Creation of a Database for the Calculation of Nutrient Intake Over Time

In 1987–1988, the first Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (DNFCS) was carried out; similar surveys were conducted in 1992 and 1997–1998. In each survey, food consumption data were converted into energy and nutrients using the most up-to-date version of the Dutch food composition table. To enable valid comparisons of nutrient intake over time specific food composition tables (Trend Table-1 (TT-1) for DNFCS-1 and TT-2 for DNFCS-2) were created. In these tables, for 20 nutrients, the composition of 550 selected food items was compared and reasons for differences were investigated. The food composition table used for DNFCS-3 (last update in 1997) was the reference table. To avoid artificial changes, differences as a consequence of improvements of the database were corrected in retrospect; real changes in the food composition remained intact. In TT-1 nearly 3500 modifications were made. Most of them concerned the composition of macronutrients. About 40% of the corrections arose from more and better analytical data; 6% were missing values. In both TTs many changes were related to the fatty acid composition of foods and were a consequence of changing the expression of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat into fatty acids. In TT-2 more than 2800 modifications were made; besides changes in the fatty acid composition, about 20% reflected improvements in the quality of data, and 16% were missing values. Changes in the different food groups and consequences of the modifications are discussed in more detail.     

Adequacy of a food composition database to estimate fat and fatty acid intake

This work examined the adequacy of the only food composition database available in Croatia to estimate fat and fatty acid intake. A 7-day food record with 39 participants was carried out. In addition to Croatian food composition tables (FCT1), the Swedish food tables (FCT2) were used to convert food records into quantities of total fat and saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively. The subjects simultaneously collected duplicates of all consumed food. The chemical analysis of duplicates to determine total fat and fatty acids included extraction of fat, followed by methylation of fatty acids and GC analysis. According to the comparison of methods, FCT2 are a better predictor of fat and fatty acid intake than FCT1 because of their closer agreement with analysed values. The correlation coefficients imply that both food tables estimate most of these nutrients similarly to a reference method. However, food records combined with either of the food tables could not predict intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids by men. In order to improve applicability of FCT1 in dietary surveys concerned with fat and fatty acids, the next issue should include changes in respect to an identified systematic error, as well as a greater choice of food items and their varieties. Accuracy of food records based on FCT1 could further be increased with subjects giving details on recipe ingredients, analysis of missing foods, etc.     

Adequacy of a food composition database to estimate fat and fatty acid intake

This work examined the adequacy of the only food composition database available in Croatia to estimate fat and fatty acid intake. A 7-day food record with 39 participants was carried out. In addition to Croatian food composition tables (FCT1), the Swedish food tables (FCT2) were used to convert food records into quantities of total fat and saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively. The subjects simultaneously collected duplicates of all consumed food. The chemical analysis of duplicates to determine total fat and fatty acids included extraction of fat, followed by methylation of fatty acids and GC analysis. According to the comparison of methods, FCT2 are a better predictor of fat and fatty acid intake than FCT1 because of their closer agreement with analysed values. The correlation coefficients imply that both food tables estimate most of these nutrients similarly to a reference method. However, food records combined with either of the food tables could not predict intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids by men. In order to improve applicability of FCT1 in dietary surveys concerned with fat and fatty acids, the next issue should include changes in respect to an identified systematic error, as well as a greater choice of food items and their varieties. Accuracy of food records based on FCT1 could further be increased with subjects giving details on recipe ingredients, analysis of missing foods, etc.     

Development and validation of specific carotene food composition tables for use in nutritional epidemiologic studies for Japanese populations.

Assessment of dietary intake is important to understand the relationship between nutrition and health. Although the role of specific carotenoids has recently been of great interest, there are no comprehensive food composition tables for intake of specific carotenoids in Japan. We have therefore developed a new carotene food composition table that shows the alpha- and beta-carotene values based on an extensive review of the literature (FCT1). Using a 14- or 28-day diet record data of sample population (n=188), we selected 12 important foods to two carotene intakes. We analyzed the carotene contents of the foods, and developed the another composition table in which the food contents were replaced by the analytical values (FCT2). Carotene intakes of the population were significantly different between these two composition tables. However, the correlations between the dietary intake and the serum concentrations were almost identical, i.e., partial correlations using FCT1/FCT2 were 0.32/0.30 and 0.33/0.36 for alpha-carotene and 0.28/0.28 and 0.30/0.29 for beta-carotene in men and women. The similar correlations with the serum concentrations may indicate an comparable value for ranking individuals between the two tables. However, the results were inconclusive for the estimation of absolute intakes.     

Estimation of Trans Fatty Acid Intake in Japanese Adults Using 16-Day Diet Records Based on a Food Composition Database Developed for the Japanese Population

Background

The Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan do not include information on trans fatty acids. Previous studies estimating trans fatty acid intake among Japanese have limitations regarding the databases utilized and diet assessment methodologies. We developed a comprehensive database of trans fatty acid food composition, and used this database to estimate intake among a Japanese population.

