Here you will find a collection of current News Headlines from various sources that might be of interest to you. These will help you stay on top of what is going on in the world today from the comfort of this community.

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Burn The Fat Blog Fat Loss Tips From Tom Venuto  Worst Infomercials of All Time Earlier today, Time Magazine online published their list of the "25 Worst (We Mean Best) Infomercials." At first, I was surprised that only 2 out of 25 infomercials were for exercise / fitness gizmos... until I saw the other 23,...  A "Mind Training" Technique That Makes You Stronger The word "visualization" sometimes conjures up images of new age gurus teaching esoteric techniques for personal enlightenment and "attracting" what you want into your life. This causes many evidence-based types to scoff. However, piles of research has shown that mental...  Should You Weigh Yourself Every Day? Have you ever had a weight loss expert tell you to "throw away your scale"?... or maybe you heard that too much focus on scale weight can turn you into an obsessive-compulsive (sound familiar?) Well... body composition is more important...  Age 95 And Still Pumping Iron It makes me sad sometimes... So many people over age 50 (or even age 40) - think "it's too late." After the last blog post, which addressed some challenges that post-menopausal women face, I got en email which is unfortunately,...  Beyond Six Pack Abs Part 2 In part two of our interview with coach David Grisaffi, you'll learn how to get rid of a "pooch belly", how to regain your strength and stomach muscularity after a c-section, how to flatten your abs after menopause, what kinds...  Beyond Six Pack Abs In part one of this exclusive interview with strength and conditioning coach David Grisaffi: Is there any new research proving or dis-proving spot reduction?, can you "spot ADD" fat? (yikes!), Is training your abs to failure actually dangerous?, the truth...  Best Success Advice You Will Ever Hear - Coach John Wooden, Remembered Last week a great man passed away. His name was John Wooden. He was 99. If you weren't familiar with Wooden, he was considered by many as the greatest basketball coach of all time, leading the UCLA Bruins to an...  Heavy Metals Found In Protein Shakes: Should You Stop Drinking Them? An investigation on protein drinks published in the July edition of Consumer Reports magazine, which was then picked up by CBS and NPR, has been causing waves of concern or even alarm to ripple through the fitness and bodybuilding...  How to Get a Body Like a Movie Star This Summer Summer is here in the New Jersey / New York City Metro area. It has been a hot one so far, since Memorial Day through this first week of June - beautiful sunny skies and temps from 80 to...  Summer 2010 Burn The Fat Blog Giveaway Winners The Burn the Fat 2010 Summer Blog Giveaway contest winners have been selected and announced! Scroll down to to see the winners list!...  Burn The Fat 2010 Summer Blog Contest Why is transforming your body this summer important to you? Why is it a MUST, not just a "should?" If you can give me a good enough answer to those questions, I can almost guarantee that you're going to be...  Body Recomposition: Transforming From Fat To Muscle Weight loss contests, especially the Biggest Loser, where obese people drop insane amounts of body weight - like 10, 15 or even 20 lbs in a week - have become extremely popular. Many people say they get incredibly inspired...  Eye-Popping Before and After Body Transformations WARNING: seeing these before and after body transformation success stories may cause a euphoric fit of motivation so strong, it may inspire you to drop everything you're doing and run to the gym immediately to get "pumped up!" In the...  More Winning Body Transformation Secrets Discover more body transformation secrets in part two of our interview with our 2009 Burn the Fat Challenge champion. In this post you'll learn How to overcome cravings, how to press onward and upward even when you're tired, how to...  Winning Body Transformation Secrets, Part 1 One of the best ways to succeed is to model successful people. Instead of trying to re-invent the wheel, you copy a winning formula that already exists. This can short-cut your trial and error learning curve by months or even... Tom Venuto's Bodybuilding Secrets Blog Since 1989, Tom Venuto has been involved in the fitness industry as a personal trainer, success coach, nutrition consultant, health club manager, publisher and freelance writer. Tom has written over 170 articles and has been featured in IRONMAN magazine, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Muscle-Zine, Olympian's News (in Italian), Exercise for Men and Men's Exercise. Tom's educational background includes a B.Sc. degree in exercise science and he is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the most prestigious personal trainer certification in the world.  Concurrent Muscle Gain and Fat Loss "How can I gain muscle and lose fat at the same time?" That's right up there with "How do I...  Protein Shakes Investigated An investigation on protein drinks published in the July edition of Consumer Reports magazine, which was then picked up...  What's the Required BodyFat% to See Your Abs? QUESTION: Tom, I know what I want to look like and I follow your advice about visualization and seeing my...  Steroids and Kidney Damage? The New York Times recently ran a feature titled, "Bodybuilders See Kidney Damage With Steroids." These stories surface in...  The Armageddon Workout - Total Leg Destruction This weekend's box office blockbuster, 2012, had me thinking about the workouts that Richie, my "psycho" trainer, has been putting...  The Classic Physique - Pre-Steroid Era I love the stuff that shows up on You Tube. This video is classic! Vintage Vince Gironda, circa 1947 -...  Is Bodybuilding a Sport? Is bodybuilding a sport? Every so often I see an argument on a forum or a comment on a blog...  How To Get Bigger Arms With Unique "Shock" Exercises Would you like bigger, more muscular arms? Silly question I guess. Of course you would. Well then, when was the...  Is Bodybuilding a Dysfunctional Vanity Sport? Those on the extreme side of the form versus function debate claim that bodybuilding is "a completely dysfunctional sport of...  