scholarly journals Moving towards a Healthier Dietary Pattern Free of Ultra-Processed Foods

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
Rosa Casas

In recent years, ultra-processed food (UPF) intake has increased worldwide, representing almost 60% of total dietary intake in several countries such as the USA and the UK, and around 17 to 24% in the Mediterranean countries, such as Spain and Italy, respectively [...]

Author(s):  
Naomi Cano-Ibáñez ◽  
Juan Miguel Martínez-Galiano ◽  
Miguel Angel Luque-Fernández ◽  
Sandra Martín-Peláez ◽  
Aurora Bueno-Cavanillas ◽  
...  

Several epidemiologic studies have shown an association between Gestational Weight Gain (GWG) and offspring complications. The GWG is directly linked to maternal dietary intake and women’s nutritional status during pregnancy. The aim of this study was (1) to assess, in a sample of Spanish pregnant women, the association between maternal dietary patterns and GWG and (2) to assess maternal dietary patterns and nutrient adequate intake according to GWG. A retrospective study was conducted in a sample of 503 adult pregnant women in five hospitals in Eastern Andalusia (Spain). Data on demographic characteristics, anthropometric values, and dietary intake were collected from clinical records by trained midwives. Usual food intake was gathered through a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and dietary patterns were obtained by principal component analysis. Nutrient adequacy was defined according to European dietary intake recommendations for pregnant women. Regression models adjusted by confounding factors were constructed to study the association between maternal dietary pattern and GWG, and maternal dietary patterns and nutritional adequacy. A negative association was found between GWG and the Mediterranean dietary pattern (crude β = −0.06, 95% CI: −0.11, −0.04). Independent of maternal dietary pattern, nutrient adequacy of dietary fiber, vitamin B9, D, E, and iodine was related to a Mediterranean dietary pattern (p < 0.05). A Mediterranean dietary pattern is related to lower GWG and better nutrient adequacy. The promotion of healthy dietary behavior consistent with the general advice promoted by the Mediterranean Diet (based on legumes, vegetables, nuts, olive oil, and whole cereals) will offer healthful, sustainable, and practical strategies to control GWG and ensure adequate nutrient intake during pregnancy.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah L. Mayr ◽  
Sarah P. Kostjasyn ◽  
Katrina L. Campbell ◽  
Michelle Palmer ◽  
Ingrid J. Hickman

Evidence supports recommending the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) in the management of cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and solid organ transplant (SOT). However, the evidence-practice gap is unclear within non-Mediterranean countries. We investigated integration of MDP in Australian dietetic practice, and barriers and enablers to MDP implementation for chronic disease management. Dietitians managing CVD, T2D, NAFLD and/or SOT patients (n = 182, 97% female) completed an online survey in November 2019. Fewer than 50% of participants counsel patients with CVD (48%), T2D (26%), NAFLD (31%) and SOT (0–33%) on MDP in majority of their practice. MDP principles always recommended by >50% of participants were promoting vegetables and fruit and limiting processed foods and sugary drinks. Principles recommended sometimes, rarely or never by >50% of participants included limiting red meat and including tomatoes, onion/garlic and liberal extra virgin olive oil. Barriers to counselling on MDP included consultation time and competing priorities. Access to evidence, professional development and education resources were identified enablers. An evidence-practice gap in Australian dietetic practice exists with <50% of participants routinely counselling relevant patient groups on MDP. Strategies to support dietitians to counsel complex patients on MDP within limited consultations are needed.


2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reina Garcia-Closas ◽  
Antoni Berenguer ◽  
Carlos A González

AbstractObjectiveTo describe geographical differences and time trends in the supply of the most important food components of the traditional Mediterranean diet.DesignFood supply data collected from national food balance sheets for the period 1961–2001.SettingSelected Mediterranean countries: Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey.ResultsDifferences of almost 30-fold and five-fold were found in the supply of olive oil and fruits and vegetables, respectively, among the Mediterranean countries studied during the 1960s. A favourable increasing trend for the supply of fruit and vegetables was observed in most Mediterranean countries. However, an increase in the supply of meats and dairy products and a decrease in the supply of cereals and wine were observed in European Mediterranean countries from 1961 until 2001. Only in African and Asiatic Mediterranean countries were cereals the base of food supply. During the 1990s, Greece's food supply pattern was closest to the traditional Mediterranean diet, while Italy and Spain maintained a high availability of fruits, vegetables and olive oil, but were losing the other typical components. Among African and Asiatic Mediterranean countries, only Turkey presented a traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern except with respect to olive oil, the supply of which was very low. France showed a Western dietary pattern, with a high supply of animal products and a low supply of olive oil.ConclusionsDietary supplies in the Mediterranean area were quite heterogeneous in the 1960s and have experienced a process of Westernization, especially in European Mediterranean countries.


