title: Comparison of nutritional quality of the vegan, vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian and omnivorous diet.
abstract: The number of studies comparing nutritional quality of restrictive diets is limited. Data on vegan subjects are especially lacking. It was the aim of the present study to compare the quality and the contributing components of vegan, vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian and omnivorous diets. Dietary intake was estimated using a cross-sectional online survey with a 52-items food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Healthy Eating Index 2010 (HEI-2010) and the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) were calculated as indicators for diet quality. After analysis of the diet questionnaire and the FFQ, 1475 participants were classified as vegans (n = 104), vegetarians (n = 573), semi-vegetarians (n = 498), pesco-vegetarians (n = 145), and omnivores (n = 155). The most restricted diet, i.e., the vegan diet, had the lowest total energy intake, better fat intake profile, lowest protein and highest dietary fiber intake in contrast to the omnivorous diet. Calcium intake was lowest for the vegans and below national dietary recommendations. The vegan diet received the highest index values and the omnivorous the lowest for HEI-2010 and MDS. Typical aspects of a vegan diet (high fruit and vegetable intake, low sodium intake, and low intake of saturated fat) contributed substantially to the total score, independent of the indexing system used. The score for the more prudent diets (vegetarians, semi-vegetarians and pesco-vegetarians) differed as a function of the used indexing system but they were mostly better in terms of nutrient quality than the omnivores.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Department of Human Biometrics and Biomechanics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, Brussels 1050, Belgium. pclarys@vub.ac.be.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clarys
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Department of Human Biometrics and Biomechanics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, Brussels 1050, Belgium. tom.deliens@vub.ac.be.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deliens
authors.affiliation: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Dietary Exposure Assessment Group, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, Lyon 69372 CEDEX 08, France. inge.huybrechts@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Huybrechts
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Department of Human Biometrics and Biomechanics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, Brussels 1050, Belgium. peter.deriemaeker@vub.ac.be.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deriemaeker
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent 9000, Belgium. Barbara.Vanaelst@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vanaelst
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent 9000, Belgium. willem.dekeyzer@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De Keyzer
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Department of Human Biometrics and Biomechanics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, Brussels 1050, Belgium. mhebbel@vub.ac.be.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hebbelinck
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Department of Human Biometrics and Biomechanics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, Brussels 1050, Belgium. patrick.mullie@vub.ac.be.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mullie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian; D002523:Edible Grain; D007887:Fabaceae; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005638:Fruit; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D008875:Middle Aged; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult