999 Danone International Prize for Nutrition Awarded to Leading Iron Researcher
Contact: Leslie Hillman, 202-973-1373, for The Danone Groupe;
[email protected]
LILLEHAMMER, Norway, June 16 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Leif Hallberg, Ph.D., M.D., of Goteborg University in Sweden, is the recipient of the second Danone International Prize for Nutrition for his lifelong research on iron and his development of the process for measuring iron absorption in the body.
Manuel Serrano Rios, chairman of the 1999 Prize and chairman of the Danone Institute of Spain, announced the winner during the 8th European Nutrition Conference held in Lillehammer for the international medical and scientific community.
The Danone Groupe, the international parent of The Dannon Company Inc. in the United States, created the Danone International Prize for Nutrition in 1997 to encourage nutritional research and promote public awareness of the importance of nutrition.
"In 1997, the scientific community showed great approbation of and interest in the creation of the Danone International Prize for nutrition, which was awarded to Dr. Vernon Young. This second edition of the Prize is in perfect line with our long-term commitment to research in nutrition and health. It will be an honor to award the Prize to Dr. Leif Hallberg," said Frank Riboud, chairman and chief executive officer of the Danone Groupe.
Achievements of the 1999 Recipient
In more than 40 years of ongoing research on iron, Dr. Hallberg's breakthrough findings have had a profound impact on the ability of health professionals to determine recommended iron needs and to assess iron needs of people throughout their lifespan.
Iron is an essential mineral needed for many body functions. It helps carry oxygen to the cells, is involved in the production of energy, and plays a key role in maintaining many of the functions of our immune system. Iron also helps change beta carotene to Vitamin A, aids in the production of collagen, and helps make body proteins.
Due to Dr. Hallberg's research, populations worldwide are now able to better determine how much iron they should get, know who is at risk for not getting enough, and enable all people to reach their recommended daily intakes.
Iron deficiency is the most common deficiency in the world, in industrialized and developing countries alike. Dr. Hallberg found that classical lab tests to detect iron deficiency greatly underestimated the true prevalence of the condition. He has determined new markers to make the detection of iron deficiency more accurate.
The absorption of iron in the body can vary greatly and one of Dr. Hallberg's greatest legacies to human nutrition will be his research on how much iron is actually absorbed from various food sources and diets, and in identifying factors that interact with iron absorption.
"Now that we have the scientific knowledge and the means to spread the message, it is necessary and realistic to achieve awareness and behavior change," said Hallberg. "Especially when we consider that nutrition and lifestyle at a young age set the scene for health status at an older age."
Dr. Hallberg is currently conducting a study on lifestyle, diet and health in adolescents by tracking two groups of 1,200 15- and 16-year-olds. Preliminary results have identified the consequences of low energy expenditure of contemporary lifestyle and nutritional deficiencies, especially iron, from poor eating habits.
U.S. Deficit of a Precious Metal
Data from the United States Department of Agriculture's 1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals (CSFII) show that less than two-thirds (61 percent) of all Americans are meeting the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of iron. Young children, adolescents, women of childbearing ages and pregnant women are doing the worst at meeting the RDA for iron. The iron requirements for women from puberty to menopause are higher than those for a man, due to pregnancy, which entails increased iron use, and menstruation, which leads to iron loss.
However, CSFII data show that iron intake among adolescent girls may be, by far, the greatest concern. Only 26 percent of teen-age girls, aged 12-19, are meeting the 100 percent RDA for iron. Adolescents are in a rapid growth stage and require more iron per body weight than adults. The body has to "manufacture" new tissues and to considerably increase its blood mass.
Factors considered to contribute to adolescent girls not meeting their RDA for iron include:
-- Onset of menstruation: Teen girls need more iron to offset losses due to the onset of menstruation, which may be heavy at first. In addition, some girls are beginning to menstruate at an earlier age, thus increasing their iron needs earlier than before.
-- Vegetarianism: Animal products (such as meat, chicken and fish) are not just a good source of iron, but the type of iron in animal foods (heme iron) is much better absorbed in the body than the type of iron in plant foods (nonheme iron). Women and adolescent girls who are vegetarians or restrict animal products must eat very carefully to ensure they get enough iron in their diets.
-- Participation in sports: Iron requirements are especially high in adolescent athletes, because of high muscle and blood mass.
The Danone International Prize for Nutrition
The Danone International Prize for Nutrition is awarded every two years to a researcher or a group of researchers whose work on human nutrition has made a major public health contribution. Dr. Hallberg was selected after a consultative and international selection procedure involving more than 670 scientists representing 53 countries. Among the 80 nominees proposed by the Nomination College, 40 researchers applied to the 1999 Prize.
"Our ultimate aim is to promote public health worldwide, particularly through disease prevention linked to nutrition," said Serrano Rios. "Dr. Hallberg's contribution to the knowledge and practice of nutrition through lifelong commitment to the study of iron has had profound impact on research techniques, public health policies and medical practice."
Dr. Leif Hallberg will be awarded the prize of 800,000 FF, approximately U.S. $130,000, during an official ceremony on October 21, 1999, in Paris, France.
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Additional information available upon request:
-- Recommended daily allowance (RDA) for iron among males and females, all age groups compared to percentage not meeting 100 percent RDA;
-- U.S. actual intake of iron, all age groups;
-- Good sources of iron in food;
-- Fact sheet on iron; and
-- Backgrounder on iron deficiency, anemia and iron deficiency anemia.
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