bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nutritional knowledge and practice preliminary results of the nationally representative study on nutrition of Polish population, (National Health Programme 2016–2020)
Authors: Traczyk Iwona , Respondek Wioleta , Szostak-Węgierek Dorota , Raciborski Filip ,   NPZ-WUM study group https://dieta.wum.edu.pl/zespol-npz-1
Published: June 2020

Improper nutrition is an important risk factor for many chronic diseases. The presented study is a part of the Polish population representative epidemiological studies on the diet and nutritional status, the identification of food-related diseases risk factors, the physical activity level, nutritional knowledge level, and health inequities, implemented under The National Health Program 2016–2020, financed by the Ministry of Health.

The speech will present selected preliminary study results of 1,471 respondents (709 aged 19–64 (A); 762 aged 65 + (B) carried on since December 2018 to December 2018 from planed representative Polish population (each groups: 2000 respondents). Presented data was collected on the basis of nutrition assessment (food frequency questionnaire (KomPAN), 24 hours recall - 2 days - interval of at least 3 days), identification of diet-related diseases risk factors (body weight, body height, waist and hips circumferences estimation, 2 blood pressure measurements), physical activity (the accelerometer, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire) and the nutritional knowledge level (KomPAN). Statistical analyses: SPSS program (version 25.0), data on diet composition assessed in DIET 5.0.

Excessive body mass occurred in 63.9% respondents (A: 51.3%, B: 72.3%), obesity - in 16.7% A and 35.3% B participants. The average diet energy value was: A- 2035 kcal (2452 in men, 1745 in women), B - 1933 kcal (2283 in men, 1705 in women). The percentage of calories from protein, fat and carbohydrate was similar in both groups: around 14%, 34% and 50% respectively.

Good nutritional knowledge was found in 39.5% individuals from group A and 42.8% from group B, the average knowledge level was diagnosed in 57% and 53.8% respondents respectively. Knowledge about proper nutrition did not mean proper nutritional choices. Vegetables were eaten a few times per day only by 36.8% A and 30.4% B respondents with good nutritional knowledge, milk and cottage cheese consumption declared 8% subjects from each group and fermented dairy products 11% A and 13% B participants.

It is worth pointing out that 50% respondents with good nutritional knowledge ate fish less than once a month. Preliminary analysis shown that the prevalence of excessive body mass in Poland is very high, the high number of obese people aged over 65 is especially disturbing.

The detailed analysis of nutritional status, data on physical activity and the occurrence of diet-related diseases among the subjects, planned to be presented during conference, will give the possibility for creation of effective preventive action, which improve the public health in Poland.
The reproducibility and stability of dietary patterns
Authors: Prendiville Orla , McNamara Aoife E. , Brennan Lorraine
Published: June 2020

A person's dietary intake consists of multiple foods eaten as part of a meal as opposed to any one single food/nutrient. Therefore, it is important to understand the interactions between foods and how they affect diet-disease associations. As a result, dietary patterns have emerged as important tools in nutrition research. The objective of the current study is to assess the reproducibility and stability of dietary patterns across four different time-points. Anthropometric measurements were taken from a subset of participants of a free-living cohort study (n = 94), followed by the administration of a 24-hour dietary recall once a month, for four months. The dietary data was entered into dietary analysis software, Nutritics, by two researchers independently, and cross-checked. Foods were assigned to one of 33 predefined food groups, which were further collapsed to 18 food groups based on previous research. Statistical analysis was then performed on the final dataset. Intra-class correlation coefficients were derived to assess the reproducibility of each food group across the four time-points. Variables were standardized using z-scores and dietary patterns were derived using K-means cluster analysis. Stability was assessed by coding participants into one of six groups based on their dietary pattern transition between visit one and four. Analysis of this sub cohort revealed that the intake of food groups (% energy contribution) was reproducible across the time-points. The majority had good to very good agreement, with vegetables and vegetable dishes having the strongest agreement (ICC = 0.831) followed by milk and yogurts (ICC = 0.773), fruit and fruit dishes (ICC = 0.729), and breakfast cereals (ICC = 0.680). Two distinct dietary patterns were identified at each time-point; a ‘Healthy’ and an ‘Unhealthy’ dietary pattern. The ‘Healthy’ dietary pattern was characterized by a significantly higher energy contribution (p < 0.05) from the following food groups – vegetables and vegetable dishes; fruit and fruit dishes; milk and yogurts; breakfast cereals; butter, spreading fats and oils. The analysis on stability demonstrated 42% of participants remained in the same dietary pattern, while 58% transitioned from one dietary pattern to the other. Our results to date demonstrate that two distinct dietary patterns can be derived across multiple time-points using cluster analysis and the food group composition of these dietary patterns can be considered reproducible. Future work will explore these dietary patterns further incorporating the entire cohort and linking stability to health parameters.
Development and implementation of online tools for personalized dietary advice at home or in a clinical setting: Eetscore and NutriProfiel
Authors: Balvers Michiel , De Rijk Mariëlle , Slotegraaf Anne , Gunnewiek Jacqueline Klein , De Vries Jeanne
Published: June 2020

Introduction:

It is known that significant proportions of the general public do not meet current recommendations. This may be explained by a lack of knowledge or perceived difficulty trying to adhere to the recommendations. In addition, health professionals, such as general physicians, lack solid education in nutrition, which hampers optimal care and prevention in diet-related disorders. In order to help people and health professionals to improve dietary habits, the Eetscore and NutriProfiel tools were developed and implemented.

