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Micronutrient recommendation stakeholders' beliefs on dietary guidelines: a qualitative study across six European countries/regions

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 65, pages 872–874 (2011)Cite this article

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Abstract

A range of stakeholders have been involved in the development and implementation of dietary guidelines (DG) across Europe. Seventy-seven semi-structured qualitative interviews explored stakeholders' beliefs of DG in six European countries/regions. A main theme, variation in the interpretation of the term dietary guideline, was identified using thematic analysis. Descriptions of DG varied across stakeholder groups and countries. Reference was made to both food-based and nutrient-based guidelines, including the terms food-based DG and food guides (for example, pyramids), nutrient recommendations, dietary recommendations, dietary reference values and guideline daily amounts. The terminology surrounding DG requires greater clarity. Until that time, stakeholders would benefit from increased awareness of potential misinterpretations and the implications of this on multi-stakeholder, multi-national policy development and implementation.

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Acknowledgements

The work herein has been carried out within the EURRECA Network of Excellence (http://www.eurreca.org), financially supported by the Commission of the European Communities, Specific Research Technology and Development (RTD) Programme Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources within the sixth framework programme, contract no. 036196. This does not necessarily reflect the Commission's views or its future policy in this area. We would like to acknowledge the contributions made to data collection from Mirjana Gurinovic, Romana Novakovic and Jasna Tepsic at the Institute for Medical Research, Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, University of Belgrade, Serbia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Food Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre, Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK

    K A Brown, L Timotijevic & M M Raats

  2. Department of Information Systems and Skills, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UK

    J Barnett

  3. Department for Food Safety and Nutrition, The National Institute of Public Health in Prague, Brno, Czech Republic

    J Ruprich & I Řehůřková

  4. Division of Metabolic Diseases and Nutritional Medicine, Dr von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany

    M Hermoso

  5. Department of Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Norway

    L-F Andersen & I T L Lillegaard

  6. European Food Information Council, Rue Guimard, Brussels, Belgium

    L Fernández-Celemín & A Larrañaga

  7. CRY, Unit 7, Epsom Downs Metro Centre, Tadworth, UK

    A Lončarevič-Srmič

Authors
  1. K A Brown
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  2. L Timotijevic
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  3. J Barnett
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  4. J Ruprich
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  5. I Řehůřková
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  6. M Hermoso
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  7. L-F Andersen
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  8. I T L Lillegaard
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  9. L Fernández-Celemín
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  10. A Larrañaga
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  11. A Lončarevič-Srmič
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  12. M M Raats
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M M Raats.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Brown, K., Timotijevic, L., Barnett, J. et al. Micronutrient recommendation stakeholders' beliefs on dietary guidelines: a qualitative study across six European countries/regions. Eur J Clin Nutr 65, 872–874 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2011.38

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2011.38

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