Crib Recall - Health Canada

Health Canada recalls crib

Health Canada is asking parents to stop using a particular crib that was manufactured in Chile and imported to Canada by Bambino Reale Furniture, a company that's gone out of business.

There is a potential for a serious fall-related injury, although to date Health Canada says it hasn't received any reports of injuries related to these cribs.

The model number is 612C19CH.

Because the company, a subsidiary of Quebec-based Ragazzi Furniture, has gone out of business, Health Canada hasn't been able to determine how many of the cribs were sold in Canada, or when they were sold.

The warning was issued following a complaint by a consumer in Alberta and a determination that the cribs don't meet labelling and minimum side height requirements for cribs.

Health Canada says the cribs don't provide an adequate barrier to prevent infants and young children from falling out or climbing out.

The cribs should be disassembled and disposed of in a way that they won't be used again.

Source: theGlobeandMail.com

Atkins Granola Bar Warning - Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Granola bar may contain contaminated peanuts: CFIA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warned the public on Wednesday not to eat the Atkins Advantage Peanut Butter Granola Bar because it may be contaminated with salmonella.

The granola bar, manufactured in Canada, comes in 48-gram packages and carries best-before dates of June 6, 2009, and July 19, 2009.

The agency said the granola bar contains peanut products that have been recalled in the U.S. and Canada by the Peanut Corporation of America as a result of a salmonella outbreak that has made 600 people sick in the U.S. The outbreak may be linked to eight deaths.

Canadians were also warned not to consume chocolate-covered peanuts, including sugar-free ones, sold in unmarked, clear plastic, cone-shaped containers with gold foil tops, by Golden Chocolate in Lakeshore, Ont.

The chocolate-covered peanuts, manufactured in the U.S., come in 220-gram and 440-gram packages.

The warning also applies to Sunbird Snacks yogurt trail mix, health mix and chocolate peanut butter blast, all manufactured in the U.S. but which may have been available in Canada.

"This is an ongoing food safety investigation," the agency said in a news release Wednesday.

The agency said it is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to identify and remove all affected products imported into Canada from the U.S.

CFIA is also working with Canadian manufacturers to recall foods containing affected U.S. peanuts.

The salmonella outbreak has led to the recall of more than 1,800 products in the U.S. and more than 200 products in Canada.

Peanut Corp. is currently being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the U.S. Its corporate headquarters in Lynchburg, Va., were raided by the FBI on the weekend, and two of its plants, one in Georgia and the other in Texas, have been closed while the investigation continues.

It makes only about one per cent of U.S. peanut products, but its ingredients are used by dozens of other food companies.

Source: CBC.ca

Blood Pressure Drug Combo Can Be Deadly

Blood-pressure drug alert issued

Taking two commonly prescribed blood-pressure drugs in combination can trigger severe heart and kidney problems, according to an alert issued Friday to patients and physicians.

The drugs, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers, are considered safe and effective on their own and when combined with other hypertension drugs, but ACE inhibitors and ARBs should not be used together, the Heart and Stroke Foundation is warning.

The group estimates that about 175,000 Canadians – most of them over the age of 65 – are taking this particular combination of drugs.

“This is a safety issue that the public and practitioners need to be aware of,” said Sheldon Tobe, a nephrologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. “Bringing blood pressure under control is very important, but with this particular combination the potential risks outweigh the benefits.”

Margaret Moy Lum-Kwong, director of high-blood-pressure strategy at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, stressed that patients should not stop taking medications, even if they are taking ARBs and ACE inhibitors together, but discuss the matter with their physician.

“If you are on this particular combination treatment … go directly to your doctor for an alternative treatment,” she said.

High blood pressure, the leading risk factor for heart disease, is commonplace, affecting one in four men and one in five women.

A person is considered hypertensive with a blood-pressure reading of 140/90 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) or higher. Healthy adults should have a blood pressure in the range of 120/80 mmHg, although that target varies with age and other health conditions such as diabetes.

According to a study published last year, about 85 per cent of those with high blood pressure are aware of their condition and most are being treated successfully.

Blood pressure can often be controlled with lifestyle changes such as weight loss, healthy eating (particularly reducing salt consumption) and exercise, but many Canadians are treated with prescription drugs.

