(photo by Clara Natoli, courtesy of morguefile.com)
If you're trying to lose weight by skipping breakfast you may be working against yourself. By reviewing thousands of research reports, University of California scientists were able to pin down the four factors that are most likely to cause people to become overweight and suffer obesity in America:
1. Consumption of Dietary Fat
2. Sweetened Beverages
3. Restaurant Foods
4. A Pattern of Breakfast-skipping
The review found that intake of protein, simple sugars and fruit juice, as well as food variety, portion size, snacking and frequency of eating, were not consistently related to obesity. In addition to avoiding the factors that cause people to be overweight, the study found that a good preventative diet would include lots of fiber, fruits and vegetables, and adequate calcium and dairy products.
To read an article authored by the scientists that conducted the review that was published in California Agriculture go to: Preventing Obesity: What Should We Eat?
Family with Children (© Photographer: Pavel Losevsky | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
Food, fitness or family…which one is most to blame for childhood obesity? New research from Mintel shows today’s parents aren’t sure, and they’re feeling overwhelmed and worried as they try to prevent obesity in their own children.
In a consumer survey of American parents, Mintel found confusion over whether diet or exercise is most important for keeping kids at a healthy weight. Nearly three quarters of, while 69% feel that a lack of exercise is more to blame for obesity. In addition, two in five parents (40%) are concerned that their children might develop obesity.
“Parents aren’t sure where to focus first to ensure their children’s health—diet, exercise or both simultaneously,” states Marcia Mogelonsky, senior analyst at Mintel.
According to Mintel, parents need help when it comes to promoting healthy eating with their children. While 95% feel that this is very or somewhat important, only 82% believe they are somewhat or very successful at doing so. Similarly, while 93% consider it very or somewhat important to limit their children’s access to junk food, only 77% feel they have been very or somewhat successful at accomplishing this.
Many parents blame kids’ sedentary lifestyles for obesity. According to parents, less than half of kids are physically active five or more hours per week—less than an hour a day. These sedentary habits are not enough to offset the caloric intake of kids with poor eating habits.
“When it comes to placing the blame, most parents look to themselves,” states Marcia Mogelonsky. “Seventy-eight percent of parents believe the fault lies with them, yet most seek more information on nutrition so they can improve their children’s health.”
More than half of parents (57%) are worried that their children don't get enough information about healthy living at school, and 47% believe children should have ongoing diet and nutrition classes.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children aged two to 19 is significant at 12%. While there are hints that these rates are leveling, they have yet to decline. The federal government has set a goal of 5% incidence in obesity among children for 2010.
(photo by David Matlin)
My niece and her husband are some of the best informed people I know when it comes to food and nutrition. Once they were looking after a young child and took her on a day trip. Riding home in the car it was time to get a bite to eat. The child asked if they could go to McDonald's. Not wanting to feed the child unhealthy food they said there was no McDonald's in the area. Though still too young to read, the child spotted a pair of golden arches and exclaimed that there was one just ahead.
Once again, advertising made it happen.
In his ground-breaking bestseller, Fast Food Nation, author Eric Schlosser details how fast food companies practice marketing to children. We highly recommend Mr. Schlosser's book to anyone concerned about the nation's food system and how it has contributed to soaring rates of obesity and diabetes among Americans.
Many parents know first hand that the advertising from fast food corporations is reaching their children. Experience has taught them that what the corporations see as effective marketing is making it tougher to feed their kids nutritious meals.
A study carried out by Liverpool University researchers has reached the same conclusion as many parents,
Our research confirms food TV advertising has a profound effect on all children's eating habits doubling their consumption rate ... suggesting a strong connection between weight and susceptibility to overeating when exposed to food adverts on television.
To read an article about the study in Britain's Independent Online go to: Ditch the food ads if you want healthy kids
To purchase a copy of Eric Schlosser's bestseller go to: Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
U.S. Government Poster from World War II (courtesy of Library of Congress)
(Editors' Note: As our way of offering small thanks to all those who took the time to develop, dispense and sign petitions for the first vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt plamted a Victory Garden, we decided to republish the following item.)
Are Victory Gardens an idea whose time has come back? Could a quick history lesson lead to a better future?
During World War II Americans lived with rations of such necessities as tires, gasoline, sugar, and other foodstuffs. The US government encouraged ordinary people to create Victory Gardens; small plots of fruits and vegetables to stave off food shortages so more mass-produced food could be sent to feed the troops.
The people responded. Two million Americans created Victory Gardens in their backyards or communities. According to author Michael Pollan, "...during World War II, Victory Gardens supplied as much as 40% of the produce Americans ate."
Victory Gardens were more than a war time activity, they were a social phenomenon. Schools and families planted Victory Gardens together, often on communal land. Families caught up on news as they planted and harvested. Nutrition information was widely disseminated to help home cooks create balanced meals for their families. Our current obesity epidemic must have been unimaginable to those gardeners.
Today there are many gardens that are very much like the Victory Gardens of old. In backyards across America folks are growing their own produce, spices and herbs. They harvest fruits and vegetables that have been raised without pesticides and enjoy them when they are at the peak of their freshness and nutritional value. Adding home-grown fare to the fresh produce from a local farm stand or a farmers market gives gardeners the best of both worlds.
If you’d like to try your hand at growing some food of your own but don’t have your own backyard, you can join a community garden. In 2004, the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) estimated that there were already 18,000 community gardens across the USA and Canada. Urban community gardens can be found from South Central Los Angeles to the Bronx in New York City. If there’s no community garden near your home, think about organizing your neighbors to get one started.
Funded by federal grants, GreenThumb has been a program of the NYC Parks Department since 1995. The nonprofit organization has over 600 member gardens serving 20,000 city residents. New York University released a study of the effect of community gardens on nearby property values. The study of 636 community gardens in NYC showed a positive effect on sales prices of residential properties within a 1,000-foot radius of a community garden when compared to properties outside the 1,000-foot ring, but still in the same neighborhood. The effect was significant and increasing over time. The tax benefit to the city over a 20-year period was estimated at $647 million dollars or $1 million per garden. Who knows how much might be saved on medical costs by the healthier diet the gardens make possible.
Not all benefits are measured in dollars. Here’s what Karen Washington from the Garden of Hope in the Bronx had to say about her experience:
To grow your own food gives you a sort of power and it gives people dignity. You know exactly what you’re eating because you grew it. It’s good, it’s nourishing and you did this for yourself, your family and your community.
Victory Gardens could bring down the cost of food for American families and make organic poroduce more widely available. We could reduce America’s reliance on oil simply by keeping vegetable gardens and cutting down on the amount of food that has to be transported by truck. Victory Gardens would reduce the need for petroleum-based fertilizers on giant corporate farms. If you’re unhappy about where all the money Americans spend on oil and gasoline is going, then spread the word: Bring Back the Victory Gardens!
Our friend Eve Sibley has asked that you "Please consider signing and passing on the petition below urging our next leadership to reestablish the Victory Garden model in the United States. We have done it before, we can do it again."
Bring Back the Victory Gardens Petition
If you'd like to start a garden in your community or your backyard here's some info that should help:
American Community Gardening Association
Funding & Other Support for Community Gardens
Cooking from the Heart of the Garden
Cauliflower (© Photographer: Andrey Armyagov | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
The key to eating healthy is to find nutriicious foods you enjoy and keep you feeling full for a while. That simple, but good advice is from an item on the web site of the University of Arkansas. Robbie McKinnon, an extension agent with the University of Arkansas, says “look for ones high in fiber, healthy fats and protein or with high water content."
Eating well means feeling better and often getting trimmer. Ms. McKinnon helpfully provides a list of suggested foods as a starting point for eating healthy that includes cauliflower, apples and oatmeal. All her suggestions are familiar fare for those already eating healthy, but millions of Americans are living on a diet of what author Michael Pollan refers to as “edible food-like substances.” Hopefully, those folks will find some foods they enjoy on Robbie McKinnon’s list and make them a regular part of healthier lives for themselves and their families.
To view the full list of suggested foods from the U. of A. Cooperative Extension Service, go to: Healthy foods are good for the waistline
Here are all 6 Parts of Doug Ferber's interview with American Feast's Wellness Expert, Renee Simon. Renee is the author of the book Take Back Your Health, A Total Wellness Guide for You and Your Family. Renee is a Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist, writer, and seminar leader who specializes in nutrition, exercise, and the mind/body connection.
Part 1 of the podcast interview: here.
Part 2 of the podcast interview: here.
Part 3 of the podcast interview: here.
Part 4 of the podcast interview: here.
Part 5 of the podcast interview: here.
Part 6 of the podcast inteview: here.
