Abstract
Dietary recommendations (DR) in the USA may be inadequate at improving diets in racial/ethnic minority communities and may require redesign of the systems driving their development over the long term. Meanwhile, cultural adaptation of evidence-based DR may be an important strategy for mitigating nutrition disparities, but less is known about the adaptability of these recommendations to meet the needs of diverse groups. We examined the content and origin of major DRs - aspects that provide context on their potential universality across populations and evaluated their potential for cultural adaptation. Case studies of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), the Mediterranean diet (MD), the EAT-Lancet diet (EAT) and the NOVA classification system. United States. Racial/ethnic minority populations. Current DR differ in their origin/evolution but are similar in their reductionist emphasis on physical health. DASH has been successfully adapted for some cultures but may be challenged by the need for intensive resources; MD may be more beneficial if applied as part of a broader set of food procurement/preparation practices than as just diet alone; EAT-Lancet adaptation may not honor existing country-specific practices that are already beneficial to human and environmental health (e.g. traditional/plant-based diets); evidence for cultural adaptation is limited with NOVA, but classification of levels of food processing has potential for widespread application. For DR to equitably support diverse populations, they must move beyond a Eurocentric or 'general population' framing, be more inclusive of cultural differences and honour social practices to improve diet and reduce disparities.
Highlights
Dietary recommendations (DR) – aspects that provide context on their potential universality across populations and evaluated their potential for cultural adaptation
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) has been successfully adapted for some cultures but may be challenged by the need for intensive resources; Mediterranean diet (MD) may be more beneficial if applied as part of a broader set of food procurement/preparation practices than as just diet alone; EAT-Lancet diet (EAT)-Lancet adaptation may not honor existing countryspecific practices that are already beneficial to human and environmental health; evidence for cultural adaptation is limited with NOVA, but classification of levels of food processing has potential for widespread
Adherence to dietary recommendations (DR) remains a challenge for the majority of Americans for a number of reasons including taste preferences, limitations in nutrition education or food preparation knowledge, or most importantly, the systemic barriers leading to inequitable access to healthy food
Summary
DRs – aspects that provide context on their potential universality across populations and evaluated their potential for cultural adaptation. DASH has been successfully adapted for some cultures but may be challenged by the need for intensive resources; MD may be more beneficial if applied as part of a broader set of food procurement/preparation practices than as just diet alone; EAT-Lancet adaptation may not honor existing countryspecific practices that are already beneficial to human and environmental health (e.g. traditional/plant-based diets); evidence for cultural adaptation is limited with NOVA, but classification of levels of food processing has potential for widespread
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.