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Cureus Sep 2021Introduction One of the most essential risk factors for chronic medical conditions is dietary intake. The dietary habits in Saudi Arabia shifted towards the Western...
Introduction One of the most essential risk factors for chronic medical conditions is dietary intake. The dietary habits in Saudi Arabia shifted towards the Western diet, which is high in fat, salt and sugar. Plant-based diets like vegetarianism and veganism have gained popularity in the last few years. Individuals commit to a plant-based diet for many reasons. Plant-based diets are associated with various health benefits but can still cause nutrition deficiencies. Purpose The aim of the study is to examine the proportion of vegan, vegetarian and omnivore diets in Saudi Arabia. To compare between plant-eaters and meat-eaters in health, lifestyle factors and nutritional status. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. A previously validated online questionnaire was distributed via social media platforms. The authors used convenience sampling to collect the data. Results A total of 1018 respondents answered the survey. Most respondents 885 (87%) were omnivores, 52 were vegetarians (5%) and 81 (8%) were vegans. Moreover, 61% of the total respondents never consumed vitamin B12 supplements, and 10% consumed vitamin B12 daily. The majority of respondents 548 (54%) used no other dietary supplements, and 470 (46%) used unspecified dietary supplements. Vegan respondents were more likely than other diet categories to have healthier lifestyle features, including >3 times/week exercise (standardized residual = 3.55) and >7 hours of sleep (standardized residual = 2.44). Conclusion Majority of Saudis follow omnivore diets and the frequency of those who follow plant-based diets is very low. Those who follow a vegan diet seem to have better health rating and lifestyle compared to the omnivores. Public health officials and healthcare providers are encouraged to increase awareness among the Saudi population about the health benefits of a plant-based diet.
PubMed: 34692294
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.18073 -
Nutricion Hospitalaria Mar 2016
Topics: Diet Surveys; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Dietary Proteins; Humans; Nutritive Value; Reference Values; Vegetables
PubMed: 27238802
DOI: 10.20960/nh.121 -
Food Research International (Ottawa,... Nov 2023Alternate proteins are gaining popularity as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to animal-based proteins. These proteins are often considered... (Review)
Review
Alternate proteins are gaining popularity as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to animal-based proteins. These proteins are often considered healthier and are suitable for people following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Alternative proteins can be recovered from natural sources like legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds, while single cell proteins (mycoproteins), and algal proteins are being developed using cutting-edge technology to grow fungus, yeast and algal cells in a controlled environment, creating a more sustainable source of protein. Although, the demand for alternative protein products is increasing, there still happens to be a large gap in use among the general consumers mainly stemming from its lower bioavailability, lack of nutritional equivalency and reduced digestibility compared to animal proteins. The focus of the review is to emphasize on various sources and technologies for recovering alternative proteins for vegan diets. The review discusses physicochemical properties of alternative proteins and emphasise on the role of various processing technologies that can change the digestibility and bioavailability of these proteins. It further accentuates the nutritional equivalency and environmental sustainability of alternative protein against the conventional proteins from animals. The food laws surrounding alternative proteins as well as the commercial potential and consumer acceptance of alternative protein products are also highlighted. Finally, key challenges to improve the consumer acceptability and market value of plant-based proteins would be in achieving nutrient equivalency and enhance bioavailability and digestibility while maintaining the same physicochemical properties, taste, texture, as animal proteins, has also been highlighted.
Topics: Humans; Diet, Vegan; Plant Proteins; Plants; Vegetables
PubMed: 37803803
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113479 -
Nutrients Nov 2022Background: This study assessed the possible dependencies between nutritional habits and body composition among subjects with different dietary habits. Materials: A...
Background: This study assessed the possible dependencies between nutritional habits and body composition among subjects with different dietary habits. Materials: A total of 196 healthy (aged 18−50 yrs) participants were enrolled in the study and divided into 4 groups according to their diet: vegans-VEGAN (n = 53), lacto/ovo-vegetarians—VEGE (n = 52), pescatarians-PESCA (n = 28), and omnivores-OMN (n = 43). Methods: The Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was used, and body composition was assessed on the In-Body120 analyzer. Results: Our result revealed in OMN + PESCA groups a higher average consumption frequency of sweets (p = 0.024), cheese/plant cheese (p < 0.001), eggs and egg dishes/egg substitutes (p < 0.001), butter, margarine/plant margarine (p < 0.001), cream /plant cream (p = 0.018), wine and cocktails (p = 0.028), vodka (p = 0.039) and lower of natural cottage cheese/tofu/tempeh (p < 0.001), vegetable oils (p = 0.036), legumes (p < 0.001) and nuts and seeds(p < 0.001) compared to the VEGAN + VEGE groups. The body composition analysis showed significant differences in skeletal muscle mass (SMM) (p = 0.019) and the content of minerals (p = 0.048) between groups. VEGAN disclosed the lowest average values of body fat mass (BFM), percentage body fat (PBF), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) than other studied groups. Conclusions: The body composition analysis showed mean values within normal ranges in all of the groups, but some average results of OMN, PESCA, and VEGE compared to VEGAN were not highly satisfactory (in addition to eating behavior outcomes).
