Challenges and obstacles implementing evidence-based food fortification policy in a high-income country.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes food fortification as one of the most cost-effective and beneficial public health measures available. Mass fortification policies and regulations can reduce health disparities, including in high-income countries, by improving micronutrient intake among food-insecure or high-risk populations without changing their diet or behavior. While international health organizations have traditionally prioritized technical assistance and grants to medium and low-income countries, it is important to recognize that micronutrient deficiencies may also pose an important yet underappreciated public health problem in many high-income countries.

[Trance(s)--music and more].

The recent amendment, of the Israeli regulation for nutrition labeling on the packaged food label, as published in the government registry, mandates the labeling of trans fatty acids. The relationship between the types of fatty acids and the risk of developing heart disease is well known and has been researched for many years. As part of efforts of the health authorities around the world and in Israel to reduce morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases, the authorities act to reduce consumption of trans fatty acids and saturated fatty acids.

Desalination of water: nutritional considerations.

Background: Desalination of seawater and brackish water (mixed seawater and freshwater) provides an increasing portion of the Israeli drinking water supply. However, desalinated water contains little calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), and consumers may be at risk for deficiencies of these essential minerals.

Objectives: To assess intakes of Mg and Ca from water, other beverages, and food in communities with different water supplies, and assess the proportion of individuals with intakes below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR).

[Omega-3 fatty acids: the science and the beliefs].

The importance of Omega-3 fatty acids intake from dietary supplements or from food sources (mainly fish) has recently become "common knowledge" in the mass media as well as in popular science magazines and advertisements. Therefore, the authors wish to review the updated evidence-based literature regarding the relationship between Omega-3 fatty acid intake and morbidity and its preventative effects in cardiovascular, bone, kidney autoimmune, GI tract diseases, CNS and mental diseases, cancer, diabetes, asthma, ophthalmological health, organ transplants and child and maternal health. Recommendations regarding optimal intake of these fatty acids throughout the lifecycle by various health authorities are cited.

Inositol deficiency diet and lithium effects.

Objectives: A major hypothesis explaining the therapeutic effect of lithium (Li) in mania is depletion of inositol via inhibition of inositol monophosphatase. However, inositol is also present in the diet. Restriction of dietary inositol could theoretically enhance the effects of Li.

Homocysteine-reducing strategies improve symptoms in chronic schizophrenic patients with hyperhomocysteinemia.

Background: An elevated homocysteine level is reported to be a risk factor for several diseases, including Alzheimer's and cerebrovascular disease. Recently, several studies have reported that homocysteine levels are elevated in many schizophrenic patients. Homocysteine levels can be lowered by oral folic acid, B-12, and pyridoxine.

Elevated homocysteine levels in young male patients with schizophrenia.

Objective: Elevated plasma homocysteine has been found to be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease as well as cerebral vascular disease, suggesting that some risk factors can accelerate or increase the severity of several CNS disease processes. The authors measured plasma homocysteine levels in patients with chronic schizophrenia in their catchment area.

Method: A one-way analysis of covariance with age and sex as covariates was performed on the total plasma homocysteine levels of 193 patients with schizophrenia compared with 762 subjects without the diagnosis of schizophrenia who were evaluated in a screening program for employee health.

Addition of omega-3 fatty acid to maintenance medication treatment for recurrent unipolar depressive disorder.

Objective: Studies have reported that countries with high rates of fish oil consumption have low rates of depressive disorder. The authors studied a specific omega-3 fatty acid, the ethyl ester of eicosapentaenoic acid (E-EPA), as an adjunct to treatment for depressive episodes occurring in patients with recurrent unipolar depressive disorder who were receiving maintenance antidepressant therapy.

Method: Twenty patients with a current diagnosis of major depressive disorder participated in a 4-week, parallel-group, double-blind addition of either placebo or E-EPA to ongoing antidepressant therapy.