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EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS tion-all in terms of women 's needs. The videotape focuses on the nutritional habits of a group of women who work together. These women are concerned with time and convenience. The tape shows how to have a nutritious diet that is quick and easy to prepare, and that also meets women 's special needs. The tape's coverage of two topics could be improved. First, during the tape's discussion of fiber, one of the characte rs reaches for a granola bar as her daily source of fiber. Since most granola bars are fairly high in fat and calories, many other fiber sources are better choices. Also, the important topic of exe rcise was only mentioned briefly. Specific guidelines for starting an exercise program would be very useful. Despite these minor drawbacks , this videotape is very good. It would be appropriate to show in a variety of settings-health clinics, medical offices, workplace health programs, and the classroom. Joanne O'Meara, M.S., R.D., Administrator, Control Data Corporation Stay W ell Program, 215 Moffett Park Dr. , Sunnyvale, CA 94086. SLIDEffAPE Osteoporosis, 1986. From Therapy Graphics, 1212 Via Coronel, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274, slide/tape with .5.5 slides, 13 min . videocassette, script, 4 pp ., $20 rental, $7.5 purchase, CA residents add 61/2% tax. This slide/tape offers a straightforward presentation on osteoporosis: what it is, who gets it, and how to prevent it. The program uses cartoon characters and graphics to cover the information in a fairly didactic manner. One strong point is the lucid explanation of the physiology of bone tissue and how osteoporosis affects it. The prevention techniques recommended in the resource include eating enough calcium-rich foods, increasing weight-bearing exercise, decreasing sodium intake, monitoring protein intake, drinking plenty of water, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol. Although several sources of dietary calcium are listed, there is no specific recommendation about choosing lowfat dairy products, and ice cream is listed as a good calcium source. Of the four cooking tips suggested, two involve dairy products. The recommendation to use powdered nonfat dry milk solids is good, but the recommen202
dation to use grated cheese on vegetables instead of butter and to add cubed cheese to soups and other cooking would result in adding unnecessary fat and salt to many diets. The coverage of calcium supplementation is good: Consumers are advised to check with their physicians before using supplements and are warned about the possible dangers of excessive supplementation. Women are also encouraged to discuss estrogen-replacement therapy with their physicians. This program offers good basic information about preventing osteoporosis, and it is reasonably priced. As indicated earlier in this re view, the emphasis olJ choosing low-fat dairy products could be stronger. The resource is probably most suitable as an introduction to the topic, and could be used in WIC clinics and community programs, and at worksites. S.A.B.
BOOKLET Osteoporosis: Beyond a simple answer, Havala S., 1986. From Baltimore Vege tarians, Box 1463, Baltimore , MD 21203 , 12 pp., booklet, $1..50. Is calcium the answer to the problem of osteoporosis? This newsletter, intended for lay persons interested in vegetarianism , discusses the calcium question, along with other dietary factors relate d to osteoporosis. Nondietary risks factors, calcium supplements, and the political aspects of the calcium craze are also discussed. It concludes with 11 high-calcium vegetarian recipes. The author raises legitimate concerns about the calcium hype, and points out that osteoporosis is a multifactorial disease. She also discusses the role of high protein intake on bone health . Unfortunately, she extrapolates from a small, somewhat conflicting body of research to conclude that high protein intake is the real dietary culprit in osteoporosis. Thus, the author recommends that protein intake be limited to 40-60 gm/day, that dairy foods be limited to 2 servings/ day, and that most calcium be obtained from vegetable sources. In essence, a vegetarian diet is proposed to prevent osteoporosis. According to the author, vegetarians are at lower risk of osteoporosis than omnivores, but again, this assertion is based on a small number of studies.
