K-State Research and Extension

September/October 1997

What's New

Update on F&N and HRIMD Restructuring Proposal

K-State Food Safety Homepage

Food Safety

Consumer Meat Safety Tips

Travelers also bringing home food poisoning

Healthy Food Preparation

Irish Oatmeal Soda Bread

You Asked It!

You Asked It-Rapid Response Center Q/A

Nutrition/Health

Diet Drug Removed

Laxatives Are Not The Answer To Constipation

Triglycerides and Heart Health

Gleanings From Diet and Cancer Research

Dietary Choices Don't Reflect Knowledge

Zinc Helps Children Think

The Diets of America's Children

Resources

Beans, Beans, Beans

Update on F&N and HRIMD Restructuring Proposal
Plans for restructuring of the Foods and Nutrition (F&N) department and the Hotel, Restaurant, Institution Management and Dietetics (HRIMD) department into one unit are still under consideration. Further discussion of the idea has been recommended by the College Committee on Planning (CCOP) after receiving a letter from the Faculty Affairs Committee on campus regarding the process to be followed.

CCOP latest questionnaire found the majority of F&N faculty and staff respondents opposed to the idea.

Extension F&N faculty have different views on the benefits on the proposed restructuring, with some seeing benefits and others disadvantages to the extension programs, but are in agreement that due process should be followed to allow for adequate faculty and staff input. (F&N Specialists)

K-State Food Safety Homepage
This is a work in progress and I will continue to add information and resources. Currently, it provides information on the Food Safety Forum, Food Safety Links to other sites, and Food Science Links to other sites. Food Safety Publications and Food Safety News will be added.

The URL is http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/foodsafety or it can be reached from the Extension F & N home page (http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/humannutrition). (KP)

Consumer Meat Safety Tips
In light of the recent recall of ground beef patties processed by Hudson Foods because of E.coli 0157:H7, here are some consumer tips and reminders:

• Select ground meat packages that are cold and tightly wrapped. The meat surface should be red. Store ground meats of all kinds in the refrigerator. Set the refrigerator at 40 F and your freezer at 0F. Use a refrigerator thermometer to check the refrigeration temperature. Cook or freeze the meat within 2 days. Store frozen no longer than 3-4 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator or in the microwave just prior to cooking.

• Wash hands in hot soapy water before and after handling raw meat. Ideally, scrub hands for 20 seconds. Cook ground beef to 160 F and use a thermometer to test the endpoint temperature. You can not rely on the color of the meat to tell you when it is done. Research at the K-State Department of Animal Sciences indicates that a brown color may occur before the product reaches 160 F.

• E. coli 0157:H7 is a deadly bacteria, but it and other potentially harmful bacteria can be killed by proper cooking. So be sure to cook the meat well done and use a thermometer to test ground beef temperature. If you don't have a thermometer, now is a good time to go and buy one. it is the ONLY reliable way to tell when the meat is adequately cooked. (KP)

Travelers also bringing home food poisoning
"Don't drink the water!" We have all heard stories of travelers abroad returning with more than just souvenirs. However, a recent report by the World Health Organization cites growing numbers of people having expensive vacations ruined by food poisoning. Most governments don't take the problem seriously despite huge economic and social costs, the report added.

Food borne diseases — such as cholera and diarrhea — have long been the scourge of developing countries due to bad sanitation and contaminated water. There are 1.5 billion cases of diarrhea in children under five and 3 million deaths annually, mainly among the poor.

But the problem extends well beyond developing nations. Surveys indicate that 5 percent to 10 percent of the population in industrialized countries are affected annually, according to the U.N. health agency.

This proportion soars among vacationers, especially those traveling to developing nations.

A 1996 survey by a British travel company showed that 63 percent of its package holiday tourists who went to Egypt suffered diarrhea because of the local food or water. 57 percent of those who went to the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean were hit by the "travel tummy bug" and 56 percent of Kenya visitors suffered the problem, the survey said. "Montezuma's Revenge" from Mexico followed with 49 percent.