About two-thirds of hypertensive cases are treated with combinations of drugs, including diuretics, ACE inhibitors, ARBs and calcium channel blockers.

The safety and effectiveness of various combinations is being studied systematically. Last year, a landmark Canadian-led study showed that the combination of an ACE inhibitor and ARB was only marginally more effective at lowering blood pressure than either drug taken alone.

But it also revealed far more side effects among those taking the ACE-ARB combo, including fainting, diarrhea and dangerously elevated potassium levels that could result in kidney failure (and the need for dialysis) and even death.

Dr. Tobe stressed that severe complications were rare, but said there is no justification for putting patients at risk when there is no additional benefit.

“What we're doing here is refining therapy to make it safer,” he said.

Arthur Innes, a 57-year-old Torontonian who works in a long-term care facility, said he got his blood pressure checked as part of a physical for life insurance and was shocked to learn readings were dangerously high at 200/90 mm/Hg.

His family doctor prescribed a combination of ARB and ACE inhibitor. “These medications didn't make me feel very good. I was dizzy and had nausea all the time,” Mr. Innes said.

He was referred to a specialist and prescribed different medication; he now has his blood pressure under control and suffers no side effects.

“Taking the meds is important for your heart,” Mr. Innes said, “but you don't want medications that impair your way of life.”

Source: theGlobeandMail.ca

Pain Patch Overdose Risk - Health Canada Update

Manufacturers changing dosing instruction of pain patch

Several manufacturers of a patch containing a chronic pain drug are changing dosing instructions to address potential overdose risks.

The five manufacturers of Fentanyl Transdermal Systems and Health Canada said the patches contain a high concentration of the long-acting narcotic fentanyl.

Last February, 25 mcg/hr Duragesic patches sold by Janssen-Ortho Inc. and 25 mcg/hr Ran Fentanyl Transdermal System Patches sold by Ranbaxy Laboratories were voluntarily recalled for overdose risks.

The patches treat persistent, moderate to severe chronic pain in people already taking narcotic pain relievers.

Fentanyl can cause serious and life-threatening breathing problems if too much is taken, Health Canada warned Wednesday.

The new dose conversion guidelines are to be used to convert adult patients from their current oral or injection therapy to the fentanyl transdermal patch, says an advisory to health-care professionals.

People using the patches without any problems should not stop or decrease their dosage without talking to their doctors.

The notice applies to:

• Duragesic ® (Fentanyl Transdermal Systems).
• CO Fentanyl.
• Novo-Fentanyl.
• RAN-Fentanyl Transdermal Systems.
• Ratio-Fentanyl Transdermal System.

Patients using fentanyl patches should seek emergency medical help immediately if they:

• Have trouble breathing, or have slow or shallow breathing.
• Have a slow heartbeat.
• Have severe sleepiness.
• Have cold, clammy skin.
• Feel faint, dizzy, confused or cannot think, walk, or talk normally.
• Have a seizure.
• Have hallucinations.

Any serious or unexpected adverse reactions in patients receiving fentanyl transdermal systems should be reported to the manufacturers or Health Canada.

Source: CBC.ca

Quit Smoking Drug Safety Notice - Health Canada Update

Health Canada says it is in the process of strengthening safety information on the labels of the smoking-cessation product Champix.

In a statement Tuesday, it said it's working with the drugmaker Pfizer to update prescribing information after reports of serious psychiatric symptoms associated with the use of Champix.

Health Canada says label changes that increase awareness of the risk will be passed along to consumers and medical professionals when they are finalized.

Champix can be an effective tool for quitting smoking, it says, but there have been reports in some patients of unusual feelings of agitation, depressed mood, hostility, changes in behaviour, or impulsive or disturbing thoughts such as thoughts of self-harm or harm to others.

Health Canada says people taking the drug and their families are reminded to be aware of any unusual thoughts, feelings or behaviours, especially those related to depression, aggression or self-harm.

It isn't clear whether Champix is the cause of these psychiatric symptoms, but patients should stop the drug immediately if there are such concerns.

And patients should avoid driving or operating machinery until they're sure that Champix doesn't have an adverse effect on them, Health Canada said.

In issuing its reminder Tuesday, the federal agency noted that it's a time of year when many smokers are attempting to kick the habit.

