Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism最新文献

Background: Vitamin A deficiency remains a public health problem in Ethiopia, despite programs aimed at providing lactating women with diverse diets and micronutrient supplements. However, evidence on the dietary vitamin A intake adequacy among these is limited. This study was aimed at assessing dietary vitamin A intake and associated factors among lactating women in the Wondo Genet district of Sidama Region, Southern Ethiopia.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 411 lactating women from January 1 to 28, 2024, using simple random sampling. Data were collected via an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Vitamin A inadequacy was defined as dietary intake below the estimated average requirement (EAR). Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with dietary vitamin A inadequacy, and results are presented as adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results: The magnitude of inadequate dietary Vitamin A intake was 47.1% (95% CI: 42.2%, 52.0%). In the adjusted model, large family size (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.58), food insecurity (AOR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.44), low dietary diversity (AOR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.62), not receiving nutritional counseling (AOR = 2.67, 95% CI: 1.66, 4.28), and consuming fewer than three meals per day (AOR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.41, 3.37) were significantly associated with inadequate vitamin A intake.

Conclusion: The study found a high prevalence of inadequate dietary vitamin A intake among lactating women in the area. Predictors of inadequate intake included large family size, food insecurity, lack of nutritional counseling, low dietary diversity, and the number of meals consumed per day. We recommend targeted nutritional counseling and education for lactating women, emphasizing vitamin A awareness, meal planning, and strategies to combat food insecurity, particularly in larger families.

Background: Allium species are widely used in cooking. They possess antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, which may be due to the sulfur compounds they contain. This study examined the correlation between the active compounds of Allium species and their biological activities.

Methods: Extracts from five Allium species grown in Taiwan-A. sativum, A. fistulosum, A. tuberosum, A. fistulosum, and A. cepa-were prepared using commonly available commercially alcohols in Taiwan: rice wine (19RW), front distillation of rice wine (34PRW), 38% kaoliang wine (38KL), and 58% kaoliang wine (58KL). The total phenol content and allicin content of the extracts were measured, and their antioxidant activity and antibacterial activity against common clinical pathogens were evaluated.

Results: The A. fistulosum extracts exhibited the highest total phenol content, and the Allium extracts derived using 34PRW and 38KL had the highest allicin content. All the Allium extracts had favorable antioxidant capacity, with A. fistulosum, A. sativum, and A. tuberosum exhibiting the highest DPPH free radical scavenging rate, TEAC, and SOD antioxidant capacity, respectively. The A. fistulosum extracts had a statistically significant increase in the DPPH free radical scavenging rate and total phenol content, the A. sativum extracts showed a significant difference in TEAC, and the A. tuberosum extracts exhibited a significant difference in SOD antioxidant activity. The sulfur compounds in the Allium species were found to be positively correlated with both the species' antioxidant and antibacterial activities.

Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Allium species are closely linked to their sulfur compounds and that differences among species are reflected in specific antioxidant parameters.

Foodborne illnesses are a major global health issue, often due to poor food safety practices. The specific aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) and to identify the discrepancies between self-reported and actual food safety practices among campus dining personnel. A cross-sectional survey among 70 food handlers from 9 food outlets was conducted to collect self-reported data on KAPs regarding hygiene, food handling, and safety practices using a structured questionnaire. About 90% of food handlers claimed adherence to hygiene protocols, no handlers were observed wearing aprons or hairnets, and only 11.1% used disposable gloves. Although 77.8% reported regular hand washing, only one outlet (11.1%) had functional hand washing facilities. Unsafe thawing methods were observed in all outlets, with 88.9% failing to use gloves for ready-to-eat foods. For practices, knowledge emerged as a significant predictor (p < 0.05), with an odds ratio of 0.353. Inadequate practices extended to food preparation, where only 11.1% used separate cutting boards for raw and cooked foods. Storage conditions were generally better, with 100% maintaining cold storage at < 5 °C, and 77.8% ensuring the separation of raw and cooked foods. The logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association (p < 0.01) between knowledge and attitudes and an odds ratio of 0.105 (CI: 0.035-0.315). Conversely, education showed no significant association with attitudes (p > 0.05; CI: 0.482-4.346). For practices, knowledge emerged as a significant predictor (p < 0.05), with an odds ratio of 0.353 (CI: 0.132-0.942). These findings reveal a critical gap between knowledge and application of food safety practices, attributed to infrastructure deficiencies and a lack of enforcement.