Methods:

The Eetscore tool assesses to what extent daily intake adheres to the 2015 Dutch Food Based Dietary Guidelines developed by the Dutch Health Council. The tool consists of a short online food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) which is scored with the Dutch Healthy Diet Index. The total Eetscore (including 16 subscores) ranges from zero to 160, with higher scores implying better adherence to the guidelines. Both FFQ and Index have been validated.

NutriProfiel is a specific application in which the Eetscore monitors micronutrients. Micronutrient deficiencies are common and diagnosed with blood tests. A deficiency may be explained by poor diet or pathophysiology, which requires different follow-up. Therefore, it is important to include information on dietary intake while interpreting micronutrient blood concentrations. For NutriProfiel, the clinical laboratory information system is coupled to the Eetscore questionnaire. Patients who undergo laboratory testing for vitamin B6, folate, B12 and/or D receive a link to the Eetscore questionnaire. Nutriprofiel combines blood values and dietary intake to generate a dietary advice. The advice contains practical hints to increase micronutrient intake and is reported electronically to the doctor.

Results:

The Eetscore and NutriProfiel tools have been successfully developed and implemented in 2015, with an increasing number of (clinical) users. The Eetscore has been evaluated and applied for monitoring intake in research, and in medical practices as part of an ehealth platform in health professionals and patients.

The NutriProfiel tool has been positively evaluated by its users and is currently available for all requests for vitamin blood analyses coming from general physicians and selected medical specialists (e.g. gastrointestinal medicine, internal medicine).

Discussion:

Both the Eetscore and NutriProfiel have been successfully developed and implemented for use in both home settings as well as clinical settings. Future perspectives include further implementation of the Eetscore for other clinical disciplines or specific patient populations. For NutriProfiel, future perspectives also include expanding the list of nutrient biomarkers for which a personalized dietary advice can be provided.
Sugars content in foods for infants and young children in Bulgarian markets
Authors: Partzova Angelina , Rangelova Lalka , Chikova-Ischener Ekaterina
Published: June 2020

Introduction:

A sale of commercial foods for infants and young children in Bulgaria has grown rapidly in the last years. Recent evidence suggests that the nutritional content of some commercial foods for infants and young children may be associated with the risk factors for development of non-communicable diseases later on life.

The aims of the study were to collect data on available food products for infants and young children (0–36 months) in Bulgaria and to assess the sugars content in them. The survey is part of WHO Regional Office for Europe project: Commercial foods for infants and young children in the WHO European Region.

Materials and methods:

The data was collected in November 2017 in two districts in capital city Sofia using the mobile questionnaire, developed by WHO Regional Office for Europe. Total sugars content of the products, where declared on the label, was recorded for 3153 products (breast-milk, follow-on formula, growing-up milk, complementary foods) from 91 shops (minimarket, pharmacy, drugstore, supermarket, baby goods store). Additional information was collected from the label for the presence of sugars or any other sweetening agents.

Results:

he results reviled that the maximum total sugars content in different products ranged from 0 g per 100 kcal to 25 g per 100 kcal. The products in Bulgarian markets have relatively high sugars contents and the energy from sugars was 15% in 67% of products; more than 30% in 49% of studded foods and more than 40% in 42% of foods for infants and young children. The most added sweetening agents were sugar -17.7% and fruit juice concentrate -16.9%.

Discussion:

hese products can promote preference for sweet foods an early age and increase the risk of overweight and dental caries. The very high levels of sugars present in commercial products in Bulgarian market are cause for concern.
The Health Canada Surveillance Tool could be an effective method for assessing alignment with 2019 Canada's Food Guide
Authors: Mulligan Christine , Franco-Arellano Beatriz , L'Abbe Mary R
Published: June 2020

