Search

Inadequate diets have adverse effects on maternal, fetal, and, possibly, childhood health. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine daily food group intake of pregnant Jordanian women during the three pregnancy trimesters and to compare these to the recommended servings of the five food groups reported by The United States Department of Agriculture and My Plate Plan. A total of 283 pregnant Jordanian women were recruited during their antenatal visits. Data were obtained by interviewer-administered structured questionnaires. Our results showed that 1.1% of participants consumed the recommended number of servings for all five food groups during pregnancy and 10.2% did not consume the minimum number of servings of the five food groups. Nearly half of the participants in the first trimester met the recommended daily servings for three food groups but only approximately two-third of participants met the minimum recommended daily servings for one or two food groups in the second and third trimesters. Consumption of grains and sweets was significantly higher in the third trimester compared with the first and second trimesters. Overall, the majority of pregnant Jordanian women in this study did not consume the recommended number of servings for all five food groups during pregnancy.

At present, analysis of diet and bladder cancer (BC) is mostly based on the intake of individual foods. The examination of food combinations provides a scope to deal with the complexity and unpredictability of the diet and aims to overcome the limitations of the study of nutrients and foods in isolation. This article aims to demonstrate the usability of supervised data mining methods to extract the food groups related to BC. In order to derive key food groups associated with BC risk, we applied the data mining technique C5.0 with 10-fold cross-validation in the BLadder cancer Epidemiology and Nutritional Determinants study, including data from eighteen case–control and one nested case–cohort study, compromising 8320 BC cases out of 31 551 participants. Dietary data, on the eleven main food groups of the Eurocode 2 Core classification codebook, and relevant non-diet data (i.e. sex, age and smoking status) were available. Primarily, five key food groups were extracted; in order of importance, beverages (non-milk); grains and grain products; vegetables and vegetable products; fats, oils and their products; meats and meat products were associated with BC risk. Since these food groups are corresponded with previously proposed BC-related dietary factors, data mining seems to be a promising technique in the field of nutritional epidemiology and deserves further examination.

Background & Aims of the Study: Pregnancy is one of the most important stages in the life of women. It is associated with increased nutritional requirements since pregnant women are very vulnerable to malnutrition. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the food groups intake pattern and its effective factors in pregnant women in Qom, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 360 pregnant women who referred to health centers. Two questionnaires were used to collect demographic and dietary recall information. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 20) using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, and chi-square. Results: Based on the results of this study, the mean age, weight, and height of the subjects were 27.72 years, 72.59 kg, and 162 cm, respectively. Moreover, the mean daily intake of bread and cereals, milk and dairy products, fruits, vegetables, meat and egg, nuts and legumes, and miscellaneous groups were 8.26, 1.91, 4.60, 1.90, 2.43, 1.82, and 0.81 respectively. The mean of total daily calorie intake was 1424.81. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between economic status and daily calorie intake (P

Dietary habits have been implicated in the development and severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Several epidemiological studies attempted to assess the relationship between food groups and the likelihood of NAFLD, but these results were conflicting. The present meta-analysis was conducted to assess the association between food groups and the likelihood of NAFLD. Published literature was retrieved and screened from MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science. Out of 7892 retrieved articles, twenty-four observational studies (fifteen cross-sectional studies and nine case-control studies) met our eligibility criteria and were finally included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Consumption of both red meat and soft drinks contributed to a positive association with NAFLD. Inversely, nut consumption was negatively associated with NAFLD. There were no significant influences on the likelihood of NAFLD about consuming whole grains, refined grains, fish, fruits, vegetables, eggs, dairy products and legumes. This meta-analysis suggests that individuals who consumed more red meat and soft drinks may have a significantly increased likelihood of NAFLD, whereas higher nut intake may be negatively associated with NAFLD. Further prospective studies are required to assess the association between food patterns and NAFLD.

BACKGROUND: Magnesium plays a key role in bone health and may, therefore, represent an interesting nutrient for the prevention of bone loss and osteoporosis. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the impact of magnesium intake from any source on bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), bone turnover markers, and fracture risk in older adults. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted using Embase, Medline Ovid and Cochrane Central from database inception to October 2020. All studies that related magnesium intake with bone health outcomes among adults aged ≥60 years were included. Two investigators independently conducted abstract and full-text screenings, data extractions, and risk of bias assessments. Authors were contacted for missing data. RESULTS: Once 787 records were screened, six cohort studies, one case-control study and five cross-sectional studies were included. Qualitative evaluation demonstrated a positive trend between higher magnesium intake and higher hip and femoral neck BMD. Meta-analysis of four studies showed a significant positive association between magnesium intake and hip BMD (pooled beta: 0.03, 95% CI: 0.01-0.06, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review indicates that a higher magnesium intake may support an increase in hip and femoral neck BMD. Due to limited research no associations with BMD at other sites or fractures were found. There is a need for properly designed cohort studies to determine the association between magnesium intake and bone health in older adults. Next, large and long-term randomized controlled trials in older adults are needed to determine whether an increase in magnesium (supplementation) intake can improve bone health. The combination of several bone nutrients (calcium, vitamin D, protein, magnesium and potentially more) may be needed for the most optimal effect on bone health and to delay or prevent the development of osteoporosis.

KILINC, FATMA/0000-0001-8297-958X; OZATA UYAR, Gizem/0000-0002-9022-6956; Karaismailoglu, Eda/0000-0003-3085-7809 WOS:000494785800001 To determine the relationship of specific macro- and micro-nutrients and food groups with sleep duration and sleep quality in adults. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 2446 adults aged between 20 and 64 years in Turkey. The participants' socio-demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, and dietary intake (24-h recall) were taken. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to assess sleep quality. In the study, 48.9% of the participants were male and 51.1% were female, with an average age of 38.7 +/- 12.70 years. Total protein, meat, and processed meat product consumption rates of long sleepers were found to be lower than those of normal sleepers (p < 0.05). Saturated fat intake of short sleepers was higher than that of long sleepers (p < 0.018). Participants with good sleep quality were found to consume higher carbohydrate, fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin E, thiamine, vitamin B-6, total folate, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron compared to those with poor sleep quality (p < 0.05). When examined in terms of food groups, fruit consumption was higher in individuals with good sleep quality compared to those with poor sleep quality (p < 0.05). In this study, some macro- and micro-nutrients of the diet were found correlated with sleep duration and quality. Mechanisms mediating the relationship between sleep duration and dietary intake are multi-factorial. Because of the differences in appetite-related hormones, such as leptin and ghrelin, and hedonic factors, future studies will benefit from assessing sleep duration/quality and dietary intake.

The use of low and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) in food and beverages has become increasingly common in the development and reformulation of products to reduce energy derived from added sugars. Our aim was to identify the presence and consumption of LNCS through food and beverages according to consumption patterns in a representative sample (n = 256) of the Portuguese adult population. The study had a descriptive cross-sectional observational design and was based on the application of a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Overall, it was found that 4.1% of the foods and 16.7% of the beverages consumed by the Portuguese adult population contained LNCS. Food groups mostly contributing to LNCS consumption were non-alcoholic beverages such as soft drinks and juices (34.2%); milk and dairy products (16.5%); appetizers such as chips (8.6%); sugars and sweets such as chocolates, candies, or chewing gums (6.1%); meat and derivative products (2.2%); cereals and derivatives (1.2%) and canned fruits (1.2%). Main LNCS consumed were acesulfame-K, sucralose, and aspartame, single or combined, although their prevalence of use differs greatly among foods, beverages, or tabletop sweeteners. In conclusion, LNCS were found across a wide variety of products available in the Portuguese market and their prevalence of inclusion in the diet of the population evidences the need to develop more studies on the evolution of LNCS intake and its impact on the full dietary model and health. Consequently, these food additives should be included in food composition databases and, periodically, updated to reflect the recurrent reformulation strategies adopted by the food industry in its efforts to reduce the energy contribution of added sugars.