Author(s):  
Aminat Radzhabovna GABIBOVA

Ficus carica L. is one of the famous fruit trees from ancient times, which is grown all over the world. The wild fig plants are found from the Mediterranean to the Northwestern India. It is widely cultivated in the subtropical area such as the Mediterranean countries, Iran, Arabia, China, Japan, the USA (California) and Chile. The territory of Daghestan is the Northern border of distribution of the fig. This paper presents the ecological conditions of growing the fig populations in Daghestan. The results show large variability in the growing conditions of the fig plants in all the studied natural habitats. In five areas where the species F. carica L. grow in Daghestan, the plants show high intraspecific variability – the habitual polymorphism. Taking into account the fact that the fig in this region is located on the Northern border of its distribution and the fact that it is listed in the Red Book of Daghestan, the study of this species is of great scientific and practical interest.


2001 ◽  
Vol 18 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 54-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Håkan Leifman

Håkan Leifman: Estimations of unrecorded alcohol consumption levels and trends in 14 European countries Aims: To map the extent of unrecorded alcohol consumption in the countries within the EU, including point estimates of the quantity of unrecorded consumption and the development over time. Data and method: The countries under investigation are 13 EU countries (Greece and Luxembourg excluded) and Norway. The study makes use of data collected earlier – mainly survey data – and of a recently completed general population survey directed to random samples of the general population aged 18–64 in six EU member states. An indirect method was used to assess the development of unrecorded consumption over time in each country by estimating the discrepancy between the observed development of alcohol-related mortality and the development that would be expected from changes in recorded consumption only. Findings: The unrecorded consumption is highest in the northern European countries, and has increased from about 1 litre in the 1980s to 2 litres per adult in the second half of the 1990s. The UK, too, shows clear signs of increased unrecorded alcohol consumption as of the mid-1980s. In the remaining countries, the changes in unrecorded alcohol appear to have been more modest over time. The quantities of unrecorded consumption in the Mediterranean countries in the 1990s are roughly estimated at 1 litre pure alcohol per adult and show no signs of increases over time. The general population survey indicated low quantities of personal imports of alcohol in Southern Europe (France and Italy) – one decilitre in France, less than half a decilitre in Italy – compared to about 1 litre or more in Finland, Sweden and the UK. Conclusions: The downward trend in recorded consumption in the Mediterranean countries for the past 20–30 years is most likely a real decrease in alcohol consumption: the large drop in recorded alcohol consumption in these countries has not been accompanied by increases in unrecorded consumption. When the total consumption (recorded plus unrecorded) is taken into account, and not just the recorded alcohol, the higher unrecorded consumption in the “low-consuming” countries would appear slightly to narrow down the differences between the countries. However, despite differences in unrecorded alcohol, the relative position between the countries in their total consumption in the mid-1990s remains to a large extent unchanged.


2001 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doris Rumm-Kreuter

It was already possible to demonstrate in the 50s that the Mediterranean countries have significantly less coronary heart disease than northern Europe and the USA and that this correlated closely with the diets of people in the Mediterranean region. Consequently, the traditional Mediterranean corresponds to the ideas of dietetics about a preventive diet with its high percentage of fruit, vegetables, cereal products legumes, olive oil and its slight share of animal products. However, an increase of the share of animal products can be detected in the diet of the Mediterranean populations with increasing wealth to the detriment of basic foodstuffs on a vegetable basis and their positive effects. This is reducing the preventive effect of the diet. The dietary situation is also becoming worse in northern Europe, which was already found to be unfavorable in the 60s. The reasons for this development can be found in the substantial socioeconomic changes throughout all of Europe over the past 40 years. A return or reversal to the Mediterranean way of eating would be desirable due to its positive effects. But the strong trend to convenience products and eating out is in opposition to this.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. e020574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa Galastri Baraldi ◽  
Euridice Martinez Steele ◽  
Daniela Silva Canella ◽  
Carlos Augusto Monteiro