The Health Canada Surveillance Tool (HCST), a Canadian nutrient profile (NP) model, assesses products’ adherence to the 2007 Canada's Food Guide (CFG), using thresholds for total fat, saturated fat, sugars and sodium. In 2019, new dietary guidelines were published (i.e., CFG 2019); however; the HCST has not been updated to reflect changes implemented in this new guide. Given suggestions to adapt previously validated NP models rather than create new models, this research aimed to assess whether the HCST could be a useful tool to assess alignment with updated dietary guidance. Specifically, the objective of this study was to test the agreement between products’ alignment with the CFG 2007 (as per the HCST) and products’ alignment with the recently released CFG 2019 guidelines. This study analyzed data from the University of Toronto Food Label Information Program (FLIP) 2017 database. FLIP contains label and nutrition information for prepackaged food products from top Canadian grocery retailers. Products were categorized into Tiers based on HCST thresholds: Tiers 1 and 2 were considered “in line” with dietary guidance, while Tiers 3, 4 and “Other” (i.e. foods not addressed by CFG) were considered “not in line”. Two raters independently classified foods according to their alignment to CFG 2019. Proportions of products that were considered “in line” with CFG 2007 and 2019 were calculated. Overall agreement between alignment with CFG 2007 and 2019 was determined by cross-classifications of the proportion of products considered “in line” or “not in line” with both CFG versions. Cohen's Kappa (κ) statistic tested the level of agreement (Interpretation of κ: 0.01–0.20, “slight”; 0.21–0.40, “fair”; 0.41–0.60, “moderate”; 0.61–0.80, “substantial”; and 0.81–0.99, “almost perfect”). Analyses were conducted overall and by Health Canada's Table of Reference Amounts for Food category. In total, n = 16,973 products were analyzed, with 98% inter-rater reliability for CFG 2019 alignment. Overall, 30.2% and 28.2% of products were “in line” with CFG 2007 and 2019, respectively, with 80.4% overall agreement and “moderate” kappa agreement (κ [95% CI]: 0.49 [0.46, 0.49]). Overall agreement in individual food categories ranged from 100% (Dessert Toppings, Sauces, Sugars and Sweets; κ: N/A) to 54.8% (Eggs, κ: 0.21 [-0.01, 0.4]). From these results, the HCST appears to be an effective NP model for assessing alignment with CFG 2019. Further analysis could elucidate specific areas for adaptation of the HCST to optimize its functionality in this context.
Association between mental health and nutritional status in university students aged 18–24 years
Authors: Wilson Hannah , Amirabdollahian Farzad , Farhat Grace , Macdonald-Clarke Claire
Published: June 2020

It is estimated that 19% of 16–24 year olds suffer from a mental health condition. There has been a fivefold increase in reported mental health problems from first year university students since 2006/07(1). Limited but consistent evidence suggests that nutritional status is linked to mental health. University students may be more vulnerable to the impact of diet on mental health due to increased food insecurity and risk of stress. The aim of this project was to determine the association between nutritional status and stress, anxiety and depression in university students.

After obtaining ethical approval, university students (n = 562) aged 18–24 y were recruited. A cross-sectional design was used to measure body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (%BF), capillary blood measures of glucose and lipids and nutrient intake by validated 3-day food diary. Mental health status was determined by DASS21 questionnaire (2) and participants were grouped into 5 categories: normal, mild, moderate, severe and extremely severe for anxiety, depression or stress. Difference in nutritional status between categories was determined by a Kruskal-Wallis test and Dun-Bonferroni post-hoc tests using SPSS version 25 and significance determined as p < 0.05.

Results showed that depression was associated with %BF (p = 0.025), blood glucose (p < 0.001), dietary protein (p = 0.003) and dietary sugar (p = 0.041). Anxiety was associated with blood glucose (p < 0.001) and dietary protein (p = 0.007).Stress was associated with total cholesterol (p = 0.007), HDL cholesterol (p = 0.007) and blood glucose (p < 0.001).

In light of these findings, further research is required to investigate the effect of student lifestyle habits and university practices on mental health and nutritional status so that strategic interventions can be designed to improve the health of young adults at university.
Physical activity: the earlier the better. Bones awareness
Authors: Altaba Iris Iglesia , Santos Pilar Ferrer , Miguel-Berges María Luisa , Barrantes Paloma Flores , Villagrasa Pilar Samper , Martínez Gerardo Rodríguez
Published: June 2020

Introduction

There is scarce research on bone health in early stages due to the difficulties in accessing to bone health assessment methods in absence of pathology conditions. Consequently, there is no much information on the determinants of bone health. The aim of this study is to elucidate the association of moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and bone mineral density of children from Aragon accounting for socioeconomic, role parental modelling, dietary and sedentary behavior effects.

Material & Methods

The longitudinal cohort ‘Growth and Feeding during Lactation and Early Childhood in Children of Aragon (CALINA in Spanish)’ included 1,629 born children from Aragon (Spain) in 2009. From those, after 7 years, 339 children (176 boys and 163 girls) were assessed. Bone mineral density (BMD) using Dual X-ray absorciometry (–DXA-), diet quality index (DQI) using a food frequency questionnaire(-FFQ-), sedentary behaviors by questionnaire, and physical activity (using accelerometry-actigraph 3GTX-) were evaluated, as well as if they were or not rapid weight gainers during the first year of life.

Results

From the 339 children, 116 boys (66.5%) and 63 girls (38.7%) met the current MVPA recommendations of at least? 1 hour/day. Boys meeting MVPA recommendations did a mean of 84.02 minutes of MVPA per day and had a BMD of 0.60 g/cm2, while those not meeting the recommendations, did a mean of 43.91 minutes of MVPA and had a BMD of 0.59 g/cm2. Girls meeting MVPA recommendation did 75.52 minutes and had a BMD of 0.59 g/cm2, and those not meeting, did 42.81 minutes of MVPA and had a BMD of 0.58. Models, include BMI z-score (age/sex adjusted based in Anthro standards from WHO), weekly sedentary time, DQI, BMI of the mother and whether or not they had been rapid weight gainers from 0–12months as confounders and were performed for BMD having MVPA as a predictor. A significant association was found only for boys between MVPA and BMD (β = 0.145, p-value = 0.02) while no association was found for girls (β = 0.06, p-value = 0.40).

