Do promotions of healthier or more sustainable foods increase sales? Findings from three natural experiments in UK supermarkets.

BACKGROUND: Dietary changes are necessary to improve population health and meet environmental sustainability targets. Here we analyse the impact of promotional activities implemented in UK supermarkets on purchases of healthier and more sustainable foods. METHODS: Three natural experiments examined the impact of promotional activities on sales of a) no-added-sugar (NAS) plant-based milk (in 199 stores), b) products promoted during 'Veganuary' (in 96 stores), and c) seasonal fruit (in 100 non-randomised intervention and 100 matched control stores). Data were provided on store-level product sales, in units sold and monetary value (£), aggregated weekly. Predominant socioeconomic position (SEP) of the store population was provided by the retailer. Analyses used interrupted time series and multivariable hierarchical mixed-effects models. RESULTS: Sales of both promoted and total NAS plant-based milks increased significantly during the promotional period (Promoted:+126 units, 95%CI: 105-148; Overall:+307 units, 95%CI: 264-349). The increase was greater in stores with predominately low SEP shoppers. During Veganuary, sales increased significantly for plant-based foods on promotion (+60 units, 95%CI: 37-84), but not for sales of plant-based foods overall (dairy alternatives: -1131 units, 95%CI: -5821-3559; meat alternatives: 1403 units, 95%CI: -749-3554). There was no evidence of a change in weekly sales of promoted seasonal fruit products (assessed via ratio change in units sold: 0.01, 95%CI: 0.00-0.02), and overall fruit category sales slightly decreased in intervention stores relative to control (ratio change in units sold: -0.01, 95%CI: -0.01-0.00). CONCLUSION: During promotional campaigns there was evidence that sales of plant-based products increased, but not seasonal fruits. There was no evidence for any sustained change beyond the intervention period.

Associations between BMI and hospital resource use in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 in England: a community-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Excess weight is a major risk factor for severe disease after infection with SARS-CoV-2. However, the effect of BMI on COVID-19 hospital resource use has not been fully quantified. This study aimed to identify the association between BMI and hospital resource use for COVID-19 admissions with the intention of informing future national hospital resource allocation. METHODS: In this community-based cohort study, we analysed patient-level data from 57 415 patients admitted to hospital in England with COVID-19 between April 1, 2020, and Dec 31, 2021. Patients who were aged 20-99 years, had been registered with a general practitioner (GP) surgery that contributed to the QResearch database for the whole preceding year (2019) with at least one BMI value measured before April 1, 2020, available in their GP record, and were admitted to hospital for COVID-19 were included. Outcomes of interest were duration of hospital stay, transfer to an intensive care unit (ICU), and duration of ICU stay. Costs of hospitalisation were estimated from these outcomes. Generalised linear and logit models were used to estimate associations between BMI and hospital resource use outcomes. FINDINGS: Patients living with obesity (BMI >30·0 kg/m2) had longer hospital stays relative to patients in the reference BMI group (18·5-25·0 kg/m2; IRR 1·07, 95% CI 1·03-1·10); the reference group had a mean length of stay of 8·82 days (95% CI 8·62-9·01). Patients living with obesity were more likely to be admitted to ICU than the reference group (OR 2·02, 95% CI 1·86-2·19); the reference group had a mean probability of ICU admission of 5·9% (95% CI 5·5-6·3). No association was found between BMI and duration of ICU stay. The mean cost of COVID-19 hospitalisation was £19 877 (SD 17 918) in the reference BMI group. Hospital costs were estimated to be £2736 (95% CI 2224-3248) higher for patients living with obesity. INTERPRETATION: Patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 with a BMI above the healthy range had longer stays, were more likely to be admitted to ICU, and had higher health-care costs associated with hospital treatment of COVID-19 infection as a result. This information can inform national resource allocation to match hospital capacity to areas where BMI profiles indicate higher demand. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research.

Association of gestational diabetes with long-term risk of premature mortality, and cardiovascular outcomes and risk factors: A retrospective cohort analysis in the UK Biobank.

