely with the goals of Hearts N' Parks programs," added Thorner.

The Hearts N' Parks model supports the Department of Health and Human Services' "Steps to a Healthier US" initiative, based on the President's Healthier US Initiative. These initiatives highlight the influence that healthy lifestyles and behaviors have in achieving and maintaining good health for individuals of all ages. They also encourage public-private partnerships to support community-driven programs on healthy lifestyles that contribute directly to the prevention or treatment of one of three key health problems: obesity, diabetes, or asthma.

The new report, "Hearts N' Parks - Phase II: Report of 2002 Magnet Center Performance Data," includes information on 68 programs which varied in size and duration. Data was collected by 36 Hearts N' Parks sites during their first year as a magnet center. Programs for children or adolescents were typically provided during summer camps or as after-school activities for 7 to 11 weeks. Adult programs, which lasted an average of 12 weeks, attracted largely seniors and women.

"Combining proven health interventions and skills training with local recreational facilities seemed like a natural," added Karen Donato, S.M., R.D., coordinator of the NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative. "Now we have the information to show that it really works."

Highlights of the performance report include:

  • Children's scores improved significantly in all areas: heart-healthy eating knowledge (8 percent increase in > correct answers), behavior (14 percent increase), and intention (19 percent increase).
  • Children's scores in physical activity attitude increased; they reported that they "learned" or "would like to play again" an average of five activities while they "got better at "approximately seven activities.
  • Adolescents' scores improved significantly in heart-healthy eating behavior (20 percent increase), intention (15 percent increase), and in overweight/obesity knowledge (7 percent increase).
  • Adult participants significantly improved their scores in all areas of knowledge, attitude, and behavior studied. They increased their knowledge of heart-healthy nutrition with a 9 percent increase in correct answers. Scores increased by 6 percent to 7 percent in knowledge of overweight/obesity risks, physical activity, causes of high blood pressure, and ways to control cholesterol levels. Post-test scores also suggest healthier attitudes toward overweight/obesity, heart-healthy eating habits, and physical activity, and improvements in how frequently participants chose healthy foods, based on self-reports.
  • Adult participants reported adding, on average, 2 hours of moderate physical activity per week (from 8 hours to 10 > hours), such as bicycling, walking and golfing, after participating in Hearts N' Parks. In addition, they reduced the time spent in sedentary activities by an average of 8 hours per week, down to 33 hours.
  • Post-test scores of participants over 60 years old showed greater improvement overall than younger adults. Seniors' pretest knowledge scores were lower than younger adults' scores, but post-test knowledge scores were comparable. Seniors also significantly increased time spent weekly in physical activity on average from slightly fewer than 6 hours to more than 8.5 hours, and significantly lowered the amount of time each week in sedentary tasks by 10 hours, down to 20 hours.

The performance report is available (as a PDF file) at http://www.nrpa.org/pdf/HNPReport6-25-03.pdf . For more information about obesity, heart disease, or Hearts N' Parks - including a map of magnet center sites and a video about the program - visit the NHLBI Web site http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov or go directly to the Hearts N' Parks pages http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/heart/obesity/hrt_n_pk/index.htm. Community organizations interested in becoming a Hearts N' Parks site should contact the NRPA at programs@nrpa.org or 1-800-649-3042.

NHLBI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Federal Government's primary agency for biomedical and behavioral research. NIH is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Information about Hearts N Parks, as well as cardiovascular, lung, blood, and sleep disorders is available online at the NHLBI Web site http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov.

Nutritional Supplements and Adolescent Athletes [top]

This weeks tip comes to you courtesy of the American Dietetic Association's "Partners in Program Planning for Adolescent Health." (ADA, Nutritional Supplements and Adolescent Athletes http://www.eatright.org/Public/index_16503.cfm).

Chester L. Bryant, B.S.-Dietetics
Regional Nutritionist
Texas Department of Health, PHR 9/10
WEB SITE http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/phn/region9.htm

Promote An African American Healthy Lifestyle - Spotlight on African American Health [top]

 

Heart Healthy Home Cooking African American Style

A great resource for community members or patients, with favorite African American dishes that are prepared in ways to protect against heart disease and stroke. These 20 tested recipes show how to cut back on fat, especially saturated fat, as well as cholesterol, salt, and sodium to still get great-tasting food. Delicious Southern recipes for Finger-Licking Curried Chicken and 1-2-3 Peach Cobbler are included. Order item #3792 Only $3.00 each.

