Humana People to People November december-2002-issue

Although an estimated 38.8 mil-lion Americans are classified as

obese, many people in the worldface the opposite problem of havingtoo little food. In fact, the number ofpeople who go to bed hungry is 20times the number of people who areobese — or 800 million peopleworldwide. Every 7 seconds onechild dies from hunger and relatedcauses, according to the UnitedNations Food and AgricultureOrganization.

The United States has maintained aconcerted effort to fight world hungersince World War II. Bulk commodities,such as corn-soy blends and veg-etable oils, have long served as thecornerstone of feeding programs ledby groups such as the World FoodProgramme (WFP) and Save theChildren. These organizations deliverU.S. food assistance to people incountries ranging from Afghanistan toZimbabwe. Yet, the battle is not justagainst hunger. Good nutrition is keyfor food assistance recipients, espe-cially children. Proper developmentand good health are needed individu-ally as well as collectively since a vig-orous population is essential to theprogress of a nation that seeks realeconomic growth and development.

Soy protein is becoming a moreimportant tool in U.S. frontline effortsto provide good nutrition abroad. Inthe last 2 years both the U.S. Agencyfor International Development and

the U.S. Department of Agriculturehave approved the use of five high-protein soy products — defatted soyflour, textured soy protein, soy pro-tein concentrates, isolated soy pro-tein, and soy milk replacer — for usein the food assistance programs thatthey administer.

"The need for protein is over-whelming in many countries and peo-ple simply cannot afford animal pro-tein; nor can the environment insome areas absorb the number of ani-mals necessary to provide the proteinrequirements," says Gail Carlson,director of relief and food security forCounterpart International, an aidorganization that works in more than60 countries. "In addition, many peo-ple affected by diseases such asHIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosishave a great deal of difficulty absorb-ing many types of protein. Soy prod-ucts are both easy to digest and easyto work with in many difficult fieldconditions."

Textured soy protein contains atleast 50 percent protein and can beused as a burger, as a meat sauce,and in other ways. Because of thisand its previous use of the product,Food For the Poor (FFP) recentlyrequested 500 metric tons of texturedsoy protein for aid work in Guyana,where a large portion of the popula-tion is vegetarian for religious rea-sons. "As our feeding programs con-tinue to increase, we anticipate that

any future awards Food For the Poorreceives will include soy products toassist in combating the protein defi-ciencies that the poor of these coun-tries experience," says Food For thePoor government program specialistClifford Feldman.

This potential for soy promptedU.S. soybean growers to launch theWorld Initiative for Soy in HumanHealth (WISHH) program in 2000."This initiative makes sense becauseU.S. soybean growers see the imbal-ance. Millions are hungry in the worldand need more protein, while the U.S.soybean crop is in abundant supply,"says WISHH Director Jim Hershey."Soybean growers are using their ownmoney through their checkoff pro-gram and leveraging it with the

Soy Protein Offers Hope for Developing Countries

Improving the Public’s Understanding of Science Communication...2

Part 2 — Food Insight Interviews Food Safety Leaders..................4

NEWSBites ...........................................................................................7INSID

E

IFIC Foundationhttp:// i f ic .org November / December 2002

Current Topics in Food Safety & Nutrition

(continued on page 6)

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Soy flour has the potential to improvethe nutritional value of flat breads,which are a staple of many diets inAfghanistan, India, and numerous other countries.

2 • F o o d I n s i g h t http://ific.org/foodinsight November / December 20022

Which of the following is usually

not included in media stories

on new scientific research?

A. A fantastic, attention-grabbing

headline?

B. Arguments among advocates of

different positions?

C. Contradictions of last week's

"new" research? or

D. Context on to whom the

research applies and how it can

be implemented?

If you answered "D" then you rec-

ognize the uphill battle that most sci-

ence communicators face when

addressing journalists' questions.

According to the International Food

Information Council (IFIC)

Foundation's Food for Thought IV

research on how the media report on

diet, nutrition, and food safety, jour-

nalists provided adequate context in

only 6 percent of their stories.

