February

February 2002 Highlights from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association

Below are summaries of several nutrition research articles published in the February 2002 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association and reactions to the studies from ADA spokespeople. For more information, or to receive a faxed copy of a JADA article, please call Bridget McManamon 800/877-1600, ext. 4769; or e-mail bmcmana@eatright.org.

Food and nutrition misinformation: Position of the American Dietetic Association

Consumers are taking greater responsibility for their health and are hungry for food and nutrition information. The science of food and nutrition has advanced greatly, leading to enhanced recommendations about eating healthfully. Despite these positive developments, nutrition misinformation is everywhere. Below is ADA's position statement on food and nutrition misinformation.

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that food and nutrition misinformation can have harmful effects on the health and economic status of consumers. Nationally credentialed dietetics professionals working in healthcare, academia, public health, nutrition communications, media and the food industry and serving in policy-making/regulatory roles are uniquely qualified to advocate for and promote sound, science-based nutrition information to the public, function as primary nutrition educators to health professionals and actively counter and correct food and nutrition misinformation.

"The public is bombarded with an overwhelming amount of food and nutrition information. Unfortunately, not all of it is accurate. Dietetics professionals are best prepared to communicate balanced, accurate and practical information on nutrition and health to consumers," says Chicago-based registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Diane Quagliani. Quagliani is a consultant specializing in food, health and nutrition communications for consumer and health professional audiences.

Many HIV patients need dietary counseling

The importance of nutrition in HIV infection is well known, and identifying the nutritional needs of HIV patients early on is crucial to successful treatment. Researchers from Tufts University School of Medicine evaluated more than 500 individuals with HIV to determine the relationship between their disease state and their nutritional intake. Researchers found that at least 20 percent of the men did not reach the Daily Recommended Intake (DRI) levels for zinc, folate and vitamin E, and more than 25 percent of the women did not reach the DRI levels for vitamins A, C, E and B-6, and iron and zinc. Researchers state that dietary assessment of people living with HIV is important at all stages of the disease in order to identify those with inadequate nutrient intakes. It is crucial for those individuals to receive dietary counseling.

"This study underscores the importance of nutrition at every stage of HIV. We now know that women and minorities are especially at risk nutritionally and deserve access to ongoing medical nutrition therapy," says New York-based registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Keith Ayoob. Ayoob is director of nutrition at Rose F. Kennedy children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center in New York City and associate clinical professor of pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Breakfast foods: Cost versus nutrients

Cake. Candy. Leftover pizza. Soft drinks. When it comes to teens and eating, breakfast foods run the gamut. Many consumers base their food choices on taste, cost and convenience. But when it comes to nutrients obtained versus cost of food, these choices may not be very efficient. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine examined more than 550 ninth-grade students and the breakfasts they ate, to determine what foods provided more nutrients compared to their cost. Researchers found that five percent of students ate fast-food breakfasts, 30 percent ate ready-to-eat (RTE) cereals and 65 percent ate other breakfast foods. For every dollar spent, the RTE cereal and other breakfast foods provided more energy, carbohydrate, fiber, sugar and protein than the fast-food breakfasts. The "other" breakfast foods provided more total and saturated fat per dollar than the fast food and RTE cereal breakfasts. And the RTE cereals provided more folic acid, iron, niacin, vitamins A and D and zinc than the other two breakfast meals. Researchers suggest that health professionals need to continue emphasizing the importance of selecting foods based not only on price and convenience, but also on the amount of nutrients the food contains.

"Teenagers benefit from a breakfast that is fast, tasty and nutritious. This study demonstrates that breakfast at home fills the bill by being quick, nutrient rich and a good value for the money," says Miami-based registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Sheah Rarback. Rarback is director of nutrition at the Mailman Center for Child Development in Miami and assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami.