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What a week this has been. I'm too exhausted to write about it in detail at the moment but I can say that I had 2 exciting and busy days at St. Vincent's Hospital on the Cancer unit and 2 amazing days at Nemours Pediatric Outpatient Hospital. I've been interning for about 8 months and in the home stretch, I am feeling very confident that I will pursue a clinical dietetic job as soon as I become a Registered and Licensed Dietitian. There is so much to learn about the human body and I'm quickly learning that there is no shortage of brain stimulating info when you are an acute care clinical dietitian.

During my lunch break today at the pediatric hospital I skimmed through the latest American Dietetic Association newsletter (ADA TIMES Winter 2011). I always look forward to the research briefs and industry news section because I think it's fun to be a bit ahead of tv media when it comes to scientific research or consumer nutrition.

I didn't want to keep this info to myself....enjoy!

-New Measure Trumps HDL levels in Protecting Against Heart Disease
A measure of DHL function called cholesterol efflux capacity is more closely associated with protection against heart disease than HDL cholesterol levels themselves, according to the Jan 13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine

Eating fruit and vegetables every day may reduce heart disease risk
A diet rich in fruits and veggies is associated with a reduced risk of ischeemic heart disease, according to a large observational study published in the Jan 18 European Heart Journal, but whether this association is causal remains unclear.

The number of U.S. Adults Treated for Diabetes more than doubled between 1996 and 2007
Approximately 19 million U.S. adults reported receiving treatment for diabetes in 2007, more than double the 9 million who said they received care in 1996, according
to the US Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Breast Cancer patients with Diabetes more likely to die
Breast cancer patients are nearly 50 percent more likely to die of any cause if they also have diabetes, according to a review published in the Jan issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology suggesting future research could focus on whether high levels of insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes might promote tumor growth.

Ban on Chocolate Milk in Schools Delayed
Florida's new agriculture commissioner has stopped efforts to ban chocolate milk and most other high-sugar drinks in schools, reported the Dec. 25 Orlando Sentinel, saying a broader approach to student nutrition is needed.

Is nutrition labeling for alcoholic beverages on the way
Wine, spirits and beer industry insiders are sparring over a proposal presently before the federal Tax and Trade Bureau to list nutrition information such as calories, carbohydrates, serving size and alcohol per serving. According to a Jan 19 article by the associated Press, points of contention include confusion over cocktail serving sizes, generalized data instead of analyzing each vintage of wine variety and how and where a nutrition label would appear on packaging, bottles or cans.

Nutrition facts panel will appear on meat
By next year, whole, ground or chopped meat and poultry will feature nutrition facts panels either on their package labels or available for consumers at the point-of-purchase.

Fazoli's introduces four 400-calorie entrees
Three cheese baked ravioli, hearty tortellini and bacon, mushroom chicken alfredo and penne tuscano headlinee Fazoli's line-up of New Year's specials, all designed to help Americans watch their waistlines and wallets.

Walmart Pledge Cheaper produce, reformulations
Superstore corporation Walmart announced an initiative to reduce sodium and trans fat in packaged food items by 2015, make healthier choices more affordable, develop a front-of-package seal and build stores in food desserts.

Tropicana Announces Squeezable fruit snack
PepsiCo is launching a portable snack for children called Tropicana Tropolis, a smooth blend of fruit that is a good source of fiber and offers 100% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C with no added sugars, high fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors, sweeteners, colors or preservatives.