Search Results (1,154)

Food insecurity is not merely an outcome of individual deprivation but a place-based expression of how urban food systems operate within unequal socio-spatial contexts. Using the Drivers–Pressures–State–Impacts–Responses (DPSIR) framework as a policy-relevant analytical lens, this study examines the Metropolitan Region of Rome to show how structural inequalities and uneven food infrastructures shape exposure to food-related risks. The results show that vulnerability is amplified by food price inflation, the rising cost of a healthy diet, and spatial gaps in retail provision—captured through the combined presence of food deserts and food blackouts—disproportionately affecting peripheral municipalities. State indicators, including the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), the Food Affordability Index (FAI), and the spatial distribution of FEAD beneficiaries, reveal a markedly uneven geography of food poverty, mirroring a higher prevalence of overweight, obesity, and diabetes. These spatial configurations point to obesogenic environments in which constrained affordability and limited accessibility restrict the capacity to maintain healthy diets, generating hidden social and health costs that disproportionately burden peripheral areas. Overall, food insecurity in Rome follows a pronounced centre–periphery gradient rooted in structural and institutional arrangements rather than incidental variation. Addressing this condition requires place-based, justice-oriented interventions that strengthen food infrastructures, improve coordination across governance scales, and place food security at the core of an integrated metropolitan Food Policy. Full article

Background: Children with cow’s milk allergy (CMA) present alterations in their gut microbiome, but any potential sex-dependency of these has not been addressed. Further, whether eliminating milk from children’s diet has similar effects on the gut microbiomes of boys and girls is also not known. Here, our main objective is to analyze how CMA and development of oral tolerance (DOT) to milk proteins affect the gut microbiota in female and male children. We also perform exploratory analyses to investigate whether milk elimination and/or a family history of allergies underlie sex-associated differences. Methods: We obtained 16S rRNA gene sequences of the intestinal microbiota of 32 children aged 5–12 years with CMA, of which 14 had active CMA and 18 had developed oral tolerance, along with 36 age-matched healthy controls (51.5% male). PERMANOVA and differential abundance analyses were employed to evaluate overall compositional differences and to identify bacteria varying between the groups. Results: The effects of CMA on the gut microbiome are more pronounced in girls, including female-specific decreases in bacteria potentially related to protection from allergy, such as Monoglobus and Anaerostipes. The girls’ microbiomes were also found to be more influenced by a family history of allergy, remaining farther from the healthy state upon DOT. In contrast, milk elimination affects more taxa in boys in the control group than in girls in the control group, although it alters global microbiome composition in both. In all, milk elimination and family history fail to explain most microbiome alterations observed in CMA, indicating that the latter are specifically linked to disease development. Conclusions: Gut microbiome alterations associated with CMA are sex-dependent, suggesting that sex-specific strategies, dietary and otherwise, may be more effective at modulating them toward healthier states. Full article

Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo (D. officinale) is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb with recognized anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. This study evaluated whether dietary supplementation with D. officinale leaf powder could influence bone mass, mechanical strength, and molecular markers of bone metabolism in caged laying hens. A total of 192 healthy 19-week-old Jinghong No. 1 hens were randomly assigned to three dietary groups: a control group fed a basal diet and two treatment groups supplemented with 1200 or 3600 mg/kg of D. officinale leaf powder for 16 weeks. Tibial and femoral bone strength and mineral density did not differ significantly among treatments (p > 0.05). However, tibial breaking strength displayed upward trends in both supplemented groups (p = 0.08), and similar tendencies were observed for femoral bone mineral content and bone density (p = 0.08). At the molecular level, dietary supplementation produced selective changes in gene expression. The low-dose diet significantly increased VEGFA expression (p < 0.05), whereas the high-dose diet resulted in significantly higher TGF-β1 expression (p < 0.05). Several other genes related to bone formation, bone resorption, or cytokine signaling exhibited numerical increases but did not reach statistical significance. These findings indicate that D. officinale leaf powder may modulate bone metabolic processes at the transcriptional level, although these molecular alterations were not accompanied by significant improvements in bone mass. Full article

