-
Journal of Eating Disorders Feb 2024Orthorexia nervosa, defined as a fixation on eating healthy according to subjective criteria, is recently being discussed as another variant of disordered eating...
BACKGROUND
Orthorexia nervosa, defined as a fixation on eating healthy according to subjective criteria, is recently being discussed as another variant of disordered eating behavior. Further characteristics are rigid adherence to nutritional rules, anxieties and avoidance behavior in the context of eating as well as a focus on health, not on body shape or weight loss, which is supposed to differentiate orthorexic from other disordered eating behavior. Although diagnostic criteria have been suggested, they have rarely been used in case reports published to date. Hence, the aim of this study was to present five individuals with supposed orthorexia nervosa, using preliminary diagnostic criteria to assess their eating behavior.
CASE PRESENTATION
The five cases (three females, two males) reveal the great variety of disordered eating behavior. Fear of unhealthy overweight (case A), supposed orthorexic eating behavior as a coping strategy for anorexia nervosa (case B), the exclusive consumption of animal products with a total exclusion of fruits and vegetables (case C), the fixation on exercise and athletic goals (case D) as well as a focus on a vegan diet and unprocessed foods (case E) are facets of orthorexia nervosa with varying degrees of impairment.
CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that orthorexia nervosa manifests itself in very different ways and that more research is needed in order to determine whether it could be a useful additional category of disordered eating behavior.
PubMed: 38383470
DOI: 10.1186/s40337-024-00988-z -
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Feb 2024A healthy nutrition in pregnancy supports maternal health and fetal development, decreasing the risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Guidance by prenatal care...
BACKGROUND
A healthy nutrition in pregnancy supports maternal health and fetal development, decreasing the risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Guidance by prenatal care professionals can increase women's awareness regarding the importance of nutrition in pregnancy and thereby contribute to a reduced risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the needs, wishes and preferences of pregnant women regarding the interprofessional guidance on nutrition in pregnancy.
METHODS
Using a qualitative approach and a purposive maximum variation sampling strategy, 25 pregnant women were recruited to participate in six semi-structured, guideline-oriented online focus groups. In addition, two semi-structured, guideline-oriented interviews, with a midwife and an obstetrician, were conducted. The focus groups and interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were analysed using a systematic deductive-inductive approach to qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz.
RESULTS
Focus group participants covered diverse perspectives in terms of their age, different models of prenatal care as well as dietary forms from omnivorous to vegan. The majority of women perceived the guidance on nutrition during pregnancy as insufficient. Involved healthcare professionals, namely midwives and obstetricians, should provide more consistent information, especially to avoid uncertainties exacerbated by the internet and social media. There is a need for individual nutrition information regarding dietary supplements and the specifics of different dietary forms during pregnancy, such as a vegan diet. The majority of participants supported the integration of a free-of-charge professional nutrition counselling in prenatal care. Interviews with experts identified time pressure and the complexity of nutrition as a topic as the main obstacles in consultation settings. Both midwife and obstetrician emphasised the need for improved professional education on nutrition in pregnancy in their respective studies.
CONCLUSION
Professional guidance for pregnant women on nutrition and uncertainties going along with certain forms of diet during pregnancy could alleviate the burden and overwhelming amount of web-based information. Additionally, information adapted to the needs, wishes and preferences of pregnant women would improve prenatal care through a more personalised approach. The quality of nutrition guidance in pregnancy should be improved by the implementation of this topic in the education of involved healthcare professionals.
Topics: Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Prenatal Care; Pregnant Women; Qualitative Research; Midwifery; Focus Groups
PubMed: 38383376
DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06351-z -
PloS One 2024Habitat loss for food production is a key threat to global biodiversity. Despite the importance of dietary choices on our capacity to mitigate the on-going biodiversity...
