September 28, 2001
U of S Awarded First National Accreditation for Software Engineering Program in Canada
Posted September 28, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 27, 2001 2001-09-18-OTHER
U of S Awarded First National Accreditation for
Software Engineering Program in Canada
The Software Engineering Honours B.Sc. program offered by the Department of
Computer Science at the University of Saskatchewan has now been formally
accredited by the Canadian Computer Science Accreditation Council (CSAC).
This is the first Software Engineering program in Canada to be accredited by
CSAC.
Software Engineering is an applied area of Computer Science that deals with
building safe, reliable, and large software systems. University programs in
Software Engineering seek to provide students with solid grounding in both
the theoretical foundations and the practical skills needed to build
high-quality software systems.
The Computer Science Accreditation Council is sponsored by the Canadian
Information Processing Society (CIPS), and is composed of experienced
academics and software professionals who create standards for academic
programs in Computer Science and assesses that programs in Canadian
universities meet these standards.
Graduates of CSAC-accredited Software Engineering programs can seek
certification as an Information Systems Professional (I.S.P.), recognized as
an important professional credential in the information systems area in
Canada. Dr. Jim Greer, Head of Computer Science at the U of S says he is
pleased that "graduates of our Software Engineering Honours program can
compete with the best as they take up jobs in the software industry here in
Saskatchewan or anywhere else in the world."
Students wishing to register in the Software Engineering program in Computer
Science at the University of Saskatchewan must apply for admission to the
College of Arts and Science. Greer states "while it may seem somewhat odd
that a program containing the "Engineering" name is not located in the
College of Engineering, in fact many specialties such as genetic
engineering, protein engineering, social engineering, etc. reside in other
Colleges."
In some Canadian universities Software Engineering is taught in engineering
schools and accredited by engineering bodies. Recently a joint computer
science and engineering task force was formed to consider a process for
cooperation in the accreditation of undergraduate-level software engineering
programs. On this issue, Dr. Greer concluded that there "are no ambiguities
in Saskatchewan. The only Software Engineering program is in Computer
Science; it is accredited by the Computer Science Accreditation Council; and
it leads to an I.S.P. (not a P.Eng.)." He looked forward to "attracting to
Computer Science the very best and brightest of Saskatchewan's young people
who wish to learn how to build software that works safely, reliably and
effectively".
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For more information please contact:
Jim Greer
Department of Computer Science
University of Saskatchewan
Phone: (306) 966-8655
E-mail: jim.greer@sask.usask.ca
Mylene Sayo
Public Relations
CIPS
Phone: (416) 861-2477
E-mail: mylene@cips.ca
Web site: http://www.cips.ca/standards
September 25, 2001
"Needle-free" vaccine delivery on horizon
Posted September 25, 2001
News Release Issued by VIDO
"Needle-free" vaccine delivery on horizon
Saskatoon, Sask., September 25, 2001: New intranasal and skin vaccine
delivery options, such as vaccine patches and nasal sprays, are promising
to revolutionize the way vaccines are delivered to livestock, say
researchers at the Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) in
Saskatoon, Sask. These needle-free vaccine delivery systems will reduce
meat damage, improve vaccine effectiveness and make disease treatment
easier for producers.
"The most obvious benefit is it will address meat damage caused by needle
vaccinations - the number one challenge of the meat industry's quality
control," says Dr. Maria Baca-Estrada, a Senior Scientist with VIDO.
From a science perspective, intranasal and skin delivery could improve
vaccine effectiveness, she says. "The new delivery routes target the nasal
passage, the intestinal tract and the skin, complementing the natural
defences built up in those areas."
Baca-Estrada, her team, and other VIDO scientists are working on a variety
of needle-free delivery systems and the vaccines that could be delivered
with them. "We believe needle-free systems of vaccine delivery are the way
of the future. And though we are breaking new ground with this research, we
have advanced this technology in a short period of time and are learning
more every day about how the body interacts with the environment and
disease-causing organisms."
