Protein Adequacy in Europe: Adjusting Crude Intakes Using the Protein Adequacy and Quality Score (PAQS)

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Dietary Assessment
• Public Health

Background:

• European diets traditionally feature high protein and animal-based sources, leading to assumptions of adequate protein quality.
• Shifting towards sustainable diets with increased plant protein may necessitate a re-evaluation of protein quality's importance.
• Understanding protein intake and quality is crucial for public health, especially with evolving dietary patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess current protein intake and adequacy in European adults, considering both crude and utilizable protein.
• To provide an overview of protein adequacy across different European countries and demographics.
• To establish a foundation for evaluating protein adequacy in the context of sustainable dietary shifts.

Main Methods:

• Developed and applied the Protein Adequacy and Quality Score (PAQS) to 25 European national dietary surveys.
• Calculated utilizable protein on a meal basis, incorporating protein digestibility and indispensable amino acid requirements.
• Accounted for energy misreporting, within-subject variation, and non-normality in intake distribution for robust analysis.

Main Results:

• Crude protein inadequacy was less than 1% in both sexes across European adults.
• Utilizable protein inadequacy varied by country and sex, ranging from 0% to 7% for females and 0% to 6% for males.
• A notable exception was observed in Germany, where utilizable protein inadequacy reached 17% for females and 6% for males.

Conclusions:

• Current European diets appear adequate in utilizable protein for most healthy adults.
• Diets of females in Germany warrant specific attention due to higher observed utilizable protein inadequacy.
• Further research into plant-based protein utilization and specific population needs is recommended.