Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026
08:42
Methods for Comparing Nutrients in Beebread Made by Africanized and European Honey Bees and the Effects on Hemolymph Protein Titers
Published on: March 17, 2015
[Nutritional analysis and complementation of a food basket derived from consumption]
S A Barretto1, D C Cyrillo e Silva, S M Cozzolino
1Departamento de Alimentos e Nutrição Experimental, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, SP-Brasil. sajbar@usp.br
Revista De Saude Publica
|August 12, 1998
Summary
The DISEASE & PROCON Basket (DPB) has nutritional gaps, lacking essential vitamins and minerals. Dietary complementation using the Hybrid Method offers a cost-effective solution aligning with local eating habits.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
- Food Economics
Context:
- The DISEASE & PROCON Basket (DPB) in S. Paulo, Brazil, serves as a standard for price variations.
- Assessing the nutritional adequacy of the DPB is crucial for its role as a reliable economic and dietary standard.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the nutritional sufficiency of food items within the DPB for a reference family in S. Paulo.
- To propose effective dietary complementation strategies to address identified nutritional deficiencies.
Summary:
- Analysis revealed the DPB's inadequacy in vitamins A, C, B2, B6, and minerals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, I, Se), with excessive fat content.
- Three complementation methods were tested: Ad Hoc, Linear Programming, and Hybrid.
- The Hybrid Method demonstrated the most promising results, balancing cost-effectiveness with adherence to local dietary patterns.
Impact:
- Identifies critical nutritional deficiencies in a widely used food basket.
- Suggests practical and economical solutions for improving population nutrition.
- Highlights potential links between food basket composition and the nutritional transition in developing nations.
Related Concept Videos
00:48Optimal Foraging
How animals obtain and eat their food is called foraging behavior. Foraging can include searching for plants and hunting for prey and depends on the species and environment.
02:35Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
Like all living organisms, plants require organic and inorganic nutrients to survive, reproduce, grow and maintain homeostasis. To identify nutrients that are essential for plant functioning, researchers have leveraged a technique called hydroponics. In hydroponic culture systems, plants are grown—without soil—in water-based solutions containing nutrients. At least 17 nutrients have been identified as essential elements required by plants. Plants acquire these elements from the atmosphere, the...
01:28Proteins: Dietary Sources and Requirements
Consuming animal-based products offers high-quality proteins that contain optimal levels and combinations of essential amino acids, crucial for tissue repair and growth. Foods like eggs, milk, fish, and most meats are a source of complete proteins. Legumes and cereals are abundant in proteins; however, they typically lack a full range of essential amino acids. As a result, they are considered incomplete protein sources. Some plant sources like soybeans, quinoa, and amaranth do contain complete...
01:19Energy Balance
The human body gets energy from the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Energy is released when the chemical bonds in the organic compounds present in the food are broken down. The energy content of food is measured in kilocalories (kcal), defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. This value is determined by measuring the temperature change of the water surrounding a calorimeter after the complete...
01:27Complement System
The complement system is a group of approximately 20 plasma proteins that strengthen the body's defenses against infections through opsonization, inflammation, and cell lysis. Opsonization involves coating pathogens with complement proteins, making them more recognizable and facilitating phagocyte engulfment. Certain complement proteins induce inflammation that attracts immune cells to the site of infection. Cell lysis involves the destruction of pathogens through the formation of a membrane...
01:12Analysis of Population Pharmacokinetic Data
Analysis of population pharmacokinetic data involves studying the behavior of drugs within diverse populations to understand their pharmacokinetic parameters. Traditional pharmacokinetic methods typically involve collecting samples from a few individuals and estimating these parameters. While these methods are commonly used, they have limitations in capturing the variability in drug response among individuals or heterogeneous populations. Population pharmacokinetics is employed to address these...