Studies have proven that placing a vaccine patch on the skin surface
stimulates immune responses similar to needle injection, she says. "You
might imagine that with a patch, very few vaccine molecules would pass
through to the animal, but in fact, they do and the uptake is tremendously
efficient."
Larger animals such as cattle, pose a greater challenge because they have
thick skin. But hair follicles are permeable and they possess immune system
cells that prevent air-borne bacteria from entering the body, says
Baca-Estrada. "So we want to find ways to take advantage of that."
Patches for larger animals may need tiny micro-needles to break the skin
enough for the vaccine to enter, she explains. Or a roller with tiny
needles may be needed to apply vaccine directly to the skin. "The vaccine
needs to be delivered to the live epidermis, just beneath the top layer of
dead skin."
Finding the right delivery method is also crucial for intranasal vaccine
delivery says Baca-Estrada. "Again, this route capitalizes on natural
immunity already generated by the body and it moves vaccination away from
muscle injection."
Currently, a new intranasal gun for delivering vaccine into the nasal
passage is being tested at VIDO. "After getting poor results using a
delivery system designed for humans, we contacted the University of
Saskatchewan engineering department to develop a prototype specifically for
livestock."
Another possibility for swine, for example, may be to expose them to mist
while they're watering, she says. A high-pressure air gun for "shooting"
vaccines into the skin is also being tested at VIDO by Baca-Estrada's
colleagues.
"More work is needed to perfect this technology before it can get to
producers. But this early work is extremely promising," she says.
The research effort in animals is complementary to work on needle-free
vaccine delivery being conducted in human medicine at other research
centres, she says. In fact, the work at VIDO may have some human
application possibilities. "Many people would welcome alternatives to the
reactions and pain of needle vaccinations."
VIDO is global leader in vaccine research for the control of infectious
diseases in food animals and poultry and is a wholly-owned University of
Saskatchewan not-for-profit institute. It operates with substantial support
from the Government of Alberta and the Government of Saskatchewan. This
research is funded by Saskatchewan Horned Cattle Trust Fund, Saskatchewan
Marketing Deductions Fund, Kamloops Stockmen's Association and Manitoba
Cattle Producers.
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For more information contact:
Stuart Bond
Associate Director, Marketing and Business Development
Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization
Phone: (306) 966-7474
Fax: (306) 966-7478
E-mail: bonds@sask.usask.ca
September 20, 2001
$1,000.00 Scholarship for Grade 12 Student Who Writes Best Essay on Farm Safety
Posted September 20, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 20, 2001 2001-09-12-AG
$1000 Scholarship for Grade 12 Student Who Writes
Best Essay on Farm Safety
The Centre for Agricultural Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan is
offering one $1000 scholarship to the grade 12 student who writes the best
1000-word essay on farm safety. Participants must be planning to enter
post-secondary education in a health or agricultural field of study.
The scholarship was made possible by the Saskatchewan Association of Rural
Municipalities (SARM) through sales of their history book, "The Building of
a Province: Commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the Saskatchewan
Association of Rural Municipalities". The SARM Board of Directors
contributed the funds raised to the Centre for Agricultural Medicine in 1995
and the scholarship has been maintained by the Centre's Founding Chairs
Program.
Students have a choice of three topics for the essay:
- The Importance of Safety and Health on Our Farm
- Safety and Health Hazards on Our Farm
- Explain what "Sow Safety, Harvest Life" means to you and your family
Last year's winner was Tracy Gerspacher from the R.M. of Spalding, #368.
She is attending the University of Saskatchewan this fall.
For information and application forms, students may contact their local R.M.
office, Rural Service Centre, or the Centre for Agricultural Medicine at
(306) 966-6643. The application form can be downloaded from
www.usask.ca/medicine/aghealth/ag/schol/scholF.html Applications must be
postmarked on or before January 4, 2002.
