Dietetics

Bariatric surgery is a highly effective therapeutic strategy in the treatment of severe obesity, but it carries significant risks, both in the short and long terms. However, many of these complications can be avoided by appropriate patient selection, comprehensive assessment of clinical conditions, and structured follow-up including clinical, nutritional, and psychological monitoring. Achieving these objectives requires a meticulous program involving the entire multidisciplinary team and lays the foundations for proper patient compliance. Furthermore, recent studies have begun to explore the systemic effects of bariatric–metabolic surgery, with benefits extending far beyond simple weight loss and effects on both morbidity and mortality. Research has documented improvements in cardiovascular risk factors, insulin sensitivity, and hormonal balance, with substantial effects on the three main comorbidities of obesity: cardiovascular risk and hypertension, T2DM, and OSAS. In conclusion, bariatric surgery, while highly effective in treating severe obesity and its comorbidities, involves significant anatomical and physiological changes that alter nutrient absorption and digestion. These changes can lead to a number of short-, medium-, and long-term nutritional complications that require close monitoring and targeted dietary interventions.

(1) Background: This research aims to determine the main factors that influence: (i) purchase decisions for flour and bakery products, (ii) consumer preferences, attitudes, and consumption frequency of those products, and (iii) the degree of knowledge and confidence in innovative functional food products. (2) Methods: Questionnaires were randomly distributed to 639 Greek citizens aged 18–75 years. The statistical analysis included Chi-Square, Kruskal–Walis H, and Mann–Whitney U tests, and Spearman correlations. (3) Results: Flour purchasing decisions were influenced by age, income, marital status, and education, while bakery products were widely regarded as nutritious. Women and older individuals were more knowledgeable regarding alternative flours. Trust in functional products increased with age, marital status, household minor and adult size, and income. (4) Conclusions: Several demographic characteristics may affect the purchasing decisions and attitude towards flour, bakery, and functional food products.

Background: Meat alternative products have gained attention in recent years. This study examined the factors associated with meat alternative purchase in Japan. Methods: This longitudinal study used data from nationwide surveys conducted in 2022 and 2023 with persons aged 15–79 years in Japan. In total, 11,476 participants were included in the analysis. The outcome indicators were changes in meat alternative purchase in 2022 and 2023, categorized into four groups: “no in both years,” “purchased only in 2022,” “purchased only in 2023,” and “purchased in both years.” A multinomial logistic regression model was used, with “no in both years” as the reference group. Potential factors included sex, age, household income, education, health check-up status, and population density in residential areas. Results: Factors that were significantly associated with meat alternative purchase in any year were being woman, being aged <65 years, not having a lower annual income (5–16 million yen), having a higher educational attainment, and having undergone/intended to undergo health check-up (p < 0.05). In particular, sex was significantly associated with “Purchased only in 2022,” “Purchased only in 2023,” and “Purchased in both years”; the multivariate-adjusted OR (95% CI) of “Purchased in both years” for women was 3.07 (2.16–4.34). Conclusion: This study suggests that sociodemographic characteristics may influence the consumption of meat alternatives, impacting the development of the meat alternative industry.