Plant-source Foods Research Articles

Determinants of animal source food consumption among children aged 6–23 months in sub-Saharan Africa: multilevel mixed effect model

A diversified diet in early childhood that comprises plant and animal source foods contributes to better health outcomes throughout the life course. However, inadequate infant and young child-feeding practices are serious public health problems in Africa. Evidence on the magnitude and determinants of inadequate animal source food consumption (ASF) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is not yet well established. Hence, this study aimed to estimate the pooled magnitude and determinants of ASF consumption in SSA. A total weighted sample of 92,309 children aged 6–23 months from the Demographic and Health Survey dataset of 35 SSA countries was used for this study. A multilevel mixed-effect model was fitted. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and likelihood ratio (LR) tests were used to assess the presence of the clustering effect. The model comparison was made using deviance information criteria (DIC). A p-value of p < 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. The pooled magnitude of ASF consumption among children aged 6–23 months in SSA was 23.7% (95% CI: 23.4, 23.9). Across the SSA regions, the Southern Africa region had the highest consumption of ASF (51.35%), and the lowest was from the Eastern Africa region (21.41%). Younger children aged 6–9 months (AOR = 3.39; 95% CI: 3.14, 3.65), mothers who had no formal education (AOR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.37, 1.56), children from mothers with no media exposure (AOR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.24), children from the poorest households (AOR = 2.59; 95% CI: 2.36, 2.84), rural residence (AOR = 1.20; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.28), living in low-income countries (AOR = 2.43; 95% CI: 2.03, 2.90), and children from the East Africa region (AOR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.35) were among the significant predictors for not consuming ASF. In this study, ASF consumption was markedly low. Almost three-fourths of children aged 6–23 months in SSA did not consume ASF in the previous day. Age of the child, ANC visits, maternal educational status, maternal marital status, media exposure, and household wealth index were significant individual-level predictors of ASF consumption, whereas the place of residence, country’s income level, and regions of SSA were found to be significant community-level predictors of ASF consumption. Thus, the study highlighted that policymakers, governments, and their partners should demonstrate rigorous efforts to improve dietary diversification with due consideration to the identified predictors of ASF.

Plant-based diets-impacts of consumption of little or no animal-source foods on human health.

The world, in 2024, faces both climate and biodiversity crises, and the food system does contribute significantly to these crises. For some, the solution is simple - intakes of animal source foods (ASFs) should be considerably reduced, and consumption of plant-source foods (PSFs) should be greatly increased. Advocates for such a dietary transformation express confidence that plant-based diets will not only benefit planetary health, but will provide nutrient adequacy for all, and will also result in considerable protection from chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, as described in this perspective, the dramatic reductions in ASFs, entailed by many plant-based diets, will worsen already prevalent micronutrient and protein deficiencies. The protections provided by plant-based diets against NCDs appear to be more strongly associated with reduced intakes of calories and salt, and increased intakes of fruit, vegetables, nuts and whole grains, rather than with reduced intakes of ASFs. Any possible absolute adverse effects of red and processed meat consumption on NCDs are very small and uncertain. Other ASFs either appear to have no impact on NCDs (poultry meat and eggs), or are associated with protections against obesity, cardiovascular events, brain disorders and some cancers (seafood and dairy). Rigorous randomized controlled trials of all newly proposed environmentally-protective plant-based diets are required, so as to provide clear-cut evidence of micronutrient and protein adequacy, with or without, supplementation, fortification and/or biofortification. In the meantime, dietary guidelines should advise moderating excessive consumption, rather than substantially limiting or excluding ASFs from the human diet.

Pantothenic acid - a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

Pantothenic acid, also referred to as vitamin B5, is a water-soluble vitamin that has essential functions in the body as a component of coenzyme A (CoA) and acyl carrier protein (ACP). It is widely distributed in animal and plant-source foods. Nutritional deficiency of pantothenic acid is rare and toxicity negligible. Information on pantothenic acid intakes in the Nordic countries is limited and biomarker data from Nordic and Baltic populations is missing. Due to a lack of data, no dietary reference values (DRVs) were given for pantothenic acid in the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) since 2012. The aim of this scoping review was to examine recent evidence relevant for updating the DRVs for NNR2023. Scientific literature since 2012 on associations of pantothenic acid with health-related issues in Nordic and Baltic countries was searched. No health concerns related to pantothenic acid were identified.

