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09 Jan 2024
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4 min read
Benefits for human health Echoes from FENS 2023 Expert interviews

How to talk about plant-based foods by Esther Papies

Esther Papies FENS2023 plant-based food sustainable healthy diet
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The 14th European Nutrition Conference (FENS) took place in November in Belgrade, and we were there to cover and share with you some insightful topics.

In the sessions on “Nutrition and the Environment, Sustainability, and Biodiversity,” Dr. Esther Papies from the University of Glasgow in Scotland addressed the crucial theme of “Sustainable Consumption in Practice,” focusing specifically on effective communication about plant-based foods.

“How to Talk About Plant-Based Food”, briefly

As the global community grapples with the escalating health implications of climate change, it has become an urgent public health concern worldwide. The imperative to limit global warming between 1.5°C and 2°C implicated swift and substantial reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Food systems play a pivotal role in GHG emissions, varying depending on the type of food produced and consumed. Notably, meat tops the list in emissions, while vegetables, fruits, and pulses have a lower environmental impact.

Climate change’s ramifications extend to food systems and security, introducing challenges such as agricultural droughts and heat stresses. Simultaneously, demographic trends indicate a growing global population, placing increased stress on food production.

Addressing these challenges calls for a shift towards more sustainable diets, emphasizing the reduction of meat consumption and an increase in plant-based foods. Dr. Papies highlighted the need for a focus on consumption and reward simulations to enhance the appeal of plant-based foods.

Key messages:

  • Both vegans and omnivores approach plant-based and meat-based foods in terms of consumption and reward.
  • Despite this, food packages and social media posts tend to use less consumption and reward language for plant-based foods, even when created by or for vegans.
  • Plant-based foods are often presented in ways that diminish their appeal.
  • To generate desire, there is merit in describing food in terms of the experience of eating it.

This discussion underscores the critical role of effective communication in promoting sustainable dietary choices, particularly the need for positive framing and emphasis on the positive aspects of plant-based food consumption.

Learn more with Esther Papies

Hello, can you introduce yourself?

Esther Papies: My name is Ester Papies, and I’m an associate professor in the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow.

How does the way of communicating about plant-based foods impact consumption habits?

Esther Papies: The communication around plant-based foods, in supermarkets, on pack or on social media, often revolves around health, nutrition, and dietary groups, For instance, vegan meals are typically presented in terms of ingredients, nutrients, and preparation methods. However, we know that these factors don’t necessarily drive people’s motivation to consume.

When individuals choose a food, they are concerned about the taste experience, the pleasure derived from it, and the overall reward. Emphasizing those components in foods and especially in plant-based foods, which are often novel to consumers, will make it more appealing for people to try out.

This involves focusing on the overall experience, including taste, mouthfeel, temperature of the food, the social context of consumption, and the immediate emotional impact. Instead of highlighting long-term consequences, the focus should be on the immediate reward.

While this approach may not drastically change existing habits, it can entice people to try new foods. Once individuals give them a chance, they often discover a liking for these options, facilitating a shift in dietary habits.

What would be the Do’s and Don’ts when communicating about plant-based food?

Esther Papies: When communicating about plant-based food, it’s advisable not to overly focus on health and sustainability. While educating consumers about the current Western diet’s impact on health and the environment is important, it’s not the primary driver of food choices at the moment.

Ideally, the emphasis should be on the immediate pleasure derived from consuming plant-based foods. Depicting these foods in consumption settings that inspire enjoyment and positive feelings is crucial. Visuals, such as photographs, should convey the pleasure of eating and be complemented by language emphasizing immediate benefits and enjoyment, rather than solely focusing on health or sustainability benefits.

Esther Papies’ research addresses the cognitive processes underlying the regulation of behavior and behavior change, especially in the domains of health and climate change. Together with her team in Healthycognitionlab.org, she examines the social and psychological processes in the transition to a healthier, more sustainable and more equitable society, with a special focus on food and eating behavior. 

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08 Jan 2024
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6 min read
Healthy Diets & Lifestyle Publications

Eating yogurt is associated with healthier diet and lifestyle

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Regular yogurt consumers of all ages tend to eat and live healthily. They are less likely to eat unhealthy foods, or smoke or drink alcohol to excess, and are more likely to exercise regularly than people who don’t.

Regular yogurt consumers tend to choose healthy diets

Yogurt consumption is associated with better diet quality, measured using validated indices of healthy eating, among both children and adults in the USA, Canada and Europe.

Regular yogurt consumers are less likely to consume unhealthy food and more likely to stick to dietary guidelines than non-consumers.

In adults

Compared with those who eat little or no yogurt, people who eat yogurt frequently have a better diet quality and tend to follow dietary guidelines more closely.

Yogurt consumers score more highly on the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) than non-consumers, which could be partly explained by a significant increase in fruit, grain and dairy consumption.

Yogurt consumers are more likely to have a diet with more fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish and seafood, and fewer fast foods such as French fries and fried foods, processed and red meats, pizza, snacks, soft drinks and alcohol.

People who frequently consume yogurt have higher nutrient intakes than those who do not often eat yogurt even when yogurt is not a source of these nutrients.  Hence frequent yogurt consumers (at least one serving per day) have been found to have higher intakes of folic acid, copper, manganese and iron.

Both in children and in adults (in Spain and the USA), swapping high-calorie, nutrient-poor snacks for full fat yogurt with fruit could help boost key nutrients and improve dietary quality without contributing to dietary excess and obesity.

In children

Young children who regularly consume yogurt have a better diet quality and the overall nutrient content of their diets is higher than those who don’t.

