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PubMed2005

Functional foods in the management of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this article is to evaluate food properties able to influence specific physiological targets that may be helpful for the prevention and management of overweight and diabetes. RECENT FINDINGS: Observational and intervention studies have clearly shown that type 2 diabetes can be prevented by lifestyle measures, including reduced energy intake to induce a modest but sustained weight reduction, together with changes in diet composition. SUMMARY: Foods can be regarded as functional if proven to affect beneficially one or more target functions in the body, beyond adequate nutritional effects, in a way relevant to improved state of health and well-being, reduction of risk of diseases, or both. Functional foods might have a particularly high impact for prevention or treatment of overweight and diabetes for which, more than in many other fields, the link between nutrition, biological responses and diseases is clearly established. Functional foods for obesity should be able to influence the energy balance equation regulated by the control of energy intake or of energy dissipated as heat (thermogenesis). For prevention of type 2 diabetes, several unmodified foods with functional properties have already been identified (low saturated fat products, vegetables, fruit, wholegrain foods, low glycemic index starchy foods). Overall, the available evidence on functional foods so far identified in this field is incomplete: the major gap is the lack of diet-based intervention trials of sufficient duration to be relevant for the natural history of diseases like overweight and diabetes.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2↗
PubMed1999

The development of functional foods: lessons from the gut.

Functional foods have resulted from the gradual recognition that healthy diets result from eating nutritious foods and from the identification of the mechanisms by which foods modulate metabolism and health. After initial successes with foods that reduce blood cholesterol level, probiotic bacteria and prebiotic carbohydrates have now also demonstrated added health benefits. As ingredients become more complex, the need to stabilize such ingredients in foods become increasingly important to the success of functional foods. Modern biotechnologies such as genomics, genetic expression and biomarkers of health and performance will be applied to this increasingly visible portion of human diets.

Biotechnology↗
PubMed1999

Position of the American Dietetic Association: functional foods.

It is the position of The American Dietetic Association that functional foods, including whole foods and fortified, enriched, or enhanced foods, have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis, at effective levels. The Association supports research to further define the health benefits and risks of individual functional foods and their physiologically active components. Dietetics professionals will continue to work with the food industry, government, the scientific community, and the media to ensure that the public has accurate information regarding this emerging area of food and nutrition science. Knowledge of the role of physiologically active food components, both from phytochemicals and zoochemicals, has changed the role of diet in health. Functional foods have evolved as food and nutrition science has advanced beyond the treatment of deficiency syndromes to reduction of disease risk. This position reviews the definition of functional foods, their regulation, and the scientific evidence supporting this emerging area of food and nutrition. Foods can no longer be evaluated only in terms of macronurtrient and micronutrient intake. Analyzing the content, of other physiologically active components will be necessary. The availability of health-promoting functional foods in the US diet has the potential to help ensure a healthier population. However, each functional food should be evaluated on the basis of scientific evidence to ensure appropriate integration into a varied diet.

Dietetics↗
PubMed2004

Position of the American Dietetic Association: Functional foods.

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that functional foods, including whole foods and fortified, enriched, or enhanced foods, have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis, at effective levels. The Association supports research to define further the health benefits and risks of individual functional foods and their physiologically active components. Dietetics professionals will continue to work with the food industry, the government, the scientific community, and the media to ensure that the public has accurate information regarding this emerging area of food and nutrition science. Knowledge of the role of physiologically active food components, from both phytochemicals and zoochemicals, has changed the role of diet in health. Functional foods have evolved as food and nutrition science has advanced beyond the treatment of deficiency syndromes to reduction of disease risk. This position reviews the definition of functional foods, their regulation, and the scientific evidence supporting this emerging area of food and nutrition. Foods can no longer be evaluated only in terms of macronutrient and micronutrient content alone. Analyzing the content of other physiologically active components and evaluating their role in health promotion will be necessary. The availability of health-promoting functional foods in the US diet has the potential to help ensure a healthier population. However, each functional food should be evaluated on the basis of scientific evidence to ensure appropriate integration into a varied diet.

Dietetics↗
PubMed2002

Global view on functional foods: European perspectives.

