Replacing the nutrients in dairy foods with non-dairy foods will increase cost, energy intake and require large amounts of food: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014

Nutritional profile of plant-based dairy alternatives in the Swedish market

The market for plant-based dairy alternatives is growing; therefore, focusing on the nutritional quality of these products is important. This study evaluates the nutritional profile of plant-based alternatives to milk, yoghurt, cheese, cream, ice cream and fat spread in the Swedish market and compares them to corresponding dairy products. The nutritional quality of organic vs non-organic and plain vs flavoured plant-based milk and yoghurt alternatives was also assessed. Nutritional data for 222 plant-based dairy alternatives were collected from the manufacturers' websites, and data for corresponding dairy products were obtained from the Swedish Food Composition Database. Plant-based dairy alternatives had higher fibre content than dairy products, while their protein content was lower, except for soy-based products. The saturated fat content of plant-based dairy alternatives was similar to or lower than dairy products, except for coconut-based yoghurt and plant-fat-based cheese. Their energy content was also similar to or lower than dairy products, except for coconut-based yoghurt, plant-based fat spread and plant-based ice cream, which contained higher energy than yoghurt, blended margarine, and ice cream, respectively. The micronutrient fortification was mainly in plant-based milk, yoghurt, and cheese alternatives; thus, compared to dairy, they had similar or higher vitamins D, B2, and B12 (except in plant-based milk alternatives), calcium and iodine content. Furthermore, organic plant-based milk and yoghurt alternatives had a lower micronutrient content (e.g., vitamins B2 and B12, iodine and calcium) except for vitamin D than non-organic varieties. Flavoured plant-based milk and yoghurt alternatives were higher in energy and total sugar than plain varieties. In summary, plant-based dairy alternatives have nutritional strengths and weaknesses compared to dairy products that should be considered when replacing dairy.

Dietary intake, nutritional adequacy and food sources of vitamins involved in the methionine-methylation cycle from Spanish children aged one to <10 years: results from the EsNuPI study

Background

Methionine-methylation cycle and the derived critical functions during infancy are key regulated by folates, vitamins B12, and B6. At present in Spain, there is an absence of studies that assess the intakes and dietary sources of total folates and B12 by children consuming all types of milks and those regularly consuming adapted milk formulas. Thus, our aim was to evaluate folates intakes alongside with vitamins B6 and B12 while describing their major dietary contributors in Spanish children aged one to <10 years.

Methods

A total of 1,448 children aged between 1 and 10 years (49.7% girls and 50.3% boys) from the EsNuPI, a prospective cross-sectional study, were allocated into two cohorts: one Spanish Reference Cohort (SRS) of the general population (n = 707), and another including children consuming adapted milks called Adapted Milk Consumers Cohort (AMS) (n = 741) completed two 24 h dietary recalls used to estimate their nutrient intakes and to compare them to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Population Reference Intakes.

Results

The median intake of vitamin B6 was 1.35 (1.06-1.70) mg/day in the SRS and 1.45 (1.17-1.79) mg/day in the AMS, being significantly higher in the AMS for all age-groups. Prevalence of adequacy for vitamin B6 in the SRS and AMS was 97.7 and 98.7%, respectively. Total folates intakes in the AMS were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.001) in all age groups than in the SRS, independently of age. In addition, the prevalence of adequacy for folates intakes in all groups was more than 60%. Vitamin B12 intake increased with age independently of the type of milk consumed. The prevalence of adequacy for vitamin B12 was highly compliant by all population groups. The major contributors to vitamin B6 were milk and dairy products being significantly higher in AMS than SRS (p ≤ 0.001). The highest contributors to folates intakes were milk and dairy products, cereals, vegetables, and fruits in both groups whereas for vitamin B12 in the SRS sample were milk and dairy products followed by meat and meats products and for adapted milks, were milk and dairy products, followed by eggs, then meat and meats products.

Conclusion

A satisfactory prevalence of adequacy for vitamins B6, and B12 amongst the Spanish children population was observed, which was not the case for folates, regardless of the dietary group evaluated. Nevertheless, a possible strategy to increase folate intake among the youngest children is to increase the consumption of milk and dairy products within a healthier dietary pattern, as these may contribute significantly to the vitamin needs of the infant population.

