The January issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association features research studies focusing on everyday eating habits of consumers. Researchers look at why sack lunches may not always meet the nutritional needs of preschool children and how making time for meals directly influences diets of young adults.

A group of over 300 young UK scientists and engineers who investigated the evidence behind claims made for products and diets, have started a public awareness campaign by publishing a dossier that shows the word "detox" has no meaning outside of the clinical treatment of drug addiction and poisoning. Called the "Detox Dossier", the report describes the findings of the investigation by the Voice of Young Science (VoYS) network of over 300 early career researchers.

Some people with diabetes may require less stringent glycemic control than previously recommended, but most should stick with the target goal of less than 7 percent long advised for reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications, according to a position statement issued joint

Stop! Do your maths before putting that Christmas mince pie in your mouth: - one mince pie = 360 calories - a 75kg woman uses 58 calories to walk 1km at her self-selected "walking for exercise pace" - therefore, to burn one mince pie, a 75kg woman has to walk 6.2km The figures are based on the unappetising fact that to burn 1kg of fat a healthy weight woman of 62kg would have to walk for 24.3 hours.

After being counseled by registered dietitians and given a list of guidelines that indicated the amount of certain foods that should be eaten each day, women demonstrated a twofold increase in fruit and vegetable intake and significantly increased their consumption of so-called "good" fats. The study was conducted by the University of Michigan Health System and published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Lead author of the study Zora Djuric, Ph.D.

Lifelong eating habits are often developed at an early age. And this is a crucial step in combating obesity. And today 22 million children across Europe are suffering from obesity or are overweight. Therefore, two EU programmes, under the agriculture budget, are funding the supply of healthy food to school children to promote a balanced diet An EU School Fruit Scheme was recently adopted by the Council.

Eating saturated fats from butter, cream and meat, as well as trans fats found in hydrogenated oils can boost our risk of cardiovascular disease, while consuming mono-unsaturated fat can be good for our heart.

A traditional Mediterranean diet with an additional daily serving of mixed nuts appears to be useful for managing some metabolic abnormalities in older adults at high risk for heart disease, according to a report in the December 8/22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

A Spanish study of over 1,000 older adults comparing low fat versus two types of Mediterranean diet found that a Mediterranean diet enriched with nuts could be helpful in managing metabolic syndrome, a collection of risk factors for heart disease such as belly fat, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, has received a four-year, $10 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to establish the Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, on its George H. Cook Campus. Rutgers President Richard L. McCormick announced his intention to establish the new institute during his Annual Address to the University Community on Sept. 19.