Background/Objectives: The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in adolescents represents a major global health concern. Adolescent weight gain frequently shows additional metabolic risk factors, including insulin resistance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, whose co-occurrence defines the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Adherence to a healthy dietary pattern, such as the Mediterranean Diet (MD), has been shown to reduce the metabolic risk among adolescents. Skin carotenoid score has emerged as an objective and non-invasive indicator of MD adherence; however, its relationship with a cluster of metabolic parameters which characterize the MetS, including the triglyceride levels, diastolic blood pressure, and waist circumference, remains poorly explored. Here, we investigated the role of skin carotenoid score as an early biomarker of metabolic syndrome risk in adolescents. Methods: A sample of 634 healthy adolescents underwent anthropometric and clinical measurements, blood sample collection, and evaluation of the MD adherence by the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents (KIDMED) questionnaire and the skin carotenoid levels by the Veggie Meter^®. Student’s t-test, chi-square test, Pearson correlation, and the multivariable linear regression model were used for analyses. Results: Participants had a mean BMI Z-score of 0.02 ± 1.01; the metabolic serum profile and the cardiovascular parameters were within the normal range. Mean KIDMED and skin carotenoid scores were 5.21 ± 2.56 and 357 ± 96.58, respectively. Skin carotenoids were positively associated with height (p = 0.02), while they were inversely associated with weight (p = 0.008), BMI Z-score (p < 0.0001), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.013), and triglycerides (p = 0.003). Moreover, the carotenoid score was positively associated with male gender and KIDMED score and negatively associated with waist circumference and triglyceride levels in multivariable regression analyses. Conclusions: Our results suggested the potential application of skin carotenoid score as a complementary biomarker for the early identification of adolescents at increased metabolic risk. Full article

Research has demonstrated that incorporating nitrate into animal feed can effectively decrease methane production in ruminants, though its impact on carcass characteristics and meat attributes in Hu sheep requires further investigation. This experiment examined how a dietary inclusion of 3% calcium nitrate (CN) influenced slaughter parameters, meat properties, gut microbial populations, and host gene regulation in Hu sheep. The study involved sixty healthy male Hu sheep aged 120 days with comparable body weights (31.11 ± 3.39 kg), randomly allocated into two groups: a control group receiving standard feed (CON) and a CN-supplemented group. The trial lasted 60 days, including a 15-day adaptation period and a 45-day formal trial period. They were housed individually and fed twice daily (at 8:00 and 18:00). The findings revealed that CN supplementation notably reduced the water loss rate in the longissimus dorsi muscle (LD), elevated meat color brightness, and enhanced the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly n-6 PUFA, along with the n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio. Conversely, it reduced the levels of saturated fatty acids such as myristic acid (C14:0) and oleic acid (C18:1n9t). Additionally, the treatment boosted ruminal Ammoniacal nitrogen content and total short-chain fatty acid production, thereby contributing to energy metabolism in the animals. Microbiological examination demonstrated that CN supplementation led to a decrease in Fibrobacterota and Methanobrevibacter populations within the ruminal environment, while promoting the growth of Proteobacteria in the duodenal region. The gene expression profiling of digestive tract tissues showed an increased activity in nitrogen processing genes (including CA4) and oxidative phosphorylation pathways (such as ATP6), indicating an improved metabolic efficiency and acid–base homeostasis in the host animals. These findings demonstrate that CN-enriched diets enhance the carcass characteristics of Hu sheep by modifying intramuscular lipid profiles through gastrointestinal microbial community restructuring and metabolic pathway adjustments. Such modifications affect energy utilization and acid–base equilibrium, ultimately impacting muscle characteristics and adipose tissue distribution, presenting viable approaches for eco-friendly livestock farming practices. Full article

