U.S. Dietary Plan Stops Short of Urging Less Sugar

[Guest guest]

(Outrageous bullcrap!)

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews & storyID=6092731 & secti\

on=news

U.S. Dietary Plan Stops Short of Urging Less Sugar

Fri 27 August, 2004 22:30

By Randy Fabi

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A panel of nutrition experts proposed new U.S.

dietary guidelines on Friday that acknowledge a link between soft drinks and

weight gain, but stopped short of telling increasingly overweight America to

eat less sugar.

The 13-member panel, commissioned by the Bush administration, said " social

changes " in America's supersized lifestyle would help shrink the country's

waistline.

It recommended Americans exercise more, eat less bad fats and reduce the

size of portions, while suggesting that consuming less sugar may aid weight

control.

The panel's report also blamed the lack of calorie information at

restaurants and high cost of fruit and vegetables for contributing to an

overweight society.

Two-thirds of American adults are overweight and childhood obesity is

ballooning. Obesity caused by poor diet and physical inactivity is blamed

for 400,000 deaths a year and may soon overtake smoking as the No. 1 cause

of preventable death.

Consumer groups had hoped the panel would bluntly recommend that Americans

limit their consumption of soft drinks and other sugary foods, a view

sharply opposed by beverage makers and the sugar industry, who say weight

gain is due to many factors.

Past versions of the guidelines have included advice to watch sugar intake

as one basic rule for healthy eating.

Updated every five years by the Agriculture and Health departments, the

guidelines are the basis of the food pyramid printed on food packages.

Panelists recommended consumers choose fats and carbohydrates " wisely, "

shunning saturated and trans fat in favor of more omega-3 fatty acids found

in fish, and to limit salt and alcohol.

The panel recommended carbohydrates rich in fiber, like fresh fruit and

whole grains.

And it advised that less than 1 percent of calories come from

artery-clogging trans fat, an added ingredient in foods such bread and

cooking oils.

Tyson Foods Inc., Kraft Foods Inc., PepsiCo Inc. and other food companies

have pledged to reduce trans fats in their products.

" Given the negative impact these fats have on health, members companies are

striving to formulate products that not only have little or no trans fat,

but that also have lower levels of saturated fat, " said Mark , vice

president of the Grocery Manufacturers of America.

LESS SUGAR MAY EQUAL LESS WEIGHT

The experts stopped short of urging Americans to cut down on soft drinks,

cakes, cookies, pies, candy and other sugar-filled food, saying more

research was needed.

" A reduced intake of added sugars (especially sugar-sweetened beverages) may

be helpful in achieving recommended intakes of nutrients and in weight

control, " the report said.

" We were still hoping that in the final document the public sees a more

direct and clearer message that most of us should be consuming less added

sugars, " said Schardt, senior nutritionist for the Center for Science

in the Public Interest.

Soft drink makers and the sugar industry contend overeating and lack of

exercise, not a particular food or beverage, are causing America's widening

girth.

" The concept of sugars being in unhealthy foods or only being in foods that

you should eat in moderation is kind of misleading. There is sugar in a lot

of healthy foods, " said Cheryl Digges, director of public policy for the

Sugar Association.

The nutrition panel also urged Americans to balance food intake with

activity levels to avoid gaining weight. People should exercise at least 30

minutes a day, and may need 60 minutes to avoid weight gain, it said.

Final guidelines will be issued in early 2005

[Guest guest]

(Outrageous bullcrap!)

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews & storyID=6092731 & secti\

on=news

U.S. Dietary Plan Stops Short of Urging Less Sugar

Fri 27 August, 2004 22:30

By Randy Fabi

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A panel of nutrition experts proposed new U.S.

dietary guidelines on Friday that acknowledge a link between soft drinks and

weight gain, but stopped short of telling increasingly overweight America to

eat less sugar.

The 13-member panel, commissioned by the Bush administration, said " social

changes " in America's supersized lifestyle would help shrink the country's

waistline.

It recommended Americans exercise more, eat less bad fats and reduce the

size of portions, while suggesting that consuming less sugar may aid weight

control.

The panel's report also blamed the lack of calorie information at

restaurants and high cost of fruit and vegetables for contributing to an

overweight society.

Two-thirds of American adults are overweight and childhood obesity is

ballooning. Obesity caused by poor diet and physical inactivity is blamed

for 400,000 deaths a year and may soon overtake smoking as the No. 1 cause

of preventable death.

