Liz On Food

U.S. Hunger During the Recession

One in 8 Americans struggles with hunger, and the recession continues to take its toll. The US Department of Agriculture reports that more than 35 million Americans received food stamps in June 2009, up 22 percent from June 2008. That's a new record for food stamp participation and the trend tends to track with unemployment rates.

Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), a leading anti-hunger advocacy group states:

Very simply, hunger is defined as the uneasy or painful sensation caused by lack of food. When we talk about hunger in America, we refer to the ability of people to obtain sufficient food for their household. Some people may find themselves skipping meals or cutting back on the quality or quantity of food they purchase at the stores.

The housing crisis appears to have a significant impact on food intake for those losing homes due to foreclosure. A recent study of 250 Philadelphia homeowners facing foreclosure, almost 60 percent reported skipping meals because they couldn't afford food. Among the group, over half indicated being depressed, 37 percent had major depression and nearly half said they couldn't afford prescription drugs.

U.S. groups disproportionately affected by hunger include children, especially in homes with single parents, African Americans and Hispanics. FRAC reports the ten states with the highest food insecurity rates are Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Maine, South Carolina, Georgia, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri, according to USDA 2007 data.

September is Hunger Action Month, and Feeding America has developed an online calculator to show how giving up a little could translate into meals for hungry people in the United States. So far the graph shows that the top three things site responders would be willing to give up are lunch out, dessert and gossip magazines. I'd dump gossip magazines in a heart beat over giving up dessert!

Our family recently made a donation to Share Our Strength during an anti-hunger Twitter-fest. If you're considering making a donation to address hunger in America, consider contributing to your local food bank. Or check out these prominent anti-hunger and anti-poverty groups:

Share Our Strength

Feeding America (Formerly America's Second Harvest)

Catholic Charities USA

Interfaith Alliance

Food Research and Action Center

Children's Defense Fund

"Lifestyle Nutritionists" Mitchell and Webb Strike Again

For your entertainment, presenting "lifestyle nutritionists" Mitchell and Webb. Thanks to fellow RD Dave Grotto for the heads up on Facebook.

American Dietetic Association advocates for health-care reform and natural resource conservation

On July 9, 2009, ADA president and registered dietitian Jessie M. PavIinac issued the following statement:

In these amazing times, with real reform of the nation's health-care system a clear possibility, opportunities are endless for registered dietitians in keeping the public we serve healthy.

One of American Dietetic Association's key tenets is that every American has a fundamental right to the best quality of health care available, and that this right includes access to healthy food from a sustainable food supply. ADA takes this stance seriously and it forms the basis of much of our policy work. ADA has been continuously active in the health reform debates in Congress and throughout our country, delivering the message that nutrition is the foundation of health and the cornerstone of prevention.

ADA is focusing new attention on nutrition by addressing topics at the cutting edge of the field, including nutrigenomics, obesity prevention, and issues of food systems and sustainability. ADA believes strongly it can achieve the vision of a healthier nation by ensuring its registered dietitians are well trained and actively working in these areas.

In addition, ADA's position paper, Food and Nutrition Professionals Can Implement Practices to Conserve Natural Resources and Support Ecological Sustainability, strongly encourages environmentally responsible practices that conserve natural resources, minimize the quantity of waste generated, and support the ecological sustainability of the food system-the process of food production, transformation, distribution, access and consumption.

While the American Dietetic Association welcomes the involvement of other health associations in this area, it is not a new arena for ADA. As Congress debated and designed current food and agricultural policies, ADA endorsed changes which would benefit Americans and people worldwide. ADA has supported new approaches in the development, production and marketing of food that better satisfies and sustains human health, addresses hunger and malnutrition, and seeks to improve food safety, environmental quality, and resource conservation and protection.

In addition, the American Dietetic Association is a champion for food, nutrition and agricultural research. As a nation, we need to invest now in federal research so that we have knowledge and solutions to keep people and our planet healthy. ADA advocates for U.S. food and agricultural policies to ensure a sustainable food supply that is safe, nutritious, affordable and better suited for the health of Americans and the planet.

The nation's natural resource base should remain viable for use and capable of meeting peoples' food and water needs far into the future. To make tangible progress, ADA supports stronger, more effective food assistance programs, additional food and agricultural research, reforms in food safety and inspection, investment in public nutrition information and education, and the removal of farm program barriers to better diets.

The American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.