To purchase Renee's book go to: Take Back Your Health, A Total Wellness Guide for You and Your Family
For more insights on improving the health of you & your family visit Renee's web site: Total Wellness
Olive Oil, Fresh Tomatoes & Onion (photo by Rick Tango)
It is widely believed that one of the most healthful of diets is one that mimics the traditional eating habits of the Mediterranean region. The American Heart Association has long extolled the virtues of the Mediterranean diet, rich in fresh fruit, vegetables, beans, nuts, seafood and olive oil for keeping heart healthy. It's a diet that should prevent obesity and promote longevity.
The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is a nutrition guide that was developed by the Harvard School of Public Health, the World Health Organization and Oldways, the non-profit "food issues think tank." The Pyramid has been around for fifteen years and recently got an update by more than 20 scientists convened at Oldways' 15th Anniversary Mediterranean Diet Conference.
An article in Progressive Grocer quotes K. Dun Gifford, founder and president of Boston-based Oldways, as saying, "While the pyramid's core philosophy hasn't changed, we've streamlined the graphics to present a contemporary approach to delicious healthy eating, based on the overwhelming research about the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet."
According to the article in Progressive Grocer:
The simplified new graphic lays stress on basing every meal on plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains (mostly whole), beans, seeds, nuts, herbs and spices, and olive oil, for maximum healthfulness. While these foods have always constituted the core of the pyramid, they have now been combined in one section to illustrate their equal important, and that their benefits stem from being eaten together.
The Oldways website makes it clear that people looking to obtain the health benefits offered by the diet should also be engaging in daily exercise. The exercises they offer as examples seem to have something for everyone: walking, house cleaning, running, soccer, tennis, golf, swimming, hiking, scuba diving, basketball, baseball, football, skiing, surfing, yard work, rollerblading, dancing, weight lifting, and love-making.
If you’d like to read the Progressive Grocer article cited above go to: Oldways Updates Med Diet Pyramid
To learn more about the Mediterranean Diet & download a copy of the Pyramid go to: Oldways
If you’d like to view a selection of California’s finest artisanal olive oils go to: Crafted Olive Oils
Thanksgiving arrives this week and the winter holidays are fast-approaching. It's the time of year when Americans tend to dine out more than usual and put on some extra pounds. Here are some tips from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for eating well when eating out:
• As a beverage choice, ask for water or order fat-free or low-fat milk, unsweetened tea, or other drinks without added sugars.
• Ask for whole wheat bread for sandwiches.
• In a restaurant, start your meal with a salad packed with veggies, to help control hunger and feel satisfied sooner.
• Ask for salad dressing to be served on the side. Then use only as much as you want.
• Choose main dishes that include vegetables, such as stir fries, kebobs, or pasta with a tomato sauce.
• Order steamed, grilled, or broiled dishes instead of those that are fried or sautéed.
• Choose a “small” or “medium” portion. This includes main dishes, side dishes, and beverages.
• Order an item from the menu instead heading for the “all-you-can-eat” buffet.
• If main portions at a restaurant are larger than you want, try one of these strategies to keep from overeating:
• Order an appetizer or side dish instead of an entrée.
• Share a main dish with a friend.
• If you can chill the extra food right away, take leftovers home in a “doggy bag.”
• When your food is delivered, set aside or pack half of it to go immediately.
• Resign from the “clean your plate club” – when you’ve eaten enough, leave the rest.
• To keep your meal moderate in calories, fat, and sugars:
• Ask for salad dressing to be served “on the side” so you can add only as much as you want.
• Order foods that do not have creamy sauces or gravies.
• Add little or no butter to your food.
• Choose fruits for dessert most often.
• On long commutes or shopping trips, pack some fresh fruit, cut-up vegetables, low-fat string cheese sticks, or a handful of unsalted nuts to help you avoid stopping for sweet or fatty snacks.
Get a quick estimate of what and how much you need to eat. Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and level of physical activity to get a personal eating plan: MyPyramid Plan
Weight Control ((photo by Clara Natoli, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Reuters has reported that “People who eat quickly until full are three times more likely to be overweight, a problem exacerbated by the availability of fast food and the decline of orderly dining habits.”
The findings were made by Hiroyasu Iso and colleagues at Japan’s Osaka University and published in the British Medical Journal. According to Reuters, “They cited as causes both the availability of cheap food in big portions and habits like watching television while eating.”
The problem is becoming increasingly international as well. The Reuters article says, “The World Health Organization classifies around 400 million people as obese, 20 million of them under the age of five. The condition raises the risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart problems.” The epidemic of obesity continues to spread in the United States, with more than 25% of Americans classified as obese by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
The Osaka University study found that parents should encourage children prone to obesity “to eat slowly and in calm surroundings.”
If you’d like to read the Reuters article cited above go to: Speedy eaters seen likelier to get fat
(Image courtesy of California Avocado Commission)
The days of summer may be dwindling, but they are not over yet. So we thought we’d publish this gem of a dessert from our friends at the California Avocado Commission. It's ’s just perfect for dining outdoors. As our friends tell us, it’s “quick and easy.” It’s also one of the healthiest dessert recipes we’ve ever come across, combining avocado with strawberries yogurt. Since avocados, strawberries and yogurt aren’t just delicious, but offer terrific health benefits as well, this recipe delivers dessert without guilt. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 Servings
• 2 Fresh California Avocados, seeded, peeled and cubed
• 6 Large fresh or thawed frozen strawberries
• ½ Cup strawberry flavoured yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon orange juice concentrate
• 1 Teaspoon brown sugar
• Shredded coconut, optional
Preparation
1. Place strawberries in a bowl; lightly mash with fork.
2. Add avocado cubes and gently mix together.
3. Spoon strawberry/avocado mixture into four long-stemmed wine glasses.
4. Combine yogurt, orange juice concentrate and brown sugar in a small bowl.
5. Drizzle yogurt mixture over strawberries and avocado and sprinkle with coconut.
Copyright Courtesy of California Avocado Commission
To learn more about California avocados, their heath benefits & growing an avocado tree go to: California Avocado Commission
Sign in California (photo by Lysandra Nelson, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Is eating heavily processed fast food a matter of personal choice? Or is an unhealthy diet linked to obesity a matter of public concern?
With a third of American schoolchildren overweight or obese several local governments have decided that fast food is a threat to public health. Some cities have banned trans fats and New York City now requires that calorie counts be posted on menus. Now the City of Los Angeles has placed a one-year moratorium on the opening of new fast food restaurants in some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods.
An article in the New York Times explains,
The councilwoman behind the moratorium, Jan Perry, says its intent is not to crush food choices, but to encourage variety and give residents more nutritious options. Making healthy decisions about food is difficult when people have small incomes, the grocery store is five miles away and a $1 cheeseburger is right around the corner, she and supporters of the ban say.
There are those that worry about how fast food is defined under the ban on new openings. They fear that healthy food that can be served quickly will be shut out along with the food laden with unhealthy fats and comprised of empty calories.
If you’d like to read the New York Times article cited above go to: Los Angeles Stages a Fast Food Intervention
Sugary Cereal (photo by Darren Hester, courtesy of morguefile.com)
A few months back we wrote that the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that an overwhelming majority of Saturday morning television ads aimed at American children were pitching unhealthy foods.
According to a report on the study by CBS News, “Ninety-one percent (91%) of food advertisements were for foods or beverages high in fat, sodium, or added sugars or were low in nutrients.”
We live in a global age and the shameless marketing of junk food to children is not limited to the United States. The Sidney Morning Herald of Australia reports:
More than half the television advertisements that contain nutrition claims for food promote junk food, research by the NSW Centre for Overweight and Obesity has found after studying 714 hours of Sydney TV broadcasts.
The unhealthy foods most advertised for nutritional value were high-sugar, low-fibre breakfast cereals, battered meat, high-fat frozen meals, cakes, muffins, biscuits, pies and snacks such as chips, popcorn and sugar-coated nuts.
Sugary breakfast cereals that offer loads of empty calories but little nutritional benefit particularly stand out because marketers are targeting children with their misleading ads.
If you’d like to read the article in The Sidney Morning Herald cited above go to: Ads turn junk into health food
Fast Food Burgers (© Thomas Langlands | Dreamstime.com)
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 15% of American adults ranging in age from 20 to 74 were obese by 1980. By 2007, the number of adults in that age range who were obese had more than doubled to exceed 30%.
The metrics above were cited in a New York Times article linking the unhealthy weight gains of many American adults with significant increases in the amount of food being eaten in the U.S. The article says that in 1970, “the average American ate about 16.4 pounds of food a week, or 2.3 pounds daily. By 2006, the average intake grew by an additional 1.8 pounds a week.”