My Big Fat Greek Interview, pt 2 In part two of my "Big Fat Greek Interview, I answer questions about fruit and dairy in pre-contest diets, dextrose...  My Big Fat Greek Interview This was NOT your usual interview. This was a super fun and very interesting interview and it was compiled in...  Bodybuilding Secrets Podcast Episode #2: Carlos DeJesus Bodybuilding Secrets Podcast Episode #2: Carlos DeJesus: What does it take to be a national and world bodybuilding champion without...  Will Brink Interview, Part 2 Tom Venuto's interview with muscle-building and supplement expert Will Brink continues (from part one). In part two you will learn...  Will Brink Interview, Part 1 Will Brink is the creator of the popular Bodybuilding Revealed system, one of the most comprehensive and complete muscle building...  The Stubborn Fat Solution Book Review I recently read Lyle McDonald's Stubborn Fat" book. In fact I read it twice, and I don't read many books... NYT > Fitness & Nutrition This fragrant bean salad requires far less olive oil than the traditional version.<br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <a href="http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=0eba06f38dfb5b8ebda1c58330b524b5&p=1"><img alt="" style="border: 0;" border="0" src="http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=0eba06f38dfb5b8ebda1c58330b524b5&p=1"/></a> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=Health&partnerID=167&key=segment"/><img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29518.rss.Health.18613,cat.Health.rss"/>  Recipes for Health: Turkish Bean and Herb Salad This fragrant bean salad requires far less olive oil than the traditional version.<br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <a href="http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=0eba06f38dfb5b8ebda1c58330b524b5&p=1"><img alt="" style="border: 0;" border="0" src="http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=0eba06f38dfb5b8ebda1c58330b524b5&p=1"/></a> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=Health&partnerID=167&key=segment"/><img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29518.rss.Health.18613,cat.Health.rss"/>  Tai Chi Reported to Ease Fibromyalgia Slow exercise and meditation as practiced in an ancient Chinese regimen may help sufferers of a mysterious and controversial disease.<br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <a href="http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=ba1c6b08c0c9a74c15453abca4d60e5e&p=1"><img alt="" style="border: 0;" border="0" src="http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=ba1c6b08c0c9a74c15453abca4d60e5e&p=1"/></a> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=Health&partnerID=167&key=segment"/><img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29518.rss.Health.18613,cat.Health.rss"/>  Making Soldiers Fit to Fight, Without the Situps The goal of a new training program is to reduce injuries and better prepare recruits for the rigors of combat.<br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <a href="http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=1fcd14bcee86f17f255fc0eb310a6298&p=1"><img alt="" style="border: 0;" border="0" src="http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=1fcd14bcee86f17f255fc0eb310a6298&p=1"/></a> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=Health&partnerID=167&key=segment"/><img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29518.rss.Health.18613,cat.Health.rss"/>  Personal Best: When Repeat Injuries Can’t Dim an Athlete’s Passion Despite strains, fractures and tears, we keep going, switching sports or even doctors. At least one expert would say we stubborn athletes have a psychological problem.<br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <a href="http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=289cdd758af0a5cdb9d604e1e04419eb&p=1"><img alt="" style="border: 0;" border="0" src="http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=289cdd758af0a5cdb9d604e1e04419eb&p=1"/></a> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=Health&partnerID=167&key=segment"/><img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29518.rss.Health.18613,cat.Health.rss"/>  Egg Recall Expanded After Salmonella Outbreak An Iowa company broadened a recall of its eggs to 380 million after hundreds of people got sick across the country.<br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <a href="http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=590ca535dc97f575065cc4e53e4ee4cc&p=1"><img alt="" style="border: 0;" border="0" src="http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=590ca535dc97f575065cc4e53e4ee4cc&p=1"/></a> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=Health&partnerID=167&key=segment"/><img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29518.rss.Health.18613,cat.Health.rss"/>  Moose Offer Trail of Clues on Arthritis Research on moose suggests that arthritis in human beings may be linked in part to nutritional deficits.<br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <a href="http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=fec410d2f879be22692d6ad8dee03537&p=1"><img alt="" style="border: 0;" border="0" src="http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=fec410d2f879be22692d6ad8dee03537&p=1"/></a> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=Health&partnerID=167&key=segment"/><img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29518.rss.Health.18613,cat.Health.rss"/>  Q & A: A Calcium Quandary Do vitamin C and calcium in milk cancel each other’s benefits?<br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <a href="http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=4631976cd27794b1fb0033bdac4f8138&p=1"><img alt="" style="border: 0;" border="0" src="http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=4631976cd27794b1fb0033bdac4f8138&p=1"/></a> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=Health&partnerID=167&key=segment"/><img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29518.rss.Health.18613,cat.Health.rss"/>  Vital Signs: Diet: Low-Fat vs. Atkins: Parallel Results One of the longest trials to pit low-fat diets against Atkins-style diets found that participants lost the same amount of weight after two years, regardless of which diet they were on.