In the context of this presentation, European means the European scientific community, which, over the last decade, has been working on the concepts for functional foods, producing a number of documents including a consensus paper, guidelines and scientific publications. The Functional Food Science in Europe (FUFOSE) project has been quite a unique attempt to establish a strong scientific framework to justify the functional food concept, to discover and develop new functional foods that are primarily function-driven, and to substantiate claims scientifically. Being clearly positioned as part of nutrition, the functional food concept is, however, quite distinct from other approaches like food supplementation or food fortification, and functional foods are different from nutraceuticals, pharmafoods, vitafoods and 'alicaments', all terms that are not defined conceptually. Functional foods are food products to be taken as part of the usual diet in order to have beneficial effects that go beyond what are known as traditional nutritional effects. Moreover, these beneficial effects have to be demonstrated scientifically to justify two specific types of claim: the enhanced function claim or the reduction of disease risk claim. Functional food is a key concept for the future of nutrition as a science because it results from the implementation in nutrition of all the basic scientific knowledge that has accumulated over the past two or three decades. To the benefit of public health this progress cannot be ignored, it needs to be recognized fully and used. But, today, functional food is still mainly a scientific concept that serves to stimulate research and the development of new products.

Biotechnology↗
PubMed2001

Functional food ingredients against colorectal cancer. An example project integrating functional genomics, nutrition and health.

Functional Food Ingredients Against Colorectal Cancer is one of the first European Union funded Research Projects at the cross-road of functional genomics [comprising transcriptomics, the measurement of the expression of all messengers RNA (mRNAs) and proteomics, the measurement of expression/state of all proteins], nutrition and human health. The goal of Functional Food Ingredients Against Colorectal Cancer is to develop a colon epithelial cell line-based screening assay for nutrients with presumed anti-colorectal carcinogenic properties. Genes involved in colon carcinogenesis are identified at the RNA and protein level, using a variety of methods (subtractive hybridisation, DNA microarray, proteomics) in combination with models for colorectal cancer development (human biopsies, rat model for colorectal carcinogenesis, colorectal cancer epithelial cell lines). Secondly, colorectal cancer epithelial cell lines are selected, in terms of their capacity to undergo gene/protein expression changes representing different phases in the colorectal carcinogenesis. Thirdly, these cell lines are used to determine the effects of nutrients with presumed anti-carcinogenic properties (e.g. resveratrol, flavonoids) on functional genomics-derived endpoints. Once validated against the effects of these nutrients in in vivo animal models and classical biomarkers for colorectal carcinogenesis, these cell line models combined with functional genomics represent useful tools to study colorectal carcinogenesis and screen for nutrients with anti-carcinogenic properties.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Functional foods: an ecologic perspective.

A functional food is defined as any food or food ingredient that may provide a health benefit beyond that conferred by the nutrients the food contains. As nutrition scientists move into this arena, they must build on the wealth of information that already exists in plant biology. In particular, the evolutionary and physiologic bases for the production of secondary plant chemicals in plants must be considered in order to plan meaningful experiments for testing the functionality of these chemical compounds for humans. One problem that may arise is that in using the term functional food, the meaning may be lost in the continued proliferation of related terms used in product marketing. The new National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements addressed some of these issues as it developed the operating definitions described in this report.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Stakeholder interactions and the development of functional foods.

OBJECTIVE: This paper investigates the roles of the individual stakeholders involved in the development of functional foods and the implications of their actions for public perception of this new food concept. RESULTS: At a time when consumer awareness of the link between diet and health is strong, a new food concept incorporating of a wide spectrum of foods has captured the imagination of the food industry and consumers alike. Functional foods provide a new category of foods that appear to be offering the public the opportunity to achieve a healthy lifestyle with minimal effort. Public perception may determine whether this new food concept is to become the next successful breakthrough in nutritional science or just another marketing gimmick devised by food manufacturers. The paper also addresses issues that arise directly as a result of the emergence of functional foods, such as appropriate legislation in connection to health claims in order to ensure consumer protection and also the lack of clarity in relation to definitions of what constitutes a functional food. CONCLUSION: The paper concludes that functional foods can only reach their maximum potential if the food industry, government and health professionals work together to improve communication between themselves and consumers and also to educate consumers, thereby allowing them to make informed decisions about dietary choices.

Community Participation↗
PubMed2005

Functional foods: a survey of health claims, pros and cons, and current legislation.

Functional foods stand for a new category of remarkably promising foods bearing properties (i.e., low cholesterol, antioxidant, anti-aging, anticancer, etc.) that have already rendered them quite appealing. There are many classes offunctionalfoods (pro- and pre-biotics, dietary fiber, low fat, etc.), and their definition is occasionally confused with that of nutraceuticals and novel foods. Consumers' main skepticism regarding functional foods resides in the veracity of health claims and in the low and often inadequate control of their claimed properties. Legislation concerning this matter is progressing at an extremely low pace and currently only Japan, the U.K., U.S.A., and Scandinavian countries have managed to make notable progress. Moreover, the labeling of functional foods is far from informative, providing scanty information about nutritional value, storage, and cooking recipes. It is anticipated that technological advances in the food industry, in conjunction with extensive clinical trials and governmental control, will eventually guarantee the credibility of health claims and ensure consumers' confidence in functional foods.

