Kierra Dooley, Daniel A. Zaltz, Scott V. Harding
et al.
Abstract
Objective:
Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) introduced Canada’s first excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) in 2022. Industry marketing practices in response to SSB taxation may affect public health impacts. We examined changes in posted beverage pricing and marketing of taxable and non-taxable beverages in NL before and after the SSB tax was implemented.
Design:
Pre-/post-observational study with in-store audits of beverage prices and marketing. Changes including pricing discounts and promotions were assessed at the individual beverage level for pre/post-tax implementation years.
Setting:
Eighty food stores (grocery, convenience, drug and dollar) in NL, Canada.
Results:
There was no evidence of a change in posted shelf prices between pre/post years. There was a significant increase (+2·5 %, χ
2 = 9·693, P = 0·002) in proportion of discounted taxable SSB with no change in non-taxable beverages (P = 0·350). There were no significant differences in change of number of promotions for taxable SSB (+5·2 [−0·1, 10·5], F = 3·789, P = 0·053) nor non-taxable beverages (+3·4 [–1·0, 7·7], F = 2·268, P = 0·134).
Conclusions:
The lack of change in posted prices of taxable SSB indicates that the NL SSB tax was not communicated at the point of decision-making. While some marketing changes post-tax were observed, results should be interpreted cautiously as they cannot be attributed definitively to the tax. Existing literature implies that industry may adapt marketing conduct to counteract beverage taxes. Such changes were limited in NL, suggesting retailers may have opted not to display the tax rather than attempt to actively counteract it. Lack of transparency surrounding the tax may neutralise intended behavioural effects.
Public aspects of medicine, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Abstract Background Lymphatic filariasis (LF) remains endemic in several districts of Jharkhand despite repeated Mass Drug Administration (MDA) rounds. This study assessed drug coverage, compliance, and associated factors in four endemic districts: Deoghar, Dumka, Giridih, and Godda. Methods A community-based cross-sectional Coverage Evaluation Survey (CES) was conducted within six weeks of MDA. The double-drug regimen (Diethylcarbamazine and Albendazole) (DA) was administered in Deoghar and Giridih, and the triple-drug regimen (Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine, and Albendazole) (IDA) in Dumka and Godda. Using multistage random sampling of clusters and systematic selection of adjacent households within each cluster, 2,400 households (14,782 individuals) were surveyed. Coverage indicators were calculated per World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Results Overall drug coverage was 52.1%, and epidemiological drug coverage was 49.2%. Complete household-level MDA drug coverage was 45.0%, highest in Dumka (58.2%) and lowest in Giridih (28.8%). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, significant predictors of complete household-level MDA drug coverage included higher educational level (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.05), residence in Dumka (aOR: 1.63) or Godda (aOR: 1.40), tribal (aOR: 2.27) or rural area (aOR: 2.02), awareness of LF (aOR: 1.87), knowledge that LF is mosquito-borne (aOR: 1.32), prior MDA communication (aOR: 2.64), and participation in two or more previous MDA rounds (aOR: 2.30). Larger household size was negatively associated (aOR: 0.88). Among MDA participants, adverse events were significantly more common when drugs were consumed on an empty stomach (p < 0.001). Conclusion None of the districts achieved WHO-recommended epidemiological coverage thresholds (≥ 65% for DA and ≥ 85% for IDA). Strengthening community engagement and pre-campaign communication is essential for improving MDA outcomes and accelerating LF elimination.
Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases, Public aspects of medicine
Silas Alves-Costa, Bruno Feres de Souza, Francisco Aparecido Rodrigues
et al.
Abstract Background Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) predominantly affect adults, but pathophysiological changes begin decades earlier, as a continuum, with initial events apparent in adolescence. Hence, early identification and intervention are crucial for the prevention and management of NCDs. We investigated the complex network of socioeconomic, behavioral, and metabolic factors associated with the presence of NCD in Brazilian adolescents. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study nested within the São Luís segment of the Ribeirão Preto, Pelotas, and São Luís (RPS) cohort’s consortium, focusing on 18–19-year-olds (n = 2515). Data were collected prospectively, from which we constructed a complex network with NCD-related factors/indicators as nodes and their co-occurrences as edges. General and sex-based models analyzed: socioeconomic status, behavioral (smoking, alcohol, and other drugs use, unhealthy diet, poor sleep, physical inactivity), and metabolic factors (overweight/obesity, elevated blood pressure, poor lipid profile). We also looked for NCDs in adolescence like asthma, abnormal spirometry, depression, suicide risk, and poor oral health. The network was characterized by degree, betweenness, eigenvector, local transitivity, Shannon entropy, and cluster coefficient. Results The adolescents had an average age of 18.3 years, 52.3% were female and 47.7% male. 99.8% of them have a diet rich in free sugars, 15% are overweight/obese and 72.3% had an elevated TyG index. High free sugar emerged as the central hub, followed by high TyG index (an early marker of insulin resistance) and low socioeconomic class. In males, low fiber intake and a high triglycerides/HDL ratio highlighted cardiometabolic concerns; in females, sedentary behavior and poor sleep marked metabolic and psychological challenges, along with caries in both sexes. Conclusions Our findings provide insights into central health challenges during adolescence, such as high free sugars, insulin resistance, and low socioeconomic indicators, suggesting that interventions targeted at these central hubs could have a significant impact on their NCD network.
