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U.S. researchers studied 341 3-year-olds and discovered those whose mother ate more than two servings of low-mercury fish a week while pregnant generally scored higher on tests of verbal, visual and motor development.

On the other hand, tests scores were lower among preschoolers whose mothers had relatively high mercury levels in their blood during pregnancy. And mothers who regularly ate fish during pregnancy were more likely to have such mercury levels than non-fish-eaters were, the researchers report in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

The findings add to evidence that fish can be brain-food, but underscore the importance of choosing lower-mercury fish during pregnancy.

“Recommendations for fish consumption during pregnancy should take into account the nutritional benefits of fish as well as the potential harms from mercury exposure,” write the researchers, led by Dr. Emily Oken of Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Oily fish such as tuna, salmon and sardines contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are important in fetal and child brain development. The problem is that fatty fish are more likely to be contaminated with mercury, a metal that is toxic to brain cells, particularly in fetuses and young children.

Because of this, pregnant women are advised to avoid certain fish altogether: shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. These fish are particularly high in mercury because they eat other fish and are long-lived, over time accumulating mercury in their fat tissue.

Fish that are high in omega-3 but relatively lower in mercury include canned light tuna, which has less mercury than albacore tuna, and smaller oily fish like salmon. White-meat fish such as cod and haddock tend to be low in mercury, but have less omega-3 than fattier fish.

Currently, U.S. health officials recommend that pregnant women eat no more than 12 ounces, or roughly two servings, of fish per week.

(Agencies via Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2008)

Broccoli is known for its anticancer properties but it could also boost the immune system in older people and slow down the effects of ageing, according to new research.

A chemical found in cruciferous vegetables called sulforaphane was found to activate a number of antioxidant genes and enzymes in immune cells. These prevent free radicals from damaging cells.

Free radicals are byproducts of normal body processes, such as the conversion of food into energy. They are a supercharged form of oxygen, which can cause oxidative tissue damage leading to disease – for example, triggering the inflammation process that causes clogged arteries.

Oxidative damage to body tissues and organs is thought to be one of the major causes of ageing.

“The mysteries of ageing have always intrigued man,” wrote chief author Dr Andre Nel, from UCLA in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

“While we have known for some time that free radicals are important in ageing, most of the past attention has focused on the mechanisms that produce free radicals rather than addressing the pathways used by the body to suppress their production.

“Our study contributes to the growing understanding of the importance of these antioxidant defence pathways that the body uses to fight free radicals,” said Dr Nel.

“Insight into these processes points to ways in which we may be able to alleviate the effects of ageing.”

The delicate balance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant forces in the body could determine the outcome of many disease processes that are associated with ageing, including cardiovascular disease, degenerative joint diseases and diabetes, as well as the decline in efficiency of the immune system’s ability to protect against infectious agents.

“As we age, the ability of the immune system to fight disease and infections and protect against cancer wears down as a result of the impact of oxygen radicals on the immune system,” Nel said.

“Our defence against oxidative stress damage may determine at what rate we age, how it will manifest and how to interfere in those processes,” Nel said.

“In particular, our study shows that a chemical present in broccoli is capable of stimulating a wide range of antioxidant defence pathways and may be able to interfere with the age-related decline in immune function.”

(Agencies via China Daily March 26, 2008)

A new study has suggested that green tea may protect brain cells
against Parkinson’s disease.

Chinese researchers examined the effects of green tea
polyphenols, a group of naturally occurring chemical substances
found in plants that have antioxidant properties, in an animal
model of Parkinson’s disease.

Corresponding and senior author Dr. Baolu Zhao, of the Institute
of Biophysics, Academia Sinica in Beijing said previous research
has indicated that green tea possesses neuroprotective effects.

After investigating the animal model, Zhao and colleagues
discovered that green tea polyphenols protect dopamine neurons and
the effect increases with the amount consumed.

They also showed that this protective effect is mediated by
inhibition of the ROS-NO pathway — a pathway that may contribute
to cell death in Parkinson’s.

Zhao said he hoped eventually “green tea polyphenols may be
developed into a safe and easily administrable drug for Parkinson’s
disease.”

