Mixed Dishes Research Articles

Slow and steady—small, but insufficient, changes in food and drink availability after four years of implementing a healthy food policy in New Zealand hospitals

BackgroundA voluntary National Healthy Food and Drink Policy (the Policy) was introduced in public hospitals in New Zealand in 2016. This study assessed the changes in implementation of the Policy and its impact on providing healthier food and drinks for staff and visitors in four district health boards between 1 and 5 years after the initial Policy introduction.MethodsRepeat, cross-sectional audits were undertaken at the same eight sites in four district health boards between April and August 2017 and again between January and September 2021. In 2017, there were 74 retail settings audited (and 99 in 2021), comprising 27 (34 in 2021) serviced food outlets and 47 (65 in 2021) vending machines. The Policy’s traffic light criteria were used to classify 2652 items in 2017 and 3928 items in 2021. The primary outcome was alignment with the Policy guidance on the proportions of red, amber and green foods and drinks (≥ 55% green ‘healthy’ items and 0% red ‘unhealthy’ items).ResultsThe distribution of the classification of items as red, amber and green changed from 2017 to 2021 (p < 0.001) overall and in serviced food outlets (p < 0.001) and vending machines (p < 0.001). In 2021, green items were a higher proportion of available items (20.7%, n = 815) compared to 2017 (14.0%, n = 371), as were amber items (49.8%, n = 1957) compared to 2017 (29.2%, n = 775). Fewer items were classified as red in 2021 (29.4%, n = 1156) than in 2017 (56.8%, n = 1506). Mixed dishes were the most prevalent green items in both years, representing 11.4% (n = 446) of all items in 2021 and 5.5% (n = 145) in 2017. Fewer red packaged snacks (11.6%, n = 457 vs 22.5%, n = 598) and red cold drinks (5.2%, n = 205 vs 12.5%, n = 331) were available in 2021 compared to 2017. However, at either time, no organisation or setting met the criteria for alignment with the Policy (≥ 55% green items, 0% red items).ConclusionsIntroduction of the Policy improved the relative healthiness of food and drinks available, but the proportion of red items remained high. More dedicated support is required to fully implement the Policy.

Development of a Nutrient Profile Model for Dishes in Japan Version 1.0: A New Step towards Addressing Public Health Nutrition Challenges.

To address the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and promote healthier eating habits, Japan requires a culturally tailored Nutrient Profile Model. This study aimed to develop a Nutrient Profile Model for Dishes in Japan version 1.0 (NPM-DJ (1.0)) that corresponds to the nutritional issues and food culture in Japan. The aim of the NPM-DJ (1.0) was to promote the health of the general population, and to prevent the increase in NCDs in Japan. The NPM-DJ (1.0) categorizes dishes into staples, sides, mains, mixed dishes, and mixed dishes with staples. The model evaluates dishes based on energy, saturated fats, sugars, and sodium as restricted nutrients, while considering protein, dietary fiber, and the weight of certain food groups as recommended nutrients. The distribution of the overall score for each dish category was analyzed and a rating algorithm was created. The baseline, modification points, and final scores were significantly lower for side dishes than for staple dishes. In contrast, the baseline points and final scores were significantly higher for mixed dishes with staple. The model effectively differentiated nutritional profiles across five dishes categories, which may promote healthier dish reformulation by food businesses operators and encourage consumers to select healthier dishes.

Sustainability and cost of typical and heart-healthy dietary patterns in Australia

Study objectiveThe aim was to quantify and compare the environmental and financial impact of two diets: a heart-healthy Australian diet (HAD) and the typical Australian diet (TAD). DesignThe study involved a secondary analysis of two modelled dietary patterns used in a cross-over feeding trial. SettingThe evaluation focused on two-week (7-day cyclic) meal plans designed to meet the nutritional requirements for a reference 71-year-old male (9000 kJ) for each dietary pattern. Main outcome measuresThe environmental footprint of each dietary pattern was calculated using the Global Warming Potential (GWP*) metric, taking into account single foods, multi-ingredient foods, and mixed dishes. Prices were obtained from a large Australian supermarket. ResultsThe HAD produced 23.8 % less CO2 equivalents (CO2e) per day (2.16 kg CO2e) compared to the TAD (2.83 kg CO2e per day). Meat and discretionary foods were the primary contributors to the environmental footprint of the TAD, whereas dairy and vegetables constituted the largest contributors to the HAD footprint. However, the HAD was 51 % more expensive than the TAD. ConclusionTransitioning from a TAD to a HAD could significantly reduce CO2 emissions and with benefits for human health and the environment. Affordability will be a major barrier. Strategies to reduce costs of convenient healthy food are needed. Future studies should expand the GWP* database and consider additional environmental dimensions to comprehensively assess the impact of dietary patterns. Current findings have implications for menu planning within feeding trials and for individuals seeking to reduce their carbon footprint while adhering to heart-healthy eating guidelines.

