When it comes to global nutrition, things have gotten dangerously lopsided. While obesity rates in the developing world continue to skyrocket, many people around the world are still undernourished. But should we be looking to our biggest multinational food companies to fix the problem? The creators of a new index released last week, and funded in large part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, says yes.

The Access to Nutrition Index (ATNI) uses a complex algorithm to rank the worlds 25 largest processed-food makers according to the approach each takes towards global nutrition. This first of its kind ranking takes on policies, practices, and performance related to obesity and undernutrition. According to the stakeholders behind the index, the worlds largest food and beverage manufacturers must do more to increase access to nutritious products and positively exercise their influence on consumer choice and behavior.

The rankings are based on categories, like how transparently the companies labeled their products, whether they were investing time and money in developing foods they believed to be healthier, and how they market to children. The rankings are not based on the foods the companies actually produce, because the ATNI website explains, There is currently no universally accepted system for determining the nutritional quality of products relative to one another.

In other words, simply because a company defines a product as healthy, doesnt mean it is objectively so. Take PepsiCos Baked Lays, a reconstitution of dehydrated potatoes, modified food starch, sugar, corn oil, salt, soy lecithin, leavening, monocalcium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, and dextrose. While they may have fewer calories and less fat that original Lays potato chips, it would be hard for most nutritionists to argue that Baked Lays should be the foundation of a healthy diet.

Irrespective of their actual products, the companies that scored highest barely received passing grades. At the top of the list was Danone (the maker of Dannon yogurt and other dairy products, as well as Evian and Volvic bottled water), which earned a 6.3 on a 10-point scale. Unilever (maker of Best Foods, Ben & Jerry's, Slim Fast, as well as many cleaning and personal care products) and Nestl (maker of brands like Carnation, Dryers, Stoufers, Jenny Craig) came next. The next highest score went to PepsiCo (maker of the iconic soda brand, as well as Frito-Lay chips and Captain Crunch cereal), which earned a 4.4.

"It's a challenge to come up with a score when a company could have many thousands of products. I give [the ATNI team] high marks for courage for undertaking a difficult but very important task," Kelly Brownell, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University and one of the experts that provided guidance on the development of the index, told USA Today. With time the index will get refined and you'll have a better sense of what might be happening overall."

Inge Kauer, Executive Director of ATNI," calls the index an urgent call to action in the face of a global health catastrophe. But the larger question is whether or not processed food makers, whose main drive is to sell products, can really be expected to play a serious role in improving nutrition.

Nutritionist and blogger Andy Bellatti doesnt think thats a realistic ask, even if it sounds promising.

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Food Giants Get Ranked: New Index Grades Nutrition Attitudes

The School Nutrition Association has asked national legislators to revise the new meal patterns and the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

More than 800 members of the national organization, including Sabrina Jewell, child nutrition director for Henderson County Schools, met with lawmakers in Washington D.C. from March 2-6.

Jewell is slated to talk about the trip during the Henderson County Board of Education meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday.

Our goal was simple, Jewell wrote in a report viewable on the school districts website. We are not asking for money or sweeping reforms.

Instead, the School Nutrition Association addressed four topics about the school nutrition laws that began to take effect last July. The four topics are:

The group asked that the temporary leniency of the weekly limits of grains and proteins become permanent.

The group asked that the breakfast meal pattern be put on hold for one year to allow nutrition departments time to finish addressing lunch. The breakfast meal pattern is scheduled to begin July 1.

The group asked that the paid lunch equity, section 205 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, be amended so that districts that operate efficiently and in the black do not have to raise meal prices to satisfy a national norm, but rather respond to the local economy.

The group asked that a national policy on unpaid meal charges be established.

Other topics set to be discussed at Monday nights board meeting include:

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Board of Education to hear nutrition report at Monday night's meeting

The theme of this years National Nutrition Month is Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day.

Each March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages Americans to embrace the basics of healthy eating.

This years theme emphasizes including foods you love as part of an overall healthful eating plan that is tailored to your own lifestyle, traditions, health needs and tastes.

In Washtenaw County, WIC services are available to women with low and moderate incomes who are pregnant, breastfeeding or postpartum and children up to age 5. WIC can help local families eat healthfully their way.

To learn more about enrolling in WIC, Washtenaw residents may call 734-544-6800.

WIC provides client-centered nutrition education that encourages participants to play an active role in their own learning and staff to act as facilitators.This allows clients to eat right in their own way every day, says Gayathri Akella, Washtenaw County WIC Service Coordinator.

WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) is a federally funded program, operated locally. WIC provides supplemental food, nutrition education and counseling and referrals based on health screenings and needs assessments. WIC has demonstrated positive effects on pregnancy outcomes, child growth and development.

A common misperception is that eating healthfully means giving up favorite foods. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 82 percent of U.S. adults cited not wanting to give up foods as a reason for not eating healthier (Total Diet Approach to Healthy Eating, 2011).

The most important focus of healthy eating, however, is the total diet, rather than any one food or meal. All foods can fit within an overall healthful pattern when enjoyed in moderation and combined with physical activity.

