obesity
Chocolate and strawberry milk returning to some L.A. schools
The Los Angeles school board voted, 6-1, to loosen its ban, dating from 2011, on sugary, flavored milk in lunchrooms, in the hopes that more relaxed rules will reduce food waste and encourage consumption of plain milk, says the Los Angeles Times. "We wouldn't serve caramel apples to increase apple consumption," objected Brent Walmsley, founder of the advocacy group Sugarwatch.
Sugar industry swayed findings on coronary health risks for decades
Industry documents reveal that the sugar industry began working closely with nutrition scientists in the mid-1960s to single out fat and cholesterol as the dietary causes of coronary heart disease and to downplay evidence that sugar was also a risk factor, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Warning labels deter teens from drinking sugary beverages, study finds
An on-line survey of more than 2,000 teenagers found they would cut back on soft drink purchases if they came with a warning label about the possibility of obesity, diabetes and tooth decay, say researchers from the University of Pennsylvania medical school. Earlier this year, the research team said parents were less likely to buy sugary beverages for their children if warning labels were attached.
As the waistline grows, France mulls higher junk food tax
Nearly half of the French population is overweight or obese, an unflattering rebuttal to the national reputation of responsible indulgence in a toothsome cuisine, says the Telegraph. Intending to slow the collective weight gain, the Treasury suggested two options -- a new tax or an increase on the current VAT (value-added tax) of 5.5 percent on junk food to a rate as high as 20 percent.
Judge lets Boulder soda tax roll toward ballot
Advocates of a 2-cent per ounce tax on distributors of soda and other sugary drinks in Boulder, Colo., won a court verdict that clears the way for the proposal to appear on the Nov. 8 ballot, said the Daily Camera newspaper. Three California cites -- San Francisco, Oakland and Albany, all in the Bay Area -- have soda-tax referendums on their general election ballots.
Adult obesity rate down in four states, first decline in a decade in U.S.
Adult obesity rates are down in Minnesota, Montana, New York and Ohio — the first states in the nation to show a decline in a decade — while child obesity held steady at 17 percent, says the annual State of Obesity report. "Obesity remains one of the most significant epidemics our country has faced, contributing to millions of preventable illnesses and billions of dollars in avoidable health care costs,” said chief executive Richard Hamburg of the Trust for America's Health, a co-sponsor of the report.
Why the U.S. is obese in seven charts
The portion of the U.S. population that is overweight or obese keeps growing larger - literally - and some experts say the "food environment" is a reason, says Vox, citing Scott Kahan, director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness. "[I]n America," says Kahan, "the unhealtiest foods are the tastiest foods, the cheapest foods, the largest-portion foods, the most available foods and the most fun foods."
Forget food deserts—adults get their junk food at the grocery store
Better access to supermarkets and grocery stores doesn’t necessarily inspire people to eat better, according to a study out of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In fact, researchers found that U.S. adults buy most of their junk-food at such stores. The findings fly in the face of the “food desert” theory, which holds that people in neighborhoods without grocery stores are more likely to eat unhealthy food.
For the love of ‘bad’ food
A backlash is brewing to our age of food perfectionism, reports The Atlantic. With all manner of "experts" prescribing how and what to eat, there now comes an eruption of blogs, tweets, Facebook groups, listicles, Pinterest pages, and other celebrations of "dishes that are disastrous, unattractive, or just unhealthy."
McDonald’s to use sugar, not corn syrup, in sandwich buns
Fast-food giant McDonald’s Corp. “will replace high-fructose corn syrup in its sandwich buns with sugar as part of an effort to simplify its ingredients and satisfy increasingly conscientious customers," said the Wall Street Journal.
In Brazil, fighting obesity with familiar foods
In two generations, Brazil, like many of its neighbors, has gotten fat, says The Nation, and experts such as Carlos Monteiro, a nutrition professor, sees it in a diet teeming with processed and consumer-ready food. "Instant noodles, soda and processed meats are edging out staples like beans and rice, cassava, and fresh produce," writes Bridget Huber in "Slow Food Nation," produced in partnership with FERN.
Study: Americans are eating less produce—but the news isn’t all bad
Despite a steady bombardment of advice about the importance of eating a healthy diet, Americans are eating fewer fruits and vegetables on average than they were in the 1990s, said the USDA’s Economic Research Service, which analyzed annual consumption rates for 120 varieties of raw, dried, canned, frozen and juiced produce between 1994-98 and 2007-2008.
Sultan urges attention to high obesity rate in Brunei
The Sultan of Brunei, where nearly two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, "called for swift action to address the issue of unhealthy lifestyles and diet," said The Brunei Times. The new edition of Global Nutrition Report by the think tank IFPRI named the country as having the highest obesity rate in Southeast Asia.
As China’s waistline balloons, new guidelines urge half as much meat in diet
With 42 percent of Chinese citizens overweight or obese, new dietary guidelines issued by the government recommend eating less meat and fat while consuming more vegetables and dairy — advice being heard in many nations. The suggestion for meat, 58 grams or 2 ounces a day, is half of current consumption levels.
For the poor, food banks may be best hope for diabetes care
As obesity becomes increasingly common in the U.S., food banks are trying to help their visitors manage diabetes as well as hunger, says The New York Times. Historically, food banks tried to satiate hunger with whatever food they could, even if it meant doling out chips and cans of sugary barbecue beans. But many of the people looking for food aid now suffer from poor nutrition and dangerous blood sugar levels, rather than too few calories.
Study: 5-year-old investment program is changing CA food deserts
California FreshWorks, a food-financing project, has given more than 800,000 Californians living in food deserts access to healthy produce, according to an independent study released today.
Report: $1 spent on baby’s nutrition saves a country $16
Only three countries show no serious signs of malnutrition: China, Vietnam and South Korea, according to the 2016 Global Nutrition Report. The rest of the world is plagued by such poor nutrition indicators as “stunted toddlers, anemic young women and obese adults,” says The New York Times. In the United States, each obese family member costs families an average of 8 percent of their income in additional healthcare.
Philadelphia Council nears approval of 1.5-cent soda tax
In a first-round vote, the Philadelphia City Council voted for a 1.5-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks and diet sodas. Council members must approve the levy for a second time next Thursday to become the second city in the country with a soda tax, "but it appears they have reached the final deal," said Philadelphia Magazine.