Association between dietary patterns and depression symptoms among adults with or without diabetes in Qatar: a population-based study

BackgroundDiabetes is a major public health problem in Qatar and is associated with an increased risk of depression. However, no study has been conducted in Qatar on the relationship between dietary patterns and depression symptoms in adults. The aim of this study was to assess the association between dietary patterns and depression symptoms among adults with or without diabetes in Qatar.MethodsA total of 1000 participants from the Qatar Biobank (QBB) were included in this cross-sectional study. Food intake was assessed using a computer-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and dietary patterns were identified using factor analysis. Depression symptoms were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).ResultsDepression symptoms were present in 13.5% of the sample. Two dietary patterns were identified: “unhealthy” (high consumption of fast food, biryani, mixed dish (chicken/meat/fish), croissant) and “prudent” (high consumption of fresh fruit, salads/raw vegetables, canned/dried fruit, and dates). After adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle factors (smoking and physical activity), diabetes and medication use for diabetes and hypertension, a high intake of “unhealthy” pattern was associated with an increased prevalence of depressive symptoms in individuals with diabetes (prevalence ratio, PR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.28, 1.56; p-value < 0.001), while there was no statistically significant association between depressive symptoms and the “prudent” dietary pattern. The “prudent” pattern was inversely and significantly associated with depressive symptoms in individuals with a normal body weight (PR = 0.21; 95% CI = 0.06, 0.76; p-value = 0.018).ConclusionThe “unhealthy” dietary pattern was positively associated with depression symptoms in those with diabetes, whereas the “prudent” dietary pattern was inversely associated with depression symptoms in those with a normal body weight. Promoting healthy eating habits should be considered in the prevention and management of depression.

Ultra-processed products and risk of liver cancer: A prospective cohort study

Background & AimsSeveral studies have shown positive associations between ultra-processed foods and drinks and cancer risk. However, evidence remains limited for liver cancer. We aimed to evaluate the associations between ultra-processed foods and drinks and liver cancer risk. MethodsWe included 73,119 participants (22,431 Whites, 47,837 Blacks, 2851 other race) from the Southern Community Cohort Study. Ultra-processed products were defined based on the Nova classification using data from a validated food frequency questionnaire and calculated as percentage of daily foods by weight. Incident liver cancer and vital status were ascertained via linkages to state cancer registries and the National Death Index as of December 31, 2019. ResultsWith a median of 13.9 year’s follow-up, we documented 453 incident liver cancer cases. Participants with higher intake of ultra-processed foods had an elevated risk of liver cancer (hazard ratios [HR] Tertile 3 vs. tertile 1 1.69, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.28-2.22; Ptrend<0.001). The subclasses of ultra-processed foods, such as ultra-processed grains and fried potatoes (HR T3 vs. T1 1.29, 95% CI: 1.01-1.65; Ptrend=0.03), processed protein foods (HR T3 vs. T1 1.49, 95% CI: 1.14-1.94; Ptrend=0.007) and mixed dishes (HR T3 vs. T1 1.39, 95% CI: 1.09-1.77; Ptrend=0.01), were positively associated with liver cancer risk. No significant association was found for ultra-processed drinks (HR T3 vs. T1 0.85, 95% CI: 0.67-1.07; Ptrend=0.16). DiscussionIn a prospective cohort with predominantly low-income Southern US adults, we found certain ultra-processed foods were associated with a higher risk of liver cancer. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Evaluating the Quality and Comparative Validity of Manual Food Logging and Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Food Image Recognition in Apps for Nutrition Care.