Habitat loss for food production is a key threat to global biodiversity. Despite the importance of dietary choices on our capacity to mitigate the on-going biodiversity crisis, unlike with specific ingredients or products, consumers have limited information on the biodiversity implications of choosing to eat a certain popular dish. Here we estimated the biodiversity footprints of 151 popular local dishes from around the world when globally and locally produced and after calorical content standardization. We find that specific ingredients (beef, legumes, rice) encroaching on biodiversity hotspots with already very high agricultural pressure (e.g. India) lead to high biodiversity footprint in the dishes. Examples of high-biodiversity-footprint popular dishes were beef dishes such as fraldinha (beef cut dish) originating from Brazil and legume dishes such as chana masala (chickpea curry) from India. Regardless of assuming locally or globally produced, feedlot or pasture livestock production, vegan and vegetarian dishes presented lower biodiversity footprints than dishes containing meat. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of analysing biodiversity footprint at the dish level across multiple countries, making sustainable eating decisions more accessible to consumers.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Diet; Agriculture; Vegetables; Ecosystem; Biodiversity; Fabaceae
PubMed: 38381742
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296492 -
Food Science & Nutrition Feb 2024The tallow or butter tree ( Sabine) is a ligneous forest species of multipurpose use largely distributed in Sub-Sahara Africa. Owing to the biological properties of...
The tallow or butter tree ( Sabine) is a ligneous forest species of multipurpose use largely distributed in Sub-Sahara Africa. Owing to the biological properties of different parts of the tree and physicochemical properties, as well as the numerous benefits of its fruits, research on products, especially kernels and butter, has now gained more interest. Thus, the scientific literature revealed that butter is a more promising product with good physical and technological characteristics. It is traditionally preferred in households for food, medicine, and cosmetic use. Apart from the fruits, all other parts of the butter tree are used by local communities in folk medicine. The existing studies indicated that contains valuable health-promoting compounds such as phenolic compounds, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids. and derived products have antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiplasmodial, antitumor, estrogenic, anti-androgenic, and cholesterol-regulative effects. Since studies on the biological properties of the tree parts, nutritional composition, and physicochemical properties of food products from the tree have been very limited, this review attempts to summarize some results from recent investigations. Our intention in the present review was to give an overview of the biological activities of plants and an account of the potential properties of products (pulp, kernels, and butter) and outline the way for future relevant research to improve their state of knowledge.
PubMed: 38370066
DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3806 -
BMC Nutrition Feb 2024The growing trend towards conscious and sustainable dietary choices has led to increased adoption of flexitarian diets, characterised by plant-based eating habits with...
BACKGROUND
The growing trend towards conscious and sustainable dietary choices has led to increased adoption of flexitarian diets, characterised by plant-based eating habits with occasional consumption of meat and processed meat products. However, the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors associated with flexitarian diets compared to both vegans and omnivores remain underexplored.
METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, 94 healthy participants aged 25-45 years, categorized into long-term flexitarians (FXs ≤ 50 g/day of meat and meat products, n = 32), vegans (Vs, no animal products, n = 33), and omnivores (OMNs ≥ 170 g/day of meat and meat products, n = 29) were included. Various CVD risk factors were measured, including fasting blood samples for metabolic biomarkers, body composition analysis via bioimpedance, blood pressure measurements, arterial stiffness evaluated through pulse wave velocity (PWV) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) severity was determined using browser-based calculations (MetS-scores). Dietary intake was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), diet quality was calculated with the Healthy Eating Index-flexible (HEI-Flex), while physical activity levels were recorded using the validated Freiburger questionnaire.
RESULTS
The data showed that FXs and Vs had more beneficial levels of insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol compared to OMNs. Notably, FXs revealed the most favorable MetS-score results based on both BMI and waistline, and better PWV values than Vs and OMNs. In addition, FXs and Vs reported higher intake rates of vegetables, fruit, nuts/seeds and plant-based milk alternatives.
CONCLUSION
The flexitarian diet appears to confer cardiovascular benefits. While Vs had the most favorable results overall, this study supports that reducing meat and processed meat products intake, as in flexitarianism, may contribute to CVD risk factor advantages.
PubMed: 38347653
DOI: 10.1186/s40795-024-00839-9 -
Nutrients Feb 2024Sustainable healthy diets are promoted, and consequently vegetarian diets are currently increasing. However, scientific information on their effects on bone health is...