There is no particular way to eat that is right for everyone. When eating is customized to suit personal needs and preferences, healthful eating becomes a part of a lifestyle that can be sustained over time. Planning ahead is one of the best ways to satisfy nutritional needs and your appetite on a busy schedule. Continued...

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WASHTENAW COUNTY: National Nutrition Month focuses on eating right

With new goals in sight for company growth and success, Gaspari Nutrition has confirmed a change in executive leadership.

(PRWEB) March 15, 2013

The decision to make leadership changes was not based on any particular event, but was instead made after ongoing growth considerations, said Gaspari Nutrition CFO/COO Dianne Aronica. All of the changes my team has made are designed to encourage even more collaboration among the companys world-class product development, marketing, and sales teams.

Over the past 24 months, the company has undergone a massive reorganization to position itself as a global sports nutrition leader and further its worldwide growth. IFBB Hall of Famer and 2013 Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award winner Rich Gaspari will remain as Chief Executive Officer and will continue his pursuit of leading the widely popular global brand.

The brand, which has enjoyed rapid domestic and global expansion, has recently undergone a highly successful rebranding effort. Led by Rich Gasparis vision for the future and the collective efforts of the product development and marketing departments, the new look and innovation presented to retailers around the world has solidified Gaspari Nutrition as a top player in the global sports nutrition industry. This brand reinvention includes the launch of an array of category leaders such as Myofusion Elite Protein Series, the widely popular Detonate Thermogenic Intensifier, Aminolast BCAA Superfuel, Anavite Sport Multivitamin & Amino Acid Complex, Glycofuse Supercarb, Isofusion Pure Whey Isolate, and the highly anticipated Superdrive Pre-training Superfuel.

Repositioning a global brand with new multi-language and territory specific compliant labeling was no easy task, but through a commitment to our valued partners and our loyal customers, our management team has proven Richs brand is stronger than ever, said Vice President of Brand Strategy and Product Development Daniel Pierce. The process of management changes is never easy, but we let the efficacy and popularity of the brands products and new look speak for itself.

About Gaspari Nutrition

Gaspari Nutrition is headquartered in Lakewood, NJ and is a rapidly expanding, healthy lifestyle sports company that develops and distributes a full line of nutritional supplements. Gasparis propriety and award winning products address all categories of an active lifestyle including muscle building, weight loss, and general fitness through a daily nutritional supplement regimen. They are one of the few companies to sponsor independent third-party research on their products to prove their efficacy. Gaspari Nutrition is sold in more than 85 countries, including more than 85 Popeyes locations in Canada, and available in more than 5,000 US retail outlets that include GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, and Kroger, as well as more than 100 online stores, including Bodybuilding.com, Amazon, DrugStore.com, and SupplementsCanada.com. For more information, please visit http://www.GaspariNutrition.com.

Daniel Pierce Gaspari Nutrition 732-364-3777 Email Information

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Gaspari Nutrition Announces Change in Executive Leadership

New York, Mar 16 : Integrated nutrition strategies are need to help people cope with alterations in their diets prompted by urbanization, economic growth and lifestyle changes in many parts of the world, a United Nations official said Friday.

"We need integrated nutrition strategies, formed with the inputs of society as a whole - the private sector, consumers, doctors, and consumer organizations and others," the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Jose Graziano da Silva, told professors and students at Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands.

While 870 million people suffer from hunger, there are also over half a billion who are obese and susceptible to non-communicable diseases. Food alternatives and information on their diets would help address this problem, Graziano da Silva said, adding that a global review of nutrition strategy could, for example, involve rethinking the role of traditional crops, which have lost space in modern diets.

"Every region has a variety of non-commodity crops that were used in the past as food," he said. "One example is quinoa, which is being celebrated in 2013 in an international year." Quinoa is an Andean super food - a highly nutritious, cereal-like crop rich in protein and micronutrients.

During his two-day visit to the Netherlands, Graziano da Silva signed an accord with the University of Wageningen on a closer collaboration on scientific research and joint activities to foster and promote education, research and technology capacities in developing countries over the next four years.

In his talk to students, the FAO chief pointed out that while science and technology drive agricultural productivity, they cannot simply be exported from one country to another and be expected to work perfectly.

"Agriculture is too sensitive and location-specific," he said. "Soil, climate, water availability and so many other factors influence how one technology will work elsewhere."

He also noted the role that farmers play and stressed the importance of consulting them before implementing new technologies.

"We need to ask farmers what they need, what they want, see what could fit, how it needs to be adapted and ensure that whatever we do ends up being 'owned' by the farmers themselves," he added.

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UN seeks new nutrition strategies to cope with changing diets

It seems like people are always on the hunt for that perfect, "magic" meal plan that will get them to their goal weight. Which foods are "good" and which ones are "bad"? What's the formula for exactly what to eat, how much of it, and when to eat it that will give you the fastest results? When my clients approach me with these requests, my answer is always the same: Just like in a game of darts, nutrition isn't about getting a perfect bull's-eye every time. You get points for just hitting the board, too. In other words, it's not about eating perfectly all the time, every time. It's about your overall habits--getting points on the board. Maybe you get a bull's-eye once in a while, but you didn't fail just because you were a little off target.