The findings are published in the journal Biological
Psychiatry.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder of
the central nervous system, resulting from the loss of
dopamine-producing brain cells, and there is presently no cure.

(Agencies via China Daily December 24, 2007)

Older women who eat traditional Japanese soy-based foods on a
regular basis face lower risks of heart disease, according to a
study.

Soybeans – eaten as tofu, miso soup or Japanese fermented beans
known as “natto” – have a high amount of isoflavones, a natural
source of estrogen similar to the female hormone, the study
found.

The risk of heart attacks or strokes for a woman who consumed
soy at least five times a week was 0.39 compared with 1 for a woman
who consumed the least, the study says.

The results were even more striking among women past menopause,
with the risk falling to 0.25.

Estrogen is the most important female hormone that affects
women’s menstrual cycles and is essential for the healthy
functioning of the female body. Estrogen levels decrease sharply
once a woman begins menopause.

(Agencies via China Daily December 14, 2007)

Simply avoiding pre-salted food and not adding salt to food can
result in a modest but statistically significant reduction in blood
pressure, research findings suggest.

A modest reduction in dietary salt reduced sodium content in the
urine by about 35 percent, and lowered daytime blood pressure by
12.1 mm Hg systolic and 6.8 mm Hg diastolic in patients with high
blood pressure (hypertension) not taking anti-hypertensive
medication, reports Dr. Javad Kojuri. Blood pressure readings at
night were slightly lower.

Kojuri and Dr. Rahim Rahimi, both from Shiraz University in
Iran, assessed blood pressure and 24-hour urinary sodium excretion
in 60 individuals before and after instructing them to follow a “no
salt added” diet for six weeks.

Twenty subjects who did not follow the diet were used as a
comparison group (“controls”). All of the subjects were similar in
age, gender, weight, blood pressure, and initial urinary sodium
excretion.

The average age was 49, half were men, and all of the patients
had mild to moderate hypertension, according to the report,
published in the medical journal BMC Cardiovascular Disorders.

After six weeks, the researchers noted a significant reduction
in urinary sodium excretion in those on the diet, compared with
those not on the diet.

The blood pressure reductions were seen even in the 50 percent
of the patients who consumed a medium amount (three to seven
grams/day) of dietary salt and the 25 percent of the patients who
ingested seven or more grams per day. Only 21 percent of the
subjects consumed less than three grams of salt daily.

These results provide strong support for universal salt
reduction in all hypertensive individuals, the researchers
conclude, but the limited size of this study “mandates
larger-scale, population-based studies to (further) evaluate the
effect of a ‘no salt added’ diet,” Kojuri said.

(Agencies via Shenzhen Daily November 21, 2007)

Having a glass of beer is a better option than drinking water
after exercising, says a Granada University study.

The study led by Professor Manuel Garzon, of Granada’s medical
faculty, made the discovery after conducting tests on 25 students
over several months.

In the study the participants were asked to run on a treadmill
under stifling temperatures of 40C, until they were close to
exhaustion.

Researchers measured their hydration levels, concentration
ability and motor skills, after the students were on the point of
giving up their physical exercise.

Half of the participants were then given two half pints of
Spanish lager to drink, while the left were given water.

Both groups were then allowed to drink as much water as they
wished to.

Garzon said the rehydration effect in the students who were
given beer was ’slightly better’ than among those given only
water.

He said that the carbon dioxide in beer helped quench the thirst
more quickly, while beer’s carbohydrates replaced calories lost
during physical exertion.

Dr. James Betts, an expert in post-exercise rehydration at Bath
University, said instead of being diuretic, beer helps in getting
fluid inside the body.

“People think of alcohol as being a diuretic, but if you are
already hydrated, a small amount of beer could be a way of getting
the fluid in,” the Daily Mail quoted him, as saying.

Based on the findings, the researchers have recommended moderate
consumption of beer, i.e. 500ml a day for men or 250ml for women,
as part of an athlete’s diet.

