Olympic Nutrition: Sport Dietitians and the “Golden” Edge for the 2016 Olympics

In August 2016, Rio de Janeiro will become the first South American city to host the Olympic Games. 10,500 athletes from 205 countries will flood the city with amazing energy along with countless patriotic sporting enthusiasts from around the globe. With the Rio Olympics just around the corner, American athletes and coaches will frequently turn to the five sport dietitians on the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) in the quadrennial quest for “Faster, Higher, Stronger.”  This team of dietitians focuses on service, education, science-based research and today’s best practices to provide the highest level of nutritional support to American Olympians.  USOC dietitians play an important role in ensuring our athletes’ meet their needs on and off the field and during travel periods.  The dietitians are frequently working alongside food service managers in order to serve up delicious, nutritious, performance-enhancing menus.     US Olympic swimming and track and field athletes go to Alicia Kendig, MS, RD, CSSD.  She joined the USOC as a registered sport dietitian in 2011 and has helped athletes of all ages, levels and backgrounds achieve their personal performance goals.  Kendig holds a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and a master’s degree in public health nutrition from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Here, we pick her brain on how the Olympians eat:   FoodInsight: How do Olympic athletes eat 7,000+ calories every day in a nutritious way? Alicia Kendig, MS, RD, CSSD:  Not just one strategy will work for everyone.  I create a plan by first asking what their current eating habits are, then determine what parts of their training days they can improve.  These areas could be: Also, I recommend that they drink some of their calories in the form of smoothies and heavier soups.  Liquids are easier to get down and digest and can be an easy […]

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Caffeine and Your Health with Becki Holmes, MS, RDN, LDN [PODCAST]

A lot of us like to start our day with a little caffeine pick-me-up like a fresh cup of coffee, and others swear by their afternoon tea. Caffeine has been enjoyed in foods and beverages for over 1,000 years. But even though it has been around for so long, there are still misconceptions floating around that need to be cleared up. In this episode of DataDish: Your Trusted Serving of Science, we’ll get the buzz on caffeine from Becki Holmes, a Registered Dietitian and expert health consultant who has held numerous elected positions within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Some of the topics Becki addresses include: What caffeine is and where it comes from. Caffeine comes from a variety of natural sources but also can be synthesized. Beverages are the leading consumption source. Potential safety concerns. Caffeine is one of the most-studied food ingredients on Earth. Leading authorities concur that it is safe and can be enjoyed as part of a healthy lifestyle. What “moderation” means in terms of consumption levels. “Moderate” is a guideline, not a target. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans say 400 mg daily is considered moderate intake, which translates roughly to five shots of espresso, four cups of home-brewed coffee, five 20-oz. bottles of cola or five 8-oz. energy drinks. Caffeine sensitivity. Some people are more sensitive than others. The effects of caffeine are both learned and personal. Your experience can vary based on factors like genetics, level of physical activity and age. Positive benefits. Caffeine can help you be more alert, energized and focused. It is well-studied for its effects on perceptions of exertion among athletes. Science suggests it can also have potential benefits for long-term chronic health conditions, such as protection against neurological degenerative diseases. Reproductive health or maternal health. Women of reproductive […]

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GMOs with Mark Lynas [Podcast]

While genetically engineered foods (genetically modified organisms or “GMOs”) have been safely produced and consumed for more than 20 years, debate and controversy over the technology have persisted. On this edition of DataDish: Your Trusted Serving of Science, we talk to Mark Lynas, a visiting Fellow at Cornell University’s Office of International Programs at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Mark also works with the Cornell Alliance for Science (which is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) and is the author of several books focused on climate change, biotechnology and nuclear power. Some of the highlights include:

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Recalls, Allergens and Bacteria. Oh My! [Podcast]

Foodborne illness outbreaks and food recalls can cause many of us to think twice about what to buy in our local grocery stores and restaurants. While the United States has one of the safest food systems in the world, it appears as though our food is not without flaws. If you want to understand better how food recalls happen, how our food system is regulated, and what does the future hold for our food system, read on. In this edition of DataDish, we will talk with Dr. Ben Chapman, who is an associate professor and food safety extension specialist at North Carolina State University. Dr. Chapman received his doctorate in plant agriculture in 2009 from the University of Guelph. Notably, Dr. Chapman’s research group designs, implements and evaluates the effectiveness of food safety strategies and messages among consumers. Some highlights from our conversation include:

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[Part 2] What Is a Registered Dietitian? An Interview with Khursheed Navder, PhD, RDN

Most of us would be hard-pressed to go a day without thinking or talking about food and nutrition. After all, everyone needs to eat. But what about those who want to make nutrition their career? In honor of National Nutrition Month, we’re exploring the world of registered dietitians (RDs): what it takes to become an RD, what sets them apart from other similar-sounding specialties, and how the field of nutrition is changing and adapting to new healthcare challenges. For this two-part series, we interviewed Dr. Khursheed Navder, a professor and director of the nutrition program at Hunter College in New York City, where she oversees the undergraduate, graduate and dietetic internship programs. She created the master’s of science in nutrition curriculum at Hunter and has worked to provide unique pathways for inner-city students to pursue a full-time nutrition education. She has been a recipient of the Outstanding Dietetic Educator Award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and she has held several elected positions within the Academy and the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Read the first half of our interview here. Can you tell us about the requirements and the process for becoming a registered dietitian? If someone wants to go into the field, what can they expect? There are two main options for students who are pursuing the RD credential. One track is where the didactic (meaning “educational” or “instructional”) coursework is completed first, and then they go through a dietetic internship where they complete another 1,200 hours or so of supervised practice. Then, they are eligible to sit for the RD exam. The second track is where both the didactic and the internship components are coordinated, and these are relatively shorter programs. One thing to note is that to date, the entry into the profession is at the […]

