scholarly journals Systematic Evaluation of Nutrition Indicators for Use within Food LCA Studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 8992
Author(s):  
Marta Bianchi ◽  
Anna Strid ◽  
Anna Winkvist ◽  
Anna-Karin Lindroos ◽  
Ulf Sonesson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Functional Unit ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Portion Size ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Methodological Choices ◽  
Nutrient Density ◽  
Density Index ◽  
Food Lca

Expressing the environmental impact of foods in relation to the nutritional quality is a promising approach in the search for methods integrating interdisciplinary sustainability perspectives. However, the lack of standardized methods regarding how to include nutrient metrics can lead to unharmonized results difficult to interpret. We evaluated nutrient density indexes by systematically assessing the role of methodological variables with the purpose of identifying the index able to rank foods with the highest coherence with the Swedish dietary guidelines. Among 45 variants of the nutrient density index NRF (Nutrient Rich Food), a Sweden-tailored NRF11.3 index, including 11 desirable nutrients and 3 undesirable nutrients, calculated per portion size or 100 kcal with the application of weighting, ranked foods most coherently with the guidelines. This index is suggested to be suitable as complementary functional unit (FU) in comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) studies across food categories. The results clarify implications of methodological choices when calculating nutrient density of foods and offer guidance to LCA researchers on which nutrition metric to use when integrating nutritional aspects in food LCA.

Effect of diet on bladder cancer survivors.

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (2_suppl) ◽  
pp. 437-437
Author(s):  
Thomas Andrew Longo ◽  
Ajay Gopalakrishna ◽  
Joseph J Fantony ◽  
Brant Allen Inman
Keyword(s):  
Bladder Cancer ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Sodium Intake ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Healthy Diet ◽  
Portion Size ◽  
Dietary Recommendations ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cancer Society

437 Background: Diet has been shown to affect cancer recurrence, progression, and overall survival. A reduction in overall mortality is associated with high intake of vegetables and whole grains, but little is known about the role of other macronutrients. Further, the role of macronutrients in bladder cancer survivors as they move beyond the treatment period is unknown. Methods: After IRB approval, an institutional database was used to identify a large cohort of bladder cancer patients. They were mailed a survey that included the Diet History Questionnaire II (DHQ II). This validated instrument is recommended by the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute. It involves 151 questions covering portion size over 134 food items and 8 supplements, and takes a patient roughly an hour to complete. Our cross-sectional survey used the results from the DHQ II to assess compliance with the US Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Results: Out of 962 subjects, 461 completed the survey (48%). Mean age was 73, 80% were male, and 87% were white. The recommended protein intake was met or exceeded 98% of respondents and 66.8% were able to meet the fruit and vegetable recommendations. Similarly, 62.9% met carbohydrate recommendations. Unfortunately, only 44.5% met fat recommendations, and 0.9% met the whole grain recommendations. Recommended sodium intake was exceeded by 62% of subjects. Conclusions: Bladder cancer survivors exhibit poor adherence to standard dietary recommendations, but they represent a unique metabolic state. It is unknown what constitutes a healthy diet in a bladder cancer survivor, but a healthy diet has potential to be a component of survivorship intervention and not merely sustenance. Cancer survivors are an important target population for health promotion efforts and we plan further investigation of diet and its impact on quality of life amongst other lifestyle factors.

The Impact of Quantitative Easing on Emerging Markets – Literature Review

e-Finanse ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 67-76
Author(s):  
Piotr Bartkiewicz
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Quantitative Easing ◽  
Methodological Choices ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Methodological Approaches ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sufficient Precision

AbstractThe article presents the results of the review of the empirical literature regarding the impact of quantitative easing (QE) on emerging markets (EMs). The subject is of interest to policymakers and researchers due to the increasingly larger role of EMs in the world economy and the large-scale capital flows occurring after 2009. The review is conducted in a systematic manner and takes into consideration different methodological choices, samples and measurement issues. The paper puts the summarized results in the context of transmission channels identified in the literature. There are few distinct methodological approaches present in the literature. While there is a consensus regarding the direction of the impact of QE on EMs, its size and durability have not yet been assessed with sufficient precision. In addition, there are clear gaps in the empirical findings, not least related to relative underrepresentation of the CEE region (in particular, Poland).

scholarly journals A meta-analysis of the literature on climate change and migration

