Sensory-Related Industrial Additives in the US Packaged Food Supply

Background: Increasing evidence suggests that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) lead to elevated risk of obesity-related conditions, but UPF measurement has been criticized for its subjectivity and lack of clarity on biological mechanism. Sensory-related industrial additives (SRIAs) are a defining feature of UPFs and may encourage overconsumption by enhancing the sensory quality of foods. However, practical challenges have prevented systematic incorporation of SRIAs into UPF measurement.Objective: The objectives of this work were to describe a new, open-source ingredient list search method and to apply this method to describe the presence of SRIAs in US packaged foods.Methods: We developed computer coding to search for 64 common SRIAs related to sweetness, flavor, appearance, and texture in 241,688 foods in the US Branded Food Products Database (BFPD). The BFPD includes manufacturer-provided ingredient lists for ~300,000 branded and private label food items. We determined the total number of SRIAs (0–64) and the number of different types of SRIAs (sweetness, flavor, appearance, texture, 0–4) in each food, then calculated the percent of all foods with SRIAs. This was done for all foods, and by food group for 224,098 items with food group data.Results: Most (64.9%) foods in the BFPD contained at least one SRIA, and more than a third had at least three. Sweets (89.5%), beverages (84.9%), and ready-to-eat (RTE) foods (82.0%) were the most likely to contain SRIAs. With respect to SRIA types, 25.7% of all food items had at least three of the four types of SRIAs examined, with texture-related additives being the most common. Among sweets, 20% had all four types of SRIAs.Discussion: This work confirms the high prevalence of SRIAs in US packaged foods. They are ubiquitous in sweets, beverages, and RTE foods, but also present in substantial proportions of other food groups. Quantifying the presence of SRIAs in ingredient lists offers a novel way to identify UPFs for research; to distinguish more vs. less ultra-processed foods; and to test whether UPFs increase risk for obesity-related conditions through additives that enhance the product's sensory qualities.

Sixty Percent of Foods Advertised in Grocery Store Flyers are Not In-line with Canada’s Food Guide

Purpose: To evaluate foods advertised in discount and premium grocery flyers for their alignment with Canada’s 2007 Food Guide (CFG) and assess if alignment differed by food category, season, page location, and price. Methods: Weekly flyers (n = 192) were collected from discount and premium grocery chains from each of 4 seasons. Health Canada’s Surveillance Tool was used to assess food items as in-line or not in-line with CFG. Results: Of 35 576 food items, 39.7% were in-line with CFG. There were no differences in proportions of foods not in-line in discount versus premium flyers (60.9% and 60.0%, respectively). Other Foods and Meat & Alternatives were advertised most (28.0% and 26.3%, respectively; P < 0.001). Milk & Alternatives were the least advertised food group (10.3%). Vegetables & Fruit (19.6%), Grains (21.6%), Milk & Alternatives (20.6%), and Meat & Alternatives (20.2%) were promoted least in Fall (P < 0.001). A higher proportion of foods advertised on middle pages were not in-line (61.0%) compared with front (56.6%) and back (58.8%) pages (P < 0.001). Not in-line foods were more expensive ($3.49, IQR = $2.82) than in-line foods ($3.28, IQR = $2.81; P < 0.001). Conclusions: While there was no difference in healthfulness of foods advertised in discount versus premium flyers, grocers advertised more foods not in-line with CFG. Government policies to improve the food environment should consider grocery flyers.

Vegetables for Healthy Diets in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review of the Food Systems Literature

Background: Vegetables are an essential element in healthy diets, but intakes are low around the world and there is a lack of systematic knowledge on how to improve diets through food system approaches. Methods: This scoping review assessed how studies of food systems for healthy diets have addressed the role of vegetables in low- and middle-income countries. We apply the PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews to narratively map the literature to an accepted food systems framework and identify research gaps. Results: We found 1383 relevant articles, with increasing numbers over 20 years. Only 6% of articles looked at low-income countries, and 93% looked at single-country contexts. Over half of articles assessed vegetables as a food group, without looking at diversity within the food group. 15% looked at traditional vegetables. Issues of physical access to food were among the least studied food system topics in our review (7% of articles). Only 15% of articles used a comprehensive food system lens across multiple dimensions. There is also a research gap on the impacts of different policy and practice interventions (13% of articles) to enable greater vegetable consumption. Conclusions: Food system studies necessarily drew on multiple disciplines, methods and metrics to describe, analyze, and diagnose parts of the system. More work is needed across disciplines, across contexts, and across the food system, including understanding interventions and trade-offs, and impacts and change for diets particularly of marginalized population groups. Filling these gaps in knowledge is necessary in order to work toward healthy vegetable-rich diets for everyone everywhere.

