Postpartum maternal diet quality has been linked with optimal infant feeding practices. However, whether maternal diet quality during pregnancy influences infant feeding practices remains unclear. The present study explored the relationship between maternal diet quality in pregnancy and infant feeding practices in Australian women. A brief 15-item food frequency questionnaire was used to collect maternal dietary data (n = 469). Diet quality was calculated using a modified 2013 Dietary Guideline Index (DGI). Multivariable linear and logistic regressions with adjustment for covariates were used to examine associations between maternal diet quality in pregnancy and infant feeding practices: infant feeding mode, breastfeeding duration and timing of solids introduction. Higher DGI score during pregnancy was associated with higher odds of breastfeeding than formula/mixed feeding (adjusted OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00, 1.07), longer breastfeeding duration (adjusted β 0.09, 95% CI 0.03, 0.15) and higher odds of breastfeeding for ≥6 months (AOR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02, 1.07) than for <6 months. Associations between maternal DGI score and breastfeeding variables were moderated by maternal country of birth, with significant associations observed in Australian-born mothers only. No association was found between maternal DGI score and timing of solids introduction. Higher maternal diet quality was associated with better infant feeding practices, and the association was moderated by country of birth. Our findings provide evidence to support the initiation of dietary interventions to promote diet quality during pregnancy, particularly among Australian-born women. Further research could explore underlying mechanisms linking maternal diet quality and infant feeding practices.

Vitamin K exists naturally in foods as phylloquinone (vitamin K1, PK) and as a range of menaquinones (vitamin K2, MKs). There is scarce information on the occurrence and distribution of PK and MKs in dietary sources, particularly in seafood. This study aimed to comprehensively analyse the contents of vitamin K1, dihydro-K1, and MK-4 to MK-10 in various species, tissue types, and processing degrees of shellfish. Additionally, seasonal differences in the vitamin K content of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) were explored. Most shellfish products had low contents of total vitamin K (<10 µg/100 g). The highest content of total vitamin K was found in the hepatopancreas of snow crab (170 µg/100 g), the brown meat of brown crab (35 µg/100 g), pre-packaged blue mussels (20 µg/100 g), stuffed brown crab shells (15 µg/100 g), and blue mussels in brine (12 µg/100 g). In general, the hepatopancreas of crustaceans contained considerably higher contents of vitamin K than their white meat counterparts. MKs contributed most to total vitamin K contents, whereas most shellfish products contained low contents of PK, thus making only a minor contribution to the adequate intake (AI) established for adults. No statistically significant differences were observed in PK and MK contents of blue mussels sampled during spring versus late summer (p < 0.005). Nevertheless, a non-significant trend of increasing vitamin K content was observed towards the autumn months. This study presents novel vitamin K data for shellfish, an unexplored food group, and adds to the scarce vitamin K composition data worldwide.

The influence of appetite and energy intake on energy compensation in response to chronic exercise remains poorly understood. This study examined the temporal impact of habitual exercise on energy intake and the homeostatic appetite regulators that influence energy compensation. Twelve-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats (n=30) fed an AIN-93M diet were randomised into 1 of 3 groups: 1) sedentary control (SED); 2) voluntary wheel exercise (EX); and 3) sedentary, weight-matched to aerobic exercise (SED-WM) for 8 weeks. Measures of energy intake, body weight, and adiposity were assessed. Appetite-regulating hormones acyl-ghrelin, active GLP-1, leptin, and insulin were measured in response to an oral glucose tolerance test. Rats with running wheels completed an average of 192kms over 8 weeks. While energy intake was initially reduced in EX, energy intake gradually increased with exercise training after week 1 (P<0.05). Body weight was lower in EX relative to SED from weeks 3-5, but did not differ at the end of the study. Fat mass and long-term satiety hormones leptin and insulin were lower in EX (P<0.05). No differences were observed in concentrations of the satiety hormone active GLP-1 or the orexigenic hormone acyl-ghrelin. Short-term homeostatic regulators of appetite do not appear to be altered with exercise training. The reduction in adiposity and associated decrease in tonic satiety hormones leptin and insulin are likely contributors to the coupling of energy expenditure with energy intake over time with voluntary exercise.

