Search Results (83)

Background: Diverticulosis is defined as the presence of diverticula in the intestinal tract. While asymptomatic in most cases, severe complications can arise. The precise etiology of diverticulosis is still being investigated, but its correlation to dietary exposures has been proven. While certain diet recommendations have cemented themselves throughout the years, others seem to be always disputed. Nut consumption has been highly questioned among researchers and clinicians alike for decades. Objectives: This review aims to examine all available data regarding nut consumption and diverticulosis. Methods: We performed a systematic literature review from various databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library). We followed a multi-modal approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative techniques to assess and evaluate studies that investigated nut exposure and diverticulosis. Results: Nine observational studies encompassing over two million person-years were included. The qualitative synthesis and risk-of-bias assessments align with a neutral to modestly protective effect of moderate nut intake. Analysis of nut-specific cohorts revealed no significant increase in diverticulitis risk (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.71–1.12). A sensitivity analysis including a prudent dietary pattern yielded a significant risk reduction (HR 0.75, 0.58–0.97). Dose–response modelling indicated a linear 5% reduction in risk per additional weekly serving. Robustness checks (leave-one-out analysis, tripping point analysis, etc.) confirmed the stability of these findings, with no single study unduly influencing the pooled estimates. Conclusions: Although limitations are present, current evidence suggests that moderate nut consumption is safe and may be protective against diverticulosis, while showing no adverse effect on diverticulitis incidence. Full article

Food systems interact through multiple dimensions including food security, nutrition, and planetary health. This study aims to associate different dietary patterns with sustainable lifestyles in Latin America and Spain. This was an observational, analytical, multicenter, cross-sectional survey study, with a total of 6412 participants. A self-administered questionnaire was developed in an online format in the Google Docs interface. The questionnaire was divided into sections: (1) sociodemographic background: country of residence, age, sex, educational level, socioeconomic aspects, and place of residence; (2) body mass index classification; (3) dietary patterns (Western, vegetarian, vegan, ketogenic, Mediterranean, prudent, or paleolithic diets); and (4) the Sustainable Lifestyles Survey. Multivariate models were applied to adjust for potential confounding factors. The mean age of the participants was 35.2 years (SD 12.7). The majority of participants identified their dietary pattern as omnivorous (41.5%), followed by the Western diet (21.7%) and the Mediterranean diet (12.7%). Plant-based, vegan (β: 14.90; 95% CI: 9.75–20.05), and lacto egg (β: 12.08; 95% CI: 8.57–15.58) diets are significantly associated with a higher sustainability score compared to an omnivorous diet. In contrast, a Western diet is inversely associated (β: −5.63; 95% CI: −7.20 to −4.06). Finally, a vegan (Sub-score 1: β: 6.19; 95% CI: 4.43–7.96) diet is consistently associated with higher levels of sustainability in all areas assessed. In contrast, the Western diet shows a significant negative association with sustainability in all subcomponents assessed. Conclusions: Plant-based dietary patterns were shown to be associated with sustainable lifestyles, with the vegan diet having the greatest association, while the Western dietary pattern was inversely associated. Full article

Background: Diet is one of the most significant modifiable lifestyle factors influencing human health, contributing to both morbidity and mortality. Genetic variations in the pleiotropic 9p21 risk locus further shape premature aging, disease susceptibility, and have been strongly linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD), metabolic disorders, certain cancers, and neurodegenerative conditions. However, given that this region was discovered based on Genome-Wide Association Studies, the mechanisms by which 9p21 exerts its effects remain poorly understood and its interactions with diet and biomarkers are insufficiently explored. Methods: This study investigated the association between the rs2383206 SNP in 9p21, dietary patterns, and plasma proteomic biomarkers in a multi-ethnic cohort of 1280 young adults from the Toronto Nutrigenomics and Health Study. Participants’ dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and dietary patterns were categorized using principal component analysis. Plasma proteomics analyses quantified 54 abundant proteins involved in the cardiometabolic and inflammatory pathways. Genotyping identified individuals who were homozygous for the 9p21 risk allele (GG), known to confer the highest susceptibility risk to premature aging and multiple chronic diseases. Results: A significant interaction was observed between the 9p21 genotype and adherence to a micronutrient-rich Prudent dietary pattern for eight plasma proteins (α₁ Antichymotrypsin, Complement C4 β chain, Complement C4 γ chain, Complement C9, Fibrinogen α chain, Hemopexin, and Serum amyloid P-component). However, only Complement C4-γ showed a pattern consistent with the risks associated with the 9p21 genotype and adherence to a Prudent diet. Individuals with the high-risk GG genotype had significantly higher concentrations of Complement C4-γ, but only among those with a low adherence to a Prudent diet. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Prudent dietary patterns rich in micronutrients may counteract genetic-mediated proinflammatory susceptibility by modulating key proteomic biomarkers in young adults, highlighting the potential for tailored dietary interventions to mitigate disease risk. This study also introduces a novel framework for post hoc micronutrient resolution within dietary pattern analysis, offering a new lens to interpret nutrient synergies in gene–diet interaction research. Full article

