Anwaar Hussein, Faleeha Hussein, Zainab A. Ali
et al.
Background: Due to the nutritional and functional qualities, jujube fruits are a good functional food to be used to augment other diets for individuals with malnutrition conditions including anemic patients, pregnant women, and children. This study evaluated the microbiological, chemical, sensory, and physical characteristics of biscuits enriched with jujube.Methods: The traditional method was utilized to produce four biscuit samples with some modifications in the ratios of jujube powder, wheat flour and the addition of ground sugar, vegan butter, salt, and dry milk. The biscuits were analyzed for their physicochemical properties, sensory assessment, and microbiological analysis including total bacterial count, coliform bacteria, yeasts, and molds.Results: The moisture, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and energy were 9.40%, 2.43%, 5.28%, 1.648%, 1.25%, and 360.88 Kcal, respectively. The diffusion coefficient increased from 5.4% to 7.6%. A decrease in the total bacterial count from 14×104 in the control sample reached to 30, 54, and 60×103 when jujube powder was added at concentrations of 0.5, 1.5, and 3%. Mold and yeast significantly decreased with addition of jujube powder.Conclusion: Textural characteristics and sensory quality of biscuits were acceptable when enriched with jujube powder. A maximum of 3% jujube powder was considered desirable to have the best quality for biscuits.
Background: Infant growth and development represent fundamental indicators of child health and well-being. Data from the 2022 Indonesian Nutrition Status Survey indicate a persistent prevalence of underweight among children, recorded at 17.0% in 2021 and slightly increasing to 17.1% in 2022. One approach commonly employed to support infant weight gain is baby massage. This study aimed to examine the effect of baby massage on weight gain in infants aged 3 to 12 months at the private midwifery practice (PMB) of Bd. Lialut Iftiyah, S.Keb, located in Malang District, Indonesia. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group approach. A total of 36 infants aged 3 to 12 months were selected through random sampling and subsequently assigned to either the intervention group or the control group. Data were analyzed using a paired t-test. Results: The results revealed an average weight gain of 332 grams in the intervention group and 219 grams in the control group. A statistically significant difference was observed between the pretest and posttest measurements in both the intervention group (p = 0.00) and the control group (p = 0.00). Conclusion: These findings suggest that while both groups experienced weight gain, the increase was more substantial in the intervention group, indicating a greater effect of baby massage on infant weight gain.
Abstract Background The global burden of early-onset chronic diseases, especially early-onset type 2 diabetes, is increasing, particularly in China. Diet is a key factor and emerging evidence highlights substantial inter-individual variability in metabolic responses to diets, highlighting the need for precision nutrition. Methods The China Precision Nutrition Biobank (CPNB) is a prospective, longitudinal, cohort study designed to investigate diet-phenotype/genotype interactions and develop precision dietary strategies for early prevention and intervention of chronic diseases, with a particular focus on early-onset diseases. CPNB consists of three phases: the alpha (pilot cohort), beta (transition cohort), and gamma (main cohort) phases. Approximately 200, 1450, and 20,000 adults aged 18–40 years from urban and rural areas in China including Beijing, one city each in Heilongjiang, Shandong, Zhejiang, Guangxi, and Hainan provinces, and one or more villages each in Henan, Gansu, Sichuan, Zhejiang, and Hunan provinces will be recruited during the alpha, beta, and gamma phases, respectively, between 2025 and 2035. Sociodemographic information, medical records, read-time weighed food records and corresponding continuous glucose monitor (CGM) readings, objective physical activity, food challenges, genes, gut and oral microbiota, metabolites from blood, stool, urine, saliva, and hair, and questionnaires will be collected at baseline survey. The follow-up survey will be conducted every five years to repeat these assessments until participants’ death (the follow-up period may extend up to 80 years). Outcomes of interest are common early- and late-onset chronic diseases and their preclinical stages. Discussion The CPNB data can be used to develop prediction models for personalized metabolic responses and risks of early-onset chronic diseases among Chinese people. It will also provide new evidence on interactions of diet with human phenotypes/genotypes during preclinical stage, onset, and progression of early-onset diseases. CPNB aims to inform the development of precision nutrition strategies aligned with the principles of predictive, personalized, preventive, and participatory medicine in the Chinese population. Trial registration CPNB was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( http://www.chictr.org.cn/ ) on June 3rd, 2025, under the registration number ChiCTR2500103621.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Abstract Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease remains a major global health burden. Current guidelines emphasize aggressive lipid-lowering strategies, particularly those that reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. While effective in lowering cardiovascular risk, excessively low LDL-C may have unintended health consequences. LDL-C plays a critical physiological role in cellular structure and hormone synthesis. Emerging evidence links low LDL-C and high HDL-C with increased glaucoma risk. Statins, which are commonly used to lower LDL-C, may further increase this risk, raising concerns for patients with coronary artery disease. Low LDL-C has also been associated with gestational diabetes and intracranial hemorrhage, while statin therapy may contribute to new-onset diabetes mellitus. These findings highlight the need to reassess the “lower is better” paradigm. A patient-centered, risk-based approach to statin therapy is recommended. Large-scale randomized controlled trials are urgently needed to establish safe lipid thresholds and optimize therapeutic strategies.
Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a 4-week multicomponent intervention combining flash continuous glucose monitoring (flash-CGM), group nutrition education, and personalized nutrition coaching on dietary self-efficacy (DSE) and weight management in healthy university students. Methods A total of 27 university students participated in a pre-post intervention study. The intervention included a single 4-hour group-based nutrition education session, flash-CGM usage (FreeStyle Libre; Abbott Diabetes Care), and weekly one-on-one nutrition coaching. Participants wore the CGM device for 28 days (replaced after 14 days), and were guided in using the FoodLens app (DoingLab) for dietary tracking and a mobile app-linked digital scale for weight monitoring. Outcomes measured before and after the intervention included DSE, body mass index (BMI), nutrition quotient (NQ) and glycemic indicators. Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U-tests with significance set at P < 0.05. Results There was a significant increase in DSE (P < 0.05), particularly in managing eating behavior under stress and fatigue. A modest but significant decrease in BMI was observed in the overall group (P < 0.05), though changes were not significant in the BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2 subgroup. Glycemic indicators showed minimal changes. The overall NQ score improved slightly, with significant increases in fruit intake (P < 0.01) and nutrition label checks (P < 0.05). High satisfaction levels (4.52 ± 0.65 on a 5‑point scale) were reported for device usability and coaching services. Conclusion The multicomponent intervention improved DSE, NQ scores, and supported modest weight reduction among university students. The combined effect of CGM, nutrition education, and coaching appears promising; however, further studies are needed to isolate the effects of each component and evaluate long-term outcomes. Trial Registration: Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0010255. Trial Registration Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0010255.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
There is considerable data suggesting that the gut microbiota (GM) contributes to health and regulates host immunity and influences brain function, findings with implications for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Guy‐Marino Hinnouho, Elaine L. Ferguson, Amy MacDougall
et al.
Abstract Consumption of unhealthy commercial foods and beverages (UCFB) is common among infants and young children living in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Such foods can displace other nutritious foods, however, there is limited evidence on how this consumption tracks across time. This study assessed and tracked UCFB consumption of children living in rural/peri‐urban Cambodia during the complementary feeding period, identified UCFB consumption patterns of these children, and explored the association between UCFB consumption and growth. A 6‐month longitudinal cohort study was implemented among 567 caregivers of children aged 10–14 months at recruitment. UCFB consumption was estimated each month via a telephone‐administered 7‐day food frequency questionnaire, and UCFB consumption patterns were identified based on changes in this frequency of consumption over time. The majority of children either maintained (45.7%, n = 246) or developed (43.5%, n = 234) an unhealthy consumption pattern and only 10.8% (n = 58) of children maintained/transitioned into a healthy consumption pattern. High consumers of UCFB at 10–14 months had a 4.7 (CI: 4.7 [3.1–7.2]) times odds of being high consumers of UCFB at 15–19 months (p < 0.001). There was a trend of lower length‐for‐age z‐scores (LAZ) among children maintaining or developing an unhealthy consumption pattern (~−0. SD LAZ) compared to children maintaining/transitioning into a healthy consumption pattern, however, this association was not statistically significant. Findings indicate that high UCFB consumption begins during infancy and tracks into early childhood. National policies and programmes centred on early interventions addressing the use of UCFB for infant and young child feeding are needed.
