Frontiers in Nutrition最新文献

Background: Anthropometric indices such as the Conicity Index (C-Index) are emerging as accessible tools to assess cardiovascular risk associated with central adiposity, a key determinant of cardiovascular disease burden in low and middle-income countries.

Aim: To estimate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk using the CI and examine its association with sociodemographic and lifestyle factors in a nationally representative sample of Brazilian adults.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study using data from the 2013 Brazilian National Health Survey (n = 42,693; ages 30-74), cardiovascular risk was defined based on sex-specific CI cut-off points.

Results: The overall prevalence of elevated cardiovascular risk was 39.6%, with a significantly higher rate among women (64.6%) compared to men (35.4%). Increased age, lower education, lower income, poor self-rated health, and physical inactivity were independently associated with greater cardiovascular risk, with regional and sex-based differences observed.

Conclusion: The CI proved to be a practical, non-invasive measure strongly associated with key social determinants of health and behavioral risk factors. These findings support its integration into public health monitoring and preventive strategies to identify at-risk groups, particularly in resource-constrained settings.

Background: Sleep health was crucial for healthy aging, yet it can be influenced by environmental factors and dietary habits. Evidence linking between cooking fuel use, dietary diversity, and sleep health, however, remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the aforementioned associations and to further assess the potential moderating role of dietary diversity.

Methods: We included 9,121 adults aged ≥65 years from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Information on household fuel use and sleep health were collected by validated questionnaires, and dietary diversity was assessed with a simplified food frequency questionnaire. We used logistic regression models to examine the associations of solid cooking fuel use and dietary diversity with sleep health.

Results: Among the 9,121 participants included in the study, 4,848 (53.15%) reported good self-reported sleep quality and 3,324 (36.44%) reported adequate sleep duration. Exposure to solid cooking fuels was associated with poor self-reported sleep quality (odds ratio [OR] = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.78-0.95). In contrast, a higher dietary diversity score (DDS) was associated with better self-reported sleep quality (OR = 1.50; 95%CI = 1.37-1.64) and adequate sleep duration (OR = 1.18; 95%CI = 1.07-1.30). Similarly, a higher anti-inflammatory dietary diversity score (AIDDS) showed significant associations with better self-reported sleep quality (OR = 1.53; 95%CI = 1.39-1.67) and adequate sleep duration (OR = 1.22; 95%CI = 1.11-1.34). Notably, participants with combined exposure to clean cooking fuels and a high DDS/AIDDS had substantially greater odds of better self-reported sleep quality and adequate sleep duration than those exposed to solid fuels with a low DDS/AIDDS (P for interaction < 0.05).

Conclusion: Our study indicates that exposure to solid cooking fuels was associated with poor self-reported sleep quality among older adults. Furthermore, higher dietary diversity may attenuate this adverse association, suggesting it is a promising target for public health interventions.

Background: Hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP) carries a high risk of post-discharge recurrence. Whether admission high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) independently predicts recurrence and how its effect varies over time remain unclear.

Methods: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted, including consecutive HTG-AP inpatients from three hospitals from January 2020 to March 2025. The primary endpoint was overall post-discharge recurrence; while the secondary endpoints included recurrence within 6 and 12 months. HDL-C, analyzed both as a continuous variable and by tertiles, was evaluated using Cox models with progressive adjustment. Dose-response was examined by restricted cubic splines (RCS). Time-varying effects were assessed with landmark analyses (0-6 and 6-12 months) and an HDL × log(time) interaction. Robustness was tested using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Restricted mean time free of recurrence (RMST) quantified absolute differences.

Results: A total of 440 patients were enrolled, and the median follow-up duration was 14.0 months. Lower admission HDL-C was associated with a higher recurrence risk. In the fully adjusted model, each 1 mmol/L increase in HDL-C was associated with a 77% lower hazard of overall recurrence (HR 0.23, 95% CI 0.11-0.48; p < 0.001). Compared with the lowest tertile (T1), risks were reduced in T2 (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.27-0.64) and T3 (HR 0.33, 95% CI 0.19-0.55; p for trend<0.001). RCS showed a clear linear dose-response with risk plateauing at higher HDL-C. Landmark analyses localized the predictive value to the first year: 0-6 months HR 0.045 (95%CI: 0.012-0.171; p < 0.001) and 6-12 months HR 0.176 (95%CI: 0.054-0.568; p = 0.004); no association was observed beyond 12 months (p = 0.197). RMST within 12 months was 2.2 months shorter in T1 and 0.5 months shorter in T2 versus T3. Findings were consistent after IPTW (0-6 months aHR = 1.76, 95%CI: 1.12-2.77; 6-12 months aHR = 2.27, 95%CI: 1.38-3.73; 12-month aHR = 3.79, 95%CI: 1.92-7.48; overall aHR = 1.80, 95%CI: 1.14-2.83).

