Journal of Nutritional Science最新文献

This cross-sectional study evaluated the nutritional composition and labelling of commercial foods in Canada targeted to infants up to 18 months of age. Front-of-package labelling requirements were assessed based on daily values identified by Health Canada for saturated fatty acids, sugars, and sodium for children aged one year and older. Infant commercial food products were identified from online and in-person records of retailers across Canada. A total of 1,010 products were identified. Products aimed at older infants (12-18 months) contained significantly more calories, macronutrients, sugars, saturated fat, and trans fat compared to those targeted at younger infants (<12 months). In addition, 40% of products for children aged 12-18 months required a 'high in sugar' front-of-package label, while less required a 'high in saturated fats' (13%) and 'high in sodium' (5%) label. Organic products had higher added sugar and fibre, while they were lower in calories, total fat, saturated fat, and protein. Plant-based products, including vegetarian/vegan products, contained fewer calories, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, and protein, but more fibre. Gluten-containing products had more calories, macronutrients, sugar, fibre, and saturated fat. Non-GMO labelled products had more calories, carbohydrates, and sugar, but less saturated fat. Significant differences were observed for vitamins and minerals across food categories (p < 0.05). Our findings offer valuable guidance for parents, caregivers, and healthcare professionals on infant nutrition, highlighting the importance of selecting foods that align with infants' specific dietary needs.

This pilot study evaluated the effect of an online cooking intervention: Up for Cooking. Seventy-three Dutch families participated in four 1.5-hour sessions, before which they received ingredients and intervention materials. Parental questionnaires (pre-post) assessed food literacy skills (planning, selecting and making a healthy meal), knowledge and self-efficacy towards cooking and healthy eating (quantitative). Interviews assessed whether families changed their cooking behaviour at home (qualitative). A Wilcoxon Signed Rank test and inductive thematic coding were used. Thirty-nine parents completed questionnaires and eleven parents participated in interviews. Scores on food literacy items related to selecting and making a healthy meal improved significantly post-intervention. Parents' knowledge of healthy eating and self-efficacy in cooking with their children also improved significantly. Interviews revealed an increased involvement of children in meal preparation and positive changes in family cooking behaviour. This online cooking intervention is a promising nutrition intervention, but implementation and long-term changes need further exploration.

The aim of this study was to investigate the cardio- and neuroprotective effects of moringin (MG), a dietary isothiocyanate readily derived from Moringa oleifera seed, in a rat model of isoproterenol (ISP) induced myocardial infarction (MI). Thirty-two adult male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups: a control group, an MI group, a group pretreated with freshly prepared MG solution (MG + MI; glucomoringin 20 mg/kg + 30 µl myrosinase/rat), and a group pretreated with a stable α-cyclodextrin-based formulation of MG (α-CD/MG + MI, 42 mg/kg). Pretreatment was administered daily for 7 days. On days 6 and 7, rats received ISP (85 mg/kg, subcutaneously) at 24-hour interval. MI rats exhibited impaired hemodynamic and behavioural responses, marked elevation of malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in both myocardial and hippocampus tissues. MI rats also demonstrated a significant rise in serum cardiac biomarkers, including cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase myocardial band (CK-MB). In contrast, pretreatment with MG and α-CD/MG significantly improved locomotor and exploration behaviour, reduced heart rate (HR), and enhanced mean arterial pressure (MAP). Furthermore, both treatments lowered serum cardiac markers, restored redox balance, normalised brain monoamines levels, and improved the histoarchitecture of myocardial and hippocampus tissues. These findings suggested that MG and α-CD/MG exert cardioprotective and neuroprotective effects by attenuating oxidative stress in a rat model of ISP-induced MI. Overall, intake of MG and α-CD/MG may represent a potentially effective pretreatment strategy for mitigating the systemic perturbations associated with myocardial infarction.