Dietary protein recommendations to support healthy muscle ageing in the 21st Century and beyond: considerations and future directions.

This review explores the evolution of dietary protein intake requirements and recommendations, with a focus on skeletal muscle remodelling to support healthy ageing based on presentations at the 2023 Nutrition Society summer conference. In this review, we describe the role of dietary protein for metabolic health and ageing muscle, explain the origins of protein and amino acid (AA) requirements and discuss current recommendations for dietary protein intake, which currently sits at about 0⋅8 g/kg/d. We also critique existing (e.g. nitrogen balance) and contemporary (e.g. indicator AA oxidation) methods to determine protein/AA intake requirements and suggest that existing methods may underestimate requirements, with more contemporary assessments indicating protein recommendations may need to be increased to &gt;1⋅0 g/kg/d. One example of evolution in dietary protein guidance is the transition from protein requirements to recommendations. Hence, we discuss the refinement of protein/AA requirements for skeletal muscle maintenance with advanced age beyond simply the dose (e.g. source, type, quality, timing, pattern, nutrient co-ingestion) and explore the efficacy and sustainability of alternative protein sources beyond animal-based proteins to facilitate skeletal muscle remodelling in older age. We conclude that, whilst a growing body of research has demonstrated that animal-free protein sources can effectively stimulate and support muscle remodelling in a manner that is comparable to animal-based proteins, food systems need to sustainably provide a diversity of both plant and animal source foods, not least for their protein content but other vital nutrients. Finally, we propose some priority research directions for the field of protein nutrition and healthy ageing.

Guidelines for extraction and quantitative analysis of phytosterols and oxidation products

AbstractPhytosterols (PS) are widely distributed in the plant source foods, and research on their health benefits has become increasingly active. This article briefly outlines the main extraction processes of PS and instrumental analysis methods of PS in detail. The PS isolation technique depends on the nature of the matrix and the form of the PS (free, esterified, and glycosylated). Conventional extraction technologies for PS commonly used in practice were Soxhlet extraction and maceration method. Due to their inherent molecular structure, PS exhibits poor stability to heat, light, oxygen, pH, and metal ions. It is of great significance to find a reliable analytical technique to extract PS and oxidation products from food substances and an accurate detection method of PS in different foods due to the instability of plant sterol and the interference of complex plant‐based matrices. Generally, it is common to use GC–MS to determine the composition of total PS and their oxidation products, which requires standard monomer PS. It is desirable to use LC–MS to determine free PS in liquid samples. These methodologies could be meaningful in the quality assessment, health function evaluation, and applications and limitations of plant‐sourced foods.

Relative validity of the Planetary Health Diet Index by comparison with usual nutrient intakes, plasma food consumption biomarkers, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet among European adolescents: the HELENA study.

The EAT-Lancet Commission proposed an evidence-based global reference diet to improve human health within planetary boundaries. Recently, the Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI) was developed based on the EAT-Lancet recommendations and validated among Brazilian adults. However, the relative validity of the PHDI in adolescents has yet to be assessed. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the relative validity of the PHDI in European adolescents. We used cross-sectional data from 1804 adolescents (12.5-17.5years) enrolled in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study. The PHDI (0-150 points) was calculated based on dietary intake data from two non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls. Associations between the PHDI and usual nutrient intakes, plasma food consumption biomarkers, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were evaluated using multivariable-adjusted mixed-effects linear regression models. Higher PHDI score was associated with greater intakes of nutrients predominantly from plant-source foods, such as vegetable protein, vitamin E, and folate and with lower intake of nutrients predominately from animal-source foods, such as total and saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein. Furthermore, a higher PHDI score was also positively associated with plasma β-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin D, folate, and ferritin concentrations, while negatively associated with trans-fatty acids concentration. Moreover, higher PHDI was related to a greater adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern. The PHDI showed good relative validity among adolescents in the HELENA study. Hence, future research should assess adherence to the PHDI and long-term health outcomes.

The Impact of Ellagitannins and Their Metabolites through Gut Microbiome on the Gut Health and Brain Wellness within the Gut-Brain Axis.

