Relationship between Adherence to the 2019 Canada's Food Guide Recommendations on Healthy Food Choices and Nutrient Intakes in Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Following Canada's food guide (CFG) recommendations should ensure adequate nutrient intakes. Older adults have increased needs for certain nutrients and nutrient density; the extent to which adherence to CFG recommendations can help reduce inadequate nutrient intakes is unknown. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the relationship between adherence to CFG recommendations on healthy food choices and intake of key nutrients in adults 65 y and older from the Canadian Community Health Survey 2015 - Nutrition. METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from 4093 older adults of the Canadian Community Health Survey 2015 - Nutrition (mean age, 73.6 y, 54% females). Dietary intakes were measured using an interviewer-administered 24-h dietary recall, including 1 repeat in a subsample (42%). The National Cancer Institute multivariate method was used to estimate usual (i.e., long-term) dietary intakes. Adherence to CFG recommendations was measured using the Healthy Eating Food Index (HEFI)-2019 score. Simple linear and logistic regression models estimated the effect of increased HEFI-2019 score on usual nutrient intakes and the prevalence of inadequate nutrient intakes (i.e., below the estimated average requirements), respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the prevalence of inadequate intakes at median HEFI-2019 score (46.4/80 points), a higher HEFI-2019 (+11 points) was associated with reductions in the prevalence of inadequate intakes of magnesium, vitamin B6 and protein [-19.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): -30.8, -8.9), -12.7% (95% CI: -22.5, -3.0), and -4.7% (95% CI: -9.4, -0.1), respectively]. In contrast, data for higher HEFI-2019 scores were compatible with increased prevalence of inadequate intakes of folate, vitamin D, and calcium [4.0% (95% CI: -8.4, 16.3), 2.6% (95% CI: 1.1, 4.0), and 2.3% (95% CI: -3.0, 7.5), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Based on dietary intakes of Canadian older adults in 2015, increasing the degree of adherence to CFG recommendations on healthy food choices may reduce nutrient intake inadequacy for most key nutrients except folate, vitamin D, and calcium.

Associations of Intake of Free and Naturally Occurring Sugars from Solid Foods and Drinks with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in a Quebec Adult Population: The PREDISE (PRÉDicteurs Individuels, Sociaux et Environnementaux) Study.

BACKGROUND: Associations between sugar consumption and cardiometabolic health, taking into account the physical form of sugar-containing foods (liquid vs. solid) and the type of sugars consumed [free sugars (FSs) vs. naturally occurring sugars (NOSs)], remain to be thoroughly documented. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to examine whether FS and NOS intakes from drinks and solid foods are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in a sample of French-speaking adults from the province of Quebec, Canada. METHODS: Data were collected as part of the cross-sectional PREDISE (PRÉDicteurs Individuels, Sociaux et Environnementaux) study (n = 1019, 18-65 y old; 50% women). FS and NOS intakes were assessed by three 24-h dietary recalls using a self-administered, web-based application. Diet quality was assessed using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010. Participants underwent on-site clinical assessment of cardiometabolic risk factors, including blood pressure, waist circumference, BMI, and fasting blood sampling (glucose, insulin, C-reactive protein, blood lipids). Multivariable linear regression models were performed to examine the associations between sugar intake and cardiometabolic risk factors with sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle variables, and diet quality entered as covariates. RESULTS: In fully adjusted models, FS intake from drinks was associated with fasting insulin (1.06%; 95% CI: 0.30%, 1.84%; P = 0.006) and with insulin resistance as estimated using the HOMA model (1.01%; 95% CI: 0.19%, 1.84%; P = 0.02). All metabolic variables that were significantly associated with NOS intake from solid foods in minimally adjusted models were no longer significant after entering sociodemographic and lifestyle variables (e.g., educational and income levels, smoking, physical activity, daily energy intake) and diet quality in the models. CONCLUSIONS: Our data from an adult sample showed that unfavorable and favorable associations with cardiometabolic risk factors observed, respectively, for FS intake from drinks and NOS intake from foods are mostly explained by sociodemographic and lifestyle variables, as well as by diet quality.

Dietary Saturated Fats from Different Food Sources Show Variable Associations with the 2015 Healthy Eating Index in the Canadian Population.

