Raw Food Vegans Have Thin But Healthy Bones

A team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found raw food vegans had many of the signs of strong bones.

Dr. Luigi Fontana, who led the study, said they had thin bones but none of the other signs of osteoporosis.

"We think it's possible these people don't have increased risk of fracture but that their low bone mass is related to the fact that they are lighter because they take in fewer calories," Fontana said in a statement.

He said he would continue to follow them to see if they develop osteoporosis later.

"Raw food vegetarians believe in eating only plant-derived foods that have not been cooked, processed, or otherwise altered from their natural state," Fontana's team wrote in this week's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Fontana's team studied 18 strict raw food vegans aged 33 to 85. All ate a diet that included unprepared foods such vegetables, fruits, nuts, and sprouted grains. They had been on this diet for an average of 3.6 years.

The team compared them to 18 more average Americans.

Fontana expected the vegans to have low vitamin D levels because they avoid dairy products, which are fortified with the vitamin. But in fact their vitamin D levels were "markedly higher" than average.

Vitamin D is made by the skin when the body is exposed to sunlight and is key to keeping strong bones.

"These people are clever enough to expose themselves to sunlight to increase their concentrations of vitamin D," Fontana said.

Fontana does not advocate a raw food diet. But he said that to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease people should eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Steve - This was a very small study, so one must be cautious.

Although, as we say to our clients often, and mention in our Healthy Bones Protocol, it is not about quantity, but quality of bone. This is why I say that most of the bone-enhancing medications are ineffective because they concentrate only on increasing bone mass, not quality. One could have immense, but unhealthy bones, while the next person may have thin, but healthy bones.

We do not adovcate raw food diets, because for those who have done well, we have seen more who have done poorly. Although, it makes sense that those on raw food diets have bones that are thin but healthy. Raw food dieters do not consume dairy, but eat plenty of nuts, seeds, and vegetables, which are high in calcium. They also consume a diet that is low acid, one of the major factors in protecting bone quality. What it does show yet again is that one does not need to consume milk to have healthy bones.

Acupunture Lowers Blood Pressure

"Electroacupuncture," a form of acupuncture that incorporates low levels of electrical stimulation, has been found to reduce elevations in blood pressure by as much as 50 percent, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Applied Pscychology.

In tests on rats, researchers at the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California Irvine found that electroacupuncture treatments provided temporary relief from the conditions that raise blood pressure during hypertensive states.

Such treatments may be effective as part of a therapeutic regimen for long-term care of hypertension and other cardiovascular ailments, say the researchers.

"This study suggests that acupuncture can be an excellent complement to other medical treatments, especially for those treating the cardiac system," said Dr. John C. Longhurst, director of the Samueli Center and study leader. "The Western world is waiting for a clear scientific basis for using acupuncture, and we hope that this research ultimately will lead to the integration of ancient healing practices into modern medical treatment."

Preschoolers Short on Key Vitamins

A study of preschool-age children living in Lincoln, Neb., found two-thirds of them deficient in vitamin E. Surprisingly, one-third of the children also weren't getting enough vitamin C, commonly found in such kid-friendly foods as orange juice.

Nutrition scientist Judy Driskell and her Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources colleagues tested 2- to 5-year-olds at four Lincoln day care centers. They drew blood samples from 22 ethnically diverse boys and girls to determine their vitamin E and C levels. Their parents also were interviewed to obtain dietary intakes for their children on two non-consecutive days.

The study found that the children deficient in either vitamin came equally from all ethnicities, genders and ages.

"I personally would recommend that young children receive a daily multivitamin-multimineral supplement that contains the recommended daily values," Driskell said. She recommends parents talk with their physician about whether their young children should take such a supplement.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln 3/28/2005

Atkins to revamp model

Due to waning consumer demand for low carb products, Atkins Nutritionals is scrambling to change it's "net carb" model and switch to a "glycemic index" model. Glycemic index refers to a person's blood sugar response to carbohydrates. Food analysts say that consumers may be confused by the change, but that Atkins must try something.

Steve - We have seen it for decades. Fad diets come and go. Atkins is the latest casualty. There is no miracle diet! Eat real foods, never eat a carbohydrate alone unless accompanied with a healthy fat or lean protein, implement normal portion sizes, in other words, follow Bonnie's Circle of Health!