According to the report, the IFIC

Foundation has found that little con-

text is provided with the nutritional

advice offered in the news. Four sepa-

rate Food for Thought studies have

examined thousands of stories that

provided advice on what to eat (or

what not to eat) for better health, but

they have rarely specified how much

to eat, how often certain foods should

be consumed, or to whom the advice

applies. This lack of context creates

consumer confusion and a loss of

confidence in science.

To help journalists, scientists, pub-

lic affairs and public relations profes-

sionals, special interest groups, and

others in the science communication

process deliver the good (or bad)

nutrition and food safety news to

consumers, the IFIC Foundation, in

conjunction with the Harvard School

of Public Health, convened an adviso-

ry group and developed a set of prac-

tical guidelines for interpreting and

reporting science-based information.

This advisory group was com-

posed of scientists from Harvard and

Tufts Universities, the editors of med-

ical journals, representatives of pro-

fessional interest groups and the food

industry, and practicing journalists.

Following the advisory group's initial

meeting, a series of roundtables

involving more than 60 other science

communications professionals was

held around the country.

Improving Public Understanding:

Guidelines for Communicating

Emerging Science on Nutrition, Food

Safety, and Health, originally pub-

lished in the Journal of the National

Cancer Institute in 1998, offers tips and

advice and provides thought-provok-

ing questions that everyone involved

in science communication should ask

themselves before disseminating

important, yet possibly confusing,

information to the general public.

In the fall of 2002, the IFIC

Foundation reissued the Guidelines to

more than 6,500 journalists, scientists,

and health communicators across the

United States. The Guidelines were

accompanied by an open letter from

Dr. Tim Johnson, Medical Editor for

ABC News and chairperson of the orig-

inal advisory group.

Dr. Johnson asked journalists to

revisit the Guidelines and "re-empha-

size their importance for those of us

who have the serious responsibility

of communicating nutrition, food

safety, and health information."

The Guidelines are intended to sug-

gest how context can be provided.

They also outline the necessary data,

disclosures, and contextual qualifiers

that may help the public evaluate a

study's relevance and importance.

The Guidelines pose some overar-

ching questions,including:

1. Will your communication enhance

public understanding of diet and

health?

2. Have you put the study findings

into context?

3. Have the study and findings been

peer reviewed?

4. Have you disclosed the important

facts about the study?

5. Have you disclosed all key

information about the study's

funding?

Improving the Public’sUnderstanding of Science Communication


A major question that science com-

municators need to ask is whether the

study is credible enough to warrant

public attention. Some studies can be

presented in an overly simplistic fash-

ion, inappropriately characterizing

individual foods, ingredients, or sup-

plements. The best rule of thumb for

communicators and the public inter-

preting the news is that if it sounds

too good (or bad) to be true, it's prob-

ably not true or at least exaggerated.

The Guidelines also pose specific

questions to each participant in the

communication process.

For Scientists:

1. Have you provided essential back-

ground information about the study

in your written findings or to jour-

nalists or to others requesting it in

a language that can be understood?

2. Have you clarified dietary risks and

benefits?

3. Have you met the needs of the

media?

It is important that scientists make

themselves available to the media

when one of their studies is released.

The authors of a study can help put it

into context, explaining the benefits

or harms discovered during the

research process. They also can cor-

rect any misimpressions that the

media may have.

For Journal Editors:

1. Does your embargo policy enhance

public communication?

2. Do you encourage responsible

reporting on study findings by the

media?

3. Have you considered the effect of

the study findings on consumers?

4. Does your submission policy per-

mit scientists to clarify the results

of abstract presentations with the

media?

Competition is fierce among jour-

nalists, and that includes the editors

of the many scientific journals that

publish peer-reviewed research stud-

ies. Journal editors should act as a

liaison between the mainstream

media and the scientists who con-

ducted the published study. This will

help not only to encourage responsi-

ble reporting but also to put the sci-

ence into consumer-friendly language.

For Journalists:

1. Is your story accurate and bal-

anced?

2. Have you applied a healthy skepti-

cism to your reporting?

3. Does your story provide practical

consumer advice?

4. Is your reporting grounded in a

basic understanding of scientific

principles?

