Consumption Of Animal-based Foods Research Articles

Chinese consumers’ lived experiences of flexitarianism

PurposeThis was an explorative study, the purpose of which was to understand how Chinese flexitarians were motivated to reduce their animal-based food consumption and specifically to explore why and what was behind these changes. Further, this study provides insights into how a transition towards a more plant-based diet might occur.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted 30 in-depth online interviews with Chinese flexitarians from two major Chinese cities. Interview transcripts were analysed through the lens of the Food Choice Process Model.FindingsParticipants adopted flexitarian diets due to health (n = 22), sustainability (n = 5) or ethical (n = 3) concerns. Many participants stated that they still enjoyed animal-sourced foods, were uncomfortable talking about their dietary transition and needed more social support. Consequently, most participants were unlikely to progress to vegetarian or vegan diets. While there are some commonalities between these findings and the results of similar studies with Western consumers, the many culturally and context-specific results revealed herein make an important contribution to the sustainability literature.Originality/valueThis is the first study exploring Chinese consumers’ flexitarianism experiences. These findings can be used by the food industry and interested business actors to improve communication and promotional strategies that encourage consumers to make healthier and more sustainable food choices.

Analysis of animal-based food consumption of farmer households in Girisubo Sub-district, Gunungkidul Regency

Abstract Food is one the basic necesssities that people must meet. One of the important needs for health is a source of protein. Sources of protein that are often consumed are fish, meat, eggs, and milk. The aim of this study was to identify the reasons that impact the amount of animal-based food consumed by households who engage in farming activities Girisubo Sub-district, Gunungkidul Regency. This study belongs to descriptive research. The research location was determined using the purposive method. The data samples include 100 respondents. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results showed that the average consumption of animal-based food of farmer households in Girisubo Sub-district, Gunungkidul Regency, was 1.31 kg/month of broiler chicken meat, 1.40 kg/month of broiler chicken eggs, and 1.54 kg/month of tuna. The education level and broiler chicken egg price have a positive effect on the consumption of broiler chicken meat, while cooking oil has a negative effect. The consumption of broiler chicken eggs is influenced by income and cooking oil price. Meanwhile, the factors affecting tuna consumption are income, egg price, tuna price, and cooking oil price. Income elasticity shows that broiler chicken eggs and tuna are categorized as normal goods. The price elasticity explains that tuna consumption is elastic. The cross-price elasticity indicates that broiler chicken eggs are substitute goods for broiler chicken meat and tuna while cooking oil is a complementary goods for broiler chicken meat, broiler chicken eggs, and tuna.

Carbon emissions changes of animal husbandry in China: Trends, attributions, and solutions: A spatial shift-share analysis

China is a major livestock producer confronting the dual challenges of rising demand for animal-based food consumption and decreasing carbon emissions. To effectively address these issues, it is crucial to understand the trends of carbon emissions from animal husbandry and the competitive advantages of carbon emission reduction in different regions. This study uses panel data from 31 provinces from 2004 to 2020 to investigate the contributing factors to carbon emissions and explore ways to reduce carbon intensity in animal husbandry. The analysis employs spatial shift-share analysis and the spatial Durbin model. Our findings indicate that life-cycle carbon emissions associated with animal husbandry in China decreased from 572.411 Mt CO2eq to 520.413 Mt CO2eq over time, with an average annual decline of 0.568 %. The annual contribution of output value and internal industry-mix adjustment to carbon emission growth is 22.639 MT CO2eq and 6.226 MT CO2eq, respectively. On the other hand, the annual contribution of carbon efficiency improvement to carbon emission reduction is much higher, at 36.316 MT CO2eq. However, there is significant regional heterogeneity in the spatial decomposition of the carbon efficiency change component. The Northeastern region, Northwest and along the Great Wall demonstrate neighborhood advantages in enhancing carbon efficiency. In contrast, the South China and Southwest regions rely more on local carbon efficiency advantages to reduce the carbon intensity of animal husbandry. Furthermore, the carbon intensity in local and neighboring areas can be reduced through environmental regulations and industrial agglomeration. While technical progress significantly negatively impacts carbon intensity in neighboring regions, it does not contribute to reducing the carbon intensity of local animal husbandry. The findings provide valuable insights for local governments, aiding them in recognizing the pros and cons of carbon reduction in animal husbandry and strengthening regional cooperation in emission reduction management.

