The measurement of dietary species richness reveals that a higher consumption of dietary fibre, fish, fruits and vegetables, is associated with greater food biodiversity in UK diets

Abstract Objective: We determined whether dietary species richness (DSR) (i) can be robustly measured using 4-day food intake data, (ii) is dependent on socio-demographic characteristics and (iii) is associated with diet quality. Design: The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) nutrient dat...

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Main Authors: Magaly Aceves-Martins, Anneli Löfstedt, Carlos Francisco Moreno-García, Elizabeth H Zandstra, Anne J Wanders, Baukje de Roos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-01-01
Series:Public Health Nutrition
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000473/type/journal_article
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author Magaly Aceves-Martins
Anneli Löfstedt
Carlos Francisco Moreno-García
Elizabeth H Zandstra
Anne J Wanders
Baukje de Roos
author_facet Magaly Aceves-Martins
Anneli Löfstedt
Carlos Francisco Moreno-García
Elizabeth H Zandstra
Anne J Wanders
Baukje de Roos
author_sort Magaly Aceves-Martins
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective: We determined whether dietary species richness (DSR) (i) can be robustly measured using 4-day food intake data, (ii) is dependent on socio-demographic characteristics and (iii) is associated with diet quality. Design: The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) nutrient databank 2018–2019 was expanded to include FoodEx2 food classifications, ingredients, the number and identity of unique species, Nutrient Rich Food 8·3 (NRF 8·3) Index scores and greenhouse gas emissions. Four-day food intake data and socio-demographic variables were used to calculate diet quality and DSR on the food and diet level. Setting: The United Kingdom (UK). Participants: Participants from NDNS 9–11 (2016–2019). Results: Composite dishes had the highest DSR (median 8 (Q1 = 4, Q3 = 12)), followed by seasoning, sauces and condiments (median 7, (Q1 = 4, Q3 = 10)) and, grains and grain-based products (median 5, (Q1 = 2, Q3 = 7)). Median DSR over 4 days was 49 (Q1 = 43, Q3 = 56; range 14–92), with the first 2 days achieving 80 % of DSR measured over 4 days. DSR was significantly higher in those who were younger, those with a higher household income or those with a lower level of deprivation (all P < 0·001). Higher DSR was associated with a small but significant improvement in nutritional quality (P < 0·001). Also, adherence to dietary guidelines such as fibre, fruits and vegetables and fish was associated with significantly higher DSR (all P < 0·001). Conclusions: We successfully established DSR based on 4-day food intake data. We also identified opportunities to improve DSR by increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, fibre and fish.
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publishDate 2025-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-71685e0087984369b44f0482bb33cd1b2025-08-20T02:31:04ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272025-01-012810.1017/S1368980025000473The measurement of dietary species richness reveals that a higher consumption of dietary fibre, fish, fruits and vegetables, is associated with greater food biodiversity in UK dietsMagaly Aceves-Martins0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9441-142XAnneli Löfstedt1Carlos Francisco Moreno-García2Elizabeth H Zandstra3Anne J Wanders4Baukje de Roos5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2750-3914Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UKRowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UKSchool of Computing, Engineering and Technology, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UKUnilever Foods Innovation Centre Wageningen, Wageningen, The Netherlands Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The NetherlandsUnilever Foods Innovation Centre Wageningen, Wageningen, The NetherlandsRowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK Abstract Objective: We determined whether dietary species richness (DSR) (i) can be robustly measured using 4-day food intake data, (ii) is dependent on socio-demographic characteristics and (iii) is associated with diet quality. Design: The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) nutrient databank 2018–2019 was expanded to include FoodEx2 food classifications, ingredients, the number and identity of unique species, Nutrient Rich Food 8·3 (NRF 8·3) Index scores and greenhouse gas emissions. Four-day food intake data and socio-demographic variables were used to calculate diet quality and DSR on the food and diet level. Setting: The United Kingdom (UK). Participants: Participants from NDNS 9–11 (2016–2019). Results: Composite dishes had the highest DSR (median 8 (Q1 = 4, Q3 = 12)), followed by seasoning, sauces and condiments (median 7, (Q1 = 4, Q3 = 10)) and, grains and grain-based products (median 5, (Q1 = 2, Q3 = 7)). Median DSR over 4 days was 49 (Q1 = 43, Q3 = 56; range 14–92), with the first 2 days achieving 80 % of DSR measured over 4 days. DSR was significantly higher in those who were younger, those with a higher household income or those with a lower level of deprivation (all P < 0·001). Higher DSR was associated with a small but significant improvement in nutritional quality (P < 0·001). Also, adherence to dietary guidelines such as fibre, fruits and vegetables and fish was associated with significantly higher DSR (all P < 0·001). Conclusions: We successfully established DSR based on 4-day food intake data. We also identified opportunities to improve DSR by increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, fibre and fish. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000473/type/journal_articleFood biodiversityDietary species richnessDiet qualityFood compositionNDNS
spellingShingle Magaly Aceves-Martins
Anneli Löfstedt
Carlos Francisco Moreno-García
Elizabeth H Zandstra
Anne J Wanders
Baukje de Roos
The measurement of dietary species richness reveals that a higher consumption of dietary fibre, fish, fruits and vegetables, is associated with greater food biodiversity in UK diets
Public Health Nutrition
Food biodiversity
Dietary species richness
Diet quality
Food composition
NDNS
title The measurement of dietary species richness reveals that a higher consumption of dietary fibre, fish, fruits and vegetables, is associated with greater food biodiversity in UK diets
title_full The measurement of dietary species richness reveals that a higher consumption of dietary fibre, fish, fruits and vegetables, is associated with greater food biodiversity in UK diets
title_fullStr The measurement of dietary species richness reveals that a higher consumption of dietary fibre, fish, fruits and vegetables, is associated with greater food biodiversity in UK diets
title_full_unstemmed The measurement of dietary species richness reveals that a higher consumption of dietary fibre, fish, fruits and vegetables, is associated with greater food biodiversity in UK diets
title_short The measurement of dietary species richness reveals that a higher consumption of dietary fibre, fish, fruits and vegetables, is associated with greater food biodiversity in UK diets
title_sort measurement of dietary species richness reveals that a higher consumption of dietary fibre fish fruits and vegetables is associated with greater food biodiversity in uk diets
topic Food biodiversity
Dietary species richness
Diet quality
Food composition
NDNS
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025000473/type/journal_article
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