A high intake of free sugars (FS) is assumed to be associated with overweight and obesity as well as type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an intake of FS of less than 10% of daily total energy intake (TEI). The purpose of this study was to update the FS intake data for the French population, including children and adolescents as well as adults, based on the 2019 French Food Behavior and Consumption survey (CCAF). FS intakes were assessed at 67 g/day (15.3% of TEI) in children and adolescents as well as 57 g/day (10.5% of TEI) in adults. The main FS contributors were cakes/pastries, sugary drinks and fruit juices in children as well as sugary products, cakes/pastries and fruit juices in adults. The contribution of FS intakes to TEI fell with age, from 15.6% of TEI in 3–6 years children to around 8–9% for adults older than 50 years. On average, children were above the WHO recommendation of FS intake, but adults were close to or even below the threshold of 10% TEI. These observations are of great importance to prospective public health activities focusing on changes in FS intakes.

Frequency of consuming foods prepared away from home has been associated with lower diet quality among adults and adolescents in several earlier studies. Nutrient and food group intake and Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 scores were compared among a U.S. nationally representative sample of adolescents (12–19 years, n = 3975) by frequency of consuming food prepared away from home ≤2 times/week (n = 2311) versus &gt, 2 times/week (n = 1664) using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2011–2018. Regression analyses were used to compare intakes among adolescents by frequency of eating meals prepared away from home adjusting for covariates. Older (16–19 years) vs. younger (12–15 years) adolescents and those from homes with higher vs. lower family income to poverty ratios had greater frequency of eating meals prepared away from home. Intakes of nutrients of concern for adolescents including choline, vitamin D, potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, folate, iron, and total HEI-2015 scores and component scores for total vegetables, and greens and beans were lower among adolescents who consumed meals prepared away from home more vs. less often. However, no differences were noted among food group intakes considered good sources of nutrients of concern such as total fruit, total vegetables, whole grains, and total dairy, except for beans and peas by frequency of eating foods prepared away from home. Greater frequency of eating foods prepared away from home was associated with lower diet quality among adolescents in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adolescents.

Objective: To examine adherence to physical activity (PA) and dietary guidelines, explore barriers to healthy lifestyle behaviours, and determine any associations with lipid-lowering drug therapy (LLT). Design: Cross-sectional analysis of self-reported PA using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for Elderly (IPAQ-E), diet using the Australian Short Dietary Screener (Aus-SDS), and perceived barriers to healthy PA and dietary behaviours. Setting: Australia Participants: A convenience sample of 110 community-dwelling Australian adults aged ≥70 years. Results: Descriptive statistics and Pearson's χ2 were used to analyse adherence to guidelines and lifestyle barriers. Of 110 adults (mean age 76.8 ± 4.5y), 51.8% met PA guidelines, and none met all five dietary guidelines. Lipid-lowering drug therapy users engaged in less weekly PA (median 155, IQR = 70, 370 min) than non-users (median 420, IQR = 210, 675 min). Dietary intake did not differ by LLT status. Mobility and health concerns (68.1% vs 23.7%), and motivation (79.2% vs 36.8%) were more common barriers to PA among LLT users compared with non-users (p

There are approximately 100 countries with food-based dietary guidelines throughout the world, each of which aims to encompass the cultural, geographical, and health considerations unique to their country of origin. Common themes throughout these guides emphasize diverse and balanced intake of food groups from both plant- and animal-sources. With the globally recognized need to shift to more sustainable food systems, several countries and international food and health organizations have begun to incorporate sustainability recommendations into their dietary guidance. These sustainability recommendations are often based on food source (i.e., eat more plant-source and fewer animal-source foods), yet food source may not be the only useful or informative comparator for assessing healthy and sustainable diets. The purpose of this narrative review is to examine the roles of plant-source foods and animal-source foods in the context of sustainable healthy diets—with an emphasis on the contributions of the most commonly recommended food groups from global food-based dietary guidelines (i.e., fruits, vegetables, and dairy foods). Overall, plant and animal agriculture have complementary and symbiotic roles in healthy and sustainable food systems, and these abilities are largely dependent on various contextual factors (e.g., geography, production practices, processing methods, consumption patterns)—not just on whether the food originated from the plant or animal kingdom.

Carbohydrate-containing crops provide the bulk of dietary energy worldwide. In addition to their various carbohydrate forms (sugars, starches, fibers) and ratios, these foods may also contain varying amounts and combinations of proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, prebiotics, and anti-nutritional factors that may impact diet quality and health. Currently, there is no standardized or unified way to assess the quality of carbohydrate foods for the overall purpose of improving diet quality and health outcomes, creating an urgent need for the development of metrics and tools to better define and classify high-quality carbohydrate foods. The present report is based on a series of expert panel meetings and a scoping review of the literature focused on carbohydrate quality indicators and metrics produced over the last 10 years. The report outlines various approaches to assessing food quality, and proposes next steps and principles for developing improved metrics for assessing carbohydrate food quality. The expert panel concluded that a composite metric based on nutrient profiling methods featuring inputs such as carbohydrate–fiber–sugar ratios, micronutrients, and/or food group classification could provide useful and informative measures for guiding researchers, policymakers, industry, and consumers towards a better understanding of carbohydrate food quality and overall healthier diets. The identification of higher quality carbohydrate foods could improve evidence-based public health policies and programming—such as the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

BACKGROUND Personalized nutrition and protective diets and lifestyles represent a key cancer research priority. The association between consumption of specific dietary components and colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence has been evaluated by a number of population-based studies, which have identified certain food items as having protective potential, though the findings have been inconsistent. Herein we present a systematic review and meta-analysis on the potential protective role of five common phytochemically rich dietary components (nuts, cruciferous vegetables, citrus fruits, garlic and tomatoes) in reducing CRC risk. AIM To investigate the independent impact of increased intake of specific dietary constituents on CRC risk in the general population. METHODS Medline and Embase were systematically searched, from time of database inception to January 31, 2020, for observational studies reporting CRC incidence relative to intake of one or more of nuts, cruciferous vegetables, citrus fruits, garlic and/or tomatoes in the general population. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers and analyzed in accordance with the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) reporting guidelines and according to predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria. Effect sizes of studies were pooled using a random-effects model. RESULTS Forty-six studies were identified. CRC risk was significantly reduced in patients with higher vs lower consumption of cruciferous vegetables [odds ratio (OR) = 0.90; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.85-0.95; P < 0.005], citrus fruits (OR = 0.90; 95%CI: 0.84-0.96; P < 0.005), garlic (OR = 0.83; 95%CI: 0.76-0.91; P < 0.005) and tomatoes (OR = 0.89; 95%CI: 0.84-0.95; P < 0.005). Subgroup analysis showed that this association sustained when looking at case-control studies alone, for all of these four food items, but no significant difference was found in analysis of cohort studies alone. Nut consumption exhibited a similar trend, but overall results were not significant (OR = 0.72; 95%CI: 0.50-1.03; P < 0.07; I2 = 90.70%). Putative anticarcinogenic mechanisms are proposed using gene-set enrichment analysis of gene/protein perturbations caused by active compounds within each food item. CONCLUSION Increased cruciferous vegetable, garlic, citrus fruit and tomato consumption are all inversely associated with CRC risk. These findings highlight the potential for developing precision nutrition strategies for CRC prevention. Borgas P, Gonzalez G, Veselkov K, Mirnezami R. Phytochemically rich dietary components and the risk of colorectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. World J Clin Oncol 2021; 12(6): 482-499 [PMID: 34189071 DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v12.i6.482]

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a life-long genetic disease, causing increased energy needs and a healthy diet with a specific nutrient distribution. Nutritional status is an indicator of disease prognosis and survival. This study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of a self-management mobile app in supporting patients with CF to achieve the dietary goals set by the CF nutrition guidelines. A clinical trial was conducted in pancreatic insufficient children with CF, followed in six European CF centres, where the self-management app developed within the MyCyFAPP project was used for six months. To assess secondary outcomes, three-day food records were compiled in the app at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of use. Eighty-four subjects (mean 7.8 years old) were enrolled. Compared to baseline, macronutrient distribution better approximated the guidelines, with protein and lipid increasing by 1.0 and 2.1% of the total energy intake, respectively, by the end of the study. Consequently, carbohydrate intake of the total energy intake decreased significantly (-2.9%), along with simple carbohydrate intake (-2.4%). Regarding food groups, a decrease in ultra-processed foods was documented, with a concomitant increase in meat and dairy. The use of a self-management mobile app to self-monitor dietary intake could become a useful tool to achieve adherence to guideline recommendations, if validated during a longer period of time or against a control group. ispartof: NUTRIENTS vol:13 issue:6 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

