Should Healthy Individuals be Monitoring their Blood Glucose?
Recently, there has been increased marketing for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) directed towards non-diabetic populations. The PEN® Team looked for available research about the use of CGMs and whether supporting their use in the general population is beneficial.
Posted:
2024-09-03
Is Tonic Water a Cure for Foot/Leg Cramps?
Earlier this year, one of the PEN Team members overheard a conversation where an individual was told by a family member to drink tonic water before going to bed to help with foot cramps. The PEN Team thought a review of recently updated PEN content on muscle cramps would help answer this question and assist practitioners.
Posted:
2024-08-07
Anti-nutrients: Should They Be Avoided?
Should individuals avoid anti-nutrients, and the plants that bear them? Two dietetic practicum students along with the PEN® Team revisited the topic of anti-nutrients from a previous Trending Topic on Lectins to try to answer this question.
Posted:
2024-07-08
What’s the latest on The Dirty Dozen?
The American not-for-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) has recently published an updated 2024 Dirty Dozen, which lists the fruit and vegetables most contaminated with pesticides. The EWG maintains that children are most likely to be susceptible to pesticide exposure and related health consequences, which has led to the American Academy of Pediatrics listing the Dirty Dozen as a resource for information on pesticide residues in produce.
Posted:
2024-04-22
Is Allulose Sweetener Safe to Use in Canada?
Recently, there’s been more attention in the media on the sugar substitute allulose. The PEN Team thought a look into allulose’s characteristics was warranted to help guide practitioners when responding to client questions about this sugar substitute.
Posted:
2024-02-12
Energy Drink Consumption in Children and Adolescents: What’s Happening?
A recently published systematic review builds on a previous review examining the evidence of the physical effects of energy drink consumption on children and adolescents.
Posted:
2024-02-12
Ultra-processed Foods: Are They Addictive?
Ultra-processed foods: are they addictive? The message is a bit more complicated.
Posted:
2023-11-03
Practice Guidelines for Bone Health and Osteoporosis
The Osteoporosis Canada 2023 Guideline Update Group recently completed a review and evaluation of published studies using GRADE to update its 2010 osteoporosis guidelines. The PEN Team reviewed the guidelines against recently updated PEN related content to ensure that dietitians are practicing with the most up-to-date information.
Posted:
2023-10-26
Plant-based Beverages – Are They Healthier For Young Children? (Updated)
Plant-based drinks (e.g. rice, coconut, almond, oat, hemp, potato) may not be able to support good health for infants and young children when used as the main beverage.
Posted:
2023-09-27
+New Chat: Artificial Intelligence and Dietetic Practice
How accurate is ChatGPT in giving nutrition information and recommendations? Read to the end to fully find out!
Posted:
2023-08-28
Can Prescribing Produce Help Manage Type 2 Diabetes?
Can prescribing ‘food as medicine’ have a positive effect on health outcomes, health care costs and health-related quality of life? A recent U.S. study that looked at the impact of implementing a fruit and vegetable prescription program for adults living with diabetes and food insecurity might provide some answers.
Posted:
2023-08-21
Mis-Dis Information: Keeping Focused on Evidence-informed Nutrition Practice Recommendations for Autism Spectrum Disorder
The rise in mis- and disinformation throughout and following the COVID-19 global pandemic is well documented. Social media has intensified the rapid spread of misinformation to the public about nutrition and health, which has implications for dietetic professionals.
Posted:
2023-07-20
Should My Clients Consume Less Aspartame? The Recent WHO/IARC Report on the Health Impacts of Aspartame
The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives just released a report assessing the health impacts of aspartame. The PEN Team has been watching the media headlines in anticipation of the report’s release to determine whether a change in practice recommendation was needed on the safety of the daily consumption of aspartame.
Posted:
2023-07-18
New Non-Sugar Sweetener Guideline from the World Health Organization
The World Health Organization recently released the Use of Non-Sugar Sweeteners: WHO Guideline. The guideline is based on a 2022 systemic review that used GRADE to summarize the evidence and make a practice recommendation.
Posted:
2023-06-23
Does Erythritol Consumption Add to Cardiovascular Risk?
A recent study examined erythritol and the risk of atherothrombotic disease. The PEN Team decided to continue the conversation, exploring whether the study findings suggest taking a closer look at the current practice guidance on sugar alcohols.
Posted:
2023-03-29
Added Sugars and Cardiovascular Disease – Is There a New Cause for Concern?
A recent newsletter post from McGill University reviewed a U.K. study that concluded that consuming higher amounts of added sugars increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. This is an important topic with CVDs being the leading cause of death globally. The PEN Team decided to explore if a change in practice guidance is needed based on this study.
