Development of an online database of typical food portion sizes in Irish population groups

Assessing the One Health (ecosystem, animal and human health) impacts of current dietary patterns based on farm-to-fork life cycle assessment in the Republic of Ireland

Food production and dietary patterns play a central role in the myriad interactions among human, animal, and environmental health, emphasising the need for a One Health approach, and this study aims to evaluate dietary patterns within this framework. A cross-sectional dietary survey of adults was undertaken (2021) with a sample size of 957 respondents, representative of the population of Ireland. Subsequently, a farm-to-fork life cycle assessment (LCA) was employed to assess nine human health and environmental impacts (fine particulate matter formation, freshwater and marine ecotoxicity and eutrophication, human carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic toxicity and terrestrial acidification and ecotoxicity) across thirteen distinct dietary patterns: total population, rural, urban, omnivore, flexitarian, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, 'meat-focused', 'dairy/ovo-focused', 'vegetable-focused', 'seafood-focused', and 'potato-focused', employing the daily weight of consumed food (g/per capita/day) as the functional unit. Results indicate the 'meat-focused' diet exhibited the highest impact for fine particulate matter formation (8.00 × 10-3 kg PM2.5 eq person-1 day-1), marine eutrophication (6.60 × 10-3 kg N eq person-1 day-1), and terrestrial acidification (0.054 kg SO2 eq person-1 day-1). The 'seafood-focused' diet had the highest impact on freshwater (0.056 kg 1,4-DCB person-1 day-1) and marine ecotoxicity (0.069 kg 1,4-DCB person-1 day-1), freshwater eutrophication (8.36 × 10-4 kg P eq person-1 day-1), and human carcinogenic toxicity (0.144 kg 1,4-DCB person-1 day-1). In comparison, the 'potato-focused' diet exhibited the highest human non-carcinogenic (6.87 kg 1,4-DCB person-1 day-1) and terrestrial ecotoxicity (2.01 kg 1,4-DCB person-1 day-1). Transitioning from the "mean" diet to a vegan diet showed the highest percent decrease across all nine impacts (60.4 % - 107.3 %), followed by the 'vegetable-focused' diet (28.5 % - 66.2 %). Findings indicate adopting sustainable diets-'vegetable-focused', vegetarian, and vegan-can improve human, environmental, and animal health; however, trade-offs should be considered. Effective consumer communication and policies can enhance awareness of the interconnectedness of diets within the One Health framework, supporting both environmental and health goals.

Evaluating the GHG emissions, land use, and water use associated with contemporary dietary patterns in the Republic of Ireland

Dietary patterns are intrinsically linked to greenhouse (GHG) emissions, land use, and water use via food production systems. Analysing and comparing contemporary dietary patterns and their environmental impact is critical to identifying which should be promoted to enhance global sustainability. A cross-sectional survey of adult consumption patterns was conducted across Ireland with a representative sample size of 957 respondents. Subsequently, a farm-to-fork life cycle assessment (LCA) was employed via OpenLCA 2.0.4 to assess three primary environmental impacts (global warming, land use, and water use) across the population. Thirteen distinct dietary patterns were analysed: total population, rural, urban, self-reported (omnivore, flexitarian, pescatarian, vegetarian, and vegan), and data-derived ('meat-focused', 'dairy/ovo-focused', 'vegetable-focused', 'seafood-focused', and 'potato-focused'). Mean calculated diet-related GHG emissions were 5.52 kgCO2eq person-1 day-1, with the 'meat-focused' diet representing the highest (6.62 kgCO2eq person-1 day-1) and the vegan diet being the lowest (2.0 kgCO2eq person-1 day-1). The 'meat-focused' diet was also associated with the highest per capita land use. The estimated mean water usage was 104 L person-1 day-1, with the 'potato-focused' diet using the most water and the pescatarian diet using the least. Future (2050) dietary scenarios compared to 'business-as-usual' patterns were projected; findings suggest substantial environmental impact reductions could be achieved if segments of the Irish population transition to vegetarian, vegan, and 'vegetable-focused' diets. The authors consider that employing data-derived dietary patterns (as opposed to "traditional" dietary classification) in LCA studies may yield increasingly accurate results, as dietary definitions vary significantly between individuals.

