Improving the antinutritional profiles of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) moderately impacts carotenoid bioaccessibility but not mineral solubility.

Common beans are a common staple food with valuable nutritional qualities, but their high contents in antinutritional factors (ANFs) can decrease the bioavailability of (i) fat-soluble micronutrients including carotenoids and (ii) minerals. Our objective was to select ANF-poor bean lines that would not interfere with carotenoid and mineral bioavailability. To achieve this objective, seeds of commercial and experimental Phaseolus vulgaris L. bean lines were produced for 2 years and the bean's content in ANFs (saponins, phytates, tannins, total polyphenols) was assessed. We then measured carotenoid bioaccessibility and mineral solubility (i.e. the fraction of carotenoid and mineral that transfer into the aqueous phase of the digesta and is therefore absorbable) from prepared beans using in vitro digestion. All beans contained at least 200 mg/100 g of saponins and 2.44 mg/100 g tannins. The low phytic acid (lpa) lines, lpa1 and lpa12 exhibited lower phytate levels (≈ - 80%, p = 0.007 and p = 0.02) than their control BAT-93. However, this decrease had no significant impact on mineral solubility. HP5/1 (lpa + phaseolin and lectin PHA-E free) bean line, induced an improvement in carotenoid bioaccessibility (i.e., + 38%, p = 0.02, and + 32%, p = 0.005, for phytofluene bioaccessibility in 2021 and 2022, respectively). We conclude that decrease in the phytate bean content should thus likely be associated to decreases in other ANFs such as tannins or polyphenols to lead to significant improvement of micronutrient bioaccessibility.

Dietary Flavonoid Intakes in France Are Linked to Brewed Tea Consumption and to Socioeconomic Status: Analyses of the Third French Individual and National Food Consumption (INCA3) Survey for Children and Adults.

Flavonoids from green and black tea may benefit cardiovascular health. Brewed tea consumption and flavonoid intake in France have not been previously explored. This study assessed the dietary intake of flavonoids among French children and adults, using 3 days' dietary recall for 3896 persons aged >4 y in the Third French Individual and National Food Consumption Survey (INCA3). Foods consumed by INCA 3 participants were manually matched with the flavonoid content of foods from the French PhenolExplorer database and the US Department of Agriculture expanded flavonoid database (2018 version). The six subclasses of flavonoids were flavan-3-ols, flavanones, anthocyanidins, flavonols, flavones, and isoflavones. Flavonoid intake was stratified by age subgroups (children and adults separately) and examined using socio-demographics and tea consumption patterns. Mean flavonoid intake was 210 mg/d. Flavonoids in the French diet were predominantly flavan-3-ols (147 mg/d), of which tea is the main source. The effects of age, education, income, and socio-professional category (SPC) on flavonoid intake were all significant (p < 0.0001). Brewed tea consumers were 31.88% of French adults and 3.79% of children. Brewed tea consumption and flavonoid intake were highly correlated. The highest brewed tea and flavonoid intakes were found among individuals with the highest SPC and education levels. Flavonoid intake in France was associated with brewed tea consumption and with higher education and income.

Environmental impact and nutritional quality of adult diet in France based on fruit and vegetable intakes.

PURPOSE: To describe the nutritional quality and environmental impact of self-selected diets of adults in France in relation to their fruit and vegetable (FV) intakes. METHODS: Estimates of food and nutrient intakes were taken from the national INCA3 Survey on food intakes carried out in France in 2014-2015. The population (n = 2121 adults) was split into five quintiles of FV intakes, in g/d (Q1 representing the lowest intake, and Q5 the highest). The nutritional quality of diets was assessed through 4 indicators: mean adequacy ratio (MAR), solid energy density, mean excess ratio (MER) and Programme National Nutrition Santé guideline score 2 (PNNS-GS2). The environmental impacts were measured with environmental footprint (EF) scores and 4 additional indicators: climate change, ozone depletion, fine particulate matter and water use. Indicators were compared between quintiles. Analysis was conducted on diets adjusted to 2000 kcal. RESULTS: MAR and PNNS-GS2 increased with increased FV quintiles, while solid energy density decreased. Fibre, potassium, vitamin B9 and vitamin C densities increased with increasing FV intakes. Climate change, ozone depletion and fine particulate matter impacts of diets decreased with increasing quintiles of FV consumption. Conversely, water use impact increased. CONCLUSION: Higher intake of FV is associated with higher nutritional quality of diets and lower environmental impact, except for water use. Given the benefits of fruit and vegetables for human health and the environment, their negative impact on water use could be improved by working on the agricultural upstream, rather than by changing individuals' food choices and reducing their consumption.

