News summary

Benefits to nutrition counselling

Individual nutrition counselling promotes better nutrition and reduced weight loss in colorectal cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, according to scientists in Portugal. They say counselling leads to a marked reduction in the severity of anorexia and diarrhoea and, to higher quality of life. Dr Paula Ravasco, of the University of Lisbon, says the results “clearly argue for the integration of nutrition as part of a team approach for cancer treatment and patient management”.
Reuters Health Online

Healthy vegetarians

People whose diet consists of raw vegetarian foods tend to be light in weight but are healthy, according to US researchers. It has been suggested that eating only uncooked and unprocessed plant-derived foods might make bones thinner and more prone to fractures, but a study at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri, concludes that although bones are lighter in those following such a diet, turnover rates are normal. Lead researcher Dr Luigi Fontana says, “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.”
BBC News Online

Bread is in? is Atkins out?

It appears that sales of bread have risen for the first time in several years after a backlash against the low-carbohydrate Atkins diet. The Federation of Bakers (FOB) has released figures showing a 10 per cent increase in sales of brown and wholemeal bread, and it says this is partly because of the declining popularity of the “fad”. The director of the FOB, Andrew Brown, says the industry’s 2004 annual sales figures, which cover only the wrapped bread sector (which accounts for 80 per cent of the market) are a victory for a “balanced” diet. “Consumers are getting wise to faddy diets and are reverting back to their favourite foods,” said Mr Brown. “Brown bread has always been popular but this latest surge in sales indicates that [consumers] are now making more of their own decisions and are not waiting for someone else to dictate to them.”
The Independent

Sudden boost for school meals

The government has said an additional £280m will be spent over the next three years to improve school meals in England. The extra funding will allow education authorities to spend 50 pence per child’s lunch in primary schools and 60 pence in secondary schools. The announcement comes as chef Jamie Oliver delivered a petition to the Prime Minister calling for improvements.
BBC News Online

Girls “should drink more milk”

The Milk Development Council is encouraging teenage girls to drink more milk and to eat more yoghurt and cheese to prevent brittle osteoporosis in later life. They are also being urged, through a campaign entitled Naturally Beautiful, to regard dairy products as a contribution to their cosmetic regime. The campaign, which is backed by money from the European Union, was organised after the MDC’s research found that while 80 per cent of teenage girls believe that milk and dairy food are good for them, only one in four eats three or more of these foods a day.
The Times

Opportunities abroad for nutritionists

International development charity VSO is looking for volunteers nutritionists who would like to spend up to two years working in a developing country, sharing their expertise and knowledge with local people. Volunteers must be prepared to live and work in basic conditions. They will be provided with a basic living allowance will receive training both before departure and when they arrive overseas.
VSO