Reducing Obesity by Replacing Junk Food Snacks

WHITE PAPER

Revolutionize
Modern Reducing Incidence of Obesity in American Youth
Snacks

INTRODUCING HEALTHY VEGETABLE SNACKS TO REPLACE EMPTY CALORIES FOODS

EPIPHANY ENTERPRISE I, LLC: | VELVA BOLES, MD 2/18/2012

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
With the prevalence of adolescent obesity approaching 20% in the United States, it is unfortunate
that the effectiveness of pediatric obesity treatment is only modest in young children and
declines in adolescents. It is estimated that children in the United States are spending 35 percent
of their waking hours watching television, talking on cell phones and playing video games and
statistically, very sedentary children have the highest incidence of obesity. The statistics on food
advertising to children indicate that annual sales of foods and beverages to young consumers
exceeded $27 billion in 2002; food and beverage advertisers collectively spend $12 billion
annually to reach children and youth: more than $1 billion is spent on media advertising to
children; more than $4.5 billion is spent on youth-targeted public relations; and $3 billion is
spent on packaging designed for children. Fast food outlets spend $3 billion in television
advertisements targeted to children.

The causes of obesity are multiple, interactional, and complex with many causal contributors:
cheap calorie-dense food, the glitzy marketing of super-sized portions, few sidewalks in urban
environment making residents car dependent, students being bused to school rather than walking;
dependence on computers for recreation and television entertainment are contributing barriers to
a child‘s healthy lifestyle, all fueling the obesity crisis. Bureaucrats have followed the tenet that
poor food choice interventions must involve an increase in an individual‘s personal valuation of
health and that by understanding adolescents‘ perceptions towards food and nutrition along with
factors that influence their food behavior, nutrition intervention models can be designed and
adolescents can be convinced to follow them. Federally sponsored nutrition literacy training and
exercise incentive programs intended to motivate a change in adolescent eating behavior are
proving ineffective.

This treatise proposes engineering a low-cost nutrient-filled health-sustaining snack that
competes with the nutrient-poor snacks readily available to teenagers and children, thus paving a
true avenue towards achieving a decrease in the prevalence of obesity among American youth.
Marketing the alternative snack to the snacking generation at a price that they can afford will
circumvent the obvious resistance shown to the obesity prevention recommendations made by
the United States Department of Agriculture, World Health Organization, Center For Disease
Control and Prevention and other federal and state agencies. As a nation, we need to make
solving childhood obesity a top priority.

Revolutionize Modern Snacks © 2012 Epiphany Enterprise I, LLC. All Rights Reserved Page 2

Revolutionize Modern Snacks: Reducing Incidence of
Obesity in American Youth
Much of adult obesity has its roots in childhood; in fact, the principal predictor of adult obesity is
childhood obesity. Obesity is a chronic multidimensional problem and is not only a measure of
the amount of body fat in an individual. The World Health Organization established a simple
inexpensive and reasonably objective method of indirectly estimating total subcutaneous and
visceral fat content referred to as body mass index (BMI). For adults who have obtained their
maximal height, a BMI of 25-30 kg/m2 is ―overweight‖ and >30 kg/m2 is ―obese‖. It should be
noted that BMI is not an accurate measure for everyone, particularly people who have much
muscle mass (like athletes), elderly people with less muscle mass or people less than 5 feet tall...


A practical definition of obesity is excess body fat sufficiently large to It is necessary to use the
adversely affect good health or cause premature death. In an obese more complex computation
person as fat cells increase in size, the adipose tissue begin to produce for children body mass index
bioactive substances, hormones, in excess of levels experienced by because BMI exhibits
nonlinear variation during
persons with BMIs less than 25. The presence of bioactive substances
pre-adolescent growth.
causes insulin resistance Type II Diabetes. The effects of accumulation
of adipose tissue deposits vary as a function of age, ethnicity and sex.

Pediatric obesity charts have been developed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) that factor in the child waist circumference, sex , birth date (to get exact age in months),
and age-specific clinical growth charts data to generate a BMI scale. The percentile curves
generated apply to youth ages 2-20 years.

PEDIATRIC BMI CHARTS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

The CDC chart identifies children possessing BMI in the 5th to 85th percentile as having ―healthy
weight‖. BMI in the 85th to 95th percentile indicates ―at risk for overweight‖ while 95th to 99th
percentile is recorded as ―overweight‖ and greater than 99th is considered pediatric obesity.
Research indicates that a decrease in daily energy expenditure without a concomitant decrease in
total energy consumption is an underlying factor for the increase in childhood obesity. The use of


the term ―epidemic‖ is apt when applied to the prevalence of obesity in America. Among the
tragedies of the current obesity epidemic is the increasing prevalence of obesity in the very
young; obesity is evident in children in the first year of life.

MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Being overweight during childhood and adolescence increases the risk of developing high
cholesterol, hypertension, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problems, depression and Type 2
Diabetes as a youth. The hospital costs alone associated with childhood obesity were estimated at
$127 million during 1997–1999 up from $35 million during 1979–1981. Researchers at the
University of Michigan found that an increased fat mass accelerates puberty in girls; girls with
higher BMI reach puberty earlier than normal-weight counterparts.


Adolescents are at risk for nutritional problems both from a physiological and a psychosocial
standpoint because there is a dramatic increase in
physical growth and development which creates a high The statistics on food advertising to
demand for nutrients and energy. Psychosocial children indicate that annual sales of
changes, such as the adolescent‘s search for foods and beverages to young
independence and identity, concerns about appearance, consumers exceeded $27 billion in
and active peer-pressure-driven lifestyles, can have a 2002; Food and beverage advertisers
strong impact on nutrient intake and food choices. collectively spend $10 to $12 billion
Nutrition and health educators find that implementing annually to reach children and youth:
educational programs promoting healthy eating more than $1 billion is spent on
patterns to secure change in dietary behavior among media advertising to children
adolescents challenging and frustrating. I. Mary Story (primarily on television); more than
and Michael D. Resnick, Adolescent Health Program, $4.5 billion is spent on youth-
University of Minnesota investigated the opinions and targeted public relations; and $3
views of adolescents and found that adolescents were billion is spent on packaging
knowledgeable about good health and nutrition designed for children. Fast food
practices, but they did not translate this knowledge into outlets spend $3 billion in television
choosing nutritious food behavior. Adolescents ads targeted to children.
revealed that their dietary behaviors are driven by lack
of time, lack of discipline, and lack of a sense of
urgency to do the right thing.

The primary appeal of junk foods, according to the students, is the taste. Most stated they liked
and ate such foods despite the consequences of ―getting fat,‖ ―acne,‖ ―bad health,‖ ―poor
nutrition,‖ ―cavities,‖ and ―getting sick.‖ The second most popular reason given for eating junk
food snacks was that junk foods are convenient. Always seeming to be in a hurry, adolescents
find junk food to be a necessary part of their busy lives. This choice is made despite the students‘
understanding that junk food is high in sugar, fat and calories;
Nutrient-poor and calorie- high in additives; fattening and lacking nutritional value.
laden snacks are more Betty Ruth Carruth, et.al. at the University of Tennessee
available to the low income conducted a survey questionnaire which addressed adolescents'
population than fresh fruit. television viewing habits, snacking frequency and usual foods
consumed while watching television, and frequency of
communication with parents and peers regarding food advertisements and food purchasing. Eight
hundred and eighty seven students enrolled in 10th through 12th grades revealed that the most
frequently consumed snacks were soft drinks, sweets, chips, and popcorn. Snacks purchased and
consumed by adolescents were rarely discussed with parents.


Bureaucrats have followed the tenet that nutrition interventions must involve an increase in an
individual‘s personal valuation of health and by understanding adolescents‘ perceptions towards
food and nutrition along with factors that influence adolescent food behavior, nutrition
intervention models can be designed and adolescents can be convinced to follow them. In 2003,
the National Assessment of Adult Literacy set
USDA RECOMMENDED FOOD CHART
out to establish a basis upon which to frame
the nutrition literacy problem in the United
States. A scale that measures ―the degree to
which individuals have the capacity to obtain,
process and understand basic health
information and services needed to make
appropriate health decisions was developed.
The study revealed that 44% of adult
Americans have ―basic‖ to ―below basic‖ level
of health literacy and that health literacy was
greatest for the high school graduates and post-
secondary educated persons. People living
below the levels of poverty have lower health literacy than those above it.

Federal and state organizations have invested heavily in supporting nutrition literacy:

1. The Family Nutrition Program is a free nutrition education program serving low-income
adults; helping families, participating in the Food Stamp Program, stretch their food
dollar and form healthful eating habits. This program is funded by the Food Nutrition
Service‘s branch of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) usually through
a local state academic institution which runs the program.

2. Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program is a program that currently operates in
all 50 states and in American Samoa, Guam, Micronesia, Northern Marianas, Puerto
Rico, and the Virgin Islands. It is designed to assist limited-resource audiences in
acquiring the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and changed behavior necessary for
nutritionally sound diets, and to contribute to their personal development and the
improvement of the total family diet and nutritional well-being.

3. Smart Bodies is a public-private partnership between Louisiana State Agricultural Center
and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation which formed to promote
nutrition literacy. It is an interactive educational program designed to help prevent
childhood obesity through classroom activities that teach children healthful eating habits
and physical exercise.

