NUTRITION NEWSLETTER

Winter 2000 Prepared by: Linda B. Bobroff, Ph.D., R.D., LD/N

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010: A PATH TO THE FUTURE

Ten years from now Americans on the whole should enjoy substantially better health. Guiding the way will be Healthy People 2010, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiative launched January 24-28, 2000. Healthy People 2010 defines the nation's health agenda through broad reaching goals. It is a roadmap showing opportunities for improvements in health that is grounded in science, built through public consensus and, designed to measure progress.

Joining me at the launch will be Secretary Donna Shalala, former Secretary Louis Sullivan, former Surgeon General and Assistant Secretary for Health Julius Richmond, many former Assistant Secretaries, and other leaders and representatives of the more than 350 organizations of the Healthy People Consortium. HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala describes Healthy People 2000 as an initiative that "Identifies the most significant opportunities to improve the health of the nation and to focus public and private sector efforts on those areas."

The launch of Healthy People 2010 took place at the Partnerships for Health in the New Millennium conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC (more information is available at http://www.health.gov/partnerships/Media/12500pr.htm). The conference also hosted the release of "Leading Health Indicators," a subset of objects that define key health issues that can motivate action and exert positive influences over health outcomes. They will become basic building blocks for community health initiatives and help monitor health improvements by targeting behaviors.

The experience and expertise of so many in the medical and health professions have helped us cross the finish line with an excellent national prevention agenda for the next decade. It is indeed rewarding to think how far the health of the nation has improved since the first Healthy People initiative was launched 20 years ago. But, many challenges remain and they form the foundation of Healthy People 2010. Improving the health of the Nation is a long-term investment requiring the participation of all. Together, through the goals of Healthy People 2010, we can forge solutions to the challenges of the new era. Source: achmielewski@health.org

Food Faddism and Quackery

OZONE GENERATORS GENERATE PRISON TERMS FOR COUPLE

Kenneth R. Thiefault and his wife, Mardel Barber, formerly of Jupiter Florida, were sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in March to prison terms that together total more than eight years and fines that add up to more than $100,000. They illegally distributed ozone generators, devices that turn oxygen into ozone, by claiming that the devices could cure a variety of diseases, including cancer and AIDS. FDA has never approved ozone generators or ozone gas for treating any medical conditions.

They continued to sell the unapproved medical devices, even after FDA informed them several times that FDA approval was necessary to market medical devices or medical gas in this country. This would require the submission of scientific data to support the devices' safety and effectiveness.

Proponents of medical ozone generators believe ozone can kill viruses and bacteria in the body. While ozone is used as a germicide in the cleaning of manufacturing equipment, FDA is not aware of any scientific data that supports the safety or effectiveness of ozone generators for treating medical conditions. In fact, the agency believes that at the levels needed to work effectively as a germicide, ozone could be detrimental to human health.

Source: FDA Consumer, Nov.-Dec. 1999. Eating Wisely

CONSUMERS CHANGING BEHAVIORS

A recent International Food Information Council Consumer survey found the following top four dietary changes made to improve health:

Trying to consume less fat 36%

None 27% Eating more vegetables 21% Exercising 14%

Women were more likely to change dietary habits for health benefits (60% vs 45%).

Older baby boomers lead the trend toward more healthful eating. Also, those with a college degree and higher ($50,000) salary were more likely to be eating foods for specific health benefits.

Web site: http://www.ific.org/nutrition/functional/index.cfm Source: IFIC Background Information -- Functional Foods, 1998.

