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Frontiers in Public Health 2023There is a strong association between lifestyle behavior and health status. While young adulthood is a critical period for adopting and stabilizing lifelong healthy...
Health behavior of Austrian tertiary students focusing on diet type linked to sports and exercise-first glimpse of results from the "sustainably healthy-from science 2 high school and university" study.
BACKGROUND
There is a strong association between lifestyle behavior and health status. While young adulthood is a critical period for adopting and stabilizing lifelong healthy behavior, university life is independently associated with psychological stressors that may further affect health and well-being.
OBJECTIVE
The present multidisciplinary study aimed to examine the health behavior of Austrian college and university students, differentiated based on diet types (vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous) and physical activity (PA) habits.
METHODS
Following a cross-sectional study design, a total number of 6,148 students (65.3% females; 66.1% bachelor students, 67.0% from urban areas; mean age: 24.8 years) from 52 Austrian college/universities participated in an online survey and provided data on sociodemographic characteristics, dietary patterns, PA habits, and other lifestyle behavior characteristics, including alcohol intake and smoking.
RESULTS
Across the total sample, 74.0% had a normal weight (BMI = 18.5-25.0 kg/m), while the prevalence of overweight/obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m) was lower in females than males and more in rural than urban students ( < 0.01). The general prevalence of vegetarian and vegan diets was 22.8 and 6.0%, respectively, with a predominance of females, graduates, and urban students compared to their peers ( < 0.01). The majority of students (79.3%) had a regular engagement in sport/exercise, with a predominance of vegetarian or vegan students compared to omnivores ( < 0.01). Vegans and vegetarians had a lower alcohol intake ( < 0.01) but no differences in smoking habits ( > 0.05) compared to omnivores. Students engaging in sport/exercise had a lower smoking rate and higher intake of fruits, vegetables, and fluids compared to inactive students ( < 0.01).
CONCLUSION
The present findings suggest that diet type and PA habits of college/university students have an impact on other health behaviors, highlighting the interconnected nature of lifestyle habits and health behavior.
Topics: Male; Female; Humans; Young Adult; Adult; Diet, Vegetarian; Universities; Cross-Sectional Studies; Austria; Health Behavior; Exercise; Health Status; Students
PubMed: 37533531
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1129004 -
Nutrients Nov 2023Global veganism campaigns like 'Veganuary' have gained popularity. We conducted an observational study to assess the impact of a 4-week vegan diet during 'Veganuary' on... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
Adoption of a Short-Term (4-Week) Vegan Diet as Part of 'Veganuary' Significantly Reduces Saturated Fatty Acid (SFA), Cholesterol, B12, and Iodine Intake in Omnivorous Individuals-An Observational Study.
Global veganism campaigns like 'Veganuary' have gained popularity. We conducted an observational study to assess the impact of a 4-week vegan diet during 'Veganuary' on nutrient intake, status, knowledge, and motivations for veganism. Data were collected before and after 'Veganuary', using Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) to estimate dietary intake. Micronutrient knowledge and motivation were assessed through questionnaires. A total of 154 UK adults aged 18-60 years (2019: 81; 2020: 73) participated. Groups were vegetarians and omnivores committed to a 4-week vegan diet during 'Veganuary'. Control groups were vegans and omnivores who did not transition. Short-term vegan diets significantly decreased intake of iodine, B12, cholesterol, and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) in omnivores. Micronutrient knowledge was low, and motivation for veganism varied. Short-term vegan diets reduce macro- and micronutrient intake in omnivores. Veganuary participants could benefit from nutritional guidance or supplementation. Attention is required for UK micronutrient intake and knowledge. Motivations for vegan pledges may influence diets, warranting further research.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Cholesterol; Diet; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Fatty Acids; Iodine; Micronutrients; Vegetarians; Adolescent; Young Adult; Middle Aged
PubMed: 38068825
DOI: 10.3390/nu15234967 -
Nutrients Mar 2024People are increasingly encouraged to reduce animal food consumption and shift towards plant-based diets; however, the implications for children's health are unclear. In... (Review)
Review
People are increasingly encouraged to reduce animal food consumption and shift towards plant-based diets; however, the implications for children's health are unclear. In this narrative review of research in high-income settings, we summarize evidence on the increasing consumption of plant-based diets in children and update an earlier systematic review regarding their associations with children's health outcomes. The evidence indicates that vegan, but not vegetarian, diets can restrict growth relative to omnivorous children and increase the risk of being stunted and underweight, although the percentage affected is relatively small. Bone mineral content is reduced in vegetarian and, in particular, vegan children, compared to omnivores. Both vegetarian and vegan children who do not use vitamin B12 supplements manifest with B12 deficiency; however, supplementation rectifies this problem. Both vegetarians and vegans have lower concentrations of 25(OH)D if unsupplemented, and lower body iron stores, but usually have normal iron metabolism markers. Both groups are at risk of iodine deficiency, and this might affect thyroid health. Children consuming a vegan diet have a more favorable lipid profile than omnivorous children; however, the results for a vegetarian diet are inconsistent and vary by outcome. Based on the same scientific evidence, national and international dietary recommendations are heterogeneous, with some countries supporting plant-based diets among infants, children, and adolescents, and others discouraging them. We offer a research roadmap, highlighting what is needed to provide adequate evidence to harmonize dietary recommendations for plant-based diets in children. A number of measures should urgently be introduced at international and national levels to improve the safety of their use in children.