Highlights • A systematized food waste accounting at macro scale level was developed for Europe. • The accounting follows Mass Flow Analysis concepts, ensuring closed mass balance. • Disaggregated values per food supply chain stages and per food groups are presented. • Hotspots and food groups with higher share of food waste were identified. • The stage contributing the most to food waste varies depending on the food group., In 2015, the United Nations defined the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which include a target (12.3) on food waste. The target requires “by 2030, to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and to reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses”. The target has increased awareness about the food waste problem and boosted research in food waste quantification. Nevertheless, there is a lack of studies that adopt a systematic approach to account for food waste providing disaggregated values per food supply chain stage and per food groups. Such an approach could support policy makers in prioritizing interventions for food waste reduction. To fill this gap, this paper presents a high-level top-down approach to food waste accounting in the European Union. The study aims to support the understanding of the mass flows associated with food production, consumption, and waste, addressing different food groups along the food supply chain. The method for accountin is the mass flow analysis. According to the results, cereals, fruit, and vegetables as the food groups are responsible for the highest amount of food waste, and the consumption stage to be responsible for the largest share of food waste for most food groups. This work highlights the need for further primary research on food waste generation in the EU. Ultimately, this would allow to robustly estimate the food waste generated at EU level, and establishing a more accurate baseline to track the progress towards SDG target 12.3.

Current research on diets and health focuses on composite food patterns and their likely impact on health outcomes. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) have likewise adopted a more food group-based approach. By contrast, most nutrient profiling (NP) models continue to assess nutrient density of individual foods, based on a small number of individual nutrients. Nutrients to encourage have included protein, fiber, and a wide range of vitamins and minerals. Nutrients to limit are typically saturated fats, total or added sugars, and sodium. Because current NP models may not fully capture the healthfulness of foods, there is a case for advancing a hybrid NP approach that takes both nutrients and desirable food groups and food ingredients into account. Creating a nutrient- and food-based NP model may provide a more integrated way of assessing a food's nutrient density. Hybrid nutrient density scores will provide for a better alignment between NP models and the DGA, a chief instrument of food and nutrition policy in the United States. Such synergy may lead ultimately to improved dietary guidance, sound nutrition policy, and better public health.

This meta-analysis summarizes the evidence of a prospective association between the intake of foods [whole grains, refined grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, legumes, eggs, dairy, fish, red meat, processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs)] and risk of general overweight/obesity, abdominal obesity, and weight gain. PubMed and Web of Science were searched for prospective observational studies until August 2018. Summary RRs and 95% CIs were estimated from 43 reports for the highest compared with the lowest intake categories, as well as for linear and nonlinear relations focusing on each outcome separately: overweight/obesity, abdominal obesity, and weight gain. The quality of evidence was evaluated with use of the NutriGrade tool. In the dose-response meta-analysis, inverse associations were found for whole-grain (RRoverweight/obesity: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.89, 0.96), fruit (RRoverweight/obesity: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.86, 1.00; RRweight gain: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.86, 0.97), nut (RRabdominal obesity: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.31, 0.57), legume (RRoverweight/obesity: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.84, 0.93), and fish (RRabdominal obesity: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.97) consumption and positive associations were found for refined grains (RRoverweight/obesity: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.10), red meat (RRabdominal obesity: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.16; RRweight gain: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.26), and SSBs (RRoverweight/obesity: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.11; RRabdominal obesity: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.20). The dose-response meta-analytical findings provided very low to low quality of evidence that certain food groups have an impact on different measurements of adiposity risk. To improve the quality of evidence, better-designed observational studies, inclusion of intervention trials, and use of novel statistical methods (e.g., substitution analyses or network meta-analyses) are needed.

The Paleolithic diet excludes two major sources of fibre, grains and legumes. However, it is not known whether this results in changes to resistant starch (RS) consumption. Serum trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is produced mainly from colonic fermentation and hepatic conversion of animal protein and is implicated in CVD, but changes in RS intake may alter concentrations. We aimed to determine whether intake of RS and serum concentrations of TMAO varied in response to either the Paleolithic or the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) diets and whether this was related to changes in food group consumption. A total of thirty-nine women (mean age 47 (sd 13) years, BMI 27 (sd 4) kg/m2) were randomised to AGHE (n 17) or Paleolithic diets (n 22) for 4 weeks. Serum TMAO concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography–MS; food groups, fibre and RS intake were estimated from weighed food records. The change in TMAO concentrations between groups (Paleolithic 3·39 μmv. AGHE 1·19 μm, P = 0·654) did not reach significance despite greater red meat and egg consumption in the Paleolithic group (0·65 serves/d; 95 % CI 0·2, 1·1; P P P

Few studies provide a detailed description of dietary habits during pregnancy, despite the central role of nutrition for the health of the mother and offspring. This paper describes the dietary habits, energy and nutrient intake in pregnant women from four countries belonging to the Mediterranean PHIME cohort (Croatia, Greece, Italy and Slovenia) and evaluates their adherence to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommendations. A total of 1436 women were included in the present analysis. Maternal diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The mean macro and micronutrient intakes were estimated and compared with the dietary reference values (DRVs). The percentage distribution of the 16 food groups in the total intake of each macronutrient was estimated. All women shared a similar diet during pregnancy, almost all the women in the four countries exceeded the DRV for sugars, and the total fat intake was above the DRV in most women in all the countries, as was the contribution of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) to the total energy intake. In all four countries, we observed an increased risk of micronutrient deficiency for iron, folate and vitamin D. Shared guidelines, implemented at both the national and European level, are essential to improve the maternal nutritional status during pregnancy.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) is one of the important problems concerning the staffs' health and productivity in the workplace. Nutritional status and consumption of some foods are also among the determining factors of MSD. So, this study aimed to evaluate the correlation of diet and consumed food groups with MSD. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 office workers. The participants' anthropometric parameters and their dietary information were collected using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The findings were categorized into nine levels. The total scores were calculated for all the items per food group and per person. Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire was also administered to evaluate the MSD symptoms in nine parts of body. Results: The score of consumed food groups was compared between individuals “with pain” and “without pain” in nine parts of the body. The scores of fruit intake in individuals “with pain” and “without pain” were 2.94 ± 1.27 vs. 3.29 ± 1.16 and 2.81 ± 1.10 vs. 3.49 ± 1.38 in terms of neck and wrists, respectively. The difference between the two groups were significant (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the participants with pain in the neck consumed significantly lower amounts of cereals and nuts (P = 0.03, 0.04). In the case of the shoulder pain, consuming legumes and nuts in the “without pain” group was higher than the group of participants who had pain (P = 0.01, P = 0.03). Fat intake was higher in the patients who had pain in their hips (P = 0.02). Conclusion: Less pain was reported in the musculoskeletal system by higher consumption of fruits, nuts, and legumes. It seems that plant-based dietary pattern is more effective in musculoskeletal health.

