scholarly journals Diets quality: synthesis of methods based on nutritional indexes and scores

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (01) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Rabiâa KAROUNE ◽  
◽  
Corinne DAHEL ◽  

Food quality scores and indexes are simple but effective tools for the overall diets assessment. It has been shown that they are closely linked to the suitability of these diets for nutritional recommendations, and that they correctly reflect their quality. These indexes have also proven to be good indicators of household food security, as well as children nutritional status, especially their growth. The use of these scores and indexes has been very successful in both developed, and developing countries, after several efforts to harmonize their calculation methods. The diet quality index methodology focuses on dietary diversity, or on adequacy to nutritional recommendations. Among these, several scores, and indexes have been developed to assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The aim of this review is to present the different nutritional scores and indexes developed worldwide, and in the Mediterranean region to assess the diets quality.

Nutrients ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 302
Author(s):  
Antonela Matana ◽  
Ivana Franić ◽  
Endica Radić Hozo ◽  
Ante Burger ◽  
Petra Boljat

The Mediterranean diet (MD) is considered one of the healthiest dietary patterns. The aim of this study was to assess MD adherence in children and youth living in the Mediterranean region in Croatia and evaluate the differences in adherence to the MD among different educational stages. In total, 2722 individuals aged 2 to 24 years were enrolled in this study. Subjects were divided into different groups according to the Croatian educational system. Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) was used to assess adherence to the MD. In the total sample, the adherence to the MD was poor in 19.2%, average in 60.8%, and good in 20.1% of the study participants. The prevalence rate of poor adherence to the MD increased with higher educational stage, i.e., the highest prevalence rate of poor MD adherence was observed for college students (39.3%). Children having a higher number of snacks on days-off, those with lower physical activity, and not having breakfast together with a family are more likely to have poor MD adherence, while children having a higher number of snacks on working days are less likely to have a poor MD. The results of this study showed low adherence to the principles of the MD, confirming the need for improvement of adherence to the MD pattern in the studied population.


2015 ◽  
Vol 85 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 202-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivona Višekruna ◽  
Ivana Rumbak ◽  
Ivana Rumora Samarin ◽  
Irena Keser ◽  
Jasmina Ranilović

Abstract. Results of epidemiologic studies and clinical trials have shown that subjects following the Mediterranean diet had lower inflammatory markers such as homocysteine (Hcy). Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess female diet quality with the Mediterranean diet quality index (MDQI) and to determine the correlation between MDQI, homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 levels in the blood. The study participants were 237 apparently healthy women (96 of reproductive age and 141 postmenopausal) between 25 and 93 years. For each participant, 24-hour dietary recalls for 3 days were collected, MDQI was calculated, and plasma Hcy, serum and erythrocyte folate and vitamin B12 levels were analysed. Total MDQI ranged from 8 to 10 points, which represented a medium-poor diet for the subjects. The strength of correlation using biomarkers, regardless of group type, age, gender and other measured parameters, was ranked from best (0.11) to worst (0.52) for olive oil, fish, fruits and vegetables, grains, and meat, in this order. Hcy levels showed the best response among all markers across all groups and food types. Our study shows significant differences between variables of the MDQI and Hcy levels compared to levels of folate and vitamin B12 in participants with medium-poor diet quality, as evaluated according to MDQI scores.


2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (7) ◽  
pp. S54
Author(s):  
Joshua Brown ◽  
Patrick Creedon ◽  
Christopher Taylor ◽  
Kammi Schmeer ◽  
Neal Hooker ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 3307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Primrose Ngema ◽  
Melusi Sibanda ◽  
Lovemore Musemwa