Association between Intake of Total Dairy and Individual Dairy Foods and Markers of Folate, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 Status in the U.S. Population

Vitamin B6, B12 and folate are required for energy metabolism and have been identified as nutrients of concern for certain population groups. This study examined the cross-sectional association between the consumption of dairy (total dairy, milk, yogurt and cheese) and biomarkers and adequacy for these nutrients in a nationally representative sample. Twenty-four-hour dietary recall data and concentrations of RBC folate (ng/mL), serum folate (ng/mL), and serum vitamins B6 (nmol/L) and B12 (pg/mL) were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001−2018 (n = 72,831) and were analyzed by linear and logistic regression after adjusting for demographic variables. Significance was set at p < 0.01. Mean intakes of total dairy were 2.21, 2.17, 1.83 and 1.51 cups eq among consumers aged 2−8, 9−18, 19−50 and 51+ years, respectively. Higher intakes of total dairy as well as individual dairy foods (especially milk and yogurt) were positively associated with serum and RBC folate, serum vitamin B6 and serum B12, and generally, with 9−57% lower risk of inadequate or deficient levels of these vitamins. These findings suggest that encouraging dairy consumption may be an effective strategy for improving micronutrient status and provide continued evidence to support the current dietary recommendations for dairy and dairy products.

Dairy matrix: is the whole greater than the sum of the parts?

Dairy foods are a heterogeneous group of products that vary in physical state and structure; profile and amounts of essential nutrients, bioactive ingredients, and other constituents; the extent of alteration of these constituents by processing, whether they are fermented or aged; and addition of constituents during manufacture. The complexity of the dairy matrix is associated with a heterogeneous impact on health outcomes from increased, decreased, or neutral effects for specific dairy products and specific health outcomes. Researchers must become more nuanced and systematic in their study of the role of dairy products in health to develop meaningful dietary recommendations. This review of the evidence for the dairy matrix and health points out the dearth of randomized controlled trials and of mechanistic insights. The variable effects of dairy-product consumption on health suggest possibilities for personalized nutrition advice.

Using Linear Programming to Determine the Role of Plant- and Animal-Sourced Foods in Least-Cost, Nutritionally Adequate Diets for Adults

BACKGROUND

The respective roles of plant- and animal-sourced foods in sustainable healthy diets for humans remain unclear. Nutritional quality and the monetary cost of diets are key criteria among others for sustainable food production.

OBJECTIVE

Linear programming (LP) was used to determine the composition of nutritionally adequate dietary patterns formulated at the lowest cost. The hypothesis tested was that animal-sourced foods would be included in least-cost diets due to their high density of particular essential nutrients.

METHODS

The LP modeling work was based on eating patterns, retail food prices (2020), and the daily energy (11,150 kJ, 2665 kcal) and essential nutrient requirements (29 nutrients in total) of a reference adult in New Zealand (NZ). The LP modeling approach is publicly and freely available to readily illustrate the change in dietary profiles and daily diet cost, in the simulation of changes in energy and nutrient requirements, and price fluctuations within food groups.

RESULTS

A nutrient-adequate, least-cost dietary pattern formulated from 883 foods, with a daily cost of NZ $3.23, included both animal- and plant-based foods. The nutrients found to be equally first-limiting were biotin, calcium, molybdenum, potassium, selenium, vitamin A, pantothenic acid, and vitamin C. When a dietary scenario with no animal-sourced foods was modeled, by increasing the retail prices of animal-sourced foods by 1.05 to 10.3 times, the daily cost of this plant-only dietary pattern was NZ $4.34. Additional nutrients, such as zinc, vitamin B-12, and vitamin D, were met at their daily minimum required levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Dietary patterns formulated at the lowest cost and meeting the daily minimum requirements for energy and essential nutrients for an adult in New Zealand relied on foods sourced from animals and plants.

