Sustainability Issue #1 January 2009

It is known that whole grain consists of all parts of the grain kernel, i.e. endosperm, bran and embryo. But it is also important to define what cereals are to be included in the term whole grain. It is also necessary to know how technical fractions must be produced and mixed, what whole grain content whole grain products must have, and how these contents must be described on the packaging for the food. Many studies show that those who eat more whole grain run a lower risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type two diabetes and certain types of cancer. One weakness of the dietary epidemiological studies is that it is difficult to estimate the intake of whole grain. Other problems are that food with whole grain is poorly defined and that the mechanisms of action behind the whole grain-health relationship are largely unknown. 

Nordic centre of excellence

What is the basis for the recommendations? If an increased intake of whole grain results in better health, how are we to induce consumers to increase their intake? There are many issues, and to enhance knowledge of these, Helga, a Nordic Centre of Excellence,  was granted funds by NordForsk for the coordination and initiation of Nordic frontline research in this area between 2007 and 2011. The acronym Helga stands for Nordic Health – Whole grain Food. The coordinator is the Danish Institute for Cancer Epidemiology, which is the place of work of the programme leader, Anne Tjønneland. Members are Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences SLU, Kupio University, Umeå University, Tromsø University and Copenhagen University. At a later stage, researchers from Iceland also became members. In Helga we are studying the relationship between food and health, and we have front line competence in food science, biomarkers (components in e.g. a biological sample – blood, urine, tissue – which reflect a specific intake or physiological process or disease), intervention studies, epidemiology and sociology.

Whole grain and diseases

Research at Helga will concentrate on whole grain in relation to cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, cancer of the breast, colon, prostate and uterus, as well as mortality from disease. 

Biomarkers for the intake of rye, wheat and perhaps oats will be developed. We will also study factors that affect the intake of whole grain and will develop strategies to increase intake in different countries. In recent years, a number of randomised clinical studies have been performed in which the effects of whole grain intake on risk markers for disease were studied among those taking part who were assigned at random to various groups. The results varied, but in the latest studies they were negative or marginal for the investigated markers. In a study where we from SLU participated, 30 moderately overweight persons were asked to eat whole grain or refined cereal products for six weeks. After the intake of the different types of diet, no significant differences in insulin sensitivity, inflammation or lipid oxidation, oxidation of fatty acids could be demonstrated. New markers of mechanisms of action must therefore be identified so that the reduced risks of disease that have been observed in epidemiological studies may be verified.

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