Development and Validation of a Self-Administered Semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire Focused on Gut Microbiota: The Stance4Health-FFQ

Background/Objectives: Diet significantly influences gut microbiota (GM), with variations in GM responses linked to the type and quantity of food consumed. These variations underscore the need for personalized nutrition. The Stance4Health (S4H) project developed the S4H Food Frequency Questionnaire (S4H-FFQ) and the i-Diet S4H app to assess dietary intake of foods affecting GM. This study aimed to validate the S4H-FFQ against the validated I.Family-FFQ and the i-Diet S4H app; Methods: The S4H-FFQ, with 200 food items across 14 food groups, evaluates dietary intake over the past month. Qualitative validation compared food group consumption frequencies from the S4H-FFQ and the I.Family-FFQ, while quantitative validation assessed nutrient and energy intake using the i-Diet S4H app. The S4H-GM score, a measure of GM-relevant food consumption, was evaluated through the S4H-FFQ and i-Diet S4H app; Results: Pearson correlations between the S4H-FFQ and the I.Family-FFQ ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 and were statistically significant across all the food groups. Quantitative validation showed lower but consistent correlations, comparable with other studies, confirming the S4H-FFQ's ability to estimate food intake. A positive correlation was also found between the S4H-GM scores from the S4H-FFQ and the i-Diet S4H app (p < 0.001); Conclusions: The S4H-FFQ is a reliable tool for assessing dietary patterns that influence GM. Its application in nutritional studies can enhance personalized nutrition and support future research aimed at optimizing GM and improving health outcomes.

Prevalence of low dietary zinc intake in women and pregnant women in Ireland

Background

In humans, zinc is involved in many biological functions acting as signaling ion, neurotransmitter, structural component of proteins, and cofactor for many enzymes and, through this, is an important regulator of the immune and nervous system. Food supplies zinc to the human body, but a high prevalence of inadequate dietary zinc intake has been reported worldwide.

Aims

The objective of this study was to investigate the zinc intake and bioavailability of over 250 women (pregnant and non-pregnant) based in Ireland, in order to evaluate the dietary inadequacy of zinc.

Methodology

We used a food frequency questionnaire designed to assess the zinc intake and bioavailability of the participants.

Results

Our results show that 58% of participants are at risk of inadequate zinc intake and that 29% may be zinc deficient. The prevalence of inadequate zinc intake was lower for pregnant women (zinc deficient 9%, at risk 38%) than for non-pregnant women due to more frequent consumption of supplements. Low zinc intake was not correlated with the age of participants and resulted from a combination of inadequate intake of zinc-rich food and relatively higher intake of food items rich in phytate, a major zinc uptake inhibitor.

Conclusions

We conclude that at present, low zinc intake may be prevalent in as much as 87% of women, including 47% of pregnant women. Therefore, zinc status needs to be considered as a factor impacting the health of women, and in particular pregnant women, also in industrialized and developed countries such as Ireland.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11845-022-03181-w.

The Intake of Antioxidant Capacity of Children Depends on Their Health Status

The gastrointestinal digestion of food and further gut microbial activity render a myriad of different molecules that could be responsible for the biological activities that are classically assigned to their parent compounds. This has been previously shown for some phytochemicals whose antioxidant capacity was either increased or decreased after being metabolized by gut microbes. Whether a global antioxidant capacity that is extracted from food is determined by the gut microbial community structure is still not well described. In the present study, we in vitro digested and fermented 48 different foods that were submitted to different culinary treatments using the stools of lean children, obese children, celiac children and children with an allergy to cow’s milk proteins. Their antioxidant capacities were assessed with the DPPH and FRAP assays, and the percentage that each food contributed to their daily antioxidant intake as well as their antioxidant capacity by portion size was inferred. Overall, cereals, fruits and vegetables displayed a higher contribution to their daily antioxidant intake, while tubers, fish and meat exhibited a higher antioxidant capacity by serving size. The food that was fermented in the lean children’s and those children that were allergic to cow’s milk protein’s fecal material, showed a higher antioxidant capacity, which could imply that there is a larger role of the gut microbiota in this area.