To date, advancing ―nutrition literacy‖ has done little to improve the eating habits of adolescents
and low socioeconomic citizens. Adolescents view time as a major factor in choosing what they
eat because they see themselves too busy to worry about food, nutrition, meal planning, and
eating right. Expressing these views, teenagers said, ―People our age are so busy that we don’t

have enough time to try to change habits.‖ ―We don’t have the time – too many pressures.‖
―There’s a lot more than food that’s really important to us‖. The fast food generation expects to
eat a well-advertised meal within ten minutes of requesting it. There is little incentive to spend
hours in a grocery store selecting and purchasing products that must be washed and cooked
before it can be consumed. Today much of what is purchased in the grocery store is a pre-
packaged frozen entree that can be micro-waved into a hot meal in less than 10 minutes.

Numerous parental influences shape the eating habits of
youth through the foods they make available and Health and nutrition have
accessible, the amount of time children are left been proven to have close
unsupervised and their eating interactions with others in links with overall educational
the social context. Studies suggest that parental food success. Better nutrition has
preferences directly influence and shape those of their been shown to have an impact
children. Parents who ate diets high in saturated fats also on both cognitive and spatial
had children that ate diets high in saturated fats. This is memory performance.
not merely due to the foods parents fed their children,
but also the preferences in food selection that children
saw their parents exhibit. Many taste preferences form during the window prior to learning to
walk. Family meal time has been a time-honored convention in our society; however over the
past two decades, family structure has changed significantly in the United States with an increase
in single-parent families and home-makers employed outside the home. These factors profoundly
influence family communalism especially eating meals together. In a Minnesota study, urban
students tended to be more indifferent to family meals than rural or suburban youth. Although
students valued the concept of family communalism, many stated that their work schedules,
sports, and other extracurricular activities (or their parents‘ schedules) often prevented sit-down
family meals.
Responsibility for obesity is In the U.S. and abroad, globalization has been linked to
divided into behaviors fewer home cooked meals, more calories consumed in
characterized as individual restaurants, increased snacking between meals, and increased
and those attributed to the availability of fast foods in schools. Children and adolescents
environment. Dr. Kelly are eating more food away from home, drinking more sugar-
Brownell, a Yale Obesity sweetened drinks, and snacking more frequently.
Center scientist and author of Convenience has become one of the main criteria for
Food Fight, believes American‘s food choices today, leading more and more
individuals are responsible people to consume ‗away-from-home‘ quick service or
for 40% of obesity and the restaurant meals or to buy ready-to-eat, low cost, quickly
environment is responsible accessible meals to prepare at home. Energy intake from
for 60%. away-from-home food sources increased from 32% to 55 %.
Average portion sizes increased for salty snacks from 1.0
ounce to 1.6 ounces and soft drinks volumes from 12 ounces to 20 ounces. Children as young as
seven months old are consuming soda.


Debates about how and to what extent
The food processing industry, in
different dietary factors, such as, the intake of
industrialized nations, has grown to
processed carbohydrates, total protein, fat, and
dominate the presentation and
low intake of vitamins/minerals, contribute to
consumption mode of food. The food
the development of hormonal disturbances
processing industry is a major part of
such as insulin resistance has been on-going
modern economy, and as such it is
for decades. Virtually all obese people and
influential in political decisions such as
most Type 2 diabetic individuals have marked
nutritional recommendations, agricultural
insulin resistance. The association between
subsidizing. In any known profit-driven
overweight and insulin resistance is clear.
economy, health considerations are hardly
Newer studies show that obesity also increases
a priority; effective production of cheap
the body‘s resistance to the hormone leptin.
foods with a long shelf-life is more the
Leptin is a hormone that is synthesized in the
trend.
stomach but acts on receptors in the brain
where it inhibits appetite. Both insulin and
leptin normally function as satiety signals to the
brain. In obese people, insulin-leptin resistances reduce satiety signals and allow overeating.
Several lines of evidence indicate an increased level of circulating insulin is a decisive factor in
chronic inflammation, which is strongly linked to arterial micro injuries and clot formation, seen
in heart disease and uncontrolled cell division, seen in cancer and is characterized by abdominal
obesity, elevated blood sugar, elevated blood pressure, elevated blood triglycerides, and reduced
HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol.

Fast food consumption is associated with inexpensive calorie-dense diets, and the price disparity
between the low-nutrient/ high-calorie foods and healthier food options continues to grow. Fats
and sweets cost only 30% more than they did 20 years ago, whereas the cost of fresh produce has
increased more than 100%. Studies in Seattle supermarkets showed that foods with the lowest
energy density (mostly fresh vegetables and fruit) increased in price by almost 20% over 2 years,
whereas the price of energy-dense foods high in sugar and fat remained constant.