PEANUT BUTTER FOR HEART HEALTH

Cholesterol-lowering, low fat diets have abounded in recent years in the quest to reduce the risk of heart disease, the most familiar being the American heart Association's "Step II" diet, which confines dietary fat to less than 25% of calories and replaces the lost fat with carbohydrates. But recent research into the effects of monounsaturated fats (MUFAs, found in olive and certain other oils) suggests that low fat may not necessarily be the best way to ensure a healthy heart. Kris Etherton and her colleagues at Pennsylvania State University made an across-the-board comparison of three diets: the Step II diet (25% fat), a diet high in MUFAs (34-36% fat), and the average American diet (34% fat). The high MUFA diets decreased cardiovascular risk by an average of 20.6%, versus a 12% reduction in risk for the Step II diet. The high-MUFA diet goes against the conventional wisdom of heart disease prevention in that it is even higher in fat than the average American diet. Instead of replacing lost dietary fats with carbohydrates, the high MUFA diet makes up the "equation" with increased amounts of several different monounsaturated fats. In order to expand the choices available to heart-healthy consumers, the researchers set out to test the efficacy of other sources of MUFA's than olive oils-with focus on peanut butter and peanut oil. Of the 22 subjects who completed the study, those with the highest initial LDL concentrations achieved the greatest reductions in cardiovascular risk on the high MUFA diet, ranging from 15% to 25%. The added advantage of the high MUFA diet over the Step II diet was that it brought down LDL cholesterol while not affecting HDL cholesterol. The Step II diet tends to bring down both LDL and HDL cholesterol concentrations, thus negating some of its own beneficial effects. Subjects on high MUFA regimens who consumed the "peanut butter diet" attained nearly the same health benefits as those who consumed the "olive oil diet", or a 21% reduction in cardiovascular risk vs. 26% for olive oil. An accompanying editorial by Elaine Feldman stresses the biochemical similarities between olive and peanut oils, and the extra benefits conveyed by peanuts' high protein content (25-30%). Peanuts are not true nuts, but are actually legumes, and are unique in the plant kingdom in that they may contain the heart-healthiest of the saturated fatty acids. Kris-Etherton, P M et al. High-monounsaturated fatty acid diets lower both plasma cholesterol and triacyglycerol concentrations.

Am J Clin Nutr 1999;70:1009-15 Reprinted from the AJCN Press Release 11/22/99 with permission.

PLANT STANOL ESTERS

You've seen the new margarines on the supermarket shelves. You may wonder what makes them special and why they cost so much more than other margarines. These margarines contain plant stanol esters, substances derived from natural plant components found in vegetable oils, corn, beans, and wood. Plant stanol esters have been found to lower levels of LDL cholesterol, especially when incorporated into a low-fat low-cholesterol diet. They act by blocking the absorption of cholesterol from the intestines. This is important for people with elevated LDL cholesterol levels who are at high risk for coronary heart disease. These margarines are not a substitute for cholesterol-lowering drugs. They can be part of a healthy eating plan that can help to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Since these margarines are not low in fat, they should not be added to your diet; they may be used in place of your current full-fat margarine. If you don't eat margarine, you can reduce fats in your diet from other sources if you choose to add one of these margarines to your diet. References: J Nutr; 129:2109-2112, 1999 N Engl J Med; 333:1308-1312, 1995. Resources (including journal articles) available on http://www.benecolphysicians.com

SELENIUM AND PROSTATE CANCER

Selenium is an important nutrient in relation to prostate cancer, according to several recent studies. Not only is there an apparent connection between low selenium levels and the incidence of the disease, but it appears that supplementation may be protective against its development.

COMMENT

The evidence that selenium is linked to prostate cancer is really quite strong. It includes a number of epidemiological studies and laboratory work showing feasible mechanisms by which the association might work. This is part of a wider body of evidence that is quite convincing in showing that prostatic cancer is a disease with strong nutritional influences. Potentially preventive nutrients include: reduced fat intake, higher vitamin E, selenium and soy protein. A lesser benefit is also suggested with intake of vitamins D and C (for a recent review, see J Urol 1999;161:1748-60).

As prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death among men, the prospect of nutritional prevention has drawn enormous interest from researchers in the last 5 years. Unfortunately, there have been few controlled clinical trials reported so far. This latest publication confirms that selenium intake does indeed have a powerful impact on prostate cancer, as well as colorectal, lung and overall cancer rates. Although selenium was disappointing in the secondary prevention of recurrent skin cancer, the impact on prostate cancer is worthy of close and careful follow-up.

However, as studies with vitamin A have shown, in the area of nutritional cancer prevention it is not always easy to move from the promising epidemiological, laboratory and early clinical trials to clear clinical recommendations. One of the issues that needs to be addressed is the appropriate form and dose of the nutrient. In the case of selenium, laboratory work has suggested that different chemical forms of selenium may have differing antitumor activity. Selenium is also a nutrient that is potentially toxic in overdose. Hence we definitely require more clinical trials before the role of selenium supplementation in prostate cancer can be said to be clearly established. Source: The Arbor Nutrition Guide. Arbor Clinical Nutrition Update #72: Prostate Cancer & Selenium Reprinted with permission (with minor revisions).