Background/Objectives: Observing a patient’s dietary behaviour before bariatric surgery may help to predict their diet (and indirectly, the rate of weight loss) after the procedure. Consequently, the aim of this study was to identify dietary patterns (DPs) in bariatric surgery candidates, as well as to assess the relationship between DPs, degree of obesity, and body composition. Methods: The participants were comprised of 117 bariatric surgery candidates. Data concerning their diet, lifestyle, and socioeconomic status was collected using the KomPAN^® questionnaire. The following three DPs were identified using a principal component analysis: ‘Sandwiches & Sweets’, ‘Fast Food, Convenience Food & Alcohol’ and ‘Prudent’. Baseline nutritional status and body composition using electric bioimpedance were assessed. Results: Differences were found between the DPs, degree of obesity, and body composition. The Prudent DP primarily involved a high consumption of healthy products. Following the Prudent DP, differentiated the degree of obesity and the patient’s body composition the most. In turn, the Fast Food, Convenience Food & Alcohol DP was associated with a higher likelihood of Degree III obesity and a very high visceral fat level (VFL). The Sandwiches & Sweets DP included the most participants with a very high VFL. Conclusions: The bariatric surgery candidates were shown to follow different diets, and different DPs could be identified. Patients with a higher degree of obesity followed a more beneficial DP, which was likely due to their higher awareness of the risks of morbidity in obesity and of post-surgical complications. Socioeconomic factors may attenuate the association between diet and the degree of obesity and body composition in bariatric surgery candidates. Full article

To safeguard against microbial diseases and maintain optimal silk yields, the sericulture industry relies on antibiotics to promote the health, well-being, and vitality of silkworms (Bombyx mori). Antibiotics are commonly incorporated into synthetic diets for rearing silkworms or included as key components in bed disinfectant formulations. The silkworm-rearing industry’s reliance on antibiotics has led to concerns about the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Previous research has uncovered a dual role for antibiotics: not only do they prevent disease, but they also promote silkworm growth by reshaping the gut microbiome and enhancing nutrient absorption, highlighting the need for judicious use. Therefore, there is a critical need for prudent management and further exploration of alternative growth-promoting strategies to minimize resistance risks. This study investigates the relationship between antibiotic administration and silkworm growth, shedding light on the mechanisms underlying antibiotic-induced effects and assessing the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emergence and dissemination. Full article

A culturally adapted screening tool for mental health and dietary quality is needed to address the significant challenges in mental health and suboptimal diets among college students. The purpose of this study was to validate the Food-Mood Questionnaire (FMQ), originally developed in English, among Arab college students. Students attending the University of Sharjah were invited to complete the questionnaire (n = 224). Two weeks later, participants completed the same questionnaire again. An exploratory factor analysis revealed three main factors: mental distress, prudent and Western diets. Cronbach’s α was 0.86, 0.72, and 0.531 for the three factors, respectively. The Intra-Class-Correlation (ICC) for the test–retest reliability ranged from 0.67 to 0.87 (p < 0.001). The findings of this study showed that the Arabic version of the FMQ is a valid and reliable tool and could be used to screen for the mental distress and dietary intake of college students in the Arab world. Full article