Meat rabbits are ideal meat-producing animals. However, weaning-induced intestinal inflammation often leads to growth delays, and severe cases impair breeding efficiency. Alfalfa polysaccharides (APSs) have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making them potential natural alternatives to antibiotics. To date, relatively limited research has been conducted on APS in meat rabbits. This research investigated the effects of APS on growth performance, intestinal inflammation, and meat quality in rabbits. Eighty healthy rabbits were randomized into four treatment groups, each group consisting of five replicates, with four rabbits per replicate. The four experimental groups were the control group (CON, basal diet), 400 mg/kg APS group (basal diet + 400 mg/kg APS), 800 mg/kg APS group (basal diet + 800 mg/kg APS), and 1200 mg/kg APS group (basal diet + 1200 mg/kg APS). The results indicated that adding 800 mg/kg APS to the diet significantly increased ADG (p < 0.001) and reduced F/G (p = 0.008). With increasing APS supplementation levels, slaughter weight (p = 0.035), eviscerated weight (p = 0.020), semi-eviscerated weight (p = 0.015), and semi-eviscerated yield percentage (p = 0.035) were all significantly increased. Additionally, dripping loss in muscle was significantly reduced in the 800 mg/kg APS group (p = 0.006). In addition, the villus height of the small intestine and the expression of tight junctions were significantly increased by 800 mg/kg APS supplementation, which reduced intestinal permeability and lowered levels of intestinal inflammatory mediators by inhibiting the PPARγ/NF-κB pathway. Additionally, a diet with APS significantly increased the abundance of Flavonifractor, a butyrate-producing bacterium in the cecum. Cell assays further demonstrated that butyrate could inhibit the release of inflammatory cytokines from RAW264.7 via the PPARγ/NF-κB pathway. In conclusion, APS improved growth performance by reshaping the gut microbiota and increasing the level of butyrate in the cecum, further inhibiting intestinal inflammation through the PPARγ/NF-κB signaling pathway. Full article

Zanthoxylum bungeanum leaves (ZBL) are a phytogenic feed resource, but their energy value and functional effects in laying hens are not well defined. Two experiments were conducted. In Exp. 1, 96 healthy 38-week-old Roman Pink laying hens were allotted to either a control diet or a diet containing 5% ZBL (eight replicates, six hens per replicate) to determine apparent metabolizable energy (AME) using an indicator method (7 d adaptation, 3 d collection). The AME and nitrogen-corrected AME of ZBL were 5.46 and 5.33 MJ/kg, respectively. In Exp. 2, 832 healthy 41-week-old hens were randomly assigned to diets supplemented with 0, 1%, 2%, or 3% ZBL (8 replicates, 26 hens per replicate) for 8 weeks after 1 week adaptation. Dietary ZBL at 1% to 3% did not affect production performance (p > 0.05), but increased albumen height linearly (p < 0.05) and improved yolk color at 2% and 3% (p < 0.05). ZBL increased serum albumin (p < 0.05) with a linear tendency (p = 0.065), and elevated serum IgA and IgM linearly (p < 0.05). Serum total antioxidant capacity and total superoxide dismutase were increased (p < 0.05) with significant linear and quadratic responses (p < 0.05), while serum malondialdehyde was reduced (p < 0.05). In the liver, 3% ZBL increased total antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05), hepatic catalase activity was decreased in all ZBL groups (p < 0.05), and hepatic malondialdehyde was reduced (p < 0.05). Cecal acetate increased linearly (p < 0.05), and propionate and butyrate increased with both linear and quadratic dose responses (p < 0.05). ZBL improved small intestinal morphology, especially duodenal villus height (p < 0.05). Gut microbiota was remodeled, with a marked reduction in norank_o__WCHB1-41 and increases in Ruminococcus, Pseudoflavonifractor, and several Coriobacteriales and Erysipelatoclostridiaceae taxa. Overall, ZBL provides usable energy and, at 2–3% inclusion, enhances egg quality, antioxidant status, humoral immunity, short-chain-fatty-acid production, and intestinal health without compromising laying performance. Full article

