Proceedings of the Nutrition Society最新文献

Plant-based diets, with limited quantities of animal foods, are increasingly promoted for sustainability and health. In many countries, animal-source foods provide the majority of several micronutrients at a population level; in the UK, milk and dairy products contribute around one third of total calcium, vitamin B₁₂ and iodine intake in adults. Recommendations for a predominantly plant-based diet may have the unintended consequence of reducing intake of micronutrients, particularly in groups with an already-low intake of these nutrients, such as women of reproductive age. Furthermore, young women are the group most likely to replace dairy products with plant-based alternatives. Milk alternatives are often fortified to match the nutrient content of cows' milk for some micronutrients (e.g. calcium), but not of others (e.g. iodine or vitamin B₂). Unfortified alternatives have an iodine concentration that is just 2 % of that of UK cows' milk, and the rise in popularity of these products may increase iodine-deficiency risk in consumers. Low nutrient intake is of concern prior to, and during, pregnancy, when many of the micronutrients at risk (iron/calcium/iodine) are essential for foetal development. While there may be awareness of some at-risk nutrients on a plant-based diet, this may not be the case for all. At-risk nutrients should be considered in nutrition guidelines and advice given by healthcare professionals to ensure that the diets are well planned and supplemented when necessary. This review focuses on the provision of micronutrients (particularly iodine) from plant-based diets in the UK.

Folate, vitamin B₁₂, vitamin B₆ and riboflavin interact by functioning as cofactors within one-carbon metabolism (OCM), a network of interrelated cellular pathways essential for numerous biological processes, including the biosynthesis of DNA, amino acid interconversions and methylation reactions. The pathways of OCM are influenced by endocrine signals and genetic polymorphisms and are particularly responsive to relevant B-vitamin intakes. Physiological changes in healthy pregnancy, leading to a steady decline in B-vitamin status, add another layer of complexity to the regulation of OCM. Although significant advances have been made to improve our understanding of these pregnancy-related changes, no specific reference ranges yet exist for B-vitamin biomarkers in pregnancy to support normal fetal growth without depleting maternal stores. The lack of pregnancy-related criteria for adequacy of B-vitamin status is in turn a major limitation in identifying pregnant women most at risk of B-vitamin deficiency. Another challenge is that the evidence is very limited to provide a basis for establishing pregnancy-specific dietary recommendations for B-vitamins to support successful pregnancy outcomes. In terms of preventing adverse outcomes, periconceptional folic acid supplementation has a proven role, established more than 30 years ago, in protecting against neural tube defect-affected pregnancies and this has been the major focus of public health policy worldwide. This review evaluates the emerging evidence for the less well recognised role of B-vitamins in preventing hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and the intergenerational effects of B-vitamins on offspring neurodevelopment and cognitive performance during childhood. We also consider the underlying biological mechanisms.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world, affecting 11·8 million people worldwide in 2021. Due to the globally expanding and ageing population, as well as growing industrialisation, this number is likely to increase. Given the absence of disease-modifying pharmacological therapies, this review aimed to examine the effect of dietary interventions on PD progression, motor symptoms, non-motor symptoms, specifically those affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and severity. To do so, this review synthesised the current evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on dietary patterns, individual foods and beverages, and nutritional supplements including nutrients, bioactive compounds, and biotics.Results from the included RCTs failed to demonstrate conclusive evidence for the use of a dietary intervention as a therapy for improving PD progression, symptoms and severity. However, this is likely a reflection of the current scarcity of RCTs in the literature, rather than an outright demonstration of the ineffectiveness of such dietary approaches. In contrast, several trials have demonstrated a beneficial effect of biotic supplementation in managing GI symptoms, particularly constipation syndrome, which may be a promising avenue for improving GI-related issues that affect up to 80 % of PD patients. In conclusion, further RCTs are required to decipher the role that diet may play in mitigating PD progression and severity and improving overall patient care by reducing both motor and non-motor symptoms.

Indicators of environmental impact can be used to inform the production, promotion and consumption of sustainable diets. Most environmental impacts associated with food production occur on farm; thus, sustainable diets are reliant on sustainable agricultural practices. In this paper, we review the current use of environmental indicators and metrics from global to local scales and highlight the need for locally relevant definitions to inform sustainable diets. Using Australia as a case study, we show that the diversity of food production systems is accompanied by a diversity of environmental issues, including climate change, land scarcity, nutrient pollution, water scarcity and biodiversity loss, each uniquely affecting different systems. However, while global datasets and indicators provide a consistent basis for estimating impacts and enabling country and food product comparisons, they often fail to capture the nuances of food production at national and sub-national scales. For example, land use may be a poor indicator of biodiversity loss when grazing a natural, low-input rangeland. Similarly, water use is only relevant where there is competition for the resource and eutrophication only where there is an adjacent water system to pollute. Thus, reporting frameworks used to inform sustainable diets need to be based on indicators that consider the context of local systems to demonstrate the clear linkage and how specific farming systems can drive sustainable diets. The development of provenance and traceability systems means the tools are already available to track impacts at a regional, or even individual farm, level.

Background: Human-animal relationships have evolved over millennia, shaping societies, economies, and ecosystems. Domestic animals play critical roles in food and nutrition security, livelihoods, and cultural practices, with livestock systems varying by region and purpose. Since the 1950s, rising demand for animal products, urbanization, and technological advances have transformed some livestock production systems. Globally, animals support household well-being by contributing to social, spiritual, and physical health, particularly in resource-limited settings. Livestock offer vital services, such as manure production, draft power, and employment, while also supporting agroecosystems through regenerative practices that promote biodiversity and soil health.