The diets of children who eat yogurt regularly are better overall than non-consumers – they consume more fruit, whole grains and total dairy  and fewer fatty foodsDiet quality among children and adults who are yogurt consumers vs non-consumers - YINI

Yogurt consumption is a marker of a healthier lifestyle

Numerous studies suggest yogurt consumption is also a signature of a healthy lifestyle. Compared with people who do not eat yogurt, those who do consume yogurt:

  • are generally healthier and leaner. They also tend to be more highly educated and of higher socioeconomic status.
  • show healthier non-nutritional behaviour: they are less likely to smoke, tend to drink less alcohol and are more likely to be physically active in their leisure time than non-consumers.
  • tend to have a better health-related quality of life and mental health.
Yogurt consumption is linked to a healthier diet and lifestyle

Children who regularly consume milk and yogurt are more likely than those who don’t to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviours with more physical activity and less sitting in front of a screen.

“Yogurt consumption is a signature of healthy living. Compared with non-consumers, people who regularly eat yogurt tend to have better diet quality, have a more active lifestyle, drink less alcohol, and are less likely to smoke. “

Professor Angelo Tremblay

Download the complete booklet “Yogurt for Health: The evidence so far” (standard pdf format)
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02 Jan 2024
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5 min read
Benefits for human health Echoes from FENS 2023 Expert interviews

Can everyone afford a healthy and sustainable diet? by Bhavani Shankar

Bhavani Shankar FENS 2023 sustainable diet
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The 14th European Nutrition Conference (FENS) took place in November in Belgrade, and we were there to cover and share with you some insightful topics.

In the “Nutrition and the Environment, Sustainability, and Biodiversity” sessions, Dr. Bhavani Shankar from the University of Sheffield, UK, addressed the critical question: ‘Can everyone afford a healthy and sustainable diet?’

“Can Everyone Afford a Healthy and Sustainable Diet?”, briefly

Poor diets significantly contribute to the global burden of disease, and current dietary patterns pose negative environmental implications.

The challenge lies in enhancing diets to benefit both human health and the health of the planet.

A healthy diet meeting WHO norms can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17%. However, achieving further emission reductions necessitates additional decreases in meat, dairy, and soft drinks consumption, coupled with increases in vegetables, beans, pulses, and nuts.

Historically, the primary focus has been on health aspects, including WHO dietary norms and specific health outcome targets. The recent shift towards reference diets aims to address both health and sustainability through restricted categories of foods (e.g., vegetarian, vegan, flexitarian, pescatarian) and diets like the EAT-Lancet diet.

The affordability of sustainable diets poses a significant question:

  • Ensuring sufficient energy intake at low cost is a priority for lower-income consumers and countries.
  • Many key food groups for healthy and sustainable diets are expensive sources of calories (e.g., fruits and vegetables).
  • Conversely, some less healthy food groups are cheaper sources of calories (oils, fats, sugar).
  • In lower-income countries, nutritious foods are often more expensive than in higher-income countries.

When assessing the affordability of the EAT-Lancet diet, it becomes evident that for 1.58 billion people, mainly in lower-income countries, even the lower bound planetary health diet exceeds total income. Fruits and vegetables account for the highest proportion of diet costs globally (31%), followed by animal source foods (28%), and legumes and nuts (19%). On average, the EAT Lancet diet is 60% more costly than a diet that simply meets essential nutrient requirements.

Key Messages :

  • Environmental co-benefits from healthier diets present a real opportunity for action.
  • The global relative costs of nutrient-dense foods, especially in low-income countries, are high.
  • Integrating sustainability considerations alongside health aspects increases diet costs.
  • Many people, particularly in low-income countries, cannot afford sustainable healthy diets.
  • Challenges also exist in high-income countries, particularly for low-income households.

Dr. Bhavani Shankar’s insights highlight the intricate balance needed to make healthy and sustainable diets accessible to all, emphasizing the economic challenges.

Learn more with Bhavani Shankar

Hello, can you introduce yourself?

Bhavani Shankar: Hi, I’m Bhavani Shankar, a professor of food systems, nutrition, and sustainability. I work as an applied economist at the University of Sheffield in the UK, engaging in interdisciplinary research that spans food systems, nutrition, and various related fields.

What are the limits to making a sustainable diet accessible and affordable to all?

Bhavani Shankar: There are several barriers, particularly when viewed through an economic lens.

The relative prices of nutrient-dense foods, such as animal source foods or fruits and vegetables, are often prohibitively high in low-income settings.

We have to take them from a situation of being a luxury to being something that’s affordable in a mainstream way to all the people. Nutrition and diet quality cannot be a rich person’s indulgence. It has to be something that’s accessible to all.

And I think that we can elaborate all the possible diets that will meet planetary and health aspects. But until we get people to move towards those diets, it’s very difficult, and there’s an economic aspect to it.

Overcoming this challenge involves addressing economic, behavioral, and knowledge-related difficulties that people face in understanding and adopting sustainable diets.

You talk about working in an interdisciplinary team. Why is it important to work with others and to work together?

Bhavani Shankar: It is crucial because food consumption and food systems inherently involve multiple disciplines. As an economist, I might analyze income and prices, but understanding behavioral change and knowledge barriers requires collaboration with psychologists, food scientists, and food technologists. Different disciplines have distinct languages and methodologies, making interdisciplinary teamwork essential for tackling complex issues like sustainable food systems.

At the end of your presentation, you presented some solutions. What were they?

