Science in the news
The Science Show (ABC Radio National)
Saturday April, 3 2010
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2010/2859986.htm
podcast and transcript
As always, an excellent show. This show gives some reasoning why so many people seem to be rejecting science and scientific consensus in favor of climate change skepticism and Fox News.
The conclusion is that the same model and largely the same people who worked to discredit the science behind the dangers of smoking, acid rain and ozone are new being used to fight climate science.
2010-04-07
March 26, 2010 Science Friday (NPR)
March 26, 2010 Science Friday (NPR)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125216841
audio stream and a transcript
Two food topics covered were from the American Chemical Society meeting in San Francisco.
The first is an interview with Navindra Seeram, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island.
He talks about new antioxidants found in maple syrup. His conclusion is that maple syrup is better than other sugars.
Maybe so, but that doesn't make it a health food. I love maple syrup by the way. The research is funded by industry and the Canadian government.
The second is Frank Mitloehner, Professor, University of California, Davis.
His numbers conclude that dairy and meat does not contribute as much to climate change as other scientists have concluded, because the amount of roughage (which results in methane) in cattle feed has been overestimated.
Therefore transportation contributes more to greenhouse gasses than all agriculture (26 percent versus 5.8 percent).
Five percent of his funding comes from the agriculture industry.
The finger pointing will no doubt continue.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125216841
audio stream and a transcript
Two food topics covered were from the American Chemical Society meeting in San Francisco.
The first is an interview with Navindra Seeram, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island.
He talks about new antioxidants found in maple syrup. His conclusion is that maple syrup is better than other sugars.
Maybe so, but that doesn't make it a health food. I love maple syrup by the way. The research is funded by industry and the Canadian government.
The second is Frank Mitloehner, Professor, University of California, Davis.
His numbers conclude that dairy and meat does not contribute as much to climate change as other scientists have concluded, because the amount of roughage (which results in methane) in cattle feed has been overestimated.
Therefore transportation contributes more to greenhouse gasses than all agriculture (26 percent versus 5.8 percent).
Five percent of his funding comes from the agriculture industry.
The finger pointing will no doubt continue.
Dietary Calcium and Magnesium Intake and Mortality
Dairy Science in the literature
American Journal of Epidemiology 2010 171(7):801-807
Dietary Calcium and Magnesium Intake and Mortality: A Prospective Study of Men
http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/171/7/801
In this study on over 23,000 Swedish men, calcium was associated with a statistically significant lower rate of all-cause mortality, and a non-significant reduction in CVD mortality.
No relation was found between calcium and cancer, or with magnesium and any mortality measure.
The lower rate of all-cause mortality corresponds to a 25 percent lower rate of death over 10 years.
Obviously it is important to determine what exactly is happening here.
here is a Reuters article
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35824298/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/
American Journal of Epidemiology 2010 171(7):801-807
Dietary Calcium and Magnesium Intake and Mortality: A Prospective Study of Men
http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/171/7/801
In this study on over 23,000 Swedish men, calcium was associated with a statistically significant lower rate of all-cause mortality, and a non-significant reduction in CVD mortality.
No relation was found between calcium and cancer, or with magnesium and any mortality measure.
The lower rate of all-cause mortality corresponds to a 25 percent lower rate of death over 10 years.
Obviously it is important to determine what exactly is happening here.
here is a Reuters article
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35824298/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/
Prospective association between milk intake and adiposity in preschool-aged children
Dairy Science in the literature
J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Apr;110(4):563-70
Prospective association between milk intake and adiposity in preschool-aged children
This study on over 800 preschool-aged children finds that not only is milk consumption not related to obesity, but whole dairy (and not reduced-fat diary) was associated with a slightly lower BMI z score.
The take away message from this any a large number of related studies is that people who avoid dairy because they think it is related to overweight are mistaken.
Overall calorie intake needs to be kept in check, but excluding dairy would only reduce important nutrient intake.
Dairy as a weight loss strategy is something less clear. It is unlikely to be very effective without other measures.
J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Apr;110(4):563-70
Prospective association between milk intake and adiposity in preschool-aged children
This study on over 800 preschool-aged children finds that not only is milk consumption not related to obesity, but whole dairy (and not reduced-fat diary) was associated with a slightly lower BMI z score.
The take away message from this any a large number of related studies is that people who avoid dairy because they think it is related to overweight are mistaken.
Overall calorie intake needs to be kept in check, but excluding dairy would only reduce important nutrient intake.
Dairy as a weight loss strategy is something less clear. It is unlikely to be very effective without other measures.
Molecular mechanisms triggered by low-calcium diets
Dairy Science in the news
Molecular mechanisms triggered by low-calcium diets
Nutrition Research Reviews (2009), 22:163-174
Dietary Ca has been associated with lower BMI and lower colorectal cancer risk. This review discusses proposed molecular mechanisms for these effects.
This is considered dairy science because the best and most frequent source of calcium is dairy. The authors conclude by recommending doctors ensure proper dairy intake for their patients.
Molecular mechanisms triggered by low-calcium diets
Nutrition Research Reviews (2009), 22:163-174
Dietary Ca has been associated with lower BMI and lower colorectal cancer risk. This review discusses proposed molecular mechanisms for these effects.
This is considered dairy science because the best and most frequent source of calcium is dairy. The authors conclude by recommending doctors ensure proper dairy intake for their patients.
2010-04-04
Milk is the key to 2,500 years of taller humans
Dairy in the News
The Observer (England)
April 4, 2010
Milk is the key to 2,500 years of taller humans
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/apr/04/milk-european-social-history
In a study presented by Nikola Koepke of Oxford University at the Economic History Society's 2010 annual conference, it was found that the nutritional status and wellbeing, as determined by average height, has increased in Britain over the past 2,500 years due to improved farming and consumption of milk.
It also shows that nutrition decreased during the Roman occupation due to the need to supply the Roman army.
The Observer (England)
April 4, 2010
Milk is the key to 2,500 years of taller humans
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/apr/04/milk-european-social-history
In a study presented by Nikola Koepke of Oxford University at the Economic History Society's 2010 annual conference, it was found that the nutritional status and wellbeing, as determined by average height, has increased in Britain over the past 2,500 years due to improved farming and consumption of milk.
It also shows that nutrition decreased during the Roman occupation due to the need to supply the Roman army.
2010-02-15
Science Special Issue on Food Security
This week's Science is a special issue on Food Security.
The weekly podcast also focuses on the same subject. Among the topics addressed are measuring food insecurity, rethinking agriculture, and reducing meat consumption. That last one means that meat producers not only have to answer questions about the effects on climate change, but also about the effects on food security - both due to the excess resources needed to produce beef especially.
The weekly podcast also focuses on the same subject. Among the topics addressed are measuring food insecurity, rethinking agriculture, and reducing meat consumption. That last one means that meat producers not only have to answer questions about the effects on climate change, but also about the effects on food security - both due to the excess resources needed to produce beef especially.
2010-01-26
Low Calorie Nikuman
This is from a few months ago, but it relates to my recent tendency to eat nikuman for breakfast. Sunkus Circle K convenience stores introduced low calorie nikumans to their stores.
One nikuman typically has 208 to 220 calories, while this new low calorie nikuman only has 128 calories.
One nikuman typically has 208 to 220 calories, while this new low calorie nikuman only has 128 calories.
Yogurt Named Trend of the Decade in US
When I was young, very few people ate yogurt in the US. It was considered to be something for vegetarians or tree-huggers.
Yogurt eventually came to take up lots of shelf space, but the varieties I have seen in the US have not been very appealing - they all seem to be no fat for adults or overly sweet and a strange color for kids. Yogurt in Japan and Europe tastes better, in my opinion. It is very good that yogurt's nutritional value is becoming well known.
The news as I see it is that Americans are finally starting to realize the benefit of probiotics, for which yogurt is a natural match.
Yogurt eventually came to take up lots of shelf space, but the varieties I have seen in the US have not been very appealing - they all seem to be no fat for adults or overly sweet and a strange color for kids. Yogurt in Japan and Europe tastes better, in my opinion. It is very good that yogurt's nutritional value is becoming well known.
The news as I see it is that Americans are finally starting to realize the benefit of probiotics, for which yogurt is a natural match.
The realizations of yogurt and probiotics lag way behind Europe and Asia though. Sort of like finally discovering the obvious.
Article
Article
100 Yen Sale at Mister Donut
Periodically, Mister Donut in Japan runs 100 yen sales where most of the donuts are on sale for that price. That ends up being a pretty good discount, because the regular price for donuts is between 120 and 147 yen.We were reading and drinking coffee for about 2 hours in our local Mister Donut this past Sunday and it was pretty amazing. There was a constant line of people extending out the door, and most people where buying in bulk for takeout.
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