Journal of Nutrition最新文献

Background: Observational evidence supports associations between higher consumption of omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) with reduced risks for cardiometabolic diseases. However, some have hypothesized that higher n-6 PUFA intake may be pro-inflammatory.

Objective: The purpose of this cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from the Aegis cohort was to examine associations of serum total n-6 PUFA and linoleic acid levels with biomarkers of inflammation.

Methods: Serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), glycoprotein acetyls, serum amyloid A (SAA), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were assessed as biomarkers of inflammation. Univariate Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated, and multivariate linear models were used to assess biomarker levels across quintile categories of serum fatty acids with body mass index (BMI), age, sex, diabetes diagnosis, and n-3 PUFAs as covariates.

Results: Analyses included 2133 participants, of which 63.3% were female and mean (standard deviation) age and BMI were 50.4 (16.7) y and 29.2 (6.68) kg/m², respectively. Circulating n-6 PUFA and linoleic acid concentrations were inversely correlated with all biomarkers of inflammation, r = -0.049 to -0.455 (each P ≤ 0.03). Least squares geometric means (95% confidence intervals) for quintile categories of circulating levels of both n-6 PUFAs and linoleic acid showed that, as these fatty acid levels increased, there were statistically significant decreases (P < 0.001) in hs-CRP, glycoprotein acetyls, and sICAM-1 levels. Neither SAA nor sVCAM-1 showed any significant trends across quintile categories. A composite sum of Z-scores of all five biomarkers of inflammation showed a statistically significant (P < 0.001) inverse trend across increasing quintile categories of n-6 PUFAs and linoleic acid.

Conclusion: These findings do not support the hypothesis that dietary n-6 PUFAs, including linoleic acid, are pro-inflammatory.

The scale of contemporary biomedical research challenges the ability of traditional reviews to preserve structural awareness across entire fields. This limitation is particularly consequential in precision nutrition, where feature selection and model interpretability depend on understanding how diverse and evolving data streams intersect to influence metabolic response. Yet as literature volume grows, visibility across the full evidence landscape diminishes. To address this gap, we developed an end-to-end computational framework that ingests complete PubMed query results and organizes all returned abstracts into unsupervised thematic structures. Structured queries were programmatically executed, and abstracts were analyzed using complementary natural language processing approaches. To determine whether traditional reviews reflect the thematic distribution of primary research, review and non-review subsets were clustered independently and compared using cluster-centroid cosine similarity heat maps. To demonstrate scalability under realistic precision nutrition integration demands, the framework mapped more than 385,000 abstracts spanning genetics and physical activity into stable thematic representations. While clinically consolidated domains showed strong correspondence between review and primary research clusters, several mechanistic and genomics-focused areas demonstrated comparatively limited representation in review-derived structures. The full pipeline was operationalized in an interactive web-based application (https://medreview.streamlit.app/), enabling reproducible corpus-scale structural mapping and review-gap diagnostics without manual query navigation or programming. By transforming literature synthesis into scalable structural analysis, this framework provides quantitative infrastructure for evidence-grounded modeling in precision nutrition research.

Rolland-Cachera et al. introduced the concept of "adiposity rebound" in a paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1984. They observed that body mass index (BMI) increased during the first year of life and then decreased with a renewed rise at about age 6 y, which they termed "adiposity rebound," concluding that early rebound increased the risk of excess adiposity in later years. Although this concept has been vigorously criticized, an alternative explanation for this phenomenon has been lacking for 42 y. In this study, 2410 children and adolescents' data aged 2-19 y from the United States NHANES 2021-2023 cycle were analyzed using a more accurate adiposity-specific marker, waist circumference-to-height ratio (WHtR). The mean value of BMI at age 2 y (17.1 kg/m²) was regained by age 6 y after a significant decrease (adiposity rebound), but the WHtR mean value at age 2 y (0.54) was never regained throughout childhood and adolescence. Although BMI-adiposity rebound seems to be completed by age 6 y, WHtR, which specifically assesses fat mass, continued decreasing. A body composition reset (BCR) at the intersection of BMI and WHtR trajectories at age 4 y until WHtR nadir at age 7 y was observed. The BCR is a postinfancy BMI increase after an initial decline that simultaneously corresponds to a continued WHtR-adiposity physiologic decrease, culminating at the lowest WHtR trajectory before a subsequent WHtR increase. These novel findings establish that "adiposity rebound" is not physiologic but an epiphenomenon. I posit that "adiposity rebound" is a BMI-induced false discovery similar to the "obesity paradox" in adults. Therefore, fat-free mass or skeletal muscle mass anabolism is likely the accurate physiologic explanation for the BCR effect that occurs in early childhood.