Telomere length (TL) has been associated with lifestyle and dietary pattern. However, the available evidence on this association in children is scarce, especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association of dietary pattern and leukocyte TL (LTL) in preschool children, Sabzevar, Iran (2017). This cross‐sectional study was based on 187 preschool children (aged 5 to 7) recruited from 27 kindergartens. Nutrition information including amounts of consumed dairy products, meat and processed meat products, nuts and seeds, white bread and refined grains, fruits, vegetables, simple sugars, fats and drinks was obtained through a questionnaire. Linear mixed‐effects models were fitted with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) plate ID and kindergartens as random effects to estimate the association of each food group consumption with LTL, controlled for relevant covariates. Higher consumption of dairy products and sugar was associated with shorter LTL (β = −0.180, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.276, −0.085, P value

Background: The past few years have witnessed an increase in the availability of food products containing one or more low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) in the Spanish market, mostly due to the new massive reformulation plan. However, these are not included in food composition tables or databases, and, therefore, assessment of their intake among the population is complex. This study aims to update a database including commercialized foods and beverages.Method: A systematic search of ingredients information from the different food and beverage categories was undertaken during 2019 by recording the availability and type of LNCS declared in the information of the product from labels and online shopping platforms of retailers from Spain to update a previous food composition database compiled in 2017.Results: A total of 1,238 products were identified. The major groups were sugar and sweets (24%), non-alcoholic beverages (21%), cereals and grains (19%), and milk and dairy products (14%) accounting for >70% of total products. The mainly declared LNCS were sorbitol (19.5%), sucralose (19.5%), and acesulfame K (19.2%).Conclusion: There is a wide variety of products that include LNCS as a main ingredient with higher availability than when compared with the results of database of 2017, consequently, it might be expected that LNCS are commonly consumed at present in the Spanish diet.

International audience; Factors associated with frailty, particularly dietary patterns, are not fully understood in Mediterranean countries. This study aimed to investigate the association of data-driven dietary patterns with frailty prevalence in older Lebanese adults. We conducted a cross-sectional national study that included 352 participants above 60 years of age. Sociodemographic and health-related data were collected. Food frequency questionnaires were used to elaborate dietary patterns via the K-mean cluster analysis method. Frailty that accounted for 15% of the sample was twice as much in women (20%) than men (10%). Identified dietary patterns included a Westernized-type dietary pattern (WDP), a high intake/Mediterranean-type dietary pattern (HI-MEDDP), and a moderate intake/Mediterranean-type dietary pattern (MOD-MEDDP). In the multivariate analysis, age, waist to height ratio, polypharmacy, age-related conditions, and WDP were independently associated with frailty. In comparison to MOD-MEDDP, and after adjusting for covariates, adopting a WDP was strongly associated with a higher frailty prevalence in men (OR = 6.63, 95% (CI) (1.82–24.21) and in women (OR = 11.54, 95% (CI) (2.02–65.85). In conclusion, MOD-MEDDP was associated with the least prevalence of frailty, and WDP had the strongest association with frailty in this sample. In the Mediterranean sample, a diet far from the traditional one appears as the key deleterious determinant of frailty

Purpose Vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish and poultry and/or egg and dairy products, these diets are based on grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and seeds. The purpose of this study is to compare the nutritional status between lacto-ovo vegetarian and non-vegetarian Jordanian adults. Design/methodology/approach A case-control study was conducted during the period between (April–November 2019). In total, 200 Jordanians in early adulthood aged between 18 and 35 years participated in the present study; 100 subjects were non-vegetarians and 100 subjects were lacto-ovo vegetarians. The ratio was (1:1). Matching between the two groups was done in terms of age, sex and body mass index. A package that consisted of three structured questionnaires: Personal Information Sheet, Food Frequency Questionnaire and Seven-Day Physical Activity Recall were administered to all participants in this study. Findings The concentration of serum vitamin B12 was significantly higher (P = 0.011) in non-vegetarians than lacto-ovo vegetarians. The means of intake of calories (P = 0.003), calories from fat (P = 0.001), calories from saturated fat (P = 0.001), protein (P = 0.001), fat (P = 0.001), saturated fat (P = 0.001), monounsaturated fat (P = 0.022), polyunsaturated fat (P = 0.001), cholesterol (P = 0.001) and omega-6 (P = 0.039) were significantly higher in non-vegetarians. The intakes Mean of carbohydrates (P = 0.001), fiber (P = 0.001) and soluble fiber (P = 0.001) were significantly higher in lacto-ovo vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians. The mean of beta-carotene intake was significantly higher (P = 0.001) in lacto-ovo vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians, although the intakes of vitamin A(RAE) and retinol were significantly higher (P = 0.029, P = 0.001, respectively) in non-vegetarians as compared to lacto-ovo vegetarians. The means of vitamins B2 (P = 0.018), B3 (P = 0.001), B3NE (P = 0.001), B6 (mg) (P = 0.001), B12 (P = 0.001), E-a-Tocopherol (P = 0.001) and D (P = 0.001) intake were significantly higher in non-vegetarians compared to lacto-ovo vegetarians. The mean intakes of vitamins C (P = 0.033), folate (P = 0.005) and K (P = 0.002) were significantly in lacto-ovo vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians. Means intake of some minerals was significantly higher in non-vegetarians than lacto-ovo vegetarians. Originality/value The current study showed that lacto-ovo vegetarians had lower serum vitamin B12 levels. The consumption of fruits, vegetables and legumes was higher in lacto-ovo vegetarians than non-vegetarians. While lacto-ovo vegetarian diet provided less fat, saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat and cholesterol than non-vegetarians, it could be considered a rich source for fiber, folate, beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin K.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relationship between objective chewing ability and the nutritional status of Japanese community-dwelling elders. Design: A cross-sectional study. Participants: A total of 509 community-dwelling elders living in the Tokyo metropolitan area participated in a comprehensive survey conducted in October 2013. Measurements: The basic characteristics were sex, age, and body mass index. Undernutrition was examined through serum albumin levels. Chewing ability was examined through color-changeable xylitol gum by evaluating the color changes in chewing gum. Nutritional intake was examined using the semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Results: In the poor chewing ability group, all nutrient intake levels were significantly low, except for carbohydrates, and intake levels for all food groups were significantly low, except for cereals, confectionery, sugars, seasonings, and spices. Additionally, after adjusting for covariates for sex, age, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology-Index of Competence (TMIG-IC) score, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score, body mass index (BMI), stroke, number of functional teeth, energy intake, and protein intake, chewing ability was found to be significantly associated with undernutrition. Conclusion: We concluded that chewing ability was closely associated with nutrient and different food groups&rsquo, intake, as well as undernutrition, among Japanese community-dwelling elders. Thus, to ensure comprehensive nutritional management, nutritionists and dentists should collaborate when treating the same patients.

Background Few low-burden indicators of diet quality exist to track trends over time at low cost and with low technical expertise requirements. Objective The aim was to develop and validate a suite of low-burden indicators to reflect adherence to global dietary recommendations. Methods Using nationally representative, cross-sectional, quantitative dietary intake datasets from Brazil and the United States, we tested the association of food-group scores with quantitative consumption aligned with 11 global dietary recommendations. We updated the Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI) to include current quantifiable recommendations of the WHO (HDI-2020). We developed 3 food-group-based scores-an overall Global Dietary Recommendations (GDR) score as an indicator of all 11 recommendations composed of 2 subcomponents: GDR-Healthy, an indicator of the recommendations on "healthy" foods, and GDR-Limit, an indicator of the recommendations on dietary components to limit. We tested associations between these scores and the HDI-2020 and its respective subcomponents. We developed 9 dichotomous food-group-based indicators to reflect adherence to the global recommendations for fruits and vegetables, dietary fiber, free sugars, saturated fat, total fat, legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and processed meats. We conducted receiver operating characteristic and sensitivity-specificity analyses to determine whether the dichotomous indicators were valid to predict adherence to the recommendations in both countries. Results The GDR score and its subcomponents were moderately to strongly associated with the HDI-2020 and its respective subcomponents (absolute values of rank correlation coefficients ranged from 0.55 to 0.66). Of the 9 dichotomous indicators, 8 largely met the criteria for predicting individual global dietary recommendations in both countries; 1 indicator (total fat) did not perform satisfactorily. Conclusions Food-group consumption data can be used to indicate adherence to quantitative global dietary recommendations at population level. These indicators may be used to track progress of countries and populations toward meeting WHO guidance on healthy diets.