Methods

The database was developed using analytic values from the literature and nutrient analysis software encompassing foods in the US, as well as values estimated from recipes or nutrient compositions. We collected 16-day diet records from 225 adults aged 30 to 69 years living in 4 areas of Japan. Trans fatty acid intake was estimated based on the database and the 16-day diet records.

Results

Mean total fat and trans fatty acid intake was 56.9 g/day (27.7% total energy) and 1.7 g/day (0.8% total energy), respectively, for women and 66.8 g/day (25.5% total energy) and 1.7 g/day (0.7% total energy) for men. Trans fatty acid intake accounted for greater than 1% of total energy intake, which is the maximum recommended according to the World Health Organization, in 24.4% of women and 5.7% of men, and was particularly high among women living in urban areas and those aged 30–49 years. The largest contributors to trans fatty acid intake were confectionaries in women and fats and oils in men.

Conclusions

Although mean trans fatty acid intake was below the maximum recommended intake of the World Health Organization, intake among subgroups was of concern. Further public health efforts to reduce trans fatty acid intake should be encouraged.Key words: food composition database, trans fatty acids, Japanese population     

Estimated nutrient intakes and adequacies in Bangladesh change when newer values for vitamin A, iron and calcium in commonly consumed foods are applied

A food consumption survey was conducted in rural Bangladesh in January-March 1996 using a 24-h food weighing method. Intakes and adequacies of energy, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium were estimated for 81 children (aged 24-71 months) and 182 women (aged 18-45 years) using three sets of food composition tables. The local food composition table was modified with newer values for nutrient contents of foods identified as important for the contribution of vitamin A and iron. Significant differences in estimated dietary intakes and adequacies were found for vitamin A and iron when different sets of food composition values were used. This study shows that up-to-date chemical analyses of foods selected on the basis of a high frequency of consumption and a large contribution of the nutrients in focus is a useful approach in improving the quality of food composition tables, resulting in greater accuracy of estimates of nutrient intakes and adequacies.     

Estimated nutrient intakes and adequacies in Bangladesh change when newer values for vitamin A,iron and calcium in commonly consumed foods are applied

A food consumption survey was conducted in rural Bangladesh in January–March 1996 using a 24-h food weighing method. Intakes and adequacies of energy, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium were estimated for 81 children (aged 24–71 months) and 182 women (aged 18–45 years) using three sets of food composition tables. The local food composition table was modified with newer values for nutrient contents of foods identified as important for the contribution of vitamin A and iron. Significant differences in estimated dietary intakes and adequacies were found for vitamin A and iron when different sets of food composition values were used. This study shows that up-to-date chemical analyses of foods selected on the basis of a high frequency of consumption and a large contribution of the nutrients in focus is a useful approach in improving the quality of food composition tables, resulting in greater accuracy of estimates of nutrient intakes and adequacies.     

Westernizing diets influence fat intake, red blood cell fatty acid composition, and health in remote Alaskan Native communities in the center for Alaska Native health study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of a Westernizing diet on fat intake, red blood cell fatty acid composition, and health risks among Yup'ik Eskimos living in rural Alaskan Native communities. DESIGN: Diet data and blood specimens were collected from 530 Yup'ik Eskimos aged 14 to 94 years old. Height, weight, and waist circumference were measured. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Comparisons of select fatty acid intake between participants in quintiles of traditional food intake (percent energy) were made using analyses of variance and post hoc Bonferroni tests. General linear models were used to determine the association between traditional food intake and health outcomes. RESULTS: Fatty acid composition of the diet differed according to the level of traditional food intake. Traditional food intake was positively associated with higher total fat, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid intake. No association was observed between traditional food intake and saturated fatty acid intake; indeed, participants consuming more traditional foods derived a substantially smaller proportion of their dietary fatty acids from saturated fatty acids (P<0.001). Analyses of red blood cell fatty acid composition supported these findings. After multivariable adjustment, traditional food intake was significantly positively associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration and significantly negatively associated with triglyceride concentration (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Diets emphasizing traditional Alaskan Native foods were associated with a fatty acid profile promoting greater cardiovascular health than diets emphasizing Western foods. Further research needs to evaluate the effects of a Westernizing diet on the overall diet of Alaskan Natives.     

