The nutritional composition of selected ethnic foods consumed in Italy

Assessment of the nutritional quality of some selected ethnic foods consumed in Italy was performed within the framework of the European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR 1 ) Network as part of the ethnic foods Work Package. A definition of ethnic and modified ethnic foods, as well as guidelines on the characterisation of immigrant populations and a detailed stepwise analysis of the ethnic food market, have been developed within the EuroFIR project. These were the basis for selecting ethnic foods in Italy for nutritional analysis. Four main immigrant groups (Asian, Latin American, African and Eastern European) were identified as commonly selected from those residing in Italy, and 25 dishes or composite foods consumed by these ethnic groups were selected. Based on consumption rates and market share of these foods in Italy, five ethnic food types (cantonese rice, nachos, falafel, kebab, sarmale) were chosen and collected for analysis. Nutritional evaluation of the selected foods was performed by analysing the following components: water, nitrogen, fat, total sugars, starch, total ash and dietary fibre, fatty acid composition, cholesterol, minerals (Na, Ca, Fe, P, Mg, K, Cu, S, Zn and Cl), and vitamins (vitamins A, E, B1, B2, B6, C, biotin, niacin and β‐carotene). Procedures for collection of the chosen foods, along with the results of the analysis, are described in the present paper. These new data will be added to the Italian Food Composition Tables.     

Impact of nutritional deficiencies on anemia in pregnant women

Dietary deficiency in iron and to a lesser extent folic acid is the principle cause of anemia in the world. Reproductive aged women and growing children are the principle groups at risk of anemia. About half of nonpregnant reproductive aged women in tropical countries have hemoglobin levels lower than 12 g/100 ml, the level used by the World Health Organization to define anemia. Nutritional anemia is even more widespread among pregnant and lactating women because of the increased needs for iron during those periods. Pregnant women need almost 500 mg of iron for their increased red blood cell mass, 220 mg for routine iron loss through the urine, bile, sweat, and other routes; 290 mg for the fetus, and almost 25 mg for the placenta. In all, the pregnant women theoretically requires over 1000 mg of iron through diet or bodily reserves. Healthy, well-nourished women have total iron reserves of 2500 mg, but according to published data almost 2/3 of pregnant women even in favorable circumstances end their pregnancies with no remaining iron reserves. In tropical regions the lack of iron reserves is aggravated by parasites and infections, closely spaced pregnancies that do not allow restoration of reserves, and poor dietary availability of iron. Anemia during pregnancy is associated with elevated risks of maternal morbidity and mortality. Fatigue, dyspnea, palpitations and tachycardia, vertigo, loss of appetite and cravings for soil or other inappropriate substances are frequently observed in anemic women. The risks of prematurity and low weight are increased for infants of anemic women. Fetal malformation may be associated with folic acid deficiency. Nutrition education is needed for pregnant women. Local foods may be enriched with iron, and pregnant women may be given iron and vitamin B12 supplements directly. Iron supplements may rapidly increase iron reserves, but they are poorly tolerated by many women. The supplements should be avoided if possible early in the pregnancy because digestive intolerance is more likely in the 1st months of pregnancy. Parasitic and bacterial infections should be diagnosed and treated as a step in controlling anemia.     

International collaborative project to compare and track the nutritional composition of fast foods

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases are the leading cause of premature death and disability in the world with over-nutrition a primary cause of diet-related ill health. Excess quantities of energy, saturated fat, sugar and salt derived from fast foods contribute importantly to this disease burden. Our objective is to collate and compare nutrient composition data for fast foods as a means of supporting improvements in product formulation. Methods/design Surveys of fast foods will be done in each participating country each year. Information on the nutrient composition for each product will be sought either through direct chemical analysis, from fast food companies, in-store materials or from company websites. Foods will be categorized into major groups for the primary analyses which will compare mean levels of saturated fat, sugar, sodium, energy and serving size at baseline and over time. Countries currently involved include Australia, New Zealand, France, UK, USA, India, Spain, China and Canada, with more anticipated to follow. DISCUSSION: This collaborative approach to the collation and sharing of data will enable low-cost tracking of fast food composition around the world. This project represents a significant step forward in the objective and transparent monitoring of industry and government commitments to improve the quality of fast foods.     