For artificial intelligence (AI) to support nutrition care, high quality and accuracy of its features within smartphone applications (apps) are essential. This study evaluated popular apps' features, quality, behaviour change potential, and comparative validity of dietary assessment via manual logging and AI. The top 200 free and paid nutrition-related apps from Australia's Apple App and Google Play stores were screened (n = 800). Apps were assessed using MARS (quality) and ABACUS (behaviour change potential). Nutritional outputs from manual food logging and AI-enabled food-image recognition apps were compared with food records for Western, Asian, and Recommended diets. Among 18 apps, Noom scored highest on MARS (mean = 4.44) and ABACUS (21/21). From 16 manual food-logging apps, energy was overestimated for Western (mean: 1040 kJ) but underestimated for Asian (mean: -1520 kJ) diets. MyFitnessPal and Fastic had the highest accuracy (97% and 92%, respectively) out of seven AI-enabled food image recognition apps. Apps with more AI integration demonstrated better functionality, but automatic energy estimations from AI-enabled food image recognition were inaccurate. To enhance the integration of apps into nutrition care, collaborating with dietitians is essential for improving their credibility and comparative validity by expanding food databases. Moreover, training AI models are needed to improve AI-enabled food recognition, especially for mixed dishes and culturally diverse foods.

Evaluation of nutritional value of common cooked food in Hubei Province by nutrient profiling

To understand the nutritional components of common cooked foods in Hubei Province. Forty-nine common cooked foods consumed by residents in Hubei Province were collected, and their edible parts were homogenized and tested for various nutrient contents according to the national standard method. The nutrient-rich foods index(NRF)model was used to calculate the NRF index(NRF 9.3) of various cooked foods, and the nutritional value of common cooked foods in Hubei Province was evaluated. The result of the nutrient-rich food index model showed that the NRF 9.3 index of all cooked dishes ranged from-176.9 to 224.4, the NRF 9.3 index ranking of all types of cooked food was mainly related to cooking method. The NRF 9.3 index of cold mixed vegetable dishes was generally higher than the 75th percentile value(66.9) of the monitoring result, indicating higher nutritional value. The mean NRF 9.3 index of fish and shrimp cooked foods(72.4)monitored in this study was higher than that of meat cooked foods(21.5). The sodium content of pickled vegetables and some pre-packaged cooked foods was relatively high, RESULTS: ing in negative NRF 9.3 index and lower nutritional value. The NRF 9.3 index of Xiangyang beef noodles(33.1)and tofu noodles(37.1)was higher than that of beef offal noodles(5.1). Vegetables and fish and shrimp are better sources of nutrition, and "cold and dressed with sauce" are a better way to cook. Pickled vegetables contain too many restricted nutrients, and their consumption frequency and amount should be reduced.

Comparative Evaluation of the Sensory Qualities of Refined and Wholegrain Rice as Ingredients within Mixed Dishes.

Low wholegrain food consumption is a leading dietary risk for avoidable morbidity and mortality globally, with limited sensory acceptability suggested to be a challenge for changing behaviour. This study aimed to evaluate the sensory acceptability of both wholegrain (brown) and refined (white) rice in common preparations. Four brown- and white-rice-containing dishes (Garlic Rice, Rice and Beans, Jollof Rice, and Rice Pudding) were tested. Quantitative (five-point scales) and qualitative (open question responses) sensory information were collected for dish appearance, aroma, taste, and texture. All four characteristics were scored equally acceptable in Rice and Beans and Rice Pudding (p > 0.05) between paired comparisons for brown and white rice. Scores were significantly lower for all characteristics for Jollof Rice (p ≤ 0.002), and lower for Aroma (median (lower quartile-upper quartile)) for brown (3.5 (3-4)) vs. white rice (4 (4-5)), p = 0.006). Appearance (brown (3 (3-4)) vs. white rice (4 (3.25-5)), p = 0.012), and Texture (brown 3 (2.25-4) vs. white rice (4 (4-5)), p < 0.001) for Garlic Rice. Familiarity and appealingness were qualitative themes aligned with the higher acceptability of white-rice-containing dishes. Certain dishes appear to mask key negative sensory attributes of wholegrain foods, possibly representing a means to increase wholegrain ingredient acceptability, thereby potentially improving individual/population-level intake.