In Montreal, Pfizer spokesman Christian Marcoux said that Champix is "safe and very efficacious" and that some symptoms are actually caused by the act of quitting smoking.

"Any individual attempting to quit smoking should be monitored and work with their physician because smoking cessation will generate or exacerbate such symptoms, with or without medication," he said.

He said the simple fact of quitting smoking will trigger behavioural changes.

"Smoking is a very nasty addiction and it's quite a challenge to work on that addiction," he said.
Source: CBC.ca, Health Canada

Lower Fluoride Levels In Water - Panel Recommendation

Fluoride levels should be lowered, panel tells Health Canada

A panel of experts convened by Health Canada is recommending new optimal concentrations of fluoride in drinking water and suggesting the levels of fluoride ingested from a variety of sources by children and infants be lowered and monitored.

The authors suggest Health Canada adopt a level of 0.7 mg/L as the optimal target for fluoride in drinking water, to limit exposure. This level, they say, balances the need for dental cavity protection with the risk of dental fluorosis, which leads to staining or pitting of the teeth if too much fluoride is ingested.

The report, which was released in January of last year, was posted on Health Canada's website in April.

The panel notes in the report that the overall intake of fluoride in recent years has decreased, as have the concentrations of fluoride in infant formula.

It also does not find any link between fluoride and cancer, a decrease in IQ or reproductive, immunological or developmental toxicity. Previous studies have raised concerns about the toxic effects of fluoride and made connections between excessive consumption and such diseases as bone cancer.

The panel does acknowledge that excess fluoride intake, which constitutes 10 mg/day after 10 or more years of exposure, can lead to skeletal fluorosis, which is caused by too much accumulation of fluoride in the bones and leads to brittle and deformed bones.

However, "the current maximum acceptable concentration of 1.5 mg/L of fluoride in drinking water is unlikely to cause adverse health effects," reads the report.

The report does caution however, that infants are particularly vulnerable if they ingest powdered infant formula reconstituted with fluoridated water. "The risk of excessive intake of fluoride is higher for infants consuming larger quantities of infant formulas," reads the report.

The panel subsequently calls on the manufacturers of infant formula to lower and standardize the fluoride concentration in infant formula.

Source: CBC.ca

Eye Drop Recall - Health Canada

Prescription eye drops recalled due to risk of adverse effects

Health Canada is warning consumers not to use some strengths of the prescription drug Sandoz Timolol Ophthalmic Solution because some bottles may contain more of the active ingredient than indicated on the label, exposing patients to an increased risk of adverse events.

Sandoz Timolol Ophthalmic Solution 0.25 per cent and 0.5 per cent are eye drops taken for treatment of increased intraocular pressure (high fluid pressure inside the eye) and glaucoma. The active ingredient is timolol maleate.

Potential adverse events may include red eye, eye irritation, inflammation of the eyelids and-or cornea, drooping of the upper eyelid, double vision, dizziness, headache, abnormally slow heartbeat, abnormally low blood pressure, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and cardiac failure Health Canada said in an advisory Friday.

Patients taking either Sandoz Timolol Ophthalmic Solution 0.25 per cent or 0.5 per cent eye drops should discontinue use and consult their health-care practitioner immediately to ensure that treatment of the original condition (intraocular pressure) is not interrupted. Consumers should return the product to their pharmacist for safe disposal.

The manufacturer, Sandoz Canada Inc., is recalling the products. Sandoz will also be notifying doctors and pharmacists of the recall.

Consumers requiring more information about this advisory can contact Health Canada's public inquiries line at (613) 957-2991, or toll-free at 1-866-225-0709.

To date, there have been no cases of adverse reactions linked to the use of this product reported in Canada.

Source: CBC.ca

Health Canada Warning

Jin Bu Huan Anodyne tablets recalled: Health Canada

Health Canada is warning consumers not to use Jin Bu Huan Anodyne tablets after two reported adverse reactions in this country.

The Canadian importer, Wing Quon Enterprises Ltd., has initiated a recall of the product — unauthorized for use in Canada — as the federal agency says it contains an undeclared ingredient (tetrahydropalmatine).

Health Canada says the amount of the chemical tetrahydropalmatine, contained in a daily dose of the tablets, has been associated with liver injury in adults, and brain and nervous system injury in children and adults.

It's also been associated with adverse reactions such as fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea.