Delaying Food Introduction Won't Prevent Allergies

According to a study presented at the 61st annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, delaying introduction of highly allergenic foods in high risk infants showed no benefit compared with children who had not avoided the allergenic foods.

Bonnie - First, the fact that they could make news out of a study of 90 children is ridiculous. One would need to do a very large population study. Second, if the mother is eating these trigger foods while breastfeeding, than the child will react strongly. The study did not compensate for that. Third, I have seen the benefits of allergenic food avoidance throughout the twenty years of clinical practice. Although, each of us have a specific genetic disposition with regard to food allergies, and even with avoidance in the early years, we may still exhibit allergic symptoms.

Yogurt May Help Dieters Shed More Body Fat

Replacing other foods with a few daily servings of yogurt may help obese adults trim their waistlines better than calorie-cutting alone, a new study suggests.

Among 34 obese men and women who went on a 12-week, reduced-calorie diet, those who ate three daily servings of yogurt shed more fat around the middle compared with dieters who got little to no dairy and low amounts of calcium.

The findings add to recent evidence linking calcium and dairy foods to slimmer waistlines, including research showing that children and teens who get the recommended amounts of milk, yogurt and cheese tend to be leaner than their peers who shun dairy.

SOURCE: International Journal of Obesity, April 2005.

Bonnie - This is the most recent spin on a study the Dairy Council has been squeezing every ounce out of lately. The study is the lynchpin of the "dairy creates weight-loss" and "3-a-day"campaigns. The real reason people lost weight in this study has nothing to do with dairy...it has to do with the participants receiving a reduced-calorie diet!

Sports drinks do more harm to teeth than sodas

Sports and energy drinks caused more damage to tooth enamel than colas, report researchers on a new study.

The findings support recent studies from the UK showing that sports drinks can cause serious damage to teeth. It underlines the need for manufacturers to look at new formulas that are less damaging.

“This study revealed that the enamel damage caused by non-cola and sports beverages was three to 11 times greater than cola-based drinks, with energy drinks and bottled lemonades causing the most harm to dental enamel,” said lead author J. Anthony von Fraunhofer, from the University of Maryland Dental School.

A previous study in the July/August issue of General Dentistry demonstrated that non-cola and canned iced teas can more aggressively harm dental enamel than cola.

The study continuously exposed enamel from cavity-free molars and premolars to a variety of popular sports beverages, including energy drinks, fitness water and sports drinks, as well as non-cola beverages such as lemonade and ice tea for a period of 14 days (336 hours).

The exposure time was comparable to approximately 13 years of normal beverage consumption.

There was significant enamel damage associated with all beverages tested, report authors in the January/February issue of General Dentistry.

Lemonade, energy drinks and sports drinks caused the most damage with fitness water, ice tea and cola coming some way after. Most cola-based drinks may contain one or more acids, commonly phosphoric and citric acids but sports beverages contain other additives and organic acids that can advance dental erosion, said the authors.

DHA may help prevent Alzheimer's, further evidence

People who eat significant amounts of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexanoic acid (DHA) may be less likely to get Alzheimer's disease, suggests an animal study.

The study, to be reported in the 30 March issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, found that mice fed a diet rich in DHA had less beta-amyloid, a protein that causes plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, than mice on a normal diet.

Total amyloid was cut by 70 per cent in mice on the DHA-rich diet compared with those on another diet, said the researchers, while brain plaques were reduced by 40.3 per cent.

"These results suggest that dietary DHA could be protective against beta-amyloid production, accumulation, and potential downstream toxicity," write the researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles.

People with a high intake of the fatty acid have been found to be at lower risk but there is as yet little evidence to support a direct benefit of consuming DHA on Alzheimer's prevention.

The findings support previous research into DHA's effect on this disease.

Alzheimer's disease, the leading cause of dementia in the elderly, afflicts an estimated 4.5 million people in the US alone.

Too little sun also harmful, say experts

Too little sun may be just as harmful as too much of it, warn Australian cancer specialists.

Australia is revising its warnings about the risks of sun exposure because of fears about vitamin D deficiency, Britain's Independent reported Tuesday.

Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of a range of diseases from cancer to osteoporosis, the newspaper said.