Posted:
2023-03-14
Anti-inflammatory Diets and Health
Dietitians are receiving client questions about anti-inflammatory diets that have made headlines in recent months and years. Questions focus on including anti-inflammatory foods in everyday dietary patterns to promote overall health and protect against chronic diseases.
Posted:
2023-01-30
Low Calorie/Energy Restriction to Promote Type 2 Diabetes Remission - Is There Truth to This?
Recently posted in U.K. university news, the use of low calorie diets by individuals of South Asian ethnicity promoted weight loss, resulting in the remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Similar postings about T2DM remission have been seen on various social networks, often relating to the DiRECT Trial (Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial), as well as new related clinical practice guidelines in Canada. The PEN Team conducted a quick review of these studies to assess their application to dietetic practice.
Posted:
2023-01-09
Does High Protein Dairy Milk Have More Health Benefits than Regular Dairy Milk?
A PEN System user recently reached out to the PEN Team to share their experience with parents of young children choosing high protein milk products for their children and questioned if this is good practice. The PEN Team thought a deeper dive into the possible merits or adverse effects of recommending high protein milk to clients would be useful to dietitians.
Posted:
2022-12-16
Dietary Supplements - Can Consumers Trust What’s on the Label and in the Package?
The PEN Team thought a deeper look into mislabelled dietary supplement products might be a topic of interest to practitioners whose clients are, or are considering, taking dietary supplements.
Posted:
2022-11-23
#Guttok: Are L-Glutamine Supplements Needed for Gut Health in Healthy Populations?
Social media influencers are sharing their gut health struggles and tips to "hack" your gut” using hashtags such as #guttok, #guthealth and #guthealing. Recently, this included promoting the use of L-glutamine supplements to heal the gastrointestinal system. The content targets individuals experiencing various ailments, including diarrhea, constipation, bloating and other symptoms associated with a ‘leaky gut’.
Posted:
2022-10-23
#Guttok: Are L-Glutamine Supplements Needed for Gut Health in Healthy Populations?
Social media influencers are sharing their gut health struggles and tips to “‘hack’ your gut”, using hashtags such as #guttok, #guthealth and #guthealing. Most recently, this includes promoting the use of L-glutamine supplements to heal the gastrointestinal (GI) system. The content targets individuals experiencing various ailments, including diarrhea, constipation and bloating and other symptoms associated with a ‘leaky gut’.
Posted:
2022-10-21
Dietetic Practice and Effects of Climate Change on the Global Food Supply
Based on a United Nations (UN) report, as the climate changes, food will become more expensive, scarcer and even less nutritious. People across the globe have already started to adapt what food they eat based on what’s available, accessible and acceptable to them.
Posted:
2022-09-15
Dietetic Practice and the Effects of Climate Change on the Global Food Supply
Based on a United Nations (UN) report, as the climate changes, food will become more expensive, scarcer and even less nutritious. People across the globe have already started to adapt what food they eat based on what’s available, accessible and acceptable to them.
Posted:
2022-09-15
Gut Health: Do we need gut detoxes and can we “heal” the gut?
Posted:
2022-08-18
Promoting Cultural Competence Using a Heart Healthy Diet to Lower Cardiovascular Risk Factors
Cultural competence in dietetics is an important aspect of cultivating trust and connection with clients seeking to improve dietary outcomes. Dietary recommendations need to reflect the unique culture of individuals and population(s).
Posted:
2022-08-15
North American Shortage of Infant Formula Sparks International Response
There is a shortage of infant formula in the U.S. that has implications for the Canadian market. The shortage of infant formulas for infants with food allergies and certain medical conditions is of particular concern as there are fewer opportunities for formula substitutions.
Posted:
2022-06-15
Does a Vegetarian Eating Pattern Affect a Child’s Nutrition Status and Growth?
A 2022 paper, Vegetarian Diet, Growth, and Nutrition in Early Childhood: a Longitudinal Cohort Study, has gained traction on social media. The PEN Team took a closer look at the study to assess if the current PEN recommendations related to children and vegetarian eating are up to date with this latest evidence.
Posted:
2022-05-20
Does a Vegetarian Eating Pattern Affect a Child’s Nutrition Status and Growth?
A 2022 paper: Vegetarian Diet, Growth, and Nutrition in Early Childhood: a Longitudinal Cohort Study has gained traction on social media. The PEN Team took a closer look at the study to assess if the current PEN nutrition recommendations related to children and vegetarian eating are up to date with this latest evidence.