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For more information please contact:
Lori Lockinger
Centre for Agricultural Medicine
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-6643
E-mail: lockinger@sask.usask.ca
September 19, 2001
U of S embarks on new vision for student computing
Posted September 19, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 19, 2001 2001-09-11-AR
U of S embarks on new vision for student computing
The University of Saskatchewan today opened a new facility that represents a
significant step in the institution's response to the contemporary
information needs of students. The new Arts 110 computing facility will
provide a variety of information technology (IT) options for students,
helping them to become fully IT capable when they graduate.
"Access to information resources is a fundamental requirement of today's
University experience and the quality of the computing environment has
become an increasingly important issue for students," said U of S President
Peter MacKinnon. "We are proud to introduce this new facility as part of our
commitment to enhancing the student experience and improving the quality of
our programs."
"Information technology is no longer confined to the laboratory, but is an
important component of every field of study as we prepare students for the
21st century workforce," said Rick Bunt, Associate Vice-President
(Information and Communications Technology). "Today's students demand
"anytime, anywhere" access and we must meet that demand by providing more
facilities and a wider variety of styles for accessing IT."
The Arts 110 project addresses a mix of access styles reflecting the diverse
needs of today's student population and different uses to which the facility
will be put. There is a classroom-style portion with capacity for as many as
40 students. The new facility also includes: an area for casual use, either
for individual students or for groups of students working together, an area
for "express" use, for short duration requirements such as checking for
e-mail, course announcements, and grades, and docking stations with both
wired and wireless connections to accommodate students who wish to bring
their own laptops to campus.
The Province of Saskatchewan provided some of the funding for the
construction of the facility through funds targeted for IT in the spring
budget.
"This is an investment in Saskatchewan's future," said Post-Secondary
Education and Skills Training Minister Glenn Hagel. "It will improve the
information technology infrastructure at the U of S, enhance the student
learning experience and turn out graduates better prepared to participate in
the global economy."
The remaining funding was re-allocated from existing university budgets.
Over the next few months, the University of Saskatchewan will be making
further announcements in this area, including new public access facilities,
new services, and improved access from both on- and off-campus. These
include a new Learning Commons in partnership with the U of S Libraries,
upgraded Internet service, and several projects in partnership with the
USSU.
For more information, please contact:
Rick Bunt
Associate V.P. (Information & Communications Technology)
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-8408
September 14, 2001
Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Science Colloquium -Attack on America: What Now?
Posted September 14, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 14, 2001 2001-09-09-AR
COLLEGE COLLOQUIUM - OFFICE OF THE DEAN ARTS AND SCIENCE
The Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Science announces the
following College Colloquium:
Attack on America: What Now?
Monday, September 17, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Place Riel Theatre
Arts Building
9 Campus Drive
Speakers:
Professor Alan Anderson, Department of Sociology
Professor Peter Ferguson, Department of Political Studies
Professor Martha Smith, Department of History
Professor Ron Wheeler, Department of Political Studies
All Students, Faculty and Staff, and the General Public are Invited
A Question Period will follow the Presentations
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For further information, contact:
Dr. Hans Michelmann
College of Arts & Science
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2538
September 13, 2001
Tests on 'Linac' First Step in Commissioning Canada's First Synchrotron
Posted September 13, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Thursday, September 13, 2001 2001-09-08-OTHER
Tests on 'Linac' First Step in Commissioning Canada's First Synchrotron
This week, the Canadian Light Source (CLS) commissioning team successfully
operated the refurbished linear accelerator or 'linac' -- the first step in
commissioning the national synchrotron that will supply brilliant light
beams to scientists at experimental workstations starting in January of
2004.
"This is the CLS's first operating subsystem and we're delighted that the
linac's new control systems and refurbished accelerator components are
working as planned," said accelerator physicist and commissioning team
leader Les Dallin.
It's expected to take another three months to fully test and analyze the
electron beam that will exit from the linac, he said. The linac uses
microwave energy to increase the speed of electrons fired from an electron
gun (a device similar to what is found in the cathode ray tube of a
television or computer) to nearly the speed of light.
