Abstract The climate crisis is undoubtedly compromising human and planetary health. As behaviour change scientists, we must reflect on the behaviours we are promoting, as well as the research and professional practices we engage in, to ensure we are prioritizing human and planetary health. This commentary focuses on issues within the scope of scientific/academic societies by sharing our journey as the Climate Action Committee for the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity. First, we provide details on the structure and function of our committee, then we provide insights into the GHG emissions associated with running our society, and finally, we report on our journey thus far, sharing the strategies we have identified that align with current evidence on climate change. We also address the tensions associated with climate action within scientific societies, and hope to begin a dialogue with others to come up with creative solutions that continue to support research and researchers, while addressing the urgency of our climate crisis.
Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases, Public aspects of medicine
Kaleab Baye, Bayuh Asmamaw Hailu, Simeon Nanama
et al.
Abstract
Objectives:
Despite bold commitments to reduce anaemia, little change in prevalence was observed over the past decade. We aimed to generate subnational maps of anaemia among women of reproductive age (WRA), malaria transmission and hemoglobinopathies to identify priority areas but also explore their geographical overlap.
Design:
Using the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), we first mapped anaemia clusters across sub-Saharan Africa and identified the West and Central Africa (WCA) as a major cluster. Geographic clusters with high anaemia and related aetiologic factors were identified using spatial statistics. Multilevel regression models were run to identify factors associated with any, moderate and severe anaemia.
Settings:
West and Central African countries (n 17).
Participants:
WRA (n 112 024) residing in seventeen WCA countries.
Results:
There was a significant overlap in geographical clusters of anaemia, malaria and hemoglobinopathies, particularly in the coastal areas of the WCA region. Low birth interval (0·86 (0·77, 0·97)), number of childbirth (1·12 (1·02, 1·23)) and being in the 15–19 age range (1·47 (1·09, 1·98)) were associated with increased odds of any anaemia. Unimproved toilet facility and open defecation were associated with any anaemia, whereas the use of unclean cooking fuel was associated with moderate/severe anaemia (P < 0·05). Access to healthcare facility, living in malaria-prone areas and hemoglobinopathies (HbC and HbS) were all associated with any, moderate or severe anaemia.
Conclusion:
Interlinkages between infection, hemoglobinopathies and nutritional deficiencies complicate the aetiology of anaemia in the WCA region. Without renewed efforts to integrate activities and align various sectors in the prevention of anaemia, progress is likely to remain elusive.
Public aspects of medicine, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Abstract Background The connection between lipid-related obesity indices and severe headache or migraine in young and middle-aged people aged 20–60 remains ambiguous, and there are gaps in the discriminative ability of different indicators for severe headaches or migraines. Consequently, we set out to look into this association utilizing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999 to 2004. Methods After the values of waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body-mass index (BMI), body roundness index (BRI), visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), triglyceride glucose index (TyG), cardiac metabolism index (CMI), waist triglyceride Index (WTI), conicity index (CI) and weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) were estimated, with minimal sufficient adjustment for confounders determined by directed acyclic graph (DAG), weighted univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were carried out to ascertain the relationship between them and migraine. Stratified analysis and cross-effect analysis were implemented to examine the variability of intergroup correlations. Restricted cubic splines (RCS) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) were then employed to examine nonliner relationships and its discriminatory ability for severe headache or migraine, respectively. Results 3354 United States adults were involved in our study, of whom 839 (25.01%) had severe headache or migraine. After adjusting for relevant covariables, WHtR, BRI, BMI, LAP, WTI and VAI were all associated with migraine and WHtR (OR = 6.38, 95% CI: 2.25,18.09, P < 0.01) showed the best predictive ability. Additionally, WHtR, BMI, and BRI demonstrated linear dose-response relationships with the prevalence of migraine (all P overall < 0.05, P non−linearity > 0.05). Conclusions Among those ten lipid-related obesity indicators evaluated in the study, WHtR, BMI and BRI demonstrated linear positive dose-response relationships with the prevalence of migraine in young and middle-aged individuals within the United States and WHtR showed the best predictive ability. Our study can provide important insight into epidemiological research and comprehensive management of obese patients with migraine.