Proposed Marketing Strategy to Increase Sales of F&amp;B Business (Case Study: Kapau Anak Sultan)

Kapau Anak Sultan is a quick-service restaurant chain specializing in Nasi Kapau, a mixed rice dish from Nagari Kapau, West Sumatra. Established in early 2021, Kapau Anak Sultan currently has over 20 outlets all over the Jabodetabek area and other cities in Indonesia. According to the external analysis, the constant rise of GDP mostly due to F&amp;B businesses and the increase in monthly expenditure for food and beverage has made the outlook for the F&amp;B businesses in Indonesia promising. However, the sales of Kapau Anak Sultan are declining, and brand awareness is still considered low compared to competitors. Thus, this research was conducted to provide Kapau Anak Sultan with marketing strategies aligned with the business strategy. This research used primary and secondary data. To obtain the primary data, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in this research. To determine the current customer and internal conditions, an in-depth interview with the CEO and management was carried out. Furthermore, an online survey was conducted for the customer analysis, in which 224 respondents were obtained. Meanwhile, the secondary data, for instance, textbooks and previous research journals were used to determine the external conditions. This research affords the new segmentation, targeting, and positioning for Kapau Anak Sultan and provides the new marketing mix (4Ps), such as product, price, place, and promotion. In summary, Kapau Anak Sultan needs to re-assess its resources and capabilities to deliver excellent marketing strategies and be able to survive in the strict competition in the F&amp;B industry.

Augmenting the National Nutrition Data System to Promote Diet Sustainability Analyses

Research on sustainable diets has become an important and growing area of the nutrition field, but recent studies have pointed to a lack of sustainability metrics and methods that are hindering research and policy progress. To fill this gap, the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health calls for increased funding to improve metrics, data collection, and research to address all domains of sustainability, which include nutrition/health, economic, environmental, and social domains. Commodity recipe databases, such as the Food Commodity Intake Database (FCID), are important tools for conducting diet sustainability analyses because they translate mixed dishes from dietary surveys, such as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), into commodity ingredients. These ingredients have been linked to data on environmental impacts and economic costs from other databases, thus facilitating collaboration between nutrition researchers, environmental scientists, economists, and others. These linkages cannot be made with other components of the national nutrition data system, such as the Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED), because the disaggregated food groups from them are not relevant for examining environmental impacts. Although the NHANES is conducted on an ongoing basis, and FPED is continually updated, the FCID has not been officially updated since 2010. This severely limits advancements in sustainability research and related policy analyses. In this commentary, we argue that the federal government should promote this diet sustainability work by integrating a commodity recipe database into the national nutrition data system, and updating it on a regular basis, as it does with other component databases.

SHEALTHY: The Exploration of a Food-Sharing Bank Interactive System Based on a Working Space

In today’s fast-paced world, many individuals turn to quick meals such as fast food, biscuits, and takeaways for lunch, contributing to a rise in chronic illnesses among young adults. Some people decide to prepare many portions of a mixed dish once so that they do not need to cook on the following days, and this also causes a monotonous diet. To combat this trend, SHEALTHY has been developed as a solution tailored for busy workplaces with limited time for meal preparation and varying schedules. SHEALTHY functions as a compact canteen where individuals can prepare meals in larger portions and store them in a communal fridge to accumulate points. These points can then be redeemed for meals prepared by others who use the shared fridge. This innovative system is built on the principles of cooperation, ensuring a well-rounded lunch experience that factors in time constraints, cost, the number of participants, and individual appetites through a series of carefully conducted experiments.

Determination of nutrient composition of some selected traditional home- made meals commonly consumed in Syria

Background: Modifying lifestyles through healthy dietary choices, enhanced cooking skills, and improved nutritional knowledge has been established as an effective strategy for reducing obesity and associated chronic diseases. Aims: This study aims to contribute to this effort by investigating the nutritional profiles of commonly consumed Syrian home-cooked meals. The primary objective was to analyze the macronutrient composition (carbohydrates, protein, fat) of five selected Syrian dishes and compare them to a frequently consumed, plant-based modern meal component. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the contribution of these nutrients to daily dietary needs. Methods: Four traditional Syrian vegetarian mixed dishes (grape leaves stuffed with rice, rice with pea broth, bulgur with chickpeas and pasta with tomato sauce) were selected for analysis. These were compared to a modern, plant-based food component (fried potatoes). Proximate analysis, based on standard methods established by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), was used to determine the content of macronutrients. Carbohydrate, protein, and fat exchanges for each meal were calculated using a rounding-off method. Results: All tested traditional dishes exhibited low energy density, with moisture content ranging from 63.16 – 75,63% and ash content ranging from 0.49 – 1.01% ash. Macronutrient compositions revealed carbohydrate contents between 17.43 – 25.41%, fat contents between 0.2 – 2.84%, and protein contents between 2.34 -3.83%. Crude fiber content ranged from 0.15 – 2.17%, and energy density varied from 0.96 – 1.44 Kcal/g. These traditional dishes contributed (63.04 – 75.26%) of total food energy from carbohydrates, (6.48 – 13.85%) from fat and (1.25 – 23.11%) from protein. In contrast, fried potatoes, the modern meal component, displayed medium energy density (1.83 kcal/g), with a distinct macronutrient profile: 60.22% carbohydrate, 1.44% ash, 24.56% fat, 7.26% protein, 4.90% crude fiber, and 1.62% moisture. The energy contribution of fried potatoes was 53.63% from carbohydrates, 35.67% from fat, and 10.70% from protein. Conclusion: This study provides valuable data for the potential development of a Syrian Food Database. The results suggest that incorporating popular Syrian traditional dishes into healthy dietary intervention programs holds promise for promoting better nutrition. Keywords: Nutrient composition; Proximate analysis; Syria; Traditional dishes; Food exchange