Topics: Child; Infant; Adolescent; Animals; Humans; Diet, Plant-Based; Diet; Diet, Vegetarian; Vegetarians; Diet, Vegan; Iron; Outcome Assessment, Health Care
PubMed: 38474851
DOI: 10.3390/nu16050723 -
Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine... Sep 2023Following a well-balanced diet ensures that a person gets all the essential elements for health sustenance. However, in the United Kingdom an increasing proportion of...
BACKGROUND
Following a well-balanced diet ensures that a person gets all the essential elements for health sustenance. However, in the United Kingdom an increasing proportion of people are transiting to become vegans who exclude animal-based products in their diets. Consequently, people may have a deficit of essential elements such as iodine which is not present in most plant-based meals, additionally iodide fortified table salt is not commonly used in the UK. Without iodine people consuming a vegan diet risk developing iodine deficiency and diseases like goiter.
METHODS
The objective of this study is to determine the difference in iodine content and iodine speciation between plant-based and dairy products. More than 100 market samples of plant-based and dairy milk products were collected in Scotland, UK.
RESULTS
Iodine concentrations in dairy milk is ten times higher compared to plant-based milks. Similar differences were also apparent for butter, yogurt and cheese. A total of 20% of plant-based milk products were fortified with iodine, however these products had lower iodine concentrations compare to the equivalent dairy products. In this study we calculated that people with average diet have an iodine intake of 226 + /- 103 μg day from dairy products which satisfies the WHO recommended intake of adults and 90% of the recommend intake for pregnant and breast-feeding women. A diet from substituted dairy products gives only 21.8 µg day for the respective WHO guideline intake values, which accounts only 15% of the iodine intake for adults and 9% for pregnant and lactating women. Iodine fortified diet could increase the iodine intake to 55% or 33% of the WHO recommended daily intake respectively.
CONCLUSION
Plant-based dairy consumers are encouraged to use iodine fortified dairy products or use of iodized salt in the UK for home cooking, otherwise there are at risk to get iodine deficient.
Topics: Pregnancy; Animals; Female; Lactation; Dairy Products; Milk; Diet; Iodine; Nutritional Status; Malnutrition
PubMed: 37244048
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2023.127218 -
Nutrients May 2024With a significant portion of the population adopting veganism and conflicting views among nutrition professionals regarding the necessity of vitamin B12... (Review)
Review
With a significant portion of the population adopting veganism and conflicting views among nutrition professionals regarding the necessity of vitamin B12 supplementation, this review aims to explore existing studies evaluating interventions through food supplementation. It focuses on the impact of vitamin B12 deficiency across different demographics. The present study seeks to understand how research has addressed the relationship between the rise in veganism and vitamin B12 deficiency over the past decade. A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA flow diagram. Studies from 2010 to 2023 were identified using Boolean operators and key terms in electronic databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EBSCO (Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, and Academic Search Complete). Out of 217 articles identified, 70 studies were included. The topical analysis categorized the studies into three groups: those associating vitamin B12 deficiency with diseases ( = 14), those analyzing the dietary habits of vegetarian individuals (vegan or not) without a specific focus on vitamin B12 ( = 49), and those addressing food guides and nutrition institution positions ( = 7). The authors concluded that vitamin B12 deficiency is prevalent among vegans due to limited consumption of animal products. For vegetarians, supplementation is an efficient means of treating and preventing deficiency; a daily dose of 50 to 100 micrograms is advised. There are still significant gaps in the research, nevertheless, such as the absence of randomized controlled trials evaluating various forms or dosages of vitamin B12 among vegetarians and the requirement for more information and awareness of the vitamin's significance in vegan diets.