The product label also promotes unauthorized use in the treatment of ulcer pain, and abdominal pain after childbirth.

Health Canada wants retailers to pull the herbal treatment from store shelves, and advises consumers who have taken the tablets to discontinue use immediately and consult a health-care professional.

Source: CBC.ca

Social Tonics Not Safe

Health Canada warns against use of 'social tonics' which contain drugs

Health Canada is urging consumers not to use products sold as "social tonics" by the company Purepillz, saying they contain unauthorized drugs.

The department says four products that go by the names "Peaq", "Freq", "PureRush", and "PureSpun" are promoted on the company's website as safer legal alternatives to street drugs.

But they contain compounds that reportedly have effects like amphetamines and the drug MDMA, and can't be legally sold in Canada this way.

Health Canada says the products can cause hallucinations, convulsions and slowed breathing.

They can increase body temperature and blood pressure, dilate pupils and increase euphoria, alertness and paranoia.

Health Canada says it has repeatedly asked Purepillz to remove the products from the market and is taking enforcement action because the company has not complied.

he products contain benzylpiperazine (known as BZP) and 3-trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (3-TFMPP), compounds that require a drug identification number (DIN) before they can be legally sold in Canada.

Health Canada says BZP and 3-TFMPP have no therapeutic uses and while BZP is frequently claimed to be a "natural" substance, it is not a natural health product.

Health Canada says it is carrying out an assessment to determine whether it would be appropriate for these substances to be regulated under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Source: CBC.ca

ADHD Drug Linked to Suicide

ADHD drug linked to suicide attempts: Health Canada

A drug commonly used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) disorder in children, teens and adults has been linked to numerous adverse reactions, including suicide attempts, Health Canada has warned.

In its adverse reactions newsletter from July 2008, the health agency warns that Atomoxetine (Strattera), a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, had been linked to 189 reported adverse reactions as of Dec. 31, 2007.

Fifty-five of those included suicide attempts, a designation that encompasses non-accidental overdoses, showing suicidal tendencies and experiencing thoughts of self-harm. Twenty-nine of the patients recovered, three had not by Dec. 31, 2007, and one patient died. Data was not available for the remaining 22 patients.

Among the 55 suicide attempts reported in connection with the drug, 43 were among children between the ages of 6 and 17. Twelve were among adults ranging in age from 18 to 45.

Links between the drug and suicidal behaviour were first reported in September 2005, and the warnings and precautions section of the drug's monograph was changed to reflect those concerns.

Health Canada advises health-care professionals to warn patients who are on ADHD medications, as well as their families and other caregivers, to be on the lookout for changes in mood, behaviour and feelings.
Source: CBC.ca

Health Canada Advisory Against Ephedra Use

Health Canada is reminding consumers not to use products containing Ephedra or ephedrine, either alone or in combination with caffeine and other stimulants. These products may have serious, possibly fatal, adverse effects.

Nalgene Water Bottles Pulled Off Shelves

Mountain Equipment pulls water bottles off shelves

Country's largest specialty outdoor-goods retailer cites concern over possible health risks

Mountain Equipment Co-op, the country's largest specialty outdoor-goods retailer, says it has pulled most food and beverage containers made of polycarbonate plastic from its shelves, citing concern over possible health risks.

The Vancouver-based firm been one of the largest sellers of such products as polycarbonate Nalgene water bottles, and probably has done more than any retailer to make the distinctive, brightly coloured containers an iconic product everywhere from backcountry campsites to urban offices and university campuses.

The retailer didn't issue a public announcement that it removed the containers, but made a decision to take action Monday and instructed staff to cart polycarbonate products out of stores Wednesday.

The plastic in question is made mostly from bisphenol A, which mimics estrogen and is derived from petrochemicals.

It has been linked in dozens of independent research studies to illnesses that could be caused by hormone disruption. However, manufacturers of bisphenol A say their research shows the material to be harmless.

Health Canada is conducting an assessment of bisphenol A and trying to sort out the conflicting evidence. It expects to issue preliminary results of its review next spring, and a final report on the safety of the chemical in 2009. The Ontario government is also looking at the chemical.

Mountain Equipment said it will keep polycarbonate products out of stores, pending results of the federal review.