Although true science journalists

are becoming an endangered species,

that does not mean that new scientif-

ic research should go unexplained. It

is the duty of the journalist to take

the raw, scientific data and report the

findings in a responsible manner. We

all know that sensational headlines

"sell papers," but responsible journal-

ists will approach each new study

with skepticism and provide practical

advice to their audience.

For Industry, Consumer, and Other

Interested Groups:

1. Have you provided accurate infor-

mation and feedback to the media?

2. Do you adhere to ethical stan-

dards in providing diet and health

information?

Interested groups, such as industry,

consumer, and advocacy organizations,

need to make sure that the information

in the news releases that they issue is

in keeping with the study findings and

does not exaggerate, oversimplify,

disregard, or sensationalize the find-

ings. The information released by

these groups should provide new

insight and help enhance public under-

standing of the study results.

To summarize the importance of

getting science communication right,

Dr. Johnson wrote in his original

introduction to the Guidelines, "These

Guidelines can only make a difference

if they don't sit on a shelf. Putting

these recommendations into practice

just might make a difference in the

public's understanding of diet and

health."

To receive a copy of theGuidelines write to “ImprovingPublic Understanding Guidelines”P.O. Box 65708, WashingtonDC 20035 or access it on theIFIC Foundation Web site athttp://ific.org and search for“Improving Public Understanding.”

November / December 2002 http://ific.org/foodinsight F o o d I n s i g h t • 33

(continued from page 2)

Understanding Science Communication

What’s New atIFIC.ORG?

Don't miss out on new and

updated information from the

International Food Information

Council (IFIC) Foundation!

All you need to do to receive

e-mail alerts of new and

updated materials is

go to http://ific.org and register

to customize your news.

It's that simple.

In the September-October issue of

Food Insight the U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA) Undersecretary

for Food Safety, Elsa Murano, and

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Deputy Commissioner Lester Crawford

discussed challenges for the U.S. food

supply. We close our interview with

their perspectives on the international

elements of food safety.

Q: What challenges do you

face given the increasingly

global nature of our food

supply?

MURANO: We know that we're getting

a lot of foods from other countries.

That's on the increase, so our chal-

lenge is to make sure that the

foods that are imported from other

countries into the United States are

produced under as equivalent con-

ditions as what we have here in the

U.S. and we do audits on a regular

basis to make sure that that is

maintained.

CRAWFORD: The FDA, by its law,

takes food from everywhere. So

our borders, with respect to FDA,

have to be inspected. We have to

increase the number of inspec-

tions, but more importantly, we

have to rearrange food inspection

from other countries so that it fits

the systems approach that is

based on risk. If a food — like

bananas, for example, because of

the unique nature of the foodstuff

itself — poses virtually no risk,

then we should adjust inspection

accordingly. For some food

imports, like some of the dietary

supplements that come from coun-

tries that are not as developed and

also represent food matrices that

we are not familiar with and con-

taminations that we might be famil-

iar with, we really need to do a

stronger job of inspection. But we

need to risk assess all these, and

FDA has not done that in the past.

We are rapidly trying to change

that at FDA by applying risk assess-

ment and risk management tech-

niques to imported foods, and we

are also trying to put a system of

inspection forward that takes

advantage of concentrating on

those foods with the greatest risks

and de-emphasizing inspection of

foods with no risk or little risk.

Q: How have you weighed in

on the debate with Europe

on the use of the

precautionary principle on

issues such as food

biotechnology or bovine

spongiform

encephalopathy (BSE)?

MURANO: The U.S. Codex office is

here at USDA. The Meat and

Poultry Hygiene Committee of

Codex has been addressing some

of these issues. From our perspec-

tive at the Food Safety and

Inspection Service (FSIS) we are

very well connected on the interna-

tional scene in terms of making

sure that they know where the

Bush Administration stands. I

know on the issue of BSE part of

the challenge is that you have mul-

tiple agencies that are involved in

this particular issue, not only FSIS.

We have to make sure that we

engage the international communi-

ty but that we stand strong. We

have a lot of partners in Latin

America specifically that agree

with the positions that we've taken

on some of these issues that would

benefit greatly from biotechnology.


