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The EU Farm to Fork strategy (F2F) promotes the compulsory adoption of a nutritional front of pack label to improve the diets of the citizens, supporting healthier food choices. In the public debate, Nutri-Score (NS) is the most favored candidate. Although being widely supported, oppositions on the political and producer levels are raised against the NS, due to the economic impact it could have on specific food sector, and specifically on Geographical Indications (GIs). Recent literature has stressed the need to explore it in more detail. The current study contributes to fill this gap by analyzing consumers' monetary preferences for GI products labelled with different NS levels. An incentivized non-hypothetical experiment was conducted on 188 Italian consumers. Different products representing different levels of NS were used. Specifically, a conventional pasta and the Pasta di Gragnano PGI (NS = A), a conventional flatbread (piadina) and the Piadina Romagnola PGI (NSC), and a conventional hard cheese and the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (NS = D) were considered in the survey. Results reveal that the NS elicits favorable responses and unfavorable reactions in consumers' preferences, aligning with expectations for A and D scores, respectively. The perceived healthiness of the product significantly affects consumers' WTP, increasing it. Results stress the need to have effective communication strategies within the EU to reach the F2F goals. NS diminishes the premium in prices associated with GIs independently from its level, when considering those consumers who value more the GIs. However, the most well-known GIs does not suffer from this negative effect of the NS, as the positive value associated to the GI offset the negative effect of the NS.
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Conducta de Elección , Comportamiento del Consumidor , Etiquetado de Alimentos , Preferencias Alimentarias , Valor Nutritivo , Humanos , Preferencias Alimentarias/psicología , Femenino , Masculino , Italia , Adulto , Etiquetado de Alimentos/métodos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto Joven , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Dieta Saludable/psicología , Dieta Saludable/economía , AdolescenteRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Chronic household food insecurity (HFI) and lack of food availability and accessibility in isolated communities are longstanding public health crises. This review aims to paint a more fulsome picture of food security initiatives in remote and isolated communities by examining programs across circumpolar countries, Australia, and Aotearoa New Zealand. This synthesis of research will contribute to an understanding of what types of initiatives exist and aid in the identification of best practices. METHODS: The authors conducted a scoping review identifying articles that include either (1) an evaluation of an initiative with a quantitative food security outcome in remote and isolated communities, or (2) quantitative associations between exposure factors with food security outcomes. Inclusion criteria included English and French articles focused on remote and isolated communities in Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Greenland, and Russia from January 1997 to July 2022. RESULTS: The article search yielded 1882 results, of which 96 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, including 26 studies evaluating initiatives, 66 studies evaluating exposure factors, and four studies that included both initiatives and exposure factors. The majority of the studies included in this review were conducted in Canada and Australia. No initiative studies conducted in Russia, Greenland, Norway, Finland, or Sweden fulfilled the criteria for inclusion in this review. The most common types of initiatives evaluated included school-based programs, market subsidies, and education initiatives, though a small number (<5) of other programs were evaluated, including traditional food programs and greenhouses. Though multiple programs resulted in lower food costs or increases in healthy food consumption in remote regions, the cost of a healthy diet in these areas remained high, as do levels of HFI. Factors associated with improved food security outcomes included higher income level, access to adequate housing, higher education level, access to transportation for harvesting, and the level of remoteness of a community. The studies included in this review also stressed the importance of access to and affordability of harvesting traditional foods in these regions. CONCLUSION: Those living in remote and isolated communities are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity and lack of access and availability of healthy foods, which are compounded by a variety of socioeconomic factors. This study highlights the lack of quantitative evaluations of food security initiatives in remote and isolated communities, as well as the wide variety in measured outcomes. Authors of several of the included articles note that community-led initiatives, with strong partnerships and local champions, were recommended in these populations, given the culturally and geographically diverse groups living in remote and isolated areas.
