Search Results (1,413)

Introduction/Objective: Post-bariatric surgery patients require long-term, coordinated care to address complex nutritional, physiological, and behavioral challenges. Personalized smart nutrition, combining individualized dietary strategies with targeted monitoring, has emerged as a valuable direction for optimizing recovery and long-term outcomes. This article examines how traditional medical protocols can be enhanced by digital solutions in a multidisciplinary framework. Methods: The study analyzes current clinical practices, including personalized meal planning, physical rehabilitation, biochemical marker monitoring, and psychological counseling, as applied in post-bariatric care. These established approaches are then analyzed in relation to the NutriMonitCare system, a digital health system developed and tested in a laboratory environment. Used here as an illustrative example, the NutriMonitCare system demonstrates the potential of digital tools to support clinicians through real-time monitoring of dietary intake, activity levels, and physiological parameters. Results: Findings emphasize that medical protocols remain the cornerstone of post-surgical management, while digital tools may provide added value by enhancing data availability, supporting individualized decision making, and reinforcing patient adherence. Systems like the NutriMonitCare system could be integrated into interdisciplinary care models to refine nutrition-focused interventions and improve communication across care teams. However, their clinical utility remains theoretical at this stage and requires further validation. Conclusions: In conclusion, the integration of digital health tools with conventional post-operative care has the potential to advance personalized smart nutrition. Future research should focus on clinical evaluation, real-world testing, and ethical implementation of such technologies into established medical workflows to ensure both efficacy and patient safety. Full article

Background/Objectives: Conventional ketogenic diets, although effective for weight loss, often contain high total and saturated fat intake, which leads to increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Thus, the Healthy Ketogenic Diet (HKD) was developed to address these concerns. It emphasizes calorie restriction, limiting net carbohydrate intake to 50 g per day, prioritizing unsaturated fats, and reducing saturated fat intake. However, adherence to the HKD remains a challenge in urban, time-constrained environments. Therefore, this pilot randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the effects of Healthy Ketogenic Diet Ready-To-Eat (HKD-RTE) meals (provided for the first month only) versus HKD alone on weight loss and metabolic parameters among overweight adults. Methods: Multi-ethnic Asian adults (n = 50) with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27.5 kg/m² were randomized into the HKD-RTE group (n = 24) and the HKD group (n = 26). Both groups followed the HKD for six months, with the HKD-RTE group receiving HKD-RTE meals during the first month. Five in-person workshops and mobile health coaching through the Nutritionist Buddy Keto app helped to facilitate dietary adherence. The primary outcome was the change in body weight at 6 months. Linear regression was performed on the change from baseline for each continuous outcome, adjusting for demographics and relevant covariates. Logistic regression was performed on binary weight loss ≥ 5%, adjusting for demographics and relevant covariates. Results: In the HKD group, participants’ adherence to the 50 g net carbohydrate target was 15 days, while that in the HKD-RTE group was 19 days over a period of 30 days. Participants’ adherence to calorie targets was 21 days in the HKD group and 23 days in the HKD-RTE. The average compliance with the HKD-RTE meals provided in the HKD-RTE group was 55%. The HKD-RTE group experienced a greater percentage weight loss at 1 month (−4.8 ± 3.0% vs. −1.8 ± 6.2%), although this was not statistically significant. This trend continued up to 6 months, with the HKD-RTE group showing a greater percentage weight reduction (−8.6 ± 6.8% vs. −3.9 ± 8.6%; p = 0.092). At 6 months, the HKD-RTE group had a greater reduction in total cholesterol (−0.54 ± 0.76 mmol/L vs. −0.05 ± 0.56 mmol/L; p = 0.283) and LDL-C (−0.43 ± 0.67 mmol/L vs. −0.03 ± 0.52 mmol/L; p = 0.374) compared to the HKD group. Additionally, the HKD-RTE group exhibited greater reductions in systolic blood pressure (−8.3 ± 9.7 mmHg vs. −5.3 ± 11.0 mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (−7.7 ± 8.8 mmHg vs. −2.0 ± 7.0 mmHg), and HbA1c (−0.3 ± 0.5% vs. −0.1 ± 0.4%) than the HKD group (not statistically significant for any). Conclusions: Both HKD-RTE and HKD led to weight loss and improved metabolic profiles. The HKD-RTE group tended to show more favorable outcomes. Short-term HKD-RTE meal provision may enhance initial weight loss, with sustained long-term effects. Full article

