Nutrition Bulletin最新文献

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the amount of ultra-processed food (UPF) in the diet and low-grade inflammation in children. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 50 healthy children recruited from children attending the Social Paediatrics Outpatient Clinic for follow-up of normal developmental stages. Low-grade inflammation was calculated by INFLA-score, dietary intake by three 24-h dietary recalls and dietary content analyses by BeBiS™ software. The mean age of the 50 children included in our study was 10.18 ± 3.98 years (5-17 years). UPF accounted for 24.5% of the total daily energy intake of children. In children with higher inflammation scores (INFLA-score ≥ 2), the amount in grams of UPF and the percentage of total energy from UPF were found to be significantly higher (p = 0.030 and p = 0.015, respectively). A weak positive correlation was found between the INFLA-score and the percentage of daily dietary energy intake coming from UPFs (r = 0.350, p < 0.01), the average daily energy intake from UPFs (r = 0.313, p < 0.05), and the average daily amount of UPF consumed (r = 0.260, p < 0.05). The linear regression model revealed that every one-unit increase (1%) in the percentage of total daily energy intake coming from UPF caused an increase in β = 0.154-unit in the INFLA-score. It was found that obesity was not a mediator in the association between the percentages of total energy intake from UPF on the INFLA-score, instead, the energy intake from UPF had a significant direct association with the INFLA-score. The average amount of UPF consumed daily showed an increasing pattern in parallel with inflammation-score quartile classes (Q1 to Q4) with 33.3% in Q1, 38.5% in Q2, 53.8% in Q3 and 66.7% in Q4 (p = 0.049). In conclusion, a positive association was found between low-grade inflammation and UPF consumption in children, independent of obesity.

There is an urgent need to transform our current food system to improve population health/wellbeing and planetary health. A number of challenges exist in order to achieve this. Artists, with their innate ability to use imagination to envision future needs and solve problems, represent a key group in this transformation. The project MUSAE brings together artists with experts from different disciplines to define an innovative model to integrate artistic collaboration in the (European) Digital innovation hubs (E-DIHs). They will employ the Design Futures Art-Driven (DFA) methods to enable artists and a range of companies involved in food production and distribution to develop innovative products and services that address key issues in the food system. MUSAE will run two residencies involving 23 artists and 11 SMEs working with three main technologies-Artificial Intelligence, Wearables and Robotics-to envision the future scenarios for societal needs and technology applications, as well as develop future-driven prototypes, thus opening new markets and innovations in the area of food.

To promote safe supplement use, athletes are advised to choose third-party tested (TPT) supplements to minimise doping risk. This study evaluated changes in knowledge on supplements in US high school athletes from a 2-week online supplement education programme. One group of sophomores (ED, n = 48) completed a Canvas course on safe supplement use, based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, while the other group of freshmen (NOED, n = 38) did not. Participants completed questionnaires pre- and post-intervention to assess practical knowledge of finding and ordering TPT supplements, familiarity with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned substances and decision-making in supplement purchasing. Chi-Square and McNemar tests were applied with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Pre-intervention no differences were found between groups (ages 14-17 years, 39.5% female) for any knowledge questions (p = 0.18). Post-intervention, ED participants were more likely to know where to find (58.3% vs. 39.5%, p = 0.041), and order (62.5% vs. 28.9%, p = 0.001) TPT supplements, and more athletes in ED (72.9%) than NOED (40.0%) reported deciding to purchase supplements themselves (p = 0.015). Parents were less influential in ED (75.0% vs. 92.1%, p = 0.019). Importantly, positive changes over time were larger for ED versus NOED in knowing where to find (28% vs. 13%, p = 0.04) and order (28% vs. 7%, p < 0.001) TPT supplements and WADA familiarity (19% vs. 5%, p = 0.01). Within-group changes showed ED improved on all practical knowledge questions (p = <0.001-0.008), whereas NOED only increased in knowing where to find TPT supplements (p = 0.003). These findings suggest an online educational programme may enhance practical knowledge of safe supplement use among high school athletes.

Vitamin D insufficiency is a worldwide problem that is likely underestimated since physical symptoms may only be apparent in individuals with severe deficiencies. Previously, people in South Asian countries were thought to be vitamin D sufficient because of plentiful sunshine, but vitamin D insufficiency has also been reported in these countries. In a South Asian country like Bangladesh, people living in the rural and urban parts of the country can have considerable differences in their sun exposure, types of clothing worn, and levels of air pollution. This pilot study aimed to explore the vitamin D status (measured by serum 25[OH]D) of healthy urban and rural Bangladeshi people and to examine the association of serum 25(OH)D concentration with calcium and alkaline phosphatase concentrations. A total of 101 apparently healthy adult individuals, aged 20-58 years, were enrolled from both urban and rural areas. The participants were selected from students, staff and patient attendants from the outpatient department (OPD) of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Mirsarai Upazila Health Complex, Chittagong. The overall rate of vitamin D insufficiency was 39.6% and of vitamin D deficiency was 51.5%. However, it was observed that the proportion of vitamin D-deficient participants in urban areas (70.6%) was more than double that of participants living in rural areas (32%) and that serum 25(OH)D concentrations were higher in rural compared to urban participants with similar sunlight exposure times. However, participants aged 50 years or more showed similar concentrations of serum vitamin D levels irrespective of their habitat. This pilot study highlights the need for further larger-scale studies in Bangladesh to determine the reasons for the high rates of vitamin D inadequacy overall and the differences between rural and urban populations.