The first years of life are crucial to start preventive interventions that can have an impact on lifestyle and later overweight and obesity. Being obese during preschool years increases the likelihood of remaining obese as an adult and is associated with serious health conditions. Combined physical activity and nutritional interventions may produce synergistic effects on child development, but evidence from school-based programs is still limited. This systematic review investigated the impact of physical activity programs with simultaneous nutrition-related interventions in obese preschoolers. Methods: Systematic search across five databases (PubMed, ProQuest, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus) up to August 31, 2025. Randomized controlled trials examining combined in-preschool physical activity and nutrition-related interventions in preschool children recruited from educational settings were included. Methodological quality was rated using the RoB-2 scale. This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO. Conclusions: Combined preschool-based interventions integrating physical activity and nutrition show modest but consistent benefits in reducing BMI and improving dietary and behavioral outcomes in obese preschoolers. Family involvement and structural changes in the school environment appear to enhance effectiveness. Despite methodological limitations and heterogeneity across trials, evidence supports preschool years as a critical window for obesity prevention. Future studies should adopt standardized outcomes, longer follow-up, and cost-effectiveness analyses to inform large-scale implementation.

Irritable bowel syndrome, diagnosed using the ROME IV diagnostic criteria, is one of the most common dysfunctional disorders of the gastrointestinal system with a high global prevalence. Although symptom presentation is diverse, symptoms primarily manifest as abdominal pain, bloating, and alterations to bowel habits, negatively impacting quality of life but without an associated increase in mortality risk. Disruptions to the gut-brain axis, the bidirectional communication system between the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system, are hypothesised to be at the core of irritable bowel syndrome. Dysfunction may also be associated with stress and anxiety, as well as dietary factors, among other aspects related to physical and social environment, genetic predisposition and medical history. Patients with irritable bowel syndrome have also demonstrated increased vulnerability to neurotransmitter imbalances, with abnormalities associated with changes in gastrointestinal motility, low-grade inflammation and visceral pain. Moreover, chronic stress and anxiety may significantly exacerbate symptoms through the upregulation of cortisol secretion, disrupting the gut microbiome and elevating visceral sensitivity. While the gut microbiome maintains the integrity of the gut-brain axis and intestinal barrier, decreases in its diversity heighten susceptibility to intestinal inflammation. Although there is currently no known cure for irritable bowel syndrome, research supports stress management and behavioural therapies, a low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet, and probiotic supplementation as key interventions to alleviate symptoms. Additionally, faecal microbiota transplantation emerges as a promising intervention that addresses some of the limitations in current interventions. This literature review explores the pathophysiological mechanisms relating to irritable bowel syndrome, with insight into current interventions and future directions to directly address the underlying factors driving symptomology.

Unhealthy diet and hypertension constitute major risk factors for the development of cardiometabolic diseases. However, the direct effects of dietary components and high blood pressure on metabolic profiles remain poorly understood. We evaluated concentrations of amino acids and nutrients in the plasma and tissues of animal models subjected to high-fat and high-disaccharide diet without excessive caloric intake, in salt-resistant rats on high salt intake, in spontaneously hypertensive rats, and in angiotensin II-induced hypertensive rats. Using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, we identified changes in several analytes across models. We found that a high-fat diet increased tissue levels of methylglycines (betaine, sarcosine) and glycine, while high salt intake and hypertension were associated with a distinct reduction of methyl/glycine species and the accumulation of taurine in the tissues. We further observed tissue-specific alterations. For instance, alanine was decreased in the kidneys of rats on high salt and in hypertensive models. Beta-alanine was higher in the lung and renal cortex of rats on high salt, but lower in the cardiovascular system of hypertensive models. A high-sugar diet increased circulating levels of betaine and taurine, although its impact on tissues was less pronounced. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive evaluation of organic solutes in different animal models and highlights the diverse metabolic alterations associated with diet and hypertension. Further research is required to explore the significance of these findings and their potential implications for understanding disease mechanisms.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are multifactorial conditions strongly linked to elevated obesity rates and sedentary lifestyle; among the contributing mechanisms, alterations in lipid metabolism-particularly dyslipidemia-play a central role in their pathogenesis. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of calafate (Berberis microphylla) supplementation on the lipid profile and atherogenic indices in rats with obesity induced by a high-sucrose diet. Sprague Dawley rats received a high-sucrose diet and were supplemented with 350 mg/kg/day of freeze-dried calafate for 10 weeks (BM group). Dietary intake, plasma glucose, lipid parameters, and cardiovascular risk indices were assessed. Compared to controls, calafate-supplemented rats showed a significant increase in HDL-c and total cholesterol, with the latter showing a 166% elevation. Additionally, calafate intake was associated with a marked decrease in the atherogenic index and the glucose-triglyceride index, suggesting an improvement in cardiovascular risk markers. These findings support the potential cardioprotective and antithrombotic properties of calafate, reinforcing its relevance as a functional food.