WEIGHT LOSS PRACTICES

Health care professionals have been urged to counsel patients about diet and physical activity in order to help them manage their weight. This is in response to the growing number of people who are obese in the U.S. More than two-thirds of American adults are trying to lose weight. They spend $33 billion a year on weight loss products and services. However, many of them do not follow recommended guidelines of combining fewer calories with more exercise according to a recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Researchers analyzed survey results from 107,804 men and women aged 18 and older who were asked about their attempts to lose or maintainweight, and their weight control strategies. They were asked if they were trying to lose or maintain weight, if they were consuming fewer calories or less fat, and if they were engaging in physical activity to lose weight or keep from gaining weight.

Only 21.5 percent of men and 19.4 percent of women reported using the recommended combination of eating fewer calories and engaging in at least 150 minutes of leisure-time physical activity per week. "Thus, although most Americans reported using diet, physical activity, or both for weight loss, only a minority were using the recommended combination," the authors said.

A common strategy for those trying to lose weight was to consume less fat but not fewer calories. This is not an effective strategy for losing weight. Many of those trying to lose weight were not following the recommended guidelines on exercise. "Although two-thirds reported using physical activity, only 42.3 percent of men and 36.8 percent of women reported engaging in 150 minutes or more of leisure-time physical activity per week," the authors reported. Engaging in exercise to lose weight was least common among the obese, the least educated, and the oldest. Educators need to target the message of exercise as a significant component of weight management, especially to these groups. Source: JAMA Med release, Oct. 12, 1999.

LUNG CANCER SURVIVAL FINDINGS HAVE RACIAL COMPONENT

from Scripps Howard News Service.

According to a study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Black Medicare patients are 13 percent less likely to have potentially life-saving lung cancer surgery than whites. Because of this discrepancy in treatment, blacks are less likely than whites to survive lung cancer even if their disease is detected at an early stage. The study included nearly 11,000 patients 65 and older who were diagnosed with early stage lung cancer. "If black patients were to undergo this surgery at a rate equal to white patients, their survival rate would probably be substantially improved and would approach that of white patients," said Dr. Peter Bach, an epidemiologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and senior author of the study.

WALKING VS VIGOROUS EXERCISE IN THE PREVENTION OF HEART DISEASE IN WOMEN

The effectiveness of walking, as compared with vigorous exercise, in reducing risk of heart disease remains controversial, and few studies have been conducted with women. A recent prospective study examined associations between activity level and the incidence of coronary heart disease among 72,488 female nurses. Subjects were between 40 and 65 years old at the time of the study. They completed detailed questionnaires about their physical activity. During eight years of follow-up, researchers documented 645 coronary events, including nonfatal myocardial infarction and death from coronary disease.

Risk of coronary events was inversely associated with level of physical activity. Compared with women who had the lowest level of physical activity (indicated by low energy expenditure, expressed as the metabolic-equivalent [MET] score), women in increasing quintile groups had age-adjusted relative risks of 0.77, 0.65, 0.54, and 0.46 for coronary events. Walking, especially brisk walking for three or more hours per week, was inversely associated with the risk of coronary events. Regular vigorous exercise (6 MET) was associated with similar risk reductions. The researchers also found that it's never too late to become active; sedentary women who became active in middle adulthood or later had a lower risk of coronary events than women who remained sedentary. This study indicates that brisk walking as well as more vigorous exercise "are associated with substantial and similar reductions in the incidence of coronary events among women." Reference: N Engl J Med. 1999;341:650-8.

TYPE 2 DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE DEATHS

People with diabetes have benefited less from the overall decline in heart disease deaths in the United States during the past 30 years than those who do not have diabetes. The number of deaths resulting from heart disease dropped 36 percent in non-diabetic men during 1971-1993 but fell only 13 percent with diabetes. In women with diabetes, heart disease deaths actually rose by 23 percent despite a 27 percent fall in deaths from heart disease in non-diabetic women. Researchers attribute the decrease in heart disease deaths in the U.S. population to improved risk factors and better medical treatment for people with heart disease. The major risk factors for heart disease include high blood sugar levels, high lipid levels, high blood pressure, and smoking. Therapies that significantly modify these risk factors include healthy eating, getting regular physical activity, taking medications as prescribed, and quitting smoking. For more details, see: K. Cowie CC, Harris MI. Diabetes and decline in heart disease mortality in US adults. JAMA, 1999; 281(14):1291-1297.

CHILDREN SMOKING

Every day, 3,000 children become regular smokers. One out of every three will die from it. Source: FDA Consumer, 1999; 33(6):41.

