September 16, 2002 Recent News
Not so fast: "home meal replacement" consumption increases
What consumers think about functional foods
New Nutritional Guidelines Tie Exercise, Calories; Report Urges Americans to Consume More Fiber and Less Sugar, and Sets Carbohydrate Goals
New Nutritional guidelines were issued on September 5, 2002. Americans are now encouraged to exercise for an hour each day, increase their fiber intake and cut way back on consuming foods with added sugar. Only 25% of your calories should come from products with added sugar. Suggested calorie consumption is now tied directly to your level of physical activity. The more active you are the more calories you should consume to maintain a healthy body weight and the less active you are the fewer calories you should consume. There is now a recommended daily intake for carbohydrates, a minimum of 130 grams per day to provide enough glucose to the brain. Most people consume more than the 130 grams recommended. However, 130 grams is six times the amount of carbohydrates recommended by low-carb diets like the Atkins diet. The new guidelines say that a healthy diet can include fat calories of 20% to 35% of your daily intake. Healthful fats are emphasized. These polyunsaturated fats from milk, nuts, avocados, olives, flaxseed, soybeans, safflower, canola and corn cannot be produced by the body and need to be consumed everyday to help reduce sudden death from heart disease.
(Extracted from The Washington Post 6 September 2002)
A fat nation
This article on America's weight problem notes that, between 1984 and 2000, there has been 236 calorie per person per day increase in the food supply, according to USDA supply data. Marion Nestle of the New York University Department of Nutrition and Food Studies says food is so overproduced in the US that there are 3,800 calories per person per day, "and we only need about half of that." Americans reportedly consume an equivalent of 20-33 teaspoons of sugar per person per day, with about 30% coming from soft drinks. Sugar is the No. 1 food additive and is found in most foods. Not only are people eating more food because of the abundance and because of super sizing of servings but they are also eating more meals. Children eat about five meals now and adults eat 4 1/2. Twenty years ago, snacks were about 11.3% of a diet, but by 1996, that was up to 17.7%. A University of North Carolina study noted that salty snack food consumption has doubled in the past 20 years.
(Extracted from US News & World Report, Aug 19, 2002)
Not so fast: "home meal replacement" consumption increases
In 1993, the phrase "home meal replacement" appeared just once in the Lexis-Nexis database, ascended to 1,498 mentions in 1997 and then dropped to 504 by 2000. Was this trend the result of an overheated economy or a major change in America's dining habits? This article suggests both. A new study by the Food Marketing Institute found that post-9/11 consumers are back in the kitchen, but demand convenience. More than 40% use bagged salads, pre-cut and cleaned vegetables or pre-marinated meats at least once a week, and recent studies indicate that Americans want to spend no more than 15 minutes preparing a meal. In a survey of 2000 adults nationwide, 85% claimed to prepare home-cooked meals three times a week, up from 74% in the same period a year ago. And almost half the meals cooked in the home each week were prepared in 30 minutes or less, via pre-packaged meal kits and other "speed-scratch" products.
(Extracted from Food Processing Aug 1, 2002)
What consumers think about functional foods
Results of a new survey on functional foods have been released by the International Food Information Council (IFIC). The survey polled 1,004 randomly selected US adults and compared responses to data gathered in 1998 and 2000. In the new survey, nearly all (94%) consumers agreed that certain foods have health benefits beyond basic nutrition. When presented with the terms "functional foods" and "nutraceuticals," 62% preferred the former term and only 34% liked the latter term. Most (85%) of respondents are either "very" or "somewhat" interested in learning more about functional foods. A table details the top 10 foods that consumers identify as functional. Continuing the established trend, 68% of consumers think they have a "great amount" of control over their own health. Of the specific relationships between food and health, 79% were aware of the connection between calcium and osteoporosis, 54% were aware of the association between antioxidants and cancer, and only 35% were aware of soy protein's heart health benefits. Five strategies are given by the IFIC for communicating functional food benefits to consumers: Use credible, scientific criteria; Emphasize the "good news" about food; Keep new research findings in context with existing data; Keep discussions of benefits within familiar foods and overall eating patterns; and do not exaggerate potential benefits.
(Extracted from the Food Industry Newsletter 29 July 2002)
Genetically modified foods safe but monitoring needed, panel says --- Federal committee urges more research, voluntary labels
The Canadian Biotech Advisory Committee found no evidence that genetically modified foods now on the market are unsafe to human health or to the environment. However, the committee does feel the Canadian government should more closely monitor and regulate biotechnology advances. The committee had eight recommendations for a better monitoring system including; voluntary labeling by producers, a centralized government information service for consumers, tighter government monitoring and the creation of a new food regulation agency. The government is expected to respond to the report within months.
(Extracted from the Toronto Star 27 August 2002)