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Seguridad Alimentaria , Humanos , Población Rural/estadística & datos numéricos , Australia , Abastecimiento de Alimentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Inseguridad Alimentaria , CanadáRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To document perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) and bisphenol-A (BPA) exposure in four First Nation communities in northern Quebec compared with the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS Cycle 5 2016-2017) and examine the associations between dietary consumption and chemical exposure. DESIGN: We used cross-sectional data from the JES-YEH! project conducted in collaboration with four First Nation communities in 2015. A FFQ collected information on diet, and PFAA and BPA were measured in biological samples. We used generalised linear models to test the associations between food intake and chemical biomarkers. SETTING: Northern Quebec. PARTICIPANTS: Youth aged 3-19 years (n 198). RESULTS: Mean perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) levels were significantly higher in JES-YEH! than CHMS, and BPA levels were higher among those aged 12-19 years compared with CHMS. Dairy products were associated with PFNA among Anishinabe and Innu participants (geometric mean ratio 95 % CI: 1·53 (95 % CI 1·03, 2·29) and 1·52 (95 % CI 1·05, 2·20), respectively). PFNA was also associated with ultra-processed foods (1·57 (95 % CI 1·07, 2·31)) among Anishinabe, and with wild fish and berries (1·44 (95 % CI 1·07, 1·94); 1·75 (95 % CI 1·30, 2·36)) among Innu. BPA was associated with cheese (1·72 (95 % CI 1·19, 2·50)) and milk (1·53 (95 % CI 1·02, 2·29)) among Anishinabe, and with desserts (1·71 (95 % CI 1·07, 2·74)), processed meats (1·55 (95 % CI 1·00, 2·38)), wild fish (1·64 (95 % CI 1·07, 2·49)) and wild berries (2·06 (95 % CI 1·37, 3·10)) among Innu. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the importance of better documenting food-processing and packaging methods, particularly for dairy products, and their contribution to endocrine disruptors exposures as well as to promote minimally processed and unpackaged foods to provide healthier food environments for youth in Indigenous communities and beyond.
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Dieta , Fluorocarburos , Animales , Canadá , Quebec , Estudios TransversalesRESUMEN
Indigenous communities in the United States experience some of the highest rates of food insecurity and diet-related diseases despite an abundance of food assistance programs and other public health interventions. New approaches that center Indigenous perspectives and solutions are emerging and urgently needed to better understand and address these challenges. This Practice Note shares lessons learned from ongoing collaboration between the Karuk Tribe and University of California, Berkeley researchers and other partners to assess and enhance food sovereignty among Tribes and Tribal communities in the Klamath River Basin. Through two participatory research and extension projects, we demonstrate the importance of centering Indigenous knowledge to strengthen research findings and identify more culturally appropriate solutions to community identified food access, health, and ecosystem challenges. Key findings suggest that approaches to food sovereignty and community health must emanate from the community, be approached holistically, reflect community values and priorities, and center Indigenous land stewardship.
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Ecosistema , Salud Pública , Estados Unidos , Humanos , Alimentos , DietaRESUMEN
One of the recent, innovative, and digital food revolutions gradually gaining acceptance is three-dimensional food printing (3DFP), an additive technique used to develop products, with the possibility of obtaining foods with complex geometries. Recent interest in this technology has opened the possibilities of complementing existing processes with 3DFP for better value addition. Fermentation and malting are age-long traditional food processes known to improve food value, functionality, and beneficial health constituents. Several studies have demonstrated the applicability of 3D printing to manufacture varieties of food constructs, especially cereal-based, from root and tubers, fruit and vegetables as well as milk and milk products, with potential for much more value-added products. This review discusses the extrusion-based 3D printing of foods and the major factors affecting the process development of successful edible 3D structures. Though some novel food products have emanated from 3DFP, considering the beneficial effects of traditional food processes, particularly fermentation and malting in food, concerted efforts should also be directed toward developing 3D products using substrates from these conventional techniques. Such experimental findings will significantly promote the availability of minimally processed, affordable, and convenient meals customized in complex geometric structures with enhanced functional and nutritional values.