Agri-food evolution and carbon emissions in Chinese residential consumption: A life cycle analysis of urban-rural disparities and socioeconomic influences

At present, residential food consumption is not only the main driver of global energy expenditure but also a crucial factor shaping the development of the agri-food system. It is guided by the macro-food paradigm and serves as a cornerstone for ensuring comprehensive food security. This study examines both direct and indirect carbon emissions stemming from urban and rural food consumption in China between 2000 and 2021, employing a life cycle perspective. The research also delves into the associated factors influencing these emissions. Through the utilization of the LMDI (Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index) decomposition method, the study estimates the contributory significance of total carbon emissions attributed to residents' food consumption. Furthermore, the investigation undertakes an in-depth analysis of the disparities in the compositional makeup of food consumption among urban and rural populations, along with an exploration of the pertinent driving forces behind these distinctions. The study's outcomes indicate that, overall, there is a reduction in per capita direct carbon emissions, accompanied by a corresponding rise in per capita indirect carbon emissions. Relative to the index of plant-based food consumption, both the carbon emissions associated with, and the proportion of animal-based food consumption exhibited an ascending trend. The carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions stemming from the dietary patterns of urban inhabitants notably surpass those attributed to their rural counterparts, with a discernible and widening disparity between the two cohorts. Within the context of the life cycle analysis, consumption and production serve as pivotal components of the intricate network of indirect carbon emissions. Notably, the proportion of carbon emissions attributed to urban residents surpasses that of their rural counterparts in both the domains of food production and the subsequent phases of processing and transportation. Owing to the irrational configuration of cooking energy utilization among rural inhabitants, direct carbon emissions within the food consumption continuum, as well as carbon emissions derived from cooking energy usage, surpass corresponding metrics among urban dwellers. This discrepancy can be attributed to the unsystematic nature of the cooking energy framework prevalent in rural contexts. Population growth, per capita food consumption and changes in the structure of food consumption are important factors driving the growth of total food carbon emissions. Within this context, an augmentation in the intake of vegetables, alongside desiccated fruits, and vegetables, exhibits the potential to notably curtail carbon emissions emanating from the dietary practices of rural denizens. Similarly, an elevation in egg consumption emerges as a key determinant in substantially mitigating the carbon emissions stemming from the dietary patterns observed among urban inhabitants. The carbon emissions originating from both animal-based and plant-based food consumption among urban and rural populations are substantially influenced by the intricate interplay of factors such as the demographic composition and the per capita disposable income within both these strata of society.

11.A. Workshop: Risk-benefit Assessment of Foods and Diets for a Sustainable Future

Abstract Dietary risk factors are the most important contributors to burden of disease globally, including in European countries. Concurrently, the pressure that food systems have on the environment has amplified over time, largely driven by the increased demand for food, increased consumption of animal-based foods, and the intensification of agriculture and production systems. Shifts towards healthier and sustainable diets are needed to protect the health of populations and the environment. To define and implement public health policies that motivate these shifts, decision-makers need evidence on the overall impacts of such changes on the health of citizens, and on all aspects of sustainability: environment, socioeconomics, and culture of populations. Recent years have seen an increase in research and data to assess those impacts. Risk-Benefit Assessment (RBA) has emerged as a decision-support tool that considers both negative and positive health impacts of food consumption scenarios in a common health metric, considering both nutritional risks and benefits, and microbiological and toxicological risks. Multi-national European Projects, as well as research efforts by academic and public health authorities in different countries have contributed to important methodological developments, implementation of case studies, and raising awareness of the utility of risk-benefit outputs to inform public health policy. However, transforming food systems for combined health and sustainability benefits requires an assessment of integrated impacts that also takes a more holistic food-systems approach. Such an assessment needs to be able to integrate the impacts of diets and dietary shifts on health and the environment, while also considering social, culture and economic implications of dietary changes. Furthermore, the communication of findings from such assessments to policymakers and the public needs careful consideration. Thus, an extended interdisciplinary approach is warranted. This workshop consists of four presentations. In the first, we present an overview of RBA methodologies, case studies, and ongoing research efforts. Next, we present an example of development of methods to measure the integrated impacts of food systems and dietary shifts in terms of health and sustainability indicators, and of the steps that can be taken to increase the uptake of such methods for policymaking. The third presentation discusses the challenges and opportunities in communicating results from RBAs to different stakeholders, including policymakers and citizens. Lastly, we present current interests and call for actions on RBAs to provide evidence for policy through the lens of the World Health Organization. The workshop will end with ample time for discussions on current approaches and opportunities for methodological developments, challenges, possible solutions and potential for collaborations to increase implementation and utility of RBA of foods and diets globally. Key messages • Risk-benefit assessments of foods and diets offer an approach to assess the impacts of current and future dietary patterns on the health of populations and the planet. • Research, stakeholder involvement and international collaboration are key to promote knowledge translation and support international activities within risk-benefit assessment.

