Alonso Aperte, Elena

Moving towards sustainable food systems and food consumption are proposed as strategies to reduce environmental impact. However, these strategies require joint action between di erent stakeholders, including the general population’s knowledge and perception, as final consumers. To assess the knowledge and awareness on food sustainability and environmental impact concepts in a representative sample of Spanish adult population, we conducted a cross-sectional, nationally representative telephone survey. After random selection, 2052 respondents aged 18 years (57% woman and 43% men) participated. A questionnaire was specifically designed for the research. Participants showed a good attitude towards sustainable diets, which were described as healthy by 40% of the population. Most of the responders (>70%), did not well understand ecological and carbon footprints, and green and blue water concepts. Men declared a higher understanding of sustainability concepts, as compared to women. More than 50% of the population misunderstood the impact of meat and derivatives production on sustainability, and 70% perceived the same for fish and dairy products. Women were more prone to pay more money to a ord a sustainable diet than men were. In conclusion, although consumers show a positive attitude towards sustainability, important misconceptions remain, and thus require intervention through education, information, and motivation.

This study focuses on understanding factors that influence food agency in the Spanish population, specifically with regard to cooking habits, knowledge, and determinants and their possible relationship with body weight. A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted. Individuals were asked about their cooking responsibilities, how they learned to cook, factors that affect their food choices, and their preferred cooking techniques. Anthropometric data were also recorded. Participants were randomly selected, and we finally had 2026 respondents aged 18 years (60% women, 40% men). A total of 90.5% of participants stated that they had cooking skills. Women were mainly responsible for cooking tasks (p < 0.05) at all ages. A significantly higher proportion of people under 50 years self-reported that they were “able to cook” in comparison with groups over 50 years. Regardless of age, most participants learned to cook either by practice (43.3%) or from a family member (42.2%). Men tended to be more autodidactic, whereas women reported learning from family. No relation was found between weight status and the evaluated factors investigated. In conclusion, women bear the responsibility for the entire cooking process in families, indicating a gender gap in the involvement of men in cooking responsibilities and competence. More research is needed to assess the influence of cooking knowledge on obesity prevention.

Patients who follow a gluten-free diet (GFD) may be prone to nutritional deficiencies, due to food restriction and consumption of gluten-free products. The aim was to assess nutritional status in celiac children and adolescents on a long-term GFD. A cross-sectional age and gender-matched study in 70 celiac and 67 non-celiac volunteers was conducted, using dietary, anthropometric, biochemical parameters, and assessing bone mineral density and physical activity. Adequacy of vitamin D intake to recommendations was very low, in both groups, and intakes for calcium and magnesium were significantly lower in celiac volunteers. Celiac children and adolescents may have a higher risk of iron and folate deficiencies. Both groups followed a high-lipid, high-protein, low fiber diet. Median vitamin D plasma levels fell below reference values, in celiac and non-celiac participants, and were significantly lower in celiac girls. Other biochemical parameters were within normal ranges. Anthropometry and bone mineral density were similar within groups. With the exception of some slightly lower intakes, children and adolescents following a GFD appear to follow the same trends as healthy individuals on a normal diet. No e_ect of food restriction or gluten-free product consumption was observed.

Base de datos de composición de alimentos sin gluten certificados con la Espiga barrada y comercializados en España. Se incluyen datos de composición nutricional, ingredientes, adición o enriquecimiento de nutrientes, alegaciones nutricionales, de propiedades saludables y de reducción de riesgo de enfermedad, otras declaraciones y alérgenos. Todos los datos proceden del etiquetado. Incluye 629 productos y 73 marcas comerciales, clasificados de acuerdo a LanguaLTM.

Eating a nutritionally balanced breakfast can be a challenge when following a glutenfree diet (GFD).We assessed the ingredients and nutrient composition of 364 gluten-free breakfast products (GFPs) and 348 gluten-containing counterparts (GCCs), and we analysed the nutritional quality of breakfast in a group of Spanish children and adolescents with celiac disease (CD) (n = 70), as compared to controls (n = 67). Food intakes were estimated using three 24 h dietary records. The composition of GFPs and GCCs was retrieved from the package labels of commercially available products. Most participants (98.5%) ate breakfast daily, and only one person in each group skipped breakfast once. The breakfast contribution of the total daily energy was 19% in participants with CD and 20% in controls. CD patients managed a balanced breakfast in terms of energy (54% from carbohydrates; 12% from proteins; 34% from lipids) and key food groups (cereals, dairy, fruits), but their intake of fruits needs improvement. Compared to controls, breakfast in the CD group provided less protein and saturated fat, a similar amount of carbohydrates and fibre, and more salt. Fibre is frequently added to GFPs, but these contain less protein because of the flours used in formulation. Gluten-free bread contains more fat and is more saturated than is GCC. Sugars, sweets, and confectionery contribute more to energy and nutrient intakes in participants with CD, while grain products do so in controls. Overall, breakfast on a GFD can be adequate, but can be improved by GFPs reformulation and a lower consumption of processed foods.