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is a major component of biological membranes, pivotal to numerous life processes. Inhibition of its synthesis via either the CDP-ethanolamine (Kennedy) pathway or the phosphatidylserine decarboxylation pathway can be lethal. PEs derived from different organelles have different functions and biological significance, so they are not fully interchangeable. From a biological perspective, PE is involved in constructing membranes and plays a crucial part in mitochondrial biogenesis, ferroptosis, cell autophagy, cell division, synthesis of biomolecules, and other processes. Furthermore, PE acts as the essential substrate for glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor biosynthesis, thereby governing processes such as immune response, signal transduction, and embryonic development. Notably, PE is highly enriched in neural tissues and is closely implicated in the pathology of multiple neurological disorders, including hereditary spastic paraplegia, Liberfarb syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and sepsis-associated encephalopathy. Given that the levels, composition, and functions of PE can be modulated by dietary and nutritional factors, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, specific minerals and vitamins, and dietary patterns, targeting PE metabolism represents a promising and translatable strategy for supporting neurological health. This approach holds potential not only for populations with or at risk for neurodegenerative disorders but also for developing fetuses and newborns during critical nervous system development. This review summarizes recent advances in these areas, updates our understanding of PE's basic biology, and explores novel strategies for neuroprotection and health promotion.

Objectives: The Children's Healthy Living (CHL) Food Systems resilience project, which includes 5 United States-Affiliated Pacific (USAP) jurisdictions, developed a framework to identify "Signal Nutrients" and "Signature Foods" for food-system interventions to improve the diet and health of USAP children.

Methods: The framework identifies "Signature Foods," defined as foods consumed by the population and associated with health conditions, which can be used as leverage points to affect health and the food system. The framework was applied to 2543 CHL children aged 2-8 y using food records and anthropometric measures. The intermittent consumption of foods made direct identification of foods associated with health difficult. Therefore, the framework first identified "Signal Nutrients" associated with health conditions (overweight, obesity, and acanthosis nigricans) using logistic regression. The analysis was then repeated for Signal Nutrients sourced from specific food types and food classes to identify the food items driving nutrient associations. Foods strongly associated (standardized [Std] β: >0.025 in absolute value) with health conditions, and in the same direction as the Signal Nutrients, were designated as Signature Foods.

Results: The framework identified 6 Signal Nutrients and 26 Signature Foods. For example, the Signal Nutrient calcium was found to be inversely associated with obesity (P = 0.0002). Twenty-four foods that contributed to calcium intake were examined for their association with obesity. Signature Foods identified for obesity and calcium were milk (Std β: ∼0.08), dairy other than milk (Std β: 0.06), fresh fish (Std β: 0.03), and cereal (Std β: 0.11).

Conclusions: Identifying strategic uses of limited resources for nutrition and health promotion can be aided by a framework that utilizes objective data sources and knowledge of community partners. Fish may be considered a potential intervention point to promote, given its importance to the USAP region and because campaigns to increase child milk consumption already exist.

Background: Menstruation-related food restrictions are common among adolescent girls in low-and middle-income countries and often limit their dietary diversity. Despite having scholarly attention, little is known about adolescent girls' dietary diversity during menstruation and how menstruation-related norms influence their ability to achieve minimum dietary diversity from the standpoint of social norm theory.

Objectives: The objective of this mixed-methods study was to examine the relationship between menstruation and dietary diversity and whether menstruation-related norms moderate this relationship.

Methods: Quantitative data were collected from 898 girls and qualitative data were obtained from 20 interviews and 12 focus groups in Bangladesh. The women's dietary diversity scale was used to assess dietary diversity, menstruation status was collected through self-reported information, and menstruation-related norms were measured with an adapted scale. Multivariable regression models were used to analyze the associations and examine the influence of menstruation norms on this relationship. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, emphasizing the domains of social eating norms theory.

Results: Quantitative results showed that girls who had menstruated in the past 0-7 d had significantly lower dietary diversity than those who had onset of menstruation in the past ≥8 d (β: -0.61; 95% confidence interval: -0.80, -0.42; P < 0.001). This association was moderated by menstruation-related norms: girls with more restrictive norms were less likely to consume diverse diet (β: -0.10; 95% confidence interval: -0.17, -0.02; P = 0.001). Sensitivity analyses with binary dietary diversity confirmed these findings. Qualitative findings illustrated that girls navigate food restrictions through compliance, adaptation, and quiet resistance to eating norms. Some adhered to deeply embedded social expectations, whereas others-guided by personal beliefs and bodily cues-prioritized comfort or symptom relief.

Conclusions: Adolescent girls experience lower dietary diversity during menstruation, largely due to restrictive social norms and household food rules. Programs and policies should use behavior change communication to promote diverse foods and educate youth on the deleterious impacts of restrictive menstruation and eating norms.