Thus, this question also needs further research. All in all , this newsletter doesn't provide a balanced overview of diet and osteoporosis. While it is true that calcium is not the simple answer, it is also true that more research on the role of protein is needed. Thus, by singling out protein as the villain, the author appears to be substituting one simple answer for another. Anne Looker, Ph.D., R.D., Health Statistician , National Center for Health Statistics, Rm 2-58, 3700 East- West Highway, Hyattsville, MD 20782. FILM Portraits of Anorexia, 1986. From Churchill Films, 662 N. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069-.5089, .51 min., VHS, $41.5, 16mm, $.59.5; 28 min., VHS, $34.5; 16mm, $490; 3-day rental, $.50; study guide, .5 pp . This film is built around in-depth and often painful interviews with seven current and former anorectics and some family members. These interviews have be en skillfully edited to bring out major points about the genesis of the disorder, the key role of family interactions, specific techniques and rationales used to maintain the condition, and the slow road to recovery. And although there is added commentary which presents an historical perspective and current theories about the development of anorexia, the real messages are conveyed in the experiences and feelings of the anorectics themselves. We hear a variety of speakers, including a young man, and a black girl who was anorectic at age ten. According to the producer, these interviews reflect recent statistics which show that anorexia is no longer the province of upper middle-class white adolescent girls. The rigid rules used to maintain control and the excessive emphasis on overexercising are well illustrated. One of the interviewees can make a small bag of corn chips last a day and a half: She allows herself one chip for each ten minutes of walking-the theory being that the exercise will burn off the calories she consumes. One slowly recovering anorectic talks about how dinner in the evening is her reward for accomplishing certain things during the day. Another woman who barely has her condition under control, and still can't see her true reflection in the mirror, has become a nutritionist and works with JOURNAL OF NUTRITION EDUCATION
dation to use grated cheese on vegetables instead of butter and to add cubed cheese to soups and other cooking would result in adding unnecessary fat and salt to many diets. The coverage of calcium supplementation is good: Consumers are advised to check with their physicians before using supplements and are warned about the possible dangers of excessive supplementation. Women are also encouraged to discuss estrogen-replacement therapy with their physicians. This program offers good basic information about preventing osteoporosis, and it is reasonably priced. As indicated earlier in this re view, the emphasis olJ choosing low-fat dairy products could be stronger. The resource is probably most suitable as an introduction to the topic, and could be used in WIC clinics and community programs, and at worksites. S.A.B.
BOOKLET Osteoporosis: Beyond a simple answer, Havala S., 1986. From Baltimore Vege tarians, Box 1463, Baltimore , MD 21203 , 12 pp., booklet, $1..50. Is calcium the answer to the problem of osteoporosis? This newsletter, intended for lay persons interested in vegetarianism , discusses the calcium question, along with other dietary factors relate d to osteoporosis. Nondietary risks factors, calcium supplements, and the political aspects of the calcium craze are also discussed. It concludes with 11 high-calcium vegetarian recipes. The author raises legitimate concerns about the calcium hype, and points out that osteoporosis is a multifactorial disease. She also discusses the role of high protein intake on bone health . Unfortunately, she extrapolates from a small, somewhat conflicting body of research to conclude that high protein intake is the real dietary culprit in osteoporosis. Thus, the author recommends that protein intake be limited to 40-60 gm/day, that dairy foods be limited to 2 servings/ day, and that most calcium be obtained from vegetable sources. In essence, a vegetarian diet is proposed to prevent osteoporosis. According to the author, vegetarians are at lower risk of osteoporosis than omnivores, but again, this assertion is based on a small number of studies.
Thus, this question also needs further research. All in all , this newsletter doesn't provide a balanced overview of diet and osteoporosis. While it is true that calcium is not the simple answer, it is also true that more research on the role of protein is needed. Thus, by singling out protein as the villain, the author appears to be substituting one simple answer for another. Anne Looker, Ph.D., R.D., Health Statistician , National Center for Health Statistics, Rm 2-58, 3700 East- West Highway, Hyattsville, MD 20782. FILM Portraits of Anorexia, 1986. From Churchill Films, 662 N. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069-.5089, .51 min., VHS, $41.5, 16mm, $.59.5; 28 min., VHS, $34.5; 16mm, $490; 3-day rental, $.50; study guide, .5 pp . This film is built around in-depth and often painful interviews with seven current and former anorectics and some family members. These interviews have be en skillfully edited to bring out major points about the genesis of the disorder, the key role of family interactions, specific techniques and rationales used to maintain the condition, and the slow road to recovery. And although there is added commentary which presents an historical perspective and current theories about the development of anorexia, the real messages are conveyed in the experiences and feelings of the anorectics themselves. We hear a variety of speakers, including a young man, and a black girl who was anorectic at age ten. According to the producer, these interviews reflect recent statistics which show that anorexia is no longer the province of upper middle-class white adolescent girls. The rigid rules used to maintain control and the excessive emphasis on overexercising are well illustrated. One of the interviewees can make a small bag of corn chips last a day and a half: She allows herself one chip for each ten minutes of walking-the theory being that the exercise will burn off the calories she consumes. One slowly recovering anorectic talks about how dinner in the evening is her reward for accomplishing certain things during the day. Another woman who barely has her condition under control, and still can't see her true reflection in the mirror, has become a nutritionist and works with JOURNAL OF NUTRITION EDUCATION