Journal of Nutritional Science最新文献

Promoting fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption is a public health priority. This study assessed compliance with the international recommendation of consuming at least 400g of F&V daily among Mexican adults and analysed its association with the five stages of behaviour change from the Transtheoretical Model (Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation for action, Action, and Maintenance). Using data from 5203 adults (ages 20-59) in the 2016 National Health and Nutrition Survey, dietary intake was collected via a food frequency questionnaire. Compliance was defined dichotomously (Yes/No), and readiness to change was assessed using a specific survey module. Multiple logistic regression models examined the association between stages of change and compliance, adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics, as well as perceived barriers and self-efficacy. Nationally, 26.3% of adults met the F&V recommendation. Compliance was significantly higher among individuals in the Preparation for action (OR 3.62, 95% CI: 1.82-7.19), Action (OR 4.50, 95% CI: 1.8-11.25), and Maintenance (OR 9.54, 95% CI: 4.76-19.13) than those in the Precontemplation stage. Higher compliance was also significantly associated with greater self-efficacy (OR 1.86, 95% CI: 1.4-2.47), being in the highest socioeconomic tertile (OR 1.71, 95% CI: 1.25-2.33), and living in the central region (OR 1.70, 95% CI: 1.18-2.45). Conversely, individuals reporting a dislike for vegetables were less likely to meet recommendations (OR 0.67, 95% CI: 0.48-0.94). These findings highlight the value of developing stage-tailored interventions that consider both psychological and structural barriers to improve F&V consumption.

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of different iron sources on growth performance and small intestinal health in weaned piglets. Two hundred and forty piglets (Duroc × Large White × Landrace, 9.52 ± 1.60 kg, 40 ± 2 d) were assigned to four treatments including control group, a basal diet without iron supplemented in mineral premix; ferrous sulfate (FeSO₄) group, 100 mg Fe/kg dry matter (DM); ferrous glycinate (Fe-Gly) group, 80 mg Fe/kg DM; amino acid-Fe(II)-chelator complexes group, 30 mg Fe/kg DM. There were four pens for each treatment, and each pen had fifteen piglets. The experiment lasted for 28 days. Compared to the control group, three iron sources increased average daily feed intake (P < 0.05). Fe-Gly and amino acid-Fe(II)-chelator complexes increased average daily gain (P < 0.05). Amino acid-Fe(II)-chelator complexes increased villus height in jejunum (P < 0.05). In addition, Fe-Gly increased Ki67 and leucine rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5) mRNA expression in duodenum (P < 0.05). Amino acid-Fe(II)-chelator complexes increased claudin-1 mRNA expression, and both amino acid-Fe(II)-chelator complexes and Fe-Gly increased Lgr5 mRNA expression (P < 0.05) in jejunum. These results suggest that organic iron is more effective than FeSO₄ in improving growth performance, and has a positive effect on intestinal health in weanling piglets.

A growing body of evidence shows an association between in utero Ramadan exposure and negative long-term consequences. Nonetheless, there is a scarcity of studies utilizing clinical measures in adults. This study investigates a possible association between in utero Ramadan exposure and mean arterial pressure (MAP) as well as random blood glucose (RBG) measures in the adult offspring. Using cross-sectional data from the Southeast Asia community observatory health and demographic surveillance system (SEACO) in Malaysia for two survey rounds (year 2013 and 2018), we compared MAP and RBG of in utero Ramadan-exposed Muslims with unexposed Muslims and non-Muslims. In utero Ramadan exposure was estimated based on the overlap between pregnancy (estimated from birth dates) and Ramadan periods. We conducted difference-in-differences analyses adjusted for age and birth months (seasonal effects). A total of 20,575 participants aged 35 or older were included in the analysis, comprising 12,696 Muslims and 7,879 non-Muslims. Difference-in-differences analyses revealed no statistically significant association between in utero Ramadan exposure and MAP, or between in utero Ramadan and RBG. These findings persisted in additional analyses examining the timing of Ramadan exposure during pregnancy.