Purpose: To characterize dietary patterns and examine associations with cross-sectional and longitudinal changes in quality of life (QOL) over approximately one year after colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis. Methods: The ColoCare Study is an international, multi-center, prospective cohort study of newly diagnosed CRC survivors of any stage. A subset of participants with CRC in the United States completed patient-reported outcome measures at 6- and 12-months post-enrollment, including the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). Dietary patterns at 6 months (around the time of treatment completion) were identified using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation. Adherence scores were calculated for participants within each dietary pattern, with higher scores indicating higher adherence. Mixed models were used to examine the effect of each dietary pattern on changes in QOL at 6- and 12-month follow-ups, controlling for cancer stage, biological sex, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, and age. Results: Participants (N = 174) were, on average, 56 ± 14 years old and were mostly female (51.5%), stage III or IV (51.7%), never smokers (60.2%), non-Hispanic (97.1%), and White (83.3%) with a BMI of 27.9 ± 6.1 kg/m². PCA revealed two emerging dietary patterns: “Western diet”, characterized by processed meats, refined grains, and sugars, and “Prudent diet” characterized by lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables. Higher adherence to a Western diet was associated with worse social functioning at 6-month follow-up (FE = −12.6, p = 0.010). Loss of appetite from 6 to 12 months was associated with higher adherence to both the Western and Prudent dietary patterns (FE = 1.5, p = 0.044; FE = 1.3, p = 0.046, respectively). Neither dietary pattern was associated with global QOL score at 6- or 12-month follow-up (p’s > 0.05). Conclusions: Among CRC survivors in the United States, the Western diet was concurrently associated with worse social functioning. Loss of appetite was reported by CRC survivors following both dietary patterns, suggesting that loss of appetite may be a global experience for CRC survivors during this timeframe. Further research is needed to understand specific social challenges experienced by CRC survivors and develop supportive care interventions to address appetite and nutritional concerns. Full article

Background/Objectives: Maternal nutritional status is a “key” contributor to Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM). However, the role of maternal dietary patterns (DPs) during pregnancy remains poorly understood. Thus, we conducted a systematic review to assess associations between “a posteriori-derived” DPs and GDM. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus for cohort, cross-sectional, and case–control studies published until June 2024. A total of twenty-eight studies involving 39,735 pregnant women were included, and their quality was evaluated by the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. The 91 identified DPs were classified into four categories: “Westernized”, “Nutritious”, “Plant-based”, and “Miscellaneous”. Results: Our findings do not reveal definitive associations between maternal DPs during pregnancy and GDM risk. Notably, “Westernized” DPs tended to be associated with an increased risk. However, a very small portion of patterns within this category exhibited protective associations. Conversely, “Nutritious” and “Plant-based” appear beneficial for GDM prevention in specific populations. The “Miscellaneous” category presented an almost equal distribution of DPs with both detrimental and protective associations, pinpointing the absence of a clear directional trend regarding GDM risk. Conclusions: The heterogeneity in findings can be attributed to geographic and sociocultural variations and methodological differences across studies. Thus, there is a need for more standardized research methodologies to provide more precise insights that will ultimately help develop effective and tailored dietary guidelines for GDM prevention. Full article

Background: Liver cirrhosis (LC) is one of the most significant causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic liver disease worldwide. Nutrition may be an important component of primary prevention of chronic liver disease. Diet–exercise patterns frame the eating behaviors and exercise habits of people through statistical methods related to nutritional epidemiology, which can explore the relationship between living habits and diseases among diverse populations. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between diet–exercise patterns and cirrhosis, and provide guidance on preventive diets for liver patients. Methods: This study identified diet–exercise patterns via clustering analysis of principal components and assessed their association with cirrhosis through the population samples of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2017 to March 2020. Results: We identified two diet–exercise patterns that were named the “prudent pattern” (consumption of various staple foods, eggs, meat, fruits and vegetables; less sedentary) and the “dangerous pattern” (higher consumption of desserts, nuts, milk, meat, alcoholic beverages; recreational activities). The t-test demonstrated a significant relationship between patterns and multiple foods. The simple logistic regression test showed a lower risk of cirrhosis in those in the “prudent pattern” (OR = 0.73, 95%CI = 0.59–0.93). Conclusions: Two diet–exercise patterns associated with cirrhosis were identified: “prudent pattern” and “dangerous pattern”. The results of this study may be useful for suggesting preventive diets for people at risk of cirrhosis. Full article