Posted:
2022-05-17
Sweeteners and Cancer Risk – Is There a Strong Association?
A recent large cohort study examining artificial sweetener intake with cancer risk concluded that artificial sweeteners were associated with increased cancer risk. This has important implications for practice, given the wide range use of sweeteners in foods and beverages and the frequency that these foods and beverages are consumed.
Posted:
2022-04-13
Conflict and the Impact on the Global Food Supply
A key concern for dietitians is the ability of the food system to feed people and then for people to have adequate access to food. This concern is amplified during times of war and conflict, especially for those most directly impacted. There are considerable health and safety implications including access to life-sustaining food and water.
Posted:
2022-03-22
Do Veggies Protect Your Heart? Recent Low Quality Evidence Questions Vegetables’ Value
A recent study observed that vegetable consumption was only minimally protective for incident cardiovascular disease. Media headlines subsequently reported that “eating veggies won't protect your heart”. The PEN Team thought an analysis of the study was needed to determine if any changes to current recommendations to “eat lots of vegetables” are required.
Posted:
2022-03-10
Food, Nutrition and Wellness Trends 2022
Trends for 2022 show an interest in the consumer, their mental health and wellness, healthy immunity, choices that support a healthy environment, sensible indulgences, reducing alcohol consumption and trying new spices and spicy foods.
Posted:
2022-01-07
Intermittent Fasting and Weight Loss – Do the Studies Line Up?
Intermittent fasting (IF) continues to be a hot topic for dietitians and their clients. The PEN Team was pleased to add new content on IF to the PEN System in November 2021.
Posted:
2021-12-17
Trending Topic Intermittent Fasting
Posted:
2021-12-09
An Update on Taxation and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
The PEN Team is currently reviewing the evidence on the health impact of SSB intake on adults and children, anticipating publication in 2022. In the interim, here is a look at the positions of the partnering PEN countries related to SSB taxation.
Posted:
2021-11-08
Diet Quality and COVID-19: Socioeconomics Matter
Is eating plant-based enough to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection? Not without a closer look at the socioeconomic gradient.
Posted:
2021-10-01
Should You Strike "Boosting Your Immune System" from Your Vocabulary? Avoiding "Science-ploitation"
In a recent podcast, Dr. Jen Gunter describes the problems with the phrase “boosting the immune system” (1). The PEN Team wondered if the podcast concepts might be useful to dietitians when clients ask about “immune-boosting” foods and supplements.
Posted:
2021-07-29
Can Coffee Prevent Chronic Liver Disease?
Recent headlines (1,2) attest that drinking coffee prevents chronic liver disease, based on a recently published study (3). The PEN Team set out to investigate whether the evidence supports these cause-and-effect statements.
Posted:
2021-07-09
Vitamin B12 in Pregnancy
A concern about vitamin B12 deficiency causing adverse outcomes in pregnant women, particularly of South Asian descent, prompted us to look more closely at this hot topic. We identified a systematic review (SR) that focused on the vitamin B12 status of women and infants living in India (1).
Posted:
2021-05-25
Consumers’ Feelings About Meat and Meat Alternatives: Can Framing Influence Perception?
In a recent study, researchers used a mixed-methods approach to examine consumer perceptions of meat and meat alternatives and whether framing products as part of a meal, rather than in isolation, influences consumer perceptions (1).
Posted:
2021-04-14
U.S. Report of Heavy Metals in Manufactured Infant Foods
A U.S. report finds heavy metals in manufactured infant foods. Should we be concerned? Are heavy metals present in infant foods at unsafe levels? What should dietitians be advising parents to do? The PEN Team went looking for answers.
Posted:
2021-03-02
Vitamin D and COVID-19: Do Latest Studies Support Supplementation?
To date, research on vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 outcomes has been limited, so the PEN Team reviewed two recent studies on vitamin D and COVID-19 to see what, if anything, has changed.
Posted:
2021-02-16
USDA Dietary Guidelines
The 2020-2025 USDA Dietary Guidelines were released on December 29, 2020.
Posted:
2021-01-12
Food Trends in 2021
During the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the interest in personalized nutrition, a healthy gut and the immune system and related nutrients and supplements increased, as did cooking more.
Posted:
2021-01-11
Consumption of Ultra-processed Foods Trending Down But Still High
Posted:
2020-11-30
Could Eating Cabbage and Fermented Vegetables Reduce Severe Outcomes of COVID-19?