Improving Cardiovascular Health in African Americans: Package of Seven Easy-to-Read Booklets

Designed to help reduce the chances of having a heart attack or stroke, each booklet provides specific information on improving heart health and identifies steps to promote healthy lifestyles among African Americans. Some examples of booklet titles included in the set are:

  • Stay Physically Active-Energize Yourself
  • Eat Less Salt and Sodium-Spice Up Your Life
  • Learn Your Cholesterol Number-Empower Yourself
  • Stop Smoking-Refresh Yourself
    Order item #55-832 Only $3.50 each

National Heart; Lung and Blood Institute Network
http://hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/

For Healthy Diet, Learning Level Counts More Than Earning Level [top]

 

Americans are eating healthier diets than they did in 1965, but college-educated people are doing better than high school dropouts, new research indicates.

Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD
"Ask the Parkinson Dietitian" http://www.parkinson.org/
"Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease"
"Parkinson's disease: Guidelines for Medical Nutrition Therapy"
http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/

CIS-Outreach: Information From The Cancer Information Service [top]

This message is brought to you by the Cancer Information Service (CIS) serving Texas and Oklahoma. The CIS is a program of the National Cancer Institute, the nation's lead agency for cancer research. For the latest information on cancer, call the CIS at 1-800-4-CANCER. You can also find us on the Internet at http://www.cancer.gov. Click on LiveHelp to chat instantly with an information specialist.

National Lung Screening Trial

The National Lung Screening Trial is a research study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute for men and women who are current or former smokers. The trial will compare two ways of detecting lung cancer: spiral CT scan and standard chest X-ray. This study will aim to show if either test is better at detecting lung cancer early and reducing deaths from this disease. Participants must be: healthy men and women aged 55 to 74; current or former smokers who have smoked heavily, or have smoked for many years; people who have never had lung cancer; and people who are not being treated for any type of cancer. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER or log on to the http://www.cancer.gov/nlst National Lung Screening Trial http://www.cancer.gov/nlst web site.

Clinical Trials Education Series

Educating minority and medically underserved populations about the benefits of clinical trials is a priority for the Cancer Information Service. The National Cancer Institute recently published the Clinical Trials Education Series, which consists of 13 different educational materials, including booklets, videos and slide presentations, that can enhance an individuals and/or organizations ability to educate communities and patients about clinical trials. Appropriate audiences for these materials include: physicians, nurses, research and outreach staff, social workers and voluntary and advocacy groups. For more information about the Clinical Trials Education Series, contact Tonya Jeffery, CIS partnership program coordinator, log on to http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/resources/clinical-trials-education-series Clinical Trials Education Series web site.

Clinical Trials Outreach for Hispanics

The Cancer Information Service (CIS) and Redes en Accion, a National Cancer Institute special populations network, have developed a community education module to increase clinical trials awareness among Hispanics. The program, entitled Clinical Trials Outreach for Hispanics, is based on the National Cancer Institute's Clinical Trials Education Series. The CIS is available to present this program to health professional and community audiences. If you are interested, contact Stephanie Puente, CIS Redes en Accion coordinator, for more information, check out the http://redesenaccion.org/research/ Redes en Accion http://redesenaccion.org/research/ Web site.

Following are current news releases from the National Cancer Institute. Click on each title to read the entire release.

Non-English Food Safety Materials [top]

Looking for non-English food safety education materials?

The Foodborne Illness Education Information Center (FBIEIC) has a new page with food safety materials in 36 languages, available at http://peaches.nal.usda.gov/foodborne/fbindex/NonEnglishResources.asp .

The site pulls records from three entities of the FBIEIC: the Food Safety Educational Materials Database, the HACCP Database, and the Food Safety Links Database.

Liz Hill, RD
Nutrition Information Specialist
Healthy School Meals Resource System
National Agricultural Library / U.S. Department of Agriculture

FYI From The ICCA - Service Of The Intercultural Cancer Council [top]

The American Cancer Society has released Cancer Facts & Figures for Hispanics/Latinos 2003-2005. This publication summarizes recent information on cancer occurrence and cancer screening in the Hispanic/Latino population and estimates the number of new cancer cases and cancer deaths among Hispanic/Latinos for 2003. In addition, the publication includes sections on cancer risk factors for Hispanic/Latinos, such as tobacco use, physical activity, and the use of cancer screening examinations. To download this publication (500KB Adobe Acrobat file) see http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/CAFF2003HispPWSecured.pdf. If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat software needed to view this file see http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