Discussion

There is still an important physical activity gap between boys and girls. In boys, physical activity is positively associated with BMD, whereas in girls, no significant associations seem to exist. More research is required to elucidated the effects of lifestyle behaviors on bone health in children.
Does protein supplementation impact appetite and energy intake in older adults? A systematic review
Authors: Ben-Harchache Sana , Horner Katy
Published: June 2020

Protein supplementation represents an attractive strategy to prevent skeletal muscle mass loss and function with aging. However, it could be counterproductive in older adults, due to adverse effects on appetite and energy intake (EI). Understanding the effects of protein supplementation on appetite and energy intake is therefore key when investigating the potential efficacy for use in improving health outcomes. This systematic review aimed to assess the literature investigating the effects of protein supplementation on energy intake, and/or appetite in healthy older adults.

PubMed and The Cochrane Library, as well as MEDLINE, CINAHL, EBSCO, and Web of Science databases were searched up to 21 March 2019 for published studies and theses. The review was limited to randomized controlled trials and longitudinal studies in healthy adults over 60 years of age that reported effects of protein supplementation compared to control or pre-intervention on appetite and/or energy intake. The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines.

Out of 5,429 articles screened, 90 full-texts were reviewed and twenty-six studies (11 acute, 15 longitudinal) included. Studies involved a total of 1439 participants (502 male, 881 females). Of the acute studies, 3 reported conditions in which appetite was suppressed, 5 studies reported no effect and one study reported a condition in which appetite ratings increased following a protein load versus control. Three studies reported conditions in which ad libitum test meal EI was suppressed following protein preload and 7 reported no difference. When examining total EI (accounting for protein supplement and test meal), 2 studies reported no difference and 8 reported conditions where total EI was increased with protein supplement compared to control. Longitudinal studies ranged from 2–26 weeks duration. Two studies reported effects on appetite, one showing hunger to be suppressed on higher (1.0g/kg/d) compared to lower protein diet, and another showing hunger in response to whey consumption increased, but fullness also increased.14 studies reported effects on EI, most commonly assessed by food diary, and all showed no effect of increased protein intake compared to control on daily EI.

The systematic review indicates that while appetite may be suppressed under some conditions, the current literature supports protein supplementation in older adults, as it either has a positive effect or no effect on total EI in both short and longer-term studies. Therefore, protein supplementation may represent an effective solution to address protein deficiencies in older adults without compromising daily EI.
Comparison of Portuguese and Turkish older adults’ nutritional status assessed by MNA-FF
Authors: Oliveira Bruno M. P. M. , Öztürk Meryem Elif , Poínhos Rui , Afonso Cláudia , Yabancı Ayhan Nurcan , Vaz de Almeida Maria Daniel
Published: June 2020

Malnutrition is associated to a progressive decline in health, reduced physical and cognitive functional status and mortality. However, the malnutrition prevalence differs across countries. Previous studies reported 19% of malnourished elderly in Turkey and 1.3% in Portugal.

We aimed to compare the nutritional status between between Portuguese and Turkish older adults using the Mini-Nutritional Assessment.

This is a cross-sectional study using data from the Pronutrisenior project, collected in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal (n = 430), and a study in Ankara, Turkey (n = 162). The sample consisted of older adults living at their homes. Socio-demographic data, clinical data from the medical records, the full form of Mini-Nutrititional Assessment, MNA-FF and anthropometry (weight, height, BMI, mid-arm circumference and calf circumference) were collected.

Turkish older adults lived more frequently with children, are more likely to be widow/widower, and have a higher probability of being housewife/househusband. A larger proportion of the Portuguese have tooth loss, diabetes, hypertension, oncologic diseases, kidney diseases, osteoarticular problems, or eye problems and a larger proportion of the Turkish have anemia. The BMI average is smaller in the Turkish sample, while the calf circumference average is larger. Turkish have a larger proportion of malnourished or at risk of malnutrition (4.9% and 31.5% vs. 1.2% and 24.0%, respectively). The average MNA-FF score is higher among the Portuguese, males and on people using denture, and without: toothloss, hypertension, CVD, anemia and oncological diseases. Moreover, higher MNA-FF scores were associated with younger ages, higher BMI and higher calf circumference.The effect size was larger for CVD and sex.

The prevalence of malnutrition in European and American populations ranges from 1% to 15% in ambulatory living elders, more common among females as in this work. Other studies showed that higher BMI is related with lower malnutrition prevalence and higher prevalence of obesity-related chronic diseases. Tooth loss was more frequent in the Portuguese, which may be due to a higher intake of sweets or packaged food. Portuguese elders had lower calf circumferences but higher BMI, which may be related to lower muscle mass and/or higher fat mass. The differences between the Portuguese and the Turkish may be related to the different per capita gross national product, positively correlated with BMI and the consumption of processed foods. Anemia in Turkish elders may be related with BMI and their lower consumption of meat and the higher tea intake that may reduce iron absorption, as reported by other studies.
Examining Nutrient Intakes and Academic Performance in Young Irish Twins
Authors: Bennett Grace , Bermingham Kate , Scully Helena , O'Sullivan Aifric
Published: June 2020

Introduction:

Appropriate nutrition is vital for growth and cognitive development in childhood. Vitamin D, omega 3, zinc, iodine, and iron are important micronutrients for neurodevelopment(1). National survey data suggest that children in Ireland are not meeting recommended intakes of these key nutrients(2). The aim of this research was to determine mean daily intakes of vitamin D, omega 3, zinc, iodine, and iron among school-aged children and examine the relationship between intakes and academic performance.

