Examining the Prevalence, Nutritional Quality and Marketing of Foods with Voluntary Nutrient Additions in the Canadian Food Supply.

Foods with voluntary nutritional additions are a fast-growing sector of the global food industry. In Canada, while the addition of nutrients to foods has been regulated through fortification regulations, parallel policies which aim to encourage product innovation have also allowed for the voluntary addition of nutrients and other novel ingredients to 'supplemented' and 'functional' foods. Concerns have been raised that the consumption of these products may have negative repercussions on population health, such as high nutrient intakes inappropriate for certain population subgroups (e.g., children) and the shifting of dietary patterns to include more unhealthy foods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, nutritional quality, and marketing characteristics of foods with added nutrients in the Canadian market. We found many nutritionally-enhanced foods contained high levels of nutrients beyond recommended intakes, despite these nutrients having no evidence of inadequacy in the Canadian population. Additionally, a large proportion of foods with added nutrients had poor nutrient profiles (were deemed 'less healthy' than their non-enhanced counterparts) and carried heavy marketing on their labels, regardless of their nutritional quality. Taken together these findings raise concerns about foods with voluntary nutrient additions and suggest the need to further investigate consumer attitudes and decision-making towards these foods.

Significado de las comidas tradicionales para mujeres adultas mayores de la provincia de Concepción, Chile / Significance of traditional meals for elder women in the province of Concepción, Chile

FUNDAMENTOS: la recopilación de los saberes y sabores de comidas tradicionales faculta la mantención de la identidad en las comunidades y los núcleos familiares, permitiendo ser un aporte para la alimentación saludable. OBJETIVO: comprender el significado que representan las comidas tradicionales para un grupo de mujeres adultas mayores de la provincia de Concepción, Chile. MÉTODOS: el estudio utilizó el paradigma cualitativo con enfoque fenomenológico interpretativo de Heidegger. Como estrategia de recolección de datos, se utilizó la entrevista semiestructurada. Las respuestas, se codificaron, reagruparon y analizaron a través de la técnica de análisis de contenido. RESULTADOS: las entrevistadas identifican recetas culinarias con características que son tradicionales para ellas, reconociendo ingredientes y formas de preparación que se han mantenido en el tiempo. Las materias primas utilizadas son las mismas que recuerdan desde su época de infancia, aunque se menciona una dificultad en la adquisición de estos productos, debido al acceso o el costo económico de su adquisición. Sin embargo, el cambio de ingredientes no es apreciado como una modificación mayor a la receta más clásica. Otro aspecto importante es la modificación de los sabores en las preparaciones. A lo anterior, los alimentos y preparaciones de antaño eran identificados como más naturales y por lo mismo, reconocidos como más saludable. CONCLUSIONES: las comidas tradicionales permiten entrecruzar simbolismos y significados en mujeres adultas mayores, que favorecen la valoración de la alimentación desde los sabores, formas de preparar e ingredientes utilizados, percibiéndose como una alternativa para la alimentación saludable

BACKGROUND: culinary knowledge and tastes of traditional allows keeping the identity in communities and households, which in turn could eases a healthy diet. OBJECTIVE: to understand the meaning of traditional meals for a group of elder women in the province of Concepcion, Chile. METHODS: qualitative research with Heidegger's interpretative phenomenological approach. As a data collection strategy, it was used a semi-structured interview. The responses were codified, regrouped and analyzed through the content analysis technique. RESULTS: the interviewed women identified culinary recipes with traditional characteristics, recognizing ingredients and preparation methods that have been kept in time. Raw materials used are the same they remembered from their childhood, although they mention certain difficulties when trying to acquire those products whether it is hard to access to them, or because the economic cost of them. The change on foodstuff is not seen as a major modification to the traditional recipe. Another aspect told by the participants was the modification in the taste of the preparations. To the above, the food and preparations of yesteryear were identified as more natural and therefore, recognized as healthier. CONCLUSIONS: traditional meals allow to crisscross symbolism and significance in elder women. This show the value of the feeding process to people of that age group, being perceived as an alternative to keep a healthy diet

Research protocol local ingredients-based supplementary food as an alternative to corn-soya blends plus for treating moderate acute malnutrition among children aged 6 to 59 months: a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial in Wolaita.

BACKGROUND: In Ethiopia, 12.5% of children below 5 years are wasted, and 9.7% are moderately wasted. The present strategy for the management of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) is a supplementary feeding program; however, this is only provided to chronically food-insecure areas. This randomized controlled non-inferiority trial examines if Local ingredients-based supplement (LIBS) is as effective as corn-soya blends plus (CSB+) in treating moderate acute malnutrition among children aged 6-59 months. METHODS: A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial will be conducted with moderately wasted children aged 6 to 59 months in Wolaita, Ethiopia. The calculated sample size is 324 (i.e. with 162 children in each of two arms, to be assigned by randomization). The daily ration will be: 100 g of LIBS plus 25.2 g of sugar with 8 ml oil in the intervention group, and 150 g of CSB+ with 16 ml of oil in the control group. These interventions will be provided for a maximum period of 12 weeks, with follow-up performed on a weekly basis. Data analysis will be done using SPSS and STATA software. Both intention-to-treat and per protocol analyses will be done. Hazard ratio and Kaplan-Meier (log rank) curves of survival analysis will be done to predict the probability of recovery rate. Logistic regression will be used to test for interactions between independent and dependent variables. Analysis of variances, t-tests, fisher's exact test and chi-square tests will be used to assess baseline characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: This paper will introduce to the existing research locally available nutritious foods which have the potential to enhance recovery from moderate acute malnutrition and to reduce the burden of malnutrition. The perceptions of mothers on feeding children with local ingredient-based supplementary food to assist recovery from moderate acute malnutrition will be the focus of in a qualitative study to follow; this will provide a further contribution in an evolving area of research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Pan-African Clinical Trial Registration number: PACTR201809662822990, retrospectively registered on 11/09/2018.