A three-component Breakfast Quality Score (BQS) to evaluate the nutrient density of breakfast meals.

Background: Nutrient profiling methods can be applied to individual foods or to composite meals. This article introduces a new method to assess the nutrient density of breakfast meals. Objective: This study aimed to develop a new breakfast quality score (BQS), based on the nutrient standards previously published by the International Breakfast Research Initiative (IBRI) consortium. Methods: BQS was composed of three sub-scores derived from the weighted arithmetic mean of corresponding nutrient adequacy: an eLIMf sub-score (energy, saturated fat, free sugars, and sodium), a PF (protein and fiber) sub-score, and a VMn1 - 14 micronutrient sub-score, where n varied from 0 to 14. The effects of assigning different weights to the eLIMf, PF, and VMn were explored in four alternative models. The micronutrients were calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, and vitamin D. Micronutrient permutations were used to develop alternate VMn1 - 14 sub-scores. The breakfast database used in this study came from all breakfasts declared as consumed by adults (>18 years old) in the French dietary survey INCA3. All models were tested with respect to the Nutrient Rich Food Index (NRF9.3). BQS sensitivity was tested using three prototype French breakfasts, for which improvements were made. Results: The correlations of the models with NRF9.3 improved when the VMn>3 sub-score (n > 3) was included alongside the PF and eLIMf sub-scores. The model with (PF+VMn) and eLIMf each accounting for 50% of the total score showed the highest correlations with NRF9.3 and was the preferred final score (i.e., BQS). BQS was sensitive to the changing quality of three prototype breakfasts defined as tartine, sandwich, and cereal. Conclusion: The proposed BQS was shown to valuably rank the nutritional density of breakfast meals against a set of nutrient recommendations. It includes nutrients to limit along with protein, fiber, and a variable number of micronutrients to encourage. The flexible VMn sub-score allows for the evaluation of breakfast quality even when nutrient composition data are limited.

Fresh Pork as Protein Source in the USDA Thrifty Food Plan 2021: A Modeling Analysis of Lowest-Cost Healthy Diets.

The USDA Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) is an estimate of a lowest-cost healthy diet that meets dietary guidelines while respecting existing eating habits. In the US, the TFP provides the basis for federal food assistance. Included in the TFP are protein foods from both animal and plant sources. The present goal was to explore the place of fresh pork among protein foods in the revised TFP 2021. Our analyses used the same databases and the same quadratic programming (QP) methods as had been used by the USDA to develop the TFP 2021. Dietary intakes came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2015-16); nutrient composition data came from the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS 2015-16), and national food prices came from the 2021 TFP report. Amounts and prices were for foods as consumed. Our QP Model 1 used USDA modeling categories to replicate the TFP 2021. The non-poultry meat category was then separated into pork and beef. Model 2 examined whether the TFP 2021 algorithm would select pork or beef. Model 3 sought the lowest cost healthy diet, the same as the TFP 2021. Model 4 replaced beef and poultry with pork; whereas Model 5 replaced pork and poultry with beef. Weekly costs were calculated for a family of four and eight age-gender groups. All models met the nutrient requirements. The market basket cost for a family of four in Model 1 was USD 189.88, compared to the purchase price of USD 192.84 in the TFP 2021. In Model 2, fresh pork was selected preferentially over beef. The lowest-cost healthy food plan in Model 3 increased fresh pork to 3.4 lbs/week. Replacing beef and poultry with pork in Model 4 led to a modest decrease in the weekly cost. Replacing pork and poultry with beef in Model 5 led to a major increase in the weekly cost. We conclude, based on TFP-analogous modeling, that fresh pork is the preferred meat source, providing high-quality protein at a low cost. QP methods, as used in the TFP 2021, are a valuable tool for designing food plans that are affordable, acceptable, and nutrient-rich.