USE OF PROTECTED TITLES

Since 1988, and the passage of the Dietetics and Nutrition Practice Act, the titles "dietitian," "licensed dietitian," "nutritionist," "licensed nutritionist," "nutrition counselor" and "licensed nutrition counselor" are protected titles. To use any of these titles, you must be licensed by the state. This includes the use of descriptive terms preceding these titles such as "renal nutritionist," "cardiac dietitian," etc. This determination was made after discussing this issue with the association lobbyist and attorney, Larry Gonzalez. To qualify for licensure in this state, and use of these titles, other than "nutrition counselor" and "licensed nutrition counselor," requires a four (4) year degree, 900 hours of practical experience and passage of the state licensure exam. Licensees aware of individuals using these titles who do not qualify, are obligated to report this information to the Department of Health. If you have any questions regarding the use of these titles, or the Practice Act, please contact the association headquarters at (850) 386-8850 or e-mail

HEALTH CLAIMS ALLOWED FOR WHOLE GRAIN

Foods that contain at least 5.1% whole grains can now make a claim about that food's role in reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer. The specific claim can state, "Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers." The claim went into effect on July 8, 1999 and is expected to make it easier for consumers to tell which foods are whole grain and which are simply made from grain. General Mills, which makes whole grain cereals such as Cheerios, Total and Wheaties, submitted a petition to FDA on March 10 asking for permission to use the new health claim. The FDA had 120 days to rule on the petition, but since the agency didn't take any action to prohibit or modify the claim, it automatically goes into effect.

General Mills notes that research has found that the death rate of those who eat whole grain products daily is 15% to 25% less than those who eat no whole grains. This finding is based on a study of 34,000 postmenopausal women. Researchers predict that death rates just from heart disease and cancer could be decreased by 8% if people ate at least one whole grain product a day. References Jacobs, D.R., et al., Whole grain intake may reduce the risk of ischemic heart disease in postmenopausal women: The Iowa Women's Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr 68:248-57, 1998. Food Chemical News, 7/12/99, 9/13/99 CNI Nutrition Week, 7/30/99

SUPPLEMENT USE - A YEAR IN REVIEW

A new report on consumer preferences and market trends for dietary supplements has been released by the Hartman Group, a research and consulting firm. The report, Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs and Supplements: A Year in Review, looked at this $10.4 billion industry during a one-year period from June 1998-June 1999. Here are some of the highlights.

67% of the purchases (56% of total dollar sales) are for vitamins and minerals.
The top 5 types were multi-vitamins, calcium, vitamin E, vitamin C and children's vitamins.
The top 5 herbs were garlic, ginkgo, glucosamine, St. John's wort, and echinacea.
45% of sales came from supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchandisers.
32% of sales came from consumer direct outlets such as catalogs, Internet and infomercials.
12% of sales came from health and natural food stores.
4% of sales came from practitioners and HMOS.
The average price of a container of supplements was
$7.23 is from supermarkets
$13.15 from health food stores
$15.40 from practitioners and HMOs
$16.28 from consumer direct outlets
the mean age for vitamin and mineral users was 37.
the mean age for herbal and other supplement users was 46.
the top geographic area for purchases of dairy supplements was the South Atlantic region.

Reference: Food Chemical News, 9/20/99.

TRENDS IN SALES OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS ANALYZED BY CONSULTING GROUP

According to a recent analysis by the Hartman Group, a Bellevue Washington research and consulting firm, more than $10 billion was spent during a one-year period ending in June 1999 on dietary supplements. The report, "Vitamins, Minerals, herbs and Supplements: A Year in Review" outlines emerging trends in sales of dietary supplements. The researchers found that vitamins and minerals accounted for 67% of total purchases and a 56% share of total dollar sales. The product in this category with the highest demand was multivitamins accounting for 38% of all purchases. After multivitamins came calcium, vitamin E, vitamin C, and children's vitamins. The group further found that in the herb and supplement category, garlic, ginkgo, and glucosamine accounted for the most total purchases, followed by St. John's wort and echnicaea.

Also analyzed were the places where dietary supplements are sold. The biggest category, which included supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchandisers, club stores and convenience stores, accounted for the most sales with $4.7 billion. That was 45% of all sales. The next largest category was consumer direct outlets, and included catalogs, direct-from-manufacturer sales, the Internet, and infomercials, pulling together for a 32% share. The third category, health and natural food stores, had a 12% share. Practitioners and health maintenance organizations came next with 4% of total sales.

Source: Electronic Food Rap, Vol. 9 No 33, November 24, 1999. Purdue University Cooperative Extension.