Nutritional composition of traditional supplementary foods consumed by lactating women

The diet of mothers during pregnancy and lactation has a direct influence on her infant's health status. A study was conducted in India's Udaipur region to learn more about the nutritional content of supplementary foods consumed by mothers during the 1st 3 months of lactation. A food consumption survey revealed that 6 different supplementary food items--ajwain ka laddu, gond ka laddu, battia ka laddu, haldi laddu, lidh ka laddu, and soth ka laddu--were widely consumed by lactating women in ball form. A nutritional analysis of these supplementary foods indicated that a 250-gram serving is sufficient for meeting a third of the protein and carbohydrate requirements of a lactating woman. All foods analyzed were rich sources of iron, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Of all the forms of laddu, ajwain contained the maximum amount of protein, calcium, phosphorus, and moisture while battia provided the most iron. The fat content was generally high in all cases to enable the ingredients to be formed into balls. It appears that the diet of lactating women is given greater attention in the immediate postpartum period than in is in later stages of lactation.     

补充多种维生素和矿物质对农村妇女营养状况的影响研究

为探讨补充多种营养素对妇女营养状况的影响 ,将贵州省龙里县农村 2 5 2名 2 0～ 5 0岁的妇女分为 2组 ,干预组补充多种维生素和矿物质复合营养素片 ,对照组服安慰剂 ,试验期 5个月。实验前后进行查体 ,血液生化、免疫指标测定及尿负荷试验。结果显示 ,该营养补充剂在改善中年妇女的维生素B1 、维生素B2 营养状况 ,提高血清铁、锌的含量 ,降低贫血患病率 ,改善皮肤的水分和油分方面有明显的效果 ;在改善妇女的食欲、睡眠、精神、体力和皮肤等主观感觉方面也有一定的作用     

消费者对食品营养标签的认知、使用及获益感知研究 —— 基于北京市的问卷调查

  目的  了解中国6省（直辖市）居民选择盐、糖和脂肪含量较低预包装食品的能力与其对不同类型食品包装正面标识（FOP）偏好的关系,为我国出台FOP提供科学依据。  方法  于2020年7月 — 2021年3月采用多阶段抽样方法,以18～70岁居民为研究对象在6省（直辖市）进行横断面调查,回收有效问卷3 002份,采用SAS 9.4软件进行单因素分析和多因素logistic回归分析。  结果  分别有54.6 %（1 639/3 002）、55.3 %（1 661/3 002）和54.1 %（1 624/3 002）的对象自报有能力选择盐、糖和脂肪含量较低的预包装食品,35.4 %（1 064/3 002）认为多重红绿灯标识更容易帮助其快速选择健康食品。以GDA型标识为参照,经调整人口学特征后,logistic回归分析结果显示,与自报有能力者相比,自报有一点能力选择盐、糖、脂肪含量较低预包装食品者均认为聪明选择标识和营养评分标识更容易帮助快速选择健康食品,自报有一点能力选择盐、糖含量较低预包装食品者亦认为多重红绿灯标识更有帮助,自报有一点能力选择盐含量较低预包装食品者还认为黑色警示标识更有帮助,而自报没有能力选择盐、糖、脂肪含量较低预包装食品者仅认为聪明选择标识更有帮助,以上均OR值 > 1（均P < 0.05）。  结论  我国6省（直辖市）中近一半居民选择盐、糖和脂肪含量较低预包装食品的能力较低,在多重红绿灯标识的基础上融入总体评价元素的FOP形式或有希望为我国公众轻松做出健康选择发挥作用。     

Effect of carbohydrate composition of semi-elemental diets on the nutritional recovery of children with chronic diarrhea

46 of 74 children with chronic diarrhea of unknown etiology between the ages of 44-627 days were studies. They were assigned, by single randomization, to 3 dietary treatments: a) cow's milk, b) a sucrose- free (SED-S), and c) a sucrose containiNG semi-element diet (SED+S), for 15 days. The authors registered the daily increase of body weight, daily amount of ingested kcal, and the increase of body weight/1000 kcal. The number of days with diarrhea before hospitalization, the age and weight of each child before treatment were recorded and analyzed as covariates. Maltase, sucrase, and lactase activity values were compared before treatment, but were not different among the 3 groups. A significant increase of body weight/1000 kcal ingested was observed in children fed the SED-S diet compared to that observed in children on cow's milk (P=.013 in ANCOVA; P+.053 in RANCOVA), and those fed SED+S (P=.009 in Ancova; p.001 in RANCOVA). The covariates did not have any apparent effect on these results. Only 7 of 24 children receiving cow's milk completed the assigned diet. The carbohydrate composition of the semi-elemental diets proved to be fundamental in the nutritional recovery of these patients.     

Body composition assessment and nutritional status evaluation in men and women Portuguese centenarians

Objectives

To assess body composition, nutritional status and its differences between genders in a sample of Portuguese centenarians.

Design

Observational cross-sectional study.