AIM: To investigate the association of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with premature mortality and cardiovascular (CVD) outcomes and risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Parous women recruited to the UK Biobank cohort during 2006-2010 were followed up from their first delivery until 31 October 2021. The data were linked to Hospital Episode Statistics and mortality registries. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models investigated associations of GDM with all-cause mortality, CVD, diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia. RESULTS: The maximum total analysis time at risk and under observation was 9 694 090 person-years. Among 220 726 women, 1225 self-reported or had a recorded diagnosis of GDM. After adjusting for confounders and behavioural factors, GDM was associated with increased risk for premature mortality [hazard ratio (HR): 1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-1.86], particularly CVD-related death (HR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.63-3.48), as well as incident total CVD (HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.30-1.74), non-fatal CVD (HR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.20-1.65), diabetes (HR: 14.37, 95% CI: 13.51-15.27), hypertension (HR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.38-1.60), and dyslipidaemia (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.22-1.39). The total CVD risk was greater in women with GDM who did not later develop diabetes than in those with GDM and diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Women with GDM are at increased risk of premature death and have increased CV risk, emphasizing the importance of interventions to prevent GDM. If GDM develops, the diagnosis represents an opportunity for future surveillance and intervention to reduce CVD risk factors, prevent CVD and improve long-term health.

A Behaviorally Informed Mobile App to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Grocery Shopping (SwapSHOP): Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Interventions targeting the nutritional quality of grocery shopping have the potential to help improve diet and health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of receiving advice on healthier food purchases through SwapSHOP, a behaviorally informed smartphone app that allows users to scan barcodes of grocery products from the United Kingdom, providing nutritional information and personalized swap suggestions to encourage healthier purchases. METHODS: We randomized adult volunteers in a 6-arm parallel-group controlled feasibility trial. Participants used the SwapSHOP app to record their grocery shopping during a 2-week run-in period and were individually randomized in a 3:1 ratio to either intervention or control arms within 3 strata related to a nutrient of concern of their choice: saturated fat (SFA), sugar, or salt. Participants randomized to the intervention received the SwapSHOP app with a healthier swap function, goal setting, and personalized feedback. Participants in the control group were instructed to use a simpler version of the app to log all their food purchases without receiving any guidance or advice. The primary outcome was the feasibility of progression to a full trial, including app use and follow-up rates at 6 weeks. The secondary outcomes included other feasibility outcomes, process and qualitative measures, and exploratory effectiveness outcomes to assess changes in the nutrient content of the purchased foods. RESULTS: A total of 112 participants were randomized into 3 groups: SFA (n=38 intervention and n=13 control), sugar (n=40 intervention and n=15 control), and salt (n=5 intervention and n=1 control, not analyzed). The 2 progression criteria were met for SFA and sugar: 81% (30/37) and 87% (34/39) of intervention participants in the SFA and sugar groups, respectively, used the app to obtain healthier swaps, and 89% (68/76) of intervention participants and 96% (23/24) of control participants completed follow-up by scanning all purchases over the follow-up period. The process and qualitative outcomes suggested that the intervention was acceptable and has the potential to influence shopping behaviors. There were reductions of -0.56 g per 100 g (95% CI -1.02 to -0.19) in SFA and -1 g per 100 g (95% CI -1.97 to -0.03) in total sugars across all food purchases in the intervention groups. CONCLUSIONS: People were willing to use the SwapSHOP app to help reduce sugar and SFA (but not salt) in their grocery shopping. Adherence and follow-up rates suggest that a full trial is feasible. Given the suggestive evidence indicating that the intervention resulted in reductions in sugars and SFA, a definitive trial is necessary to target improvements in health outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number ISRCTN13022312; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN13022312.

Associations of intakes of total protein, protein from dairy sources, and dietary calcium with risks of colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer: a prospective analysis in UK Biobank.