This study evaluated the production performance and egg quality of Lohmann Brown laying hens fed diets containing different levels of Corn Bran with Solubles (CBS). A total of 144 hens aged 44 weeks were assigned to three treatments in a completely randomized design, with eight replicates per treatment and six birds per replicate. The experimental treatments included diets with CBS inclusion levels of 0%, 5%, and 10%. The experiment lasted 84 days (44 to 55 weeks of age). Data were analyzed via one-way ANOVA, with mean differences evaluated using Tukey’s HSD test (α = 0.05). No significant effects were observed for laying rate, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, or egg mass (p > 0.05). However, egg quality parameters such as shell percentage, shell weight per unit surface area (SWUSA), and yolk color were influenced by the treatments (p < 0.05). Hens fed diets with 5% CBS exhibited higher shell percentage and SWUSA compared to those on the 0% CBS diet. Yolk color intensity increased with higher CBS inclusion levels. In conclusion, incorporating up to 10% CBS in corn–soybean meal diets for laying hens can enhance egg yolk pigmentation. Notably, including 5% CBS improves eggshell quality. Full article

Background/Objectives: We studied the possible protective effect of dietary curcumin in curry meals against cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in a population-based Singapore Longitudinal Ageing cohort study. Methods: Baseline curry consumption frequency was categorized as five categories ranging from ‘never or rarely’ to ‘daily’. Among 2920 participants (mean age 65.5 ± SD 7.1 years) free of stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or traumatic brain injury at baseline, cognitive decline (MMSE drop ≥2) was assessed at 3–5 years (mean 4.5) follow-up. Occurrence of incident MCI-dementia was assessed at follow-up among 2446 participants without neurocognitive disorder at baseline. Results: A decreasing linear trend was observed between higher levels of curry consumption and cognitive decline (p = 0.037). The cumulative incidence of MCI-dementia decreased from 13.1% in those who never or rarely consumed curry to 3.6% in those who consumed curry daily (linear p < 0.001). The adjusted OR across levels of curry consumption exhibited a linear trend (p = 0.021) from OR = 0.61 (p < 0.05) for occasional consumption to OR = 0.21 (p < 0.001) for daily consumption. Conclusions: The intake of dietary curcumin through curry shows a dose-dependent reduction in incidence of cognitive decline and MCI-dementia in this Asian population of community-based elders. Full article

Dietary protein is an essential macronutrient derived from both plant and animal sources required for muscle building, immune function, and wound healing. However, in the United States, protein consumption worsens as individuals age, with 30% of men and 50% of women over 71 consuming inadequate dietary protein due to a variety of factors, including changes in gut function, loss of appetite, tooth loss, financial concerns, and social isolation. The aim of this review is to underscore the need for increased protein requirements in aging populations, highlight potential barriers, synthesize these protein requirements, and also recommend strategies to meet these increased protein needs. Achieving adequate protein status, especially when facing chronic or acute health concerns, is essential to promote muscle and bone strength (because aging is associated with significant decreases in postprandial muscle protein synthesis), to support immune health (due to immunosenescence), and to maintain a good quality of life. For older adults, the literature suggests that a dietary protein intake of at least 1.0–1.2 g/kg/day is required in healthy, aging populations, and intakes of 1.2–1.5 g/kg/day are necessary for those with chronic or acute conditions. These protein intake recommendations can increase to 2.0 g/kg/day in more severe cases of illness, malnutrition, and chronic conditions. The reviewed literature also suggests that evenly balanced protein distributions of 25–30 g of dietary protein (0.4 g/kg) per meal from animal and plant protein sources alike are sufficient to maximize muscle protein synthesis (MPS) rates in older populations. Additionally, pre-sleep protein feeds of 40 g/night may be another strategy to improve daily MPS and amino acid utilization. Full article

Background: The introduction of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulators, especially the triple therapy elexacaftor, tezacaftor, ivacaftor (ETI), has improved outcomes in people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF), reducing underweight but increasing overweight rates. Objectives: This study investigates the effect of ETI on appetite control, body composition, and energy balance during a 3-week inpatient rehabilitation programme with regular exercise. Methods: In 54 pwCF (38 on ETI, 16 without ETI), changes in body composition (fat mass index, FMI; fat-free mass index, FFMI) and energy balance (calculated from body composition changes) were assessed. Appetite control was evaluated via plasma peptide YY (PYY) levels and post-exercise meal energy intake. Results: The programme significantly increased BMI (+0.3 ± 0.1 kg/m²; CI 0.1–0.4) and energy balance (+4317 ± 1976 kcal/3 weeks), primarily through FFMI gains (+0.3 ± 0.1 kg/m²; CI 0.1–0.4). Despite higher post-exercise meal energy intake and a tendency towards lower PYY levels in the ETI group, changes in body composition and energy balance did not differ between groups. This is explained by a higher prevalence of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in the ETI group (92% vs. 50%, p < 0.001). Small sample sizes limit the interpretation of data on appetite control and energy intake. Conclusions: A 3-week inpatient rehabilitation programme improved body composition in pwCF, without resulting in a more positive energy balance with ETI therapy. This is due to a higher prevalence of pancreatic insufficiency in this group. Full article