Studies have demonstrated that the quality and transparency of reporting Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) in healthcare are low. This meta-research aimed to evaluate the adherence of nutrition CPGs for critically ill adults to the reporting RIGHT checklist and its association with the methodological quality assessed by AGREE II, along with other potential publication-related factors. A systematic search for CPGs until December 2024 was conducted. RIGHT and AGREE II were applied. Reporting completeness score was created using the data from the evaluations of whether each broken-down item of the RIGHT. Eleven CPGs were identified, none demonstrated adherence greater than 60% to the RIGHT checklist, and the mean of RIGHT score was 33.5±15.5%. There was a strong correlation between the RIGHT score and AGREE II (r=0.886). A development CPGs team including methodologist and/or statistician was associated with a higher RIGHT score (48.9±4.5 versus 27.2±11.0) and it was higher in CPGs recommended or recommended with modifications by AGREE II in comparison to those not recommended (50.1±4.6 versus 37.7±8.1 versus 17.0±6.8), and in those with acceptable and moderate compared to those with low methodological quality (50.1±4.6 versus 32.2±14.5 versus 19.3±6.2). It was also related to the language of publication, being higher in those published in English. The reporting completeness in CPGs for critically ill adults was low, with a strong correlation with the methodological quality. High values of reporting completeness scores were observed between CPGs recommended by AGREE II (with moderate or acceptable quality) and in those including a methodologist/statistician in the development team.

Flavonoids are a key class of polyphenols, i.e., phytochemical compounds present in foods and beverages, which have been described as having health benefits in preventing several chronic diseases. Estimating flavonoid intake has already been conducted in several countries but has yet to be performed in Portugal. This study included 5,005 participants aged 3-84 years and aimed to estimate dietary flavonoid intake in the Portuguese population, using data from the National Food and Physical Activity Survey 2015-2016, providing information on intake, main food contributors, and the socio-demographic factors associated with the intake. Food intake data from the Survey was converted to flavonoid intake using a database built to include the most updated USDA databases on flavonoids, isoflavones and proanthocyanidins, and the Phenol-Explorer database. The rationale for combining food consumption data and different flavonoid databases using the FoodEx2 classification system was established. Linear regressions assessed the associations between socio-demographic factors and dietary flavonoid intake. The total flavonoid intake of the Portuguese population was estimated to be 107.3 mg/day. Flavanols were the most representative subclass, followed by flavonols, anthocyanidins, flavanones, flavones and isoflavones. Fruits and vegetables were the primary food contributors, providing 31.5% and 12.4% of the total flavonoid intake. Adolescents had the lowest total flavonoid intake, and older adults had the highest. This study provides information on the Portuguese population’s dietary flavonoids, allowing for international comparisons. It can also streamline forthcoming investigations into the link between flavonoid consumption and its impact on health, contributing to the future establishment of dietary reference values.

Substantial changes resulting from the interaction of environmental and dietary factors contribute to an increased risk of obesity, while their specific associations with obesity remain unclear. Identify inflammation-related dietary patterns (DPs) and explore their associations with obesity among urbanized Tibetan adults under significant environmental and dietary changes.Totally, 1826 subjects from the suburbs of Golmud City were enrolled in an open cohort study, of which 514 were followed up. Height, weight, and waist circumference were used to define overweight and obesity. DPs were derived using reduced rank regression with 41 food groups as predictors and hs-CRP and prognostic nutritional index as inflammatory response variables. Altitude was classified as high or ultra-high. Two DPs were extracted. DP-1 was characterized by having high consumptions of sugar-sweetened beverages, savory snacks, and poultry, and a low intake of tsamba. DP-2 had high intakes of poultry, pork, animal offal, and fruits, and a low intake of butter tea. Participants in the highest tertiles (T3) of DPs had increased risks of overweight and obesity (DP-1: OR=1.37, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.77; DP-2: OR=1.48, 95% CI: 1.18, 1.85) than those in the lowest tertiles (T1). Participants in T3 of DP-2 had an increased risk of central obesity (OR=2.25, 95% CI: 1.49, 3.39) than those in T1. The positive association of DP-1 with overweight and obesity was only significant at high altitudes, while no similar effect was observed for DP-2. Inflammation-related DPs were associated with increased risks of overweight and/or obesity.