BACKGROUND: Evidence concerning intakes of protein or sources of dairy protein and risks of colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers is inconclusive. METHODS: Using a subsample of UK Biobank participants who completed ≥2 (maximum of 5) 24-h dietary assessments, we estimated intakes of total protein, protein from total dairy products, milk, and cheese, and dietary calcium in 114,217 participants. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using multivariable-adjusted Cox regression. RESULTS: After a median of 9.4 years of follow-up, 1193 colorectal, 2024 female breast, and 2422 prostate cancer cases were identified. There were inverse associations of total dairy protein, protein from milk, and dietary calcium intakes with colorectal cancer incidence (HRQ4 vs Q1:0.80, 95% CI: 0.67-0.94; 0.79, 0.67-0.94; 0.71, 0.58-0.86, respectively). We also observed positive associations of milk protein and dietary calcium with prostate cancer risk (HRQ4 vs Q1:1.12, 1.00-1.26 and 1.16, 1.01-1.33, respectively). No significant associations were observed between intake of dairy protein and breast cancer risk. When insulin-like growth factor-I concentrations measured at recruitment were added to the multivariable-adjusted models, associations remained largely unchanged. Analyses were also similar when looking at total grams of dairy products, milk, and cheese. CONCLUSION: Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying the relationships of dairy products with cancer risk and the potential roles of dietary protein and calcium.

Dietary pattern adherence in association with changes in body composition and adiposity measurements in the UK Biobank study.

BACKGROUND: Unhealthy dietary patterns (DP) have been frequently linked to avoidable ill-health, mediated in part through higher body mass index. However it is unclear how these patterns relate to specific components of body composition or fat distribution, and whether this may explain reported gender differences in the relationship between diet and health. METHODS: Data from 101,046 UK Biobank participants with baseline bioimpedance analysis and anthropometric measures and dietary information on two or more occasions were used, of which 21,387 participants had repeated measures at follow up. Multivariable linear regressions estimated the associations between DP adherence (categorised in quintiles Q1-Q5) and body composition measures adjusted for a range of demographic and lifestyle confounders. RESULTS: After 8.1 years of follow-up, individuals with high adherence (Q5) to the DP showed significantly positive changes in fat mass (mean, 95 % CI): 1.26 (1.12-1.39) kg in men, 1.11 (0.88-1.35) kg in women vs low adherence (Q1) - 0.09 (- 0.28 to 0.10) kg in men and - 0.26 (- 0.42 to - 0.11) kg in women; as well as in waist circumference (Q5): 0.93 (0.63-1.22) cm in men and 1.94 (1.63, 2.25) cm in women vs Q1 - 1.06 (- 1.34 to - 0.78) cm in men and 0.27 (- 0.02 to 0.57) cm in women. CONCLUSION: Adherence to an unhealthy DP is positively associated with increased adiposity, especially in the abdominal region, which may help explain the observed associations with adverse health outcomes.

Prospective Analysis Reveals Associations between Carbohydrate Intakes, Genetic Predictors of Short-Chain Fatty Acid Synthesis, and Colorectal Cancer Risk.

Whole grain and fiber intakes may decrease the risk of colorectal cancer. The interplay between host genetic factors, colonization of specific bacteria, production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), and intake of whole grains and fiber could alter the protective role of carbohydrates against colorectal cancer. Here, we assessed intakes of types and sources of carbohydrates in 114,217 UK Biobank participants with detailed dietary data (2-5 24-hour dietary assessments), and a host polygenic score (PGS) was applied to categorize participants as high or low for intraluminal microbial SCFA production, namely, butyrate and propionate. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the associations of carbohydrates and SCFA with colorectal cancer incidence. During a median follow-up of 9.4 years, 1,193 participants were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Risk was inversely associated with intakes of non-free sugar and whole grain fiber. Evidence of heterogeneity was observed by the butyrate PGS; consuming higher amounts of whole grain starch was only associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer in those with predicted high SCFA production. Similarly, in additional analyses utilizing the larger UK Biobank cohort (N = 343,621) with less detailed dietary assessment, only individuals with a high genetically predicted butyrate production had a lower risk of colorectal cancer per 5 g/day intake of bread and cereal fiber. This study suggests that colorectal cancer risk varies by intake of carbohydrate types and sources, and the impact of whole grain intake may be modified by SCFA production. SIGNIFICANCE: Prospective population-level analyses provide evidence supporting the importance of butyrate production in reduction of colorectal cancer risk by whole grain consumption.

