CHICAGO -- The July 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association contains articles and research studies you may find of interest. Below is a summary of some of this months articles.

Children Prefer Large Portions of Some Foods

Given the choice, Canadian fifth-graders prefer larger portions of snacks and fast foods and smaller portions of vegetables than the recommended amounts, according to researchers at Dalhousie University in Canada.

The researchers showed nearly 5,000 children a variety of portion sizes of french fries, meat, cooked vegetables and potato chips and asked them to indicate their usual portion sizes. More than 63 percent of the children chose french fry portions that were larger than American and Canadian dietary recommendations, with boys more than twice as likely as girls to select bigger portions. Significantly larger portions for meat and chips were selected by about 78 percent the children; for vegetables, 52 percent chose portion sizes smaller than or equal to dietary guidelines.

The study found kids who ate at fast-food restaurants more than once per week were more likely to consider large portions of fries and small portions of vegetables to be usual, as did children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families and those who frequently ate while watching television.

This study demonstrates that a great deal can be gained by expanding nutrition education with respect to moderation and choosing appropriate portion sizes, the researchers write.

African-American Girls Consume Fewer Micronutrients than Caucasian Girls

African-American adolescent and teenage girls consume less vitamin A and D, calcium and magnesium compared to Caucasian girls, according to researchers at St. Joseph College, Wesleyan University and other institutions. Regardless of race, the researchers also found a substantial percentage of girls had intakes of vitamin E, magnesium and fo
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Contact: Jennifer Starkey
media@eatright.org
312-899-4802
American Dietetic Association
6-Jul-2007