2012
More Bang for the Food-aid Buck
When the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) asked Friedman School researchers to take a look at the quality of the food the agency sends to malnourished people around the world, it was hoping for recommendations on how to tweak the fortified cereal mixes that are the foundation of its aid program.
2012
Warning: Sitting is hazardous to your health
Nutrition expert Miriam Nelson warns that 30 minutes a day of moderate activity is not enough to cancel out 7-8 hours of constant sitting.
2012
Drug-delivery chip implant shows promise
Professor Bess Dawson-Hughes comments on the first successful use of an implanted, drug-distributing microchip in humans.
2012
Tufts Center’s Largest Funding Award Addresses Chronic Child Hunger in Ethiopia
BOSTON -- The Feinstein International Center (FIC) at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University will lead on-the-ground research aimed at breaking the centuries-old cycle of child undernutrition in Ethiopia by strengthening existing nutrition interventions. The FIC’s $7.3 million award is the largest in the center’s 15-year history.
2012
Avoid the afternoon stress-eating binge
Friedman School Interim Dean Robin Kanarek remarks on what we get from food besides nutrition.
2012
Too Much of a Good Thing?
When the FDA mandated the fortification of grain products with folic acid in 1996, it resulted in a dramatic 40 to 50 percent decrease in the number of babies born with neural tube defects, one of the most common birth defects. But the protection of our children may have come at the expense of our elderly. High folic acid intake may be harming older adults in ways that the FDA didn’t predict.
2012
Gingrich Labeling Obama as 'Food-Stamp President' Draws Critics
Nutrition professor Parke Wilde is surprised by Newt Gingrich's derision towards the popular food stamp program.
2012
Fair Trade Trade-Off
In September, Virginia Berman, N96, went to Honduras to visit a group of coffee farmers she had worked with 20 years ago, when she was a Peace Corps volunteer. She was stunned by what the farmers had accomplished by collaborating and sharing farming expertise.
2012
Groceries hire companies to score foods' nutritional value
Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein says that more consumer research is needed before any new nutritional value scoring system can be released.
2012
Study: Fat hormone increases risk of dementia in women
Tufts research found that a type of hormone associated with fat can increase the risk of dementia in women.
2012
Body by Boston: Eat Right
The Friedman School's Robin Kanarek led a study about mood response to "good" and "bad" foods with equal calories.
2011
Reading the tea leaves is easy: A brew can be beneficial
According to HNRC reseacher Jeffrey Blumberg, tea drinkers have a lower risk for heart disease.
2011
The Politics of Famine
The news made headlines in July: The United Nations declared famine in drought-stricken Somalia, warning that up to 750,000 people, most of them young children, could perish. It brought memories of Ethiopia in the mid-1980s, with pictures of starving children and massive shipments of food aid.
2011
Local Frontiers in Sustainable Farming
Jennifer Hashley, director of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, is part of a roundtable discussion on local, sustainable agriculture.
2011
Is Being Fat Contagious?
Did you know there is a growing body of evidence that being fat is contagious?
In 2007, researchers at Harvard Medical School released a study that found a person’s chance of becoming obese appeared to climb by 57 percent if a friend of the same sex was obese. Among close mutual friends, the risk of obesity climbed by 171 percent.
A 2008 study found similar results among adolescents, with a teen’s body weight tending to be similar to that of his or her closest friends. This was especially true among girls.
2011
The Accidental Activists
At 8:30 on a brisk November morning in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, 20 determined women march into the Kinsley’s ShopRite grocery store in Brodheadsville. Soon the women, most in their 50s and 60s, are pulling jars of peanut butter off the shelves and narrowing their eyes at the ingredients labels.
“Organic palm oil,” says Peggy Pugh, 63, pointing to the jar in her hand. She knows the only ingredient in peanut butter should be peanuts. Organic or not, added fat doesn’t need to be there.
2011
Eat Against the Clock
“Sure, you may want to eat better, lose weight or set a better example for your kids, but those noble goals fall by the wayside when you’re dealing with an iPhone that chirps every two minutes.” So writes Patricia Bannan, N99, on the opening page of her recent book Eat Right When Time Is Tight (NorLightsPress), a nutrition guide for people who are too “overbooked, overloaded and overwhelmed” to figure out a healthy eating plan.
