Science is beginning to back up the notion that men's and women's brains are hardwired differently. How we process information, respond to emotions and form relationships likely come from innate differences in our biological circuitry. New research shows this gender divide also plays out at the dinner table.

Men and women exhibit striking differences in their eating patterns and attitudes toward food. This culinary gender divide was captured in a recent population survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infections Program. Researchers surveyed 14,000 adults from May 2006 to April 2007 to determine what they ate during the course of a week. By being aware of these behavioral patterns, you can more effectively counsel patients on a healthier diet.

What Men and Women Eat
Men reported eating more meat, especially duck, veal and ham. Their top foods also included shellfish, such as oysters and shrimp. As for vegetables, the leafier the better, men reported, favoring asparagus and Brussels sprouts.

Women reported eating more vegetables overall, especially carrots and tomatoes. They also ate more fruit, including strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and apples. In addition, women consumed more yogurt and dry foods, such as almonds and walnuts.

Men generally took more risks in their food choices. They reported eating more undercooked hamburger, runny eggs, raw oysters and cheeses made from unpasteurized milk. Women, however, ate more alfalfa sprouts, which can harbor dangerous E. coli.

These results hardly surprise Ruth Frechman, MA, RD, who has counseled patients on nutrition for 25 years and is a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. She has noticed that more of her male patients overeat meat while women eat too many carbs.  So agrees Christopher Mohr, PhD, RD, founding owner of the fitness and nutrition consulting company Mohr Results. "Men are more interested in foods that will improve their performance and strength," he says.

Women, on the other hand, have more of a sweet tooth. While both sexes tend to consume too much sugar, women on average, need to reduce their daily sugar intake by 14 teaspoons, according to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

In developing nutrition strategies for men and women, doctors need to understand how patients will heed your advice. Men may be

Men, therefore, may have a tougher time cutting back their portions, even when their lifestyles no longer involve football practice.

Women are more receptive to healthy eating recommendations, likely because of their roles as caregivers and meal planners, says nutrition consultant Jenna Bell-Wilson, PhD, RD, CSSD.

Both sexes are equally concerned about weight gain. Seventy-five percent of male and female respondents to the International Food Information Council Foundation's (IFIC) 2008 Food and Health Survey admitted being concerned about their weight. And 57 percent of respondents reported actively trying to lose weight.

In both sexes, hormonal changes in midlife lead to weight gain around the midsection. This weight gain increases the risk for heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers, Mohr says.

That's because the weight gain increases visceral fat, stored deep in the body to protect the organs. Compared with the fat just below the skin, visceral fat may increase inflammation. It also has been linked with atheroscelorosis.

"This weight gain is preventable, insists Mohr, "with simple strategies that focus on the quality of nutrients, not just the quantity."

Preventing Disease Through Diet
More than 90 million Americans suffer chronic diseases or conditions that decrease their life quality, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis and certain cancers.

"People don't realize the full extent nutrition has on health," says Frechman, adding that one-third of all cancers are linked to poor diet.

To help your patients age gracefully, follow this breakdown of men's and women's dietary guidelines. The key, says Frechman, is that less is more for women. Because of their smaller body size, women require fewer calories and generally lower levels of many vitamins and minerals.

Calcium. A calcium-rich diet helps maintain strong bones, lowering women's risk of osteoporosis. Women generally need 1,000 mg to 1,200 mg of calcium, or at least three cups per day of dairy products and milk. Most only get half that amount, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. One cup of milk equals 2 oz. of processed cheese or 1.5 oz. of natural cheese. Nondairy sources of calcium include fortified cereals, spinach, sardines and tofu. Most women do not get adequate amounts of calcium, and it may be necessary for them to take supplements to meet the recommended intake.

Although osteoporosis remains less a concern for men, at least one study found that one in three osteoporotic fractures occur in men. Some evidence, however, shows too much calcium can be harmful to men. Men who consume more than 2,000 mg per day of calcium may increase their risk of prostate cancer, researchers found. Generally, getting too much calcium isn't a problem for Americans. Still, men should aim for 800 mg per day.

Vitamin D. Bone health depends on this essential nutrient. Vitamin D maintains normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorous and aids calcium absorption. In addition to helping stem osteoporosis, vitamin D may protect against hypertension, cancer, multiple sclerosis and several autoimmune diseases, recent research suggests.

Vitamin D consists of several forms. Vitamins D2 and D3 are the two forms that benefit human health. Vitamin D2 is synthesized by plants, and vitamin D3 is synthesized in the skin when exposed to ultraviolet-B rays. The U.S. Institute of Medicine recommends 200 International Units (IU) daily for men and women. Baby boomers, ages 50 to 70, require twice as much, or 400 IU. The American Medical Association in 2008 called on the federal government to update its guidelines to include a higher recommended intake.

Few foods are rich in vitamin D. The best sources are fish, eggs, fortified milk and cod liver oil. Vitamin D also is manufactured in the skin when exposed to sunlight. Approximately five minutes to 30 minutes of sun exposure twice a week can synthesize vitamin D in the skin, according to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements.

