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Nutrition of animal source foods
Although a healthy diet containing all essential macro and micronutrients is possible only consuming a plant based diet, some populations are unable to consume an adequate quantity or variety of these plant based items to obtain appropriate amounts of nutrients, particularly those that are found in high concentrations in ASF.[2][3] Frequently, the most vulnerable populations to these micronutrient deficiencies are pregnant women, infants, and children in developing countries. In the 1980s the Nutrition Collaborative Research Support Program (NCRSP) found that six micronutrients were low in the mostly vegetarian diets of children in malnourished areas of Egypt, Mexico, and Kenya.[4] These six micronutrients are vitamin A, vitamin B12, riboflavin, calcium, iron and zinc.[5] ASF are the only food source of Vitamin B12.[6] ASF also provide high biological value protein, energy, fat compared with plant food sources.
Health impacts of micronutrient deficiency
All six micronutrients richly found in ASF, vitamin A, vitamin B12, riboflavin, calcium, iron and zinc play a critical role in the growth and development of children.[7][8] Inadequate stores of these micronutrients, either resulting from inadequate intake or poor absorption, is associated with poor growth, anemias (iron deficiency anemia and macrocytic anemia), rickets, night blindness, impaired cognitive functioning, neuromuscular deficits, diminished work capacity, psychiatric disorders and death.[9] Some of these affects, such as impaired cognitive development from an iron deficiency, are irreversible even with supplement treatment.[10]
Animal source food supplementation
Micronutrient deficiency is associated in poor early cognitive development.[11] Programs designed to address these micronutrient deficiencies should be targeted to infants, children, and pregnant women. To address these significant mirconutrient deficiencies, some global health researchers and practitioners developed and piloted a snack program in Kenya school children.[12] However, some communities are vegetarians for religious or cultural reasons. Efforts must be made to develop culturally appropriate interventions to address the micronutrient deficiencies in these populations, such as through food fortification.
See also
References
- ^ Murphy SP, Allen LH. (2003) Nutritional Importance of Animal Source Foods. J. Nutr. 133: 3932S-3935S.
- ^ Murphy SP, Allen LH. (2003) Nutritional Importance of Animal Source Foods. J. Nutr. 133: 3932S-3935S.
- ^ Dwyer JT. (1994) Vegetarian eating patterns: science, values, and food choices- where do we go from here? Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 59:1255S-1262S.
- ^ Murphy SP, Allen LH. (2003) Nutritional Importance of Animal Source Foods. J. Nutr. 133: 3932S-3935S.
- ^ Murphy SP, Allen LH. (2003) Nutritional Importance of Animal Source Foods. J. Nutr. 133: 3932S-3935S.
- ^ Stabler SP, Allen RH. (2004) Vitamin B12 Deficiency as a Worldwide Problem. Annu. Rev. Nutr. 24: 299-326.
- ^ Murphy SP, Allen LH. (2003) Nutritional Importance of Animal Source Foods. J. Nutr. 133: 3932S-3935S.
- ^ Black, MM. (2003) Micronutrient Deficiencies and Cognitive Functioning. J. Nutr. 133: 3927S-3931S.
- ^ Murphy SP, Allen LH. (2003) Nutritional Importance of Animal Source Foods. J. Nutr. 133: 3932S-3935S.
- ^ Walter T. (2003) Effect of iron-deficiency anemia on cognitive skills and neuromaturation in infancy and childhood. Food and Nutr Bulletin. 24: S104-S110.
- ^ Black MM. (2003) Micronutrients and Cognitive Functioning. J Nutr.133: 3927S-3931S.
- ^ Siekmann JH, Allen LH, Bwibo NO, Demment MW, Murphy SP, Neumann CG (2003). Kenyan School Children Have Multiple Micronutrient Deficiencies, but Increased plasma vitamin B12 is the only detectable micronutrient response to meat or milk supplementation. J. Nutr. 133. 3972S-3980S.