Validity and Reproducibility of a Semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire and Food Picture Book in Nigeria

BackgroundIncreasing noncommunicable diseases in Nigeria are partly related to dietary factors. However, the lack of validated nutrition assessment tools hinders the conduct of nutritional epidemiology research in this population. ObjectivesTo develop a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and Food Picture Book (FPB) for Nigerian adults, and to assess its reproducibility and validity compared with 24-h dietary recalls (24DRs) during different seasons in the year. MethodsWe compiled 202 foods for the FFQ through focus groups and consultations with local dietitians. We created an FPB with standardized food portion images to enhance the accuracy of reports of dietary intakes. We administered the FFQs to 205 purposively selected adults in Ibadan, Nigeria at ∼6 monthly intervals between November 2018 and October 2020. We evaluated the FFQ’s reproducibility and validity compared with 24DR across the dry and rainy seasons by examining the consumption of common food and mixed dishes. We computed the Spearman’s correlation coefficients (SCC), intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and generated Bland and Altman plots. ResultsOverall, we studied 110 women (53.7%) and 95 men (46.3%) with a mean age of 45.0 ± 13.4 y (mean ± SD). The reproducibility tests showed a mean ± SD SCC of 0.39 ± 0.14 and mean ± SD ICC of 0.32 ± 0.12. Higher mean ± SD SCC values were noted for cereal products (0.43 ± 0.09), starchy roots and tubers (0.45 ± 0.17), and soups (0.44 ± 0.20). Conversely, lower mean ± SD SCC values were observed for milk products (0.29 ± 0.02), solid fats (0.29 ± 0.26), and fish (0.22 ± 0.19). Regarding validity tests, the overall mean ± SD SCC was 0.27 ± 0.16 and mean ± SD ICC was 0.26 ± 0.16. We observed seasonal variations in intakes of fruits, cassava flour-based products, and nuts, although most foods did not show significant differences in intakes between seasons. ConclusionsOur FFQ and FPB demonstrated moderate correlations and seasonal variations in intakes of certain foods, emphasizing the need to account for seasonality in dietary intakes in nutritional studies in Nigeria and similar countries.

USING NETWORK ANALYSIS TO EXPLORE DIFFERENCES IN DIETARY INTAKES ACROSS OLDER ADULTHOOD

Abstract Federal nutrition guidance in the Unites States (US) is based on the premise that healthy diets can help delay the onset or progression of age-related disease and disability. Yet, little is known about if or how dietary intakes differ across the older adulthood age span. We used NHANES 2015-2016 and 2017-March 2020 data to examine the dietary intakes of 60-69 year old (n=2079), 70-79 year old (n=1181) and 80+ year old (n=644) adults in the US. Mutual information was used to infer network relationships among all possible pairs of fourteen What We Eat in America food group categories. Based on edge weights, we observed some similarities and some differences in the manner in which food groups were co-consumed across older adulthood. For example, fruit and dairy were co-consumed similarly in the three age groups. Among the 60-69 and 70-79 year olds, protein and vegetables were co-consumed, while fruits were consumed with grains and mixed dishes. However, in the 80+ year olds, vegetables were mostly consumed with fats and oils, but less so with protein, and grains were consumed with dairy, but less so with fruit. Based on a network science approach, the manner in which food groups are consumed appears to change throughout older adulthood. Future studies are needed to evaluate consumption patterns of specific foods among age-defined and other subgroups of older adults and explore potential associations with age-related health outcomes.