Salman Jaff, Mohammed Gubari, Sakineh Shab-Bidar
et al.
Abstract Background It has been recently reported that lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) may predict the risk of cardiovascular disease. The effect of multi-strain probiotics on Lp-PLA2 in patients with type 2 diabetes is still not clear. Aims This study aimed to determine the effect of multi-strain probiotic supplementation on lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2, and glycemic status, lipid profile, and body composition in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, 68 participants with type 2 diabetes, in the age group of 50–65 years, were recruited and randomly allocated to take either probiotic (n = 34) or placebo (n = 34) for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2, and secondary outcomes were glycemic parameters, lipid profile, anthropometric characters, and body composition (fat mass and fat-free mass). Results There was a significant reduction in serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2, in the probiotic group, it dropped by 6.4 units at the end of the study (p < 0.001) compared to the placebo group. Probiotic supplementation also resulted in a significant improvement in the hemoglobin A1c and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol 1.5% (p < 0.001) and 6 mg/dl (p 0.005), respectively. There were no significant changes in other outcomes. Conclusion Probiotic supplementation was beneficial for reducing Lp-PLA2 and hemoglobin-A1c and improving high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which may suggest an improvement in the prognosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Abstract Background The elevated circulating toxins secondary to the impairment of intestinal barrier integrity commonly elicit a chronic inflammatory response and finally contribute to multiple diseases. These toxins, including bacterial by-products and heavy metals, are the potent risk factors for the development of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). Preclinical evidence suggests that several dietary fibers can restore intestinal barrier function and decrease the accumulation of heavy metals. However, it is uncertain whether treatment with a newly developed blend of dietary fibers product (Holofood) benefits patients with RSA. Methods In this trial, we enrolled 70 adult women with RSA, who were randomly assigned into the experiment group and the control group in a 2:1 ratio. Upon the basis of conventional therapy, subjects in the experiment group (n = 48) received 8 weeks oral administration with Holofood three times daily at a dose of 10 g each time. Subjects without Holofood consumption were set as the control (n = 22). Blood samples were collected for the determinations of metabolic parameters, heavy mental lead, and the indices related to intestinal barrier integrity (d-lactate, bacterial endotoxin, and diamine oxidase activity). Results The reduction amplitude in blood lead from baseline to week 8 was 40.50 ± 54.28 (μg/L) in the experiment group as compared with 13.35 ± 36.81 (μg/L) in the control group (P = 0.037). The decreased level of serum d-lactate from baseline to week 8 was 5.58 ± 6.09 (mg/L) in the experiment group as compared with − 2.38 ± 8.90 (mg/L, P < 0.0001) in the control group. The change in serum DAO activity from baseline to week 8 was 3.26 ± 2.23 (U/L) in the experiment group as compared with − 1.24 ± 2.22 (U/L, P < 0.0001) in the control group. Participants who received Holofood had a greater decline in blood endotoxin from baseline to week 8 than those in the control group. Moreover, by comparing with the self-baseline, Holofood consumption significantly decreased the blood levels of lead, d-lactate, bacterial endotoxin, and DAO activity. Conclusion Our results suggest that Holofood affords a clinically relevant improvements in blood lead level and intestinal barrier dysfunction in patients with RSA.
Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases, Public aspects of medicine
Jann P. Foster, Hannah G. Dahlen, Sabina Fijan
et al.