Bhavani Shankar: To make nutritious diets available to everyone, we need income support for the poorest individuals, as their lack of income is a major hurdle to accessing expensive yet nutritious diets Another aspect is to lower the prices of nutrient-dense foods. We need to make them cheaper somehow, and to do so, we can, for example:

  • invest in agriculture and horticulture related to these nutrient dense foods.
  • develop more R&D in these areas, not only focused on wheat, maize and rice but actually think about nutrient dense foods, like fruits and vegetables or dairy for example
  • develop infrastructure in order to have less food waste, because the most nutritious foods are also the most perishable ones and it spoils very quickly. Unless you have the infrastructure, the block chains and the market capacity to handle these foods, you will lose a lot of food. This keeps the prices high and the availability low.

Bhavani Shankar’s current research interests include sustainable diets, climate and nutrition-sensitive food systems, food and nutrition policy evaluation and inequities in food systems and nutrition. Much of his work is of an interdisciplinary nature, conducted in collaboration with nutritionists, geographers and health, agricultural and environmental scientists. 

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26 Dec 2023
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4 min read
Benefits for human health Echoes from FENS 2023 Expert interviews

Protein transition by Frans Kok

FENS2023 kok protein sustainable diet
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The 14th European Nutrition Conference (FENS) took place in November in Belgrade, and we were there to cover and share with you some insightful topics

In the session “Plant-based diets: transition to a healthy plate and planet”, Pr. Frans Kok talked more specifically about: “Protein Transition: Shift to Optimal Diets within Planetary Boundaries”.

“Protein transition”, briefly

The choice of food groups has a significant impact on both our health and the environment. The concept of “sustainable healthy diets,” as outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO) or exemplified by the planetary health plate (EAT-Lancet reference diet), involves considering four key dimensions: health/nutrition, economic factors, environmental sustainability, and socio-cultural aspects.

When focusing on the health and nutrition dimension, modeling studies highlight some alerts on nutritional adequacy for specific diet models:

  • Vegetarian diets should pay attention to protein quality, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B12 and D, as well as calcium, iron, and zinc.
  • Vegan diets are associated with lower protein intake/quality, lower omega-3 fatty acids, and deficiencies in vitamins B2, B3, B12, and D, as well as iodine, zinc, calcium, potassium, and selenium.

Regarding the nutritional adequacy of plant protein alternatives, key considerations include:

  • The composition of essential amino acids.
  • The digestibility of indispensable amino acids (DIAAS).
  • The bioavailability and effects of anti-nutritional factors.
  • The impact of processing, especially in the context of ultra-processed foods and their effects on health.

Key Messages :

  • Flexitarian and territorial diets, which involve a reduction in animal products, may offer an optimal balance between human and planetary health.
  • While vegetarian and vegan diets are highly effective for sustainability and health, careful planning is necessary, especially for children, pregnant/lactating women, and the elderly.
  • The evaluation of the nutritional quality of plant-based protein alternatives should consider not only the product level but also the meal level.
  • The ongoing debate on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is counterproductive to the urgent need for a transition in the food system.

Learn more with Frans Kok

Hello, can you introduce yourself?

Frans Kok: My name is Frans Kok, and I am an emeritus professor in Nutrition & Health at Wageningen University. I am currently retired. I serve on the YINI scientific committee, where I’ve had the pleasure of engaging in enriching discussions and presentations.

If we want to shift to a more plant-based diet, how can we maintain optimal protein intake while taking into account sustainability?

Frans Kok: In Western societies, protein intake is generally sufficient for most people, so shifting towards a more plant-based diet is feasible without compromising on protein needs. When incorporating plant-based protein alternatives, it becomes crucial to consider essential amino acids. Fortunately, achieving a well-balanced amino acid profile is entirely achievable. Additionally, when developing alternative products, attention must be given to the micronutrient content, aligning with specific nutritional goals.

The key is to ensure an adequate supply of essential amino acids and micronutrients.

What would make an ideal plant-based protein?

Frans Kok: Crafting an ideal plant-based protein involves creating blends or mixtures from various plant protein sources. Evaluating the digestibility and the contribution of amino acids is a critical step in this process. There’s a wealth of choices when it comes to plant-based sources, allowing for versatility and adaptability.

It’s essential to conduct thorough testing, not only for digestibility but also for bioavailability. This involves understanding how the product interacts when consumed with a meal—ensuring it still facilitates the absorption of micronutrients and amino acids.

To find out more:

Frans Kok is emeritus professor in Nutrition & Health and former head of the Division of Human Nutrition at Wageningen University, The Netherlands. He was trained in human nutrition in Wageningen and epidemiology at Harvard University, Boston USA.
Kok’s scientific research covers topics such as diet in disease prevention, dietary behaviour, and overweight. In emerging economies in Asia and Africa attention is on diet and deficiency disorders.

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18 Dec 2023
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7 min read
Benefits for planet health Q&A

Top 3 of the best diets for the environment

flexitarian flexitarism Mediterranean Diet sustainable diet territorial diet vegetarian
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The adoption of healthy, sustainable diets can help reduce the risk of diseases related to malnutrition, while protecting the health of the planet. Four pillars are defining the healthy and sustainable diets: health and nutrition, affordability, cultural acceptability (ethical and religious) and environment (Sustainable healthy diets guiding principles, FAO/WHO). Taking those pilars in account,  which diets can we adopt and what benefits do they provide?

Go for a more plant-based diet

With the increase of the global world population, meat-protein consumption is expected to increase by 14% by 2030. As for global meat production, it is expected to increase by nearly 44 million tons in 2030, reaching 373 million tons (1). One way to promote more sustainable agriculture and food systems is to reduce meat consumption, especially red and processed meat. In addition to reduce the carbon footprint associated with beef production, there are health benefits associated with shifting the balance between animal and plant products. In this dynamic, more fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts are recommended (2) and several sustainable diets can be considered.