Ellagitannins (ETs) are a large group of bioactive compounds found in plant-source foods, such as pomegranates, berries, and nuts. The consumption of ETs has often been associated with positive effects on many pathologies, including cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative syndromes, and cancer. Although multiple biological activities (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive) have been discussed for ETs, their limited bioavailability prevents reaching significant concentrations in systemic circulation. Instead, urolithins, ET gut microbiota-derived metabolites, are better absorbed and could be the bioactive molecules responsible for the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities or anti-tumor cell progression. In this review, we examined the dietary sources, metabolism, and bioavailability of ETs, and analyzed the last recent findings on ETs, ellagic acid, and urolithins, their intestinal and brain activities, the potential mechanisms of action, and the connection between the ET microbiota metabolism and the consequences detected on the gut-brain axis. The current in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies indicate that ET-rich foods, individual gut microbiomes, or urolithin types could modulate signaling pathways and promote beneficial health effects. A better understanding of the role of these metabolites in disease pathogenesis may assist in the prevention or treatment of pathologies targeting the gut-brain axis.

Minimum dietary diversity and associated factors among children aged 6-23 months in Enebsie Sar Midir Woreda, East Gojjam, North West Ethiopia

BackgroundDietary diversity has been recognized as a significant component of high-quality diets for children’s growth and development. Poor infant and young child feeding practices in the first one thousand days of age is the major contributor of malnutrition that leads to failure to thrive to their age, in low-income countries including Ethiopia. It causes long-term consequences of chronic malnutrition, including as stunting, has an impact on intellectual development, and raises the risk of several infectious diseases and death. There was no research done on the dietary diversity of the children in the study area.ObjectiveThe main objective of this study was to assess minimum dietary diversity and associated factors among children aged from 6-23 months in Enebsie Sar Midir Woreda.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study design was used to assess the minimum dietary diversity and associated factors among children aged 6–23 months in Enebsie Sar Midir Woreda, East Gojjam, North West Ethiopia. A total of 512 Mothers/caregivers of children of 6–23 months old in the community were included in the study using a systemic sampling technique. Data were collected by the interviewer-administered structured, pre-tested questionnaire. A 24-hour recall method was used to capture the dietary intake of children during the previous 24 h period before the interview. The data were coded and entered into SPSS for windows version 20 and analyzed after cleaning. Descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to isolate independent predictors of minimum dietary diversity. All tests were two-sided and P < 0.05 was used for declaring statistical significance.ResultsThe overall prevalence of minimum dietary diversity was 18.2% (CI: 14.8, 21.7). The dominant food groups consumed were roots, grains, and tubers. While consumption of vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables and other vegetables were relatively low.On multivariable logistic regression model, after adjusting for other variables, availability of cow’s milk at household (AOR = 17.27; 95% CI: 6.73, 44.44), cultivating vegetables (AOR = 3.2; 95% CI: 1.05, 9.8), availability of farmland (AOR= 10.15, 95%CI: 1.78, 57.93) and number of animals (AOR = 6.46; 95% CI: 1.97, 21.12) were significantly associated with minimum dietary diversity. ConclusionThe proportion of infant and young children aged between 6-23months receiving minimum dietary diversity score is low compared with a study conducted in Addis Ababa. Availability of both animal and plant-source foods from household production was positively associated with practicing the minimum dietary diversity among children implying the need for strengthening nutrition-sensitive agricultural practices.

COVID-19 preventives consumed in South Africa versus other Sub-Saharan African countries.

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been of global concern as it has affected the health of many and the economies of nations. In order to strengthen the immune system against COVID-19, certain plant-source foods were consumed. This study was designed to identify and compare various special foods and drinks consumed to prevent COVID-19 during the lockdown in various sub-Saharan countries in comparison to South Africa (SA), as well as highlighting some current dietary recommendations. Online cross-sectional survey in six African countries, namely South Africa, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia and Kenya. After sample size determination, an online questionnaire was designed and content validated. The survey link was pretested on 25 people and then circulated for 6 weeks during total lockdown. The proportion of responses for each question were reported using descriptive statistics. Half of the 817 participants surveyed were not consuming anything special for COVID-19 prevention. South Africans mostly reported the consumption of supplements or conventional medicines (mainly vitamin C and zinc) while for other countries, a variety of natural foods and drinks were mentioned - some having already proved helpful in boosting immune systems. They included infusions of spices with or without honey, fruits and vegetables, medicinal drinks and local beverages. Programmes and campaigns designed to increase awareness of dietary measures for COVID-19 prevention have proved beneficial and should be promoted. Analytical evaluation of the nutritional and health benefits and antiviral potentials of the identified special foods would help in determining which foods to prioritise and promote in the fight against COVID-19. This study shows the possibility of finding dietary solutions for managing the pandemic and 'preventive' potentials of certain plant substances.

