Replacing the nutrients in dairy foods with non-dairy foods will increase cost, energy intake and require large amounts of food: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2014

Abstract

Objective: The US Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends increased consumption of the dairy group to three daily servings for ages 9+ years to help achieve adequate intakes of prominent shortfall nutrients. Identifying affordable, consumer-acceptable foods to replace dairy’s shortfall nutrients is important especially for people who avoid dairy. Design: Linear programming identified food combinations to replace dairy’s protein and shortfall nutrients. We examined cost, energy and dietary implications of replacing dairy with food combinations optimised for lowest cost, fewest kJ or the smallest amount of food by weight. Setting: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011–2014). Participants: Nationally representative sample of US population; 2 years and older (n 15 830). Results: Phase 1 (only dairy foods excluded): when optimised for lowest cost or fewest kJ, all non-dairy food replacements required large amounts (2·5–10 cups) of bottled/tap water. Phase 2 (dairy and unreasonable non-dairy foods excluded (e.g. baby foods; tap/bottled water): when intake of non-dairy foods was constrained to <90th percentile of current intake, the lowest cost food combination replacements for dairy cost 0·5 times more and provide 5·7 times more energy; the lowest energy food combinations cost 5·9 times more, provide 2·5 times more energy and require twice the amount of food by weight; and food combinations providing the smallest amount of food by weight cost 3·5 times more and provide five times more energy than dairy. Conclusions: Identifying affordable, consumer-acceptable foods that can replace dairy’s shortfall nutrients at both current and recommended dairy intakes remains a challenge.

The New Hybrid Nutrient Density Score NRFh 4:3:3 Tested in Relation to Affordable Nutrient Density and Healthy Eating Index 2015: Analyses of NHANES Data 2013–16

“…The positive NRn sub-score is based on a variable number n of nutrients to encourage, whereas the negative LIM sub-score is based on the same 3 nutrients to limit (saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium). Both sub-scores NRn and LIM are calculated as the sum of percent daily value per 100 kcal of food [23]. As in past calculations, percent daily values for nutrients were truncated at 100% [23].…”

“…Both sub-scores NRn and LIM are calculated as the sum of percent daily value per 100 kcal of food [23]. As in past calculations, percent daily values for nutrients were truncated at 100% [23]. The NRF n.3 scores were then calculated by subtracting LIM from NRn scores.…”

“…All foods and beverages that were available for NRF replacement modeling [23][24][25][26] were identified in the individual foods data file in the NHANES 2013-16. First, tertile cut-points for both NRF scores (NRF9.3 and NRFh 4:3:3) were based on food categories as identified by What We Eat in America codes and were population-specific, given the diversity of dietary patterns across population strata.…”

Scenario Analysis of a Municipality’s Food Purchase to Simultaneously Improve Nutritional Quality and Lower Carbon Emission for Child-Care Centers

“…It may be important to use processed/cooked mushrooms as they contain smaller amounts of phenylhydrazines than raw mushrooms [36]. In the present study, no replacement of dairy foods with plant-based beverages was made because of the large variation of nutritional properties of these beverages and because inclusion of plant-based beverages has been found to increase costs of the diet [53,54].…”

The landscape of nutri-informatics: a review of current resources and challenges for integrative nutrition research

“…Since the initiation of WWEIA in the 2003–2004 survey period, investigators have capitalized on access to these nutrition data sets for research. Research projects that utilize data from WWEIA and NHANES range widely in focus, such as investigations into cost and energy intake associated with dairy replacement in individuals who do not consume dairy products ( 30 ), and the prevalence of probable undiagnosed celiac disease and potential reduction in femur bone mineral density ( 31 ). The Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), now in its third iteration, similarly collects longitudinal dietary information within their large cohorts via semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) ( 32 ).…”