Search Results (1,601)

Background/Objectives: This study describes the process of harmonising data from food consumption screeners (FCSs) and food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) in pregnant women, highlighting challenges and strategies. Methods: It is a methodological, descriptive study on the harmonisation of individual food intake data. The data were divided into two datasets: FCS and FFQ. FCS responses were categorised as “never/almost never”, “1–4 days per week”, and “≥5 days per week”. FFQ data were harmonised by deriving variables in grams per day. Outliers were identified using z-scores for total harmonised caloric intake exceeding ±2 standard deviations. The distribution and heterogeneity of the derived variables were assessed using multilevel models. Results: Data were drawn from 12 studies conducted in Brazil, part of the Brazilian Maternal and Child Nutrition Consortium (BMCNC). The sample included pregnant women aged 18 years or older, at any stage of pregnancy. The final harmonised datasets comprised eight studies (n = 5484) with FCS data and four studies (n = 1759) with FFQ data. Most food categories in the FCS dataset had comparable frequencies across studies, with differences observed for natural juices, soft drinks, and sweetened beverages. In the FFQ data, the largest variations in daily consumption were found for leafy vegetables, sweetened beverages, and soft drinks. Heterogeneity ranged from less than 0.01% for beans (FCS) to 15.5% for fruits and natural juices (FFQ). Conclusions: By enabling standardised analyses across diverse Brazilian populations, the harmonised BMCNC datasets provide a valuable resource for investigating nutritional inequities and supporting future research to improve maternal and child nutrition. Full article

Background/Objectives: Foods and beverages consumed during school lunch periods contribute substantially to children’s dietary intake; however, Canadian evidence of their nutritional contribution and quality remains limited. This study assessed nutrient content, nutrient density, and contributions to dietary recommendations among Saskatchewan elementary students. Methods: A descriptive quantitative study was conducted among 379 students aged 5–13. Dietary intake during school lunch periods was assessed using a photography-assisted plate waste method. Nutrient content was estimated using standard nutrient databases, nutrient density was evaluated using the Nutrient-Rich Food (NRF) 9.3 Index, and contributions to dietary recommendations were examined. Results: Median lunch energy was 411.4 kcal (IQR: 296.7), and the mean NRF 9.3 score was 292.6 (SD: 130.7). Compared with home-packed and mixed lunches, school-provided lunches contained less energy, carbohydrate, fat, and sugar, while protein was similar across lunch types. Overall, lunches contributed <25% of daily requirements for key nutrients, including fibre, vitamin D, calcium, and potassium. Older students had lower proportional nutrient contributions relative to their higher nutritional requirements. Nutrient density differed by lunch provenance, but not by age or reported gender, with school-provided lunches achieving the highest NRF 9.3 scores. Conclusions: Lunches contributed modestly to daily nutrient requirements, particularly among older students. In this sample, school-provided lunches were associated with higher nutrient density than home-packed lunches, although their absolute contributions to several nutrients remained limited. These findings provide baseline evidence on lunches consumed during school lunch periods among Saskatchewan elementary students and may inform future evaluations of school food systems and policies. Full article

Background: Childhood oral hygiene behaviors are crucial to preventing oral diseases and can influence the development and progression of malocclusions. The World Health Organization (WHO) Oral Health Questionnaire is a standardized tool for assessing oral hygiene behaviors, oral health-related behaviors, and preventive dental awareness in children. Aim: This study aimed to assess oral hygiene behaviours and examine associations between WHO Oral Health Questionnaire variables and Angle malocclusion classes among children aged 6–9 years. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 90 children aged 6–9 years from the Pristina region, Kosovo. Data were collected using the WHO Oral Health Questionnaire for Children, which assessed oral hygiene habits, toothbrushing frequency, fluoride awareness, dental attendance, dietary behaviors, oral symptoms, and oral-health-related quality of life. Malocclusion was classified according to Angle classification into Class I, II, and III malocclusions with 3D intraoral scanners, Aerolscan 3. Descriptive statistical analysis, Chi-square (χ²) test, Spearman correlation analysis, and reliability analysis using Cronbach’s Alpha were performed using SPSS Statistics 23.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) and Statistica 7.1 (StatSoft Inc., Tusla, OK, USA). Results: Most participants reported regular oral hygiene practices, with 46.7% brushing their teeth two or more times daily. However, limited awareness regarding fluoride-containing toothpaste was observed, as most children answered “don’t know” regarding fluoride use. Occasional toothache or oral discomfort was reported by 33.3% of participants, while 23.3% reported dissatisfaction with dental appearance. Difficulty biting hard foods was present in 34.4% of children. Reliability analysis of the Q10 section demonstrated moderate internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.500). Chi-square analysis demonstrated no statistically significant association between Angle malocclusion classes and WHO questionnaire variables (p > 0.05). The highest χ² value was observed for tooth-cleaning frequency (Q7) (χ² = 11.97; p = 0.152), although the association remained statistically non-significant. Psychosocial impact questions and oral health-related quality of life questions also demonstrated no statistically significant association with malocclusion classes. Conclusions: oral hygiene practices, preventative oral health practices, and oral health-related experiences were comparatively similar among children in different Angle malocclusion classes. Although there were no statistically significant correlations found between malocclusion classes and WHO questionnaire variables, the results show that some children have psychosocial concerns about their dental appearance and insufficient awareness of preventive oral health. The WHO Oral Health Questionnaire is a useful epidemiological tool for evaluating pediatric oral health behaviors and may help build youth orthodontic and preventive oral health policies. Full article

