|
| Nutrition per serving | Original | Modified |
| Calories | 175 | 117 |
| Fat | 7 g | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 35 mg | 35 mg |
| Sodium | 140 mg | 140 mg |
| Percent of Calories from fat | 36 | 25 |
Dietary Behavior of Homeless Preschool Children
A recent study conducted at the University of Maryland examined the food consumption and eating behavior of 73 homeless preschool children living in homeless shelters in Baltimore. The children's mothers completed a 24-hour dietary recall and provided information about family food sources, children's eating behavior, and maternal interest in nutrition education. The study indicated that the preschoolers consumed less than the USDA-recommended number of servings of dairy products, fruits and vegetables and grain products. One third of the mothers reported they sometimes lacked adequate food for their children. Approximately 70% of the homeless mothers expressed an interest in nutrition education. (MP)
Source: Journal of Nutrition Education, 26:20-25, 1994
Eligible Elderly Not Using Food Programs
According to a recent Urban Institute study, at least 2.5 million (and possibly as many as 4.9 million) elderly Americans experience food insecurity. The Institute defines food insecurity as concern about getting enough to eat when there is inadequate food, inadequate money to buy enough food, or when an individual is unable to get to markets and food programs.
Of those who reported food insecurity, only 33% used a congregate meals program and only 25% received food stamps. Surprisingly, 40% of those reporting food insecurity are not officially poor, with incomes up to 150% of the poverty line.
There were no significant differences between rural and urban elderly, but major racial differences were found. Hispanics experienced the most food insecurity, followed by African Americans and other minorities. (MP)
Source: CNI, Nov. 19, 1993, p 6-7
School Breakfast Hits Record High
According to a study by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), participation in the School Breakfast Program increased by 10.4% between 1991 and 1992. The study indicated that almost 60% of schools offering school lunch also offered school breakfast and more than 35% of low income children participating in school lunch ate school breakfast as well. In spite of the increase in participation, however, millions of needy students are still unserved. Only 33% of eligible children participate.
States showing the most improvement in participation in School Breakfast included Oregon, Kansas, Utah and Indiana. (MP)
Source: CNI, October 29, 1993
Second Harvest Opens "Kids Cafes"
Second Harvest, the nation's umbrella group for food banks has developed the Kid's Cafe project, a national source of food for at risk children. Kids Cafes were begun in 1989 in Georgia. At 5 Savannah Kids Cafes, as many as 100 children receive meals every day as well as tutoring. The Savannah program expanded in the summer of 1993, with programs in Chicago and Louisville with funding assistance from the Quaker Oats Company. Quaker has committed to providing funds for the existing Cafes and new Cafes in Houston and Orlando.
Soup kitchens or food pantries can be dangerous for children. Second Harvest is emphasizing the security of the Kids Cafes, choosing convenient locations or providing transportation services. (MP)
Source: CNI, October 15, 1993
Link Between Temperament and Weight?
Excess weight and weight loss are topics that most people think about at least once in a while. And this has been the topic of a considerable amount of research. Evidence is mounting that weight loss is far more complicated than we once thought. We now know that genetics plays a significant role in determining weight. Recently studies have examined psychological traits as they relate to obesity.
A link between temperament and weight has been found by researchers at Cornell University. College women were surveyed about their eating and sleeping habits, anxiety level and general outlook on life. Two distinct groups of personality traits were evaluated. One group of traits related to positive factors such as level of happiness, social support, emotional reactivity, and optimism. The other related to negative factors such as poor sleeping patterns, anxiety, depression, tension, preoccupations with eating, and a high need for social support.
Underweight women tended to score low on both the positive and negative traits. Overweight women tended to score high on both. The researchers described the overweight women as being more reactive to life's ups and downs. Their conclusion was that overweight women may overeat because they are easily affected by their environment. Eating may be a more soothing behavior to them.
The researchers suggest that personality traits need to be evaluated when treating obesity. People who are emotionally reactive may need help in focusing on finding an alternative to eating, such as exercise or reading, to get their positive rewards. (PP)
Source: Environmental Nutrition, January 1994.
Folic Acid Health Claim Approved; Fortification Uncertain
The FDA announced early in January that it will allow a health claim on food and supplements linking folic acid (called folate when in food) to a reduced incidence of neural tube defects. FDA has also proposed that folic acid be added to flour, breads and other grain products.
