A recent Nutrients study analyzed the helpful effects of mango consumption in two adult subgroups: women of childbearing age (WCA) and older adults.

Study: Mango Consumption Was Related to Higher Nutrient Intake and Eating regimen Quality in Women of Childbearing Age and Older Adults. Image Credit: Parkin Srihawong/Shutterstock.com

Background

Recently, dietary research has primarily focussed on dietary equity, which entails that every one individuals, no matter their ethnicity, gender, life stage, and economic status, must have access to healthy food containing appropriate nutrition.

Considering unique dietary needs at varied life stages, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) has designed tailored food guidance for kids, pregnant females, and older adults. 

The DGA has particularly focussed on pregnant women as they’re at a better risk of developing gestational diabetes, excessive gestational weight gain (GWG), preeclampsia, and hypertension.

Nonetheless, these risks could be significantly lowered by following a high-quality food regimen. Pregnant women are encouraged to reinforce folate, protein, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, iron, potassium, and fiber consumption.

A rise in fruit consumption could significantly improve food regimen quality, enhancing the intake of essential nutrients.

Besides pregnant women, the DGA has also focussed on individuals who’re above 60 years of age because this group is at a better risk of developing chronic health conditions, equivalent to bone/muscle diseases, cardiovascular events, and cancers.

Previous studies have shown that older adults have lower energy but the identical or higher dietary requirements compared to younger people.

A recent survey has documented that the degrees of diverse nutrients, equivalent to zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, folate, and vitamins A, C, D, and E, were below the estimated average requirement (EAR) in lots of older adults and pregnant women.

To bridge the dietary deficiency, the DGA encourages each pregnant and lactating females and older women to devour between 1.5 and a pair of cups of fruit each day. Several studies have shown that mangoes contain various dietary components.

For example, a cup of mango comprises 277 mg of potassium, 18.2 mg of calcium, 2.6 g of fiber, 71 µg of folate, 16.5 mg of magnesium, and 60.1 mg of vitamin C, with lower than 100 calories.

In regards to the study

The present study hypothesized that each day mango consumers, i.e., each WCA and older adults, would intake more helpful nutrients and have an improved food regimen quality than non-consumers.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, generated between 1999 and 2018, was used to develop a big study cohort, which helped test the aforementioned hypothesis.

NHANES is a government-run survey designed to measure US residents’ dietary and health status recurrently. The dietary component of NHANES was utilized on this study.

Study findings

The mean intake of mangoes by the WCA and older adult group were estimated to be 90.1g and 91.3g, respectively. In comparison with female consumers, males consumed around 3.8g of mangoes more.

Interestingly, mango consumers in each study groups revealed a better intake of several nutrients than non-consumers. Moreover, improved food regimen quality scores were related to mango consumers belonging to each groups, i.e., WCA and older adults.

Based on the outcomes, incorporating mangoes into the food regimen would help alleviate dietary inadequacies of necessary nutrients advisable by the DGA for WCA and older adults.

Regardless of mango consuming status, WCA was found to fall greater than 25% below the utmost component rating for fruit. Due to this fact, there may be an urgent need to extend fruit intake on this group of people.

Previous studies have identified several barriers, equivalent to funds, physical pregnancy symptoms, and time constraints, which inhibit the right intake of fruits in WCA. These aspects should be addressed to make sure healthy eating while pregnant.

This study observed that WCA who consumed mangoes had higher magnesium and fiber levels, which might help reduce antagonistic pregnancy conditions, equivalent to gestational diabetes and hypertension. Interestingly, a lower added sugar intake was found amongst mango consumers in WCA.

Unsurprisingly, increasing mango consumption in older adults could help delay or prevent the onset of chronic diseases.

Consistent with the findings of previous studies, the present study indicated that each day intake of fruits would improve the food regimen quality of older adults, which could, in turn, boost their immune system. 

Conclusions

Since WCA and older adults were found to learn from mangoes, this study highly recommends the inclusion of mangoes within the food regimen.

The inclusion of mango within the food regimen enhances dietary intake and improves food regimen quality in specific life stages of adult Americans.

More research on individual fruits is required to know their impact on meeting the dietary needs of various age groups.