Analysis of the National Adult Nutrition Survey (Ireland) and the Food4Me Nutrition Survey Databases to Explore the Development of Food Labelling Portion Sizes for the European Union

The present study set out to explore the option of developing food portion size for nutritional labelling purposes using two European Union (EU) dietary surveys. The surveys were selected as they differed in (a) methodologies (food diary versus food frequency questionnaire), (b) populations (Irish National Adult Nutrition Survey (NANS) versus a seven-country survey based on the pan EU study Food4Me), (c) food quantification (multiple options versus solely photographic album) and (d) duration (4 consecutive days versus recent month). Using data from these studies, portion size was determined for 15 test foods, where portion size was defined as the median intake of a target food when consumed. The median values of the portion sizes derived from both the NANS and Food4Me surveys were correlated (r = 0.823; p < 0.00) and the mean of the two survey data sets were compared to US values from the Recognized as Customarily Consumed (RACC) database. There was very strong agreement across all food categories between the averaged EU and the US portion size (r = 0.947; p < 0.00). It is concluded that notwithstanding the variety of approaches used for dietary survey data in the EU, the present data supports using a standardized approach to food portion size quantification for food labelling in the EU.

Larger Food Portion Sizes Are Associated with Both Positive and Negative Markers of Dietary Quality in Irish Adults

Reduction in portion size, particularly for energy-dense foods, is increasingly addressed in healthy eating guidelines in a bid to tackle the obesity epidemic. The effect of portion size on other aspects of dietary quality, such as nutrient intakes, is less studied. The aim of the current work was to investigate associations between food portion sizes and key indicators of dietary quality, namely energy-adjusted intakes of saturated fat, dietary fibre, sodium, calcium, iron, folate and vitamin D, and dietary energy density (DED), in Irish adults on the days the foods were consumed. Data from the Irish National Adult Nutrition Survey (2008–2010) (n = 1274, 18–64 years, 4-day semi-weighed record) were used for the analysis. DED was lower on the days larger portions of boiled potatoes, fruit, vegetables and baked beans were consumed, and higher on the days larger portions of white bread, ready-to-eat breakfast cereals (RTEBCs), frying meats, cheese, butter, biscuits, chocolate and sugar-sweetened beverages were consumed. Micronutrient intakes were higher on the days larger portions of brown bread, RTEBCs, vegetables and low-fat spreads were consumed, and lower on the days larger portions of white bread, butter, biscuits, chocolate, sugar-sweetened beverages and beer/cider were consumed, with the exception of folate. The study identifies foods for which larger portion sizes may be associated with positive dietary attributes, as well as the opposite. It provides an important evidence base from which more specific dietary guidance on food portion sizes might be developed for Irish adults.

Dietary assessment in minority ethnic groups: a systematic review of instruments for portion-size estimation in the United Kingdom

Context

Dietary assessment in minority ethnic groups is critical for surveillance programs and for implementing effective interventions. A major challenge is the accurate estimation of portion sizes for traditional foods and dishes.

Objective

The aim of this systematic review was to assess records published up to 2014 describing a portion-size estimation element (PSEE) applicable to the dietary assessment of UK-residing ethnic minorities.

Data sources, selection, and extraction

Electronic databases, internet sites, and theses repositories were searched, generating 5683 titles, from which 57 eligible full-text records were reviewed.

Data analysis

Forty-two publications about minority ethnic groups (n = 20) or autochthonous populations (n = 22) were included. The most common PSEEs (47%) were combination tools (eg, food models and portion-size lists), followed by portion-size lists in questionnaires/guides (19%) and image-based and volumetric tools (17% each). Only 17% of PSEEs had been validated against weighed data.

Conclusions

When developing ethnic-specific dietary assessment tools, it is important to consider customary portion sizes by sex and age, traditional household utensil usage, and population literacy levels. Combining multiple PSEEs may increase accuracy, but such methods require validation.

Dietary Assessment in the MetaCardis Study: Development and Relative Validity of an Online Food Frequency Questionnaire

BACKGROUND

The European study MetaCardis aims to investigate the role of the gut microbiota in health and cardiometabolic diseases in France, Germany, and Denmark. To evaluate long-term diet-disease relationships, a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was found to be the most relevant dietary assessment method for the MetaCardis study.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this study were to describe the development of three semiquantitative online FFQs used in the MetaCardis study-one FFQ per country-and to assess the relative validity of the French MetaCardis FFQ.