Materials and Methods:

Anthropometric and dietary data was collected from pairs of twins. Four-day food diaries were used by parents to record all food, drinks and supplements consumed. Diaries were entered into the analytical software, Nutritics, which provided the nutrient content of foods consumed. Academic performance was assessed using an online questionnaire. Teachers were asked to rank the child's performance in reading, writing, maths and overall performance using a 5-point likert scale, which was then categorised into “Average” and “Above Average”. SPSS V24 was used for statistical analysis.

Results:

Data was collected from 51 pairs of twins aged 8–10 years, and 60% of participants were female. Mean nutrient intakes were as follows; vitamin D = 2.34μg (SD = 1.71), omega-3 = 0.68 g (SD = 0.43), zinc = 7.93 mg (SD = 3.56), iodine = 140.82μg (SD = 59.26) and iron = 9.76 mg (SD = 3.050). All children met recommendations for iodine compared to iron (61%), zinc (52%) omega-3 (15%), and vitamin D (11%). Supplements contributed to 68% and 25% of vitamin D and omega 3 intakes. Meat was the largest contributor to zinc and iron. Milk contributed to ~80% of iodine intakes. Intra-twin correlations indicated a strong familial effect on nutrient intakes. Children who were ranked “above average” in all categories had significantly higher zinc and iodine intakes compared to average students.

Discussion:

The findings of this study concurred with previous analysis of nutrient intakes of Irish and UK children. Animal source foods including meat and milk contributed a high proportion to intakes of key nutrients. Children ranked above average in school had higher nutrient intakes. Public health initiatives should emphasise the importance of key nutrients related to cognitive development and subsequent academic outcomes.
“The boob answers a lot of problems”: Exploring barriers and enablers to successful extended breastfeeding in women with high BMIs
Authors: O'Reilly Sharleen , O'Brien Eileen , Walker Hannah , O'Carroll Eimear , Courtney Joanne , McAuliffe Fionnuala
Published: June 2020

Introduction:

Breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition for infants yet breastfeeding rates worldwide do not meet WHO targets for 50% exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months. Ireland's breastfeeding rate is one of the lowest in the world (only 58% initiation) and maternal obesity and overweight is prevalent (> 50% pregnancies). Women with obesity and overweight are particularly at risk of having lower breastfeeding rates but little is known about the factors that supported this sub-group to successfully breastfeed. Our aim was to explore barriers and enablers present in: women with high body mass index (BMI) who successfully breastfed for > 6 months, partners of women with > 6 months breastfeeding, and healthcare professionals (HPs) who support women to breastfeed.

Materials and Methods:

Women with high BMIs (n = 20) were recruited via an extended breastfeeding Facebook group and snowballing. Partners (n = 20) were recruited via social media and word of mouth. HPs (n = 19) were recruited via posters and direct invitation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted either in-person or on telephone and digitally recorded. Interviews were verbatim transcribed and thematically analysed. Two research students independently coded each interview and consensus decided any discrepancies.

Results:

Barriers to breastfeeding identified aligned with previous research but the challenges appear to be increased for either the frequency or intensity of occurrence in women with high BMIs. Common barriers are: a lack of breastfeeding culture; limited access within health services to high quality and consistent breastfeeding advice; large breast size; and issues with breastfeeding in public. Enablers for successful extended breastfeeding are: strong self-efficacy; supportive partner and family; social networks for creating breastfeeding-friendly settings; seeking support from a lactation consultant; and breastfeeding aides (clothing, pillows, lanolin, etc.).

Discussion:

Women with high BMIs are able to successfully breastfeed for extended periods of time when they are provided with the right support at the right time and in a way that is acceptable to them and their families. Reorientation of maternity health services to ensure greater and more consistent support for women with high BMIs to initiate breastfeeding is needed. HPs engaging with women with high BMIs should seek to support them through the use of the enablers identified and make a conscious decision to include appropriate advice for women with high BMIs in their antenatal education and any postpartum services provided.
Kinetics and mechanism of α-glucosidase inhibition by edible brown algae in the management of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Attjioui Maha , Ryan Sinead , Ristic Aleksandra Konic , Higgins Thomas , Goni Oscar , Gibney Eileen , Tierney Joanna , O'Connell Shane
Published: June 2020

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus has significantly increased in the last three decades and currently affects about 1 in 10 globally. A common therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes is α- glucosidase, an essential enzyme located at the brush border of the small intestinal epithelium. The inhibition of α-glucosidase results in a reduced digestion of carbohydrates and a decrease of postprandial blood glucose. Although, synthetic inhibitors are available in the market, these are usually associated with significant gastrointestinal side effects. In this study, natural inhibitors derived from edible brown algae are being investigated as an alternative.