Flexitarian diet or flexitarism

Flexitarianism is a combination of “flexible” and “vegetarianism”. This diet is primarily plant-based and includes the consumption of small amounts of animal-based products (4).

It is defined by:

  • High amount of plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, unrefined grains, legumes, nuts and seeds),
  • Moderate amounts of poultry, dairy and fish
  • Low amount (1 serving/week) of red meat, highly processed foods and added sugars.

 This diet is ideal to change progressively from a Western-style diet to a more sustainable healthy diet. It is easy to follow for populations without religious, cultural or ethical constraints and who want to follow a healthy, sustainable diet with a moderate amount of animal-based food products in order to meet the recommended nutritional intake.

What is the flexitarian diet? - YINI

The flexitarian diet favors diversity rather than restriction, and is part of a sustainable dynamic.

From a nutritional standpoint, the richness of plant-based foods, combined with the consumption of dairy products and a reduced amount of meat, provides a healthy and complete blend of high-quality proteins, fiber, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids (5).

Planeterranean diet or Territorial diets

Some local or territorial diets (Territorial Diversified Diets – TDDs), such as the Mediterranean diet or the New Nordic diet, have been shown to contribute positively to human and environmental health. These are flexitarian diets that include a high consumption of locally produced seasonal foods, moderate amounts of animal protein, with fish and dairy products and limited processed foods (4).

This diet would contribute to fight against long-term diseases such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases, which are responsible for more than 70% of deaths in the world.

What are territorial diversified diets? - YINI

The traditional Mediterranean diet includes a wide range of minimally processed plant foods that are rich in fiber and full of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. The low intake of fish, meat, eggs and cheese provides other essential nutrients, such as vitamin B12, that are lacking in an exclusively plant-based diet. Studies suggest that it is associated with a reduced risk of developing multiple chronic diseases and increased life expectancy. The beneficial effects are associated with the prevention of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, atrial fibrillation and breast cancer(6).

However, the Mediterranean diet is mostly suitable for the inhabitants of the Mediterranean basin, the same cannot be said for the inhabitants of other regions, especially because of the difference in lifestyle, traditions and food products availability. It is therefore preferable for each region to adopt healthier diets and foods that correspond to locally available products.

It is the approach of territorial or planeterranean diet.

Vegetarian diet or vegetarism

Vegetarism is a diet that is increasingly talked about. Different types exist depending on the inclusion/exclusion of certain food categories. It is generally based on an exclusion of meat, fish/shellfish, insects and gelatin. It includes all plant-based food and most of the time dairy products and eggs (4):

  • Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian diet includes dairy and eggs.
  • Lacto-vegetarian diets include dairy products, but not eggs
  • Ovo-vegetarian diets include eggs, but not dairy.

This diet can be adopted by individuals who wish to move from a Western diet to a healthy, sustainable diet, who may have difficulty maintaining a vegan diet, or who have religious, cultural, or ethical beliefs that exclude flexitarian diets. Nutritional counseling is encouraged to ensure compliance with recommended nutrient intakes.

What is a vegetarian diet? - YINI

Studies focused on the impact of the vegetarian diet in adult (with various methods and criteria) indicate that conventional healthy vegetarian diets allow adequate nutrient (especially protein) intake and beneficial impact on a lower prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, more studies are needed because of inconsistencies in definitions of vegetarianism (8-9).

Environmental impacts of the diet: the challenges of tomorrow

The benefits of the shift towards more plant-based diet like flexitarian, vegetarian or planneterranean diets extend to the environment. A global change in eating habits could be one of the most effective and quickest measures to reduce the anthropogenic pressure on the planet, especially with regard to climate change.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) sustainable diets are defined as “diets with low environmental impact that contribute to food and nutritional security and a healthy life for present and future generations”(10). Plant-based foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, and legumes) have less impact on GHG emissions and adopting diets that reduce meat consumption and favor vegetables and other plant sources are a good alternative to face environmental challenges. It is the case of the vegetarian or flexitarian diets. Some diets, such as the territorial diversified diet like the local territorial diet, can reduce the freshwater footprint in some countries, as well as energy consumption and land use (11). The impact of these diets is twofold; they allow for a move toward sustainability and improved health.

For more information:

Sources

(1) OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2021-2030, Meat chapter, OECD-FAO, 2021.
(2) Blanco-Murcia, L.; Ramos-Mejía, M. Sustainable Diets and Meat Consumption Reduction in Emerging Economies: Evidence from Colombia. Sustainability 2019, 11, 6595.
(3) Devine, A.; Lawlis, T. Nutrition and Vulnerable Groups. Nutrients 2019, 11, 1066.    
(4) Moreno L, Meyer R, Donovan SM, Goulet O, Haines J, Kok FJ, van’t Veer P, Perspective: Striking a Balance between Planetary and Human Health—Is There a Path Forward?, Advances in Nutrition, 2022, 13 (2): 355-375
(5) Derbyshire, E. (2017). Flexitarian Diets and Health: A Review of the Evidence-Based Literature. Frontiers in Nutrition, 3.
(6) Tosti V, Bertozzi B, Fontana L. Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet: Metabolic and Molecular Mechanisms. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2018 Mar 2;73(3):318-326.
(7) Hassapidou, M. et al. (2022). European Association for the Study of Obesity Position Statement on Medical Nutrition Therapy for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults Developed in Collaboration with the European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians. Obesity Facts, 16(1), 11‑28.
(8) Mariotti, F. ,Gardner, C. D. (2019). Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets – A Review. Nutrients, 11(11), 2661. 
(9) Pieczyńska, K., & Rzymski, P. (2022). Health Benefits of Vegetarian and Mediterranean Diets: Narrative Review. Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 327‑346.
(10) FAO. WHO. Sustainable Healthy Diets—Guiding Principles. FAO; Rome, Italy: WHO; Geneva, Switzerland: 2019.
(11) Kowalsky, T.O.; Morilla Romero de la Osa, R.; Cerrillo, I. Sustainable Diets as Tools to Harmonize the Health of Individuals, Communities and the Planet: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 2022, 14, 928.
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11 Dec 2023
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6 min read
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by YINI Editorial team
Children Weight management