BACKGROUND: Although mostly food-based, the majority of dietary guidelines also recommend limiting the consumption of foods high in SFAs. Yet, the association between the consumption of SFAs from different food sources and overall diet quality remains uncertain. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the associations between SFAs from various food sources and the 2015 Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015) as a proxy of overall diet quality. METHODS: The study sample included 11,106 respondents between 19 and 70 y of age from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey. Dietary intakes as well as the HEI-2015 were calculated using data from a single 24-h recall. An HEI-2015 from which the SFA subscores were subtracted was also calculated. Low nutritive value foods were defined using Health Canada's 4-Tier system. Associations were investigated using multivariable linear regressions with restricted cubic splines. RESULTS: Major sources of SFAs in this population were low nutritive value foods [4.4% of total energy intake (%E)], dairy (2.7%E), and meat products (1.9%E). The associations between SFA consumption (total and from different food sources) and the HEI-2015 were generally inverse and nonlinear (P for the nonlinearity test <0.03 for all). Total SFA intake showed no association with the SFA-subtracted HEI-2015 (P = 0.29). SFAs from dairy tended to be associated with an increase in the SFA-subtracted HEI-2015 (P < 0.001). Removing the SFA subscore from the HEI-2015 did not materially modify its association with SFAs from meat. SFAs from low nutritive value foods remained significantly and inversely associated with the SFA-subtracted HEI-2015 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These cross-sectional data in Canadian adults suggest that intake of SFAs from low nutritive value foods, but not total SFA intake, is captured by an index of healthy eating that does not account for SFA intake.

Consumption of low nutritive value foods and cardiometabolic risk factors among French-speaking adults from Quebec, Canada: the PREDISE study.

BACKGROUND: There is very limited knowledge on the magnitude to which foods with low nutritive value constitute the diet of adults from the province of Quebec. The extent to which these foods impact cardiometabolic risk is also poorly documented. The objective was to assess the contribution of low nutritive value foods to total energy intake (E) and to examine associations with cardiometabolic risk factors among French-speaking adults from 5 administrative regions of the Province of Quebec. METHODS: As part of the cross-sectional PREDISE Study, 1147 adults (50.2% women; mean [SD] age, 43.2 [4.6] years) participated in a web-based investigation. Dietary intake data were obtained using a validated web-based self-administered 24-h recall, the R24W, completed on three occasions. Foods with low nutritive value were defined as foods exceeding predetermined thresholds for the following nutrients: saturated fat, sugar or sodium as well as beverages and ingredients not recommended in Canada's Food Guide 2019. A total of 1019 participants underwent on-site clinical assessment of cardiometabolic risk factors. RESULTS: Participants consumed on average 29.0%E (95%CI, 28.2-29.7) as low nutritive value foods, to which pastries (18%), alcohol (15%), sweets (13%), chips/popcorn (6%) and sugar-sweetened beverages (6%) contributed the most. Low nutritive value foods contributed more to total E in men than in women (30.7%E vs. 27.5%E, respectively; P < 0.0001). In fully-adjusted linear regression models, increments of 250 kcal/d from low nutritive value foods were associated with higher body mass index (+ 1.7 kg/m2; 95%CI 1.2 to 2.2), higher waist circumference (+ 0.6 cm; 95%CI, 0.1 to 1.1), cholesterol: HDL cholesterol ratio (+ 0.12 mmol/L; 95%CI, 0.01 to 0.24 and triglycerides (+ 7.8%; 95%CI, 3.0 to 12.8). CONCLUSIONS: Low nutritive value foods contribute near 30% of total daily energy intake of French-speaking adults of the Province of Quebec and are associated with increased waist circumference and an unfavourable lipid profile. Addressing consumption of low nutritive value foods at the population level is a potential strategy to attenuate the burden of chronic diseases.

Saturated Fats from Butter but Not from Cheese Increase HDL-Mediated Cholesterol Efflux Capacity from J774 Macrophages in Men and Women with Abdominal Obesity.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that the association between dietary saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and coronary artery disease risk varies according to food sources. How SFAs from butter and cheese influence HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC), a key process in reverse cholesterol transport, is currently unknown. Objective: In a predefined secondary analysis of a previously published trial, we have examined how diets rich in SFAs from either cheese or butter influence HDL-mediated CEC, compared with diets rich in either monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) or polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Methods: In a randomized crossover controlled consumption trial, 46 men and women with abdominal obesity consumed 5 isocaloric diets, each for 4 wk. Two diets were rich in SFAs either from cheese (CHEESE) or butter (BUTTER) [12.4-12.6% of energy (%E) as SFAs, 32%E as fat, 52%E as carbohydrates]. In 2 other diets, SFAs (5.8%E) were replaced with either MUFAs from refined olive oil (MUFA) or PUFAs from corn oil (PUFA). Finally, a lower fat and carbohydrate diet was used as a control (5.8%E as SFAs, 25.0%E as fat, 59%E as carbohydrates; CHO). Post-diet HDL-mediated CEC was determined ex vivo using radiolabelled J774 macrophages incubated with apolipoprotein B-depleted serum from the participants. Results: Mean (±SD) age was 41.4 ± 14.2 y, and waist circumference was 107.6 ± 11.5 cm in men and 94.3 ± 12.4 cm in women. BUTTER and MUFA increased HDL-mediated CEC compared with CHEESE (+4.3%, P = 0.026 and +4.7%, P = 0.031, respectively). Exploring the significant diet × sex interaction (P = 0.044) revealed that the increase in HDL-mediated CEC after BUTTER compared with CHEESE was significant among men (+6.0%, P = 0.047) but not women (+2.9%, P = 0.19), whereas the increase after MUFA compared with CHEESE was significant among women (+9.1%, P = 0.008) but not men (-0.6%, P = 0.99). Conclusion: These results provide evidence of a food matrix effect modulating the impact of dairy SFAs on HDL-mediated CEC with potential sex-related differences that deserve further investigation. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02106208.