Polysaccharide- and polyphenolic-enriched extracts from Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus were characterized and screened for their inhibitory effects against α-glucosidase obtained from rat intestine using maltose, sucrose, and p-nitrophenyl (pNPG) as substrates. Acarbose was used as a synthetic inhibitor. Furthermore, enzyme kinetics and mechanism of inhibition of α- glucosidase were determined using linear and non-linear regression methods (GraphPad Prism ver. 6, GraphPad Software, La Jolla California USA).

All tested extracts showed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase. However, the type of inhibition varied between the extracts. Most importantly, the composition analysis showed that the seaweed extracts had different polysaccharide and phenolic contents, suggesting different mode of actions against α-glucosidase. The relation between chemical composition and inhibitory activity of the compounds are discussed.

In summary, the current study demonstrates the mechanisms in which different brown seaweed extracts with various composition effectively inhibit α-glucosidase. Therefore, this natural inhibitor can be considered as a potential candidate for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Yerba mate improves cardiovascular health in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic subjects
Authors: Sarria Beatriz , Martinez-Lopez Sara , Garcia-Cordero Joaquin , Gonzalez-Ramila Susana , Mateos Raquel , Bravo Laura
Published: June 2020

Yerba mate is highly consumed in South America and has become a popular beverage worldwide because of its healthy properties: antioxidant, vaso-dilating, lipid-reducing, anti-glycation, anti-inflammatory and weight-reducing effects, among others. These effects have been attributed to its high content in polyphenols, mainly chlorogenic acidS, but also quercetin, kaempferol and rutin. Other components in mate are methylxhantines, saponins, vitamins, minerals and alkaloids.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of regularly consuming a moderate, realistic amount of yerba mate (3 beverages/day) on cardiovascular health and anthropometric parameters, in healthy and cardiovascular risk subjects.

A randomized, crossover, controlled study was performed in normocholesterolemic (NC, n = 25) and hypercholesterolemic (HC, n = 27), non-smoker, non-vegetarian, men and women, with BMI 18–25 kg/m2. After a run-in stage, the effects of consuming three servings/day of mate during 8 weeks (mate stage) were compared with an isotonic drink during the same time (control stage). Along the study, polyphenol rich foods were restricted. At the beginning and the end of each intervention, blood pressure was measured, urine and blood samples were collected. Triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol concentrations were measured. Dietary records and physical activity questionnaires were completed in each stage. Results were statistically studied using a mix model with repeated measures and Bonferroni test (SPSS 23.0).

The regular consumption of yerba mate decreased blood lipid concentrations [TC (p < 0.001), LDL (p = 0.001), TG (p = 0.027)] and blood pressure [systolic (p < 0.001), diastolic (< 0.001)] in both groups, with greater effects in HC than NC. Thus, it may be concluded that moderate consumption of yerba mate reduces cardiovascular risk, particularly in hypercholesterolemic subjects.

Funded by the Spanish State Research Agency, projects AGL2010-18269 and AGL2015-69986-R
The effect of diet composition and multiplicity on weight, body fat and HOMA-IR in patients with metabolic syndrome.
Authors: Samoilenko Nataliia , Khorunzha Vira , Bezugla Olga , Deineko Karina , Lisevych Marta , Bielokoz Ganna
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Many studies have shown relationships between timing of food intake and insulin sensitivity. In addition to this, composition of food could be an important contributor to disruptions of the normal metabolism. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of diet composition and multiplicity on weight, body fat and insulin resistance in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS).

Materials and Methods

We tested 56 patients with MS (25 men and 31 women) who were 19 to 61 years of age. Patients were on 3-fold meal (food intake was at 8–9 a.m., 1–2 p.m. and 6–7 p.m.) with very low-carbohydrate (LC) breakfast and supper, lunch consisted of proteines (P), LC, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and non-starchy vegetables(V); there were no snacks during a day; diet intervension lasted 6 weeks. No drugs were used during this period. Body composition analysis was performed by bioimpedance analyzer (Omron BF511, Japan). Homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was used to index IR. Self-reported diet records were used to assess dietary intake. Statistical analysis was based on using pair t-test with assessment of the dynamics of clinical indicators with 95% CI and calculation of the standardized effect size based on mean comparison (Cohen's d).

Results

46 patients (82,1%) completed the trial, physical activity didn't change substantially during this period. After 6-weeks BMI had reduced from 30,95 ± 5,31 kg/m2 to 29,14 ± 5,13 kg/m2 (treatment effect −1,81; 95%CI −2,25 to −1,37, p < 0,001). Mean body fat was 39,4 ± 7,87% at baseline, and 36,08 ± 8,72% after 6 weeks of diet, treatment effect −3,32; 95%CI −4,34 to −2,29, p < 0,001 - treatment effect was mostly observed among men (-4,9) than in women (-2,4). The most significant changes were observed in HOMA-IR score - it decreased from 4,03 ± 2,21 to 2,28 ± 1,37, treatment effect −1,74; 95%CI −2,29 to −1,21, p < 0,001 - treatment effect was also mostly observed among men (-2,46) than in women (-1,25).