The Times article goes on to say, “that's an extra half pound of fat weekly - mostly from oils and shortening. That doesn't count the fat in the extra quarter pound of meat Americans now eat every seven days.”
Compounding the effects of unhealthy diets is the fact that more than 60% of American men and women do not get enough physical activity to provide health benefits.
Considering that many Americans have increased the amount of food they eat, refrained from meaningful physical activity, and continue making heavily processed foods full of fat and empty calories a part of their daily diet, it’s sad but not surprising that so many are now suffering ill health.
If you’d like to read the New York Times article cited above go to: The Overflowing American Dinner Plate
Nature Walk (photo by Gracey, courtesy of morguefile.com)
“That great big sucking sound you hear is the sound of partially hydrogenated oil leaving the American food supply,” so begins a statement from Michael F. Jacobson, Executive Director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
The statement refers to the signing of legislation making California the first state in the nation to require its restaurant foods to be free of artificial trans fat. Those fats are widely seen as culprits in America’s obesity epidemic and the country's high rate of deadly heart disease. One million Americans die of heart disease every year.
According to CSPI, “New York City, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and other local governments have passed trans fat bans in the past two years.”
The statement from Mr. Jacobson makes it clear that much more needs to be done:
Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proven to be impervious to embarrassment, perhaps California’s move today will at long last shame the agency into getting rid of artificial trans fat nationwide. It has the authority to do, but has been stalling on taking action on a regulatory petition we filed with the agency four years ago.
Maybe it’s time to do your body a favor and begin eating less unhealthy fats, while getting more physically active. You’ll get healthier, feel better, look better, and set a great example for the people you love. Remember, if you need to get more physically active you don’t have to rush out and sign up for punishing workouts at a fitness club. A nice walk in the woods under the shade of the trees will do you a world of good.
If you’d like to read the full statement from CSPI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson go to: California Terminates Artificial Trans Fat!
Kids at the Beach (photo by korycheer, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Only 18% of America's children are eating three or more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day, according to a study commissioned by Produce for Kids® (PFK), an organization that promotes the benefits of healthy eating. Much of the food they are eating is heavily processed, full of empty calories, and promoted with ubiquitous ad campaigns aimed at children.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that approximately 25 million children, or one-in-three kids, are overweight or are at risk of becoming overweight. John Shuman, president of Produce for Kids, noted: "This survey highlights the extent of the challenge facing the produce and retail industries, but also offers hope: we can make healthy foods attractive to kids if we market them creatively."
The study revealed that the most-purchased fruits -- and the most popular with kids -- are those that easily lend themselves to snacking. Bananas, purchased by 85% of households, rank number one, followed by apples (84%), grapes (75%), strawberries/berries (48%) and citrus fruits (34%).
Potatoes are the top-ranked vegetable, purchased by 86% of households, followed by baby carrots (60%), tomatoes (54%), lettuce/salad (53%) and corn (44%).
Reason for Optimism
Parents may be missing an opportunity to add more greenery to their kids' meals. Children voted broccoli among their top three favorite vegetables, yet parents did not rank it in their top five most-purchased items.
Yet while the survey demonstrates that kids are not eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, there is reason for optimism: 49% of parents said that their children eat salad on a regular basis. Moreover, kids want their fresh fruits: 70% of respondents who purchase fruit do so because their kids ask for it.
The addition of dips and dressings may increase the appeal of fresh produce to kids: two-thirds of respondents said their children eat fresh fruits and vegetables with dips. Ranch dressing was cited as the favorite accompaniment for vegetables, while caramel dip, peanut butter and cream cheese were most popular with fruits.
If you’d like to read the press release on which this item was based as it was posted on Yahoo! go to: Study: Only 18 Percent of Kids Are Eating Three Servings of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Children Playing on the Beach (© Chris Johnson | Dreamstime.com)
The breakfast cereals that are marketed specifically to children are not as healthy as those developed for adults. That is the conclusion of a new study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
The researchers looked at 161 cereals between January and February of 2006. They classified 46% of those cereals as being marketed to children. For example, if the packaging contained a licensed character or contained an activity directed at children, the cereal was deemed to be marketed to children.
The authors of the study wrote that, “Compared to nonchildren’s cereals, children’s cereals were denser in energy, sugar, and sodium, but were less dense in fiber and protein.” They also found that, “The majority of children’s cereals (66%) failed to meet national nutrition standards, particularly with respect to sugar content.”
If you’d like to read the study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association cited above go to: Examining the Nutritional Quality of Breakfast Cereals Marketed to Children
Pasta Ingredients (photo by Scott Liddell, courtesy of morguefile.com)
There are now 7.3 million Americans who maintain a vegetarian-based diet according to a study published by Vegetarian Times. About 1 million of those people are vegans who refrain from eating animal products altogether. It may be surprising that 22.8 million people say they largely follow a vegetarian-inclined diet.
The rising mountain of evidence that a plant-based diet, rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains is far more healthy than a diet heavily laden with animal fats has probably had a significant effect on the country’s eating habits. Environmental and food safety concerns, and horrific reports on the suffering of animals caught in the processes of industrial farming have certainly had their effects as well.
The pursuit of good health, a clean environment, and humane reactions to the mistreatment of animals are undoubtedly strong motivators, but we can’t help thinking that the development of vegetarian cooking as ever more flavorful is also part of the story. Millions of Americans have savored well-seasoned dishes made of thoughtfully combined vegetarian ingredients that have been cooked with care.
More than once we’ve heard a dinner companion who has just swooned over such a dish indicate that they’re ready to eat vegetarian if they can continue eating such delicious meals. Though the vast majority of Americans have not made a full conversion to a plant-based diet, we’re noticing a growing number of meat-eaters are increasingly working vegetarian fare into their diets.
If you’d like to view the publication that published the study cited above go to: Vegetarian Times
Child & Apple (© Thomas Perkins | Dreamstime.com)
Thanks to Farm to School programs across the nation, kids are learning what foodies have known all along; fresh fruits are sweeter and more flavorful than produce shipped from many miles away. Fresher also means more nutritious. Buying fresh supports local farmers and their families, and helps preserve the community’s farmland for future generations.
The Farm to School programs connect schools with local farms to ensure that healthy meals are served in school cafeterias. The goal is to provide health and nutrition education that will last a lifetime, while building lasting support for local small farmers.
The National Farm to School Program is a collaboration of the Center for Food & Justice and the Community Food Security Coalition. Since its founding in 2000, it has been successfully assisting organizations in starting up and sustaining farm to school efforts, fundraising, and providing informational resources, education and training for farm to school stakeholders.
According to the organization’s web site:
Schools buy and feature farm fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, meat, and beans on their menus; incorporate nutrition-based curriculum; and provide students experiential learning opportunities through farm visits, gardening and recycling programs. Farmers have access to a new market through schools and connect to their community through participation in programs designed to educate kids about local food and sustainable agriculture.
To learn more about the programs that are making a difference to kids' health go to: The National Farm to School Program
Teen Having a Healthy Breakfast (© Abimages | Dreamstime.com)
You’ve probably heard it many times, maybe from your mom, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Well, mom was right and there’s scientific evidence to back her up. Unfortunately, breakfast-eating frequency declines through adolescence when developing bodies and minds really need the benefits of healthy eating.
Teens should know that besides causing them to miss out on important nutrients, skipping breakfast can lead to getting fat. Project EAT (Eating Among Teens) was a 5-year study of eating patterns and weight concerns among adolescents conducted by the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota. The scientists performing the study found that adolescents who ate breakfast daily had lower Body Mass Indexes than those who never or occasionally ate breakfast. Their findings were published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
There is speculation that after having no breakfast, many teens more than make up for those calories later in the day by snacking and binging, often on junk foods loaded with unhealthy fats.
If you’d like to read the article in Pediatrics cited above go to: Breakfast Eating and Weight Change in a 5-Year Prospective Analysis of Adolescents: Project EAT (Eating Among Teens)
To view a previous post on the topic of teens & healthy eating go to: Keeping It Healthy
Salty Snacks (© Photographer: Igor Dutina | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
A study undertaken by scientists at St. George’s, University of London, has concluded that there is a link between salt and sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption in children and adolescents. A link between soft drinks and obesity in children is widely accepted. Even soft drinks with artificial sweeteners have been linked to weight gain.
According to an article published in Hypertension, a publication of the American Heart Association, the researchers stated:
If salt intake in children in the United Kingdom was reduced by half, there would be an average reduction of 2.3 sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week per child. A reduction in salt intake could, therefore, play a role in helping to reduce childhood obesity through its effect on sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption. This would have a beneficial effect on preventing cardiovascular disease independent of and additive to the effect of salt reduction on blood pressure.