The Australians issued their warning on the same day Britain's Cancer Research UK launched its annual SunSmart campaign, highlighting the dangers of too much sun.

In a statement, the Cancer Council of Australia said: "A balance is required between avoiding an increase in the risk of skin cancer and achieving enough ultraviolet radiation exposure to achieve adequate vitamin D levels."

Brian Wharton, chairman of the British Nutrition Foundation, said: "We do need some sensible use of the sun and we have been swinging too strongly against it."

Courtesy of UPI 3/23/2005

Natrecor Impairs Kidney Action, Study Says

According to an article in the journal Circulation, researchers claim that the drug Natrecor, Johnson & Johnson's popular treatment for congestive heart failure, had reduced kidney function.

An accompanying editorial in the journal, published by the American Heart Association, questioned why the Food and Drug Administration had failed to follow up on concerns about Natrecor's impact on the kidneys and suggested that the drug should have received stronger labeling when it was approved in 2001.

A cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic said he had had concerns about the drug's safety since he cast the only vote against it while serving on an F.D.A. advisory panel. The cardiologist, Dr. Steven Nissen, said his concerns were based on data showing excessive renal problems.

The analysis, by Dr. Jonathan D. Sackner-Bernstein and Dr. Hal A. Skopicki of North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., and Dr. Keith D. Aaronson of the University of Michigan, was based on a review of clinical trial data submitted to the F.D.A. before the drug's approval.

The article concluded that Natrecor caused a 40 percent to 50 percent greater risk of reduced kidney function when compared with more conventional therapies for heart patients. Reduced renal function is linked to a higher death rate for patients with congestive heart failure.

The F.D.A. said that it could not comment because it had not seen the article.

Courtesy of the NY TImes 3/22/2005

Exercise May Help in Treating Depression

Though there's no definitive research showing exercise by itself can cure depression, many mental health experts agree that it has positive mental benefits and can be a useful tool in overall therapy.

Depression is a serious illness thought to be related to chemical imbalances in the brain, much more severe than an occasional case of "the blues." Depression affects the whole body: energy level, appetite and concentration.

"What we're really finding is that people that are depressed are quite inactive, both in kind of expending energy and in getting things done, working toward goals, taking care of personal business," said Matt Kushner, a clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota.

He recommends exercise for his patients as part of therapy that emphasizes routines, habits and goals. In addition, he said, patients who start exercising find they feel better and are less inclined to overeat or abuse drugs and alcohol.

Courtesy of AP 3/22/2005

Low Carb Diet Results in Greater Weight Loss

Obese women who follow low-carbohydrate diets, such as the Atkins diet, may lose more weight in a four-month period than those who go on low-fat diets, new study findings show.

Some advocates of low-carbohydrate diets say that such diets promote increased energy expenditure, but this claim has not been formally tested, until now.

To investigate, University of Cinncinnati researchers randomly assigned 50 moderately obese women to a low-carbohydrate diet group or a low-fat diet group. Only the low-fat group was told to restrict their caloric intake. Forty women completed the study.

By the end of the four-month study, women in both groups had lost weight and body fat, the researchers report in this month's issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. However, the low-carbohydrate group lost more than 10 percent of their body weight, while the low-fat group lost about 7 percent.

Specifically, the low-carbohydrate group lost 9.8 kilograms (21.6 pounds) of weight and 6.2 kilograms (13.7 pounds) of body fat, while the low-fat group lost about 6.1 kilograms (13 pounds) of weight and 3.2 kilograms (7 pounds) of body fat, the report indicates.

"These results confirm that short-term weight loss is greater in obese women on a low-carbohydrate diet than in those on a low-fat diet even when reported food intake is similar," according to researchers.

SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, March 2005

Reduced Sugar Cereals a Sham?

Experts who reviewed the lower-sugar versions of six major brands of sweetened cereals at the request of The Associated Press found they have no significant nutritional advantages over their full-sugar counterparts.

Nutrition scientists at five universities found that while the new cereals do have less sugar, the calories, carbohydrates, fat, fiber and other nutrients are almost identical to the full-sugar cereals. That's because the cereal makers have replaced sugar with refined carbohydrates to preserve the crunch.