2011
My Year in Africa
Along the shoreline of the Gambia River, a group of women have reduced hunger for their families with the help of a certain briny mollusk. To do this, the 15 communities in the Women’s Oyster Harvesting Association—a total of nearly 6,000 people—had to agree to close one tributary in their oyster territories for an entire year and to lengthen the “closed” season in other areas.
2011
AMD-like Lesions Delayed in Mice Fed Lower Glycemic Index Diet
BOSTON (November 14, 2011) -- Feeding older mice a lower glycemic index (GI) diet consisting of slowly-digested carbohydrates delays the onset of age-related, sight-threatening retinal lesions, according to a new study from the Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University.
2011
Mississippi Leads U.S. In Reliance On Food Stamps
Friedman students created an interactive graphic of nationwide participation in the U.S. food stamps program.
2011
Eat Well, Age Well
If you are what’s called an “older adult”—in the neighborhood of 70 and northwards—and want to know the best diet for someone your age, nutritionists at Tufts University have your back. They’ve just released the latest recommendations based on MyPlate, the federal government’s new food group symbol, but specifically tailored for older Americans.
2011
Halloween's dilemma: Candy vs. healthful treats
Nutrition professor Susan Roberts gives advice for how to have fun but stay healthy while trick or treating on Halloween.
2011
Sustainable Me
As a student in the Agriculture, Food and Environment Program, Asta Schuette, N10, studied companies that seamlessly weave environmental responsibility and local resources into their business models, reducing and recycling their way to a utopia of sustainability.
“You read these case studies and you think ‘This is great; this is awesome!’ ” Schuette said. “To put it into practice, it’s a whole other story.”
2011
Tufts University Nutrition Scientists Unveil MyPlate for Older Adults
BOSTON (November 1, 2011) -- Nutrition scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University are introducing today the MyPlate for Older Adults which corresponds with MyPlate, the federal government’s new food group symbol. MyPlate for Older Adults calls attention to the unique nutritional and physical activity needs associated with advancing years.
2011
Label Plan Offered to Rate Food Nutrition
Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein is part of a USDA panel that is recommending a food rating system to inform consumers about nutritional content.
2011
America's First Food Day: October 24th
Mayor Tom Menino will speak at Tufts' Boston campus as part of National Food Day festivities on October 24.
2011
Virtual Trip To 'Local' Food Market Can't Beat The Real Thing Yet
Parke Wilde from the Friedman School comments on online food markets that offer local produce options.
2011
UK says most Britons eat 10% too many calories
Nutrition professor Susan Roberts agrees with British health officials' advice to eat less on a daily basis.
2011
Are vitamin supplements healthy or deadly?
Nutrition professor Jeffrey Blumberg is a participant in a brief Q&A prompted by two recent observation studies linking supplement use with mortality and cancer risk.
2011
When the Uprooted Put Down Roots
Nutrition professor Hugh Joseph talks about how farming projects like New Roots helps refugees adapt to life in a new society.
2011
Nutrition Scientist Touring the U.S. to Inspire Healthier Communities
BOSTON– A small Alaskan city that prides itself on world-class King Salmon fishing is the starting point of a 10-week, cross-county tour for Miriam E. Nelson, PhD, director of the John Hancock Research Center on Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Beginning today in Kenai, Alaska, Nelson’s StrongWomen Across America tour aims to initiate grass-roots, community-wide changes in the food and physical activity environments of eight rural communities.
2011
Longer supply may help women stick with the Pill
Nutrition professor Katharine O'Connell White comments on a study that found those with a longer supply of birth control pills were more likely to take them.
2011
'Change Clubs' get Americans moving
Nutrition professor Miriam Nelson is criss-crossing the country to motivate people to choose healthy lifestyles.
2011
Global trends toward Western diets leave many hungry
Hugh Joseph from the Friedman School warns that a diet based on animal products puts too much strain on the global food market.
2011
USA becomes Food Stamp Nation but is it sustainable?
Nutrition professor Parke Wilde talks about how federal budget cuts could affect the food stamp program.
2011
Power Play
Think of it as the muscle equivalent of osteoporosis. Just as our bones tend to become weaker and more brittle as we get older, our muscles are predisposed to wither with age. Starting as early as age 30, muscle mass begins to decline by about 1 percent—about a third of a pound—a year.
