Todays Newsbites

An apple a day doesnt really help keep the doctor away, according to research in a special April Fools issue of JAMA Internal Medicine. The light-hearted but genuine study looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) on almost 8,400 people. There was no significant difference between non-apple eaters and those eating at least one small apple per day in keeping the doctor away, defined as more than one self-reported visit to a physician during the past year. The same was true of overnight hospital stays and visits to a mental health professional, although apple eaters were slightly less likely to need prescription medications.For a serious look at the health benefits of apples, see our January 2013 issue.

Banning new fast-food restaurants in some of the poorest neighborhoods in Los Angeles failed to improve residents eating habits or keep them from getting fatter, according to new research published in Social Science & Medicine. The ban, which also restricted remodeling of fast-food eateries, was enacted in 2008 in hopes of combating obesity and improving health outcomes among South Los Angeles 700,000 residents. But the only subsequent improvement in consumption patterns-a drop in soft-drink intake-was seen as well in areas without the ban. Overweight and obesity rates actually increased more in the regulated neighborhoods, and consumption of fast food rose regardless of the rules. The chief effect of the regulations was to shift retail developments from fast-food franchises to small food and convenience stores. While the ban may have symbolic value, researchers concluded, it has had no measurable impact on improving diets or reducing obesity.

In a first-of-its-kind analysis of worldwide dietary patterns, researchers from Tufts and the University of Cambridge found overall diet quality worsened even as consumption of healthier foods increased in many countries. The study, published in The Lancet Global Health, compared trends in 1990 and 2010. Overall, increases in unhealthy foods outpaced beneficial dietary changes, especially in middle-income nations.

The US Department of Agriculture has approved two new bioengineered apple varieties that use genes from other fruit trees to resist browning when the apples are cut or bruised and exposed to air. Developed by a Canadian biotech company, the Arctic Granny and Arctic Golden apples will begin to reach stores late next year. Organic growers and critics of genetically modified (GMO) foods had opposed the USDAs action, but the agency ruled that the apples are unlikely to pose a plant risk to agriculture.

Despite consumers vows to cut down on added sugars, a new report says their purchasing habits dont always follow through. The Sweeterner360 survey of 15,000 people found that 25% claim to avoid sugar-up from 21% last year-with millennials leading the way; 46% of the post-Generation X group say theyd pay more for healthier sweeteners. Only about 20% of all consumers have actually reduced their sugar intake, however, and millennials buy slightly more sugar- and high fructose corn syrup-sweetened products than their share of overall food and beverage purchases.

Dont believe everything you read about coconut oil, the US Food and Drug Administration cautions. The agency issued a warning letter to Carrington Farms, a maker of coconut products, over claims that coconut oil and its chemical constituents treat diseases. Claims included treating gastroenteritis, ringworm, hemorrhoids, ear aches, joint and muscle inflammation, and heart disease. Such disease claims are limited to pharmaceutical products. Moreover, the FDA noted that coconut oil cannot be touted as low in calories or as healthy because that term can be used only for foods containing less than 15% of calories from fat.

Overweight and obese Americans are more likely to fall short on important vitamins and minerals, according to a new analysis of data from national nutrition surveys. The findings, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, support the theory that the diets packing on pounds nonetheless dont supply adequate nutrients. Normal-weight individuals had the highest intake of most of the nutrients studied, with overweight people next and those classified as obese at the low end. Obese adults intakes of vitamins A, C, D and E, dietary fiber, calcium, magnesium and potassium ranged from 5% to 12% lower than those of normal-weight adults.

Young consumers in Generation Z, under age 20, are making health a priority when making food choices-and are willing to pay more for it. A new Nielsen survey of 30,000 people in 60 countries, the Global Health and Wellness Survey, reports that 41% of younger consumers say they would pay a premium for foods they perceive as healthier. That compares to 32% of Millennials (ages 21 to 34) and about 21% of Baby Boomers (about age 50 to mid-60s). People of all ages say overwhelmingly-80%-they are using food choices to try to prevent obesity and chronic diseases. Marketers seeking to appeal to those concerns need to be careful, however, as 63% of those surveyed globally say they are skeptical of food health claims. Consumers in the US and Europe, where such claims are more tightly regulated, were less likely to express skepticism (56% and 51%, respectively) than those in developing countries

Brushing off worries about the caffeine content in energy drinks, the European Food Safety Authority issued a draft risk assessment stating that single doses of up to 200 milligrams and daily consumption totaling 400 milligrams of caffeine are safe for adults. The agency, which functions for the European Union much as the Food and Drug Administration does for the US government, also said that high single doses were safe when consumed less than two hours…

Increasing concerns about the health effects of dietary sugar may be helping to put a lid on global consumption. A new study reports that dietary sugar intake is decreasing or stable among most demographic groups, and increasing only in a few subpopulations. In findings published in Nutrition Research Reviews, researchers compared both absolute sugar intake and consumption as a percentage of calories in the US, 10 European countries, Australia and New Zealand. Just over half of those comparisons showed trends toward decreasing sugar consumption. Male Norwegian adults had the greatest decrease, while New Zealand women increased sugar intake the most. Sugar consumption in the US was down among most groups-including male adolescents, a group frequently cited in concerns about high sugar intake.