Food security at the household level remains a major issue in South Africa and for many other developing countries, particularly those in Africa. As a means of ensuring food security in KwaZulu-Natal province, various food security intervention programmes were launched. Nonetheless, food security remains an issue among households in the province. This paper estimates the household food security status of the “One Home One Garden” (OHOG) beneficiaries against that of non-beneficiaries and assesses the determinants of household food security status in Maphumulo. A stratified random sampling technique was used to sample 495 households (including 330 OHOG beneficiaries and 165 non-beneficiaries). The status of household food security was estimated by means of a “Household Dietary Diversity Score” (HDDS). Additionally, a Household Food Consumption Score” (HFCS) tool was employed to supplement the HDDS. The results showed that food consumption patterns were characterized by medium (4.89) and average (4.22) HDDS for the OHOG beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries, respectively. Taking HDDS as a proxy for household food security, an independent samples t-test (Levene’s test—equal variances assumed) reveals a significant (p < 0.001) relationship between the sample means of the two groups. A greater proportion (65%) of the OHOG beneficiaries had an acceptable (≥35) HFCS level, whereas just over half (54%) of the non-beneficiaries fell in the borderline (21.5 to 35) HFCS level. The determinants of household food security status were elicited by means of a binary logistic regression model. The results revealed that education (p = 0.036), receiving infrastructural support (irrigation) (p = 0.001), and participation in the OHOG programme (p = 0.000) positively influenced the food security status of households, yet household income (p = 0.000) and access to credit (p = 0.002) showed a negative correlation. This paper proposes that government and developmental agencies, in their efforts to enhance food security through food security intervention programmes, should support households by investing in education and agricultural infrastructure, as well as giving priority to smallholder infrastructural irrigation support for households that largely rely on rain-fed systems.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lelisa Worku Belcha

Abstract Background: Globally 38 million people were living with HIV in 2019. In Africa, 25 million people are living with HIV/AIDS undernutrition and food insecurity is endemic. Hence the study aimed to assess the magnitude of undernutrition and associated factors among HIV-infected adults receiving ART. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted among HIV/AIDS patients who following the ART service was selected by a simple random sampling method. The data were collected by direct interview, using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and a Logistic regression model were employed. Result: The study revealed that the magnitude of under-nutrition was 18.8%. The history of opportunistic infection (AOR=4.518:95% CI: 2.304-8.857), Patients taking ART for less than one year (AOR=3.675:95% CI: 1.831-7.377) household food insecure (AOR= 3.113:95% CI: 1.628-5.950) and dietary diversity score (AOR=2.340:95% CI: 1.221-4.485) were found to have a statistically significant association with undernutrition. Conclusion: The magnitude of undernutrition among people living with HIV/AIDS was found to be high. Having an opportunistic infection, duration of taking ART treatment, household food security status, and dietary diversity status were found to statistically significant association with undernutrition.


2019 ◽  
Vol 279 ◽  
pp. 109-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Bezner Kerr ◽  
Joseph Kangmennaang ◽  
Laifolo Dakishoni ◽  
Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong ◽  
Esther Lupafya ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1851
Author(s):  
Priviledge Cheteni ◽  
Yohane Khamfula ◽  
Gisele Mah

Food security is one of the most severe challenges facing the majority of African countries. The objective of this study was to explore household food dietary diversity and food security in a rural area in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. A total of 296 household heads were randomly sampled to participate in the study. The Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) and Household Food Consumption Score (HFCS) were used to identify the consumption patterns of the households and their food security status. Meanwhile, a binary model was used to identify the variables that had an impact on household food security. Findings from the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) revealed that 61 percent of the households had lower dietary diversity and were consuming at least three food groups, which mainly include pulses, milk, and cereals. The results from the Household Food Consumption Score (HFCS), however, showed that the majority of the households had adequate levels of food consumption. The binary model revealed that age, household income, access to credit, and gender are statistically significant in influencing household food security status in the study area. It can be concluded that household dietary diversity is not guaranteed by food security, as proven by the regression model. Therefore, the government should consider the impact of low income on food security and it should intensify efforts directed at helping rural households to reduce incidences of food insecurity.


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