TEEN PREGNANCY IN FLORIDA

According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, more than 48,000 girls between 15 and 19 years of age get pregnant each year in Florida. The majority of these (29,990) are 18 to 19-year-olds. Almost 25,000 teens give birth. Most (70%) of these births are to unmarried teens. Teen pregnancy rates in Florida decreased 9% from 1992 - 1996. The health food industry abounds with products purported to prevent and/or cure many forms of cancer. The following article is relevant to our education of the public on the reality of what food can and cannot do related to the reduction in risk of developing cancer or the destruction of cancer after it has occurred.

Taken from the National Council for Reliable Health Information (was National Council Against Health Fraud) Newsletter 21(3), May/June 1998. Reprinted with permission.

WIDESPREAD MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE CAUSES OF CANCER COST SOCIETY BILLIONS

Molecular biologists Bruce Ames and Lois Gold, of the Carcinogenic Potency Project at the National Institute of Environmental Health Science Center, University of California, Berkeley, teamed up to debunk major misconceptions concerning the rolls of synthetic chemical pollutants as causes of cancer. Ames and Gold tackle Nine Major Misconceptions. You have probably had questions related to these misconceptions in your programs.

Cancer rates are soaring.
Synthetic chemicals in the environment are an important cause of human cancer.
Reducing pesticide residues is an effective way to prevent diet-related cancer.
Human exposures to carcinogens and other potential hazards are primarily due to synthetic chemicals.
Cancer risks to humans can be assessed by standard high-dose animal cancer tests.
Synthetic chemicals pose greater carcinogenic hazards than natural chemicals.
The toxicology of synthetic chemicals is different from that of natural chemicals.
Pesticides and other synthetic chemicals are disrupting human hormones.
Regulating low, hypothetical risks advances public health.

Ames and Gold point out that regulations targeted to eliminate minuscule levels of synthetic chemicals cost society an estimated $140 billion per year. Attempting to reduce synthetic pesticides may make fruits and vegetables more expensive thereby decreasing their consumption and increasing cancer rates. A reexamination of priorities in cancer prevention is called for. Original source: "Environmental pollution, pesticides, and the prevention of cancer: misconceptions," FASEB J 1997; 11:1041-52. Comments from NCRHI newsletter editor: By tackling these misconceptions, Ames and Gold strike at the heart of misinformation that furthers the interest of the health food industry, and others that profit from ignorance and misguided ideologies. The problem is that these notions are rooted in an ancient basic fear of science. The human fear of science and technology has been reinforced by the literary notion of the "mad scientist" furthered by the story of Dr. Frankenstein (Mary Shelly, 1828), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), and the sinking of the Titanic. The Titanic was named for a group of lesser gods, the Titans, who dare to challenge the supremacy of Apollo. Apollo destroyed them for their arrogance. Thus, the Titanic disaster has become symbolic of human arrogance and the folly of human knowledge. Source: Electronic Food Rap. Vol 9 No 7. Feb. 12, 1999. Purdue University, Cooperative Extension.

AFTER SCHOOL SNACKS

The Food and Nutrition Center has developed a new publication entitled "After School Snacks: A Food and Nutrition Resource List for Child Care Providers." This publication is a compilation of resources (including kits, videocassettes, lesson plans, and newsletters) for those involved in the planning, preparation, and/or serving of after school snacks to young children. To order a hard copy, please send an e-mail message to fnic@nal.usda.gov. Please put the title of the publication in the subject line.

AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH (AICR) PUBLICATIONS

The following publications are available from the AICR:

A Healthy Weight For Life

Moving Towards a Plant-based Diet: Menus and Recipes for Cancer Prevention

The information provided is intended to assist the nutrition counselor in individual and group counseling. For special bulk rates on brochures or to join the FREE Health Professional Program call 1-800-843-8114 or(202) 328-7744 in Washington, D.C.

National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Disease Publications (NIDDK)

The following publications are available from the NIDDK

Also available in English are:

The Digestive Disease Dictionary

Why Am I Constipated?

Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime

Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes? In Spanish
Control Your Diabetes. For Life. Tips for Feeling Better and Staying Healthy In Spanish
Diabetes Dictionary In Spanish
Erectile Dysfunction In Spanish
Expanded Coverage for Diabetes Care--Medicare and You In Spanish
If You Have Diabetes, Take Care of Your Heart Flipchart Presentation In Spanish
If You Have Diabetes, Take Care of Your Heart In Spanish
Kidney Failure: Choosing a Treatment That's Right for You In Spanish
Know Your Blood Sugar Numbers In Spanish
Medicines for People With Diabetes In Spanish
Recipe and Meal Planner In Spanish
7 Principles for Controlling Your Diabetes for Life In Spanish
The Power to Control Diabetes Is in Your Hands In Spanish
What I need to know about Eating and Diabetes In Spanish
Your Guide To Diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2 In Spanish