The weekly iron and folic acid supplementation (WIFAS) programme is a school-based initiative designed to reduce iron and folate deficiency anaemia among adolescent girls. In Ethiopia, donor-supported pilot programmes are implementing WIFAS in schools, but evaluations of its demand- and supply-side barriers and facilitators remain limited. This study aimed to explore these barriers and facilitators in the Sidama Region of Ethiopia. An exploratory qualitative study collected data from ten WIFAS-targeted schools using key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). Participants included purposively selected school directors, WIFAS-trained teachers, health centre heads, district health and education office nutrition focal points, and regional health and education bureau delegates. Ten FGDs were conducted with adolescent girls and their mothers. Thematic analysis was performed using Open Code software to identify emerging themes. This study identified low awareness of iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets, negative community perceptions, fear of side effects, supplementation interruptions due to school closures, and inadequate coverage as key barriers. Structural barriers included poor programme coordination, weak supply chain management, and water scarcity. Facilitators included free IFA tablet distribution, health extension workers' involvement in awareness campaigns, positive testimonials, local leader support, training, and regular supervision. The WIFAS programme implemented in schools of the Sidama Region faces programmatic and structural barriers. However, facilitators like free IFA distribution, health extension worker involvement, and community support offer opportunities for improvement. These findings highlight the need for addressing barriers while leveraging existing facilitators for enhancing programme success.

Saturated fatty acids, particularly palmitic acid (PA), promote inflammation and contribute to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. PA induces interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-primed macrophages via NLRP3 inflammasome activation; but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study investigates whether PA-induced IL-1β production involves cytosolic potassium (K⁺) depletion. In LPS-primed macrophages, treatment with PA conjugated to bovine serum albumin (PA-BSA) significantly reduced cytosolic K⁺ levels and increased IL-1β production 2.4-fold. Stearic acid-BSA produced similar effects, whereas BSA-bound oleic, linoleic and docosahexaenoic acids had minimal impact. Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channel blockers, 4-aminopyridine and tetraethylammonium chloride, attenuated PA-BSA-induced K⁺ efflux and IL-1β production in LPS-primed macrophages, implicating Kv channels as key mediators. These findings reveal a novel inflammatory pathway in which PA-BSA promotes IL-1β production via Kv channel-dependent K⁺ efflux, highlighting a mechanistic link between saturated fatty acid exposure and inflammatory signalling.

Consumers tend to perceive certain foods as more natural and in turn as more nutritious. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional quality, the degree of naturalness, and their association with animal-based and plant-based food products. A total of 1275 food products were collected by the Food Quality Observatory in Québec (Canada) between 2018 and 2022. These products were divided into five categories: sliced processed meats (n = 477), yogurts and dairy desserts (n = 344), sausages (n = 266), processed cheese products (n = 96) and plant-based alternatives (n = 92) within these four categories. The overall nutritional quality was evaluated using the Nutri-Score and the front-of-package (FOP) nutrition symbol recently implemented in Canada, while the degree of naturalness was measured using the Food Naturalness Index (FNI). Yogurts and dairy desserts as well as plant-based alternatives had lower Nutri-Score and thus, higher nutritional quality compared to other food categories. The FOP symbol for foods high in saturated fat or sodium was more common in sliced processed meats and sausages. FNI scores were higher in processed cheese products than in other categories, indicating a greater degree of naturalness. Correlations between nutritional quality and food naturalness varied depending on the food category and the nutrient profiling model, with Spearman coefficients being positive or negative and ranging from weak to moderate. This study supports the idea that food naturalness and nutritional quality offer complementary information depending on the food category. Further research in other food categories would help to better understand the associations between the two concepts.

This scoping review provides an overview of the impact of fruit and vegetable (FAV) consumption on cognitive function in adolescents and young adults between January 2014 and February 2024. A comprehensive search across six databases, CINAHL, PubMed-MEDLINE, ProQuest, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase, identified 5,181 articles, of which six met the inclusion criteria after deduplication and screening. This scoping review focused on individuals aged 11-35 years in schools, colleges, universities, and communities. Following a descriptive and narrative synthesis of the data, tables and figures were used to present the findings. Across the six included studies, most consistently demonstrated a positive association between higher fruit and vegetable (FAV) intake and improved cognitive performance among adolescents and young adults. This association was evident in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, with stronger effects observed for whole fruits and vegetables high in fibre and polyphenols. Cognitive domains positively impacted included psychomotor speed, memory, attention, and mood. However, findings varied by type of food and cognitive domain; while whole FAVs were generally beneficial, results for fruit juice were mixed-some studies showed acute benefits. Differences in study designs, dietary assessment tools, and cognitive measures contributed to variability. Despite these inconsistencies, the overall trend supports a beneficial role of FAV consumption in promoting cognitive health during adolescence and early adulthood. This review demonstrates that increased fruit and vegetable consumption is consistently linked to improved cognitive function in adolescents and young adults. However, further research is needed to establish its long-term effects on cognitive ageing and disease prevention.