NMR-based metabolomic analysis of the physiological role of the electron-bifurcating FeFe-hydrogenase Hnd in Solidesulfovibrio fructosivorans under pyruvate fermentation.

Solidesulfovibrio fructosivorans (formely Desulfovibrio fructosovorans), an anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacterium, possesses six gene clusters encoding six hydrogenases catalyzing the reversible oxidation of hydrogen gas (H2) into protons and electrons. One of these, named Hnd, was demonstrated to be an electron-bifurcating hydrogenase Hnd (Kpebe et al., 2018). It couples the exergonic reduction of NAD+ to the endergonic reduction of a ferredoxin with electrons derived from H2 and whose function has been recently shown to be involved in ethanol production under pyruvate fermentation (Payne 2022). To understand further the physiological role of Hnd in S. fructosivorans, we compared the mutant deleted of part of the hnd gene with the wild-type strain grown on pyruvate without sulfate using NMR-based metabolomics. Our results confirm that Hnd is profoundly involved in ethanol metabolism, but also indirectly intervenes in global carbon metabolism and additional metabolic processes such as the biosynthesis of branched-chain amino acids. We also highlight the metabolic reprogramming induced by the deletion of hndD that leads to the upregulation of several NADP-dependent pathways.

Study protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial to improve dietary diversity and physical fitness among older people who live at home (the "ALAPAGE study").

BACKGROUND: Diet and physical activity are key components of healthy aging. Current interventions that promote healthy eating and physical activity among the elderly have limitations and evidence of French interventions' effectiveness is lacking. We aim to assess (i) the effectiveness of a combined diet/physical activity intervention (the "ALAPAGE" program) on older peoples' eating behaviors, physical activity and fitness levels, quality of life, and feelings of loneliness; (ii) the intervention's process and (iii) its cost effectiveness. METHODS: We performed a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms (2:1 ratio) among people ≥60 years old who live at home in southeastern France. A cluster consists of 10 people participating in a "workshop" (i.e., a collective intervention conducted at a local organization). We aim to include 45 workshops randomized into two groups: the intervention group (including 30 workshops) in the ALAPAGE program; and the waiting-list control group (including 15 workshops). Participants (expected total sample size: 450) will be recruited through both local organizations' usual practices and an innovative active recruitment strategy that targets hard-to-reach people. We developed the ALAPAGE program based on existing workshops, combining a participatory and a theory-based approach. It includes a 7-week period with weekly collective sessions supported by a dietician and/or an adapted physical activity professional, followed by a 12-week period of post-session activities without professional supervision. Primary outcomes are dietary diversity (calculated using two 24-hour diet recalls and one Food Frequency Questionnaire) and lower-limb muscle strength (assessed by the 30-second chair stand test from the Senior Fitness Test battery). Secondary outcomes include consumption frequencies of main food groups and water/hot drinks, other physical fitness measures, overall level of physical activity, quality of life, and feelings of loneliness. Outcomes are assessed before the intervention, at 6 weeks and 3 months later. The process evaluation assesses the fidelity, dose, and reach of the intervention as its causal mechanisms (quantitative and qualitative data). DISCUSSION: This study aims to improve healthy aging while limiting social inequalities. We developed and evaluated the ALAPAGE program in partnership with major healthy aging organizations, providing a unique opportunity to expand its reach. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05140330 , December 1, 2021. PROTOCOL VERSION: Version 3.0 (November 5, 2021).

Multiple Metrics of Carbohydrate Quality Place Starchy Vegetables Alongside Non-starchy Vegetables, Legumes, and Whole Fruit.