Consumer groups had hoped the panel would bluntly recommend that Americans

limit their consumption of soft drinks and other sugary foods, a view

sharply opposed by beverage makers and the sugar industry, who say weight

gain is due to many factors.

Past versions of the guidelines have included advice to watch sugar intake

as one basic rule for healthy eating.

Updated every five years by the Agriculture and Health departments, the

guidelines are the basis of the food pyramid printed on food packages.

Panelists recommended consumers choose fats and carbohydrates " wisely, "

shunning saturated and trans fat in favor of more omega-3 fatty acids found

in fish, and to limit salt and alcohol.

The panel recommended carbohydrates rich in fiber, like fresh fruit and

whole grains.

And it advised that less than 1 percent of calories come from

artery-clogging trans fat, an added ingredient in foods such bread and

cooking oils.

Tyson Foods Inc., Kraft Foods Inc., PepsiCo Inc. and other food companies

have pledged to reduce trans fats in their products.

" Given the negative impact these fats have on health, members companies are

striving to formulate products that not only have little or no trans fat,

but that also have lower levels of saturated fat, " said Mark , vice

president of the Grocery Manufacturers of America.

LESS SUGAR MAY EQUAL LESS WEIGHT

The experts stopped short of urging Americans to cut down on soft drinks,

cakes, cookies, pies, candy and other sugar-filled food, saying more

research was needed.

" A reduced intake of added sugars (especially sugar-sweetened beverages) may

be helpful in achieving recommended intakes of nutrients and in weight

control, " the report said.

" We were still hoping that in the final document the public sees a more

direct and clearer message that most of us should be consuming less added

sugars, " said Schardt, senior nutritionist for the Center for Science

in the Public Interest.

Soft drink makers and the sugar industry contend overeating and lack of

exercise, not a particular food or beverage, are causing America's widening

girth.

" The concept of sugars being in unhealthy foods or only being in foods that

you should eat in moderation is kind of misleading. There is sugar in a lot

of healthy foods, " said Cheryl Digges, director of public policy for the

Sugar Association.

The nutrition panel also urged Americans to balance food intake with

activity levels to avoid gaining weight. People should exercise at least 30

minutes a day, and may need 60 minutes to avoid weight gain, it said.

Final guidelines will be issued in early 2005

[Guest guest]

(Outrageous bullcrap!)

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews & storyID=6092731 & secti\

on=news

U.S. Dietary Plan Stops Short of Urging Less Sugar

Fri 27 August, 2004 22:30

By Randy Fabi

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A panel of nutrition experts proposed new U.S.

dietary guidelines on Friday that acknowledge a link between soft drinks and

weight gain, but stopped short of telling increasingly overweight America to

eat less sugar.

The 13-member panel, commissioned by the Bush administration, said " social

changes " in America's supersized lifestyle would help shrink the country's

waistline.

It recommended Americans exercise more, eat less bad fats and reduce the

size of portions, while suggesting that consuming less sugar may aid weight

control.

The panel's report also blamed the lack of calorie information at

restaurants and high cost of fruit and vegetables for contributing to an

overweight society.

Two-thirds of American adults are overweight and childhood obesity is

ballooning. Obesity caused by poor diet and physical inactivity is blamed

for 400,000 deaths a year and may soon overtake smoking as the No. 1 cause

of preventable death.

Consumer groups had hoped the panel would bluntly recommend that Americans

limit their consumption of soft drinks and other sugary foods, a view

sharply opposed by beverage makers and the sugar industry, who say weight

gain is due to many factors.

Past versions of the guidelines have included advice to watch sugar intake

as one basic rule for healthy eating.

Updated every five years by the Agriculture and Health departments, the

guidelines are the basis of the food pyramid printed on food packages.

Panelists recommended consumers choose fats and carbohydrates " wisely, "

shunning saturated and trans fat in favor of more omega-3 fatty acids found

in fish, and to limit salt and alcohol.

The panel recommended carbohydrates rich in fiber, like fresh fruit and

whole grains.

And it advised that less than 1 percent of calories come from

artery-clogging trans fat, an added ingredient in foods such bread and

cooking oils.

Tyson Foods Inc., Kraft Foods Inc., PepsiCo Inc. and other food companies

have pledged to reduce trans fats in their products.

" Given the negative impact these fats have on health, members companies are

striving to formulate products that not only have little or no trans fat,

but that also have lower levels of saturated fat, " said Mark , vice

president of the Grocery Manufacturers of America.