Conversely, only 7 percent of the travel company's customers in Florida suffered diarrhea. Switzerland was the most sterile destination, with only 3 percent suffering, the British survey showed.

What can you do to avoid food poisoning when traveling?
Only drink beverages that you know are safe, including tea and coffee made with boiled water, canned or bottled carbonated beverages, including carbonated bottled water and soft drinks, and beer and wine. Where water may be contaminated, ice should also be considered contaminated and should not be used in beverages.

All raw food is subject to contamination. Particularly in areas where hygiene and sanitation are inadequate, travelers should avoid salads, uncooked vegetables, unpasteurized milk and milk products such as cheese, and to eat only food that has been cooked and is still hot, or fruit that has been peeled by the traveler. Undercooked and raw meat, fish, shellfish and cooked food that has been allowed to stand for several hours may be dangerous. The easiest way to guarantee a safe food source for an infant less than 6 months of age is to have the child breast-feed. If the infant has already been weaned from the breast, formula prepared from commercial powder and boiled water is the safest and most practical food.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a hotline where travelers can ask for information about a specific country. Travelers may call the CDC Travelers' Hotline at (404) 332-4559 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week. (RB)

Source: World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Irish Oatmeal Soda Bread
We are featuring this recipe because it is an example of a recipe that meets many of the recommendations in the 1995 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Specifically, it features whole grains (oats and whole wheat flour), is low in fat and cholesterol, and is higher in fiber than white flour products. However, it may be higher in sodium than you wish if you are carefully watching salt intake.

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder

1 teaspoons salt

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats plus additional for sprinkling the bread

2 cups buttermilk

1 large egg, beaten lightly

In a large bowl, sift together 2 1/4 cups of the all-purpose flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt and stir in the whole-wheat flour and 1 cup of the oats. Add the buttermilk and the egg and stir the mixture until it forms a dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it, kneading in as much of the remaining 1/4 cup all-purpose flour as necessary, until it forms a manageable but sticky dough. Halve the dough, form the halves into round loaves, and put them on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle the loaves lightly with the additional oats, dust them with flour, and bake them in the middle of a preheated 350 F. oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until they are browned lightly. Let the loaves cool on a rack. Makes two 7-inch loaves, eight servings per loaf. (RB)

Nutrition Per Serving

You Asked It—Rapid Response Center Q/A
Q. What is "poke salad?'
A. Poke salad is made from the leaves of the pokeberry plant, usually by boiling, draining, and boiling the leaves again. It is a traditional rural dish in the southern U.S., popularized in the 1960's hit song "Poke Salad Annie." The berries are toxic to humans.

Q. Is there a chance of botulism when storing cut onion in the refrigerator?
A. No, botulism cannot grow in the refrigerator or in the presence of air. If the onion is stored in oil on the counter, the risk of botulism becomes very real.

Q. Are broccoli leaves edible?
A. Yes

Q. Is lemon oil the same as lemon extract?
A. No, lemon oil is extracted from the lemon rind, while lemon extract is distilled from the whole lemon and is dissolved in alcohol and/or water. Although they both impart a lemony character to a recipe, they are not interchangeable on a one-to-one basis.

Q. Where can I get parts for my old pressure canner?
A. There are only two companies that make pressure canners and they probably do not have what you are looking for. Here are the addresses: Mirro, P.O. Box 1330, Manitowoc, WI, 54220, (414) 684-3479. Presto, 3925 North Hastings Way, Eau Clair, WI, 54703, (715) 839-2121

Q. Are steam canners recommended for canning?
A. Steam canners are not recommended because processing times for use with current models have not been adequately tested. Steam canners do not heat jars in the same manner as does the boiling water bath, therefore, the boiling water bath processing times may be inadequate and result in food spoilage. They may not be used for pressure canning under any circumstances.

