Intake of macro- and micronutrients in Danish vegans.

BACKGROUND: Since information about macro- and micronutrient intake among vegans is limited we aimed to determine and evaluate their dietary and supplementary intake. METHODS: Seventy 18-61 years old Danish vegans completed a four-day weighed food record from which their daily intake of macro- and micronutrients was assessed and subsequently compared to an age-range-matched group of 1,257 omnivorous individuals from the general Danish population. Moreover, the vegan dietary and supplementary intake was compared to the 2012 Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR). RESULTS: Dietary intake differed significantly between vegans and the general Danish population in all measured macro- and micronutrients (p < 0.05), except for energy intake among women and intake of carbohydrates among men. For vegans the intake of macro- and micronutrients (including supplements) did not reach the NNR for protein, vitamin D, iodine and selenium. Among vegan women vitamin A intake also failed to reach the recommendations. With reference to the NNR, the dietary content of added sugar, sodium and fatty acids, including the ratio of PUFA to SFA, was more favorable among vegans. CONCLUSIONS: At the macronutrient level, the diet of Danish vegans is in better accordance with the NNR than the diet of the general Danish population. At the micronutrient level, considering both diet and supplements, the vegan diet falls short in certain nutrients, suggesting a need for greater attention toward ensuring recommended daily intake of specific vitamins and minerals.

Milk-derived proteins and minerals alter serum osteocalcin in prepubertal boys after 7 days.

We have previously shown that at equal protein content, milk, but not meat, decreased bone turnover in boys. This suggested that milk-derived components are important for bone metabolism. In the present study, we hypothesized that milk-derived proteins (whey and casein) affect bone turnover during growth depending on the content of milk minerals (calcium and phosphorus). This was a randomized, parallel, double-blind study. Eight-year-old boys (n = 57) received 1 of 4 milk drinks: whey protein with low or high content of minerals, or casein protein with low or high content of minerals. The amount of whey and casein was identical to their content in 1.5 L of milk. We measured serum osteocalcin (sOC), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, and C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (immunoassay) and estimated dietary intake (3-day weighed food record) at baseline and after 7 days. Only sOC was significantly affected by the treatments (P < .05). There was a significant interaction between milk-derived proteins and minerals with regard to sOC (P = .01). The intake of milk drinks containing whey increased sOC at the low content of minerals, whereas it decreased sOC at the high content of minerals (P < .05). In contrast, milk drinks containing casein increased sOC both at the low and at the high contents of minerals. In conclusion, whey and casein (corresponding to their content in 1.5 L of milk) differently affect sOC in 8-year-old boys depending on the content of milk minerals, but do not seem to affect other markers for bone turnover.

Whole cow's milk: why, what and when?

There are differences between at what age industrialized countries recommend that cow's milk can be introduced to infants. Most countries recommend waiting until 12 months of age, but according to recommendations from some countries (e.g. Canada, Sweden and Denmark) cow's milk can be introduced from 9 or 10 months. The main reason for delaying introduction is to prevent iron deficiency as cow's milk is a poor iron source. In one study mainly milk intake above 500 ml/day caused iron deficiency. Cow's milk has a very low content of linoleic acid (LA), but a more favorable LA/alpha-linolenic ratio, which is likely to be the reason why red blood cell docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels seem to be more favorable in infants drinking cow's milk compared to infants drinking infant formula that is not supplemented with DHA. It has been suggested that cow's milk intake can affect the later risk of obesity, blood pressure and linear growth, but the evidence is not convincing. There are also considerable differences in recommendations on at what age cow's milk with reduced fat intake can be introduced. The main consideration is that low-fat milk might limit energy intake and thereby growth, but the potential effects on development of early obesity should also be considered. Recommendations about the age for introduction of cow's milk should take into consideration traditions and feeding patterns in the population, especially the intake of iron and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and should also give recommendations on the volume of milk.

Maternal fish oil supplementation in lactation and growth during the first 2.5 years of life.

Fish oil addition to infant formulas has raised concern on whether increased intake of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3LCPUFA) affects infant growth. The objective of this study was to determine whether maternal fish oil supplementation during 0-4 mo of lactation influences growth in infancy and early childhood. In a randomized, blinded intervention trial, lactating Danish mothers with a fish intake below the population median were randomized to 4.5 g/d fish oil or olive oil. A reference group of 53 mothers with a fish intake in the highest quartile of the population and their infants were included in the study. Head circumference, weight, length, skinfold thickness, and waist circumference of children were measured at 2, 4, and 9 mo and at 2.5 y. One hundred children completed the intervention trial, and 72 were followed up at 2.5 y together with 29 from the reference group. Growth in weight, length, and head circumference did not differ between the randomized groups up to 9 mo, but at 2.5 y, body composition differed significantly. Children in the fish oil group had larger waist circumference body mass index (BMI; 0.6 kg/m(2); p = 0.022), and head circumference compared with those in the olive oil group. Adjusted for sex, ponderal index at birth and current energy intake, BMI at 2.5 y was associated with docosahexaenoic acid in maternal erythrocytes after the intervention. In conclusion, the n-3LCPUFA intake of lactating mothers may be important for growth of young children. The long-term effect on weight and BMI remains to be investigated.