It would be a fine start to eliminate salty snacks and soft drinks from all public schools as a helping hand to concerned parents. Parents might also set a good example by eliminating salty snacks and soft drinks from their homes, a small sacrifice to protect children from obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
If you’d like to read the article in Hypertension go to: Salt Intake Is Related to Soft Drink Consumption in Children and Adolescents
Wheat Crop (photo by Anne-Mette Jørsfeldt, courtesy of morguefile.com)
If you haven’t yet worked whole grains into your regular diet it’s time you did. In just the latest news about the health benefits of whole grain, Yahoo! News has posted a report from Reuters Health indicating that losing weight by filling up on whole grains can lead to a healthier heart.
In a study of obese adults, researchers from the Pennsylvania State University found that those who increased their whole-grain intake shed more belly fat and reduced inflammation in the blood vessels. Both abdominal fat and blood vessel inflammation are linked to heart attack and stroke.
The Reuters Health story quotes Dr. Penny Kris-Etherton, the senior researcher on the study, as stating, "This is the first clinical study to prove that a diet rich in whole grains can lead to weight loss and reduce the risk of several chronic diseases."
Whole grains retain valuable nutrients and fibers that get stripped out of the white flour baked into white bread. The rich flavor texture of whole wheat gets eliminated as well. Similarly, brown rice is a whole grain choice, while white rice is not.
The really good news is that whole grain foods can be delicious. Try oatmeal with fresh fruit, cinnamon, and a teaspoon of honey. Fresh-baked, whole grain semolina bread is a wonderful accompaniment to a favorite salad. Mushroom & barley soup is a tasty way to get some whole grains without any animal fat. Whole grain pasta with a tomato sauce seasoned (garlic, oregano, basil, etc.) to your taste and served with steamed broccoli, spinach, or green beans is a terrific meal. Squeeze a little fresh lemon and grind some black pepper on those veggies.
A lot of people are delighted to learn that popcorn is a whole grain!
If you’d like to read the Reuters Health article cited above go to: Whole grains may curb belly fat, inflammation
To view previous posts on the topic go to:
1. Whole Grains Battle Heart Disease & Stroke
2. Whole Grains for a Healthy Heart
Dinner Plate (photo by Bert Glibbery, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Skipping meals may help you lose weight, but you’ll increase your risk of cardiovascular disease in the process. A study has found that people getting all their calories in a single meal rather than in three meals a day had significant increases in "bad" cholesterol and raised blood pressure.
Though they did lose slight amounts of weight and fat, they also saw their blood sugar rise and experienced a delayed response to the body’s insulin. Like high blood pressure, high blood sugar is a risk factor for heart problems.
The study analyses were authored by scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Md., and colleagues at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Intramural Research Program in Baltimore, Md.
If you’d like to read an article on the topic from The Agricultural Research Service go to: Researchers Look at How Frequency of Meals May Affect Health
Soda Cans (photo by Jane M. Sawyer, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have found a correlation between drinking diet soda and high blood pressure, high cholesterol, too much blood sugar, and abdominal obesity. That collection of risk factors make up metabolic syndrome.
According to an article in the New York Times, the scientists conducting the study found “…the risk of developing metabolic syndrome was 34 percent higher among those who drank one can of diet soda a day compared with those who drank none.”
The researchers were unclear as to whether it is some ingredient in the soda or something in the behavior of the people who drink diet soda that leads to the health problem. Eating large amounts of fried foods, red meat, and refined grains are also associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome. That makes a fast food meal of a burger on a bun, French fries and diet soda a very poor choice for maintaining good health.
BBC News is reporting that researchers from the University of Purdue are baffled by the results of a study that found that rats fed on artificial sweetener still put on weight. The scientists have surmised that a sweet taste followed by no calories causes a craving for more food. The BBC report says “Their research, published in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience, found that rats fed sugar subsequently had lower appetites.”
If the researchers are correct, it seems skipping the diet soda and having a glass of water instead can help you feel better, look better and live longer.
If you’d like to read the article in the New York Times cited above go to: Symptoms: Metabolic Syndrome Is Tied to Diet Soda
If you’d like to read the article from BBC News cited above go to: 'Diet' foods weight gain puzzle
To view previous posts on the topic go to:
1. Colas Can Cause Kidney Problems
2. Safety of Soft Drinks Under Scrutiny
3. Diet Soft Drinks May Increase Risk of Heart Disease
4. A Glass of Water Is Best
School Children (photo courtesy of Library of Congress, circa 1899?)
Two-thirds of U.S. states have either poor nutrition policies for food from junk-food and soda sales out of vending machines, school stores, and other venues outside of school meals, or no policy at all. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) made that assertion in its School Foods Report Card 2007.
CSPI found that only 11 states have comprehensive food and beverage standards that apply to the whole campus, the whole school day, for all grade levels. The importance of healthy school food policies was made clear in the CSPI report,
Over the last 20 years, obesity rates have tripled in children and adolescents, and only 2 percent of children eat a healthy diet, according to key nutrition recommendations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Despite that, about a third of elementary schools, 71 percent of middle schools, and 89 percent of high schools sell items such as sugary drinks, snack cakes, candy, and chips out of vending machines, school stores, or a la carte lines in the cafeteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To read the report from CSPI cited above go to: Two-thirds of States Get Poor Grades on School Food Report Card
To view the CSPI’s recent findings on school food policies go to: School Foods Report Card 2007
To view info from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited above go to:2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study
To view previous posts on the topic go to:
1. Schools Adding Nutritious Options
2. Junk Foods a Health Risk for Kids
3. Getting Their Hands Dirty at School
Cardiology Stethoscope (photo by Dean Jenkins, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Going on a high-fat diet to improve your health doesn’t sound like a good idea. Recent scientific evidence indicates that it is a terrible idea.
Citing research findings from the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, a Reuters article posted by Yahoo! News reports, “The high-fat Atkins diet can cause long-term damage to blood vessels, as well as some of the inflammation linked with heart and artery disease.”
Dr. Michael Miller, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, presented his findings to a meeting of the American Heart Association. Among the popular diets studied, Dr. Miller said the Atkins diet “is the worst.” Diets that achieve weight loss through low-fat regimens were found to be significantly healthier.
If followed, almost any diet will lead to rapid weight loss and a sharp drop in cholesterol, but maintaining those benefits over a long term poses a challenge. Unlike past studies, Dr. Miller’s looked at the results after people stopped losing weight on any of the diets and reached a weight plateau, or maintenance stage.
The Reuters article goes on to say,
Most studies have shown that diets that stress vegetables, low-fat sources of protein such as beans and legumes, and whole grains provide the best long-term weight loss. Many low-fat diets allow processed carbohydrates such as white flour, which have also been shown to be unhealthy, experts agree.
If you’d like to read the Reuters article cited above go to: High-fat Atkins diet damages blood vessels: study
To learn more about keeping heart healtthy through diet & nutrition click here: American Heart Association
Healthy Weight Loss (© Photographer: Sandra Gligorijevic | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
Being 25 pounds overweight will not increase your risk of dying from heart disease or cancer according to a recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
An Associated Press report posted by Yahoo! News quotes the study's lead author, Katherine Flegal of the CDC as saying, "Excess weight does not uniformly increase the risk of mortality from any and every cause, but only from certain causes."
Researchers were surprised to find that having a little extra weight actually seemed to help people survive some illnesses. That finding is disputed by many health experts, but the study’s results were embraced by those who believe it possible to be fat and fit.
Carrying 39 extra pounds does increase the risk of dying from diabetes and kidney disease. Obesity “raised the risk of death from heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease, and several cancers previously linked with excess weight, including breast, colon and pancreatic cancer,” according to the AP report.
If you’d like to read the AP report as it appeared on Yahoo! News go to: Extra weight won't raise death risk
If you’d like to purchase the entire CDC study go to: Journal of the American Medical Association
Turn It Off (© Photographer: Monika Wisniewska | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
Among medical professionals it is widely believed that television is a contributing factor to the obesity of adolescents. Sedentary viewing and snacking displace physical activity, making kids easy targets for advertisers selling unhealthy foods.
An article in the October 2007 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reports the results of a study that found, “Food ads made up just over one quarter of TV ads viewed by adolescents with the most commonly viewed products of fast food, sweets, and beverage products well within the reach of their own purchasing power.”
The article’s authors, Lisa M. Powell, Glen Szczypka, and Frank J. Chaloupka, wrote, “Fast food was the most frequently viewed food product category comprising 23% of all food-related advertisements among adolescents.”