Q. What is "creatine?"
A. Creatine is a muscle fuel used during the first few seconds of high intensity exercise, before glucose is used as a fuel. Creatine supplements are currently very popular among athletes, and several research studies support their effectiveness for certain sports. Athletes most likely to benefit are those who work at repeated bouts of high intensity with short recovery periods, (e.g., weight training individuals). However, creatine supplementation is not likely to benefit endurance athletes such as distance runners or triathletes. The currently accepted creatine (monohydrate) loading protocol consists of 20-30 g/day for 6 days followed by maintenance at 3g/day for 30 days. The safety of long-term creatine supplementation has not been documented.

Q. Can I use burpless cucumbers for pickling?
A. Burpless cucumbers are not recommended for use in fermented pickles because they produce a softening enzyme that causes the pickles to soften during fermentation. Smaller burpless cucumbers may be suitable for making fresh pack pickles. In any case, the skins may be tough.

Q. Can a sour cream apple pie be left unrefrigerated?
A. No, Extension recommends that fruit-only pies are the only pies that can be left unrefrigerated.

Q. Is it safe to eat the fruit from an ornamental crabtree?
A. According to the Horticulture Response Center, ornamental crabtree fruits are safe to eat. (RB)

Diet Drugs Removed
The appetite-suppressant drugs, fenfluramine and dexfenfluamine, have recently been pulled off the market as reports about their harmful effects have surfaced. Lawsuits are being filed in many different parts of the country against the companies supplying the drugs. The official FDA announcement released on September 15, 1997 is reprinted below:

The Food and Drug Administration, acting on new evidence about significant side-effects associated with fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine, has asked the manufacturers to voluntarily withdraw both treatments for obesity from the market. Dexfenfluramine is manufactured for Interneuron Pharmaceuticals and marketed under the name of Redux by Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, a subsidiary of American Home Products Corp. of Madison, N.J., which also manufactures and markets fenfluramine under the brand name Pondimin. Both companies have agreed to voluntarily withdraw their drugs. The FDA is not requesting the withdrawal of phentermine, the third widely used medication for obesity.

The action is based on new findings from doctors who have evaluated patients taking these two drugs with echocardiograms, a special procedure that can test the functioning of heart valves. These finding indicate that approximately 30 percent of patients who were evaluated had abnormal echcardiograms, even though they had no symptoms. This is a much higher than expected percentage of abnormal test results.

"These findings call for prompt action," said Michael A. Friedman, M.D., the Lead Deputy Commissioner of the FDA. "The data we have obtained indicate that fenfluramine, and the chemically closely related dexfenfluramine, present an unacceptable risk at this time to patients who take them."

FDA recommends that patients using either of these products stop taking them. Users of these two products should contact their doctors to discuss their treatment.

These new findings suggest fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine are the likely cause of heart valve problems of the type that prompted FDA's two earlier warnings concerning "fen-phen," a combination of fenfluramine and phentermine.

In July, researchers at the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation reported 24 cases of rare valvular disease in women who took the "fen-phen" combination therapy. FDA alerted medical doctors that it had received nine additional reports of the same type, and requested all health care professionals to report any such cases to the agency's MedWatch program (1-800-FDA-1088/fax 1-800-FDA-0178) or to the respective pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Subsequently, FDA received 66 additional reports of heart valve disease associated mainly with "fen-phen." There were also reports of cases seen in patients taking only fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine. FDA requested that the manufacturers of fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine stress the potential risk to the heart in the drugs' labeling and patient package inserts. FDA continues to receive reports of cardiac valvular disease in persons who have taken these drugs.

For additional information contact: Food and Drug Administration, Lawrence Bachorik: (301) 827-6250. Consumer Hotline: (800) 532-4440

Or the Web site for the announcement that has links to additional information: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/NEW00598.html(MC/PP)

Laxatives Are Not The Answer To Constipation
Constipation is better treated with dietary fiber, exercise and plenty of fluids than taking laxatives. It is considered an important problem for older adults even though health care providers usually don't consider it seriously. In one survey of free-living, frail elderly, nearly half (45 percent) of elderly thought constipation was an important problem and 1 in ten (11 percent) considered it a major problem. The overwhelming majority, some 88 percent, used medications but only a third reported making dietary changes.