Background: Starchy vegetables, including white potatoes, are often categorized as "lower-quality" carbohydrate foods, along with refined grains, 100% fruit juices, sweetened beverages, and sugars, snacks and sweets. Among "higher-quality" carbohydrates are whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, legumes, and whole fruits. Objective: To apply multiple nutrient profiling (NP) models of carbohydrate quality to foods containing >40% carbohydrate by dry weight in the USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS 2017-18). Methods: Carbohydrate foods in the FNDDS (n = 2423) were screened using four recent Carbohydrate Quality Indices (CQI) and a new Carbohydrate Food Quality Score (CFQS-4). Cereal products containing >25% whole grains by dry weight were classified as whole grain foods. Results: Based on percent items meeting the criteria for 4 CQI scores, legumes, non-starchy and starchy vegetables, whole fruit, and whole grain foods qualified as "high quality" carbohydrate foods. Distribution of mean CFQS-4 values showed that starchy vegetables, including white potatoes placed closer to non-starchy vegetables and fruit than to candy and soda. Conclusion: Published a priori determinations of carbohydrate quality do not always correspond to published carbohydrate quality metrics. Based on CQI metrics, specifically designed to assess carbohydrate quality, starchy vegetables, including white potatoes, merit a category reassignment and a more prominent place in dietary guidance.

A New Carbohydrate Food Quality Scoring System to Reflect Dietary Guidelines: An Expert Panel Report.

Existing metrics of carbohydrate food quality have been based, for the most part, on favorable fiber- and free sugar-to-carbohydrate ratios. In these metrics, higher nutritional quality carbohydrate foods are defined as those with >10% fiber and <10% free sugar per 100 g carbohydrate. Although fiber- and sugar-based metrics may help to differentiate the nutritional quality of various types of grain products, they may not aptly capture the nutritional quality of other healthy carbohydrate foods, including beans, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. Carbohydrate food quality metrics need to be applicable across these diverse food groups. This report introduces a new carbohydrate food scoring system known as a Carbohydrate Food Quality Score (CFQS), which supplements the fiber and free sugar components of previous metrics with additional dietary components of public health concern (e.g., sodium, potassium, and whole grains) as identified by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Two CFQS models are developed and tested in this study: one that includes four dietary components (CFQS-4: fiber, free sugars, sodium, potassium) and one that considers five dietary components (CFQS-5: fiber, free sugars, sodium, potassium, and whole grains). These models are applied to 2596 carbohydrate foods in the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) 2017−2018. Consistent with past studies, the new carbohydrate food scoring system places large percentages of beans, vegetables, and fruits among the top scoring carbohydrate foods. The whole grain component, which only applies to grain foods (N = 1561), identifies ready-to-eat cereals, oatmeal, other cooked cereals, and selected whole grain breads and crackers as higher-quality carbohydrate foods. The new carbohydrate food scoring system shows a high correlation with the Nutrient Rich Food (NRF9.3) index and the Nutri-Score. Metrics of carbohydrate food quality that incorporate whole grains, potassium, and sodium, in addition to sugar and fiber, are strategically aligned with multiple 2020−2025 dietary recommendations and may therefore help with the implementation of present and future dietary guidelines.

Number of meal components, nutritional guidelines, vegetarian meals, avoiding ruminant meat: what is the best trade-off for improving school meal sustainability?

