Consumption Of Other Foods Research Articles

Association between legume consumption and the intake of other foods and nutrients in the Finnish adult population.

The role of legumes in healthy and sustainable diets is increasingly of interest. Few studies have investigated the association between legume consumption and the consumption of other food groups and the intake of nutrients. This study examined how legume consumption is associated with the consumption of other foods and the intake of nutrients among Finnish adults. Our study used cross-sectional data from the population-based FinHealth 2017 Study consisting of 2250 men and 2875 women aged ≥18 years. The associations between legume consumption (quartile classification), food groups and nutrients were analysed using multivariable linear regression. The models were initially adjusted for energy intake and additionally for age, educational level, smoking status, leisure-time physical activity and BMI. Legume consumption had a positive association with age, education level and leisure-time physical activity. The consumption of legumes was positively associated with the consumption of fruits and berries, vegetables, nuts and seeds and fish and fish products and inversely associated with the consumption of red and processed meat, cereals and butter and butter-based fat spreads. Furthermore, legume consumption was positively associated with the intake of protein, fibre, folate, thiamine and salt in both sexes and inversely associated with the intake of saturated fatty acids and sucrose (sucrose, women only). Thus, legume consumption appears to reflect overall healthier food choices. An increase in legume consumption could accelerate the transition to more sustainable diets. The confounding role of other foods and nutrients should be considered when studying associations between legume consumption and health outcomes.

Proteins from Plants: Are we ready for Revolution?

protein is the most important and vital part of the meal. Proteins are involved in stimulating the muscle protein synthesis. The quality of food also depends on the physical, chemical and behavioural characteristics of proteins during its processing. Long-term observational research found a link between high total and animal protein consumption and an elevated risk of cancer and diabetes. In line with the findings of observational research, plant protein is primarily liable for this positive impact. On one hand, animal proteins include all of the required amino acids found within the organic structure, making them extremely nutritious but found the culprit in imposing metabolic stress on the liver, bones, and kidney. Animal proteins have long been accused of contributing to an insufficient nutritional intake profile, which may explain the relationship with heart disease risk. It is also worth saying that because the vegan, vegetarian, and flexitarian communities have grown, plant proteins became more popular in cuisine. Due to increase in cardiovascular risk and other disease risk, many people are inclining towards the consumption of plant-based proteins. Plant proteins are employed in the manufacture of a large range of natural products. Soy protein isolates were first commercialized in 1959. People are also turning towards a plant protein diet considering the negatives of animal protein, but allergenicity is a back-pulling force. Plant proteins have lately received more attention as allergens, notably in Europe and therefore the US, furthermore as in relevancy innovative and transgenic foods. The oxidative alterations had a derogatory impact on the functioning of plant proteins eg. soy proteins in general. In both sexes, replacing 3% of energy from diverse protein sources from animal and with plant protein was related to a 10% decline in overall mortality. Plant-based protein consumption have relatively less mortality rate as compared to animal-based protein. Still, animal-based proteins are good source of essential amino acids than plant proteins. The link between protein consumption and mortality might also be explained by the consumption of other nutrients and physiologically active substances in protein-rich diets. Furthermore, a growing amount of clinical data, related to older persons, supports health benefits related to protein intakes that are at or above current dietary protein consumption guidelines but the source of proteins is still a point of debate and hence dilemma is constant of whether we are ready for revolution or not.

Assessing Dietary Intake Patterns Through Cluster Analysis Among Adolescents in Selected Districts of Bihar and Assam From India: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: In the recent decade, dietary pattern assessment has evolved as a promising tool to describe the whole diet and represent inter-correlations between different dietary components. We aimed to derive the dietary patterns of adolescents (10–19 years) using cluster analysis on food groups and evaluate these patterns according to their socio-demographic profile.Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in two districts, each from Bihar and Assam in India. Adolescents (10–19 years) were enrolled from both rural and urban areas. The dietary intake was assessed through a pre-validated single food frequency questionnaire. Cluster analysis was performed by a 2-step procedure to explore dietary patterns, pre-fixed at 2 clusters. Clusters were analyzed with respect to socio-demographic characteristics using binomial logistic regression.Results: A total of 826 girls and 811 boys were enrolled in the study. We found two major dietary patterns, namely a low- and high-mixed diet. The low-mixed diet (76.5% prevalence) had daily consumption of green vegetables, including leafy vegetables, with less frequent consumption of other foods. The high-mixed diet (23.5% prevalence) had more frequent consumption of chicken, meat, egg, and milk/curd apart from green vegetables. Adolescent boys had 3.6 times higher odds of consuming a low-mixed diet compared to girls. Similarly, adolescents with lower education grades and from marginalized social classes had two times higher odds of taking a low-mixed diet than their respective counterparts.Conclusions: The high consumption of a low-mixed diet and relatively less milk consumption limit the comprehensive growth of adolescents. Improvement in dietary intake of adolescents from marginalized sections of society can prove to be an important deterrent in mitigating India's nutritional challenges.

Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Nutritional Status in Dalmatian Kidney Transplant Recipients-Are They Related?

The aim of this study was to evaluate adherence to Mediterranean diet (MeDi) and possible correlation of MeDi adherence and nutritional status parameters in Dalmatian kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). One hundred and sixteen KTRs were included in this study. Data about Mediterranean Diet Serving Score (MDSS), body mass composition, anthropometric parameters, clinical and laboratory parameters were collected for each study participant. The results showed 25% adherence to the MeDi in Dalmatian KTRs. MDSS showed association with higher serum albumin and phosphorus level and higher skeletal muscle mass. Also, significant association between diabetic status and MDSS was found. Adherence to olive oil intake suggested by the MeDi showed significant association with lower level of triglycerides and adherence to nuts suggestions was associated with lower level of fat mass. Following MeDi recommendations for consumption of other foods (cereals, potato, eggs, vegetables, fruits and dairy) were also associated with body mass composition parameters and laboratory findings. In conclusion, low adherence to the MeDi in Dalmatian KTRs raises high concerns. The results showed that MeDi can have favorable effects on nutritional status in KTRs. A structured nutritional approach is needed to enhance adherence to the MeDi and prevent possible adverse effects in this patient population.

Nutrients using in goats fed concentrate consist of vary levels of Muntingia calabura L leaves as maize substitution

The research was carried out to measure nutrients utilize by goats fed concentrate containig varying levels of Muntingia clabura L. as maize substitute. This research was conducted based on Double Latin Square 4 x 4 eight female Kacang goats. Four treatments and four periods used as replications. The treatments are MC0 = concentrate 100% of maize mills without the flour of Muntingia calabura L. leaves; MC20 = concentrate with 20% Muntingia calabura L. leaves flour as maize substitute; MC40 = concentrate with 40% of Muntingia calabura L. leaves flour as maize substitute and MC60 = concentrate with 60% of Muntingia calabura L. leaves flour as maize substitute. All data are tabulated and analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and where the influence of the treatments was recorded, Least Quare was utilized using SPSS software, version 23 for windows. The result shows that the average dry matter consumption increases with an increase in the levels of Muntingia calabura L. leaves as maize substitute but the treatments have no significant influence (p>0.05). On the contrary, the value of NFE consumption tends to decrease, but it has no significant influence. However, the consumption of other nutrients, mainly crude protein, crude fiber, and crude fat increases significantly. The increasing of these nutrients is not followed by the increasing of digestibility values, since values of dry matter, crude protein, and crude fat decreases. Actually, there is an increase of rumen fermentation condition as indicated by concentrations of total VFA, rumen NH3, and propionate acid although it has no significant influence, statistically. In conclusion, the leaves of Muntingia calabura L. can be used as a component of concentrate formulation as maize substitute up to 40% inclusion level.

61 Nutritive feed ingredients that pose toxicological potential

Abstract A variety of different substances can promote adverse effects on livestock and companion animals, varying from a decrease in overall growth, to frank toxicological response and death. Many substances that are the cause of adverse effects are either components in feed, part of the forage landscape for grazing animals, or even a part of the nutritive feed composition for pets. It has been well-known that vitamin D intake increases bone mineralization, but methionine consumption may also positively impact bone density. Excess consumption of other nutrients may lead to adverse effects, as current research found that excess tryptophan consumption in weaned pigs adversely affects intestinal morphology and tight junction proteins in other species. However, some studies have found that different animals can have opposing effects from consuming the same substances. For example, a study in mice has found that consumption of chitosan impairs intestinal barrier integrity, while twice the intake by weaned piglets improved the average daily gain. This presentation will discuss examples of nutrients and other substances that may adversely impact the growth and reproductive capacity of companion animals and livestock, underscoring the need for the completion of safety studies of potentially new ingredients to evaluate their long-term use in commercial feed formulations.

