April 2005 Newsletter

Prof Mark Wahlqvist AO, MD, FRACP

We have 2 new products now available: 1. The innovative "Food Web" on-line dietary assessment program developed by HEC nutritionists 2. Asia Pacific Journal Volumes 1-13 (1992-2004) on CD

Dr Antigone Kouris-Blazos PhD, Grad Dip Diet, BSc (Hons)

HEC PRODUCTS

Food Web

.

HEC has developed a NOVEL on-line dietary assessment tool called FOOD WEB. more...

Past and Current subscribers:
We have made Food web freely available to our past and current subscribers (including megabyte members).
Simply use your ID and Password more...

New subscribers:
New subscribers will get access to Food Web, along with access to the on-line book "Food Facts" by Professors Mark Wahlqvist and David Briggs and the course module "Healthy Eating Tips" for only $29.95 per annum. more..


____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Volumes 1-13 (1992-2004) and Supplements on CD rom for only $190 order here

APJCN vol 14, issue 1, 2005 issue out now - read abstracts.

APJCN vol 14, supplement, 2005 out now (papers from APCNS/IUNS conference in Brisbane 2004)abstracts.

Subscribe to APJCN for only $135 hardcopy/online or $120 on-line onky

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________


WHAT'S NEW IN NUTRITION RESEARCH
Strong bones best achieved with milk and milk products?

A report published in the journal Pediatrics (March 2005), reviewed 37 studies examining the impact of calcium consumption on bone strength in children older than seven and found that 27 did not support drinking more milk to boost calcium intake and that children who drink more milk do not necessarily develop healthier bones. Several studies, which examined such factors as bone density and rate of fractures, concluded that exercise may be more important than increased calcium consumption in developing strong bones.
With the rising prevalence of obesity in children, there is concern that promoting the consumption of dairy products may contribute to excess calories (especially of full fat products are consumed). For example,in the US, dairy products currently provide 18 per cent of the total energy and 25 per cent of the total fat intake in the diets of American children. So promoting low fat low sugar sources of calcium seems desirable.
The researchers highlighted that consuming more milk/milk products was not necessarily the best way to provide the minimal calcium intake of at least 400 milligrams per day (recommended between 800-1300mg per day). Other ways to obtain the absorbable calcium found in one cup of cow's milk include:
- a cup of fortified orange juice
- a cup of cooked kale (a type of cabbage)
- two packages of instant oats
- two-thirds of a cup of tofu
- one to two thirds of a cup of broccoli
Some of these non milk sources of calcium contain phytoestrogens which have been linked to stronger bones. Asian populations have high intakes of phytoestrogens which may be contributing to the low rates of osteoporosis.

Healthy packaged snack foods

Choice Magazine in Australia recently (Jan/Feb 2005) reviewed all the currently available packaged snack foods targeting kids. The results can be viewed at their website. A packaged snack food was deemed desirable if it contained:
600kj or 140kcal or less per serving
less than 5g saturated fat per 100g
less than 15g sugar per 100g (or if some of the sugar came from real fruit or lactose the product could contain up to 25g per 100g)
less than 200mg sodium per serving

The following packaged snack foods satisfied all four nutritional requirements more......

 

NUTRITION RESOURCES ON THE WEB