Questioning Dietary Guidelines

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, recently raised questions about the benefits of federal dietary guidelines, saying they might have a negative impact on health, and may even be contributing to the current obesity epidemic in the United States.

Although the researchers deemed this was the effect of the guidelines, it was certainly not the intent of USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to worsen the public’s health. Published every five years since 1980, the guidelines “represent our best science-based advice to help Americans live healthier and longer lives,” then-Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, HHS, said upon the release of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. “Promoting good dietary habits is key to reducing the growing problems of obesity and physical inactivity, and to gaining the health benefits that come from a nutritionally balanced diet.”

Nevertheless, more than one-third of U.S. adults—over 72 million people—were obese in 2005 to 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control’s National Center for Health Statistics, Hyatsville, MD.

The Einstein researchers, led by Dr. Paul Marantz, associate dean for clinical research education, noted that “if guidelines can alter behavior, such alteration could have positive or negative effects.” Specifically, they cited the 2000 Dietary Guideline Advisory Committee’s “concern that the previous priority given to ‘low-fat intake’ may lead people to believe that, as long as fat intake is low, the diet will be entirely healthful. This belief could engender an over-consumption of total calories in the form of carbohydrate, resulting in the adverse metabolic consequences of high-carbohydrate diets. Further, the possibility that over-consumption of carbohydrate may contribute to obesity cannot be ignored,” as noted in the committee’s 2000 report.

Whether the 2005 recommendations ultimately have a positive or negative effect on the health of Americans remains to be seen. But, prior to their release, the quality of Americans’ diets was in need of improvement. In Dec. 2007, USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion published “The Healthy Eating Index-2005” (HEI-2005), which, based on national surveys conducted in 1994 to 1996 and 2001 to 2002, reflect the quality of the American diet prior to implementation of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. HEI-2005 scores indicate “the diet quality of Americans needs to be improved,” the report notes. “HEI- 2005 scores are low for the ‘food groups to encourage’ identified in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005.” Further, the report notes that consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products needs to increase, and intake of sodium and saturated fats should decrease.

INDUSTRY NEWS 

Beef Safety Awareness

A survey by the Beef Checkoff Issues Management Team, Cattlemen’s Beef Board, Centennial, CO, found consumers demonstrated widespread awareness of E. coli associated with ground beef, but ranked beef well below fish and chicken as a food-safety concern. Still, consumers do not know proper internal cooking temperatures for ground beef (160 °F), and few consumers use instant-read thermometers when cooking it. The organization intends to use the information to guide 2008 check-off-funded safety programming.

Hello Deli

Value, health and wellness, preferred tastes, and convenience drive consumers to deli purchases, according to “What’s In Store 2008,” the trends report from the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA), Madison, WI. The report notes that approximately 50% of consumers say a greater selection would likely increase purchases of ready-to-eat supermarket foods. Currently, more than half make purchases from supermarket delis and hot-food stations when they are already at supermarkets for groceries—only 12% make a special trip. On average, consumers stop at the supermarket deli and bakery 3.6 times per month.

Fortitech Distributes in Africa

Fortitech, Inc., Schenectady, NY, appointed AB Mauri, Peterborough, England, as distributor to a number of African countries. The company notes that the nutrition industry in Africa totaled roughly $1.2 billion in 2006.

Cognis Ups Cartenoid Prices

Cognis Nutrition & Health, La Grange, IL, announced price increases for Betatene® natural mixed carotenoids— the first in more than three years.

Horizon Milling Plans Expansion

Horizon Milling, Stockton, CA, plans to expand its flour mill with equipment additions that will increase wheat flour capacity from 11,000 cwt per day to 15,000 cwt per day. Horizon Milling is a joint venture between CHS, Inc., Inver Grove Heights, MN, and Cargill, Inc., Minneapolis.

Frutarom Completes New Labs

Frutarom USA Inc., North Bergen, NJ, added 3,000 sq. ft. of new, state-of-the-art flavor development laboratories. The addition features dedicated R&D and application laboratories for the beverage, confectionery and bakery segments.