Todays Newsbites

In another new study on obesity, the toll of excess weight on Americans health and quality of life was reported to have overtaken that of smoking, even though tobacco still poses a greater mortality threat. The analysis of 15 years of public-health data concluded that by 2008, the obese were losing more quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) through disability and limitations on activity. That contrasts with 1993, when the QALYs lost to obesity were far behind the toll of smoking.

Dehydration has long been known to compromise physical performance. Now, a new Tufts study provides insight into the effects of mild dehydration on young athletes, and possibly into the lives of people too busy to consume enough water daily. About 30 male and female Tufts students were assigned to either a dehydration group not given fluids during athletics, or a control group that was given water. Participants weighed in before and after athletics to assess body water loss. After athletic activity, participants underwent cognitive tests, which included short-term memory and mood scales.

Sugar producers may be celebrating and corn growers grumbling as softdrink companies turn to sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to sweeten their beverages-at least temporarily. Pepsi-Cola and Mountain Dew recently introduced Throwback soft drinks sweetened with sugar for a limited time only (the nostalgic promotion was scheduled to end Feb. 22). Some soft-drink fans swear the sugarsweetened sodas taste better, but are they also better for you? Chemically, both sugar and HFCS contain similar amounts of glucose and fructose.

New York City officials are leading the charge in a nationwide effort to reduce the amounts of salt in packaged and restaurant foods. The National Salt Reduction Initiative aims to cut such hidden salt-a major source of dietary sodium-by 25% over the next five years. New York is the first to enact the initiatives targets, with final approval expected this spring.

Dessert is off the menu for the American Heart Association. The AHAs red heart checkmark symbol, introduced in 1995 as one of the first front-of-package nutrition labeling plans, will no longer be issued to desserts, and the five desserts still carrying the symbol wont be allowed to renew their certification. The move comes as part of the heart groups ramped-up battle against sugar (see story page 1).

When consumers see on the Nutrition Facts panel that a product provides 25% of the Daily Value (DV) of carbohydrates, some interpret that percentage to mean the product is made up of 25% carbohydrates. Thats one of the findings in a new research project by the Interna - tional Food Information Council, an industry association. The results are being provided to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is currently undertaking its own research before possible changes to nutrition labeling.

Those herbal remedies youre taking for your health may actually interact with your prescription drugs, altering their effectiveness or increasing the risk of bleeding or other cardiovascular problems. A new Mayo Clinic review of nearly 90 studies over the past 44 years warns that patients and physicians may be dangerously unaware of the ways herbal nostrums can interact with common cardiovascular medications.

Remember when the standard beverage at mealtime was milk? That Father Knows Best image is as dated as black-and-white TV, according to a study of changing beverage consumption. Using data from four national surveys, the study found a steady decline in milk drinking, with only a partial shift towards reducedfat milk. Children ages 2 to 18 are averaging 91 fewer calories daily from milk than in 1977- 78.

If you like your coffee with a little milk, Nestl scientists say go ahead: You dont have to worry about missing out on the antioxidants in coffee that are increasingly being linked to possible health benefits.

Tucked into the controversial healthcare legislation recently signed into law was a surprisingly uncontroversial provision requiring big restaurant chains to list calorie information on menus and drive-through signs. The measure was backed by the National Restaurant Association, which preferred a national standard to a patchwork of conflicting local ordinances. Restaurants with 20 or more outlets, as well as vending machines selling food items, will be covered by the law,