The American journal of clinical nutrition
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Worldwide, an estimated 2 billion people live primarily on a meat-based diet, while an estimated 4 billion live primarily on a plant-based diet. The US food production system uses about 50% of the total US land area, 80% of the fresh water, and 17% of the fossil energy used in the country. The heavy dependence on fossil energy suggests that the US food system, whether meat-based or plant-based, is not sustainable. ⋯ In both diets, the daily quantity of calories consumed are kept constant at about 3533 kcal per person. The meat-based food system requires more energy, land, and water resources than the lactoovovegetarian diet. In this limited sense, the lactoovovegetarian diet is more sustainable than the average American meat-based diet.
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Usual equations for predicting resting energy expenditure (REE) are not appropriate for critically ill patients, and indirect calorimetry criteria render its routine use difficult. ⋯ Our results suggest that REE estimated on the basis of body weight, height, minute ventilation, and body temperature is clinically more relevant than are the usual predictive equations for metabolically stable, mechanically ventilated patients.
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Vegetarians have a lower intake of vitamin B-12 than do omnivores. Early and reliable diagnosis of vitamin B-12 deficiency is very important. ⋯ Vegan subjects and, to a lesser degree, subjects in the LV-LOV group had metabolic features indicating vitamin B-12 deficiency that led to a substantial increase in total homocysteine concentrations. Vitamin B-12 status should be monitored in vegetarians. Health aspects of vegetarianism should be considered in the light of possible damaging effects arising from vitamin B-12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia.
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Few studies have examined food consumption patterns in relation to biological risk factors for cardiovascular disease. ⋯ In this Dutch population, food consumption patterns were independently associated with blood pressure and plasma glucose and cholesterol concentrations.
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Cross-sectional studies have shown an association between the duration (y) of dialysis and nutritional status, providing evidence of wasting. ⋯ Evidence of adverse changes in body composition and physical activity, function, and performance and of a modest influence of inflammation and dietary intake on these changes was observed in this cohort. Tools such as bioelectrical impedance analysis, accelerometry, and the HAP may be required to identify subtle changes.