PART 2 — Ask the Experts:Food Insight Interviews USDA and FDA Food Safety Leaders

Dr. Lester Crawford has degrees inveterinary medicine andpharmacology and has had threeprevious assignments with FDA,followed by a stint as head of the FoodSafety and Inspection Service at USDAbefore being named deputycommissioner of the FDA in early 2002.

[NOTE: On October 17, the Senate confirmed

Dr. Mark McClellan as commissioner of the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration.]

Dr. Elsa Murano has a Master'sdegree in anaerobicmicrobiology and a Ph.D. infood microbiology. In 2001,President George W. Bushappointed Dr. MuranoUndersecretary for Food Safetyat the USDA.


And so even though a lot of times we seem to disagree

with our European friends, there are a lot of other

folks in the world that agree with our positions, and

the challenge is trying to convince those who disagree

on why we believe as we do.

CRAWFORD: We have been very active with that. We are

engaging at a much higher level with both WHO [the

World Health Organization] and FAO [the U.N. Food

and Agriculture Organization], but also directly with

the various European Union authorities who deal with

those products that we regulate, including foods. I

have personally gone to meet with my European

counterparts to explain our position.

Our position is essentially this: We think the

precautionary principle is something that you do when

you have great fear of a risk, which we did, for

example, with BSE. We invoked some cautionary steps

in that we initiated a risk assessment. As soon as the

risk assessment came in, we released some products

[for import from other countries] like gelatin from

detention — and also [stopped them] from being

banned in this country.

I think that's the only ethical way to do it. If you invoke

a precautionary principle and keep a product out of

your country that is approved in another country that

you have a trade agreement with, such as we have

with Europe, then that's not ethical.

The country that invokes the precautionary principle

may be doing so either based on politics or artificial

trade restrictions or some other kind of concern,

which is just not legitimate within the meaning of the

World Trade Organization agreements that we all

ascribe to and are signatories of.



Part 2 — Ask the Experts

New IFICFoundation Publication

Functional Foods Fact Sheet:

Antioxidants

Background We have long been told that plant foods, includingfruits, vegetables and grains, are good for us. Well, theresearch confirms that some of these foods do, as partof an overall healthful diet, have the potential to delaythe onset of many age-related diseases. This appears tobe due to high levels of antioxidants and otherphytonutrients. Antioxidants comprise manycomponents — some vitamins, minerals, carotenoids,polyphenols — all present in a variety of foods. Someare natural colorants characterized by their distinctivecolors — the deep red color of cherries, the red colorin tomatoes, the orange color in carrots, and theyellow color of corn, mangos and saffron. The mostwell-known antioxidants are vitamins A, C and E,beta carotene, and selenium.

Antioxidant ActionHumans need oxygen to live, but oxygen also causesundesirable oxidation, like the process that corrodesmetals and turns sliced apples brown. Oxidationproduces sometimes dangerously reactive substances— free radicals — that are normally formed withinthe body. While the body has its defenses againstsuch substances, they nonetheless have potential todamage key components such as DNA, proteins andlipids (fats). Antioxidants are capable of stabilizingfree radicals before they can cause harm in much thesame way as coating sliced apples with ascorbic acid(vitamin C) will prevent browning.

ResearchResearch implicates free radicals in development of anumber of degenerative diseases1, such as cancer andcardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment andAlzheimer’s disease2, immune dysfunction3, cataractsand macular degeneration4. However, free radicals arealso acknowledged to have beneficial roles5 in thebody. So, free radicals and antioxidants must exist inbalance. It is suggested that certain conditions, suchas chronic diseases and aging, can tip the balance in

favor of free radicals that cause ill effects. Forexample, the development of cancerous tumors isbelieved to be initiated, at least in part, by freeradicals 6,7.

Consumption of the carotenoid antioxidant luteinhas been shown to increase macular pigment density.Whether this will prevent or reverse the progressionof macular degeneration remains to be seen8.Consumption of teas, both green and black, providesrapid absorption of catechins, a polyphenolantioxidant9 that helps to maintain cardiovascularhealth10 and may reduce the risk of some cancers.

