Influence of food pack labeling on moderating consumption-A new paradigm needed

Food labeling has been hailed as one of the most transparent efforts of the food industry to gain the confidence of the consumer who is supposed to have the right to know what he is buying and eating. Granted that this is a sort of empowerment of the consumer, a logical question is whether these labels do any useful purpose when it comes to taking a decision regarding what is healthy or unhealthy and still worse how much is good for the well being of the consumer? For many labeling does not make any sense as the numbers printed in the nutrition labeling table are just numbers with no meaning, especially to an uneducated person and invariably very few people read them before buying any product. The intention of the policy makers and health pundits are indeed laudable but whether such declarations do have any impact on the eating behavior or the overall health of the consumer is a million dollar question begging for an answer. The fact that almost 15 to 35% of the population in almost all countries across the world are either overweight or obese is a telling commentary on the effectiveness of the current label declaration laws in the world. Can there be any solution to this intractable problem and will any improvements in the labeling regulations bring about a change in the consumer attitude and perception about food and health and moderate the consumption?   

One of the basic principles of health and nutrition is that one must balance the consumption of calories based on the physical activity that is part of the life. Though 2000-3000 kCals are often bandied about as the daily requirement of an individual depending on factors like age, profession, type of physical activity, environmental conditions including ambient temperatures prevalent and finally amount of exercise one indulges in daily. Thus a sedentary person may need lesser calories than an athletic individual and there fore food consumption will have to be different. People tend to put on weight beyond the normal body weight when calorie consumption exceeds the level that is necessary to maintain a steady state of equilibrium with all the calories burned off for the daily activity associated with normal life. The concept of Body Mass Index (BMI) evolved years ago is a yardstick that helps to define whether a person is normal, over weight or obese. While a BMI figure of 25 is considered normal, when it reaches 30 one becomes over weight  Obesity becomes the rule if BMI figure exceeds 35 and it is generally considered a disease requiring treatment, lest other more serious diseases like CVD, diabetes, blood pressure, kidney ailments etc follow, making life more miserable and risky. 

No doubt nutrition labeling does indicate the amount of calories contained in one serving of a particular food product manufactured by the industry which helps to moderate consumption in many cases. But such information does not sink in when products are eaten sporadically through out the day in several servings which can have a cumulative effect on the calorie intake without the consumer realizing about it. How does a person know that he gets sufficient calories to perform his day to day activities without fatigue or weakness? There is a well set body mechanism with timely signals to indicate satiety when eating should be stopped. But once a person gets too much attached to food such signals are ignored resulting in over eating and many times gluttony. When too much food beyond the body's need is ingested naturally excess calories get converted to body fat that is stored in places like belly and other vulnerable parts of the body, distorting the shape of the person with pot belly. There is still no unanimity regarding the roles played by the three major contributors of calories in our foods though lately the focus has shifted from fat to carbohydrates. Most of the industrial foods  that dominate the markets in the well to do affluent countries are all considered "fattening" because they are all loaded with "empty calories", meaning they are rich in calories but devoid of vitally needed nutrients like proteins, dietary fiber, EFAs, vitamins and minerals. To add to this "deficiency" these foods are designed to make them addictive with too much sugar and fat. 

Modern foods churned out by the industry are made from unhealthy ingredients like sugar, white flour, highly refined saturated fats and trans fats, meats with practically no dietary fiber and natural nutrients besides being fast digesting releasing the calories too fast. In contrast foods made from natural raw materials like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meat and fish do not raise blood sugar levels quickly enabling the body metabolic apparatus to "manage" them on its own pace. Adding to this burden is the presence of many processing artifacts, leachates from packaging materials and man made chemicals like crop protectants and preservatives which all have debilitating impact on the human body. Is it possible and feasible to expect the industry which markets thousands of products to address all these concerns on a small label? This is where the regulatory authorities come into focus and to day's knowledge base helps to weed out many unsafe and unhealthy substances from the processed food products which have to conform to rigorous safety regimes mandated in each country, well supported by international agencies like WHO, FAO, IAEC, UNICEF and others. In spite of all these controls food related mortality rates are steadily increasing. A complex situation that needs more attention globally. 

