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TweetNovember 8, 2012, The Syndey Morning Herald, Melissa Davey
AUSTRALIANS support a tax on unhealthy foods and many want a total ban on junk-food advertising, research has found – the same measures the food industry has claimed would be too unpopular to succeed.
More than two-thirds of the 1500 primary grocery buyers surveyed were in favour of a tax, while traffic-light labelling on all packaged foods also received strong support.
But the government has so far refused to implement the same measures that are supported by the public, while the peak body for …

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May 27, 3012, Q2KTVW.com, Madison Park
Obesity is a widespread epidemic, even among the homeless.
While the popularized image of a homeless individual is one of skin and bones, a new study shows the reality is not so. One in three (32.3%) homeless individuals in the United States is obese, highlighting a hunger-obesity paradox.
The paradox is that hunger and obesity can exist in the same person. And although a person may be overweight or obese, he or she can lack proper nutrition.
Nutrition is a daily challenge for homeless people, as the foods …

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TweetMay 24, 2012, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.
“It’s in their genes” is a common refrain from scientists when asked about factors that allow centenarians to reach age 100 and beyond. Up until now, research has focused on genetic variations that offer a physiological advantage such as high levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol. But researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University have found that personality traits like being outgoing, optimistic, easygoing, and enjoying laughter as well as staying engaged …

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May 17, 2012, Harvard School of Public Health
Over the last few decades numerous studies have shown negative states, such as depression, anger, anxiety, and hostility, to be detrimental to cardiovascular health. Less is known about how positive psychological characteristics are related to heart health. In the first and largest systematic review on this topic to date, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that positive psychological well-being appears to reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events.
The study was published online April 17, 2012 in Psychological …

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TweetMay 16, 2012, AP/NYDaily News
Is it really more expensive to eat healthy?
An Agriculture Department study released Wednesday found that most fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods cost less than foods high in fat, sugar and salt.
That counters a common perception among some consumers that it’s cheaper to eat junk food than a nutritionally balanced meal.
The government says it all depends on how you measure the price. If you compare the price per calorie – as some previous researchers have done – then higher-calorie pastries and processed snacks might seem like …

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TweetApril 27, nj.com, Carly Rothman, The Star-Ledger
Whaaaat? Nutella isn’t good for us?
Adding a heaping spoonful of that rich, gooey chocolate-hazelnut goodness to our (otherwise) balanced breakfasts won’t yield the same health benefits as fish oil and flax seed?
Shock. Horror. Outrage.
That, at least, was the response of San Diego mother Athena Hohenberg, the lead plaintiff in one of two class-action lawsuits against the company that makes the sweet spread. Hohenberg and her co-plaintiffs claimed they were misled by the brand’s advertising campaign, which suggested Nutella is a wholesome part of a …

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TweetApril 2, 2012, New York Times, Kevin Rose.
A schoolteacher invented it. Oprah raved about it. Cold-stricken customers and hypochondriacs flocked to it. Skeptics said it was nothing more than snake oil in pill form.
And now, the herbal supplement maker Airborne has made its owners a very healthy profit.
Schiff Nutrition International agreed to buy Airborne, which is majority owned by GF Capital, in a $150 million all-cash deal on March 30, the company announced on Monday. Schiff, based in Utah, will add Airborne to its roster of health products, among them …

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TweetMarch 29, 2012, Forbes, Nadia Arumugam
Last October a class action lawsuit was filed against General Mills claiming that the manufacturer’s fruit snacks misled consumers into thinking they were healthy, nutritious fare. The suit was filed on behalf of Californian consumer, Annie Lam, by attorneys from the nutrition advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest. Lam lambasted General Mill’s repertoire of Fruit Roll-ups, Fruit Gushers and Fruit by the Foot as being packed with “trans fat, large amount of added sugar, {and} large amounts of potentially harmful artificial food dyes” and …

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Tweet December 7, 2011
Parents have good reason to worry about the sugar content of children’s breakfast cereals, according to an Environmental Working Group review of 84 popular brands.
Kellogg’s Honey Smacks, at nearly 56 percent sugar by weight, leads the list of the 10 worst children’s cereals, according to EWG’s analysis. In fact, a one-cup serving of the brand packs more sugar than a Hostess Twinkie, and one cup of any of the 44 other children’s cereals has more sugar than three Chips Ahoy! cookies.
In response to the exploding childhood obesity epidemic and aggressive food company …

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TweetDo you hate airplane food? Are you concerned about their nutritional value? Then check out the airline survey of plane food:
This is the annual DietDetective.com airline survey. Each year I contact the media relations departments of the various airlines to request nutrition information for the foods they serve economy-class passengers on domestic flights. This year, finally, all but two airlines were helpful. Wow, maybe they’re finally getting how important it is to provide this information to the public.
Check out the survey at: Annual Airline Snacking and Onboard Food Survey with Health …