Development and initial evaluation of a behavioural intervention to support weight management for people with serious mental illness: an uncontrolled feasibility and acceptability study.

BACKGROUND: The rates of obesity and associated health problems are higher in people with serious mental illness (SMI), such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, than the general population. A primary care referral to a behavioural weight management programme can be an effective intervention, but people with SMI have reported barriers to engaging with them and bespoke options are rarely provided in routine practice. It is possible that adjunct support addressing these specific barriers could help. Here we report the development, feasibility and acceptability of an intervention to improve uptake and engagement with a mainstream weight management programme for people with SMI. METHODS: We worked with people with a lived-experience of SMI and used the person-based approach to develop the 'Weight cHange for people with sErious mEntal iLlness' (WHEEL) intervention. It comprised a referral to a mainstream weight management programme (WW®) to be attended once a week, in-person or online, for 12-weeks. The adjunct support comprised a one-off, online consultation called Meet Your Mentor and weekly, telephone or email Mentor Check Ins for 12-weeks. We assessed the feasibility of WHEEL through the number of programme and adjunct support sessions that the participants attended. We analysed the acceptability of WHEEL using a thematic analysis of qualitative interviews conducted at baseline and at 12-week follow-up. Our exploratory outcome of clinical effectiveness was self-reported weight at baseline and at end-of-programme. RESULTS: Twenty participants were assessed for eligibility and 17 enrolled. All 17 participants attended Meet Your Mentor and one was lost to follow-up (94% retention). Nine out of 16 attended ≥50% of the weekly programme sessions and 12/16 attended ≥50% of the weekly check-ins. Participants reported in the interviews that the adjunct support helped to establish and maintain a therapeutic alliance. While some participants valued the in-person sessions, others reported that they preferred the online sessions because it removed a fear of social situations, which was a barrier for some participants. The mean change in self-reported weight was - 4·1 kg (SD: 3·2) at 12-weeks. CONCLUSIONS: A mainstream weight management programme augmented with brief and targeted education and low-intensity check-ins generated sufficient engagement and acceptability to warrant a future trial.

The impact of price promotions on confectionery and snacks on the energy content of shopping baskets: A randomised controlled trial in an experimental online supermarket.

Overconsumption of foods high in fat, sugars, and salt (HFSS) poses a significant risk to health. The government in England has passed legislation that would limit some price promotions of HFSS foods within supermarkets, but evidence regarding likely impacts of these policies, especially in online settings, is limited. This study aimed to determine whether there were any differences in the energy and nutrient content of shopping baskets after removing promotions on HFSS foods in an online experimental supermarket. UK adults (n = 511) were asked to select food from four categories with a £10 budget in an online experimental supermarket: confectionery; biscuits and crackers; crisps, nuts and snacking fruit; cakes and tarts. They were randomly allocated to one of two trial arms: (1) promotions present (matched to promotion frequency seen in a major UK retailer) (n = 257), or (2) all promotions removed from all products within the target food categories (n = 254). The primary outcome analysis used linear regression to compare total energy (kcal) of items placed in shopping baskets when promotions were present vs. absent, while secondary analyses investigated differences in nutrients and energy purchased from individual food categories. Mean energy in food selected without promotions was 5156 kcal per basket (SD 1620), compared to 5536 kcal (SD 1819) with promotions, a difference of -552kcal (95%CIs: -866, -238), equivalent to 10%. There were no significant differences in energy purchased for any individual category between groups. No evidence was found of other changes in nutritional composition of baskets or of significant interactions between the impact of promotions and participant characteristics (gender, age, ethnicity) on energy purchased. Removing promotions on HFSS foods resulted in significantly less total energy selected in an online experimental supermarket study.

