Expert opinion
The Mandatory Fortification of Staple Foods with Folic Acid
16 May 2011
The mandatory fortification of staple foods with folic acid to prevent neural tube defects was introduced in the USA in 1998.
30 March 2016
Increasing evidence demonstrates that risk factors for chronic diseases are established during childhood and adolescence, but the relationship between the development of diseases and adolescent development is poorly understood. Adolescence is a crucial period in life and involves multiple physiological and psychological changes that affect nutritional needs and habits.
HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) is a European collaborative research project. The basic objective of HELENA is to obtain reliable and comparable data over three years from 3,500 European adolescents (boys and girls aged 12.5–17.5 years) on relevant nutrition and health-related parameters such as dietary intake, food choices and preferences, vitamin and mineral status, physical activity, and fitness.
The project unites 20 research centers from ten European countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Reference
De Henauw S. et al. Nutritional status and lifestyles of adolescents from a public health perspective. The HELENA Project—Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence. J Public Health, 2007; 15:187–197.
16 May 2011
The mandatory fortification of staple foods with folic acid to prevent neural tube defects was introduced in the USA in 1998.
21 November 2012
According to a new Japanese study, high intakes of vitamin A and vitamin B2 significantly strengthen the body’s ability to transport oxygen to muscles and to generate energy during prolonged exercise.
4 May 2013
A daily supplementation with lutein may improve visual performance and help with tasks such as driving at night, suggests a study from China.