Background: Skipping breakfast, a prevalent issue among children and adolescents, has been reported to be associated with academic performance and long-term health. However, less attention has been given to the types of breakfast foods consumed. Therefore, our study aims to investigate the association between breakfast variety and dietary knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among preadolescents. Methods: The study included 1449 students in grades 4–6 from Zhongshan city, Guangdong province. Data were collected through face-to-face field investigation using a validated questionnaire. The questionnaire encompassed sociodemographic characteristics, as well as dietary KAP. Results: Among all participants, 1315 reported consuming breakfast daily. Dietary diversity varied significantly: 8.8% consumed only 1 type of food, 52.9% consumed 2–4 types, and 38.3% consumed ≥5 types. Students who consumed a greater variety of breakfast foods exhibited more favorable dietary and lifestyle patterns. Specifically, those who consumed ≥5 types of food showed statistically significant associations with healthier practices, including reduced intake of sugary beverages and night snacks, stronger adherence to dietary guidelines, more positive attitudes toward improving eating habits, longer sleep durations, increased participation in meal preparation, greater dish variety in meals, and higher engagement in daily physical activity. Conclusions: Breakfast variety was associated with KAP, particularly when breakfast types ≥ 5, providing more sufficient and favorable evidence for breakfast consumption. Full article

Background/Objectives: Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used indicator of children’s nutritional status and helps identify risks of being underweight and overweight during development. Understanding how BMI classifications evolve over time is crucial for early intervention and public health planning. This study aimed to determine the scope and direction of changes in BMI classification among children between the ages of 6 and 10. Methods: This longitudinal study included 1026 children (497 boys and 529 girls) from Gdansk, Poland. Standardized anthropometric measurements were collected at ages 6 and 10. BMI was calculated and classified using international reference systems (IOTF and OLAF). BMI classification changes were analyzed using rank transformations and Pearson correlation coefficients (p < 0.05) to explore relationships between body measurements. Results: Most children (76.51%) retained their BMI classifications over the four-year period. However, 23.49% experienced changes, with boys more often moving to a higher BMI category (15.29%) and girls more frequently shifting to a lower category (14.03%). The prevalence of children classified as living with obesity declined between ages 6 and 10, while both overweight and underweight classifications slightly increased. Strong correlations were observed between somatic features and BMI at both ages. Conclusions: The stability of BMI classification over time underscores the importance of early identification and sustained monitoring of nutritional status. The sex-specific patterns observed highlight the importance of targeted health promotion strategies. In this context, incorporating dietary interventions—such as promoting balanced meals and reducing unhealthy food intake—could play a significant role in maintaining healthy BMI trajectories and preventing both obesity and undernutrition during childhood. Full article

Objective: This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a Culinary Medicine and Wellness (CMW) class among undergraduate college students attending a U.S. Minority-Serving Institution (MSI), as well as their food security, mental health status, and eating behaviors. Methods: This pre- and post-intervention study was conducted at an MSI in a Southeastern U.S. University, where students enrolled in a 15-week, three-credit CMW class equivalent to 2.5 h per week and received instruction on cooking and preparing healthy meals on a budget. The primary outcomes were acceptability and feasibility of the CMW class. Participants’ food security status, mental health status, and fruit and vegetable intake were also assessed. Program evaluation utilized thematic analysis and descriptive statistics, and trend analyses of outcomes were performed. Results: Eleven participants completed both surveys. The average age was 24 years, with 73% identifying as Black/African American. All participants were female and experienced low or very low food insecurity, and most reported moderate stress levels. All participants reported they would recommend the CMW class to others, with 73% rating it as excellent. Additionally, 82% felt they had learned valuable cooking and budgeting skills. Conclusions: The acceptability and feasibility of a CMW class among college students at an MSI suggests a promising approach to improving cooking skills, enhancing nutrition knowledge, increasing fruit and vegetable intake, and reducing stress. Full article