New Report Finds Obesity Rates Continue to Rise

Americans' waistlines continue to expand, according to a new report. Adult obesity rates increased in 23 states and did not decrease in a single state in the past year, according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009, issued July 1, 2009, by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Sixteen states experienced an increase two years in a row, and 11 states experienced an increase for the third straight year.

For the fifth year in a row, Mississippi had the highest rate of adult obesity, at 32.5 percent this past year. Four states now have rates above 30 percent, including Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee. Eight of the 10 states with the highest percentage of obese adults are in the South. Colorado continued to have the lowest percentage of obese adults at 18.9 percent.

Mississippi also experienced the highest rate of obese and overweight children (ages 10 to 17) at 44.4 percent. Minnesota and Utah had the lowest rate at 23.1 percent. Again the concentration is in the South, with eight of the 10 states ranked among the highest rates of obese and overweight children.

Along with rankings of state obesity rates, the F as in Fat report reviews of federal and state government policies aimed at reducing or preventing obesity. Some additional key findings include:

• The current economic crisis could exacerbate the obesity epidemic. Food prices, particularly for more nutritious foods, are expected to rise, making it more difficult for families to eat healthy foods. At the same time, safety-net programs and services are becoming increasingly overextended as the numbers of unemployed, uninsured and underinsured continue to grow. In addition, due to the strain of the recession, rates of depression, anxiety and stress, which are linked to obesity for many individuals, also are increasing.
  
  
• Nineteen states now have nutritional standards for school lunches, breakfasts and snacks that are stricter than current USDA requirements. Five years ago, only four states had legislation requiring stricter standards.
  
  
• Twenty-seven states have nutritional standards for competitive foods sold a la carte, in vending machines, in school stores or in school bake sales. Five years ago, only six states had nutritional standards for competitive foods.
  
  
• Twenty states have passed requirements for body mass index (BMI) screenings of children and adolescents or have passed legislation requiring other forms of weight-related assessments in schools. Five years ago, only four states had passed screening requirements.
  
  
• A recent analysis commissioned by TFAH found that the Baby Boomer generation has a higher rate of obesity compared with previous generations. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, obesity-related costs to Medicare and Medicaid are likely to grow significantly because of the large number of people in this population and its high rate of obesity.
  

Decadence in Small Portions

In the pursuit of health and happiness, I can always make a little room for decadence. When I'm feeling indulgent, I often bake. With a house full of active teenagers and their friends, whatever I create is sure to last less than 24 hours. Thus, I have little opportunity to even consider overindulging.

 Today, I pulled out a classic bar cookie recipe has been in my recipe card index for over 25 years: Pecan Coconut Slices. I've had the recipe for so long I don't remember the original source. Out of curiosity, I compared the recipe in my card file to one in the current Joy of Cooking. What I found hearkens to the results of Brian Wansink's research reviewing the caloric content of similar recipes in different editions of the famous cookbook. The proportion and amount of ingredients differ slightly, but the difference in yield is remarkable. And it has to do with choice of pans and size of cookies. I spread the dough and topping thinly in a jelly roll (11"x17") baking pan to yield 54 dainty morsels with 90 calories a piece, whereas JOC suggests using a 9"x9" pan with a yield of 12 whopper cookies containing 400 calories each. Sometimes, it's all about portion.

Education and Income Associated with Nutrient Intakes and Food Costs

People with higher education and income levels are more likely to choose foods higher in nutrients and lower in calories, but they pay more per calorie. That's according to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association May 2009 issue. In the study of 164 men and women who completed food frquency questionnaires and four-day diet records, education was a stronger predictor of both energy density and energy cost than was household income. Diets that were pricier per calorie were lower in energy density and contained higher levels of nutrients. Higher dietary energy density was associated with higher intakes of total fat and saturated fat and with lower intakes of dietary fiber, potassium and vitamins A and C.

Research co-authors Pablo Monsivais, PhD MPH, and Adam Drewnowski, PhD, University of Washington, Seattle, indicate the research has implications in studying diet in chronic disease: "Future studies, based on more representative samples, will be needed to elucidate the connections between diet quality and diet cost across socioeconomic strata." Low energy density and high nutrient content have been associated with less weight gain and with lower rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer.

