Pasta a healthy food option linked to weight loss in females, finds study
Good news for pasta eaters! A new research analyzing the diets of adults and children who eat pasta, has revealed good news about one of America's favorite foods.
Researchers
have found in a new study that pasta consumption in both children and adults is
associated with a better diet quality and better nutrient intakes than that of
those adults and children who do not eat pasta. Furthermore, when evaluating
weight parameters, no associations were observed in male adults and children.
In adult women however, pasta-eaters showed a beneficial weight-related
outcome. Pasta consumption in adult females was associated with reduced waist
circumference, body weight and body mass index (BMI).
The new research has been published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
Pasta remains a routine food consumed by Americans, however, recent shifts in consumer perceptions around carbohydrate intake and nutrition (1) are likely contributing to a decline in pasta consumption in the US.
The research, "Pasta Consumption is Linked to Greater Nutrient Intakes and Improved Diet Quality in American Children and Adults, and Beneficial Weight-Related Outcomes Only in Adult Females" was conducted by Nutritional Strategies, Inc. on behalf of the National Pasta Association. The study examined associations between pasta consumption, shortfall nutrient intakes as defined by the 2015 Dietary Guidelines (2015 DG) and diet quality in comparison to non-pasta consumption in the U.S. population (children (ages 2-18) and adults (> 19 years). Pasta consumption was defined as all dry domestic and imported pasta/noodle varieties made with only wheat and no egg. From the analysis, researchers identified a number of key positive nutritional dietary patterns associated with those who eat pasta as part of their diet compared to those who don't eat pasta. They are:
Better overall diet quality (as measured by USDA's Healthy Eating Index-2010
scale)
Greater intake of key shortfall nutrients
a. In adults these were: folate, iron, magnesium, and dietary fiber
b. In children these were: folate, iron, magnesium, dietary fiber and vitamin E
Lower daily intakes
a. Saturated fat and added sugars in adults
b. Saturated fat and total fat in children –
No
differences were seen in total daily calories and sodium intake.
No significant associations were seen with body weight, waist circumference and body mass index in children and adult males. In adult women (19 -50 years), pasta eating was associated with lower body weight and waist circumference.
Pasta is a
convenient, nutritious, easy-to-prepare meal for both young and old and pleases
even the pickiest of eaters. It has long been celebrated as one of America's
favorite foods and is advocated by nutritionists for its good nutrition.
"Pasta can be an effective building block for good nutrition throughout
the lifecycle, as it serves as a perfect delivery system for fruits,
vegetables, lean meats, fish and legumes," explains registered dietitian
Diane Welland, Director of Nutrition Communications for the National Pasta
Association. "Think of pasta as a canvas from which you can add almost any
nutrient-dense, fiber-rich food you and your family like, to create memorable
and delicious meals. This analysis underscores the nutritional importance of
grains, such as pasta, as consistent with a healthy diet. It shows that pasta
eaters have better quality diets than those who don't eat pasta."