It's small wonder that there is so much constipation when one considers the lack of fiber in an average American's diet. Average intakes are only 10 to 12 grams daily while our recommendations are for 20 to 35 grams daily. Older folks are particularly susceptible to constipation because many have poor teeth and cannot easily chew high fiber foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. Also many are limited in the amount of food they eat because of poor appetite and limited exercise. Constipation has many other causes such as disease, a drug side-effect, or even worry and not having a regular time to go to the bathroom.

Another aspect is that people may think they are constipated when they actually aren't. Our culture thinks that having at least one stool or bowel movement daily is essential for good health and to remove "toxic wastes". Constipation is better defined by how difficult it is to pass the stool than by its frequency. It may be normal for one person to have 3 evacuations a day but not suffer diarrhea whereas another may only evacuate every second or third day. While it is true that more colon cancer occurs in those who evacuate less frequently, plenty of fiber and fluids are natural cleansers and fasting and purging are not necessary nor even desirable.

Frequent laxative use can lead to dependence upon drugs. Even the natural herb, senna, is a drug and can result in chronic constipation. Conservative treatment of more fiber, fluid and exercise are best for the long-term.

Dietary fiber is found in only plant foods; therefore, raw fruits and vegetables with their skins and seeds are some of the best sources. Higher fiber vegetables are green peas, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, carrots and corn on the cob. High fiber fruits include berries of all kinds, peaches, apples and pears with skins, and oranges. Equally good are whole grains like 100% whole wheat and European rye breads, whole wheat cereals, bulgur, brown rice, oatmeal, pearl barley, whole wheat pastas and even popcorn. Products made with white flour, or unbleached wheat flour, as it is often listed on bread wrappers, are low in fiber. The very best sources of dietary fiber are all kinds of legumes (dried peas and beans) averaging 5 or 6 grams of fiber for each half cup of cooked legume and the bran cereals. All Bran with extra fiber* has nearly 14 grams of fiber in a half cup. Fiber One and Wheat bran have about 12 grams each and corn bran has 20 grams of fiber in a third cup of uncooked bran. Check the labels of your favorite cereals to see how much bran there is in a serving. Try adding extra bran to a hot or cold cereal to up its fiber content.

As for fluids, water is best but be sure to consume at least 6 to 8 cups of liquid daily. These can include tea, coffee and soft drinks but some people are sensitive to too much caffeine or don't need the extra calories of sweetened beverages. Bowel obstructions can occur if not enough fluids are consumed along with the over-the-counter bulking agents. (MC)

Triglycerides and Heart Health
Most people interested in heart health can tell you their total cholesterol (TC) number. Many can report their LDL-cholesterol and their HDL numbers, but few can recall how high their triglycerides are. Until recently, the main reason for testing for triglycerides was to help in the calculation of the LDL level, a well known risk factor for heart disease. Now research findings suggest that high triglycerides by themselves are a risk factor. Furthermore, what is currently considered to be "normal" may actually be too high. The American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's National Cholesterol Education Program both consider a triglyceride level between 200 and 400 (milligrams per deciliter of blood) as being borderline high with 400 and above as high.

However, a study by researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore found that those with triglyceride levels greater than 100 had twice the heart attack risk of those with lower levels. Another study at Chicago's Rush Medical Center noted that triglyceride levels at 190 or greater makes blood more viscous, blood flow becomes sluggish and less oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the heart muscle. It also clots more easily, bringing on a heart attack. High triglycerides and low HDL-cholesterol go hand-in-hand.

