Health claims in the labelling and marketing of food products:: the Swedish food sector's Code of Practice in a European perspective

Since 1990 certain health claims in the labelling and marketing of food products have been allowed in Sweden within the food sector's Code of Practice. The rules were developed in close dialogue with the authorities. The legal basis was a decision by the authorities not to apply the medicinal products’ legislation to “foods normally found on the dinner table” provided the rules defined in the Code were followed. The Code of Practice lists nine well-established diet–health relationships eligible for generic disease risk reduction claims in two steps and general rules regarding nutrient function claims. Since 2001, there has also been the possibility for using “product-specific physiological claims (PFP)”, subject to premarketing evaluation of the scientific dossier supporting the claim. The scientific documentation has been approved for 10 products with PFP, and another 15 products have been found to fulfil the Code's criteria for “low glycaemic index”. In the third edition of the Code, active since 2004, conditions in terms of nutritional composition were set, i.e. “nutrient profiles”, with a general reference to the Swedish National Food Administration's regulation on the use of a particular symbol, i.e. the keyhole symbol. Applying the Swedish Code of practice has provided experience useful in the implementation of the European Regulation on nutrition and health claims made on foods, effective from 2007

The influence of calcium and magnesium in drinking water and diet on cardiovascular risk factors in individuals living in hard and soft water areas with differences in cardiovascular mortality

BACKGROUND: The role of water hardness as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease has been widely investigated and evaluated as regards regional differences in cardiovascular disease. This study was performed to evaluate the relation between calcium and magnesium in drinking water and diet and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in individuals living in hard and soft water areas with considerable differences in cardiovascular mortality. METHODS: A random sample of 207 individuals living in two municipalities characterised by differences in cardiovascular mortality and water hardness was invited for an examination including a questionnaire about health, social and living conditions and diet. Intake of magnesium and calcium was calculated from the diet questionnaire with special consideration to the use of local water. Household water samples were delivered by each individual and were analysed for magnesium and calcium. RESULTS: In the total sample, there were positive correlations between the calcium content in household water and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and negative correlations with s-cholesterol and s-LDL-cholesterol. No correlation was seen with magnesium content in household water to any of the risk factors. Calcium content in diet showed no correlation to cardiovascular risk factors. Magnesium in diet was positively correlated to diastolic blood pressure (DBP). In regression analyses controlled for age and sex 18.5% of the variation in SBP was explained by the variation in BMI, HbA1c and calcium content in water. Some 27.9% of the variation in s-cholesterol could be explained by the variation in s-triglycerides (TG), and calcium content in water. CONCLUSIONS: This study of individuals living in soft and hard water areas showed significant correlations between the content of calcium in water and major cardiovascular risk factors. This was not found for magnesium in water or calcium or magnesium in diet. Regression analyses indicated that calcium content in water could be a factor in the complexity of relationships and importance of cardiovascular risk factors. From these results it is not possible to conclude any definite causal relation and further research is needed

Postprandial glycemia and appetite sensations in response to porridge made with rolled and pinhead oats

Objective: To determine the influence of porridge made with milk, honey, and either rolled oats (R) or pinhead oats (P) on postprandial glycemia and satiety. Methods: Fifteen healthy participants were recruited, but because of noncompliance with the protocol, only 13 participants were included in the final analysis. In a randomized, crossover design, participants consumed porridge made with milk, water, honey, and either R or P. Finger-prick blood samples were taken at baseline and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes following consumption of the porridge to determine blood glucose concentrations. Visual analog scales were used at the same time points to assess appetite sensations. Incremental area under the blood glucose concentration versus time curve (IAUC), ignoring area below the baseline, was used to assess glycemia. Results: Porridge made with P reduced the blood glucose IAUC by 19.51 mmol/L × 120 minutes (95% confidence interval: 5.18, 33.84 mmol/L × 120 minutes; p = 0.012), although no differences in peak or time to peak blood glucose concentrations were observed (p = 0.603 and 1.00, respectively). Hunger was not affected by the type of oats used (p = 0.991), yet participants felt fuller following consumption of R compared with P (p = 0.024). Conclusions: Glycemia is improved yet feelings of fullness are attenuated following consumption of porridge made with P compared with R