A new Website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Minority Health is now online. The minority health resources provided on this Website include reports, publications, a Minority Health Calendar and information on training opportunities. See the new site at http://www.cdc.gov/omh/

Cancer Society and Institute of Medicine Report that 60,000 Cancer Deaths and 100,000 New Cases are Avoidable Annually. A new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies, jointly presented with the American Cancer Society and other leading health groups, says an estimated 60,000 deaths and 100,000 new cases of cancer could be prevented each year by 2015 if more Americans used the cancer prevention and early detection knowledge and recommendations currently available. To view the press release (143KB Adobe Acrobat file) on this report see http://iccnetwork.org/news/ACS-IOM-2003-Press-Release.pdf. If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat software needed to view this file see http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

ICC's 9th Biennial Symposium on Minorities, the Medically Underserved & Cancer is Scheduled for March 24-28, 2004 in Washington, DC. For more information about the Symposium or to download and print the Call for Abstracts see http://iccnetwork.org/symposium/. For more information about the Intercultural Cancer Council see http://iccnetwork.org.

National Cattlemen's Beef Association [top]

Healthcare U-mail© Volume 2003, No. 9 (June 30, 2003)

 

This free electronic newsletter for nutrition and health professional subscribers is edited by the Nutrition Department of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association under the auspices of the Cattlemen's Beef Board. See the end of the newsletter for communication and subscription information. Please visit our Web site at http://www.beefnutrition.org for information and education materials about nutrition and health.

In This Edition

  • RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES - MODERATELY HIGH PROTEIN DIETS
  • RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES - OBESITY
  • PRACTICE OF VEGETARIANISM MIGHT BE MARKER FOR EATING DISORDERS

NUTRITION & YOUR CHILD [top]

Volume 2, 2003

 

USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center

NUTRITION & YOUR CHILD is a science-based newsletter produced by the ARS/USDA Children's Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) at Baylor College of Medicine and electronically distributed in cooperation with USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) to enhance the research base for educational programming.

Current and back issues of Nutrition & Your Child, including easy-to-download "newsletter formatted" Adobe Acrobat (pdf) files, are available on the CNRC web site. See: http://www.kidsnutrition.org (click on the Newsletter Index).

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

  1. Websites Lead Boy Scouts To Better Health
  2. Sun-blocking Babies Leads To Need For Vitamin D
  3. Study Aims to Understand Teen Inactivity
  4. Savvy Snack Bar Marketing Could 'Ad' Up to Better Nutrition for Kids (Posters developed for this project are available at www.kidsnutrition.org)
  5. Q&A: Any tips for getting my teens to eat healthier this summer?
  6. Houston-area Volunteer Opportunities
  7. Editor's Notes

    Editor's Note: Interest in the CNRC's interactive Children's BMI Percentile Graph/Calculator and Children's Energy Needs Calculator, which were released with the Volume 1, 2003 issue of NYC, has been overwhelming. In response to reader requests, we are currently seeking funding to make these tools available for downloading to hand-help devices. The tools are currently available on the CNRC web site: http://www.kidsnutrition.org.

ABOUT THE CNRC - Editor's Comment

Located in the Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX, the Children's Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) is a USDA/Agricultural Research Service(USDA/ARS) research facility operated under a cooperative agreement with Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital.

The CNRC is one of six USDA/ARS human nutrition research centers. Our mission is to define the nutrient needs of healthy children from conception through adolescence, and in pregnant and nursing women. To learn more about CNRC research or post-doctoral fellowship opportunities, visit our web site: http://www.kidsnutrition.org.

Joan Carter Clark, R.D./L.D. M.B.A.
Internet Communications Manager/Webmaster
Instructor, Department of Pediatrics
USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine
http://www.kidsnutrition.org

Strong Women Newsletter [top]

Issue 59, July 2003

 

I hope you find this newsletter helpful, and that you share it with your friends. Feel free to forward, post or reprint it - but please credit http://www.strongwomen.com for the information and don't change the content.

