Nutrition Newsletter

Fall, 2002

Prepared by: Linda B. Bobroff, Ph.D., RD, LD/N, Amy Simonne, Ph.D.

Lifecycle Nutrition

Weight Loss and Mortality in Elders

When older persons experience even a small decrease in body weight, their mortality risk is raised. This is the conclusion of a seven-year study of almost 5,000 persons 65 years and older in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Weight loss or gain occurred in 35% of the women and 27% of the men in the study. Those persons who were more likely to have lost weight were older, African American, smoked cigarettes, had higher weight at baseline, had lost a spouse, and had limited ability to do physical activity. Those who lost weight had a higher risk of dying, whether or not they had a serious illness. Persons who work with older adults should be aware of the significance of even a small loss of weight in this population.

Reference: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 49: 1309-1318, 2001

Breakfast Skipping in Teens

Are your teenagers often "too busy" to eat breakfast? If so, they are missing out on critical nutrients. And, they probably are not making up for the missing nutrients later in the day. Breakfast skippers may not be getting all the nutrients they need for good health and for growth. Researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas studied the breakfast habits of 700 ninth graders. Almost 20% of the young people skipped breakfast. Compared with the breakfast skippers, adolescents who did eat breakfast were two to five times more likely to get at least two-thirds of the recommended intake of these critical nutrients: Calcium,  Magnesium, Riboflavin, Folate, Phosphorus, Iron,  Vitamin A, Vitamin B₆ , Vitamin D. Intake of zinc, protein, and carbohydrates also was lower in the breakfast skippers. These young people did not make up later in the day for their lack of food and nutrients in the morning. During the past 25 years, more people in all age groups have become breakfast skippers. This is especially true for girls between 15 and 18 years of age. Does skipping breakfast lead to decreased body weight? It doesn't appear so. Even though these young people get less of many critical nutrients, they tend to be heavier than those who eat breakfast.

Young people may need some encouragement to eat breakfast for a good start. They should realize that they can have a grab and go if they don't have time for a sit down breakfast every day. A good rule of thumb is to have a grain food, a fruit or vegetable, and milk or yogurt for a nice balance of food and nutrients in the morning. Source: ARS News Service, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Alfredo Flores, (301) 504-1627, aflores@ars.usda.gov, June 21, 2002.

Counteracting Kids' Cholesterol Counts

High cholesterol levels in children can affect their health later in life. Researchers tested blood cholesterol levels and recorded foods eaten by 1,182 children when the children were third graders and again when they were in fifth grade. Total blood cholesterol closely correlated with the amount of fat that the young people consumed. The researchers noted that reducing the amount of saturated fat that children eat, increasing the amounts of fruits and vegetables they are served, and encouraging them to exercise should help keep their cholesterol counts at healthy levels. An article in the April 2002 Journal of the American Dietetic Association (vol. 102, pp. 511-517) has details. Source: Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX. 2002.

"Anti-Aging" Supplements May Harm Seniors, GAO Reports There are an increasing number of older individuals in the world today, hence a bigger market for anti-aging supplements. Women over age 65 add the most and fastest to the number of users of herbal supplements. A report released by the United States government's General Accounting Office (GAO) gives evidence that anti-aging supplements aimed at older individuals may pose a threat.

The report, "Health Products for Seniors: 'Anti-Aging' Products Pose Potential for Physical and Economic Harm," was released on September 10, 2001, at a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Aging. The GAO stated, "some companies promote their products to senior citizens by using "anti-aging" or "cure-all" claims for which there is little or no supporting evidence of either safety or efficacy. Regulators and medical experts are concerned that some products have health risks or are marketed with misleading or unsubstantiated claims." The GAO said, "seniors are thought to be at particular risk of physical harm because they often take multiple prescription pharmaceuticals, increasing their risk of possibly dangerous supplement-drug interactions." Older people who consume dietary supplements are of special concern because of potential interactions with any drugs they may be taking, either prescription or over the counter. There is a risk, when a person is taking a supplement, that an underlying disease or medical condition might mean using the supplement is not recommended.

Dietary supplements lack the strict regulation and testing that food and drugs receive. Unfounded, exaggerated, and misleading health claims on supplement labels are more common than such claims made on actual food items. The GAO report noted that some supplements have even been found to "contain harmful contaminants or much more of an active ingredient than is indicated on the label." Some of these supplements are also very expensive, costing the consumer hundreds or thousands of dollars apiece. The United States Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission have identified many products that make claims with insufficient substantiation.

An added concern mentioned in the report is that the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act passed by the U.S. Congress permits claims on supplements dealing with a bodily function rather than a proven benefit. The GAO report reiterated a finding from a prior report that "consumers may incorrectly view such statements as claims to reduce the risk of or treat a disease."It is recommended that all people, especially older individuals, discuss any dietary supplements with their doctor before they try them. Reprinted from: eFOOD RAP, Volume 12, Number 1, January 4, 2002.Reference: Food Chemical News, September 17, 2001, pp. 2, 20. Find back issues of eFOOD RAP on the Web at: http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/Extension/efr/efrframe.htm