Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
Extension
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1571
Healthy Heart Beats
October-December 2008
Vol 30, Issue 4
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Healthy Heart Program Updates
In this Issue
With the holidays rapidly approaching, everyone starts to be concerned about adding those extra inches from over indulgence of the many culinary temptations. It is very important to retain an exercise routine despite the many demands being made on us as we dash from place to place.
A study reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on September 16, 2008 showed that obesity has overtaken smoking as the leading cause of premature heart attack. This recent research has shown that a heart attack occurs earlier in people who are overweight or obese. While the study determined a heart attack occurs 3.5 years earlier in overweight people than in normal weight people, those who were obese (BMI over 30) had a first heart attack 6.8 years earlier than those with lower weight. Someone who was severely obese had a heart attack 12 years earlier. Fitness matters regardless of BMI. This further indicates the need to keep weight under control, stay active, and take those walks after a big holiday dinner to maintain fitness while enjoying the holiday season.
Adequate vitamin D is of interest and concern to many. It will no doubt be a topic of much discussion at the Dietary Guidelines Advisory committee meetings that are noted in this issue of Healthy Heart Beats. While the recommended intake by many is 800 - 1,000 IU per day, that amount is difficult if not impossible to obtain through foods. Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D. Orange juice is now being fortified with vitamin D along with other foods. Be cautious of your intake of high fat foods such as oils and spreads where vitamin D may be present naturally. Those high fat foods will boost your intake to higher levels that may not be prudent.
However, oily fish that we have recommended for years is an excellent source. Some of you may recall a speaker at the 2006 Lillian Fountain Smith conference who raised our awareness of vitamin D. The message was one of awareness and the link between vitamin D nutritional status and health. This issue of the newsletter adds more credence to this concern. We'll keep you posted, but watch the work from the Dietary Guidelines scientific committee as they begin their work.
Enjoy the healthier choices such as veggies and salmon at holiday parties and remember to stay active and avoid those extra pounds in the New Year.
Happy Holiday season from us!
Jennifer Anderson, Ph.D., R.D.
Food and Nutrition Extension Specialist
Shirley Perryman, M.S., R.D.
Extension Specialist
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