1
|
Baroni L, Bonetto C, Rizzo G, Galchenko A, Guidi G, Visaggi P, Savarino E, Zavoli M, de Bortoli N. Nutrient Composition of Four Dietary Patterns in Italy: Results from an Online Survey (the INVITA Study). Foods 2024; 13:2103. [PMID: 38998609 PMCID: PMC11240948 DOI: 10.3390/foods13132103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Though Italy is a native land of Mediterranean diet, its adherence in the Italian population is low, witnessed by the high rates of overweight in its inhabitants. Vegetarian dietary patterns (i.e., lacto-ovo-vegetarian and vegan) are increasing in western countries, and also in Italy, where 9.5% of the population self-declared as vegetarian in 2023. Though the vegetarian diet has been associated with beneficial health effects, speculation on its alleged nutrient inadequacy exists. For this reason, we assessed the nutrient composition of the diet of 470 participants enrolled in an online survey (the INVITA study), who completed a weighted food questionnaire on three different days. Participants were divided into four dietary groups obtained according to their self-declared dietary intakes: 116 Meat Eaters (MEs), 49 Fish Eaters (FEs), 116 Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarians (LOVs), and 189 VegaNs (VNs). The mean intake of most of the main nutrients was similar among all groups and within the normal range expected for the Italian population, supporting the adequacy of diets within our Italian sample, especially the LOV and VN diet. Since the Mediterranean diet is a plant-based diet, some of its components still persist in the current Italian diet, representing a staple also for people adopting a vegetarian diet.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Baroni
- Scientific Society for Vegetarian Nutrition-SSNV, 30171 Venice, Italy
| | - Chiara Bonetto
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | | | - Alexey Galchenko
- Scientific Society for Vegetarian Nutrition-SSNV, 30171 Venice, Italy
- Earth Philosophical Society "Melodia Vitae", International, Toronto, CA, Canada
| | - Giada Guidi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Pierfrancesco Visaggi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Edoardo Savarino
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, 35124 Padua, Italy
- Gastroenterology Unit, University Hospital of Padua, 35124 Padua, Italy
| | - Martina Zavoli
- Scientific Society for Vegetarian Nutrition-SSNV, 30171 Venice, Italy
| | - Nicola de Bortoli
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- NUTRAFOOD, Interdepartmental Center for Nutraceutical Research and Nutrition for Health, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Grosso G. The underrated role of psychosocial determinants of dietary choices. Int J Food Sci Nutr 2024; 75:239-240. [PMID: 38686674 DOI: 10.1080/09637486.2024.2345691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Grosso
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Center for Human Nutrition and Mediterranean Foods (NUTREA), University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| |
Collapse
|