67 Importance of Animal-Sourced Foods and Barriers to Their Adoption Globally

Abstract Globally, over 200 million children experience physical and mental underdevelopment due to a variety of reasons, particularly inadequate nutrition. In low-and middle-income countries (LMIC), hidden hunger, a condition in which diets are deficient in micronutrients essential for physical and mental development, is a common problem. Compared to plant-source foods, animal-source foods (ASF) contain higher quality and more bioavailable forms of several essential micronutrients as well as essential polyunsaturated fatty acids and higher quality protein. Due to the critical role these macro and micronutrients play in children's cognitive and physical development, ASF should be a vital component of their diets. Studies have demonstrated compelling evidence on the potential of ASF consumption by infants, children, pregnant, and lactating women to aid cognitive development of children. However, the evidence, is not conclusive, as some studies, especially those with confounding factors, showed no positive relationship between ASF consumption and cognitive development. Due to logistical, methodological and ethical difficulties, most studies that examined the effect of ASF on cognitive development are retrospective observational studies that do not enable effective separation of confounding factors. Producing conclusive evidence that can influence nutrition policy and guidelines will require large-scale, controlled interventional studies, preferably across countries or cultures. Unfortunately, per capita consumption of ASF, especially by infants, children, and mothers, in LMIC is very low compared to World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. This is due to multiple and complex factors. First, there is the issue of unaffordability, which is due to a large extent to the low livestock productivity among smallholders who are the main livestock producers in LMIC. Even when ASF is affordable, there are many socio-economic, cultural, and religious barriers that limit ASF consumption by children and women. To prevent cognitive impairment among children in LMIC, concerted multisectoral approaches are needed. These should aim to improve livestock productivity in LMIC, generate robust policy-influencing evidence about their dietary importance and raise awareness about the value of ASF in the diet.

Dietary Patterns and Hypertensive Disorders Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal and Delivery Care in Public Hospitals of Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia.

PurposeHypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a major contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality. Dietary pattern is one of the modifiable determinants of hypertension. However, there is a research gap on dietary patterns and hypertensive disorders among pregnant women in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to identify dietary pattern of hypertensive disorders of pregnant women attending antenatal and delivery care.MethodsInstitution-based unmatched case control study was conducted among a total of 333 participants (111 cases and 222 controls). Data were collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Principal component analysis was used to identify wealth tertile and cluster analysis was used to derive dietary pattern. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval and variables with P-value <0.05 were declared as statistically significant. Model of fitness was tested using Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test.ResultsOn multivariable analysis, plant source food based dietary pattern [AOR=0.36 95% CI: 0.15–0.82], balanced type of dietary pattern [AOR=0.24 95% CI: 0.11–0.51] and folate intake [AOR=0.17 95% CI: 0.06–0.48] were found to be significant protective factors from hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Previous history of pregnancy induced hypertension [AOR=3.76 95% CI: 1.67–8.37], twin pregnancy [AOR=3.69 95% CI: 1.52–8.96], history of abortion [AOR=2.37 95% CI: 1.10–5.12], presence of anemia at the first visit [AOR=7.12 95% CI:2.30–21.98], gestational diabetes [AOR=3.12 95% CI: 1.002–9.72] and highest wealth index [AOR=4.17 95% CI: 1.27–13.66] were found to be significant risk factors for hypertensive disorders during pregnancy.ConclusionBalanced food based dietary pattern and plant-based food pattern had direct protective relationship with development of hypertension during pregnancy. This implies the need for promoting consumption of balanced diets and plant source foods high in fruit and vegetables. Mothers with twin pregnancies, anemia at first visit, previous history of pregnancy induced hypertension, and advanced age groups should be prioritized.

Quality of plant-based diets in relation to 10-year cardiovascular disease risk: the ATTICA cohort study.