Cross-sectional associations of dietary patterns characterized by fat type with markers of cardiometabolic health.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Individual dietary fats can differentially impact on cardiometabolic health. However, their impact within a dietary pattern is not well understood, and warrants comparison with diet quality scores with a dietary fat focus. The aim of this study was to investigate cross-sectional associations between a posteriori dietary patterns characterized by fat type and cardiometabolic health markers, and compare these with two diet quality scores. METHODS AND RESULTS: UK Biobank adults with ≥two 24-h dietary assessments and data on cardiometabolic health were included (n = 24 553; mean age: 55.9 y). A posteriori dietary patterns (DP1; DP2) were generated through reduced rank regression (response variables: SFA, MUFA, PUFA). Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary patterns were created. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to investigate associations between standardized dietary patterns and cardiometabolic health (total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C and VLDL-C cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein [CRP], glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c]). DP1, positively correlated with SFAs, MUFAs and PUFAs, characterized by higher nuts, seeds and vegetables intake and lower fruits and low-fat yoghurt intake, was associated with lower HDL-C (ß: -0.07; 95% CI: -0.10, -0.03) and triglycerides (-0.17; -0.23, -0.10) and higher LDL-C (0.07; 0.01,0.12), CRP (0.01; 0.01, 0.03) and HbA1c (0.16; 0.11,0.21). DP2, positively correlated with SFAs, negatively correlated with PUFAs, characterized by higher butter and high-fat cheese intake and lower nuts, seeds and vegetable intake, was associated with higher total cholesterol (0.10; 0.01, 0.21), VLDL-C (0.05; 0.02, 0.07), triglycerides (0.07; 0.01, 0.13), CRP (0.03; 0.02, 0,04) and HbA1c (0.06; 0.01, 0.11). Higher adherence to MDS and DASH was associated with favorable cardiometabolic health markers concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Irrespective of the method used, dietary patterns that encourage healthy fat consumption were associated with favorable cardiometabolic health biomarkers. This study strengthens the evidence for incorporation of dietary fat type into policy and practice guidelines for CVD prevention.

Associations between types and sources of dietary carbohydrates and cardiovascular disease risk: a prospective cohort study of UK Biobank participants.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have reported that the associations between dietary carbohydrates and cardiovascular disease (CVD) may depend on the quality, rather than the quantity, of carbohydrates consumed. This study aimed to assess the associations between types and sources of dietary carbohydrates and CVD incidence. A secondary aim was to examine the associations of carbohydrate intakes with triglycerides within lipoprotein subclasses. METHODS: A total of 110,497 UK Biobank participants with ≥ two (maximum five) 24-h dietary assessments who were free from CVD and diabetes at baseline were included. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regressions were used to estimate risks of incident total CVD (4188 cases), ischaemic heart disease (IHD; 3138) and stroke (1124) by carbohydrate intakes over a median follow-up time of 9.4 years, and the effect of modelled dietary substitutions. The associations of carbohydrate intakes with plasma triglycerides within lipoprotein subclasses as measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were examined in 26,095 participants with baseline NMR spectroscopy measurements. RESULTS: Total carbohydrate intake was not associated with CVD outcomes. Free sugar intake was positively associated with total CVD (HR; 95% CI per 5% of energy, 1.07;1.03-1.10), IHD (1.06;1.02-1.10), and stroke (1.10;1.04-1.17). Fibre intake was inversely associated with total CVD (HR; 95% CI per 5 g/d, 0.96;0.93-0.99). Modelled isoenergetic substitution of 5% of energy from refined grain starch with wholegrain starch was inversely associated with total CVD (0.94;0.91-0.98) and IHD (0.94;0.90-0.98), and substitution of free sugars with non-free sugars was inversely associated with total CVD (0.95;0.92-0.98) and stroke (0.91;0.86-0.97). Free sugar intake was positively associated with triglycerides within all lipoproteins. CONCLUSIONS: Higher free sugar intake was associated with higher CVD incidence and higher triglyceride concentrations within all lipoproteins. Higher fibre intake and replacement of refined grain starch and free sugars with wholegrain starch and non-free sugars, respectively, may be protective for incident CVD.

Effects of environmental impact and nutrition labelling on food purchasing: An experimental online supermarket study.

