British Journal of Nutrition最新文献

This study has investigated the relationship between the gut microbiota composition and the growth performance in pigs from birth to the finishing stage, focusing on nutrient metabolism. Of fifty-nine crossbred pigs [(Landrace × Large Yorkshire) × Duroc] from seven sows, individuals with high and low daily gain (DG) were assigned to high DG (HDG, n 11) and low DG (LDG, n 8) groups. Faecal samples collected at weaning (21 d), growing (95-106 d) and finishing (136-152 d) stages were analysed for amino acids, SCFA and microbial composition using 16S rRNA sequencing. Although birth and weaning weights were similar in both groups, the HDG group had significantly higher weights in the growing and finishing stages (P < 0·01). The microbial composition of the LDG group revealed a higher abundance of f_Lachnospiraceae;__ at weaning (P < 0·05), whereas the HDG group contained a higher abundance of g_Streptococcus and g_Prevotella 7 at the finishing stage (P < 0·05). Functional analysis revealed increased amino acid metabolism in the HDG group at the finishing stage (P < 0·05). During the growing stage, total free faecal amino acid content was low in the HDG group (P < 0·05); at weaning, levels of isobutyric and isovaleric acids, key amino acid fermentation products (P < 0·05, P < 0·01), were higher. These findings indicate growth stage-specific differences in the gut microbiota and metabolic profiles between groups with different growth performance, suggesting that microbial and metabolic characteristics may influence growth performance.

Ultra-processed foods (UPF), defined using frameworks such as NOVA, are increasingly linked to adverse health outcomes, driving interest in ways to identify and monitor their consumption. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers potential, yet its application in classifying UPF remains underexamined. To address this gap, we conducted a scoping review mapping how AI has been used, focusing on techniques, input data, classification frameworks, accuracy and application. Studies were eligible if peer-reviewed, published in English (2015-2025), and they applied AI approaches to assess or classify UPF using recognised or study-specific frameworks. A systematic search in May 2025 across PubMed, Scopus, Medline and CINAHL identified 954 unique records with eight ultimately meeting the inclusion criteria; one additional study was added in October following an updated search after peer review. Records were independently screened and extracted by two reviewers. Extracted data covered AI methods, input types, frameworks, outputs, validation and context. Studies used diverse techniques, including random forest classifiers, large language models and rule-based systems, applied across various contexts. Four studies explored practical settings: two assessed consumption or purchasing behaviours, and two developed substitution tools for healthier options. All relied on NOVA or modified versions to categorise processing. Several studies reported predictive accuracy, with F1 scores from 0·86 to 0·98, while another showed alignment between clusters and NOVA categories. Findings highlight the potential of AI tools to improve dietary monitoring and the need for further development of real-time methods and validation to support public health.

There is substantial international variation in recommended vitamin C intake levels. In the USA, the recommendation is 90 mg/d for men and 75 mg/d for women, while in the UK, the current recommendation – established in 1991 – is only 40 mg/d for adults. This UK level was based on the 1953 Sheffield study, which found that 10 mg/d prevents scurvy, with 40 mg/d chosen as the recommended level for yielding somewhat higher plasma levels. In this commentary, we argue that the UK recommendation overlooked key evidence available at the time. Specifically, at least six controlled trials published before 1991 reported benefits from vitamin C supplementation in participants whose baseline vitamin C intake was already 40 mg/d or higher. One randomised controlled trial, published in 1993, found benefits from vitamin C supplementation even at a baseline intake of about 500 mg/d; however, this trial involved ultramarathon runners, and the findings should not be broadly generalised. Nonetheless, such results challenge the assumption that 40 mg/d is universally adequate to maintain full health. We also highlight that the UK recommendations were narrowly focused on preventing dermatological symptoms of scurvy, despite strong evidence – even at the time – that vitamin C deficiency can also cause cardiac dysfunction and greater morbidity due to respiratory infections. We conclude that the current UK vitamin C recommendation should be re-evaluated in light of controlled trial evidence and broader clinical outcomes.

