The demography of food in health security: current experience with dairy consumption in Taiwan

To establish a food guide, the 'total diet' needs to be considered, based on prevailing patterns of food and nutrient intake; these will be culturally acceptable and recognize the prevailing social and economic conditions that affect food availability. Dairy produce is a good source of high quality protein, and provides significant amounts of vitamins and minerals. People who consume more dairy have higher intakes of calcium and vitamin B2 with less chance of deficiency. We used four National Nutrition Surveys in Taiwan (NAHSITs) to establish the current demographic predictors of dairy intakes, an indicator of food security in an affluent society. There was a U shape relationship between dairy consumption practices (whether or not) and age. In Taiwanese, the practice is higher in school children (49.3%), adolescents (32.1%) and elderly (43.6%) than it is in middle age (22.2-25.9%). Average daily dairy intake decreases with age; in the elderly, the intake is less than half a serving. Forty seven percent of first grade children consumed a serving or more of dairy while the 6 th graders dropped to 37%. Less than 20% adults consume one serving or more a day. The rate increases to 40% for elderly. Physiologic limitation and dietary habit account for 25% and 50% of dairy avoidance, respectively. Education, financial status, ethnicity, regionality and health seeking behaviors are determinants of dairy consumption in all age groups. There is a need for alternative Food Guides for non-dairy consumers. Attention to dairy intake for socioeconomically disadvantaged groups is required

Waste management to improve food safety and security for health advancement

Economic growth inevitably influences the food chain. Growing demand with changes in lifestyle and health consciousness encourage use of packaged and pre-prepared foods. The needs of environmental protection from waste generated are largely overlooked, and a lack of knowledge about the impact on the environment and its health effects constitute food security/safety problems. Food production and waste generation directly affect resource (i.e., energy and water) consumption and often contaminate the environment. More pressure on food production has inculcated the use of pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and chemical fertilizers which add to current global pollution. At least half of food grown is discarded before and after it reaches consumers. It is estimated that one third to half of landfill waste comes from the food sector. This landfill releases green house gases (GHG) as well as leachate which worsen soil and water quality and safety. Pharmaceutical and chemical contaminations from residential, industrial and agricultural sources make their way into nearby water and soil and can eventually affect our food systems. Phthalates, PFOA, BPA, commonly used in plastics and personal care products, are found in unacceptable concentrations in Taiwanese waters. They, too, contribute to food contamination and long-term health risk. Existing waste management strategies warrant more stringent norms for waste reduction at source. Awareness through education could reduce food waste and its consequences. This review encompasses impacts of food production systems on the environment, pollution which results from food waste, costs and economic advantages in food waste management, and health consequences of waste

Hypercholesterolemic effect of an entericcoated garlic supplement. JACN.

Objective: To evaluate the hypocholesterolemic effect of an enteric-coated garlic supplement standardized for allicin-releasing potential in mild to moderate hypercholesterolemic patients. Methods: A double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled intervention study was conducted in 46 hypercholesterolemic subjects who had failed or were not compliant with drug therapy. Each subject was given dietary counseling to lower fat intake and enteric-coated Australian garlic powder tablets with 9.6 mg allicin-releasing potential or matching placebo tablets. Results: After 12 weeks, the garlic supplement group (nϭ22) had a significant reduction in total cholesterol (TC, Ϫ0.36 mmol/L, Ϫ4.2%) and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C, Ϫ0.44 mmol/L, Ϫ6.6%) while the placebo group (nϭ24) had a non-significant increase in TC (0.13 mmol/L, 2.0%) and LDL-C (0.18 mmol/L, 3.7%). HDLcholesterol was significantly increased in the placebo group (0.09 mmol/L, 9.1%), compared to the garlic group (Ϫ0.02 mmol/L, Ϫ0.9%), and no significant difference in triglycerides or in LDL/HDL ratio was observed between groups. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that enteric-coated garlic powder supplements with 9.6 mg allicinreleasing potential may have value in mild to moderate hypercholesterolemic patients when combined with a low fat diet. Taken with other evidence, the efficacy of garlic for lipoprotein metabolism might require allicin bioavailability to be enhanced through the use of, for example, an enteric-coated dose form. If this is the case, the possibility remains that greater hypocholesterolemic efficacy may be evident at a higher allicin dose. Also noteworthy in this study was a small reduction in energy intake with garlic compared with placebo, attributable to reduction in fat, carbohydrate and alcohol intakes. This may also have contributed to the effects on blood lipids. This study suggests that garlic supplementation has a cholesterol-lowering effect, which may be mediated by direct action of a biologically active compound or compounds and in part through the effect on food and nutrient intake

A global overall dietary index: ODI-R revised to emphasize quality over quantity

ROC Incorporating the Healthy Eating Index concept, we have developed a global dietary quality index, the Overall Dietary Index (ODI). We have evaluated the relationships between ODI and chronic disease in a 1998 Taiwanese Health Screening program with over 46,000 members (51.2% females) aged 19-84. However, it could not predict health status adequately. Therefore, we revised this ODI which became ODI-R (Revised). The revision added a quality evaluation for staples (whole grains) and protein-rich foods (fish and soy) and reduced the impact of dietary fat quantity. ODI-R comprises nine items with a maximal score of 100. It has 5 food categories: dairy products, protein rich foods (eggs/legumes/fish/meats), vegetables, fruits and cereals; 2 dietary fat qualities (P/S ratio and cholesterol); and 2 descriptors: dietary moderation (alcohol, salt and sugar as one item) and dietary variety. The mean ODI-R was lower than ODI (64.4 vs. 68.1 in men and 65.5 vs. 69.0 in women) and the distribution. The correlations between macronutrients and ODI-R were weaker than for ODI, especially for fat (from -0.52 to -0.07) as well as for cholesterol and all fatty acid types by degree of saturation. For dietary fiber and micronutrients, the correlations became either less negative or more positive, signaling that the ODI-R reflects food quality more appropriately than ODI in regard to micronutrients. Empirically, a subtraction scoring approach for the overeating of protein rich foods, did not meaningfully decrease ODI-R in Taiwanese elderly or children. ODI-R provides an effective measure of dietary quality over quantity