By Miriam E. Nelson, PhD
Author of Strong Women Series
Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis
Founder of http://www.strongwomen.com

IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

  • Estrogen and Dementia
  • The Annual Strong Women Essay Contest o Reader Questions and Answers
    • Does fiber affect calcium absorption?
    • How should I time strength training with other activities?
    • Can my husband do the program, too?
  • From the Mailbox - Success Stories
  • Recipe - Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Skewers

USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion New Brochure - HG-267-3 [top]

USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion has put out the 3rd in a series of brochures that support the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It is called "HG-267-3 Where Do Your Favorite Foods Fit?". If you want to see the full brochure go to: http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/Pubs/Brochures/index.html#Favorite

William D. Evers, PhD, RD
Department of Foods and Nutrition
Purdue University Cooperative Extension
West Lafeyette, IN

Home Food Safety Tip of the Month - Food Safety "Road Rules" for The Savvy Traveler [top]

Be a savvy traveler! According to a recent survey by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and ConAgra Foods, follow these easy travel tips from the . "Home Food Safety...It's In Your Hands" program http://www.homefoodsafety.org/news/pdfs/roadrules.pdf. Visit http://www.homefoodsafety.org for the entire article safe travel pointers...and save the adventure for the vacation and not the back-seat picnic!

Fatty Diet Raises Diabetes Risk - Saturated Fat Intake Linked to Type 2 Diabetes [top]

The fatty staples of the western diet, such as steaks and hamburgers, may be fueling the current surge in type 2 diabetes rates. A new study suggests that people who eat a diet high in saturated or animal fat are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than others.

Researchers say surveys of people with diabetes have suggested a link between the amount of saturated fat in a person's diet and diabetes risk, but until now that link has not been confirmed by biological evidence.

In this study, they looked at the levels of fatty acids in the blood, which reflects how much saturated fat a person generally eats over time, and compared it to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes among a group of 2,909 adults aged 45-64. The results appear in the July issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. During nine years of follow-up, 252 of the men and women developed type 2 diabetes.

After adjusting for other factors known to affect the risk of type 2 diabetes, such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, physical activity, education, and family history of diabetes, researchers found the level of fatty acids in the blood was significantly associated with diabetes risk. As the level of fatty acids increased, the likelihood that the person developed type 2 diabetes also increased.

Researcher Lu Wang, of the University of Minnesota, and colleagues say previous studies have shown that the fatty acid composition of the blood provides an objective estimate of the dietary intake of saturated fat for weeks to months before the sample is taken. By linking this marker of saturated fat intake in the diet to the occurrence of diabetes, they say the findings provide biological evidence of the link between a fatty diet and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Researchers say the findings are in line with previous studies that suggest a western lifestyle -- characterized by a diet with a high intake of total and animal fat, obesity, and low intake of fish and carbohydrates -- may be to blame for high diabetes rates in the west compared with other areas. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, July 2003, http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/78/1/91.pdf.

Karen S. Jensen, Extension Assistant
Texas Cooperative Extension
Expanded Nutrition Program

Diabetes In Schools Guide Now Available [top]

NDEP Partners:

Welcome to the July 2003 NDEP E-Newsletter. These brief monthly updates will give you additional opportunities to learn about NDEP activities and identify opportunities to incorporate the messages, products, and activities into your programs. Please forward this message to your partners and/or membership to update them about the NDEP. Your help continues to be an invaluable part of the NDEP's success.

DIABETES IN SCHOOLS GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE

"Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed: A Guide for School Personnel" is a comprehensive guide designed to ensure a safe learning environment and equal access to educational opportunities for all students with diabetes. The guide includes a diabetes management primer, roles and responsibilities for individual school personnel to ensure quality care throughout the school day, sample diabetes medical management and quick reference emergency plans, a review of federal laws that affect students with diabetes, and a resource list of organizations that can provide more information.

An electronic version of the school guide is now available at the NDEP web site by clicking http://www.ndep.nih.gov/materials/pubs/schoolguide.pdf. Printed copies will be available through the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse in late July. To order your free copy, fill out and submit the attached order form.

Please spread the word about the availability of this important new NDEP product to your colleagues and constituents who are concerned about health, education, and the welfare of children with diabetes. We encourage you to forward this newsletter brief to your network along with the order form so they can access this critical resource. Also, please create a link to the school guide on your web site.

GET REAL TV PSA LOCALIZATION

It's not too late to order your locally tagged version of the NDEP's "Get Real" TV PSA, the first national diabetes prevention public service campaign. For more information, please contact Todd Mosetter at 202-842-3600 or tmosetter@hagersharp.com.