An ensemble of confounding factors, such as an unhealthy diet, obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking, have been linked to a lifestyle that increases one’s susceptibility to chronic diseases and early mortality. The circulatory metabolome may provide a rational means of pinpointing the advent of metabolite variations that reflect an adherence to a lifestyle and are associated with the occurrence of chronic diseases. Data related to four major modifiable lifestyle factors, including adherence to the Mediterranean diet (estimated on MedDietScore), body mass index (BMI), smoking, and physical activity level (PAL), were used to create the lifestyle risk score (LS). The LS was further categorized into four groups, where a higher score group indicates a less healthy lifestyle. Drawing on this, we analyzed 223 NMR serum spectra, 89 MASLD patients and 134 controls; these were coupled to chemometrics to identify “key” features and understand the biological processes involved in specific lifestyles. The unsupervised analysis verified that lifestyle was the factor influencing the samples’ differentiation, while the supervised analysis highlighted metabolic signatures. Τhe metabolic ratios of alanine/formic acid and leucine/formic acid, with AUROC > 0.8, may constitute discriminant indexes of lifestyle. On these grounds, this research contributed to understanding the impact of lifestyle on the circulatory metabolome and highlighted “prudent lifestyle” biomarkers. Full article

Poultry products in Zambia form an integral part of the human diet in many households, as they are cheap and easy to produce. The burden of poultry diseases has, however, remained a major challenge. Growing consumer demand for poultry products in Zambia has resulted in non-prudent antimicrobial use on farms, intending to prevent and treat poultry diseases for growth optimisation and maximising profits. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the different types of bacteria causing diseases in chickens in Lusaka and to detect the extended-spectrum lactamase (ESBL)-encoding genes. We collected 215 samples from 91 diseased chickens at three post-mortem facilities and screened them for Gram-negative bacteria. Of these samples, 103 tested positive for various clinically relevant Enterobacteriaceae, including Enterobacter (43/103, 41.7%), Escherichia coli (20/103, 19.4%), Salmonella (10/103, 9.7%), and Shigella (8/103, 7.8%). Other isolated bacteria included Yersinia, Morganella, Proteus, and Klebsiella, which accounted for 21.4%. E. coli, Enterobacter, Salmonella, and Shigella were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The results revealed that E. coli, Enterobacter, and Shigella were highly resistant to tetracycline, ampicillin, amoxicillin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, while Salmonella showed complete susceptibility to all tested antibiotics. The observed resistance patterns correlated with antimicrobial usage estimated from sales data from a large-scale wholesale and retail company. Six (6/14, 42.9%) E. coli isolates tested positive for bla_CTX-M, whilst eight (8/14, 57.1%) Enterobacter samples tested positive for bla_TEM. Interestingly, four (4/6, 66.7%) of the E. coli isolates carrying bla_CTX-M-positive strains were also positive for bla_TEM. Sanger sequencing of the PCR products revealed that five (5/6, 83.3%) of the abovementioned isolates possessed the bla_CTX-M-15 allele. The results suggest the presence of potentially pathogenic ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in poultry, threatening public health. Full article

Population aging is a global demographic characteristic of the 21st century, and healthy eating is a core component of healthy aging. However, limited evidence is available among older adults for associations between diet quality and circadian syndrome (CircS). Thus, this study examined associations between dietary patterns and CircS among a representative sample of middle-older adults in the US. The sample comprised middle-older adults enrolled in the 2016 core wave of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and one of its sub-studies, the 2013 Health Care and Nutrition Study (HCNS). A food frequency questionnaire was used to quantify habitual food intake and identify dietary patterns using a factor analysis. CircS was defined based on the existence of ≥4 components of metabolic syndrome and indicators of sleep disorders and depression. A total of 4253 middle-older adults with a mean age (SD) of 65.4 (10.0) years were included in the study. The prevalence of CircS was 35.9%. Comparing extreme quartiles of the “Prudent Pattern”, the odds ratio (95% CI) for CircS was 0.72 (0.55–0.94), and it was 1.47 (1.10–1.95) for the “Western Pattern”. The “Western Pattern” was positively associated while the “Prudent Pattern” was inversely associated with the odds of CircS among middle-older adults. Full article