Probably the knowledge disseminated through the label regarding how many calories a chocolate bar, a packet of chips, or a serving of an ice cream will provide may not be sufficient to "impress upon" the consumer as to how much exercise he has to do to burn it off. Will it take half an hour or one hour of walking or running to get rid of these calories.? Why is such an information crucial for the consumer? In what way it will help him? To answer this we have to consider the importance of the staple diet in influencing the health of an individual. If a human being has to get 2000 calories of energy, 50 gms of proteins, 50 gms of fat besides other micronutrients through food consumed every day, how much of the energy can come from casual food items like beverages, fried foods, sweetened snacks or other low nutrient density foods? This is important to avoid over consumption of these calorie rich foods and under consumption of proteins and other vital nutrients. Can a person survive for long if whole of the calories come from low nutrient junk foods without causing serious health crisis? It is here that the need arises to link food consumption with exercise. If the label indicates that one has to run for 1 hour to burn the calories contained in a serving of a particular food or two hours of walking for the same, this can be expected to have a sobering influence on eating casual foods to a significant extent.

Probably pictorial presentation of calorie burning exercises like walking, running, cycling or tread mill and the duration of the exercise for burning the calories in the packed products may really help most layman in restricting food intake as much as possible. If consumption of a sugary soft drink, about 200 ml, containing about 100 kCals calls for walking at least for about 15 minutes or running for 8 minutes, this can be a constant reminder that such drinks, not part of a regular meal, should not taken multiple times a day. Similarly If eating a quarter of a large sized pizza with more than 400 kCals will necessitate walking for 75 min or running for 45 mins, it will definitely scare a consumer that may act as a disincentive against over consumption of pizza. A single piece of cinnamon roll with 400 calories will require 120 mins of walking or 40 mins of running to shake off the calories. Eating a 50 gm portion of roasted peanut with 300 kCals will call for 50 mins of walking or 30 minutes of running to neutralize the calories ingested. The idea is excellent but whether practical needs to be considered.

Enlightened consumers can be expected to encourage the concept of activity-equivalent calorie labels wholeheartedly. Processing industry will probably resist any such move because of its implications on their bottom line due to lower purchase of their products by a well informed consumer worried about their health. While it may agree to include such information in their web sites, it can have no impact as most of the population are computer illiterate besides having no access to internet in spite of the "free basics" being promoted by one of the internet giants. Current information barrage on the nutrition labels has very little influence on the consumer and replacing them with simplistic ones containing just the basic nutritive facts like calories, fat, sugar, carbohydrates, health value as presented by the traffic lights system and calorie-activity equivalents may be more than sufficient. 

A pertinent question that may be asked is whether in a country like India such labels will have any relevance at all?  May be it is not because more than 90% of the population do not consume packed foods except biscuits, their life style dependent on staple home cooked diets or  small and mini eateries serving a variety of freshly cooked foods. It is not practical to force these eateries to display calorie-activity equivalent information for the benefit of the customers. Besides even the existing labeling system is so complicated and eye-straining to read and understand as most of the population are English language illiterates. Ultimately sociologists will step in saying that education is the only solution to make the masses understand the goodness or otherwise of the foods they consume. This may be true but from the practical angle a long time consuming process which should be pursued as a long term objective while bilingual labels containing vital information on health and nutrition on the food labels by the processing industry and on display boards in eateries can provide some relief to the harried citizen.    

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

A NEW APPROACH TO MANAGING BLOOD GLUCOSE-WILL IT REALLY WORK?

One of the unanswered questions that still haunts humanity is whether high consumption of sugar can contribute to diabetic condition or intolerance of sugar is an aftermath of diabetes! It is well known that diabetes disease presents one with a condition where adequate insulin secretion becomes a casualty due to some  changes in the working of pancreatic gland or the cells develop insulin insensitivity (resistance) because of over weight and other afflictions. Many people develop diabetes after the age of 45 years manly because of unhealthy food eating habits and as age progresses the severity of the  disease increases. India is considered the diabetic capital of the world with highest recorded cases of diabetics living in the country. Out of 280 million diabetics living in different countries, more than 40 million are in India. By 2030 it is predicted that one in every five diabetic persons in the world would be an Indian! A dubious distinction indeed!