Until recently, it seemed clear that antioxidantswere almost a panacea for continued good health11,spawning a huge industry attempting to meetconsumer demand. It is only as more research hasprobed into the mechanisms of antioxidant action,that it seems clear that a far more complex storyneeds unraveling. For example, there are indicationsthat certain individuals, such as smokers, should notconsume high-dose supplemental beta carotene12.

There still remains a deficiency of directexperimental evidence from randomized trials, leading

JUNE 2002

Functional Foods Fact Sheet:

Antioxidants

Check out the IFIC Foundation website for other Functional Foods Fact Sheets • http:// ific.orgInternational Food Information Council Foundation

1100 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 430 • Washington, DC 20036 • 202-296-6540 • Fax: 202-296-6547

Naturally occurring in foods like:

Tomatoes, Corn, Carrots, Mangos, Sweet Potatoes,Broccoli, Soybeans, Canteloupe, Oranges, Spinach,Nuts, Lettuce, Celery, Liver, Fish Oil, Seeds, Grains,Tea (Black and Green).

ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES:• Neutralize Free Radicals• Maintain Healthy Vision• May Reduce Risk Of:

– Cancer (Colon, Prostate, Skin)– Cognitive Impairment– Immune Dysfunction– Cardiovascular Diseases

Antioxidants:(continued on back)

References:1 Cross, CE, et al. Ann Intern Med. 1987;107:526-545.

2 Zaman, Z, et al. Age and Ageing. 1992;21:91-94.

3 Pike, J, Chandra, RK. Int Vitam Nutr Res.1995;65:117-121.

4 Robertson, JM, et al. Ann NY Acad Sci.1989;570:372-382.

5 Bortz, W. quoted in “Mixed Messages” by Wanjek,C. Washington Post. Aug 7, 2001.

6 Halliwell, B. Mutat Res.1999;443:37-52.

7 Dreher, D and Junod, AF. Eur J Cancer.1996;32A:30-38.

8 Johnson, E, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;71:1555.

9 van het Hof, KH, et al. Eur J Clin Nutr.1998;52:356-359.

10 Wiseman, S, et al. Bioactive compounds in plantfoods. 2001. COST 916 Conference. Tenerife,Spain.

11 Harman, D. J Am Coll Nutr. 1982;1:27-34.

12 Redlich, CA, et al. Atherosclerosis. 1999;143:427-434.

13 Tribble, DL. Circulation. 1999;99:591-595.

14 Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine.2000. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C,Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids. NationalAcademy Press, Washington, DC.

(continued from front)

Research to different recommendations for differentpopulations. The American Heart Association, whileencouraged by results of clinical trials of vitamin E,does not yet recommend vitamin E supplements.Rather, the organization advocates that the generalpopulation consume a “balanced diet with emphasison antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables and wholegrains,”13 until further studies can confirm the initialpositive findings. On the other hand, the NationalAcademy of Sciences Food and Nutrition Boardrecently increased the Daily Recommended Intake(DRI) for vitamin E, which may be difficult to obtainfrom current diets14.

Research indicates that there are overall health benefits from antioxidant-rich

foods consumed in the diet. The results of clinical trials, which support the

benefits of antioxidant supplements, are inconsistent. Current

recommendations by health professionals are to consume a varied diet with at

least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables and 6 - 11 servings of grains per day. A

daily multivitamin containing antioxidants may provide additional benefits.

The Bottom Line

Other Resources:

American Dietetic Association www.eatright.org

American Heart Associationwww.americanheart.org

Institute of Food Technologistswww.ift.org

Functional Foods for Healthwww.ag-uiuc.edu/ffh

Office of Dietary Supplementswww.ods.od.nih.gov

Check out the IFIC Foundation website for other Functional Foods Fact Sheets • http:// ific.orgInternational Food Information Council Foundation

1100 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 430 • Washington, DC 20036 • 202-296-6540 • Fax: 202-296-6547

We have long been told that plant foods —

including fruits, vegetables, and grains — are

good for us. Check out the International Food

Information Council (IFIC) Foundation's

Functional Foods Fact Sheet: Antioxidants to

learn about how components of these foods,

antioxidants, affect human health. This

document is the first in a series of referenced

fact sheets related to foods and food

components that may provide a benefit

beyond basic nutrition. The Antioxidant Fact

Sheet provides a brief overview of the

background and research on antioxidants as

well as the health effects and sources of

antioxidants. The Antioxidant Fact Sheet is

available online at http://ific.org/proactive/

newsroom/release.vtml?id=20921. Printed

copies are also available by sending a self-

addressed, stamped envelope to Antioxidants,

P.O. Box 65708, Washington, DC 20035.