The Mediterranean diet is a healthy dietary pattern in which fish consumption is an important key element. In Spain, fish intake is the second highest in Europe. Dietary guidelines recommend an intake of 1–3 portions a week of fish. However, Spanish fish sales have been decreasing since 2008. The unexpected pandemic spread of the SARS-CoV-2 in 2020 led the Spanish Government to take restrictive measures that had an impact on people’s behavior, including food purchases and consumption. The aim of the study was to analyze purchase data of fish, seafood, and fish products during the lockdown in Spain, using data from loyalty card holders (>5,000,000 participants) from a hypermarket chain in Spain. The results show a 45% increase in the purchase of all types of fish, seafood, and fish products, with the highest increment observed in the retiree (+65 years) as compared to the younger populations. Moreover, the retiree, in spite of the digital divide, were also the ones that most increased online shopping. These data should be considered since events like COVID-19 confinement can have a permanent impact on people’s dietary habits, a possibility that should be monitored in the future.

The only available treatment for celiac disease is life-long gluten exclusion. We conducted a cross-sectional age- and gender-matched study in 64 celiac adults on a long-term (>1 year) glutenfree diet and 74 non-celiac volunteers from Spain, using dietary, anthropometric, and biochemical parameters, as well as assessing bone mineral density and physical activity. Celiac adults had deficient intake (below 2/3 of the recommended intake) for folates, vitamin E, and iodine and low intake of calcium (below 80% of the recommended intake). Iron intake was also below 2/3 of the recommended intake in celiac women. Vitamin D intake was extremely low, and 34% of celiac patients had moderately deficient plasma levels. According to bone mineral density, celiac women may be more prone to osteopenia and osteoporosis. However, we found a perfectly analogous nutritional status scenario in celiac as compared to healthy volunteers, with the dietary deviations found being similar to those of the Spanish population, i.e., both groups followed a high-lipid, high-protein, and low-carbohydrate diet. Values for biochemical parameters were found within the reference ranges. Celiac disease had no influence on body weight, but body fat in celiac patients tended to be higher. According to our results, vitamin D, calcium, folates, vitamin E, iodine, and iron nutritional status should be specifically assessed and monitored in the celiac population.

Introducción: Los productos ready-to-eat, ya cocinados, envasados y refrigerados, son cada vez más consumidos en nuestro país. Sin embargo, no existen estudios que cuantifiquen su disponibilidad comercial, composición e información detallada para poder estimar su impacto sobre las ingestas, particularmente de folatos, en los diferentes grupos de población. Objetivos: La finalidad de este trabajo de investigación ha consistido en conocer la disponibilidad actual de alimentos ready-to-eat de base vegetal y aportar datos sobre el contenido de folato total de los mismos. Métodos: La concentración de folato total se determinó en 17 productos precocinados refrigerados, con ingredientes vegetales, mediante el método microbiológico basado en el crecimiento del Lactobacillus casei subespecie rhamnosus resistente a cloranfenicol. La precisión del procedimiento analítico se comprobó mediante un material de referencia certificado y por una prueba de recuperación con ácido fólico tritiado. Resultados y discusión: El contenido medio de FT varió desde 13,6 hasta 103,8 µg/100 g de peso fresco, siendo superior en hamburguesas vegetales, recetas con garbanzos, guisantes o alcachofas con jamón. Los alimentos se sometieron al tratamiento térmico indicado por el fabricante previo a su consumo, observándose que no existen pérdidas de folatos durante este último procesado. El coeficiente de variación de los duplicados del mismo producto fue inferior al 15%. Conclusiones: Se presentan datos pioneros relativos al análisis de folatos en alimentos ready-to-eat en el mercado español, que ayudarán a evaluar la adecuación de la ingesta de folatos en la población. El contenido de folatos de estos productos, su facilidad de consumo y atractiva presentación, los convierte en fuentes potenciales de la vitamina.

We developed a new database to evaluate the nutritional composition of lactose-free products from Spain. The database includes dairy products and other products, all of which show the “lactose-free” declaration on their label, accounting for 327 products in total. Of these, 123 are dairy products, 16 are non-dairy products which include a dairy ingredient (5%) and 188 items (57% of the sample) are non-dairy products that do not contain any dairy ingredient. The main subgroups are yogurt (25%), milk (24%), and cheese (17%). Nineteen percent of the compiled products included nutritional claims on their labels. Most lactose-free products did not contain either added sugars or low- or no-calorie sweeteners (58%), while 34% included added sugars and only 6%, sweeteners or a combination of both (2%). We found that 19.5%, mainly within the milk subgroup, were fortified with vitamins A, D, E, K, B9 , and B12, P, and Ca. There were no significant differences in the nutritional composition between lactose-free products and traditional products. According to the NOVA classification, 55% of compiled lactose-free products were ultra-processed, and 20% processed. The array of lactose-free products marketed in Spain proves that there are enough, both in quantity and quality, to satisfy the dairy needs of lactose intolerants.