To Meet Your Nutrient Goals, You May Need to Expand Your Food Variety

Researchers in Marseille, France have recently published one of the most innovate food studies we've seen involving food and nourishment. The results of this study are definitely worth a close look because they have the potential to impact virtually all of us, and how we make choices as to our food selection. Researchers in the Assessment Research Unit, Lipid Nutrients and Prevention of Metabolic Maladies, at the University of Aix-Marseille in Marseille, France asked themselves a simple question: if the average French adult just did a better job with his or her current food choices, would he or she be able to improve overall nutrient intake and meet basic nutritional guidelines for all nutrients? In France (as in the United States), many adults fall short of the public health guidelines for nutritional intake. Despite getting too many calories, we simply don't get enough nutrients. In this groundbreaking study, the French researchers used statistical software and linear programming models to look at intake of 30 nutrients in the diets of 1,171 French adults. They also looked at 7 categories of foods currently being consumed by the study participants, including (1) meat/fish/poultry/eggs, (2) starches and grains, (3) fruits and vegetables, (4) dairy products, (5) sweets and salted products, (6) added fats, and (7) mixed dishes. Each participant's diet was analyzed to determine current intake of 30 key nutrients (including vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats). The researchers went on to compare each participant's diet to the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). All of those steps were fairly routine and have been taken by researchers in hundreds of similar studies.

Here, however is where the researchers parted company with previous studies. With the help of mathematics, they measured whether each study participant could meet the RDA level for all 30 nutrients of interest simply by increasing certain specific food choices and by decreasing others. For example, if a person ate 4 servings of non-whole wheat bread each day but was deficient in certain B vitamins, would it be possible for that person to reach the B vitamin RDAs by increasing their non-whole wheat bread intake to 6 servings, while decreasing intake of some other food that they were currently eating, for example, salted nuts. The researchers developed what they called "palatability constraints" in their statistical models-they realized that it would not be realistic, or socially acceptable, or just plain tolerable to go too far in increasing certain existing food choices. Similarly, they developed a list of health constraints as well. In this case, they realized that large increases in one particular currently chosen food might easily raise consumption of one nutrient to the RDA level, but at the same time, raise consumption of another nutrient to an excessive and unhealthy level.

As you can imagine, weighing all of these factors led to some complicated mathematics. But the result was quite astonishing! This research team proved that for 78% of all French adults, it would be mathematically impossible to obtain RDA intake of 30 key nutrients from within existing food choices. Only 22% of all French adults could meet the RDAs by sticking with their current food choices, increasing some existing foods and decreasing others. For 78% of the population, the only way to meet RDA levels would be to expand food variety and introduce new foods into the diet that were not currently being consumed.

All we can say is, wow! How many times have we heard about the importance of food variety? And yet, how striking it is to see that good nourishment is mathematically impossible for 3 out of every 4 adults unless food variety is increased? At the World's Healthiest Foods, we are always amazed at the diversity of foods within every food group, and we are equally amazed at the delicious tastes and aromas and textures of foods that never find their way into the average U.S. diet. This welcomed study makes it clear that food variety is not just a quaint catchphrase, but has real meaning for most of us when it comes to optimal nourishment.

WHFoods Recommendations

When you hear the phrase "food variety," don't shrug your shoulders and automatically assume that it doesn't apply to you. It may be mathematically impossible for you to meet your nutrient goals given your current food choices! Bringing new foods into your diet may not only be something you "ought" to do; it may be something you will be required to do if your diet to provide the nutrients you need.

References

• Maillot M, Vieux F, Ferguson EF et al. To meet nutrient recommendations, most French adults need to expand their habitual food repertoire. To meet nutrient recommendations, most French adults need to expand their habitual food repertoire. 2009.

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