2011
Price Check on Aisle 9
Does it seem like you need a second mortgage to fill your cart at the grocery store these days? Are these price spikes that hit us at the checkout line for real, or not as bad as they seem?
A lot depends on which prices you consider. Take the old standby of meat and potatoes. According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), over the past two years a pound of ground beef went from an average of $2.23 per pound to $2.77, an increase of almost 25 percent. By contrast, potato prices rose over the past two years from $.63 to $.69 per pound, an increase of only 8 percent.
2011
Train your brain to crave healthy foods
Susan Roberts developed a nutrition program that is mentioned in this article about dieting.
2011
Study: Healthy eating is privilege of the rich
Nutrition professor Parke Wilde comments on research about the high cost of maintaining a balanced diet.
2011
Can vitamins help boost your memory?
Vitamins supplements are a good addition to a healthy lifestyle, but nutrition expert Barbara Hale says that isn't all people need.
2011
Can eating a high-sodium diet still hurt me even if I don’t have high blood pressure?
Although you are not hypertensive now, there are some reasons why it would be a good idea to start moderating your sodium intake. As we age, our blood pressure tends to rise. This does not happen to everyone, but it does happen to the majority of people.
In addition, as we age, it can become more and more difficult to change food habits. Gradually lowering sodium intake over a few years can make the transition easier. Limited data also suggest that even people with normal blood pressure benefit from a modest reduction in sodium.
2011
Horn of Africa aid caravan too late, again
Andrew Catley from the Feinstein International Center comments on NGOs' often insufficient or late response to international crises.
2011
Bowing To Pressure, McDonald's Makes Happy Meals More Healthful
Nutrition expert Eileen Kennedy responds to McDonald's redesigned Happy Meal.
2011
The DNA Diet
You inherited more than your blue eyes, brown hair and long legs from mom and dad—you also got a set of genes that defines everything about you. Are you a morning person? Do you have the energy of a runner (or a couch potato)? Can you eat rich French cuisine and never gain weight? Most of these tendencies are hardwired into your DNA.
2011
Somali Famine Crisis
Friedman school Dean Patrick Webb is a guest on a radio program about famine in Somalia.
2011
Calorie counts found lacking
Tufts researchers found that calorie counts posted at restaurants are often wrong.
2011
Nutrition Researchers Examine Restaurants' Calorie Counts
BOSTON − Disclosing the calories in restaurant foods to customers holds promise as a strategy to lower the nation’s obesity rate. However, a new study of food items from national chain restaurants found that while stated calories on restaurant menus and websites were accurate on average, 19% of individual samples differed from laboratory measurements by more than 100 calories and lower calorie foods tended to contain more than listed.
2011
Michelle Obama's Shake Shack Burger Indulgence Defended by Nutritionists
Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein defends First Lady Michelle Obama's fast food lunch.
2011
Salt diet dangers may be influenced by potassium
Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein warns about the link between high salt intake and heart disease.
2011
Losing Weight, Keeping It Off Can Be Two Different Worlds
Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein explains why dieters need to adjust their mindsets in order to lose weight and keep it off.
2011
Eradication of a Global Disease
Joining in today’s United Nations celebration of the world’s second eradicated disease are three Tufts University researchers whose pioneering work allowed a rinderpest vaccine to traverse the Sahara in the world’s most remote areas and save cattle from the disease.
2011
Office Treasures: Bow Down to Me
In the second of a series, we visit the office of Beatrice Lorge Rogers, professor of economics and food policy at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and director of the Food Policy and Applied Nutrition Program.
2011
The Surf and Turf Connection
What do farmers and fishermen dream about? A bumper crop of zucchini and calm seas? Perhaps. But both lose sleep over some of the same things: finding markets for their products, transporting their goods cheaply, tapping into the local foods movement and protecting the natural resources on which they both depend.
2011
Tufts University Hosts Second World Conference on Humanitarian Studies June 2-June 5
MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, Mass. – International leaders in the study and practice of humanitarian aid work are meeting at Tufts University today through June 5 for the Second World Conference on Humanitarian Studies.
2011
Impossible to please
Nutrition professor Susan Roberts applauds restaurant patrons who specify their dining needs in order to stay healthy.
2011
Local Birds from Start to Finish
There used to be chickens at the Perry farm—thousands of laying hens and broilers on land in the hills of Truro, Mass., that the family had been farming since 1862. The Perrys became known for their fresh eggs and their tasty chicken pies.