While there are several factors that contribute to the diet quality of children in childcare, one contributing factor in Family Childcare Homes (FCCHs) is the provider&rsquo, s ethnicity. However, research examining the food items provided in this setting is limited, in particular, with regards to differences between FCCHs of Latino and non-Latino providers. The aim of this study was to identify and describe the food items that contribute to food group intake in preschool-aged children attending FCCHs, and to examine differences by provider ethnicity. This secondary data analysis used baseline data from Healthy Start/Comienzos Sanos: a cluster-randomized trial. Children&rsquo, s dietary intake was collected using the Dietary Observation in Child Care method and entered into Nutrition Data System for Research software. Food groups were based on the Nutrition Coordinating Center classification. Contribution of food items to their respective food group was calculated as a proportion, using ratio of means and presented as a percentage. Ethnic differences were tested with ANCOVA (p &lt, 0.05) with Bonferroni adjustments for multiple comparisons. All providers (n = 120) were female and 67.5% were Latino. Most fruit consumed by children was in the form of juice (85%), three-fourths of the grains consumed were refined (75%), and half of the sweets consumed were syrup/honey/jelly (50%). Most of the vegetables consumed were non-starchy (61%), nearly three-fourths of dairy consumed was low-fat (71%), and vegetable oils contributed the most to the fats group (89%). Food items differed by provider&rsquo, s ethnicity, with children cared for by non-Latino providers consuming a higher proportion of fruit juice, animal fats and a lower proportion of legumes (p &lt, 0.001 for all). Children with Latino providers consumed a lower proportion of non-starchy vegetables, low-fat dairy, and nuts/seeds (p &lt, 0.001 for all). FCCH providers could offer more whole fruits and grains and a greater variety of vegetables. Differences by ethnicity suggest providers could benefit from culturally tailored recommendations.

The preconception period has been recognized as one of the earliest sensitive windows for human development. Maternal dietary intake during this period may influence the oocyte quality, as well as placenta and early embryonic development during the first trimester of pregnancy. Previous studies have found associations between macronutrient intake during preconception and pregnancy outcomes. However, as food products consist of multiple macro- and micronutrients, it is difficult to relate this to dietary intake behavior. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between intake of specific food groups during the preconception period with birth weight, using data from the Perined-Lifelines linked birth cohort. The Perined-Lifelines birth cohort consists of women who delivered a live-born infant at term after being enrolled in a large population-based cohort study (The Lifelines Cohort). Information on birth outcome was obtained by linkage to the Dutch perinatal registry (Perined). In total, we included 1698 women with data available on birth weight of the offspring and reliable detailed information on dietary intake using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire obtained before pregnancy. Based on the 2015 Dutch Dietary Guidelines and recent literature 22 food groups were formulated. Birth weight was converted into gestational age-adjusted z-scores. Multivariable linear regression was performed, adjusted for intake of other food groups and covariates (maternal BMI, maternal age, smoking, alcohol, education level, urbanization level, parity, sex of newborn, ethnicity). Linear regression analysis, adjusted for covariates and intake of energy (in kcal) (adjusted z score [95% CI], P) showed that intake of food groups &ldquo, artificially sweetened products&rdquo, and &ldquo, vegetables&rdquo, was associated with increased birth weight (resp. (&beta, = 0.001 [95% CI 0.000 to 0.001, p = 0.002]), (&beta, = 0.002 [95% CI 0.000 to 0.003, p = 0.03])). Intake of food group &ldquo, eggs&rdquo, was associated with decreased birth weight (&beta, = &minus, 0.093 [95% CI &minus, 0.174 to &minus, 0.013, p = 0.02]). Intake in food groups was expressed in 10 g per 1000 kcal to be able to draw conclusions on clinical relevance given the bigger portion size of the food groups. In particular, preconception intake of &ldquo, was shown to be associated with increased birth weight. Artificial sweeteners were introduced into our diets with the intention to reduce caloric intake and normalize blood glucose levels, without compromising on the preference for sweet food products. Our findings highlight the need to better understand how artificial sweeteners may affect the metabolism of the mother and her offspring already from preconception onwards.

Background: Dietary diversity measurement is one of the simple tools to assess the quality of food consumed in populationlevel and endorse by many international agencies. However, there is a growing concern that the current dietary diversity measures were lacking in the sensitivity due to the omission of minimum food consumed to be considered as consuming certain food groups in the calculation of dietary diversity score. The purpose of this study is to find the difference in DDS measurement between two methods by applying a 10-grams minimum intake for all food groups and the other one, without. Design: A cross-sectional studies involving 55 samples from two villages with different geographical characteristics. Methods: One village represents the agricultural area; other was fishpond/coastal area. Dietary diversity was analyzed using Individual Dietary Diversity Score (IDDS) with 9 food categorizations. Dietary diversity measurement calculated based on the food recall with consideration of 10 grams minimum of food weight consumption. Mann Whitney Test used to analyze the difference between calculation of dietary diversity score with and without minimum 10-grams. Results: There is no difference of children’s dietary diversity between agriculture and fishpond family group when the dietary diversity was omitting 10 grams minimum intake (pvalue= 0.184), while, using 10 grams minimums intake (p=0.024), there is a difference. Conclusions: Using 10 grams minimum had shown to strengthened the relationship between dietary diversity and adequacy. Further research is needed to find other minimum requirement in different kind of population to find differences among them. Significance for public health Scarce studies in determining the minimum cut-off of dietary diversity measurement become an essential subject to be explored. Our findings emphasized the need for minimum size of portion to strengthen the result of dietary diversity measurement. This research provides important insights on how dietary diversity scores might be improved for international malnutrition early screening.

Multiple studies have demonstrated strong links between diet and anemia, but few have explored the impact of food groups on hemoglobin (Hb). We analyzed the correlation between Ghanaian diet and Hb levels to explore reduction of anemia prevalence through dietary interventions. Demographics, food frequency questionnaires (FFQ), and blood samples were obtained from 140 volunteers (ages 18&ndash, 65) in five locations across Ghana. Hb was measured, estimated iron consumption was calculated. FFQ items were grouped by food type, and a regression analysis was performed to determine the most important dietary predictors of Hb. Moreover, 47% of total participants were anemic, 64% of females and 28% of males. Hb levels were highest in Mole (13.9 g/dL, SD = &plusmn, 1.9), independent of sex distribution. The regression model revealed a 62.7% adjusted correlation between food groups and Hb levels. Animal foods (&beta, = 0.016, t = 5.08, p &lt, 0.01) and plant protein (&beta, = 0.013, t = 2.86, p &lt, 0.01) were the most influential groups to Hb levels. It is of vital importance to emphasize the benefits of consuming animal foods and plant proteins within the Ghanaian population. The ease of access to plant proteins makes it likely that this food group will be most influential and have the greatest impact in reduction of anemia in the Ghanaian population.

Dietary behaviors during adolescence and emerging adulthood have important consequences for peak bone mass (PBM) attainment. This study aimed to examine dietary factors that are either beneficial or detrimental to bone health and determine the major sources of calcium in the diets of a sample of young adults. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 189 Australians aged 18&ndash, 30 years. Three-day dietary intakes were collected using consecutive 24 h recall interviews. Daily totals for energy and nutrients and serves for food groups were computed. The proportion contribution of calcium (mg) from different food groups as well as calcium (mg) per portion and per 100 g were calculated. Females and males failed to meet the recommendations for dairy (91%, 82%), fruit (89%, 94%) and vegetables (74%, 86%). Eighty percent were above the recommended daily intake range for sodium. For calcium, 53% of females and 48% of males had intakes below the estimated average requirement (EAR). Milk products and dishes made the highest mean calcium contribution per portion (mg) mean standard deviation (SD), 204 mg (212) and accounted for 30% of calcium intake in females and 35% in males. As young adulthood is the final chance for dietary manipulation before PBM is achieved, these dietary risk factors should be addressed.