We prospectively evaluated the association between quality of plant-based diets and 10-year first fatal/non-fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence. ATTICA study was conducted in the greater metropolitan Athens area, Greece, during 2001-2002 studying men and women (aged > 18 years old) free of CVD at baseline. Follow-up CVD assessment (2011-2012) was achieved in n = 2,020 participants (n = 317 cases). Dietary assessment was based on a validated semi-quantitative paper-based food frequency questionnaire. Overall, healthful, and unhealthful plant-based dietary indices (PDI, hPDI and uPDI) were calculated through a standard published procedure. The association between plant-based indices and CVD outcome has been evaluated via Cox regression analysis. The CVD event rate was 15.7% (n = 317) with a median follow-up time of 8.41 years. The highest (3rd PDI tertile) vs. lowest (1st tertile) adherence to plant-based pattern-irrespective to healthfulness of food products consumed-was inversely associated with CVD (hazard ratio (HR) 0.56; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.14, 2.25) yet the CI was wide. Ranking from 1st to 2nd and 3rd hPDI tertile theCVD event rate was 6.4%, 10.5% and 16.2%, respectively (p = 0.003). Multi-variable adjusted analysis revealed that participants assigned in 2nd and 3rd hPDI tertile had 47% (HR 0.53; 95% CI 0.25-1.08) and 68% (HR 0.32; 95% CI 0.16-0.63) lower risk to develop CVD compared with their 1st tertile counterparts. Conversely, a positive association between uPDI and CVD risk was revealed in dose-response analysis (HR(per 5 units increase in uPDI) 1.34; 95% CI 0.95-2.37)). Quality of plant-based diets is important and needs to be considered, as not all plant-source foods have beneficial cardiovascular effects.

Nutritionism in a food policy context: the case of ‘animal protein’

Reductionist approaches to food focus on isolated nutritional criteria, ignoring the broader physiological and societal benefits and trade-offs involved. They can lead to the inadvertent or, potentially, intentional labelling of foods as good or bad. Both can be considered worrisome. Among our present-day array of issues is the disproportionate stigmatisation of animal-source foods as harmful for human and planetary health. The case for a protein transition reinforces this trend, overemphasising one particular nutritional constituent (even if an important one). In its strongest formulation, animal-source foods (reduced to the notion of ‘animal protein’) are represented as an intrinsically harmful food category that needs to be minimised, thereby falsely assuming that ‘proteins’ are nutritionally interchangeable. We caution against using the word ‘protein’ in food policy-making to describe a heterogenous set of foods. Rather, we suggest referring to said foods as ‘protein-rich foods’, while acknowledging the expanded pool of non-protein nutrients that they provide and their unique capabilities to support a much broader range of bodily functions. Several essential or otherwise beneficial nutrients are generally more bioavailable in animal-source foods than in plant-source foods. A similar complementarity exists in reverse. Nutritional and environmental metrics should be carefully interpreted, as considerable contextuality is involved. This needs to be undertaken, for instance, with respect to the biochemistry of food and in light of individual and genetically inherited human physiology. Also, the assessments of the environmental impact need a fine-grained approach, especially when examining a product at the system scale. Harms and benefits are multiple, multi-dimensional, and difficult to measure on the basis of the narrow sets of descriptive metrics that are often used (e.g. CO2-eq/kg). A more appropriate way forward would consist of combining and integrating the best of animal and plant solutions to reconnect with wholesome and nourishing diets that are rooted in undervalued benefits such as conviviality and shared traditions, thus steering away from a nutrient-centric dogma. Humans do not consume isolated nutrients, they consume foods, and they do so as part of culturally complex dietary patterns that, despite their complexity, need to be carefully considered in food policy making.

Food Systems Transformation for Child Health and Well-Being: The Essential Role of Dairy.

