Inadequate vitamin B12 during pregnancy is associated with birth defects including neural tube defects and it is known that vegetarians are at risk for developing a B12 deficiency because they do not consume animal products, which are the principle source of this nutrient.  Scientists in Germany compared 70 pregnant women who had been vegetarian or near-vegetarian for at least three years (including 27 lacto-ovo vegetarians and 43 “low meat eaters”) to a control group of 39 pregnant women eating an average Western diet. By testing the women’s blood three times during pregnancy, they concluded that serum B-12 levels of the lacto-ovo vegetarians were lowest, the low meat eaters in the middle and the control group highest. The authors urge that recommended dietary intake levels of B-12 for pregnant women be re-evaluated.
The Journal of Nutrition. December 2004; 134(12):3319-3326. [Koebnick et al.]

Yet another study documents the relationship between whole grain consumption and heart health. Dr. Majken Jensen and fellow professionals at the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed diet and health records of over 27,000 men aged 40-75, over a period of 14 years, and found that those with the highest whole grain intake (about 40g per day) cut heart disease risk by almost 20% – but even those eating just 25g cut their CHD risk by 15%.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2004; vol 80(6):1492-1499

25 adults with mildly high cholesterol were fed whole grain foods containing 0g, 3g or 6g of barley beta-glucan per day for five weeks, with blood samples taken twice weekly. Total cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol significantly decreased with the addition of barley to the diet.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2004; 80(5):1185-93

A team led by Dr. Pauline Koh-Banerjee studied diet and health records of 72,000 men and found that those who ate 40 grams of whole grains per day cut middle-age weight gain by up to 3.5 pounds. Just one cup of cooked oatmeal or two slices of whole-wheat bread would provide this amount of whole grain.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2004; vol 80(5):1237-45

Dr. Rui Hai Liu of Cornell and his colleagues discovered that whole grains contain protective antioxidants in quantities rivalling or exceeding those in fruits and vegetables. Corn, for instance, has almost twice the antioxidant activity of apples, while wheat and oats almost equal broccoli and spinach in antioxidant activity.
American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) International Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer, November 2004

At the University of Milan, researchers compared the digestibility of various gluten-free foods in the lab (in vitro) and then with a group of healthy volunteers (in vivo). Their goal was to gauge the effect of the different foods on postprandial glucose and insulin response, as well as to measure triglycerides and free fatty acids after eating.  Quinoa stood out in the study, for producing lower free fatty acid levels and triglyceride concentrations than other GF pastas and breads studied.
European Journal of Nutrition, August 2004; 43 (4):198-204. Epub 2004 Jan 6.

Scientists at the University of British Columbia  reviewed possible mechanisms by which vegetarian dietary practices could theoretically influence athletic performance.  After considering many different factors, including protein levels, carbohydrates, iron, vitamin B-12, and creatine levels, the researchers concluded that “well-planned, appropriately supplemented vegetarian diets appear to effectively support athletic performance.” 
Nutrition.  July-August 2004; 20:696-703.  [Barr and Rideout]

Joseph Awika and Lloyd Rooney, at Texas A&M University, conducted an extensive review of scores of studies involving sorghum, and concluded that the phytochemicals in sorghum “have potential to signiciantly impact human health.”  In particular, they cited evidence that sorghum may reduce the risk of certain cancers and promote cardiovascular health. Click here to download the full paper.
Phytochemistry. 2004 May;65(9):1199-221

University of Hawaii researchers surveyed 271 African-American women and 234 Latin-American women, and assessed their diets. They found that the African-American women consumed more calories and more fat, while the Latino women consumed more carbohydrates and more fiber. While the Latino women weighed less, they were perceived themselves as heavier and reported “greater body image dissatisfaction.”
Obesity Research. April 2004; 12(4):652-60 (Sánchez-Johnsen et al.)

Researchers led by Dr. Mark Pereira collected data on 91,058 men and 245,186 women who participated in 10 studies in the US and Europe. After 6-10 years of followup, the research showed that, for each 10 grams of fiber consumed per day, there was a 14% reduction in heart disease risk and a 25% reduction in risk of dying from heart disease. In short, the cereal fiber in whole grains appears to make heart disease much less likely—and less serious if it does occur.
Archives of Internal Medicine, February 2004; vol 164:370-376

Dr. Nicola McKeown and fellow researchers at Tufts University found that people who eat three or more servings of whole grains a day, especially from high-fiber cereals, are less likely to develop insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, common precursors of both Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Diabetes Care, February 2004; vol 27:538-546