Transitioning to sustainable dietary patterns: learnings from animal-based and plant-based dietary patterns in French Canadian adults.

Introduction: Many dietary guidelines promote the substitution of animal proteins with plant-based proteins for health benefits but also to help transitioning toward more sustainable dietary patterns. The aim of this study was to examine the food and nutrient characteristics as well as the overall quality and costs of dietary patterns consistent with lower intakes of animal-based protein foods and with higher intakes of plant-based protein foods among French Canadian adults. Methods: Dietary intake data, evaluated with 24 h recalls, from 1,147 French-speaking adults of the PRÉDicteurs Individuels, Sociaux et Environnementaux (PREDISE) study conducted between 2015 and 2017 in Québec were used. Usual dietary intakes and diet costs were estimated with the National Cancer Institute's multivariate method. Consumption of animal- and plant-based protein foods was classified into quarters (Q) and differences in food and nutrient intakes, Healthy Eating Food Index (HEFI)-2019 scores and diet costs across quarters were assessed using linear regression models adjusted for age and sex. Results: Participants with lower intakes of animal-based protein foods (Q1 vs. Q4) had a higher HEFI-2019 total score (+4.0 pts, 95% CI, 0.9 to 7.1) and lower daily diet costs (-1.9 $CAD, 95% CI, -2.6 to -1.2). Participants with higher intakes of plant-based protein foods (Q4 vs. Q1) had a higher HEFI-2019 total score (+14.6 pts, 95% CI, 12.4 to 16.9) but no difference in daily diet costs (0.0$CAD, 95% CI, -0.7 to 0.7). Discussion: In a perspective of diet sustainability, results from this study among French-speaking Canadian adults suggest that a shift toward a dietary pattern focused primarily on lower amounts of animal-based protein foods may be associated with a better diet quality at lower costs. On the other hand, transitioning to a dietary pattern focused primarily on higher amounts of plant-based protein foods may further improve the diet quality at no additional cost.

Adhering to Canada's Food Guide Recommendations on Healthy Food Choices Increases the Daily Diet Cost: Insights from the PREDISE Study.

The aim of this study was to assess the association between daily diet costs and the Healthy Eating Food Index (HEFI)-2019, an index that reflects the alignment of dietary patterns to recommendations on healthy food choices in the 2019 Canada's Food Guide (CFG). Dietary intake data from 24 h recalls, completed between 2015 and 2017, of 1147 French-speaking participants of the web-based multicenter cross-sectional PRÉDicteurs Individuels, Sociaux et Environnementaux (PREDISE) study in Quebec were used. Diet costs were calculated from dietary recall data using a Quebec-specific 2015-2016 Nielsen food price database. Usual dietary intakes and diet costs were estimated using the National Cancer Institute's multivariate method. Linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between diet costs and HEFI-2019 scores. When standardized for energy intake, a higher HEFI-2019 score (75th vs. 25th percentiles) was associated with a 1.09 $CAD higher daily diet cost (95% CI, 0.73 to 1.45). This positive association was consistent among different sociodemographic subgroups based on sex, age, education, household income, and administrative region of residence. A higher daily diet cost was associated with a higher HEFI-2019 score for the Vegetables and fruits, Beverage, Grain foods ratio, Fatty acids ratio, Saturated fats, and Free sugars components, but with a lower score for the Sodium component. These results suggest that for a given amount of calories, a greater adherence to the 2019 CFG recommendations on healthy food choices is associated with an increased daily diet cost. This highlights the challenge of conciliating affordability and healthfulness when developing national dietary guidelines in the context of diet sustainability.