PURPOSE: School meals have the potential to promote more sustainable diets. Our aim was to identify the best trade-off between nutrition and the environment by applying four levers to school meals: (i) reducing the number of meal components, (ii) complying with the French school nutritional guidelines, (iii) increasing the number of vegetarian meals, and/or (iv) avoiding ruminant meat. METHODS: Levers were analyzed alone or in combination in 17 scenarios. For each scenario, 100 series of 20 meals were generated from a database of 2316 school dishes using mathematical optimization. The nutritional quality of the series was assessed through the mean adequacy ratio (MAR/2000 kcal). Seven environmental impacts were considered such as greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE). One scenario, close to series usually served in French schools (containing four vegetarian meals, at least four ruminant meat-based meals, and at least four fish-based meals) was considered as the reference scenario. RESULTS: Reducing the number of meal components induced an important decrease of the energy content but the environmental impact was little altered. Complying with school-specific nutritional guidelines ensured nutritional quality but slightly increased GHGE. Increasing the number of vegetarian meals decreased GHGE (from 11.7 to 61.2%) but decreased nutritional quality, especially when all meals were vegetarian (MAR = 88.1% against 95.3% in the reference scenario). Compared to the reference scenario, series with 12 vegetarian meals, 4 meals containing fish and 4 meals containing pork or poultry reduced GHGE by 50% while maintaining good nutritional quality (MAR = 94.0%). CONCLUSION: Updating French school nutritional guidelines by increasing the number of vegetarian meals up to 12 over 20 and serving non-ruminant meats and fish with the other meals would be the best trade-off for decreasing the environmental impacts of meals without altering their nutritional quality.

Ultra-processed foods: how functional is the NOVA system?

BACKGROUND: In the NOVA classification system, descriptive criteria are used to assign foods to one of four groups based on processing-related criteria. Although NOVA is widely used, its robustness and functionality remain largely unexplored. We determined whether this system leads to consistent food assignments by users. METHODS: French food and nutrition specialists completed an online survey in which they assigned foods to NOVA groups. The survey comprised two lists: one with 120 marketed food products with ingredient information and one with 111 generic food items without ingredient information. We quantified assignment consistency among evaluators using Fleiss' κ (range: 0-1, where 1 = 100% agreement). Hierarchical clustering on principal components identified clusters of foods with similar distributions of NOVA assignments. RESULTS: Fleiss' κ was 0.32 and 0.34 for the marketed foods (n = 159 evaluators) and generic foods (n = 177 evaluators), respectively. There were three clusters within the marketed foods: one contained 90 foods largely assigned to NOVA4 (91% of assignments), while the two others displayed greater assignment heterogeneity. There were four clusters within the generic foods: three clusters contained foods mostly assigned to a single NOVA group (69-79% of assignments), and the fourth cluster comprised 28 foods whose assignments were more evenly distributed across the four NOVA groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although assignments were more consistent for some foods than others, overall consistency among evaluators was low, even when ingredient information was available. These results suggest current NOVA criteria do not allow for robust and functional food assignments.

Pulses Twice a Week in Replacement of Meat Modestly Increases Diet Sustainability.

The French food-based dietary guidelines recommend eating pulses at least twice a week and to reduce meat consumption. This study assessed the impact on the sustainability characteristics (nutrition, cost, environment) of individual diets of meeting the pulse guideline. Dietary data of 2028 adults from the Esteban survey were completed with the nutritional content (considering bioavailability on iron, zinc and protein), price and environmental impacts of foods. When the pulse guideline (i.e., 57 g/day) was not met, two substitution scenarios raised the quantity of pulses to the recommended level, in replacement of an equivalent portion of (i) starches or (ii) meat. Only 9.6% of the participants reached the pulse guideline. Diet sustainability characteristics improved with the meat scenario (nutritional indicators improved; diet cost, greenhouse gas emissions and acidification decreased), while several indicators deteriorated with the starches scenario. Zinc available for absorption slightly decreased in both scenarios while iron available for absorption decreased in the meat scenario only. Increasing pulse consumption to two portions/week could modestly improve the sustainability of diets when pulses replace meat but not starches. Cultural acceptability of that substitution still needs to be proven, and iron and zinc status of individuals at risk of deficiency should be monitored.

Opposing Consumption Trends for Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Plain Drinking Water: Analyses of NHANES 2011-16 Data.