Nutrition labels and ecolabels can support consumers to make healthier and more sustainable choices, and the former is now widespread. But there is no information on the impact of ecolabels in the presence of nutrition labels. The aims of this study were primarily to examine whether (1) ecolabels are effective at promoting sustainable purchasing behaviour if presented alongside nutrition labels; (2) and secondarily, whether nutrition labels are effective at promoting healthier purchasing if presented alongside ecolabels. Participants (N = 2730) visited an experimental online supermarket platform, and were randomised to see products with (1) environmental impact labels only; (2) nutrition (NutriScore) labels only; (3) both environmental and nutrition labels; (4) no labels. Linear regressions compared the mean environmental impact scores (EIS; primary outcome) and health scores of products in participants' shopping baskets across each condition. Compared to control (no labels) there were significant reductions in the EIS when environmental impact labels were presented: Alone (-1.3, 95%CI: -2.3 to -0.4) or With nutrition labels (-2.0, 95%CI: -2.9 to -1.0), with no evidence of differences in effectiveness between these two conditions. There was no evidence of an impact of nutrition labels on either the EIS or the healthiness of purchases, both when nutrition labels were shown alone and when ecolabels were also present. Environmental impact labels may be effective at encouraging more sustainable purchases alone or when used alongside nutrition labels. This adds to the evidence base on the feasibility and effectiveness of environmental impact labelling as an important measure to change dietary behaviour to improve planetary health.

Associations between food group intakes and circulating insulin-like growth factor-I in the UK Biobank: a cross-sectional analysis.

PURPOSE: Circulating insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations have been positively associated with risk of several common cancers and inversely associated with risk of bone fractures. Intakes of some foods have been associated with increased circulating IGF-I concentrations; however, evidence remains inconclusive. Our aim was to assess cross-sectional associations of food group intakes with circulating IGF-I concentrations in the UK Biobank. METHODS: At recruitment, the UK Biobank participants reported their intake of commonly consumed foods. From these questions, intakes of total vegetables, fresh fruit, red meat, processed meat, poultry, oily fish, non-oily fish, and cheese were estimated. Serum IGF-I concentrations were measured in blood samples collected at recruitment. After exclusions, a total of 438,453 participants were included in this study. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the associations of food group intakes with circulating IGF-I concentrations. RESULTS: Compared to never consumers, participants who reported consuming oily fish or non-oily fish ≥ 2 times/week had 1.25 nmol/L (95% confidence interval:1.19-1.31) and 1.16 nmol/L (1.08-1.24) higher IGF-I concentrations, respectively. Participants who reported consuming poultry ≥ 2 times/week had 0.87 nmol/L (0.80-0.94) higher IGF-I concentrations than those who reported never consuming poultry. There were no strong associations between other food groups and IGF-I concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: We found positive associations between oily and non-oily fish intake and circulating IGF-I concentrations. A weaker positive association of IGF-I with poultry intake was also observed. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms which might explain these associations.

Evaluation of OPTIMISE (Online Programme to Tackle Individual's Meat Intake Through Self-regulation): Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: There is an urgent need to reduce society's meat consumption to help mitigate climate change and reduce noncommunicable diseases. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate changes in meat intake after participation in an online, multicomponent, self-regulation intervention. METHODS: We conducted a pre-post observational study among adult meat eaters in the United Kingdom who signed up to a website offering support based on self-regulation theory to reduce meat consumption. The program lasted 9 weeks (including a 1-week baseline phase, a 4-week active intervention phase, and a 4-week maintenance phase), comprising self-monitoring, goal setting, action planning, and health and environmental feedback. Meat intake was estimated during weeks 1, 5, and 9 using a 7-day meat frequency questionnaire. We analyzed the change in mean daily meat intake from baseline to week 5 and week 9 among those reporting data using a hierarchical linear mixed model. We assessed changes in attitudes toward meat consumption by questionnaire and considered the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention. RESULTS: The baseline cohort consisted of 289 participants, of whom 77 were analyzed at week 5 (26.6% of the baseline sample) and 55 at week 9 (71.4% of the week 5 sample). We observed large reductions in meat intake at 5 and 9 weeks: -57 (95% CI -70 to -43) g/day (P<.001) and -49 (95% CI -64 to -34) g/day (P<.001), respectively. Participants' meat-free self-efficacy increased, meat-eating identities moved toward reduced-meat and non-meat-eating identities, and perceptions of meat consumption as the social norm reduced. Participants who completed the study reported high engagement and satisfaction with the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Among people motivated to engage, this online self-regulation program may lead to large reductions in meat intake for more than 2 months, with promising signs of a change in meat-eating identity toward more plant-based diets. This digital behavior change intervention could be offered to complement population-level interventions to support reduction of meat consumption.