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-52
Author(s):  
Michel Beine ◽  
Lionel Jeusette
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Human Mobility ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Displacement Effect ◽  
Methodological Choices ◽  
Econometric Methods ◽  
And Migration

Abstract Recent surveys of the literature on climate change and migration emphasize the important diversity of outcomes and approaches of the empirical studies. In this paper, we conduct a meta-analysis in order to investigate the role of the methodological choices of these empirical studies in finding some particular results concerning the role of climatic factors as drivers of human mobility. We code 51 papers representative of the literature in terms of methodological approaches. This results in the coding of more than 85 variables capturing the methodology of the main dimensions of the analysis at the regression level. These dimensions include authors' reputation, type of mobility, measures of mobility, type of data, context of the study, econometric methods, and last but not least measures of the climatic factors. We look at the influence of these characteristics on the probability of finding any effect of climate change, a displacement effect, an increase in immobility, and evidence in favor of a direct vs. an indirect effect. Our results highlight the role of some important methodological choices, such as the frequency of the data on mobility, the level of development, the measures of human mobility and of the climatic factors as well as the econometric methodology.

scholarly journals Sustainability Indicators for Foods Benefiting Climate and Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3621
Author(s):  
Anna Strid ◽  
Elinor Hallström ◽  
Ulf Sonesson ◽  
Josefin Sjons ◽  
Anna Winkvist ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Food Product ◽  
Climate Impact ◽  
Sustainability Indicators ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Nutrient Density ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Food Product Development

New methods for combined evaluation of nutritional and environmental aspects of food products are needed to enable a transformation of dietary guidelines integrating both health and environmental perspectives. We evaluated two sustainability aspects; nutrition and climate impact, of foods commonly consumed in Sweden and the implications of using parallel or integrated assessments of these two aspects, also discussing the usability and suitability of these food sustainability indicators in relation to Swedish dietary guidelines, industry food product development, and consumer communication. There were large differences in both nutrient density and climate impact among the different foods. The parallel assessment easily visualized synergies and trade-offs between these two sustainability aspects for the different foods. Coherence with dietary guidelines was good, and suitability and usability deemed satisfying. The integrated indicator showed better coherence with dietary guidelines than indicators based solely on nutrient density or climate impact; however, the difficulty to interpret the score limits its usability in product development and consumer communication. With both methods, advantageous as well as less advantageous plant-based and animal-based food alternatives were suggested. The two alternative methods evaluated could serve as useful tools to drive individual and societal development towards more sustainable food production and consumption.

scholarly journals Role of Proteins and of Some Bioactive Peptides on the Nutritional Quality of Donkey Milk and Their Impact on Human Health

Beverages ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Vincenzetti ◽  
Stefania Pucciarelli ◽  
Valeria Polzonetti ◽  
Paolo Polidori
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Bioactive Peptides ◽  
Donkey Milk

The Role of Summary Information in Facilitating Consumers’ Comprehension of Nutrition Information

2002 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madhubalan Viswanathan ◽  
Manoj Hastak
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Nutrition Information ◽  
Nutritional Content

Percent daily values provide important information that consumers can use to manage the nutritional quality of their diets. The authors report on four experiments that examined conditions in which summary information (such as average or range) may prove more useful than daily values in assessing nutritional content and conditions in which it may not. Two experiments provided evidence that summary information outperforms percent daily values in helping consumers judge the nutritional content of a brand compared with other offerings in that category. Two more experiments identified a key variable—the availability of multiple brands for comparison—that moderates the facilitating effect of summary information.

scholarly journals Evaluation of a nutrient-rich food index score in the Netherlands

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diewertje Sluik ◽  
Martinette T. Streppel ◽  
Linde van Lee ◽  
Anouk Geelen ◽  
Edith J. M. Feskens
Keyword(s):  
Energy Density ◽  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Dietary Quality ◽  
Cereal Products ◽  
Nutrient Density ◽  
Rich Food ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Methodological Considerations ◽  
Development And Validation