Sustainable food consumption is a key domain of sustainability education, yet lower secondary students’ dietary choices are shaped by evaluations, perceived feasibility, social expectations, family routines, and human–nature relationships. This study examined sustainable dietary intentions among 197 Austrian students aged 12 to 15 using an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour framework, including attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, nature relatedness, and environmental concern. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and path analysis were used. Students reported moderately high sustainable dietary intentions, favourable attitudes, and relatively high perceived behavioural control, whereas subjective norm was weaker and centred mainly on family expectations. Nature-relatedness showed coherent positive associations with intention, attitude, and perceived behavioural control. Environmental concern was positively associated with the TPB components but showed a more selective pattern. The extended path model explained 41.3% of the variance in intention to eat sustainably. Perceived behavioural control and attitude were the strongest correlates of intention. Nature relatedness was associated with the TPB components and retained a small direct association with intention, whereas environmental concern was not directly associated with intention. The findings suggest that perceived feasibility and nature relatedness are relevant correlates of sustainable dietary intentions in lower secondary education. Full article

Female empowerment in post-conflict rural contexts is strategic for food security and socioeconomic resilience. This study analyzed the relationship between women’s productive empowerment and food security in 40 rural women involved in pig production in Santa Rosa del Sur, Bolívar, Colombia. A mixed approach with a descriptive–exploratory design and longitudinal scope was used. Data collection employed adapted versions of the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAgI) and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), alongside participant observation and reflective thematic analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation. The baseline revealed low empowerment regarding income, resources, technical capacities, and time. The global A-WEAgI reached 21%, while HFIAS showed moderate food insecurity in 52% of households. Spearman analysis (CS) indicated moderate negative correlations between food insecurity and income (CS = −0.56), access to resources (CS = −0.51), and technical capacities (CS = −0.49), suggesting that greater women´s empowerment was associates with lower food insecurity. Post-intervention, improvements occurred in technical skills, leadership, and organizational participation. Qualitative findings showed increased confidence in Agroindustry activities, though limitations in economic autonomy, commercialization, and domestic workloads persisted. Gender-focused rural strategies enhance productive capacities and food resilience; however, structural barriers related to economic autonomy and gender inequality persist. Full article

Honeybee brood is a nutrient-rich food source containing natural umami-active compounds, such as glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and 5′-nucleotides, which are responsible for its characteristic umami taste. This study aimed to optimize drying conditions to enhance the umami composition and sensory properties of honeybee brood umami powder (HBb-UP). A factorial design was employed to evaluate the effects of drying temperature and time on umami-related amino acids, 5′-nucleotides, and equivalent umami concentration (EUC). Drying temperature and time significantly influenced the formation of umami compounds, with the optimized drying condition (65 °C for 3 h) promoting higher umami composition and improved sensory attributes of HBb-UP. Volatile flavor analysis using GC–MS and an electronic nose revealed a diverse range of aroma compounds contributing to the overall flavor profile. Descriptive sensory evaluation and electronic tongue analysis indicated that umami and saltiness were the dominant taste attributes, accompanied by mild seasoning and fishy notes associated with interactions between amino acids and nucleotides. Principal component analysis demonstrated positive correlations among umami-related amino acids, nucleotides, EUC, and sensory attributes, confirming their combined contribution to taste perception. These findings highlight the potential of optimized HBb-UP as a natural flavor enhancer and functional ingredient for use in sustainable food systems. Full article

Background: Early childhood nutrition is strongly associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes, particularly in socially vulnerable settings. Limited evidence is available describing the relationship between nutritional status, food security, and neurodevelopment among preschool children in low-income urban areas of Colombia. This study aimed to evaluate nutritional status, household food insecurity, and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children attending early childhood centers in El Codito, Bogotá, and to explore the association between anthropometric indicators and neurodevelopmental performance. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in children enrolled in community childcare centers. Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric indicators according to World Health Organization growth standards, including weight for age, height for age, and body mass index for age. Neurodevelopment was evaluated using the Escala Abreviada de Desarrollo (EAD). Household food insecurity was measured through a validated questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were performed, and associations between variables were analyzed using correlation tests and group comparisons according to data distribution. Results: Most participants presented adequate nutritional status; however, a proportion of children showed risk of stunting or excess weight. Neurodevelopmental scores were generally within expected ranges, although variability was observed across developmental domains. Significant associations were identified between certain anthropometric indicators and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Moderate to severe household food insecurity was identified in 21.4% of participating households. Conclusions: Nutritional status and household food insecurity represent important contextual factors for child health in vulnerable urban populations. These findings highlight the importance of integrated nutritional and developmental monitoring strategies within early childhood programs. Further longitudinal studies are required to clarify causal pathways and to guide targeted public health interventions in similar contexts. Full article

Introduction: Elasmobranchs are an important component of deep-water and slope ecosystems, playing a key role in benthic and demersal food webs. Many species inhabiting offshore banks of the northeastern Atlantic are characterized by low productivity and high sensitivity to fishing pressure, which makes fishery-independent assessments particularly relevant. The Porcupine Bank supports a diverse assemblage of deep-water sharks and skates, yet quantitative information derived from standardized trawl surveys remains essential to characterize community structure and support ecosystem-based management. This study aims to provide an updated overview of the composition, relative abundance, biomass, and occurrence of elasmobranch species on the Porcupine Bank. Methodology: Data were collected during the Porcupine bottom trawl survey carried out in September–October 2023. The survey used a stratified random sampling design by depth and comprised a total of 88 valid demersal trawl hauls. Results: A total of 23 elasmobranch species belonging to four orders (Carcharhiniformes, Squaliformes, Rajiformes, and Hexanchiformes) were recorded. The assemblage was dominated by deep-water sharks, particularly squaliforms and carcharhiniforms. Galeus melastomus was the most dominant species, showing the highest stratified mean biomass and abundance and occurring in the majority of hauls. Other abundant and recurrent species included Etmopterus spinax, Scyliorhinus canicula, and Deania calceus. Skates of the genera Dipturus and Leucoraja were less abundant but showed consistent occurrences across depth strata. Several deep-water species, such as Apristurus spp. and Rajella fyllae, were recorded only sporadically, with very low abundances and limited occurrence. Conclusions: The results highlight the predominance of small- to medium-sized deep-water sharks on the Porcupine Bank and the comparatively lower contribution of rajid skates. This study provides a robust description of elasmobranch assemblage structure based on standardized sampling and constitutes a valuable baseline for future monitoring and comparative assessments in offshore Atlantic ecosystems. Full article

International agri-food trade and climate change interact in ways that have significant implications for supply chain resilience and food sovereignty, yet these interactions remain insufficiently understood at the level of specific traded commodities. This paper analyses European fresh orange imports over 2012–2022 using a unit value decomposition applied to FAOSTAT and Eurostat bilateral trade data, alongside a seasonal supply analysis of monthly import flows from the main exporting regions. The analysis documents a pronounced geographic reorientation of global orange production toward developing and emerging economies in North Africa, Southern Africa, and South America, many of which face documented climate-related stressors. The unit value decomposition identifies how exporter-level unit values and import share reallocations contribute to changes in regional import unit value indices. The seasonal supply analysis shows that the European orange supply depends on a tight sequence of regional exporters operating in largely non-overlapping seasonal windows, leaving limited redundancy if disruptions occur in any single supplying region. These findings provide a descriptive, origin-disaggregated account of Europe’s trade-side exposure in fresh orange supply chains. They underscore the need for product-specific monitoring tools and policy approaches that consider seasonal import dependence, supplier concentration, and the climate vulnerability of major origin regions, while recognising that the present analysis does not estimate causal climate effects. Full article

