Providing Healthy and Safe Foods As We Age


Book Description

Does a longer life mean a healthier life? The number of adults over 65 in the United States is growing, but many may not be aware that they are at greater risk from foodborne diseases and their nutritional needs change as they age. The IOM's Food Forum held a workshop October 29-30, 2009, to discuss food safety and nutrition concerns for older adults.




Population-Based Nutrition Epidemiology


Book Description

Nutritional epidemiology examines dietary or nutritional factors in relation to the occurrence of disease in various populations. It is a fact that substantial progress has been made in recent years in nutritional epidemiology. Compared to the practice during the 1990s, and with the improvements in data analytics, several new approaches are gaining ground. Results from a variety of large-scale studies in the field of nutrition epidemiology have substantially contributed toward the evidence used in guiding dietary recommendations for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, some types of cancer, and other morbidities. In this Special Issue, we would like to bring readers closer to the state-of-the-art in the field by gathering papers covering different aspects of nutrition epidemiology from population-based observational studies. Topics of the submitted articles may, but not necessarily, include eating habits of various populations, especially of those not well-studied, such as in Africa, Oceania, South Americas, immigrants, minorities, as well as a variety of associations between nutrients/foods/food patterns and chronic diseases, like cardiovascular, diabetes, obesity, cancer, etc., and gene–nutrient and epigenome–nutrient interactions related to human health at all ages.




Population and Nutrition


Book Description

In this essay, the mechanisms of biological, social and cultural nature linking subsistence, mortality and population are discussed.




The Role of Nutrition in Maintaining Health in the Nation's Elderly


Book Description

Malnutrition and obesity are both common among Americans over age 65. There are also a host of other medical conditions from which older people and other Medicare beneficiaries suffer that could be improved with appropriate nutritional intervention. Despite that, access to a nutrition professional is very limited. Do nutrition services benefit older people in terms of morbidity, mortality, or quality of life? Which health professionals are best qualified to provide such services? What would be the cost to Medicare of such services? Would the cost be offset by reduced illness in this population? This book addresses these questions, provides recommendations for nutrition services for the elderly, and considers how the coverage policy should be approached and practiced. The book discusses the role of nutrition therapy in the management of a number of diseases. It also examines what the elderly receive in the way of nutrition services along the continuum of care settings and addresses the areas of expertise needed by health professionals to provide appropriate nutrition services and therapy.




Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols


Book Description

During the past decade, tremendous growth has occurred in the use of nutrition symbols and rating systems designed to summarize key nutritional aspects and characteristics of food products. These symbols and the systems that underlie them have become known as front-of-package (FOP) nutrition rating systems and symbols, even though the symbols themselves can be found anywhere on the front of a food package or on a retail shelf tag. Though not regulated and inconsistent in format, content, and criteria, FOP systems and symbols have the potential to provide useful guidance to consumers as well as maximize effectiveness. As a result, Congress directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to undertake a study with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to examine and provide recommendations regarding FOP nutrition rating systems and symbols. The study was completed in two phases. Phase I focused primarily on the nutrition criteria underlying FOP systems. Phase II builds on the results of Phase I while focusing on aspects related to consumer understanding and behavior related to the development of a standardized FOP system. Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols focuses on Phase II of the study. The report addresses the potential benefits of a single, standardized front-label food guidance system regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, assesses which icons are most effective with consumer audiences, and considers the systems/icons that best promote health and how to maximize their use.




The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century


Book Description

The anthrax incidents following the 9/11 terrorist attacks put the spotlight on the nation's public health agencies, placing it under an unprecedented scrutiny that added new dimensions to the complex issues considered in this report. The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century reaffirms the vision of Healthy People 2010, and outlines a systems approach to assuring the nation's health in practice, research, and policy. This approach focuses on joining the unique resources and perspectives of diverse sectors and entities and challenges these groups to work in a concerted, strategic way to promote and protect the public's health. Focusing on diverse partnerships as the framework for public health, the book discusses: The need for a shift from an individual to a population-based approach in practice, research, policy, and community engagement. The status of the governmental public health infrastructure and what needs to be improved, including its interface with the health care delivery system. The roles nongovernment actors, such as academia, business, local communities and the media can play in creating a healthy nation. Providing an accessible analysis, this book will be important to public health policy-makers and practitioners, business and community leaders, health advocates, educators and journalists.




Nutrition among Vulnerable Populations


Book Description

Food insecurity and low resources continue to be a burden influencing the health, well-being, growth, and development of millions of U.S. children and adults. Groups and individuals experiencing restrained access to food are our neighbors, individuals we may see each day, and individuals who we may not interact with or see because of their isolated situations. They include the elderly, those experiencing mental illness, veterans, certain race/ethnic groups, adolescents, young women with children, those living in rural areas, and those using food pantries, among others. Many of these groups, both hidden and visible, have rates of food insecurity above the national average that are resistant to national improvements in food security. Yet, attention to these subsets of the population is imperative to improve U.S. health and nutrition and to reduce rates of chronic disease. Many groups face specific barriers to maintaining sufficient food, for example, rural populations may find it difficult to access federal food assistance or other resources such as food pantries and nutrition education because of distance or lack of consistent internet access separating them from these resources. Further, their remote locations may make it difficult to obtain the types of foods that they prefer. Other specific barriers may include limited facilities and equipment for food preparation, access to culturally appropriate foods and preparation supplies, and foods that complement the foods that they already have. Tailored approaches to quantify access to food, the nutrition environment, dietary intake, and other barriers are necessary to build successful interventions and to quantify the needs of these populations.




Public Health Nutrition


Book Description

A ground breaking text in the developing field of public health nutrition.' from the foreword by Basil S. Hetzel At last! A book that approaches public health nutrition in a scholarly, scientific and evidence based manner that at the same time delivers the practical competencies and skills required by the professional Public Health Nutritionist.' Elizabeth Belton, Senior Lecturer, School of Life Sciences, The Robert Gordon University. How can the nutritional health of populations be improved through action at local, national and global levels? The work of public health nutritionists is to bring population-wide perspectives to the relationship between food and health. Systematically drawing on international research, in Public Health Nutrition leading international practitioners present both the theoretical underpinnings and applied nature of the field of public health nutrition. The book is peer reviewed and divided into four sections: * Principles - presents conceptual frameworks, solutions, responsibilities and outcome measures, philosophical and evidential dimensions, standards and dietary guidelines. * Populations - explores groups for whom nutrition is especially relevant, providing analysis of the food and health relationship from physiological, social, cultural, political and economic perspectives. * Priorities - examines key issues including vulnerable populations, obesity, indigenous nutrition, international nutrition, the nutritional transition, food system trends and sustainability. * Practices - covers professional skills for public health practitioners including monitoring the food and nutrition situation of populations, physical activity, research skills, project management, professional practice, health promotion and communication, policy and politics. Public Health Nutrition is an essential resource for public health practitioners, researchers and administrators, as well as students of nutrition, dietetics and public health wishing to obtain advanced and specialised competencies.







The Nutrition Transition


Book Description

This book deals with the dramatic changes in diet and lifestyle that are occurring in the developing world as a result of globalization, and their impact on human healt. The Editors have assembled a leading group of scientists in teh fields of economics, population sciences, international health, medicine, nutrition and food sciences, to address each of the key issues related to the changes in demographic trends, food production and marketing, and disease patterns in the developing world. The Nutrition Transition provides essential information to understand the far-reaching effects that global economic, social and cultural trends are having on diet-related disease patersin in countries of transition. Contains numerous illustrative figures and tables Two case studies included-on China and Brazil Foreword written by Nevin Scrimshaw, recipient of the World Food Prize