Critical Assessment of Nutrition Advice Websites: A Report

This report critically assesses the Danone website as a source of nutritional advice, particularly for pregnant women. It compares the website's recommendations with guidelines from the New Zealand Ministry of Health, highlighting strengths such as comprehensive data and weaknesses like a reliance on secondary data. The report further evaluates two research articles: one on vitamin D requirements during pregnancy and lactation, and another on the role of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA). The analysis underscores the importance of vitamin D for bone development and the benefits of DHA and LC-PUFA in minimizing preterm delivery and enhancing neurological development. The report concludes that while the Danone website provides a good foundation for basic nutritional information, a comprehensive approach to nutritional advice requires consulting multiple sources and staying informed about the latest research findings. The student emphasizes the need for evidence-based research and the limitations of relying solely on one website for guidance.

Running head: NUTRITIONAL ADVICE
Nutrition Advice
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

1NUTRITIONAL ADVICE
Assessment 1
Critical assessment of the Danone website as a nutrition advisory website stands out quite
well than other websites as it almost in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Ministry
of Health in New Zealand (Eating for Healthy Pregnant Women/Ngā Kai Totika mā te Wahine
Hapū | HealthEd, 2017). This website can benefit pregnant women and nutrition experts alike as
well as researchers who are looking to gather information about nutrition. It is not advised to
solely depend on this website for information and always a professional nutritionist should be
consulted (Nutrition while Pregnant | Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, Australia, 2017). The
website gathers collective data from peer reviewed journals as well as the guidelines of Ministry
of Health, so the information is not fictional. This provides the website proper recognition for
collecting useful information. The strength of this website is it has comprehensive data set
according the need of the reader and is readily available on the internet. The weakness of this
website is that since it a representation of a company, it does not provide primary evidence based
research to support its facts but focuses on secondary data samples, but depending solely on the
website for advise and knowledge is unacceptable and a professional advise should be taken
seriously. The website provides a good initiative and can help many people who are searching
for answers regarding pregnancy and infancy health.
Assessment 2
Comparison between DANONE website and New Zealand Ministry of Health
Nutritional Advice DANONE Website New Zealand Ministry of Health
1. Vegetables 1. 5 servings per day 10. 6 servings per day

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2. Fruits
3. Fibre rich foods
4. Milk Products
5. Lean meat, eggs,
beans, legumes, nuts
6. Fluid intake
7. Unsaturated oil,
margarine and almond
oil
Things to Avoid:
1. Processed meat
2. Raw meat
3. Sea food(canned tuna,
mercury fish et cetra
4. Pre cooked food
5. Unpasteurised food
items
6. Caffeinated products
7. Soft serve ice creams,
raw egg added
food( mayonnaise,
custard et cetra)
2. 2 servings per day
3. Approx 8 servings
4. 2.5 servings
5. 3.5 servings
6. 9 glasses
7. Yes
1. Avoid
2. Avoid
3. Avoid
4. Avoid
5. Avoid
6. Not more than
300mg per day
7. Avoid
8. Strictly avoid
11. 2 servings per day
12. At least 6 servings
13. 3 servings
14. 2 servings
15. 9 glasses
16. Yes
1. Avoid
2. Avoid
3. Avoid
4. Avoid
5. Avoid
6. Limit intake
7. Avoid
8. Strictly avoid

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8. Alcohol
9. Smoking
9. Strictly avoid 9. Strictly avoid
Assessment 3
Nutritional advice requires a lot of knowledge and especially in cases of pregnant women
a lot has to be kept in mind regarding the health of the mother as well as the baby. The Danone
website is a fairly good example of a nutrition advice website, as it contains a good explanation
as of what food and care should be taken during the conception period (Nutrition while Pregnant
| Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, Australia, 2017). The sources of information provided in
the website are fairly justified and in accordance with the Ministry of Health recommendations in
New Zealand, so the website seems to be trustworthy (Eating for Healthy Pregnant Women/Ngā
Kai Totika mā te Wahine Hapū | HealthEd, 2017). It has to be kept in mind that focussing on just
one website cannot provide complete nutrition advice in any medical condition. The approach to
better nutrition in pregnancy should be based on extensive and focussed research, which cannot
be obtained from just one source.
Assessment 4
Hollis, B. W., & Wagner, C. L. (2004). Assessment of dietary vitamin D requirements
during pregnancy and lactation. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 79(5), 717-726.
Lowered levels of vitamin D are a major concern among all the general population,
especially in children and pregnant women. This poses a concern among the nutritionists and

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paediatricians across the globe. The Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society and
Osteoporosis Australia along with Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group, Royal Australasian
College of Physicians and Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists, released a public statement addressing the fact in the public scenario (Paxton et
al., 2013). The paper states that the deficiency of Vitamin D and calcium absorption and the
entire associated imbalance in these two parameters affects the absorptive mechanism in the
foetus. The primary outcome of the scientists was to survey previous and current research
articles to re-evaluate the dietary threshold ingestion for vitamin D in adults specifically on
ladies amid pregnancy and lactation. The proper threshold intake of vitamin D amid pregnancy
and lactation is not yet known, despite the fact that it has all the estimated values is more than the
what the present dietary suggestion admission of 200–400 IU/d (5–10 g/d). Measurements of
10,000 IU vitamin D/d (250 g/d) for up to 5 mo don't elevate flowing 25-hydroxyvitamin D to
focuses 90 ng/mL, although dosages of 1000 IU/d, much of the time show up to be insufficient
for keeping up typical circulation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the body to about 15 to 80 ng/mL.
Evaluation of the research article shows that the review is based on secondary data but no
analysis of the data is provided. Absence of primary data also fails to support the findings of the
article, which is a major flaw and does not provide statistical data to derive a conclusion. In the
light of assessment question, vitamin D intake is very essential for the health of both mother and
the baby for its growth and development of bone strength. Women also are associated with
decrease of calcium in the body with age and with pregnancy extra care has to be n taken to
ensure safety and health of both baby and the mother. The New Zealand Ministry of Health
suggests taking dietary vitamin supplements, but the Danone website does not mention the