Periconceptional Dietary Patterns and Adverse Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes

BackgroundThe periconceptional period is a critical window for the origins of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, yet little is known about the dietary patterns that promote perinatal health. ObjectiveWe used machine learning methods to determine the effect of periconceptional dietary patterns on risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth, and a composite of these outcomes. MethodsWe used data from 8259 participants in the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-Be (8 US medical centers, 2010‒2013). Usual daily periconceptional intake of 82 food groups was estimated from a food frequency questionnaire. We used k-means clustering with a Euclidean distance metric to identify dietary patterns. We estimated the effect of dietary patterns on each perinatal outcome using targeted maximum likelihood estimation and an ensemble of machine learning algorithms, adjusting for confounders including health behaviors and psychological, neighborhood, and sociodemographic factors. ResultsThe 4 dietary patterns that emerged from our data were identified as “Sandwiches and snacks” (34% of the sample); “High fat, sugar, and sodium” (29%); “Beverages, refined grains, and mixed dishes” (21%); and “High fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and plant proteins” (16%). One-quarter of pregnancies had preeclampsia (8% incidence), gestational diabetes (5%), preterm birth (8%), or SGA birth (8%). Compared with the “High fat, sugar, and sodium” pattern, there were 3.3 to 4.3 fewer cases of the composite adverse outcome per 100 pregnancies among participants following the “Beverages, refined grains and mixed dishes” pattern (risk difference −0.043; 95% confidence interval −0.078, −0.009), “High fruits, vegetables, whole grains and plant proteins” pattern (−0.041; 95% confidence interval −0.078, −0.004), and “Sandwiches and snacks” pattern (−0.033; 95% confidence interval −0.065, −0.002). ConclusionsOur results highlight that there are a variety of periconceptional dietary patterns that are associated with perinatal health and reinforce the negative health implications of diets high in fat, sugars, and sodium.

Simple dietary substitutions can reduce carbon footprints and improve dietary quality across diverse segments of the US population.

Changing what foods we eat could reduce environmental harms and improve human health, but sweeping dietary change is challenging. We used dietary intake data from a nationally representative sample of 7,753 US children and adults to identify simple, actionable dietary substitutions from higher- to lower-carbon foods (for example, substituting chicken for beef in mixed dishes such as burritos, but making no other changes to the diet). We simulated the potential impact of these substitutions on dietary carbon emissions and dietary quality. If all consumers who ate the high-carbon foods instead consumed a lower-carbon substitute, the total dietary carbon footprint in the United States would be reduced by more than 35%. Moreover, if adopted, these substitutions would improve consumers' overall dietary quality by 4-10%, with benefits projected for all age, gender, and racial and ethnic groups. These results suggest that a 'small changes' approach could be a valuable starting point for addressing diet's impact on climate and health.

Micronutrient intake from three popular diet patterns in the United States: modeled replacement of foods highest in added sugar and sodium using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2018.

Fifty-two percent of adults in the United States reported following a popular diet pattern in 2022, yet there is limited information on daily micronutrient intakes associated with these diet patterns. The objective of the present study was to model the impact on micronutrient intake when foods highest in added sugar and sodium were replaced with healthier alternatives to align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations. Dietary data were acquired from 34,411 adults ≥ 20 y in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2018. The National Cancer Institute methodology was used to estimate usual dietary intake at baseline of 17 micronutrients using information from up to two dietary recalls per person. A food substitution model was used to evaluate the impact on micronutrient intake when three servings of foods highest in added sugar and sodium were substituted with healthier alternatives. Dietary modeling to replace foods highest in added sugar with healthier alternatives increased the mean intake of fat-soluble vitamins (0.15% for vitamin A to 4.28% for vitamin K), most water-soluble vitamins (0.01% for vitamin B1 to 12.09% for vitamin C), and most minerals (0.01% for sodium to 4.44% for potassium) across all diet patterns. Replacing foods highest in sodium had mixed effects on the mean intake of micronutrients. The intake of most fatsoluble vitamins increased by 1.37-6.53% (particularly vitamin A and D), yet while the intake of some water-soluble vitamins and minerals increased by 0.18-2.64% (particularly vitamin B2, calcium, and iron) others decreased by 0.56-10.38% (notably vitamin B3 and B6, magnesium, sodium, and potassium). Modeled replacement of foods highest in added sugar led to more favorable changes in mean micronutrient intake compared to modeled replacement of foods highest in sodium. Due to the composite nature of mixed dishes that include multiple ingredients, food substitutions may result in both favorable and unfavorable changes in micronutrient intake. These findings highlight the challenges of making singleitem food substitutions to increase micronutrient intake and call for further research to evaluate optimal combinations of replacement foods to maximize the intake of all micronutrients simultaneously.