To view previous posts on this topic go to:
1. Food Giants Still Marketing Junk Food to Kids
2. Kellogg to Limit Selling Junk Food to Kids
3. Fast Food Chains Ready to Spend for Prime Time TV
4. Selling to Kids
Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon (© Photographer: John Vernon | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
Being lean may be fashionable in contemporary America, but it also affords an important protection against cancer. That’s according to a report from the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund.
The report offered ten recommendations for keeping the risk of cancer to a minimum. They included “limiting consumption of red meat and alcohol, avoiding processed meats and -- most importantly -- shedding those extra pounds” according to an article in the Los Angeles Times.
"The recommendation reflects what science is telling us today: Even small amounts of excess body fat, especially if carried at the waist, increase risk," said W. Philip T. James, chairman of the London-based International Obesity Task Force.
The Los Angeles Times article went on to say that the report “found a convincing connection between excess fat and cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, colon and rectum, endometrium and kidney, along with breast cancer in post-menopausal women.”
To read the Los Angeles Times article cited above go to: Body fat is linked to six types of cancers
To download the entire 517-page report go to: Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective
Ian & Curt (photo courtesy of Mosaic Films Incorporated)
King Corn is a feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation. The Boston Globe says it is “Enormously Entertaining.”
In King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, best friends from college on the east coast, move to the heartland to learn where their food comes from. With the help of friendly neighbors, genetically modified seeds, and powerful herbicides, they plant and grow a bumper crop of America’s most-productive, most-subsidized grain on one acre of Iowa soil. But when they try to follow their pile of corn into the food system, what they find raises troubling questions about how we eat—and how we farm.
Following the trail of high fructose corn syrup, Ian and Curt attempt to make a home-cooked batch of the sweetener in their kitchen. But their investigation of America’s most ubiquitous ingredient turns serious when they follow soda to its consumption in Brooklyn. Here, Type II diabetes is ravaging the community, and America’s addiction to corny sweets is to blame.
The breadth of the problem is now clear: the American food system is built on the abundance of corn, an abundance perpetuated by a subsidy system that pays farmers to maximize production.
The Austin Chronicle says, “King Corn is as relevant as Super Size Me and as important as An Inconvenient Truth.”
To visit the documentary’s official web site & see where it’s playing go to: King Corn
Thanks Sue!
Boiled Eggs (photo by Dawn M. Turner, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Fad diets are almost never a good idea. For one thing they almost never work; rapid weight loss is inevitably followed by weight gain. Typically, the weight gets lost and the dieter returns to the overall lifestyle that led to unwanted pounds because the fad diet is nearly impossible to maintain.
An even better reason to avoid fad diets is that they can be very unhealthy. Most of the fad diets we’ve seen are a long way from offering a selection rich in nutritional value. Many could leave a body deprived of essential nutrients. It’s hard to imagine any diet that would keep off unwanted weight if it were not accompanied by increased physical activity.
On October 9th, Eat This! posted a thoughtful piece on the Hard Boiled Egg Diet with some wise words on the dangers of starvation diets, high-protein diets, and the healthiest way to lose weight.
To view the piece in Eat This! Go to: The Hard Boiled Egg Diet
Colorado School Children (photo courtesy of Library of Congress, circa 1915)
The number of Americans who are obese continues rising and now represents 30% of the population, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s a 100% increase from 25 years ago. American adults are now more likely to be obese than to be cigarette smokers. Some believe that obesity will soon overtake smoking as the leading cause of preventable death.
It’s easy to conclude that America’s adults are doing a pretty poor job when it comes to reading food labels to keep some semblance of a healthy diet. How else to explain heart disease claiming the lives of 1 million Americans every year and a childhood obesity epidemic growing to frightful proportions?
There are a growing number of dieticians who believe it’s time to give the kids a chance to do some food label reading. Together with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they advocate teaching children to read food labels themselves instead of relying on mom and dad. The FDA partnered with the Cartoon Network to launch a public education campaign encouraging children to read the nutrition facts on food labels.
We think the move to get kids reading food labels is a very healthy development. Considering some of the stats cited above, there’s an excellent chance the kids will do a better job than the grown ups have been doing.
To read an Associated Press article on the topic as it was posted by Google News go to: Dietitians Urge Kids to Read Food Labels
To visit the Cartoon Network web site that teaches kids to read food labels go to: Spot the Block, Get your food facts first!
(U.S. Map courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
America's obesity epidemic continues to worsen as a challenge to the health of the American people. Last year, obesity rates increased in 31 of the 50 states. No state showed a decline. Those are the findings in a new report from the Trust for America's Health.
Eighty-five percent of Americans now believe that obesity is an epidemic. It's causing hardship for those who suffer from the debilitating effects of obesity, making daily lives a difficult struggle. It's also costing enormous sums of money in additional health care costs.
We believe the culprits are clear enough to see. There are unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity, and public policies that compound poor personal habits. We hope the map above serves as a wake up call that more needs to be done to protect the health of the American people.
To read a press release from the Trust for America's Health on the report cited above go to: New Report Finds U.S. Obesity Epidemic Continues to Grow
If you'd like more info on this topic go to: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
To read some of our previous posts on the topic go to:
1. What Should We Eat to Avoid Obesity?
2. Diet Foods & Drinks a Poor Choice for Young Children
3. Diet Soft Drinks May Increase Risk of Heart Disease
4. Mom Was Right: “Eat Your Soup!”
5. Junk Foods a Health Risk for Kids
6. America's Rising Concern About Sugar
7. A Call for Better Food Policy
8. Selling to Kids
(photo by Dawn, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Raising children on diet foods from an early age can make them more prone to becoming obese, according to a new study from the University of Alberta.
Researchers believe that the introduction of diet foods at an early age distorts a process termed, “taste conditioning". It’s through that process that children’s bodies learn to connect the taste of foods and drinks with whether they are high or low in calories. The new study could help to explain the results of a study at the University of Massachusetts where researchers found that drinking diet soda in childhood was linked to higher risk of obesity and heart disease.
The new study is the work of sociologist Dr. David Pierce and colleagues from the University of Alberta. It will be published in the journal Obesity.
"Based on what we've learned, it is better for children to eat healthy, well-balanced diets with sufficient calories for their daily activities rather than low-calorie snacks or meals," said Dr. Pierce.
To read an article in Medical News Today on the new study cited above go to: Children Raised On Diet Foods Can Turn Into Obese Adults
To gather more info on the topic from the journal Obesity go to: The Obesity Society
To view a previous post on the health risks associated with diet soft drinks go to: Diet Soft Drinks May Increase Risk of Heart Disease
Drinking more than one soft drink daily — whether it’s regular or diet — may be associated with an increase in the risk factors for heart disease, Framingham researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
“We were struck by the fact that it didn’t matter whether it was a diet or regular soda that participants consumed, the association with increased risk was present,” said Ramachandran Vasan, M.D., senior author of the Framingham Heart Study and professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. “In those who drink one or more soft drinks daily, there was an association of an increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome.”
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk factors including excess waist circumference, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, low levels of “good” cholesterol and high fasting glucose levels. The presence of three or more of the factors increases a person’s risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
To read the full press release from the American Heart Association (AHA) go to: Diet and regular soft drinks linked to increase in risk factors for heart disease
To listen to the AHA's podcast on the topic go to: Play Audio: 5 min. 23 sec.
To view the AHA's video on the topic go to: Play Video: Microsoft Windows Media, File Size 6567.0 KB
To get more information on protecting the health of you & your family from the AHA go to: American Heart Association
To read two previous posts on other health risks associated with soft drinks go to:
1. New Study Links Sweetener to Cancer
2. Safety of Soft Drinks Under Scrutiny
The Scale (photo by Orchid, courtesy of morguefile.com)
There's been a lot of reaction, some of it quite heated, to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine about a study concluding that weight gain is linked to the weight gain of close friends. It seems the researchers have found that to be true even if your close friends live hundreds of miles away.
We're not quite sure what to make of this, but we do think it's time to add a little levity to the subject. So we're happy to provide a link below to a very amusing take on the topic by New York Times Columnist Gail Collins. (Subscription required.)
To read Ms. Collins column on friends causing friends to be overweight go to: Fat Comes in on Little Cat Feet
(© Photographer: Infomages | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
With 65% of U.S. adults now overweight, and almost 1 out of 3 obese, there are plenty of folks ready to spend some of their hard-earned money to shed some extra pounds. The annual revenue for the diet industry is believed to be more than $30 billion.
Is that money well spent?
According to an “Evaluation of Major Commercial Weight Loss Programs in the United States” published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, not so much.