Benefits and accessibility: Animal-source foods (ASF)-including meat, milk, eggs, and offal-are rich in essential nutrients such as vitamin B₁₂, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, and high-quality protein. They are especially important for vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly. ASF also provide year-round nutritional support in rainfed systems and offer economic security through barter or sale during crises. However, policies must consider local contexts to promote sustainable consumption and production, ensuring equitable access to ASF.

Utilisation: Nose-to-tail eating is a traditional, sustainable approach that maximizes resource use, reduces waste, and enhances nutrition by utilizing all edible parts of animals. Organ meats and bone products are nutrient-dense and cost-effective, benefiting low-income communities and honouring ethical consumption values.

Conclusions: This review explores the diverse roles animals play in human societies, with a focus on the contribution of ASF to sustainable human nutrition through the integrated perspectives of One Health and One Welfare. It also provides policy recommendations to foster ethical and responsible human-animal relationships.

Personalised nutrition (PN) has emerged as an approach to optimise individual health outcomes through more targeted and tailored dietary recommendations based on unique genetic, phenotypic, medical, lifestyle and contextual factors. The application of artificial intelligence (AI) presents an opportunity to achieve personalised nutrition advice at a scale that has population impact. This review introduces a nutrition audience to different AI applications and offers insights into the concepts of AI that might be relevant to the field of nutrition research. The current and future uses of AI in PN are discussed, as well as the potential benefits and challenges to their application. AI-driven solutions have the potential to improve health and reduce the risk of disease because they can consider more information about an individual in making recommendations. However, challenges such as data interoperability, ethical considerations, and model interpretability remain an issue limiting widespread use at this point. This review will provide a foundational understanding of the application of AI within PN and help to identify opportunities to leverage the potential of AI in transforming dietary guidance and enhancing health outcomes through innovative solutions.

The NOVA food classification system and its categorisation of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have significantly influenced dietary guidelines worldwide, yet the assumption that all UPFs are uniformly harmful warrants critical examination. Here, a review of evidence revealed substantial heterogeneity in health outcomes across UPF subtypes, with products like sugar-sweetened beverages consistently associated with adverse outcomes while fortified cereals and certain dairy products demonstrate neutral or protective effects. The binary nature of NOVA's classification fails to account for nutritional composition, fortification benefits, and cultural food traditions, creating inconsistencies in categorisation across different contexts. Methodological limitations in UPF research include inadequate dietary assessment tools, selective reporting of negative findings, and experimental design flaws that conflate processing with other dietary factors. Implementation challenges extend to socioeconomic accessibility, as UPFs often provide cost-effective nutrients for disadvantaged populations and environmental sustainability, where wholesale reduction could increase resource demands. Future directions should develop more nuanced classification systems that integrate processing methods with nutritional quality to better inform public health strategies rather than categorically rejecting all UPFs.

The Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 (NNR2023) serve as the scientific foundation for national dietary guidelines and nutrient recommendations across the Nordic and Baltic countries. We reviewed how NNR2023 was adapted into national food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) in the Nordic countries and Estonia, focusing specifically on sustainability considerations and policy implications. National FBDG integrated both health and environmental aspects in all countries, except Norway, which addressed environmental aspects only in a separate report. Health impacts served as the primary principle in all countries. Additionally, national policy perspectives, such as domestic food security, were addressed in some countries, while the integration of social and economic sustainability remained very limited. In adopting NNR2023, all countries modelled how implementation would affect nutrient adequacy or health within their food environments, making minor adjustments based on these findings. Guidelines for animal source food groups showed the most variation between countries; Estonia and Denmark established the strictest recommended limits for red meat and total meat, respectively, while Norway was most liberal regarding milk products. Stakeholders participated in the consultation process. The agricultural sector and meat industry primarily maintained pro-meat discourse, which was particularly intense in Norway and Sweden. Transition towards healthy and sustainable diets demands multiple policy instruments - FBDG being just one - alongside a supportive environment and participation from all food system actors.

This review highlights the importance of dietary fibres (DF) intake and its interconnection with the gut microbiome and psychological well-being, while also exploring the effects of existing DF interventions on these aspects in adults. The gut microbiota is a complex and diverse ecosystem in which microbial species interact, influencing the human host. DF are heterogeneous, requiring different microbial species to degrade the complex DF structures. Emerging evidence suggests that microbial fermentation of DF produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), which may play a role in regulating psychological well-being by affecting neurotransmitter levels, including serotonin. The effectiveness of DF interventions depends on factors such as baseline gut microbiota composition, the dosage and the source of DF consumed. Although the gut microbiota of adults is relatively stable, studies have shown that the abundance of the species in the gut microbiota can change within 24 h of an intervention and may return to baseline following the termination of DF intervention. This review underscores the need for larger and well-powered dietary clinical trials incorporating longitudinal biological sample collections, advanced sequencing and omic techniques (including novel dietary biomarkers and microbial metabolites), validated subjective questionnaires and dietary records. Furthermore, mechanistic studies driven by clinical observations are crucial to understanding gut microbiota function and its underlying biological pathways, informing targeted dietary interventions.