Research of the factor dependence of egg and egg products consumption in the subjects of the Russian Federation

Importance of consummating eggs and egg products in the diet of the population is determined by their high nutritional value. An egg contains a complete animal protein, it has consumer accessibility (both economic and physical) and prevalence in food markets regardless of the territory. The widespread availability (both assortment and price) of eggs and egg products to some extent can compensate for the deficit in consumption of other types of livestock products, which are often not available for socially vulnerable groups of the population with a low level of income. This food group is one of the most valuable products in the structure of rational consumption that meets the modern requirements of a healthy diet, which is reflected in the relevant Recommendations of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation [1]. The conducted research is based on the analysis of the main parameters of eggs and egg products’ consumption. The emphasis is made on the study of statistical information on the number of the living population; the prevailing average per capita money income; consumer average retail prices for the specified food group; the level of consumption, its compliance with a rational level that meets modern requirements for healthy nutrition in equal subjects of the Russian Federation, both in the region, territory, republic, autonomous okrug, autonomous region, and in cities of federal significance: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sevastopol. The result of the study was confirmation of the direct dependence of the reduction in the consumption of eggs and egg products as a result of a decrease in the population's income. The territorial aspect also indicated the existence of such dependence. All this allows us to assert that the fundamental factor affecting the level of consumption of eggs and egg products is the economic affordability of the food group, which depends on the income of buyers [11; 13].

Association between Dietary Factors and Constipation in Adults Living in Luxembourg and Taking Part in the ORISCAV-LUX 2 Survey

Constipation, a disorder of bowel movements, is among the most frequent gastrointestinal complaints in Western countries. Dietary constituents such as inadequate fiber intake have been related to constipation, but discrepancies exist in the findings regarding dietary factors. This study investigated the association between dietary patterns and bowel movements in adults living in Luxembourg. Data from 1431 participants from ORISCAV-LUX 2 (a cross-sectional survey) who completed a 174-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) were analyzed. A questionnaire-based constipation score was assessed by a validated scoring system. Confounders such as physical activity and serum/urine indicators were assessed. Women had higher constipation scores than men (p < 0.001). In food group-based regression models, a negative association was found between higher constipation score and intake of grains (Beta = −0.62, 95%CI: −1.18, −0.05) and lipid-rich foods (Beta = −0.84, 95%CI: −1.55, −0.13), while a positive association was found for sugary products (Beta = 0.54, 95%CI: 0.11, 0.97) (p < 0.05). In a nutrient-based regression model, a positive association was found between constipation score and total energy (Beta = 5.24, 95%CI: 0.37, 10.11) as well as sodium intake (Beta = 2.04, 95%CI: 0.21, 3.87), and a negative one was found for total fats (Beta = −4.17, 95%CI: −7.46, −0.89) and starch (Beta = −2.91, 95%CI: −4.47, −1.36) (p < 0.05). Interestingly, neither fruits and vegetables or dietary fiber were significantly associated with constipation. Thus, grains, lipid-rich foods, total fats and starch were associated with a lower constipation score, while sugary products, sodium, and higher energy intake were correlated with higher constipation.

Adiposity and insulin resistance mediate the inverse association between legume intake and blood pressure in individuals: a cross-sectional analysis in secondary cardiovascular prevention

The legume food group has important bioactive components and amino acids that have beneficial effects on blood pressure. This study aimed to evaluate the association between legume intake and blood pressure, as well as the mediating role of cardiometabolic risk factors in patients in secondary cardiovascular prevention. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical, and food intake data were collected from the baseline of the multicenter study Brazilian Cardioprotective Nutritional Program Trial - BALANCE (RCT: NCT01620398). The relationships between variables were explored through path analysis. In total, 2,247 individuals with a median age of 63.0 (45 - 91) years, 58.8% (n= 1,321) male, and 96.5% (n= 2,168) with diagnosis of hypertension were included. Negative associations were observed between histidine intake and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (SC= −0.057; p= 0.012), and between legume intake and body mass index (BMI) (SC= −0.061; p= 0.006). BMI was positively associated with TyG index (SC= 0.173; p< 0.001), SBP (SC= 0.144; p< 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (SC= 0.177; p< 0.001), and TyG index was positively associated with DBP (SC= 0.079; p= 0.001). A negative indirect effect was observed between the intake of legumes, SBP and DBP, mediated by BMI (SC = −0.009; p = 0.011; SC = −0.011; p = 0.010, respectively). In addition, an indirect negative effect was found between the intake of legumes and the DBP, mediated simultaneously by BMI and TyG index (SC = −0.001; p = 0.037). In conclusion, legume intake presented a negative indirect association with blood pressure, mediated by insulin resistance (TyG) and adiposity (BMI) in individuals of secondary care in cardiology.

The pattern of poor household food consumption: The case of West Java Province

The result of a LA-AIDS showed that the food consumption of poor households in West Java is influenced by its own-price, the price of other commodities, income, number of household members, household location, education of the head of household, and work type of the head of the household. The own-price elasticity identified that the price increase in each commodity group does not affect the consumption of the general food group. The cross-price elasticity of food groups showed more complementary.