Posted:
2020-11-17
Should I Recommend Vitamin D Supplements to Protect Against COVID-19? Updated November 2020
Posted:
2020-11-02
COVID-19 Lockdown Associated with Weight and Dietary Changes Among Adults with Obesity
Posted:
2020-10-27
Food and Food Packaging and Coronavirus Risk
Posted:
2020-09-10
Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines on Adult Obesity Released
Posted:
2020-08-11
Taxation of Salt and Foods High in Sodium
Posted:
2020-07-27
COVID-19 Trials and Research We Are Watching
Posted:
2020-06-10
COVID-19 Trials and Research We Are Watching
Posted:
2020-04-07
SARS-CoV-2 Virus Stability and Disinfecting
Posted:
2020-04-02
Immunity, Nutrition and COVID-19
Posted:
2020-04-01
New Study - Dairy and Breast Cancer Risk
Posted:
2020-02-27
Addressing Stigma: Towards a More Inclusive Health System
Posted:
2020-02-25
Vitamin D Update: Supplementation and Pregnancy and Perinatal Outcomes and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D as a Marker for Nutrient Deficiency and Sufficiency
Posted:
2020-02-07
Can Selenium-rich Lentils Reduce Arsenic Toxicity in Chronically-Exposed Individuals?
Posted:
2020-01-20
Food Trends in 2020
Posted:
2020-01-03
Coconut Oil Unveiled!
Posted:
2019-12-20
Adult Obesity Management Practice Guidelines
Posted:
2019-12-09
Plant-based Beverages Are Not a Good Alternative for Young Children
Posted:
2019-10-31
Red and Processed Meat – It’s All About Interpretation
Posted:
2019-10-02
Twelve Country Comparison of Packaged Food and Beverages Using Health Star Rating System
Posted:
2019-09-10
The Science and Politics of Nutrition Series - Dietary Carbohydrates: Role of Quality and Quantity in Chronic Disease
Posted:
2019-07-31
Animal and Plant-based Protein Foods Effects on Blood Lipid Levels
Posted:
2019-06-25
Ultra-processed Foods and Early Death
Posted:
2019-06-06
The Association Between Ultra-processed Food Consumption and the Risk of Mortality – What is the Real Deal?
Posted:
2019-06-05
New Guidelines on the Risk Reduction of Cognitive Decline and Dementia
Posted:
2019-05-16
Medically-Tailored Home Meal Program Associated with Reduced Inpatient Admissions and Health Care Costs
Posted:
2019-05-13
Warning Against Eating Human Placenta
Posted:
2019-05-06
Report Card on Access to Obesity Treatment for Adults in Canada
Posted:
2019-04-29
Red Meat, Comparison Diets and CVD
Posted:
2019-04-16
Is Diet Associated with Death Rates Across the Globe?
Posted:
2019-04-10
Gut Microbiota in Nutrition and Health
Posted:
2019-04-01
Another Study on Cholesterol, Eggs and CVD Risk
Posted:
2019-03-26
DRI Updates for Sodium and Potassium
Posted:
2019-03-11
The "Planetary Health Diet" – What’s it All About?
Posted:
2019-01-22
The New Canada’s Food Guide is Released!
Posted:
2019-01-22
The Law of Food Allergy and Accommodation in Canadian Schools
Posted:
2019-01-07
Food Trends for 2019
Posted:
2019-01-03
Further Commentary on the PURE Study: Dairy Intake, Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality
Posted:
2018-12-07
Probiotics in the News
Posted:
2018-12-07
Family Meals and Teen Diets
Posted:
2018-12-03
Just What Did the VITAL Results Teach Us About Vitamin D and Omega-3 Supplementation?
Posted:
2018-11-20
Food Sensitivity Tests
Posted:
2018-11-03
Proposed Global Consensus for Malnutrition Diagnosis Criteria
Posted:
2018-09-13
Update on the Mediterranean Diet
Posted:
2018-08-30
Salt Intake and CVD: The Ongoing Debate
Posted:
2018-08-21
A2 Milk Revisited
Posted:
2018-08-15
Malnutrition in Infants Fed Plant-based Beverages
Posted:
2018-07-06
The Science and Politics of Nutrition Series - The History of Nutrition Science
Posted:
2018-06-22
Skinny Teas and Weight Loss
Posted:
2018-05-29
Microbiome Study
Posted:
2018-05-18
Trending Topic - Recent Research on Vitamin D
Posted:
2018-05-18
Misleading News Headline Regarding Egg Consumption
Posted:
2018-05-11
Are Your Clients Asking About "Leaky Gut Syndrome"?