Objective:To examine if increased intake of locally available nutrient-dense foods among pregnant women improved the quality of their dietary intake and if use of the Theory of Planned Behaviour could explain changes in their dietary behaviour.Design:We used data from a randomised controlled trial where the intervention group received nutrition education and dietary counselling. We promoted the use of recipes that utilised powders to enhance dietary diversity. We examined how the intervention achieved changes in dietary intakes and used mixed effects logistic regression models with random effects at village level to explore changes over time of the outcomes, adjusted for selected explanatory variables.Setting:The study was conducted in twenty villages in rural Malawi.Participants:Data from 257 pregnant women who were enrolled during late first trimester and followed until birth.Results:The intervention achieved improvements in the Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) and the Six Food Group Pyramid (SFG) score, especially in intakes of micronutrient-rich foods. A third of the women in the intervention group attained optimal DDS, whereas about 50 % attained optimal SFG. The theorised behaviour mediators (i.e. nutrition attitudes, nutrition behaviour control and subjective norm) that had improved were also significantly associated with high DDS.Conclusions:Improved dietary intakes were achieved through promoting the use of locally available nutrient-dense foods. Attainment of high DDS was a consequence of the women’s belief in the effectiveness of the proposed nutrition recommendations. We identified critical personal and environmental constraints related to dietary intakes during pregnancy in a low-resource setting.

BackgroundLittle is known about sex-based dietary differences in middle-income countries, particularly those undergoing the nutrition transition. This study aims at examining sex disparities in energy and macronutrients’ intakes, food consumption patterns, and micronutrients’ adequacy in Lebanon, while adopting a life course approach.MethodsData were derived from a national cross-sectional survey conducted in Lebanon in 2008/2009. The study sample consisted of 3636 subjects: 956 children and adolescents aged 6–19.9 years; 2239 adults aged 20–59.9 years and 441 older adults aged above 60 years. At the households, trained nutritionists conducted face-to-face interviews with participants to complete a sociodemographic questionnaire and one 24-h diet recall. Food items were categorized into 25 food groups. The Nutritionist Pro software was used for the analysis of dietary intake data and the estimation of energy, macronutrients’, and micronutrients’ intakes.ResultsIn all age groups, males had significantly higher energy intakes, while females had significantly higher fiber intakes. In addition, in adolescents aged 12–19.9 years, females had higher fat intakes as compared to males (37.02 ± 0.6% vs 35.03 ± 0.61%), and in adults aged 20–59.9 years, females had significantly higher total fat (37.73 ± 0.33% vs 36.45 ± 0.38%) and saturated fat intakes (11.24 ± 0.15% vs 10.45 ± 0.18%). These differences in macronutrient intakes were not observed in younger children nor in older adults. Sex-based differences in food groups’ intakes were also observed: men and boys had significantly higher intakes of red and processed meat, bread, fast food, soft drinks, and alcohol, while girls and women had higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, milk, and sweets. In all age groups, females had lower micronutrient intakes compared to males, including calcium, iron, and zinc.ConclusionsThis study identified sex-specific priorities that ought to be tackled by context-specific interventions to promote healthier diets in Lebanon. The fact that sex-based differences in nutrient intakes and food consumption patterns were the most noticeable in the adolescent and adult years, hence women’s reproductive years call for concerted efforts to improve nutrition for women and girls as this would lay the foundation not only for their future education, productivity, and economic empowerment, but also for the health of future generations.

This study examined the relationship between diet quality scores and cardiometabolic risk factors in regionally-dwelling older Australian adults with increased cardiovascular risk. This study was a cross-sectional analysis of demographic, anthropometric, and cardiometabolic risk factor data from 458 participants of the Cardiovascular Stream of the Hazelwood Health Study. Participants completed a 120 item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable linear regression adjusting for age, sex, smoking, physical activity, education, diabetes, and body mass index was used to examine the relationship between diet and cardiometabolic risk factors. Mean (SD) age of participants was 71 (8) years, and 55% were male. More than half of men and women did not meet recommended intakes of fibre, while 60% of men and 42% of women exceeded recommended dietary sodium intakes. Higher diet quality in terms of intake of vegetables, grains, and non-processed meat, as well as intake of non-fried fish, was associated with more favourable cardiometabolic risk profiles, while sugar-sweetened soft drink intake was strongly associated with adverse cardiometabolic risk factor levels. In older, regionally-dwelling adults, dietary public health strategies that address whole grain products, vegetable and fish consumption, and sugar-sweetened soft-drink intake may be of benefit in reducing cardiometabolic risk.

Early childhood education and care services are a significant feature of Australian family life, where nearly 1.4 million children attended a service in 2019. This paper reports on the cost of food provided to children in long day-care (LDC) services and extrapolates expenditure recommendations to support food provision compliance. A cross-sectional audit of LDC services in metropolitan Perth was conducted to determine food group provision by weighing raw ingredients of meal preparation&mdash, morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea (MT, L, AT). Ingredients were costed at 2017 online metropolitan pricing from a large supermarket chain. Across participating services, 2 days of food expenditure per child/day ranged between $1.17 and $4.03 across MT, L, AT, and averaged $2.00 per child/day. Multivariable analysis suggests that an increase of $0.50 per child/day increases the odds of a LDC service meeting &gt, 50% of Australian Dietary Guideline (ADG) recommendations across &ge, 4 core food groups by fourfold (p = 0.03). Given the fact that the literature regarding food expenditure at LDC services is limited, this study provides information about food expenditure variation that impacts planning and provision of nutritionally balanced menus recommended for children. An average increase of food expenditure of $0.50 per child/day would increase food provision compliance.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can lead to functional liver impairment and severe comorbidities. Beyond energy balance, several dietary factors may increase NAFLD risk, but human studies are lacking. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the associations between food consumption (47 food groups, derived Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet quality scores) and liver fat content (continuous scale and NAFLD, i.e., &gt, 5% liver fat content). Liver fat content was measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 136 individuals (BMI: 25&ndash, 40 kg/m2, age: 35&ndash, 65, 50.7% women) and food intake was recorded by food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). Associations between food items and liver fat were evaluated by multi-variable regression models. Intakes of cake and cookies as well legumes were inversely associated with liver fat content, while positive associations with intakes of high-fat dairy and cheese were observed. Only cake and cookie intake also showed an inverse association with NAFLD. This inverse association was unexpected, but not affected by adjustment for reporting bias. Both diet quality scores were inversely associated with liver fat content and NAFLD. Thus, as smaller previous intervention studies, our results suggest that higher diet quality is related to lower liver fat, but larger trials with iso-caloric interventions are needed to corroborate these findings.

Few studies have evaluated the association between dietary free sugars intake (FSI) and obesity in adolescents. We examined the relation between FSI and their contributors from the main food groups and obesity in European adolescents. We included 843 adolescents (51.6% male) from the cross-sectional HELENA study with two completed 24 h recalls and anthropometric data. Linear mixed models were applied to investigate the relation between FSI and different anthropometric indices. Odds ratios for having a high body mass index (BMI) were also estimated by multilevel ordinal regression. Total FSI was higher in males than females (102.60 g and 87.58 g, respectively, p &lt, 0.001). No effect was observed between free sugar from the main food groups and BMI. Consumers of FSI from &ldquo, cakes, pies and biscuits&rdquo, in males (odd ratio (OR) = 0.455, 95% Confidence interval (CI) 0.251, 0.824) and from &ldquo, breakfast cereals&rdquo, in females had a lower probability of having obesity (OR = 0.423, 95%CI 0.204, 0.878), whereas females consuming FSI from &lsquo, fruit and vegetables juices&rsquo, had a higher probability of obesity (OR= 2.733, 95% CI 1.286, 5.810). This study provides no evidence that increased FSI is associated with obesity in adolescents. Further studies are needed to assess the longitudinal exposure to FSI and their effect on obesity development.

There is growing interest in the potential of grassroots innovations for the transition towards more just and sustainable societies. Nevertheless, there is lack of clear normative discussion regarding these processes. The paper strives to propose and test a framework that enables an analysis of how and in which sense specific grassroots innovation processes may be contributing to the construction of more just societies. To this end, we connect elements of the multi-level perspective on sociotechnical transitions (frequently used in the analysis of grassroots innovations) with elements of the capability approach, which offers a multi-dimensional perspective to justice. The framework is used to address two purposively selected empirical cases in two key sectors in Spain: an energy cooperative and a food purchasing group. We draw on the information of 25 individual interviews with members of these two cases, on observation, and on secondary sources. Information was processed by means of a qualitative content analysis. We draw on predefined categories from the framework, which was refined during the analysis. The paper illustrates that grassroots innovations may be contributing to justice in several aspects: they expand capabilities in different dimensions, improve public reasoning processes, and create better structural conditions for human flourishing. Nevertheless, these processes are not free of tensions and contradictions., This research was funded by the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, Plan Estatal de Investigación, grant number CSO2013-41985-R.