Comparing environmental and personal health impacts of individual food choices

Dietary choices affect personal health and environmental impacts, but little is known about the relation between these outcomes. Here we examine the intake-related health impacts and the food-production related impacts to ecosystems and human health by applying life cycle impact assessment methods to habitual diet data of 1457 European adults. We measured food production impacts for each individual in terms of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) as calculated by the Recipe 2016 life cycle impact assessment method using secondary production data, which were then compared with their personal health DALYs predicted from the known relationships between dietary choices and disease risk. Across this population cohort, each individual was estimated to lose on average 2.5 ± 0.9 DALYs per lifetime due to sub-optimal dietary intake (with seed and vegetable under-consumption the greatest contributors) and their food choices caused environmental human health impacts of 2.4 ± 1.3 DALYs (particularly due to the damage associated with production of meats, milk, and vegetables). Overall, there was no relationship between a healthier dietary pattern and the environmental human health impacts associated with production of its constituent foods (i.e. healthier diets did not have lower or higher production impacts). This was due to a combination of decreased meat consumption correlating with increased consumption of other foods, as well as the fact that under-consumption of some low impact foods yielded high personal health consequences. However, for specific food items synergies and tradeoffs could be identified. For example, reduced processed meat consumption benefits both personal and environmental health. Every DALY caused by higher whole grain and vegetable production and consumption would be offset by reduced disease risk that equated to an average of 7.7 (5.7 to 10.4) and 1.4 (0.9 to 2.5) lower personal health DALYs, respectively.

In Case You Haven't Heard…

A study from Australia in 2016 found improvements in psychological well‐being after increases in fruit and vegetable consumption, The Conversation reported Feb. 7. Researchers of a new study said they wanted to know if this finding held true using a larger sample (more than 40,000 participants) from the U.K. Household Longitudinal Study. Their analysis showed that increases in the consumption of fruit and vegetables are linked to increases in self‐reported mental well‐being and life satisfaction in data that spans a five‐year period, even after accounting for other determinants of mental well‐being such as physical health, income and consumption of other foods. The estimates from their work suggest that adding one portion to your diet per day could be as beneficial to mental well‐being as going for a walk on an extra seven to eight days a month. This result is encouraging, as it means that one possible way to improve your mental health could be something as simple as eating an extra piece of fruit every day or having a salad with a meal, researchers stated. Large trials are needed to provide robust evidence that the link is causal, they said.

Genoprotective and DNA Repair Activities of Fruit Pulp Ethanol Extract from Detarium microcarpum Guill. and Perr. (Caesalpiniaceae)

DNA is continuously degraded by numerous genotoxic agents including intracellular reactive oxygen species produced by cell metabolism and exogenous environmental pollutants. These genotoxic agents destroy the DNA integrity leading to carcinogenesis or cell death. An increased consumption of vegetables, fruits and other foods rich in antioxidant compounds can protect DNA from oxidative damage and prevent cell carcinogenesis. This study was designed to investigate in vitro the genoprotective and DNA repair activities of the fruit pulp ethanol extract from Detarium microcarpum against two known mutagenic agents such as hydrogen peroxide and methyl methane sulfonate. To assess the genoprotective and DNA repair activities of extract, human lymphocytes in culture were treated with the extract before or after the genotoxic agent exposing. The amount of DNA damages was assessed by using the standard comet assay. The fruit pulp extract in concentration up to 500 µg/mL, compared to vehicle didn’t affect the integrity of DNA. Interestingly, the genotoxic effects of hydrogen peroxide and methyl methane sulfonate on human lymphocytes were significantly reduced by the extract pre-treatment. In addition, the DNA damages induced by hydrogen peroxide and methyl methane sulfonate were repaired further to the extract addition. The fruit pulp ethanol extract from Detarium microcarpum contains bioactive compounds that can preserve the integrity of DNA from the deleterious effects of genotoxic agents. The daily intake of this fruit pulp as food supplement could prevent DNA damages and carcinogenesis.