The most dreaded two words that can spell potential threat to life are "Metabolic Syndrome" that develops slowly without the victims not even being aware of it. Many diabetics are not diagnosed properly and with treatment being delayed the condition becomes worse with passage of time. It is universally acknowledged that a glucose level of 126 mg per deciliter in the blood after a twelve hour fasting period or 200 mg per deciliter in two hours after ingestion of 75 gm of glucose or a value of 6.5 or more for the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) can confirm diabetes in a person. Metabolic syndrome is manifested by a cluster of factors involving abnormal fats (Dyslipidemia), high blood pressure, obesity and abnormal glucose levels in the blood, The symptoms include polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (increased thirstiness) and polyphagia (increased hunger). With so much information in the public domain, why so many people fail to check their health regularly for diabetes cannot be easily understood. Either people do not visit their family doctors regularly or doctors' advice is ignored without realizing the grave consequences of serious diabetic condition that can eventually end up by those affected becoming blind or their legs amputated due to gangrene.  

Of all the reasons cited as critical for developing diabetes, the most logical one is lack of exercise which can make pancreas somewhat dysfunctional and consequently cause adverse impact on insulin production. Modern society seems to be ignoring this golden truth and continue to lead sedentary type of lives exacerbating the situation and invite diabetes to take hold of their life. A pertinent question which is often posed relates to the relatively diabetes free society during olden days of our ancestors though they consumed enormous amounts of sugar daily. Look at the range of sweetmeats made and consumed in India and practically every product has sugar beyond 40%! Probably the secret lies in the rigorous working style of people hundred years ago when comfort and leisure were practically unknown and more the physical work out less is the chance for diseases like diabetics to develop. To day with WiFi, broadband, laptops, PCs, Notebooks, iPads and a variety of Gizmos taking hold of the lives of people, there is very little time available for real physical exertion regularly. Naturally the society cannot afford to complain but to suffer the consequences.

What about the role of food technology in this sordid transformation of a vibrant society of yesteryear into a zombie like population, controlled more by electronic, electrical and mechanical gadgets rather than the will power and muscle power of man? Discovery of many technologies like husking, debranning, degerming, polishing, fine grinding, juice extraction and declouding, precooking and packing, extrusion cooking, bread making with refined flours etc seem to have made the human digestion system almost redundant with the result that the pace and efficiency with which sugar is absorbed by the blood increase very significantly resulting in rapid blood sugar build up, not considered healthy. These innovations by food technologists deplete almost every desirable nutrient present in natural food, most critical being the dietary fiber. For example the Indian traditional bread made from whole grains like wheat, jowar and other grains is far superior to the refined flour based western bread loaves from nutritional angle. There are hundreds of such examples where man's superior intelligence has destroyed good foods and created a whole panorama of junk foods with empty calories! 

It is true that there are many modern day medicines to deal with diabetes and diabetics live long if the disease is managed with right medicine, exercise and diet control. Insulin injection has been simplified and delivery mechanism improved beyond recognition. There are many foods supposed to have hypoglycemic effect including bitter gourd, fenugreek and a host of others but how far these can be harnessed into a diet regime and whether Allopathic medicines can altogether be avoided is a question begging for an answer. Similarly alternate medicinal systems like Ayurveda, Unani, Homeopathy and others also have their own treatment regimes claimed to be effective but very few people rely on these alternatives falling back on Allopathic medicines which brings quick results.   

