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JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE NUTRITION

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Defining Macronutrient Standards for the Paleo Diet and Consistency in Intervention Trials: A Systematic Review

Hollywood JB, Sobel D, Orten D

FIRST PUBLISHED

2025-02-01

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ABSTRACT

Introduction: The need to establish standardized macronutrient requirements for future trials investigating the dietary efficacy of the Paleolithic diet (PD) on human health is lacking. Providing standardized guidelines will allow for consistent evaluation of the diet's impact and comparison of results across studies, ensuring reliable and valid conclusions regarding the potential benefits or associated risks.

Objective: The aim was to find the average macronutrient ranges or exact percentages in the non-domesticated diets of indigenous populations.

Methods: From April 2nd, 2022, to May 27th, 2023 electronic databases were searched to identify relevant literature on macronutrient utilization in the PD or amongst ancient or modern-day indigenous tribes. Macronutrients, energy intake, fiber, and saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids were tabulated. Diet characteristics and plant consumption patterns were evaluated.

Results: The study found the average percentages for a PD to be 27% protein, 46% carbohydrates, and 27% fats making the average intake of macronutrients moderate across all macronutrient categories. Guidelines for Americans comparisons were discussed and contrasted against results.

Conclusion: The PD is moderate in macronutrients percentages, not ranging high or low in any specific category. It is proposed to utilize these set macronutrient ranges for both clinical recommendations considering the ancestral or PD practices and all future PD trials to solidify evidence-based research.

COI STATEMENT

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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