Abstract Infant regurgitation is common during infancy and can cause substantial parental distress. Regurgitation can lead to parental perception that their infant is in pain. Parents often present in general practitioner surgeries, community baby clinics and accident and emergency departments which can lead to financial burden on parents and the health care system. Probiotics are increasingly reported to have therapeutic effects for preventing and treating infant regurgitation. The objective of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of probiotic supplementation for the prevention and treatment of infant regurgitation. Literature searches were conducted using MEDLINE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials. Only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included. A meta‐analysis was performed using the Cochrane Collaboration methodology where possible. Six RCTs examined the prevention or treatment with probiotics on infant regurgitation. A meta‐analysis of three studies showed a statistically significant reduction in regurgitation episodes for the probiotic group compared to the placebo group (mean difference [MD]: −1.79 episodes/day: 95% confidence interval [CI]: −3.30 to −0.27, N = 560), but there was high heterogeneity (96%). Meta‐analysis of two studies found a statistically significant increased number of stools per day in the probiotic group compared to the placebo group at 1 month of age (MD: 1.36, 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.73, N = 488), with moderate heterogeneity (69%). Meta‐analysis of two studies showed no statistical difference in body weight between the two groups (MD: −91.88 g, 95% CI: 258.40–74.63: I2 = 23%, N = 112) with minimal heterogeneity 23%. Probiotic therapy appears promising for infant regurgitation with some evidence of benefit, but most studies are small and there was relatively high heterogeneity. The use of probiotics could potentially be a noninvasive, safe, cost effective, and preventative positive health strategy for both women and their babies. Further robust, well controlled RCTs examining the effect of probiotics for infant regurgitation are warranted.
Abstract Background In previous study, we found that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) improved glucolipid profile in dyslipidemic individuals, but the mechanism is not yet clear. Adipokines have been demonstrated to be vital targets of metabolic diseases. The hypothesis that adipokines mediate the association of CoQ10 on glucolipid metabolism needs to be further studied in human. Methods In this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, 101 dyslipidemic individuals were administrated to 120 mg CoQ10 or placebo for 24 weeks. Anthropometric parameters, glucolipid profile, serum total adiponectin, leptin, and resistin were evaluated at baseline, week 12 and week 24. Results CoQ10 treatment significantly increased serum adiponectin levels at week 12 (165 [0, 362] ng/mL, p < 0.001) and at week 24 (523 [0, 1056] ng/mL, p < 0.001]), which was significant different compared with placebo (p < 0.001). The increase of adiponectin was negative associated with decrease in index of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR, r = − 0.465, p = 0.001), triglyceride (TG, r = − 0.297, p = 0.047), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c, r = − 0.440, p = 0.002) at week 24 only in CoQ10-treated group. Resistin was reduced by CoQ10 only at week 24 (− 1.19 [− 4.35, 0.00] ng/mL, p < 0.001), which was significant different compared with placebo (p < 0.001). Reduction of resistin was positively correlated with the change in HOMA-IR (r = 0.343, p = 0.021) and TG (r = 0.323, p = 0.030) at week 24 in CoQ10-treated group but not placebo group. Leptin was not influenced by CoQ10 treatment. Mediation analysis indicated that the improvement of HOMA-IR, TG and LDL-c by CoQ10 was mediated by adiponectin but not resistin. Conclusions Our study shows that CoQ10 ameliorates glucolipid profile and adipokines dysfunction in dyslipidemic patients in 24 weeks’ intervention. The beneficial effect of CoQ10 on glucolipid profile was mediated by adiponectin. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02407548. Registered on April 3, 2015, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02407548 .
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Abstract Purpose Hypoxia is a common feature of laryngocarcinoma. Alterations in lipid metabolism are an important metabolic rewiring phenomenon for malignant cells to maintain their rapid proliferation in the hypoxic microenvironment, which makes most cancers, including laryngocarcinoma, difficult to cure. However, the mechanisms involved in lipid metabolism in laryngocarcinoma is still unclear. This study aimed to clarify the changes in lipid metabolism of laryngocarcinoma cells under hypoxic conditions and explore the related mechanisms. Methods Hep2 cells were incubated in a normoxic or hypoxic environment (5% CO2 and 1% O2) at 37 °C for 24 h. CCK-8 cell viability assay and colony formation assay were performed to detect cells proliferation. And lipid metabolic indices including TG and NEFA were determined by kits. The mechanism involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism was explored by RNA-seq and bioinformatic analysis. The MIF inhibitor ISO-1 and JAK inhibitor XL019 were used to verify the mechanism. Finally, a tumour xenograft model was applied to further verify these results in vivo. Results Hypoxia promoted cell proliferation and increased the levels of TG and NEFA in Hep2 cells. Three genes, MIF, ENO2, and LDHA, that were screened by the intersection of hypoxia gene sets and fatty gene sets and were verified by qPCR. The MIF levels were elevated when cells were exposed to hypoxia. Through GSEA and RNA-seq analysis, the JAK/STAT pathway was screened. Hypoxia increased MIF levels and activated the IL-6/JAK/STAT pathway. The MIF inhibitor ISO-1inhibited cell proliferation under hypoxia and reversed the change in TG levels and IL-6 levels. And ISO-1 reversed the expression pattern of the screened genes in the JAK/STAT pathway. Finally, a tumour xenograft model further verified these results in vivo. Conclusion Hypoxia induced reprogramming of lipid metabolism in laryngocarcinoma cells through the MIF/IL-6/JAK-STAT pathway. This study revealed one mechanism that allows laryngocarcinoma cells to adapt to the hypoxic tumour microenvironment. Therefore, a drug targeting the MIF/IL-6/JAK-STAT pathway might be a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of laryngocarcinoma.
