Estimated intakes of meat and fish by children and adolescents in Australia and comparison with recommendations

Children's consumption of rabbit meat

<p>The nutritional and dietary properties of rabbit meat make it an ideal food for children, recommended by the World Health Organisation. However, the presence of children under 18 in the home has been found to decrease the frequency of rabbit meat consumption. If we focus on households with children under 18, 52.5% of minors do not consume rabbit meat. The main reason why children (intended as people under 18 yr old) do not consume rabbit meat is the fact that they do not like it (40.9%) and because it is not bought/eaten at home (30.9%). Faced with this situation, there is a pressing need to seek appropriate strategies to adapt rabbit meat for consumption by the youngest family members. In light of the results, the following strategies are proposed. First, the development of functional foods for babies and children, such as rabbit meat enriched with ω3 and docosahexaenoic acid. Secondly, improving meat tenderness. Third, adapting rabbit meat presentations for children (burgers, nuggets, sausages, marinades …), converting them into convenience products for parents and extending their shelf life. Fourth, adapting the labelling/packaging for children to attract attention of both parents and offspring. Finally, developing communication strategies on the nutritional value of rabbit meat aimed at both children and parents. It is observed that if minors consume rabbit meat, they also eat other types of meat such as lamb and beef more often. Therefore, in this type of households a varied and complete diet is consumed in terms of meat consumption, so it would be necessary to rethink joint communication strategies among the three meat sectors. Promoting rabbit meat consumption among the under 18s has several consequences, as in the future they will be in charge of household purchases or share this responsibility.</p>

Identifying Eating Occasion-Based Opportunities to Improve the Overall Diets of Australian Adolescents

Adolescents in Australia have a poor dietary intake, leading to large numbers of them being at risk for inadequate intake of micronutrients, and excessive intake of less healthful dietary components. This study examined dietary intakes at multiple eating occasions to identify opportunities for more targeted recommendations and strategies to improve dietary intakes among adolescents. Data from the first 24-h recall of 14-18 years old in the 2011-2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey were analysed (n = 772). Participant-defined eating occasions were classified as breakfast, lunch, dinner or other eating occasions combined. The mean percent contribution to the total day intake of top shortfall nutrients (calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, iron), discretionary calories, saturated fat, free sugars and sodium, as well as nutrient density, the foods consumed and the percent of consumers at each eating occasion, were calculated. Breakfast had the lowest prevalence of consumers (81%), contributed the least to total daily energy (14.6%) and almost a quarter of daily calcium and iron. Other eating occasions combined contributed 47.5% of free sugars and were top contributors of daily calcium (34.6%) and magnesium (31.7%). Discretionary foods contributed 32.4% of the energy at lunch, and the sodium content at lunch was 415 mg/1000 kJ. Key opportunities identified for adolescents were to increase breakfast consumption, given the high nutrient densities of breakfasts consumed; improve overall lunch quality, particularly the sodium content; promote the intake of milk, fruit and a variety of vegetables at both lunch and dinner; maintain healthful choices at in-between meal eating occasions while focusing on decreasing the intake of discretionary foods.

Pattern of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and fish consumption and retinal vascular caliber in children and adolescents: A cohort study

We aimed to investigate whether fish and long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCn-3 PUFA) consumption changed appreciably during adolescence. We also assessed whether these dietary variables are associated with retinal microvascular signs (possible markers of future cardiovascular disease risk). 633 children had dietary data at ages 12 and 17. Fish and LCn-3 PUFA [eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] intake was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. Retinal vessel caliber was quantified from digital photographs using computer software. Mean energy-adjusted intakes (mg/day) of total LCn-3 PUFA, EPA, and DHA at age 12 were 297.1±261.1; 102.5±106.9; and 129.7±137.7, respectively; and this increased significantly at age 17 to: 347.0±324.0 (p<0.0001); 122.5±132.7 (p = 0.0001); and 160.3±171.4 (p <0.0001), respectively. Increasing quartiles of LCn-3PUFA intake were associated with widening of mean retinal arteriolar caliber among 17-year old girls ~3.9 μm (multivariable-adjusted P-trend = 0.001). Girls who consumed ≥2 serves of fish/week versus those who did not had ~2.1 μm wider retinal arterioles (p = 0.03). No associations were observed among boys or with retinal venules. Mean dietary intakes of LCn-3 PUFA increased during adolescence, but are still below recommended levels of consumption. These results suggest that LCn-3 PUFA and fish intake might have a beneficial influence.