Discussion

Our findings demonstrate that this diet associated with statistically different changes in BMI, body fat and HOMA-IR. Individuals with obesity, particularly men, turned to group of overweight (BMI < 30kg/m2). Maximum effet size was in HOMA-IR changes - in 35 patients (76,1%) there were no insulin resistance markers after 6 week of diet intervention. So, 3-fold meal with very LC breakfast and supper, mixed lunch (LC + P + PUFAs + V), without any snacks could be good addition or even alternative to pharmacological treatment of MS.
Vitamin D status and quality of life in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Williams Claire , Williams Elizabeth , Corde Bernard
Published: June 2020

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic and debilitating functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract with serious and detrimental impacts on quality of life. Its aetiology is largely unknown, and the identification of effective management strategies remains far from complete. Research suggests that people with IBS have a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, which may impact on symptom severity and quality of life.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2-arm, parallel-design study is underway to investigate the effect of a 12 week, 3,000IU vitamin D p.d. supplementation on symptom severity and quality of life in participants with a clinical diagnosis of IBS. This report assesses whether relationships exist between vitamin D status, IBS severity and quality of life in the baseline (cross-sectional) data.

Eighty males and females with a clinical diagnosis of IBS were recruited in phase I of the trial in January-April 2018. Mixed-type IBS and constipation-predominant IBS were the more frequent subtypes (36% and 33%), while diarrhoea-predominant had a lower prevalence (23%). More females (n = 65) than males (n = 15) were recruited to the study which reflects the reported greater prevalence of IBS in women. Baseline serum 25(OH)D levels in participants were classified as deficient 23.1% (n = 18) (< 30nmol/L), insufficient 37.2% (n = 29) (31–49 nmol/L) and sufficient 39.7% (n = 31) (> 50 nmol/L) respectively. The sample median for serum vitamin D at baseline was 42.2 (± 28.3) nmol/L. Quality of Life was significantly associated with two IBS sub-symptoms: pain (p = 0.037, r = 0.233) and distension severity (p = 0.009, r = 0.291). Neither Quality of Life, nor IBS symptom severity score, correlated with vitamin D status in the sample.

This study found no relationship between baseline vitamin D status and symptom severity or quality of life in this subsample. Two publications report vitamin D intervention improves quality of life in participants with IBS. It is possible that the unusual homogeneity of these studies enabled identification of these relationships.

These initial observations agree with previous reports of widespread vitamin D insufficiency in people with IBS. Analysis of full trial outcomes (July 2019) will determine whether vitamin D supplementation is beneficial for either symptoms severity or quality of life in people with IBS.
A systematic review of probiotic use to improve metabolic health in women
Authors: Byrne David F. , Geraghty Aisling A. , Killeen Sarah Louise , McAuliffe Fionnuala M.
Published: June 2020

Introduction

There is a substantial body of literature on the use of probiotics in humans. Mostly, this literature examines the use of specific probiotics for treating various acute and chronic health conditions and diseases, (gastrointestinal conditions, respiratory illnesses, metabolic disorders, and atopic diseases) in both adults and children. The sex of the populations in these studies tends to be mixed, while studies that focus on female participants are largely restricted to pregnant populations. It is well established that pre-pregnancy is an important time-point over the life-course, where improvements to the health of the woman may also benefit potential future pregnancies. Furthermore, the route of delivering the probiotic intervention may differ across studies. These modes of delivery include capsules, powdered sachets, yoghurt foods, and fermented milk drinks. There is uncertainty as to the confounding effect of this variability. The objective of this review is to identify the evidence for the effects of probiotic interventions, administered as capsules, on metabolic and immune markers in healthy women of reproductive age.

Materials and Methods

The data sources selected were PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science. A grey literature search using controlled vocabulary was performed. PRISMA guidelines were followed, and the Cochrane risk of bias tool was used. Publications were considered for inclusion if they were in English and reported the results of a randomised-controlled trial.

Results

Four papers were identified with review relevant outcomes. The reported findings from the included studies did not provide conclusive evidence for the effect of probiotic capsule supplementation in healthy, non-pregnant women.

Discussion

Sources of variability are multifaceted in this area. Functional differences occur at the strain level, lowering the specificity of the effects of various bacterial strains across different studies. These factors may reduce the external validity of results across such studies. It is imperative that an evidence base be established in this cohort. This can be achieved with prospectively registered, randomised-controlled trials of sufficient sample size and statistical power.
The effect of a low carbohydrate high fat diet on apolipoproteins and cardiovascular risk
Authors: McCullough Deaglan , Harrison Tanja , Lane Katie , Boddy Lynne , Amirabdollahian Farzad , Schmidt Michael , Enright Kevin , Stewart Claire , Davies Ian
Published: June 2020