These publications are available through:

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), 1 Information Way, Bethesda, MD 20892-3560. Or on the Internet at: http://catalog.niddk.nih.gov/materials.cfm?CH=NDIC

Web siteS TO CHECK OUT

Web site suggestions... I've visited them all and they are worth checking out.

http://www.dole5aday.com This site is hosted by 36 fruit and vegetable characters that make eating 5 fruits and vegetables a day fun.

http://www.HealthyFood.org/ This site promotes 5 A day for better health and is sponsored by the Frozen Food Institute. Their recipes are quick and easy but they do not have a nutritional analysis and not all are low in fat - substitute cooking oil spray for the butter called for in many recipes.

http://5aday.nci.nih.gov/ Your clients can visit this site to see how healthy their habits are - it asks them how many fruits and vegetables they eat for each snack/meal and how many minutes they exercise each day.

http://www.calstrawberry.com The California Strawberry commission is a quick-loading site that has recipes and tips for strawberries.

http://soyfoods.com/ Visit this site for descriptions of soyfoods, the companies that make and distribute them, nutritional information, and recipes. In addition, you will find research information about the health benefits of soyfoods, lists of books about soyfoods and of scientists who are studying soyfoods, telephone numbers of people who can tell you more about soyfoods, and a FREE monthly e-mail newsletter that will keep you up-to-date on the latest soyfoods information.

American Heart Association's Delicious Decisions at http://www.deliciousdecisions.org This Web site promotes good nutrition and has several sections. Enjoy Eating contains information about well-balanced eating, Cookbook contains over 200 AHA recipes, FIT Forever includes information on healthy eating, managing your weight and staying physically active, Supermarket contains shopping tips, Out and About contains information about dining out, and Step by Step includes information and guidance on AHA diet plans.

Dr. Terri Krakower of NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements launched a database they've been working on for 3 years, on January 6, 1999.

It has 250,000 citations, mostly with abstracts, of peer and non-peer review articles on diet supplements! There is search capacity by key word, of course, and any reporter or anyone can access all the science and popular articles on diet supplements they're interested in. The database is called IBIDS. Look for it on: http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/

Thanks to Lynne Isaacs for this information

This site is designed to help seniors get the information they need from government agencies.

FRONTLINE VIDEO, "FAT"

This video aired November 30^th on PBS. It is very comprehensive -- covers the spectrum of eating disorders to obesity from genetic to social influences. Highly recommended. For more information on how to order this video call 1-800-424-7963, ask for "Fat" video. Cost depends on if you are using it in a University setting and showing it to clients ($69.95 + $8.75 for shipping) or if you just want it for personal/home use ($19.95 + $8.75 for shipping). University costs more because of copyright.

DIABETES

Control Your Diabetes, For Life

State diabetes Control Programs, and a current NDEP publications order form. Campaign Media Kits (Pub. Nos. NDEP 22, 25-29)

Six campaign media kits promote the NDEP's diabetes control messages to specific target audiences. The kit includes ready-to-use pitch letters for placing articles, news releases, fact sheets, resource lists, and live-read radio PSA scripts. The media kits are tailored for seniors, general audiences, African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, American Indians, and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (in English and 11 ethnic languages).

These items and all NDEP campaign materials may be ordered through the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) by downloading the current NDEP order form from our web site at http://catalog.niddk.nih.gov/ or by calling (301) 654-3327 for an order form.

SOMETHING FISHY ABOUT THIS SITE

FDA Seafood List

Source:

FDA Consumer

HAVE YOU SEEN THESE NCI RESOURCES LATELY?

What You Need to Know About Cancer

http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov

Source:

DIABETES AND AMERICAN INDIANS

The future of the American Indians is once again threatened - this time by diabetes. Nearly one out of 10 American Indians has diabetes and it is causing more blindness, amputations, and kidney failure than ever before. To address this serious situation, the NDEP created the American Indian component of the Control Your Diabetes-For Life, campaign.

The campaign is designed to motivate American Indians with diabetes to control their blood sugar levels so they can pass on their culture and traditions to future generations. NDEP focus groups indicated that passing on American Indian culture and traditions to their young ones is a very important value and a motivating factor for staying healthy and controlling diabetes.