This study examines the influence of fish oil on brain amyloidogenesis in hyperglycaemic Alzheimer's disease animal models, emphasising the potential of omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil to prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease. Thirty males of Wistar rats were divided into five groups: 1) control rats (NS); 2) rats supplemented with 3 g/kg of fish oil (NS+FO3); 3) rats injected via intraperitoneal (i.p) with Streptozotocin-Lipopolysaccharide (STZ-LPS); 4) rats injected with STZ-LPS (i.p) and supplemented with 1 g/kg of fish oil (STZ-LPS+FO1), and 5) rats injected with STZ-LPS (i.p) and supplemented with 3 g/kg of fish oil (STZ-LPS+FO3). The cerebral brain was extracted for examination, and the αβ precursor protein (APP) level was measured using an immunoassay kit, while αβ 42 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry staining. Brain amyloidosis-related genes were quantified using real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The results revealed that fish oil supplementation significantly increased APP levels and reduced αβ 42 accumulations in STZ-LPS rats. Moreover, the Apolipoprotein E, ε4 isoform (ApoE-4) and Beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (Bace-1) genes were downregulated while the Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (Lrp-1) gene was upregulated in STZ-LPS rats treated with fish oil, thereby elucidating the impact of fish oil on diminishing αβ buildup in the brain. Therefore, this study contributes to a growing body of evidence supporting dietary interventions as adjunctive strategies for the prevention or delay of Alzheimer's disease progression in metabolic dysfunction.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between selected parameters of nutritional status and the occurrence of frailty syndrome in older adults by analysing clinical and socio-demographic factors.

Methods: The study included 150 community-dwelling participants aged > 60 years who were qualified in the medical centre. The following research tools were used: activity of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, survey of health, aging, and retirement in Europe, geriatric depression scale, mini mental state examination (MMSE), anthropometric measurements, mini nutritional assessment (MNA), body composition measurements, and biochemical blood tests.

Results: The study included 150 people over 60 years of age (mean age 76.2/SD 4.9), including 104 women and 46 men. Participants in the frail group were significantly older (KW-H: P < 0.001) and had a higher level of depression (P = 0.008), whereas on the MMSE scale, they achieved a lower result (P < 0.001) than those in the non-frail and pre-frail groups. People in the frail group had significantly lower levels of nutritional status (P < 0.001) according to the MNA scale, assessment of basic activities in everyday life (P = 0.005), complex activities of everyday life (P < 0.001), hand grip strength of the right hand (P = 0.038) and left hand (P = 0.028), and energy drop (P < 0.001). They were also characterised by difficulties walking (P < 0.001), less frequent physical activity (P < 0.001), loss of appetite (P < 0.001), and weight loss more often (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Advanced age, a greater number of diseases, worse functional and mental performance, and differences in nutritional status and body composition were observed in people with frailty syndrome.

A Palaeolithic diet is an efficacious dietary approach for glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes. Causal mechanisms are body weight loss and glucometabolic effects from differences in included food groups, macronutrient composition, fibre content, and glycaemic load. The aim was to test the hypothesis that characteristic food group differences between a Palaeolithic and a diabetes diet would cause an effect on glycaemic control when weight was kept stable and diets were matched for macronutrient composition, fibre content and glycaemic load. Adult participants with type 2 diabetes and increased waist circumference were instructed to follow two diets, with or without the food groups cereal grain, dairy products, and legumes, during two periods of 4 weeks separated by a 6-week washout period in a random-order crossover design. The Palaeolithic diet included fruit, vegetables, tubers, fish, shellfish, lean meat, nuts, eggs and olive oil, and excluded cereal grains, dairy products and legumes. The diabetes diet included fruit, vegetables, fish, shellfish, lean meat, nuts, eggs, olive oil, and substantial amounts of whole grains, low-fat dairy products and legumes. Dietary energy content was adjusted throughout the study to maintain stable body weight. There were no differences between diets on HbA1c or fructosamine among the 14 participants. Body weight was kept stable, and the two diets were successfully matched for macronutrient composition and glycaemic load but not for fibre content. Characteristic food group differences and the accompanying differences in fibre content between a Palaeolithic and a diabetes diet do not cause an effect on glycaemic control.

High-fat diets are closely implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic conditions, including obesity and hepatic steatosis. Recently, coconut oil, which is rich in medium-chain fatty acids, has attracted significant attention for its potential anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of medium-chain fatty acids derived from coconut oil on metabolic disorders, particularly fatty liver, using a mouse model established by a high-fat diet. C57BL/6J mice were assigned to either the lard diet group or the coconut oil diet group and fed for 12 weeks. Glucose tolerance was assessed, and biochemical parameters, liver histology, and gene expression in the liver were analysed. Additionally, the concentrations of medium-chain fatty acids within the liver were determined through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Mice fed a coconut oil diet exhibited suppressed weight gain and improved glucose tolerance compared to mice fed a lard diet. Furthermore, the coconut oil diet resulted in reduced hepatic fat accumulation, decreased expression levels of genes implicated in inflammation and lipid metabolism within the liver, and higher concentrations of medium-chain fatty acids in the liver. Coconut oil may contribute to the suppression of hepatic fat accumulation in the liver and the prevention of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease by increasing the levels of medium-chain fatty acids in the liver and suppressing the expression of genes implicated in inflammation and lipid metabolism.