To review the previously published article that appearedin the September/October 2002 Food Insight, “Part I — Ask The Experts”, simply access it on the IFIC Foundation website at http://ific.org and click onFood Insight on the menu bar on the left.

resources of food assistance organiza-tions and the U.S. government toidentify and demonstrate new usesfor soy in foods that are populararound the world."

Hershey notes that the effort iscareful to integrate soy into foodsthat are well received by local popula-tions: "We aren't trying to teach theworld to eat tofu."

An example of this approach is thework that the WISHH program isdoing with the North AmericanMillers' Association and the WFP. Ateam of food technologists went tothe Central Asian country ofTajikistan, where they field-testedsoy-fortified wheat flour with localbakers and home economists. Theteams assessed taste preferences aswell as the baking characteristics ofthe soy-fortified wheat flour underlocal conditions. The addition of 12percent soy flour in the blend of a flatbread could nearly double the bread'sprotein content. This enhanced nutri-tional profile could be of great valueto relief efforts in Afghanistan andother countries where bread is thestaple of the diet.

HIV/AIDS Pandemic Callsfor More Protein

The spread of HIV/AIDS is alsospurring interest in soy becauseHIV/AIDS and malnutrition oftenoccur in tandem. Poor nutritionincreases the risk and progression of

disease, and in turn, disease exacer-bates malnutrition.

An estimated 36.1 million peopleworldwide have HIV/AIDS. This num-ber is almost three times the com-bined populations of New York andLos Angeles. In some African coun-tries, 25 to 35 percent of the popula-tion is infected with HIV, and a recentreport by the United Nationsdescribes the spread of the disease inChina as a "Titanic Peril."

"HIV/AIDS-infected people mayneed 50 to 100 percent more proteinthan uninfected people. Soy may beideally suited to help meet theirrequirements for protein, calories,and more," says Cade Fields-Gardner,HIV-specialist dietitian who consultswith the WISHH program.

In Africa, the Humana People toPeople organization has even set up"soy restaurants" that are operatedby committed volunteers who fightHIV/AIDS in their communities. Bycoupling a protein-rich meal of soywith educational programs, Humanabelieves that it can feed the bodywhile it informs the mind about howto stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. Soyrestaurant customers pay a minimalamount for their meals, althoughmeals are free for orphans and preg-nant women.

Soy is already a primary ingredientin most nutrition supplements recom-mended to HIV/AIDS patients in theUnited States. There is also a signifi-cant level of research on soy andHIV/AIDS, which is available on theWISHH program's Web site(www.wishh.org).

Milking "SoyCows" forFood and Finance

In addition to meeting nutritionalneeds, international assistance organ-izations are also concerned abouthow to promote sustainable econom-ic development in the countrieswhere they work. "SoyCows" are gain-ing recognition as a tool to accom-plish both goals. A SoyCow is a pro-cessing system that can grind andcook whole soybeans into soy milk,

from which beverages, soy "cheese"(tofu), yogurt, and other soy foodscan be made. The SoyCow canprocess 4 pounds of raw soybeansinto 4 gallons of soy milk in about 20minutes. This soy milk can then befurther processed into value-addedproducts such as tofu and yogurt aswell as local food blends. A by-prod-uct of this process, the fiber-rich pulpcommonly called okara, can be usedin breads, spreads, and many otherfoods.

About 3,000 SoyCow systems existin the world today, and their numbersare growing through WISHH programoutreach. In 2001, the WISHH programbegan working with the nonprofitorganization Malnutrition Matters,whose founders helped develop theSoyCow. As a result, Africare andFeed the Children have purchasedsystems. "All the studies show us thatthese soy milk programs should berun as a business," says Judy Brysonof Africare's Food for DevelopmentUnit. "You can feed people and, at thesame time, increase people's income."