Consumer Product Safety↗
PubMed2002

Functional foods: Latin American perspectives.

The perspectives of Latin America as a potential producer and consumer of functional foods will depend largely on the level of information and income of the population, credibility of the products, research investments and regulatory practices. The characteristics of Latin America are diverse at the regional and sub-regional levels. However, as part of the demographic and epidemiological transition currently underway, common trends can be identified such as increasing urbanization and life expectancy, the occurrence of obesity and malnutrition, increasing incidences of chronic diseases and causes of mortality rates, all of which suggests the importance of diet and functional foods in public health policies. The Latin American population in general has no knowledge of functional foods, but in the more urbanized areas there is an increasingly health-conscious consumer, aware of the importance of food for health, due to the media and local traditions. More investment in research is important to explore the existing plant biodiversity that is a rich source of new foods and bioactive compounds, some of which are already used for health improvement and well-being. Clinical validation of functional foods should consider functional food science concepts and also the diverse cultural and genetic background of the local population. In Latin American scientific and regulatory communities, the functional foods concept has been associated with foods having health benefits beyond those of basic nutrition but is not defined officially in the emerging regulatory codes. Regulation existing in some countries is focused on safety and efficacy; both functional and health claims are allowed (risk reduction) provided they have scientific validation. This allowed introduction on the market of several products with health claims, some of them submitted to post-marketing surveillance.

Dietary Supplements↗
PubMed2000

Functional food science in Japan: state of the art.

In 1984, a new science related to functional food was initiated by a National Project team under the auspices of the Japan Ministry of Education and Science. It was followed by a great many academic and industrial studies to occupy a central position in the field of food and nutritional sciences. In 1993, the Ministry of Health and Welfare established a policy of "Foods for Specified Health Uses" (FOSHU) by which health claims of some selected functional foods are legally permitted. Up to now (November 22. 1999), 167 FOSHU products have been born. Since the time (1984) when the concept of functional food" was proposed, it seems that the science in Japan has been progressing along, among others, a unique path of development. The uniqueness is seen in the development of functional foods by minimizing undesirable as well as maximizing desirable food factors. Hypoallergenic foods, developed from their materials by removing allergens, offer a good example. Another characteristic may be found in the field of sensory science which aims at elucidating a molecular logic of the senses of taste and smell in reference to their effects on physiological systems in the body. The paper discusses some characteristics of functional food science in Japan, with special emphasis on these topics.

Food↗
PubMed2002

Functional foods: concepts and application to inulin and oligofructose.

A food can be regarded as functional if it is satisfactorily demonstrated to affect beneficially one or more target functions in the body, beyond adequate nutritional effects, in a way which is relevant to either the state of well-being and health or the reduction of the risk of a disease. Health claims are expected to be authorized for functional foods based either on enhanced function (type A claim) or disease risk reduction (type B claim). Their development is a unique opportunity to contribute to the improvement of the quality of the food offered to consumer's choice for the benefit of his well-being and health. But only a rigorous scientific approach producing sound data will guarantee its success. The functional food components that are discussed in the proceedings of the 3rd ORAFTI Research Conference are the inulin-type fructans, natural food components found in miscellaneous edible plants. They are non-digestible oligosaccharides that are classified as dietary fiber. The targets for their functional effects are the colonic microflora that use them as selective 'fertilizers'; the gastrointestinal physiology; the immune functions; the bioavailability of minerals; and the metabolism of lipids. Potential health benefits may also concern reduction of the risk of some diseases like intestinal infections, constipation, non-insulin dependent diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis or colon cancer. The present proceedings review the scientific data available and, by reference to the concepts in functional food science, they assess the scientific evidence which will be used to substantiate health claims.

Bacteria↗
PubMed2004

Use of conjoint analysis to assess web-based communications on functional foods.

This paper reports the results of conjoint analysis of communications about functional foods, run with women aged 40 and above, using messages found on the Internet. Each of 147 women evaluated 60 concepts, comprising 2-4 phrases per concept, with the phrases dealing with an aspect of functional foods. Three respondent segments emerged, based on the pattern of individual utilities, 'health optimists' (no deep interest in functional foods), 'food for life' (food for health), and 'food for cure' (looking to functional foods to help live a normal life). The utilities of the same elements differed far more across these segments than would be expected from conventional classification questionnaires.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Functional foods and health claims: a public health policy perspective.