Generational Differences in Food Consumption among Chinese Adults of Different Ages.

Limited knowledge currently exists regarding the dynamics of generational shifts in food consumption among adult residents in China. This study aimed to investigate the generational differences in dietary status among different generations of Chinese adult residents aged 20 years and older. Survey participants from four waves (1991, 2000, 2009, and 2018) of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) cohort were included in the study (N = 40,704), providing three-day 24 h dietary data. Participants were categorized into six age groups (20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and ≥70 years old), each corresponding to specific generations (Gen 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90) based on their age at the time of the survey. This study examined generational differences in the intake of cereals, animal-based foods, vegetables, fruits, dairy, energy, and the contribution of macronutrients to energy using chi-square tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests. All analyses were stratified by gender. Our findings revealed that younger generations exhibited lower daily intake of cereals, vegetables, energy, and contribution of carbohydrates to energy, compared to their older counterparts, regardless of gender. Conversely, regardless of male or female, younger generations showed higher daily consumption of animal-based foods, average fruit and dairy intake, fruit and dairy consumption rates, as well as contributions of protein and fat to energy, compared to older generations. The magnitude of generational differences in food consumption varied by age and gender. In addition, cereal and vegetable intake, energy intake, and contribution of carbohydrates to energy declined with age across all generations, while average dairy intake, fruit and dairy consumption rates, and the contribution of fat to energy tended to increase, regardless of gender. In conclusion, generational differences in food consumption were evident among different generations of Chinese adult residents, characterized by an increase in animal-based food intake and the contribution of fat to energy among generations. Attention should be directed towards addressing the eating behavior of younger generations.

Plant-based dietary patterns and the risk of dementia: a population-based study.

Plant-based dietary patterns are increasingly popular in western countries and are supported by many governments and health organisations for their potential beneficial role in the prevention of chronic diseases. Yet, the potential role of plant-based dietary patterns in the development of dementia remains unclear. To evaluate the association between plant-based dietary patterns and the risk of dementia. Dietary intake was measured at baseline in 9,543 dementia-free participants (mean age 64years, birth years 1897-1960, 58% women) of the prospective population-based Rotterdam Study, using food frequency questionnaires. Based on these questionnaires, we calculated an overall plant-based dietary index (PDI), healthy PDI (hPDI) and unhealthy PDI (uPDI), with higher scores reflecting higher consumption of (any, healthy and unhealthy, respectively) plant-based foods and lower consumption of animal-based foods. We analysed the association of the PDIs with incident dementia using Cox proportional hazard models. During a mean follow-up of 14.5years, 1,472 participants developed dementia. Overall, the PDIs were not associated with the risk of dementia (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] per 10-point increase: 0.99 [0.91-1.08] for PDI, 0.93 [0.86-1.01] for hPDI, 1.02 [0.94-1.10] for uPDI). However, among men and APOE ε4 carriers, a higher hPDI was linearly associated with a lower risk of dementia (0.86 [0.75-0.99] and 0.83 [0.73-0.95], respectively), while this association was U-shaped among APOE ε4 non-carriers (P value for non-linearity = 0.01). We found no strong evidence for an overall association between plant-based eating and the risk of dementia. Our findings in stratified analyses warranted further investigation.