International interest in soy islocked into a steep acceleration pat-tern, according to Steve Sonka, direc-tor of the National Soybean ResearchLaboratory, which has produced aneconomic model to analyze worldwidesoy demand. "Our studies have shownthat with global economic growth, theneed for protein increases dramatical-ly. Even with market growth indemand, however, it is criticallyimportant that society take advantageof the many positive aspects of soyprotein in alleviating suffering due tomalnutrition and disease. The WISHHinitiative can provide unique contribu-tions in this regard."

Web sites for the organizationsmentioned in this article:

www.wishh.org

www.wfp.org

www.counterpart.org

www.foodforthepoor.org

www.malnutrition.org



Soy Protein

An estimated 36.1 million peopleworldwide have HIV/AIDS, and suchindividuals may need 100 percent moreprotein than uninfected people. The WISHHprogram is supporting projects likeHumana People to People's soyrestaurants, which feed those who areinfected, as well as children who areorphans because of HIV/AIDS.

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New Review of the Scientific Literature on Caffeine

Caffeine is one of the most comprehensively studied

ingredients in the food supply, with new studies

being published annually and adding to the large body of

knowledge about caffeine. Yet, despite all this research,

confusion and misunderstanding remain part of the envi-

ronment that surrounds caffeine and health.

The September 2002 issue of the journal Food and

Chemical Toxicology includes a Caffeine Monograph

Special Issue, commissioned by the North American

branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI

N.A.), that provides a helpful review of the scientific litera-

ture on caffeine. The articles in the special issue focus on

the behavioral effects of caffeine, including caffeine

dependence, the effects of caffeine on bones and the

body's calcium economy, the effects of caffeine on devel-

opment and behavior in childhood, and the reproductive

implications of caffeine consumption.

To obtain a copy of the Caffeine Monograph,

contact ILSI Press at One Thomas Circle, NW, 9th Floor,

Washington, DC, 20005 (phone: 202-659-0074;

Web site: [email protected]).

Small Steps, Big Rewards

According to the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), the incidence of diabetes has

increased nearly 50 percent in the past 10 years. To stem

this growth, in November 2002 the U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services launched its first diabetes-

related campaign called "Small Steps, Big Rewards."

The campaign promotes modest physical activity and

dietary changes over time to help millions of Americans

live longer and healthier lives.

The "Small Steps, Big Rewards" campaign offers

• A health care provider’s tool kit for educating patients

• Lifestyle change tools for the general public

• Web-based resources for health care providers and

consumers

• Information on partnerships with businesses and con-

sumer-based programs and initiatives that work

toward diabetes prevention

This information will be promoted through a series of

public service announcements and through dissemination

by a network of more than 200 local, state, and national

partners.

For more information, visit www.ndep.nih.gov or call

1-800-438-5383.

Planning Ahead for National Nutrition Month®

in March 2003

Now is the time to prepare your nutrition education

outreach activities for National Nutrition Month®.

The American Dietetic Association sponsors this nutri-

tion education and information campaign annually. The

campaign is designed to focus on the importance of mak-

ing informed food choices and developing sound eating

and physical activity habits.

The slogan for this year's event is "Healthy Eating,

Healthy You." The theme is meant to encourage lifelong

healthful eating and activity habits. Some of the following

are among the key points of "Healthy Eating, Healthy You":

• Healthy eating helps you

get the most out of life.

• Match your food choices to

your lifestyle and individual

requirements.

• Actively pursue variety.

• Make moderation your

goal.

• Develop a personal fitness

plan that fits your lifestyle.

Many nutrition communicators schedule presentations

and workshops or write newspaper and magazine articles

on the benefits of healthful eating and physical activity,

using National Nutrition Month® as a springboard.