ObjectivesTo compare ultra-processed food consumption across sociodemographic groups and over time (2007–2008, 2009–2010, 2011–2012) in the USA.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingNational Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2012.ParticipantsAll individuals aged ≥2 years with at least one 24-hour dietary recall were included (n=23 847).Main outcome measuresAverage dietary contribution of ultra-processed foods (expressed as a percentage of the total caloric value of the diet), obtained after classifying all food items according to extent and purpose of industrial food processing using NOVA classification.Data analysisLinear regression was used to evaluate the association between sociodemographic characteristics or NHANES cycles and dietary contribution of ultra-processed foods.ResultsAlmost 60% of calories consumed in the period 2007–2012 came from ultra-processed foods. Consumption of ultra-processed foods decreased with age and income level, was higher for non-Hispanic whites or non-Hispanic blacks than for other race/ethnicity groups and lower for people with college than for lower levels of education, all differences being statistically significant. Overall contribution of ultra-processed foods increased significantly between NHANES cycles (nearly 1% point per cycle), the same being observed among males, adolescents and high school education-level individuals.ConclusionsUltra-processed food consumption in the USA in the period 2007–2012 was overall high, greater among non-Hispanic whites or non-Hispanic blacks, less educated, younger, lower-income strata and increased across time.


2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (9A) ◽  
pp. 1676-1684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui da Silva ◽  
Anna Bach-Faig ◽  
Blanca Raidó Quintana ◽  
Genevieve Buckland ◽  
Maria Daniel Vaz de Almeida ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveThe present study aimed to analyse the worldwide trends of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), in 1961–1965 and 2000–2003.DesignData were obtained from the FAO food balance sheets in two periods: 1961–1965 and 2000–2003. In order to have a sample from across the world, forty-one countries were selected. The average of available energy for different food groups was calculated for all selected countries. These values were used to evaluate the adherence to the MD through a variation of Mediterranean Adequacy Index (MAI).ResultsThe majority of the forty-one countries in this study have tended to drift away from a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern. Mediterranean Europe and the Other Mediterranean country groups suffered a significant decrease in their MAI values. The Mediterranean European group, especially Greece, experienced the greatest decrease in MAI value.In both periods, the Other Mediterranean countries showed the highest MAI values. In an analysis by countries, Iran had the highest increase in MAI across the time periods, and Egypt occupied the first place in the ranking in 2000–2003.The Northern European group was the only one that registered an increase in MAI, although this was not statistically significant.ConclusionsMany countries in the Mediterranean basin are drifting away from the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP). However, countries in Northern Europe and some other countries around the world are taking on a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern. The Other Mediterranean countries have the closest adherence to the MDP, currently and in the 1960s. Nutrition policy actions to tackle dietary westernisation and preserve the healthy prudent MDP are required.


Author(s):  
Fernanda Rauber ◽  
Kiara Chang ◽  
Eszter P. Vamos ◽  
Maria Laura da Costa Louzada ◽  
Carlos Augusto Monteiro ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to examine the associations between ultra-processed food consumption and risk of obesity among UK adults. Methods Participants aged 40–69 years at recruitment in the UK Biobank (2006–2019) with dietary intakes collected using 24-h recall and repeated measures of adiposity––body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and percentage of body fat (% BF)––were included (N = 22,659; median follow-up: 5 years). Ultra-processed foods were identified using the NOVA classification and their consumption was expressed as a percentage of total energy intake. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) of several indicators of obesity according to ultra-processed food consumption. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. Results 947 incident cases of overall obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and 1900 incident cases of abdominal obesity (men: WC ≥ 102 cm, women: WC ≥ 88 cm) were identified during follow-up. Participants in the highest quartile of ultra-processed food consumption had significantly higher risk of developing overall obesity (HR 1.79; 95% CI 1.06─3.03) and abdominal obesity (HR 1.30; 95% CI 1.14─1.48). They had higher risk of experiencing a ≥ 5% increase in BMI (HR 1.31; 95% CI 1.20─1.43), WC (HR 1.35; 95% CI 1.25─1.45) and %BF (HR 1.14; 95% CI 1.03─1.25), than those in the lowest quartile of consumption. Conclusions Our findings provide evidence that higher consumption of ultra-processed food is strongly associated with a higher risk of multiple indicators of obesity in the UK adult population. Policy makers should consider actions that promote consumption of fresh or minimally processed foods and reduce consumption of ultra-processed foods.


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