Nutrition affects us all, and it is under constant discussion in the media. There are a vast number of topics to deal with, and new research is frequently being brought to light. Real Nutrition strives to keep people informed about what is happening in the world of nutrition, and how it relates to them. Here you will find recent stories and issues, along with a qualified nutrition consultants perspective of the topic.

Nurses Warn of Obesity Deaths | Wheat Sales hit by Diet Fads | Food Combining "Fights Cancer"

BBC News
28 April 2003
Reference: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2983055.stm

Nurses have called for action to tackle obesity after hearing it will soon overtake smoking as the number one cause of preventable deaths in the UK.

Cancer specialist Dion Smyth told the Royal College of Nursing annual congress in Harrogate that the death toll from obesity would top that from smoking in the next 10-15 years.

Currently in the UK there are around 250,000 smoking-related deaths each year.
But Mr Smyth said obesity was linked with a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, disability and some cancers.

He said that by 2040 half the British population could be obese if present trends continued - and there were growing numbers of overweight children.

He said: "The half-hearted promotion of well-intentioned but vaguely constructed and poorly funded programmes cannot seriously hope to compete with the slick professionalism of corporate fast food advertising with its media and celebrity endorsement."

Compulsory education on nutrition in schools stopped a decade ago, and so a generation might lack real knowledge of cookery and food values.

He called for more funding for prevention strategies to tackle the problem, and a review of labelling and packaging of junk food so people could make informed choices.

"A nationwide and collaborative strategy of health promotion and disease prevention across all levels of care and community is required to tackle this modern health concern," he said.

The RCN voted overwhelmingly in favour of the resolution.

Real Nutrition Comments:

If current trends toward obesity continue, then the shocking fact that half of the population of Britain will be obese in less than 40 years is a disturbing statistic. The fact that there are growing rates of obesity in children is a wake-up call to action which none of us can ignore.

Real Nutrition is concerned by the over-emphasis on weight loss for purely aesthetic reasons. What is so often overlooked are the devastating health implications of obesity, which can increase the risk of many degenerative diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers.

It's not all doom and gloom. Real Nutrition believes that every one of us can take control of our own health and take positive steps to improve our health and well-being and achieve an ideal weight.

Real Nutrition's offers a selection of top tips to help promote a healthy weight:

Weight gain can be due to many different factors. A suitably qualified nutritional therapist can help you pinpoint these issues, which may include such factors as insulin resistance, sluggish thyroid function, toxicity, hormonal imbalances and food intolerance.

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Wheat Sales hit by Diet Fads

BBC News
28 April 2003
Reference: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2981929.stm

US wheat farmers say the latest diet fads are leaving them with slimmer wallets.

Low carbohydrate diets, including the popular but controversial Atkins diet, have encouraged slimmers to shun pasta and bread in favour of high-protein foods.

Domestic use of flour in the US has dropped for two years running, something that has not happened since the 1950s, according to government figures.

Meat consumption, meanwhile, is on the rise, with the average American eating 88kg of red meat, poultry or fish each year.

US diet guru Dr Robert Atkins, who died earlier this month, has sold more than 15 million copies of his book around the world, while celebrities such as Jennifer Anniston and Geri Halliwell are thought to be fans of his low-carb method.

"Flour consumption has been on a decline and it seems to be predominantly because of an assault on carbohydrates," said Dave Green, director of quality control for ADM Milling in Kansas.

Judi Adams, a dietitian at the Wheat Foods Council, stresses that grain foods are good for you, should not be linked to weight problems and are enriched with vitamins.

"It's not our fault that 64% of the population is overweight," said a spokeswoman from Atkins health and Medical Information Services when asked about the change in eating trends.

Real Nutrition Comments:

Unfortunately, stories such as this typify many of the things that are wrong with our approach to food. Economic self-interest so often comes before an objective consideration of what is best for our health. Food production is generally geared toward maximising profit, with minimal regard for the nutritional content of our food. The increase in demand for fresh, organic food, GM-free food, and the growing success of local farmers markets is testament to a growing awareness of how our food is cultivated and the relationship this has to our health.

Whilst Real Nutrition does not advocate high-protein dieting, we do recognise that wheat is a common food allergen. The symptoms of wheat-intolerance may contribute to a number of different symptoms, one of which is weight gain.

Unfortunately, a typical diet in this country is heavily dependent on wheat. Real Nutrition believes that we should look to vary our diets much more and enjoy a full range of wholegrains such as oats, rye, barley, brown rice, millet, buckwheat and quinoa.

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Food combining "fights cancer"

BBC News
28 April 2003
Reference: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2903739.stm

Eating certain foods together, such as chicken and broccoli or salmon and watercress could help to fight cancer, say researchers.

Combining two food components called sulforaphane and selenium make them up to 13 times more powerful in attacking cancer together than they are alone, they suggested.

The discovery could mean it could be possible to design special cancer-fighting foods or diets.

Sulforaphane, a plant chemical which could be used to prevent and treat cancer, is found at high concentrations in broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, watercress and salad rocket.

Foods rich in the essential mineral selenium include nuts, poultry, fish, eggs, sunflower seeds and mushrooms.

Selenium deficiency has been linked to the incidence of many types of cancers, including prostate. But UK diets include half the levels of the mineral as they did 20 years ago.

Scientists from the Institute of Food Research (IFR) in Norwich were looking at genes that play an important role in the formation and development of tumours and the spread of tumour cells.

When combined, sulforaphane and selenium had a bigger impact on the genes than they did alone.

The IFR research has concentrated on cell cultures. Human trials could begin next year.
Concentrations Researchers say it may be possible to develop special foods or issue new guidelines for healthy eating.

Top chefs may even be asked to develop cancer-fighting recipes such as a chicken dish with sprouts, red cabbage and nuts sprinkled on top.

Dr Yongping Bao, senior researcher at the IFR, said: "As a result of this research, we hope to begin a human cancer prevention trial next year.

"It opens up new possibilities for functional foods, food supplements or simply new guidelines for healthy eating."

He added: "High concentrations in the diet are normally required to protect against cancer, but when these compounds act synergistically, lower doses are needed to prevent cancer formation.

"This is particularly good news as selenium and sulforaphane can be toxic at high levels."

The research is published in the journal Carcinogenesis.

Real Nutrition Comments:

Real Nutrition is very excited about this type of research. From our point of view, what is really important about this research is that it begins to explore the synergistic nature of nutrients and compounds found in our food.

Too often, people supplement high levels of isolated vitamins or minerals and overlook the fact that it is the combination, or synergy, that is important.

Selenium is widely known to be a very important anti-oxidant mineral that helps to protect us from age-related health problems such as cancer and heart disease. The combined effect with the plant compound Sulforaphane appears to be an exciting breakthrough. Real Nutrition will be watching research developments in this area closely.

In the meantime, get food combining! Anyone for a chicken, broccoli and mushroom stir-fry or a tuna steak on a bed of watercress and rocket salad?

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