Conclusion: Low admission HDL-C is an independent predictor of HTG-AP recurrence with a linear risk gradient, and its predictive effect is most pronounced within 12 months after discharge. Given its stability and accessibility, HDL-C can aid early identification of high-risk patients and inform targeted follow-up and prevention strategies.

Introduction: Undernutrition is a significant global health issue that exacerbates susceptibility to infectious diseases, including visceral leishmaniasis (VL), caused by Leishmania infantum. Here, we investigated the interplay between undernutrition, immune responses, and the colonic microbiota composition in a murine model of VL.

Methods: We used BALB/c mice subjected to a low-protein diet and infected with L. infantum to analyze the effects on systemic and local immune responses, microbiota composition, and parasite load.

Results: Undernutrition significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of cytokines such as IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-12, and IL-17A in the colon while increasing the colonic luminal levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, CCL5, and IL-17A. The protein-deficient diet also induced dysbiosis, characterized by reduced Bacteroidota and increased Desulfobacterota and Firmicutes. Additionally, secretory IgA levels were markedly elevated in undernourished animals, suggesting a compensatory response to dysbiosis. The parasite load was significantly increased in the spleens of undernourished, infected mice, potentially due to disrupted immune-endocrine communication involving intestinal inflammation and microbial imbalance.

Discussion: These findings highlight the complex interplay between nutritional status, the microbiota, and host immunity in the progression of VL. Undernutrition exacerbates disease severity through local and systemic immune dysregulation and microbial shifts. Our results support new treatments targeting diet and microbiota to control VL.

With the ongoing upgrade in consumption patterns, the pork market is shifting from a focus on quantity to an emphasis on quality, demanding higher intramuscular fat content alongside maintained growth rates. Crossbreeding between the Chinese lean-type Songliao black pig and the high-quality local breed Leixiang pig allows rapid integration of parental superior traits, resulting in hybrid vigor that effectively improves pork quality, growth performance, and economic benefits. We conducted transcriptomic and 4D microDIA proteomic sequencing analyses on the longissimus dorsi muscle tissue from hybrid offspring of purebred Songliao black pigs and Songliao × Leixiang black pigs. Extensive phenotypic analyses were performed on Songliao black pigs and Songlei black pigs using multiple trait indicators. Six pigs were selected and categorized into relatively high and low intramuscular fat groups. Integrated analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic data identified candidate genes within significantly annotated lipid-related pathways via KEGG, including ACSL1, ACSL6, SREBF1, PLIN2, CEPT1, CPT1B, CPT1C, and ACSF3. Among these, CPT1B was significantly associated with fatty acid metabolism pathways. By analyzing all significantly differential genes and proteins, six candidate genes were identified as key determinants of genetic variation in lipid deposition: UCP3, CPT1B, LSMEM1, NEXN, PPP1R14C, and LOC100624149. This preliminary exploratory multi-omics study provides a valuable resource for probing intramuscular fat deposition, aiming to support pork-trait improvement in breeding and to establish a fresh theoretical basis for clarifying the molecular mechanisms of meat-quality heterosis in Songlei black pigs.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of childhood obesity on health-related physical fitness performance and to examine the mediating role of motor coordination ability as a behavioral functional pathway in this relationship.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed. In June 2025, 431 children aged 7-14 years (204 in the obesity group, 227 in the normal-weight group) were recruited from Weifang City, Shandong Province, China. Body composition (BMI and PBF) was measured using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer. Health-related physical fitness index was assessed according to the Chinese National Student Physical Fitness Standard and synthesized into a standardized physical fitness index. Motorcoordination was evaluated using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2), which reflects behavioral motor performance. Statistical analyses included independent samples t-tests, Pearson correlation analysis, hierarchical regression analysis, and the Bootstrap method for mediation effect testing.