Construction of the $173.4-million, University of Saskatchewan-owned
national facility is on time and on budget.
The intense synchrotron light -- millions of times brighter than sunlight --
will be used to view chemical reactions and the micro-structure of
materials, paving the way for new drugs, more powerful computer chips,
better engine lubricants, more effective medical imaging and a host of other
applications for science and industry.
The linac was built on the U of S campus in the early 60s for sub-atomic
physics research. The linac's presence on campus and the skills of former
Saskatchewan Accelerator Laboratory staff -- such as Dallin and his team --
are key reasons the U of S won the national bid to have the CLS built here.
The linac has undergone a major overhaul since the CLS was approved in March
of 1999. Changes include a new computerized control system, upgrading of
heat exchangers and streamlining of the system to make it more efficient.
The rate of electron pulses has been greatly decreased to match the
requirements of other key synchrotron components -- the booster and storage
rings.
The booster ring, which boosts the energy of the electron beam, has been
ordered and will be installed this fall.
When electrons exit the linac, they will have an energy of more than 200
million electron volts (equivalent to 133 million flashlight batteries).
The booster ring will then use magnetic fields to force the electrons to
race in a circle and powerful radio waves to ramp the energy of the electron
beam by a factor of 15 (to 2.9 billion electron volts).
The speeding electrons will then be transferred to the storage ring, a
170-metre donut-shaped vacuum tube. This will be repeated until large
currents (up to 500 milliAmps) are accumulated. Magnets in the ring bend
or accelerate the electrons to produce light over a spectrum from infrared
to X-rays. This very bright and stable light will be directed down beamlines
to hutches where scientists can use it for their experiments.
Components for the state-of-the-art storage ring have been ordered and will
be installed in 2002. Both the booster and storage rings will be turned on
for testing by the end of this year and early in 2003 respectively.
CLS construction is mainly funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation,
the Canadian government, the Saskatchewan government, the Alberta
government, the Ontario government, the University of Saskatchewan, the City
of Saskatoon, and SaskPower.
For more information about the CLS and how it works, visit:
http://www.cls.usask.ca
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For more information, contact:
Kathryn Warden Research
Research Communications Officer
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-2506 Fax: (306) 966-2411 kathryn.warden@usask.ca
Les Dallin
CLS Commissioning Team Leader
Tel: (306) 966-6062
les@cls.usask.ca
September 12, 2001
EAP Notice Regarding Attack on America
Posted September 12, 2001
Many at the University of Saskatchewan will be thinking of friends,
colleagues, perhaps family members in the United States who have experienced
direct losses, or are concerned for others who may have been affected by the
disasters yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers are with our American Friends.
This catastrophe has affected us all. Those members of the University
community who are experiencing distressing effects, either as a result of
immediate concerns for others in the disaster areas or because of other
psychological impacts, are invited to contact the University's Employee
Assistance Program:
Jan Niekamp - 966-4300
Norm Biram - 966-4301
Fax: 966-2766
Eap@usask.ca
President's Message Regarding Attack on America
Posted September 12, 2001
President Peter MacKinnon, on behalf of the employees and students of the
University of Saskatchewan, would like to express his shock and distress at
the events which happened in the United States on Tuesday.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the disasters and we offer
our deepest sympathies to the families and friends who are mourning the loss
of loved ones.
Members of the University community who are experiencing distressing
psychological effects from these events are invited to contact the
University's Employee Assistance Program at 966-4300.
September 11, 2001
U of S Awarded $1 Million to Fight AIDS in Mozambique
Posted September 11, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - SEPTEMBER 10, 2001 2001-09-05-OTHER
U of S awarded $1 million to fight AIDS in Mozambique
REGINA - The University of Saskatchewan is set to receive a $1 million
grant from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to enhance
ongoing community-based training for HIV/AIDS control and prevention in
Mozambique.
Canada's Minister for International Cooperation, the Honourable Maria Minna,
made the announcement today in Regina.