LESS SUGAR MAY EQUAL LESS WEIGHT

The experts stopped short of urging Americans to cut down on soft drinks,

cakes, cookies, pies, candy and other sugar-filled food, saying more

research was needed.

" A reduced intake of added sugars (especially sugar-sweetened beverages) may

be helpful in achieving recommended intakes of nutrients and in weight

control, " the report said.

" We were still hoping that in the final document the public sees a more

direct and clearer message that most of us should be consuming less added

sugars, " said Schardt, senior nutritionist for the Center for Science

in the Public Interest.

Soft drink makers and the sugar industry contend overeating and lack of

exercise, not a particular food or beverage, are causing America's widening

girth.

" The concept of sugars being in unhealthy foods or only being in foods that

you should eat in moderation is kind of misleading. There is sugar in a lot

of healthy foods, " said Cheryl Digges, director of public policy for the

Sugar Association.

The nutrition panel also urged Americans to balance food intake with

activity levels to avoid gaining weight. People should exercise at least 30

minutes a day, and may need 60 minutes to avoid weight gain, it said.

Final guidelines will be issued in early 2005

[Guest guest]

(Outrageous bullcrap!)

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews & storyID=6092731 & secti\

on=news

U.S. Dietary Plan Stops Short of Urging Less Sugar

Fri 27 August, 2004 22:30

By Randy Fabi

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A panel of nutrition experts proposed new U.S.

dietary guidelines on Friday that acknowledge a link between soft drinks and

weight gain, but stopped short of telling increasingly overweight America to

eat less sugar.

The 13-member panel, commissioned by the Bush administration, said " social

changes " in America's supersized lifestyle would help shrink the country's

waistline.

It recommended Americans exercise more, eat less bad fats and reduce the

size of portions, while suggesting that consuming less sugar may aid weight

control.

The panel's report also blamed the lack of calorie information at

restaurants and high cost of fruit and vegetables for contributing to an

overweight society.

Two-thirds of American adults are overweight and childhood obesity is

ballooning. Obesity caused by poor diet and physical inactivity is blamed

for 400,000 deaths a year and may soon overtake smoking as the No. 1 cause

of preventable death.

Consumer groups had hoped the panel would bluntly recommend that Americans

limit their consumption of soft drinks and other sugary foods, a view

sharply opposed by beverage makers and the sugar industry, who say weight

gain is due to many factors.

Past versions of the guidelines have included advice to watch sugar intake

as one basic rule for healthy eating.

Updated every five years by the Agriculture and Health departments, the

guidelines are the basis of the food pyramid printed on food packages.

Panelists recommended consumers choose fats and carbohydrates " wisely, "

shunning saturated and trans fat in favor of more omega-3 fatty acids found

in fish, and to limit salt and alcohol.

The panel recommended carbohydrates rich in fiber, like fresh fruit and

whole grains.

And it advised that less than 1 percent of calories come from

artery-clogging trans fat, an added ingredient in foods such bread and

cooking oils.

Tyson Foods Inc., Kraft Foods Inc., PepsiCo Inc. and other food companies

have pledged to reduce trans fats in their products.

" Given the negative impact these fats have on health, members companies are

striving to formulate products that not only have little or no trans fat,

but that also have lower levels of saturated fat, " said Mark , vice

president of the Grocery Manufacturers of America.

LESS SUGAR MAY EQUAL LESS WEIGHT

The experts stopped short of urging Americans to cut down on soft drinks,

cakes, cookies, pies, candy and other sugar-filled food, saying more

research was needed.

" A reduced intake of added sugars (especially sugar-sweetened beverages) may

be helpful in achieving recommended intakes of nutrients and in weight

control, " the report said.

" We were still hoping that in the final document the public sees a more

direct and clearer message that most of us should be consuming less added

sugars, " said Schardt, senior nutritionist for the Center for Science

in the Public Interest.

Soft drink makers and the sugar industry contend overeating and lack of

exercise, not a particular food or beverage, are causing America's widening

girth.

" The concept of sugars being in unhealthy foods or only being in foods that

you should eat in moderation is kind of misleading. There is sugar in a lot

of healthy foods, " said Cheryl Digges, director of public policy for the

Sugar Association.

The nutrition panel also urged Americans to balance food intake with

activity levels to avoid gaining weight. People should exercise at least 30

minutes a day, and may need 60 minutes to avoid weight gain, it said.

Final guidelines will be issued in early 2005