The researchers’ conclusion,
With the exception of 1 trial of Weight Watchers, the evidence to support the use of the major commercial and self-help weight loss programs is suboptimal. Controlled trials are needed to assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of these interventions.
That’s 1 successful trial out of 3 for Weight Watchers. The results for other programs were even more dismal. The authors also noted, “Because many studies did not control for high attrition rates, the reported results are probably a best-case scenario.”
Our conclusion; you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get good advice on losing weight. Getting information from a doctor you trust, regular perusals of the health news, and seeking support from friends, loved ones, and/or a no-cost group in your community would be a good start to a comprehensive approach to a healthier you. Go one step at a time. Just getting started will make you feel better.
The review was conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The authors were Adam Gilden Tsai, MD, and Thomas A. Wadden, PhD, with thanks to Kirstin Byrne, MS, for research and editorial assistance.
To read the review in the Annals of Internal Medicine go to: Systematic Review: An Evaluation of Major Commercial Weight Loss Programs in the United States
(© Photographer: Niderlander | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
Americans love sweets, but they might be coming down from their sugar highs as health concerns such as obesity and diabetes grow. According to leading consumer and retail information company The NPD Group, 44% of American homemakers are extremely or very concerned about serving foods with sugar, the highest percentage noted since 1994. NPD data also shows an increase in consumption of foods and beverages that are low-sugar, sugar-free, or contain sugar substitutes.
According to NPD’s Dieting Monitor service, nearly 7 out of 10 adults say they want to cut down or avoid sugar completely, and about 4 out of 10 adults say they check food labels regularly for sugar. Over half of consumers say they are aware of and concerned about high fructose corn syrup, one of the most commonly-used sweeteners today.
We're glad to hear that Americans are increasingly worried about the health risks of a sugar laden diet, but we urge caution in regard to artficial sweeteners. In 2006, the research firm Mintel reported that almost two thirds of Americans are concerned about the safety of artificial sweeteners. They are not calorie-free, and if eaten in large enough quantities, the calories can be comparable to sugar-containing foods. According to the National Cancer Institute, there's no scientific evidence that any of the artificial sweeteners approved for use in the U.S. cause cancer, but the risk of cancer continues to be of concern to many Americans.
To read a press release on this topic go to: The NPD Group Reports Concern Over Sugar at Highest Level in 13 Years
For more info on the safety of artificial sweeteners from WebMd go to: Are Artificial Sweeteners Safe?
Playing Croquet in Rotorua New Zealand (photo courtesy of morguefile.com)
It seems even New Zealand, a country known for rugby, passionate participation in sports by people of all ages, outdoor lifestyles, and superb weather and facilities for keeping fit, now sees the need to take steps to combat childhood obesity.
Changes to the country’s school regulations will restrict sales of food and drink with high fat, sugar and salt content, or ban them altogether from school premises.
Some political opponents and school principals say that kids will just buy junk food somewhere else, but the Obesity Action Coalition welcomed the move. Executive Director Leigh Sturgiss said schools should not have to sell unhealthy products to meet basic funding needs.
To read an article on the topic published by New Zealand’s stuff.co.nz go to: Health food moves a surprise – principals
To read an article from New Zealand Now about the country's enthusiasm for sporting activities go to: What are the most popular sports in New Zealand?
(photo by Rick Tango)
When mom said, “Eat your soup” she was giving even more important advice than she might have imagined. According to researchers at Pennsylvania State University, eating a bowl of low-calorie soup before a meal could be a key step in solving America’s obesity crisis.
The scientists found that people who start a meal with soup eat less overall, so the addition of the extra course could help people lose weight rather than add extra pounds. The thickness of the soup didn’t seem to matter, but the four types of soup tested were all vegetable soups. (Adding a high-calorie, creamy soup to your meal could lead to weight gain.) A first course of a low-calorie soup before a lunch entrée reduced the calorie intake for the meal by 20% among the study’s participants.
An article in Britain’s The Independent quotes Julie Flood, who led the study, as saying,
Consuming a first course of low-calorie soup in a variety of forms can help with managing weight. Using this strategy allows people to get an extra course at the meal, while eating fewer total calories. Make sure to choose wisely by picking low-calorie, broth-based soups that are about 100 to 150 calories per serving. Be careful of higher calorie, cream-based soups that could increase the total calories consumed.
If you’d like to read the article in The Independent go to: Why eating soup could be the key to losing weight
Vegetable Men (photo courtesy of Library of Congress, circa 1904)
A number of new companies have sprung up to meet parents' demands for healthier school lunches for their children. These new companies are offering a fine alternative to the odious practice of having school lunches provided by fast food chains. Serving school children fast foods poor in nutritional value and loaded with dangerous fats in light of widespread obesity, heart disease, and diabetes is inexcusable. School districts that bring in vendors of unhealthy foods to help subsidize the school budget need to find a better way. It's nice to hear about entrepreneurs doing well by serving school kids fresh fruits and organic dishes.
To read an article in USA Today about the young businesses selling healthy lunches to schools go to: Start-ups tote healthy lunches to school
To learn more about the issue of healthy meals for school kids go to: New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods
You can check out a previous item on a cooking and gardening program for middle school kids here: Getting Their Hands Dirty at School
In one of the largest public health efforts ever attempted by a private philanthropy, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has pledged a stunning $500,000,000 for programs designed to combat childhood obesity. A story in the New York Times reports:
The foundation estimates that roughly 25 million children 17 and under are obese or overweight, nearly a third of the 74 million in that age group, according to Census Bureau data and a 2006 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Many of those children are poor and live in neighborhoods where outdoor play is unsafe and access to fresh fruits and vegetables is limited. “In many cases, the environment makes it almost impossible for them to choose healthy lifestyles,” Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey said. “We’re going to try to change that.”
Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey is the Foundation’s President and Chief Executive. Robert Wood Johnson built Johnson & Johnson from a small, innovative family firm into one of the world's largest health and medical care products conglomerates. He established the Foundation to be exclusively devoted to improving the health and health care of all Americans. RWJF supports training, education, research and projects that demonstrate effective ways to deliver health services, especially for the most vulnerable
To read the New York Times report on the Johnson Foundation pledge go to: $500 Million Pledged to Fight Childhood Obesity
To learn more about the Foundation visit the web site: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
(photo courtesy of pdphoto.org)
There's a report on the web site of the Health On the Net Foundation, a non-governmental organization in special consultative status with the U.N. It seems there's further evidence that trans fats consumed in high quantities will have a major impact on the health of your heart. The report quotes Dr. Frank Hu, senior author of the study and an associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, as saying:
This study just reinforces the idea that trans fat is bad -- worse than saturated fat -- and we need to make a concerted effort to reduce trans fats, including individuals, food manufacturers and policy-makers.
To read the full report by the Health On the Net Foundation click here: High Trans Fat Intake Triples Heart Disease Risk
To learn more about trans fats visit: American Heart Association
Ever had the thought, if they could put a man on the moon, why can't they make a healthier pizza? Well, it looks like somebody was using their noodle (or dough) and finally did something about this universal problem.
Boosting the antioxidant properties of the pizza – ars technica
Chemists make pizza a 'health food' – The Sydney Morning Herald
Kicking Back with Some Salsa (photo by Rick Tango)
Eating well is tough for teens. Hanging out with friends, late-night fast food binges, and snacking on junk can mean getting way too much fat, sugar and empty calories. That kind of eating causes spikes and crashes in energy levels, making it tough to keep fit. Teens need physical activity and nutritional meals as much as anyone, but they face a lot of temptation to make poor choices.
Weight and body image can be delicate issues for teens, especially girls who get bombarded with retouched images that can create incredibly unrealistic expectations. Up to a quarter of teen girls display eating disorders according to a study conducted by the Dietitians of Canada.
Seeing their kids at risk has many families fighting back. Across the U.S. there's a growing movement among parents to make the food choices in schools more nutritious through organizations like the New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods. In Scotland, the Parliament unanimously passed a law to ban all junk food from schools. In Australia, a national group called the Parents Jury is targeting companies it says are using underhanded tactics to promote junk food to children. The group is backed by the Cancer Council and Diabetes Australia. In Spain, Madrid's regional government imposed the world's first ban on overly thin models at a top-level fashion show.
Families who eat together reap benefits both physical and emotional. The Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota found that girls who ate 3 to 4 family meals per week were at about one-third the risk for extreme weight control practices and girls who ate 5 family meals per week were at about one-fourth the risk. The study showed that boys also benefit from family meals, but the association was not as strong as it is for girls.
