Trends in Diet Quality for Heart Disease:
The quality of people's diets designed to prevent coronary heart disease has "moderately improved" over the last two decades, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota.

The researchers analyzed data from more than 5,000 men and more than 6,000 women who took part in the Minnesota Heart Survey to measure whether the volunteers were eating according to American Heart Association dietary guidelines.

During the past two decades, the researchers found study participants improved their diets by eating more fruit, vegetables, total grains and whole grains; and less saturated fatty acid, trans fatty acid, total fat, cholesterol and alcohol.

However, the researchers found continuing "areas of concern" in the study participants' diets over two decades: "unfavorable" sodium and fish consumption and a "continuous deterioration" in overall "energy balance" -- in other words, consuming more calories than we burn.

"Results suggest that efforts to improve diet for (coronary heart disease) prevention should include a focus on moderating energy and sodium intake while encouraging increased consumption of fish," the researchers write.

Dairy Consumption among African-Americans Is Low:
African-Americans in all age groups are not meeting their daily recommendations for consumption of dairy products, according to researchers at the National Dairy Council.

The researchers studied diet information compiled from the 1994-96 and 1998 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and the 1999-2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Findings show "African Americans in all age groups consume fewer mean servings per day of total dairy, milk, cheese and yogurt than non-African Americans, and have lower mean intakes of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus." In addition, young African-American women are not meeting their needs for phosphorus, a
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Contact: Jennifer Starkey
media@eatright.org
312-899-4802
American Dietetic Association
1-Feb-2007