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Five Top Takeaways About Today’s Processed Foods Landscape

The dialogue around processed food is noisier than ever, and the constant barrage of media headlines about the purported harms of all processed foods has no end in sight. The International Food Information Council (IFIC) educational webinar, “The Processed Paradox: Consumer Insights Into Today’s Most Controversial Foods,” explores today’s processed foods landscape utilizing IFIC consumer research and insights to highlight what consumers are thinking and doing about today’s most controversial subject in nutrition: processed foods. Here are IFIC’s five top takeaways: 1. Americans care about what they eat, yet how that translates into their eating pattern varies. The vast majority (84%) of Americans say that eating healthy is important to them. Those who make $80,000+ annually and those with a college degree are more likely to say that eating healthy is “Very Important.” One of the ways this priority is expressed is through following an overall eating pattern. Slightly more than half of participants in the 2023 IFIC Food & Health Survey (52%) reported following a specific diet or eating pattern in the last year. High protein (18%) and mindful eating (17%) led the way as the two most popular diets. These were followed by calorie counting, clean eating, and intermittent fasting (each at 12%). An uptick in those who selected mindful eating in 2023 may signal a desire for a more holistic yet realistic approach to eating. Still, almost half (48%) report not following the structure of a specific diet or eating pattern. 2. The Nova food classification system serves as the current, yet incomplete, methodology cited in the scientific literature as well as media stories regarding processed foods, likely impacting consumers’ perceptions. The Nova classification system is the most utilized food classification approach documented in the scientific literature and has recently crossed over into mainstream media, with possibly […]

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Top Three Takeaways About Low- and No-Calorie Sweetener Safety

Once upon a time in human evolution, finding sweet-tasting foods was considered critical for survival, as they were thought to signal a safe source of calories. By the early 1900s, people were interested in calorie-free sources of sweetness. American President Teddy Roosevelt famously enjoyed saccharin; the original no-calorie sweetener that was discovered in the 1870s. His use of saccharin sparked public conversations about low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) that continue to this day. One of the most common questions that people have about LNCS such as aspartame, saccharin, stevia, and sucralose is: “Are they safe to consume?” A large body of scientific literature has addressed LNCS safety concerns, yet International Food Information Council (IFIC) consumer research has found that most people do not rely on scientific journals to inform their opinion of LNCS safety, instead preferring to do their own research. Our February 2024 webinar, “Breaking Down the Basics and Biological Fate of Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners,” focused on how our bodies handle LNCS, from consumption to excretion, and everything in between. Here are the top three takeaways. 1. The public has questions about low- and no-calorie sweetener safety. LNCS are some of the most studied ingredients in the history of our food supply. Governments and independent researchers from around the world have investigated LNCS for more than 100 years. Today, LNCS are approved for use around the world. While our scientific understanding of LNCS safety has evolved, many consumers continue to have questions. Part of this curiosity may stem from a lack of awareness about the LNCS approval process. IFIC 2023 consumer research on dietary sweeteners found that 20% of survey takers are unsure about who is responsible for approving the use of LNCS in the U.S. Eight percent believe no authority is responsible, while only 33% believe that […]

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Caffeine’s Consumer Conundrum

While highly studied and approved for safe use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and many other global regulatory agencies, caffeine remains a controversial ingredient and a heated topic of discussion. March is National Caffeine Month and at the International Food Information Council (IFIC) we are observing the month by shedding light on consumer knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to caffeine–as well as potential implications and opportunities to improve consumer understanding about this controversial ingredient. Consumers Love Caffeine The recent IFIC Spotlight Survey: Caffeine, conducted with a representative sample of 1,000 US adults (18 years and older) revealed that the vast majority of consumers (88%) consume caffeine. Of those, eight in 10 report consuming it daily, and close to half (47%) say they consume caffeine multiple times per day. The top two reasons given for caffeine intake are “it’s part of my routine” (30%) and “I enjoy the taste of products that contain caffeine” (21%). Energy is also a key driver of caffeine consumption with 17% saying “it gives me a quick boost of energy” and 13% stating that “it makes me feel awake/alert for longer periods of time.” Most respondents report consuming caffeine from coffee (54%), followed by soft drinks (17%). Just over three-fourths (78%) say that caffeine is safe to consume. Caffeine Confusion While consumers seem content with their caffeine consumption, this IFIC Spotlight Survey illuminated key places where knowledge deficits exist. For instance, only 35% of those surveyed know that the federal government is responsible for approving the safe use of caffeine as an ingredient in the food supply. Importantly, only a small number (6%) correctly identified the safe daily amount of caffeine for a non-pregnant, healthy adult. Further, 46% of respondents admitted they are “not sure” how much caffeine […]

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