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School Meals with More Whole Grains Can Prevent 10,600 Deaths and $19.3B in Healthcare Costs

Nutritious school meals can support children’s health in the short term, and new research suggests that these benefits can extend into adulthood as well. In this study, researchers used comparative risk assessment frameworks to estimate the short-term and long-term health impacts of fully aligning the U.S. National School Lunch program with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. If all school meals were to fully comply with the Dietary Guidelines, researchers estimate improved BMI and blood pressure in the short term, as well as 10,600 fewer deaths from heart disease, diabetes, and cancer in adulthood. These health improvements would save an estimated 355,000 disability-adjusted life-years and an estimated $19.3 billion in medical costs each year. While many aspects of the current and proposed school nutrition standards are aligned with the Dietary Guidelines, stronger school meal standards for whole grains, added sugars, and sodium are needed to be able to fully realize these health benefits.  
Am J Clin Nutr. 2023 Jul 18;S0002-9165(23)65959-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.05.031. (Wang L et al.)

No Need to Avoid Pasta on Weight Loss Diets

Pasta is low-glycemic index food, meaning that it has a gentler impact on blood sugar than many other carbohydrate foods. However, many people are confused about how pasta fits into a healthy diet. In this review, researchers analyzed 38 studies to better understand how pasta intake relates to body weight. Some studies found no relationship between eating pasta and body weight, while other studies found that eating pasta was related to a lower risk of overweight and obesity. Overall, the evidence suggests that pasta does not cause weight gain, especially when pasta is eaten in the context of an overall healthy diet.
Nutrients. 2023 Jun 9;15(12):2689. doi: 10.3390/nu15122689. (Sanders LM et al.)

Eating More Whole Grains Linked with Better Mental Health

Whole grain’s protective effect against heart disease and diabetes is well-documented, and because these chronic conditions also relate to risk of brain health and mental health, researchers wanted to examine this relationship directly. In this study, scientists analyzed 23 studies on whole grain intake and risk of cognitive decline, depression, anxiety, and mood disorders and evaluated the strength of the evidence. They found that people who eat more whole grains are more likely to have better mood, depression, and anxiety scores. The evidence on whole grains and cognition was inconclusive, meaning that more research is needed.
Adv Nutr. 2023 Apr 19;S2161-8313(23)00288-0. doi: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.04.003. (Ross AB et al.)

More Than 1/4 Global Cases of Type 2 Diabetes Attributed to Low Whole Grain Intake

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases around the world, impacting millions of people. In this study, researchers developed risk-assessment models to estimate how much various dietary habits contribute to type 2 diabetes risk in 184 countries around the world. The largest burden (26.1%) of type 2 diabetes was attributed to low whole grain intake. Other factors contributing to high type 2 diabetes burden included high intake of refined rice and wheat (24.6%) and high intake of processed meat (20.3%).
Nat Med. 2023 Apr;29(4):982-995. doi: 10.1038/s41591-023-02278-8. Epub 2023 Apr 17. (O’Hearn M et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with Lower Risk of Heart Disease, Death in At-Risk Individuals

At Mediterranean diet is well-known for its link with heart health, but researchers wanted to see how this tried-and-true eating pattern stacks up against other popular diet plans, like low carb or low sodium. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers analyzed 40 studies in which a total of more than 35,000 people at risk of heart disease were randomly assigned to 7 different popular diets or a minimal intervention control group, to see which popular diets are most effective of preventing heart disease and mortality. They found that Mediterranean diets reduce the risk of all-cause mortality by 28%, heart disease mortality by 45%, stroke by 35%, and nonfatal heart attacks by 52%. Mediterranean diets were more effective than any other diet studied, many of which were no better than the control group.
BMJ. 2023 Mar 29;380:e072003. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2022-072003. (Karam G et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with 23% Lower Risk of Dementia, Regardless of Genetic Risk Factors