Malnutrition, in all its forms, during the critical stages of child growth and development can have lifelong impacts on health and well-being. While most forms of malnutrition can be prevented with simple dietary interventions, both undernutrition and overnutrition remain persistent and burdensome challenges for large portions of the global population, especially for young children who are dependent on others for nourishment. In addition to dietary factors, children’s health also faces the growing challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, pollution, and infectious disease. Food production and consumption practices both sit at the nexus of these issues, and both must be significantly transformed if we are to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Food sources (i.e., animal-source foods vs. plant-source foods), food production practices, the effects of food processing, the impacts of a more globalized food system, and food loss and waste have all been receiving growing attention in health and sustainability research and policy discussions. Much of this work points to recommendations to reduce resource-intensive animal-source foods, heavily processed foods, and foods associated with excessive waste and pollution, while simultaneously increasing plant-source options. However, some of these recommendations require a little more nuance when considered in the context of issues such as global child health. All types of foods can play significant roles in providing essential nutrition for children across the globe, and for improving the well-being and livelihoods of their families and communities. Dairy foods provide a prime example of this need for nuance, as both dairy production practices and consumption patterns vary greatly throughout the world, as do their impacts on child health and food system sustainability. The objective of this narrative review is to highlight the role of dairy in supporting child health in the context of food system sustainability. When considering child health within this context it is recommended to take a holistic approach that considers all four domains of sustainability (health, economics, society, and the environment) to better weigh trade-offs, optimize outcomes, and avoid unintended consequences. To ensure that children have access to nutritious and safe foods within sustainable food systems, special consideration of their needs must be included within the broader food systems transformation narrative.

The Complementary Roles for Plant-Source and Animal-Source Foods in Sustainable Healthy Diets.

There are approximately 100 countries with food-based dietary guidelines throughout the world, each of which aims to encompass the cultural, geographical, and health considerations unique to their country of origin. Common themes throughout these guides emphasize diverse and balanced intake of food groups from both plant- and animal-sources. With the globally recognized need to shift to more sustainable food systems, several countries and international food and health organizations have begun to incorporate sustainability recommendations into their dietary guidance. These sustainability recommendations are often based on food source (i.e., eat more plant-source and fewer animal-source foods), yet food source may not be the only useful or informative comparator for assessing healthy and sustainable diets. The purpose of this narrative review is to examine the roles of plant-source foods and animal-source foods in the context of sustainable healthy diets—with an emphasis on the contributions of the most commonly recommended food groups from global food-based dietary guidelines (i.e., fruits, vegetables, and dairy foods). Overall, plant and animal agriculture have complementary and symbiotic roles in healthy and sustainable food systems, and these abilities are largely dependent on various contextual factors (e.g., geography, production practices, processing methods, consumption patterns)—not just on whether the food originated from the plant or animal kingdom.

Achieving dietary micronutrient adequacy in a finite world

Achieving dietary micronutrient adequacy in a finite world

Comparison of Dietary Behaviors and the Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Single- and Multi-Person Households among Korean Adults.

Changes in household dynamics in Korea, such as the transition from multi- to single-person households, have led to changes in individuals’ dietary behavior patterns and health status. Thus, this study aimed to compare dietary behaviors and determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) as well as explore factors associated with MetS according to household type among Korean adults. Using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2014–2018, we included 21,944 Korean adults with available health examination and dietary recall data. Based on self-reported information, individuals were divided into two household types: single- and multi-person households. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for MetS and its components after adjusting for potential covariates. Among the study population, 9.19% and 90.81% lived in single-person and multi-person households, respectively. Individuals in single-person households had a higher energy intake overall and a greater percentage of energy from animal protein; total, saturated, and monounsaturated fats; and animal source foods and a lower percentage of energy from carbohydrates, plant protein, and plant source foods than those from multi-person households (all, p < 0.05). Individuals living in single-person rather than multi-person households were more likely to consume milk/dairy products, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, oils/fats, and others but were less likely to consume vegetables/mushrooms, fruits, seaweeds, and fish/shellfish (all, p < 0.05). Living alone was associated with higher energy intake from main meals and foods prepared away from home but a lower dietary variety score and fewer total main meals consumed (all, p < 0.05). Skipping breakfast, frequent eating out, food insecurity, and MetS combination phenotypes significantly differed by household type. Individuals living alone had higher odds of MetS (AOR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.02–1.29), abdominal obesity (AOR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01–1.28), elevated blood pressure (AOR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.12–1.47), and elevated fasting blood glucose (AOR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.05–1.33) than those living with others. Compared with those in multi-person households, individuals in single-person households tend to have health and dietary behaviors that increase vulnerability to MetS; therefore, establishing health care strategies and nutrition policies according to household type is necessary.

