Kids who need vitamins usually don’t take them

Children who are taking vitamins are often the ones who don’t really need them, while kids who could benefit from supplements because of their poor diets usually don’t take vitamins. That’s the conclusion of a study from the University of California, Davis School of Medicine based on data from a nutrition survey. It found that a third of kids ages 2 to 17 had used some kind of vitamin or mineral supplement in the past month, but most of them didn’t need it. The kids who took vitamins the most were also drinking the most milk, getting the most fiber and eating little fat and cholesterol. Kids who used vitamins the least (mostly poor children) were the most likely to need supplementation.

Insulin, glucose and dementia

Treating Alzheimer’s with insulin may be an effective way to protect brain cells and prevent memory loss, according to research from Northwestern University and the University of Rio de Janeiro. Researchers took brain cells from the hippocampus, which plays a big role in memory, and treated them with a diabetes drug that helps the cells respond to insulin. They were then dosed with proteins known as ADDLs, which cause damage in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, and found that the brain cells were less susceptible to damage after the treatment. Another study, from Tel-Aviv University and published in Diabetes Care, found that among people with diabetes, rising glucose levels lead to less cognitive function. They aren’t sure if lowering blood sugar levels will improve cognition.

Company got to approve recall order

The flood of recalled products surrounding salmonella contamination at a Georgia peanut plant (Kellogg and others recalled more products yesterday) might have come a little earlier if the company involved didn’t get a chance to give the government permission to issue the recall. Peanut Corporation of America got to approve the wording of the recall announcement, just as any company involved in a recall does according to Food and Drug Administration rules. Speaking on the “Today” show President Obama said the agency hasn’t been able to respond to food safety problems as quickly as it should and that his new FDA administrator (yet to be named) will put a “stricter regulatory structure” in place.

Canadian company to pay $25 million in listeriosis settlement

Maple Leaf Foods, which was at the center of a listeriosis outbreak in Canada last year, has announced that it will settle a series of class-action lawsuits filed against it with a $25 million payout. The settlement still needs to be approved by courts in three provinces and may go up by as much as $2 million if needed to compensate all people who have claims against the company. At least 20 people died from eating the tainted meat products. Payments will range from $750 for people who suffered minor injuries to $125,000 for people with lasting health problems related to the outbreak. The estates of those who died will receive $120,000, with additional payouts to relatives, according to the proposal.

Pill peddler headed to prison

The head of a Georgia herbal supplement maker will go to jail for 50 months and face a $50,000 fine for selling knockoff prescriptions on the Internet. Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals CEO Jared Wheat and other company executives admitted to having a manufacturing company in Belize that made generic versions of drugs such as Vioxx, Viagra and Xanax and selling them on the Internet without requiring a prescription. The original case against the company alleged that it spiked its herbal supplements, which are sold nationwide at convenience stores and other outlets, with ephedrine alkaloids, which have been illegal since 2004, and conspired to attempt to murder or blackmail agents of the Food and Drug Administration, but neither of those charges were mentioned in the plea agreement.

Denny’s wants to give you breakfast

Finally, as people who watched the Super Bowl know, today (Tuesday), Denny’s is giving away Grand Slam breakfasts from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. in most locations across the United States (and in Canada and Puerto Rico “while supplies last”). In case you were wondering, that’s two eggs, two pancakes, two slices of bacon and two sausages and runs 665 calories and a whopping 49 grams of fat. Should you be planning to take advantage of this special offer, yes, you will still have to pay for your coffee and, unless you want to go to a special part of hell, tip you waitress.

(By Sarah E. White for CalorieLab Calorie Counter News)

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009 and is filed under Diabetes, Diet pills, drugs, supplements and devices, Fast food and restaurants, Food miscellaneous, Food safety, Foreign stories (non-U.S.), Kids and families, Nibbles: diet news shorts, Nutrition, Public policy. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed. Permalink.