Officials at General Mills, Kellogg's and Post were unable to explain why the new cereals are a better choice, but noted they give consumers more options about how much sugar they eat.

Blame the calorie woes on crunch. To preserve cereals' taste and texture, sugar is replaced with other carbs that have the same calories as sugar and are no better for you.

That's also why not even diabetics benefit from these cereals. The body treats all refined carbohydrates the same, whether they are sugars or grains, said Dr. Lilian Cheung of the Harvard School of Public Health.

Courtesy of Associated Press 3/21/2005

Acupuncture Shown to Relieve Pelvic Pregnancy Pain

Acupuncture and exercise can help relieve pelvic pain during pregnancy, Swedish researchers said on Friday.

Researchers compared standard treatment, stabilizing exercises and acupuncture on 386 pregnant women. Those who received acupuncture and did the exercises for six weeks reported less pain than the others.

The pain scale was also assessed by an independent examiner.

The researchers said acupuncture and stabilizing exercises are effective complements to standard treatment for pelvic pain during pregnancy.

"The findings are of particular importance because no previous study has shown such marked treatment effects among pregnant women with well defined pelvic girdle pain," the researchers said in a report published online by the British Medical Journal.

Bonnie's Comments on Vitamin E, Part II

As in last year’s case, I must defend vitamin E once again.

At least this time, it was a study, not a meta-analysis. The study appeared in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association.

The authors from the HOPE TOO trial conclude that 400IU of vitamin E showed no heart or cancer protective benefits, and actually may increase heart attack risk in women over age 55, compared to the placebo. While the authors admit that there was not a definitive conclusion to this study, except to state that more studies were needed, and the supposed observation of an adverse event in this trial cannot be confirmed by any other trials, the result may still be a shock to you.

Let’s look at the details of the study:

1) It is important to note that those participating in the study suffered from a range of degenerative diseases including vascular disease or diabetes mellitus, and at least one other significant cardiovascular risk factor. A 400IU dose of vitamin E is too small to show any reversal of serious conditions such as these.

2) Furthermore, subjects in this study were typically taking five different medications in addition to the 400IU of vitamin E, including beta-blockers, anti-platelet agents, statins, diuretics, calcium channel blockers, and ACE inhibitors – yet, the heart failure was attributed exclusively to vitamin E, with no adjustment for pharmacotherapy.

If I attempted to construct a study like this when I was in the University of Illinois-Chicago School of Public Health Masters program, I would have been flunked. The medications are considered confounding variables and must be adjusted for. All the medications used by people in the study list heart failure as a side effect.

There are three studies in Diabetes Care, the journal of the American Diabetes Association, that contradict this recent discovery.

1) The same HOPE TOO study concluded in 2002 that while vitamin E did not improve the outcomes of the participants in the trial, it did not worsen their outcomes.

2) A 11/2004 study that appeared in Diabetes Care showed that 40% of diabetic patients (with no other conditions) can reduce their risk of heart attacks (by 43%) and of dying from heart disease (by 55%) by taking vitamin E supplements at a 400IU dose.

3) A 12/2004 study that appeared in Diabetes Care followed overweight adults given 800IU of vitamin E for 90 days and increasing to 1200IU for another 90 days. Their blood markers of oxidative stress (which contributes to insulin resistance) fell by 27 at three months and 29 percent at six months.

Another study that appeared in the March 2^nd, 2005 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that prostate cancer risk may be cut significantly when alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, the two most prominent components of vitamin E, are present in high levels in the blood.

According to an analysis of 100 patients with prostate cancer and 200 who were cancer-free, among 30,000 Finnish men, those with the highest levels of alpha-tocopherol in their blood at baseline were 51 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer. Those who had the same high levels of gamma-tocopherol were 43 percent less likely to be stricken with the disease. The link between high tocopherol levels and the reduced prostate cancer risk was stronger among patients using alpha-tocopherol supplements than among non-users.

As in last year’s Hopkins meta-analysis study, we are unaware if the JAMA study used one particular form of Vitamin E, namely alpha-tocopherol, which is only one part of the vitamin E picture. A convincing body of evidence now points to the fact that alpha-tocopherol in supplements, particularly at high doses, might reduce the body's uptake of vital components of Vitamin E which are much more effective antioxidants than alpha-tocopherol, such as, gamma- and beta-tocopherols, and tocotrienols (e.g. Handelman GJ et al,J Nutr 115; 807-13,1985; Burton GH et al,Am J Clin Nutr67; 669-84, 1998; Huang HY, Appel LJ.J Nutr 133; 3137-40, 2003.). This is why we always recommend a mixed tocopherol when taking supplemental vitamin E.