Mediterranean diets have been linked with brain health and lower dementia risk in small studies, but researchers wanted to see how this relationship holds up in larger studies and in people who are genetically predisposed to dementia. In a study of 60,298 older adults in the UK, those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were 23% less likely to develop dementia over the 9 year study period, independent of a person’s genetic risk for dementia.
BMC Med. 2023 Mar 14;21(1):81. doi: 10.1186/s12916-023-02772-3. (Shannon OM et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with 25% Lower Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Women

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in women, meaning that lifestyle changes to support heart health are of the utmost importance. In a meta-analysis of 16 prospective cohort studies (in which more than 700,000 women were followed over time), women most closely following a Mediterranean diet were 24% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, were 23% less likely to die, and were 25% less likely to develop coronary heart disease than those not following a Mediterranean diet.
Heart. 2023 Mar 14;heartjnl-2022-321930. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2022-321930. (Pant A et al.)

Eating Whole Grains Linked with 28-36% Lower Risk of Dementia

Brain-healthy diets include a variety of healthy ingredients, and researchers wonder if whole grains specifically might be related to dementia risk. In a study of 2,958 adults in the U.S., those eating the most whole grains were 28% less likely to develop all-cause dementia and were 36% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s dementia over the 12-year study period. The researchers note that more research is needed to better understand this relationship.
J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2023;10(1):133-136. doi: 10.14283/jpad.2022.91. (J Wang et al.)

Mediterranean Diet During Pregnancy Linked with 21% Lower Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Adverse pregnancy outcomes (such as preeclampsia, eclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, small-for-gestational age, and stillbirth) can put both mothers and babies at risk. In this prospective study of 7,798 pregnant women across the US, those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were 21% less likely to develop any of the adverse pregnancy outcomes described above and were also 28% less likely to develop preeclampsia and 37% less likely to develop gestational diabetes. The researchers noted a dose-response relationship for risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, meaning that the closer a mother’s diet aligned with the Mediterranean diet, the lower the risk.
JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Dec 1;5(12):e2248165. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.48165.

Dietitians and Nutrition Students Are Knowledgeable About Whole Grains, Can Play Role in Encouraging Greater Whole Grain Intake Among Consumers

In this study, researchers surveyed 348 registered dietitians and 124 nutrition students about whole grain foods. Both groups had high whole grain knowledge and were able to correctly identify whole grain foods. The authors note that exposure to whole grain foods plays a critical role in behavior change, and that “the use of prominent and clear whole-grain labeling should be increased, such as the Whole Grain Stamp.”
Nutrition Today. 2022 July/Aug;57(4):200-208. (Hicks-Roof K et al.) doi: 10.1097/NT.0000000000000550

Increasing Whole Grains, Limiting Beef in School Lunches Can Reduce Environmental Impact

Meals served in the National School Lunch Program are developed with nutrition, cost, and youth preferences in mind, with little room or direction to consider environmental impact. Using data from over 2.2 million real-world lunches, researchers at Tufts quantified the environmental footprint of each lunch served to see if they could determine patterns and form recommendations for more sustainable lunches. They found that low impact school lunches had “20% more whole grains, nearly 20 times more nuts and seeds, and four times less animal protein than high impact lunches.” As a result, the authors concluded that “increasing whole grain requirements and providing serving size or frequency limits for beef” are the two most effective recommendations for reducing the environmental impacts of the National School Lunch program. 
Nature. 2022 June 23;3(138). doi: 10.1038/s43247-022-00452-3. (Stern AL et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Reduces Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

Randomized controlled trials, in which people are randomly assigned to a particular treatment and then monitored over time, are considered by many to be the “gold standard” of nutrition research. In this randomized controlled trial, 1,002 Spanish adults (average age 59) with heart disease were randomly assigned to a Mediterranean diet or a control diet (which differed by emphasizing lean meats and fish and low-fat dairy, and restricting fatty fish, nuts and olive oil) and followed for 7 years. Those eating a Mediterranean diet were 25-29% less likely to have a major cardiovascular event (such as a heart attack or stroke) than those eating the control diet, with the relationship being especially strong in men. These findings are consistent with previous research noting the cardioprotective benefits of a Mediterranean diet. 
Lancet. 2022 May 4;S0140-6736(22)00122-2. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00122-2. (Delgado-Lista J et al.)

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