Vegans, vegetarians, fish-eaters and meat-eaters in the UK show discrepant environmental impacts

Modelled dietary scenarios often fail to reflect true dietary practice and do not account for variation in the environmental burden of food due to sourcing and production methods. Here we link dietary data from a sample of 55,504 vegans, vegetarians, fish-eaters and meat-eaters with food-level data on greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water use, eutrophication risk and potential biodiversity loss from a review of 570 life-cycle assessments covering more than 38,000 farms in 119 countries. Our results include the variation in food production and sourcing that is observed in the review of life-cycle assessments. All environmental indicators showed a positive association with amounts of animal-based food consumed. Dietary impacts of vegans were 25.1% (95% uncertainty interval, 15.1–37.0%) of high meat-eaters (≥100 g total meat consumed per day) for greenhouse gas emissions, 25.1% (7.1–44.5%) for land use, 46.4% (21.0–81.0%) for water use, 27.0% (19.4–40.4%) for eutrophication and 34.3% (12.0–65.3%) for biodiversity. At least 30% differences were found between low and high meat-eaters for most indicators. Despite substantial variation due to where and how food is produced, the relationship between environmental impact and animal-based food consumption is clear and should prompt the reduction of the latter.

Rebalancing meat and legume consumption: change-inducing food choice motives and associated individual characteristics in non-vegetarian adults

BackgroundA shift toward more plant-based foods in diets is required to improve health and to reduce environmental impact. Little is known about food choice motives and associated characteristics of those individuals who have actually reduced their consumption of animal-based foods. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify change-inducing motives related to meat and legume consumptions among non-vegetarians. The association between change-inducing motives and individual characteristics was also studied.MethodsThis study included 25,393 non-vegetarian participants in the French NutriNet-Santé cohort (77.4% women, mean age 55.4 ± 13.9 y.). The motives related to the declared change in meat and legume consumptions (e.g., taste, environment, social pressure) were assessed by an online questionnaire in 2018. For each motive, respondents could be classified into three groups: no motive; motive, not change-inducing; change-inducing motive. Associations between change-inducing motives and individual characteristics were evaluated using multivariable polytomic logistic regressions. Characteristics of participants who rebalanced their meat and legume consumptions were also compared to those who reduced their meat but did not increase their legume consumption.ResultsMotives most strongly declared as having induced a change in meat or legume consumptions were health and nutrition (respectively 90.7 and 81.0% declared these motives as change-inducing for the meat reduction), physical environment (82.0% for meat reduction only) and taste preferences (77.7% for legume increase only). Other motives related to social influences, meat avoidance and meat dislike were reported by fewer individuals, but were declared as having induced changes in food consumption. Most motives that induced a meat reduction and a legume increase were more likely to be associated with specific individual characteristics, for example being a woman or highly educated for health motives.ConclusionsBesides the motives reported as important, some motives less frequently felt important were declared as having induced changes in meat or legume consumptions. Change-inducing motives were reported by specific subpopulations. Public campaigns on health and sustainability could usefully develop new tools to reach populations less willing to change.Trial registrationsThe study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03335644).

Analysis of Food Consumption and Its Characteristics in Uzbekistan Based on the Emergy Method

Food resources play a great role in human livelihood, so it is meaningful to investigate their utilization and structural evolution, especially in developing countries. This study takes data from FAOSTAT and the World Bank, and applies the emergy method to analyze Uzbek food consumption changes and characteristics from 1992 to 2019. Two main results were obtained: (1) National food consumption showed a persistent increase and had a remarkable change in stages, with the first stage of low-level repetition, the second stage of speeding up and the third stage of high development. The increase of animal-based food consumption was more notable than that of plant-based food consumption. (2) Per capita annual food consumption had a tendency of change that was similar to that of national food consumption. The proportion of animal-based food in the total per capita annual food consumption usually remained about 2-fold higher than that of plant-based food consumption. The main food consumption pattern was the combination of crops such as wheat and rice with meat such as beef. The fruit and vegetable consumption also increased. With the growing population, various changes in food demand will inevitably happen, so it is necessary to take sustainable measures in time to satisfy the new demand and to protect resources and the environment.