“The products have been pulled from the shelves and we're no longer selling them,” said Tim Southam, a spokesman for the retailer, which has 11 stores, annual sales of about $222-million and requires customers to pay a membership fee.

“We've been following this issue quite closely and it's one we've seen an increasing concern [about] among some members,” Mr. Southam said of the health controversy.

A spokesman for Nalgene's manufacturer, Nalge Nunc International Corp. of Rochester, N.Y., said it believes Mountain Equipment is the first major retailer in North America to pull its polycarbonate bottles based on health worries.

“From our perspective, it's certainly unfortunate because we feel there is a body of evidence” supporting the safety of the product, Eric Hanson said. He added that the retailer's action won't affect all of its products because the company also markets containers that do not contain bisphenol A.

Mr. Southam said Mountain Equipment, which is a big marketer of camping gear and outdoor clothing, doesn't expect to take a financial hit from the action because it is selling alternative products, such as stainless-steel water bottles. He wasn't immediately able to give the sales value of the affected items.

Environmental Defence, a Toronto group that has been lobbying Health Canada to ban bisphenol A from food and beverage uses, praised the retailer and said other companies should follow its lead.

“The fact that a retailer of this size, dealing in this volume of polycarbonate products, would make this decision should be a real wake-up call to other retailers,” Richard Smith, executive director of the group, said.

Source: The Globe and Mail.com

High lead levels found in children's umbrella

Parents are being urged to return a children's umbrella because it contains lead in excess of allowable limits under the Canadian Hazardous Products Act.

The Yellow Duck Handle Kids Umbrella, which comes in two different looks, has the style No. 79WWM.

Health Canada and A.C.I. Accessory Concepts of Oakville, Ont., which issued the joint urgent recall on Monday, said no injuries or illness have been reported. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

Approximately 2,000 umbrellas were sold at Wal-Mart stores throughout Canada from January 2005 to Oct. 15, 2007.

The umbrellas can be returned for full refunds at point of purchase. No sales receipt is necessary. If umbrellas aren't returned, consumers are urged to carefully dispose of them so they cannot be reused.

For more information, consumers can call A.C.I. Accessory Concepts at (905) 829-1566 ext. 234.

Source: CBC.ca

Health Canada Foreign Product Usage Warning

Health Canada is advising consumers not to use 2 foreign health products due to concerns about possible side-effects:

Royal Medic No.1 Chinese Caterpillar Fungus is a proprietary Chinese medicine promoted as a general health tonic. Health Canada advises Canadians not to use this product due to microbial contamination.

Steripaste Medicated Paste Bandages may not be sterile therefore there is a possibility the bandage may cause a wound infection.

Source: HealthCanada

Bayer Suspends Trayslol at Health Canada's Request

At the request of Health Canada, the manufacturer Bayer Inc. has temporarily suspended marketing of the drug Trasylol (aprotinin), an anti-bleeding drug, pending a review of preliminary results from a clinical trial (the BART study) that suggested an increased risk of death.

Bayer Inc. will work with Health Canada so that the drug can be made available to certain patients in cases where the doctor believes the potential benefit clearly outweighs the risk.
Source: Health Canada

Health Canada Issues Foreign Product Warnings

Health Canada is warning consumers not to take Xie Gan Wan, Red Yeast Rice, Red Yeast Rice Policosonal Complex and Cholestrix because they could pose serious side effects.

Health Canada issues two foreign product alerts

The federal agency on Thursday issued two health alerts for the products that are not authorized for sale in Canada.

Xie Gan Wan, a Chinese medicine, may contain a naturally occurring toxin that could cause cancer and kidney failure, Health Canada warned.

The Red Yeast Rice products, marketed for treatment of high cholesterol, contain Lovastatin, a prescription medication that should only be taken under the supervision of a health-care professional. Possible side effects include liver, kidney, and muscle problems. People with kidney or liver disease, the elderly and pregnant women are particularly at risk, Health Canada said.

No adverse reactions for these products have been reported in Canada. Consumers should check products for an eight-digit number assigned by Health Canada. For more information, contact Health Canada's public enquiries
Source: Health Canada and CBC.ca

HIV drug approved in Canada - First in 10 years

New drug approved in Canada to treat HIV, first in 10 years

Health Canada has approved the first drug in the first new class of HIV medications to be brought to market in Canada in a decade.

