Nutrition - Ways of Knowing

Sorting Fact from Fiction and the Gray Areas

Can we trust nutritional science? Read the I asked 8 researchers why the science of nutrition is so messy. Here’s what they said. article from Vox. It does a great job laying out what makes this topic so challenging.

What sources of nutrition information give you the most confidence?

Telling Nutrition Fact from Fiction

PennState Extension offers these tips to help evaluate a new product, diet, or recommendation:

• If it sounds too good to be true, it is--especially if the diet or product offers a "quick fix."
• Avoid products offering a guaranteed cure or that promote "limited time offers."
• Watch out for products that describe certain foods as "good" or "bad."
• Is the source of the information, such as a book author, trying to sell an unbalanced diet plan or a product like dietary supplements?
• Fad diets may require you to avoid foods or find entire food groups. Countless reputable studies over many years have shown that balance and variety are needed for good health. Any diet that requires you to give up whole categories of foods and take supplements to replace their nutrients is, by definition, unbalanced.
• Go beyond the headline teaser whether in print or on television. This is an attention grabbing statement that may have some truth to it, but as you read the details a different story emerges. The real story is usually at the end.
• The science of nutrition and human health is constantly evolving. This constant change creates confusion as we hear contradicting information. Remember that "new" means recent and often the media will report findings as "fact" when the information is preliminary in nature.
• When it comes to information on the Internet, remember that anyone can post anything! Always consider the source of the information by seeing who is responsible for the site. Web addresses ending in ".gov," ".edu," or ".org" are reliable. Commercial sites end in ".com" and will generally promote or try to sell a product, so be wary of the information unless you are familiar with the sponsor.
• The same tips apply to apps. Look for apps sponsored by government, educational, or professional nutrition education organizations or other health/ medical groups that are not promoting or selling a specific diet or dietary product.

Before we move on, you might be interested in this podcast from the Harvard School of Public Health:

Global Perspectives on Dietary Guidance for Aging

The demographics of the US population continues to evolve. With people coming from all parts of the globe, what can be learned from how other countries provide dietary guidance? In this section, let's explore a few other areas of the world.

• Africa-Benin: Benin has a Food Guide in form of traditional dwelling. (FAO)
• Sierra Leone: Food-based dietary guidelines (FAO)
• Vietnam: Food-based dietary guidelines (FAO)
• Brazil: Brazil's Food-based dietary guidelines doesn't use a graphic for illustration, but they outline 10 healthy steps.
• France: Food-based dietary guidelines (FAO).
• Greece: Food Guide, Food-based dietary guidelines (FAO), Enjoy Health Benefits of a Mediterranean Lifestyle from Seattle Performance Medicine on Vimeo.
• Lebanon: Food-based dietary guidelines (FAO), The Lebanese Cedar Food Guide (includes infographic)
• Canada: Canada's food guide, just updated January 2019.
• United States: Smart Food Choices for Older Adults

For even more information from across the globe, check out the international Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) website on dietary guidance for some great perspectives across the globe. FAO international dietary guidance

Other Ways of Knowing

As I've said before, the North America Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans have some of the most well-researched data, despite the challenges of balancing political and corporate interests in national policy. Here's another resource worth a look.

DASH- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension

The DASH diet was created in the late 90s by researchers at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) with the intention of lowering the incidence of high blood pressure (hypertension) and preventing the occurrence of hypertension. This diet has been shown to be successful in lowering incidence of hypertension and improving cardiovascular risk.

DASH is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style for life.

The DASH eating plan requires no special foods and instead provides daily and weekly nutritional goals. This plan recommends:

• Eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
• Including fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils
• Limiting foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils
• Limiting sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets.

Based on these recommendations, the following table shows examples of daily and weekly servings that meet DASH eating plan targets for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.

When following the DASH eating plan, it is important to choose foods that are:

• Low in saturated and trans fats
• Rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and protein
• Lower in sodium

(Above taken from the DASH website https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/dash-eating-plan)

Adventist Health Studies

Another incredibly well-researched community in the North America provides a wealth of aging data. Based at the School of Public Health at Loma Linda University, the Adventist Health Studies examine diet, disease and lifestyle connections involving tens of thousands of Americans. You can explore the research here: Adventist Health Studies website

Review the summary of the findings from five main Adventist Health studies. See what themes emerge.

Linking with the Blue Zones

Blue Zones

Blue Zones is a term originally coined by researchers Michel Poulain and Giovanni Pes to describe areas in parts of the world that appear to be 'longevity hotspots'. That is, these are places where longevity exceeds the norms of other communities. The original research was published in 2004 and you can read the full article: Poulain & Pes Blue Zone in Italy. Other locations meeting similar longevity criteria include:

• Loma Linda, California (see Adventist Health Studies above),
• Okinawa, Japan
• Ikaria, Greece

Since the original work published by Pes & Poulain, many continue to explore the commonalities among longevity hotspots across the world. As you might imagine, trying to hone in on the exact reasons are beyond the certainty of today's scientific methods. Nonetheless, the banner has now been popularized by an explorer and writer who has trademarked and popularized the term "blue zones" and created a commercial website with multiple areas of advice and recommendations for longer living. Be aware that this site and its recommendations are not necessarily extensively researched nor peer-reviewed. For more information, go to the Blue Zones Website.

Here are several other resources about blue zones:

• NPR: Eating To Break 100: Longevity Diet Tips From The Blue Zones
• Scientific American: Blue Zones: What the Longest-Lived People Eat (Hint: It’s Not Steak Dinners)
• Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos, Christina Chrysohoou, Gerasimos Siasos, et al., “Sociodemographic and Lifestyle Statistics of Oldest Old People (>80 Years) Living in Ikaria Island: The Ikaria Study,” Cardiology Research and Practice, vol. 2011, Article ID 679187, 7 pages, 2011. https://doi.org/10.4061/2011/679187.