Sustainable healthy diets are promoted, and consequently vegetarian diets are currently increasing. However, scientific information on their effects on bone health is scarce. A cross-sectional study was performed in adults (66% women) classified into three groups: omnivores ( = 93), lacto-ovo vegetarians ( = 96), and vegans ( = 112). Nutrient intake, body composition, physical activity, vitamin D status (25-hydroxycholecalciferol, 25-OHD), parathormone (PTH), and bone formation (bone alkaline phosphatase, BAP) and resorption (N-telopeptides of type I collagen, NTx) markers were determined. Lacto-ovo vegetarians and especially vegans showed lower protein, fat, calcium, phosphorous, vitamin D, retinol, iodine, and zinc intakes, and higher carbohydrate, fibre, carotenes, magnesium, and vitamin K intakes compared to omnivores. Body composition was similar in the three groups that performed vigorous physical activity regularly. Body bone mass and muscle mass were positively correlated with BAP, and time performing physical activity with 25-OHD. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency (25-OHD < 75 nmol/L) was 93.7% in the studied population, and vitamin D deficiency (25-OHD < 25 nmol/L) was significantly higher in vegans. Vegetarians of both groups had increased PTH and NTx with vegans showing significantly higher PTH and NTx than omnivores. Conclusion: Adult vegetarians, especially vegans, should reduce the risk of bone loss by appropriate diet planning and vitamin D supplementation.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Female; Male; Vegans; Vitamin D; Cross-Sectional Studies; Vitamins; Diet, Vegetarian; Diet; Vegetarians; Diet, Vegan; Vitamin D Deficiency; Life Style; Bone Remodeling
PubMed: 38337732
DOI: 10.3390/nu16030448 -
Nutrients Jan 2024The study investigates the behavioral manifestations of the "Theory of Food" (ToF), a novel theoretical framework centered on the early development of food perceptions....
The study investigates the behavioral manifestations of the "Theory of Food" (ToF), a novel theoretical framework centered on the early development of food perceptions. The ToF posits that childhood experiences with food shape cognitive networks influencing adult dietary choices. Stemming from the "Theory of Mind," the ToF hypothesizes that individuals construct an associative world of food images and representations mirroring the socio-cognitive world shaped by proper theory of mind development. The study, involving 249 healthy adults, employs the Cognitive Food Preference Questionnaire (CFPQ) and the Adult Food Preference Profile (AFPP) to explore the correlation between childhood and adult food preferences across diet groups (omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans). Results reveal robust correlations in omnivores, varied patterns in vegetarians, and mixed outcomes in vegans. Notably, omnivores show correlations in grains, fast food, dairy products, vegetables, meat, soft drinks, and snack consumption. Vegetarians exhibit correlations in grains, fast food, dairy products, vegetables, snacks, and, surprisingly, meat consumption. Vegans display correlations in grains, fast food, vegetables, and snacks. The study suggests that childhood dietary habits tend to influence adult food choices, offering insights for future research in the field of theory of food (ToF).
Topics: Adult; Humans; Food Preferences; Diet; Vegans; Vegetarians; Vegetables; Feeding Behavior; Diet, Vegetarian
PubMed: 38337713
DOI: 10.3390/nu16030428 -
Nutrients Jan 2024This article explores the factors influencing the choice of general practitioners (GPs) and their role in the health care of vegans in Austria. The number of people...
This article explores the factors influencing the choice of general practitioners (GPs) and their role in the health care of vegans in Austria. The number of people identifying as vegan is on the rise, and GPs are increasingly confronted with vegan patients. A qualitative method was chosen for this study, and 14 semi-structured interviews with vegans were conducted between April 2022 and July 2022. Participants were recruited primarily through vegan social media groups. In their experiences with health care, vegans felt treated unequally or sometimes incorrectly. The experiences described highlight that participants felt that most GPs were biased against their veganism. Information exchange among vegans primarily takes place online and through publications of vegan associations, while GPs play a minor role in information provision. As the number of vegans grows, an appreciative way of communicating between GPs and vegan patients ought to be promoted. Voluntary interdisciplinary nutritional training, collaboration of the medical field with support organizations, provision of evidence-based information, and collaboration with dietitians and nutritionists could enrich the care of patients with a vegan diet.