Topics: Humans; Vitamin B 12; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency; Dietary Supplements; Vegans; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Adult; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Adolescent; Young Adult; Aged
PubMed: 38794680
DOI: 10.3390/nu16101442 -
Nutrients May 2024Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic condition with growing worldwide prevalence. Besides genetic factors, a sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, and inadequate... (Review)
Review
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic condition with growing worldwide prevalence. Besides genetic factors, a sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, and inadequate eating habits, characterized by an excess intake of refined carbohydrates and ultra-processed foods, are contributing factors for the development of the disease. In this scenario, promoting a plant-based diet, and limiting animal product consumption while increasing the intake of vegetables, concurrently with healthy lifestyle habits, is a promising strategy to prevent T2DM. This scoping review, carried out between 2017 and 2022, aimed to gather evidence substantiating the benefits of a plant-based diet in T2DM prevention, considering different eating patterns, such as vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean, and DASH diets. Several studies demonstrate a significant reduction in T2DM incidence among individuals adopting plant-based eating patterns or emphasizing healthy plant-based food alongside decreased intake or exclusion of animal-based foods. There are still no robust data regarding plant-based diets and the prevention of diabetes without loss in body weight. Hence, prospective studies in plant-based diets with weight control are needed. Nevertheless, adopting plant-based diets appears to induce significant weight loss, which is crucial in an obesity-endemic context. Thus, embracing plant-based diets, along with healthy habits, emerges as a relevant strategy in obesity and T2DM prevention.
Topics: Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Humans; Diet, Vegetarian; Obesity; Feeding Behavior; Diet, Healthy; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Mediterranean
PubMed: 38892604
DOI: 10.3390/nu16111671 -
BMC Nutrition Nov 2023A growing proportion of the population are replacing their dietary animal protein with plant protein. A particular example of this trend is the vegan diet, which...
BACKGROUND
A growing proportion of the population are replacing their dietary animal protein with plant protein. A particular example of this trend is the vegan diet, which excludes all food items of animal origin. However, the DIAAS score for individual plant proteins is generally lower than that of animal proteins due to an unbalanced amino acid composition and lower bioavailability. Care must therefore be taken to meet the nutritional recommendations in the daily food intake.
METHODS
A three-day dietary food record was carried out by 40 Danish vegans in a cross-sectional study. The data were analysed, with particular emphasis on protein requirements and the essential amino acid composition of the diet.
RESULTS
The protein recommendations were met on all three days by 60% of the participants. In contrast, 18% did not meet the protein recommendations on any of the three days and 7% met the recommendations on only one of the days. Lysine was the most limiting amino acid (only 50% met the recommendations every day) followed by the sulphur-containing amino acids (recommendations met by 67.5%), leucine and valine (recommendations met by 70%). Combining both the amount of protein and the intake of the essential amino acids showed that less than half of the participants met the recommendations on all three days (47.5%) and 35% did not meet the recommendations on any days or on one day only.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, our study showed that many of the participants in the present study failed to meet the daily protein intake requirements, both on single days and on all three days. Furthermore, the food intake was found to have an inadequate amino acid composition and was particularly limited by the essential amino acids lysine, the sulphur-containing amino acids, and leucine and valine. This could be ascribed to the fact that only a limited number of protein sources were consumed during a day.
PubMed: 37968717
DOI: 10.1186/s40795-023-00793-y -
Nutrients Feb 2024A cholesterol-lowering diet score was previously developed for epidemiological studies; its association with serum lipid profile was not confirmed yet.
BACKGROUND
A cholesterol-lowering diet score was previously developed for epidemiological studies; its association with serum lipid profile was not confirmed yet.