Obesity and depression are highly prevalent diseases that are strongly correlated. At the same time, there is a growing gap in care, and treatment options should be improved and extended. Positive effects of a Mediterranean diet on mental health have already been shown in various studies. In addition to the physiological effects of nutrients, the way food is eaten, such as mindful eating, seems to play a role. The present study investigates the effect of a Mediterranean diet and mindful eating on depression severity in people with clinically diagnosed major depressive disorder and obesity. Participants will be randomised to one of the four intervention groups (Mediterranean diet, mindful eating, their combination and a befriending control group). The factorial design allows investigating individual effects as well as potential synergistic effects of the interventions. The study consists of a 12-week intervention period, where five individual appointments will take place, followed by a 12-week follow-up. The primary outcome is depression severity. Secondary outcomes are remission of depression, assessor-rated depression severity, quality of life, self-efficacy, BMI, waist:hip ratio and body composition; adherence to the Mediterranean diet and mindful eating will also be assessed. Alongside mediator and moderator analysis, a microbiome analysis, a qualitative evaluation and an economic analysis will be conducted. The study investigates an important health issue in a vulnerable target group. It allows to draw valuable conclusions regarding the effectiveness of different interventions and therefore contributes to improving available care options for people suffering from depression and obesity.

Previous studies have shown that low-fat diet (LFD) is associated with various health benefits, and that lipid and fatty acid metabolism is linked to telomere shortening. However, no epidemiological studies have examined the association between LFD and telomere length (TL). Dietary information was collected using 24-h recalls among 6981 adults from a nationwide cross-sectional study. Diet quality was assessed using overall LFD, healthful LFD (hLFD) and unhealthful LFD (uLFD). TL was measured using quantitative PCR. Linear regression was employed to evaluate the association between LFD and log-transformed TL, and ordinal logistic regression was performed to assess the association of LFD with ordinal quintiles of TL in descending order. In both fully adjusted linear and ordinal regression models, higher overall LFD (Tertile 3 v. Tertile 1: percentage change = 2·48 %, 95 % CI: 0·60 %, 4·40 %, P_trend = 0·003; OR = 0·79, 95 % CI: 0·68, 0·93; P_trend = 0·001) and hLFD (Tertile 3 v. Tertile 1: percentage change = 2·71 %, 95 % CI: 0·87 %, 4·58 %; P_trend = 0·002; OR = 0·84, 95 % CI: 0·72, 0·97; P_trend = 0·003) scores were significantly associated with longer TL. The positive association between hLFD and TL was observed in other racial/ethnic groups, but not in non-Hispanic whites (P_interaction < 0·005). There was no significant association between uLFD and TL in all the models. Our results suggest that LFD rich in high-quality carbohydrates, unsaturated fat and plant protein is associated with longer TL and underscore the need to consider the quality and dietary sources of the macronutrients.

There is a gap in the understanding of meal patterns offered to students targeted by the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE). This study aimed to identify and analyse the menu patterns planned in schools participating in the PNAE. This observational cross-sectional study was carried out from a database consisting of 557 weekly menus from primary schools across Brazilian municipalities. We used factor analysis (FA) with principal components analysis (PCA) to identify menu patterns. Nutritional quality assessment of the menus was based on the Revised School Feeding Menu Quality Index (IQCAE-R). Differences in nutritional quality and associations with sociodemographic factors were analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by Wilcoxon post hoc testing with Bonferroni correction. Two menu patterns were identified: (1) 'Traditional', predominantly composed of cereals and pasta, roots and tubers, legumes, vegetables, and meats and eggs; and (2) 'Snack', with a higher occurrence of bread, cakes, and biscuits, milk and dairy products, chocolate powder, and coffee and tea. The 'Traditional' pattern, consisting of food items commonly found in Brazilian food culture, and the 'Snack' pattern, characterised by the presence of sweets and highly processed foods, showed significant relationships with sociodemographic variables and nutritional quality of menus. Stimulating schools to provide meals that resemble the 'Traditional' pattern may contribute to the adoption of healthier dietary patterns, thus benefiting and strengthening health promotion through PNAE.

Skinfold callipers are used internationally in research, clinical and field settings to assess body composition and nutritional status. Notably, currently available instruments differ in important specificities that impact measurement. In this sense, this report proposes a methodological approach that organises skinfold callipers into three categories (Original, Generic and Hybrid) and three configurations (Type A, Type B and Type C) based on physical-mechanical properties and characteristics. Therefore, this concept provides technical support for choosing the most appropriate skinfold calliper in different contexts.