Greater adherence to the 2019 Canada's Food Guide recommendations on healthy food choices reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in adults: a prospective analysis of UK Biobank data.

BACKGROUND: Canada's Food Guide (CFG) was profoundly revised in 2019, but the extent to which adherence to recommendations on healthy food choices reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is unknown. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine how greater adherence to the 2019 CFG's recommendations on healthy food choices influences the risk of incident CVD. METHODS: Participants were a sample of adults without history of CVD, diabetes, or cancer from the UK Biobank prospective cohort study. Usual dietary intakes were estimated by modeling data from repeated Web-based 24-h dietary recalls using the National Cancer Institute multivariate method. Adherence to key CFG recommendations on healthy food choices was assessed using the Healthy Eating Food Index (HEFI)-2019, which has a maximum of 80 points. The CVD outcome was a composite of fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Cox regression models adjusted via inverse probability weighting were used to estimate CVD risks. Counterfactual models were used to interpret risks of hypothetical changes in the HEFI-2019 score. RESULTS: A total of 136,698 participants met the eligibility criteria (55% females; mean age: 57.2 y; range: 40-75 y). During the 11-y follow-up, there were 2843 cases of incident CVD. Compared with no change in the HEFI-2019 score, increasing the HEFI-2019 score of all participants to the 90th percentile of the score distribution (58.1 points) hypothetically reduced the risk of CVD by 24% (RR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.58, 0.94; absolute risk difference: -0.58%). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that greater adherence to the 2019 CFG recommendations on healthy food choices reduces the 11-y risk of CVD in middle-aged and older adults.

Determinants of Healthy Diet Among Children Exposed and Unexposed to Gestational Diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between individual and environmental determinants of diet quality with diet quality of children exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM+) and unexposed (GDM-); to study the association between mother and child vegetables and fruit (VF) intakes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred forty-two children (104 GDM+; 38 GDM-) aged 6.2 ± 2.5 years. VARIABLES: Canadian Healthy Eating Index 2007 (HEI-C) and VF were obtained with 2 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires in children. Maternal VF was obtained by a validated food frequency questionnaire, and weight and height were measured. Sociodemographic determinants were obtained by questionnaires. ANALYSIS: Linear regression models were used to evaluate the association between individual and environmental determinants and the HEI-C score with interaction for GDM status. RESULTS: Family meals were associated with HEI-C among GDM- but not GDM+ children (ß = 9.97, P = 0.01 and ß = -0.41, P = 0.84, respectively; P for interaction = 0.02). Children's age (ß = -1.45; 95% confidence interval, -2.19 to -0.72; P < 0.001) was a determinant of HEI-C among all children. Maternal VF intakes were positively associated with children's VF intake (r = 0.30, P < 0.001, r2 = 0.09), with association of larger variance among GDM- children (r = 0.38, r2 = 0.14, P = 0.02) than GDM+ children (r = 0.23, r2 = 0.05, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The food environment at home was associated differently with the diet quality of GDM+ and GDM- children. Whether targeting family meals and maternal diet quality is a good strategy to improve children's diet quality among GDM+ children needs to be further investigated.

Are Machine Learning Algorithms More Accurate in Predicting Vegetable and Fruit Consumption Than Traditional Statistical Models? An Exploratory Analysis.

Machine learning (ML) algorithms may help better understand the complex interactions among factors that influence dietary choices and behaviors. The aim of this study was to explore whether ML algorithms are more accurate than traditional statistical models in predicting vegetable and fruit (VF) consumption. A large array of features (2,452 features from 525 variables) encompassing individual and environmental information related to dietary habits and food choices in a sample of 1,147 French-speaking adult men and women was used for the purpose of this study. Adequate VF consumption, which was defined as 5 servings/d or more, was measured by averaging data from three web-based 24 h recalls and used as the outcome to predict. Nine classification ML algorithms were compared to two traditional statistical predictive models, logistic regression and penalized regression (Lasso). The performance of the predictive ML algorithms was tested after the implementation of adjustments, including normalizing the data, as well as in a series of sensitivity analyses such as using VF consumption obtained from a web-based food frequency questionnaire (wFFQ) and applying a feature selection algorithm in an attempt to reduce overfitting. Logistic regression and Lasso predicted adequate VF consumption with an accuracy of 0.64 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.58-0.70) and 0.64 (95%CI: 0.60-0.68) respectively. Among the ML algorithms tested, the most accurate algorithms to predict adequate VF consumption were the support vector machine (SVM) with either a radial basis kernel or a sigmoid kernel, both with an accuracy of 0.65 (95%CI: 0.59-0.71). The least accurate ML algorithm was the SVM with a linear kernel with an accuracy of 0.55 (95%CI: 0.49-0.61). Using dietary intake data from the wFFQ and applying a feature selection algorithm had little to no impact on the performance of the algorithms. In summary, ML algorithms and traditional statistical models predicted adequate VF consumption with similar accuracies among adults. These results suggest that additional research is needed to explore further the true potential of ML in predicting dietary behaviours that are determined by complex interactions among several individual, social and environmental factors.

