Contribution of Proteins to the Latin American Diet: Results of the ELANS Study

Abstract

Dietary protein intake is vital to life. Here we sought to characterize dietary sources of protein in eight Latin American countries. Survey data were collected for Estudio Latinoamericano de Nutrición y Salud (ELANS); participants were from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela (n = 9218, 15–65 years old). The primary aim of this analysis was to quantify per-person daily protein consumption by country and sociodemographic factors. Secondary aims: to quantify proportional intake of proteins by source, amount and processing, and to determine the adequacy of protein/essential amino acid intake. Younger groups (adolescents 15–19 years, adults 20–33 years) had the highest intake of proteins; middle-aged adults (34–49 years) had a lower intake, and older adults (50–65 years) had a strikingly lower intake. Protein consumption was higher in men than women. Animal proteins comprised nearly 70% of total daily protein intake in Argentina and Venezuela, contrasting with <60% in Peru, Chile, and Costa Rica. Brazil and Venezuela showed the highest protein intake within the highest education level. The higher the socioeconomic level, the higher the protein intake, except for Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Proportional intake of animal- and plant-based protein generally reflected the food availability by country. This study presents a pre-pandemic regional baseline and offers a perspective for future studies of changes related to government policies, climate, and dietary practices.

Energy imbalance gap was associated with body mass index and sex in Latin American adolescents—results from the ELANS study

“…Argentina is a significant contributor to global beef production, accounting for approximately 5% of the total global output, and is one of the countries with the highest per capita meat consumption ( 40 ). In fact, animal-based proteins account for nearly 70% of the total daily protein intake ( 41 ). Additionally, it was the country with the highest processed food such as soft drinks, cookies and crackers, pizza, sugar and sweets, processed beef, cakes, salad dressing, and ice cream, many of which are sources of fat, in parallel it was country with the lowest consumption of fruits, legumes, rice, roots, and fish ( 39 ).…”

“…The agricultural industry in Peru has shown significant growth over the past decades, making it the second-largest economic sector in the country ( 43 ); thus, fresh food products are important in the Peruvian diet. In this case, grains, bread, pasta, potatoes, whole grain products, fruits, and vegetables were the principal contributors to the total EI ( 39 ), whereas poultry was the main protein source ( 41 ).…”

Local Sources of Protein in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: How to Improve the Protein Quality?

“…Some LMIC may not be suitable for raising livestock; for example, West Africa is unlikely to support cattle due to the risk of tsetse fly infestation [ 45 ]. Central and South America, where cattle consumption is high, face the consequences of unsustainable land, water, and energy usage, and high greenhouse gas emissions [ 46 ]. From the health perspective, high consumption of red meat like beef, as opposed to other ASFs, such as dairy and eggs, also increases risk of ischemic heart disease [ 47 ].…”

“…Currently, the main staple crop in Latin America is wheat, with various legumes eaten in all parts of the region [ 58 ] ( Table 3 ). A study in 2015 by the Estudio Latinoamericano de Nutrición y Salud (ELANS) found that, in 8 Latin American countries, ∼65% of daily protein was animal-based whereas 35% was plant-based [ 46 ]. The plant-based protein groups with the highest contribution to protein consumption were grains, legumes, then nuts, and seeds.…”

“…Most participants in the study that had 9218 participants had an adequate intake of IAAs; the percentage of participants considered deficient in an IAA ranged ≤8% for phenylalanine. The 5 most commonly deficient IAAs included phenylalanine, valine, leucine, lysine, and methionine compared with the FAO standard amino acid requirement metric [ 46 ].…”