Nutraceuticals are increasingly of interest in nutritional psychiatry, where creatine has been investigated in several randomised trials for its effects on depressive symptoms. However, these findings have not yet been systematically synthesised. We conducted a systematic review to assess the effects of creatine supplementation on symptoms of depression. Four databases were searched up to February 2025 for trials comparing creatine with placebo in individuals with or without depression. Study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment (RoB 2) were conducted independently, and certainty of evidence was evaluated using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Random-effects meta-analyses with Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman adjustment including eleven trials (1093 participants) found a standardised mean difference of -0·34 (95 % CI -0·68, -0·00; GRADE: very low quality of evidence), equivalent to 2·2 points on the seventeen-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, below the minimal important difference of 3·0 points. CI include non-clinically important effects, and heterogeneity was substantial (I² = 71·3 %). While effects appeared larger in clinically depressed populations, subgroup analyses and trim-and-fill adjustments indicated substantial bias favouring creatine. Results for secondary endpoints were significant for remission (three trials, OR 3·60; 95 % CI 1·76, 7·56), but not for treatment response (two trials, OR 0·72; 95 % CI 0·28, 1·88). Our findings suggest that creatine may offer a small-to-moderate benefit for individuals with depression, but average effects were not clinically important and the true effect may be trivial or null. The evidence on which these results are based is very uncertain. Larger, more rigorous randomised trials are required to draw definitive conclusions.

Shift work-induced circadian disruption has been linked to various cardiometabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes and CVD. Limited studies have explored the impact of different variables such as night work durations, intensities and chronotype on cardiometabolic risk. This study aimed to determine the impact of circadian disruption on cardiometabolic risk markers in shift workers. This case-control study was conducted with 104 male workers (shift workers; n 52, mean age; 43·3 (sd 10·2), and non-shift workers; n 52, mean age; 41·2 (sd 9·8)). Shift work details were determined via an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Cardiometabolic risk was evaluated through anthropometric (height, weight, waist circumference and body composition), biochemical (fasting glucose and lipid profile), clinical (blood pressure) and dietary assessment (24-h recalls from working and non-working days). The chronotype was determined via the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ). Shift workers had significantly higher mean body fat percentage (31·7, 22·7 % P = 0·031), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (138·6, 128·5 mmHg P = 0·009), pulse rate (78·7, 72·3 bpm P = 0·015), TAG (1·60, 1·30 mmol/l P = 0·021) and LDL-cholesterol (3·90, 3·40 mmol/l P = 0·012) than non-shift workers. Evening chronotype shift workers had significantly higher visceral fat levels (12·8, 8·90 P = 0·001), SBP (137·0, 127·6 mmHg P = 0·006), pulse rate (82·7, 73·3 bpm P = 0·005) and LDL-cholesterol (4·00, 3·40 mmol/l P = 0·039) than shift workers with a morning chronotype. In conclusion, shift workers exhibited higher metabolic risk markers than non-shift workers. Shift workers with evening chronotypes had higher cardiometabolic risk than morning chronotypes. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and inform targeted interventions for individuals engaged in shift work, considering chronotypes.

Inadequate eating habits in adolescence are an important risk factor for obesity and other chronic non-communicable diseases in adulthood. The school environment can have a relevant impact on adolescent behaviour, since many habits acquired in this phase affect the individual throughout life, with visible effects on health. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association between food sales at Brazilian schools and ultra-processed food consumption among adolescents. The Study of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adolescents (ERICA) was a nationwide, school-based survey conducted from 2013 to 2014, including public and private schools in 121 Brazilian cities. Dietary intake was assessed via a 24-h recall, and foods were divided according to the Nova classification based on the degree of processing. Unadjusted and adjusted linear regression models were used to assess the association between exposure to school food sales and intake of ultra-processed food. The prevalence of exposure to food sales was 55·2 %, and the mean diet share of ultra-processed foods was 34·5 %. Exposure to food sales in schools was associated with higher consumption of ultra-processed food (β = 0·11; P = 0·002). The results were similar when the analyses were stratified according to sex, usual intake of school meals and public school attendance (β = 0·11; P = 0·002). The association between exposure to food sales in schools and higher consumption of ultra-processed food suggests that school sales can influence adolescents' food choices.