The World's Vegetables Are Vanishing, And It's Quietly Wrecking Our Diets - ScienceAlert

A new study found that two very different eating patterns shared a nutritional problem: inadequate fiber intake. Among 64 adults preparing for weight-loss surgery, approximately 83% consumed less fiber than recommended, regardless of their broader dietary profile. The Concordia University findings, publicized October 13, also revealed something unexpected. Participants who consumed more calories, fats, sugars, and nutrients showed no statistically significant differences in several heart and metabolic health markers compared with those consuming less. Next: I'm a Trainer: Americans Are Obsessed With Protein, but Most Are Missing One Key NutrientTwo Diets, One Common ProblemPublished in the journal Obesity Surgery, the study examined adults averaging 48 years old, with an average body mass index of 45. Researchers identified two dietary profiles. One featured higher consumption of sugar, fat, and overall nutrients. The other contained fewer vitamins and less fiber. "The high sugar and high fat group might be eating more fatty food like beef as opposed to chicken, or even putting more sugar in their coffee," said Concordia professor Simon Bacon, PhD.

From hidden vegetables to dinner-table rules, interviews with Swedish parents examine the everyday decisions that influence what children eat. Study: Parents’ perspectives and roles in influencing 10–12-year-old children’s fruit and vegetable consumption: a qualitative study in Sweden. Image Credit: Rido / Shutterstock