Celsentri - the brand name for the drug maraviroc - is the first of a class of drugs called CCR5 antagonists to gain regulatory approval.

The drug, made by Pfizer Canada Inc., blocks entry of HIV into the immune system's T cells, reducing the level of the virus in the body. It is approved for use only in people who have already been on other HIV medications; it is not licensed for people who are just starting anti-retroviral drug therapy.

Dr. Philip Berger, an HIV-AIDs specialist, said having a new class of AIDS drugs will help people who have developed resistance to existing therapies. Those are often longtime HIV-AIDS survivors who were started on a single or dual drug regime before the current triple-drug therapy was developed.

"It is definitely an advance for people who have used up all of their current options," said Berger, who practises at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. He noted that other new classes of HIV drugs are also in the pipeline.

"For those that began on AZT mono-therapy, for example, 20 years ago or were on dual therapy, which turned out to be ineffective, for that group these new classes of drugs are critical," he said.

Source: CBC.ca

Health Canada pulls Prexige off Market due to Liver Problems

Health Canada is advising consumers that it has stopped the sale of the anti-inflammatory drug Prexige (lumiracoxib) in Canada and will cancel the drug's market authorization due to the potential for serious liver-related adverse events.

Stomach Drugs may lead to Heart Risks

Health Canada investigates Losec, Nexium for heart risks

Health Canada is alerting consumers who take Losec and Nexium, two prescription medications primarily used to treat acid-related stomach disorders, that it is investigating the drugs' links to serious cardiac problems.

Studies of the two medications reveal that patients using Losec or Nexium to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) instead of surgery "may have experienced more heart attacks or cardiac deaths than patients who had the surgery," reads the advisory.

It also notes that many patients who developed cardiac problems had risk factors prior to beginning treatment.

The data being reviewed by Health Canada comes from a study that compares treatment with Losec to surgery in patients with severe GERD. Another continuing study comparing Nexium to surgery has five-year followup information on patients.

The study designs did not provide for a clear definition of cardiac problems or an adequate followup of patients. While both studies include some safety data, Health Canada said it is difficult to evaluate this data because of the way it was collected, reported and documented.

At this point, Health Canada's preliminary review finds the evidence provided does not confirm the existence of a possible cardiovascular risk. It plans to complete its analysis of the new information by the end of the year and will advise Canadians of its conclusions and recommendations at that time.

Health Canada is advising health professionals not to change their prescribing practices of the drugs for the time being.

Patients taking Losec or Nexium are also urged to consult with their doctors before making any change to their medication, as GERD can lead to other complications if left untreated.

Any adverse reactions to either drug should be reported to the Canadian Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Program, said Health Canada.

Source: CBC.ca

Whole Grain Oats Cholesterol Reduction Link

Whole-grain oats may help reduce cholesterol: review

Whole-grain oats may help lower cholesterol in people at risk for heart disease, according to a review.

Researchers looked at 10 short-term trials that studied a total of 914 adults who had at least one major risk factor for heart disease.

The studies suggested whole grains can help lower both total cholesterol and unhealthy low-density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol levels — both risk factors for heart disease.

When the results were pooled, the average reduction was 7.7 milligrams per decilitre in total cholesterol levels, and 7 milligrams per decilitre for LDL among people who ate whole-grain oatmeal compared with those who ate refined grains.

There is enough evidence to suggest recommending oats as part of cholesterol-lowering programs, the review concluded, but the positive effect should be interpreted cautiously, the researchers said in the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews.

The trials involved small numbers of people, lasted at longest four to eight weeks, and most were funded by companies that sell whole grains.

Well-designed, adequately powered studies are now needed to evaluate the effects of long-term consumption of oats," said study author Sarah Kelly of the School of Health and Social Care at the University of Teesside, England.

To minimize the risk of developing high levels of LDL, Health Canada recommends:

• Maintaining a healthy weight.
• Getting at least 30 minutes of exercise a day.
• Not smoking.
• Reducing total fat in the diet, especially curbing unhealthy saturated and trans fats.
• Eating more soluble fibre, found in bran, oatmeal, barley, psyllium, kidney beans, apples, strawberries and pears.

There was a lack of studies on other whole grains or whole-grain diets, the study's authors said.

Source: CBC.ca