Triglycerides are a fancy name for fats both in food and in your body. Of course, food fats are the main source of blood fats, i.e. triglycerides. Eating a high fat meal causes a quick rise in blood triglyceride levels. To correctly measure someone's triglycerides, the person must delay having blood drawn 12 or more hours after eating. And if the reading is high, then it is a good idea to have a retest.

If your triglycerides really are high, what then? Diabetes and/or obesity may be the fundamental problem. Thus, losing weight is high on the list of ways to lower excess blood fats. Cut back on calories including fats and increase exercise to at least three days a week. Saturated fats still need to be limited to low levels, i.e. restrict animal fats like butter, lard and beef suet and avoid tropical oils like coconut and palm kernel. And finally, eat more fatty fish like salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel. These fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids and have been shown to lower triglyceride levels.

Alcohol contributes to high triglycerides. Even small amounts can cause a significant jump.

After fats and alcohol come sugars of all kinds. These include cane and beet sugar, honey, powdered sugar, molasses, and sugar syrups like high fructose-corn syrup. Your liver converts these simple carbohydrates into triglycerides. Some experts are wondering if so many new fat-free but high sugar dessert and snack items are not partly to blame for increasing high blood triglyceride levels in Americans.

Even complex carbohydrates like starches can elevate triglyceride levels in someone who is susceptible. This is the reasoning behind the new dietary recommendations for diabetes, that is, some should be careful about their carbohydrate intake and eat more monounsaturated fat like canola and olive oils. (MC)

Source: Why You Ought to Know Your Triglyceride Level. Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter. July 1997. page 3.

Gleanings From Diet and Cancer Research
Researchers are busy probing for diet and cancer connections. As more people live longer, their likelihood of succumbing to cancer increases. The findings are now clear: Diet can impact cancer development at all three stages—initiation, promotion and progression. Here are some recent developments:

• The Selenium Surprise. When selenium was tested to see if it would reduce the occurrence of skin cancer, nothing happened even though researchers had reason to believe that it might help. The surprise was that selenium supplements cut total cancer incidence, total cancer mortality and the three leading sites of cancer—lung, prostate, and colon roughly in half. Here in the Plains states, selenium content of the soil varies from place to place. But before you rush out to buy selenium supplements, more tests are needed on its cancer-protecting abilities. In this study, people were given 200 micrograms (mcg) daily, an amount at the upper end of the "Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Intake" set by the National Academy of Sciences. At 1,000 mcg—or 1 mg—a day, people start to lose hair and fingernails and they develop gastrointestinal problems. And selenium overdosing can be lethal.

• Breast cancer and diet. Considerable animal and epidemio-logical evidence suggests that too much fat, too much alcohol and obesity are risk factors for breast cancer. The newest finding suggests that different types of fat exert different effects. In fact, a fatty acid substance (CLA) found in animal products may even be protective. Nutrition is indeed complex.

• Please pass the grapes. Grapes are a traditional gift for whose who are not feeling well, but in addition to their pleasant taste and appearance, recent evidence suggests that a natural chemical present in grapes (called "resveratrol," an antioxidant and anticancer agent) may actually help prevent cancer. Tests on cultured cancer cells showed that resveratrol inhibited all three stages of carcino genesis—tumor initiation, promotion and progression. The skins of grapes have the most resveratrol. This is just another piece of evidence that suggests that eating a variety of whole food rather than relying on antioxidant pills such as beta-carotene and vitamin C-fortified juice drink for protection is the way to go.

• Tea, coffee and cancer. High coffee intake appears to increase colon cancer risk and high tea intake seems to protect against rectal cancer. Other reports have shown high coffee and tea consumption associated with a higher risk for bowel tumors. The important evidence is that high vegetable intake definitely protects against colorectal cancer as does regular physical exercise.

• Folate and cancer. Many women now know that a deficiency of folic acid at the time of conception can result in neural tube defects in the baby. People with elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood (a symptom of folate deficiency) are at considerably higher risk for coronary heart disease. Recent findings are suggesting that a lack of folate in the diet may be associated with development of cancers of the colon, cervix, lung and the brain. This means that we should all be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables such as broccoli and dark leafy greens like spinach and legumes.