Feeding frequency in infancy and dental caries in childhood: a prospective cohort study

Feeding patterns in infancy are plausible contributors to dental caries later in childhood, yet relatively few cohort studies have examined potential dietary risk factors at this age. This study aimed to investigate the associations between feeding frequency at age 12 months and caries prevalence at age 3 years. In this prospective birth cohort of 345 Brazilian children, all foods and drinks consumed at age 12 months, including bottle-use and breastfeeding, were recorded using two 24-hour infant dietary recalls with mothers. The prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) and severe ECC (S-ECC) at age 38 months were compared in groups defined according to 12-month feeding frequency, using regression models to adjust for sociodemographic characteristics and total carbohydrate intake. Independent of other variables, compared with children with infrequent bottle-use and breastfeeding at 12 months, at 38 months the ECC prevalence was 1.8-times higher in children breastfed more than three times/day (P = 0.001), 1.4-times higher in children bottle-fed more than three times/day (P = 0.07) and 1.5-times higher with combined high frequency of bottle and breastfeeding together (P = 0.04), but the association with consumption of other foods or drinks more than five times/day [risk ratio (RR) = 1.2; P = 0.10] was not statistically significant. Prevalence of S-ECC was significantly associated with frequent breastfeeding (RR = 2.4; P < 0.001) and with greater frequency of consumption of other foods or drinks (RR = 1.7, P = 0.001). High-frequency feeding in late infancy, including both bottle use and breastfeeding, were positively associated with dental caries in early childhood, suggesting possible early-life targets for caries prevention.

Factors associated with adherence to school meals by adolescents in State public schools in Colombo, Paraná State, Brazil

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of adherence to school meals and associated factors among adolescent schoolchildren (N = 1,569). The adolescents completed an on-line questionnaire on adherence to school meals, and their parents answered another questionnaire on socioeconomic data. The chi-square test was used to assess the association between adherence to school meals and gender, nutritional status, per capita family income, maternal schooling, adolescents' opinions on the dining hall layout, whether they considered school meals healthy, and consumption of other foods. Variables with statistical significance for adherence to school meals were included in the multilevel proportional odds logistic regression model. The covariates for comprising the final model were defined by backward selection methods. The results of the adjusted model were presented as odds ratios with respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Prevalence of adherence to school meals was low, especially effective adherence (19.8%). Adherence was associated with per capita family income less than one minimum wage, lower consumption of foods outside of school meals, the fact that adolescents considered the dining hall space adequate, and believing that school meals are healthy. Adherence to school meals in this study falls short of universal coverage for the program. Different factors contribute to incomplete program implementation, which may hinder achieving the food and nutritional security policy under the Brazilian National School Feeding Program (PNAE).

Citrus consumption and incident dementia in elderly Japanese: the Ohsaki Cohort 2006 Study.

Although some experimental biological studies have indicated that citrus may have preventive effects against cognitive impairment, no cohort study has yet examined the relationship between citrus consumption and incident dementia. In a baseline survey, we collected data on daily citrus intake (categorised as ≤2, 3-4 times/week or almost every day) and consumption of other foods using a FFQ, and used a self-reported questionnaire to collect data on other covariates. Data on incident dementia were retrieved from the Japanese Long-term Care Insurance database. A multivariate-adjusted Cox model was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI for incident dementia according to citrus consumption. Among 13 373 participants, the 5·7-year incidence of dementia was 8·6 %. In comparison with participants who consumed citrus ≤2 times/week, the multivariate-adjusted HR for incident dementia among those did so 3-4 times/week and almost every day was 0·92 (95 % CI 0·80, 1·07) and 0·86 (95 % CI 0·73, 1·01), respectively (P trend=0·065). The inverse association persisted after excluding participants whose dementia events had occurred in the first 2 years of follow-up. The multivariate HR was 1·00 (reference) for ≤2 times/week, 0·82 (95 % CI 0·69, 0·98) for 3-4 times/week and 0·77 (95 % CI 0·64, 0·93) for almost every day (P trend=0·006). The present findings suggest that frequent citrus consumption was associated with a lower risk of incident dementia, even after adjustment for possible confounding factors.

