National Nutrition Month: Catch up on the latest developments

March is National Nutrition Month, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The commemoration began as a week-long event in 1973, but as public interest in nutrition grew, it eventually extended to a month-long event in 1980.

A recent FDA survey showed that only 44% of U.S. adults “strongly agree” that they can make healthy food choices and only 29% said their overall dietary habits were either “excellent” or “very good.”

To mark the occasion, Healio Primary Care compiled 10 recent stories that discuss important developments in nutrition — including new insight into the role of vitamin D in COVID-19 and an ongoing debate among experts about the best overall diet.

‘Quality of carbohydrate matters’ in lowering diabetes risk

High-quality carbohydrates, particularly whole grains, lowered the risk for type 2 diabetes, according to data presented at Nutrition 2020 Live Online. Read more.

Study challenges report that Mediterranean is best overall diet

U.S. News & World Report recently named Mediterranean the best overall diet. However, a study has found that a vegan diet improved lipid concentrations, body weight and insulin sensitivity better than the Mediterranean diet. Read more.

Egg, cholesterol consumption linked to higher mortality from CVD, cancer

Whole egg and cholesterol intake was associated with CVD, cancer and all-cause mortality, data from a cohort of more than a half million people showed. Read more.

Picky eating starts early, may protect against higher BMI scores

Picky eating begins early in a child’s life and is associated with parental tactics to counteract pickiness and lower BMI scores, according to a study in Pediatrics. Read more.

Vitamin D deficiency may increase risk for COVID-19

Individuals with vitamin D deficiency were more likely to develop COVID-19 than those who had sufficient vitamin D levels, data from a single-center, retrospective cohort study published in JAMA Network Open show. Read more.

Fish consumption may offset effects of air pollution on women’s brains

Eating more fish may help women offset the negative effects of air pollution on brain health, according to a study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Read more.

High-protein diet linked to lower risk for death

Diets high in protein were associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality, according to a study published in The BMJ. Read more.

Vitamin A, E, D intake linked to lower prevalence of respiratory complaints

Consuming more of vitamins A, E and D may help lower respiratory complaints, according to research published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health. Read more.

Bleeding gums may indicate vitamin C deficiency

Gingival bleeding may indicate low vitamin C — or ascorbic acid — intake, according to research published in Nutritional Reviews. Read more.

References:

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. About National Nutrition Month. https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month/about-national-nutrition-month. Accessed March 23, 2021.

FDA. FDA celebrates National Nutrition Month in March. https://www.prnewswire.com/newsreleases/fda-celebrates-national-nutrition-month-in-march-2021-301249705.html. Accessed March 23, 2021.

FDA. FDA’s Food safety and nutrition survey. https://www.fda.gov/media/146532/download. Accessed March 23, 2021.