<br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <a href="http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=7dd97c3f0321196f13ad12e4ba9795b6&p=1"><img alt="" style="border: 0;" border="0" src="http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=7dd97c3f0321196f13ad12e4ba9795b6&p=1"/></a> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=Health&partnerID=167&key=segment"/><img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29518.rss.Health.18613,cat.Health.rss"/>  Vital Signs: Hazards: Salmonella Is Traced to Dry Pet Food Salmonella infections in toddlers have been traced to dry pet food, the first time a strain has been linked to the food, health officials say.<br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <a href="http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=d35ad6fec4238e5e12aa7273e1d7cf8d&p=1"><img alt="" style="border: 0;" border="0" src="http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=d35ad6fec4238e5e12aa7273e1d7cf8d&p=1"/></a> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=Health&partnerID=167&key=segment"/><img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29518.rss.Health.18613,cat.Health.rss"/>  The Bay Citizen: Tofu Maker Is Idled After Recall of Products Quong Hop, one of the largest tofu makers in California, is shut down after yet another recall linked to food safety. The company’s future is now in doubt.<br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <br clear="both" style="clear: both;"/> <a href="http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=17d9a28a422c814b65aaec1b9cfc020b&p=1"><img alt="" style="border: 0;" border="0" src="http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=17d9a28a422c814b65aaec1b9cfc020b&p=1"/></a> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=Health&partnerID=167&key=segment"/><img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29518.rss.Health.18613,cat.Health.rss"/> Diet Blog Eat Right. Get Healthy.  Suggestions to Help Me Lose Weight? [Forum] Forum Post: My name is Tyler. I am 19 years old. I should weigh about 145 lbs, but I weigh 180 lbs. I've tried everything, excluding surgery. I am just now getting back into the exercising and running, but I blew my...  Mobile Apps for Foods [Forum] Forum Post: I was thinking of getting an app, hopefully one that shows nutrients in food, then using that to filter out food with a lot of extras. I see a lot of people struggling with weight loss. I dropped 10 but...  World's Longest Pizza: Record Attempt in Poland When it comes to food, it seems like we're obsessed with records and giant feats. From the New Jersey woman aiming to be the world's fattest, to the Chinese engineers building a great wall of chocolate, we've seen a lot of bizarre stories. Now, Polish enthusiasts are attempting to break the world record for the longest pizza....  Poll: A Vegan Diet Almost "Killed" Angelina Jolie During a recent Interview "Salt" star, Angelina Jolie, said the secret to her beauty was a big juicy steak. She didn't always eat red meat and at one time followed a strict vegan diet until she said it almost killed her....  I Just Feel So Fat [Forum] Forum Post: Hi everyone!! My name is Anne and i am 18 years old! i have never been happy with my body!! a few months ago i weighted 145 lb., i am 5.3. One day i woke up and just realize i...  "Exercise Ratings" On Video Games: A Good Idea? Child Psychiatrist, Paul Ballas, is calling for an exercise rating on motion-controlled video games, claiming it would be a valuable tool in the fight against childhood obesity. As of now, video game ratings were confined to movie-like ratings, which ranged from "your 2 year old can play this and still have nice dreams at night" to "your child may...  The Carb Lovers Diet So long Atkins. Nice knowing you Carb Addicts. I'm leaving South Beach and moving on to a place where I can eat carbs, lose weight, and feel great! The best selling diet plan right now on Amazon is Heath Magazine's The Carb Lover's Diet and it promises just that. Dieters can eat carbs, stop cravings, and have the foods...  Not Happy With My Body [Forum] Forum Post: My name is Hanna, I am 19 years old. I have struggled with my perception of a healthy weight since I was 13 (hit puberty.) I always look back at pictures from years ago and think how good I used...  I Need Tips For Losing Weight [Forum] Forum Post: Im male, 18 and 220 lbs. 2 months ago I was 235 but started cutting down on foods I didnt need like soda and sweets etc. I can only imagine how much i would have lost if I exercised as...  Water Before Meals Boosts Weight Loss It's ridiculously simple advice. Advice that has been a mainstay of "weight loss tips" articles for years now, but there is more scientific validity now to back up the common sense advice of drinking water before you eat (2 glasses in this case). Let's take a look at the study. Lead author Brenda Davy, an associate professor at Virginia... Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness News From Medical News Today Latest Health News and Medical News posted throughout the day, every day.  Discovery Of New Protein That Gets To The Roots Of Obesity And Osteoporosis Here's good news for anyone trying to lose weight or has osteoporosis: Scientists from Maine are on the trail of a weight loss drug that may revolutionize how we treat these two conditions...  Physically Active Lifestyle May Reduce Genetic Predisposition To Obesity New research from the UK suggests that living an active lifestyle can reduce people's genetic predisposition to obesity by about 40 per cent, challenging a popular view that exercise doesn't help people lose weight if they are genetically predisposed to obesity...  Research Explores Factors In Obesity South Dakota State University researchers are using the tools of spatial analysis to explore nationwide data for insights on what influences obesity. "We can identify and map some of these regions or 'hotspots' of high and low obesity," said associate professor Michael Wimberly of SDSU's Geographic Information Science Center of Excellence...  BMI And Thrombogenic Factors In Newly Menopausal Women Although having a high body mass index (BMI) is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease, researchers are only beginning to understand how BMI affects the physiological processes involved in the development of the disease...  