Are recommended dietary patterns equitable?

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Current US dietary recommendations (DR) may be insufficient for improving diets in racial/ethnic minority communities.
• Cultural adaptation of evidence-based DR is a potential strategy to mitigate nutrition disparities, but its adaptability is not well understood.
• Understanding the origin and content of major DRs is key to assessing their universality and potential for cultural adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the content and origin of major dietary recommendations.
• To evaluate the potential for cultural adaptation of these recommendations for diverse populations.
• To assess the adequacy of current DR for racial/ethnic minority communities in the USA.

Main Methods:

• Case studies of major dietary recommendations and classification systems were analyzed.
• Included Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Mediterranean diet (MD), EAT-Lancet diet (EAT), and NOVA classification.
• Focus on origin, content, and potential for cultural adaptation across diverse groups.

Main Results:

• Major DRs emphasize physical health but differ in origin and evolution.
• Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) shows some cultural adaptability but requires significant resources.
• Mediterranean diet (MD) may be more effective within broader food practices; EAT-Lancet adaptation may conflict with existing beneficial traditional diets; NOVA has potential for widespread application in classifying food processing.

Conclusions:

• Dietary recommendations must evolve beyond a 'general population' or Eurocentric framework.
• Inclusivity of cultural differences and social practices is essential for equitable dietary improvement.
• Adapting DR to honor cultural diversity is vital for reducing nutrition disparities.