Association of hot pepper consumption with other eating habits among adults

Consumption of foods flavored with hot peppers and other spices were found to be inversely associated with total mortality among both men and women after adjustment for other known or potential risk factors. The objective of this project was to determine how preference for and consumption of foods flavored with hot peppers or hot pepper sauces may be related to other eating habits among adults. Visitors to the 2016 Kentucky State Fair were recruited to fill out a questionnaire before they were given a free analysis of their body composition (body fat %) with a Tanita TBF‐521 body composition analyzer. Among the 130 participants, 55% were female and 45% were male; 56% were Caucasian and 16% African Americans and 28% Asian Americans. Up to 27% of the participants liked hot peppers somewhat and 38% like them very much. However, only 21% had hot peppers twice a week and 14% had them daily. For people who preferred foods with hot peppers tended to eat other foods including vegetables, fruits, pork, beef, chicken, dairy foods less frequently. There were no significant differences in body mass index or body fat percent due to preferences for hot peppers or frequency of hot pepper consumption overall. Body mass index and body fat percent were significantly higher for women than for men. Increasing consumption of hot peppers tended to be correlated with lower consumption of other foods. Further study with a large number of subjects are needed to clarify the relationship between consumption of hot peppers and consumption of other foods.

Taxes and Subsidies for Improving Diet and Population Health in Australia: A Cost-Effectiveness Modelling Study

BackgroundAn increasing number of countries are implementing taxes on unhealthy foods and drinks to address the growing burden of dietary-related disease, but the cost-effectiveness of combining taxes on unhealthy foods and subsidies on healthy foods is not well understood.Methods and FindingsUsing a population model of dietary-related diseases and health care costs and food price elasticities, we simulated the effect of taxes on saturated fat, salt, sugar, and sugar-sweetened beverages and a subsidy on fruits and vegetables, over the lifetime of the Australian population. The sizes of the taxes and subsidy were set such that, when combined as a package, there would be a negligible effect on average weekly expenditure on food (<1% change). We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the interventions individually, then determined the optimal combination based on maximising net monetary benefit at a threshold of AU$50,000 per disability-adjusted life year (DALY). The simulations suggested that the combination of taxes and subsidy might avert as many as 470,000 DALYs (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 420,000 to 510,000) in the Australian population of 22 million, with a net cost-saving of AU$3.4 billion (95% UI: AU$2.4 billion to AU$4.6 billion; US$2.3 billion) to the health sector. Of the taxes evaluated, the sugar tax produced the biggest estimates of health gain (270,000 [95% UI: 250,000 to 290,000] DALYs averted), followed by the salt tax (130,000 [95% UI: 120,000 to 140,000] DALYs), the saturated fat tax (97,000 [95% UI: 77,000 to 120,000] DALYs), and the sugar-sweetened beverage tax (12,000 [95% UI: 2,100 to 21,000] DALYs). The fruit and vegetable subsidy (−13,000 [95% UI: −44,000 to 18,000] DALYs) was a cost-effective addition to the package of taxes. However, it did not necessarily lead to a net health benefit for the population when modelled as an intervention on its own, because of the possible adverse cross-price elasticity effects on consumption of other foods (e.g., foods high in saturated fat and salt). The study suggests that taxes and subsidies on foods and beverages can potentially be combined to achieve substantial improvements in population health and cost-savings to the health sector. However, the magnitude of health benefits is sensitive to measures of price elasticity, and further work is needed to incorporate potential benefits or harms associated with changes in other foods and nutrients that are not currently modelled, such as red and processed meats and fibre.ConclusionsWith potentially large health benefits for the Australian population and large benefits in reducing health sector spending on the treatment of non-communicable diseases, the formulation of a tax and subsidy package should be given a more prominent role in Australia’s public health nutrition strategy.