- How much folic acid do women need?
- The U.S. Public Health Service recommends 0.4 milligrams per day of folic acid for all women of child-bearing age, as a means of reducing spina bifida and anencephaly in their babies.
- What are spina bifida and anencephaly?
- Spina bifida is the term used to describe the condition where the backbone does not fully form around the nerves of the spinal cord. The spinal cord is exposed and may be damaged when the child is born, sometimes resulting in paralysis. Infants and children with this disorder may require a series of operations and other treatments. Most grow to adulthood with varying degrees of disability.
- With anencephaly, the child is born with a severe malformation of its brain. These children cannot survive.
- What is the incidence of the disorders?
- About 2,500 live birth cases of spina bifida and anencephaly occur each year in the U.S.
Preventive medicine:
Philip Lee, M.D., head of the Public Health Service, explained that these serious birth defects develop before most women even know they're pregnant. That's why young women must get adequate folate before becoming pregnant to reduce their babies' risk.
Several methods can be used to help ensure an adequate intake of folic acid. These include consumption of the folate that occurs naturally in some foods, like citrus fruits and dark green leafy vegetables, as well as through consuming food fortified with folic acid or dietary supplements containing folic acid.
The FDA has not yet made a final decision on fortification. But an FDA proposal submitted in October of 1993 would require manufacturers to add folic acid to enriched flours, breads, rolls, buns, corn grits, corn meal, farina, rice, macaroni, and noodle products.
Are there any problems with folic acid fortification?
Overconsumption of folic acid can mask symptoms of a vitamin B-12 deficiency, pernicious anemia, that can lead to nerve damage if left untreated. This could be a special problem in elderly Americans, where up to one-fifth may have slight deficiencies of vitamin B-12.
The proposed fortification levels are designed to stay with safe levels even for heavy consumers of grain products. The proposal would allow the addition of folic acid only to a limited range of products to establish a safe level of intake. New standards of identity for enriched grain products would stipulate the amount of folic acid they must contain.
The proposed health claim for labels:
The average American consumes 0.2 milligrams of folate each day, only half the amount believed to prevent neural tube defects. In order to include a health claim on its package, a product must contain 10 percent of the RDI . The final wording on the label health claim is yet to come, but the FDA's sample claim reads:
"Daily consumption of 0.4 milligrams of folate by women of child-bearing age may be a factor in helping to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in their offspring. Sources of folate include leafy dark green vegetables, citrus fruits and juices, yeast, fortified breads and breakfast cereals, beans, and dietary supplements containing folic acid. Regular daily consumption of folate should not exceed 1.0 milligrams from all sources. (PP)
Sources: CNI, January 7, 1994 and Human Environmental Sciences Extension's Resource, University of Missouri Extension, Nov./ Dec. 1993.
"Quickly" Weight-Loss Product being Recalled
The Food and Drug Administration announced that Neways Inc., of Salem, Utah, is recalling its "Quickly" weight-loss product because it contains potentially dangerous amounts of a prescription drug.
Consumers who have been taking "Quickly" should immediately stop, and should dispose of any unused product or return it to the distributor from whom it was purchased.
Recent FDA tests found that single-dose samples of "Quickly" contained at least 33.5 milligrams-a full medical dose-of furosemide, a potent diuretic that must be prescribed by a physician. Marketing and selling furosemide in a non-prescription drug or weight-loss product is a violation of federal law.
Furosemide is used to treat congestive heart failure, chronic liver and kidney disease, hypertension and certain related medical conditions. It should be taken only under medical supervision. Excessive intake can lead to profound depletion of water and electrolytes from the body, blood volume reduction, dangerously low blood pressure and heart complications. Adverse reactions associated with the drug's use include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, hearing loss, dizziness, headache, rash and dermatitis.
"Quickly" is a "weight management formula" that "enhances any weight-loss program." The product is sold in canisters containing 20 clear, sealed, cellophane packages with four tablets and one capsule in each package. Each cellophane package of tablets and capsule is considered one dose of the product.
The product label says the tablets contain vitamins and minerals, and that the capsule contains papaya, kelp, garlic and lactose. FDA found furosemide in the capsules.
"Quickly" is sold through Neways' network of private distributors, who sell directly to customers and not through commercial establishments. An estimated 4,900 canisters of "Quickly" have been sold nationwide during the last 12 months.