Tyler B. Mason, Anna Dolgon-Krutolow, Kathryn E. Smith
Obesity interventions typically involve some form of dietary restraint (i.e., intentional limiting of food intake), yet the restraint model of binge eating proposes that engaging in dietary restraint is a causal factor for binge eating symptoms. Evidence for this model has been mixed and differs by measures, study design, and sample. Further, there also may be moderators of the association between dietary restraint and binge eating. The purpose of this systematic review was to compile the current evidence on moderators of the association between dietary restraint and binge eating. A literature search was conducted across electronic databases, resulting in the inclusion of 16 papers (with 15 different samples). The reviewed studies were primarily heterosexual White college student females and were primarily cross-sectional studies with self-report measures. There were no consistent moderators across the studies. However, there was some evidence for interactions between affective constructs and dietary restraint in relation to binge eating, as well as three-way interactions between affect, cognitive constructs, and dietary restraint. Although there were few studies, there was little current evidence for social, biological, and demographic factors as moderators. Overall, our systematic review shows a need for further research to clarify and validate the moderators, and to understand the complex interactions as well as the potential causal relationships between restraint and binge eating behaviors.
Food processing and manufacture, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Background: Regular exercise has been widely acknowledged for its numerous health benefits, including improvements in physical fitness, body function, and mental well-being. However, excessive exercise and unhealthy dietary patterns can lead to adverse effects on individuals’ physical and psychological well-being. This study aimed to examine the association of dietary patterns, exercise addiction, and eating disorders among physically active young adults. Method: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 200 physically active young adults aged 18-35 years were included. The participants’ dietary intake was assessed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) consisting of 80 food items. To determine dietary patterns, factor analysis was employed. Exercise addiction was evaluated using The Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI) and Exercise Dependence Questionnaire (EDQ), and eating disorders were assessed using The Eating Disorder Examination—Questionnaire Short (EDE-QS). Result: Three main dietary patterns were identified: western, healthy, and traditional dietary patterns. The western dietary pattern was associated with increased waist-to-hip ratio ( P = .01) that remained significant after adjustment for confounders (eg, age, gender, BMI, and physical activity P = .03), while the adherence to traditional dietary pattern was linked to higher waist circumference and body shape index ( P < .05). Participants that followed the healthy dietary pattern showed a higher score of EAI and body shape concern ( P = .04). Furthermore, in structural equation modelling (SEM), eating disorder was identified as a significant positive predictor of exercise addiction ( r = .17, P < .05). Conclusion: According to our finding, those with the higher adherence to healthy dietary pattern had higher scores of exercise addiction and body shape concern. Also, eating disorder was a potential predictor of exercise addiction among young physically active individuals. Further research and targeted interventions are needed to better understand these complex relationships and develop effective strategies to promote healthy behaviors and mitigate the risk of adverse outcomes.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Intermittent energy restricted (IER) diets have become popular as a body weight management approach. In this pilot study, we investigated if an IER diet would reduce systemic inflammation and if maintaining an elevated protein level while on an IER diet would enhance satiety. Six healthy women, aged 33–55 years with a BMI of 27–33 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, were randomized to first adhere to either a low- or high-protein IER diet using whole foods for three weeks. They then returned to their regular diets for a week, after which they adhered to the second diet for three weeks. Each test diet consisted of three low-energy intake days followed by four isocaloric energy intake days. The diets differed only in protein content. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), glucose, satiety, body weight, and waist circumference were measured at the beginning and end of each dietary intervention. Most participants showed reductions in hs-CRP levels from baseline on both IER diets but reported greater satiety when adhering to the higher protein IER diet. Overall, the IER diets reduced body weight and appeared to decrease inflammation in these overweight women, and the higher protein version enhanced satiety, which may lead to greater long-term dietary adherence.