Background: To reduce the risk of chronic disease and the environmental impact of the food system, the FAO/WHO recommend a shift towards more plant-based diets, with reduced intakes of red and processed meat. Sustainable diet messaging, including messaging on non-meat proteins in national food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs), is one tool for encouraging population dietary shift. Objectives: to understand how protein foods are represented in FBDGs in Europe, including non-meat protein sources, and the extent to which meat reduction messaging are incorporated. Methods: A review of national FBDGs in Europe, as listed in the FAO repository of global FBDGs, was undertaken between February and March 2023. The review identified which protein sources were displayed pictorially in food guides and mentioned in accompanying resources, plus any meat reduction messages. Where FBDGs were not available in English, Google Translate was used. Results: A total of 35 national FBDGs were published in FAO’s European region between 2002 (Croatia) and 2022 (Spain, Turkey); 30 FBDGs incorporated pictorial food guides and 34 provided text guidance. In pictorial representations of the protein food groups, three had no food images, eight showed animal-based proteins only (including dairy products and eggs), and 19 showed both animal and non-meat proteins, of which one (Israel) separated meat and eggs from plant sources of proteins, grouping them with dairy products, in keeping with Kashrut law. 12 FBDGs provided information on non-animal protein sources in text guidance: all mentioned legumes, five mentioned alternative protein sources, specifically tofu (five), soy products and mycoprotein (three) and vegetarian foods/alternatives (four). In total, 23 FBDGS mentioned general meat reduction, 12 advised to eat less total meat or limit consumption, and 12 advised to ‘limit red meat’ and 18 to limit ‘processed meat’. Discussion: This analysis shows that many European countries lack practical population-level recommendations on healthy, sustainable diets. Greater use of pictorial and textual references to non-meat protein sources in FBDGs would increase awareness of plant- and fungi-derived sources, as more sustainable protein sources. It would be prudent to incorporate more varied protein sources, including both plant- and fungi-derived protein sources, in updates to national FBDGs. Full article

The role of overall diet on longevity among cancer survivors (CS) needs further elucidation. We performed a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis of related cohort studies published up to October 2022 investigating post-diagnosis a priori (diet quality indices) and a posteriori (data-driven) dietary patterns (DPs) in relation to all-cause and cancer-specific mortality. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using random-effects meta-analyses comparing highest versus lowest categories of adherence to DPs. We assessed heterogeneity and risk of bias in the selected studies. A total of 19 cohort studies with 38,846 adult CS, some assessing various DPs, were included in the meta-analyses. Higher adherence to a priori DPs was associated with lower all-cause mortality by 22% (HR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.73–0.83, I² = 22.6%) among all CS, by 22% (HR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.73–0.84, I² = 0%) among breast CS and by 27% (HR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.62–0.86, I² = 41.4%) among colorectal CS. Higher adherence to a “prudent/healthy” DP was associated with lower all-cause mortality (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.64–0.97 I² = 49.3%), whereas higher adherence to a “western/unhealthy” DP was associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.26–1.74, I² = 0%) among all CS. Results for cancer-specific mortality were less clear. In conclusion, higher adherence to a “healthy” DP, either a priori or a posteriori, was inversely associated with all-cause mortality among CS. A “healthy” overall diet after cancer diagnosis could protect and promote longevity and well-being. Full article

The number of cancer survivors is growing rapidly; however, specific lifestyle recommendations for these patients are still sparse, including dietary approaches. Thus, the aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the associations between adherence to diet-quality indices and dietary patterns on overall mortality, cancer-specific mortality, and cancer recurrence among cancer survivors. The literature search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science between 18 May 2016 and 22 May 2022 with no language restrictions. Thirty-nine studies were included for quantitative analysis, providing data from 77,412 participants. Adherence to both diet-quality indices and a healthy/prudent dietary pattern was inversely associated with overall mortality (RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.77–0.86; RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.70–0.92, respectively) and with cancer-specific mortality (RR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.79–0.94; RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64–0.97, respectively). These associations could be observed following assessment of dietary patterns either pre- and/or postdiagnosis. For unhealthy/western dietary patterns, high adherence was associated with overall mortality (RR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.08–1.47). Although the certainty of evidence was rated as low, we conclude that there are no reservations against high adherence to healthy dietary patterns or indices in cancer survivors. Full article