A potential trigger for pine mouth: a case of a homozygous phenylthiocarbamide taster

Pine mouth, also known as pine nut syndrome, is an uncommon dysgeusia that generally begins 12 to 48 hours after consuming pine nuts. It is characterized by a bitter metallic taste, usually amplified by the consumption of other foods, which lasts 2 to 4 weeks. Recent findings have correlated this disorder with the consumption of nuts of the species Pinus armandii, but no potential triggers or common underlying medical causes have been identified in individuals affected by this syndrome. We report a 23-year-old patient affected by pine mouth who also underwent a phenylthiocarbamide taste test and was found to be a taster for this compound. TAS2R38 genotyping demonstrated that this subject was a homozygous carrier of the proline-alanine-valine taster haplotype.We, therefore, hypothesize that homozygous phenylthiocarbamide taster status may be a potential contributor for pine mouth events. Although based on a single observation, this research suggests a connection between genetically determined bitter taste perception and the occurrence of pine nut dysgeusia events.

Feeding preferences of experienced and naïve goats and sheep for the toxic plant &lt;italic&gt;Ipomoea carnea&lt;/italic&gt; subsp. &lt;italic&gt;fistulosa&lt;/italic&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;bold&gt;Ipomoea carnea&lt;/bold&gt; is a toxic plant that grazing goats and cattle may learn to ingest with repeated exposure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feeding preferences of experienced and non-experienced (naïve) goats and sheep for&lt;bold&gt; I. carnea.&lt;/bold&gt;The study used 3 groups of 5 goats (Group 1, experienced that were previously poisoned by the plant; group 2, naïve; Group 3, experienced eaters, composed of animals adapted to eat the fresh plant) and 2 groups of sheep (group 4, experienced that were previously poisoned by the plant; and group 5, naïve). For the test, the animals were placed daily for 10 minutes and 4 days in a rectangular stall (5x7m) with 4 feeders, each with 200g of a different food (&lt;bold&gt;Ipomoea carnea&lt;/bold&gt;, commercial concentrate food, recently harvested green grass (mainly &lt;bold&gt;Brachiaria&lt;/bold&gt; spp.), and &lt;bold&gt;Cynodon dactylon&lt;/bold&gt;hay. The intake of concentrate food was significantly higher (P&lt;0.05) than the consumption of green grass, hay and &lt;bold&gt;I. carnea&lt;/bold&gt;. In a second 4 day trial, in which the commercial concentrate food was replaced by freshly harvested &lt;bold&gt;Amorimia septentrionalis&lt;/bold&gt;, the ingestion of green grass (&lt;bold&gt;Brachiaria&lt;/bold&gt; spp.) was significantly higher (P&lt;0.05) than the consumption of other foods. In both trials there was no significant difference in food consumption between eaters and naïve animals. The results suggest that experienced or naïve sheep and goats do not prefer &lt;bold&gt;I. carnea&lt;/bold&gt; when it is offered with other foods or forages, suggesting that animals will avoid the plant and not become poisoned if other food options are available.&lt;/p&gt;

Global magnesium supply in the food chain

Magnesium (Mg) is an essential mineral micronutrient in humans. Risks of dietary Mg deficiency are affected by the quantity of Mg ingested and its bioavailability, which is influenced by the consumption of other nutrients and ‘anti-nutrients’. Here, we assess global dietary Mg supplies and risks of dietary deficiency, including the influence of other nutrients. Food supply and food composition data were used to derive the amount of Mg available per capita at national levels. Supplies of Mg were compared with estimated national per capita average requirement ‘cut points’. In 2011, global weighted mean Mg supply was 613 ± 69 mg person–1 day–1 compared with a weighted estimated average requirement for Mg of 173 mg person–1 day–1. This indicates a low risk of dietary Mg deficiency of 0.26% based on supply. This contrasts with published data from national individual-level dietary surveys, which indicate greater Mg deficiency risks. However, individuals in high-income countries are likely to under-report food consumption, which could lead to overestimation of deficiency risks. Furthermore, estimates of deficiency risk based on supply do not account for potential inhibitors of Mg absorption, including calcium, phytic acid and oxalate, and do not consider household food wastage.

Cohort study examining the association between vegetable consumption and weight gain in a single year among Japanese employees at a manufacturing company.