Food processing and manufacture, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Abstract Background The optimization of glucose control in type-1 diabetes is challenged by postprandial glycemic variability. This study aimed to compare the postprandial glycemic effects of carbohydrate counting and the modified fat-protein unit (FPU) algorithms following meals with different protein and fat emphases in adults with type-1 diabetes. Methods Thirty adults with type-1 diabetes aged 18 to 45 years participated in a randomized crossover trial. In a random order, participants consumed four test meals with equivalent energy and different macronutrient emphases on four separate mornings. The modified FPU algorithms and carbohydrate counting were used to determine the insulin dose for the test meals. A continuous glucose monitoring system was used to measured postprandial glycemia. Results Compared with carbohydrate counting, the modified FPU algorithm significantly decreased the late postprandial mean glucose levels (p = 0.026) in high protein-fat meals. The number of hypoglycemia episodes was similar between insulin dosing algorithms for the high protein-fat meals; hypoglycemic events were considerably higher for the modified FPU in the normal protein-fat meal (p = 0.042). Conclusions The modified FPU algorithm may improve postprandial glycemic control after consuming high protein-fat meals in adults with type-1 diabetes but may result in increased hypoglycemia risk when used with a normal protein-fat meal.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Micronutrient-malnutrition is one of the most serious battle human beings are fighting. The so-called Hidden hunger is all because of micronutrient deficiencies. Iron deficiency anemia is affecting more people than any other prevailing disorder. However, iron-supplementation aggravate the infectious diseases and present policies of iron therapy carefully evaluate the pros and cons. In current review, we have evaluated the biofortification approaches for combating hidden hunger, in the light of medical and nutritional advancements. Enhancement of iron in edible plant parts is expected to improve nutrient status of human beings via crops. The density of minerals and vitamins in staple foods consumed by the poor can be raised using either traditional plant breeding or transgenic approaches, a process known as biofortification. Microbial iron biofortification is a valuable approach for human being especially in developing countries where poor people cannot afford to buy expensive supplementation. Moreover, prevailing condition of Covid-19 demands a fighting immune system and iron is likely to play vital role in improving human immune system.
Samira Karbasi, Maryam Moradi Binabaj, Zahra Khorasanchi
et al.
Abstract Background Breast milk (BM) is a dynamic fluid that varies over time and between women. The variations in BM components are most likely associated with maternal diet quality. This study aimed to assess adherence to a low carbohydrate dietary (LCD) pattern with oxidative stress markers of BM characteristics and infants’ urine. Materials and methods In this cross-sectional study 350 breastfeeding mothers and their infants were recruited. BM samples were collected from mothers, and urine specimens were obtained from each infant. To evaluate LCD scores, subjects were divided into 10 deciles according to the percent of energy obtained from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Determination of total antioxidant activity was conducted using the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2, 2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs), and Ellman’s assay. Biochemical assays of samples including calcium, total protein, and triglyceride level were also performed using commercial kits. Results Participants with the greatest LCD pattern adherence were placed into the last quartile (Q4), and those with the minimum LCD were in the first quartile (Q1). Individuals in the highest LCD quartile had significantly higher levels of milk FRAP, thiol, and protein, as well as infant urinary FRAP and lower milk MDA levels than those in the lowest quartile. Multivariate linear regression analyses indicated that higher score of the LCD pattern was associated with a higher level of milk thiol, protein, and lower level of milk MDA (p < 0.05). Conclusion Our findings show that adherence to a LCD, as defined by a low level of carbohydrates in daily food intake, is linked with improved BM quality and markers of oxidative stress in infant urine.
Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases, Public aspects of medicine
Background: Under nutrition among pregnant women is common public health problem in developing countries including Ethiopia. It leads to poor maternal and neonatal outcomes. Despite its consequences there is shortage of research evidence to support intervention in this regard in the southern part of the country. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the determinates of under nutrition among pregnant women visiting antenatal care clinics at selected health facilities in Hawassa town. Methods: Health facility based cross-sectional study was employed among 454 systematically selected study participants. Data were collected by using structured and pre-tested questionnaires with face to face interview. Data were entered into Epi info and then exported to SPSS version 26 statistical software for analysis. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics; bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression. Result: The over all of prevalence of under nutrition among pregnant women was 27.6% [95% CI (22.6, 30.8)]. In multivariate logistic regression model, lowest wealth quintile [AOR = 3.3, 95% CI (1.7, 7.0)], women with dietary diversity [AOR = 2.0, 95% CI (1.3, 4.0)], presence of anemia [AOR = 10.7, 95% CI (5.8,19.8)], lower pregnant women education level [AOR = 3.3, 95% CI (1.4, 7.9)], lower partner education level [AOR = 3.1, 95% CI (1.1, 8.5)], not ate flush/meat food [AOR = 2.8, 95% CI (1.7, 4.8)], and not ate other fruits [AOR = 1.8, 95% CI (1.1, 2.8)] had significant association with under nutrition. Conclusion: In this health facility based study, the burden of under nutrition was high. Lowest wealth quintiles, low dietary diversity scores, being anemic and low education of the pregnant women and her partner were associated with under nutrition. Therefore, counseling for dietary diversity during antenatal care, health promotion and education for pregnant women and empowering women on income generation activities are a key intervention to tackle under nutrition.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Anna D. Argoty-Pantoja, Rafael Velázquez-Cruz, Joacim Meneses-León
et al.