Skipping breakfast and kids’ weight gain: the impact of exercise

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
breakfast children obesity physical activities teenagers
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In the mad dash to get off to school on time, it can be easy for the kids to miss out on breakfast. But if they’re prone to skipping breakfast, they’re at risk of becoming overweight. The good news is that they can stave off the excess weight by taking plenty of exercise, research suggests (1).

Breakfast kick-starts the day and reduces obesity risk

Considered by some experts to be the most important meal of the day, breakfast fuels young people with the energy and nutrients they need for the day ahead. Making breakfast part of your family’s everyday morning routine, combined with an active lifestyle, is a great recipe for getting children and teenagers into healthy habits.

But this can be easier said than done, and growing numbers of young people, especially girls, are going without breakfast.

These children and adolescents who don’t eat breakfast may not be able to make up for the nutrients they’ve missed with the rest of the day’s meals (2). What’s more, they’re more likely to pile on the pounds if they regularly skip breakfast (3). Research has suggested that eating breakfast every day can cut the risk of childhood obesity by a third (4).

For the breakfast-skippers it’s all the more important to avoid a “couch potato lifestyle”. This has been supported by the latest research suggesting that, by stepping up their physical activity, these youngsters can boost their energy balance and help keep their weight in check.

Studying the link between breakfast, diet, exercise and weight

The researchers set out to confirm whether daily exercise can counter-balance the link between skipping breakfast and excess weight among young people (1).

They gathered data from 2 890 Spanish children aged 6-17 years using questionnaires asking about the youngsters’ breakfast habits and how much physical activity they took. Through body mass index (BMI) scores, the researchers assessed whether the children were overweight according to WHO criteria.

Results revealed that 43% of the boys and 35% of the girls were overweight. Girls had a greater tendency to skip breakfast (13%) than boys (9.2%).

Skipping breakfast was associated with higher odds of having excess weight in both boys and girls.

But daily moderate to vigorous physical activity moderated this association between skipping breakfast and excess weight, both in girls and in boys. The more minutes of exercise they did daily, the lower their risk of excess weight.

How might exercise protect against excess weight in breakfast-skippers?

The reasons for the study’s findings are likely to lie in the body’s way of controlling appetite and the feeling of being full.

In the hours after exercising, people don’t tend to eat more to compensate for the calories they’ve burned up during the activity (5). It could be that acute exercise makes us feel less hungry by suppressing levels of a hunger-promoting hormone, ghrelin, previous research has suggested.

Other research has found reduced insulin resistance when aerobic exercise is used to treat obesity in young people, so they’re better at processing blood sugar (6).

Whatever the mechanism, the researchers say their findings help underpin public health efforts to encourage children and teenagers to be physically active, as it’s crucial for maintaining a healthy weight especially among those in the habit of skipping breakfast.

‘… our results indicate that promotion of a healthy eating habit such as having breakfast should be accompanied by increases in daily MVPA [moderate-to-vigorous physical activity], as young participants who have breakfast and with higher daily MVPA seem to be more likely to have no excess weight’ – López-Gil JF, et al. 2022.

Why is skipping breakfast linked to excess weight?

It may be to fall into the trap of thinking you’d lose weight if you go without breakfast. But the chances are you’d be wrong and indeed you could actually gain weight. Scientists don’t yet fully understand why this is, but they suspect several possibilities:

  • Breakfast skipping is linked to an increased appetite, which may lead to over-eating (3)
  • As well as helping to control appetite, having breakfast may improve your insulin sensitivity, steadying blood glucose levels, when it comes to meals later in the day (3)
  • Missing breakfast may lead to increased levels of a hunger-promoting hormone in the body (7)
  • Research in children has suggested that skipping breakfast may be associated with a poor diet overall (2), which could lead to excess weight.

How much exercise is enough?

The World Health Organization recommends that children and adolescents have a daily average of 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity in each week (8).

For adults, the WHO advises 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity, or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or equivalent combination, per week. While some physical activity is better than none, more is better for health.

The guidelines, updated in 2020, recommend regular muscle strengthening activities as well as aerobic exercise for all age groups.