Why I Support "Imperfect" Eating

Perfection is subjective, which means it comes from personal perspective, feelings and beliefs, as opposed to an independent, objective point of view. It's different strokes for different folks. We need less judgments about food. We don't feel guilty for breathing, even though we need air to live. So why feel guilty about eating? Seeking perfection can cause you to avoid and miss out on a satisfying food experience. Our health is a collection of choices (and genetics) over a long period of time. A simple choice does not define our overall self-care.

Maybe the more important question is why you're eating something. Overeating foods on a regular basis to regulate your mood and cope with feelings is not normal, but there is help for that habit, which is not about the food. You are not "addicted" to food. It's the "process" that is the problem. Having a piece of cake on someone's birthday (yes, with sugar and fat) is a normal part of life for most people. To each his own if you don't like cake and don't want to eat it. But those of us who do are not less healthy than you.

It's simply unfounded that "fat is gonna harm you" or "sugar is gonna harm you"--in unlimited amounts ANYTHING can harm you, even delicious sunlight or water for that matter. The best tip I can offer is to be careful of what you read. If it sounds alarmist or too crazy to be true, it probably is.

So How Can I Get "Points on the Board"?

1. Instead of trying to build a "perfect" plate, focus on building a balanced plate. Aim to make half your plate fruits and vegetables; a quarter of your plate lean protein (a palm-sized piece of meat, fish or plant-based protein); and a quarter of your plate starch (a fist-sized portion, which could include whole grains).

2. When "indulging," follow the half-plate healthy model. Maybe your mom's legendary mac and cheese is what you really want, so go for it! On the flip-side, that doesn't mean it would be practicing self-care to take the whole tray of mac and cheese and eat it in one sitting. At some point, your fullness goes beyond comfortable. Take a nice portion, equivalent to one or two fists, and then balance it out with half a plate of nutritious steamed veggies or salad. Enjoy it and take your time with it. If it feels uncomfortable to clean your plate, then don't. Know the mac and cheese will still be there tomorrow.

3. Figure out if it's a good time to enjoy _________. Is this a special occasion or a celebratory event? Like I said, enjoying cake at a birthday party is a normal part of life, so don't beat yourself up over it. If it's more of a craving, then ask yourself if it's a good time to enjoy your treat mindfully. If not, you can always have it later, when you have time to enjoy it--maybe even sharing it with a friend.

Perfection isn't realistic or attainable. It can also be deceiving. Many thin people have unhealthy habits, and many larger frame people have very healthy habits. To me, the more important thing is creating healthy habits that can stick with you the rest of your life, and accepting and loving yourself no matter what size you are.

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Nutrition Isn't All About the Bull's-Eye

Funding cuts appear imminent for a nutrition program for area seniors as a result of across-the-board budget cuts resulting from the sequestration of federal funds.

The probable cuts come at a time when the nutrition program is rebounding under the guidance of a new program administrator. The program came close to faltering about nine months ago when the Muskogee County Community Action Foundation terminated its contract with Eastern Oklahoma Development Districts Area Agency on Aging.

Ernie Moore, EODD executive director, said state officials estimate the feeding program could see cuts of about 5.9 percent within the next few weeks. The actual impact on the program will not be known until the impact of the sequester is fully understood.

Its hard to do any forecasting very far out because you dont know what is going to happen, Moore said this past week. They were talking about 7.9 percent, now they are talking closer to 5.9 percent. It could be anywhere from 13 percent to 2 percent.

Figures provided by EODD, which administers the grants for the senior nutrition program, show federal funds make up from 55 percent to 59 percent of the programs annual budget. The programs annual budget, including state grants, averaged about $1.41 million during the past three years.

Sharon Elder, Area Agency on Aging director, said the senior nutrition program began to rebound in September under new management. She said meal deliveries have increased, and the number of people eating at congregate locations also is up.

Everybody has been taken off the waiting list we dont have waiting lists anymore, Elder said. While the number of meals fluctuated under MCCAF, we are seeing a steady increase of meals being served now we dont know how these cuts will affect that.

Moore said across-the-board budget cuts predicted as a result of sequestration will impact every aspect of the program. Because the federal fiscal year and the agencys fiscal years do not align the federal fiscal year begins Oct. 1, and EODDs fiscal year, like the state, the counties and most municipalities begin July 1 sequestration will affect the remainder of this year and at least the first three months of next years budget.

As long as they do it this way, its going to affect everything, Moore said. They need to go in with a scalpel, not a machete. Sometimes I really dont think they know who they are hurting.

U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin reports about the impact of sequestration that came out before it took effect March 1 were all gloom and doom scenarios. Mullin, a Westville Republican who represents the states 2nd Congressional District, said while he hasnt heard about the impact sequestration might have on nutrition programs, he doesnt expect it will be as harsh as some might expect.

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Nutrition program faces cuts