Development of the Healthy Eating Food Index (HEFI)-2019 measuring adherence to Canada's Food Guide 2019 recommendations on healthy food choices.

The release of Canada's Food Guide (CFG) in 2019 by Health Canada prompted the development of indices to measure adherence to these updated dietary recommendations for Canadians. This study describes the development and scoring standards of the Healthy Eating Food Index (HEFI-2019), which is intended to measure alignment of eating patterns with CFG-2019 recommendations on food choices among Canadians aged 2 years and older. Alignment with the intent of each key recommendation in the CFG-2019 was the primary principle guiding the development of the HEFI-2019. Additional considerations included previously published indices, data on Canadians' dietary intakes from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition, and expert judgement. The HEFI-2019 includes 10 components: Vegetables and fruits (20 points), Whole-grain foods (5 points), Grain foods ratio (5 points), Protein foods (5 points), Plant-based protein foods (5 points), Beverages (10 points), Fatty acids ratio (5 points), Saturated fats (5 points), Free sugars (10 points), and Sodium (10 points). All components are expressed as ratios (e.g., proportions of total foods, total beverages, or total energy). The HEFI-2019 score has a maximum of 80 points. Potential uses of the HEFI-2019 include research as well as monitoring and surveillance of food choices in population-based surveys. Novelty: The Healthy Eating Food Index-2019 was developed to measure adherence to the 2019 Canada's Food Guide recommendations on healthy food choices. The HEFI-2019 includes 10 components, of which 5 are based on foods, 1 on beverages and 4 on nutrients, for a total of 80 points.

Evaluation of the Healthy Eating Food Index (HEFI)-2019 measuring adherence to Canada's Food Guide 2019 recommendations on healthy food choices.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the Healthy Eating Food Index-2019 (HEFI-2019), which was developed to measure adherence to Canada's Food Guide 2019 (CFG-2019) recommendations on healthy food choices. Dietary intake data from 24-hour dietary recalls in the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition were used for that purpose. Multidimensionality was examined using principal component analysis. Mean scores were compared among subgroups of the population. The association between scores and energy intake was assessed using Pearson correlations. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to assess reliability. The estimated mean HEFI-2019 score (/80) was 43.1 (95% CI, 42.7 to 43.6) among Canadians aged 2 years and older. The first and 99th percentiles were 22.1 and 62.9 points. The mean HEFI-2019 score for smokers was 7.2 points lower than for non-smokers (95% CI, -8.5 to -5.9). The HEFI-2019 was weakly correlated with energy intake (r = -0.13; 95% CI, -0.20 to -0.06). The principal components analysis revealed at least 4 dimensions. Cronbach's alpha was 0.66 (95% CI, 0.63 to 0.69). Evidence of construct validity and internal consistency support the use of the HEFI-2019 to assess adherence to CFG-2019's recommendations on healthy food choices. Novelty: Examination of the HEFI-2019's psychometric properties is needed prior to implementation. Analyses support the construct validity and internal consistency of the HEFI-2019. Interpretation of the total HEFI-2019 score must be accompanied by its components' scores, considering it assesses multiple dimensions of food choices.

The effect of consuming voluntarily fortified food and beverages on usual nutrient intakes in the Canadian population.