The funding will focus on building healthy communities in a number of
important areas, including specific training of local outreach workers and
encouraging community involvement in rural health programs which strengthen
the ability of grassroots communities to enhance their fight again HIV/AIDS.
As well, the funds will allow for a vital renewal of Mozambique's first
National Centre for Continuing Education in Health, known as the Massinga
Centre. Reflecting the University's commitment to internationalization and
knowledge sharing, the Massigna Centre is staffed by practitioners who
recently graduated from a specially designed program at the University of
Saskatchewan.
From Saskatoon, Dr. Asit Sarkar, Director of University of Saskatchewan
International, said: "This announcement reflects the rewards of
internationalization at the University of Saskatchewan".
"While these funds will help renew the Massinga Centre in Mozambique, they
also support the integration of health and community education in rural
communities. This support highlights CIDA's commitment to combating HIV/AIDS
in Africa and elsewhere in the world. The University of Saskatchewan is well
positioned to make community-based contributions to Canada's international
development policies and priorities."
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For additional information, please contact:
Rob Norris, Coordinator - Communications and Program Development
University of Saskatchewan International
Tel: 306-966-2428
Cell: 306-241-9339
Fax: 306-966-5941
E-mail: norris@duke.usask.ca
U of S Awards $3.4-M Synchrotron Amplifier Contract to Multinational Firm
Posted September 11, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 11, 2001 2001-09-06-OTHER
U of S Awards $3.4-M Synchrotron Amplifier Contract to Multinational Firm
The University of Saskatchewan has awarded a $3.4-million contract to Thales
Radio Broadcast Inc. of Virginia to design and supply a radio frequency (RF)
amplifier system for the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron project now
under construction on campus.
The RF amplifier will be used to power the superconducting acceleration
module for the CLS storage ring (a large vacuum tube for electron
circulation). The work is to be completed by the end of September.
The contract was recently approved by the U of S board of governors. A
request for proposals was sent out to 22 vendors around the world including
Thomcast Radio Systems Inc. which has since become Thales Radio Broadcast
Inc. Thales is the world's leading supplier of RF systems for the scientific
market.
The U of S-owned CLS is a national facility that will provide a
high-intensity source of infrared, visible, ultraviolet and X-ray radiation
to academic and industrial researchers when it starts operations in January
of 2004. The project is on time and on budget.
The CLS uses radio frequency waves and powerful magnets to accelerate
electrons to nearly the speed of light. The synchrotron then directs the
resulting light through beamlines to laboratory endstations where scientists
can do their experiments. Each beamline will be specialized for a specific
technique or field of research.
The CLS will be a tool for research and innovation in fields as diverse as
medical imaging, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, environmental sciences, and
materials science.
Thales Radio Broadcast will subcontract the system integration, power supply
and control system to Thales Broadcast and Multimedia AG of Switzerland.
Thales Electron Devices of France will supply the Klystron -- the RF tube
that produces the radio waves -- and other components of the system. The RF
amplifier system will supply up to 300 kilowatts of power -- equivalent to
3,000 100-watt light bulbs.
CLS construction is mainly funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation,
the Canadian government, the Saskatchewan government, the Alberta
government, the Ontario government, the University of Saskatchewan, the City
of Saskatoon, and SaskPower.
-more-
..2/synchrotron amplifier contract
This contract brings the total committed funds for CLS construction and
services to $80 million, of which more than $54 million (68 per cent) has
gone to Saskatchewan companies. A total of $141 million in contracts will be
let for new construction.
-30-
For more information on the CLS, visit: http://www.cls.usask.ca
Kathryn Warden
Research Communications Officer
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-2506 Fax: (306) 966-2411
kathryn.warden@usask.ca
Martin Heikoop
CLS Project Manager
Tel: (306) 227-3081 (cellular)
mheikoop@cls.usask.ca
University of Saskatchewan Campus Career Expo 2001
Posted September 11, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Tuesday, September 11, 2001 2001-09-07-OTHER
Thousands will fill Fieldhouse for Campus Career Expo 2001
Saskatchewan's premiere post-secondary career fair is now even bigger. The
third annual University of Saskatchewan 'Campus Career Expo', to be held
next week, will link more than 150 employers with more than 2,500 qualified
students and alumni.