FoodMask: Real-time food instance counting, segmentation and recognition

Food computing has long been studied and deployed to several applications. Understanding a food image at the instance level, including recognition, counting and segmentation, is essential to quantifying nutrition and calorie consumption. Nevertheless, existing techniques are limited to either category-specific instance detection, which does not reflect precisely the instance size at the pixel level, or category-agnostic instance segmentation, which is insufficient for dish recognition. This paper presents a compact and fast multi-task network, namely FoodMask, for clustering-based food instance counting, segmentation and recognition. The network learns a semantic space simultaneously encoding food category distribution and instance height at pixel basis. While the former value addresses instance recognition, the latter value provides prior knowledge for instance extraction. Besides, we integrate into the semantic space a pathway for class-specific counting. With these three outputs, we propose a clustering algorithm to segment and recognize food instances at a real-time speed. Empirical studies are made on three large-scale food datasets, including Mixed Dishes, UECFoodPixComp and FoodSeg103, which cover Western, Chinese, Japanese and Indian cuisines. The proposed networks outperform benchmarks in both terms of instance map quality and speed efficiency.

Association between Dietary Patterns and Cognitive Function among Qatari Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Qatar Biobank Study.

This study aimed to assess the association between dietary patterns and cognitive function among Qatari adults. In a cross-sectional analysis, data on 1000 Qatari adults attending the Qatar Biobank Study (QBB) aged ≥18 years were obtained. Using factor analysis, dietary patterns were constructed based on habitual dietary intake assessed by food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). The mean reaction time (MRT) derived from self-administered touch screen tests was used as an indicator of cognitive function. The association between dietary patterns and MRT was investigated using linear regression. The mean age of the participants was 35.8 (SD 10.3) years, and the mean MRT was 715.3 (SD 204.1) milliseconds. Three dietary patterns were identified. The "traditional" dietary pattern, characterized by high intakes of white rice, mixed dishes and soups/starters possibly high in saturated fat and sodium, was positively associated with MRT. In the multivariable model, comparing the highest to lowest quartiles of the traditional pattern, the regression coefficient for MRT was 50.0 (95% CI 16.9, 83.1; p for trend 0.001). There was an effect modification of diabetes and age on the association between the "modern" dietary pattern and MRT. The "convenient" dietary pattern was not associated with cognition. In conclusion, the traditional rice-based dietary pattern may be associated with poor cognitive function.

Demographic and Socioeconomic Correlates of Disproportionate Beef Consumption among US Adults in an Age of Global Warming.

Concern for the environment when making dietary choices has grown as the contribution of the food sector to global greenhouse gas emissions becomes more widely known. Understanding the correlates of beef eating could assist in the targeting of campaigns to reduce the consumption of high-impact foods. The objective of this study was to identify the demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral correlates of disproportionate beef consumption in the United States. We analyzed 24-h dietary recall data from adults (n = 10,248) in the 2015-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Disproportionate beef consumption was defined as an intake greater than four ounce-equivalents per 2200 kcal. Associations of this indicator variable with gender, age, race/ethnicity, education, family income, diet knowledge, and away-from-home meals were assessed using logistic regression, incorporating survey design and weighting. Disproportionate beef diets were consumed by 12% of individuals, but accounted for half of all beef consumed. Males were more likely than females (p < 0.001) to consume these diets. This relationship was seen in all bivariate and multivariable models. Older adults, college graduates, and those who looked up the MyPlate educational campaign online were less likely (p < 0.01) to consume a disproportionate beef diet. While almost one-third of reported consumption came from cuts of beef (e.g., steak or brisket), six of the top ten beef sources were mixed dishes: burgers, meat mixed dishes, burritos and tacos, frankfurters, soups, and pasta. Efforts to address climate change through diet modification could benefit from targeting campaigns to the highest consumers of beef, as their consumption accounts for half of all beef consumed.