BACKGROUND: In Canada, regulatory changes have expanded marketing opportunities for voluntarily fortified products (VFPs), with micronutrient additions permitted at levels well in excess of human requirements. OBJECTIVE: To examine how the consumption of VFPs relates to usual nutrient intakes in the Canadian population. DESIGN: The 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey comprises single 24-h dietary intake recalls on a population-representative sample of 20,487 individuals aged 1 year and older, with second recalls on a subset of 7,608. The intake data included 15 food codes denoting VFP (e.g. energy drinks, fortified beverages, cereals, and bars). We assessed VFP consumption and estimated usual intake distributions for riboflavin, niacin, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, B12, and C for VFP consumers and non-consumers 14-50 years old (n = 8,442) using the National Cancer Institute method. We applied the 'shrink and add' method to estimate usual intakes among supplement users and assessed apparent benefits and risks by comparing usual intake distributions to EARs and ULs. RESULTS: Only 2.4% of the population reported any consumption of VFP on the first 24-h recall. VFP consumers were overrepresented in the upper quartile of population intake distributions for niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and zinc. The median usual intakes of VFP consumers were 24-111% higher than the median usual intakes of non-consumers, and VFP consumers had significantly lower prevalence of inadequacy for riboflavin and vitamins A, B6, B12, and C. Irrespective of VFP consumption, usual intake distributions reached the ULs for vitamin A and zinc with the addition of supplement intakes. DISCUSSION: Given the limited differentiation of VFP in this survey, we have likely underestimated nutrient exposure levels. CONCLUSIONS: VFP consumption was associated with elevated usual nutrient intakes, but we found limited evidence that it protected consumers from nutrient inadequacies or propelled intakes above tolerable upper levels.

A food-level substitution analysis assessing the impact of replacing regular-fat dairy with lower fat dairy on saturated fat intake at a population level in Canada.

BACKGROUND: The 2019 Canada's Food Guide recommends the consumption of lower fat dairy products to reduce saturated fat (SFA) intakes. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of such recommendation on SFA intake at a population level in Canada. METHODS: Analyses were conducted based on dietary intakes from the nationally representative 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition (unweighted n = 20,103). Dietary intake was assessed using 24-h dietary recalls. Food-based substitution modeling analyses were conducted by replacing all regular-fat dairy products reported by an equal amount of a corresponding lower fat dairy product. Regular-fat dairy products included milks ≥2% fat, cheeses >25% fat, and yogurts ≥2% fat. Corresponding lower fat replacement products were 1% fat milks, 10-25% fat cheeses, and <2% fat yogurts. The National Cancer Institute method was used to account for within-person variation in dietary intakes. RESULTS: Replacing all regular-fat dairy products consumed by Canadians (ages ≥2 y) by a corresponding lower fat product reduced the population's SFA intake from 10.8% of total energy intake (%E; 95% CI: 10.7%, 11.0%) to 10.0%E (95% CI: 9.8%, 10.2%). This reduction was mostly attributable to the milk and cheese substitutions (mean SFA reductions of -0.3%E each). The proportion of the population with an SFA intake <10%E was 34.7% (95% CI: 31.2%, 38.2%) before substitution and 51.5% (95% CI: 47.5%, 55.5%) after substitution. CONCLUSIONS: This food-based substitution modeling analysis suggests that SFA intakes at a population level are slightly reduced if all regular-fat dairy products consumed by Canadians were replaced by a lower fat dairy product. Approximately half of the population would still consume SFAs in excess of 10%E even if all regular-fat dairy consumed were replaced by lower fat dairy.

Changes in diet quality and food security among adults during the COVID-19-related early lockdown: results from NutriQuébec.

BACKGROUND: The impact that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related early lockdown has had on dietary habits of the population and on food insecurity is unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to document the change in diet quality and in food insecurity observed during the COVID-19-related early lockdown. We hypothesized that the lockdown was associated with a deterioration in overall diet quality and an increase in food insecurity. METHODS: Data are from a COVID-19 subsample of NutriQuébec, a web-based cohort destined to study temporal changes in dietary habits among adults in Quebec, Canada. Participants completed questionnaires before (between June 2019 and February 2020) and during (April to May 2020) early lockdown, including a validated web-based 24-h recall (n = 853) and a questionnaire on food security (n = 922). Primary study outcomes were temporal changes in diet quality measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 and in the prevalence of food insecurity. RESULTS: There was a small increase in the HEI-2015 during the COVID-19 early lockdown compared with baseline (+1.1 points; 95% CI: 0.6, 1.5), mostly due to small improvements in the intakes of whole grains, greens and beans, refined grains, total vegetables, total dairy, seafood and plant proteins, added sugar, and total protein subscores of the HEI-2015. Exploratory analyses suggested that individuals aged 18-29 y (+3.6 points; 95% CI: 2.4, 4.7), participants with lower education (+1.9 points; 95% CI: 1.3, 2.6), or with obesity (+3.8 points; 95% CI: 2.7, 4.8) showed particularly important increases in the HEI-2015. The prevalence of food insecurity was reduced from 3.8% at baseline to 1.0% during the early lockdown (prevalence ratio = 0.27; 95% CI: 0.08, 0.94). CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to our hypotheses, diet quality has slightly improved and prevalence of food insecurity was reduced in this sample of adults from Quebec during the COVID-19-related early lockdown. These results may be generalizable only to relatively healthy populations.