Effects of environmental impact labels on the sustainability of food purchases: Two randomised controlled trials in an experimental online supermarket.

Providing consumers with product-specific environmental impact information for food products (ecolabels) may promote more sustainable purchasing, needed to meet global environmental targets. Two UK studies investigated the effectiveness of different ecolabels using an experimental online supermarket platform. Study 1 (N = 1051 participants) compared three labels against control (no label), while Study 2 (N = 4979) tested four designs against control. Study 1 found significant reductions in the environmental impact score (EIS) for all labels compared to control (labels presented: values for four environmental indicators [-3.9 percentiles, 95%CIs: -5.2,-2.6]; a composite score [taking values from A to E; -3.9, 95%CIs: -5.2,-2.5]; or both together [-3.2, 95%CIs: -4.5,-1.9]). Study 2 showed significant reductions in EIS compared to control for A-E labels [-2.3, 95%CIs: -3.0,-1.5], coloured globes with A-E scores [-3.2, 95%CIs:-3.9,-2.4], and red globes highlighting 'worse' products [-3.2, 95%CIs:-3.9,-2.5]. There was no evidence that green globes highlighting 'better' products were effective [-0.5, 95%CIs:-1.3,0.2]. Providing ecolabels is a promising intervention to promote the selection of more sustainable products.

Evaluation of the New Individual Fatty Acid Dataset for UK Biobank: Analysis of Intakes and Sources in 207,997 Participants.

The Oxford WebQ is an online 24 h dietary assessment tool used by several large prospective studies. This study describes the creation of the new individual fatty acid (FA) dataset for the Oxford WebQ and reports intakes and sources of dietary individual FAs in the UK Biobank. Participants who completed ≥1 (maximum of five) 24 h dietary assessments were included (n = 207,997). Nutrient intakes were obtained from the average of all completed 24 h dietary assessments. Nutrient data from the UK McCance and Widdowson's The Composition of Foods and the US Department of Agriculture food composition tables were used to calculate intakes of 21 individual FAs. The individual FA dataset included 10 saturated fatty acids (SFAs), 4 monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and 7 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs; including alpha-linolenic (18:3), eicosapentaenoic (20:5), and docosahexaenoic (22:6) acids). Palmitic (16:0; mean ± standard deviation (SD): 13.5 ± 5.7 g/d) and stearic (18:0; 5.2 ± 2.5) acids were the main contributors to SFAs, and the main sources of these were cereals and cereal products (mostly desserts/cakes/pastries), milk and milk products (mostly cheese and milk), and meat and meat products. Oleic acid (18:1; 24.2 ± 9.8) was the main MUFA, derived mainly from cereals and cereal products, and meat and meat products. Linoleic acid (18:2; 9.7 ± 4.3) was the main PUFA, derived mostly from cereals and cereal products, and vegetables (including potatoes) and vegetable dishes. The individual FA dataset for the Oxford WebQ will allow future investigations on individual FAs and disease risk.

Meeting report: plant-rich dietary patterns and health.

Dietary patterns (DP) rich in plant foods are associated with improved health and reduced non-communicable disease risk. In October 2021, the Nutrition Society hosted a member-led conference, held online over 2 half days, exploring the latest research findings examining plant-rich DP and health. The aim of the present paper is to summarise the content of the conference and synopses of the individual speaker presentations are included. Topics included epidemiological analysis of plant-rich DP and health outcomes, the effects of dietary interventions which have increased fruit and vegetable (FV) intake on a range of health outcomes, how adherence to plant-rich DP is assessed, the use of biomarkers to assess FV intake and a consideration of how modifying behaviour towards increased FV intake could impact environmental outcomes, planetary health and food systems. In conclusion, although there are still considerable uncertainties which require further research, which were considered as part of the conference and are summarised in this review, adopting a plant-rich DP at a population level could have a considerable impact on diet and health outcomes, as well as planetary health.