Children and youth with type 1 diabetes must be especially careful to eat well, but, like other children, have strong likes and dislikes. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School worked with 128 young people, ages 7 to 17, at a diabetes camp, to gauge acceptability of a range of whole grains and legumes. Whole grain cornbread was the favorite (85% tried it and liked it, with another 11% willing to try it) followed by whole wheat bread (72% tried/liked and 3% more were willing to try). Those living in an urban setting or frequently consuming fast food were less willing to try whole grain foods.
Diabetes Education. May-June 2009; 35(3): 422-7. Epub Mar 16, 2009.

In this study, a group of hospital workers underwent physical examinations to measure weight, blood pressure and cholesterol, all of which are high when a person has metabolic syndrome. The workers were divided into age and gender groups. The youngest group (ages 35-54 years) was the most affected by metabolic syndrome, whereas the elderly — who are expected to have the greater risk of hypertension and abnormal cholesterol — were the least affected by these diseases. One reason for this finding is that the population of Botswana is changing from its traditional lifestyle to more modern, less healthy habits, and younger people are more likely to adopt these changes. In contrast, older people, who are less inclined to change their habits, reflected a higher state of health.

South African Medical Journal, May 2009, Vol. 99, No. 5. (Garrido et al.)

A nationwide poll conducted in 2006 determined that 1.4% of the American population is vegan—they eat no meat, fish, dairy, or eggs.  Scientists at Andrews University in Michigan reviewed existing studies about veganism to assess the pros and cons of adopting such a diet.  Overall, vegans tend to have lower BMI, lower serum cholesterol, and lower blood pressure, decreasing their risk of developing cardiovascular disease.  However, because of the elimination of all animal products, vegans are at greater risk of certain nutritional deficiencies such as vitamins B12 and D, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids.  It is suggested that vegans consume foods that are fortified with these nutrients or that they take appropriate supplements to prevent deficiencies.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  May 2009; 89:1627s-33s [Craig WJ]

Researchers from the George Washington University conducted a randomized, controlled trial on 99 participants with type 2 diabetes. 49 participants were randomly selected to follow a low-fat vegan diet, while the remaining 50 were to adopt a diet following the 2003 American Diabetes Association guidelines (“conventional diet”). The groups followed their assigned diets for 74 weeks. By the end of the trial, the researchers found that both diets had resulted in weight loss, improved glycemic control as measured by HbA1C, and a reduction in blood triglycerides. Once the results were controlled for medication adjustments, however, the low-fat vegan diet appeared to improve glycemic control and blood triglycerides more than the conventional diet. This study illustrates the physiological benefits of adopting a plant-based diet.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2009 May 1;89(suppl):1588S-96S. (Barnard et al.)

Loma Linda University scientists studied the relationship between various diet types (vegans, lacto-ovo vegetarians, pescatarians, and nonvegetarians) and prevalence of type 2 diabetes in a large cohort of Seventh-Day Adventists in North America. They found that vegans had the lowest prevalence (2.9%) of the disease, while nonvegetarians had the highest (7.6%). Additionally, the vegan diet was associated with a nearly one-half reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes compared with the risk associated with nonvegetarian diets.
Diabetes Care. 2009 May 1;32(5):791-796. (Tonstad et al.)

Athletes often choose sports drinks to aid with muscle recovery after endurance exercise. A recent study by Lynne Kammer and her team at the University of Texas compared the effects of ingesting a popular carbohydrate-electrolyte sports drink to those from eating whole grain cereal with low-fat milk, and concluded that the whole grain cereal and milk choice was equal to the sports drink in initiating post-exercise muscle recovery.
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, May 2009; 6:11. DOI:10.1186/1550-2783-6-11

Researchers in Los Angeles conducted a study to evaluate how diet may affect the risk of breast cancer for Asian American women.  Those who adhered most closely to the factors of a Mediterranean Diet (lower intake of meat and starches and a higher intake of vegetables and legumes, including soy) had a 35% reduced risk of breast cancer compared to a Western diet or an ethnic diet with a higher intake of meat and starch.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2009 Apr; 89(4):1145-1154. (Wu et al.)

In a crossover study involving 17 obese women at increased risk for insulin resistance, USDA scientists studied the effects of 5 different breakfast cereal test meals on subjects’ insulin response. They found that consumption of 10g of barley beta-glucan significantly reduced insulin response.
European Journal of Nutrition, April 2009; 48(3):170-5. Epub 2009 Feb 5.

In a study found via the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), researchers at the Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences explored the digestibility of starch derived from oats, wheat, buckwheat, and sweet potatoes. The goal of this study was to determine which of the four starch sources might prove useful in high-energy diets. Pigs were fed diets containing vitamins, minerals, and starch from one of the four sources, and after 15 days, it was determined that buckwheat, along with oats and wheat, provided a better source of dietary energy than sweet potatoes.
China’s Research of Agricultural Modernization Journal, April 2009

University of Connecticut researchers reviewed 8 studies evaluating the lipid-reducing effects of barley. They found that eating barley significantly lowered total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and triglycerides, but did not appear to significantly alter HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
Annals of Family Medicine, March-April 2009; 7(2):157-63

Compounds in sorghum called 3-Deoxyanthoxyanins (3-DXA) are present in darker-colored sorgums, and to a lesser extent in white sorghum. Scientists at the University of Missouri tested extracts of black, red, and white sorghums and found that all three extracts had strong antiproliferative activity against human colon cancer cells.
Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry. 2009 Mar 11;57(5):1797-804

Researchers in Brazil conducted a meta-analysis of 11 cohort studies including 1,719,590 participants, who were followed from 6 to 16 years. Their overall conclusion was that “consumption of whole grains was inversely associated with the risk of developing colorectal cancer.”
International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, March 2009; 21:1-13