Expert Obesity Group Welcomes News That The NHS Is Working To Address Nations Growing Number Of People Suffering With Severe And Complex Obesity, UK When faced with such an epidemic, healthcare professionals have little choice but to respond. The 1992 Health of the Nation report set targets for weight reduction in the English population by 2005, but obesity rates have continued to climb...  Gender Difference In Energy Compensation Effect Discovered By Researchers The results of a new scientific study from Oxford Brookes University show that the consumption of caloric beverages has different affects on short-term total energy intake in men and women...  Obesity Surgery Up Tenfold In England The number of NHS operations for bariatric or weight loss surgery has increased tenfold in England since 2000 say researchers, who suggest the main reason is because obese patients are more aware of it as a viable treatment option...  Grapefruit's Bitter Taste Holds A Sweet Promise For Diabetes Therapy Naringenin, an antioxidant derived from the bitter flavor of grapefruits and other citrus fruits, may cause the liver to break down fat while increasing insulin sensitivity, a process that naturally occurs during long periods of fasting...  Researchers Study Cinnamon Extracts - Could Help Reduce Risk Factors Associated With Diabetes And Heart Disease A study led by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) chemist Richard Anderson suggests that a water soluble extract of cinnamon, which contains antioxidative compounds, could help reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and heart disease...  Link Between Federal School Lunches And Childhood Obesity With children going back to school, parents are concerned that their youngsters are staying fit and eating right, especially those who dine in a school cafeteria. New research funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds that children who eat school lunches that are part of the federal government's National School Lunch Program are more likely to become overweight... Center for Science In The Public Interest News on nutrition, food safety, and more.  CSPI Says FDA Findings at Egg Farm are "Stomach Churning" <b>Statement of CSPI Food Safety Director Caroline Smith DeWaal</b><br/><p>While it is really helpful that <a href="http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/MajorProductRecalls/ucm223522.htm" target="cspi">FDA</a> is disclosing the results of their recent inspections of two facilities linked to a major illness outbreak from <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/201008191.html" target="cspi">contaminated eggs</a>, FDA's findings are truly stomach churning. FDA found rodents and wild birds in the facilities, and five of the Wright County Egg facilities had giant manure piles inside their buildings. These violations are reminiscent of similar findings in another major outbreak linked to peanut butter. <p>Equally troubling is that the inspections occurred the month following the date that the new <a href="http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/eggtimeline.pdf" target="cspi">egg-safety regulation</a> went into effect. Both companies involved had been on notice that they needed to meet requirements of the new egg-safety rule for over a year. Instead of finding companies that were ready to meet those requirements, FDA's inspections document companies with long-standing violations and apparently little intention to comply. The decrepit conditions in these hen houses reflect the fact that companies know that FDA inspections are so rare?even following the adoption of a new safety regulation?that there is no urgency to fix their buildings and their operations to assure compliance with FDA statutes and regulations.  Super Sizing Alive and Well at Nation's Chain Restaurants <b>Nutrition Action Healthletter Illustrates How One 'Serving' Is Really More Like Two, Three, or Four</b><br/><p>WASHINGTON?A typical burrito weighs about 5 ounces, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Yet a <strong>Chicken Burrito at Chipotle</strong> weighs four times as much, delivering 970 calories?including 300 calories from the white-flour tortilla alone. As <em>Nutrition Action Healthletter</em> illustrates in its <a href="http://cspinet.org/nah/articles/supersized.html" target="cspi">September issue</a>, Chipotle and other chain restaurants are reprogramming Americans' expectations of what a "serving" of a food is. <p>Fortunately, <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/201003211.html" target="cspi">calorie counts</a> are soon coming to chain restaurant menu boards, thanks to the federal health care reform law now being implemented. And, from the article, here are 4 other examples of how far an actual serving exceeds the official serving size: <p><img src="/images/blueberrymuffin.jpg"></p> <p><img src="/images/panerasandwich.jpg"></p> <p><img src="/images/steak.jpg"></p> <p><img src="/images/starbuckscookie.jpg"></p> <p>"Chain restaurants have helped dissolve any sense of perspective when it comes to what a reasonable serving of food is," said Bonnie Liebman, nutrition director at the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest, Nutrition Action's publisher. "When 300-calorie bagels and 1,000-calorie burritos became the norm, it's easy to understand why two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese." <p><a href="http://www.cspinet.org/nah" target="cspi"><em>Nutrition Action Healthletter</em></a> is the largest-circulation health newsletter in North America, with 850,000 subscribers. Introductory subscriptions are $10 in the U.S. and $15 in Canada.  Largest Egg Recall in History Exposes Cracks in Egg Oversight <b>Statement of CSPI Food Safety Director Caroline Smith DeWaal</b><br/><p>It is truly ironic that the largest <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/foodsafety/outbreak_report.html" target="cspi">egg recall</a> in history has unfolded just the month after long-awaited egg regulations went into effect. This outbreak will likely grow over the coming weeks, as at least 10 states are investigating outbreak clusters. <p>Jurisdiction over <a href="http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/eggtimeline.pdf" target="cspi">eggs</a> has been scrambled between numerous government agencies for the last 20 years, resulting in enormous delays in addressing the hazard posed by <em>Salmonella</em> enteriditis, a pathogen that infects the ovaries of chickens, causing their eggs to be internally contaminated. Today, FDA claimed that it did not have jurisdiction to inspection this facility until last month when the egg regulation finally took effect. <p>This outbreak demonstrates the need for a food safety cop-on-the-beat. FDA needs a strong inspection force with the tools to mandate recalls, impose civil and criminal penalties, and require testing at farms and production facilities. The agency should be able to impose fines for violations when they find them, detain and recall food, and impose enhanced criminal penalties when companies intentionally violate the law, resulting in harm to the public. <p>The Senate should move immediately to pass <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/201005062.html" target="cspi">S. 510</a> and Congress should move a bill that incorporates the strongest enforcement provision of each bill promptly to the President's desk for signature.  