Stevia - Dietary Supplement, Now Food Ingredient

A friend recently asked me about stevia, which is a naturally sweet plant native to Central and South America. In the United States, stevia has been marketed as a dietary supplement for years because, until recently, it did not have approval as for use as a food ingredient. However, a purified extract of stevia, rebaudioside A (trade name Rebiana), was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2008 as a general purpose sweetener for use in foods. Truvia is the consumer brand for a food sweetener made from Rebiana - being marketed by Cargill and Coca-Cola. PureVia is the consumer brand for Whole Earth Sweetener Company's Rebiana, which is a supplier to PepsiCo. Both Truvia and PureVia are available as sugar packets, similar to other non-nutritive sweeteners. Several low-calorie and calorie-reduced beverages have been launched under Sprite, Odwalla, SoBe and Tropicana brands.

The plant Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a member of the Compositae (astor or sunflower) family, which includes marigolds, dandelions, chrysanthemums, zinnias, artichokes, lettuce and endive. The sweetness in stevia comes from glycosides (technically a molecule comprised of a sugar attached to another component) that are natural constituents of the plant's leaves. In fact, stevia leaves contain at least ten different glycosides, the major ones being stevioside and rebaudioside A. Of note, the FDA food ingredient approval is for the purified extract of rebaudioside A; however, dietary supplement versions of stevia may contain other glycosides.

The regulatory history of stevia is an interesting tale. Steviol glycosides are used to sweeten a number of foods in China, Japan, and South America. Also, Stevia leaves are used to prepare sweetened tea in numerous countries. However, concerns about safety prompted the FDA to ban imports of stevia from 1991 to 1994, which ruled the herbal sweetener an "unsafe food additive." The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 formed the impetus for the FDA to permit stevia to be marketed as a dietary supplement (not as a food additive). In 1999, the European Commission banned the use of stevia in foods marketed in the European Union. But the World Health Organization published an extensive literature review of stevioside and rebaudioside A in 2006 that concluded stevioside and rebaudioside A are not toxic or carcinogenic at levels consumed by humans. The report also noted that stevioside has shown some evidence of pharmacological effects in patients with hypertension or with type-2 diabetes but indicated more research is needed. And the potential therapeutic aspects may play into a future regulatory challenge. According to a March 16, 2009, Food Product Design article, "A Citizen’s Petition was filed with FDA in late 2008 to prevent the addition of steviol glycosides to foods because of the drug status alleged for the sweeteners. [The] FDA is also attempting to implement recent legislation that more broadly prohibits the addition of drugs to foods. FDA’s resolutions of these two matters could impact the future food uses of steviol glycosides."

In the mean time, the approval of Rebiana for use as a general purpose sweetener offers another non-nutritive sweetener option for U.S. consumers.

New Population Report Shakes Up Sodium Intake Advice

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicates two-thirds of adults in the United States are in population groups that should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day. The CDC reports that as of 2006, the estimated average intake of sodium for persons in the United States age 2 years and older was more than double that at 3,436 mg per day. Population groups that should limit sodium intake to 1,500 mg include persons with high blood pressure, blacks or adults over age 40.

The CDC has commissioned the National Academy of Sciences Institutes of Medicine (IOM) to develop recommended strategies for reducing sodium intake. Much of the sodium consumed in the United States comes from processed foods and foods eaten away from home. Thus, greatest improvements in sodium intake reduction are likely to come from actual modifications of these food sources or from changes in consumer behavior, for example, choosing less-processed foods, relying instead more on home cooked meals and fresh produce.

A number of food manufacturers have been reducing sodium in their products while focusing on consumer acceptability. Because sodium (usually in the form of sodium chloride or table salt) plays an important role as a flavor enhancer and many Americans have developed a taste preference for salt, foods with significantly reduced sodium may not be appealing to some people. One strategy is for manufacturers to slowly reduce sodium content over time. Another approach is to continue to work on flavor enhancing ingredients that are not sodium based, such as umami flavor constituents. Umami is now recognized as a fifth taste, joining sweet, sour, bitter and salt. Certain vegetables like peas and tomatoes, as well as mushrooms and tuna, naturally contain umami constituents. Other flavor enhancers include hydrolyzed vegetable protein and yeast extracts.

Products with salt- and sodium-related labeling claims do appeal to a significant number of consumers. According to 2008 data from The Nielsen Company, among the top four health and wellness claims by product-labeling-claim category, in terms of sales, were foods and beverages with salt- and sodium-related labeling claims. Sales reached $15.9 billion, and these sales registered behind only claims related to fat, natural ingredients, and calories, and ahead of products bearing claims about the absence of preservatives or cholesterol, or presence of whole grain.