The protein shift - A risk for women and children?

The Swedish government has adopted a national food strategy that supports reduced meat consumption and the transition to more sustainable protein sources. The effects of such a shift on the status of critical nutrients in risk groups are unknown.

We will therefore  evaluate how a shift towards a more plant-based diet affects the status of nutrients through observational studies in a birth cohort (NICE), conduct intervention studies to evaluate iron absorption and evaluate nutritional value in plant-based meat substitutes available on the Swedish market.

Our hypotheses are that i) A protein shift from meat to plant protein can have negative effects on nutritional status (iron, zinc, vitamins B12 and D) in women of childbearing age and children ii) Fish protein as a complement to plant protein results in higher bioavailability of iron/ essential micronutrients iii) Nutritional value deteriorates in highly processed meat substitute products compared with traditional plant-based products.

The hypotheses are addressed by i) investigating the nutritional status associated with low to high plant based food intake, ii) investigate iron absorption  from matched plant-, fish- and meat protein meals with radioisotope technique in a controlled study; ii) assess the nutritional value of highly processed, vegetable protein products vs traditional plant products.The project provides important evidence to substantiate a protein shift for increased sustainability and health.