The campaign's television, print, and radio public service ads feature the traditions of American Indians - ceremonial gatherings, dancing, and a wedding feast. Campaign materials also include media kits and live-read radio scripts that present useful information for American Indians with diabetes and their family members. http://www.ndep.nih.gov/campaigns/tools.htm To order the campaign materials, visit the NDEP Web site

Tracking Your Fruits and Veggies

http://5aday.nci.nih.gov/

Source:

FDA Consumer

WHAT'S COOKING?

USDA has developed a set of 141 recipes for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). All recipes have been tested and approved by child care facilities in all regions of the country. Available from the National Food Service Management Institute. The What's Cooking! fact sheet is published four times a year by the National Food Service Management Institute, The University of Mississippi, P.O. Drawer 188, University, MS 38677-0188.

Dietary Supplements: Resources

A good overview of dietary supplements can be found in the article "Dietary Supplements: Nutritional and Legal Considerations," a Scientific Status Summary from the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). This 10-page article discusses issues related to regulation, safety, classification and labeling of supplements. It also reviews the main categories of supplements - vitamins, minerals, amino acids and botanicals - and describes the function and safety concerns for each. It appeared in the July 1999 issue of Food Technology.

The article notes that while the passage of DSHEA has vastly increased the opportunities for consumers to purchase dietary supplements in a free market economy, the public's expectations remain that government agencies provide protection from unsafe or mislabeled products. As the authors suggest, "one of the future challenges with respect to dietary supplements will be to reconcile these apparently opposing forces."

The Scientific Status Summary on Dietary supplements may be downloaded from IFT's web site at http://www.ift.org/resource/publ/sss/sc_g00.shtml Single reprints are also available free of charge and may be ordered by e-mail (sciencecom@ift.org), or by calling IFT EXPRESS (800-234-2070). Reprints may be photocopied without permission from IFT with the expectation that credit to IFT, author(s), and the Expert Panel will be maintained.

Below are reminders about other resources related to dietary supplements - some you should already have in your office. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has a position paper on vitamin and mineral supplementation. It is available on the web at http://www.fhma.com/ADA_vitamin_suppliment.htm Or in the January 1996 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

IFT and ADA are two of the four organizations that are members of the Food and Nutrition Science Alliance (FANSA). In June 1997 FANSA issued a statement "What Does the Public Need to Know About Dietary Supplements?" This statement can be found at http://www.ift.org/resource/news/news_rel/FANSA/sc_h06.shtml

Susan Nitzke, University of Wisconsin Extension, has written a 7-page publication for consumers on "Dietary Supplements" (NCR582) that is available at http://cecommerce.uwex.edu/pdfs/NCR582.PDF It can also be ordered from the UW Extension Publication office at http://cecommerce.uwex.edu/Default.asp?lg=y

The FDA has published a 3-page "Overview of Dietary Supplements" that contains a series of typical questions and answers about the topic. The latest version, updated April 1999, is available at

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-oview.html

FDA Consumer

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fdsupp.html

Source:

DNS Alert

SUGAR SUBSTITUTES

FDA Consumer,

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1999/699_sugar.html

BIOTECHNOLOGY - U.S. GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES

The debate on biotechnology continues and different branches of the U.S. Government are responding in various ways. FDA Initiative

On October 18, the FDA announced a new initiative to engage the public about food made using bioengineering. This initiative began with a series of public meetings in Chicago, and Washington, D.C., in November and one planned for Oakland, California in December.

According to an FDA press release, the public will be informed at the meetings about current FDA policy for assuring the safety of bioengineered foods. The public will be asked whether this policy should be modified and also to comment on appropriate means of providing information to the public about bioengineered products in the food supply.

Under FDA policy developers of bioengineered foods are expected to consult with the agency before marketing such foods, to ensure that all safety and regulatory questions have been fully addressed. FDA's policy also requires special labeling for bioengineered food in certain circumstances. For example, a bioengineered food would need to be called by a different or modified name if its composition were significantly different from its conventionally grown counterpart, or if its nutritive value has been significantly altered. Special labeling would be required if consumers need to be informed about a safety issue, such as the possible presence of an allergen that would not normally be found in the conventionally-grown product.

As Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala notes, "Although people have enthusiastically accepted new drugs made from biotechnology, some consumers have concerns about the use of this technology in foods, and we need to ask why those concerns exist and how we can address them."

FDA Commissioner James E. Henney, M.D. adds, "Our scientists are not aware of any reason to question the safety of currently marketed foods produced through bioengineering. Nevertheless, as a science-based agency, FDA will consider any valid scientific information that suggests the agency should reevaluate its process for overseeing the safety of these foods." USDA Web Site

On November 1, the USDA announced the launch of a new web site on agricultural biotechnology. According to USDA press release, "By creating this new central Web site, we're providing a starting point for the general public, media, industry, academia and our international trading partners to access information about USDA's role in agricultural biotechnology."