Dark green vegetables include dark green leafy vegetables and broccoli. They are sources of many essential nutrients, including vitamins A, B and C, folate, fibre, carotenoids and flavonoids. This study aimed to explore the association between dietary dark green vegetable intake and cognitive function in US older adults. We included 2344 older adults (≥60 years old) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014 cycles. Dark green vegetable consumption was assessed using a continuous variable (cups/day) and two categorical variables. The first categorical variable classified participants into non-consumers and consumers based on whether they consumed dark green vegetables. The second categorical variable grouped participants into four levels of dark green vegetable consumption (non-consumers, consumers with low intakes, consumers with moderate intakes and consumers with high intakes). We used five continuous variables with non-normal distribution to assess cognitive function, including a composite z-score and the standardised scores of four individual cognitive tests. The four cognitive tests included the Immediate Recall Test (IRT), the Delayed Recall Test (DRT), the Animal Mobility Test (AFT) and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). The standardised scores of the four cognitive tests were calculated using the mean and standard deviation of each cognitive test score. The composite z-score was calculated by averaging the standardised scores of four cognitive tests to evaluate global cognition. We used multiple linear regression models to examine the association between dietary dark green vegetable intake and cognitive function. Our findings indicated that dark green vegetable intake was positively associated with global cognition (β [95% CI]: 0.17 [0.04, 0.30]; p = 0.016) and IRT (β [95% CI]: 0.26 [0.08, 0.43]; p = 0.009) and DRT (β [95% CI]: 0.21 [0.05, 0.36]; p = 0.012) standardised scores. Individuals with high intake of dark green vegetables showed notably better global cognition (β [95% CI]: 0.16 [0.05, 0.28]; p = 0.010) and showed higher IRT (β [95% CI]: 0.22 [0.07, 0.38]; p = 0.010) and DRT standardised scores (β [95% CI]: 0.21 [0.07, 0.36]; p = 0.007) compared with the non-consumers. Blood neutrophil counts mediated the cognitive benefits of dark green vegetables (Proportion: 9.5%, p = 0.006). In conclusion, our findings suggest that dark green vegetable consumption may have favourable effects on cognitive function in US older adults, especially on immediate and delayed learning abilities. The underlying mechanisms include the ability of dark green vegetables to reduce blood neutrophil levels, an indicator of decreased systemic inflammation. Increasing dietary intake of dark green vegetables may be a beneficial intervention to improve cognitive health in the older US population.

Food insecurity disproportionately affects smallholder farming households and within them women, who bear primary caregiving responsibilities and contend with time and resource constraints that heighten their vulnerability to adverse nutrition-related health outcomes. This study cross-sectionally investigates the association between food production practices, household consumer behaviour, and the experience of food insecurity with women's waist-hip ratio (WHR), a key indicator of abdominal obesity, in a coastal community in Kenya. In total, 394 households were randomly selected from a list of farming households in Kaloleni and Rabai sub-counties of Kilifi. Trained enumerators administered questionnaires to adult female family members who play a pivotal role in household management. Household dietary diversity scores (HDDS) were computed from 16 food groups consumed in the 7 days preceding the survey. Waist-hip measurements focused on these females, representing vulnerable populations. Pathway-based regression models were constructed using STATA version 13 (p < 0.05). Most households practised mixed farming (59.9%) and monocropping (73.2%) and most female respondents were widowed (75.1%) with limited education (73.1% had no formal education) and over 20 years of farming experience. Food insecurity was prevalent, affecting 80.7% of households. Limited dietary diversity was noted with an average HDDS of 9. The most commonly consumed foods were cereals, spices, condiments and beverages, while meat, eggs and fruits were infrequently eaten. An inverse association was observed between HDDS and WHR (standardised regression coefficient = -0.1328; p = 0.026) but while food insecurity was inversely associated with both HDD and WHR, these associations did not reach statistical significance (HDDS-standardised regression coefficient -0.0294; p = 0.592: WHR-standardised regression coefficient -0.0155; p = 0.791). Existing research has primarily addressed the undernutrition and hunger-related impacts of food insecurity. The findings underscore the need to better understand the complex interplay between food insecurity and nutritional health, including markers of adiposity, to effectively promote health.