Data collected in a 2009-2010 study performed by the National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey show that there is a significant Type 2 Diabetes
difference in obesity prevalence by race/ethnicity. There are cultural has increased
influences and socioeconomic constraints, such as low levels of dramatically in
education and high levels of poverty that decrease opportunities for children and
healthful eating and living. Links between low health literacy and poor adolescents.
health outcomes have been widely documented. The complexities
surrounding the lack of positive response from teaching nutrition literacy are embedded in the
social structure, the lack of information about food choices, the lack of understanding of
nutritional information and its application to individual circumstances, as well as limited access
to healthful foods are secondary to the convenience of acquiring a meal.


Culture is a system of shared understandings that shapes an individual‘s perspective and provides
meaning to rules for behavior that are normative – expected to be what everyone should do.
Culture, unlike instinct, is learned; is distributed within a group such that everyone possesses the
same knowledge, attitudes, and practices; thereby enabling members of the group to
communicate with one another and behave in ways that are mutually interpretable. Shared
understandings embodied by a culture include the perception of obesity and the extent to which
the group views obesity as a problem. Culture contributes to disparities in childhood obesity in
numerous ways. First, body image development occurs in a cultural context, and ethnic/cultural
groups differ in their shared understandings as to valued and disvalued body image. For instance,
perceived ideal body size for African American women is significantly larger than it is for white
women, and African American men are more likely than white men to express a preference for
larger body size in women. The mean BMI at which white women typically express body
dissatisfaction is significantly lower than that for African American women. For many years
African-American culture developed separately from mainstream American culture, both
because of slavery and the persistence of racial discrimination in America, as well as African-
American slave descendants' desire to create and maintain their own traditions. Traditionally-
prepared ―soul‖ foods tend to be very high in starch, fat, sodium, cholesterol, and calories –
qualities once necessary for sustaining
the physically grueling life of a captive
worker in slavery-era America. Given
that women typically assume primary
responsibility for the care, feeding, and
education of children, including the
transmission of shared cultural
understandings, the beliefs that women
More than 2,500 years
possess with respect to their own body ago the physician
image have implications for their Hippocrates, often called
perception of and response to the body the father of medicine,
recognized that people
image of their children.
who were overweight
were at higher risk for
Obesity, as defined by pediatric BMI sudden death.
charts, disproportionately affects
minority youth populations: 21%
African American adolescents ages 12-
19 are overweight compared to 14% of
white adolescents. In children 6-11 years
old, 20 percent of African American
children and 14 percent of white children were overweight.

The current understanding of obesity by the public at large consists mainly of two positions. One
position equates obesity with poor character, lack of self-control, laziness, and gluttony. It views


obesity as the result of an individual's choice of behavior, like smoking or driving without a
seatbelt, that has relatively little effect on others—a lifestyle choice. Reduction in body weight
for its own sake is often associated with vanity or seen as a cosmetic issue. The other position
sees obesity as a risk factor for heart disease or diabetes. In this view, a reduction in obesity is
seen as useful in reducing the risk of other diseases.

Nutrition’s Role in Obesity
There is no argument against the belief that eating
It was in 1920s, that Herman Lay, a
nutrient-filled foods sustains good health and helps
traveling salesman, helped popularize
avoid diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity
the potato chip snack from Atlanta to
and establishing long-term healthful eating habits have
Tennessee. Lay peddled potato chips to
a positive effect on the quality of life. However,
Southern grocers out of the trunk of his
Americans are eating more potato chips, more fatty
car, building a business and a name that
meats, and more fried fast food than ever before. There
would become synonymous with the
are more fast food restaurants in this country per capita
thin, salty snack. And as thin, salted,
than at any other time in history. Studies show that the
crisp chips, they are America's favorite
average American gets in excess of 40% of his calories snack food. The success of crisp fried
from fat. In industrialized countries, traditional diets potato chips also gave birth to fried corn
high in complex carbohydrates and fiber have been chips, with such brands as Fritos and
replaced with high-fat, energy-dense diets. Rural Doritos dominating the market.
immigrants abandon traditional diets rich in vegetables Americans today consume more potato
and cereal in favor of processed foods and animal chips than any other people in the
products. The newer, more improved, methods of food world.
processing have blossomed despite clear scientific
evidence that processing natural foods remove much
needed nutrients.

Most interventions have used only health education, awareness, and behavior change approaches
to improve individual and small-group behaviors, with minimal long-term success. Some
organizations have worked with teachers, policymakers, and managed foodservice contractors to
mandate improved nutritional content and increased nutritional resources in school cafeterias
from primary to university level institutions. However, current medical education pays minimal
attention to the problem of obesity, and even that is geared to the concept of obesity as a lifestyle
choice rather than a physiological problem. Lifestyle modification is rarely taught to medical
students, whether it be for smoking, drug abuse, alcoholism, or obesity. Obesity itself is usually
the subject of very limited, often optional presentations. There has never been a federally-funded
initiative to create a nutrient-rich snack priced to fit in the low income population budget; one
that can successfully compete with aggressively advertised potato and corn chips.


.