Potential benefits of tanniferous forages in integrative crop-livestock agroecosystems

Integrating livestock into cropping systems may enhance ecosystem services while still providing efficient food production. Including tanniferous forages in crop-livestock systems could further enhance ecosystem services. Interest in phytochemicals, such as tannins, has increased over the past several decades, and research continues to reveal the potential benefits of tannins in agricultural systems. However, research evaluating the influence of tanniferous forages in integrative crop-livestock systems is limited. We discuss how tannins influence soil microbial dynamics and nutrient cycling, the function of tannins in forages, and the role tannins have in improving the health of foraging animals. We speculate on potential advantages for human health from consumption of animal-based foods from animals that consumed tanniferous forages or supplemental plant materials. Expanding our knowledge and integration of phytochemicals in muti-faceted agroecosystem research and utilizing their influence in agriculture system dynamics may be an effective tool to enhance agroecological sustainability.

A Comparative Analysis of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives Part 1: Composition, Sensory, and Nutritional Value

Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in reducing the consumption of animal-based foods for health, sustainability, and ethical reasons. The food industry is developing products from plant-based ingredients that mimic animal-based foods’ nutritional and sensory characteristics. In this study, the focus is on plant-based milk alternatives (PBMAs). A potential problem with plant-based diets is the deficiency of important micronutrients, such as vitamin B12, B2, and calcium. Therefore, an analysis of micronutrients in PBMAs was conducted to assess their nutritional value. The second main focus was on the sensory description of the PBMAs, done by a trained panel, and instrumental assessment to characterize the sensory attributes. Almond drinks met the daily micronutrient requirements the least, while soy drinks came closest to cow’s milk in macro- and micronutrients. The experimentally determined electronic tongue and volatile compound results confirmed the sensory panel’s evaluations and could therefore be used as a method for easy and effective assessments of PBMAs. The PBMAs evaluated in this study could not completely replace cow’s milk’s nutritional and sensory properties. They are products in their own product group and must be evaluated accordingly. Given the variety of products, consumers should experiment and make their decisions regarding the substitution of cow’s milk.

A sea change

A sea change

Ultra-processed food intake and animal-based food intake and mortality in the Adventist Health Study-2

Both ultra-processed foods and animal-derived foods have been associated with mortality in some studies. We aimed to examine the association of 2 dietary factors (ultra-processed foods and animal-based foods), adjusted for each other, with all-cause mortality. The setting is an observational prospective cohort study in North America, recruited from Seventh-day Adventist churches, comprised of 95,597 men and women, yielding an analytic sample of 77,437 participants after exclusions. The exposure of interest was diet measured by FFQ, in particular 2 dietary factors: 1) proportion of dietary energy from ultra-processed foods (other processing levels and specific substitutions in some models) and 2) proportion of dietary energy from animal-based foods (red meat, poultry, fish, and eggs/dairy separately in some models). The main outcome was all-cause mortality. Mortality data through 2015 were obtained from the National Death Index. Analyses used proportional hazards regression. There were 9293 deaths. In mutually adjusted continuous linear models of both dietary factors (ultra-processed and animal-based foods), the HR for the 90th compared with the 10th percentile of the proportion of dietary energy from ultra-processed food was 1.14 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.21, comparing 47.7% with 12.1% dietary energy), whereas for animal-based food intake (meats, dairy, eggs) it was 1.01 (95% CI: 0.95, 1.07, comparing 25.0% with 0.4% dietary energy). There was no evidence of interaction (P=0.36). Among animal-based foods, only red meat intake was associated with mortality (HR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.22, comparing 6.2% with 0% dietary energy). Greater consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with higher all-cause mortality in this health-conscious Adventist population with many vegetarians. The total of animal-based food consumption (meat, dairy, eggs) was not associated with mortality, but higher red meat intake was. These findings suggest that high consumption of ultra-processed foods may be an important indicator of mortality.