Parental perceptions of healthy eating often diverge from children’s actual diets, but this gap is poorly documented in Central Asia. We examined how parents’ priorities for key food groups relate to nutrient intakes in 390 urban children aged 1–6 years in Central Kazakhstan. In a cross-sectional study, parents completed a 24 h multiple-pass dietary recall and rated the importance of fats and sweets, meat and fish, dairy, vegetables and fruits, and bread and potatoes on 5-point scales. Nutrient intakes were calculated using software, compared with national DRIs, and analyzed using rank-based tests and Spearman correlations. Parents reported near-ceiling priority for restricting fats and sweets and consistently high priority for bread and potatoes, whereas vegetables, fruits, meat/fish, and dairy were rated moderately important, with dairy under-prioritized in 1–2-year-olds. On the recalled day, median intakes of fat, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and calcium were below national recommendations at all ages, and median intakes of iron, thiamine, and niacin were particularly low at 3–4 years, while sodium intake exceeded recommended levels; the 3–4-year group showed the most pronounced clustering of shortfalls. Prevalence estimates indicated that most children had intakes below recommendations for dietary fiber and calcium and above recommendations for sodium, underscoring population-wide nutritional imbalance. Across all scales, parental priorities showed only weak, non-significant associations with nutrient intakes (|r| < 0.11). These findings indicate a perception–intake gap and support interventions that ensure adequate fats, fiber, vitamin C, calcium, and bioavailable iron in preschool diets. Full article

Background/Objectives: Modifiable lifestyle factors, particularly diet, are important for preventing type 2 diabetes (T2D); however, the evidence regarding this from prospective studies is limited in the Asian population. We therefore evaluated whether a diet-inclusive healthy lifestyle score (HLS) predicts incident T2D in a community-based cohort. Methods: We analyzed 7185 T2D-free adults from the KoGES Ansan–Ansung cohort, constructing the HLS (range: 0–5) based on five lifestyle factors: non-smoking, ≥30 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, low-risk alcohol consumption (≤40 g/day for men; ≤20 g/day for women), BMI of 18.5–24.9 kg/m², and a healthy diet, defined as a healthy plant-based diet index within the top 40th percentile. Cox proportional hazards regression models were employed to examine the association between HLS and incident T2D risk. Results: During a median follow-up of 17.5 years, 1223 cases of T2D were identified. Compared to individuals with a score of 0 or 1, those with a score of 5 had a 56% lower risk of T2D after adjustment for potential confounders (HR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.32–0.62), and these associations remained consistent across subgroups stratified by age, sex, family history of T2D, hypertension, and residential area. However, the association was stronger among non-users of anti-diabetic medication than among users. Conclusions: Adherence to a healthier lifestyle, as indicated by a higher HLS, was significantly associated with a reduced risk of developing T2D among Korean adults. These findings underscore the importance of promoting integrated healthy lifestyle behaviors to prevent T2D. Full article

This paper investigates the knowledge, attitudes, and practical adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) among students of the Teacher Education Study Program in Split. Recent trends indicate a decline in adherence within Mediterranean regions, a phenomenon known as the Mediterranean paradox. Studying the relationship between students’ knowledge and practice is critical within the context of SDG 3 and SDG 4, as it highlights the role of future educators in promoting healthy communities. A quantitative approach was employed using the MDNK methodology, supplemented with the MEDAS test, to assess adherence to the Mediterranean Diet. Statistical analysis included p-values and effect size measures to assess practical relevance. Students averaged 13.39/18 on the MDNK test, with most showing moderate MEDAS adherence and only 5 reaching high adherence. The year of study or employment status has not been shown as an influential factor. While most students possess a high level of knowledge on the MD’s key components and express a positive attitude toward this dietary pattern, a significant knowledge-practice gap exists, confirming the Mediterranean paradox among future teachers. The need for nutritional and food education within the university curriculum is essential to move beyond theoretical instruction and actively promote food literacy and practical skills. Full article