Alexandra L. MacMillan Uribe, Hannah G. Rudt, Tashara M. Leak
Abstract Latinx infants and toddlers experience higher obesity rates than their black or white counterparts, increasing chronic disease risk later in life. Infant and toddler feeding (ITF) interventions are shown to improve dietary behaviours, but few studies target Latinx populations. Culturally tailoring such interventions is imperative, but cultural influences on Latinx ITF practices remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to characterize how culture influences ITF practices among Latinx mothers of low income. A brief survey and semistructured interview informed by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) were conducted on Zoom with New York City‐based Latinx mothers of children 4 to 24 months old. A directed content analysis approach was used to identify themes using TPB theoretical codes and inductive codes. Transcripts were coded independently by two researchers using NVivo 12. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in Excel. Participants (n = 19) were of Dominican, Mexican and Central and South American origin, had low acculturation scores and mean child age was 16.7 months (range: 5–24 months old). The central theme identified was that participants balanced cultural information with evidence‐based health information to determine which ITF practices were most beneficial to infant/toddler health. This resulted in the adoption of evidence‐based ITF recommendations, adoption of cultural practices that aligned with evidence‐based recommendations and dismissal or postponement of cultural ITF practices that contradicted evidence‐based recommendations. The present results can be applied to culturally relevant ITF education as follows: emphasizing the benefits of desirable ITF practices on children's health and promoting healthy cultural ITF practices.
Abstract Background Health benefits of fruit and vegetable have been well recognized. However, insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetable is prevalent among toddlers, and has become a global public health issue. Maternal feeding practices are potential factors influencing toddlers’ dietary intake, including fruit and vegetable intake. This study was conducted to explore the influence of maternal feeding practices on toddlers’ fruit and vegetable consumption in Ireland. Methods A follow-up to the DIT-Coombe Hospital birth cohort was conducted. Mothers in the original cohort were invited to participate in the present follow-up study by phone. A questionnaire assessing maternal feeding behavior and the child’s 3-day food diary was sent to mothers who agreed to take part in the present study by post, together with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Results There were 193 mother-children pairs included in the analysis, and the mean age of children was 2.4 (SD 0.7) years old. Toddlers’ mean daily intakes of vegetable and fruit were 67.57 (SD 45.95) g and 213.35 (SD 170.78) g, respectively. Logistic regression analyses showed that maternal practice of breastfeeding for more than 4 weeks was positively associated with fruit (OR = 2.93, 95% CI: 1.29–6.64) and vegetable (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.00–3.81) intake or the contribution of fruit (OR = 2.62, 95% CI: 1.19–5.80) and vegetable (OR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.02–3.99) to the total diet. Letting the child eat with other family members was associated with high vegetable intake (OR = 5.45, 95%CI: 1.69–17.61) and high contribution of vegetable to total diet (OR = 3.78, 95% CI: 1.04–13.82). Not being too worried about the child’s refusal to eat was positively associated with toddlers’ vegetable intake (OR = 2.10, 95%CI: 1.09–4.05). Conclusions To increase children’s fruit and vegetable intake, and develop good eating habits, parents should eat with their toddlers, be patient and not put much pressure on their children in the context of meal feeding.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Abstract Background As a subcomponent of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), small dense LDL-C (sdLDL-C) has been suggested to be a better predictor of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The aim of this research was to evaluate the predictive value of the sdLDL-C in cardiovascular events (CVs) in Chinese elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods A total of 386 consecutive type 2 DM patients were included into this study during December 2014 to December 2016. The serum sdLDL-C level of each subject was measured by homogeneous method. During a period of 48-month’s follow-up, the occurrence of CVs and associated clinical information were recorded. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the predictive value of serum sdLDL-C to occurrence of major CVs. Results A total of 92 CVs occurred during the study period. The ROC curve analysis manifested that sdLDL-C in the study population had a matchable discriminatory power (AUC for sdLDL-C was 0.7366, P = 0.003). In addition, Kaplan-Meier event-free survival curves displayed an obvious increase of CVs risk for sdLDL‐C ≧ 26 mg/dL (log-rank = 9.10, P = 0.003). This phenomenon had analogous results in patients who received statins at baseline (log rank = 7.336, P = 0.007). Cox regression analysis revealed that the increase in HbA1c, glucose, LDL-C, sdLDL-C, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and the decrease in apolipoprotein AI (ApoAI) were obviously interrelated with heightened CVs risk. Multiple Cox regression demonstrated that the increase of sdLDL-C and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was significantly correlated with CVs. The results of the study indicated that high sdLDL-C level (> 10 mg/dL) was a risk factor for CVs in the multivariate model (HR 1.281, 95% CI 1.225–16.032; P < 0.01). Conclusion sdLDL-C level could be an effective predictor in predicting the future CVs for Chinese elderly patients with type 2 DM and dyslipidemia.
