Application of a Modified Healthy Eating Index (HEI-Flex) to Compare the Diet Quality of Flexitarians, Vegans and Omnivores in Germany
Interest in plant-based nutrition has steadily increased in the western world in the recent years. The number of people following a meat-reduced, flexitarian diet is growing continuously. However, little is known about the diet quality of flexitarians compared to vegans or omnivores. Therefore, in t...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/15/3038 |
| _version_ | 1797412749988331520 |
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| author | Anja Bruns Mattea Mueller Inga Schneider Andreas Hahn |
| author_facet | Anja Bruns Mattea Mueller Inga Schneider Andreas Hahn |
| author_sort | Anja Bruns |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Interest in plant-based nutrition has steadily increased in the western world in the recent years. The number of people following a meat-reduced, flexitarian diet is growing continuously. However, little is known about the diet quality of flexitarians compared to vegans or omnivores. Therefore, in this cross-sectional study, the food intake of 94 participants aged between 25–45 years was recorded via a validated food frequency questionnaire and 28 self-designed questions about the consumption of plant-based alternatives. An adapted Healthy Eating Index, HEI-flex, was developed to evaluate the diet quality of flexitarians, vegans and omnivores. Higher score points (SP) of the HEI-flex are associated with higher compliance with the official diet recommendations (V<sub>max</sub> = 100 SP). Finally, flexitarians scored significantly more highly when compared to omnivores (54 ± 8 vs. 47 ± 9 SP; <i>p</i> = 0.008) but lower than vegans (54 ± 8 vs. 61 ± 10 SP; <i>p</i> = 0.010). The results showed that the HEI-flex is a useful tool for assessing and comparing the diet quality of flexitarians, vegans and omnivores. Despite the consumption of highly processed plant-based alternatives, reduction in meat and meat products seems to be accompanied by increased overall diet quality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:07:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-206d0685036540aca0d1f181c26e281b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:07:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-206d0685036540aca0d1f181c26e281b2023-12-03T12:53:11ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-07-011415303810.3390/nu14153038Application of a Modified Healthy Eating Index (HEI-Flex) to Compare the Diet Quality of Flexitarians, Vegans and Omnivores in GermanyAnja Bruns0Mattea Mueller1Inga Schneider2Andreas Hahn3Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, Leibniz University of Hannover, 30159 Hannover, GermanyInstitute of Food Science and Nutrition, Leibniz University of Hannover, 30159 Hannover, GermanyInstitute of Food Science and Nutrition, Leibniz University of Hannover, 30159 Hannover, GermanyInstitute of Food Science and Nutrition, Leibniz University of Hannover, 30159 Hannover, GermanyInterest in plant-based nutrition has steadily increased in the western world in the recent years. The number of people following a meat-reduced, flexitarian diet is growing continuously. However, little is known about the diet quality of flexitarians compared to vegans or omnivores. Therefore, in this cross-sectional study, the food intake of 94 participants aged between 25–45 years was recorded via a validated food frequency questionnaire and 28 self-designed questions about the consumption of plant-based alternatives. An adapted Healthy Eating Index, HEI-flex, was developed to evaluate the diet quality of flexitarians, vegans and omnivores. Higher score points (SP) of the HEI-flex are associated with higher compliance with the official diet recommendations (V<sub>max</sub> = 100 SP). Finally, flexitarians scored significantly more highly when compared to omnivores (54 ± 8 vs. 47 ± 9 SP; <i>p</i> = 0.008) but lower than vegans (54 ± 8 vs. 61 ± 10 SP; <i>p</i> = 0.010). The results showed that the HEI-flex is a useful tool for assessing and comparing the diet quality of flexitarians, vegans and omnivores. Despite the consumption of highly processed plant-based alternatives, reduction in meat and meat products seems to be accompanied by increased overall diet quality.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/15/3038flexitariansHEI-flexHealthy Eating Indexdiet qualityvegansplant-based alternatives |
| spellingShingle | Anja Bruns Mattea Mueller Inga Schneider Andreas Hahn Application of a Modified Healthy Eating Index (HEI-Flex) to Compare the Diet Quality of Flexitarians, Vegans and Omnivores in Germany Nutrients flexitarians HEI-flex Healthy Eating Index diet quality vegans plant-based alternatives |
| title | Application of a Modified Healthy Eating Index (HEI-Flex) to Compare the Diet Quality of Flexitarians, Vegans and Omnivores in Germany |
| title_full | Application of a Modified Healthy Eating Index (HEI-Flex) to Compare the Diet Quality of Flexitarians, Vegans and Omnivores in Germany |
| title_fullStr | Application of a Modified Healthy Eating Index (HEI-Flex) to Compare the Diet Quality of Flexitarians, Vegans and Omnivores in Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of a Modified Healthy Eating Index (HEI-Flex) to Compare the Diet Quality of Flexitarians, Vegans and Omnivores in Germany |
| title_short | Application of a Modified Healthy Eating Index (HEI-Flex) to Compare the Diet Quality of Flexitarians, Vegans and Omnivores in Germany |
| title_sort | application of a modified healthy eating index hei flex to compare the diet quality of flexitarians vegans and omnivores in germany |
| topic | flexitarians HEI-flex Healthy Eating Index diet quality vegans plant-based alternatives |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/15/3038 |
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