Background/Objectives: Some Japanese people still adhere to a systematic traditional Japanese diet pattern (the Shokuyo diet) consisting mainly of brown rice, vegetables, legumes, and small amounts of fish. We investigated the impact of this dietary pattern on the intestinal microbiota of its female consumers. Methods: The intestinal microbiota of 19 Japanese females in their 60s and 70s consuming the Shokuyo diet (Shokuyo diet group) and 50 females of the same age consuming a normal Japanese diet (NJ diet group) were compared. The NJ diet group was further subdivided into a healthy NJ diet H subgroup, comprising females (n = 19) without any diseases, and an unhealthy NJ diet UH subgroup (n = 31) consisting of females with certain diseases, and a subgroup analysis was performed. Intestinal microbiota analysis was performed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Results: The β-diversity of the intestinal microbiota significantly differed between the Shokuyo diet and NJ diet groups. Similarly, in the subgroup analysis, β-diversity also significantly differed between the NJ diet UH subgroup and the Shokuyo diet group. However, no significant difference was observed between the NJ diet H and Shokuyo diet groups. These results indicate that the intestinal microbial composition of the Shokuyo diet group resembled that of the healthy participants, and that differences in intestinal microbial composition between the Shokuyo and NJ diet groups were strongly influenced by the presence of participants with diseases in the NJ diet group. That is, differences in β-diversity may have been strongly mediated by the health status of the participants. Conclusions: Consumption of the Shokuyo diet may be associated with a healthy intestinal microbial composition in older Japanese female, suggesting its potential as a viable dietary intervention option. Full article

Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum, systemic herbicide that has attracted concern over its non-target effects, environmental persistence, and the presence of residues in food. The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a major invasive pest of maize that can be controlled by application of its homologous nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV), an occluded virus in the family Baculoviridae. We examined the effects of a glyphosate-based herbicide on S. frugiperda growth and survival and on virus occlusion bodies (OBs) exposed to product label-recommended concentrations of the herbicide. Larval growth, time to pupation, pupal weight, duration of the pupal stage and sex ratio were not affected by exposure to the herbicide (1% v/v solution) applied to the surface of semi-synthetic diet. Exposure to 1–2% herbicide solution had no effect on the median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) of OBs, the susceptibility of second instar larvae to virus infection, or the production of OBs in virus-killed larvae. Virus acquisition did not vary significantly when larvae fed on virus-sprayed maize plants at 1 and 6 days after they had been treated with herbicide, compared to healthy plants. Finally, the presence of 2% herbicide solution did not influence the persistence of OBs in non-sterilized soil samples over a 6-week greenhouse experiment. Although the laboratory and greenhouse experiments indicated that the glyphosate-based herbicide tested was unlikely to influence the transmission or persistence of SfMNPV OBs, future studies should verify these findings across a range of field conditions, soil types and different herbicide formulations. Full article

The growing pet economy boosts demand for fiber-enriched functional foods to improve canine gut motility and metabolic health. However, low-bioavailability commercial fibers often falter in high-energy diets. Whole lamb omasum—from grass-fed sheep omasum and gastric contents—repurposes a discarded byproduct for waste reduction and sustainable livestock production. This study evaluated the short-term effects of WLO supplementation on gut health and metabolism in healthy adult Shiba Inu dogs. Twelve dogs were randomly assigned to control or WLO groups in a randomized controlled trial. WLO supplementation significantly reduced fecal scores by 8.91% (p < 0.05), increased apparent crude fat and fiber digestibility by 3.70% and 11.55% (p < 0.05), and elevated serum IgA by 35.79–36.15% and T-AOC by 30.53–35.71% (p < 0.05). Serum metabolome revealed 13 between-group and 8 within-subject differences related to lipid and endocrine modulation. Fecal microbiota analysis indicated enrichment of the Bacillota phylum and Blautia genus (p < 0.05). These findings support WLO as a functional food that enhances gut and metabolic health in small-breed dogs. Full article

