News summary

Olive oil’s anti-cancer properties “may be explained”

Scientists in the US say the apparent ability of olive oil to cut the risk of breast cancer could be due to its oleic acid content. Laboratory tests on breast cancer cells, carried out at Northwestern University in Chicago, show that oleic acid cut levels of a gene thought to trigger the disease. Her-2/neu occurs at high levels in more than 20 per cent of breast cancer patients and is associated with highly aggressive tumours with a poor prognosis. Oleic acid not only suppresses its activity but also increases the effectiveness of herceptin, which has helped to prolong the lives of many patients.
BBC News Online

Whole grain findings

A diet rich in whole grains appears to reduce men’s risk of developing heart disease, with the bran component playing a key role, according to a large study. Researchers in the US say in a sample of nearly 43,000 middle-aged and older men, those who ate the most whole grains were less likely than those with the lowest consumption to develop coronary heart disease over 14 years. Senior author Dr Eric Rimm, of the Harvard University School of Public Health, says overall, men with the highest intake of whole grains have an 18 per cent lower risk of heart disease than with those who eat the least, while those who consume the most added bran are at 30 per cent less risk than those who eat none. The research was in part funded by cereal maker the Kellogg Company.
Reuters Health Online

"GI" diet is picked up by supermarket

The GI (glycaemic index) diet, which has already attracted celebrity acolytes, has made what could be its most influential conquest. Tesco has thrown its weight behind the “brown bread and pasta” diet, which is said to be a favourite with athletes including Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgrave. The supermarket chain is to launch its own GI diet book and it expects to sell 67,000 copies in the next four weeks alone. GI is based on foods like wholegrain bread and brown rice which the body digests slowly, and help adherents avoid the rises and falls in energy levels and the weight associated with processed foods.
The Independent

Mixed results on diet and cancer

New studies appear to add to evidence that red meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer, but cast doubt on the benefit of fruit and vegetables in the prevention of breast cancer. In the first study, led by American Cancer Society, researchers found that people with a high meat intake are 30 to 40 per cent more likely to develop lower colon or rectal cancer than those with a low intake. In the second, the breast cancer study, scientists based at University Medical Center Utrecht in The Netherlands, say an analysis of figures for more than 285,000 women shows no protective effect to fruit and vegetable consumption. However, both studies concern eating habits in adulthood, which some researchers believe that may have less impact on cancer risk than have lifelong eating habits.
CNN Online

Vitamin A warning

The Food Standards Agency’s advisors say people should be aware of the potential dangers of excessive vitamin A intake. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition points in a new report out that combining supplements with vitamin A-rich foods such as liver is particularly risky. Its draft recommendations reinforce current advice that pregnant women and women trying to conceive should avoid taking supplements containing vitamin A and should avoid eating liver or liver by-products. Committee member Professor Peter Aggett says, “Our initial conclusions are that although there is insufficient evidence on the relationship between vitamin A and bone health to warrant a change in advice to all consumers, it may be advisable for some population groups to limit their vitamin A intakes.”
BBC News Online

US authorities bolster weight loss advice

The US government has updated its health guidance to the public by saying that urged most people should eat fewer calories and exercise 30 to 90 minutes a day. The previous guidelines simply advised people to lose weight but gave few specifics on how to do so. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson points out that two in three Americans are overweight or obese and suggests that the guidelines are well timed, coming in January. The advice strengthens the government’s advice on whole grains, vegetables and fruit.
The San Francisco Chronicle Online

Call for regulation of supplements in the US

The US Institute of Medicine has called for tougher regulation of health supplements to make sure they are safe and do what is claimed for them. It is concerned about the quality of supplements, saying “there is little product reliability”, which in turn makes it difficult for health professionals to guide patients in their use, according to the institute’s report to the Congress. Dr Stuart Bondurant, chairman of the committee that prepared the report, says, “Reliable and standardised products are needed.” Nearly 20 per cent of Americans report using supplements.
The San Francisco Chronicle Online