Adolescents with or at ultra-high risk for bipolar disorder exhibit erythrocyte docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid deficits: a candidate prodromal risk biomarker

AIM

Mood disorders are associated with low levels of the long-chain omega-3 (LCn-3) fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This study investigated LCn-3 fatty acid biostatus in youth with or at varying risk for developing mania to assess its utility as a prodromal risk biomarker.

METHOD

Erythrocyte fatty acid composition was determined in healthy adolescents (n = 28, HC), asymptomatic adolescents with a biological parent with bipolar I disorder (n = 30; 'high risk', HR), adolescents with a biological parent with bipolar I disorder and major depressive disorder, or depressive disorder not otherwise specified (n = 36; 'ultra-high risk', UHR), and first-episode adolescent bipolar manic patients (n = 35, BP).

RESULTS

Group differences were observed for DHA (P ≤ 0.0001) and EPA (P = 0.03). Compared with HC, erythrocyte EPA + DHA ('omega-3 index') was significantly lower in BP (-24%, P ≤ 0.0001) and UHR (-19%, P = 0.0006) groups, and there was a trend in the HR group (-11%, P = 0.06). Compared with HC (61%), a greater percentage of HR (77%, P = 0.02), UHR (80%, P = 0.005) and BP (97%, P = 0.001) subjects exhibited EPA + DHA levels of ≤4.0%. Among all subjects (n = 130), EPA + DHA was inversely correlated with manic (r = -0.29, P = 0.0008) and depressive (r = -0.28, P = 0.003) symptom severity. The AA/EPA + DHA ratio was significantly greater in BP (+22%, P = 0.0002) and UHR (+16%, P = 0.001) groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Low EPA + DHA levels coincide with the initial onset of mania, and increasing risk for developing bipolar disorder is associated with graded erythrocyte EPA + DHA deficits. Low erythrocyte EPA + DHA biostatus may represent a promising prodromal risk biomarker warranting additional evaluation in future prospective studies.

Dietary intake and food sources of EPA, DPA and DHA in Australian children

Secondary analysis of the 2007 Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity survey was undertaken to assess the intake and food sources of EPA, DPA and DHA (excluding supplements) in 4,487 children aged 2-16 years. An average of two 24-h dietary recalls was analysed for each child and food sources of EPA, DPA and DHA were assessed using the Australian nutrient composition database called AUSNUT 2007. Median (inter quartile range, IQR) for EPA, DPA and DHA intakes (mg/day) for 2-3, 4-8, 9-13, 14-16 year were: EPA 5.3 (1.5-14), 6.7 (1.8-18), 8.7 (2.6-23), 9.8 (2.7-28) respectively; DPA 6.2 (2.2-14), 8.2 (3.3-18), 10.8 (4.3-24), 12.2 (5-29) respectively; and DHA 3.9 (0.6-24), 5.1 (0.9-26), 6.8 (1.1-27), 7.8 (1.5-33) respectively. Energy-adjusted intakes of EPA, DPA and DHA in children who ate fish were 7.5, 2 and 16-fold higher, respectively (P < 0.001) compared to those who did not eat fish during the 2 days of the survey. Intake of total long chain n-3 PUFA was compared to the energy adjusted suggested dietary target (SDT) for Australian children and 20 % of children who ate fish during the 2 days of the survey met the SDT. Fish and seafood products were the largest contributors to DHA (76 %) and EPA (59 %) intake, while meat, poultry and game contributed to 56 % DPA. Meat consumption was 8.5 times greater than that for fish/seafood. Australian children do not consume the recommended amounts of long chain omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, which could be explained by low fish consumption.

Food groups and risk of prostate cancer: a case-control study in Uruguay

OBJECTIVE

The role of foods and beverages has been studied in detail in order to establish probable risk factors for prostate cancer.

METHODS

Data were derived from 326 cases with incident and microscopically confirmed adenocarcinomas of the prostate and 652 controls. Odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals of prostate cancer were estimated by unconditional multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

We identified the following food items as risk factors: lamb meat, salted meat, whole milk, total eggs, and maté consumption. The highest OR was associated with total eggs (OR, 2.43; 95 % CI, 1.70-3.48), followed by salted meat (OR, 2.65; 95 % CI, 1.36-3.76), maté consumption (OR, 1.96; 95 % CI, 1.17-3.31), and whole milk (OR, 2.01; 95 % CI, 1.26-2.51).

CONCLUSIONS

The final model, fitted by stepwise forward method, included total eggs, salted meat, whole milk, and maté consumption, whereas fruits were protective.