Food Tales

Beware of changing your behavior based on trendy news reports, says Nutrition Director Marlene Lesson. We've all heard the food tales: Aspartame causes brain tumors. Margarine is no better than butter for heart health. Suddenly, high-protein, low-carb diets are healthy. Sound bites in the news media about a few new studies can be misleading. In fact, the literature on diet and health is so vast that it's possible to find at least some research to support virtually any theory.

"One of my main jobs is to put in perspective what participants have heard elsewhere," Marlene says. "To find the truth means seeing how the results of a study fit with the existing body of knowledge, and that can seem boring to the news media. One study by itself never proves anything."

The fact that experts express conflicting viewpoints often means that more research is needed on a finding before anyone should change behavior.

Regarding our sample food tales, a review of the complete literature reveals that aspartame has nothing to do with brain tumors and that tub margarine is better than butter for heart health because tub margarine has fewer trans-fatty acids, which can lower good cholesterol. Most of the studies on low-carb diets indicate that the best diets for heart health are low in animal fat. A few short-term studies indicate the opposite. Obviously, more studies are needed to provide definitive proof of the health effects of low-carb, high-protein diets.

Paying too much attention to new trends can be distracting for a participant trying to change his or her relationship with food. "People can use a lot of time and energy on measures that don't matter very much," Marlene says. "My goal is to get them to focus on the health measures that give them the most bang for their buck."

The most important weight-control measures are effective, but not exciting news:

• Portion and calorie control
• A well-balanced diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats, fish and poultry
• Exercise
• Emotional awareness

Before you accept the latest nutrition report, Marlene suggests that you make sure the advice is backed by science. Good sources for nutrition information are nutrition newsletters such as Nutrition Action Healthletter from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (http://www.cspinet.org/) and Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter (http://www.healthletter.tufts.edu/).

Popular magazines with more accurate information than most are Good Housekeeping, Consumer Reports and Cooking Light. Other web sites with good information are

http://www.eatright.com/

http://www.quackwatch.com/

http://www.consumerlab.com/

http://www.healthfinder.gov/

http://www.nutrition.gov/ and

http://www.mayohealth.org/

Of course, you can always seek the advice of a registered dietician. Ensure that the nutritionist you see is a properly credentialed registered dietician; in many states, anyone can call herself a dietician and open an office.

Structure House, Inc.

Center for Weight Control & Lifestyle Change

Durham, NC

http://www.structurehouse.com/

800-553-0052

Since 1977