Find out more – read the original article.
Source:
(1) López-Gil JF, Sánchez-Miguel PA, Tapia-Serrano MÁ, García-Hermoso A. Skipping breakfast and excess weight among young people: the moderator role of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Eur J Pediatr. 2022 Aug;181(8):3195-3204. Erratum in: Eur J Pediatr. 2022 Jul 11
Additional references:
(2) Ramsay SA, Bloch TD, Marriage B, Shriver LH, Spees CK, Taylor CA. Skipping breakfast is associated with lower diet quality in young US children. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018;72(4):548–556.
(3) Ma X, Chen Q, Pu Y, et al. Skipping breakfast is associated with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Res Clin Pract. 2020;14(1):1–8.
(4) Poorolajal J, Sahraei F, Mohamdadi Y, Doosti-Irani A, Moradi L. Behavioral factors influencing childhood obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Res Clin Pract. 2020;14(2):109–118.
(5) Schubert MM, Desbrow B, Sabapathy S, Leveritt M. Acute exercise and subsequent energy intake. A meta-analysis Appetite. 2013; 63:92–104.
(6) García-Hermoso A, Saavedra JM, Escalante Y, Sánchez-López M, Martínez-Vizcaíno V. Endocrinology and adolescence: aerobic exercise reduces insulin resistance markers in obese youth: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Endocrinol. 2014;171(4):R163–R171.
(7) Goldstone AP, Prechtl CG, Scholtz S, et al. Ghrelin mimics fasting to enhance human hedonic, orbitofrontal cortex, and hippocampal responses to food. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;99(6):1319–1330.
(8) Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451–1462.
YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
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04 Dec 2023
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Echoes from EFAD 2023 Expert interviews Healthy Diets & Lifestyle

Study on label literacy in Hungary by Emese Antal

EFAD Emese Antal labelling nutriscore
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In October 2023, the 14th EFAD (European Federation of Association of Dieteticians) Congress was the occasion of exchange and networking around nutrition. We were there to share with you some topics.

Study on label literacy in Hungary

Consumers are paying more and more attention to choose foods they think are healthy. Most of the help they need is on the product packaging. A previous research has shown that although consumers may pay attention, they often do not fully understand the information on foods, making it difficult for them to make a truly informed choice when shopping.

We conducted a survey in Summer 2022 to gain a deeper understanding on how nutrition labels are used and what consumers know. The survey was based on a representative sample of 3 288 people by household size, size of municipality, region and gender, age and education of the head of household.

57% read the food label, mainly when buying a product for the first time or when the packaging changes. When asked about their satisfaction with the information on the labels, 44% said they were satisfied. On average, shoppers look at 9 items on a product. 51% do not know what ingredients are in the product. 40% of the shoppers want more information and would find it useful to have a QR code to get more information.

The ideal label is simple, easy to read according to 88% and easy to understand due to its large font size (71%). However, the majority of households are not in favor of oversimplification: more than six-tenths of the households are expecting full, accurate and detailed information, and not only the data to be provided, but also to be interpreted and comparable (63%).

Dietitians have a key role to play in education, including teaching people how to interpret food labels.

Key messages:

  • Consumers’ knowledge of health and interpretation of food labels is poor and below the required level.
  • Consumers can be educated, welcome useful, credible health information and incorporate it into their daily lives.
  • Health awareness is on the rise, which is also reflected in food choices. At the same time, however, there is also a significant spread of misconceptions

Learn more with Emese Antal

Can you start by introducing yourself?

I am Emese Antal and I am a dietician and sociologist. I am working as a scientific director of a Hungarian Platform Diet, Health and Physical Activity.

During your talk, you present a study. Can you tell us more about it ?

We carried out representative study on the nutrition labelling and not only on the front-of-pack nutrition labelling, but the general nutrition labelling, because we wanted to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of the population in Hungary.

Our aim was that to obtain basic data to help us to building communication and educational strategy, in order to teach the population about healthy nutrition and how to read the labels.

The consumers are price sensitive, looking for fresh and tasty food, concerned about quality and nutritional characteristics. It’s very important to provide as much information on food as possible and to be transparent. A further challenge for public authorities and professionals as dietitians is to provide as much help as possible, to help understanding the information on packaging.

One of the major concerns is about carbohydrate and sugar content of foods. And it’s important from a public health perspective, as overweight and obesity are a major concern. There is a need for accurate information on the nutritional content of foods and for responsible behavior by our manufacturers. And our conclusion is that food innovations can help to promote healthier behavior. But of course, education is always needed.

Do you know tools or ways to educate the consumer?

We compared three front-of-pack labels and it came out that “Nutriscore” primarily appears to its supporters. It is easy to understand and attention grabbing. We check the GDA as well. It is perceived as detailed, accurate, complete, and encourages people to seek further information.

And what would be the ideal front-of-pack label if it exists ?

The nutrition labelling cannot be effective if there is no possibility of comparison. For now, there is a trend toward a simplification and the application of only one label in all Europe (at least). This is good that it is widely used, both on products and in food chains and catering. However, it should be accompanied by an appropriate consumer education.

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30 Nov 2023
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Echoes from EFAD 2023 Expert interviews Healthy Diets & Lifestyle

Ultraprocessed foods by Antonis Vlassopoulos

Antonis Vlassopoulos dieteticians EFAD Ultraprocessed food UPF
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In October 2023, the 14th EFAD (European Federation of Association of Dieteticians) Congress was the occasion of exchange and networking around nutrition. We were there to share with you some topics.

Ultraprocessed foods

Ultraprocessed foods (UPF) as defined by the NOVA system are in the center of public health policy discussion, as a measure to reduce availability of unhealthy foods.

This analysis aimed to map UPF availability in the modern supermarket and the link to nutritional composition.

All foods available in the Hellenic Food Thesaurus (n=4423) were categorized from minimally processed (NOVA1) to ultra-processed (NOVA4) in two ways, firstly based on their product name and description and secondly based on the manufacturer type and detailed ingredient list. The Nutri-Score algorithm was used to assess nutritional quality of foods in a 5-tier scale from A to E. Statistical analysis was carried out to detect differences in the Nutri-Score distribution among the NOVA categories based on the mode of food classification.

