| Kids who eat lower-calorie meals won't snack | | | | women to limit their weekly seafood |
| more later, as long as they are eating about | | | | consumption to no more than 12 ounces, or |
| the same amounts they are accustomed to. | | | | about two servings, per week. |
| Researchers presented those findings | | | | |
| yesterday at the Obesity Society's annual | | | | The newest recommendation comes from the |
| meeting in New Orleans, reports USA Today. | | | | National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies |
| For four days over two weeks, researchers at | | | | Coalition, a nonprofit group that focuses on |
| Pennsylvania State University fed 26 children | | | | childhood health issues. That group's |
| at a child-care center breakfast, lunch and | | | | scientific advisors say that pregnant women |
| snack, and gave them take-home dinners and | | | | and nursing mothers should eat at least 12 |
| snacks. | | | | ounces of fish per week. Although both |
| | | | recommendations acknowledge that pregnant |
| The same menu was served each week, but one | | | | women can safely eat about two servings a |
| week the kids were given low-fat and | | | | week, fears of mercury contamination in |
| low-sugar versions of the foods as well as | | | | seafood have prompted many pregnant women to |
| more vegetables. The changes included 1 | | | | forgo fish entirely. |
| percent milk instead of whole, fruit served | | | | |
| in juice instead of syrup, and pasta made | | | | And here's the conundrum: an increasing |
| with low-fat dairy and pureed vegetables. | | | | number of studies indicate that omega-3 fatty |
| | | | acids, found mostly in fish, are essential to |
| The researchers wanted to know if the kids | | | | brain development in fetuses and newborns. |
| would naturally compensate for the | | | | Earlier this year, a report in The Lancet, a |
| reduced-calorie menus by eating extra amounts | | | | medical journal, concluded that women who had |
| later in the day or the following day. But | | | | eaten more than 12 ounces of fish per week |
| they didn't. Instead, they ate about the same | | | | during pregnancy produced better developed, |
| amount they had previously, consuming 400 | | | | more intelligent children. "Advice that |
| fewer calories over the two days they were | | | | limits seafood consumption might reduce the |
| served the lower-calorie foods. "People tend | | | | intake of nutrients necessary for optimum |
| to eat the same weight of food from day to | | | | neurological development," wrote scientists |
| day, and that's what these kids did," Penn | | | | from the National Institutes of Health and |
| State nutritionist Barbara Rolls told the | | | | the University of Illinois at Chicago. |
| newspaper. | | | | |
| | | | "The real problem here are the women who are |
| The lesson for parents who are worried about | | | | just eliminating fish from their diet," said |
| their child's weight is to come up with | | | | Judy Meehan, executive director of the |
| lower-calorie versions of their kid's | | | | National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies |
| favorite foods. Use skim milk and low-fat | | | | Coalition. "Eating 12 ounces is a very safe, |
| dairy products, for example, or substitute | | | | smart move, and nobody is disputing that.'' |
| pureed vegetables in recipes. | | | | While none of the research cited yesterday in |
| | | | the coalition's recommendations has been |
| Should Pregnant Women Eat More Seafood? | | | | funded by the fish industry, the coalition is |
| | | | using a grant from the National Fisheries |
| For years, pregnant and nursing women have | | | | Institute, a seafood industry group, to fund |
| been warned to limit the amount of fish they | | | | its educational campaign, according to Ms. |
| eat, because many marine species may contain | | | | Meehan. |
| high levels of mercury, which endangers | | | | |
| newborns and fetuses. Yesterday, however, a | | | | For women who want the health benefits but |
| children's health group challenged the | | | | worry about mercury and other toxins, the |
| conventional wisdom, advising pregnant women | | | | wisest course is to choose fish with the |
| and nursing mothers to eat more fish so as to | | | | lowest levels of mercury. A recent report in |
| ensure optimal brain development in their | | | | The Journal of the American Medical |
| babies. | | | | Association concluded that the health |
| | | | benefits are likely greatest from such oily |
| Fearing mercury contamination, many pregnant | | | | fish as salmon, herring and sardines - which |
| women avoid seafood altogether. That may | | | | are all generally low in mercury anyway. |
| actually harm newborns, according to some | | | | Among the fish to avoid are shark, swordfish, |
| scientists. (John McConnico for The New York | | | | king mackerel and tilefish, all of which may |
| Times) What's going on here? Currently, the | | | | contain high levels of mercury. |
| Food and Drug Administration advises pregnant | | | | |