CSPI to Drop Litigation Over Coke's Faded "Enviga" <b>Sales Reportedly Plummeted After State Attorneys General Won Labeling Concessions</b><br/><p>WASHINGTON?The Center for Science in the Public Interest will not appeal a federal appeals <a href="http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/envigadecision.pdf" target="cspi">court decision</a> blocking a New Jersey woman's lawsuit over false weight-loss claims made by Coca-Cola for Enviga. Enviga is a line of artificially sweetened green tea-based soft drinks whose labeling and advertising claims that the drink "burns calories." Launched with considerable fanfare in 2006, Enviga has since faded into obscurity. <p>Under a February 2009 settlement agreement reached with 27 states and the District of Columbia, Coca-Cola agreed to pay $650,000 and to stop making overt weight-loss claims for Enviga. Coke (and partner Nestl?) agreed to add language to labels and marketing materials stating that the product will not promote weight loss without diet and exercise. Three months later, the trade publication New Nutrition Business reported an Enviga "sales collapse." The Court of Appeals decision this week hinged on whether the plaintiff had documented her weight loss or gain, and not on the merits of CSPI's allegations about Enviga's deceptive claims. <p>"We believe that the Court of Appeals erred in not letting a consumer pursue her claim about the demonstrably false advertising and labeling on these expensive and fraudulent drinks," said CSPI <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/litigation" target="cspi">litigation</a> director Steve Gardner. "But since the attorneys general cracked down and have since won modest labeling concessions, we won't appeal. Consumers seem to have gotten the message that Coca-Cola does not have the science to back up its laughable 'calorie burning' claims for Enviga." <p>The taste of Enviga might also be partly to blame for its decline. Tasters at Bevnet.com, an online site that covers the beverage industry, were generally unkind. The Wild Berry flavored Enviga "tastes pretty artificial and saccharine." The Peach flavor, now discontinued, "is a bit too acidic, and allows some of the chemical sweeteners to intervene, creating something of an unpleasantly fuzzy mouthfeel." The Green Tea flavor fared better but Bevnet wondered whether its "strong, tangy flavor" is "going to be too much" for dieting consumers. <p>CSPI's <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/200702011.html" target="cspi">lawsuit</a> sought an injunction barring Enviga from making deceptive claims. <p>"It's ironic that Coke, a company that has been a major promoter of weight gain, is now pretending that it is coming to the rescue of overweight people," said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson when the lawsuit was filed in 2006. "They should have called this drink 'Fleece,' since that's what they're trying to do to consumers. Plain old tap water has zero calories, five calories fewer than Enviga, but unlike Enviga, tap water doesn't cost 15 bucks a gallon." <p>Besides maintaining the Enviga doesn't contain "negative calories," CSPI is concerned about the caffeine levels in Enviga. The marketing materials urged consumers to drink three cans a day to achieve a maximum calorie burning effect. At 100 milligrams per can, three cans of Enviga would have the caffeine of nine cans of Coke. And that is at the upper limit of what experts consider safe for pregnant women or women who may become pregnant. <p>"If you want to lose weight, drink less Coke, not more Enviga," said Jacobson. <p>Enviga aside, CSPI is moving full-speed ahead with a class action lawsuit against Coca-Cola over deceptive claims associated with its <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/201007231.html" target="cspi">Vitaminwater</a> line of drinks. The company makes a wide range of dramatic?and according to CSPI, false?claims, including that its drinks variously reduce the risk of chronic disease, reduce the risk of eye disease, promote healthy joints, and support optimal immune function. Vitaminwater has 33 grams of sugar per bottle, but no juice from any of the fruits mentioned on the labels of its several flavors. The names of the drinks, along with other statements on the label, "have the potential to reinforce a consumer's mistaken belief that the product is comprised of only vitamins and water," wrote U.S. District Court Judge John Gleeson, denying Coca-Cola's motion to dismiss.  CSPI Warns of More Recalls Linked to Beef, Lettuce <b>Statement of CSPI Staff Attorney Sarah A. Klein</b><br/><p>As August grilling season marches on and consumers top their burgers with lettuce, the unfortunate parade of outbreaks and recalls linked to contaminated food continues. USDA and FDA have each recently announced <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/foodsafety/outbreak_report.html" target="cspi">significant recalls</a> of ground beef contaminated with <em>E. coli</em> and bagged lettuce contaminated with <em>Listeria</em>. <p>Valley Meat Company is recalling approximately one million pounds of frozen ground beef patties and bulk ground beef products that may be contaminated with <em>E. coli</em> O157:H7. At least seven consumers have already been sickened. <em>E.coli</em> 0157:H7 can cause severe illness with lifelong medical repercussions, or death. Consumers should check their freezers for meat labeled with any of the product names or codes listed here: <a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_048_2010_Release/index.asp" target="cspi">http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_048_2010_Release/index.asp</a>. In addition, consumers should always cook ground beef to at least 160 degrees, using a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the patty to determine this. Consumers should also be careful when thawing and handling ground beef to avoid cross-contamination on cutting boards, utensils, and kitchen surfaces. <p>Fresh Express has recalled nearly 3,000 cases of Veggie Lovers salad because it may be contaminated with <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em>. <em>Listeria</em> is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, and can cause miscarriage, still-birth, or severe birth defects. Consumers are advised to check their refrigerators for this product, labeled with a Product Code of I208 and Use-by Date of August 10, 2010. Unfortunately, re-washing bagged lettuce does not remove pathogens and may spread contamination around the kitchen. <p>Consumers who suspect they may have contracted a foodborne illness should seek medical care and contact their local health department.  Most "All Natural" Ben & Jerry's Flavors Have Unnatural Ingredients <b>Alkalized Cocoa, Hydrogenated Oil, Fake Vanilla Among Them, Says CSPI</b><br/><p>WASHINGTON?At least 48 out of 53 flavors of Ben & Jerry's "All Natural" ice cream and frozen yogurt contain alkalized cocoa, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, or other ingredients that either don't exist in nature or that have been chemically modified. Calling products with unnatural ingredients "natural" is a false and misleading use of the term, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Today, CSPI <a href="http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/benandjerrysunileverletter.pdf" target="cspi">urged Ben and Jerry's</a> to drop the claim or else the nonprofit watchdog group will take its concerns to the Food and Drug Administration and state attorneys general. <p>Founded in 1978 by Vermonters Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, Ben & Jerry's is now a unit of the Anglo-Dutch consumer product conglomerate Unilever, which besides owning familiar food brands such as Hellman's and Lipton, also makes Vaseline, Dove soap, and Axe deodorant. Thanks to the ice cream company's concerns about the environment, the company has garnered consumer trust and a reputation for social responsibility?but that image risks being sullied by the allegations of misleading labeling. <p><img src="/images/ChubbyHubby.JPG"></br><b>The label claims the ice cream is all natural, <br>but it contains cocoa processed with alkali, <br>partially hydrogenated soybean oil, and corn syrup.</b></p> <p>In 2002, <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/200207301.html" target="cspi">CSPI alerted the FDA</a> and the company to Ben & Jerry's deceptive use of the "All Natural" claim, but neither took action, and the problem seems to have only gotten worse, according to CSPI. The consumer group says that the deceptive labeling is as unfair to competitors as it is to consumers. <p>For instance, "All Natural" Chubby Hubby ice cream contains three non-natural ingredients: alkalized cocoa, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, and corn syrup. Dublin Mudslide contains alkalized cocoa and anhydrous dextrose. A list of all the improperly labeled flavors and their ingredients is included in <a href="http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/benandjerrysunileverletter.pdf" target="cspi">CSPI's letter</a>. <p>"These ingredients are safe?only a small amount of partially hydrogenated oil is used?but it's a stretch to call any of them 'natural,'" said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. "Ben & Jerry's sylvan labels notwithstanding, these ingredients come from the factory, not the farm. And slapping an 'all natural' label on the products certainly implies that the products are top quality and deserve to fetch a higher price." <p>Cocoa processed with alkali is the most frequently used unnatural ingredient as it used in 36 Ben & Jerry's flavors. Treating cocoa with an alkalizing agent changes the chemical structure, taste, and appearance of cocoa and reduces its acidity and flavonol content. Flavonols are antioxidants with possible health benefits. Indeed, Unilever itself recently sponsored research to investigate an association between flavonol intake and the <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dietary-flavonol-intake-may-lower-stroke-risk-98227739.html" target="cspi">incidence of stroke</a>. In addition, the Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition (part of the candy company) <a href="http://www.hersheys.com/nutrition-professionals/cocoa-powder/composition/natural-alkalized.aspx" target="cspi">specifically distinguishes </a> alkalized cocoa powder from natural cocoa powder. Corn syrup and corn syrup solids are created by chemically or enzymatically converting cornstarch into sugar and short chains of sugar molecules. They occur in 28 flavors. Other artificial ingredients in Ben & Jerry's frozen desserts include dextrose and maltodextrin (both are chemically or enzymatically converted from cornstarch) and vanillin (a synthetic vanilla flavor). <p>Although the FDA does not have a formal definition of the word natural, the agency's acting director of regulatory guidance explained in a letter that the agency has "consistently discouraged the use" of the term "because its meaning is ambiguous and may unjustifiably imply to consumers that foods labeled as 'natural' are inherently superior to other foods?" Later, the agency wrote that the term natural means "that nothing artificial or synthetic ? has been included in, or has been added to, a food that would not normally be expected in the food." <p>In any event, emphasized CSPI, the biggest problem with Ben & Jerry's ice creams is saturated fat?a major promoter of heart disease. A one-scoop (half-cup) serving of a typical flavor has about half-a-day's worth of saturated fat.  