Background: Choosing water in place of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) can reduce added sugars while maintaining adequate hydration. The present goal was to examine 2011-16 time trends in SSB vs. water consumption across US population subgroups. Methods: Dietary intake data for 22,716 persons aged >4 years came from two 24-h dietary recalls in successive cycles of the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES 2011-16). Water intakes (in mL/d) from plain water (tap and bottled) and from beverages (SSB and not-SSB) were the principal outcome variables. Intakes were analyzed by age group, income to poverty ratio (IPR), and race/ethnicity. Time trends by demographics were also examined. Results: SSB and water intakes followed distinct social gradients. Most SSB was consumed by Non-Hispanic Black and lower-income groups. Most tap water was consumed by Non-Hispanic White and higher-income groups. During 2011-16, water from SSB declined from 322 to 262 mL/d (p < 0.005), whereas plain water increased (1,011-1,144 mL/d) (p < 0.05). Groups aged <30 years reduced SSB consumption (p < 0.0001) but it was groups aged >30 years that increased drinking water (p < 0.001). Non-Hispanic White groups reduced SSB and increased tap water consumption. Non-Hispanic Black and lower income groups reduced SSB and increased bottled water, not tap. Conclusion: The opposing time trends in SSB and water consumption were not uniform across age groups or sociodemographic strata. Only the non-Hispanic White population reduced SSB and showed a corresponding increase in tap water. Lower-income and minority groups consumed relatively little plain drinking water from the tap.

Consumption of 100% Orange Juice in Relation to Flavonoid Intakes and Diet Quality Among US Children and Adults: Analyses of NHANES 2013-16 Data.

This study explored consumption patterns of 100% orange juice by socio-demographics among US children and adults. Dietary intakes data for 15,983 persons aged >2 y came from the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2013-2016). The What We Eat in America nutrient composition database was merged with the USDA Expanded Flavonoid Database to assess flavonoid intakes. Diet quality measures were the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015) and Nutrient Rich Food (NRF9.3) Index. Orange juice consumption accounted for a mean of 14 kcal/d and varied with age, incomes, and race/ethnicity. Orange juice consumption was associated with higher intakes of bioactive flavonoids, lower added sugars, and higher-quality diets overall. Diets of consumers were higher in vitamin C, potassium, calcium, vitamin D (adults), flavanones, and total flavonoids (children) as compared to non-consumers. Consumers had significantly higher HEI-2015 and NRF9.3 scores and lower body mass index values (adults). However, only 15.9% of the NHANES sample consumed any orange juice at all; of these 11.8% had <1 serving/day and only 3.4% had 1 serving/day or more.

Flavonoid Intakes in the US Diet Are Linked to Higher Socioeconomic Status and to Tea Consumption: Analyses of NHANES 2011-16 Data.

BACKGROUND: Many of the health benefits of tea have been attributed to its flavonoid content. Tea consumption in US adults varies by socioeconomic status (SES). OBJECTIVES: The present objective was to explore intakes of total flavonoids and flavonoid subclasses by participant sociodemographics and by patterns of tea consumption. METHODS: The present analyses were based on 2 d of dietary recalls for 17,506 persons aged >9 y in the 2011-2016 NHANES. The What We Eat in America nutrient composition database was merged with the USDA Expanded Flavonoid database, which included total flavonoids and flavan-3-ols (including catechins), flavanones, flavonols, anthocyanidins, flavones, and isoflavones. Flavonoid intakes were compared by sex, age, race/ethnicity, education, and income-to-poverty ratio (IPR) in univariate analyses. Flavonoid intakes of children and adults were also compared by tea consumption status. Time trends in flavonoid intakes were also examined. RESULTS: Mean total flavonoid intake was 219 mg/d, of which flavan-3-ols provided 174 mg/d, or 79%. The highest total flavonoid intakes were found in adults aged 51-70 y (293 mg/d), non-Hispanic whites (251 mg/d) and in groups with college education (251 mg/d) and higher income (IPR >3.5: 249 mg/d) (P < 0.001 for all). The socioeconomic gradient was significant for anthocyanidins, flavonols, and flavones (P < 0.001 for all) but not for flavan-3-ols, and persisted across 3 cycles of NHANES. Adult tea consumers had higher intakes of total flavonoids (610 mg/d compared with 141 mg/d) and flavan-3-ols (542 mg/d compared with 97.8 mg/d) than did nonconsumers (P < 0.001). Time trend analyses showed that both tea consumption and flavonoid intakes were unchanged from 2011 to 2016. CONCLUSIONS: Flavonoid intakes in children and adults in the NHANES 2011-16 sample were associated with higher SES and were largely determined by tea consumption. Studies of diet and disease risk need to take sociodemographic gradients and eating and drinking habits into account.