Years of clinical research show that Vitamin E supplementation is safe. This has been clearly documented in recent clinical trials including:

-Morris CD, Carson S. Routine vitamin supplementation to prevent
cardiovascular disease: a summary of the evidence for the U.S.
Preventive Services Task Force. Ann Intern Med. 2003;139:56-70.

-Vivekananthan DP, Penn MS, Sapp SK, Hsu A, Topel EJ. Use of
antioxidant vitamins for the prevention of cardiovascular disease:
meta-analysis of randomized trials. Lancet. 2003;361:2017-23.

-Shekelle PG, Morton SC, Jungvig LK, Udani J, Spar M, Tu W, et al.
Effect of supplemental vitamin E for the prevention and treatment of
cardiovascular disease. J Gen Intern Med. 2004;19:380-9.

The highly respected, independent organization Institute of Medicine finds, "Vitamin E mixed tocopherol supplements are safe at levels of at least up to 1,000 mg (1,600 IU) for normal, healthy adults."

I echo this statement.

Have a happy, healthy day.

Bonnie Minsky, MA, MPH, LDN, CNS
Nutritional Concepts

© Copyright 2005

Some Herbs Help Children

Certain herbal supplements show promise for treating children's colds, skin allergies and sleep problems, according to a new research review.

On the other hand, the study found, some of the most popular botanical products, including echinacea, garlic and cranberry supplements, do not have the evidence to back them up.

But even with herbs that have some supporting evidence, parents should be careful about giving the products to their children, cautioned Dr. Gail Mahady, a researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the study's lead author.

"They need to recognize that treatment of any disease with an herbal medicine is really drug therapy, not dietary supplementation."

Among the herbs that Mahady and her co-investigators found promising was Andrographis paniculata, a plant long used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for treating the common cold, flu and other infections. In one clinical trial, children given the herb daily for three months had roughly half as many colds during the third month as children given a placebo.

Other herbs with at least some research evidence to support them included evening primrose oil, valerian root and ivy leaf, according to findings published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Many herbal products have not been well studied, particularly for use among children. But the new review shows there are botanicals on the market that may well aid in childhood illness, according to Mahady.

Those are the products that researchers should be "actively investigating," she said.

Evening primrose oil is derived from an American wildflower and is rich in essential fatty acids. Three clinical trials have looked at the botanical's effectiveness for children's atopic eczema, an allergic condition that causes patches of skin to become inflamed, dry and extremely itchy. Overall, according to Mahady and her colleagues, the research suggests evening primrose oil may help with the condition.

Valerian is an herbal sedative, and only one clinical trial has assessed the effects of the extract in children, according to the review. But that small study found that the herb improved sleep patterns among boys with learning deficits and hyperactivity.

Extracts of ivy leaf are used to treat upper respiratory problems, and Mahady and her colleagues found some evidence that the herb may help improve breathing difficulties in children with asthma or chronic bronchitis.

Like drugs, herbal products come with safety concerns, Mahady pointed out. Echinacea, for example, can trigger allergic reactions in children who already have allergies. Mahady said that, in general, parents of children with asthma or other allergies should be particularly careful about giving them herbal supplements, as plants are a common allergy trigger.

Getting the advice of a doctor, pharmacist or other health professional before using an herb, Mahady said, "will only be beneficial to the child."

Courtesy of Reuters; SOURCE: Journal of Pediatrics, March 2005.

Steve - As with dietary supplements, herbs should only be administered under the guidance of a licensed health professional, especially in children. This should be done for safety reasons as well as for individualizing what sources would most benefit a child.

Test Could Be Predictor of Heart Disease

A simple and inexpensive test for elevated white blood cell counts could be used to predict heart disease, a study of more than 66,000 women suggests.

The study adds to the growing body of evidence that inflammation plays a role in strokes and heart attacks, perhaps by weakening blood vessels and causing fatty buildups inside them to break loose and create a blockage.