Compliance with the European and national nutritional objectives in a Mediterranean population

OBJECTIVE: To analyze compliance with the current European and Spanish nutritional objectives in a representative sample from Catalonia, a Spanish Mediterranean region; and to examine relationships between diet and plasma fatty acid composition. DESIGN: Cross-sectional nutritional survey. SETTING: Population based random sample derived from the Catalan Nutrition Survey. SUBJECTS: A total of 516 healthy adult men (n=203) and women (n=313). METHODS: Dietary habits were assessed by means of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. A physical exam included height, weight, waist and hip circumferences, and a fasting blood draw. RESULTS: Gender differences were observed in nutrient and energy intakes. Women showed a better compliance with the nutritional recommendations for monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) than did men. Men showed a better compliance for saturated fatty acid (SFA) and carbohydrate than did women. However, the SFA:MUFA:PUFA ratio was similar in both gender (1.6:2.3:1.0 for men; 1.7:2.5:1.0 for women). The highest compliance was observed for nutritional goals of sodium, calcium and fruit and vegetable intakes for both genders. In addition, the present study showed that levels of certain fatty acids in plasma are clearly associated with dietary intake of foods rich in these components. The highest correlations were found for n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids with blue fish intake in both men and women (r (men)=0.36 and r (women)=0.42; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The diet followed in Catalonia seems to ensure compliance with most of the intermediate nutritional objectives for the Spanish population. However, a reduction in the SFA intake and an increase in the carbohydrate intake could be recommended in order to reduce the current prevalence of overweight and obesity in this Mediterranean region. SPONSORSHIP: This study was supported by the Catalan Department of Health, the Nutrition Catalan Centre of the Institute of Catalan Studies, and Mercadona SA.     

Using database values to determine food density

Estimating food weight from data on food volume requires that density of the food be known. When both volume and weight are published on food tables the density can be calculated, however for many foods volume data are not available on the food table. Using a camera image of food to document dietary intake by automatically matching the food to a database entry requires that food volume be calculated and food weight estimated. This paper discusses some considerations when using USDA food tables to calculate composition of foods documented by camera image, as well as thoughts on measuring food volume and the potential for developing default values for density using available food volume data.     

Substitution of saturated with monounsaturated fat in a 4-week diet affects body weight and composition of overweight and obese men

A randomised crossover study of eight overweight or obese men (aged 24-49 years, BMI 25.5-31.3 kg/m(2)), who followed two diets for 4 weeks each, was performed to determine whether substitution of saturated fat with monounsaturated fat affects body weight and composition. Subjects were provided with all food and beverages as modules (selected ad libitum) of constant macronutrient composition, but differing energy content. The % total energy from saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat was 24, 13 and 3 % respectively on the saturated fatty acid (SFA)-rich diet and 11, 22 and 7 % respectively on the monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)-rich diet. MUFA accounted for about 80 % of the unsaturated fats consumed on both diets. Body composition, blood pressure, energy expenditure (resting and postprandial metabolic rates, substrate oxidation rate, physical activity), serum lipids, the fatty acid profile of serum cholesteryl esters and plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were measured before and after each diet period. Significant (P< or =0.05) differences in total cholesterol and the fatty acid composition of serum cholesteryl esters provided evidence of dietary adherence. The men had a lower weight (-2.1 (SE 0.4) kg, P=0.0015) and fat mass (-2.6 (SE 0.6) kg, P=0.0034) at the end of the MUFA-rich diet as compared with values at the end of the SFA-rich diet. No significant differences were detected in energy or fat intake, energy expenditure, substrate oxidation rates or self-reported physical activity. Substituting dietary saturated with unsaturated fat, predominantly MUFA, can induce a small but significant loss of body weight and fat mass without a significant change in total energy or fat intake.     

Food Composition Tables in Southeast Asia: The Contribution of the SMILING Project

Objectives Food composition data are key for many nutrition related activities in research, planning and policy. Combatting micronutrient malnutrition among women and young children using sustainable food based approaches, as aimed at in the SMILING project, requires high quality food composition data. Methods In order to develop capacity and to align procedures for establishing, updating and assessing the quality of key nutrient data in the food composition tables in Southeast Asia, a detailed roadmap was developed to identify and propose steps for this. This included a training workshop to build capacity in the field of food composition data, and alignment of procedures for selecting foods and nutrients to be included for quality assessment, and update of country specific food composition tables. The SEA partners in the SMILING project finalised a country specific food composition table (FCT) with updated compositional data on selected foods and nutrients considered key for designing nutrient dense and optimal diets for the target groups. Results Between 140 and 175 foods were selected for inclusion in the country specific FCTs. Key-nutrients were: energy, protein, total fat, carbohydrates, iron, zinc, (pro-)-vitamin A, folate, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and vitamin C. A detailed quality assessment on 13 key-foods per nutrient was performed using international guidelines. Nutrient data for specific local food items were often unavailable and data on folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 contents were mostly missing. For many foods, documentation was not available, thereby complicating an in-depth quality assessment. Despite these limitations, the SMILING project offered a unique opportunity to increase awareness of the importance of high quality well documented food composition data. Conclusion for Practise The self-reported data quality demonstrated that there is considerable room for improvement of the nutrient data quality in some countries. In addition, investment in sustainable capacity development and an urgent need to produce and document high quality data on the micronutrient composition of especially local foods is required.

