Total and whole grain intake in Latin America: findings from the multicenter cross-sectional Latin American Study of Health and Nutrition (ELANS)

Abstract

Purpose Understanding whole-grain intake and its associated factors is essential to tackle the double burden of malnutrition faced by Latin American countries. This study aimed to characterize total and whole grain intake in Latin American countries and to investigate foods contributing to these intake in the region. Methods Data were obtained from the multicenter cross-sectional survey Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health (ELANS), including 9128 participants residing in urban areas of eight Latin American countries. Data collection was performed via two household visits using a standardized questionnaire and two 24 h dietary recalls. Usual dietary intake of total grain foods and foods containing whole grains was estimated. The association between the intake of grain food groups and sociodemographic variables was investigated using multiple linear regression models with random intercepts. Results Mean intake of total grain foods and foods containing whole grains was 318.6 g/d and 14.7 g/d, respectively. Total grain foods were less consumed by participants at older ages (−9.8 g/d), and females (−9.9 g/d), and more consumed by those in the lowest socioeconomic category (24.8 g/d). Foods containing whole grains were more consumed by participants at older ages (3.3 g/d), and females (4.0 g/d), while those in the lowest socioeconomic category consumed 2.9 g/d less. Major contributors to energy provided from foods containing whole grains were oatmeal, masa harina, whole-wheat bread, corn chips, and wheat crackers. Conclusion The intake of grain foods represented a substantial part of the Latin American population’s diet, but the intake of foods containing whole grains was extremely low in all assessed countries.

Incident type 2 diabetes attributable to suboptimal diet in 184 countries

“…Latin America and the Caribbean had the second highest estimated diet-attributable T2D burden of all world regions, especially in Colombia and Mexico, related to excess SSBs, excess processed meats and insufficient whole grains. These results are consistent with the transition toward more highly processed diets in this region 14 , including increasing processed meat intake in Colombia, Argentina and Brazil 15 and consistently low whole-grain intake across eight Latin American countries 16 . These results also build upon previous findings of excess SSB consumption and associated cardiometabolic disease burden in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as evidence for the adverse effects of excess SSB and processed meat intake and insufficient whole-grain intake on T2D risk ( Methods ).…”

Nutritional Quality of Gluten-Free Bakery Products Labeled Ketogenic and/or Low-Carb Sold in the Global Market

“…Therefore, in Latin America consumers are also shifting to these diets with the objective to manage their weight. The traditional Latin American cuisine is rich in complex carbohydrates, micronutrients, fiber, and phytochemicals [ 46 , 47 ]. However, during the last 40 years, Latin American countries have been experiencing a nutrition transition, moving from under- to overweight due to excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates and added sugars [ 47 ].…”

Boosting Whole-Grain Utilization in the Consumer Market: A Case Study of the Oldways Whole Grains Council’s Stamped Product Database

“…Incremental change in the nutritional quality of foods, thus boosting whole-grain consumption, can be achieved by simply increasing the whole-grain content of the food [ 22 ]. Given the relatively low consumption of whole grains in the U.S. [ 5 ] and Latin America [ 6 ], a mean 36% increase in whole-grain content in Stamped products can have profound impacts on whole-grain consumption across the regions. Strategic food labeling, such as the Whole Grain Stamp ( Figure 1 ), which indicates varying levels of whole-grain content, can help meet consumer demand whilst boosting the nutritional profile of commonly consumed foods (e.g., breads, cereals, baked goods).…”

“…NHANES data indicate that U.S. whole-grain consumption has been slowly but steadily increasing, reaching 14.4 grams of whole-grain per day (0.9 ounce-equivalents) in 2013–2014 [ 5 ]. Similarly, the average person in Latin America eats only 14.7 grams of whole-grain foods per day [ 6 ].…”