Neways has begun notifying its distributors that the product must be recalled immediately from purchasers, and to cease further sales of the product. Individual distributors have been instructed to contact anyone to whom the product was sold and make arrangements for its return. (JD)
Source: Heinz Wilms, Director, Division Federal-State Relations, ORO/FDA, Nov. 15, 1993
American Cholesterol Levels Are Declining
Cholesterol levels of American men and women aged 20 to 74 have declined 7% (15 mg/dL) since 1960, according to a recent study by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). The 1989-1991 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) shows that both men and women have a mean serum cholesterol of 205 mg/dL. What's more, since 1976, when data on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were first collected, the overall mean LDL has fallen by 6% (from 136 to 128 mg/dL), while the average HDL has risen slightly (from 50 to 51 mg/dL).
The reduction in cholesterol levels observed in NHANES III coincides with a decline in coronary mortality rates in the United States. Between 1963 and 1990, coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality declined by 54%, accounting for 49% of the decline in total mortality. More than half of the decline in CHD between 1968 to 1976 can be attributed to changes in life-styles, specifically to reductions in serum cholesterol levels and smoking. Other factors (use of lipid-lowering drugs or sex hormones, physical activity and other dietary practices) played important roles in reducing CHD mortality as well.
The NCEP report shows encouraging progress toward the Healthy People 2000 objective of reducing the mean serum cholesterol level among adults to 200 mg/dL. This shows that educational efforts such as our program's emphasis on the Dietary Guidelines are contributing to a decline in the nation's number 1 cause of death. (JD)
Sources: C.L. Johnson. 1993 Declining Serum Cholesterol Levels Among U.S.Adults. JAMA 269: 3002-3008. and University of Wisconsin-Extension, Dec. 1993.
We have learned of several food allergy resources which are worth noting:
- 1. The Food Allergy Network:
- Recommended by the
American Academy of Allergy and Immunology, this
nonprofit, professional organization was
established to help families living with food
allergies, and to increase public awareness about
food allergies and anaphylaxis.
The Network's publications include Food Allergy News, an 8-page bimonthly newsletter which contains allergy-free recipes, practical tips such as birthday party, trick or treating, and medical and product information. Additionally, the Network produces educational brochures for a reasonable range of prices. All educational materials are reviewed by an extensive, nationally representative medical advisory board.
The Network's members are physicians, dietitians, nurses, support group leaders, food manufacturers and families. Membership dues are $18.00 a year, and include the newsletter. Families with allergies are encouraged to join the network to learn practical tips and keep up with the latest in food allergy research.
For more information, contact: The Food Allergy Network, 4744 Holly Avenue, Fairfax, VA 22030 (703) 691-3179 or FAX (703) 691-2713. Call 1-800-929-4040 for ordering brochures.
- 2. Understanding Food Allergy:
- This consumer
education brochure was developed by the
International Food Information Council, the
American Academy of Allergy and Immunology, and
the International Food Information Council
Foundation.
The brochure explains the basic symptoms, diagnosis and management of food allergy and answers questions commonly asked by consumers. It also describes the difference between food allergy and food intolerance and provides information on preventing and treating anaphylaxis.
Single copies of the brochure are free of charge. Up to 100 copies are .50 cents each, with additional savings for larger bulk orders.
To order write: The International Food Information Council Foundation, 1100 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 430, Washington, D.C. 20036.
- 3. The Newsletter for People with Lactose Intolerance and Milk Allergy
- by Jane Zukin,
Commercial Writing Service, P.O. Box 3074, Iowa
City, IA 52244. Cost of the newsletter is $15.00
a year; it is recommended by the Colitis and
Ileitis Foundation, and the National Digestive
Disease Information Clearinghouse (an arm of the
NIH), and National Dairy Council.
Also available is The Dairy-Free Cookbook. Call toll-free for ordering information: 1-800-356-8501. (PP)
Source: RESOURCE, Human Environmental Sciences Extension, University of Missouri, Columbia, Nov/Dec 1993.
At the January Agents' Update, there were a number of requests for information on the video, "For Goodness Sake". This video was developed for use at commodity distribution sites and WIC offices. It includes 4 five minute food demonstrations emphasizing nutrition and food preparation using low cost ingredients. Contact Amy Joy, EFNEP specialist, University of California, 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, CA 94612-3560. (MP)
K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.