Apolipoproteins (apo) regulate lipoprotein characteristics and lipid metabolism. ApoC-III is a regulator of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (TRL) metabolism and apolipoproteins are important biomarkers for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction. A low carbohydrate high fat (LCHF) diet improves cardiometabolic risk, especially via reduction of TRL. However, few studies have compared a LCHF vs. a high carbohydrate (HC), lower fat diet under ad libitum conditions on apoC-III levels. The objectives of this investigation were to measure the effect of a LCHF vs. a HC diet on apoC-III, apoA1, apoB and apoB/apoA1 in 16 healthy Caucasian adults aged 19–64. Ethical approval: Liverpool John Moores University Research Ethics Committee (16/ELS/029); registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Ref. NCT03257085). Participants randomly assigned to a HC diet (UK Eatwell guidelines; ≥ 50% of energy from carbohydrates) (n = 8), or a LCHF diet (consume < 50 g/day of carbohydrates) (n = 8) provided plasma samples at 0, 4 and 8 weeks. ApoA1 and apoB were analysed by an automated chemistry analyser (Daytona, Randox Laboratories Ltd, UK). ApoC-III was analysed via ELISA (Thermo Fisher Ltd, USA). Factorial 2×3 ANOVA and ANCOVA (IBM SPSS 25®) were undertaken to investigate significant differences and to control for variables influenced by baseline measures and visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Results show 0, 4, and 8 weeks respectively: ApoC-III (LCHF: 19.12 ± 9.14, 16.05 ± 7.95, 15.11 ± 3.17 mg/dl; HC: 22.13 ± 8.38, 28.22 ± 13.85, 22.22 ± 7.7 mg/dl) showed no significant (P = 0.319) change. No significant (P = 0.23) change was also observed in ApoB (LCHF: 107.25 ± 20.35, 111.38 ± 24.81, 111.43 ± 19.93 mg/dl; HC: 94.38 ± 20.79, 105.00 ± 20.13, 99.00 ± 29.09 mg/dl). Similarly apoA1 (LCHF: 158.71 ± 14.27, 166.50 ± 23.09, 173.00 ± 29.42 mg/dl; HC: 164.71 ± 30.25, 172.50 ± 29.44, 174.00 ± 32.83 mg/dl) showed no significant change (P = 0.76). This resulted in a relatively unchanged apoB/A1 throughout the study in both diets (P = 0.30). No significant (P > 0.05) differences were found after 4 weeks or between groups also. ANCOVA revealed a trend (P = 0.06) in apoC-III for a difference between groups (LCHF: Δ-6.6 mg/dl vs. HC: Δ1.2 mg/dl) after 8 weeks but no significant (P > 0.05) changes in other apolipoproteins were detected. These preliminary data reveal that a LCHF diet does not improve the apolipoprotein profile; however, when accounting for other metabolic risk factors (i.e. VAT) there was a trend towards lowering apoC-III levels (P = 0.06). Modulation of apoC-III may lead to improved lipid metabolism, but higher-powered studies are warranted before any improvement on CVD risk can be inferred.
Body composition of New Zealand European and Pacific women is associated with lower dietary fibre intake and gut microbiota diversity
Authors: Renall Nikki , Merz Benedikt , Lawley Blair , Tannock Gerald W. , Corbin Marine , Douwes Jeroen , Kruger Rozanne , Breier Bernhard H.
Published: June 2020

Diet is considered one of the key drivers of the world-wide obesity epidemic, and the gut microbiota may play a role in this multifaceted disease due to their mutualistic relationship. This study investigated relationships between habitual dietary intake of New Zealand European and Pacific women and their gut microbiota and body fat content. Pacific (44%) and NZ European (NZE; 56%) women (n = 287) aged 18–45 years were recruited based on body mass index (normal versus obese) and stratified as low (< 35%) or high (≥ 35%) body fat percentage (BF%). Dietary intake was assessed with a 5-day estimated food record and a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, which were used to calculate habitual dietary intake using the National Cancer Institute (NCI) method. BF% was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Fasting blood samples were analysed for markers of insulin sensitivity. The DNA from faecal samples was analysed following shotgun sequencing. There were no significant differences in BF% between Pacific and NZE women (p = 0.498). Significant differences in homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index were observed between Pacific (3.4 [2.3, 5.9]) and NZE (2.1 [1.5, 3.1], p ≤ 0.001) women, and between; low-BF% (1.9 [1.3, 2.7]) and high-BF% (3.4 [2.5, 5.9], p ≤ 0.001) groups. The highest (27.6g/d [24.9, 30.6]) compared to the lowest tertile (16g/d [13.3, 17.6]) of habitual total dietary fibre (DF) intake was associated with a significantly lower HOMA-IR (2.1 [1.3, 3.1] versus 3.3 [2.1, 5.3] p ≤ 0.001) respectively. Higher DF intake was also associated with significantly lower BF% (β -0.35, p ≤ 0.001), and this relationship became stronger when considering the intake of other macronutrients (β -0.47, p ≤ 0.001). Alpha diversity; observed taxonomic units (OTU's; rs = -0.15, p = 0.011), Pielou's evenness (rs = -0.20, p = 0.001), and Shannon index (rs = -0.22, p ≤ 0.001), were all negatively correlated with BF%. In contrast BF% was positively correlated with the Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio (rs = 0.26, p ≤ 0.001). HOMA-IR index was significantly higher in Pacific and women in the higher BF% group, indicating an increased metabolic disease risk. Higher habitual DF intake was associated with lower BF% and HOMA-IR, suggesting a potential metabolically protective effect. The positive effects of higher DF intake may be associated with microbiota diversity, as higher BF% was associated with reduced alpha diversity and an increased Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio. Further analysis will explore which foods contributed to the higher DF intake, and associations with body composition, microbiota and biomarkers of metabolic health.