AbstractNutrient-rich food (NRF) index scores are dietary quality indices based on nutrient density. We studied the design aspects involved in the development and validation of NRF index scores, using the Dutch consumption data and guidelines as an example. We evaluated fifteen NRF index scores against the Dutch Healthy Diet Index (DHD-index), a measure of adherence to the Dutch dietary guidelines, and against energy density. The study population included 2106 adults from the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey 2007–2010. The index scores were composed of beneficial nutrients (protein, fibre, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals), nutrients to limit (saturated fat, sugar, Na) or a combination. Moreover, the influence of methodological decisions was studied, such as the choice of calculation basis (100 g or 100 kcal (418 kJ)). No large differences existed in the prediction of the DHD-index by the fifteen NRF index scores. The score that best predicted the DHD-index included nine beneficial nutrients and three nutrients to limit on a 100-kcal basis, the NRF9.3 with a model R2 of 0·34. The scores were quite robust with respect to sex, BMI and differences in calculation methods. The NRF index scores were correlated with energy density, but nutrient density better predicted the DHD-index than energy density. Consumption of vegetables, cereals and cereal products, and dairy products contributed most to the individual NRF9.3 scores. In conclusion, many methodological considerations underlie the development and evaluation of nutrient density models. These decisions may depend upon the purpose of the model, but should always be based upon scientific, objective and transparent criteria.

Impact of Graphitic Structures in Pyrogenic Carbon on Microbial Reduction of Ferrihydrite

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
wentao yu ◽  
baoliang chen
Keyword(s):  
Electron Transfer ◽  
Pyrolysis Temperature ◽  
Shewanella Oneidensis ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Microbial Reduction ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Extracellular Electron Transfer ◽  
Pyrogenic Carbon ◽  
The Impact

<p>Pyrogenic carbon plays important roles in microbial reduction of ferrihydrite by shuttling electrons in the extracellular electron transfer (EET) processes. Despite its importance, a full assessment on the impact of graphitic structures in pyrogenic carbon on microbial reduction of ferrihydrite has not been conducted. This study is a systematic evaluation of microbial ferrihydrite reduction by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 in the presence of pyrogenic carbon with various graphitization extents. The results showed that the rates and extents of microbial ferrihydrite reduction were significantly enhanced in the presence of pyrogenic carbon, and increased with increasing pyrolysis temperature. Combined spectroscopic and electrochemical analyses suggested that the rate of microbial ferrihydrite reduction were dependent on the electrical conductivity of pyrogenic carbon (i.e., graphitization extent), rather than the electron exchange capacity. The key role of graphitic structures in pyrogenic carbon in mediating EET was further evidenced by larger microbial electrolysis current with pyrogenic carbon prepared at higher pyrolysis temperatures. This study provides new insights into the electron transfer in the pyrogenic carbon-mediated microbial reduction of ferrihydrite.</p>

scholarly journals Differential Responses of Two Broccoli (Brassica oleraceaL. var Italica) Cultivars to Salinity and Nutritional Quality Improvement

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chokri Zaghdoud ◽  
Carlos Alcaraz-López ◽  
César Mota-Cadenas ◽  
María del Carmen Martínez-Ballesta ◽  
Diego A. Moreno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Genetic Background ◽  
Nutritional Value ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Root Hydraulic Conductance ◽  
Nutritional Properties ◽  
Specific Strategy ◽  
Nutritional Characteristics ◽  
Salinity Levels

The comparative responses of two broccoli cultivars (Brassica oleraceavar. Italica, cv. Parthenon and cv. Naxos) to a 15 d exposure to different NaCl levels were investigated. Salinity led to increased concentrations of Na+and Cl−ions in both cultivars, a disruption of the endogenous minerals levels in the shoots and roots—that varied with the cultivar and salt concentration—and decreases in the osmotic potential (Ψπ), root hydraulic conductance (L0), and stomatal conductance (Gs). The reduced biomass of Naxos at moderate NaCl indicates greater sensitivity to salinity, compared with Parthenon. Parthenon accumulated more soluble sugars, for osmotic adjustment, whereas Naxos accumulated proline, which gave the two cultivars differing nutritional characteristics. The total glucosinolates (GSLs) content was not affected by salinity in Parthenon while it decreased significantly in Naxos as a consequence of the decrease in the indole GSL. However, Naxos accumulated more aliphatic GSLs under salt stress than Parthenon, which confers on this cultivar a greater nutritional value when cultivated under salinity.These results suggest that, at distinct salinity levels, each broccoli cultivar adopts a specific strategy, indicating the crucial role of the genetic background on the organoleptic and nutritional properties that each cultivar acquires.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document