Artificial Intelligence (AI) shows significant potential across healthcare domains, including advanced diagnostics, clinical decision support, and personalized medicine. Despite these advancements, the opaque ‘black box’ nature of complex AI models necessitates the application of Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) to ensure trust, accountability, interpretability, and regulatory compliance. This study systematically reviews 76 studies published between 2020 and 2025 that have used XAI in healthcare. Our findings show that XAI models such as SHAP and LIME are predominantly used for structured data applications, such as electronic health records, while other XAI models, such as Grad-CAM and Layer-wise Relevance Propagation (LRP), are mainly used in medical imaging. This study specifically investigates evaluation metrics for operationalizing explainability, including faithfulness, trustworthiness, and regulatory compliance, which distinguishes it from prior descriptive reviews. Our analysis shows that while XAI significantly enhances clinician trust, thorough explanation remains heterogeneous and largely confined to controlled settings and the employed benchmark datasets. Critical barriers to clinical adoption include inconsistent interpretability across data modalities and the lack of standardized evaluation frameworks. Existing XAI techniques often do not correspond with strict regulatory standards such as the EU AI Act, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This review argues for the urgent standardization of XAI validation and the development of human-centered designs to move beyond algorithmic transparency toward reliable real-world hospital integration. Full article

Background: Approximately 42% of breast cancer patients report cannabis use for chemotherapy-related symptom relief, yet its impact on the gut–immune axis remains unexplored. This trial evaluated the feasibility of monitoring short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and systemic cytokines as exploratory biomarkers during cannabis oil intervention. Method: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial, women with breast cancer (n = 10) receiving chemotherapy were randomized to cannabis oil (n = 6) or placebo (n = 4) for 12 weeks. Fecal SCFAs and plasma cytokines were analyzed in paired samples. Results: Dietary stability was systematically assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, with stability defined as <30% shift in functional protein and fiber indices. High dietary stability was confirmed, with all participants maintaining consistent intake of fermentation substrates. Numerical trends, none reaching statistical significance (all p > 0.05), were observed in both exploratory endpoints. Fecal short-chain fatty acid profiling revealed a descriptive numerical reduction in the proteolytic dysbiosis marker iso-butyric acid within the cannabis arm compared with a marginal increase in placebo. Directionally, the cannabis group demonstrated greater median reductions in inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, and TNF-⍺ whereas the placebo group exhibited persistent or heterogeneous profiles. Conclusions: These directional trends toward reduced proteolytic metabolites and attenuated systemic cytokines suggest possible associations between cannabis oil exposure and exploratory gut microbial and immune biomarkers. Given the small pilot sample size, these hypothesis-generating findings lack formal statistical power but warrant adequately powered confirmatory trials. Full article

Background/Objectives: Household food insecurity is a modifiable social determinant of health with important implications for diet quality and health outcomes. Dietitians are well positioned to identify and respond to food insecurity; however, little is known about how this is addressed in routine dietetic practice across Europe. This exploratory study examined food insecurity screening and response practices among dietitians practicing in Europe and examined associated correlates using the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation Model of Behaviour (COM-B). Methods: An online cross-sectional survey informed by the COM-B framework was distributed through the European Federation of Associations of Dietitians’ institutional communication channels between February and June 2024. Participants were recruited using a voluntary, convenience-based sampling strategy through professional networks and social media dissemination. A total of 148 dietitians practicing in European countries responded. The questionnaire assessed routine food insecurity screening practices, COM-B correlates, perceived barriers, actions taken following identification, and learning needs. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and open-ended responses were used illustratively to contextualise reported practices. Results: Food insecurity screening was not systematically embedded in routine dietetic practice, with 11.6% of respondents reporting routine screening and 30.2% not asking about food insecurity. Identification of food insecurity did not consistently translate into follow-up action, and responses were predominantly referral-based rather than involving direct material support. While capability and motivation to address food insecurity were generally high, opportunity-related factors—such as time constraints, limited organisational support, and unclear referral pathways—emerged as the main barriers shaping professional behaviour. Substantial heterogeneity was observed across practice settings. Conclusions: In this sample of dietitians practicing in Europe, food insecurity screening and response were variable and often constrained by organisational and contextual factors. These findings highlight the need for system-level support and practice-oriented training to facilitate the integration of food insecurity into routine dietetic care. Full article

Introduction: Portugal is, historically, one of the countries with the highest fish consumption worldwide, reflecting strong cultural and dietary traditions. However, shifts in food systems, economic conditions, and globalization may have altered its availability and nutritional contribution to population’s dietary intake over the time. Understanding these long-term dynamics is essential to inform public health and food policy strategies. This work aims to analyze temporal trends and identify structural changes in fish availability in Portugal between 1961 and 2023. Methodology: Data were obtained from FAOSTAT Food Balance Sheets for the period 1961–2023. Fish availability was expressed in grams per capita per day, alongside energy and macronutrient contributions. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Temporal trends were assessed using segmented linear regression models, considering structural breakpoints in 1975, 1986, 2001, and 2014. Model significance was evaluated using ANOVA. Results: Mean fish availability was 147.36 g/capita/day (SD = 26.58), ranging from 67.53 to 195.84 g/capita/day. Fish contributed on average 77.28 kcal/day, 13.25 g/day of protein, and 2.48 g/day of fat. The segmented regression model was statistically significant (p = 0.029), explaining 16.7% of the variability. Significant changes in trends were observed after 1975 (β = −2.185; p = 0.043), indicating a decrease, followed by a significant increase after 1986 (β = 5.164; p = 0.007), and a subsequent decline after 2001 (β = −4.163; p = 0.033). No significant changes were identified after 2014 (p = 0.684). Conclusions: Fish availability in Portugal shows marked structural changes over time, associated with probability, socio-economic and political transitions. Despite fluctuations, fish remains a nutritionally relevant component of the Portuguese diet. These findings highlight the importance of considering long-term trends in food availability when designing nutrition and sustainability policies. Full article

Background/Objectives: The recent approval of the first intranasal calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist (CGRP-RA), zavegepant, has increased the relevance of this drug class in treating acute migraine. However, introducing an alternative delivery method may result in a different real-world safety profile. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess adverse events (AEs) related to zavegepant through a retrospective pharmacovigilance disproportionality analysis. Methods: We analyzed Individual Case Safety Reports (ICSRs) presenting zavegepant as the suspected drug, submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Monitoring System (AEMS) database between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2025. ICSRs were assessed by using descriptive and disproportionality analyses. Reporting odds ratios (RORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used as disproportionality measures. Results were deemed significant if the ROR 95% CI lower bound was >1 and ≥3 ICSRs were available for each drug–event pair. Results: A total of 509 zavegepant-related ICSRs were identified. Most ICSRs involved female patients (n = 353; 69.4%), with a median (quartile 1, Q1–quartile 3, Q3) age of 45 (34–56) years. The Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA^®) Preferred Terms with the highest RORs were nasal discomfort (n = 62; ROR = 298.85; 95%CI [228.91, 390.17]), rhinalgia (10; 126.09; [67.34, 236.09]), dysgeusia (147; 94.72; [78.19, 114.75]), pharyngeal ulceration (3; 79.20; [25.42, 246.75]), and upper-airway cough syndrome (16; 62.87; [38.19, 103.49]). Conclusions: These results suggest a safety profile for zavegepant consistent with previous knowledge regarding CGRP-RAs. However, nasal and/or oropharyngeal AEs, plausibly related to intranasal exposure, may affect perceived tolerability and timely use, warranting further investigation. Full article

The assessment of humanity’s ecological footprint has become increasingly critical in contemporary discourse due to growing environmental challenges. This study examines the economic evaluation of the ecological footprint with a particular focus on forest ecosystem services and food productivity. Using harmonized secondary data from FAOSTAT, EUROSTAT, the World Bank, and IPBES, the analysis covers selected developed and emerging economies, including the European Union, the United States, China, Brazil, and other representative countries. This study investigates the macroeconomic implications of natural capital degradation by applying a panel data econometric model to European Union countries over the period 2010–2023. Moving beyond descriptive approaches, the research formulates and tests three hypotheses linking biodiversity, environmental pressure, and green transition variables to economic performance. Using harmonized data from Eurostat and Statista, the study employs a fixed-effects regression framework to estimate the impact of biodiversity indicators, greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy share, and environmental protection expenditures on GDP per capita. The results demonstrate that biodiversity preservation and resource efficiency are positively associated with economic performance, while environmental degradation—proxied by greenhouse gas emissions—exerts a statistically significant negative effect. Additionally, the findings confirm that investments in renewable energy and environmental protection contribute to long-term economic stability. By providing a transparent data structure, explicit variable operationalization, and reproducible econometric specification, the study offers an original empirical contribution to ecological economics and addresses the limitations of prior literature that relied primarily on descriptive synthesis. Full article