Animal-based food choice and associations with long-term weight maintenance and metabolic health after a large and rapid weight loss: The PREVIEW study

Low-energy diet replacement is an effective tool to induce large and rapid weight loss and improve metabolic health, but in the long-term individuals often experience significant weight regain. Little is known about the role of animal-based foods in weight maintenance and metabolic health. We aimed to examine longitudinal associations of animal-based foods with weight maintenance and glycaemic and cardiometabolic risk factors. We also modelled replacement of processed meat with other high-protein foods. In this secondary analysis, longitudinal data were analysed from 688 adults (26-70 years) with overweight and prediabetes after 8-week low-energy diet-induced weight loss (≥8% of initial body weight) in a 3-year, multi-centre, diabetes prevention study (PREVIEW). Animal-based food consumption, including unprocessed red meat, processed red meat, poultry, dairy products, fish and seafood, and eggs, was repeatedly assessed using 4-day food records. Multi-adjusted linear mixed models and isoenergetic substitution models were used to examine the potential associations. The available-case analysis showed that each 10-g increment in processed meat, but not total meat, unprocessed red meat, poultry, dairy products, or eggs, was positively associated with weight regain (0.17kg⋅year-1, 95% CI 0.10, 0.25, P<0.001) and increments in waist circumference, HbA1c, and triacylglycerols. The associations of processed meat with HbA1c or triacylglycerols disappeared when adjusted for weight change. Fish and seafood consumption was inversely associated with triacylglycerols and triacylglycerol-glucose index, independent of weight change. Modelled replacement of processed meat with isoenergetic (250-300kJ·day-1 or 60-72kcal·day-1) dairy, poultry, fish and seafood, grains, or nuts was associated with-0.59 (95% CI -0.77,-0.41),-0.66 (95% CI -0.93,-0.40),-0.58 (95% CI -0.88,-0.27), and-0.69 (95% CI -0.96,-0.41) kg·year-1 of weight regain, respectively (all P<0.001) and significant improvements in HbA1c, and triacylglycerols. Higher intake of processed meat, but not total or unprocessed red meat, poultry, dairy products, or eggs may be associated with greater weight regain and more adverse glycaemic and cardiometabolic risk factors. Replacing processed meat with a wide variety of high-protein foods, including unprocessed red meat, poultry, dairy products, fish, eggs, grains, and nuts, could improve weight maintenance and metabolic health after rapid weight loss. This study was registered as ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01777893.

Animal product consumption habits of university students: Suluova Vocational School

The aim of this study is to determine the animal product consumption habits of associate degree students at Amasya University Suluova Vocational School. For this purpose, a face-to-face survey was conducted with a total of 285 students, which 159 students from the Veterinary Department and 126 students from the Property Protection and Security Department, between January and March 2020. When the opinions of the students about the food groups were evaluated, it was observed that 71.2% of them thought that the animal-based foods were healthier and 94.7% thought that the products of animal origin had a better protein quality. Furthermore, it was determined that the majority of the students (42.5%) were consuming foods of animal origin because they were healthy. When the animal-based food consumption frequency of the participants was examined, it was seen that those who consumed cheese (37.9%) and eggs (31.2%) every day were in the majority. While most of the participants consumed yoghurt (25.8%), ayran (26.4%), chicken meat (26.3%) and sausage (28.4%) 1-2 times a week, it was found that consumption of beef-veal (30.2%), lamb-mutton (39.6%), fish (48.8%), salami (21.4%) and sausage (29.5%) was rare. Moreover, 25.8% of the participants did not consume butter, 72.3% did not consume turkey meat and 51.9% did not consume pastrami at all. It was found that the majority of university students did not consider any of the criteria of taste, price, brand, quality, hygiene, ease of preparation, smell-color and personal health when buying red and white meat. Finally, when the participants were examined in terms of their milk consumption preferences, it was seen that the majority (47.4%) preferred street milk.

The potential impact of the ketogenic diet on gut microbiota in the context of neurological disorders

