Research Highlights - May

American Journal Clinical Nutrition

• In healthy postmenopausal women, a moderate increase in dietary animal protein (10-20%), improved calcium absorption from a low calcium diet, compensating for a slight increase in urinary calcium excretion. Contrary to past research, increased protein consumption is not detrimental to bone health.

• To ensure that the vitamin D requirement is met by the vast majority of adults aged 64 and over during winter, 316IU to 1712IU is required depending on summer sunshine exposure and 25(OH)D levels.

• There is a positive association between heterocyclic aromatic amines (the black stuff on charred meat) and colorectal adenoma risk. In April, there was also a study linking HCA's with pancreatic cancer.

• DHEA supplementation in older women improved spine bone mineral density when administered with calcium and vitamin D.

• A 64,234 subject study showed mortality from circulatory diseases and all causes is not significantly different between vegetarians and meat eaters.

• Eliminating all animal products from the diet increases the risk of certain nutritional deficiencies, including vitamin B-12, D, calcium, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids.
  

Journal of Nutrition

• Seaweed favorably alters estrogen and phytoestrogen metabolism and these changes likely include modulation of colonic bacteria.

• Higher total carotenoid intakes, mainly those of beta-carotene and lycopene, were associated with a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome and with lower measures of adiposity and serum triglyceride concentrations in middle-aged and elderly men.
  

Journal of the American Dietetic Association

• Results indicate that calcium bioavailability in the two calcium-fortified ice cream formulations used in this study is as high as milk, indicating that ice cream may be a good vehicle for delivery of calcium. Bonnie - mind you, this is coming from the largest organization of Registered Dietitians! Astounding that this study was ever performed.

• It is important to identify the role of nutrition in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. The goal of this study was to compare the equivalency of nutrient intakes assessed by diet records and the Arizona Food Frequency Questionnaire and the associations of these nutrients with bone mineral density (BMD). Significant correlations between dietary assessment methods were found with all dietary intake variables. Iron and magnesium were consistently and significantly positively associated with BMD at all bone sites regardless of the dietary assessment method. Zinc, dietary calcium, phosphorous, potassium, total calcium, and fiber intakes were positively associated with BMD at three or more of the same bone sites regardless of the dietary assessment method. Diet records and the Arizona Food Frequency Questionnaire are acceptable dietary tools used to determine the associations of particular nutrients and BMD sites in healthy postmenopausal women

American Journal Preventive Medicine

• Overall, 77.6% of men and 78.4% of women (196,373 subjects total) from the 52 mainly low- and middle-income countries consumed less than the minimum recommended five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Baseline global information on low fruit and vegetable consumption obtained in this study can help policymakers worldwide establish interventions for addressing the global chronic disease epidemic.