(Agnecies via China Daily November 8, 2007)

While food gives people energy, it can also make people happier.
Usually when people are feeling depressed, they go see a
psychologist, but food can also lift people’s spirits. Scientific
studies show that foods such as deep sea fish, bananas,
grapefruits, all wheat bread, spinach, cherries, garlic, pumpkins,
low fat milk and chicken can help fight against depression. Read on
to find out more.

1 Deep sea fish

Studies show that people living by the sea appear much
happier than those living inland, partly because the fresh sea air
helps them clear their minds and partly because people by the sea
eat a lot of deep sea fish. A study by Harvard University points
out that the Omega-3 fatty acid contained in deep sea fish
functions the same as anti-depression drugs in that helps calm
nerves and increases the secretion of serotonin.

2 Banana

Banana contains a natural chemical compound called alkaloid, which
gives people a boost increases their confidence. Bananas are also a
source of tryptophan and vitamin B6, both help the brain to
manufacture serotonin.

3 Grapefruit

Grapefruit is rich in vitamin C, which improves the body’s
resistance by maintaining the density of red blood cells and is
also a good combatant against stress. What’s more important is that
vitamin C is an indispensable element in making dopamine and
adrenalin, both chemicals that can stimulate excitement.

4 All-wheat bread

Carbohydrates increase the secretion of serotonin.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers say it
makes good sense that some people eat desserts and food made with
flour as anti-depression drugs.

5 Spinach

Researchers find that lack of folic acid leads directly to
a decrease in serotonin which could lead to depression. Spinach is
well known for its abundance in folic acid.

6 Cherry

Western doctors call cherry a natural aspirin because this
fruit contains a material called anthocyanin which can make people
happy. Researchers at the University of Michigan point out that
eating 20 cherries is more effective than medicines that relieve
depression.

7 Garlic

Garlic gives people a bad smell yet a good mood. German
researchers conducted a study on garlic and found out that when
people who are highly strung eat garlic, they show less of a
tendency to be anxious and angry.

8 Pumpkin

Eating pumpkin can help get people into a good mood
because it is rich in vitamin B6 and Iron, which both transform the
sugar stored in the body to glucose, which fuels the brain.

9 Low fat milk

Studies find that after taking calcium pills for three months,
those women with pre-menstrual syndrome have a less stressful time
and are less likely to feel nervous or anxious. Milk, yogurt and
cheese are a major source of calcium. Low fat or skim milk contain
the most calcium.

10 Chicken

After some British psychologists feed their subjects 100mg of
selenium, they found that their subjects all felt happier. Chicken
is a major source of selenium.

(China Daily November 7, 2007)

A third of office workers would rather grab a few minutes extra
sleep than breakfast, according to a survey that estimated poor
eating habits were costing companies dearly in terms of lost
productivity.

A survey by Ipsos Mori found 17 percent of British office
workers either never have breakfast and 17 percent have it just one
to three times a week.

It found eight percent of 1,051 office staff questioned also
regularly skip lunch, with these poor eating habits estimated to be
costing companies 17 billion pounds ($34 billion) a year or 97
million lost working days.

“Worryingly, of those who rarely or never eat lunch, 27 percent
also never eat breakfast during the working week,” said Ipsos Mori
researchers in a statement.

The survey, commissioned by food service company BaxterStorey,
estimated skipping breakfast cost companies 8.1 billion pounds or
46.5 million lost working days, with many studies finding a link
between eating breakfast and attention span, learning ability and
general well-being.

When other poor eating habits such as having no breakfast and
lunch or having no breakfast and snacks, are included, lost
productivity rocketed to nearly 17 billion pounds.

The survey found most employees — 92 percent — have lunch,
with 68 percent opting for sandwiches, but most people don’t drink
enough during the day. Only 11 percent had the recommended eight or
more drinks during the working day.

“People who eat breakfast have better concentration, problem
solving ability, mental performance, memory and mood.

People who eat breakfast are also more physically energetic and
have better coordination,” said Matt Barker, an independent
performance and nutrition specialist.

“Research tells us that scores on memory tests were about 15
percent lower in people who skipped breakfast. And those who skip
it tend to eat sugary, fatty foods later in the day, reducing their
productivity.”

The figures for lost productivity were compiled using figures
and calculations supplied by the Office For National Statistics and
the Centre for Economics and Business Research.

