Food Research & Action Center in Washington DC prepared this 5 page review of resent scientific research on the link between children’s nutrition and academic performance.
Breakfast for learning
Nov 18
Physical Activity and Dietary Environment was assessed with regard to 1) policies, 2) availability, 3) social environment, 4) community collaboration and 5) administrative support. Food environments are related to adolescents’ dietary behaviors and interventions targeting FV consumption should include strategies to increase administrative support and the development of FV-related policies.
The objective of this study was to associate questions about specific eating behaviors with weight. Questions about consumption of beverages with sugar added, fruits and vegetables, and full portions served at restaurants as well as questions about physical activity were associated with body mass index and being overweight and/or obese.
144 children at 7 elementry schools in California were followed. There was significantly more discouragement of physical activity during organized adult-led sessions (29%) as compared to the free play sessions (6%). The quality of after-school programs can be improved by providing fruits and vegetables as snacks; offering more free play activities; training the after-school staff in simple, structured games for use in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings; and training after-school moderate and vigorous physical activity and healthful eating in and out of the after-school setting.
Calcium and vitamin D supplementation did not reduce invasive breast cancer incidence in postmenopausal women. This is based on 36 282 women randomly assigned to 1000 mg of elemental calcium with 400 IU of vitamin D.
A lifetime cost-effectiveness analysis from a societal perspective was conducted to estimate the costs, health gains, and cost-effectiveness (dollars per quality-adjusted life year gained, relative to no intervention) of seven public health interventions to promote physical activity. Cost-effectiveness ratios ranged between $14,000 and $69,000 per QALY gained.
Dr. Varki has found a new mechanism for how human consumption of red meat and milk products could contribute to the increased risk of cancerous tumors. His findings suggest that inflammation resulting from a molecule introduced through consumption of these foods could promote tumor growth.
Eating a high-fat diet during pregnancy causes permanent changes in the fetal brain that can result in overeating and obesity early in life, according to a study with rats.
During the Summer term 2007 the diet, physical activity and body shape were recorded of 2064 kids aged 9-10 years in 92 schools across the county of Norfolk. Promotion of daily fruit and vegetable intake in this age group is warranted, possibly focusing on children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Stop Skin Cancer On The Spot
Nov 16
Based on current estimates, 8,420 people are expected to die from melanoma this year. In an effort to reverse this sobering trend, dermatologists and the scientific community alike are continually developing new diagnostics, refining detection guidelines and providing patients with the tools they need to properly examine their own skin for signs of skin cancer.