Senate Adopts Historic Improvements for School Foods <b>Junk Foods Out, Good Foods In, as Child Nutrition Reauthorization Passes in Senate</b><br/><p>The United States Senate achieved a rare, bipartisan consensus this afternoon as it passed by unanimous consent child nutrition legislation in advance of the food programs' September 30 expiration date. The legislation, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, increases reimbursements to school systems for lunches, provides more training to help schools serve healthier meals, and strengthens school wellness policies on nutrition and physical activity. Passage of the bill also signals an eventual removal of junk foods from school vending machines, hallways, and elsewhere on the school grounds as it requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to set science-based nutrition standards for foods that may be sold. <p>"The Senate bill changes the school food landscape in ways that are all positive," said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. "Put simply, it will get junk food out of, and put more healthy food into, America's schools. It preserves the free and reduced-cost meals that many families depend on in an economic downturn. And it supports farmers by improving farm-to-school programs. Chairman Blanche Lincoln and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss deserve credit for forging a bipartisan agreement on the bill and for fighting to secure a vote despite a crowded Senate schedule." <p>According to CSPI, First Lady Michelle Obama made an important, last-minute push for the bill with a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/01/AR2010080103291.html">widely noticed op-ed</a> in the Washington Post on Monday, reflecting on her work with children in the White House garden and the Let's Move campaign to reduce childhood obesity. "The last thing parents need or want is to see the progress they're making at home lost during the school day," Mrs. Obama wrote. "Right now, our country has a major opportunity to make our schools and our children healthier. It's an opportunity we haven't seen in years, and one that is too important to let pass by." <p>CSPI and other members of a broad coalition of health groups are urging the House to pass <a href="http://cspinet.org/new/201007152.html">its version of the legislation</a>, and then to have the two bills conferenced, before the programs expire on September 30.  CSPI Urges Congress to Address Child Nutrition Before August Recess <b>Statement of CSPI Nutrition Policy Director Margo G. Wootan</b><br/><p>Congress has a lot on its plate this legislative session, but it needs to address what's on kids' plates: now! Renewal of the Child Nutrition programs has been delayed for a year. Our children can't wait any longer. <p>The <a href="http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s3307pcs.txt.pdf" target="cspi">Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act</a> (S. 3307) is a much needed step to address child nutrition and obesity. It would remove junk food from school vending machines, increase school lunch reimbursements, and provide more training to help schools serve healthier meals. Unlike the many controversial issues in Washington, this bill is bipartisan, won't add to the deficit, and is popular with voters. It should take no more than a day of the Senate's time. <p>Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell need to bring the child nutrition bill to the Senate floor for a vote before they go home for summer recess, and kids go back to school. A day is not much to ask for our kids' health and well being.  Lawsuit Over Deceptive Vitaminwater Claims to Proceed <b>Court Finds Coke in Violation of Various FDA Regs and Denies Its Motion to Dismiss the Lawsuit</b><br/><p>WASHINGTON?A federal judge has <a href="http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/order_on_m-dismiss_doc_44.pdf" target="cspi">denied Coca-Cola's motion</a> to dismiss a <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/200901151.html" target="cspi">lawsuit</a> over what the Center for Science in the Public Interest says are deceptive and unsubstantiated claims on the company's "vitaminwater" line of soft drinks. The company claims that vitaminwater variously reduces the risk of chronic disease, reduces the risk of eye disease, promotes healthy joints, and supports optimal immune function, and uses health buzz words such as "defense," "rescue," "energy," and "endurance" on labels. <p><img src="/images/vitaminwater2.JPG"></br>Photo Credit: Jeff Cronin <br><b>Vitaminwater is hardly a health drink with 33 grams of sugar in each 20-ounce bottle.</b></p> <p>Besides denying Coca-Cola's motion to dismiss, the ruling contains other bad omens for the company. Judge John Gleeson of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York found that the company's use of the word "healthy" violates the Food and Drug Administration's regulations on vitamin-fortified foods. The FDA's so-called "Jelly Bean" rule prohibits companies from making health claims on junk foods that only meet various nutrient thresholds via fortification. The judge also found that vitaminwater's claim on the "focus" flavor of vitaminwater that it "may reduce the risk of age-related eye disease" runs afoul of FDA regulations. <p>The judge also took note of the fact that the FDA frowns upon names of products that mention some ingredients to the exclusion of more prominent ingredients such as, in the case of vitaminwater, added sugar. The names of the drinks, along with other statements on the label, "have the potential to reinforce a consumer's mistaken belief that the product is comprised of only vitamins and water," Gleeson wrote. <p>"In sum, plaintiffs' allegations sufficiently state a claim that defendants have violated FDA regulations by making health claims about vitaminwater even though it does not meet required minimum nutritional thresholds, by using the word 'healthy' in implied nutrient content claims even though vitaminwater's fortification does not comply with FDA policy, and by using a product name that references only two of vitaminwater's ingredients, omitting the fact that there is a key, unnamed ingredient [sugar] in the product," Gleeson continued. <p>"For too long, Coca-Cola has been exploiting Americans' desire to eat and drink more healthfully by deceiving them into thinking that vitaminwater can actually prevent disease," said CSPI litigation director Steve Gardner. "In fact, vitaminwater is no more than non-carbonated soda, providing unnecessary added sugar and contributing to weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and other diseases. We look forward to