The appearance rate of nutrients into systemic circulation affects hormones like insulin and through that efficiency of growth. This also affects mineral requirements critical for metabolism, notably phosphate (P), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K). Fasting animals have a downregulated metabolism, upon which P, Mg, and K are exported from their cells into the blood and are subsequently excreted in their urine. Abrupt resumption of feed intake, especially of highly glycemic feeds, creates an acute need for these minerals, which can result in deficiency symptoms, particularly with P deficiency. In human medicine, this is called refeeding syndrome: a large meal after a period of fasting can prove fatal. Young animals seem to be especially sensitive, likely driven by their ability to grow rapidly and thus to drastically upregulate their metabolism in response to insulin. Symptoms of P deficiency are fairly a-specific and, consequently, not often recognized. They include edema, which makes it appear as if piglets are growing well, explaining the high gain/feed rate typically seen immediately after weaning, even when piglets are eating at or below the maintenance requirements. Phosphate deficiency can also result in hypoxia and hypercarbia, which may trigger ear necrosis, Streptococcus suis infections, or even death. Hypophosphatemia can also trigger rhabdomyolysis, which may contribute to tail-biting, but this requires further study. Arguably, when fasting cannot be avoided, diets for newly weaned piglets should be formulated to avoid these problems by lowering their glycemic load and by formulating diets according to the piglets’ actual requirements inspired by their genuine intake and health and not simply by extrapolating from older animals. Full article

The aim was to investigate effects of various proportions (0 to 20%) of fermented rapeseed meal (FRSM) on performance, intestinal health, and antioxidant status in Sansui ducks (Sansui Sheldrake ducks). A total of 350 male ducklings, 15 d old, were allocated into five dietary treatments with seven replicate pens of 10 birds per pen. The starter diets had 0, 5, 10, 15, or 20% FRSM that contained 0, 1.08, 2.17, 3.25, or 4.34 µmol glucosinolates (GLS/g of complete feed, respectively, fed from d 15 to d 35. The average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) from d 15 to 35 increased linearly with the dietary FRSM inclusion, with the ducks fed 15 or 20% FRSM diets having higher (p < 0.05) ADFIs and FCRs than the ducks fed 0% FRSM. The dietary FRSM inclusion levels of up to 15% were accompanied by decreased catalase (CAT) and antioxidant capacity (AOC) activities in the livers and jejunum of the ducks at d 35. In addition, the 20% FRSM (4.34 µmol GLS/g diet) decreased the villus height, crypt depth, muscular thickness, and goblet cell counts in the jejunum and ileum. In conclusion, 15 or 20% dietary FRSM (3.25 or 4.34 µmol GLS/g diet) during the grower period in Sansui ducks decreased feed efficiency, disrupted hepatic antioxidant balance, and impaired intestinal morphology and structure. The FRSM inclusion of ≥15% (3.25 µmol glucosinolates/g) impaired feed efficiency and antioxidant activity, while the 20% FRSM (4.34 µmol glucosinolates/g) induced intestinal damage in the growing Sansui ducks. Full article

Background/Objectives: Postprandial hyperglycemia is a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, even in healthy individuals. Kanzaki mulberry leaf and water chestnut tea (MW tea), a blend of mulberry (Morus alba) leaves and water chestnut (Trapa japonica) leaves and husks, is rich in polyphenols and 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) and may suppress postprandial glucose spikes, but evidence regarding its short-term daily intake is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the postprandial glycemic response and safety of two-week MW tea consumption using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-period crossover trial involving 31 participants. Each intervention period lasted two weeks, separated by a one-week washout. Participants consumed either MW tea or a placebo before meals. Interstitial glucose levels were measured every 15 min using CGM. Postprandial glucose responses were recorded every 15 min for 180 min after a standardized meal on the first day of each period. The primary outcome was the coefficient of variation (CV) in glucose levels, calculated using data from the central 10 days of each intervention period. Safety was assessed using CGM-derived hypoglycemia metrics and blood test results. Results: The CV of glucose levels during the MW tea period was significantly lower than during the placebo period (mean difference: 0.02, p = 0.0006). A significant reduction in 1 h postprandial glucose area under the curve was also observed. No significant differences were found in hypoglycemia occurrence, liver/renal/inflammatory markers, or self-reported adverse symptoms. Notably, 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) levels significantly increased during MW tea intake, suggesting improved glycemic control. Conclusions: Short-term consumption of Kanzaki MW tea effectively suppressed postprandial glucose variability without safety concerns. These findings support MW tea as a promising natural supplement for glycemic management and the prevention of diabetes. Full article