Background: Enteral nutrition (EN) is one of the crucial methods in the comprehensive treatment of critically ill patients. However, among critically ill patients receiving EN, hyperglycemia is a common metabolic complication that can lead to adverse clinical outcomes for patients. Therefore, this study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric and visual analysis in this field.

Methods: The eligible publications were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) from 2000 to 2023. A bibliometric analysis was performed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer.

Results: A total of 268 articles were analyzed. USA (n = 94) had the most contributions in this field. The leading institution was the Royal Adelaide Hospital (n = 15) from Australia. The Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition published the most (n = 29). Marianne J Chapman (n = 9) was the most frequently published author. Greet Van den Berghe, from Belgium, was the most co-cited author in this area. According to keyword cluster analysis, diet management is the most widely studied aspect in this field, and EN evaluation is the hotspot and frontier of research.

Conclusion: This is the first bibliometric study to comprehensively summarize the research progress and trend of hyperglycemia after EN in critically ill patients; it provides a valuable reference for researchers interested in this field.

ZIP8 (SLC39A8) is a metal transporter known to facilitate the uptake of manganese, zinc, and iron, but its role in the intestinal epithelium remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the function of intestinal ZIP8 using intestine-specific Zip8 knockout (Zip8-I-KO) mice and a manganese overload model by crossing Zip8-I-KO mice with Zip14^-/- mice to generate double knockout mice. We confirmed that ZIP8 is localized to the apical membrane of colonic Caco-2 cells, a widely used model for enterocytes. Deletion of intestinal ZIP8 did not affect blood manganese levels under basal conditions but led to significantly reduced manganese concentrations in the liver and bone, suggesting a role in tissue-level manganese distribution. In the ZIP14-deficient background, intestinal ZIP8 deletion resulted in a significant reduction of blood and brain manganese levels in female double knockout mice, while no changes were observed in males. Bone manganese remained elevated in all groups. These findings indicate that intestinal ZIP8 contributes to manganese absorption and distribution with its effects varying depending on sex and may serve as a modifier of manganese overload in ZIP14 deficiency.

Introduction: Preterm birth is defined as any birth that occurs before 37 weeks of gestational age. National Basic Health Research 2018 shows that 29.5% of births are preterm in Indonesia. Preterm delivery is associated with various risk factors and etiologies, such as malnutrition, inflammations, infections, pathological uterine distention, stress, and environmental toxins. Maternal diet plays a significant role in regulating chronic inflammation. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and preterm birth, as well as measure the nutritional intake of pregnant women.

Methods: This study included 365 pregnant women who showed signs of parturition at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital between June 2021 and July 2022. They were divided into two groups: preterm and term birth. Dietary information was collected using a food frequency questionnaire. Nutrisurvey v2007 was used to convert the data into precise nutritional intake using an Indonesian food database. The DII was calculated based on 26 food parameters, and the participants were divided into tertiles by their DII. The lowest tertile represented the most anti-inflammatory DII, while the highest represented the most proinflammatory DII.

Results: Preterm births were significantly associated with socioeconomic status (odds ratio [OR] = 0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.29-0.66, p=0.007), fewer antenatal visits (OR = 3.10, 95% CI = 1.79-5.37, p < 0.001), inadequate intake of micronutrient supplements (OR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.19-0.96, p=0.035), vaginal bleeding (OR = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.13-5.79, p=0.020), maternal energy intake (p < 0.001), vitamin B₁₂ (p=0.031), and amino acids (p=0.036). Multivariate analysis showed that fewer antenatal visits (adjusted OR [aOR] = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.34-3.78, p=0.001), vaginal bleeding (aOR = 3.76, 95% CI = 1.51-9.33, p=0.004), contributed to preterm birth. Lower energy (p=0.009) and protein (p=0.015) intake were significantly associated with birth outcomes. Higher zinc (p=0.041) and vitamin A (p=0.006) intake significantly reduced the risk of preterm birth. The DII was not significantly correlated with preterm birth.

Conclusion: Lower antenatal visits, vaginal bleeding, higher energy, higher protein, lower zinc, and lower vitamin A intake were significantly associated with preterm birth. The DII was not significantly correlated with preterm birth.