• Study: Children who got healthy snacks were sated with fewer calories
  Children who were given a snack combination of vegetables and cheese ate about 170 calories before becoming full, compared with 620 calories consumed by children who ate potato chips, Cornell University researchers reported on the website of the journal Pediatrics. Children who were overweight or obese saw a greater effect, research showed. MedPage Today (free registration) (12/17)      

• With planning, vegetarian diets can fuel athletes
  Athletes who are vegetarians can get the nutrition they need with careful planning to ensure adequate energy and nutrients, registered dietitian Linda Copp writes. Tips include eating iron-rich foods such as leafy greens, chickpeas and dried apricots, and calcium-rich foods such as broccoli, figs and tofu. San Diego Union-Tribune (12/16)      

• Meals to Heal fills a dietary niche in cancer care
  Meals to Heal delivers meals to cancer patients at home, using a healthy Mediterranean-style menu created by registered dietitians who are certified as oncology specialists. The group's chief clinical officer, RD Jessica Iannotta, says the service fills a need in the cancer community with fresh, healthful meals created around evidence-based information. Today's Dietitian online (12/6)      

• FDA begins allergen research
  The FDA has begun a study to determine safe thresholds of allergens. The research will help the agency respond to concerns about allergen contamination and petitions for allergen-label exceptions. Supermarket News (12/13)      

• Chicago passes vending-machine nutrition ordinance
  The Chicago City Council has approved a nutrition ordinance that restricts the fat, calorie, sugar and sodium content of foods and beverages sold in vending machines in city buildings. Health advocates say the ordinance does not go far enough because 25% of vending-machine contents still can be sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks. Chicago Tribune (tiered subscription model) (12/13)      

• Milk intake has different impacts on iron, vitamin D stores
  Every cup of cow's milk raised 2- to 5-year-olds' vitamin D levels by 6.5% on average, but lowered iron stores by 3.6%, Canadian researchers reported in the journal Pediatrics. They said they suspect that the more milk children consume, the fewer iron-rich foods they eat. CBC.ca (Canada) (12/17)      

• Study suggests weight-loss link from whey protein, amino acids
  A small study found that older, obese adults who consumed whey protein and amino acids as part of their weight-loss program lost more fat than did those who followed a diet without those ingredients. The ingredients "increased muscle metabolism, and this may have triggered a greater reduction in body fat," said researcher Robert Coker of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, who adds that the results could also apply to younger people. WebMD (12/14)      

• Aerobics outperforms resistance training in weight loss
  Data on overweight and obese middle-aged participants showed those who performed aerobic exercise alone or in combination with resistance training burned more fat and lost more weight compared with those who only did resistance training alone. The results were published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. HealthDay News (12/17)      

Top five news stories selected by SmartBrief for Nutritionists readers in the past week.

• The 10 food trends of 2012 that stuck (The Huffington Post)

• Tips for healthy aging begin with diet, exercise (The Washington Post)

• Study suggests obese women should eat 3 meals each day (United Press International)

• Quinoa's nutrition makes it more than a trend, dietitian says (Food & Nutrition Magazine online)

• Dietitians aren't sold on benefits of "ancient grains" (The Wall Street Journal)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

• L.A. schools to give students more say in meal planning
  The Los Angeles Unified School District will make nutrition education part of the school curriculum, give students more input in school meals and ensure that they receive at least 20 minutes to eat. David Binkle, L.A. Unified's food-services director, says nutrition professionals plan to continue surveying students about school meals and form "culinary advisory teams" to help direct school-nutrition efforts. Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (12/15)      

• Other News

• School district, dietitians, students create cooking video
  The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, Calif.) (free registration) (12/13)      

• Carrot souffle
  This light and creamy side dish would be a welcome addition to your holiday table. The Well-Fed Heart      

Most vegetarian diets are able to meet the nutritional needs of athletes if they include an extensive variety of foods." --RD Linda Copp, writing in the San Diego Union-Tribune

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