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Alimentos Funcionales , Impresión Tridimensional , Alimentos , Manipulación de Alimentos/métodos , Frutas , VerdurasRESUMEN
Ten years ago the Mediterranean diet was inscribed into the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This official recognition of the Mediterranean diet as intangible cultural heritage, and awareness of its significance, has provided us with a measure with which to monitor our path in the field. Indeed, the last ten years has seen several undertakings with varying implications in the years to come. Emphasis on safeguarding the intangible heritage of the Mediterranean diet and activities to avoid possible erosions which may affect it at a national, regional and local level have taken centre stage. Preserving our heritage also recognized the importance of further research and we ask what needs to be focused on over the next ten years. Gradually, several myths and misconceptions associated with the traditional Mediterranean diet have emerged and should be clearly addressed and dispelled, particularly those that label as "Mediterranean" an eating pattern that is not in line with the traditional diet. Going beyond physical health benefits, the Mediterranean diet naturally infuses any reference to 'Sustainability' by pure definition as ideally, sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically affordable, nutritionally adequate, and safe and healthy. As our 'Regional' Mediterranean diet becomes the base for a global reference diet with all the acknowledged benefits, we agree that 'humanity as a whole' will benefit from its preservation and scientific-based evidence. A true 'intangible cultural heritage of humanity'.
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Dieta Saludable , Dieta Mediterránea , Valor Nutritivo , Biodiversidad , Conservación de los Recursos Naturales , Dieta Saludable/clasificación , Dieta Saludable/historia , Dieta Mediterránea/historia , Conducta Alimentaria , Conductas Relacionadas con la Salud , Historia del Siglo XXI , Humanos , Conducta de Reducción del Riesgo , Terminología como AsuntoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Given the increasing rates of childhood obesity in Alaska Native children and the understanding that the most effective interventions are informed by and reflect the cultural knowledge of the community in which they are implemented, this project sought to gather the wisdom of local Yup'ik and Cup'ik Elders in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region of Alaska around how to maintain a healthy diet and active lifestyle. METHODS: Perspectives were sought through the use of semi-structured focus groups, which were completed in person in twelve communities. All conversations were recorded, translated, transcribed, and analyzed using a qualitative approach, where key themes were identified. RESULTS: Elders provided a clear and consistent recollection of what their life looked like when they were young and expressed their perspectives related to maintaining a healthy and traditional lifestyle. The key themes the Elders discussed included an emphasis on the nutritional and cultural benefits of traditional foods; concerns around changing dietary patterns such as the consumption of processed foods and sugar sweetened beverages; and concerns on the time and use of screens. Elders also expressed a desire to help younger generations learn traditional subsistence practices. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of obesity in Alaska Native children is high and intervention efforts should be grounded in local knowledge and values. The perspectives from Yup'ik and Cup'ik Elders in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta area of Alaska provide a better understanding on local views of how to maintain a healthy diet, physical activities, and traditional values.
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Obesidad Infantil , Anciano , Niño , Estado de Salud , Humanos , Estilo de Vida , Población RuralRESUMEN
Traditional foods are known as special products that do not have a specific production technology and are transferred traditionally from generation to generation. The most important feature that distinguishes Gelveri bread from the other bread is the use of sourdough technique and cooking in stone kilns. It is one of the traditional foods produced in Turkey for hundreds of years. We believe that standardization and commercialization of Gelveri bread will be challenging initiative to contribute to the local and national economy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the possibility of using infrared (IR) and ultraviolet-C technologies in the commercialization of traditional Gelveri bread production that abides by the sourdough technique. Traditionally Gelveri bread dough was prepared and cooked with the infrared oven designed for this study. Following the cooking step, some physicochemical and microbiological quality characteristics and shelf life of the Gelveri bread were investigated. The results indicated that the microbiological quality and shelf life were improved with the IR application without effecting the other quality parameters. On the other hand, a small decrease in pH was observed. As a result, it was concluded that if IR furnace integrated into the stone kilns, the quality of the bread might be standardized, and the sustainability of the traditional method will be ensured.