Glycemic Index Each food is assigned an
index number from 1-100,
100 with 100 as the reference
80
60 score for pure glucose.
40
20 Typically, foods are rated
0
Carbohydrates high (greater than 70), low
(less than 55) or moderate
(56-69).

There are six major classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, minerals, protein, vitamins, and
water. These nutrient classes can be categorized as either macronutrients (needed in relatively
large amounts) or micronutrients (needed in smaller quantities). The macronutrients include
carbohydrates, fats, protein, and water. The micronutrients are minerals, vitamins/phytochemicals.

Most processed snacks are carbohydrates with high glycemic index values. Glycemic index
measures how much a 50-gram portion of carbohydrate raises a person's blood-sugar level
compared with the control, 16 ounces of water. All carbohydrates are digested into glucose and
the rise in blood glucose levels defines glycemic response. This response is affected by many
factors: the quantity of food, degree of processing, the amount and type of carbohydrate and the
cooking method. Good management of blood glucose level is one of the keys to lifelong health.
Choosing low glycemic index carbohydrates – the ones that produce low glycemic response -
reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Nutritionists have preached the benefits of a low-fat diet; stating that reducing the amount of fat
in the diet is the key to losing weight, managing cholesterol, and preventing health problems.
Research shows that the type of fat that is consumed is what is really important. ―Bad‖ fats
increase cholesterol and the risk of certain diseases, while ―good‖ fats have the opposite effect.
Saturated fat (bad fat) should be limited to 10% of calories consumed daily. Saturated fats are
found in animal products such as butter, cheese, whole milk, ice cream, cream, fatty meats and
some vegetable oils -- coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils. Saturated fats elevate LDL (low
density lipoprotein) cholesterol, referred to as ―bad cholesterol‖. Saturated fats are often found in
fast foods and inexpensive snacks.

Dietary fats are found in both plant and animal foods. Fats play a vital role in maintaining
healthy skin and hair, insulating body organs against shock, maintaining body temperature, and
promoting healthy cell function. Fat helps the body absorb and move vitamins A, D, E, and K


through the bloodstream. The body
processes ingested fat into glycerol, which It has been demonstrated, conclusively, that
appropriate exercise along with reduced glycemic
is converted to glucose and used as a index foods can reverse insulin resistance in
source of energy. Omega-3 fats and overweight individuals and thereby lower blood
essential fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic sugar levels in those who have Type 2 Diabetes.
acid) have important roles in controlling
inflammation, blood clotting, and
supporting brain development. Conjugated linoleic acids are being studied and show an ability to
reduce total body fat and increase lean body mass by 1% per week while increased resting
metabolic rates. Dietary fat in excess of that used to supply energy is stored in the body as either
"visceral fat" located within the abdominal cavity, beneath the wall of abdominal muscle, or
"subcutaneous fat" located beneath the skin. Visceral fat was recently discovered to be a
significant producer of signaling chemicals, hormone-like substances, which adversely affect the
biochemical processes of the body.

Proteins are found in both plant and animal foods; they are composed of amino acids. Proteins
are the building components of muscles, skin, and hair and enzymes that control chemical
reactions throughout the body. Each protein is composed of amino acids. A diet rich in essential
amino acids is particularly important during pregnancy, fetal development, lactation, early
childhood growth, and recovery from injury. Most meats such as chicken contain all the essential
amino acids needed for humans. Proteins participate in every process within cells acting as
enzymes that catalyze biochemical reactions vital to metabolism. Proteins also have structural or
mechanical functions in muscle, cell signaling, immune responses, cell adhesion, and the cell
repair. Other amino acids are used to synthesize enzymes, hormones and signaling proteins
necessary for biochemical processes that maintain life. Many proteins are involved in the
process of cell signaling, transmitting chemical signals from one cell to another or acting as
receptors, binding signaling molecules that induce a biochemical response in the cell. Antibodies
are protein components that bind foreign substances in the body and target them for destruction.
Some amino acids produced by protein digestion is converted to glucose and utilized for energy.
The use of protein as a fuel is particularly important under starvation conditions.

Plants absorb/ uptake essential elements from the soil through their roots. Trace chemicals,
identified as phytochemicals, are found in edible plants, colorful fruits and vegetables,
seafood, algae, and mushrooms. They provide health benefits to the cardiovascular system,
immune system and are helpful in the prevention and treatment of age-related macular
degeneration (a major cause of blindness), and cataracts. Ingestion of these trace minerals
serve to protect the rods and cones within the eye against the destructive effects of oxidation.
Dietary minerals (also known as mineral nutrients) are the chemical elements that, when
ingested, act as electrolytes that support biochemical reactions within the body.


