Of interest in the journals.

Biotechnology

Detecting genetically modified organisms. Food Aust 2003:55;451

This feature about AgriQuality covers a range of issues relating to biotechnology and GMO in particular, including a range of viewpoints concerning labelling and international trade.

Child nutrition

Reichman CA, Davies PSW, Wells JCK, Atkin L-M, Cleghorn G, Shepherd RW. Centile reference charts for total energy expenditure in infants from 1 to 12 months. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;1060-7

This paper reports on the construction of centile reference charts for infants using data from TEE measures by the doubly labelled water technique in 162 Australian infants 1-12 months of age. The charts may act as a reference tool in studies of abnormal energy metabolism.

Diabetes mellitus

Dierckx N, Horvath G, van Gils C, Vertommen J, van de Vliet J, I De Leeuw, Manuel-y-Keenoy B. Oxidative stress status in patients with diabetes mellitus: relationship to diet. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;999-1008.

This case control study of 30 diabetic patients and matched healthy adults found no relationship between blood levels of antioxidants and dietary intake in the diabetic subjects' levels of products, rather indicating oxidative damage were linked to saturated fat and cholesterol intakes as well as levels of endogenous antioxidants.

Dietary fat

Konig D, Vaisanen SB, Bouchard C, Halle M, Lakka TA, Baumstark MW, Alen M, Berg A, Rauramaa R. Cardiorespiratory fitness modifies the association between dietary fat intake and plasma fatty acids. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;810-5

This cross-sectional study of middle aged Finnish men (n = 127) found that plasma saturated fatty acids were significantly lower and PUFA significantly higher in the highest fitness tertile compared to the lowest, yet there were no differences observed for fitness tertiles and dietary fatty acid intake expressed as % energy.

Mattes R. Fat: the sixth taste--implications for health. Food Aust 2003:55;510-4

This review article considers the hedonics of dietary fat and the establishment of new understanding of links between post-prandial lipid metabolism and fat perception.

Dietary methodology

Novotny JA, Rumpler WV, Riddick H, Hebert JR, Rhodes D, Judd JT, et al. Personality characteristics as predictors of underreporting of energy intake on 24-hour dietary recall interviews. J Am Diet Assoc 2003:103:1146-51

This study of 52 women and 46 men found that body image and fatness influenced ability to accurately report energy intakes.

Flavonols

Huxley RR, Neil HAW. The relation between dietary flavonol intake and coronary heart disease mortality: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;904-8

The meta-analysis of seven prospective cohort studies found a combined risk ratio of 0.80 (0.69-0.93) adjusted for CHD risk and other dietary factors comparing those in the top and bottom third of dietary flavonol intakes.

Food security

Purushothaman V, Paul M. Food and nutrition security--existing scenario and challenges ahead. Ind J Nutr Dietet 2003:40;160-7

This review article examined some of the issues relating to food security in India.

Functional foods

Palou A, Serra F, Pico C. General aspects on the assessment of functional foods in the European Union. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;Suppl 1;12S-7S

This paper reviews the current position of functional foods in Europe including safety assessment and the development of criteria for validating health claims.

Gerontology

Avenell A, Handoll HHG. A systematic review of protein and energy supplementation for hip fracture aftercare in older people. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;895-903

This systematic review of 12 randomised control trials involving 898 participants found limited evidence that oral protein and energy supplementation following hip fracture may reduce mortality or survival with complications.

Glycaemic index

Liu P, Perry T, Monro JA. Glycaemic glucose equivalent: validation as a predictor of the relative glycaemic effect of foods. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;1141-9

This randomised controlled feeding study of 12 volunteers with and without type 2 diabetes demonstrated the utility of the GGE in predicting the glycaemic impact of foods over a practical range of carbohydrate intakes.

Isoflavones 

Weggemans RM, Trautwein EA. Relation between soy-associated isoflavones and LDL and HDL cholesterol concentrations in humans: a meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;940-6

This review of ten published studies substituting soy protein with dairy or animal protein found that consumption of soy-associated isoflavones was not related to changes in LDL or HDL cholesterol.

Nutritional epidemiology

Friel S, Kelleher CC, Nolan G, Harrington J. Social diversity of Irish adults nutritional intake. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;865-75

This study provided the first quantification of nutrient intakes across social groups in Ireland (n = 6539). Positive relationships were found between recommended intakes and increasing education with some gender and age differences.

Obesity

Frankenfield DC, Rowe WA, Stanley Smith J, Cooney RN. Validation of several established equations for resting metabolic rate in obese and nonobese people. J Am Diet Assoc 2003:103:1152-9

This study found the Mifflin equation to provide a more accurate estimate of resting metabolic rate than the Harris-Benedict and Owen equations.

Garcia-Lorda P, Megias Rangil I, Salas-Salvado J. Nut consumption, body weight and insulin resistance. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;Suppl 1:8S-11S

This paper reviews recent human intervention studies with nuts to suggest nuts may help regulate body weight and protect against the development of type 2 diabetes.

Piers LS, Rowley KG, Soares MJ, O'Dea K. Relation of adiposity and body fat distribution to body mass index in Australians of Aboriginal and European ancestry. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;956-63

This cross-sectional comparison of 150 healthy Aboriginal and 147 European Australians found significantly different body fat distribution and fat mass for a given body weight or BMI and questioned the use of WHO recommended BMI ranges to evaluate weight status in Aboriginal Australians.

Ukkola O, Chagnon M, Tremblay A, Bouchard C. Genetic variation at the adipsin locus and response to long-term over-feeding. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;1073-8

This experimental study of over-feeding of monozygotic twins provides new insights into the role of adipsin on individual differences in weight gain following over-feeding.

Omega-3 fatty acids 

Mata Lopez P, Ortega RM. Omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention and control of cardiovascular disease. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003:57;Suppl 1:22S-5S

This paper reviews research on the health effects of omega-3 fatty acids and comments on current knowledge driving advice on consumption levels.

Plant foods

Lea E. The promise of plant based foods--new directions? Food Aust 2003:55;467-72

This paper reports on 32 interviews with stakeholders on the production, retail and promotion of plant foods. A key factor in promoting plant foods was given as better co-operation between industry and non-industry groups.

Sports nutrition

Maisey R, Perols I, Leydon M. Does the consumption of a carbohydrate-protein beverage compared with an isoenergetic carbohydrate beverage improve time to exhaustion after recovery from glycogen-depleting exercise? J N Z Diet Assoc 2003:57;37-42

This study showed that in a beverage providing 60 kcal/l, a for mulation of 1.2g CHO + 0.3g protein/kg body weight produced superior results to 1.5g CHO/kg body weight following glycogen-depleting exercise.