DESIGN

The layout and format of the MetaCardis FFQ was based on the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC)-Norfolk FFQ and the content was based on relevant European FFQs. Portion size and nutrient composition were derived from national food consumption surveys and food composition databases. To assess the validity of the French MetaCardis FFQ, a cross-sectional study design was utilized.

PARTICIPANTS/SETTING

The validation study included 324 adults recruited between September 2013 and June 2015 from different hospitals in Paris, France.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Food intakes were measured with both the French MetaCardis FFQ and 3 consecutive self-administered web-based 24-hour dietary recalls (DRs).

STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

Several measures of validity of the French MetaCardis FFQ were evaluated: estimations of food groups, energy, and nutrient intakes from the DRs and the FFQ, Spearman and Pearson correlations, cross-classification, and Bland-Altman analyses.

RESULTS

The French MetaCardis FFQ tended to report higher food, energy, and nutrient intakes compared with the DRs. Mean correlation coefficient was 0.429 for food, 0.460 for energy, 0.544 for macronutrients, 0.640 for alcohol, and 0.503 for micronutrient intakes. Almost half of participants (44.4%) were correctly classified within tertiles of consumption, whereas 12.9% were misclassified in the opposite tertile. Performance of the FFQ was relatively similar after stratification by sex.

CONCLUSIONS

The French MetaCardis FFQ was found to have an acceptable level of validity and may be a useful instrument to rank individuals based on their food and nutrient intakes.

Determinants of consumption-day amounts applicable for the estimation of usual dietary intake with a short 24-h food list

Next to the information on frequency of food consumption, information on consumption-day amounts is important to estimate usual dietary intake in epidemiological studies. Our objective was to identify determinants of consumption-day amounts to derive person-specific standard consumption-day amounts applicable for the estimation of usual dietary intake using separate sources to assesss information on consumption probability and amount consumed. 24-h Dietary recall data from the German National Nutrition Survey II (n = 8522; aged 20–80 years) conducted between 2005 and 2007 were analysed for determinants of consumption-day amounts of thirty-eight food and beverage groups using LASSO variable selection for linear mixed-effects models. Determinants included sex, age, BMI, smoking status, years of education, household net income, living status and employment status. Most often, sex, age and smoking status were selected as predictors for consumption-day amounts across thirty-eight food groups. In contrast, living with a partner, employment status and household net income were less frequently chosen. Overall, different determinants were of relevance for different food groups. The number of selected determinants ranged from eight for coffee and juice to zero for cabbage, tea, root vegetables, leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, legumes, offal, vegetable oils, and other fats. For the estimation of usual dietary intake in a combined approach with a 24-h food list, person-specific standard consumption-day amounts could be used. Sex, age and smoking status were shown to be the most relevant predictors in our analysis. Their impact on the estimation of usual dietary intake needs to be evaluated in future studies.

Fruit and vegetable intakes, sources and contribution to total diet in very young children (1-4 years): the Irish National Pre-School Nutrition Survey

Although the importance of fruit and vegetable (F&V) intakes in the prevention of chronic diseases is well established, there are limited data on intakes in very young children. This study estimates F&V intakes and sources and the contribution to the total diet using data from the National Pre-School Nutrition Survey, a nationally representative sample (n 500) of Irish children aged 1-4 years. A 4-d weighed food record was used to collect food intake data. Of 1652 food codes consumed, 740 had a fruit/vegetable component. The percentage of edible fruits and/or vegetables in each food code was calculated. Intakes (g/d), sources (g/d) and the contribution of F&V to the weight of the total diet (%) were estimated, split by age. All children consumed F&V. Intakes of total fruits, in particular fruit juice, increased with age. The contribution to total fruit intake was discrete fruits (47-56 % range across age), 100 % fruit juice, smoothies and pureés (32-45 %) as well as fruits in composite dishes (7-13 %). Total vegetable intake comprised of discrete vegetables (48-62 % range across age) and vegetables in composite dishes (38-52 %). F&V contributed on average 20 % (15 % fruit; 5 % vegetables) to the weight of the total diet and was <10 % in sixty-one children (12 %). F&V contributed 50 % of vitamin C, 53 % of carotene, 34 % of dietary fibre and 42 % of non-milk sugar intakes from the total diet. F&V are important components of the diet of Irish pre-school children; however, some aspects of F&V intake patterns could be improved in this age group.