Jocelyn Dixon, Virginia C Stage, Kimberly P Truesdale
et al.
Abstract
Objective:
To determine if customer purchases at small food stores are associated with healthfulness of the diet as approximated by skin carotenoids.
Design:
This is a cross-sectional survey of customers in small food stores regarding demographics and food purchases. Food and beverage purchases were classified as ‘healthy’ or ‘non-healthy’ and ‘carotenoid’ v. ‘non-carotenoid’ using a systematic classification scheme. Fruit and vegetable intake was objectively assessed using a non-invasive device to measure skin carotenoids. Associations between variables of interest were examined using Pearson’s correlation coefficients, t tests and multiple linear regression analyses.
Setting:
Twenty-two small food retail stores in rural (n 7 stores) and urban (n 15) areas of North Carolina.
Participants:
Customers of small food stores
Results:
Of study participants (n 1086), 55·1 % were male, 60·0 % were African American/Black and 4·2 % were Hispanic, with a mean age of 43·5 years. Overall, 36 % purchased at least one healthy item, and 7·6 % of participants purchased a carotenoid-containing food/beverage. Healthy foods and beverages purchased included produce, lean meats, 100 % juices, plain popcorn, plain nuts, milk and yogurt. Unhealthy items included non-100 % juices, crackers, chips, candy, cakes and donuts. Purchase of a healthy or carotenoid-containing item was positively associated with skin carotenoid scores (P = 0·002 and 0·006, respectively).
Conclusions:
A relatively small proportion of customers purchased any healthy or carotenoid-containing foods and beverages, and those who did purchase healthy options had higher skin carotenoid scores. Future research should confirm these findings in different populations.
Public aspects of medicine, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Mona P. Nasrallah, Martine Elbejjani, Lara Nasreddine
et al.
Abstract Background Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) remains a world epidemic. Obtaining accurate estimates of its incidence and their predictors will aid in targeting preventive measures, allocating resources, and strategizing its management. The Middle East North Africa region has high T2D prevalence and rates of rise. Few incidence studies exist for the region, and none from Lebanon. The current study objective was to determine diabetes incidence and diabetes predictors in a community-based Lebanese sample. A secondary objective was to describe the metabolic control over time in adults with preexisting diabetes. Methods This is a five-year (2014–2019) follow-up study on a random sample of 501 residents of the Greater Beirut area. Out of 478 people eligible to participate in the follow-up study, 198 returned (response rate 39.5%). Assessment included medical history, anthropometric measures, food frequency, sleep, and lifestyle questionnaires. Laboratory data included glycemic indices (fasting glucose and HbA1C) and other biological markers. The diagnosis of probable diabetes (PD) was based on one abnormal test for either fasting glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL or HbA1C ≥ 6.5% or having history of diabetes. Results The incidence of diabetes was 17.2 (95% CI 9.6–28.7) per 1000 person-years. Cardiometabolic risk factors independently associated with diabetes were: older age, higher BMI, family history of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, higher CRP and triglyceride level; whereas an independent predictor of diabetes was previous BMI. In addition, the 42 participants with preexisting diabetes had worsening of their metabolic profile over a five-year period. Conclusions The incidence of diabetes was high as compared to some reported world rates, and in line with the high prevalence in the MENA region. The risk was highest in those with positive family history and the presence of the metabolic syndrome or its components. Preventive measures should particularly target participants with that specific risk profile. This becomes particularly important when observing that metabolic control gets worse over time in individuals with diabetes.
Maral Hashemzadeh, Maryam Teymouri, Mohammad Fararouei
et al.
