Mass media nutrition information sources and associations with fruit and vegetable consumption among adolescents

Abstract Objective The objective of the present study was to examine associations between exposure to nutrition information as covered in mass media and daily fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among adolescents. Design Cross-sectional nutrition survey. Setting Vocational schools in Vienna, Austria. Subjects A sample of 2949 ethnically diverse adolescents with mean age 17·3 (sd 1·7) years. An FFQ was used to assess usual FV consumption. Data on mass media exposure and sociodemographic characteristics were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to control for potentially confounding variables. Results Adolescents who reported exposure to nutrition information provided by booklets, the Internet or newspaper articles were more likely to eat FV daily. For example, the OR for daily fruit consumption (ORfru) was 1·6 (P < 0·001) when exposure to the Internet was reported after adjustment for age, gender, ethnicity, BMI and salary. No such associations were found for radio, television and magazines as sources of nutrition information. A negative impact on daily FV consumption was found for exposure to radio commercials (ORfru = 0·74, P = 0·04 and ORveg = 0·67, P = 0·03). Exposure to TV commercials had a negative impact on vegetable consumption (ORveg = 0·81, P = 0·05). Conclusions Newspaper articles, the Internet and booklets as a source of nutrition information are positively associated with daily FV consumption among adolescents, whereas radio commercials have a negative impact. Dissemination of ‘healthy eating' slogans should make use of print media and the Interne

Long-term strict raw food diet is associated with favourable plasma b-carotene and low plasma lycopene concentrations in Germans

Dietary carotenoids are associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases. Raw food diets are predominantly plant-based diets that are practised with the intention of preventing chronic diseases by virtue of their high content of beneficial nutritive substances such as carotenoids. However, the benefit of a long-term adherence to these diets is controversial since little is known about their adequacy. Therefore, we investigated vitamin A and carotenoid status and related food sources in raw food diet adherents in Germany. Dietary vitamin A, carotenoid intake, plasma retinol and plasma carotenoids were determined in 198 (ninety-two male and 106 female) strict raw food diet adherents in a cross-sectional study. Raw food diet adherents consumed on average 95 weight% of their total food intake as raw food (approximately 1800 g/d), mainly fruits. Raw food diet adherents had an intake of 1301 retinol activity equivalents/d and 16·7 mg/d carotenoids. Plasma vitamin A status was normal in 82% of the subjects ($1·05mmol/l) and 63$0·88 mmol/l). In 77% of subjects the lycopene status was below the reference values for average healthy populations (,0·45mmol/l). Fat contained in fruits, vegetables and nuts and oil consumption was a significant dietary determinant of plasma carotenoid concentrations (b-carotene r 0·284; P,0·05; lycopene r 0·168; P¼0·024). Long-term raw food diet adherents showed normal vitamin A status and achieve favourable plasma b-carotene concentrations as recommended for chronic disease prevention, but showed low plasma lycopene levels. Plasma carotenoids in raw food adherents are predicted mainly by fat intake

The need for an online collection of traditional african food habits

Amongst the difficulties facing the indigenous people of Africa today is the deleterious shift from traditional food habits to the processed and packaged food products of western-owned corporations. This nutrition transition has been implicated in the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) throughout Africa. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine whether there is a current need to document traditional African food habits via an online collection in an attempt to stimulate further research in this area and potentially improve the health status of indigenous Africans threatened by the nutrition transition. A systematic  search was performed to assess possible gaps in online collections focused on traditional African food habits. A questionnaire was administered to opinion leaders in the nutritional sciences at the 18th International Congress of Nutrition (ICN) in Durban, South Africa, September 2005, to determine the level of awareness of the importance of traditional African food habits within the context of the nutrition transition, and to determine the support among this cohort for an online collection of traditional African food habits. Our systematic review resulted in nine collections being identified. None of these collections were specifically  designed to raise  awareness of traditional African food habits however. Findings from the survey revealed that 86% of our cohort agreed that Africa is currently undergoing a  nutrition transition. Nearly 80% believed that knowledge of traditional African food habits is being lost. Indigenous African interviewees noted reduced consumption of sorghum and millet and an increased   consumption of wheat and rice within their region of origin. Approximately 82% believed that there was currently a gap in online collections focused on presenting information on traditional African food habits. Ninety-two percent of the cohort indicated their preparedness to make use of a novel, online collection of data on traditional African food habits. The findings revealed a critical need to collate and present data on traditional African food habits via a novel, online collection that could be used to stimulate education and research of food habits and their health implications, to provide a well-rounded forum in which such information is presented and shared.Key words: Africa, traditional foods, wild species, dietary practices, information networks and database

Efficacy of flour fortification with folic acid in women of childbearing age in Iran