     

Fatty acid composition of breast milk from Nigerian and Japanese women.

The fatty acid composition of samples of breast milk obtained from well-nourished Nigerian and Japanese women was determined by gas chromatography. The cultural differences in dietary intake was reflected in the fatty acid composition of breast milk samples. The milk of Nigerian women contained a significantly higher percentage of saturated fatty acids (48.75%) than that of Japanese women (46.65%). Nigerian milks were also richer in arachidonic (20:4 n-6), eicosatrienoic (20:3 n-6), and docosatetraenoic (22:4 n-6) acids. Conversely, the milk of Japanese woman contained significantly higher percentages of monoun-saturates as palmitoleic, heptadecenoic, oleic, and polyunsaturates of n-3 series as alpha-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acid.     

Comparison of nutrients in the food composition tables available in the nine European countries participating in EPIC. European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition

Food composition tables were studied from nine European countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC): Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Great Britain, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. They were compared from the point view of availability, definition, analytical methods, and mode of expression of the nutrients of interest for EPIC, and it was seen that most of the nutrients in the tables are analysed and expressed in a compatible way. For some nutrients, however, common methods and definitions (folate, dietary fibre), or modes of expression (energy, protein, carbohydrates, carotenes, vitamin A and E) have not yet been agreed upon, so values are not comparable. For vitamin C a wide range of values are found due to the high natural variation in foods. For compiled tables, an additional problem is the use of several sources which may mean that the nutritional values are not comparable within the same table; and these values cannot be converted if the source is not stated. In addition, some tables were compiled using food composition values produced over 20 years ago with outdated analytical methods. In view of the inconsistent values for some nutrients and due to the large amount of foods reported within EPIC, it was concluded that standardised food composition tables have to be developed for the nine European countries involved in EPIC in order to provide comparable nutrient intake data.     

Fatty acid composition of Costa Rican foods including trans fatty acid content

To further understand the fatty acid–disease relationships in an epidemiologic context, detailed composition tables are required. The composition of the major saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids that are most abundant in the diet, is available for numerous foods in many countries, but data on the content of individual fatty acids with relative low abundance are scarce. We conducted a study to establish a fatty acid composition database that includes fatty acids with low relative abundance as well as trans fatty acids for the main sources of fat in the Costa Rican diet. Fatty acids were determined by gas chromatography. We present in-depth fatty acid composition tables for foods that are commonly used in Costa Rica. These analyses include information on alpha-linolenic, gamma-linolenic, arachidonic acid and trans fatty acids, which are important for health but where information is scarce. Of particular interest is the high content of trans fatty acids in partially hydrogenated soybean oil in Costa Rica, although decreasing over time. In a period of 10 years the amount of total trans fatty acids in Costa Rican soybean oil has decreased from an average of 20 to 1.5%, while alpha-linolenic has increased from an average of 1.87 to 6.06%. Our data will be of special interest for studies on Latin American countries requiring dietary information.     

孕妇血浆DHA水平及其相关因素调查

采用气相色谱法分析太原市区81名健康正常孕妇血浆中脂肪酸组成,并采用自拟的孕妇情况调查表,初步筛选了与孕期血中廿二碳六烯酸(DHA)水平相关的饮食因素.结果显示:孕妇血浆中DHA平均含量为1.806g/100g,脂肪酸,n-3与n-6比值TN3/TN6为0.127,C22:6与C20:4比值DHA/AA为0.353,DHA/TN6为0.056;与孕期血中DHA水平相关的饮食因素有:平时多食动物性食物,孕期摄入鱼贝类海产品的数量,孕期补充DHA类保健品.     

TransFatty Acid Content of Selected New Zealand Foods

The fatty acid composition andtransfatty acid content of samples of New Zealand foods representing certain food groups have been determined by a combined gas chromatography/infrared spectroscopy method. The mean levels oftransfatty acids in the fat portion of these foods are (g/100 g fatty acids) margarine, 16.4; table spreads, 15.7; butter/margarine blends, 9.6; butter, 6.4; pastry, 6.2; potato chips (deep fried in beef dripping), 5.6; cakes, 5.3, crackers, 2.0; sweet biscuits, 1.9; potato crisps, 0.5. Expressed as a proportion of dry weight of food the meantransfatty acid content values are (g/100 g dry weight) margarine, 14.9; table spreads, 14.4; butter/margarine blends, 8.1; butter, 6.0; potato chips (deep fried in beef dripping), 1.6; pastry, 1.2; cakes, 0.9, crackers, 0.3; sweet biscuits, 0.2; potato crisps, 0.2. In contrast to North America, hydrogenated plant oils with high levels oftransfatty acids do not appear to be present in the New Zealand food supply.