Most sources agree that the best answer to getting teens to eat healthy is to support an overall healthy lifestyle. Setting a good example is a big help. Combining nutrition and fitness is the key. That means keeping fit in a way that's enjoyable enough to make it last as a regular activity. There are plenty of indications that regularly participating in physical activity can improve self-esteem and body image among teen girls.
Keeping it healthy doesn't mean deprivation, just a balanced approach to eating and burning calories. Even snacks can be healthy. Salsa and baked tortilla chips that are low in fat and low in cholesterol are a nutritious alternative to the empty calories of junk food. Chiles and the other fresh ingredients of salsa are high in vitamins, low in sodium and calories, and delicious to boot! Guacamole is a healthy treat. Some teens might go for hummus or fruit-filled low fat yogurt. Keeping fresh fruit such as bananas handy makes it easier to make a smart, healthy choice.
Like everybody else, teens want the approval of their peers. Making smart and healthy choices leads to feeling good about oneself and that can be very attractive to others. You don't have to be a teen to like that!
For more reading on this topic try the following sources:
Healthy Eating For Teens
Teen Health and Self-Esteem
Regular Family Meals Promote Healthy Eating Habits
To see a previous post on how to create the perfect salsa look here: (Good) Salsa = Time
In the last installment in her five part series on engaging the brain in your weight loss efforts, Nutritionist Lisa Maffucci talks about exercise.
Suggestion 5: Change the way you think about exercise.
The objective is to find an exercise that you enjoy, so that it isn't something you dread. If you dread it, you won't do it. Figure out what you like. Will a class work best for you? Do you like to walk? Ride your bike? Swim? How about weights? Yoga? Find something you like, and commit to doing it for thirty minutes a day, 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Schedule it into your day so that you don't get too busy or forget. Write it on your calendar. Don't give yourself an easy way out.
Some people find it helpful to join a gym. Others prefer to go it alone. Still others work with a personal trainer. It doesn't matter, as long as you do it.
As always, it is recommended that you check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program.
Changing the way you think about food and exercise is key to changing your habits. With practice, you will look forward to your healthy meals and workouts, because you will love how you feel when your health improves. You will begin to recognize that feeling healthy and active doesn't mean you can't eat anything you love or that you have to spend hours working out. Improving your health will decrease your chances of developing the chronic diseases that plague our country.
Isn't that its own reward?
Previous posts:
Suggestion 1: Change the way you think about diets.
Suggestion 2: Learn to recognize hunger and satiety.
Suggestion 3: Change the way you think about healthy food.
Suggestion 4: Change the way you think about rewarding yourself.
Time for the penultimate installment of Nutritionist Lisa Maffucci's five part series on engaging your brain in your weight loss efforts.
Suggestion 4: Change the way you think about rewarding yourself.
Many people use food as a treat. When they've had a hard day, they reach for high calorie snacks to comfort themselves. Or they celebrate an accomplishment with a high-fat meal in a restaurant. Rewarding yourself with high fat, high calorie, unhealthy food, whether it's because of a rough day or a great day, is counterproductive. I can't tell you how many times I've heard 'Well, it was a special occasion', as though it's a license to not take care of yourself. If you are trying to improve your health, it is for YOUR benefit. Why would you choose to undermine your efforts? Once again, learn to recognize your excuses. Special occasions and poor eating don't have to go hand in hand.
By the same token, food is not a reward. Think of other non-food ways to reward yourself for a job well done. Get a massage, or a manicure. Buy a book that you've been planning to read. Go see a movie. If you don't have the money, do something that doesnit cost. Eating food that you don't need costs you in many ways, so it’s not an excuse. The point is to do something for yourself that doesn't involve food. Remember, you need to associate food with hunger, not other emotions.
Stay tuned for next week's hindmost installment. Same time, same channel!
Previous posts:
Suggestion 1: Change the way you think about diets.
Suggestion 2: Learn to recognize hunger and satiety.
Suggestion 3: Change the way you think about healthy food.
The New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods is a non-profit organization that works to promote nutrition education and help kids make healthier food choices in New York schools. This is important because many of these children do not get this kind of information at home. There are plenty of resources at their site to help you get a program started at your child's school. The groups motto is Healthy Foods + Exercise = Better Health, Better Grades, Better Behavior.
New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods site here.
[thanks, Jeff!]
Time for part three of Nutritionist Lisa Maffucci's five part series on engaging your brain in your weight loss efforts.
Suggestion 3: Change the way you think about healthy food.
Changing the way you think about food is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health. Here are the most popular self-defeating things people tell me (and themselves) about food:
I don't like anything that's good for me.
I do fine until 4 pm, and then I snack all night.
I would eat better, but my (fill in the blank) doesn't want to eat healthy.
My family won't eat healthy foods, and I'm not cooking two different meals.
I have to keep snacks in the house for my kids (and then I eat them).
I don't have time to cook healthy foods.
I eat out a lot, so I can't eat healthy.
I hate vegetables.
My (fill in the blank) brings junk food in the house.
High cholesterol (blood pressure, triglycerides, heart disease, etc.) runs in my family, so there's nothing I can do.
I'm sure you can add some of your own.
THESE ARE EXCUSES. They are convenient ways to let yourself off the hook for not taking responsibility for your choices and your behavior. The problem with them is that you actually convince yourself that they are true if you say them often enough.
But you don't convince me.
Recognize that these excuses guarantee failure. They guarantee that you will never achieve your health goals. I will refute them one at a time.
I don't like anything that's good for me. Followed closely by I hate vegetables.
It can't be true that you don't like anything that's good for you. Everyone can find something (watermelon, sweet potatoes, strawberries) that's good and good for you. The same is true for vegetables - there must be a few you like. Recognize that all-or-nothing, extremist thinking is self-defeating.
Also, understand that it takes three weeks to make or break a habit. If you commit to trying a vegetable (or another healthy food) for three weeks, you may find that you do like it. Sometimes, it's a matter of finding the right way to cook it. Learn to catch yourself in self-defeating thought cycles and work on solutions.
I do fine until 4 pm, and then I snack all night.
This usually happens when you skimp on food during the day. You become so hungry by the afternoon that you can't stop eating. This results from not paying attention to your internal hunger/satiety cues. If you eat earlier in the day, you will not be starving at 4 pm (or 5 pm, or 6 pm - whatever your bewitching hour is). If you are hungry, eat a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts. And then STOP.
Snacking all night is a habit. Make sure you eat satisfying meals and then plan an activity after dinner. Do NOT allow yourself to wander in and out of the kitchen. Recognize that you are not physically hungry and identify what other emotions are causing you to reach for food.
I would eat better, but my (fill in the blank) doesn't want to eat healthy.
My family won't eat healthy foods, and I'm not cooking two different meals.
I keep snacks in the house for my kids.
All of these are, once again, convenient escape hatches for you. First of all, everyone should be eating healthy, and healthy doesn't mean mashed yeast and bean sprouts. Invest in a good low fat vegetarian cookbook to learn some healthy delicious meals that can become staples in your household. Ask your children and spouse for suggestions. Involve them in meal planning, shopping, and cooking. Find new ways to cook old favorites.
Snacks should be healthy for your children as well. Whole grain crackers and natural peanut butter, popcorn, dried fruit and nuts are all good choices for the whole family. No one needs cookies loaded with sugar and trans fats, chips that are high in fat and sodium, and candy. These are once-in-a-blue-moon foods, and keeping them in the house "for the kids" makes no sense. You want your children to develop healthy eating habits at an early age. If they aren't good for you, why would you feed them to your children?
I don't have time to cook healthy foods.
This is the mother of all excuses, as far as I am concerned. How long do people think it takes to cook a healthy meal? Do they actually think they need to go out and grow the food themselves?
Here are some examples of how easy it is to cook quick, healthy meals. Instant brown (not white) rice takes five minutes to cook. Beans come in a can. Frozen vegetables (already washed and cut) can be steamed on the stovetop in ten minutes, less in the microwave. Salad greens can be washed and spun in a salad spinner in under ten minutes. Baby carrots (don't need to be washed or peeled) can be added to salads or dipped in low-fat dressing. Whole wheat pasta can be boiled in under ten minutes. Potatoes can be baked on the weekend and reheated during the week.
The truth is, once you know how, it doesn't take any longer to cook healthy foods than it does to cook unhealthy ones. Commit to learning how and then doing it.
I eat out a lot, so I can't eat healthy.