Setting

Centenarians recruited in Portugal, able to give informed consent.

Participants

A total of 252 subjects, with a median age of 100 years, mostly women (77.8%) who accepted to participate in the study, during the period of 2012 to 2014.

Measurements

Anthropometric data collected (weight, height, BMI, waist circumference, hip and waist/hip ratio) were evaluated according to WHO criteria. A portable tetrapolar bioimpedance analyzer was used to calculate body composition and to assess resting metabolism. Nutritional status was evaluated according to three different criteria: BMI, waist circumference and body fat percentage using anthropometric equations and bioimpedance.

Results

We observed an overall mean weight of 51.02±11.03Kg, height of 1.55±0.07m and a BMI of 21.07±3.69Kg/m². For most of the evaluated parameters, we found substantial differences between genders. The prevalence of underweight and overweight were 25.3% and 13.3%, respectively. Only 5 subjects were obese. Overweight subjects were mostly men (W=10.6% vs. M=22.6%), whereas women were more underweight (W=28.7% vs. M=13.2%). When considering the waist circumference, 26.5% were above the cut-off value. Most of centenarians (72.9%) had a healthy level of visceral fat. This measurement was highly correlated with waist circumference (r= 0.687, p<0.001). The mean of body fat mass was 10.69±6.50Kg, fat-free mass 40.87±7.60Kg and total body water 27.54±6.25Kg. According to body fat mass criteria assessed by bioimpedance, the prevalence of obesity in study population was 6.0% with no gender differences (p = 0.225). Obesity prevalence using anthropometric equations was higher (Deurenberg: 77.7% and Gallagher: 42.8%) than the obtained value by bioimpedance analysis, although according to Bland-Altman analysis both equations showed a good agreement (Deurenberg: 95.8% and Gallagher: 97%) with bioimpedance method. The prevalence of hypohydration (12.9%) was tendentiously higher in women compared to men (W= 15.4% vs. M= 5.0%, p=0.087). Despite the frequency of osteoporosis was higher in women (W = 71.85% vs. M = 28.15%), 95% of men revealed criteria for osteoporosis. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) was significantly different between genders using bioimpedance analysis (W= 1123.33± 173.91; M= 1350.10± 188.88; p<0.001) or Harris Benedict equation (W= 934.92± 102.60; M= 1018.85± 171.68; p=0.001). Bland- Altman analysis between methods indicate that there was an agreement of 97.6%. The overall mean metabolic age obtained was 83.52±1.11 years, well below the chronologic age (p<0.001).

Conclusions

In Portuguese centenarians, clinical and nutritional approach should be improved on the gender basis. In relation to nutritional status, centenarians were more frequently underweight than overweight. The thinness could be a natural process, contributing for the longevity being rather overweight a reducing factor in life expectancy. BMI and waist circumference showed a good correlation with body fat percentage. Despite the results of Bland- Altman analysis, Deurenberg and Gallagher equations are not suitable to evaluate obesity prevalence in centenarians. Harris Benedict equation seems to be a good option to measure RMR in centenaries, when BIA is not available. Body composition and nutritional characterization of Portuguese centenarians are relevant contribution in scientific evidence production for the action plan of healthy ageing in Europe (2012–2020) and also for clinical practice.

     

A comparison of chemical composition and nutritional value of organically and conventionally grown plant derived foods

The consumption of organic food has been increasing all over the world. Due to this fact, there are growing numbers of scientific studies examining the nutritional value of organic food. The aim of this review is to provide an overall picture of the beneficial and harmful nutritional content of organically and conventionally produced crops based on existing international comparative surveys. Furthermore, the authors attempt to define the relationship between organic and conventional food production systems and the nutritional value of food products as well as the consumption of organic and conventional diets which have important human health implications. Organic crops contain a significantly higher amount of certain antioxidants (vitamin C, polyphenols and flavonoids) and minerals, as well as have higher dry matter content than conventional ones. Moreover, there is a lower level of pesticide residues, nitrate and some heavy metal contaminations in organic crops compared to conventional ones. There is a relationship between the different fertilisation and plant protection methods of these two plant production systems and the nutritional composition of crops. Consequently, it can be concluded that organically produced plant derived food products have a higher nutritional value, including antioxidants than conventional ones. Furthermore, due to the fact that there is a lower level of contamination in organic crops, the risk of diseases caused by contaminated food is significantly reduced.     

