Topic of the Month
Using Good Nutrition to Support Healthy Cognition in Aging
26 October 2016
Nutrition plays a pivotal role in healthy aging, including maintaining cognition.
23 June 2014
In a new draft, the US Food and Drug Administration strongly recommend that pregnant and breastfeeding women eat more omega-3 fatty-acid-rich fish as part of a healthy diet.
The new draft advice recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women eat a minimum of eight ounces of seafood weekly, or two to three servings of fish a week (1). The nutritional value of oily fish, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, is important during growth and development before birth, in early infancy for breastfed infants and in childhood. In the FDA’s assessment, which included the results of more than 110 studies, both the beneficial effects of nutrients in fish like omega-3 fatty acids as well as the potential risk from traces of mer- cury in fish were considered.
The researchers commented that scientific studies published in the last decade show that women who eat a variety of fish at least two times each week during pregnancy have babies with enhanced brain development and better general health. Importantly, skipping fish may mean missing out on this benefit. Women who eat a variety of fish two to three times per week during pregnancy can get the nutrients they need without intro- ducing concerns. The researchers said that a vast majority of pregnant women do not eat anywhere close to the recommended amount of fish per week.
26 October 2016
Nutrition plays a pivotal role in healthy aging, including maintaining cognition.
1 February 2009
“A recently published evaluation of data from the VITamins And Lifestyle cohort study discusses the connection between antioxidants and the incidence of lung cancer."
1 August 2014
Excessive intake of high-energy macronutrients and their potential consequences for people’s health are a problem in many industrial nations. In the case of micronutrients, however, epidemiological data suggests that over-supply is the exception rather than the rule across the globe. Many people are therefore concerned that their dietary habits are failing to provide them with a sufficient supply of essential nutrients such as vitamins and carotenoids. Given that intakes of some nutrients are below officially recommended levels, it might at first sight appear unnecessary to set upper intake levels for micronutrients. However excessive intake of food supplements and fortified foods in addition to normal diets could conceivably lead to intake levels which could potentially be considered harmful. It may be sensible to define an upper daily intake level at which the risk of adverse effects on health is unlikely, particularly in the case of fat-soluble vitamins which are stored in small quantities in the body.