Dietary Patterns vs. Dietary Recommendations

Abstract

Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) are important for developing labeling laws, identifying populations at risk of over- or under-consumption, and promoting public health interventions. However, the process of developing DRVs is quite complex, and they should not be viewed as recommendations ready to use or goals for individuals. Rather, they require interpretation by professionals and can form the basis of dietary advice. On the other hand, focusing on foods rather than macronutrients can assist individuals in understanding a healthy diet by taking into consideration many variables that may help compliance with a healthy dietary style. Evolution, tradition within specific geographical and historical contexts, taste, economic affordability, season-associated local dietary resources, and lifestyle may all explain the increasing popularity of dietary patterns that are highly successful today. Three models (the Mediterranean, New Nordic, and Japanese) have been recently characterized for geographical setting and food composition, as well as the associated lifestyle. Of note, all these three models rely on pyramids sharing a large basis made up of local vegetal resources and a top of red meats (allowed in many cases, but in limited amounts), thus allowing for the urgent demand of sustainability for the planet's health. This mini-review aimed to summarize the meaning of DRVs and to describe the dietary patterns that better contemplate health, diet diversity, and sustainability.

Good Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Lowered Risk of Renal Glomerular Impairment in Children: A Longitudinal Study

“…2 Means and standard deviations (SDs) compared between KIDMED groups using analysis of variance. 3 Medians and interquartile ranges (IQRs) compared between KIDMED groups using Kruskal-Wallis test.…”

“…Dietary patterns highlight the habitual consumption of foods, which are associated with the four leading causes of death-coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers, and type II diabetes-in developed countries and are dramatically increasing in developing countries as well [1,2]. As a modifiable factor, a diet pattern can be categorized as "healthy" or "unhealthy" [1,3,4]. The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthy diet patterns based on a variety of whole foods, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and fishes, compared with highly processed foods [3].…”

“…As a modifiable factor, a diet pattern can be categorized as "healthy" or "unhealthy" [1,3,4]. The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthy diet patterns based on a variety of whole foods, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and fishes, compared with highly processed foods [3]. Good adherence to the Mediterranean diet has a positive role in protecting people from chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) [5][6][7].…”

Eating Behaviors and Physical Activity versus the Big Five Personality Traits in Women with a Hereditary Predisposition to Breast or Ovarian Cancer

“…An anti-cancer diet consists of supplying the body with nutrients that promote its normal and healthy functioning while avoiding products and behaviors that are detrimental or aggravating for the body. Such a diet is compliant with the guidelines of the Food Guide Pyramid, whose latest updates included physical activity in the recommendations [ 15 , 16 ]. Compliance with dietary recommendations helps to maintain good health or shorten the recuperation period, while poor eating habits may have long-term and progressing unfavorable health-related outcomes [ 17 ].…”