Sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and/or vitamin D that are sustainable, sufficient, processable, acceptable, affordable and favourable to global health (Om3D)

Background and challenges

It has been shown that diet is a key lever for the prevention of non-communicable diseases. Among the main risk factors are diets low in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), in particular marine omega-3 fatty acids. Micronutrient deficiencies are also prominent nutritional risk factors (mainly iron and vitamin A, with vitamin D deficiency surprisingly not classified as a risk factor).

Globally, very few populations achieve the recommended dietary intake of omega-3 PUFAs. Yet these fats are involved in the maintenance of essential biological functions. Similarly, dietary intake of vitamin D is insufficient in many countries, and its endogenous synthesis, which is low in winter, is also inhibited by many aspects of modern life (sedentary lifestyle, ageing, pollution, etc.). However, vitamin D is involved in the maintenance of essential biological functions, in particular for musculoskeletal health or the functioning of the immune system. Some studies also show an association between vitamin D deficiency and the development of cancer or cardiovascular disease.

Omega-3 PUFAs and vitamin D also share a relatively small number of dietary sources, many of which are of marine origin, and currently not very sustainable. The potential to increase dietary intakes is also conditioned by many other factors, related to production systems, processing, associated environmental impacts, sensory properties of products (processed or unprocessed), economic aspects (sales price, profitability), and the cultural and social acceptability of these dimensions.

Goals

The challenge of the consortium will be to mobilise the knowledge and data necessary to develop a multi-criteria evaluation strategy for the different sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin D.

The aim is to contribute to answering the following interdisciplinary research question: "Which dimensions of the food system control the intake of essential nutrients and which sources could be used to increase/optimise them with sustainability and global health objectives?”

In practice, time for interdisciplinary reflection on the system and its factors will alternate with time for disciplinary data mining to gather quantitative data following a standard framework. Then, interdisciplinary work on the integration of data based on different approaches to multi-criteria analysis will be carried out. This will allow the development of a strategy for evaluating the performance of different sources along many dimensions.

INRAE units involved

• Biopolymères Interactions Assemblages
• Food and Bioproduct Engineering Research Unit
• Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation
• Institut de Mécanique et d'Ingénierie de Bordeaux
• Ingénierie des Agropolymères et Technologies Emergentes
• Physiologie, Environnement et Génétique pour l'Animal et les Systèmes d'Elevage
• Unité Mixte de Recherche sur les Herbivores
• Biologie de la Reproduction, Environnement, Epigénétique & Développement
• Nutrition, Métabolisme, Aquaculture
• MICrobiologie de l'ALImentation au service de la Santé
• Dynamique du Muscle et Métabolisme
• Cardiovasculaire, Métabolisme, Diabétologie et Nutrition
• Center for CardioVascular and Nutrition research
• Nutrition et Neurobiologie intégrée
• Unité de nutrition humaine
• Centre de recherche en épidémiologie et statistiques
• Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on Sustainable Agri-food systems
• Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquée de Grenoble
•  Mathématiques et Informatique Appliquées-Paris

Partners

• Bleu-Blanc-Coeur