Posted:
2018-04-27
Updated Diabetes Clinical Practice Guidelines
Posted:
2018-04-10
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
Posted:
2018-03-21
Gluten-free Diets May Be Contaminated by Gluten
Posted:
2018-03-19
Reclassifying Diabetes?
Posted:
2018-03-12
Ultra-processed Food and Cancer Risk
Posted:
2018-02-19
The Effect of Probiotics on Mental Health
Posted:
2018-01-12
Carbohydrate, Fat and Mortality
Posted:
2018-01-03
Food Trends for 2018
Posted:
2017-12-22
Should Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) Values be Developed for Lutein?
Posted:
2017-11-22
Banning Trans Fat
Posted:
2017-10-20
Assessing Recent Reporting on Water Fluoridation and Children’s IQ
Posted:
2017-09-27
Fresh, Fresh-stored and Frozen Vegetables and Fruit
Posted:
2017-08-30
Food Insecurity and Chronic Disease
Posted:
2017-08-10
Nonnutritive Sweeteners, Body Weight and Cardiometabolic Health - Inconclusive Results
Posted:
2017-07-27
Obesity Prevention and Management
Posted:
2017-06-28
Trans Fats on Their Way Out Again!
Posted:
2017-06-15
Benefits of Reducing Saturated Fat Intake Criticized
Posted:
2017-04-27
A Resource for Health Care Professionals on the Practice of Sharing Human Milk
Posted:
2017-04-19
Nudge Theory
Posted:
2017-04-18
Sugary Drink Research
Posted:
2017-02-15
Green Tea Extract Supplements
Posted:
2017-02-06
Heart & Stroke Report: Food Marketing to Children
Posted:
2017-02-06
Introduction of Allergenic Food to Infants, Especially Peanuts: Interim Guidelines for Canadian Dietitians
Posted:
2017-01-23
Plant-based Diet for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes
Posted:
2016-11-24
Kombucha Tea - Some Pros and Cons
Posted:
2016-11-14
Supplements Associated with Liver Injury
Posted:
2016-11-08
Tax and Sugar-sweetened Beverages
Posted:
2016-10-17
Cardiovascular Guideline Releases
Posted:
2016-10-13
Wearable Technology and Weight Loss
Posted:
2016-10-04
Hypohydration and Cognition
Posted:
2016-09-27
The Paleo Diet Still Lacks Evidence
Posted:
2016-09-12
Wheat Sensitivity One Step Closer to Being Defined?
Posted:
2016-08-05
Sitting down reading this? You may want to get up and move after this.
Posted:
2016-07-29
Avocado Pits/Seeds are not Recommended for Consumption
Posted:
2016-07-15
Diet and Exercise is Still the Key to Losing Visceral Fat
Posted:
2016-07-11
Wearable Technology - Bite Counters to Monitor Intake Study
Posted:
2016-07-05
Newly Released Report on Genetically Engineered (GE) Crops
Posted:
2016-05-20
Folate During Pregnancy and Autism - A Recent Study
Posted:
2016-05-12
An Article Worthy of Attention
Posted:
2016-05-09
Iodine Deficiency in the U.K.
Posted:
2016-05-05
Two Actions on Global Hunger and Malnutrition
Posted:
2016-04-05
Global Study on BMI Trends
Posted:
2016-04-01
Continued Support for Early Introduction of Peanuts
Posted:
2016-03-07
New Report
Posted:
2016-03-02
Health Organizations Tell Food Industry: Pick on Someone Your Own Age
Posted:
2016-02-24
Taxation and Sugar-sweetened Beverages
Posted:
2016-02-09
The Bulletproof Diet
Posted:
2016-02-04
Updated Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations - Acute Inpatient Stroke Care Guidelines
Posted:
2016-01-21
Position Paper: Introduction of Gluten into Infant's Diet
Posted:
2016-01-19
New 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Posted:
2016-01-11
Behind the Headlines
Posted:
2015-11-25
Federal Government Mandate
Posted:
2015-11-23
WHO Report on Meat and Cancer
Posted:
2015-10-26
Are your clients asking about Soylent or Ambronite?
Posted:
2015-10-15
Dysphagia Framework & Labels:
Posted:
2015-09-29
A New Study from BMJ
Posted:
2015-09-29
New Article from CMA
Posted:
2015-09-15
Posted:
2015-09-15
Article Analysis
Posted:
2015-07-17
Still Being Asked about Wheat Belly and Gluten-free?
Posted:
2015-07-16
NHS Choices - Behind the Headlines
Posted:
2015-06-16
DAA Media Release
Posted:
2015-06-15
DC Media Release
Posted:
2015-06-15