Against such a background comes the news that a radically new delivery system for insulin has been developed that could be very promising and easy to manage. Scientists claim to be pursuing a new line of research to tap the potential of nano technology to deliver insulin into the body for release only when the blood glucose crosses a certain threshold. This enables the body to maintain normal blood sugar levels for more than a week, at least in animal-based laboratory tests. This so called 'Smart" system is designed to do away with the current cumbersome procedure involving monitoring of the blood sugar level several times a day to decide on the number of units of insulin to be injected. According to these scientists, after testing this technology in mice it was confirmed that just one injection was able to maintain blood sugar levels in the normal range for up to 10 days.  The injectable nano-network is composed of a mixture containing nano particles with a solid core of insulin, modified dextran and glucose oxidase enzymes.  When the enzymes are exposed to high glucose levels they effectively convert glucose into gluconic acid, which breaks down the modified dextran and releases the insulin. The insulin then brings the glucose levels under control. The gluconic acid and dextran are fully biocompatible and dissolve in the body.  Each of these nanoparticle cores is given either a positively charged or negatively charged biocompatible coating.  The positively charged coatings are made of chitosan extracted from shrimp shells, while the negatively charged coatings are made of alginate derived from seaweed. 

If these claims are true, is the day far off when man can indulge in eating all types of foods to his heart's content and still avoid the harsh repercussions that follow binge eating under normal conditions? What should be kept in mind is that such over eating may not exacerbate the diabetes but it can definitely lead to over weight and obesity and the consequences there of. Recent revelations by scientists at Leeds University that hyperglycemia can, in the long term, adversely affect the cognitive behavior in humans is indeed alarming. Ideally moderate eating, reasonable exercise and cutting down on sugar, fat and salt may the best way to lead a healthy life and man is better of avoiding regular intake of medicines, if possible, for dealing with some of the life style disorders that commonly afflict him to day.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

'WEIGHTY' PROBLEM-DIETING VS EXERCISE

Weight watchers are often confused as to the best course available to them to reduce or maintain their Body Mass Index (BMI) as every one knows about the disastrous consequences of BMI beyond 25. Any BMI beyond 30 is a distinct threat and warning for the onset of the much dreaded Obesity development and the consequent increased chance of morbidity. There are two distinct issues in this much discussed area of concern to people all over the world. Whether weight can be controlled by exercise alone or dieting is absolutely necessary or not. What does the science say?

It is simple logic that when input is more than out put the excess needs to be stored and same logic applies for weight gain also. Man needs about 2000 kC of energy for day to day maintenance and incremental growth and depending on the physical work, the energy need will increase proportionately. Olympian Mark Spitz, the unchallenged swimming ace is reported to be consuming a 10000 kC diet but as one can see he is a slim figure as most of the energy is burned during his work out. Nutritionally the food consumed directly goes for performing day to day work and if the stored body fat is to be eliminated to achieve weight reduction one must undertake rigorous physical activity to draw body fat as the energy source.

Imagine the energy expenditure for a 1000 meter walk which is less than 100 kC and if 5 kg body fat needs to be shed, one may have to walk at least 50 km without increasing the energy intake. But walking 50 km with a restricted diet requires determination and perseverance which very few people have. Therefore dieting with reduced calorie intake and moderate exercise only can succeed in weight reduction. The issue gets more complicated when the calorie expenditure in many individuals is much less than the ideal 2000 kC because of their sedentary life styles with minimum physical exertion. The basal metabolism to maintain the vital body functions requires 1200 kC and the actual daily calorie needs in many cases will lie between 1200 and 2000 kC. Therefore even a 2000 kc diet may be converting excess calories into body fat for storage in many people and consequent increased body weight gradually. The mistaken belief that exercise can reduce weight irrespective of what is consumed must be removed from the minds of weight watchers. It has been scientifically established that physical exercise has many benefits like strengthening of bones and muscles, lowering of blood pressure, improvements in mood and mental health, lowering of cholesterol levels, reducing risks associated with CVD, diabetes, breast cancer and colon cancer but expecting to reduce weight might not be realistic from normal exercise regimen.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/