Topics: Humans; Vegans; Nutritional Status; Margarine; Vegetarians; Diet, Vegan; Diet; Habits; Diet, Vegetarian
PubMed: 36364853
DOI: 10.3390/nu14214591 -
Nutrients Jul 2020There are a significant number of studies on cognitive restraint among individuals with varying dietary patterns. Although most research has found that vegetarians...
There are a significant number of studies on cognitive restraint among individuals with varying dietary patterns. Although most research has found that vegetarians report higher levels of cognitive restraint compared to non-vegetarians, many studies have contributed inconsistent results. The aim of the current study, therefore, was to assess any differences between groups with varying dietary patterns on cognitive restraint and other disordered eating pattern. The second objective was to examine determinants of cognitive restraint in individuals adhering to a vegan diet, a vegetarian diet and an omnivore diet. Two-hundred and fifty-four participants with varying dietary patterns completed the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire and the Eating Habits Questionnaire. Our results indicated that both vegetarian and vegan groups showed a significantly lower cognitive restraint, lower emotional eating and lower uncontrolled eating than those who followed an omnivorous diet. In addition, these both groups following a plant-based diet have shown more cognitions, behaviours and feelings related to an extreme focus on healthy eating (orthorexia nervosa) than group following an omnivorous diet. There were no significant differences between the groups in perseverative thinking. Core characteristics of repetitive negative thinking was a significant predictor of cognitive restraint in vegans. Feeling positively about healthy eating predicted cognitive restraint among vegetarians. Problems associated with healthy eating and feeling positively about healthy eating predicted cognitive restraint among individuals following an omnivorous diet. Knowledge of predictors of cognitive restraint may serve as a psychological intervention goal or psychoeducation goal among individuals with varying dietary patterns.
Topics: Adult; Body Mass Index; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Diet, Healthy; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Longitudinal Ligaments; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatment Outcome; Vegans; Vegetarians
PubMed: 32709060
DOI: 10.3390/nu12072133 -
European Journal of Nutrition Dec 2023Populations following a plant-based diet may be at particular risk of thyroid dysfunction due to low iodine and selenium intakes. The main purpose was to assess thyroid...
PURPOSE
Populations following a plant-based diet may be at particular risk of thyroid dysfunction due to low iodine and selenium intakes. The main purpose was to assess thyroid function and urinary concentration of iodine, selenium, and arsenic, in subjects following a vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, or pescatarian diet.
METHODS
In Norway, a country without mandatory dietary iodine fortification, 205 adults, following vegan (n = 115), lacto-ovo vegetarian (n = 55) and pescatarian diet (n = 35) were included. Thyroglobulin (Tg), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), and serum anti-TPO (S-anti-TPO) were measured in a venous blood sample and concentrations of iodine (UIC), creatinine (UCC), selenium, and arsenic were measured from single spot urine samples.
RESULTS
Subclinical hypothyroidism (TSH > 4.0 mU/L) was observed in 3% of subjects. The overall median (p25, p75) Tg was 17 (9, 30) µg/L and vegans had higher Tg compared to pescatarians. Vegans not consuming iodine-containing supplements (n = 43) had higher Tg, than supplement users (n = 72), 27 (11, 44) vs. 16 (8, 25) µg/L and higher fT4, 16 (15, 17) vs. 15 (14, 17) pmol/L, respectively. The overall median UIC was 57 (28, 130) µg/L, all dietary groups had median UIC below WHO thresholds. Median urinary selenium and arsenic concentration was 13 (6, 22) and 3 (2, 8) µg/L, respectively.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism was low and fT4 and fT3 were within the normal range for all dietary groups. Vegans had significantly increased Tg compared to pescatarians.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Iodine; Arsenic; Selenium; Vegans; Hypothyroidism; Thyrotropin; Thyroxine; Vegetarians
PubMed: 37592132
DOI: 10.1007/s00394-023-03218-5 -
Public Health Nutrition May 2021This study aimed to identify the types of foods that constitute a vegan diet and establish patterns within the diet. Dietary pattern analysis, a key instrument for...
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to identify the types of foods that constitute a vegan diet and establish patterns within the diet. Dietary pattern analysis, a key instrument for exploring the correlation between health and disease, was used to identify patterns within the vegan diet.
DESIGN
A modified version of the EPIC-Norfolk FFQ was created and validated to include vegan foods and launched on social media.
SETTING
UK participants, recruited online.
PARTICIPANTS
A convenience sample of 129 vegans voluntarily completed the FFQ. Collected data were converted to reflect weekly consumption to enable factor and cluster analyses.