Results: Both the physical fitness index and the motor coordination index were significantly lower in obese children compared to normal-weight children (Cohen's d = 0.31-0.34). BMI and PBF showed significant negative correlations with the physical fitness index. After controlling for area (urban/rural), gender, and age, both BMI and PBF independently and negatively predicted the physical fitness index. Mediation analysis indicated that motor coordination played a statistically significant partial mediating role in the relationship between BMI and the physical fitness index (indirect effect = -0.060, 95% CI [-0.105, -0.048]), as well as between PBF and the physical fitness index (indirect effect = -0.036, 95% CI [-0.052, -0.022]).

Conclusion: Childhood obesity is closely associated with decreased health-related physical fitness, with PBF being a more stable predictor than BMI. Motor coordination represents one behavioral pathway that may partially explain the association between body composition and physical fitness performance. Given the cross-sectional design, these findings reflect statistical associations rather than causal or neuromotor mechanisms. Longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to further verify directionality.

Background: The unique flavors of squid tentacles are developed during traditional stir-frying, where various flavor compounds interact dynamically. This study investigates the impact of cooking duration on flavor compound formation, focusing on the roles of free amino acids (FAAs), fatty acids (FFAs), and minerals.

Methods: Argentine squid tentacles (Illex argentinus) were stir-fried at 120°C for 0, 2, 5, 10, and 15 min. Mineral content (Na, Mg, K, Fe, Zn, Ca) was quantified according to national standards. FAAs were extracted using trichloroacetic acid and analyzed. FFAs were determined by gas chromatography. Taste attributes were assessed using an electronic tongue and sensory evaluation by a trained panel. Statistical analyses included principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis, with significance tested using the least significant difference (LSD) method (P < 0.05).

Results: Stir-frying duration significantly affected the accumulation of FAAs, particularly glutamic acid and aspartic acid, which are key contributors to umami taste. Most minerals, except for zinc, increased over time, with sodium, potassium, and magnesium reaching their highest levels after 15 min of cooking. FFAs also increased after 5 min of stir-frying, correlating with enhanced lipid oxidation. The electronic tongue and sensory evaluations confirmed the progressive increase in umami and saltiness, while bitterness and sourness remained minimal. PCA demonstrated that the first two principal components explained 79.18% of the variance, effectively differentiating samples by cooking time.

Conclusion: This study provides novel insights into the mechanisms by which cooking duration affects flavor development in squid tentacles, emphasizing the critical roles of FAAs and FFAs. The findings suggest practical applications for optimizing cooking methods in the seafood industry to improve flavor quality and resource utilization.

Neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by their insidious onset and progressive neuronal degeneration, present significant challenges in the fields of neuroscience and medicine. We elucidate the critical role of nutrition and cellular metabolism in the pathogenesis and progression of these disorders, with a particular focus on Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD). We demonstrate that fundamental nutrients such as glucose, lipids, and amino acids are crucial for neuronal bioenergetics, oxidative stress mitigation, and neuroprotective functions. Furthermore, we emphasize the concept of metabolic reprogramming as a key driver in neurodegeneration; this process entails alterations in energy metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunctions, and shifts in nutrient utilization that exacerbate neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. We emphasize the potential advantages of nutritional strategies, especially those involving the Mediterranean dietary pattern, characterized by high antioxidant and omega-3 fatty acid content, to optimize cellular metabolic pathways and attenuate disease manifestations. However, clinical application of nutritional strategies faces several challenges including complexities surrounding nutrient mechanisms, patient adherence issues, and concerns regarding long-term efficacy. To address these obstacles, we advocate for personalized nutrition approaches that integrate metabolomics, genomics, and epigenetics to tailor interventions according to individual metabolic profiles. Additionally, emerging strategies such as probiotics along with synergistic combinations of nutrients and pharmaceuticals offer promising avenues for enhancing therapeutic outcomes. In conclusion, understanding the intricate interplay between nutrition and cellular metabolism is crucial for developing effective treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Future research should prioritize mechanistic studies alongside precise assessment tools as well as high-quality clinical trials to validate the efficacy of these interventions.