Abstract One of the most important functional parts of a human intestinal tract is the microscopic intestinal barrier. Its function is to ensure the correct nutrient absorption and to protect against multiple pathogens, xenobiotics, and environmental toxins. Intestinal microbiota is an integral part of the intestinal epithelium. Human microbiota and their host interact with each other, both directly and indirectly, via multiple intermediates and metabolites. Some dietary fat that is not fully digested reaches the distal parts of the intestinal tract, where an interaction with gut microbiota takes place. Studies have shown that an animal-product based diet that provides a greater supply of saturated fat increases the number of bile-resistant microorganisms, including Bilophila. The total amount of Alistipes and Bacteroides is also increased. Long-term consumption of animal-based foods contributes to the formation of the enterotype described as the Bacteroides type. The ketogenic diet is mainly based on animal fats. The changes induced by this higher consumption of animal fats are associated with unfavorable metabolic changes. However, more and more research has shown evidence of the therapeutic properties of a ketogenic diet as far as neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases are concerned. Recent reports suggest that the protective effect of a ketogenic diet is highly dependent on the gut microbiota. This review focuses on the correlation between the influence of ketogenic diet on the intestinal microbiota changes observed while analyzing patients with diseases such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorder, and multiple sclerosis.

Urban Metabolism of Food-Sourced Nitrogen among Different Income Households: A Case Study Based on Large Sample Survey in Xiamen City, China.

Food consumption is fundamental for urban households if they are to sustain production and daily life. Nitrogen resulting from food consumption has significantly contributed to pollutant emissions in urban ecosystems. Taking Xiamen city, a rapid urbanizing area of southeast China as a case study, we evaluated the food-sourced nitrogen consumption of households based on a large simple onsite questionnaire survey, as well as differences between households in the consumption of plant-based and animal-based foods. A material flow analysis (MFA) was conducted to simulate the urban metabolism of food-sourced nitrogen and environmental emissions among different income groups. The impacts of household attributes, plant-based food consumption, and animal-based food consumption on environmental nitrogen emissions were examined with a structural equation model (SEM). Our results show that the surveyed households’ diets were more plant-based and less animal-based. Aquatic products and livestock were the source of 43.7% of food-sourced nitrogen, and 84.5% of the food-sourced nitrogen was discharge into the environment through direct discharge and waste treatment. Soil, water, and air emissions accounted for 62.8%, 30.1%, and 7.1% of the food-sourced nitrogen, respectively. Household income, household size, and household area are all associated with accelerating increases of nitrogen emissions released into the environment, though middle-income group households have the highest food-sourced environmental nitrogen emissions. On this basis, we discuss how to better manage the urban metabolism of food-sourced nitrogen, so as to improve urban household consumption, lower nitrogen emissions, and improve food security.

Building a Culture of Quiescence: The Framing of Animal-based Foods in Children’s Fiction Movies

ABSTRACT This study engages framing theory to examine how movies represent animal-based foods such that children are socialized into eating them without question. Using a content analysis of top-grossing children’s fiction films released between 1999 and 2019, this paper explores how the consumption of animal-based foods is normalized both by the frequency of their appearance and by the ways in which they are discursively constructed. Findings reveal a statistically significant bias in favor of promoting animal-based foods as compared to USDA guidelines; and a qualitative review of food meanings: (1) associates animal product consumption with wealth, success and celebration; (2) links animal foods to Western dietary norms; and (3) normalizes this consumption by featuring animal-based foods as a backdrop to everyday life. Conclusions suggest that media framing contributes to the conveyance of food consumption norms that may have the potential to impact both short- and long-term eating behavior.

Association between the socio-economic status of households and a more sustainable diet.

A sustainable diet is an affordable diet with low environmental impact, high food security and sufficient healthiness. The present study aimed to assess the correlation between the socio-economic status of households and a sustainable diet. The food basket and socio-economic data of Iranian households were evaluated during 2016-2018. The households were classified based on the sustainability of their diet by determining the dietary carbon footprint, dietary water footprint, lower dietary costs of the household than the median and a higher dietary quality index than the median. Logistic regression was used with four models to calculate the OR of a more sustainable diet as the dependent variable regarding the different quartiles of socio-economic status (SES) as the independent variable. Iran. Iranian households (n 102 303), nationally representative, were studied. Lower SES was associated with the higher OR of a sustainable diet (OR: 0·90; (95 % CI 0·87, 0·91)). Higher quartiles of SES compared with the lower SES group indicated the higher energy intake and consumption of more dairies, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts and fruits, as well as the lower intake of bread, cereal, rice and pasta. In countries such as Iran, where nutrition transition occurs rapidly, better economic and social levels in the populations with a higher SES are associated with increased energy intake and higher consumption of animal-based foods, which decreases sustainable diets compared with the groups with a lower SES.