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importance of incorporating the vitamin D supplement during pregnancy, this is a flaw in the
nutrition advice of the website.
Koletzko, B., Boey, C. C., Campoy, C., Carlson, S. E., Chang, N., Guillermo-Tuazon, M. A.,
... & Su, Y. (2014). Current information and Asian perspectives on long-chain
polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnancy, lactation, and infancy: systematic review and
practice recommendations from an early nutrition academy workshop. Annals of Nutrition
and Metabolism, 65(1), 49-80.
The article was published in accordance with the Early Nutrition Academy who evaluated
a methodical review of human studies on the role of prenatal and postnatal feeding of long chain
polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) on the growth and development of a newborn baby. The
scientists observed statistical data published between 2008 to 2013 and evaluated the data as well
as formulated recommendations specifically concentrating on Asian populations. Their research
showed that the risk of preterm delivery, before 34 weeks of conception can be minimized if the
consumption of n–3 LC-PUFA during pregnancy is increased. Additionally it is recommended
that during pregnancy more than 200 mg docosahexaenic acid (DHA) to be consumed per day
along with LC-PUFA to minimize the preterm delivery issue more. Higher consumptions of
DHA (600–800 mg DHA/day) have been proven to be essential for protecting against premature
preterm delivery. The article consists of peer reviewed articles from Pubmed set in randomized
control trails as well as cohort based study approaches to find out a set of outcomes for
consumption of DHA and LC-PUFA. Evidence based research has shown the impact of prenatal
and postnatal DHA supply on child improves neurological development and minimizes allergy
sensitivity (Sun et al., 2017). Breast-feeding during infancy provides the best source of nutrition
to develop the child’s immunity and brain development. Increased cognitive function, immunity,

6NUTRITIONAL ADVICE
reduced allergy sensitivity, maternal depression have all been associated with the intake of DHA
and LC-PUFA. More than 200 mg DHA per day consumption is advisable to women undergoing
breast-feeding to ensure approximately DHA content of ∼ 0.3% fatty acids in breast milk. 100
mg DHA/day and 140 mg AA/day are recommended from end of first trimester. The evidence
for quantitative data was not provided in the article on the AA levels in breast feeding as well as
external feeding. The article fails to provide solid primary data to support its hypothesis but
provides an in depth review of many secondary data in a mix of randomized control trials as well
as cohort studies. This makes the analysis of statistical data considerable. The scientist think that
more research needs to be done to find out the effects of the needs and effects of LC-PUFA
during pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood. In review of the assessment, this is new
recommendation that nutritionists should consider. The Danone website failed to provide the
relationship between these two substances and pregnancy in their website but is mentioned a
little in the Ministry of Health website.
The reviewed journal recommendations are closely evaluated to come to the conclusion
that eating healthy food is essential in facilitating child and mother health during and after
pregnancy. Both the articles reviewed have detailed descriptions about their recommendations
and set amount of the substances they focussed on their nutritional requirement. Based on the
recommendations of these two journals it can be concluded that nutritional advice requires a lot
of research and focussing on just one website or journal does not provide an all rounded
guidance. The Danone website is a good example of nutritional advice and its contents are
parallel to that of the Ministry of Health in New Zealand, but both the websites lack in one point
or other. It is advisable to review as many websites and journals possible before providing

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guidance to a pregnant lady. The Danone website is a good example of basic nutrition
requirement and can be advised to would be parents, but fact assessing is necessary.

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References:
Eating for Healthy Pregnant Women/Ngā Kai Totika mā te Wahine Hapū | HealthEd.
(2017). Healthed.govt.nz. Retrieved 17 March 2018, from
https://www.healthed.govt.nz/resource/eating-healthy-pregnant-womenng%C4%81-kai-
totika-m%C4%81-te-wahine-hap%C5%AB
Hollis, B. W., & Wagner, C. L. (2004). Assessment of dietary vitamin D requirements during
pregnancy and lactation. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 79(5), 717-726.
Koletzko, B., Boey, C. C., Campoy, C., Carlson, S. E., Chang, N., Guillermo-Tuazon, M. A., ...
& Su, Y. (2014). Current information and Asian perspectives on long-chain
polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnancy, lactation, and infancy: systematic review and
practice recommendations from an early nutrition academy workshop. Annals of
Nutrition and Metabolism, 65(1), 49-80.
Nutrition while Pregnant | Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, Australia.
(2017). Danonenutricia.co.nz. Retrieved 16 March 2018, from
https://www.danonenutricia.co.nz/first-1,000-days/pregnancy/
Paxton, G. A., Teale, G. R., Nowson, C. A., Mason, R. S., McGrath, J. J., Thompson, M. J., ... &
Munns, C. F. (2013). Vitamin D and health in pregnancy, infants, children and
adolescents in Australia and New Zealand: a position statement. Med J Aust, 198(3), 142-
143.
Sun, G. Y., Simonyi, A., Fritsche, K. L., Chuang, D. Y., Hannink, M., Gu, Z., ... & Beversdorf,
D. Q. (2017). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): An essential nutrient and a nutraceutical for