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The practices of preparing traditional foods in the Arctic are rapidly disappearing. Traditional foods of the Arctic represent a rarity among food studies in that they are meat-sourced and prepared in non-industrial settings. These foods, generally consumed without any heating step prior to consumption, harbor an insofar undescribed microbiome. The food-associated microbiomes have implications not only with respect to disease risk, but might also positively influence host health by transferring a yet unknown diversity of live microbes to the human gastrointestinal tract. Here we report the first study of the microbial composition of traditionally dried fish prepared according to Greenlandic traditions and their industrial counterparts. We show that dried capelin prepared according to traditional methods have microbiomes clearly different from industrially prepared capelin, which also have more homogenous microbiomes than traditionally prepared capelin. Interestingly, the locally preferred type of traditionally dried capelin, described to be tastier than other traditionally dried capelin, contains bacteria that potentially confer distinct taste. Finally, we show that dried cod have comparably more homogenous microbiomes when compared to capelin and that in general, the environment of drying is a major determinant of the microbial composition of these indigenous food products.
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Desecación , Peces/microbiología , Industria de Alimentos/métodos , Alimentos en Conserva/microbiología , Microbiota , Alimentos Marinos/microbiología , Animales , Bacterias/clasificación , Groenlandia , Humanos , Inuk , ARN Ribosómico 16S/genéticaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dietary diversity and the nutrient contribution of traditional foods (locally cultivated and wild) by conducting a food intake study in rural Ecuador. DESIGN: Repeated 24 h recalls over a 14 d interval and frequency of consumption served to simulate the usual diet by the Multiple Source Method. Data on missing visits (n 11) were imputed using multivariate imputation by chained equations. The intakes of three macro- and six micronutrients were reported. Nutrient Adequacy Ratios, Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR), Dietary Species Richness (DSR) and Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women were used as measures of dietary quality. A linear quantile mixed model was used to investigate the association between DSR, local species, MAR, age, education and occupation. SETTING: Guasaganda, Cotopaxi (Ecuador). PARTICIPANTS: Rural, indigenous adult women, non-pregnant and not breast-feeding. RESULTS: The studied diet had MAR of 0·78. Consumption of traditional foods contributed 38·6 % of total energy intake. Daily requirements for protein, carbohydrates, Fe and vitamin C were reached. An extra level of consumption of local species was associated with an increase in median MAR for macronutrients of 0·033 (P < 0·001). On the other hand, an extra level of consumption of local species was associated with an increase in median MAR for micronutrients of 0·052 (P < 0·001). CONCLUSIONS: We found statistical evidence that traditional foods contribute to adequate intakes of macro- and micronutrients and dietary diversification in the studied population. Future public health interventions should promote the cultivation and consumption of traditional foods to increase the quality of the local diet.
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Dieta , Población Rural/estadística & datos numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Dieta/etnología , Dieta/estadística & datos numéricos , Encuestas sobre Dietas , Ecuador , Femenino , Frutas , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estado Nutricional , Verduras , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To examine mothers' and young children's consumption of indigenous and traditional foods (ITF), assess mothers' perception of factors that influence ITF consumption, and examine the relationship between perceived factors and ITF consumption. DESIGN: Longitudinal study design across two agricultural seasons. Seven-day FFQ utilized to assess dietary intake. Mothers interviewed to assess their beliefs about amounts of ITF that they or their young children consumed and on factors that influence ITF consumption levels. SETTING: Seme sub-County, Kenya. PARTICIPANTS: Mothers with young children. RESULTS: Less than 60 % of mothers and children consumed ITF at time of assessment. Over 50 % of the mothers reported that their ITF consumption amounts and those of their children were below levels that mothers would have liked for themselves or for their young children. High cost, non-availability and poor taste were top three reasons for low ITF consumption levels. Mothers who identified high cost or non-availability as a reason for low levels of ITF consumption had significantly lower odds of consuming all ITF except amaranth leaves. Mothers who identified poor taste had significantly lower odds of consuming all ITF except green grams and groundnuts. Similar relationships were noted for young children's ITF consumption levels. CONCLUSIONS: A majority of the mothers reported that they and their children did not consume as much ITF as the mothers would have liked. Further studies should examine strategies to improve availability and affordability of ITF, as well as develop recipes that are acceptable to mothers and children.