Household food security plays a critical role in determining the nutritional status of children, which in turn impacts their growth and development. This study assessed factors influencing household food security and childhood nutritional status and explored the relationship between these variables in Namutumba District. A total of 299 child-caregiver pairs participated in the study. Data were collected through structured interviews and analyzed, with multi-level mixed effects generalized linear models to examine factors associated with severe household food insecurity and children's nutritional status. Multilinear regressions were used to evaluate the relationship between severe household food insecurity and child nutritional status. The results revealed that most households (60.2%) were severely food insecure. A double burden of malnutrition was observed, with 28.0% of children stunted and 2.8% overweight or obese. Factors positively associated with improved household food security included secondary-level education (p = 0.011), medium to high wealth percentile (p < 0.001), and the presence of at least one income-earning household member (p = 0.045). Conversely, lack of access to agricultural land, food stocks, and access to treated drinking water were significantly linked to severe food insecurity (p < 0.001). Severe food insecurity was positively associated with wasting (β = 0.81, p = 0.007) and negatively associated with stunting (β = -0.37, p = 0.039). In conclusion, multiple factors influence household food security, and the nutritional status of children aged 24-59 months. A comprehensive, food systems-based approach may be key to addressing malnutrition in Namutumba District.

This study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire that investigates sugar-related eating behaviour, excessive consumption, and addictive-like eating. This questionnaire was validated using a rigorous process assessing content validity, face validity, reliability testing, feasibility testing, and construct validity. Spearman's correlation coefficients and Cronbach's alpha were used to assess reliability. Feasibility testing was used to further validate and confirm the scoring/categorisation of 'low', 'medium', and 'high' scorers for use in future research. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were used to determine underlying latent factors and assess construct validity. Content validity was assessed by health professionals (n = 16), face validity was assessed by the lay public who had no expertise in nutrition or addiction (n = 20). Reliability (n = 54), repeat reliability (n = 50), and feasibility (n = 113) testing were assessed with a sample from the lay public. Spearman's correlation coefficients were in the range of 0.58-0.91 and were statistically significant (P < 0.001), indicating good temporal stability within the questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were in the range of 0.62-0.93, indicating good internal consistency. Feasibility testing confirmed the use of calculating an 'average total score' from the data set and splitting the data set into tertiles: low, medium, and high scorers. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed three latent factors: F1: Compulsive Eating; F2: Comfort Eating; and F3: Withdrawal. Results suggest the questionnaire is highly reliable and was successfully validated. This questionnaire can be used in research to investigate problematic and addictive-like eating behaviour and its effects on ill health.

Accurate assessment of an individual's diet is vital to study the effect of diet on health. Image-based methods, which use images as input, may improve the reliability of dietary assessment. We developed an iOS application that uses computer vision to identify food from images. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of energy intake (EI_app) estimates from the application by comparing them to estimated energy expenditure (EE) and to the EI estimates from a validated dietary assessment tool, the 24-h recall (EI_recall). Participants were recruited from a randomised controlled trial called He Rourou Whai Painga. Participants recorded all intake over 7 d using the application, which provided a mean daily EI; this was compared to the EI estimated by two 24-h recalls. The EI from the application and the recalls were compared to EE, estimated using indirect calorimetry and wrist-worn accelerometry. EI estimates from the application and the 24-h recalls were lower than EE, with a mean bias of -1814 kJ (95% CI -3012 to -615, p = 0.005) and -1715 kJ (95% CI -3237 to -193, p = 0.029), respectively. The mean bias between EI from the application and the 24-h recall was 783 kJ (95% CI -875 to 2441, p = 0.33). This suggests that the EI estimates from the application are comparable to the 24-h recall method, a validated and widely used tool in nutritional research.