NEW DISCOVERY HELPS REINFORCE BEEF'S NUTRITION MESSAGE

CHICAGO (June 4, 1998) - New checkoff-funded research has discovered that a common type of fat in beef may prevent diabetes, providing even greater evidence that beef should be part of healthful diets, according to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). The research, conducted at Purdue University and The Pennsylvania State University, adds to the wealth of other data supporting beef’s positive dietary role, according to NCBA director of nutrition research and information Mary K. Young, MS, RD.

The research found that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) can prevent the onset of diabetes in laboratory animals, at least in the short term. Researchers say CLA, which appears naturally in beef and other red meats, may have some advantages over diabetes-fighting drugs.

Previous studies have shown that CLA also can prevent the onset of certain types of cancer and can reduce the number of mammary, skin and stomach tumors in laboratory animals. When fed to animals it also has been shown to reduce their body fat and increase lean muscle tissue.

"CLA is one of the most exciting new discoveries in meat, and will allow the industry to give consumers even more reasons that beef should be included in their diets," said Young. "Most consumers have heard about beef’s protein, iron, zinc, b-vitamins and other nutrients. Sometimes it takes something new to remind them that beef is a great source of well-rounded nutrition."

According to Martha Belury, PhD, RD, Purdue assistant professor of foods and nutrition, the discovery of CLA shows that you should never judge a book by its cover. "It (CLA) is in foods that are normally associated with saturated fats, but those foods can contain things that are good for you, too," said Belury. "The lesson here is that we still know so little about what is in foods naturally. We know that they contain certain vitamins and minerals, but there could be thousands of nutrients that we haven’t even found yet."

Diabetes affects about 15 million Americans, half of whom do not know they have the disease because initial symptoms can be so mild. These symptoms may include hard-to-heal infections, blurred vision, tingling in the hands or feet, or dry, itchy skin. If left untreated, Type II diabetes can result in kidney problems, amputation of limbs, blindness, coronary heart disease or strokes.

The research on CLA’s ability to control Type II diabetes was published in the March 27 issue of Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications and will be presented at the American Diabetes Association annual meeting in Chicago June 14. Additional research funding came from the Purdue Office of Research Programs and Penn State University.

- CBB/NCBA -

NCBA is funding additional CLA research to support and further explore the fatty acid’s impact on human health. This and other nutrition research programs are funded in part by beef producers through the national beef checkoff, which is administered by the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board. This 111-member board is appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to oversee the collection of the $1-per-head checkoff, to certify state beef councils, to implement the provisions of the Federal order establishing the checkoff and to evaluate the effectiveness of checkoff programs.

Initiated in 1898, the NCBA is the marketing organization and trade association for America's one million cattle farmers and ranchers. With offices in Denver, Chicago and Washington D.C., NCBA is a consumer-focused, producer-directed organization representing the largest segment of the nation's food and fiber industry.