Trends in tap and bottled water consumption among children and adults in the United States: analyses of NHANES 2011-16 data.

BACKGROUND: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-20 recommend choosing water in place of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB). This study examined water consumption patterns and trends among children and adults in the US. METHODS: Dietary intake data for 7453 children (4-18y) and 15,263 adults (>19y) came from two 24 h dietary recalls in three cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2011-2016). Water was categorized as tap or bottled (plain). Other beverages were assigned to 15 categories. Water and other beverage intakes (in mL/d) were analyzed by sociodemographic variables and sourcing location. Consumption time trends from 2011 to 2016 were also examined. Total water intakes from water, other beverages and moisture from foods (mL/d) were compared to Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for water. RESULTS: Total dietary water (2718 mL/d) came from water (1066 mL/d), other beverages (1036 mL/d) and from food moisture (618 mL/d). Whereas total water intakes remained stable, a significant decline in SSB from 2011 to 2016 was fully offset by an increase in the consumption of plain water. The main sources of water were tap at home (288 mL/d), tap away from home (301 mL/d), and bottled water from stores (339 mL/d). Water and other beverage consumption patterns varied with age, incomes and race/ethnicity. Higher tap water consumption was associated with higher incomes, but bottled water was not. Non-Hispanic whites consumed most tap water (781 mL/d) whereas Mexican Americans consumed most bottled water (605 mL/d). Only about 40% of the NHANES sample on average followed US recommendations for adequate water intakes. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that while total water intakes among children and adults have stayed constant, drinking water, tap and bottled, has been replacing SSB in the US diet.

Modeled industry-wide food and beverage reformulations reduce the gap between current and nutritionally adequate dietary intakes among French adults.

PURPOSE: The objective was to assess the capacity of food reformulations to reduce the required dietary changes to reach overall nutritional adequacy in the French adult population. METHODS: Reformulation standards, defined using the Nestlé Nutritional Profiling System (NNPS), were applied to the French food composition database (CIQUAL-2013), classifying foods into "PASS" or "FAIL". Baseline nutritional intakes were estimated for 1838 adults of the INCA2 French national survey according to three scenarios based on: (1) the original food composition database (CURRENT), (2) a "reformulated" database in which the nutrient composition of FAIL products was adjusted to the NNPS standards (REFORMULATION), and (3) a "substituted" database in FAIL products were replaced by the most nutritionally similar PASS products from the same NNPS-category (SUBSTITUTION). For each scenario, starting from each baseline diet, a new optimized diet was modeled to fulfill a complete set of nutrient recommendations while remaining closest to the respective baseline diet. To quantify the dietary changes needed to reach nutritional adequacy in the optimized diets, the total dietary deviation (TDD) was calculated as the sum in quantities (grams) of the absolute difference between observed and optimized amount of repertoire foods (i.e., foods already consumed) plus the amount of non-repertoire foods (i.e., new foods added). RESULTS: TDD was significantly lower in the REFORMULATION and the SUBSTITUTION scenarios compared to CURRENT (1269 g/day, 1191 g/day and 1494 g/day, respectively). This was explained by smaller shifts among repertoire foods and less additions of non-repertoire foods. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional reformulation of the food supply may reduce the dietary changes required to achieve nutritionally adequate diets, but would not suffice to reach the complete set of nutrient recommendations.