Food availability and food habits among Ghanaians: Tracking the dietary transition in Ghana

Background: Although extreme hunger has reduced significantly, people are eating nutrient-poor cheap foods that are unhealthy and environmentally unsustainable. Even though dietary practices are changing in Ghana, there is minimal national-level analysis of the changes and their implication for population health. Aim: This study describes shifts in food availability and consumption in Ghana from 1983–2013. Methods: Data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) food balance sheets and a scoping review were used. Descriptive analysis was conducted in excel for the FAO data, and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews recommendation was followed for the scoping review. Results: The availability of total calories increased from 1527 kcal in 1983 to 3016 kcal in 2013, representing 608 kcal above the daily recommended allowance for women. Sugar and sweeteners was the food group with the highest increase of 1075%. Vegetables contributed the least to food availability, with less than 40 kcal a day. Rice contributed the most to food availability among cereals (56 kcal in 1983 to 304 kcal in 2013), replacing maise as the primary cereal. Conclusion: After the 1983 famine, there were significant increases in food availability in Ghana. The provision of rice, sugars and tubers meant to end hunger, changed dietary patterns and has resulted in low dietary diversity, high energy intake and overweight/obesity. Therefore, there is a need to intervene and increase the availability of other food groups.

Development of the Choices 5-Level Criteria to Support Multiple Food System Actions

In 2008, the Choices International Foundation developed its logo criteria, identifying best-in-class food products. More advanced, global and graded nutrient profiling systems (NPSs) are needed to substantiate different national nutrition policies. The objective of this work was to extend Choices NPS to identify five levels of the healthiness of food products, so that the Choices NPS can also be used to support other nutrition policies, next to front-of-pack labelling. Based on the same principles as the previous logo criteria, four sets of threshold criteria were determined using a combination of compliance levels, calculated from a large international food group-specific database, the Choices logo criteria, and WHO-NPSs developed to restrict marketing to children. Validation consisted of a comparison with indicator foods from food-based dietary guidelines from various countries. Some thresholds were adjusted after the validation, e.g., because intermediate thresholds were too lenient. This resulted in a new international NPS that can be applied to different contexts and to support a variety of health policies, to prevent both undernutrition and obesity. It can efficiently evaluate mixed food products and represents a flexible tool, applicable in various settings and populations.

Heterogeneity in Meat Food Groups Can Meaningfully Alter Population-Level Intake Estimates of Red Meat and Poultry

Heterogeneity in meat food groups hinders interpretation of research regarding meat intake and chronic disease risk. Our objective was to investigate how heterogeneity in red meat (RM) and poultry food groups influences US population intake estimates. Based on a prior systematic review, we created an ontology of methods used to estimate RM [1= unprocessed RM; 2 (reference)= unprocessed RM + processed RM; 3= unprocessed RM + processed RM + processed poultry; and 4=unprocessed RM + processed RM + processed poultry + chicken patties/nuggets/tenders (PNT)] and three for poultry [A=unprocessed poultry; B= unprocessed poultry + PNT; C (reference)= unprocessed poultry + processed poultry + PNT). We applied methods to 2015–18 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data to estimate RM and poultry intake prevalence and amount. We estimated and compared intakes within RM and within poultry methods via the NCI Method for individuals ≥2 years old (n = 15,038), adjusted for age, sex, and race/Hispanic origin. We compared the population percentage that exceeded age- and sex-specific RM and poultry allotments from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended eating patterns. The percent that consumed RM ranged from 47 ± 1.2% to 75 ± 0.8% across methods and mean amount ranged from 10.5 ± 0.28 to 18.2 ± 0.35 lean oz-equivalents/week; 38 ± 1.2% to 71 ± 0.7% and 9.8 ± 0.35 to 13.3 ± 0.35 lean oz-equivalents/week across poultry methods. Estimates for higher, but not lower, intake percentiles differed across RM methods. Compared to the reference, Method 1 was ≥3.0 oz-equivalents/week lower from 20th-70th percentiles, ≥6.0 oz-equivalents/week lower from 75th-90th percentiles, and ≥9.0 oz-equivalents/week lower for the 95th percentile. Method 4, but not Method 3, was ≥3.0 oz-equivalents/week higher than the reference from 50 to 95th percentiles. The population percentage that exceeded allotments was 27 ± 1.8% lower for Method 1, 9 ± 0.8% higher for Method 3, and 14 ± 0.9% higher for Method 4 compared to the reference. Differences were less pronounced for poultry. Our analysis quantifies the magnitude of bias introduced by heterogeneous meat food group methodology. Explicit descriptions of meat food groups are important for development of dietary recommendations to ensure that research studies are compared appropriately.