A combination of single nucleotide polymorphisms is associated with the interindividual variability in the blood lipid response to dietary fatty acid consumption in a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Blood lipid concentrations display high interindividual variability in response to dietary interventions, partly due to genetic factors. Existing studies have focused on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) analyzed individually, which only explain a limited fraction of the variability of these complex phenotypes. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify combinations of SNPs associated with the variability in LDL cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) concentration changes following 5 dietary interventions. DESIGN: In a multicenter randomized crossover trial, 92 participants with elevated waist circumference and low HDL cholesterol concentrations consumed 5 isoenergetic diets for 4 wk: a diet rich in saturated fatty acids (SFAs) from cheese, SFA from butter, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and a diet higher in carbohydrates (CHO). The association between 22 candidate SNPs in genes involved in lipid and bile acid metabolism and transport and changes in LDL cholesterol and TG concentrations was assessed with univariate statistics followed by partial least squares regression. RESULTS: Endpoint LDL cholesterol concentrations were significantly different (cheese: 3.18 ± 0.04, butter: 3.31 ± 0.04, MUFA: 3.00 ± 0.04, PUFA: 2.81 ± 0.04, CHO: 3.11 ± 0.04 mmol/L; P < 0.001) while endpoint TG concentrations were not (P = 0.117). Both displayed consistently elevated interindividual variability following the dietary interventions (CVs of 34.5 ± 2.2% and 55.8 ± 1.8%, respectively). Among the 22 candidate SNPs, only ABCA1-rs2066714 and apolipoprotein E (APOE) isoforms exhibited consistent significant effects, namely on LDL cholesterol concentrations. However, several SNPs were significantly associated with changes in LDL cholesterol and TG concentrations in a diet-specific fashion. Generated multivariate models explained from 16.0 to 33.6% of the interindividual variability in LDL cholesterol concentration changes and from 17.5 to 32.0% of that in TG concentration changes. CONCLUSIONS: We report combinations of SNPs associated with a significant part of the variability in LDL cholesterol and TG concentrations following dietary interventions differing in their fatty acid profiles.

Differences in Population-Based Dietary Intake Estimates Obtained From an Interviewer-Administered and a Self-Administered Web-Based 24-h Recall.

Web-based instruments are being increasingly used in nutrition epidemiology and surveillance. However, the extent to which dietary intake estimates derived from web-based 24-h recalls such as the R24W are consistent with data derived from more traditional interviewer-administered 24-h recalls (TRAD) remains uncertain. Our objective was to compare dietary intake estimates obtained using the R24W and a TRAD instrument in population-based samples from the province of Québec in Canada. This comparison of dietary assessment methods was based on data from two sample survey studies in adults (18-65 years). The R24W was used in a sample of 1,147 French-speaking adults from five regions of Québec as part of the PREDISE (PRÉDicteurs Individuels, Sociaux et Environnementaux) study. The TRAD was used in a sample of 875 French-speaking adults from the Canadian Community Health Survey 2015 located in the same five regions. Characteristics of both samples were matched through selection and weighting (language, sex, age, region, education, body mass index, weekend day, and season of survey). Mean and usual intake data of each sample were compared. The plausibility of reported energy intakes was compared using predictive equations of the Institute of Medicine. Mean servings/day from the R24W were higher than with TRAD for vegetables and fruit (+11%, P = 0.003), grain products (+7%, P = 0.06), milk and alternatives (+21%, P < 0.001), and meat and alternatives (+18%, P = 0.001). Intake of low nutritive value foods was also 28% higher with the R24W than with TRAD (mean difference +164 kcal; 95% CI, 107-222). As a result, total energy intakes from the R24W compared with TRAD were 18% higher in women (mean difference +325 kcal; 95% CI, 243-407) and 15% higher in men (mean difference +361 kcal; 95% CI 232-490). The prevalence of underreporting of energy intakes was 10% lower with the R24W than with TRAD (prevalence ratio 0.90; 95% CI, 0.86-0.94). In conclusion, differences between dietary assessment methods in the context of population-based surveys on nutrition have potentially important consequences on the quality of the data and should be carefully considered in future surveys and surveillance strategies.

Consumption and Sources of Saturated Fatty Acids According to the 2019 Canada Food Guide: Data from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey.