representing all Americans whom Coke has deceived." <p>The judge also rejected Coke's argument that disclosing sugar content on Nutrition Facts labels eliminates the possibility that consumers may be misled into thinking the product has only water and vitamins, and little or no sugar. Gleeson cited a similar case involving deceptive fruit imagery on packages for <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/200901021.html" target="cspi">Gerber's Fruit Juice Snacks</a>, which are mostly corn syrup and sugar. That court held that "reasonable consumers should [not] be expected to look beyond misleading representations on the front of the box to discover the truth from the ingredient list in small print on the side of the box." Vitaminwater has 33 grams of sugar in each 20-ounce bottle. <p>The judge excluded one group of New Jersey-based plaintiffs from the case but otherwise rejected Coke's arguments to dismiss on jurisdictional grounds, paving the way for the plaintiffs' lawyers to ask to take depositions of Coca-Cola executives, to ask for discovery of key vitaminwater marketing documents, and to seek certification as a class action. Besides CSPI's litigation unit, Reese Richman LLP and Whatley Drake & Kallas, LLC are representing the plaintiffs. Michael Reese of Reese Richman and CSPI's Gardner argued in court for the plaintiffs. <p>CSPI is also on the verge of suing <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/201006221.html" target="cspi">McDonald's</a> over its use of toys to market unhealthful foods directly to young children. In previous cases, CSPI has won a major pre-lawsuit settlement agreement improving the nutritional quality of the foods <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/200706141.html" target="cspi">Kellogg</a> markets to children, and a settlement refunding millions of dollars to consumers who were deceived by the marketing of <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/200808142.html" target="cspi">Airborne</a>, a dietary supplement. CSPI is also in court in another case against Coca-Cola over deceptive claims by the company that its <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/200702011.html" target="cspi">Enviga</a> green-tea-flavored soft drink has "negative calories," thus promoting weight loss.  In Europe, Dyed Foods Get Warning Label <b>Products with Yellow 5, Red 40, Other Dyes "May Have an Adverse Effect on Activity and Attention in Children"</b><br/><p>WASHINGTON?Starting today in the European Union, most foods that contain artificial food dyes must bear <a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?language=EN&type=IM-PRESS&reference=20080707IPR33563" target="cspi">warning labels</a> stating that the food "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." As a practical matter, it's unclear exactly how many foods will have to use that language on labels, since dyes were never as widely used in Europe as in the United States. Also, the British government asked companies to remove most dyes by last December 31st. The <a href="http://www.cspinet.org" target="cspi">Center for Science in the Public Interest</a> says it hopes the European labeling rule gets the attention of officials at the Food and Drug Administration, which to date has not shown interest in protecting American consumers from the controversial dyes, as well as American companies?including those that are not using dyes in Europe. <p><img src="/images/chinesecoloring.jpg"><br>Photo Credit: Michael Jacobson<b><br>Companies should replace Red 40, Yellow 5 and other synthetic dyes with natural colorings like these. British consumers enjoy food products free of most food dyes, but the same can't be said for Americans.</b></p> <p>Synthetic food dyes have been suspected of triggering behavior problems in children since the 1970s, when <a href="http://www.feingold.org/" target="cspi">Dr. Ben Feingold</a>, a San Francisco allergist, reported that his patients improved when their diets were changed. Numerous controlled studies conducted over the next three decades proved that some children's behavior is worsened by artificial dyes. A 2004 meta-analysis concluded that artificial dyes affect children's behavior, and two recent studies funded by the British government found that mixtures of dyes (as well as the preservative sodium benzoate) adversely affect kids' behavior. <p>In 2008, CSPI filed a <a href="http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/petition-food-dyes.pdf" target="cspi">regulatory petition</a> that called on the FDA to ban dyes because of the problems documented in children. <p>"At this point, American food manufacturers and regulators alike should be embarrassed that we're feeding kids foods with chemicals that have such a powerfully disruptive impact on children's behavior," said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. "European officials are taking the issue much more seriously, and are moving toward a safer food supply as a result." <p>Because the FDA hasn't encouraged food manufacturers to switch to safer natural colorings, many American food companies use the chemicals in the United States products but not in the U.K. equivalents. For example, the topping for a McDonald's Strawberry Sundae sold in the United States contains Red 40. <p>In the U.K., the topping's color comes from strawberries. Representative Louise Slaughter, Chairman of the House Rules Committee and the only microbiologist serving in Congress, has written the FDA twice expressing concern about the widespread use of artificial dyes in food. <p>"This is a sensible policy and a smart move to help protect the health and well being of children in Europe," Slaughter said. "For too long, studies have raised questions about the impact food dyes are having on the development of children and the possible link between dyes and behavior. I have been troubled by the lack of solid data on this issue for more than a decade. It's my hope that the Food and Drug Administration reviews the abundance of science on this issue and considers implementing a similar restriction or outright ban." <p>Besides being linked to behavior problems in children, food dyes are also inadequately tested and may pose cancer risks as well, <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/201006291.html" target="cspi">according to a CSPI</a> report?Food Dyes: Rainbow of Risks?published last month.