Based on the product name, 48.5% of yogurts were classified as NOVA1 and 48.5% as NOVA4. Regarding Nutri-Score, 49.4% of yogurts was graded as A, 38.4% as B, 12.2% as C, while no yogurt was graded as D or E. In vegetables, 37.5% were classified as NOVA1 and 16.5% as NOVA4, based on the products name. In contrast, based on the ingredients list, 71.5% of vegetable products were classified as NOVA4. 93.1% of the vegetable products were graded as A or B by the Nutri-Score algorithm. 100% of sausages and meat dishes are classified as NOVA4, while the distribution of Nutri-Score ranges from A-E for sausages and from A-D for meat dishes.

Key messages:

  • UPFs as defined by NOVA are abundant and dominate the modern supermarket
  • UPFs can be found in every food group and are not exclusively linked with poor nutritional composition
  • The study of UPFs, their dietary contribution and health effects, requires modern food composition databases linked to epidemiological surveys

Learn more with Antonis Vlassopoulos

Can you introduce yourself?

I am Antonis Vlassopoulos. I am a dietitian by training, and I’ve done my Ph.D. on obesity, nutritional biochemistry. I have worked for the National Research Center on Food Policy. And from there, I moved back to academia. I’m based in Greece, and I work in the Agricultural University of Athens on food policy and food composition databases.

You talked about this study during your presentation today. If you had to formulate one key challenge that it raised, what would it be?

I think the main thing that my study shows is that although we are given a definition of ultra processed foods and we have good data. It’s very difficult to act on the definition because it’s too technical to apply. And when you apply correctly, it covers 70% of the food you will find in the supermarket.

Do you think the problem is with the definition of UPFs?

I think that the definition could be improved in the sense that it covers a lot of things, all in one. And also, in Europe we have already gone through a nutritional  transition. The food scale is very different to other countries.

Are there resources for dietitians to help them better advice their patients when it comes to UPFs?

Dietitians can talk about the formulation, about additives and whether you can include the products in the diet or not. I think we need to strengthen that. Unprocessed foods should be the primary choice, but we also need to tell the consumers that, within all ultra processed foods, they can find interesting products and they can check other aspects, in particular the nutritional composition.

One of the topics that we share with YINI is the opportunity of reformulation in the perspective to have a more sustainable healthy diet accessible to everyone. So how do you view reformulation?

The issue of the formulation is a difficult one. The best way to go about this, is to think about the recipe with adding fresh or whole ingredients, for example. We can reformulate existing products. Having worked in the food industry, the easiest way to achieve a better product is by adding new ingredients. For example, you can have a reformulation, without supplementing with fibers, but by adding oats or whole oats, for example. In that way, you can improve the product without changing the nutrient composition.

How are processed foods classified?

Several classification systems for processed foods have been developed to shape nutrition policy and food-based dietary guidelines. The NOVA classification system is most commonly used. It assigns foods to four groups based on how much processing they have gone through:

  1. Unprocessed or minimally processed – e.g., fresh, dry or frozen fruits or vegetables, grains, flours and pasta
  2. Processed culinary ingredients – e.g., table sugar, oils, salt
  3. Processed foods – e.g., cheese, simple breads, fruits in syrup, canned fish
  4. Ultra-processed foods – e.g., soft drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, processed meat, and pre-prepared frozen or shelf-stable dishes

Find out more about NOVA and how certain foods such as yogurt can be good for you despite being classified as ultra-processed (8): see Food processing explained.

For more information, discover our publication Food processing explained, relaying the publication ” Salomé M, Arrazat L, Wang J et al. Contrary to ultra-processed foods, the consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods is associated with favorable patterns of protein intake, diet quality and lower cardiometabolic risk in French adults (INCA3). Eur J Nutr. 2021 May 8″.

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Benefits for planet health Echoes from EFAD 2023 Expert interviews

The Foodture by Koen Vanherle & Gwendell Foendoe Aubèl

dieteticians EFAD Gwendell Foendoe Aubèl Koen Vanherle students sustainable diet training
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In October 2023, the 14th EFAD (European Federation of Association of Dieteticians) Congress was the occasion of exchange and networking around nutrition. We were there to share with you some topics.

The Foodture – A collaborative international learning experience about sustainable nutrition and entrepreneurship

The Foodture is an international learning initiative about “sustainable food and nutrition” for students and lecturers from nutrition-related programs all over Europe. It started in 2017 as a co-creation week and has evolved into an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Program (BIP), with participants of various backgrounds and cultures.

This mixed background contributes to the key objective of developping professional skills for international collaboration on sustainability. This requires crossing borders and entrepreneurial thinking through innovation and creativity.

Since 2021 the Foodture concept has been extended. It now consists of a series of online sessions (Foodture Academy), and a physical exchange week (Foodture Meets). Participants can benefit from Erasmus+ short mobility funding:

Learn more with Koen Vanherle and Gwendell Foendoe Aubèl

Can you introduce yourself?

My name is Koen Vanherle. I’m from Antwerp University of Applied Sciences and Arts and from Belgium. I’m a teacher. I’m also the international coordinator. I work for EFAD in several work packages. And this year we presented the Foodture and the collaboration.

My name is Gwendell Foendoe Aubèl and I am a senior lecturer at The Hague, the University of Applied Sciences, and I’m also the international program coordinator for the internationalization of our department. We organize this nice event, “the Foodture”, where we collaborate with each others and with our partners.

What is “Foodture”? What does it consist of?

