Dietary patterns characterised by high intake of red and processed meat are associated with detrimental health and environmental outcomes. To better understand how Americans consume red and processed meat, this study examined the food groups that are the greatest contributors to red and processed meat intake in US diets.

Cross-sectional analysis of total red and processed meat, unprocessed red meat and processed meat using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2015–2016 and 2017–2018). Items containing red or processed meat were classified into thirteen mutually exclusive food groups. For highly consumed food groups (≥10 % of meat intake), contribution to meat intake was further assessed by source, sex, income and education.

Nationally representative sample of the US population.

Teens (aged 12–19 years) and adults (aged ≥20 years) who reported meat consumption (n 8178).

Meat mixed dishes (18·6 % (95 % CI 16·2, 20·9)), burgers (17·3 % (95 % CI 15·3, 19·3)) and beef excluding ground (17·0 % (95 % CI 13·8, 20·1)) were the top contributors to unprocessed red meat intake. For processed meat, four food groups made up about four-fifths of total intake: cold cuts and cured meats (37·7 % (95 % CI 34·6, 40·8)), sausages and frankfurters (20·3 % (95 % CI 18·6, 22·0)), bacon (14·0 % (95 % CI 12·3, 15·6)) and pizza (10·1 % (95 % CI 8·7, 11·5)). Fast-food restaurants were the top source for burgers and pizza, whereas stores were the top source for all other highly consumed food groups. Few differences were seen in patterns of intake by sociodemographic characteristics.

No single food group accounts for a majority of meat intake in the USA. Many behaviour change opportunities for healthier, more sustainable substitutions exist.

To compare the impact on child diet and growth of a multisectoral community intervention v. nutrition education and livestock management training alone.

Longitudinal community-based randomized trial involving three groups of villages assigned to receive: (i) Full Package community development activities, delivered via women’s groups; (ii) livestock training and nutrition education alone (Partial Package); or (iii) no intervention (Control). Household surveys, child growth monitoring, child and household diet quality measures (diet diversity (DD), animal-source food (ASF) consumption) were collected at five visits over 36 months. Mixed-effect linear regression and Poisson models used survey round, treatment group and group-by-round interaction to predict outcomes of interest, adjusted for household- and child-specific characteristics.

Banke, Nepal.

Households (n 974) with children aged 1–60 months (n 1333).

Children in Full Package households had better endline anthropometry (weight-for-age, weight-for-height, mid-upper-arm-circumference Z-scores), DD, and more consumption of ASF, after adjusting for household- and child-specific characteristics. By endline, compared with Partial Package or Control groups, Full Package households demonstrated preferential child feeding practices and had significantly more improvement in household wealth and hygiene habits.

In this longitudinal study, a comprehensive multisectoral intervention was more successful in improving key growth indicators as well as diet quality in young children. Provision of training in livestock management and nutrition education alone had limited effect on these outcomes. Although more time-consuming and costly to administer, incorporating nutrition training with community social capital development was associated with better child growth and nutrition outcomes than isolated training programmes alone.

We collected dietary records over the course of nine months to comprehensively characterize the consumption patterns of Malagasy people living in remote rainforest areas of north-eastern Madagascar.

The present study was a prospective longitudinal cohort study to estimate dietary diversity and nutrient intake for a suite of macronutrients, micronutrients and vitamins for 152 randomly selected households in two communities.

Madagascar, with over 25 million people living in an area the size of France, faces a multitude of nutritional challenges. Micronutrient-poor staples, especially rice, roots and tubers, comprise nearly 80 % of the Malagasy diet by weight. The remaining dietary components (including wild foods and animal-source foods) are critical for nutrition. We focus our study in north-eastern Madagascar, characterized by access to rainforest, rice paddies and local agriculture.

We enrolled men, women and children of both sexes and all ages in a randomized sample of households in two communities.