Estimating phytate intake from the US diet using the NHANES data

Phytate found in plant source foods has long been considered an antinutrient but recent studies have shown its beneficial antioxidant properties. Despite its health benefits, there are very few options for assessing phytate intake, especially in epidemiological studies. The aim of this study was to demonstrate an approach for estimating phytate intake from the US diet using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. We used data from NHANES 2009–2010 and 2013–2014 cycles and their corresponding Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED). To estimate phytate intake, the phytate content of nine food groups from the Food and Agriculture Organization/International Network of Food Data Systems/International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group (FAO/INFOODS/IZiNCG) database were merged with the appropriate FPED data. Phytate intake values were first estimated at the food group level and summed up to obtain daily intakes using two different approaches depending on the FPED data chosen. The mean phytate intake was 738 ± 10 mg/day for 2009–2010 and 784 ± 16 mg/day for 2013–2014. Refined grains contributed 52–53 % while nuts and seeds contributed 11–12 % to phytate intake. This new approach will be useful for further evaluating the relationships among phytate intake, micronutrient status and other health outcomes in the US population.

Meat eating by nonhuman primates: A review and synthesis

Most nonhuman primates prey on vertebrates. Meat-eating, defined as ingestion of vertebrate tissue, occurs in 12 families, ≥39 genera, and ≥89 species. It is most common in capuchins (Cebus and Sapajus spp.), baboons (Papio spp.), bonobos (Pan paniscus), and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and modestly common in blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis), callitrichids (Callithrix spp. and Saguinus spp.), and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.). It is uncommon in other cercopithecines, rare in other haplorhines and in lemurs, and virtually absent in colobines. Birds are the prey class eaten by the most species (≥53), followed by reptiles (≥48), amphibians (≥38), mammals (≥35), and fish (≥7). Major hypotheses for the importance of meat eating are that it is (1) mainly an energy source, especially (1a) when plant-source foods (PSFs) with high energy return rates are scarce (energy shortfall hypothesis); (2) mainly a protein source; and (3) mainly a source of micronutrients scarce in PSFs. Meat eating bouts sometimes provide substantial energy and protein, and some chimpanzees gain substantial protein from meat monthly or annually. However, meat typically accounts for only small proportions of feeding time and of total energy and protein intake, and quantitative data are inconsistent with the energy shortfall hypothesis. PSFs and/or invertebrates are presumably the main protein sources, even for chimpanzees. Support is strongest for the micronutrient hypothesis. Most chimpanzees eat far less meat than recorded for hunter-gatherers, but the highest chimpanzee estimates approach the lowest for African hunter-gatherers. In fundamental contrast to the human predatory pattern, other primates only eat vertebrates much smaller than they are, tool-assisted predation is rare except in some capuchins and chimpanzees, and tool use in carcass processing is virtually absent. However, harvesting of small prey deserves more attention with reference to the archaeological and ethnographic record.

Global Variation in the Cost of a Nutrient Adequate Diet by Population Group

Background: Nutrient deficiencies limit human development, and could be caused by the high cost of locally available foods needed to meet nutrient requirements. In this study, we identify the populations whose nutrient needs are most difficult to meet with existing global food systems. Methods: Using the most recent collection of global food prices (ICP 2017), we compute least-cost diets within upper and lower bounds for energy and 20 nutrients for healthy population across 20 demographic groups in 172 countries. Findings: Diet costs per day have a global median of $2.30 (IQR: 1.95-2.75) in 2017, and are highest for males 14-18 y/o at $2.85 [95%CI: 2.83, 2.88]. For females, cost per day is highest during pregnancy and lactation, exceeding cost for adult males 19-50 y/o. Energy-adjusted costs per 1,000 kcal have a global median of $0.94 (IQR: 0.79-1.12), and are higher for females throughout the life course, peaking for adolescent girls 9-13 y/o and women above 70 y/o at $1.17 [95% CI: 1.15, 1.19] and $1.18 [95% CI: 1.17, 1.19]. Meeting needs at least cost uses more animal-source foods in higher income countries, and more plant-source foods in lower income countries. Diet costs are most sensitive to requirements for calcium, iron, zinc and vitamins C and E, and upper bounds on carbohydrates and sodium. Interpretation: Diets with adequate nutrients are unaffordable for many demographic groups, especially women. Results can help guide agriculture and food policy or transfer programs to support populations at risk of inadequate intake. Funding Statement: UKAid and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.