Impact of nucleotides and nutritional support on growth and body composition of severely malnourished infants

The adequate nutritional support of severe protein energy malnutrition (PEM) in infants represents a great challenge. An accepted approach has not been established by most health professionals attending malnourished infants. The objective of this study was to determine if an improvement in the growth rate and body composition of infants with PEM occurred after receiving a starting infant formula with nucleotides. Twenty-five malnourished infants from 3 to 18 months of age participated in the study. All were fed through a nasogastric tube with infant formula (3.35 kJ/mL) for 2 weeks and ad libitum for another 2 weeks. Direct and indirect anthropometric indicators were determined. The subjects were divided into 2 groups; group 1 (n = 11) was fed a formula with added nucleotides, and group 2 (n = 9), with no nucleotides. A paired t test was used to determine the differences between the initial and final measurements for each group, and nonpaired t test was used to compare the groups. Indicators of growth and fat incorporation showed significant differences within each group (P < .001). The comparison of the rate of anthropometric changes showed no significant difference between the groups. Skin fold thickness and fat percentage were higher but not significant in group 2. An infant formula with an intake of 837 kJ/kg per day and protein of 4 g/kg per day in infants with PEM had a favorable impact on growth, fat incorporation, and body composition indicators regardless of the addition of nucleotides.     

成都市6～12岁儿童常消费预包装食品营养成分分析

目的 分析成都市儿童经常消费的预包装食品营养成分现状,为开展儿童青少年健康教育提供科学依据。方法基于西南儿童营养与生长发育队列2021—2022年成都调查点6～12岁队列儿童的3 d 24 h膳食调查数据,采取线下线上结合的方式收集预包装食品营养信息,对全部食品逐级分类,统计每100 g或100 mL食品的营养素含量,并对营养素含量进行分级判断。结果 共调查了十大类23个亚类1 902种儿童预包装食品。坚果种子类、休闲食品类、方便速食类和其他乳制品类总能量较高(2 476,2 027,1 728,1 816 kJ/100 g),营养素参考值百分比(NRV%)均超过20%。鱼禽肉蛋及其制品类蛋白质含量(22.8 g/100 g)最高,NRV%为38%;坚果种子类脂肪含量(47.5 g/100 g)最高,NRV%为79%;糖果果冻类碳水化合物含量(82.1 g/100 g)最高,NRV%为27%;调味面制品类钠含量(2 352 mg/100 g)最高,NRV%高达118%。调味面制品类、方便速食类食品大多属于高钠高脂高碳水化合物食品,烘焙膨化类食品几乎均为高脂高碳水化合物食品,鱼禽肉蛋及其...     

The composition and nutritional adequacy of subject-selected high carbohydrate, low fat diets in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

The composition and nutritional adequacy of subject-selected high carbohydrate, low fat diets were investigated in six women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Subjects were randomly assigned to begin either the experimental diet with 65% carbohydrate, 20% fat, and 15% protein for 6 wk, or a control diet with 45% carbohydrate, 40% fat, and 15% protein for 4 wk. All subjects completed both dietary periods in a cross-over experimental design. Subjects were allowed free selection in their choice of carbohydrate-rich foods. The resulting selections produced diets with 51% simple and 49% complex carbohydrates and 50 g of dietary fiber during the experimental diet. Similar proportions were also selected during the control diet. Blood chemistries revealed no significant changes in thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, ascorbate, vitamin E, calcium, selenium, or zinc concentrations between the two dietary periods. With the exception of vitamin B6, all vitamin and mineral values were within normal respective ranges. Vitamin B6 status, as assessed by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, were below or just above the levels of marginal deficiency (2.2 nmol/100 ml) in four of the six individuals, but the lower level observed occurred independent of the dietary treatments. The present study demonstrates that subject-selected high carbohydrate, low fat diets were much lower in complex carbohydrates and fiber than diets previously tested. In addition, the concentration of several nutrients did not appear to be adversely affected by these diets.     

Core, secondary, and peripheral foods in the diets of Hispanic, Navajo, and Jemez Indian children

Our results show the importance of a number of regional foods and suggest some differences in the dietary patterns of three ethnic groups in the same region. Dietitians and nutritionists should be aware of the rich ethnic diversity of dietary patterns and use this knowledge in nutrition counseling, program planning, and nutrition education.     

Food habits and nutritional labelling of foods

This paper suggests that proposed labelling schemes that categorize foods into bands should be tested prior to use to determine what proportion of foods consumed by the public fall into each category, and that the width of each band might best be based on either having similar numbers of foods in each band or to facilitate discrimination between 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' diets. As an example, a labelling scheme based on energy density has been tested using weighed diets of nutrition students; both those that were considered 'healthy' and those that failed to satisfy the suggestions of the National Advisory Committee on Nutrition Education.