J Am Diet Assoc
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To measure the potential savings from medical nutrition therapy (MNT) and to estimate the net cost to Medicare of covering these services for Medicare enrollees. This includes developing an estimate of the cost of providing medical nutrition services to the Medicare population and estimating the savings in hospital and other spending resulting from the use of these services. ⋯ After an initial period of implementation, coverage for MNT can result in a net reduction in health services utilization and costs for at least some populations. In the case of persons aged 55 years and older, the savings in utilization of hospital and other services will actually exceed the cost of providing the MNT benefit. These results suggest that Medicare coverage of MNT has the potential to pay for itself with savings in utilization for other services.
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To determine whether carbonated soft drink consumption is associated with consumption of milk, fruit juice, and the nutrients concentrated in these beverages. ⋯ Nutrition education messages targeted to children and/or their parents should encourage limited consumption of soft drinks. Policies that limit children's access to soft drinks at day care centers and schools should be promoted.
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To evaluate the energy and nutrient intake of free-living men and women who choose foods consistent with different fat-reduction strategies. ⋯ A variety of fat-reduction strategies can be implemented to reduce energy, total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol intake. Some of the strategies were associated with an inadequate micronutrient intake, so additional dietary guidance is needed to ensure that all nutrient requirements are met. Furthermore, people who do not use any fat-reduction strategy or those who exclusively use lean meats or fat-modified products would benefit from understanding how to balance their food choices.
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The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 mandated that standardized nutrition information appear on almost all packaged foods manufactured after May 1994. This study describes the demographic and diet-related psychosocial correlates of nutrition label use, and examines the relationship between label use and diet. ⋯ Persons successfully limiting their fat intake use nutrition labels, suggesting that the new nutrition labels are helpful. Dietetics professionals can use the results of this study to emphasize to their clients the importance of reading nutrition labels in maintaining a low-fat diet.