Large Variability of Iodine Content in Retail Cow's Milk in the U.S.

Iodine intake is of contemporary public health interest. The recommended daily iodine intake is 150 µg for most adults, and milk is an important source of iodine in the U.S. diet. Iodine concentration in cow's milk is affected by diet and iodine supplementation levels, milking sanitation practices, and other factors. Current analytical iodine data in U.S. retail milk are crucial for evaluating population-wide health outcomes related to diet. Samples of whole (3.25% fat), 2%, 1%, and skim (0-0.5% fat) milk were procured from 24 supermarkets across the U.S. using a census-based statistical plan. Iodine was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, including certified reference materials and control samples to validate results. No difference in iodine content was found between milkfat levels (F3,69 1.033, p = 0.4). Overall mean (SEM) was 85(5.5) µg/serving (240 mL). However, the 95% prediction interval of 39-185 µg/serving for individual samples indicated high variability among individual samples. Given the recommended 150 µg iodine per day for most adults along with the study mean, one milk serving can provide approximately 57% of daily intake. Researchers, health care professionals, and consumers should be aware of iodine variability in milk, while additional research is needed to investigate the impact of iodine variability factors.

Comparison of Label and Laboratory Sodium Values in Popular Sodium-Contributing Foods in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Nutrition labels are important tools for consumers and for supporting public health strategies. Recent, published comparison of label and laboratory sodium values for US foods, and differences by brand type (national or private-label) or source (store or restaurant [fast-food and sit-down]) is unavailable. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to compare label and laboratory values for sodium and related nutrients (ie, total sugars, total fat, and saturated fat) in popular, sodium-contributing foods, and examine whether there are differences by brand type, and source. DESIGN: During 2010 to 2014, the Nutrient Data Laboratory of the US Department of Agriculture collected 3,432 samples nationwide of 125 foods, combined one or more samples of the same food (henceforth referred to as composites), and chemically analyzed them. For this comparative post hoc analysis, the Nutrient Data Laboratory linked laboratory values for 1,390 composites (consisting of one or more samples of the same food) of 114 foods to corresponding label or website (restaurant) nutrient values. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Label and laboratory values and their ratio for each composite, for each of the four nutrients (sodium, total fat, total sugars, and saturated fat). STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Nutrient Data Laboratory analysis determined the ratio of laboratory to label value for each composite, and categorized them into six groups: ≥141%, 121% to 140%, 101% to 120%, 81% to 100%, 61% to 80%, and ≤60%. For sodium, the Nutrient Data Laboratory analysis determined the distribution of the ratios by food, food category, brand type, and source. RESULTS: For sodium, 5% of the composites had ratios of laboratory to label values >120% and 14% had ratios ≤80%. Twenty-two percent of private-label brand composites had ratios ≤80%, compared with 12% of national brands. Only 3% of store composites had ratios >120% compared with 11% of restaurant composites. Ratios ≤80% were more prevalent among sit-down restaurants (37%) compared with fast-food restaurants (9%). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that a majority of label and laboratory values sampled agree and underdeclaration of label values is limited. However, there is some disagreement. Periodic monitoring of the nutrient content of foods through laboratory analyses establishes validity of the food labels and helps identify foods and food categories where the label and laboratory values do not compare well, and hence may need laboratory analyses to support accuracy of food composition data.

The facilitated early enteral and dietary management effectiveness trial in hospitalized patients with malnutrition.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of malnutrition in the hospitalized setting is 30% to 55%. Previous studies reported an association of malnutrition with an increased hospital length of stay (LOS), morbidity, and mortality of patients. This study evaluated the role of early nutrition intervention on LOS, diagnosis coding of malnutrition cases, calculating case mix index, and reducing delays in implementing nutrition support to patients. METHODS: Demographic data, anthropometric measurements, LOS, and serum albumin levels were collected from 400 patients in 2 medical wards to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and potential delays in nutrition consultation. Based on these results, a nutrition intervention study was conducted in 1 ward; the other ward served as a control. Patients were classified as normally nourished or malnourished. Multivariate general linear regressions were used to reveal the impact of intervention on the change in LOS, controlling for other potential confounding factors on the cohort and a subset with severe malnutrition. RESULTS: Of the 400 patients assessed, 53% had malnutrition. Multiple general linear regressions showed that nutrition intervention reduced LOS an average of 1.93 days in the cohort group and 3.2 days in the severe malnourished group. Case mix index and female gender were positively associated with LOS in the malnourished group. Nutrition intervention reduced the delays in implementing nutrition support to patients by 47%. CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight the positive impact of nutrition intervention in terms of reduced LOS in malnourished hospital patients. Reduction in LOS with diagnosis coding of malnutrition cases yielded substantial economic benefits.

Predictors of screening mammography among Asian Indian American women: a cross-sectional study in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area.

OBJECTIVE: To assess adherence to screening mammography guidelines and examine predictors of having a mammogram in the past 2 years among immigrant Asian Indian women (AIW) aged > or = 40 years. METHODS: Face-to-face surveys of 418 AIW in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area were conducted. Subjects were recruited through Asian Indian (AI) religious and other community-based organizations. RESULTS: Of the 418 AIW surveyed, 83% had ever had a mammogram, and 70% had obtained a mammogram within the past 2 years. AIW who had lived in the United States for > 10 years had a higher rate of obtaining a mammogram (75.4%) within the past 2 years than did those who had lived in the United States for < or = 10 years (24.6%). In multiple logistic regression analysis, length of stay in the United States, marital status, knowledge of mammogram guidelines, age, having health insurance, physician recommendations, and number of relatives who had a mammogram were positively associated with having a mammogram within the past 2 years. Physician ethnicity and not having a healthcare provider were negatively associated with having a mammogram within the past 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: This study lays a foundation for designing guidelines for interventions to improve mammography screening behaviors among AIW women. Increasing the use of mammogram to the levels recommended by guidelines will require a two-pronged approach directed at both AIW and AI physicians.

Regulatory enzymes of lipid metabolism in LA/N-cp rats.

Hepatic activities of rate limiting enzymes in fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis and cholesterol degradation were determined in lean and obese LA/N-cp rats. The hepatic activities of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase, the key enzymes of fatty acid synthesis and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (the rate limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis), were increased 2-fold in the obese rats as compared with their lean littermates. In contrast, the activity of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase, the rate limiting enzyme of cholesterol degradation to bile acids, was significantly decreased by 28% in the obese group as compared with the control group. Significantly, compared with the control group, the obese animals exhibited similar magnitudes of differences in the activities of the above enzymes even when they were pair-fed with the control animals. Thus these differences in the obese group are not due to hyperphagia but possibly to hypersecretion of the lipogenic hormone, insulin in this strain. These results indicate that the LA/N-cp obese rat has twice the capacity to synthesize body fat and cholesterol but has a reduced capacity to degrade the cholesterol, leading to increased accumulation of cholesterol and fat.