Newsweek Addresses Childhood Obesity The July 3 issue of Newsweek contains a feature article on childhood obesity ("Generation XXL"), and although it doesn't have a lot of depth or much resonance, it is an accessible article for middle-of-the-road Americans and it should raise some warning signals. Some of the factoids dispensed: * The government estimates that some 6 million American children are now fat enough to negatively impact their health and an additional 5 million are not far behind. The percentage of overweight children in America has doubled since the 1960s. * Children who are overweight or obese have a high likelihood of continuing this pattern as adults. The illnesses related to obesity - diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers - claim an estimated 500,000 Americans a year and cost us $100 billion in medical expenses and lost productivity. * Overweight children are now seen with fatty liver - a precursor to cirrhosis - sleep apnea, and, alarmingly, type 2, or adult-onset, diabetes, until recently only seen in people over the age of 40. * Columbia University researchers found that overweight children as young as 3 and 4 showed signs of elevated blood pressure and cholesterol. Dr. William Dietz of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, "There's a lag between the development of obesity and the chronic diseases associated with it. We're in that trough right now. Very soon we'll see the rate of cardiovascular disease among teenagers rising." Who or what is to blame for this? The article points to a number of factors that contribute to obesity among American children: Too much TV, too little exercise, genetic predisposition, too few home cooked meals and too many high-fat, calorie-ridden, super-sized meals at fast food restaurants. And as journalist Geoffrey Cowley points out, many schools now feature soda and snack machines on premises, as well as on-site outlets for fast food chains. The food that is loaded with empty calories in the form of saturated fat, salt and sugar is not only cheap, but highly accessible. The solution? The article mostly points to parental involvement as key to breaking unhealthy patterns. The problem I had with this is while I wholeheartedly agree that parents should take time to exercise with their children to make it more fun and more of a family activity, there was no acknowledgment of how parents need to develop healthy eating and lifestyle habits for themselves in order for children to learn from their example. Parents need to prepare fresh, good-tasting meals and have healthy snacks within reach so that when a child is craving a snack, he grabs a peach instead of a Butterfinger. When a parent takes an active role in laying a foundation of good health and smart choices, that is something that a child will have for a lifetime. Newsweek would have been smart to focus on holistic prevention instead of cures. Newsweek Reports Pigment in Fruits and Vegetables May Reduce Cancer, Heart Disease, Arthritis The December 6 issue of Newsweek had an article about the recent discovery by researchers that the pigments of many fruits and vegetables can reduce cancer and heart-disease risk, as well as ease the pain of arthritis. Tart cherries, for example, offer arthritis sufferers 10 times the anti-inflammatory relief of aspirin, without upsetting the stomach. Vibrantly hued plants, such as blueberries, tomatoes and spinach, are also potent antioxidants, which could guard against age-related declines in memory and coordination. Spinach, rich in the pigments lutein and zeaxanthin, is apparently quite good for protecting one's vision. In epidemiological studies, those with the highest intake of lutein and zeaxanthin had a 40 to 45 percent reduced risk of developing macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. This is just the very tip of what scientists are discovering. Among other findings: the alpha and beta carotene in cantaloupe, pumpkins and carrots can help prevent lung cancer; the pigment cryptoxanthin in mangoes, oranges, and papayas have been shown to decrease the risk of cervical cancer; the lycopene in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit help prevent prostate cancer. In fact, researchers for one Harvard study tracked 48,000 men for six years and found that those who consumed the most tomatoes and tomato products were up to 45 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer. In general, the more colorful the food, the more benefits one reaps from the food. Elizabeth Ward of the American Dietetic Association said, "Fill up your plate with as many colorful foods as you can. Think variety and color." Researchers are saying that the best preventative medicine could be a diet featuring a wide assortment of fruits and vegetables, preferably five to nine servings a day. Interestingly, not one animal product was promoted in the article as having the potential to reduce cancer, heart disease or arthritis pain. Hmm... Biotech Giants Go On the Defensive As reported in the New York Times on November, 12, some of the world's biggest biotechnology companies are launching an expensive and vast campaign to discredit their critics and stem what they consider a rising wave of anti-biotech sentiment. Earlier this year in Europe, manufacturers and distributors of genetically engineered seeds have seen a large consumer-based uprising against their products, and those opposed to genetic engineering have even gone so far as to destroy test plots of altered crops. Opponents of genetic engineering have also fostered a growing distrust throughout much of Europe of what is known as "Frankenstein" foods. The European concern about genetically altered food took the biotech and farming industries by surprise, and corporate executives are now anticipating a grassroots effort in the U.S. forged largely by environmentalists to at least match the fervor of European consumers and activists. Until recently, the leading biotechnology corporations, like Monsanto, Du Pont, and Novartis A.G., were unlikely to respond to criticism or questions regarding genetic engineering. Now, however, biotech executives are beginning to sense the growing concern, and are going to launch an aggressive spin-control campaign. The biotech giants have formed a series of industrywide alliances and ear-marked tens of millions of dollars for organizing "educational" forums, and lobbying legislators, regulators and farm organizers. They have also retained major PR agencies including the notoriously greenwashing powerhouse Burston-Marsteller to help put a friendly face on what many view as a cold, indifferent industry. It's interesting to note when consumer resistance was at about the level in Europe that it is currently in the U.S., the biotech companies launched a similar PR campaign. The Europeans didn't buy it, and it inadvertantly launched the huge resistance movement that has virtually made genetic engineering synonymus with poison forced upon Europe by greedy American-based multinational corporations. Stay tuned for America's reaction. See related article Chicago Sun-Times Reports on Teen Vegetarianism In the Chicago Sun-Times food section, there were two articles of interest to vegans. The first one, "Teens Veg Out", was the main piece, and it focused on the growing population of teenage vegetarians (a recent Roper poll found that 11 percent of girls aged 13 to 17 ate no meat; also, some 15 percent of American college students reported that they eat vegetarian meals at school). In general, the article was quite positive, with nutritionists confirming the safety of adopting a meatless diet. Also, several dietitians pointed out the importance of parents allowing their teenagers to explore a vegetarian diet without turning the dinner table into a battleground. The writer approached the topic respectfully and with an open mind. Also in the Sun-Times food section was an article entitled "New Weapons in the War Against Cancer"; in this piece, primarily the foods that comprise a plant-based diet, items like crucifers, soy products, garlic, whole grains, were touted. Those interested in cancer prevention were urged to eat a wide variety of these foods. Melanie Polk, a registered dietitian was quoted as saying, "If we were to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, we could decrease cancer incidence by as much as 20 percent." Finally, although fish was recommended for its omega-3 fatty acids, the writer of the article pointed out that the same fatty acids could be aquired by canola or flaxseed oil. In the Media - archive Back to Vegan News