Sat in on an interesting session on meat substitutes at the Institute of Food Technologists meeting. So here’s the argument, which you’ve no doubt heard before – most of the western world, including North and South America and Europe is a carnivorous group. We love our meat. Since the 1960s, our consumption of animal-based protein …
Diet & Fitness
What’s in Your Fruit Juice?
More news from the Institute of Food Technologists meeting.
It’s always disturbing to hear about intentional cases of food adulteration – the melamine in infant formula, for example, because it represents a concerted effort to deceive, and in many cases, harm the public. But how common is such nefarious manipulation of our food?
Making Breakfast Count
Hello from Chicago, where I’m attending the annual meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists. It’s an interesting gathering of food scientists from academia, industry and government who think about what we eat, how we eat and why we aren’t eating better. Over the next several days, I’ll be brining you some news from the …
Which comes first, inactivity or childhood obesity?
New research highlighted by the BBC and published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood suggests that the common understanding of the relationship between physical activity and childhood obesity may possibly present things in the wrong order. That is, while it’s a widely held belief — and premise of the First Lady’s Let’s Move
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Active youth linked to lower risk for cognitive decline
A new study analyzing physical activity at different phases of life for more than 9,000 elderly women finds that routine exercise at any age was associated with a reduced risk for cognitive decline or dementia, but that regular physical activity during teenage years was most strongly linked to a lower risk for mental deterioration later
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Biking versus brisk walking: weight control for women
Riding a bicycle helps women keep their weight down in middle-age, a new study finds. Even small increases in time spent biking — of 5 min. or less per day — are associated with less weight gain as women age.
Nine Out of 10 Americans Eat Too Much Salt
Nine out of 10 Americans are eating way too much salt, according to a report this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The government’s current dietary guidelines advise Americans to consume less …
Are Cartoon Characters Coaxing Kids to Eat Junk Food?
Is your kid on the Dora the Explorer diet? Children say food tastes better when a familiar cartoon character — like Dora or Scooby Doo — appears on its packaging, a new study finds. And most kids prefer snacks that have the …
Salt: “supertasters” and how obesity impacts sensitivity
New research from food scientists at Pennsylvania State University suggest that some people’s penchant for salt may be due to a broader hypersensitivity to taste. The researchers suggest that “supertasters” not only experience the taste of salt more intensely, but other flavors as well — meaning that they often rely on extra salt to
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Youth hockey: checking associated with higher injury risk
Recent increases in the number of youth hockey players suffering concussions after collisions on the ice prompted a team of Canadian researchers to investigate how body-checking rules in Pee Wee hockey leagues factors into injury incidence. In a study of more than 2,000 youth hockey players from Alberta and Quebec — roughly half of
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Report: FDA needs more proactive food safety approach
A new report released today by the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council suggests that lack of resources, less than optimal organization and a reactive instead of preventive approach are undermining the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ability to effectively regulate food safety.
Do compression clothes really impact sport performance?
Two new studies from researchers at Indiana University suggest that the new fad of athletes wearing compression clothing to enhance performance may be little more than that, a fad. In two separate inquiries analyzing the effect of compression legwear on athletic performance, Abigail Laymon and Nathan Eckert both found no evidence for
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Mediterranean diet linked to lower child asthma risk
Children who consume a diet rich in fish, fruit and vegetables tend to have a lower risk for asthma and wheezing, while kids who eat several hamburgers a week may have a higher risk, according to new research published this week in the international respiratory journal Thorax.