Background: Evidence on non-restrictive MIND pattern interventions in Alzheimer’s (ALZ) disease remains limited. Methods: In an observational case–control study, 60 participants (ALZ, n = 30; cognitively healthy controls, n = 30) completed baseline (T0) and follow-up (T1) after structured MIND counseling. Adherence was assessed via the MEDAS questionnaire. Stool samples (16S rRNA profiling) were taken and anthropometry and cognitive/functional measures were recorded at T0/T1. Results: In the ALZ group, MEDAS improved as adherence to the Mediterranean diet increased (increasing the use of vegetables ≥ 2/day, p < 0.01; and lowering butter adoption ≤ 1/day, p = 0.02), with a shift from low to moderate/high adherence; in controls, baseline Mediterranean diet adherence was already high, and changes in MEDAS categories were modest (low adherence from 13.8% to 3.6%, high adherence from 37.9% to 50.0%), with no statistically significant overall change (p = 0.39). Regarding gut microbiota (GM), in the ALZ group, alpha diversity increased significantly and Bray–Curtis PCoA separated T0 from T1. Species-level analysis showed increases in SCFA-linked taxa (e.g., Anaerobutyricum hallii, Blautia luti, Eubacterium coprostanoligenes) and reductions in dysbiosis/mucin-degrading taxa (e.g., Mediterraneibacter torques, M. gnavus, Agathobacter rectalis). Between-group Δ(T1 − T0) comparisons at the genus level indicated larger positive shifts in ALZ for Anaerobutyricum, Oscillibacter, Faecalicatena, Romboutsia, Mediterraneibacter, and Blautia, and more negative Δ for Gemmiger, Subdoligranulum, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, and Collinsella. sPLS-DA showed partial separation (first two components ≈ 9% variance). Conclusions: A structured, non-restrictive MIND intervention was feasible, improved dietary adherence, and accompanied higher diversity and compositional remodeling of the GM in ALZ’s disease. Larger randomized mechanistic studies are warranted. Full article

Background: Childhood undernutrition and overnutrition continue to be major public health challenges in South Africa. There is limited evidence on how socio-economic factors and dietary behaviors influence nutritional outcomes among school-aged children, particularly in rural areas such as Thulamela Municipality. Objective: This study aimed to examine the socio-demographic determinants, dietary patterns, and nutritional status among school-aged children in Thulamela Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 347 children aged 8–12 years. Simple random sampling was used to select eight villages from a total of 227 within the municipality. A snowball sampling method was used to recruit eligible children. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, including the child’s sex, parental education level, marital status, and employment status, were collected. Additionally, their dietary habits and meal frequency patterns were collected using structured questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements including height, weight, and BMI-for-age were obtained following WHO growth standards. Associations between variables were assessed using chi-square tests, with p-values < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of severe and moderate stunting was 20.5% and 21.0%, respectively. Overweight conditions and obesity affected 32.6% and 16.2% of participants, respectively. Parental education (p = 0.027), marital status (p = 0.001), and household income (p = 0.043) showed significant associations with height-for-age and BMI-for-age Z-scores. Additionally, regular breakfast consumption and the frequent intake of vegetables and dairy products were positively associated with improved nutritional outcomes (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The nutritional profile of school-aged children in Thulamela Municipality reflects a double burden of malnutrition, with concurrent high rates of stunting, overweight conditions, and obesity. Interventions that promote balanced diets and address socio-economic disparities are crucial for improving child growth and overall health. Socio-economic factors, including parental education, marital status, and household income, were significantly associated with children’s height-for-age and BMI-for-age. Furthermore, the regular consumption of breakfast, vegetables, and dairy products was associated with better nutritional outcomes, highlighting the influence of both dietary behaviors and socio-demographic determinants on child growth and health. Implementing nutrition education programs within schools that emphasize the value of balanced diets and highlighting the significance of eating breakfast regularly and incorporating vegetables and dairy products into daily meals is important. These programs should include both children and their caregivers to support regular healthy eating behaviors at home and in school. Additionally, schools should carry out regular growth monitoring and nutritional assessments to identify early indications of undernutrition or overnutrition, enabling prompt referrals and interventions for children who may be at risk. Full article