Background: Alcohol intake has been associated with an increased risk of several female-specific conditions. For uterine fibroids (UF), which are common benign uterine tumors, the literature is conflicting.

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review is to provide an up-to-date summary of the available studies investigating the association between alcohol intake and UF.

Methods: A systematic search on PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane databases for relevant articles published up to 20 March, 2025 was conducted. Eligible studies reported data on alcohol exposure in women diagnosed with UF and in controls. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects models.

Results: Thirteen studies including 135,370 women (79,060 ever drinkers and 56,310 never drinkers; 9944 with UF and 125,426 without UF) showed no significant association between ever compared with never alcohol consumption and UF risk (pooled OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.86, 1.26). Nine studies (3,375,571 women) on current compared with never alcohol exposure (1,710,978 current and 1,664,593 never drinkers; 160,708 with UF and 3,214,863 without UF) also showed no overall association (pooled OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.32). However, subgroup analyses showed between-group differences by geographical region and diagnostic method of UF, with significantly higher risks in China (pooled OR = 3.48, 95% CI: 1.29, 9.43), and in studies using clinical/surgical confirmation (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.39).

Conclusions: Although studies are heterogeneous and evidence is limited, this meta-analysis suggests that alcohol consumption may not be associated with the overall risk of UF. In specific geographic regions, the risk appears to increase, suggesting context-dependent effects. The trial was previously registered at PROSPERO as CRD42024518769.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of cardiovascular disease risk factors, with diet playing a key role in its prevention. Fermented dairy products may influence MetS risk, with possible sex-specific associations.

Objectives: We examined whether fermented dairy consumption was associated with MetS and its components in Finland. Associations with nonfermented and total dairy were also evaluated.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 5096 adults (44% men) from the National FinHealth 2017 study. Diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. MetS was defined by Joint Interim Statement 2009 criteria. Logistic regression and analysis of covariance were adjusted for confounders.

Results: MetS prevalence was 42.5% in men and 34.1% in women. In men, the highest quintile of fermented dairy (excluding cheese) consumption was associated with lower odds of MetS [odds ratio (OR): 0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.53, 0.98; P-trend = 0.018]. In women, compared with the lowest quintile, the highest quintile of cheese consumption showed inverse association and evidence of nonlinearity with MetS (OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.54, 1.00; P-trend = 0.046, quadratic term P value < 0.001). The nonfermented and total dairy consumption did not show significant associations with MetS in men; however, in women, the highest consumption was associated with higher odds of MetS. Among MetS components, fermented dairy was associated with lower triglycerides (TGs), and cheese with higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and lower TGs in women. Nonfermented dairy was associated with adverse HDL profiles in both sexes. Dose-response analyses were consistent with the quintile-based findings, and quadratic terms indicated potential nonlinear associations.

Conclusions: In this cross-sectional analysis, associations between dairy consumption and MetS varied by sex and dairy subtype. An inverse association was observed for fermented dairy in men and for cheese in women; however, several associations were null, and in women, higher odds of MetS were observed mainly at the highest consumption of total and nonfermented dairy.

Background: Complementary and integrative health (CIH) interventions, including nutritional strategies, are widely used to support whole-person health, yet evidence on their efficacy, safety, and mechanisms remains fragmented.

Objectives: This narrative review mapped existing CIH knowledge resources, identifies critical gaps, and highlighted challenges in interoperability and integration. We proposed artificial intelligence-driven informatics strategies to standardize, connect, and leverage these resources, with the goal of advancing discovery, precision nutrition, and personalized approaches to health and well-being.

Methods: We conducted a narrative review of publicly available knowledge resources on complementary health interventions, focusing on their effectiveness, safety, and biological mechanisms, including the microbiome. Interventions were categorized as nutritional, physical, or psychological. Resources were then classified as knowledge bases, datasets, databases, ontologies, knowledge graphs, platforms, or initiatives, with summaries of their scope, functionality, and contributions.

Results: We identified 47 resources that can support complementary and integrative health informatics (15 knowledge bases, 13 databases, 7 datasets, 4 platforms, 3 initiatives, 3 ontologies, and 2 knowledge graphs). Categories included nutritional interventions (32, with 13 on the microbiome), physical interventions (4), psychological interventions (3), and comprehensive or multimodal resources (7). Most resources (39) were publicly available.

Conclusions: Advancing whole-person health requires greater standardization and integration of knowledge resources, which in turn enables more effective application of artificial intelligence and informatics methods. When well-structured, interoperable resources are coupled with these computational methods, they can unify diverse knowledge domains, advance the science of complementary and integrative health, and accelerate discovery in personalized nutrition.