Dietary diversity, an important component of diet quality, is associated with an increased probability of adequate micronutrient intake. Women of childbearing age (WCA) are particularly vulnerable to micronutrient inadequacy. The Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) has been used widely as a proxy measurement of micronutrient adequacy. This study aimed to assess the association between MDD-W and nutrients adequacy among WCA of eight Latin American countries. Nutrient intakes from 3704 WCA were analyzed with two 24-hour dietary recalls. Dietary diversity was calculated based on ten food groups with a cut-off point of intake &ge, 5 groups. The mean dietary diversity score was 4.72 points, and 57.7% of WCA achieved MDD-W. Vitamin D and E showed a mean Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (NAR) of 0.03 and 0.38, respectively. WCA with a diverse diet (MDD-W &gt, 5) reported a significantly higher intake of most micronutrients and healthy food groups with less consumption of red and processed meats and sugar-sweetened beverages. MDD-W was significantly associated with the mean adequacy ratio (MAR) of 18 micronutrients evaluated. Nevertheless, even those women with a diverse diet fell short of meeting the Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) for vitamins D and E. MDD-W is an appropriate tool to evaluate micronutrients adequacy in WCA from Latin America, showing that women who achieved the MDD-W reported higher adequacy ratios for most micronutrients and an overall healthier diet.

A Mediterranean style dietary pattern (MDP) is considered beneficial for health. The MD Score (MDS) definition has evolved, resulting in considerable variability in the foods and nutrients associated with MDS adherence. We systematically investigated food and nutrient composition of the MD between studies, countries, and methods of classifying the MDS. We searched Embase for MD systematic reviews and selected observational studies reporting intakes of foods, macronutrients, or micronutrients by categories of MDS adherence. The percentage differences in food and nutrient intakes between categories of high and low adherence to the MDS were calculated for each study. A total of 369 full‐text primary papers were reviewed from the included systematic reviews and 74 papers selected (66 adults, 8 children). We found considerable differences in MDS definitions and scoring criteria. Between‐study variation in food intake between high‐ and low‐adherence MDS adherence categories ranged from a mean of −23% for meat, to 119% for fruit, and 278% for fish. Greater variability was evident in non‐Mediterranean than Mediterranean regions. We conclude that few studies report food and nutrient intakes across the range of the MDP in adults and even fewer in children. The considerable variability in the foods and nutrients reported makes comparison of results from studies and translation into dietary guidelines difficult. We recommend that future publications of MD studies include full details of the range of food and nutrient intakes across the distribution of MD adherence in order to facilitate translation into health policy and practice., While considered beneficial for health, the Mediterranean Diet definition has evolved, resulting in considerable variability in the foods and nutrients associated with adherence. We reviewed food and nutrient composition of the MD between studies, countries, and methods of classification and found considerable variability in the foods and nutrients reported which makes comparison of results difficult. Future MD studies should include details of a full range of food and nutrient intakes by categories of MD adherence in order to facilitate translation into health policy and dietary guidelines.

Background In previous meta-analyses of prospective observational studies, we investigated the association between food groups and risk of chronic disease. Objective The aim of the present network meta-analysis (NMA) was to assess the effects of these food groups on intermediate-disease markers across randomized intervention trials. Design Literature searches were performed until January 2018. The following inclusion criteria were defined a priori: 1) randomized trial (≥4 wk duration) comparing ≥2 of the following food groups: refined grains, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fruits and vegetables, eggs, dairy, fish, red meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs); 2) LDL cholesterol and triacylglycerol (TG) were defined as primary outcomes; total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and C-reactive protein were defined as secondary outcomes. For each outcome, a random NMA was performed, and for the ranking, the surface under the cumulative ranking curves (SUCRA) was determined. Results A total of 66 randomized trials (86 reports) comparing 10 food groups and enrolling 3595 participants was identified. Nuts were ranked as the best food group at reducing LDL cholesterol (SUCRA: 93%), followed by legumes (85%) and whole grains (70%). For reducing TG, fish (97%) was ranked best, followed by nuts (78%) and red meat (72%). However, these findings are limited by the low quality of the evidence. When combining all 10 outcomes, the highest SUCRA values were found for nuts (66%), legumes (62%), and whole grains (62%), whereas SSBs performed worst (29%). Conclusion The present NMA provides evidence that increased intake of nuts, legumes, and whole grains is more effective at improving metabolic health than other food groups. For the credibility of diet-disease relations, high-quality randomized trials focusing on well-established intermediate-disease markers could play an important role. This systematic review was registered at PROSPERO (www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO) as CRD42018086753.

Background Inadequate feeding practices are a significant reason for the onset of malnutrition in young children, and their consequences are one of the major obstacles to sustainable socioeconomic development and poverty reduction. Dietary diversity is one of the useful indicators to assess the nutrient adequacy and can examine how different food groups contribute to the nutrient adequacy of the diet in a specific area. Minimum dietary diversity is the intake of at least four food types from the seven categories. Methods Secondary data analysis of Ethiopian Demographic health survey of 2016 was conducted to explore significant predictors that make children inappropriate to meet minimum dietary diversity. There were 2972 weighted samples, and we have used “SVY” command by STATA 14.0 during data analysis to run the complex survey data. This study has identified the possible factors of inadequate minimum dietary diversity of children. Results The proportion of inadequate minimum dietary diversity in Ethiopia was found 85.1%. Frequency of reading newspaper or magazine, frequency of listening to radio, father’s educational level and household wealth index were found significant predictors to determine the minimum dietary diversity of children. Dairy products and grain, roots and tubers account more than half of consumed foods. Among breastfed children who attained minimum dietary diversity, majority of them were in the age group of 6–11 months. Conclusions Minimum dietary diversity is still low in Ethiopia, and most of mothers feed their child the most and easy accessible food rather than of diverse food. In the way of addressing the Sustainable Development Goal, Ethiopia requires substantial improvement in complementary feeding practices. Appropriate infant and young child feeding messages should to be developed and delivered through mass media.

Trend analyses suggest that free sugar (FS) intake&mdash, while still exceeding 10%E&mdash, has decreased among German children and adolescents since 2005, yet that intakes may shift from sugars naturally occurring in foods to added sugars as children age. Thus, we analysed time and age trends in FS intake (%E) from food groups among 3&ndash, 18 year-olds (1985&ndash, 2016) using 10,761 3-day dietary records from 1312 DONALD participants (660 boys, 652 girls) by use of polynomial mixed-effects regression models. Among girls, FS from sugar &amp, sweets decreased from 1985 to 2016 (linear trend p &lt, 0.0001), but not among boys (p &gt, 0.05). In the total sample, FS intake from juices increased until 2000 and decreased since 2005 (linear, quadratic trend p &lt, 0.0001). FS from sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) decreased non-linearly from 1985 to 2016 (girls: linear, quadratic, cubic trend p &lt, 0.0001, boys: linear, quadratic, cubic trend p &lt, 0.02). Younger children consumed more FS from juices than older ones, who had a higher FS intake from SSB. FS intake from sugar &amp, sweets increased until early adolescence and decreased afterwards. Since sugar &amp, sweets represent the main source of FS intake and the source with the least pronounced decline in intake, public health measures should focus on these products.

MyPlate is a guidance system for healthier eating choices. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the influence of MyPlate food group consumption and exercise on metabolic syndrome (MetS) parameters in college students. Participant (n = 462) blood was analyzed using Cholestech for triglycerides (TG), glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). In addition, weight, waist circumference (WC), and blood pressure (BP) were measured. Diet and Wellness Plus was used to compute participant diet records. Regression analysis and a recursive decision tree were made to predict MetS using RStudio (V.1.1.463). BP decision tree predicted high risk of elevated blood pressure with a recall rate of 93.7%. For males, exercise, empty calories, dairy, and protein were main predictors. For females, vegetable and empty calorie consumption were primary determinants. HDL-C decision tree had a recall rate of 91.8% and showed that the main low HDL-C risk determinants for males were, exercise and grain consumption. Conversely, for females, empty calories, grain, and vegetable consumption were the key factors determining low HDL-C risk. This study shows that MyPlate recommendations are valuable to achieve adequate HDL-C and blood pressure and provides insight into the importance of tailoring food intake guidance based on gender.

