The Smart Choices front-of-package nutrition labeling program: rationale and development of the nutrition criteria.

The goal of the Smart Choices Program (SCP) is to provide a simple front-of-the-package icon system to direct consumers to smarter food choices in the supermarket, which will eventually lead to more balanced diets and to more beneficial foods as food manufacturers renovate products to meet the nutrition criteria for carrying the icon. The SCP was developed by a coalition of scientists and nutrition educators, experts with experience with dietary guidelines, public health organizations, and food manufacturers in response to consumer confusion over multiple front-of-the-package systems based on different criteria. Representatives from different government organizations acted as observers.

Predicted national productivity implications of calorie and sodium reductions in the American diet.

Purpose: To model the potential long-term national productivity benefits from reduced daily intake of calories and sodium.

Design: Simulation based on secondary data analysis; quantitative research. Measures include absenteeism, presenteeism, disability, and premature mortality under various hypothetical dietary changes.

Potential health benefits and medical cost savings from calorie, sodium, and saturated fat reductions in the American diet.

Purpose: Model the potential national health benefits and medical savings from reduced daily intake of calories, sodium, and saturated fat among the U.S. adult population.

Calcium absorption from three salts and CaSO(4)-fortified bread in premenopausal women.

Two studies were conducted to measure calcium absorption from calcium sulfate fortified bread and three salts (calcium lactate, calcium carbonate, and calcium sulfate) in healthy premenopausal women using a crossover design. In study I, calcium fractional absorption levels from the three salts labeled with a stable isotope, 44Ca, were not significantly different (0.039-0.

Half of rural girls aged 8 to 17 years report weight concerns and dietary changes, with both more prevalent with increased age.

Objective: Determine body image satisfaction, weight concerns and dieting behaviors, Tanner index, and dietary adequacy in young women and girls.

Design: A cross-sectional, self-selected comparative survey was completed.

Subjects/setting: Rural white women and girls (N=333) aged 8 to 17 years, completed a weight concerns and dieting behavior questionnaire, a body image assessment, and a self-rating of sexual maturity, and 230 subjects completed 3-day diet diaries.