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Dieta , Abastecimiento de Alimentos , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Madres , Preescolar , Dieta/etnología , Dieta/psicología , Dieta/estadística & datos numéricos , Encuestas sobre Dietas , Conducta Alimentaria/etnología , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Kenia/etnología , Estudios Longitudinales , Masculino , Madres/psicología , Madres/estadística & datos numéricos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Medicinal and food plants as well as their bioactive fractions have been used by diverse human cultures since ancient times. These plants provide multiple health benefits because of the presence of a plethora of phytochemicals including phenylpropanoids, isoprenoids, alkaloids, sulphated compounds, peptides and polysaccharides that are responsible for various biological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-dysenteric, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, anti-hypertensive and anticoagulant properties. The genus Rumex includes edible and medicinal herbs belonging to buckwheat (Polygonaceae) family, consisting of about 200 species rich in phenylpropanoids and anthraquinones. Some Rumex species have exhibited health-promoting effects and have been used as traditional foods and herbal remedies, though a limited information has been documented on their specific biological properties. Therefore, this survey aimed at reviewing the Rumex species with documented biological activity, focusing on preclinical evidences on their efficacy and safety.
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Fitoquímicos/uso terapéutico , Extractos Vegetales/química , Plantas Medicinales/química , Rumex/química , Antibacterianos/química , Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Antiinflamatorios/química , Antiinflamatorios/uso terapéutico , Antioxidantes/química , Antioxidantes/uso terapéutico , Humanos , Medicina Tradicional , Fitoquímicos/química , FitoterapiaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To describe seafood consumption patterns in First Nations (FN) in British Columbia (BC) and examine lifestyle characteristics associated with seafood consumption; to identify the top ten most consumed seafood species and their contributions to EPA and DHA intake; and to estimate dietary exposure to methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene. DESIGN: Dietary and lifestyle data from the First Nations Food Nutrition and Environment Study, a cross-sectional study of 1103 FN living in twenty-one communities across eight ecozones in BC, Canada, were analysed. Seafood consumption was estimated using a traditional FFQ. Seafood samples were analysed for contaminant contents. RESULTS: Seafood consumption patterns varied significantly across BC ecozones reflecting geographical diversity of seafood species. The top ten most consumed species represented 64 % of total seafood consumption by weight and contributed 69 % to the total EPA+DHA intake. Mean EPA+DHA intake was 660·5 mg/d in males, 404·3 mg/d in females; and 28 % of FN met the Recommended Intake (RI) of 500 mg/d. Salmon was the most preferred species. Seafood consumption was associated with higher fruit and vegetable consumption, lower smoking rate and increased physical activity. Dietary exposure to selected contaminants from seafood was negligible. CONCLUSIONS: In FN in BC, seafood continues to be an essential part of the contemporary diet. Seafood contributed significantly to reaching the RI for EPA+DHA and was associated with a healthier lifestyle. Given numerous health benefits, seafood should be promoted in FN. Efforts towards sustainability of fishing should be directed to maintain and improve access to fisheries for FN.
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Dieta , Ácidos Docosahexaenoicos/administración & dosificación , Ácido Eicosapentaenoico/administración & dosificación , Conducta Alimentaria , Indígenas Norteamericanos , Estilo de Vida , Alimentos Marinos , Adulto , Animales , Colombia Británica , Estudios Transversales , Grasas de la Dieta/administración & dosificación , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales , Contaminantes Ambientales/administración & dosificación , Ejercicio Físico , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Salmón , FumarRESUMEN
Consumers are increasingly turning their attention to the quality and origin of products that they consume. European Union (EU) quality schemes are associated with a label, which was introduced to allow consumers to perform an informed choice and to protect producers from unfair practices. This present study provides an overview of the last 25 years of EU quality schemes [Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG)] on agricultural products and foodstuffs across the 28 EU Member States. According to the results, it was possible to conclude that Southern European countries have the highest number of registered products. The most used EU quality scheme is PGI, followed by PDO. Concerning the analysis of the evolution in the last 25 years, the number of registered products among EU Member States has increased significantly. The fruit, vegetables and cereals (fresh or processed) category is the one that accounts for the highest percentage (26.8%) of registered products, followed by cheeses and meat products (cooked, salted, smoked) categories, with 17.2% and 13.5%, respectively. Further investigations should address consumer preferences, knowledge and attitudes, especially Northern European countries with a lower number of registered products. Moreover, the investigation and registration of products should be encouraged among all EU Member States to allow the maintenance of important elements of the history, culture and heritage of the local areas, regions and countries. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Agricultura/historia , Productos Agrícolas/química , Agricultura/legislación & jurisprudencia , Animales , Productos Agrícolas/normas , Unión Europea , Etiquetado de Alimentos , Inocuidad de los Alimentos/métodos , Historia del Siglo XX , Historia del Siglo XXI , Humanos , Control de CalidadRESUMEN
Background: Multiple diet quality scores have been used to evaluate adherence to specific dietary recommendations or to consumption of healthful foods and nutrients. It remains unknown which score can more strongly predict longitudinal changes in cardiometabolic risk factors.Objective: We aimed to determine associations of 5 diet quality scores [AHA diet score (AHA-DS), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2005, Mediterranean diet score (MeDS), and Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI)] with 2-y changes in cardiometabolic risk factors in adults 45-75 y old.Methods: Data from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study were analyzed (n = 1194). Diet quality scores were calculated from a baseline-validated food-frequency questionnaire. Multivariable-adjusted, repeated-subjects, mixed-effects models, adjusted for baseline measures, estimated associations between each z score and 14 individual cardiometabolic factors measured at 2 y.Results: MeDS was significantly associated with lower 2-y waist circumference (ß coefficient ± SE: -0.52 ± 0.26, P = 0.048); body mass index (BMI; -0.23 ± 0.08, P = 0.005); log-insulin (-0.06 ± 0.02, P = 0.005); log-homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR; -0.05 ± 0.02, P = 0.030), and log-C-reactive protein (-0.13 ± 0.03, P = 0.0002). Similar but weaker associations were observed for the AHEI with BMI, insulin, and HOMA-IR. The AHA-DS was inversely associated with BMI (-0.17 ± 0.08, P = 0.033). Neither the HEI-2005 nor DASH was significantly associated with any variable. Traditional Puerto Rican foods consumed by individuals with high MeDSs included vegetables and meats in homemade soups, orange juice, oatmeal, beans and legumes, fish, whole milk, corn oil, and beer.Conclusions: The MeDS comprises food components and scores associated with a favorable cardiometabolic profile over 2 y in Puerto Rican adults. An overall healthy diet may be particularly beneficial for maintaining a lower BMI. These results can help identify suitable measures of diet quality in epidemiologic studies and craft meaningful nutritional messages and dietary recommendations for the intended population. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01231958.
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Enfermedades Cardiovasculares/prevención & control , Dieta Mediterránea , Dieta/normas , Hispánicos o Latinos , Enfermedades Metabólicas/prevención & control , Anciano , Boston , Estudios de Cohortes , Encuestas sobre Dietas , Conducta Alimentaria , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Factores de RiesgoRESUMEN
As industrial development is increasing near northern Canadian communities, human health risk assessments (HHRA) are conducted to assess the predicted magnitude of impacts of chemical emissions on human health. One exposure pathway assessed for First Nations communities is the consumption of traditional plants, such as muskeg tea (Labrador tea) (Ledum/Rhododendron groenlandicum) and mint (Mentha arvensis). These plants are used to make tea and are not typically consumed in their raw form. Traditional practices were used to harvest muskeg tea leaves and mint leaves by two First Nations communities in northern Alberta, Canada. Under the direction of community elders, community youth collected and dried plants to make tea. Soil, plant, and tea decoction samples were analyzed for inorganic elements using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Concentrations of inorganic elements in the tea decoctions were orders of magnitude lower than in the vegetation (e.g., manganese 0.107 mg/L in tea, 753 mg/kg in leaves). For barium, the practice of assessing ingestion of raw vegetation would have resulted in a hazard quotient (HQ) greater than the benchmark of 0.2. Using measured tea concentrations it was determined that exposure would result in risk estimates orders of magnitude below the HQ benchmark of 0.2 (HQ = 0.0049 and 0.017 for muskeg and mint tea, respectively). An HHRA calculating exposure to tea vegetation through direct ingestion of the leaves may overestimate risk. The results emphasize that food preparation methods must be considered when conducting an HHRA. This study illustrates how collaboration between Western scientists and First Nations communities can add greater clarity to risk assessments.