Hospital food services and the resulting food waste impact patient satisfaction, health outcomes, healthcare costs, and the environment. This cross-sectional study assessed food waste and patient satisfaction in five public hospitals in Cyprus, involving 844 inpatients. Patient characteristics and responses to the 21-item Acute Care Hospital Foodservice Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (ACHFPSQ) were recorded. Plate waste was evaluated using photographs and a five-point visual scale (0 to 1) to estimate food consumption. Hunger and overall satisfaction were also assessed. While 77.8% rated food services as good or very good, food quality received the most negative feedback. Only 31.2% finished their main dish entirely; 29.5% and 26.3% left ¼ and ½, respectively. For dessert, 48.2% finished it, while 13.3% left it untouched. These findings reveal a gap between general satisfaction and perceived food quality, underscoring the need for targeted public health strategies to enhance food quality and reduce waste in hospitals.

Cross-cutting issues like nutrition have not been adequately addressed for children with severe visual impairment studying in integrated schools of Nepal. To support advocacy, this study aimed to determine the nutritional status of this vulnerable group, using a descriptive cross-sectional design involving 101 students aged 5-19 years from two integrated public schools near Kathmandu Valley and two in western Nepal. The weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), height-for-age z-score (HAZ), and body mass index-for-age z-score (BAZ) were computed and categorised using World Health Organization cut-off values (overnutrition: z-score > +2.0 standard deviations (SD), healthy weight: z-score -2.0SD to +2.0SD, moderate undernutrition: z-score ≥ -3.0SD to <-2.0SD, severe undernutrition: z-score < -3.0 SD) to assess nutritional status. A child was considered to have undernutrition for any z-scores <-2.0SD. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse variables linked to undernutrition. The mean age of participants was 11.86 ± 3.66 years, and the male-to-female ratio was nearly 2:1. Among the participants, 71.29% had blindness, and 28.71% had low vision. The mean BAZ and HAZ scores decreased with age. The WAZ, HAZ, and BAZ scores indicated that 6.46% were underweight, 20.79% were stunted, and 5.94% were thin, respectively. Overall, 23.76% of students had undernutrition and 7.92% had overnutrition. More than three in ten students had malnutrition and stunting was found to be prevalent. Older students and females were more likely to have undernutrition. These findings highlight the need for nutrition interventions within inclusive education settings, particularly targeting girls with visual impairments who may face compounded vulnerabilities.

Plant-based diets (PBD) have been found to be environmentally sustainable and beneficial for health. Observational research showed that higher plant-based diet quality improves health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adult women, however this is unclear for older adults. This association may be due to anti-inflammatory properties of PBD. Older adults, prone to chronic inflammation, may therefore profit from PBD. We investigated the relation between PBD and HRQoL in older adults of both sexes and tested whether the effects are associated with circulating high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels. We used data of the population-based Lifelines Cohort Study (n = 6,635, mean age = 65.2 years) and a subsample in which hsCRP was measured (n = 2,251, mean age = 65.2 years). We applied a plant-based diet index measuring adherence to a healthful (hPDI) and an unhealthful (uPDI) plant-based diet based on food frequency questionnaires. The RAND-36 questionnaire was applied as measure of HRQoL, from which we derived physical and mental HRQoL. Older adults with the highest adherence to a hPDI had respectively 15% and 12% greater odds for high physical quality of life and mental quality of life. Meanwhile, higher adherence to uPDI was associated with respectively 16% and 13% lower odds for high physical and mental quality of life. An additive but no interactive effect of hsCRP on the association between PBD and HRQoL has been observed. Adherence to a healthful plant-based diet and circulating levels of inflammation are independently associated with physical and mental HRQoL. Mechanisms other than inflammation through which PBD could influence HRQoL may be explored in further research.