In Azores, the standardized mortality rate for coronary artery disease (CAD) is nearly the double when compared to mainland Portugal. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of conventional CAD risk factors, as well as the plasma aminothiol profile (and its major determinants), between two groups of healthy subjects from Ponta Delgada (in Azores) and Lisbon (in mainland) cities, searching for precocious biomarker(s) of the disease. The study groups consisted of 101 healthy volunteers from Ponta Delgada (PDL) and 121 from Lisbon, aged 20–69 years. No differences in the prevalence of classical CAD risk factors were found between the study groups, except in physical inactivity and related central obesity, which were both higher in PDL men than in those from Lisbon. Hypercysteinemia, which seems to result from sulfur-rich amino acid diets and/or vitamin B12 malabsorption, revealed to be significantly more prevalent in PDL vs. Lisbon subjects (18% vs. 4%, P=0.001), namely, in male gender. Moreover, plasma Cys levels predicted waist circumference (β coefficient = 0.102, P=0.032) and concomitant central obesity and were also associated with insulin resistance. Nevertheless, hyperhomocysteinemia prevalence was similar in both groups, despite the fact that PDL subjects exhibited a higher rate of vitamin B12 deficiency compared to those from Lisbon (19% vs. 6%, P=0.003). Owing to the nature of this study design, a cause-effect relationship between high plasma Cys levels and central obesity or CAD risk could not be derived, but results strongly suggest that hypercysteinemia is a potential risk factor for metabolic disorders, i.e., obesity and insulin resistance, and CAD in Azores, a hypothesis that asks for confirmation through further large prospective studies.
Abstract Background Obesity and other metabolic diseases have become epidemic which greatly affect human health. Diets with healthy nutrition are efficient means to prevent this epidemic occurrence. Novel food resources and process technology were needed for these purpose. In this study, Antarctic krill oil (KO) extracted from a dry krill by a procedure of hot pump dehydration in combined with freezing-drying was used to investigate health effect in animals including the growth, lipid and glucose metabolism. Methods C57BL/6J mice were fed with a lard based high fat (HF) diet and substituted with KO for a period of 12 weeks in comparison with low fat normal control (NC) diet. Mice body weight and food consumption were recorded. Serum lipid metabolism - of C57BL/6J mice serum was measured. A glucose tolerance tests (GTTs) and pathology analysis of mice were performed at the end of the experiment. Results The KO fed mice had less body weight gain, less fat accumulation in tissue such as adipose and liver. Dyslipidemia induced by high fat diet was partially improved by KO feeding with significant reduction of serum low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) content. Furthermore, KO feeding also improved glucose metabolism in C57BL/6J mice including a glucose tolerance of about 22% vs. 32% of AUC (area under the curve) for KO vs HF diet and the fast blood glucose level of 8.5 mmol/L, 9.8 mmol/L and 9.3 mmol/L for NC, HF and KO diet groups, respectively. In addition, KO feeding also reduced oxidative damage in liver with a decrease of malondialdehyde (MDA) content and increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD) content. Conclusion This study provided evidence of the beneficial effects of KO on animal health from the processed technology, particularly on lipid and glucose metabolism. This study confirmed that as the Antarctic krill was extracted with a procedure of efficient energy, it might make it possible for Krill oil to be available for food industry.