News summary

Diet and cancer

UK scientists say cancers of the gut, which are some of the most common forms of the disease, are also the most preventable. According to a review by the Institute of Food Research, fruit and vegetables are generally beneficial, and onions, apples, celery and broccoli particularly so. Professor Ian Johnson, head of Gastrointestinal Health and Function at the institute, who carried out the review, says, “Rates [of colorectal cancer] are much higher in developed countries. [It] is clearly a disease of affluence and about 80 per cent of cases are attributable in some way to diet.” He adds that the development of cancer is a complex multi-stage process, and that “nutrition is potentially a powerful tool to interrupt many stages of that process”.
(BBC News Online)
www.bbc.co.uk

Healthy eating messages “confused”

A leading member of the food industry in Australia says consumers are more confused than ever about healthy eating. Ken Grice, president-elect of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology, says consumers are being bombarded with conflicting messages. “There’s all sorts of confusing messages there and it’s difficult for consumers to sort out those things and we do need a common voice so that they can understand and make healthy choices,” he says.
(ABC News Online)
www.abc.net.au

US approves new anti-cholesterol drug

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new cholesterol-reducing drug. Vytorin, which is manufactured and marketed by a joint venture between Merck and Schering-Plough is a combination of two other cholesterol drugs, Zetia and Zocor, a statin. Vytorin has been shown to reduce cholesterol better than Lipitor, which currently accounts for 55 per cent of prescriptions and 49 per cent of sales in this sector in the US.
(Washington Post Online)
www.washingtonpost.com

Fat “helps nutrient absorption”

A US researcher says a small amount of fat added to fresh vegetables helps the body absorb lycopene and alpha- and beta-carotenes. Wendy White, an associate professor of nutrition at Iowa State University, says about four tablespoons of salad dressing would be an adequate amount for a large salad, but points out that cheese, egg yolk, avocado and other extras serve to raise the fat levels of a salad too. “In the absence of fat, people are probably not deriving the benefits from the beta-carotenes and other carotenoids, They have to balance that knowledge, along with the knowledge that fat is excess calories, and excess body weight is a huge problem in America,” says professor White
(Washington Post Online)
www.washingtonpost.com

“Child menus” under scrutiny

A survey indicates that “children’s meals” served in restaurants and cafes fail to meet the basic nutrition guidelines recommended for schools. Researchers for London Metropolitan University say many meals contain too much fat, excessive calories and too few vitamins and minerals. In a report published in Food Magazine, they say the least healthy meals are those at Harvester, Wacky Warehouse and Garfunkel?s, and remark that the meals perpetuate the idea that children’s food should be highly processed and devoid of fresh vegetables or fruit.
(BBC News Online)
www.bbc.co.uk

Not-so healthy eating?

The labelling of the “healthy-eating” range sold by Tesco may have to state that the products are high in salt, sugar and fat, according to the Food Commission. The supermarket chain announced in May that it was planning to test a “traffic light” system that would to give customers more nutritional advice than they get at present. However, the Food Commission say its research shows that when some Tesco products are tested for congruity with FSA guidelines they qualify for a “red light” rating. A commission spokeswoman points out, however, that Tesco is not alone in having high levels of salt and fat in a product range described as healthy.
(Sky News Online)
www.sky.com

Eggs “associated with greater chance of death”

Research in Japan concludes that women who eat eggs on a daily basis may be at a greater than average risk of death. Dr Yasuyuki Nakamura, of Kyoto Women’s University, says during a 14-year study it emerged that women who ate an egg a day were 22 per cent more likely to die of any cause than those who ate only a couple in a week, regardless of factors including age, smoking habits and body weight. Dr Nakamura?s team says it is possible that the health effects of eggs are greater in a population such as the Japanese, who may get a relatively large portion of their dietary cholesterol from this source.
(Reuters Health Online)
www.reutershealth.com

“Promote the benefits of wine”

A report by the French parliament concludes that wine should be exempt from a law banning the advertising of alcohol, and that the health benefits of moderate drinking should be promoted in order to pull the wine industry out of crisis. A group of parliamentarians and experts say the proposed change to the1991 “Evin law,” banning alcohol advertising on television and at sporting events, “would allow a legal vacuum to be filled without questioning the foundations of the law on advertising alcoholic beverages and without undermining the principles of consumer protection”. They say wine growers should be allowed to promote the healthy aspects of wine, such as the belief that drinking red wine regularly and in moderation may reduce the risk of heart disease.
(Reuters Health Online)
www.reutershealth.com

Just add?. anything?

Scientists working for the US forces have developed dried rations that troops can re-hydrate with dirty water or urine. The food is packed in a pouch containing an osmotic filter that removes 99.9 per cent of bacteria and most toxic chemicals, so that the amount of water soldiers need to carry can be reduced. One day’s supply of three meals would ordinarily weigh 3.5kg, but that can be reduced to about 0.4 kg with the new system.
(Ananova)
www.ananova.com