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CONTEXT: Diets of subsistence-based Amazonian populations have been linked to local resources, but are changing with market penetration. OBJECTIVE: To review the available data on traditional Amazonian foods and diets and evaluate their implications for human biology as a step toward understanding nutrition transitions in the region. METHODS: This study used the Human Relations Area Files for information on the diets of Amerindian groups in the Amazon Basin from 1950 to the present, and used other published sources and the authors' own data. RESULTS: Data on food use was identified for only nine groups and dietary intake data for individuals in only three of the groups. A diet based on starchy staples (manioc and plantains) and fish, supplemented with a limited variety of other plant and animal foods, was found. Bitter manioc-based foods were associated with the consumption of cyanogens and fish with the consumption of mercury. Diets of adults appear to be adequate in energy and protein and low in fats. Children's diets were not well documented. CONCLUSION: Based on the limited available data, Amazonian diets are restricted in variety, but appear to be adequate in energy and protein for adults, but likely insufficiently nutrient-dense for children.
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Biología , Alimentos , Brasil , Dieta , Contaminantes Ambientales , Humanos , Carne , Estado NutricionalRESUMEN
We examine the cultural context of food insecurity among Inuit in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, Canada. An analysis of the social network of country food exchanges among 122 households in the settlement reveals that a household's betweenness centrality-a measure of brokerage-in the country food network is predicted by the age of the household. The households of married couples were better positioned within the sharing network than were the households of single females or single males. Households with an active hunter or elder were also better positioned in the network. The households of single men and women appear to experience limited access to country food, a considerable problem given the increasing number of single-adult households over time. We conclude that the differences between how single women and single men experience constrained access to country foods may partially account for previous findings that single women in arctic settlements appear to be at particular risk for food insecurity.
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Cultura , Composición Familiar , Abastecimiento de Alimentos , Indígenas Norteamericanos , Apoyo Social , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Anciano , Animales , Regiones Árticas , Canadá , Niño , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Estado Civil , Factores SexualesRESUMEN
As migrants adjust to life in a new country, food practices often shift. The literature shows that many migrants alter their diets to more closely reflect those in the host nation, at least in public venues. Some adjust native dishes to accommodate available ingredients, but may view these changes as rendering foods less "traditional." However, Barbadian transnational migrants in Atlanta experience these alterations differently. They consciously perform Barbadianness by electing to serve "traditional" foods when eating with each other, or sharing with an American audience. Yet, while numerous changes are made to these "traditional" dishes, this does not make them less authentic. These shifts do not alter the legitimacy of a dish, but rather this interaction between the available ingredients and the attempt to create a traditional food is actually a practice of authenticity. The dynamic change that food undergoes in the migrant experience echoes the changing nature of Barbadian foodways throughout Caribbean history.
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Dieta/etnología , Etnicidad/etnología , Conducta Alimentaria/etnología , Alimentos , Migrantes/psicología , Adulto , Barbados , Dieta/psicología , Etnicidad/psicología , Conducta Alimentaria/psicología , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estados Unidos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The use of traditional foods can enrich our diet, perpetuating important elements of local knowledge and cultural inheritance. Raw, soaked and cooked samples of two Fabaceae species (Cicer arietinum L. and Lathyrus sativus L.) were characterized regarding nutritional and bioactive properties. RESULTS: L. sativus gave the highest carbohydrate, protein, ash, saturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid content, and lowest fat and energy value. Furthermore, it also showed the highest concentration of flavonoids and antioxidant activity. Cicer arietinum gave the highest concentration of sugars, organic acids and tocopherols. The soaking process did not significantly affect macronutrients, but cooking (boiling) decreased protein, ash, sugars and organic acids, and increased carbohydrates, fat, tocopherols, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. No differences were obtained for fatty acid composition. CONCLUSION: The present study highlights the nutritional profile and bioactive properties of these agricultural varieties of C. arietinum and L. sativus pulses, and valorizes their traditional consumption and the use in modern diets.