Abstract Background Investigations on food insecurity have shown that food insecurity is inversely associated with health. We examined the association of food insecurity and cardiometabolic risk factors in women living in Shiraz, Iran. Methods The cross-sectional study was performed on 190 females. Food insecurity was assessed by Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Cardiometabolic risk factors including anthropometric characteristics, blood pressure, and serum glucose and lipids were measured. Metabolic syndrome score was calculated according to the criteria described for Iranian adults. The association of food insecurity and cardiometabolic risk factors was assessed by linear regression. Results The prevalence of food security, and mild, moderate, and severe food insecurity was 42.6%, 40.5%, 15.8%, and 1.1%, respectively. Cardiometabolic risk factors worsened with increasing severity of food insecurity. Among the risk factors, body mass index (BMI) had the strongest association with food insecurity. After controlling demographic factors and BMI, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, total, LDL, and HDL cholesterols, and metabolic syndrome score still showed significant associations with food insecurity (P < 0.01) but systolic and diastolic blood pressure were no longer associated with food insecurity after adjustment for BMI. Conclusion Overall, although BMI was strongly associated with food insecurity, cardiometabolic risk factors including blood glucose, triglycerides, total, HDL, and LDL cholesterols, and metabolic syndrome score were associated with food insecurity independent of BMI, suggesting that other factors such as lifestyle and diet may have contributed to the exacerbated cardiometabolic risk in food insecure participants of this study. Future studies need to clarify underlying factors in the association of food insecurity and cardiometabolic risk factors.
Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases, Public aspects of medicine
Abstract Background Evidence from studies in adults documents that fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) may be triggers of symptoms in individuals with functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs). However, in children, the evidence is very limited. We aim to assess the effects of a low-FODMAP diet compared with a regular diet for the management of children with FAPDs. Methods We will perform a randomized, quadruple-blinded, controlled trial. Seventy-four children aged 8 to 18 years with a FAPD (Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Functional Abdominal Pain-Not Otherwise Specified), diagnosed according to the Rome IV criteria, will be randomly allocated to receive either a low-FODMAP diet or a regular diet for 4 weeks. The primary outcome will be the percentage of the responders, defined as the participants who have at least 30% improvement in abdominal pain intensity on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) during the last week of the trial compared with baseline, that is at least equal to the Reliable Change Index (≥ 25 mm change on VAS). Other outcomes will include changes in stool consistency, abdominal pain frequency, total scores on the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale, KIDSCREEN-10 Index and World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index, child’s school attendance and parents’ work absenteeism, and BMI-for-age z-score. Compliance, tolerability of the low-FODMAP diet, and adverse events also will be evaluated. Each FAPD subtype will be assessed separately. Discussion There is a need for high-quality evidence regarding the dietary management of children with FAPDs. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) of rigorous methodological design will help to establish the effectiveness, if any, of a low-FODMAP diet for the management of FAPDs in the pediatric population. The findings of this RCT will assist with the development of guidelines and influence the direction of further research. Trial registration NCT04528914 Data and protocol version identifier: 24/08/2020
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Background. Stunting is a major public health problem affecting children in low- and middle-income countries and has become one of the underlying causes of early childhood mortality. However, there is a paucity of information on the prevalence of stunting and its predictors among school children in these settings including Ethiopia. Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of stunting and its predictors among school children in Northeast Ethiopia. Methods. A school-based cross-sectional study design was used among 341 primary school children in Northeast Ethiopia from October to December 2019. A simple random sampling technique was used to recruit the study subjects. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic and dietary data. Anthropometric data were generated using WHO AnthroPlus software version 1.0.4. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to see the association between independent variables and the outcome variable. Odds ratio along with 95% confidence interval was estimated to measure the strength of the association. The level of statistical significance was declared at p value ≤ 0.05. Results. The prevalence of stunting was found to be 14.1% (95% CI: 10.1%, 18.1%). Family size of 6–9 (AOR = 2.43; 95% CI: (1.16, 4.58)), washing hands less frequently before eating (AOR = 3.96; 95% CI: (2.09, 11.66)), and intestinal parasitic infection (AOR = 2.66; 95% CI: (1.16, 4.95)) were significantly associated with stunting. Conclusion. The prevalence of stunting among school-age children was a great public health concern. Large family size, poor handwashing practice before meals, and intestinal parasitosis were significant predictors of stunting. Thus, periodic deworming, health education on personal hygiene, and health promotion and counseling on family planning need to be strengthened by all relevant stakeholders.