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The Nutrition Continuum: Lab Bench to
Policy to Plate
“The Nutrition Continuum: Lab Bench to Policy to Plate,”
the May Foods and Nutrition Conference at Purdue University, on May 6, 2005,
featured six speakers, at the top of their fields who gave up-to-date
presentations on all three parts of the nutrition continuum. This newsletter summarizes the conference
highlights.
 The conference opened with
Diane Birt, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Food
Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa
State University. Diane presented her studies of cancer
prevention through Dietary Energy Restriction, which appears to alter
molecular mechanisms through elevation of glucocorticoid hormone and
changes in cell signaling and blockage of gene transactivation.
Connie Weaver, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor,
Department Head, Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University,
presented “The Science that Shaped the New Dietary Guidelines.” Connie was part of the 13 member
committee that used an evidence-based system to form the Dietary Guidelines
for Americans, 2005. One of the
challenges for the committee was moving from molecules to food patterns, to
get from a recommendation for a nutrient to a household measure of
food. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines
provide more specific quantitative information within food groups and uses
quantities in patterns rather than servings. For the first time the guidelines
provided quantified recommendations for physical activity, discretionary
calories, and trans fats. For more
information on the Dietary Guidelines log onto www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines
and for the USDA Food Guidance System log onto www.mypyramid.gov.
Linda Van Horn Ph.D., Professor, Northwestern University
Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, provided
background evidence regarding pediatric roots of cardiovascular disease, and
studies on the efficacy and safety of a diet lower in saturated fat and
total fat in children with elevated LDL-C.
She provided recommendations and tips for parents to implement the
AHA Pediatric Guidelines, including reading food labels for content and
choosing high fiber, low salt, and sugar alternatives. She contrasted that in the 20th
Century, cardiovascular nutrition was fat and cholesterol focused and
approached dietary advice by recommending reducing and omitting them with
the 21st Century approach of an Integrative Diet such as the
Lyon Diet, Mediterranean Diet, diets rich in fish oils or nuts, fiber,
whole grain, and vegetables.
Karyl Rickard, Ph. D., Professor of Nutrition and
Dietetics, Indiana University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
gave a fascinating lecture on the new evidence-based national guidelines
Start Healthy Feeding Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers. The Dietary Guidelines provide nutrition
and health guidance for Americans ages two and older, leaving a gap in guidelines
for infants and toddlers. The Start
Healthy Feeding Guidelines provide parents and caregivers practical
information about feeding infants and toddlers to assure children’s normal
growth and development and to lay the foundation for healthy eating in
later life. The guidelines provide
recommendations in five areas; nutrition, developmental stages, mealtime
advice, safety, and physical activity.
These guidelines address the general questions: When is my child ready for complementary
foods? What foods are needed? How
should these foods be fed? A summary
of physical and eating skills, hunger and fullness cues, and appropriate
food textures for children 0 to 24 months of age can be found at www.gerber.com. These guidelines were published in the
March 2004 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Barbara Mayfield, M.S., R.D. Continuing Lecture,
Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University presented “Family
Mealtime: Is it on the plate?” The
family meal has undergone dramatic changes in recent years that have led to
negative effects on eating habits and food choices as well as a variety of
social, intellectual, and behavioral consequences. These effects are seen in all culture and
socioeconomic groups and include everything from a decrease in the dietary
quality of children, poor academic performance, and increased risk-taking
behavior. Promoting the family meal
is a potential public health measure for improving dietary quality, reducing
overweight, and improving educational and social outcomes. Communities, school, and businesses can
all support and promote family meals.
Sarah Johnson, R.D., Director of Dining Services for Purdue University and Instructor of Food
Service for dietetics students, gave a delightful history of the dining
experience and dress code changes through the years at Purdue. We reminisced about men in suits and
women in dresses for dinner! The
leadership she provided in the conversation of traditional residence hall
dining experience to the food courts of today had been truly
innovative. Purdue is now a leader
among universities in increased student satisfaction and reduced
costs. For more information about
the new food court system log onto www.housing.purdue.edu/HTML/CampusDining/DiningFuture.htm.
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The Family Nutrition Program (FNP)
is a nutrition education program that targets limited resource audiences in
62 Indiana Counties.