METHODS
The score was developed as an adaptation of the dietary portfolio for cholesterol reduction, assigning one point for adherence to seven dietary indicators and ranging from 0 (null adherence) to 7 (highest adherence). The score was calculated for breast cancer patients enrolled in the DEDiCa study using a 7-day food record; serum lipid profile, including total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), was evaluated in serum at baseline.
RESULTS
Patients with the highest adherence to the cholesterol-lowering diet (i.e., score ≥ 4) reported lower LDL-C level than women with score 0-1 (median: 107 mg/dL and 122 mg/dL, respectively; < 0.01). The proportion of women with LDL-C above the recommended limit of 116 mg/dL was 60.0% with score 0-1 and 42.6% with score ≥4. Although the score directly correlates with consumption of foods from vegetal sources, it was mildly associated with the healthful plant-based diet index (r-Spearman = 0.51) and the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (r-Spearman = 0.30) Conclusions: These results provide experimental evidence that the cholesterol-lowering diet score is capable of detecting a specific plant-based dietary pattern that affects circulating cholesterol levels.
Topics: Humans; Female; Cholesterol, LDL; Cholesterol; Diet, Healthy; Diet, Mediterranean
PubMed: 38398819
DOI: 10.3390/nu16040495 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2024Although vegan and vegetarian diets and lifestyles differ significantly from each other, among other things, notably in their respective consequences regarding animal...
INTRODUCTION
Although vegan and vegetarian diets and lifestyles differ significantly from each other, among other things, notably in their respective consequences regarding animal welfare and their ecological impact, vegans and vegetarians are often grouped together and usually compared to omnivores in psychological research. Considering that vegans and vegetarians often share similar motives for their lifestyle choices, namely animal and environmental issues, the question arises why similar motives lead to different conclusions and correspondingly different behaviors, most notably, of course, that vegetarians consume animal-derived foods such as cheese or milk while vegans do not consume animal-derived products (e.g., food, cosmetic products). This is why this study explored the psychological differences between vegans, vegetarians, and prospective vegans - the latter group being located in an intermediate, transitionary position. Focusing on the motivational, affective and cognitive components of dietary transition and participants' adherence to eating patterns, reasons for said patterns, possible hinderances to becoming vegan, the role of participants' social environments, and the impact of various misconceptions regarding the feasibility of a vegan diet in everyday life were all explored.
METHODS
An observational study was conducted via online questionnaire (1420 participants).
RESULTS
Significant differences were found between vegans, prospective vegans, and vegetarians, especially concerning their knowledge of issues pertaining to their respective lifestyles.
DISCUSSION
The critical role of knowledge is invoked as an explanation as to why vegans and vegetarians display different behaviors although they share a similar motivation. Thus, in this study the concept of vegan literacy is introduced. Additionally, the distinctive role of cheese is explored, discussing possible indications of its potentially addictive nature and, consequently, the importance of cheese as a hindering factor for pursuing a vegan diet.
PubMed: 38659691
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1163869 -
Biomedicines Mar 2024Around 20-30% of Fibromyalgia patients modify their dietary habits after diagnosis, including avoiding certain food groups such as cereals. In this systematic review, we... (Review)
Review
Around 20-30% of Fibromyalgia patients modify their dietary habits after diagnosis, including avoiding certain food groups such as cereals. In this systematic review, we used the PRISMA guidelines to select the main studies that have evaluated the effectiveness of restrictive diets, including elimination and vegetarian diets, in patients with Fibromyalgia. Data on vegetarian/vegan diets are more consistent than data on elimination diets due to higher quality and better results of the published studies. Although the results are favorable in most of the studies, their heterogenicity and the scarce and low quality of the evidence (small number of patients included, often non-randomized and uncontrolled studies and multiple confounding factors and biases) does not allow for a positive recommendation about these restrictive diets in Fibromyalgia patients. Several factors other than food restriction could influence the symptomatic and functional improvements observed after restrictive diets, such as the placebo effect, weight loss that often occurs, coexistence with gastrointestinal diseases and positive effects of unrestricted foods. We must advance more and improve in our knowledge of the effectiveness of restrictive diets and variables related to them before recommending them systematically to all patients with Fibromyalgia. Randomized, placebo-controlled trials with large sample sizes, longer follow-up periods and standardized outcome measures that explore predictors of dietary response are needed to better understand the relationship between Fibromyalgia and nutrition.
PubMed: 38540241
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12030629