But times change. By the late 1970s, restructuring in the poultry industry and new federal regulations were making it difficult for small operations like the Perrys’ to turn a profit. And then there was the lightning storm and the fire that claimed 500 meat birds. So Stephen Perry quit the chicken business.
2011
Stress-busting drinks take off
Nutrition expert Alice Lichtenstein warns against the fad of "relaxation drinks."
2011
Tilapia, the Starter Fish
Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein encourages Americans to eat more fish.
2011
Sussing Out Calcium Supplements and Heart Disease Risk
According to nutrition professor Bess Dawson-Hughes, recent research "can't provide any definitive answers about whether calcium supplements are tied to heart disease."
2011
MicroRNA Mediates Gene-Diet Interaction Related to Obesity
BOSTON − Eating more n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, commonly known as omega-3 fatty acids, may help carriers of a genetic variant on the perilipin 4 (PLIN4) gene locus lose weight more efficiently. Based on this observation, researchers at the Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University identified a microRNA (miRNA) which may elucidate the underlying biological mechanism.
2011
A Running Theme
The day dawned crisp and cool in Hopkinton, Mass., the starting point for the 115th Boston Marathon on April 18. Approximately 200 members of the Tufts President’s Marathon Challenge ran the 26.2-mile course for the ninth consecutive year.
Students, staff, faculty, alumni, family and friends from across the country trained together under the guidance of Coach Don Megerle and raised money in support of nutrition, medical and fitness programs at Tufts. The challenge, the brainchild of Tufts President Lawrence S. Bacow, has raised nearly $3 million since its inception.
2011
Backstory: World food price rises
Nutrition professor William Masters is a guest on this radio program discussing the rising cost of food.
2011
Interim Dean Named at Friedman School
The Tufts University psychologist Robin Kanarek, who has gained international acclaim for her work in nutrition and behavior, has been named interim dean of the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, effective July 1. A member of the faculty for 34 years, Kanarek is a former dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
The current dean, Eileen T. Kennedy, announced earlier this year that she would step down June 30 after leading the school for seven years.
2011
Freeze-dried food and the new frugal frontier
Nutrition professor James Tillotson describes the effects of economic strain on supermarket purchasing.
2011
Radiation no reason to load up on supplements, health experts say
According to nutrition expert Jeffrey Blumberg, antioxidants cannot reverse the effects of radiation poisoning.
2011
Running from obesity
Friedman student Daniel Hatfield started a running program to help kids in East Boston fight obesity.
2011
Diet-Exercise Combo Seems to Work Best for Obese Seniors
Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein comments on new research that found obese seniors lost weight with a program emphasizing diet and exercise.
2011
To lose weight, put a little spring in your step
Nutrition professor Miriam Nelson gives advice to people who walk to stay fit.
2011
Many Obese Moms and Kids Underestimate Their Weight
According to nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein, American perceptions of what is a "normal" shape are shifting as the country becomes more overweight.
2011
Toenail study: No heart risk from mercury in fish
Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein stresses the health importance of fish consumption, but also notes that fish-eaters should be wary of mercury content.
2011
Health Buzz: U.S. Life Expectancy Hits All-Time High
Nutrition professor Alice Lichtenstein comments on the new American life expectancy of 78 years.
2011
Wide Variety in Nutritional Content Found in “Senior” Dog Foods
The nutritional content of dog foods marketed for old dogs varies as widely as owner’s perceptions about them, according to a study published this month by veterinary nutritionists at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.
2011
Grocery-shopping mistakes to steer clear of
Tufts researchers found several nutritional benefits associated with eating whole grains.
2011
The Right Whey
Molly Pindell’s handcrafted goat cheese is in high demand, be it the rounds of soft, light chèvre or truncated pyramids of creamy Sterling. Still, her father-in-law likes to tease her: Did she really need a master’s degree to become a goat farmer?
“Honestly, I didn’t,” says Pindell, who earned her degree from the Agriculture, Food and Environment Program in 2005. “But I do feel like a lot of what I learned in school has helped me to think big picture about the way I want my farm to be.”
In Battle of the Bulge, Canada Trumps U.S.
Nutritionist Alice Lichtenstein discusses a study that found the U.S. has a higher obesity rate than Canada.