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 New Hybrid Nutrient Density Score NRFh 4:3:3 Tested in Relation to Affordable Nutrient Density and Healthy Eating Index 2015: Analyses of NHANES Data 2013-16

Background: Hybrid nutrient density scores are based on both nutrients and selected food groups. Objective: To compare the new hybrid nutrient-rich food NRFh 4:3:3 score to other nutrient-rich food (NRF) scores, energy density, and energy cost and to model the impact on the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015) of partially replacing less nutrient-rich with more nutrient-rich foods. Methods: Analyses were based on 5870 foods and beverages in the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies and on 24 h dietary recalls from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2013–16). The NRFh 4:3:3 model was based on four nutrients to encourage (protein fiber, potassium, MUFA + PUFA); three food groups to encourage (dairy, fruit, whole grains); and three nutrients to limit (saturated fat, added sugar, sodium). Ratings generated by NRFh 4:3:3 and by other NRF models were correlated with score components, energy density (kcal/100 g), and energy cost (USD/100 kcal). The impact on HEI-2015 of replacing foods in the lowest nutrient density tertile (T1) with top tertile (T3) foods at 10%, 20%, 30%, and 100% equicaloric replacement was modeled using NHANES 2013–16 dietary data by population subgroups. Results: The NRFh 4:3:3 model awarded higher scores to foods containing dairy, fruit, and whole grains and proportionately lower scores to vegetables when compared to the NRF 9.3 model. Higher NRF and NRFh nutrient density scores were linked to lower energy density and higher energy cost; however, both correlations were lower for the NRFh 4:3:3. Isocaloric replacement of bottom tertile with top tertile foods as rated by both models led to significantly higher HEI-2105 values, based on complete (100%) and on partial (10–30%) replacement. Conclusion: The new NRFh 4:3:3 model provides the basis for developing new metrics of affordable nutrient density. The model identified “best value” food categories that were both affordable and nutrient-rich. Total and partial replacement of low nutrient density with high nutrient density foods was associated with higher HEI-2015 scores, suggesting that even partial inclusion of more nutrient dense foods in the diet may have an important impact on total diet quality.

Scenario Analysis of a Municipality’s Food Purchase to Simultaneously Improve Nutritional Quality and Lower Carbon Emission for Child-Care Centers

Public procurement has been highlighted as an important strategic tool to drive sustainable development. The present study aimed at providing direction for decreasing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) by 25% for the food purchased by child-care centers in the City of Copenhagen while simultaneously providing nutritionally adequate, affordable and tasty menus. Baseline data were provided by compiling food purchase data with datasets matching each food item to a proxy food item and further with databases containing nutrient and GHGE information. For each food item, the edible amount was estimated in order to evaluate nutritional content and GHGE per 10 MJ. Two scenarios were modeled, i.e., a plant-rich diet and a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet directed at children two to five years old based on current purchase practice. Finally, the diets were translated into guidelines for menu planning. Amounts of pulses, nuts and seeds, as well as dark green vegetables and plant-based fats, were increased substantially in the two scenarios, while animal fat was decreased and the amount of meat was either reduced or eliminated in the plant-rich and lacto-ovo vegetarian diets, respectively. These kinds of changes in public food procurement have the power to significantly affect the transition toward a more healthy and sustainable food system.

The landscape of nutri-informatics: a review of current resources and challenges for integrative nutrition research

Informatics has become an essential component of research in the past few decades, capitalizing on the efficiency and power of computation to improve the knowledge gained from increasing quantities and types of data. While other fields of research such as genomics are well represented in informatics resources, nutrition remains underrepresented. Nutrition is one of the most integral components of human life, and it impacts individuals far beyond just nutrient provisions. For example, nutrition plays a role in cultural practices, interpersonal relationships and body image. Despite this, integrated computational investigations have been limited due to challenges within nutrition informatics (nutri-informatics) and nutrition data. The purpose of this review is to describe the landscape of nutri-informatics resources available for use in computational nutrition research and clinical utilization. In particular, we will focus on the application of biomedical ontologies and their potential to improve the standardization and interoperability of nutrition terminologies and relationships between nutrition and other biomedical disciplines such as disease and phenomics. Additionally, we will highlight challenges currently faced by the nutri-informatics community including experimental design, data aggregation and the roles scientific journals and primary nutrition researchers play in facilitating data reuse and successful computational research. Finally, we will conclude with a call to action to create and follow community standards regarding standardization of language, documentation specifications and requirements for data reuse. With the continued movement toward community standards of this kind, the entire nutrition research community can transition toward greater usage of Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability principles and in turn more transparent science.