The release notes that several USDA agencies have a role in biotechnology issues. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Food Safety Inspection Service, and the Agricultural Marketing Service have regulatory functions involving biotechnology. The Agricultural Research Service, The Economic Research Service, and the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service conduct or fund agricultural biotechnology research. The Foreign Agricultural Service addresses trade issues related to biotechnology.

The new site offers answers to some of the most frequently asked biotechnological questions along with recent speeches by Secretary Glickman on agricultural biotechnology. The site also includes pages on biotechnology and trade regulations, and research. It will be updated regularly as new reports and information are released by USDA. Links to many of the other government agencies involved in biotechnology are provided. The biotechnology Web site can be assessed at: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/biotechm.html

Genetically Engineered Food - Labeling On November 10, a group of lawmakers announced they would introduce legislation that would require mandatory labeling of all food containing trace amounts of genetically modified organisms. The legislation would require a label showing a double helix graphic with the text, "United States Government notice: This product is genetically engineered food or was produced with a genetically engineered material."

The proposed bill, called the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, opposes the government's current regulatory position that genetically modified foods, in most cases, require no special labeling. The bill provides for penalties of up to $100,000 for labeling violations. To be exempt from labeling, the bill would require certification at every step of production that genetically modified ingredients were not used.

Some consumers and environmental groups praised the proposed bill saying it would provide the information necessary for the public to make informed choices about the types of food they consume. Major food industry groups, however, called the legislation unnecessary and said it "would unnecessarily confuse consumers about the safety of products already deemed safe by federal regulatory agencies." There was also concern that the bill sends the message that the Congress - rather than the FDA - is best equipped to address food biotechnology and consumer concerns.

Reference: FDA news release, 10/18/99.USDA news release, 11/1/99.Food Chemical News, 11/15/99.IPS wire story, 11/10/99.Source: DNS Alert, Nov.-Dec. 1999. Cornell CES

LISTERIOSIS BROCHURE AND VIDEO

In light of recent outbreaks of Listeria contamination of frankfurters and other foods, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has developed a brochure for your use entitled "Listeriosis and Food Safety Tips." USDA also produced a short video news release entitled "Preventing Illness from Listeria Monocytogenes" which is approximately 2½ minutes long. It targets what high-risk populations can do to reduce their risk. For a copy of the video or for additional copies of the preprinted brochure contact the FSIS publications office at (202) 720-9352 or e-mail your request to fsis.outreach@usda.gov. A Spanish version of this publication should be available shortly. The text is also on the FSIS web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Listeriosis_and_Food_Safety_Tips/index.asp Source: DNS Alert, Nov.-Dec. 1999. Cornell CES

Seasonal Features From the USDA

A USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has prepared several new Food Safety Features that address seasonal topics. Below are the titles, a brief description, and the Web sites

Food Safety of Farm-Raised Game (October 1999): Venison, antelope, boar, pheasant, and other exotic species are farm-raised in the United States under voluntary USDA inspection. For an increasing number of restaurants and home diners, exotic meats are becoming more commonplace. Included here are answers to questions about game animals. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/farmgame.htm

New Types of Food Thermometers: How To Use Them to Ensure Food Safety (October 1999): No matter how good a cook you are, there are certain mysteries in cooking. Using a food thermometer is the only reliable way to ensure safety and to determine the "doneness" of most foods. To be safe, a food must be cooked to an internal temperature high enough to destroy any harmful bacteria that may be present. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/newtherm.htm

The Poultry Label Says "Fresh" (October 1999): "I am shopping for a fresh turkey because I do not want the hassle of defrosting a frozen one. When should I buy it and how do I know if it's fresh? What does "fresh" on the label really mean? http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/freshlabel.htm

Turkey - From Farm to Freezer (October 1999): "How long can a turkey be kept in the freezer?" Although the optimum freezing time for quality, best flavor and texture is 1 year, consumers are usually surprised to learn that, from a safety standpoint, frozen turkey may be kept indefinitely in a freezer. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/farmfreeze.htm

Mail Order Food Safety (November 1999): While the mail order industry enjoys a good safety record, ordering food through the mail may cause concerns about food safety, shelf life and distribution. It's imperative to develop some mental checklists for how both food and packaging should look when perishable mail order foods arrive. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/mailorder.htm