Concept of a nutritious food: toward a nutrient density score

Drewnowski, Adam

doi:10.1093/ajcn/82.4.721

Cited by 319 publications

(305 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…Also, there is no consensus at this time on a standardized method of classifying foods by group in relation to their nutrient intake (22) . This makes comparisons difficult, despite our attempt to classify foods into groups according to examples set by recent studies (14,(21)(22)(23) .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are snacking patterns associated with risk of overweight among Kahnawake schoolchildren?

Mercille

Receveur

Macaulay

2009

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: To understand more specifically how the quality, quantity and frequency of snack food consumption differs in different BMI categories. Design: Four hundred and forty-nine school-aged children (grade 4-6) from a Kanien'kehaka (Mohawk) community provided a 24 h recall and their height and weight in 1994, 1998 and 2002, in three independent cross-sectional samples. Food consumed between two consecutive meals was defined as a snacking occasion. ANOVA and x 2 tests were used to compare food choices between BMI categories according to food quality criteria and food groups in 2006. Logistic regression models were performed to compare results between normal-weight children and those at risk of overweight and between normal-weight and overweight children. Results: Energy intake from snacks tended to be higher for children at risk of overweight, compared with the other two BMI categories. Food groups with a higher energy density were also consumed more frequently by these children, with larger average portions of cereal bars (P , 0?05). Except for dessert consumption, which was less frequent among overweight children, no other variable distinguished risk of overweight in the two logistic regression models tested. Conclusions: Differences detected in snack food intake between normal-weight children and children at risk of overweight could explain in part the relationship between food choices and risk of overweight. Studies of dietary differences in conjunction with body weight would benefit from considering children at risk of overweight and normal-weight children, rather than children with excess weight only.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are snacking patterns associated with risk of overweight among Kahnawake schoolchildren?

Mercille

Receveur

Macaulay

2009

Public Health Nutr.

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“…It proposed that a Latin American family eats as a unit; if all nutrients were adequate for every meal, then all members would simultaneously achieve their specific needs. The nutrient density focus for dietary analysis has grown in interest in recent years (43)(44)(45) . The present study informs us is that micronutrient density varies by meal, such that changing the selection patterns for one meal, as with a school meal intervention, could differentially influence the whole day's supply.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution of macro- and micronutrient intakes in relation to the meal pattern of third- and fourth-grade schoolchildren in the city of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

Vossenaar¹,

Montenegro-Bethancourt

Kuijper

et al. 2009

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: Our objective was to assess the distribution of energy, macro-and micronutrient intakes by meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner and combined snacks) in a cross-sectional sample of schoolchildren. Design: Cross-sectional dietary survey in schoolchildren. Setting: Twelve private and public schools in the urban setting of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Subjects: A total of 449 schoolchildren (from higher and lower socio-economic strata) were enrolled in the study. Methods: Each child completed a single, pictorial 24 h prospective diary and a face-to-face interview to check completeness and estimate portion sizes. Estimated daily intakes were examined by mealtime as: (i) absolute intakes; (ii) relative nutrient distribution; and (iii) critical micronutrient density (i.e. nutrient density in relation to the WHO Recommended Nutrient Intakes/median age-specific Guatemalan energy requirements). Results: The daily distribution of energy intake was 24 % at breakfast, 30 % at lunch, 23 % at dinner and 23 % among snacks. Lunch was also the leading meal for macronutrients, providing 35 % of proteins, 27 % of fat and 30 % of carbohydrate. The distribution of selected micronutrients did not follow the pattern of energy, insofar as lunch provided relatively more vitamin C and Zn, whereas breakfast led in terms of vitamins A and D, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, Ca and Fe. Conclusions: Meal-specific distribution of energy, macro-and micronutrients provides a unique and little used perspective for evaluation of children's habitual intake, and may provide guidance to strategies to improve dietary balance in an era of coexisting energy overnutrition and micronutrient inadequacy. Keywords Meal pattern Macronutrients Micronutrients Schoolchildren GuatemalaDietary intake is a major determinant of both the nutritional status and the general health and well-being of an individual. An optimal diet will supply adequate -but not excessive -amounts of all essential nutrients, while maximizing foods and dietary substances that promote long-term health and avoiding dietary constituents related to ill health (1) . Both greater dietary variety (number of different foods and beverages consumed) and dietary diversity (selection from an array of food groups) are associated with more nutritious and more healthful intake patterns (2) . What is an inherent reality is that foods are consumed in various meals and meal settings over the course of a day. Moreover, factors of household economics, cultural and culinary conventions and personal convenience will dictate the frequency, size and composition of the meals consumed throughout the day. A few investigators have analysed individual meal contributions to the day's intake of macro-or micronutrients. These pioneering studies identified dietary patterns that deviate strongly from recommended population nutrient goals in children (3)(4)(5) , adolescents (6,7) and adults (8) . The studies on children and adolescents are mostly European studies. The findings emphasize the difference in nutritional v...

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“…Defining a food or food group as healthy is also challenging (Drewnowski, 2005;Lobstein and Davies, 2009), but foodbased dietary guidelines provide some direction (FAO/WHO, 1998;Becker, 1999). The Nordic Nutrition Recommendations recommend the consumption of fruits and vegetables, cereals, fish, milk and milk products (mainly lean varieties) and potatoes (Nordic Council of Ministers, 2004).…”

Section: Defining a Healthy Dietmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary energy density as a marker of dietary quality in Swedish children and adolescents: the European Youth Heart Study

et al. 2010

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Objective: To investigate if dietary energy density is associated with measures of dietary quality (food group, micronutrient and macronutrient intakes) in children and adolescents. Subjects/Methods: In all, 551 children (mean age 9.6 years, 52% girls) and 569 adolescents (15.5 years, 55% girls), sampled from schools in Sweden, completed a single 24-h dietary recall. Dietary energy density (kJ/g) was calculated as the energy from all food consumed divided by the weight of all food consumed. Beverages were excluded from the calculation. Food and micronutrient intakes were adjusted for energy intake. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test for differences in food group and nutrient intakes across age-and gender-specific tertiles of energy density. Discriminant analysis was used to confirm the groupings formed by tertiles. Results: Subjects with low-energy-density diets were significantly more likely to consume fruits, vegetables, pasta, rice, potatoes and cereals and less likely to consume sweetened drinks, sweets and chocolate. After energy adjustment, their intakes of many foods recommended in the Swedish food-based dietary guidelines were higher and intakes of nutrient-poor foods were lower. The macronutrient energy profile (% energy) of low-energy-density diets was closest to the recommended level. Low-energydensity diets contained greater amounts of most micronutrients. Discriminant analysis confirmed the existence of heterogeneous dietary patterns and the likelihood of correct classification by energy density in 65% of cases. Conclusions: Lower dietary energy density is associated with better dietary quality in children and adolescents. Energy density has advantages over other whole diet analysis methods and may be suitable as a simple proxy of diet quality.

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Concept of a nutritious food: toward a nutrient density score

Cited by 319 publications

References 63 publications

Are snacking patterns associated with risk of overweight among Kahnawake schoolchildren?

Are snacking patterns associated with risk of overweight among Kahnawake schoolchildren?

Distribution of macro- and micronutrient intakes in relation to the meal pattern of third- and fourth-grade schoolchildren in the city of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

Dietary energy density as a marker of dietary quality in Swedish children and adolescents: the European Youth Heart Study

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