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Time to take a Fresh Look at your own Health - Glanbia / National Dairy Council Free Seminar in Dungarvan

“Most of us understand that exercise and a balanced diet are important and we may be broadly familiar with the concept of the food pyramid – but many of us are actually ‘passively over-consuming’ food, or eating the wrong kinds of foods, without realising it or because we’re not really honest with ourselves,” according to Margot Brennan, and one of the keynote speakers at a seminar on nutrition and diet, on Saturday 17th April in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.

The event, supported by Glanbia and The National Dairy Council, was open to the public free of charge as part of the Waterford Festival of Food. It also included a presentation by Consultant Sports Dietitian Noreen Roche. Noreen, has worked for some ten years with the Kilkenny hurling team and with other team sports including rugby and football as well as individual athletes.

“This is a great time of year for us all take a fresh look at our own health,” says Margot. In a presentation entitled “Healthy Eating as Part of a Healthy & Physically Active Lifestyle,” Margot Brennan, challenged the audience in Dungarvan to keep a ‘food diary’ and write down, honestly, everything that is consumed over a 24 our period.

Margot recommended checking your food diary against the Government’s Food Pyramid recommendations. “It is often surprising what areas we may have let slip or what simple steps we can take that can make big improvements,” says Margot.

Reaching for the Wrong Shelves

“Fad diets and yo-yo dieting tend to actually make you fatter. Developing healthy habits and sticking with them is the most effective way to take control of health and weight. There are no easy short cuts,” says Margot.

Research tells us that 86% of Irish adults manage to consume at least 3 daily servings per day of food from the top ‘shelf’ of the food pyramid, which includes cakes, biscuits and confectionery. “These foods should be consumed sparingly, because they are typically high in sugar and/or fats,” says Margot Brennan (Slan, Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes & Nutrition 2007).

Evidence of Inadequate Calcium Intakes in Ireland

By contrast, the same survey reported that 61% of respondents consumed less than the ‘three servings of dairy a day’ recommended by the Irish Department of Health and Children within the food pyramid dietary guidelines. A nationally representative survey showed that 42% of Irish teenage girls and 23% of Irish teenage boys have insufficient calcium intakes. In adulthood, research shows that 23% of Irish women also have inadequate calcium intakes, compared with 11% of Irish men. (Refs 1 & 2). “These daily dietary guidelines are set at levels to help Irish people to achieve the recommended intake of essential nutrients which our bodies need,” says Margot.

Generally adults and children should be consuming a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of 800mg/d of calcium; with teenagers (11-17 yrs) and women who are pregnant (second half of pregnancy) or breastfeeding (first six months) needing a higher level of 1200 mg/d. To convert that into practical terms the Department of Health’s Food Pyramid recommends “3
portions of dairy per day”. In order to meet the increased requirements associated with the teenage years, pregnancy and breastfeeding, people during these life-stages should aim for “5 servings of dairy per day”. (Refs 3 & 4)

According to Margot, this should not be difficult to include in a balanced diet - a serving is a 1/3 of a pint glass of milk; one carton of yoghurt; or 1 oz or 28 g of hard cheese (about the size of a matchbox).

Calcium is available in other non-dairy food sources, but consumers have to know how to assess these both in terms of calcium content and ‘bioavailability,’ which means whether it is in a format that can be easily absorbed by the body.

Emerging Evidence Supports Benefits of Dairy in a Balanced Diet

“There is a misconception that consumption of milk and dairy products can make you fat – but in fact, milk and dairy should be part of our diet, even when we are trying to control or lose weight,” said Margot. Speaking in Dungarvan, Margot Brennan explained that a number of studies have shown that calcium - and in particular calcium from dairy products - may actually contribute to weight management. Indeed The Report of the National Taskforce on Obesity refers to the fact that people who meet the food pyramid recommendations from the Milk Cheese and Yogurt shelf are less likely to be obese. (Refs 5 & 6)

Although whole milk is advised for toddlers from 1-2 years of age – and whole milk only contains 3.5% fat – older children (from the age of two years and as long as they are consuming a mixed, varied diet and are thriving) and adults can also switch to low fat or low fat fortified milk options.

Margot Brennan also described how emerging research is pointing to the potential beneficial role of milk’s components in the management of blood pressure. Studies looking at The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet shows that this dietary pattern, which in summary emphasises a high intake of fruit and vegetables, the intake of low-fat dairy products and an overall reduced salt and fat intake, is effective in lowering blood pressure. (Ref 7).

Principles for Young Athletes and Professionals Similar

The Glanbia/ National Dairy Council seminar on Saturday 17th April also included a presentation by Consultant Sports Dietitian Noreen Roche, Dietitian with the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Team, amongst others.

“Whether you are a teenager or youth involved in amateur sports or a professional athlete – physical training creates extra nutritional demands,” said Noreen. “Although body weights and physical intensities will vary considerably, the core guidelines for the training diet remain the same – it should be low in fat high in carbohydrates and moderate to high in protein.
The importance of an adequate pre-training meal/ snack for anyone involved in sport at any level cannot be overestimated- you should eat a high carbohydrate, low fat snack about 2 hours before training.”

Athletes may be turning to milk as a highly effective drink following an increase in the number of research studies to support its sporting benefits.

Skimmed Milk may have a role to play for athletes in tackling dehydration caused by exercise, training and competition, with research from the UK showing that skimmed milk may be more effective for retaining fluid than plain water or a commercially available sports drink. Milk has a natural package of electrolytes, proteins and carbohydrates which are all important for sports rehydration and muscle recovery. (Refs 8 & 9)

Fact Sheets

The National Dairy Council nutritional team has produced fact sheets a Guide to Healthy Eating, Guide to Weight Loss and a Guide to Sport & Nutrition. A Guide to Osteoporosis is also available free of charge. All these are available free of charge by phoning the NDC on 01-616 9726 or clicking on the links above.

 

For further information

For the NDC: Antonina Ni Dhuinn, Progress Communications,
01-2766117 nina@progresspr.ie

For Glanbia: Kieran O’Connor, 087-2516419
koconnor@glanbia.ie

 

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Full set of scientific references available on request by emailing nutrition@ndc.ie. Sources of information include:

1. www.iuna.ie National Teen’s Food Survey –National Teen’s Food Survey completed by IUNA at UCC and UCD – year-long study of 450 teens aged 13-17
2. www.iuna.ie The North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey (NSIFCS), Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance (IUNA)
3. RDA data FSAI 1999 http://www.fsai.ie/assets/0/86/204/fb3f2891-2896-4bf9-903f-938f3c2ad01f.pdf
4. Food Pyramid recommendations - Health Promotion Unit, Dept of Health and Children (pdf
   http://www.healthpromotion.ie/fs/doc/hpu_publications/HPM00463) & Food Safety Authority of Ireland
5. The Report of the National Taskforce on Obesity, Published 2005, Department of Health and Children http://www.dohc.ie/publications/report_taskforce_on_obesity.html
6. Nutritional Reviews, 2008, incl Zemel, Michael http://nutrition.utk.edu/faculty/Zemel.html
7. Effects on Blood Pressure of Reduced Dietary Sodium and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet. New England Journal of Medicine January 4, 2001 Volume 344.
8. Milk as an Effective Rehydration Drink. - Shirreffs SM et al. - Br J Nutr. 2007; 98: 173-180
9. A Comparison of the effects of milk and a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink on the restoration of fluid balance and exercise capacity in a hot, humid environment – Phillip Watson, Thomas Love, Ronald J. Maughan, Susan M Shirreffs, European Journal of Applied Physiology 2008; 104: 633-642

 

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