OBJECTIVE: To propose a policy framework for the regulation of functional foods and health claims within a public health context. DESIGN: This article reviews the empirical evidence and public health principles associated with functional foods and health claims to analyse the issues, challenge the assumptions that have emerged and explore options for moving forward. SETTING: Functional foods and health claims are among the more controversial and complex issues being debated by food regulators internationally. Proponents of functional foods and health claims state that functional foods may reduce health care expenditure and health claims are a legitimate nutrition education tool that will help them inform consumers of the health benefits of certain food products. Conversely, opponents of these developments respond that it is the total diet that is important for health, not so-called 'magic bullets'. Moreover, they argue that health claims will enable manufacturers to indulge in marketing hyperbole and essentially blur the distinction between food and drugs. This topic provides a valuable case study of public policy in relation to food and health. CONCLUSION: The need to maintain a general prohibition on health claims while accommodating specific exemptions supported by scientific substantiation is recommended. Nutrition education and monitoring and evaluation are integral to the proposed regulatory framework. The intention of this policy position is to encourage research and development of innovative food products while avoiding an inappropriate medicalization of the general food supply.

Food, Organic↗
PubMed2002

Functional foods: benefits, concerns and challenges-a position paper from the american council on science and health.

Functional foods can be considered to be those whole, fortified, enriched or enhanced foods that provide health benefits beyond the provision of essential nutrients (e.g., vitamins and minerals), when they are consumed at efficacious levels as part of a varied diet on a regular basis. Linking the consumption of functional foods or food ingredients with health claims should be based on sound scientific evidence, with the "gold standard" being replicated, randomized, placebo-controlled, intervention trials in human subjects. However, not all foods on the market today that are claimed to be functional foods are supported by enough solid data to merit such claims. This review categorizes a variety of functional foods according to the type of evidence supporting their functionality, the strength of that evidence and the recommended intakes. Functional foods represent one of the most intensively investigated and widely promoted areas in the food and nutrition sciences today. However, it must be emphasized that these foods and ingredients are not magic bullets or panaceas for poor health habits. Diet is only one aspect of a comprehensive approach to good health.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Assessment of the efficacy of functional food ingredients-introducing the concept "kinetics of biomarkers".

Functional foods are "foods and beverages with claimed health benefits based on scientific evidence". Health claims need to be substantiated scientifically. The future of functional foods will heavily rely on proven efficacy in well-controlled intervention studies with human volunteers. In order to have the maximum output of human trials, improvements are needed with respect to study design and optimization of study protocols. Efficacy at realistic intake levels needs to be established in studies with humans via the use of suitable biomarkers, unless the endpoint can be measured directly. The human body is able to deal with chemical entities irrespective of their origin, and the pharmaceutical terms "absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion" have their equivalent when biomarkers are concerned. Whereas only "diurnal variation" or "circadian rhythm" is sometimes considered, little attention is paid to "kinetics of biomarkers". "Kinetics of biomarkers" comprises "formation, distribution, metabolism and excretion". However, this is at present neither an established science nor common practice in nutrition research on functional foods. As a consequence, sampling times and matrices, for example, are chosen on the basis of historical practice and convenience (for volunteers and scientists) but not on the basis of in depth insight. The concept of kinetics of biomarkers is illustrated by a variety of readily comprehensible examples, such as malaria, cholesterol, polyphenols, glutathione-S-transferase alpha, F2-isoprostanes, interleukin-6, and plasma triacylglycerides.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1998

Functional food science and behaviour and psychological functions.

The impact of ingesting various foods on psychological and behavioural functions is a topic of both interest and concern to the general public. In this article, the scientific literature concerning demonstrated cause-and-effect relationships is reviewed, beginning with methodological considerations specific to the quantification of particular behaviours and psychological events. The essential function of food is to satisfy hunger and the need for essential nutrients. The contributions of macronutrients to appetite and satiety are described, as well as their impact on metabolism and energy balance. Functional properties of macronutrient substitutes (high-intensity sweeteners, fat replacers) and flavour enhancers are examined in relation to their contribution to hunger, satiety, and energy balance. The effects of foods and individual nutrients on the performance of diverse psychomotor tasks are studied with consideration given to the various validated quantitative tools used to assess behaviour. The effects of food components on activation, sedation, and affective states such as dysphoria are also reviewed, with special attention given to brain function and neuroactive substances such as serotonin and the endorphins. The case of hyperactivity in children is given special emphasis with reference to the potential influence of sugar and food additives. Safety issues related to food constituents and additives are discussed. Finally, a set of criteria is proposed for the evaluation and elaboration of studies in the behavioural and psychological fields, along with suggestions for future research.

Affect↗