RESULTS
Factor analysis identified four distinct dietary patterns including: (1) convenience (22 %); (2) health conscious (12 %); (3) unhealthy (9 %) and (4) traditional vegan (7 %). Whilst two healthy patterns were defined, the convenience pattern was the most identifiable pattern with a prominence of vegan convenience meals and snacks, vegan sweets and desserts, sauces, condiments and fats. Cluster analysis identified three clusters, cluster 1 'convenience' (26·8 %), cluster 2 'traditional' (22 %) and cluster 3 'health conscious' (51·2 %). Clusters 1 and 2 consisted of an array of ultraprocessed vegan food items. Together, both clusters represent almost half of the participants and yielding similar results to the predominant dietary pattern, strengthens the factor analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
These novel results highlight the need for further dietary pattern studies with full nutrition and blood metabolite analysis in larger samples of vegans to enhance and ratify these results.
PubMed: 33971998
DOI: 10.1017/S136898002100197X -
Scientific Reports Oct 2023Vegan, vegetarian and low-carbohydrate high fat (LCHF) diets can all offer several health benefits, if food choices are appropriate. In most studies examining their...
Vegan, vegetarian and low-carbohydrate high fat (LCHF) diets can all offer several health benefits, if food choices are appropriate. In most studies examining their effects on systemic inflammation, participants were either overweight, on a weight loss programme or not matched for BMI, or had a pre-existing condition such as type 2 diabetes mellitus or hypertension. Little is known about the effects of dietary patterns on healthy and normal weight individuals. The aim of the present study was therefore to assess and directly compare inflammatory and intestinal permeability status in healthy participants following aforementioned or omnivore diet for at least 6 months. In this cross-sectional study, we measured the inflammatory biomarkers IL-6, TNF-α and CRP, and the markers of intestinal permeability LBP and zonulin, along with the analysis of lifestyle aspects, dietary intakes and physical activity, in 89 healthy participants. The groups were matched for sex, age and BMI. There were no differences in any of the measured parameters between the four groups and we found no strong correlations with dietary intakes. Using cluster analysis, participants were divided into eight clusters with more or less favourable inflammatory profiles; all clusters contained representatives of all patterns and all patterns were represented in each cluster. Significant differences between clusters were in the intake of mono-unsaturated fatty acids, ω-3/ω-6 ratio, phase angle and working two shifts. In healthy, normal-weight individuals, inflammatory status therefore does not depend on the dietary pattern itself, but is rather more complexly regulated and associated with dietary and non-dietary factors.
Topics: Humans; Diet, Vegetarian; Vegans; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet, High-Fat; Healthy Volunteers; Diet; Vegetarians; Biomarkers; Permeability; Carbohydrates
PubMed: 37828090
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44233-0 -
Frontiers in Nutrition 2023The maternal diet greatly influences the nutritional composition of human milk. With the rise of vegan diets by lactating mothers, there are concerns about the...
BACKGROUND
The maternal diet greatly influences the nutritional composition of human milk. With the rise of vegan diets by lactating mothers, there are concerns about the nutritional adequacy of their milk. Two important nutrients, vitamin B2 and carnitine, are mostly ingested via animal products.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the influence of a vegan diet on the vitamin B2 and carnitine concentrations in milk and serum of lactating women.
METHODS
In this case-control study, 25 lactating mothers following an exclusive vegan diet were comparted to 25 healthy lactating mothers with an omnivorous diet without use of supplements. High-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were used to measure vitamin B2 and carnitine concentrations, respectively. A linear regression model was used to determine differences in human milk and serum concentrations between study groups.
RESULTS
Vitamin B2 concentrations in human milk and serum did not differ between study groups. While the human milk free carnitine (C) and acetyl carnitine (C) concentrations did not differ between study groups, serum carnitine concentrations were lower in participants following a vegan diet than in omnivorous women ( < 0.0001).
CONCLUSION
A maternal vegan diet did not affect human milk concentration of vitamin B2 and carnitine. Breastfed infants of mothers following an exclusive vegan diet therefore are likely not at increased risk of developing a vitamin B2 or carnitine deficiency.
PubMed: 37599690
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1107768 -
Case Reports in Cardiology 2014Endurance sport requires a healthy and balanced diet. In this case report we present the findings of an ultra-triathlete (three times Ironman, means 11.4 km swim,...
Endurance sport requires a healthy and balanced diet. In this case report we present the findings of an ultra-triathlete (three times Ironman, means 11.4 km swim, 540 km bike, 125 km run in 41:18 h as a whole) living on a raw vegan diet and having finished the competitions under these nutritional conditions. To this end, the vegan ultra triathlete and a control group of 10 Ironman triathletes of similar age living on a mixed diet were investigated, using echocardiography and spiroergometry. In addition, blood samples were taken from the vegan athlete both in the sporting season and in the off-season. The vegan athlete showed no signs of dietary deficiencies or impaired health. In comparison with the control group, the vegan athlete showed a higher oxygen intake at the respiratory compensation point. This case demonstrates that even top-class sporting performance, like that of a three-time Ironman, is possible on a vegan diet. Whether a vegan diet offers advantages or disadvantages for the performance of endurance athletes remains an open question.
PubMed: 24826311
DOI: 10.1155/2014/317246