DIETARY MINERALS

Calcium, a common electrolyte, but also needed structurally (for muscle and
digestive system health, bone strength, some forms neutralize acidity, may help
clear toxins, provides signaling ions for nerve and membrane functions)

Magnesium, required for processing ATP and related reactions (builds bone, causes
strong peristalsis, increases flexibility, increases alkalinity)
Phosphorus-essential for energy processing; component of bones
Potassium-heart and nerve health
Sodium very common in food
Sulfur found in many proteins which make up skin, hair, nails, liver, and pancreas
Cobalt is required for biosynthesis of vitamin B12 which is an essential vitamin for
humans.
Copper required component of many reducing-oxidizing enzymes
Chromium required for sugar metabolism
Iodine required for the biosynthesis of thyroxine, thyroid hormone, and other
agents in glandular organs- breast, stomach, salivary glands.
Iron required for many enzymes and for hemoglobin in blood
Manganese(processing of oxygen within tissue
Molybdenum required for xanthine oxidase and related oxidases
Nickel present in urease
Selenium required for peroxidase (antioxidant proteins)
Zinc required for several enzymes such as carboxypeptidase, liver alcohol
dehydrogenase, and carbonic anhydrase

RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCE (RDA) IS 200 mg/day or GREATER


VITAMINS ARE VALUABLE NUTRIENTS

Recommended
Vitamin
Chemical dietary
generic Deficiency disease Food sources
name(s) allowances
name

Retinol, Night-blindness,
Orange vegetables carrots,
Vitamin A retinal, and 900 µg Hyperkeratosis, and
pumpkin, squash, spinach
beta carotene Keratomalacia

Oatmeal, rice, vegetables,
Beriberi, Wernicke-
Vitamin B1 Thiamine 1.2 mg kale, cauliflower, potatoes,
Korsakoff syndrome
liver, eggs

Dairy products, bananas,
Vitamin B2 Riboflavin 1.3 mg Ariboflavinosis popcorn, green beans,
asparagus

Vitamins are recognized as essential nutrients;
deficiencies result in disease conditions, such as goiter,
scurvy, osteoporosis, impaired immune system,
disorders of cell metabolism, cancer, premature aging,
and poor psychological health Some vitamins function
as antioxidants and enzyme cofactors that help
enzymes in their work as catalysts in metabolism.


B-CLASS OF VITAMINS ARE THE LARGEST CLASS OF VITAMINS

Vitamin Recommended
Generic Chemical name dietary allowances Deficiency disease
name

Meat, fish, eggs, many
Vitamin B3 Niacin, niacinamide 16.0 mg Pellagra vegetables, mushrooms,
tree nuts

Vitamin B5 Pantothenic acid 5.0 mg Paresthesia Meat, broccoli, avocados

Anemia peripheral Meat, vegetables, tree
Vitamin B6 Pyridoxine, 1.3–1.7 mg
neuropathy. nuts, bananas

Raw egg yolk, liver,
Vitamin B7 Biotin 30.0 µg Dermatitis, enteritis peanuts, certain
vegetables

Cyanocobalamin,
Megaloblastic Meat and other animal
Vitamin B12 hydroxycobalamin, 2.4 µg
anemia products
methylcobalamin

B vitamins are a group of water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism and
are found in whole unprocessed foods. Processed carbohydrates such as sugar and white flour
tend to have lower contents of B vitamins than their unprocessed counterparts. B vitamins are
particularly concentrated in meat such as turkey, tuna and liver. Good plant sources for B
vitamins include whole grains, potatoes, bananas, lentils, chili peppers, beans, brewer's yeast,
and molasses.

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics are advised to supplement thiamine (B1) because of the high
prevalence of low plasma thiamine concentration and increased thiamine clearance associated
with diabetes. Vitamin B9 (folic acid) deficiency in early embryo development has been linked
to spina bifida, a spinal cord birth defect; women trying to become pregnant are encouraged to
increase daily dietary folic acid intake.


Vitamin Chemical Recommended Deficiency Toxic Food
Generic Name Dietary State Level Sources
Name Allowance

During pregnancy is Leafy vegetables,
Vitamin B9 Folic acid 400 µg associated with 1,000 µg pasta, bread, cereal,
birth defects liver

Many fruits and
Vitamin C Ascorbic acid 90.0 mg Scurvy 2,000 mg
vegetables, liver

Rickets and Fish, eggs, liver,
Vitamin D Cholecalciferol 5.0 µg–10 µg 50 µg
Osteomalacia mushrooms

Mild hemolytic
Tocopherols, Many fruits and
Vitamin E 15.0 mg anemia in newborn 1,000 mg
tocotrienols vegetables
infants

phylloquinone,
Vitamin K 120 µg Bleeding diathesis
menaquinones

For the most part, vitamins are obtained through eating food, however, microorganisms in the
intestine — commonly known as "gut flora" — produce Vitamin K and Biotin. Vitamin D is
synthesized in the skin with the help of the natural ultraviolet wavelength of sunlight and
Vitamin A is synthesized from beta carotene, niacin, and the amino acid tryptophan. Vitamins
are essential nutrients for the healthy maintenance of cells, tissues, and organs; they enable
efficient use of chemical energy and help process proteins, carbohydrates, and fats required for
respiration.

