The New York Times, Jane E. Brody, July 26, 2010
Vitamin D promises to be the most talked-about and written-about supplement of the decade. While studies continue to refine optimal blood levels and recommended dietary amounts, the fact remains that a huge part of the population — from robust newborns to the frail elderly, and many others in between — are deficient in this essential nutrient.
If the findings of existing clinical trials hold up in future research, the potential consequences of this deficiency are likely to go far beyond inadequate bone …

The New York Times, William Neuman, July 14, 2010
According to a recent Nestlé ad campaign aimed at parents, a drink called Boost Kid Essentials was so good for children that it could keep them from getting colds and missing school.
But on Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission said the ads were deceptive and announced that Nestlé had agreed to stop making the claims.
The move was the second in two months aimed at deceptive advertising by a major food manufacturer for products meant for children. A commission official said that the agency …

The Guardian, Randeep Ganesh, July 7 2010
Beer companies, confectionery firms and crisp-makers will be asked to fund the government’s advertising campaign to persuade people to switch to a healthier lifestyle and, in return, will not face new legislation outlawing excessively fatty, sugary and salty food, the health secretary, Andrew Lansley, announced today.
In a move condemned by campaigners as the government “rolling over on their backs in front of the food lobby”, Lansley told a conference of public health experts that he wanted a new partnership with food and drink …

Los Angeles Times, David Lazarus, June 29, 2010
What to do about the obesity epidemic? Here’s a thought: Substitute “tobacco” for “junk food.” That provides a pretty clear road map about what government authorities should be doing to safeguard public health.
Unfortunately, officials are instead just reheating the same old leftovers.
Dietary guidelines issued recently by the U.S. Department of Agriculture basically say Americans need to ease up on the salt, sugar and saturated fats, and instead eat more fruits and veggies.
This is the same advice given by the department three decades ago. …

The Economist, June 17, 2010 Share

FAST-FOOD firms have to be a thick-skinned bunch. Health experts regularly lambast them for peddling food that makes people fat. Critics even complain that McDonald’s, whose golden arches symbolise calorie excess, should not have been allowed to sponsor the World Cup. These are things fast-food firms have learnt to cope with and to deflect. But not perhaps for much longer. The burger business faces more pressure from regulators at a time when it is already adapting strategies in response to shifts in the global …

ShareThe Dietary Guidelines for Americans report 2010 is out! In contrast to some of the advise given in the 2005 version, this one seems to be much more evidence-based and contains some progressive changes in recommendations that are independent of pressures of the major food industries.
I’ve summarized some of the major points below, for more information read the short Excecutive Summary.

SoFAS (added sugars and solid fats) contribute approximately 35 percent of calories to the American diet

Reduce the incidence and prevalence of overweight and obesity of the US population …

More than a century after President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Pure Food and Drug Act, deception is still a far too popular marketing tool for food makers.
READ the original article on Kellogs claims here.
The Federal Trade Commission barred Kellogg’s last year from running ads saying Mini-Wheats are “clinically shown to improve kids’ attentiveness by 20 percent.” To claim “benefits to cognitive health, process or function provided by any cereal or any morning food or snack food,” was a no-no, unless the claims were true. But the F.T.C.’s order covered only …

Reuters, Lynne Peeples, May 28, 2010
If milk does the heart good, it might do the heart better if it comes from dairy cows grazed on grass instead of on feedlots, according to a new study.
Liesbeth A Smit, Ana Baylin, and Hannia Campos.Conjugated linoleic acid in adipose tissue and risk of myocardial infarction AJCN 2010.
Earlier experiments have shown that cows on a diet of fresh grass produce milk with five times as much of an unsaturated fat called conjugated linoleic acid CLA than do cows fed processed grains. Studies in animals …

Washington Post, Melissa Bell, May 27, 2010
The plastic soup can looks as if it’s a single-size meal, a healthful lunch option for one hurried customer. But the nutrition label on the back says otherwise. Gummy fruit snacks show a shower of strawberries on the label, which reads “naturally fruit flavored.” Customers would be hard-pressed to find any strawberries in the ingredient list.

Because of rising obesity rates and a push for more healthy living, many new products in the supermarket claim to be low-fat, immunity-boosting, vitamin-added foods. Some brands have become …

Center for American Progress, By Ellen-Marie Whelan, Lesley Russell, Sonia Sekhar | May 10, 2010
Obese American children and teenagers today are on track to have poor health throughout their adult lives. Overall, this next generation of Americans could be the first to have shorter, less healthy lives than their parents. Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled since 1980, and current data show that almost one-third of children over 2 years of age are already overweight or obese.
Download the full report (pdf)
Download the executive summary (pdf)
Obese children and adolescents are more likely to …