White flour will be fortified with folacin after January 1, 1998. Wheat germ, fresh orange juice and bananas are also good sources with brewer's yeast being the very best. More folacin is also a reason to switch to whole grain breads and cereals. (MC)

Sources: AICR Science News, Issue 5, June 1997. Published by the American Institute for Cancer Research, 1759 R Street NW, Washington DC 20009. Leibman, Bonnie. The selenium surprise. Nutrition Action Healthletter. Jan./Feb 1997, p 8-9.

Dietary Choices Don't Reflect Knowledge
What we eat in America isn't necessarily what we think we should eat. That's the bottom line from USDA's Agricultural Research Services most recent nationwide food consumption survey.

Two thirds of adults think it's very important to choose a diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits--as stated in one of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. But their survey responses, collected in 1994-95, showed consumption of these foods has increased only slightly since the late 1970's. Fruit intake is slightly below the minimum two servings recommended in USDA's Food Guide Pyramid. Vegetable intake is only slightly above the minimum three servings. And, veggie consumption leans more to french fries than to the dark green and yellow vegetables associated with health benefits.

On the other hand, while grains form the base of the Food Pyramid, less than one-third of adults think eating plenty of breads, cereals, rice and pasta is very important. Yet, consumption of these foods has jumped more than 40 percent since the late 1970's.

Ninety percent of adults believe it's important to maintain a healthy weight. But 40 percent think they consume too many calories, and one-third are overweight. What's more, 28 percent of men and 44 percent of women report they rarely, if ever, exercise vigorously.

Sugar and salt/sodium consumption also doesn't follow beliefs. Eighty-five percent of adults agree with dietary guidelines that advise a diet moderate in sugars. But Americans daily consume an average 19 teaspoons of sugar that is added to their foods—by beverage and food processors or by consumers themselves. These 19 teaspoons account for 15 percent of our total calories for the population as a whole, and a considerably higher percent for adolescents.

As for sodium, men exceeded by two-thirds the recommended upper limit of 2,400 milligrams daily. That's from foods alone, not counting salt added at the table. Women's diets have less sodium than men's, but they still consume one-quarter more than the recommended limit from foods alone. (PP)

Source: USDA, ARS, Food and Nutrition Research Briefs, July 1997.

Zinc Helps Children Think
Peanuts, popcorn, whole-wheat crackers and other foods high in zinc could help some children learn and reason better. In a USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-led study, daily zinc supplements helped Chinese schoolchildren with very low body zinc levels to score better in perception, memory, reasoning and psychomotor skills such as eye-hand coordination. An ARS psychologist spearheaded the study with Chinese scientists because of earlier conflicting reports. Changes in zinc intake had affected measures of cognition in three studies of adults, but failed to do so in two studies of adolescent boys and girls.

Findings of the new study with 372 Chinese school children—conducted in three poor, urban areas of China—support the adults studies and have important implications for countries where low zinc intakes are common. They could also apply to the 10 percent of U.S. grade-school-age girls and 6 percent of boys who get less than half the Recommended Dietary Allowance of zinc through their diets. The RDA for this age group is 10 milligrams daily.

The Chinese children, age 6 to 9 years, were divided into three groups. One group took a 20-milligram zinc supplement daily for 10 weeks. A second group took the zinc supplement plus a micronutrient supplement containing all essential vitamins and minerals, except for zinc and four other minerals known to interfere with its absorption. A control group got only the micronutrients to alleviate any other deficiency that could affect performance on the psychological tests.

Before and after the supplement period, each child took a series of computer-administered tasks developed by the ARS psychologist. The tasks measured attention, perception, memory, reasoning and motor and spatial skills necessary for successful school performance. The children who got the zinc supplement or zinc plus the micronutrients had the most improved performance, especially in perception, memory and reasoning skills.