Topics: Humans; Diet, Vegan; Vegans; Austria; General Practitioners; Diet, Vegetarian
PubMed: 38337677
DOI: 10.3390/nu16030392 -
Annals of Medicine Dec 2024The beneficial effects of a plant-based diet on gut microbiota diversity are well documented, however, its impact on clinical bowel health and defecation patterns are... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
The beneficial effects of a plant-based diet on gut microbiota diversity are well documented, however, its impact on clinical bowel health and defecation patterns are less well understood. Vegetarian diets have been associated with a higher bowel movement (BM) frequency as well as softer stools in cross-sectional studies. The effects of the de-novo adoption of a vegan diet on bowel health, however, have never been investigated in a randomized-controlled trial.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The present study examined bowel health and defecation patterns in relation to diet and nutrient intake in a young and healthy sample of = 65 physically-active German university students who were randomly assigned to either a vegan or a meat-rich diet for eight weeks. Bowel health assessment included the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS), the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) and the Cleveland Clinic Fecal Incontinence Score (CCFIS). Nutrient intake was assessed using weighed food diaries. The study was prospectively registered at the German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS00031541).
RESULTS
Weekly BM frequency slightly increased in vegans, whereas it remained unaltered in participants assigned to a meat-rich diet. Fiber intake increased significantly in vegans (34.89 (18.46) g/d) whereas it decreased in those assigned to the meat-rich group (22.79 (12.5) g/d). No significant intergroup differences in BSFS and CCFIS patterns were observed. Adoption of a vegan diet neither resulted in a transient increase in abdominal discomfort nor in a decreased gastrointestinal quality of life, which was comparable across the diet groups.
CONCLUSIONS
The short-term adoption of a vegan diet did not negatively affect markers of bowel health in this study.
Topics: Humans; Diet, Vegan; Defecation; Cross-Sectional Studies; Quality of Life; Diet; Eating
PubMed: 38327148
DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2305693 -
Scientific Reports Feb 2024India is the world's largest cotton producer and the only country that grows all four cultivated cotton species. There have been very few studies on the diversity and...
India is the world's largest cotton producer and the only country that grows all four cultivated cotton species. There have been very few studies on the diversity and abundance of natural enemies of cotton insect pests in these cultivated cotton species. Therefore, the current study (2016-2018) was conducted to assess the diversity and abundance of natural enemies that cultivated cotton species harbour. Phule Dhanwantari, Suraj, Suvin, RCH-2, and DCH-32 were the five genotypes used in the study, each with a distinct genetic background. Using the adiv 2.0.1 and vegan R packages, we identified significant differences in natural enemies in terms of species diversity, richness, evenness, and abundance. Analysis of Similarity (ANOSIM) and Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) indicated substantial differences in the natural enemy community structure among the examined genotypes. A total of 17,279 natural enemies were collected and identified across genotypes from seven predatory families and five parasitoid families. The percentage share of these natural enemy families across genotypes and years, in descending order, is Coccinellidae (28.23%) < Tachinidae (19.23%) < Braconidae (12.68%) < Chrysopidae (11.65%) < Chalcididae (9.41%) < Aphelinidae (6.33%) < Pentatomidae (3.29%) < Ichneumonidae (2.37%) < Syrphidae (2.33%) < Vespidae (1.81%) < Asilidae (1.79%) < Geocoridae (0.89%). Coccinellidae, Tachinidae, Braconidae, Chrysopidae, Chalcididae, and Aphelinidae are the six major families that account for more than 85% of all recorded natural enemies. These six families have a higher percentage share in Phule Dhanwantary (90%) compared to the other genotypes. The conservation and better utilization of these natural enemies are crucial for the ecological and safe management of insect pests in the cotton ecosystem.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Ecosystem; Insecta; Coleoptera; Hymenoptera; Heteroptera; Gossypium
PubMed: 38307896
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48347-3