Although the Household Dietary Diversity Score and Food Consumption Score reflect high dietary diversity, the Minimum Dietary Diversity–Women indicator suggests poor micronutrient adequacy. The food intake data confirm a mixed nutritional picture. We found that the median individual consumed less than 50 % of his/her age/sex-specific Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for vitamins A, B12, D and E, and Ca, and less than 100 % of his/her EAR for energy, riboflavin, folate and Na.

Malnutrition in remote communities of north-eastern Madagascar is pervasive and multidimensional, indicating an urgent need for comprehensive public health and development interventions focused on providing nutritional security.

Using data from the national micronutrients survey 2011–2012, the present study explored the status of subclinical vitamin A nutrition and the underlying determinants in the Bangladeshi population.

A nationwide cross-sectional study.

The survey covered 150 clusters; fifty in each of rural, urban and slum strata.

Three population groups: (i) pre-school age children (6–59 months; PSAC); (ii) school age children (6–14 years; SAC); and (iii) non-pregnant non-lactating women (15–49 years; NPNLW).

National prevalence of subclinical vitamin A deficiency was 20·5, 20·8 and 5·3 % in PSAC, SAC and NPNLW, respectively. Slum populations had higher prevalence compared with urban (PSAC: 38·1 v. 21·2 %, P<0·001; SAC: 27·1 v. 22·1 %, P=0·004; NPNLW: 6·8 v. 4·7 %, P=0·01). Dietary vitamin A met up to 27·1–46·0 % of daily needs; plant-source vitamin A constituted 73–87 % of the intakes. Multivariable regression analyses showed that higher consumption of animal foods was associated with higher retinol status in PSAC (β=0·27; P<0·001); and living in urban area was related to higher retinol status in NPNLW (β=0·08, P=0·004) and PSAC (β=0·11, P=0·04). Increased intake of leafy vegetables was associated with lower retinol status in SAC (β=−0·08, P=0·02). Vitamin A supplementation in PSAC did not significantly influence serum retinol within one year post-supplementation (P>0·05 for differences in β between <3 months v. 3–6 months, 6–9 months and 9–12 months).

Prevalence of subclinical vitamin A deficiency was high in children in Bangladesh. Intakes of animal-source foods and leafy vegetables were associated with higher and lower retinol status, respectively. Increased food diversity through animal-source foods is required.

Fish is the most important animal-source food (ASF) in Bangladesh, produced from capture fisheries (non-farmed) and aquaculture (farmed) sub-sectors. Large differences in micronutrient content of fish species from these sub-sectors exist. The importance of fish in diets of vulnerable groups compared with other ASF; contribution from non-farmed and farmed species to nutrient intakes; and differences in fish consumption among age, gender, wealth groups and geographic regions were analysed, using quantitative intra-household fish consumption data, focusing on the first 1000 d of life.

Two-stage stratified sample.

Nationally representative of rural Bangladesh.

Households (n 5503) and individuals (n 24 198).

Fish consumption in poor households was almost half that in wealthiest households; and lower in females than males in all groups, except the wealthiest, and for those aged ≥15 years (P<0·01). In infants of complementary feeding age, 56 % did not consume ASF on the survey day, despite 78 % of mothers knowing this was recommended. Non-farmed fish made a larger contribution to Fe, Zn, Ca, vitamin A and vitamin B12 intakes than farmed fish (P<0·0001).

Policies and programmes aimed to increase fish consumption as a means to improve nutrition in rural Bangladesh should focus on women and young children, and on the poorest households. Aquaculture plays an important role in increasing availability and affordability of fish; however, non-farmed fish species are better placed to contribute to greater micronutrient intakes. This presents an opportunity for aquaculture to contribute to improved nutrition, utilising diverse production technologies and fish species, including small fish.

To clarify the pathways between household livestock and child growth by assessing the relationships between consumption of animal-source foods (ASF) and child growth and evaluating the household livestock correlates of child consumption of ASF.