To help you get a head start on the March 2003 National

Nutrition Month® events, the International Food

Information Council (IFIC) Foundation has included as a

special insert in this issue of Food Insight a Publications

List with numerous nutrition and food safety education

materials that are ideal for use with National Nutrition

Month® activities. You can use the Publications List to

order the materials for your outreach activities. By order-

ing now, you'll be assured to receive the materials you

need in plenty of time for the National Nutrition Month®

celebration of one of life's greatest pleasures: enjoying a

variety of delicious and healthful foods. Some of these

materials are also available online at http://ific.org.


NewsBites NewsBites NewsBites

Food Insight(ISSN 1065-1497) is published by the InternationalFood Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, the educational arm ofIFIC. IFIC’s mission is to communicate science-based information onfood safety and nutrition to health and nutrition professionals,educators, journalists, government officials and others providinginformation to consumers. IFIC is supported primarily by the broad-based food, beverage and agricultural industries.

Editor: AnnBouchoux

Associate Editor: Nick Alexander

Contributors: Sylvia Rowe, Susan T.Borra, R.D., Dave Schmidt,Geraldine McCann, Dick Elder, Andy Benson, Nick Alexander, Lisa Kelly, M.P.H., R.D., Cheryl Toner, M.S., R.D., Joan Rothenberg,M.S., M.A., Alison Esser, Stephanie Ferguson, Anthony O. Flood,Wendy Reinhardt, M.S., R.D., Katie Thrasher, Shelley Goldberg,M.P.H., Jennifer Schleman, Winifere Jenkins-Ford, John Klooz, Tommi Prince, Matt Tarka, Scott Bradford, Jillian Goode, Elizabeth Davenport, M.P.H., R.D., and Karen Edwards.

Copy Editor: Michael Hayes

Design: Lighthouse Concepts

Permission is granted to reprint information contained herein withappropriate credit.

This newsletter is not intended to provide medical advice onpersonal health matters, which should be obtained directly from aqualified health professional.

© IFIC Foundation1100 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 430Washington, DC 20036Email: [email protected]://ific.org

New IFIC FoundationPublicationsBelow are the newest releases from the IFIC Foundation. Single copies of mostpublications are available free-of-charge. For a comprehensive listing of publicationsor for bulk prices, please request the IFIC Foundation Publications List below.

❏ Publications List (MI-4010)

A complete list of publications and Food Insight reprints available from the IFIC Foundation.

❏ Fish & Your Health (EB-2095)

This brochure takes a look at the benefits of fish and seafood in a healthful diet. Provides

information on the impact of omega-3’s and seafood consumption for the general consumer,

children and issues on guidance for pregnant women. Favorably reviewed by the American

Academy of Family Physicians Foundation.

❏ Weight Loss: Finding A Weight Loss Program that Works for You (EB-2090)

This helpful, easy-to-use brochure provides information and checklists for evaluating weight loss

programs and services and helps consumers ask the right questions to choose a safe and effective

weight loss method.

❏ Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Teaching Set (MI-4200)

A teaching set designed to help kids ages 9-15 understand the importance of combining nutrition

and physical activity. The set features a 22” x 34” two-sided color poster highlighting the Physical

Activity Pyramid alongside the Food Guide Pyramid. Set includes the “Ten Tips to Healthy Eating

and Physical Activity for You” brochure, reproducible slick, and poster. Please send _____ copies

at $3.50 and $1.50 shipping handling. Enclosed is a check for $________.

❏ Caffeine and Women’s Health (EB-2040)

Revised and updated brochure providing current scientific facts about caffeine and women’s

health, including such topics as pregnancy and osteoporosis. This referenced document was

developed in partnership with the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

❏ IFIC Review: Understanding Food Allergy (IR-3070)

This referenced white paper offers the latest scientific information on food allergy. It provides an

overview on how to distinguish a food allergy from other sensitivities to food.

To Order:Please complete and return this form to:

IFIC Foundation1100 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 430Washington, DC 20036

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❏ A. Staff ❏ M. Consumer Group

❏ D. Home Economist ❏ N. Consumer

❏ E. Educator ❏ O. Student

❏ F. Extension Agent ❏ P. Other

❏ G. Researcher/Scientist

❏ H.Government

❏ I. Library / Info. Service

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Current Topics in Food Safety & Nutrition

Humana People to People November december-2002-issue

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