In addition to peanuts, popcorn and whole wheat products, the most common source of zinc is red meat. Oysters are the richest source. (PP)

Source: USDA, ARS, Food and Nutrition Research Briefs, July 1997.

The Diets of America's Children
Dining out has been increasing for young and old alike, raising questions about nutrient intake, particularly for children. Food away from home has a higher ratio of fat to calories and lower fiber and calcium than food prepared at home, a fact that may particularly affect female teens, who consume a larger proportion of food calories away from home than do other children.

Do children's intakes of food calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, fiber, calcium, iron, and sodium vary by eating occasion (meals and snacks) and by whether the foods were prepared at home or away from home? Does the source of food away from home (fast food outlets, schools, and restaurants) influence the nutritional content of meals? These two issues are examined in The Diets of America's Children: Influence of Dining Out, Household Characteristics, and Nutrition Knowledge, a new report from USDA's Economic Research Service. The report uses data from USDA's 1989-91 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey to examine various aspects of children's diets. Major findings are:

• Children's diets were high in total fat, saturated fat, and sodium and low in food energy and fiber. The share of calories from total fat and saturated fat was fairly consistent among children across age and gender, averaging 34 percent for total fat and 13 percent for saturated fat, which are 4 and 3 percentage points above the recommended levels. Children consumed an average of 2,948 milligrams of sodium per day (excluding salt added at the table), which is 23 percent above the 2,400 milligrams recommended by some health authorities.

• Female adolescents' diets were high in total fat, saturated fat, and sodium. In addition, only a small fraction of female adolescents met the recommended intakes for calcium, dietary fiber, and iron. Low calcium intakes may have serious long-term consequences. The National Academy of Sciences recommends a relatively high allowance of calcium for teenage girls 1,200 milligrams per day—because bone mass develops primarily during the teenage and young adult period.

• The shortcomings in the female adolescents' diets may be related to their eating patterns. Compared with other children, female teens had the highest tendency to skip morning meals (high in iron and calcium), ate the smallest number of meals and snacks, had the largest proportion of meals and snacks away from home (low in fiber, iron, and calcium), and drank the least fluid milk.

• Compared with home foods, higher levels of total fat and saturated fat and lower levels of cholesterol, dietary fiber, calcium, iron, and sodium were found in away-from-home foods eaten by children.

• During the 1989-91 period, foods prepared at schools were higher in fat, fiber, and calcium and lower in cholesterol, iron, and sodium when compared with home foods. Similar results were obtained in a 1993 USDA-sponsored assessment of the nutrient quality of school meals. Consequently, USDA began working on an initiative to improve school meals in 1993. To show support of USDA, the Congress passed the Healthy Meals for Healthy Americans Act of 1994 (Public Law 103- 448) requiring that meals served under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans by July 1, 1996. In June 1994, USDA launched the School Meals Initiative for Healthy Children, a comprehensive approach to turning Congress' mandate into a successful program. The Initiative includes both actions to support State and local food service organizations in improving school meals and encourage children to improve their overall diets.

ERS has previously estimated that the United States accrues $250 billion in medical costs and lost productivity as a result of seven health conditions linked to dietary behavior. It is estimated that at least 20 percent of these conditions could be prevented through improved ideas. Some people believe that nutritional guidance should start early in life for the greatest long-term health benefits. Understanding children's dietary patterns can help to identify necessary dietary modifications and hence aid in developing effective messages for improved diets. (PP)

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service, AER-746, The Diets of Americas Children: Influence of Dining Out, Household Characteristics, and Nutrition Knowledge, December 1996.

Beans, Beans, Beans
Have you seen the "Beans, Beans, Beans" cookbook published by the California Dry Bean Advisory Board? It has information about beans as well as recipes that look good. Cost is $8.00 each or 5 or more for $7.00 each. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. (MC)

Order from:
California Dry Bean Advisory Board
531-D North Alta Avenue
Dinuba, CA 93618
209-591-4866
FAX 209-591-5744

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.