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Quantitative approaches to nutrient density for public health nutrition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

Jeffrey R Backstrand
Jeffrey R Backstrand*
Affiliation:
Joint PhD Program in Urban Systems, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, 65 Bergen Street, 11th Floor, Newark, NJ 07107-1709, USA
*
*Corresponding author: Email backstjr@umdnj.edu
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Abstract

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Nutrient density, the vitamin or mineral content of a food or diet per unit energy, has long been a useful concept in the nutritional sciences. However, few nutritionists have applied the idea in quantitative, population-based nutrition planning and assessment. This paper discusses the conceptual issues related to the calculation of a nutrient density value that, if consumed, should meet the nutrient needs of most individuals in a population or sub-population, and outlines several methods for estimating this value. The paper also discusses the potential influence on the estimate's validity of factors such as skewed distributions and correlated energy intake and nutrient requirement.

Keywords

Nutrient densityNutrition planningProbability approach
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 6 , Issue 8 , December 2003 , pp. 829 - 837
Copyright
Copyright © CAB International 2003

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