Abstract The triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index) is an indicator of insulin resistance that has been studied recently. The relationship between insulin resistance and the risk of hypertension has been documented previously. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the association of the TyG index with hypertension incidence. This study aimed to evaluate the association of the TyG index with changes in blood pressure (BP) and hypertension incidence in Mexican adults. This analysis was performed using the Health Workers Cohort Study data. The TyG index was estimated as Ln [fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2] and divided into categories defined by tertiles. The analysis was conducted using fixed-effects linear regression models (n = 1,545) and Cox proportional hazards regression models (n = 1,113), adjusting for potential confounding variables. The incidence rates (95% CI) for the low, medium, and high categories of the TyG index were 22.1 (17.8, 27.5), 35.8 (30.1, 42.7), and 49.4 (42.1, 57.9), respectively. An increase in the levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was observed when changing from a low to a medium (DBP: β 2.55 mmHg, 95% CI 0.81, 4.29) and from a low to a high category of the TyG index (SBP: β 3.10 mmHg, 95% CI 1.16, 5.04; DBP: β 4.91 mmHg, 95% CI 2.88, 6.94). Furthermore, participants within the top category of the TyG index had a 56% higher risk of hypertension than those in the bottom category (HR = 1.56; 95% CI 1.18, 2.08). These results support the hypothesis that the TyG index is associated with high blood pressure in Mexican adults.
Luis Fernando Restrepo Betancur, Marion Tatiana Góngora Espinoza, Beatriz Estella López Marín
Introducción: El tomate constituye una fuente importante de nutrientes, catalogándose como un alimento óptimo para fortificar la población que presenta déficit de hierro, zinc y cianocobalamina.
Material y métodos: Se aplicaron dos tratamientos, uno con minerales inorgánicos y el otro con minerales aminoquelado mediante un proceso de biofortificación foliar. Se cuantificó la concentración de los micronutrientes utilizando el método de Espectrometría por Absorción Atómica de llama directa (EAAF), se utilizó el método EPA 3052 para la evaluación de los minerales. Para el análisis de Cianocobalamina, se usó el método de Cromatografía Liquida (HPLC).
Resultados: Se encontró diferencias altamente significativas (p<0,0001) entre los tratamientos en la presencia de minerales, presentándose una mayor concentración de hierro en el tratamiento aminoquelado, 189,53±100,12 mg/kg. En el tratamiento inorgánico la mayor concentración fue de zinc, 89,82±21,67. Al evaluar el contenido de zinc, no hubo deferencias entre la biofortificación con el aminoquelado y el inorgánico (p>0,05), con respecto a la cianocobalamina los datos bromatológicos reportaron menos de 0,04 µg/100 g de tomate en todas las muestras analizadas.
Conclusiones: El contenido de hierro en el fruto con el tratamiento aminoquelado, es muy superior a los tratamientos control e inorgánico, además es posible obtener tomate biofortificado con minerales como el zinc y hierro aminoquelados, demostrándose que tienen mejor absorción y posibilitando su biodisponibilidad, finalmente, la biofortificación con cianocobalamina no es pertinente en este fruto, pues este nutriente no es almacenado en el tomate.
Nutrition. Foods and food supply, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Jessica Bradford, Kathryn Beck, Alphonse Nshimyiryo
et al.
Abstract Children born preterm, low birth weight (LBW) or with other perinatal risk factors are at high‐risk of malnutrition. Regular growth monitoring and early intervention are essential to promote optimal feeding and growth; however, monitoring growth in preterm infants can be complex. This study evaluated growth monitoring of infants under 6 months enrolled in Paediatric Development Clinics (PDCs) in rural Rwanda. We reviewed electronic medical records (EMR) of infants enrolled in PDCs before age 2 months with their first visit between January 2015 and December 2016 and followed them until age 6 months. Nurse classification of anthropometric measures and nutritional status were extracted from the EMR. Interval growth and length‐for‐age, weight‐for‐length, and weight‐for‐age z‐scores were calculated using World Health Organization anthropometry software as a ‘gold standard’ comparison to nurse classifications. Two hundred and ninety‐four patients enrolled and had 2,033 visits during the study period. Referral reasons included prematurity/LBW (73.8%) and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (28.2%). Nurses assessed interval growth at 58.7% of visits, length‐for‐age at 66.4%, weight‐for‐length at 65.6% and weight‐for‐age at 66.4%. Nurses and gold standard assessment agreed on interval growth at 53.3% of visits and length‐for‐age at 63.7%, weight‐for‐length at 78.2% and weight‐for‐age at 66.3%. At 6 months, 46.5% were stunted, 19.9% were wasted and 44.2% were underweight. There were significant challenges to optimizing growth and growth monitoring among high‐risk infants served by PDCs, including incomplete and inaccurate assessments. Developing tools for clinician decision support in assessing growth and providing specialized nutritional counselling are essential to supporting optimal outcomes in this population.
