PEN’s Surprising Findings in 2012
S
cience evolves. Sometimes new information turns out to be different than what we have been taught. Take hydration – many dietitians were taught that caffeine-containing beverages are dehydrating…aren’t they? Or allergies - many dietitians have been taught that, among infants with a parental history of allergy, that delaying the introduction of common allergenic foods may reduce the incidence of allergy. Does it? From research to practice, and the process of translating knowledge along the way, there are many opportunities for surprise whether it is the science itself, or people’s reactions to the information.
Reflecting back on the evidence analyses completed in 2012 – here are a few surprises noted by members of the PEN team:
Jayne Thirsk, the Director of PEN, named two surprises for her:
- Coconut water and hydration: Though coconut water is marketed as a "natural" oral hydration product, it was surprising to see that its nutrient composition is variable, mostly due to differences in plant maturity. Most analyses have found coconut water to have less sodium than sports drinks (& less than is recommended for sports drinks), more potassium & less carbohydrate. For more information, login to: http://www.pennutrition.com/KnowledgePathway.aspx?kpid=8180&pqcatid=146&pqid=19346
- I was surprised to learn of the world-wide incidence of pancreatic cancer (age adjusted rates range from 10-15 per 100,000). Pancreatic cancer accounts for 2% of cancers and is considered the 13th most common type of cancer. It is the 8th most common cause of cancer death. For more information, login to: http://www.pennutrition.com/KnowledgePathway.aspx?kpid=7700&pqcatid=144&pqid=8905
Dawna Royall, PEN Evidence Analyst Contractor noted three surprises in the area of cardiovascular nutrition:
Heather Petrie, PEN Evidence Analyst Contractor, noted these surprises:
- The amount of resistance there is in the real world to the idea of restaurant menu labelling. I thought it was interesting that there was some evidence of decreases in calories purchased after restaurant menu labelling regulations were implemented in parts of the U.S. and that most consumers reported taste, price and convenience trump nutrition for decision making at restaurants. For more information, login to: http://www.pennutrition.com/KnowledgePathway.aspx?kpid=1583&pqcatid=144&pqid=14514
- Energy drinks and alcohol - The case reports on energy drink abuse (5-10 cans a day) were startling and concerning. Also interesting were the reasons surveyed young adults gave for mixing alcohol and energy drinks and the side-effects they self-reported. For more information, http://www.pennutrition.com/docviewer.aspx?id=9886
Heather Alaverdy, PEN Editor, and the team member who has read and reviewed every single PEN practice question, had this to say:
Sue Firus, PEN Evidence Analyst Contractor, said this:
Science continues, knowledge expands, practice evolves – as regulated evidence-based health professionals, dietitians retain their authority as food and nutrition experts.
Let’s return to our original question - does caffeine stimulate diuresis and negatively impact fluid balance among healthy adults? No. The majority of better-designed trials consistently did not find caffeine doses of ≤225 mg (equivalent to 1-2 cups of coffee or 5-6 cups of black tea or 4-5 cans of cola) to cause diuresis (promote urine formation). Occasionally, higher doses of caffeine (240-640 mg) promoted diuresis in some individuals. But, even when diuresis was observed, it did not lead to dehydration over hours or days of observation. For more information, login to:
http://www.pennutrition.com/KnowledgePathway.aspx?kpid=1029&pqcatid=146&pqid=19692
What new findings surprise you?
Compiled by Kristyn Hall, MSc, RD, PEN eNews Editor