Women with the highest levels of white blood cells were found to be twice as likely to die from heart disease as women with the lowest levels. High white blood cell counts also were associated with a 40 percent higher risk for nonfatal heart attack and a 46 percent higher risk for stroke.

White blood cells are the body's germ fighters. Their levels rise when the body is fighting infection from viruses and bacteria, and doctors routinely take a white blood cell count to diagnose various illnesses.

Current guidelines for predicting heart disease already direct doctors to test for another marker of inflammation, C-reactive protein, in some patients. But the white blood cell test is cheaper and more widely available. And it is as strong a predictor as C-reactive protein, the researchers said.

"It's really a wake-up call for the profession," he said. "Heart disease was not created by cholesterol alone."

The study is part of the Women's Health Initiative, a research project of the National Institutes of Health that involves thousands of postmenopausal women across the country. Other WHI studies have uncovered the risks of taking hormones.

Archives of Internal Medicine March 2005

Steve - High WBC is an indicator of inflammation and should be taken seriously, especially if conjunction with a high CRP. It is wonderful to see the medical community starting to focus their attention on inflammation, which makes up at least 50% of the cardiac risk. Cholesterol is only a piece of the cardiac puzzle.

Anti-Cancer Compound in Green Tea Identified

Researchers at the University of Murcia in Spain (UMU) and the John Innes Center (JIC) in Norwich, England have shown that a compound called EGCG in green tea prevents cancer cells from growing by binding to a specific enzyme.

"We have shown for the first time that EGCG, which is present in green tea at relatively high concentrations, inhibits the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), which is a recognized, established target for anti-cancer drugs, " Professor Roger Thorneley, of JIC, told Reuters.

EGCG binds strongly to DHFR, which is essential in both healthy and cancerous cells. But it does not bind as tightly as methotrexate, so its side effects on healthy cells could be less severe than those of the drug.

The findings could also explain why women who drink large amounts of green tea around the time they conceive and early in their pregnancy may have an increased risk of having a child with spina bifida or other neural tube disorders.

Women are advised to take supplements of folic acid because it protects against spina bifida. But large amounts of green tea could decrease the effectiveness of folic acid.

"This enzyme, (DHFR), is the one folic acid supplements are given for. Folic acid deficiency leads to neural tube development defects," Thorneley added.

Steve - Fascinating stuff. More research must to be done, but it seems that in this case "too much of a good thing" can be a bad thing.

Drug complaints reach record high

Drug side-effects reached an all-time high in 2004, according to the FDA. Roughly 422,500 adverse-event were reported by pharmaceutical companies, health professionals and patients, up nearly 14% from the 370,887 reports filed in 2003.

The bulk of the reports comes from drug manufacturers, which the FDA requires to file details of all known adverse events involving their products. Doctors, nurses and patients also file, but their reports are voluntary. As a result, the annual totals are believed to cover only a percentage of the actual number of serious drug reactions and problems.

Courtesy of Kevin McCoy, USA TODAY 3/14/2005

UK to focus more on prevention

Plans to encourage Britons to eat healthier foods, published by the UK government last week, mark a paradigm shift in the public policy approach to health, believes a food industry consultant.

The increasing numbers of obese in the UK and growing pressure on the health service, unable to cope with the costs of chronic disease, has forced the UK government to recognize the potential of preventative measures such as a good diet.

According to the "white paper" bill, there will be clear targets set and monitored every six months, we will see new legislation, new regulation, new mobilisation of resources, and real results. For the first time the NHS will become a national health service instead of a national sickness service.

The guidelines are set to have a major impact on the food industry, increasingly being held responsible for obesity and obesity-related disease.

The bill includes plans to introduce a ban on all television advertising for 'junk foods' targeted at children and changes to the way food products are labelled. It proposes for example a 'traffic light' labelling system that identifies unhealthy foods with a red label, nutritious but high-fat foods, such as cheese, with an orange label and healthy choices with green.

The bill also aims to increase the average fruit and vegetable consumption to five portions a day, from the current 2.8 portions, and up fibre intake to 18 grams per day. Salt, saturated fat and added sugar must in turn be reduced.

Bonnie - Our government just nixed the idea of banning junk food advertising to children. This should be one of the pillars to change the paradigm in this country.