The 2019 revised version of Canada's Food Guide (CFG) recommends limiting the consumption of processed foods that are high in saturated fatty acids (SFA). Yet, the contributions of each CFG group to the total SFA intake of Canadians are not specifically known. The objectives of this study were to quantify the total SFA intake of Canadians, determine the sources of SFA consumed by Canadian adults, and identify potential differences in these sources. A nation representative sample from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS - Nutrition 2015) was used for these analyses. Dietary intakes were measured using a single 24-h recall. Food sources of SFA were classified according to the revised 2019 CFG categories. We have also examined the contribution of foods not included in these three categories to total SFA intake. Among Canadian adults, total SFA contributed to 10.4 ± 0.1% (SE) of total energy intake (E). The "Protein foods" (47.7 ± 0.5% with 23.2 ± 0.4% from milk and alternatives and 24.5 ± 0.4% from meats and alternatives) and "All other foods" (44.2 ± 0.5%) categories were the main sources of total SFA intake. Few differences in SFA sources were identified between sexes, age groups, education levels, and body mass index (BMI) categories. These data show that the mean SFA consumption is greater than the 10% E cut-off previously proposed in Canada. Future studies should examine which food substitution is most likely to contribute to a greater reduction in SFA intake at the population level.

Examining the Advantages of Using Multiple Web-Based Dietary Assessment Instruments to Measure Population Dietary Intake: The PREDISE Study.

BACKGROUND: Combining traditional dietary assessment instruments has been suggested to improve precision of dietary intake estimates. However, this has not been investigated using web-based 24-h recall (R24W) or a web-based food-frequency questionnaire (wFFQ). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare different combinations of web-based instruments to assess population-level dietary intake estimates (means and percentiles) and their precision, either with or without statistical modeling of within-person day-to-day variations. METHODS: As part of the cross-sectional PREDISE study, 1025 French-speaking adults completed 3 randomly allocated R24W and 1 wFFQ within 21 d. Crude estimates of intake were generated from either 1 or 3 repeated R24W. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) method was used to account for within-person variation. Usual intakes were modeled from 1 R24W repeated in a subsample (40%) and from 3 R24W, with or without consideration of data from the wFFQ. RESULTS: Using crude data from 3 R24W increased precision of estimates and modified distribution of intakes compared with using data from only 1 R24W. Using NCI-modeled data from 3 repeated R24W had no impact on the precision around mean intakes but increased precision of low and high percentiles intake estimates compared with NCI-modeled data from a partially repeated R24W. Considering data from a wFFQ in combination with data derived from 3 R24W did not influence the precision of intake estimates of most foods and nutrients. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that relying on repeated measures of food and nutrient intake through R24W is preferable to single assessment when within-person variation is not considered. Data also suggest that when NCI modeling is applied, using 3 R24W only improves the precision of low and high percentiles intake estimates compared with using a partially repeated web-based recall.

Intakes of Total, Free, and Naturally Occurring Sugars in the French-Speaking Adult Population of the Province of Québec, Canada: The PREDISE Study.

The objective of this study was to characterize the intakes of different types of sugars in an age- and sex-representative sample of French-speaking adults from five regions of the Province of Québec, Canada, enrolled in the cross-sectional PREDISE (PRÉDicteurs Individuels, Sociaux et Environnementaux) study (n = 1147, 18-65 years old; 50.2% women). Because only total sugar content of foods and beverages is available in the Canadian Nutrient File (CNF) 2015, the initial step of this study was thus to build a database of free and naturally occurring sugars content of each food item and recipe included in the R24W, which is an automated, self-administered, web-based, 24-h dietary recall validated to estimate nutrient intakes in French-speaking adults of the Province of Québec. Total sugars were manually differentiated into free and naturally occurring sugars using a systematic algorithm based on previously published systematic algorithms. The World Health Organization (WHO)'s free sugar definition was used to differentiate total sugars into free and naturally occurring sugars. Dietary intake estimates were assessed using three 24-h dietary recalls completed with the R24W. Mean total, free, and naturally occurring sugar intakes were 116.4 g (19.3% of daily energy intake (%E)), 72.5 g (11.7%E), and 44.0 g (7.5%E), respectively. Over half (57.3%) of the overall sample did not meet the WHO's recommendation to consume less than 10%E from free sugars. Women had a higher %E from naturally occurring sugars than men and being younger was associated with a greater %E from free sugars. Sugar intakes among French-speaking adults from the Province of Québec were mainly in the form of free sugars, with the majority of the population exceeding the WHO recommendation regarding free sugar intake. This suggests that public health efforts towards reducing free sugar intake in this population are relevant and necessary, considering that overconsumption of free sugars negatively influences health outcomes.