Brazil nuts are well known for their extraordinarily high selenium content. For this reason, they are frequently recommended as a kind of natural selenium 'supplement', particularly for certain population groups such as vegetarians and vegans in regions with low soil selenium levels. Typically, an intake of one or two Brazil nuts per day is recommended. Brazil nuts, however, also stand out from other nuts in terms of their high (albeit highly variable) radium content. The radium isotopes Ra-226 and Ra-228 emit alpha- and beta-radiation, with this type of radiation being particularly harmful when ingested. Consequently, it is important to consider radium levels in Brazil nuts before formulating recommendations for a long-term, daily intake of these nuts. To date, however, no comprehensive overview of radium levels in Brazil nuts has been published. Therefore, a literature review without time or language restrictions was conducted, including unpublished original data from Germany. The literature review (including the German data) indicated mean Ra-226 and Ra-228 levels of 49 (range: 17-205) mBq/g and 67 (range: 12-235) mBq/g, respectively. Assuming a consistent daily intake of one or two Brazil nuts, this would result in an effective dose of ~88-220 μSv/year. This level of exposure appears to be neither clearly harmful nor clearly harmless. As increased radioactivity exposure (at least at higher doses) is associated with increased cancer risk, randomised controlled trials assessing the effect of Brazil nuts on cancer risk biomarkers are needed.

The high cost of gluten-free products (GFPs) is being discussed as a potential barrier to adherence to a gluten-free diet, rendering monitoring of their pricing an ongoing demand in a market subject to continuous fluctuations. The current study aimed to assess the current pricing status of GFPs in the Greek retail market, with a focus on differences between staple and non-staple foods. The retail price and packaging weight of all available GFPs and their gluten-containing (GCPs) counterparts of a GFP-shopping basket (formulated based on the results of a preceding online survey) were recorded by visiting one store of the five most popular reported supermarket chains. The food categories were grouped into staple (e.g. breads, pasta and flours) and non-staple (e.g. chips, sweets and sauces) foods. Adjusting for supermarket chain and product type, a quantile mixed regression model was applied to assess the extent to which median product price (per 100 g) differed between GFPs and GCPs. The unique products recorded were 1058 (of which 408 GFPs), with a total of 2165 retail price recordings. While the overall median price/100 g of GFPs was not found to be significantly different from that of GCPs, the median price of staple GFPs was estimated to be higher than staple GCPs (+€1.03 [95% CI: €0.93; €1.13] per 100 g), whilst that of non-staple GFPs was slightly lower (-€0.20 [95% CI: -€0.37; -€0.02] per 100 g). In conclusion, the persisting higher cost of staple GFPs suggests the need for ongoing financial support for people with coeliac disease.

Use of food supplements (FS) by athletes is well characterised but there is little information on 'herbal' or 'botanical' FS beyond 'natural'. This study determined, by questionnaire, whether athletes' main self-reported reason for using FS was reflective of what was written on product labels or, when these claims were unavailable, was in accordance with the scientific literature. In 217 elite (n = 55) and amateur (n = 162) athletes living on the island of Ireland, 71% (n = 153) consumed any kind of FS, with 16% (n = 34) of the entire cohort deemed botanical consumers. 'Protein' (21%, n = 46), 'vitamin D' (17%, n = 37) and 'vitamin C' (15% n = 32) were most consumed with the top reasons for use being 'to support health', 'to prevent illness/for immunity purposes' and 'recovery'. There was generally good agreement between approved nutrition and health claims for such products and athletes' main reported reasons for use. Only the amateur athletes in our pool described using botanical supplements, with reasons for use stated as 'sleep improvement' (21%), 'recovery' (14%), 'supporting health' (12%) and 'energy' (12%), resulting in poor agreement with either approved claims or scientific evidence. Only half of amateur athletes knew if their botanical FS were third-party tested. Athletes and practitioners require guidance to avoid consuming supplements for which there is little scientific evidence, and which may risk being contaminated/fraudulent.

Research shows that features of food packaging can help to promote healthy food choices. Laboratory-based studies demonstrate that smart design of packaging facilitates portion control. However, the extent to which consumers notice packaging features for portion control is not known. Therefore, this study investigated how individuals interact with food packaging, how they utilise the on-pack serving-size guidelines and how they make portion decisions. To do this, 25 adult participants were recruited to participate in an online semi-structured interview. Data were analysed using thematic analysis until saturation was achieved. Participants reported that they rarely attend to on-pack serving recommendations and indicated some resistance to them. Some structural features (small/single serving, pre-portioned and resealable packaging) were identified as facilitators of portion control. In contrast, the healthiness evaluation of the product from packaging cues was described as a permissive cue to eat more of the product. Participants in this study value their autonomy and control, preferring convenient behavioural choices over recommended portion servings. They also reported future concerns about the effects of their diet on health, but that current context (hunger, convenience) sometimes presented a barrier to healthy eating. Packaging does more than protect its contents, packaging can affect eating decisions to support portion control, and for some, offers permission to overconsume. This study identified ways that participants use packaging to make portion decisions, revealing the role of habits, current context and future health considerations. The interviews revealed the importance of consumer values on food choice in general and portion control in particular. In conclusion, smart food packaging design could use these findings to nudge healthy portion decisions by incorporating consumer values and by recognising consumer needs for habitual, current and future concerns.