The American Academy of Dermatology, however, recommends protecting the skin with sunscreen when people are exposed to sunlight. Researchers haven't yet determined a desirable level of sun exposure that poses minimal risk of skin cancer over time. Thus, the American Academy of Dermatology's position is to obtain recommended vitamin D levels through nutritional sources and dietary supplementation.

Iron. Iron intake remains one of the biggest nutritional differences between men and women, Frechman says. Prior to menopause, many women are iron-deficient. Women typically need 18 mg of iron daily, compared with 8 mg for men. In men, too much iron raises their risk of heart disease. The intake gap closes when women stop menstruating, after which they only need 8 mg daily. Foods high in iron include clams, fortified cereals, oysters, pumpkin seeds, spinach and beef.

Carbohydrates. For men and women, carbohydrates should provide 45 percent to 65 percent of the day's calories. But not all carbs are created equally. Dietary fiber, which comprises nondigestible carbohydrates, helps lower the risk of coronary heart disease and potentially type 2 diabetes. Men generally require 38 grams per day of dietary fiber and 30 grams after age 50. Women should consume 25 grams of dietary fiber and 21 grams after age 50.

Sugars and starches in the form of glucose supply energy for red blood cells, the brain and central nervous system. Sugars occurring naturally in foods include fructose in fruit and lactose in milk. Added sugars, such as high fructose corn syrup in beverages and baked goods, add calories, but no nutrients.

Sugars. Many Americans who consume too many added sugars exceed their recommended caloric intake and do not get enough nutrients. This raises the risk of obesity and chronic disease. Men and women consuming 2,000 calories a day should not exceed eight teaspoons (32 g) of added sugars per day.

Fats. Fats should comprise 20 percent to 25 percent of men's and women's daily calories. Still, much confusion exists over the types of fats we should consume, particularly the concept of "bad fats" vs. so-called "good fats."

In recent years, trans fats have taken the media spotlight. New York City banned trans fats in restaurants in 2008 as an effort to enhance public health. Following suit, California became the first state to bar trans fats in restaurants. Although the publicity has helped educate the public about the health risks of trans fats, it also may have overshadowed the dangers of saturated fat.

"It's great that New York City banned trans fats, but they're not reading the whole statement," says Bell-Wilson. "And the statement is, you have to lower trans fats and saturated fat."

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommend Americans consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and to keep trans fatty acids as low as possible. Foods high in saturated fats include whole-fat cheese, beef, baked goods and butter. Sources of trans fats include processed foods, such as baked goods and chips.

Evidence shows many Americans are confused about the notion of good fats. Sixty-three percent of participants in the IFIC Foundation's survey said they were aware of monounsaturated fats and 71 percent said they were aware of polyunsaturated fats. But fewer than half said these fats had any health benefits.

Patients often think the health benefits touted in certain fats gives them a free pass to overindulge, a common mistake. "Word got out that olive oil is better than butter," says Bell-Wilson. "So people started bathing in olive oil. That wasn't really the intent."

She advises her clients simply to substitute healthier oils for butter and trans fats. Polyunsaturated fats, found in nuts, seeds and corn oil, should comprise 5 percent to 10 percent of total calories, according to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines. Monounsaturated fats, found in olive oil, peanuts and avocados, should make up 10 percent of daily caloric intake.

Alcohol. Conflicting studies on the benefits of alcohol have generated confusion among patients. Moderate doses of alcohol appear to reduce the risk of heart attacks in men and women.

But recent research has shown that alcohol can raise the risk of breast cancer in women. In one study of 70,000 women, researchers from the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland, Calif., found that women who drank three or more alcoholic beverages a day increased their risk of developing breast cancer. They found no relation between oestrogen receptor positive tumors and choice of alcohol, whether it's beer, liquor or wine.

Physicians have long known drinking alcohol is associated with oral cancers. However, researchers do not completely understand why alcohol ups the cancer risk. Theories hold that alcohol increases hormone levels or is carcinogenic by the way it breaks down in the body, making cells vulnerable to cancer-causing compounds such as tobacco. Until more research surfaces, the general recommendation for moderate alcohol consumption is no more than one drink per day for women and two for men.

Sorting Through the Data
The paradox of the Information Age is we're inundated with misinformation, particularly when it comes to anti-aging efforts. Mohr says patients often believe reaching midlife requires major lifestyle changes. Not so, he says. "It's not that you hit a decade and everything goes downhill," Mohr says.

So agrees Bell-Wilson. "If you stay active and continue eating well, you're not destined to lose muscle mass. You're not necessarily going to be immunocompromised. You don't have to have lifestyle-induced high cholesterol."

By understanding how their favorite foods fit into an overall healthy diet, men and women can keep weight in balance and energy levels high. And the path to a longer, healthier life may only require a few tweaks to the dinner menu.

Lauren Meade is assistant editor.