Background: Flour fortification with folic acid is one of the main strategies for improving folate status in women of childbearing age. No interventional trial on the efficacy of folic acid fortification has been conducted so far in Iran. Objectives: To study the effects of flour fortification with folic acid on any reduction in neural tube defects (NTDs) and folate status of women of childbearing age. Methods: In a longitudinal hospital-based study, 13,361 postpartum women were studied after admission for childbirth before and after fortification. In addition, two cross-sectional surveys were conducted before (2006) and after flour fortification (2008). The cluster sampling method was used and 580 women, 15-49 years old, were studied as a representative sample of Golestan province in the north of Iran. Fasting blood samples were collected to measure serum vitamin B 12, folate and plasma homocysteine. Sociodemographic data, health characteristics and dietary intake were determined. Results: The mean daily intakes of folate from natural food before and after flour fortification were 198.3 and 200.8 μg/day, respectively. The total folate intake increased significantly from 198.3 to 413.7 μg/day after fortification (p < 0.001). Folate intake increased by an average of 226 μg/day from fortified bread. The mean serum folate level increased from 13.6 to 18.1 nmol/l; folate deficiency decreased from 14.3 to 2.3% (p < 0.001). The incidence rate of NTDs declined by 31% (p < 0.01) in the post-fortification period (2.19 per 1,000 births; December 2007 to December 2008) compared to the pre-fortification period (3.16 per 1,000 births; September 2006 to July 2007). Conclusions: Implementation of mandatory flour fortification with folic acid can lead to a significant increase in serum folate and a significant decrease in NTDs. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel

Validity of the Food Frequency Questionnaire Assessing the Folate Intake in Women of Reproductive Age Living in a Country without Food Fortification: Application of the Method of Triads

The study aimed to examine the external validity of the Folate Food Frequency Questionnaire (F-FFQ) designed for assessing the folate intake in Serbian women of reproductive age. The F-FFQ was tested against repeated 24 h dietary recalls and correspondent nutritional biomarkers (red blood cells (RBC) and serum folate concentrations) using the method of triads. In a cross sectional study, 503 women aged 18-49 years completed dietary questionnaires and representative validation subsample (n = 50) provided fasting blood samples for biomarker analyses. Correlation coefficients were calculated between each of the dietary methods and three pair-wise correlations were applied for the calculation of validity coefficients. Correlation coefficients observed between F-FFQ and three 24 h recalls were r = 0.56 (p lt 0.001) and r = 0.57 ( p lt 0.001) for total sample and validation group, respectively. Bland-Altman plot and cross-classification analyses indicated good agreement between methods. High validity coefficients were determined between the true intake (I) and dietary assessment methods, F-FFQ (Q) and 24 h dietary recalls (R) (rho QI(rbc) = 0.871 and rho QI(ser) = 0.814; rho RIrbc = 0.652 and rho RIser = 0.698), and moderate ones for biomarkers (B) (rho BIrbc = 0.428 and rho BIser = 0.421). The F-FFQ is valid instrument for the assessment of dietary folate intake in women living in Serbia, a country without mandatory folic acid food fortification

Incorporating macadamia oil and butter to reduce dietary omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake

Aim: Claims have been made that the level of omega-6 fats in the diet is too high and that this cannot be reduced without increasing the saturated fat intake. The aim of this study was to design a diet within the framework of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) which would supply <2% energy (% E) from the omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), linoleic acid, compared with the 4-5% E in the current Australian diet. Methods: Separate seven-day diet plans were designed using FoodWorks (version 2009) for males (10000kJ)/day) and females (8000kJ/day). The reduction in dietary omega-6 PUFA content was achieved by replacing standard plant-based oils and spreads used in cooking and baking (canola and sunflower oils) with macadamia oil and butter, and restricting the intake of some processed foods. All diets complied with the AGHE. Results: We successfully designed diets which complied with the AGHE and which had a linoleic acid (LA) content of 1.80% E and 1.75% E in females and males, respectively. In both cases, the omega-6:omega-3 ratio was reduced to 5.1:1, compared with ∼12:1 in the typical Australian diet, and the saturated fat content was <10% E. Conclusion: These results suggest that reducing the LA content of the diet can be readily achieved within the boundaries set by the AGHE, without an increase in saturated fat intake. © 2013 The Authors Nutrition & Dietetics © 2013 Dietitians Association of Australia.Katie E. Wood, Evangeline Mantzioris, Robert A. Gibson and Beverly S. Muhlhausle

Adult nutrient intakes from current dietary surveys of European populations

The World Health Organisation (WHO) encourages countries to undertake national dietary survey (NDS), but implementation and reporting is inconsistent. This paper provides an up-to-date review of adult macro and micronutrient intakes in European populations as reported by national diet surveys (NDS). It uses WHO Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) to assess intake adequacy and highlight areas of concern. NDS information was gathered primarily by internet searches and contacting survey authors and nutrition experts. Survey characteristics and adult intakes by gender/age group were extracted for selected nutrients and weighted means calculated by region. Of the 53 WHO Europe countries, over a third (n=19), mainly Central & Eastern European countries (CEEC), had no identifiable NDS. Energy and nutrient intakes were extracted for 21 (40%) countries, but differences in age group, methodology, under-reporting and nutrient composition databases hindered inter-country comparisons. No country met more than 39% WHO RNIs in all age/gender groups; macronutrient RNI achievement was poorer than micronutrient. Overall RNI attainment was slightly worse in CEEC, and lower in women and female elderly. Only 40% countries provided adult energy and nutrient intakes. The main gaps lie in CEEC, where unknown nutrient deficiencies may occur. WHO RNI attainment was universally poor for macronutrients, especially for women, the female elderly and CEEC. All countries could be encouraged to report a uniform nutrient set and sub-analyses of nationally representative nutrient intakes