Overweight and obesity increase the risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic disorders and are increasing in Japan, particularly among men. Several prospective studies have suggested that high vegetable intake is inversely associated with weight gain. Here, the association between vegetable consumption and weight gain in a group of food manufacturing workers over the course of one year was investigated. The study was a one-year cohort study of the nutrition and lifestyle survey. The study population consisted of 900 and 910 Japanese employees (aged 19-60 years) from a manufacturing company located in Musashino City, Tokyo, Japan, that were administered the same validated brief self-administered diet history and dietary lifestyle questionnaire in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Clinical examinations of body weight were also performed to assess changes in weight. We analyzed participants who responded in both 2006 and 2007 (n=478). Risk of weight gain of more than 3 kg was significantly lower in the group consuming the most vegetables than in the group consuming the least, and this difference remained significant after adjustment for baseline age, sex, and consumption of other foods (p for trend=0.028). Weight gain was inversely associated with high consumption of vegetables. Encouraging Japanese employees to consume more vegetables may be an important strategy in controlling weight gain and preventing metabolic syndrome.

What We Eat: Changing Patterns of Food Consumption Around the World

This paper explores changes in the level and composition of per capita food consumption across the world; it does not discuss intra-country inequalities in food access, nor the prevalence of hunger resulting from those inequalities. The world's food output has more than trebled since 1961 whilst population only doubled, causing a marked increase in per capita food supply. By 2011 the average human was consuming nearly 2900 daily kilocalories per person, up from less than 2200 in 1961; per capita protein intake had also increased significantly from 61 to 80 grams per day. Besides these overall increases in food consumption, the composition of the average diet also changed. One major finding in this regard is that per capita consumption of cereals reached a plateau (or slightly declined) in recent decades, whilst consumption of other foods increased significantly. All the increase in per capita dietary energy supply since 1990 reflects higher consumption of non-cereal food; per capita cereal food consumption stabilised or declined. The saturation level at which cereal food consumption stabilises seems to vary across regions, probably due to local culture and custom. Due to changing dietary patterns, some regions of the world have enormously increased their consumption of fats, especially vegetable oil, contributing to a growing obesity epidemic. In some regions, chiefly North America, this has been compounded by a significant increase in per capita consumption of sugar. But humans have also changed their diets in beneficial ways, consuming more pulses, fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, milk and eggs. These trends are present in all major regions, albeit varying across regions. Most of these trends imply greater intake of micronutrients. More diversified diets, with increased presence of fruits, vegetables and foods of animal origin, suggest that the micronutrient content of per capita food supply is increasing, at the world level and for all major regions.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of increased vegetable and fruit consumption on body weight and energy intake.

BackgroundIncreased vegetable and fruit consumption is encouraged to promote health, including the maintenance of a healthy body weight. Population health strategies (e.g. 5-A-Day or similar campaigns and subsidies on vegetables or fruit) that emphasize increased consumption may theoretically lead to increased energy intake and weight gain.MethodsWe undertook a systematic review of trials that sought to increase vegetable and fruit consumption, in the absence of advice or specific encouragement to remove other foods from the diet, to understand the effect on body weight and energy intake. We included only randomised controlled trials. We pooled data using a random effects model for two outcomes: change in body weight and change in energy intake. Sensitivity and secondary analyses were also undertaken, including a one-study removed analysis and analysis by study sub-type to explore sources of heterogeneity.ResultsA total of eight studies, including 1026 participants, were identified for inclusion in the review. The mean study duration was 14.7 weeks (range four to 52 weeks). The mean difference in vegetable and fruit consumption between arms was 133 g (range 50 g to 456 g). The mean change in body weight was 0.68 kg (95% CI: 0.15-1.20; n = 8; I2 for heterogeneity = 83%, p = 0.01) less in the “high vegetable and fruit” intake arms than in the “low vegetable and fruit intake” arms. There was no significant difference in measured change daily energy intake between the two arms (368 kJ; 95% CI: -27 to 762, comparing high vs low; n = 6; I2 = 42%, p = 0.07).ConclusionPromoting increased fruit and vegetable consumption, in the absence of specific advice to decrease consumption of other foods, appears unlikely to lead to weight gain in the short-term and may have a role in weight maintenance or loss. Longer studies or other methods are needed to understand the long-term effects on weight maintenance and loss.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-886) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.