(Agencies via China Daily December 3, 2007)

The mention of twice-cooked pork, pickled vegetables and hot pot
is guaranteed to whet the appetite of any gourmet visiting Sichuan Province.

But a report released by the Sichuan provincial disease control
and prevention center may make them think twice before tucking into
such delicacies.

According to the Report on Sichuan Residents’ Nutrition and
Health, around 10 million of the 87 million Sichuanese suffer
from hypertension.

Deng Ying, a leading official at the center, said that the
problem is a result of the high levels of cholesterol in the hot
pot dishes popular with local people.

In addition, the average Sichuan resident’s salt intake is 10 g a
day, 4 g more than the amount recommended by doctors, Deng said.

Li Ping, a doctor at the Sichuan No 5 Hospital in Chengdu,
added: “Sichuan people like salty food. For example, pickled
vegetables are a regular accompaniment to many families’
meals.”

The latest investigation into the causes of death of Sichuan
people, conducted two years ago, showed that chronic lung,
cerebrovascular and heart diseases are the biggest culprits.

“Cerebrovascular and heart diseases are related to hypertension.
If high blood pressure is not effectively controlled, it can result
in cerebrovascular and heart problems,” Deng said.

The center’s investigation also found that about 2.5 million
people in Sichuan are diabetic.

“The higher a family’s income, the higher the incidence of
diabetes,” Deng said.

She attributed the problem to a change in diet. “Most people
like eating meat rather than potatoes,” she said.

According to an investigation in 1992, the average Sichuan
person ate 186 g of potatoes a day. But the daily intake has now
dropped to 73.9 g, while the daily intake of meat has risen from
63.8 g in 1992 to 91.6 g.

The average national meat intake is 78.6 g a day, Deng said.

Many hypertension and diabetes sufferers are elderly urban
residents.

“Older people know less about the right way to eat. They usually
consider meat as good food,” said Huang Suzhen, a chef in
Chengdu.

But the provincial disease control and prevention center found
that most people below 40 are indifferent to the idea of changing
their eating habits to prevent chronic diseases. Almost all those
who consider chronic diseases problematic are above 50 and have
already contracted such diseases.

“Many young people do not care about the right diet. They think
they will be healthier if they eat more meat,” Huang said.

According to Deng, many young people did not know they were
suffering from hypertension when the center conducted the
investigation.

Deng suggested people eat more potatoes, fruit and vegetables,
take a proper amount of meat, milk and eggs, take less salt and
quit smoking. “Taking more exercise is also important,” she
said.

The investigation by Deng’s center is the largest probe into the
province’s nutrition and health situation.

The study, launched five years ago, is part of the fourth
national nutrition and health investigation sponsored by the
Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the
National Bureau of Statistics.

(China Daily November 3, 2007)

Vitamin D, believed to be useful to protect against cancer by
many people, may not be a strong anti-cancer agent except for colon
cancer, according to a new study published in the Journal of the
National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.

“Over the past several years, a number of publications have
suggested that vitamin D can reduce deaths from various forms of
cancer,” said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of
the American Cancer Society. “This is a further bit of evidence
that leads us to call for further investigations before we make
recommendations for the general population.”

Dr. D. Michal Freedman, from the National Cancer Institute in
Bethesda, Maryland, and his colleagues analyzed data from the third
national Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to examine the
relationship between levels of circulating vitamin D in the blood
and cancer mortality in a group of 16,818 participants aged 17 and
older.

After about a decade of follow-up, 536 participants had died of
cancer. Cancer mortality was not related to the level of
circulating vitamin D for the overall group, nor was it related
when the researchers looked at the data by sex, race, or age.

The only possible exception is that high blood levels of vitamin
D do seem to correlate with a reduced risk of death from colon
cancer.

An editorial published with the study, written by experts
including Johanna Dyer, DSc, RD, of the Office of Dietary
Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, states that “the
relationship between nutritional factors and colorectal as well as
other cancers is complicated” and that the findings “must be put
into the context of total diet and lifestyle.”

(Agencies via Xinhua News Agency October 31, 2007)