Phytochemicals have been researched widely over the last decade and found to have major roles
in maintaining good health. They are antioxidants and have been found to prevent inflammatory
injuries within the veins, arteries and capillaries, decrease molecular free radicals that initiate
cancerous processes. Polyphenols are a subtype of phytochemicals that have become of interest
in the battle against obesity. It is a water soluble compound that is found in vegetables and fruit;
most notably pomegranates and green tea leaves. This compound is most easily recognized by its


tendency to turn fruit and some vegetables ―brown‖ quickly once the skin has been removed;
good examples are sliced apples and shredded carrots. Several studies have shown that a group
of polyphenol antioxidant compounds found in grapes, green tea, soybeans and red wine may
lower the risk of cancer. Other polyphenols, such as quercetin in onion extract, are able to
increase the intracellular concentration of glutathione by approximately 50%. Glutathione is an
essential cellular molecule with an important role in oxidation-reduction processes that reduces
the risk of cell injury and cancer formation. There is now evidence that polyphenols are helpful
in mediating diabetic retinopathy (a major cause of blindness)

PHYTOCHEMICAL GROUPS AND COMMON SOURCES

Family Sources Possible benefits

Berries, herbs, vegetables, General antioxidant, oxidation of LDLs, prevention of
Flavonoids
wine, grapes, tea arteriosclerosis and heart disease

Isoflavones General antioxidant, prevention of arteriosclerosis and heart
Soy, red clover, kudzu root
(phytoestrogens) disease, easing symptoms of menopause, cancer prevention

Isothiocyanates Cruciferous vegetables cancer prevention

Citrus peels, essential oils,
Monoterpenes Cancer prevention, treating gallstones
herbs, spices, green plants,

Organosulfur cancer prevention, lowered LDLs, assistance to the immune
Chives, garlic, onions
compounds system

Hypercholesterolemia, Hyperglycemia, Antioxidant, cancer
Saponins Beans, cereals, herbs
prevention, Anti-inflammatory

Capsaicinoids All capiscum (chile) peppers Topical pain relief, cancer prevention, cancer cell apoptosis

A study performed at the Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh looked at the effects of green
tea consumption on a group of students between the ages of 19–37. Participants were asked not
to alter their diet but to add 4 cups of green tea per day for 14 days. The results showed that
short-term consumption of commercial green tea reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure,
total cholesterol, body fat and body weight. These results suggest a role for green tea in
decreasing cardiovascular risk factors.

For complete good health, adequate amounts of water must be consumed. Recommendations for
the quantity of water required for maintenance of good health are six to eight glasses of water


daily. The current European Food Safety Authority guidelines recommend total water intakes of
2.0 liters per day for adult females and 2.5 liters per day for adult males. These reference values
include liquids from drinking water, other beverages, and from food. About 80% of our daily
water requirement comes from the beverages we drink, with the remaining 20% coming from
food. Water intake varies depending on the type of food consumed; fresh fruit and vegetables
contain liquid more than cereals and nuts.

Eating a variety of fresh, whole, unprocessed, foods have proven favorable for one's health
compared to diets based on processed foods because consumption of whole-plant foods slows
digestion and allows better absorption, there is a balance between essential nutrients, calorie
content and natural fiber which better regulates appetite and blood sugar. Fiber from whole
grains lessens spikes of insulin release and therefore reduces the complexities of managing Type
2 Diabetes. The United Healthcare/Pacificare nutrition guideline recommends a whole plant food
diet and using protein only as a condiment with meals. A National Geographic cover article from
November 2005, entitled The Secrets of Living Longer, studied three populations, Sardinians,
Okinawans and Adventists, who generally display longevity and suffer a fraction of the diseases
that commonly kill people in other parts of the developed world. The recommendation coming
out of the study was that everyone should "Eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains" to enjoy the
benefits of a long disease-free life.

In general, whole, fresh foods have a relatively short shelf-life and are less profitable to produce
and sell than are more processed foods. Thus, the consumer is left with the choice between more
expensive, but nutritionally superior, whole, fresh foods, and cheap, usually nutritionally
inferior, processed foods. Because processed foods are often cheaper, more convenient in
storage, and more available, the consumption of nutritionally inferior foods make up a greater
proportion of the diet of lower-income individuals. In U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
studies, female recipients of food assistance had more energy-dense diets, consumed fewer
vegetables and fruit, and were more likely to be obese.

