Newsweek: Food's Effects on HealthNewsweek: Food's Effects on Health
January 13, 2003
NEW YORK--The Jan. 20 cover line for Newsweek magazine, "The Perfect Diet: What Science Tells Us About Food and Health," encompassed a variety of health topics as they related to food and its nutritional value. Articles included a comparison of Harvard's Healthy Eating Pyramid and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid; another extolling the heart-health benefits of alcohol; a third discussing the sound science behind certain supplements; one reviewing diet and Alzheimer's; and others promoting the physical activity needed to stymie disease.
In "A Better Way To Eat," Geoffrey Cowley reported that although the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Pyramid is the current measuring stick for a healthful diet, Harvard's Healthy Eating Pyramid may be a better guide. The USDA pyramid, as is, limits its focus to four basic food groups, giving equal emphasis to red meat consumption and fish consumption, even though the health benefits of both are not on par with one another. The Healthy Eating Pyramid, on the other hand, emphasizes good carbs (such as whole-grain foods) and good fats (including plant oils), and was shown by the Harvard School of Public Health in a recent study to reduce the risk of heart disease two times more than those following the USDA model (Am J Clin Nutr, 76, 6:1261-71, 2002).
Naysayers of the USDA pyramid report that it has not halted the growing epidemic of obesity in the United States. The Harvard pyramid was devised by using dietary findings of epidemiological trials such as the Nurses' Health Study, the Physicians' Health Study and the Health Professionals' Follow-Up Study. Differences between the two pyramids include:
*While USDA suggests consuming six to 11 serving of bread, cereal, rice or pasta every day, Harvard suggests eating whole-grain foods at most meals and to use refined carbohydrates as sparingly as red meat and butter;
*While USDA suggests consuming fats and oils as sparingly as sweets, Harvard points out that unsaturated fats, such as plant oils, should be used as regularly as whole-grain foods; and
*While USDA does not recommend supplement intake on its pyramid, Harvard suggests taking a calcium supplement and a multivitamin.
"The Healthy Eating Pyramid may still need refinement, but as a guide to good health, it clearly trumps the USDA pyramid," Cowley concluded.
In "Rx: Two Martinis a Day," Anne Underwood looked at the expanding evidence supporting the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on heart health. She cited a 1997 study that demonstrated moderate drinkers had a 20-percent lower risk of death in the course of a year than those who did not drink at all. And in a 12-year study of 40,000 men, which appeared in The New England Journal of Medicine (348:109-118, 2003), those who drank a glass or two of liquor or alcohol three to seven times a week cut their heart attack risk by one-third. However, in that same study, findings elucidated the concern that women and alcohol may not mix: Consumption raised the risk of dying from breast cancer by 30 percent.
Newsweek also included "Supplements: All About Vitamin Pills." Using information provided by the unpublished Harvard report, The Benefits and Risks of Vitamins and Minerals: What You Need To Know (available March 15), the piece discussed vitamin A and carotenoids reducing the risk of macular degeneration; folic acid preventing birth defects, lowering homocysteine levels and reducing colon cancer risk; vitamin C protecting against cataracts; vitamin D aiding in bone health; and vitamin E proving useful in eye health, cancer prevention and brain health.
"Diet and Alzheimer's" gave a brief rundown of the factors affecting this cognitive disease, including mentions of fish oils showing potential in preventing dementia and antioxidants reducing Alzheimer's risk.
For the full stories, visit www.newsweek.com.
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