The event, hosted by the University's Student Employment & Career Centre
(SECC), will be held at the Saskatoon Fieldhouse Wednesday, September 19,
from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and is open to all U of S students and alumni.
Campus Career Expo will give students and graduates the opportunity to meet
one-on-one with employers from a wide range of industries, develop
networking skills, gain knowledge about future career decisions, and
discover part-time, summer, and permanent employment opportunities.
Begun in 1999, Campus Career Expo has grown to become a major career fair,
serving students and alumni from all U of S colleges and disciplines. The
number of employers registered for booths and displays has grown by more
than 50 per cent in 2001, with a record 155 exhibitors participating.
Interest in U of S graduates by employers from across Canada and abroad has
remained strong, despite warnings of an economic downturn. The reputation
of the U of S and its students for a high-quality educational experience, a
strong work ethic, and employee mobility continues to attract a wide variety
of employers to the institution.
Note to Editors and News Directors -- Excellent photo opportunities, with
colourful booths, and many exhibitors and students available for on-the-spot
visuals and interviews. SECC Director Doug Rain will be available for
feature interviews.
-30-
For more information please contact:
Doug Rain, Director
Student Employment & Career Centre (SECC)
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-5097
rain@duke.usask.ca
September 06, 2001
Soft Drink Consumption Related to Weak Bones in Teenage Girls
Posted September 06, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Wednesday, September 6, 2001 2001-09-02-PH
Soft Drink Consumption Related to Weak Bones in Teenage Girls
In a just-published article in Nutrition Research, University of
Saskatchewan researchers have found that girls in their early teens who
often drink soft drinks instead of milk face a life-long increased risk for
fractures and osteoporosis.
In the most comprehensive study ever done on soft drinks and bone mass, the
researchers looked at the bone mineral content and diet of 59 boys and 53
girls during the two years in early adolescence when bone mass build-up
peaks (ages 13 to 15 for boys and 11.5 to 13.5 for girls).
They found that teenagers who drink soft drinks and other-low nutrient
beverages, such as punch or sugary drinks made from powder, drink less milk.
With girls, the reduced calcium intake led to weaker bones. Though boys
drink more low-nutrient beverages than girls, they still maintain a higher
calcium intake and a higher activity level, each of which provides
protection against an otherwise poor beverage choice.
"We can't tell from our analysis what the ideal amount of milk versus soft
drinks is," said Susan Whiting, a U of S professor of nutrition and
dietetics. "The Canada Food Guide recommends four glasses of milk per day
for adolescents so as this is replaced by soft drinks, the risk for
fractures and osteoporosis goes up."
Despite the relatively small size of the group studied, the results are
clear and statistically significant, she said.
Her advice for teens: Don't have sugary beverages at mealtime. Choose milk
or water to go with meals instead. She stressed that milk provides not just
calcium but other nutrients that are important for bone such as riboflavin
and vitamins A and D.
"Everyone loses bone mass as they age so building up bone mineral content
when you're young delays the onset of osteoporosis," she said.
She noted there's a two-year window during early adolescence when roughly 25
per cent of total bone mass is accumulated so it's critical that young teens
get the minerals necessary for bone growth.
"People who don't build up their bones have two strikes against them -- they
aren't putting on bone when they need to, and their dietary habits likely
aren't going to change to improve that," Whiting said.
Funded by Health Canada, the study was part of the Saskatchewan Pediatric
Bone Mineral Accrual Study, a project that began 10 years ago to study the
effects of diet and physical activity on the growth and strength of bones.