Once again, this is an excuse. Restaurants cater to you, the customer. They want you to be happy. Order your entrée grilled without added fat. Ask for butter, salad dressing, and sauces on the side so you can control how much is added. Specify "no added fat" on your vegetables. Ask for butter or mayo on the side when you order a sandwich (restaurants often butter toasted buns). Ask for whole wheat bread. Order brown rice (available at many Chinese restaurants). Always order salad without cheese and croutons (again, with dressing on the side). (And before you tell me that you don't like brown rice or whole wheat bread, remember that it takes three weeks to develop a taste for something - so commit to trying it.) It IS possible to eat out healthfully with a little bit of planning.
High cholesterol (blood pressure, triglycerides, heart disease, etc.) runs in my family, so there's nothing I can do.
The research shows that genes are responsible for only a small percentage of health conditions. What is learned, however, are poor eating and exercise habits. If you find yourself developing the same health conditions as your parents and grandparents, take a close look at your diet. Chances are, you are eating the same foods as your family before you ate. Cleaning up your diet can actually reverse certain health conditions.
Recognize the road blocks you put up for yourself that keep you stuck in the same place. One by one, replace your excuses with solutions.
Stay tune for part four next week and if your interested in the previous suggestions, here are the links:
Suggestion 1: Change the way you think about diets - American Feast Blog
Suggestion 2: Learn to recognize hunger and satiety - American Feast Blog
Despite Mireille Guiliano's book "French Women Don't Get Fat" arguing that the French have figured out some magic formula for eating that allows them to eat plenty of fatty foods and still stay slim, almost one-third of the French are overweight and ten percent, obese. That's better than us but still a problem.
French Food Ads Carry Health Warnings - topix.net
[thanks, Jeff!]
As you know, nutritionist Lisa Maffucci has written a five part series on the benefits of engaging your brain in your weight loss efforts. Last week, in part one she suggested you change the way you think about diets. Here's Installment two.
Suggestion 2: Learn to recognize hunger and satiety.
Research shows that people who lose weight by following diets almost always regain the weight. That is because they are eating (or not eating) according to someone else's directions. They are not eating in response to their internal hunger cues and they are not stopping because they have had enough.
Do you remember when you were a child? And you had to be bribed - usually with dessert- to finish what was on your plate? Do you remember saying "But I'm not hungry!" (How long has it been since you said that?)
Today, we eat for every reason other than physical hunger. We eat when we're stressed, tired, sad, angry, lonely, tired, and happy. We eat when we're with friends. We eat to celebrate. We eat when we're bored. We eat because food smells good. We eat for reasons that have nothing to do with physical hunger. And when that happens, we are taking in calories that we don't physically need, and they are stored as fat.
So, commit to re-learning to recognize physical hunger (hint: it's in your stomach). Before you eat, practice rating your hunger on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 is not hungry, 5 is hungry, and 10 is very hungry. Remember, this is based on how you feel physically, NOT on how much you want to eat. Learn to recognize the difference.
Next, learn to recognize satiety. This is the feeling of being satisfied without being stuffed. This is a comfortable feeling, not a need to unbutton the top button on your pants. To do this, stop eating when half of your food is still on your plate. Pay attention to how your stomach feels. Again, rate your satiety on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 is still hungry, 5 is satisfied, 10 is over full. Practice stopping at 5. Remember, you can eat again when your hunger returns.
The object of this exercise is to separate physical hunger from emotional hunger. Eating for any other reason than physical hunger is emotional eating. This doesn't mean you can't eat socially or that you can never attend a dinner party again. It means that you learn to eat in response to your internal physical hunger, and not your emotions.
Look for part three next Monday!
When I was a kid, one of my father's favorite admonitions was, "use your head!" While I wasn't always successful, eventually I did learn the benefits of thinking before acting. Nutritionist Lisa Maffucci has written a five part series on the benefits of engaging your brain in your weight loss efforts. Here is the first installment.
This is the time of year that people make resolutions to lose weight and exercise more. And soon after they make them, they are back to their old habits, convinced that they can not make the changes they promised themselves they would. So how can you make those resolutions stick once and for all?
Change your mind.
That's right! You can change your bad habits by changing the way you think about them.
These simple (but not easy) suggestions will help you permanently change your habits so that you can improve your health. Commit to mastering one at a time and you will see results.
Suggestion 1: Change the way you think about diets.
You are not going on a diet. Diets are something you go on, and then you go off. Diets smack of deprivation, hunger, sacrifice, and suffering. When you go on a diet, you are so focused on what you can't eat that you set yourself up for failure.
Your goal in improving your health is not to stay on a diet, but to find a way of eating that you can live with for the rest of your life; a health-supporting way that allows you to eat anywhere, with anyone, without needing six different wardrobes. When you do this, your body finds its natural weight and you stay there (within a few pounds) no matter what.
Dieting puts you in a good/bad, on/off, black/white mindset. It is a rigid way of thinking that makes it difficult (if not impossible) to adapt to your current situation. Remember, your goal is not to only eat the "permitted" foods at the "permitted" times, but to be able to eat healthfully anywhere, anytime. Your diet should not alienate you from your life.
So change the way you think about diets. Diets don't work. Commit to learning how to eat healthfully for the rest of your life.
Look for installment two next week, same time, same station!
This odes to the banana is unattributed and sent to me via email. I can't vouch for all the scientific facts but my feeling is that they are probably true and can be verified. Enjoy a banana everyday!
Bananas Contain three natural sugars - sucrose,
fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana
gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of
energy. Research has proven that just two bananas
provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute
workout. No wonder the banana is the number one
fruit with the world’s leading athletes. But energy
isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It
can also help overcome or prevent a substantial
number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must
to add to our daily diet.
Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND
amongst people suffering from depression, many felt
much better after eating a banana. This is because
bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that
the body converts into serotonin, known to make you
relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel
better.
PMS:
Forget the pills—eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it
contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can
affect your mood.
Anemia:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production
of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of
anemia.
Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in
potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way
to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and
Drug Administration has just allowed the banana
industry to make official claims for the fruit’s
ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and
stroke.
Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex England)
school were helped through their exams this year by
eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a
bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown
that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning
by making pupils more alert.
Constipation:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can
help restore normal bowel action, helping to
overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to
make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The
banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the
honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while
the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body,
so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana
for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep
blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness
Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try
rubbing the affected area with the inside of a
banana skin. Many people find it amazingly
successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the
nervous system.
Overweight and at work?
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria
found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort
food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000
hospital patients, researchers found the most obese
were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The
report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food
cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels
by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two
hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers:
The banana is used as the dietary food against
intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and
smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be
eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It
also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation
by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control:
Many other cultures see bananas as a “cooling” fruit
that can lower both the physical and emotional
temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for
example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their
baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain
the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking:
Bananas can also help people trying to give up
smoking. The B6 and B12 they contain, as well as the
potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body
recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral which helps normalize
the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and
regulates your body’s water balance. When we are
stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing
our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with
the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes:
According to research in “The New England Journal of
Medicine,” eating bananas as part of a regular diet
can cut the risk of death from strokes by as much as
40%!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many
ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four
times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three
times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and
iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It
is also rich in potassium and is one of the best
value foods around. So maybe its time to change that
well-known phrase so that we say, “A banana a day
keeps the doctor away!”
The other night I saw Caroline DeWaal from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) on the Bill O'Reilly show talking about food safety. Her book is called, "Is Our Food Safe?" She said the the number one food type for poisonings in the U.S. are fruit and vegetables. I was surprised because I would have guessed beef, maybe poultry.
So if you are trying to follow the latest thinking about your health, you run a higher risk of being poisoned. It makes me think of the jogger that's out running for better health and gets hit by a car. He might still be alive if he was home, fat and in bed.
Anyway, it's more important now than ever to be informed about our food and how we handle it. More regulation of the food industry is warranted but as O'Reilly said, we should take steps to protect ourselves because just ask the victims of Hurricane Katrina what it's like to depend on the federal government for protection.
Regarding DeWaal's book from the publisher's web site:
"Every day, new warnings emerge about the safety of the food in our markets, school cafeterias, and restaurants. As industry and government officials rush in with reassurances—and food alarmists call for drastic changes in the American diet—ordinary consumers are caught in the middle. Is Our Food Safe? separates the facts from the rumors and offers straightforward, reliable advice on how to protect your health and the environment without going to extremes.
Is Our Food Safe? answers common questions about the safety of meat, dairy products, fish, fruits, and other foods that make up our daily diet. It assesses the positive and negative aspects of genetically engineered foods, compares organic and conventionally produced foods, and makes recommendations about when (and if) you should choose local suppliers over industry giants. It also explains which foods to eat and which to avoid if you are concerned about clean water and air and a safe environment. Finally, it provides valuable information on how you can improve the quality of the food available in your communities, including specific issues to raise with grocers and food service providers."
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