Weight loss practices and frequency among children and adolescents can impact overall diet quality. We used cross-sectional U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (NHANES) 2011&ndash, 2012 from 1303 children and adolescents (8&ndash, 15 years) to examine associations between frequency of trying to lose weight (never vs. sometimes/a lot) and sociodemographic characteristics, self-perception of weight, and dietary intake. A greater frequency of trying to lose weight was reported by participants with overweight/obesity, those from households with lower annual income and those who perceived they were overweight or obese compared to their counterparts. A high proportion of participants with overweight and obesity considered themselves to be &ldquo, about the right weight&rdquo, (76.7 and 42.8%, respectively). Intake data based on one 24-h dietary recall were examined using multivariable regression models adjusted for child and parent/family characteristics. In adjusted analyses, energy and total fat intakes were lower among those trying to lose weight compared to those never trying to lose weight. Intakes of cholesterol, sodium, and refined grains were not different by frequency of trying to lose weight (all p = 0.059&ndash, 0.074). Weight loss efforts may be related to better nutritional profiles for some children and adolescents.

There are limited data providing guidance on grain foods as part of a healthy dietary pattern in infants and may represent a gap in knowledge for the development of the 2020&ndash, 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Scientific Advisory Committee report currently in progress. An analysis using infant data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was conducted to assess grain food relationships with nutrient and energy intakes, diet quality, and food group consumption in infant consumers relative to non-consumers. Grain consumers were defined as infants consuming foods from the main grain food group, as defined by the US Department of Agriculture, and included whole and refined/enriched grains. All infants consuming grain foods had greater energy (kcal) vs. grain non-consumers (p&rsquo, s &lt, 0.0047). While infant grain consumers 6- to 12-months-old (N = 942) had higher daily intakes of sodium and added and total sugars, these infants also had significantly higher dietary fiber, calcium, folate, potassium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, choline, thiamin, riboflavin, and vitamin B6 compared to non-consumers. In 13- to 23-month-olds (N = 1668), grain consumption was associated with greater daily dietary fiber, iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, folate, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 relative to non-consumers. Diet quality scores were significantly higher in all infant grain consumers examined in comparison to non-consumers (p&rsquo, 0.0065). Grain intake was also linked with greater daily intake of several recommended food groups in both younger and older infants versus non-consumption of grains. The current analysis provides evidence to substantiate the inclusion of whole and enriched grain foods as part of the infant dietary pattern as beneficial associations between grain food consumption and dietary quality are apparent. Eliminating and/or reducing grain foods in infant dietary patterns may lead to unintended nutrient and health consequences.

BackgroundAge at natural menopause is a matter of concern for women of reproductive age as both an early or late menopause may have implications for health outcomes.MethodsStudy participants were women aged 40–65 years who had experienced a natural menopause from the UK Women’s Cohort Study between baseline and first follow-up. Natural menopause was defined as the permanent cessation of menstrual periods for at least 12 consecutive months. A food frequency questionnaire was used to estimate diet at baseline. Reproductive history of participants was also recorded. Regression modelling, adjusting for confounders, was used to assess associations between diet and age at natural menopause.ResultsDuring the 4-year follow-up period, 914 women experienced a natural menopause. A high intake of oily fish and fresh legumes were associated with delayed onset of natural menopause by 3.3 years per portion/day (99% CI 0.8 to 5.8) and 0.9 years per portion/day (99% CI 0.0 to 1.8), respectively. Refined pasta and rice was associated with earlier menopause (per portion/day: −1.5 years, 99% CI −2.8 to −0.2). A higher intake of vitamin B6 (per mg/day: 0.6 years, 99% CI 0.1 to 1.2) and zinc (per mg/day: 0.3 years, 99% CI −0.0 to 0.6) was also associated with later age at menopause. Stratification by age at baseline led to attenuated results.ConclusionOur results suggest that some food groups (oily fish, fresh legumes, refined pasta and rice) and specific nutrients are individually predictive of age at natural menopause.

(1) Background: The “Ger Recommendations” have been advised to promote a healthy diet in Mongolia. These recommendations emphasize the ratio of six macro-food components to ensure proper nutrition. In this study, the ratio of these six groups to the total daily caloric intake was determined. (2) Methods: This study was conducted as part of a study at the Clinical Cohort (“Mon-Timeline”) of the Mongolian National University of Medical Science. A macro-community ratio was calculated using a 24-h dietary recall diary of a total of 498 people. (3) Results: The mean age of the study participants was 43.9 ± 12.9 years. Among them, 21.8% (n = 110) were male. Of the total calories, 44.7% were grains, 29.2% were meat and protein products, 9.3% were fats, 7.1% were dairy products, 6.6% were vegetables, and 3.1% were fruits. According to the ratio of the six groups in the Ger Recommendations, meat and grains exceeded the recommended amount, while fruits, milk, and vegetables were consumed less. It has been observed that the older a person ages, the closer they are to following these recommendations. In terms of gender, women consumed more fruit and milk than men. (4) Conclusions: The ratio of macronutrients in the daily caloric intake of Mongolians is inadequate. Therefore, knowledge about the “Ger Recommendations” needs to be studied in relation to people’s healthy eating knowledge and attitudes. If necessary, the appropriate awareness needs to be increased to educate the public on proper eating habits.

Among U.S. adolescents, foods/beverages that are store-bought (i.e., from grocery and convenience stores) are significant contributors of energy intake. However, it remains unclear (1) what foods/beverages are consumed by U.S. adolescents from grocery and convenience stores and (2) if there are differences in foods/beverages consumed by store type. Therefore, we analyzed 29,216 eating occasions from adolescents (12–19 years, n = 4065) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2018 to report food/beverage groups and nutrients consumed from grocery and convenience stores. Differences in food/beverage groups and nutrient densities by store type were calculated using multiple logistic and linear regressions. Adolescents were more likely to consume “Beverages” and “Snacks and Sweets” and less likely to consume “Grains”, “Protein”, “Milk and Dairy”, “Condiments and Sauces”, and “Fruits” from convenience compared to grocery stores (all p &lt, 0.0025). Foods/beverages from convenience stores were higher in carbohydrates, total sugar, and added sugar and lower in protein, fat, saturated fat, sodium, and fiber than those from grocery stores (all p &lt, 0.0025). In conclusion, while foods/beverages from convenience stores are more energy-dense and nutrient-poor, there is a critical need to increase the availability, accessibility, and affordability of healthier foods/beverages in both store types to encourage healthier dietary behaviors among U.S. adolescents.

Improving dietary habits at a young age could prevent adverse health outcomes. The aim was to gain insight into the adequacy of the dietary intake of Dutch toddlers, which may provide valuable information for preventive measures. Data obtained from the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey 2012–2016 were used, which included 672 children aged one to three years. Habitual intakes of nutrients were evaluated according to recommendations set by the Dutch Health Council. Specific food groups were evaluated according to the Dutch food-based dietary guidelines. For most nutrients, intakes were estimated to be adequate. High intakes were found for saturated fatty acids, retinol, iodine, copper, zinc, and sodium. No statement could be provided on the adequacy of intakes of alpha-linoleic acids, N-3 fish fatty acids, fiber, and iron. 74% of the toddlers used dietary supplements, and 59% used vitamin D supplements specifically. Total median intakes of vegetables, bread, and milk products were sufficient. Consumption of bread, potatoes and cereals, milk products, fats, and drinks consisted largely of unhealthy products. Consumption of unfavorable products may have been the cause of the observed high and low intakes of several nutrients. Shifting towards a healthier diet that is more in line with the guidelines may positively affect the dietary intake of Dutch toddlers and prevent negative health impacts, also later in life.