Hugo E. Tobar, Luis R. Cataldo, Trinidad González
et al.
Abstract Background Lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) is a plasma enzyme that esterifies cholesterol in high- and low-density lipoproteins (HDL and LDL). Mutations in LCAT gene causes familial LCAT deficiency, which is characterized by very low plasma HDL-cholesterol levels (Hypoalphalipoproteinemia), corneal opacity and anemia, among other lipid-related traits. Our aim is to evaluate clinical/biochemical features of a Chilean family with a proband showing clinical signs of familial LCAT deficiency, as well as to identify and assess the functional effects of LCAT mutations. Methods An adult female proband with hypoalphalipoproteinemia, corneal opacity and mild anemia, as well as her first-degree relatives, were recruited for clinical, biochemical, genetic, in-silico and in-vitro LCAT analysis. Sequencing of exons and intron-exon boundaries was performed to identify mutations. Site-directed mutagenesis was carried out to generate plasmids containing cDNA with wild type or mutant sequences. Such expression vectors were transfected to HEK-239 T cells to asses the effect of LCAT variants in expression, synthesis, secretion and enzyme activity. In-silico prediction analysis and molecular modeling was also used to evaluate the effect of LCAT variants. Results LCAT sequencing identified rare p.V333 M and p.M404 V missense mutations in compound heterozygous state in the proband, as well the common synonymous p.L363 L variant. LCAT protein was detected in proband’s plasma, but with undetectable enzyme activity compared to control relatives. HEK-293 T transfected cells with vector expression plasmids containing either p.M404 V or p.V333 M cDNA showed detectable LCAT protein expression both in supernatants and lysates from cultured cells, but with much lower enzyme activity compared to cells transfected with the wild-type sequence. Bioinformatic analyses also supported a causal role of such rare variations in LCAT lack of function. Additionally, the proband carried the minor allele of the synonymous p.L363 L variant. However, this variant is unlikely to affect the clinical phenotype of the proband given its relatively high frequency in the Chilean population (4%) and its small putative effect on plasma HDL-cholesterol levels. Conclusion Genetic, biochemical, in vitro and in silico analyses indicate that the rare mutations p.M404 V and p.V333 M in LCAT gene lead to suppression of LCAT enzyme activity and cause clinical features of familial LCAT deficiency.
Marzena Wątek, Bonita Durnaś, Tomasz Wollny
et al.
Abstract Background Impaired apoptotic pathways in leukemic cells enable them to grow in an uncontrolled way. Moreover, aberrations in the apoptotic pathways are the main factor of leukemic cells drug resistance. Methods To assess the presence of potential abnormalities that might promote dysfunction of leukemic cells growth, HPLC system was used to determine sphingosine (SFO), sphinganine (SFA), sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and ceramide (CER) concentration in the blood collected from patients diagnose with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML; n = 49) and compare to values of control (healthily) group (n = 51). Additionally, in AML group concentration of SFO, SFA, S1P and CER was determined in bone marrow plasma and compared to respective values in blood plasma. The concentration of S1P and CER binding protein – plasma gelsolin (GSN) was also assessed in collected samples using immunoblotting assay. Results We observed that in AML patients the average SFO, SFA and CER concentration in blood plasma was significantly higher (p < 0.001) compare to control group, when blood plasma S1P concentration was significantly lower (p < 0.001). At the same time the CER/S1P ratio in AML patient (44.5 ± 19.4) was about 54% higher compare to control group (20.9 ± 13.1). Interestingly the average concentration of S1P in blood plasma (196 ± 13 pmol/ml) was higher compare to its concentration in plasma collected from bone marrow (154 ± 21 pmol/ml). Conclusions We hypothesize that changes in profile of sphingolipids concentration and some of their binding protein partners such as GSN in extracellular environment of blood and bone marrow cells in leukemic patients can be targeted to develop new AML treatment method(s).