Nutrients

Background/Objectives: The relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQL) in community-dwelling older adults and the consumption of foods typical of the Mediterranean diet (MD) has not been studied. The main objective of this study was to determine which MD foods, as well as overall MD adherence, are associated with HRQL in community-dwelling older adults, taking into account both physical and mental components. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted including community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years or over. Sociodemographic variables, the Spanish version of the SF-12v2 quality-of-life questionnaire (physical and mental component scores), and data on the consumption of MD foods and adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) were collected. Two binary logistic regression models, adjusted for age and sex, were fitted to analyse which food types included in the MEDAS questionnaire were significantly associated with a higher probability of having good physical and mental components of HRQL. Results: A total of 285 participants were recruited, with a mean age of 74.97 (SD 5.75) years, predominantly female (87.7%, n = 250) and 36.3% (n = 104) lived alone. The sample showed low physical quality of life [PCS-12: 42.88 IQR (33.61–51.09)], moderately good mental quality of life [MCS-12: 51.09 (39.97–57.42)] and good adherence to the Mediterranean diet [MEDAS: 9 (8–10)]. Binary logistic regression for PCS-12 showed that younger age, the joint consumption of less than one serving of butter per day, less than one cup of sugar-sweetened beverages per day and two or more servings of vegetables per day were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with good physical quality of life. Similarly, living alone, four or more tablespoons of olive oil per day and less than 2 servings of desserts per week were associated with good mental quality of life (MCS-12). Conclusions: The Mediterranean diet is related to physical and mental quality of life in older adults, with the consumption of specific foods within the MD showing significant associations in multivariate analyses. Identifying the items that are most closely related to good physical and mental health is key to promoting healthy lifestyle habits that are directly linked to improving quality of life from a holistic perspective. Understanding the associations between quality of life and consumption or avoidance of certain foods could help inform future nutritional interventions aimed at improving both physical and mental health in older adults.

Background: As a key contributor to metabolic disorders, obesity is recognized as a critical global health challenge. Adipocyte differentiation depends on the mitotic clonal expansion (MCE) phase, which is controlled by oxidative balance and transcription factors like C/EBPβ. Sesaminol, a lignan derived from Sesamum indicum, has potent antioxidant properties. This study aimed to investigate whether sesaminol suppresses adipogenesis by modulating ROS signaling, MCE, and the Nrf2-ARE pathway. Methods: In the early period of adipogenic induction, 3T3-L1 preadipocytes received treatment with sesaminol. Adipogenic development was evaluated through Oil Red O staining together with the assay of GPDH activity. Assays of cell proliferation and expression of cell cycle-related proteins, along with ROS measurement, qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence, were performed to evaluate the effects on oxidative stress, transcriptional regulation, and AMPK-Nrf2 signaling. Results: Sesaminol significantly inhibited lipid accumulation and GPDH activity without cytotoxicity. It suppressed MCE by inhibiting DNA synthesis and reducing the expression of cyclin E1/E2 and CDK2. Sesaminol decreased C/EBPβ expression and its nuclear localization, resulting in lower levels of C/EBPα and PPARγ. It also reduced intracellular ROS, promoted nuclear translocation of Nrf2, and upregulated antioxidant genes HO-1 and GCLC. AMPK phosphorylation was concurrently enhanced. Conclusions: Sesaminol inhibits early adipogenesis by suppressing ROS-mediated MCE and activating the AMPK-Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway, leading to downregulation of key adipogenic transcription factors. The present study supports the potential of sesaminol as an effective strategy for obesity prevention.

Objectives: The aim of this cohort study was to assess the associations of first-trimester energy-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DII) and maternal educational level with anemia during the second and third trimesters, as well as their potential interactions. Methods: This study enrolled 562 eligible pregnant women. Multivariable modified Poisson regression with robust variance was used to assess the associations of first-trimester E-DII and maternal educational level with anemia during the second and third trimesters. Restricted cubic splines (RCS) explored nonlinear associations, while additive and multiplicative interaction models evaluated the interaction between first-trimester E-DII and maternal education. Results: The participants, with a mean age of 29.45 ± 4.28 years, had an anemia incidence of 14.59% during the second and third trimesters. In fully adjusted models, higher first-trimester E-DII (T3 vs. T1) significantly increased anemia risk (RR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.36–3.90). Lower education (below bachelor’s degree) independently elevated anemia risk (RR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.52–3.39). RCS revealed no significant nonlinear relationship between the E-DII and anemia (p > 0.05). Although no significant multiplicative interaction was observed, a positive additive interaction was identified between first-trimester E-DII and educational level on the risk of anemia after adjustment for covariates, including age, ethnicity, pre-pregnancy BMI, employment, and baseline serum iron, among others. The measures of additive interaction were statistically significant: RERI = 4.64 (95% CI: 1.51–11.34), AP = 0.68 (95% CI: 0.26–0.86), and S = 4.91 (95% CI: 1.16–20.69) (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: First-trimester pro-inflammatory diets and lower educational attainment independently predicted anemia during the second and third trimesters and demonstrated a significant positive additive interaction. Combined nutritional and educational interventions integrated into prenatal care targeting pregnant women with limited education could effectively reduce anemia in pregnancy and improve perinatal outcomes.