UPCOMING NDEP PRESENTATIONS AND EXHIBITS

To continue to build its successful partnership network, the NDEP will present and exhibit at the following conferences in the next few months:

  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Diabetes Initiative Annual Meeting (July 31-August 1; Colorado): Joanne Gallivan, NDEP Director, NIH, will present on diabetes prevention.
  • Vietnamese Medical Research Foundation (August 3; Westminster, CA): Dr. Jane Kelly, NDEP Director, CDC, will present on the NDEP and its outreach to Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
  • National Medical Association Annual Meeting (August 6; Philadelphia, PA): Dr. James Gavin, NDEP Chair, will participate in a panel presentation sponsored by NCI's 5-A-Day Program entitled, "The Role of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in the Prevention of Chronic Disease."
  • American Association of Diabetes Educators Annual Meeting (August 6-10; Salt Lake City, UT): Ginger Kanzer-Lewis, AADE, Ms. Gallivan, and Dr. Kelly will provide an update on the NDEP in addition to other special sessions, and the exhibit will be on display.
  • Diabetes Prevention and Control Program Annual State-Wide Diabetes Conference (September 11-12; Atlanta, GA): Dr. Kelly will present on the NDEP and its programs.
  • Administration on Aging National Summit (September 23; Orlando, FL): Carolyn Leontos, Chair, Older Adults Work Group, and TaWanna Berry, NDEP Deputy Director, NIH, will present on diabetes prevention for older adults.
  • Food Marketing Institute Consumer Affairs Seminar (September 28-30; Philadelphia, PA): Ms. Gallivan will participate in a panel discussion about healthy food choices.
  • Medical Fitness Association Annual Conference (October 8-10; Chicago, IL): Dr. Judith Fradkin, NDEP Executive Committee, NIDDK, is the featured speaker, and the exhibit will be on display.
  • West Virginia Diabetes Symposium (October 9; Charleston, WV): Dr. Kelly will be the keynote speaker, addressing the diabetes epidemic in the United States.
  • American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (October 27-30; San Antonio, TX): Series of NDEP presentations, and the exhibit will be on display.
  • American Public Health Association (November 15-19; San Francisco, CA): Dr. Kelly will present on the NDEP at a poster session, focusing on developing tools for community health workers.

If you would like the NDEP to participate in any of your organizations upcoming conferences or meetings, please contact Joanne Gallivan at jgallivan@nih.gov or Jane Kelly at Jkelly@cdc

Q & A: [top]

Boiling Water For Infant Bottles

Question: Does anyone have/know of a current reference for recommendations regarding boiling water for preparation of infant bottles? It seems to be well accepted practice to recommend boiling (non-sterilized) water sources for 0-3 month old infants, but I can't find a reference for this. It would also be helpful to know how long the water should be boiled in order not to increase lead or fluoride, concentrations too much.

Answer: The USDA/FNS publication, "Feeding Infants: A Guide for Use in the Child Nutrition Programs," does not specify an age at which it is ok to stop boiling the water, but they do say that the water should not be boiled for more than 5 minutes so as not to concentrate the levels of lead and/or nitrate in the water.

However, the older USDA/FNS publication (1993), "Infant Nutrition and Feeding: A Reference Handbook for Nutrition and Health Counselors in the WIC and CSF Programs," does recommend boiling water up to 3 months of age (and not for more than 5 minutes). I haven't found anything from AAP or AAFP that addresses this issue

Anna Anna Arrowsmith, RD, LD
Nutrition Information Specialist
Food and Nutrition Information Center
NAL/ARS/USDA

Q & A:

Calculating Calories Burned With Exercise

Question: Does anyone know of a good and easy web site that shows how many calories are burned with different physical activities? Like for running versus walking vs biking, swimming, etc. I have a few lists but am hoping that information is on the web.

Tracy Tracy A. Fox, MPH, RD
President, Food, Nutrition & Policy Consultants, LLC

Answer: One recommendation is: Get Moving Calculator from the Calorie Control Council: http://www.caloriecontrol.org/exercalc.html.

For more online food and nutrition calculators, check out the Interactive Toolbox Topics A-Z page from FNIC at: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/etext/000035.html. The Interactive Toolbox contains links to Web sites that allow consumers and professionals to input information and receive individual feedback to help with dietary assessment and planning, checking personal health risks, testing knowledge, and evaluating needs.

Liz Hill, RD
Nutrition Information Specialist
Food and Nutrition Information Center
National Agricultural Library / U.S. Department of Agriculture

[back to top]

Mary “Mickey” Kinney Bielamowicz, PhD, RD, LD, CFCS
Regents Fellow
Professor and Nutrition Specialist
2253 TAMU
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Department of Nutrition and Food Science
Human Nutrition Section
114 Kleberg Center
College Station, TX 77843-2253
Phone: (979) 847-9227
Fax: (979) 458-2080

Last updated: 3 December, 2012

Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin.