Dietary and Lifestyle Determinants of Non‑Communicable Diseases: Salt, Sugar, Alcohol and Physical Activity

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases, are the leading causes of mortality worldwide. These conditions are closely linked to modifiable lifestyle factors, including dietary habits and physical activity levels. Excessive consumption of salt and sugar, along with alcohol consumption, significantly increases the risk of developing NCDs. Additionally, physical inactivity contributes to the high prevalence of these diseases. Addressing these determinants through public health initiatives and individual behavioral changes is crucial for reducing the global burden of NCDs. We welcome submissions related to dietary factors, lifestyle behaviors, and their associations with NCDs.

Prof. Dr. Kotsedi Daniel Monyeki
Dr. Machoene Derrick Sekgala
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Children children	2.6	4.5	2014	15.4 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Dietetics dietetics	1.8	-	2022	25.8 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Diseases diseases	3.7	4.2	2013	21.6 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Epidemiologia epidemiologia	3.2	3.7	2020	25.3 Days	CHF 1400	Submit
Healthcare healthcare	3.4	5.5	2013	21.5 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Medical Sciences medsci	5.9	4.6	2013	18.3 Days	CHF 1600	Submit
Obesities obesities	1.6	1.9	2021	21.6 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Trends in Public Health tph	-	-	2026	15.0 days *	CHF 1000	Submit

* Median value for all MDPI journals in the first half of 2026.

Preprints.org is a multidisciplinary platform offering a preprint service designed to facilitate the early sharing of your research. It supports and empowers your research journey from the very beginning.

MDPI Topics is collaborating with Preprints.org and has established a direct connection between MDPI journals and the platform. Authors are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity by posting their preprints at Preprints.org prior to publication:

1. Share your research immediately: disseminate your ideas prior to publication and establish priority for your work.
2. Safeguard your intellectual contribution: Protect your ideas with a time-stamped preprint that serves as proof of your research timeline.
3. Boost visibility and impact: Increase the reach and influence of your research by making it accessible to a global audience.
4. Gain early feedback: Receive valuable input and insights from peers before submitting to a journal.
5. Ensure broad indexing: Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Google Scholar, Crossref, SHARE, PrePubMed, Scilit and Europe PMC.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results

Content type Publication Date

Result details

Normal Extended Compact

Journals

All Children Dietetics Epidemiologia Healthcare Obesities Medical Sciences Diseases Trends in Public Health

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Plain Text BibTeX BibTeX (without abstracts) Endnote Endnote (without abstracts) Tab-delimited RIS

Error

Oops... you haven't selected anything for export.

Ok

clear

attachment

Supplementary material:
Supplementary File 1 (ZIP, 106 KB)

26 pages, 5492 KB  

Open AccessReview

Causal Inference in Non-Allergic Asthma Associated with Obesity: Application of the Bradford Hill Viewpoints to a Complex Epidemiological Association

by José J. Leija-Martinez, Eduardo Ensaldo-Carrasco, Fausto Sánchez-Muñoz, Blanca E. Del-Río-Navarro, Nayely Reyes-Noriega and Fengyang Huang

Epidemiologia 2026, 7(4), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/epidemiologia7040107 - 6 Aug 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Obesity has been linked to a distinct non-allergic, late-onset, neutrophilic asthma phenotype for more than two decades, yet whether obesity should be regarded as a cause of that phenotype rather than a coexisting comorbidity remains unresolved because randomised allocation to obesity is [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Obesity has been linked to a distinct non-allergic, late-onset, neutrophilic asthma phenotype for more than two decades, yet whether obesity should be regarded as a cause of that phenotype rather than a coexisting comorbidity remains unresolved because randomised allocation to obesity is neither feasible nor ethical. This review asks whether the evidence accumulated between 1995 and 2026 supports a causal interpretation. Methods: A structured narrative synthesis was undertaken. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science were searched from January 1995 to June 2026 (the synthesis emphasises the 2020–2026 evidence while drawing on the full window for landmark studies) for cohort, cross-sectional, Mendelian randomisation (MR), interventional, mechanistic and pharmaco-epidemiological studies; landmark earlier work was retained where it remains the primary source for a given viewpoint. The retrieved evidence was mapped onto Sir Austin Bradford Hill’s nine viewpoints (1965) and triangulated using E-values for unmeasured confounding, GRADE, directed acyclic graphs and MR. Results: All nine viewpoints were satisfied to varying degrees. Strength: effect estimates 1.4–6.8, E-values 4.8–13.1, MR summary risk ratio 1.05 per 1 kg/m². Consistency: replication across four continents, both sexes and multiple study designs. Temporality: prospective cohort and life-course MR evidence. Biological gradient: body mass index dose–response for TNFα, IL-17A and Th17 frequency. Plausibility: a twelve-layer architecture from adipose dysfunction to bronchial epithelium. Coherence, experimental evidence (bariatric surgery, lifestyle weight loss, GLP-1 receptor agonists, murine and in vitro models) and analogy were also supported; specificity was met at the phenotype level. Conclusions: The cumulative evidence strongly supports a causal contribution of obesity to the development of the late-onset, non-allergic asthma phenotype while falling short of definitive proof (GRADE: moderate certainty), with implications for primary prevention, endotype-targeted therapy and longitudinal research. Phenotype-stratified MR remains the principal missing element of the causal argument. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Dietary and Lifestyle Determinants of Non‑Communicable Diseases: Salt, Sugar, Alcohol and Physical Activity)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 254 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Dietary Habits Contributing to Weight Gain Among a Random Sample of Undergraduate College Males

by Cedric Harville II, Delores C. S. James and Sobit Regmi

Obesities 2026, 6(2), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/obesities6020024 - 17 Apr 2026

Viewed by 1091

Abstract

Background: Male college students are at risk for weight gain due to unhealthy dietary habits. This study assessed the dietary habits of undergraduate college males. Methods: Online cross-sectional survey (n = 235) of randomly sampled male undergraduate college students. Results: The mean [...] Read more.

Background: Male college students are at risk for weight gain due to unhealthy dietary habits. This study assessed the dietary habits of undergraduate college males. Methods: Online cross-sectional survey (n = 235) of randomly sampled male undergraduate college students. Results: The mean age was 21.15 ± 3.21. Most were enrolled full-time (91.5%), lived off-campus (77.4%), upper class (59.6%), had a campus meal plan (52.8%), and white (51.9%). Mean body mass index (BMI) was 25.02 ± 4.86. Males gained an average of 10.81 ± 13.01 lbs while in college. Most ate one to two servings of fruits (67.1%) and vegetables (65.1%). Significant differences in weight gained during college and fruit consumed was significant [p = 0.02 *]. Male students reported on 20 different foods and drinks they consumed at least “a few times per week.” Most ate fresh fruits (76.1%), prepared a hot meal at home (72.7%), ate fresh vegetables (68.1%). Males also ate at fast-food restaurants (47.7%) and drank coffee (44.4%). Males that reported they drank alcohol (p = 0.03*), diet soda (p = 0.03 *), coffee (p = 0.01 *), and ate at fast-food restaurants (p = 0.02 *) “a few times per week” were found to have significantly gained more weight. Conclusions: Increased intake and consumption of alcohol, diet soda, and fast-food was associated with increased weight gain among college males. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Dietary and Lifestyle Determinants of Non‑Communicable Diseases: Salt, Sugar, Alcohol and Physical Activity)

attachment

Supplementary material:
Supplementary File 1 (ZIP, 531 KB)

18 pages, 443 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Obesity, Physical Activity and Occurrence of High Medical Expenditures at One-Year Follow-Up Among Japanese Beneficiaries of Employment-Based Health Insurances: An Analysis Based on a Nationwide Health Checkup Questionnaire

by Aya Higashiyama, Yuki Yonekura, Nagako Okuda, Kozo Tanno and Akira Okayama

Healthcare 2026, 14(6), 777; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14060777 - 19 Mar 2026

Viewed by 464

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to prospectively investigate the associations among obesity, physical activity, and short-term high medical expenditures in Japanese employees and their dependents. Methods: Participants were 245,044 employees and their dependents aged 40–74 years who underwent the Specific Health Checkup in fiscal [...] Read more.

Objectives: This study aimed to prospectively investigate the associations among obesity, physical activity, and short-term high medical expenditures in Japanese employees and their dependents. Methods: Participants were 245,044 employees and their dependents aged 40–74 years who underwent the Specific Health Checkup in fiscal year 2008. Health checkup and medical expenditure data for 2008–2010 were provided by health insurers. They were divided into 12 groups according to the combination of body mass index categories (normal, overweight, and obesity) and engagement in exercise and/or daily physical activity (inactive, daily physical activity only, exercise only, and active). The multivariable-adjusted odds ratios of the groups for high total medical expenditures in the next year compared to the inactive normal body mass index group were estimated. High medical expenditures were defined as the top 5% of total annual expenditures, consistent with prior literature identifying high-cost users. Similar analyses were performed by sex and age (<65 years, ≥65 years). Results: Of the participants, 61.8% were men (mean age, 52.1 years). Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios were significantly high only in the inactive groups with overweight or obesity in men and younger individuals. In women and older individuals, the odds ratios were significantly high only in inactive women with obesity; however, the odds ratios were high in women who exercised only and in active older individuals, both with obesity. Conclusions: Exercise or daily physical activity might attenuate the possibility of incurring high short-term medical expenditures in men and younger individuals with overweight or obesity. These findings suggest that physical activity recommendations may need to be tailored for women and older individuals with obesity, and further longitudinal research is warranted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Dietary and Lifestyle Determinants of Non‑Communicable Diseases: Salt, Sugar, Alcohol and Physical Activity)

►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Plain Text BibTeX BibTeX (without abstracts) Endnote Endnote (without abstracts) Tab-delimited RIS

 

Error

Oops... you haven't selected anything for export.

Ok

clear

Displaying articles 1-3