This experiment aimed to investigate the appropriate level of degossypolized cottonseed protein (DGCP) in the diet of laying hens. A total of 600 49-week-old Lohmann pink laying hens were allocated to five treatments, with six replicates per treatment and 20 birds per replicate. The control group was fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet. Four experimental diets were formulated by replacing 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the soybean meal protein-equivalent capacity with DGCP, where 100% replacement corresponded to the maximum safe inclusion of DGCP. The study period lasted for 8 weeks. The results showed that the feed intake, average egg weight, egg mass, laying rate, and the albumen percentage were significantly reduced in the 100% DGCP group (p < 0.05). Plasma uric acid (UA), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and potassium (K) levels were significantly lower (p < 0.05), and depth of crypt (CD) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the 100% DGCP group. The DGCP diet linearly increased the relative abundance of Bacteroidota and Bacteroide and significantly increased the relative abundance of Desulfobacterotas in the cecum contents compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The ACE and Chao1 indices in both the control group and the 100% DGCP group were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the dietary addition of DGCP can reach up to 114.6 g/kg. Full article

While hospital meals are designed to meet the nutritional requirements associated with illness or surgery, competing priorities often take precedence over food quality, contributing to poor patient satisfaction, in-hospital malnutrition, and high food waste. The environmental impacts of hospital food services are a less well-characterized dimension of this complex problem. A prospective cohort study of patients admitted for select abdominal surgeries between June and October 2021 was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Canada. Greenhouse gas emissions and land-use impacts associated with all food items served were estimated, and patient food waste was weighed for each meal. Patients’ experience of hospital food was measured at discharge. Nutrition was assessed by comparing measured oral intake to minimum caloric and protein requirements. On average, food served in hospital resulted in 3.75 kg CO₂e/patient/day and 6.44 m²/patient/day. Average food waste was 0.88–1.39 kg/patient/day (37.5–58.9% of food served). Patients met their caloric and protein requirements on 9.8% and 14.8% of days in hospital, respectively. For patient satisfaction, 75% of overall scores were lower than the industry benchmark, and food quality scores were inversely correlated with quantities of food wasted. Redesigning inpatient food offerings to feature high-quality, low-emissions meals could lessen their environmental impacts while improving patient nutritional status and experience. Full article

Background: While some evidence supports the benefits of food-related tasks, research examining their association with psychosocial health in adolescents remains scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the association between Spanish adolescents’ involvement in food-related household tasks and their psychosocial health. Methods: This cross-sectional study used secondary data from the original Eating Healthy and Daily Life Activities (EHDLA) study. The final sample comprised 273 boys (43.0%) and 361 girls (57.0%). Adolescents self-reported their weekly frequency of involvement in two food-related tasks: meal preparation and grocery shopping, with responses ranging from ‘never’ to ‘seven times’. Psychosocial health was assessed using the 25-item self-report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), comprising five subscales: emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, and prosocial behavior. A total difficulties score was calculated by summing the first four subscales. Generalized linear models were used to evaluate associations between the frequency of food task involvement (categorized into five levels) and SDQ outcomes. All models were adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic status, body mass index, sleep duration, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and energy intake. Results: Concerning to the frequency of helping to prepare food for dinner, an inverse association was observed between food preparation involvement and several psychosocial problems. Adolescents who helped seven times per week reported significantly lower scores in conduct problems (B = −2.00; 95% CI −3.30 to −0.69; p = 0.003), peer problems (B = −2.83; 95% CI −4.29 to −1.38; p < 0.001), internalizing problems (B = −3.90; 95% CI −7.03 to −0.77; p = 0.015), and total psychosocial difficulties (B = −5.74; 95% CI −10.68 to −0.80; p = 0.023), compared to those who never helped. Conversely, those who helped seven times per week had higher prosocial behavior than their counterparts who never helped (B = 1.69; 95% CI: 0.14 to 3.24; p = 0.033). Regarding the frequency of helping to shop for food, similar patterns were found, with lower conduct problems (B = −2.11; 95% CI −3.42 to −0.81; p = 0.002), peer problems (B = −2.88; 95% CI −4.34 to −1.42; p < 0.001), internalizing problems (B = −4.16; 95% CI −7.28 to −1.04; p = 0.009), and total psychosocial difficulties (B = −6.31; 95% CI −11.24 to −1.39; p = 0.012) associated with more frequent involvement, especially among those who helped five or more times per week. Conversely, adolescents who helped seven times per week had higher prosocial behavior than their peers who never helped (B = 1.56; 95% CI: 0.01 to 3.11; p = 0.049). Conclusions: Although adolescent psychosocial health is influenced by multiple factors, our findings suggest that regular involvement in food-related household tasks may serve as a protective factor against conduct problems, peer problems, internalizing problems, and total difficulties, while also enhancing prosocial behavior. However, given the cross-sectional design, conclusions regarding causality should be made cautiously, and further longitudinal research is needed to confirm these associations and assess their long-term impact. These results highlight the relevance of daily structured routines, such as meal preparation and grocery shopping, as potential support for mental well-being during adolescence. Full article