In a 2010, CDC report, it was estimated that there are 67 million obese and 85 million
overweight Americans and it predicted that if no action was taken to affect the obesity trend,
60% of men, 50% of women and 25% of children would be obese by 2050. Accordingly, direct
costs caused by obesity are estimated to be $4.2 billion per year and forecast to more than double
by 2050. In adults (ages 20-74), obesity was measured at14.5% in 1980 and 30.4% in 2000.
Diabetes prevalence, clinically linked to obesity, increased 53% in the same period. In 2002,
health costs among obese adults averaged $1,244 more per person than for normal-weight adults.


Time to Think Outside the Box

First Lady Michelle Obama is leading with the History holds dramatic examples
banner calling for intervention against the of the adverse effects of food
increasing obesity trend among America‘s processing on a population's health:
youth. In a speech to congress, she stated that BeriBeri Epidemic among people
the obesity situation has become very serious, subsisting on polished rice
especially in black communities. She fears that (removing the outer layer of rice
today's children "might be the first generation in removes the essential vitamin,
history on track to lead shorter lives than their thiamine). A deficiency in
parents." The recent explosive introduction of thiamine causes BeriBeri. In the
processed foods has overwhelmed the body's late 19th century, infants in the
ability to maintain homeostasis and an obesity United States developed Scurvy.
epidemic is raging. Processed foods have an The sufferers were being fed milk
inferior nutritional profile, high glycemic index that had been heat-treated, as
starches, high sodium salt content, low fiber suggested by Dr. Louis Pasteur, to
content, and saturated fatty acids. control bacterial disease;
pasteurization is effective against
bacteria, but it destroyed essential
Vitamin C. The deficiency of
Vitamin C resulted in the disease
Scurvy.


GETTING THE JOB DONE
Chips made from sliced or pureed root vegetables are ideal
for adolescents who need to lose weight, as well as, those
who are at risk of being obese. There is an inherent sweet,
starchy, vitamin-laden goodness in all vegetables. Root
vegetables are among the best diet choices for weight loss
and healthy weight maintenance because they have such
low energy densities and directly absorb minerals and other
nutrients from the soil. The "hot" flavor associated with turnips makes them particularly well
suited to mixing and matching with other root vegetables. Slightly sweet and super crunchy,
white sweet potato taste very similarly to the popular Lays potato chip, parsnips are mild and
earthy and beetroot has a strong salty quality to it after being baked .

According to Mayo-Clinic, root vegetables are a source for high fiber, low fat and low calorie
nutrition. The presence of fiber facilitates the consumption of fewer net calories because its bulk
triggers feelings of satiety. Root vegetables‘ natural sweetness emerges when they are roasted,
soften and begin to caramelize. The calorie values for raw and roasted vegetables are the same.
The white potato, ―Irish potato‖, the ―French Fry potato‖ is a root vegetable and it is second in
human food consumption only to rice. The white potato‘s nutrient value is much less than other
root vegetables. Vitamins and minerals not present in the white potato and processed corn snacks
can be found in alternative root vegetables, all of which are the starchy roots of plants

Vegetable Calories Carbohydrates Fat Fibers Sugar
(grams) (grams) (grams) (grams)
Roasted 30 7 0 2 3.5
Carrot
Cup of 100 24 0.5 0 0
Parsnips
Large Radish 1 0.5 0 0 0
Onion 60 14 0 2.5 6.5
Roasted 50 11.5 0 11.5 0
Turnip
Roasted White 275 63 0.5 6.5 3.5
Potato
Roasted Red 160 37 0.25 6 11.5
Sweet Potato


Overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions in the United States and all parts of
the public and private sectors must take action. Working with National Institute of Food and
Agriculture, a nutritious chip and other ―hand-held‖ foods can be developed, presented to the
target population and the cost subsidized to ensure that the products reach the target population
until the market is established.

3 THINGS THAT MUST BE DONE

1. Develop a delicious recipe for a nutrient-mineral rich crispy snack using
root vegetables rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants working with a land-
grant university Nutrition Department proficient in applied nutrition science
and product manufacturing.

2. Secure federal assistance with packaging, marketing and distributing the
nutritious snack to ensure that the products are affordable by the target
population.

3. Establish agreements with chain stores most often located in low- income
neighbors, to stock and sale product thereby increasing the potential for the
products to be consumed by adolescents most at risk for obesity.

TO INTERRUPT THE GROWING OBESITY TREND AMONG AMERICA’S
ADOLESCENTS

.
Federal participation in the popularization of a commercial product is not new. Notorious is our
government‘s participation in the advancement of the use of tobacco products among military
personnel. United States included cigarettes in rations of deployed soldiers starting in 1917
(World War I) and continued until1975 (Viet Nam War). The federal assistance requested in this
treatise provides an opportunity for America to ameliorate the legacy of tobacco habituation by
providing support for the development of an affordable healthy snack and actively promoting
healthy eating habits among adolescents at risk for obesity. War must be declared against
―obesity‖ because America‘s future is being threatened.


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