Breastfeeding women who consume diets containing adequate amounts of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids can safely engage in moderate exercise without decreasing the amount of the fatty acids in their breast milk that is essential for their infants' growth and development, according to researchers from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFA, are found in vegetable oils, seeds, nuts and fatty fish like salmon and tuna. Because exercise increases the body's "mobilization and utilization of fatty acids," the researchers asked whether "maternal activity may also influence the amount of long-chain PUFA in breast milk." In a study of diet and exercise habits of 53 new mothers, they found no reduction in fatty acids in breast milk of women who exercised at least 30 minutes per day, three days per week. The researchers conclude that moderate exercise "is not only safe during lactation, but also provides many other health benefits."

Elderly People and Their Views on Supplements and Medical Care

Elderly people who use herbal supplements are less satisfied with "conventional" medical care than non-users and often do not tell their physicians they are combining supplements with prescription drugs, according to a survey conducted by researchers at Northern Illinois University. Of 69 older people surveyed, 35 said they used supplements, including garlic, glucosamine, gingko biloba and fish oil. Nearly one-fourth of herbal supplement users reported their doctor did not know they were taking supplements. Of 26 who combined supplements with prescription drugs, six (23 percent) said they were doing so without medical supervision. Supplement users were significantly less likely to be satisfied with medical care, supporting studies that have found alternative medicine users "are dissatisfied with conventional medicine due to ineffectiveness of
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Contact: Kelly Liebbe
media@eatright.org
312-899-4769
American Dietetic Association
1-Jul-2005