The Timing of Water and Beverage Consumption During the Day Among Children and Adults in the United States: Analyses of NHANES 2011-2016 Data.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-20 recommend replacing sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) with plain water in order to promote adequate hydration while reducing added sugar intake. This study explored how water intakes from water, beverages, and foods are distributed across the day. The dietary intake data for 7453 children (4-18 y) and 15,263 adults (>19 y) came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2011-2016). Water was categorized as tap or bottled. Beverages were assigned to 15 categories. Water intakes (in mL/d) from water, beverages, and food moisture showed significant differences by age group, meal occasion, and time of day. Plain water was consumed in the morning, mostly in the course of a morning snack and between 06:00 and 12:00. Milk and juices were consumed at breakfast whereas SSBs were mostly consumed at lunch, dinner, and in the afternoon. Children consumed milk and juices, mostly in the morning. Adults consumed coffee and tea in the morning, SSBs in the afternoon, and alcohol in the evening. Relatively little drinking water was consumed with lunch or after 21:00. Dietary strategies to replace caloric beverages with plain water need to build on existing drinking habits by age group and meal type.

Tea Consumption Patterns in Relation to Diet Quality among Children and Adults in the United States: Analyses of NHANES 2011-2016 Data.

Flavonoid-rich tea offers an alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages. The present analyses, based on 2 24-hour dietary recalls for 17,506 persons aged ≥9 years old in the 2011-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database (NHANES 2011-2016), explored tea consumption patterns in relation to demographics, diet quality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) biomarkers (lipids and blood pressure), and body weight. Beverage categories were unsweetened tea, other tea (herbal and presweetened tea), coffee, milk, 100% juice, water and other high-calorie (HC) and low-calorie (LC) beverages. Tea consumption (18.5% of the sample) was highest among older adults (51-70 years old), non-Hispanic Asians and Whites, and those with college education and higher incomes. The effects of age, gender, education, income, and race/ethnicity were all significant (p < 0.001 for all). Adult tea consumers had diets with more protein, fiber, potassium, iron, and magnesium, and less added sugars and alcohol. Their diets contained fewer HC beverages and coffee but had more total and citrus fruit, more total dark green and orange vegetables, and more seafood, eggs, soy and milk. Tea consumers had higher Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015) and higher Nutrient-Rich Foods (NRF9.3) nutrient density scores. Few children drank tea and no differences in diet quality between consumers and non-consumers were observed. Adult tea consumers had slightly higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and lower body mass index (BMI) values. Tea consumption was associated with higher socioeconomic status and better diets.

Consumption Patterns of Milk and 100% Juice in Relation to Diet Quality and Body Weight Among United States Children: Analyses of NHANES 2011-16 Data.

Background: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended placing limits on the consumption of milk and 100% juice by children. Methods: Consumption data for 9,069 children aged 2-19 years came from three cycles of the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2011-2016). Beverages were classified into 100% juices, milk (whole, reduced fat, and skim), caloric sugar sweetened beverages (SSB), low calorie beverages (LCB), and drinking water. The Healthy Eating Index 2015 and Nutrient Rich Food Index NRF9.3 were two measures of diet quality. Analyses examined consumption patterns for milk and 100% juice in relation to diet quality, AAP recommendations, and BMI z-scores across time and for different age groups. Results: Intakes of milk and 100% juice declined sharply with age, whereas SSB and water increased. Top quartiles of HEI 2015 and NRF9.3 diet quality scores were associated with higher intakes of water, milk, and 100% juice and with lower intakes of SSB. Lower-income groups drank less skim milk and water and more whole milk and SSB. Only 30% of the children consumed any 100% juice. There was no association between the consumption of milk or 100% juice and BMI z-scores for any age group. Conclusions: Top quartiles of diet quality were associated with more milk, 100% juice, and water, and less SSB. Higher quality diets were associated with lower compliance with the AAP 100% juice recommendations. Compliance with the AAP 100% juice recommendations was not associated with lower body weights. Attempts to limit the consumption of milk and 100% juice by children might have the unintended consequence of increasing consumption of SSB and may have limited value for obesity prevention.