Enjoy this remarkable video from the BBC series: Truth About Food. Find more amazing videos here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/humanbody/truthaboutfood/flashapp/nonflash.shtml
If your child is a picky eater, there is a good chance that they are also overweight, since many picky eaters only consume foods high in fat or sugar. How can you change their food tastes without a major battle? Nickelodeon has some suggestions.
An egg a day raises risk of Type 2 diabetes. Research published recently in the US claims that eating one egg every day can substantially raise the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Scientists from Boston, Massachusetts reached the conclusions after tracking almost 57,000 men and women over a period of up to 20 years. They found that eating an egg every day increased the overall risk of Type 2 diabetes by about 60 per cent. For women the risk increased by 77 per cent.
Women younger than age 65 with diabetes tend to have worse cardiovascular risk profiles than diabetic men of the same age, leading to higher death rates following a heart attack, research shows.
Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered that a drop in blood potassium levels caused by diuretics commonly prescribed for high blood pressure could be the reason why people on those drugs are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The drugs helpfully accelerate loss of fluids, but also deplete important chemicals, including potassium, so that those who take them are generally advised to eat bananas and other potassium-rich foods to counteract the effect.
$4,174 more a year, but study says proper management, lifestyle changes can help.
A recent food study led by the Health Protection Agency in the UK has revealed the presence of salmonella bacteria in a small number of ready-to-eat fresh herb samples.
Wholegrain data galore
Nov 25
The HEALTHGRAIN project just published data on fiber components and a range of phytochemicals (tocols, sterols, phenolic acids, folates, alkylresorcinols) in 150 bread wheat lines and 50 other lines of small-grain cereals (spelt, durum wheat, Triticum monococcum, Triticum dicoccum, oats, rye, and barley).
Lauren Dinour, Liza Fuentes and Nicholas Freudenberg from City University of New York prepared this fantastic report for policy makers, advocates, and health professionals. Its goal is to educate and spark debate on food policy choices.
They wrote:
One way the food industry protects its prerogatives is to make arguments that discourage public action. For example, industry trade groups argue that “individuals are responsible for what they eat and it’s unfair to expect the food industry to deprive people of what they want” that “in a free market, it’s better for industry to regulate itself than for government to impose rules” and “that no food by itself causes obesity. If we eat responsibly, there’s no reason to change our diet”.
To change the status quo, advocates of healthier food policies must challenge common arguments against action and encourage a public dialogue on health, individual and corporate responsibility, and the appropriate role for government.
The report proposes some actions for New York City to consider:
Create local healthy food zones
Healthy food zones in schools, churches, health centers, and other neighborhood institutions would not sell, advertise, or promote unhealthy products. Use zoning laws to reduce density of unhealthy food outlets.
Healthy food zones in schools, churches, health centers, and other neighborhood institutions would not sell, advertise, or promote unhealthy products. Use zoning laws to reduce density of unhealthy food outlets.
Strengthen oversight of deceptive health claims in food advertising
Many food companies seek to sell their products based on health or weight loss claims, even when the scientific foundation for such claims does not exist. To improve health, it is important to stop unhealthy and misleading messages. Local, state, and federal government can play a role in protecting the public against such messages.
Many food companies seek to sell their products based on health or weight loss claims, even when the scientific foundation for such claims does not exist. To improve health, it is important to stop unhealthy and misleading messages. Local, state, and federal government can play a role in protecting the public against such messages.
Discourage racial/ethnic targeting of unhealthy food advertisements
Racially and ethnically targeted food industry practices contribute to the inequities in heath and obesity among Blacks, Latinos, and Whites and set back efforts to achieve national health goals of reducing health disparities.
Racially and ethnically targeted food industry practices contribute to the inequities in heath and obesity among Blacks, Latinos, and Whites and set back efforts to achieve national health goals of reducing health disparities.
Tax unhealthy food such as sweetened soda and other beverages
Taxes have been shown to reduce use of unhealthy products and save taxpayer dollars. Revenues should be used to subsidize healthy food.
Taxes have been shown to reduce use of unhealthy products and save taxpayer dollars. Revenues should be used to subsidize healthy food.
Support counter-advertising campaigns against unhealthy foods
State and local health departments should fund counter-advertising campaigns that encourage people to resist manipulation by the food industry.
State and local health departments should fund counter-advertising campaigns that encourage people to resist manipulation by the food industry.
Restrict advertising and promotion of unhealthy food
Several European countries have shown that it is possible to reduce children’s exposure to food advertising.
Several European countries have shown that it is possible to reduce children’s exposure to food advertising.
Enjoy the report:
Dinour L, Fuentes L, Freudenberg N. Reversing Obesity in New York City: An Action Plan for Reducing the Promotion and Accessibility of Unhealthy Food, CUNY Campaign Against Diabetes and Public Health Association of New York City, October 2008.
Dinour L, Fuentes L, Freudenberg N. Reversing Obesity in New York City: An Action Plan for Reducing the Promotion and Accessibility of Unhealthy Food, CUNY Campaign Against Diabetes and Public Health Association of New York City, October 2008.
SCHOOL FOOD UNWRAPPED
Nov 25
This 9-page report is based on data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Cohort and a representative sample of more than 22,000 children from kindergarten entry in the fall of 1998 through fifth grade in 2004. Sweets could be purchased in approximately 69% of schools with fifthgrade classrooms. Salty snacks and sodas, sports drinks, or fruit drinks that were not 100-percent juice were available in nearly one-half of these schools.