We conducted a longitudinal cohort study of anthropometry and 3 d feeding recalls among children <5 years old between June 2014 and May 2015. In addition, we collected data on wealth, livestock ownership and livestock diseases in the same households. We used linear and negative binomial mixed models to evaluate the relationships between household livestock characteristics, reported consumption of ASF and child growth.

An 1800-household surveillance catchment area in Western Kenya within the structure of human and animal health surveillance systems.

Children (n 874) <5 years old.

Among children >6 months old, reported frequency of egg and milk consumption was associated with increased monthly height gain (for each additional report of consumption over 3 d: adjusted β (95 % CI)=0·010 (0·002, 0·019) cm/month and 0·008 (0·004, 0·013) cm/month, respectively). Poultry ownership was associated with higher reported frequency of egg, milk and chicken consumption (adjusted incidence rate ratio (95 % CI)=1·3 (1·2, 1·4), 1·4 (1·1, 1·6) and 1·3 (1·1, 1·4), respectively). Some livestock diseases were associated with lower reported frequency of ASF intake (livestock digestive diseases-adjusted incidence rate ratio (95 % CI)=0·89 (0·78, 1·00)).

Child height gain was associated with milk and egg consumption in this cohort. ASF consumption was related to both household livestock ownership and animal health.

Children from low-income countries consuming predominantly plant-based diets but little animal products are considered to be at risk of Fe deficiency. The present study determined the Fe status of children from resource-limited rural households.

A cross-sectional study.

Twenty six kebeles (the smallest administrative unit) from six zones of the Amhara region, Ethiopia.

Children aged 54–60 months (n 628).

Grain, roots or tubers were the main dietary components consumed by 100 % of the study participants, followed by pulses, legumes or nuts (66·6 %). Consumption of fruit and vegetables (19·3 %) and meat, poultry and fish (2·2 %) was low. Children had a mean dietary diversity score of 2·1 (sd 0·8). Most children (74·8 %, n 470) were in the lowest dietary diversity group (1–2 food groups). Rate of any morbidity in the preceding 14 d was 22·9 % (n 114). Infection or inflammation (α1-acid glycoprotein >1·2 g/l) was present in 30·2 % (n 184) of children. Children had a high rate of stunting (43·2 %). Of the total sample, 13·6 % (n 82) of children were anaemic, 9·1 % (n 57) were Fe deficient and 5·3 % (n 32) had Fe-deficiency anaemia. Fe-deficiency erythropoiesis was present in 14·2 % (n 60) of children.

Despite consuming a predominantly plant-based diet and little animal-source foods, there was a low prevalence of Fe-deficiency anaemia. This illustrates that dietary patterns can be inharmonious with Fe biochemical status; thus, Fe-related interventions require biochemical screening.

The purpose of the present study was to test the construct validity, internal consistency and convergent validity of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) in measuring household food insecurity in rural Tanzania, and to determine socio-economic characteristics associated with household food insecurity.

Key informant interviews and a cross-sectional survey were conducted in February and March 2008.

Rural Iringa, Tanzania.

Key informant interviews were conducted with twenty-one purposively selected male and female village leaders. For the household surveys, a sample of 237 households with mothers (caregivers) and at least one child between 1 and 5 years of age were included.

Approximately 20·7 % of the households were categorized as food-secure, 8·4 % as mildly food-insecure, 22·8 % as moderately food-secure and 48·1 % as severely food-insecure. Two main factors emerged from the rotated principal component factor analysis: (i) insufficient food quality; and (ii) insufficient food intake. Both factors explained 69 % of the total variance. The full food insecurity scale and the two subscales had good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0·83–0·90). Food security, as measured by HFIAS, was positively associated with maternal education, husband’s education, household wealth status, being of an agricultural rather than pastoral tribe and animal-source food consumption; it was negatively associated with maternal age and household size.

The HFIAS measurement instrument shows validity and reliability in measuring household food insecurity among poor households in rural Tanzania.