IN SEARCH OF THE ELIXIR OF LIFE

These days every one is concerned about the quality and safety of life in this planet besieged by pollution, indifferent foods and sedentary living. No one seems to have an answer as to how best one can lead a good quality life with extended longevity. Every one also knows that foods and their consumption pattern have lot to do with the health and consequently the longevity. The anxiety becomes more acute as one retires, finds no fixed avocation and starts ageing with lot of leisure time available. It is in this context that many people try to propound their own 'recipe' for a 'ripe', life though there is no unanimity as to the meaning of ripe life which differs from person to person. One of the most recent reports very pompously declares that the best way to ensure a good quality life is to choose good genes from good parents! Though there is some truth in this claim it poses more questions than an answer. Obviously we have an option on the types of
genes we acquire from the parents and it must be a cruel joke to tell any one about the quality of genes already inherited on which off springs have no control. Having said this one will be tempted to question what guarantee the inheritance of good genes can confer on the off spring a good quality life as the environment, physical, mental and food consumption can adversely affect even the good inherited genes due to mutation and other factors. Another suggestion is keeping away from news papers and electronic media to avoid getting agitated by the horrid stories of murder, rape, burglary, political jugglery, violence, riots etc which form the staple of the media. Of course one can try as it will not do do any harm at least. Some others swear to the fact that if one is not irritated so often during the day to day chores, longevity is assured. It is debatable whether such an ascetic behaviour is feasible in to day's fast moving 'dog eating dog' society one
lives in. Especially in a society like that in India where 'crab in the basket' behaviour is widely prevalent, it is doubtful whether even a hermit can be a silent spectator without reacting to the environment. More over conquering the demon that resides in all human beings, the 'ego' is a challenge by itself. Staying in good company is supposed to prolong life as good company is presumed to be engaged in only happy activities without raising the tempers. could the spouse be best company? Opinions differ but there seems to be a majority view that spouses can be the biggest source of tension driving many to seek avocations keeping the partners separate and engaged in their own avocations for at least some time during the day.Similarly cultivating friends and expanding the family network are considered useful in dissolving family tensions to varying extent but it is mute point as to how many people have adequate time to engage in social activities in a world that lives on a fast pace. Physician is always an integral part of the health of a family and regular consultations, it is said could ensure good health to the entire family. But what is disturbing the paucity of physicians who are true to their Hippocrates oath and have the interests of their clients upper most in their mind. With the cost of medicines sky rocketing every day, the hospitalisation beyond the reach of most middle class families and the cost of health insurance increasing exponentially each year excluding more and people from the health coverage, it is only a pipe dream that regular consultation can be the route to achieve longevity. Other commandments to lead a healthy and long life include avoiding liquor and cigarettes and doing regular exercise which of course can contribute to longevity. But views, however, differ as to whether one can indulge in moderate consumption of alcohol and still stay healthy, though 2 drinks per day have been reported to be beneficial. Similarly doing exercise means different things to different people. Walking, the simplest form of exercise, can do a lot of good to keep one fit, the extent of walking that is ideal still defies unanimity. Walking three times a day for 10 minutes each is claimed to be adequate by some, many others insist on 40-60 minutes walk every day, necessary to cause sweating to ensure good health. Obesity, a very common 'disease' in many affluent countries, definitely cuts down the span of life considerably besides affecting adversely the quality of life one leads during the life time. Why is obesity a major scourge in the world. Simply stated obesity is often caused by excess calorie intake, more than that demanded by the body for leading a particular life style and uncontrolled food consumption, driven more by the desire to eat and consequent palate satisfaction rather than the body requirement. Both the quality and quantity of foods consumed influence the development of obesity. The desire to eat is universal but if the food is not balanced and the quantity is not related to the level of physical activity one performs, the result would be higher BMI leading to over weight/obesity. It is generally agreed that one can always put up with an over weight of 5-6 kg but beyond that weight reduction should be one of the goals to avoid obesity and consequent onset of diabetes, cardiac problems, hyper tension etc. Extreme diets such as Atkins and others are not desirable and any weight reduction effort must aim at reduced calorie and fat consumption accompanied by exercise like walking. It is a fallacy to think that doing exercise alone without cutting on food consumption will achieve weight reduction. Both are necessary. As for quality of food, a healthy diet should focus more on monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats confining saturated fats to less than 10% of fat consumption.The ICMR recommendations are based on Indian conditions and can be helpful in maintaining sound health. but as a universal practise, increasing vegetables in the diet as much as possible should the governing guide for better health. Recommendations of 5-8 servings of fruits and vegetables are frequently made as ideal situation for normal as well as many health compromised populations world over.

V.H.POTTY