Aim: To explore possible adverse health effects of high soy intake among children and pregnant women (unborn children) in the Nordic countries. Methods: A dietary exposure scenario with a high soy content was created based on Danish data on the diet of women (18-45 yrs) and children (4-10 yrs). The literature was searched for relevant studies for a risk assessment of isoflavones. Results: Minor changes in the intake of energy and macronutrients, and no changes to the degree of fulfilling recommended intake levels for most micronutrients were found. Health-based guidance values for genistein intake by pregnant women (unborn children) of 0.09 mg/kg bw/day and for children of 0.07 mg/kg bw/day were established. Conclusion: Estimated exposure to the isoflavone genistein from a diet with high soy content indicated a potential health concern for children and no concern for the unborn child.
A Nordic working group was established in 2007 with the aim to describe a future Nordic Monitoring System on diet, physical activity and overweight. The system was validated in 2009 and in 2011 and 2014, the first data collections took place.
The Nordic Monitoring Group has discussed future developments of the monitoring system based on experience from the first two data collections. The Nordic Monitoring Group has described how results from the monitoring have been communicated and used for several purposes.
The current Nordic working paper sums up the deliveries from the Nordic Monitoring System and points forward to a new data collection.
In 2019, the Nordic network on dietary surveys compared results regarding 24 h recalls, if the method was used in a systematic Nordic set up. A standardized central food list for 7 days was entered into national nutrients calculation systems and the intakes of individual food groups and nutrients on each day and as a daily average of the 7 days were compared.
Results were presented at an online workshop on November 20th, 2020. In addition to the country specific presentations of the analysis, each country also gave a presentation on the latest national dietary survey.
Despite standardized input, there were many differences in the results. The presentations on national dietary surveys showed differences and similarities of conducting dietary surveys and elucidated a lot of the common challenges researchers face. Many topics could be further elucidated on future network meetings.
The aim of the present report is to describe the common Nordic activities and progress obtained in the Nordic countries through the Nordic co-operation in the area of nutrition for the period from the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN) in 1992 to the ICN 2014. It is also having a view on the Nordic Plan of Action on Better Health and Quality of Life through Diet and Physical Activity established in 2006 and having goals for 2021.
Please notice 2nd edition amendments below. The Nordic countries have for several decades collaborated in setting guidelines for dietary composition and recommended intakes of nutrients. This 4th edition, NNR 2004, contains a summary, presented in Chapters 1 and 2, while the subsequent chapters provide the scientific background documentation. Recommendations have been changed only when strong scientific evidence has evolved since the 3rd edition. A Nordic perspective has been accounted for in setting the recommendations. A chapter on physical activity has been added and interaction with physical activity has been taken into account for the individual nutrient recommendations wherever appropriate. The chapters on energy requirement, eating pattern, antioxidants and breastfeeding have been reviewed and updated and a new chapter on food-based recommendations included. The primary aim of the NNR 2004 report is to present the scientific background of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations and their application. In addition the report can be used as a complement to text books in the field of nutrition, but it is not attempting to give a comprehensive overview of metabolism, physiology and clinical aspects of each nutrient or topic. A secondary aim for NNR 2004 is to function as a basis for national recommendations adopted individually by the Nordic countries.