Short-term, multi-faceted, point-of-selection marketing of healthful foods in university dining halls may be beneficial for improving college students' perceptions and selections of targeted healthful foods in the dining hall and may improve overall eating behaviors of college students.

We identified a new focus of konzo, an upper motor neuron disease, in a part of western Central African Republic. Interviews and high serum levels of thiocyanate indicate that cyanide exposure from insufficiently processed cassava may cause konzo. Abrupt onset, nonprogressive course, and seronegativity to HTLV-I clearly differentiate konzo from HTLV-I-associated myelopathy in tropical countries.

This review summarizes the cross-sectional and training studies (acute and chronic) that have examined the relationship between exercise and plasma lipid and lipoproteins in women. Because women experience major fluctuations in reproductive hormones throughout the life cycle, the effects of the endogenous sex steroid status on the association between exercise and plasma lipoproteins also are addressed. In general, cross-sectional studies report a positive association between exercise and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in both pre- and postmenopausal women. Women on hormone replacement therapy who report exercising have higher HDL-C than sedentary women on hormone replacement therapy. Results from longitudinal training studies have been inconsistent because of experimental design, i.e., inadequate type, duration, and intensity of exercise intervention, lipid measurements made across the menstrual cycle, and studies carried out in women with high baseline HDL-C. Since lipids vary approximately 10-25% throughout the menstrual cycle, menstrual phase should be controlled when determining lipid changes after an exercise intervention. In approximately half of the intervention studies, an increase in HDL-C was demonstrated; the magnitude of the response that can be expected is approximately 10%. The responsiveness of pre- versus postmenopausal women to an exercise intervention is unknown. Studies are needed to clarify the interactive effects of exercise and sex hormones on plasma lipoproteins in women of all ages. This information will be useful in developing intervention programs to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in women.

ABSTRACT. Objective. To compare the overall nutrient intake of American children (ages 2 to 19) who exclusively use skim milk instead of 1%, 2%, or whole milk; lean meats instead of higher-fat meats; or fat-modified products instead of full-fat products.Study Design. A unique sorting procedure was used to categorize respondents to the 1989 -1991 Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals according to reported use or nonuse of certain fat-reduction strategies. Differences in intake of 23 macronutrients and micronutrients, as well as energy, by exclusive users, mixed users, and nonusers of each strategy were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance with Scheffe's test. The number of fat-reduction strategies used by the children as well as demographic characteristics also were analyzed.Results. Only a small number of children qualified as exclusive users of skim milk (3%), lean meats (2%), and fat-modified products (1%). Energy intakes for all children were below 100% of the recommended dietary allowance. However, children (n ‫؍‬ 85) who used skim milk exclusively in place of higher-fat milks closely approximated the current dietary recommendations (30% energy from fat, less than 10% from saturated fat, and less than 300 mg cholesterol) while maintaining adequate micronutrient intake and without significantly impacting energy. Children (n ‫؍‬ 52) who used lean meats in place of higher-fat meats achieved the guideline for total fat; however, energy intake was 70% of the recommended dietary allowance and vitamin E was 63%. Children (n ‫؍‬ 20) who use only fat-modified versions of cheese, salad dressing, cake, pudding, and yogurt made no significant impact on their energy, fat, or micronutrient intake. Of the 3299 children in the data set, only 3 qualified as users of two fat-reduction strategies and none qualified as users of all three strategies. Exclusive users of skim milk, lean meat, or fat-modified products were more likely to be female, white, and live in families with higher incomes. Those using skim milk or lean meat exclusively also were more likely to be older, whereas those exclusively using fat-modified products were younger. Furthermore, those using skim milk or fat-modified products exclusively were more likely to live in households where the head had more years of education, whereas those exclusively using lean meats were from households headed by those with slightly less years of education.Conclusions. Despite the inherent limitations of population-based food surveys (including issues of underreporting, lack of biological markers and accurate anthropometric measures, and limited nutrient databases), these results provide insight into the rate of use of certain lower-fat food choices by children and suggest exclusive use can facilitate achievement of contemporary dietary recommendations. The impact of using these fat-reduction strategies on children's overall nutrient intake differs depending on the strategy used. Use of skim milk is an economical single-food strategy that facilitates ach...

School nurses play an important role in identifying students who are at risk for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Few studies have screened Caucasian students, and none have targeted rural, low-income, elementary children. The five noninvasive risk factors used for this study were family history, high body mass index (BMI) for age/sex, racial/ethnic background, hypertension, and acanthosis nigricans. Two thirds of those screened (n = 299) had at least one of the five risk factors for T2DM. Seventeen students (5.6% of those screened) had three or more of the five risk factors and were considered at risk for T2DM. Fifteen percent (n = 43) had hypertension or prehypertension, and 18% (n = 53) were morbidly obese. Hypertension and acanthosis nigricans were significantly associated with being at risk in morbidly obese students. School nurses play an important role as frontline health professionals who are aware that risk factors for T2DM exist in all schools, regardless of students' age, size of community, or ethnic background.