Koen Vanherle (KV): The “Foodture” is actually a learning initiative. It started six or seven years ago, towards the two universities of The Hague and Antwerp as an international week. We wanted students to go abroad, learn from each other in an interesting and fun way and on the current topics about sustainability. We moved on and decided to choose a name for it. The “Foodture” speaks for itself… to prepare students for the future about sustainability. And in this whole path towards where we are now, we did some changes, we improved it, we expanded it to an online part. We want to give students a learning opportunity about sustainable nutrition.

Why is it important to have international exchanges on sustainability?

Gwendell Foendoe Aubèl (GFA): Well, sustainability is international, so you can find it everywhere. It deals about our future, with how we are with food, how we see each other, how we promote each other to have a better sustainability when thinking about food.

And our students are part of the future. If we don’t teach them what they’re going to encounter in the future during their curriculum, we’re not preparing them to be the global citizens we want them to be.

Actually students are very happy and glad to meet other cultures, other beliefs about food, about sustainability. Some students are vegan, some are vegetarian and some people are starting to get the sense of why we should eat less meat. Our program is getting them in contact with other things or topics as the sustainability of the seas for example.

KV : Actually, sustainability is a global issue. The challenges that come with it can only be tackled by international collaborations. It also makes humans aware that you cannot solve such a big issue without working together.

Can you share some specific examples with us?

KV: We have ethical lectures to give the students some basis to think about. We do that mainly online so they can be prepared. We ask the students who participate in the in-person week to follow also this online part. If you lack the basic knowledge on what is sustainable, how can you apply it into the challenge that we work on during this week?

During the week, we have a few more lectures, but the ones that are the most appreciated are those who are inspiring. For instance, we invite alumni to share their experiences. And there is not only lectures, it’s also about inspiration, entrepreneurship and fun, of course. If you go abroad for a week, you want to learn but you also want to have a good time, make some friends, learning in a nice way, with social activities and visits.

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Investigating gaps in the training of European dietitians on food sustainability by Ángela García González

Ángela García González dietaticians EFAD sustainable diet
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In October 2023, the 14th EFAD (European Federation of Association of Dieteticians) Congress was the occasion of exchange and networking around nutrition. We were there to share with you some topics.

Investigating gaps in the training of European dietitians.

There is a need to change people’s eating habits towards a more sustainable diet. Dietitians are the professionals who should lead this habit change, but are they prepared to do so?

In 2022,  two students (CEU-San Pablo University, Madrid) and Artesis Platijni University of Applied Sciences, Antwerp) developed a joint thesis project. The aim was to find out what knowledge dietetics students and practicing dietitians have about food sustainability, with the purpose of highlighting possible gaps in the training of dietitians in Europe related to sustainability.

The study involved 94 students and 228 dietitians from 7 different European countries. The participants showed a significant lack of knowledge and skills in food sustainability:

  • 40% of the respondents said they did not feel able to provide sustainable advice in clinics;
  • 60% did not feel confident in designing sustainable menus for communities and
  • 35% said they were not able to develop educational programs to promote sustainable food.

All agree that they should pay more attention to sustainability aspects of food and nutrition, and that sustainability should be included in dietetic studies in a transversal way or through specific courses in the dietetic curricula.

In addition, there is a need for focused lifelong training addressed to practicing dietitians.

Key messages:

  • The training of dietitians should be improved on food sustainability, either through specific courses or in a transversal way.
  • Research on the training shortcomings of practitioners contributes to the advancement of dietetics, while increasing students’ awareness of lifelong learning.
  • International collaborative studies are a good tool to increase students’ soft skills and the significance of their research.

Learn more with Ángela García González

Can you introduce yourself in a few sentences? 

I am Ángela García González and I am teaching nutrition in San Pablo-CEU University. I’m a PhD, I’m a medical doctor, in fact, but I’ve never ever, ever worked as a doctor. I always say that I’ve got a dietitian cert and that’s it, really, because all my life I’ve been working in the academy and in research and education for dietitians. That’s why I’m here, in fact, and I’ve been part of EFAD since the diets started in 2008. I’ve been part of EFAD for a long time. I teach and do research mainly in public health nutrition aspects. I love sustainability and that’s why I’m more into that.

You have presented a study that was conducted by PhD students. It points out that the sustainability aspect is not taught enough. What would be your recommendation for improving the training of dietitians on food sustainability?

What we have to do is to improve our curricula as teachers. We are building a network between those who are very interested in teaching sustainability. We had a meeting in Dublin, and when we asked the question “What is the best way to learn sustainability and to put this subject in the curriculum?” Most people suggested to put a bit in every courses. And that’s, of course, important. Personnaly, I think that sustainability deserves the importance of having its own topic. It will help the students to have an holistic view of the topic. We can maybe also have other modules that are not in the curricula of dietitians such as environmental science or policy advocacy, which are important for sustainability. It’s difficult because there are already a lot of things in the curriculum, but I think that we’re clever enough to do it. There are a lot of other topics such as genetics or immunology that would not have been in the curriculum 10 years ago, but now they are. Why not sustainability?

This research work was about training, how can we ensure that this research can be translated into practice;  that what they are learning is going to be used?

I think that all the competencies that you need to do research will be important in your practice, even if it’s not research. You learn a lot of new competencies that you can use either for research or not.

One last question, about the opportunities for international collaboration. Are they going to be more widely adapted?

We are open. In fact, the more we are and the more diverse we are, the more interesting the project is. When we started, we had students from Italy, Finland, Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. It was really interesting. But I don’t know how (maybe it was a time frame problem) but we lost some participants and the work was finally only done by 2 students (in Belgium and Spain). But we would love to have new partners and new cultural points of view.

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