Besides Whiting, the researchers on the soft drink study were undergraduate
student Adrienne Healey, recent nutrition graduate Sheryl Psiuk, kinesiology
professor Robert Mirwald, kinesiology professor Kent Kowalski, and
kinesiology professor emeritus Donald Bailey. Healey is the recipient of a
Canadian Institutes of Health Research summer student award.
The link between soft drinks and weak bones made the news last year after
Harvard Medical School professor Grace Wyshak released a study linking cola
consumption to an increased risk of fractures, particularly among girls who
are physically active. Wyshak suggested that chemicals found in cola impair
calcium absorption, but did not measure the calcium intake of her subjects.
The U of S study, which examined overall diet and milk consumption as well
as consumption of colas, other soft drinks and low-nutrient drinks,
indicates that the problem is not consumption of soft drinks, but the drop
in milk consumption that goes with it.
While this study does not absolutely rule out the possibility that chemicals
found in soft drinks damage bones, it seems unlikely because all the
low-nutrient drinks had the same effect on bones, whether they were colas or
sugary drinks made from powder, Whiting said.
The team now hopes to study whether it is possible to build up bone mass
during early adulthood.
"How much bone mass you put on in your 20s is a controversial issue," said
Whiting. "We hope to be one of the few groups studying this."
- 30 -
Susan Whiting
Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics
College of Pharmacy and Nutrition
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-5837
Fax: (306) 966-6377
susan.whiting@usask.ca
Kathryn Warden
Research Communications Officer
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-2506
Fax: (306) 966-2411
kathryn.warden@usask.ca
Backgrounder
- In the U.S., daily consumption of carbonated beverages by adolescent boys
and girls has increased by 74 per cent and 65 per cent respectively,
according to data from the U.S. Continuing Survey of Food Intake of
Individuals (CSFII) conducted since the late 1970s through to the mid-1990s.
- The same trend is apparent in Canada. In 1999, the average Canadian drank
87.5 litres of milk (down from 95.4 litres in 1990), and nearly 117 litres
of soft drinks (up from less than 100 litres in 1990).
- A study by Grace Wyshak of the Harvard Medical School published in June
2000 studied fracture incidence and cola intake in adolescents. In that
study, 460 ninth and 10th grade girls completed a questionnaire reporting
physical activity, carbonated beverage consumption and bone fractures.
Wyshak found a correlation between soft drink consumption and bone
fractures, particularly among active girls. She then speculated that the
chemicals in the carbonated beverages retard bone growth.
U of S Findings:
From "Relationship between carbonated and other low nutrient dense beverages
and bone mineral content of adolescents" by Whiting, Healey, Psiuk, Mirwald,
Kowalski, and Bailey (Nutrition Research, Volume 21/8, pp. 1107-1115)
Methodology:
- The study looked at the bone mineral content and diet of 59 boys and 53
girls over the two years when their bone mass build-up peaked.
- The eating habits of subjects were assessed based on their reported diet.
All participants received an initial 20-minute training session on food
portion sizes. Life-size pictures of food and beverage portion sizes were
present when the subjects reported their food and beverage intake.
- Bone measurements were obtained using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
scans of the whole body, spine, and hip. In DXA scans, low dose X-rays of
two different energies are used to distinguish between bone and soft tissue,
giving a very accurate measurement of bone density.
Conclusions:
- Milk consumption decreased as consumption of low-nutrient beverages --
such as soft drinks, Kool-Aid, or fruit drinks with less than 50 per cent
real juice -- increased. This provides support for the theory that
low-nutrient beverages affect bone mass by replacing milk in the diet.
- These results do not support the theory that carbonated beverages contain
sufficient amounts of bone-retarding chemicals (such as phosphorus,
fructose, or caffeine) to adversely affect bone health.
- Adolescent girls, but not boys, have reduced bone buildup when
low-nutrient beverages replace milk. Although boys drink more low-nutrient
beverages than girls, boys have a higher calcium intake as well as a higher
activity level, each of which provides protection against an otherwise poor
beverage choice.
- Low-nutrient beverages in general, not just carbonated or cola beverages,
are a concern for adolescent bone health.