The therapeutic effects of probiotics in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of probiotic supplementation on cell adhesion molecules, oxidative stress, and antioxidant parameters in TBI patients. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial included 46 TBI patients who were randomly assigned to receive either a probiotic supplement (n = 23) or a placebo (n = 23) for 14 days. The probiotic capsule contained four strains of Lactobacillus (L. casei, L. bulgaricus, L. rhamnosus, L. acidophilus), two strains of Bifidobacterium (B. longum, B. breve), and Streptococcus thermophilus. Serum levels of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, pro-oxidant antioxidant balance (PAB), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and arylesterase (ARE) activity were measured at the beginning and end of the trial. Dietary intakes of patients were also recorded at the beginning and end of the trial. At the end of the study, there were no significant changes in ICAM-1, VCAM-1, PAB, MDA, NO, TAC, and ARE levels. However, patients who received probiotic supplements had significantly increased dietary intakes of energy, macronutrients, vitamin E, zinc, copper, and selenium compared with the placebo group. This study provides evidence that probiotic supplementation for 14 days in TBI patients has beneficial effects on dietary intake. However, it did not affect serum levels of cell adhesion molecules, oxidative stress, or antioxidant parameters. These findings should be considered preliminary, and further research is needed to evaluate long-term and clinical outcomes.

We have used multiple regression analyses to develop a series of metabolisable energy (ME) prediction equations from chemical analyses of pig diets that can be extended to murine diets. We compiled four datasets from an extensive range of published metabolism studies with grower/finisher and adult pigs. The analytes in the datasets were increasingly complex, comprising: 1. the proximate or Weende analysis, 2. the previous analysis but with neutral detergent fibre (NDF) replacing crude fibre, 3. the NDF package plus starch, 4. the NDF package plus starch and sugars. Diet manufacturers routinely provide most of the analytes for batches of murine diet, or they are easily obtainable. The study uniquely compares the four analytical packages side-by-side. The number of records in the datasets varies from 367 to 827. With increasing analytical complexity, adjusted R2 values for ME prediction improved from 0.751 to 0.869, and the mean absolute error from 0.422 to 0.289 kJ/g. Overall, the models’ prediction interval (PI) improved from 1 to 0.7 kJ/g, which is ± 7% to 5% for a typical dietary ME density of 14.8 kJ/g. Although prediction accuracy increases as one extends the range and complexity of the analytes measured, the improvement is slight and may not justify the substantial increase in analytical cost. The equations were validated for use on future data sets by k-fold analysis. Although the equations are developed from pig data, they are suitable for rat and mouse diets, based on comparable digestibility measurements, and substantially improve existing methods.

Anaemia continues to be a major public health challenge in developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study estimated the proportion of anaemia cases that could be potentially prevented among children aged 6-59 months in Togo. Data from the 2017 national Malaria Indicator survey in Togo, the last one conducted to date, was used for this study. Maternal, child and household data were collected using a standard questionnaire administered face-to-face by trained interviewers. Haemoglobin tests were conducted for children and their mothers. A total of 2796 children were included in the analyses. The prevalence of anaemia was 75.0% (95% confidence interval, CI: 72.5-88.0). Factors associated with childhood anaemia were: age [(adjusted prevalence ratio, aPR=1.46 (CI: 1.37-1.56) for 6-23 months and aPR=1.23 (1.14-1.32) for 24-42 months, ref: 43-59 months], a later birth order (≥4th position) [aPR=1.11 (1.03-1.19), ref: 1st-2nd position], malaria in children [aPR=1.30 (1.22-1.38)], maternal age ≤25 [aPR=1.17 (1.08-1.27), ref: ≥35 years], maternal anaemia [aPR=1.13 (1.07-1.19)], lack of maternal education [aPR=1.10 (1.02-1.18), ref: ≥secondary], number of children under 5 in household [aPR=1.07 (1.00-1.14) for ≥3, ref: 0-1], unimproved sanitation facilities [aPR=1.12 (1.02-1.22)] and low/middle household incomes [aPR=1.16 (1.04-1.30) and aPR=1.13 (1.01-1.26), respectively, ref: high]. The population-attributable fraction was estimated at 8.2% (6.3-10.1%) for child-related modifiable factors, 11.1% (5.7-16.3%) for maternal-related factors, 15.8% (8.6-22.5%) for household-related factors, and 30.9% (24.0-37.2%) for the combination of all modifiable factors. This study highlighted a high prevalence of childhood anaemia in Togo and showed that a high proportion of this could be prevented.

Emerging evidence has shown a strong correlation between serum triacylglycerol (TAG) levels, the inflammatory response, and Parkinson’s disease (PD) onset. However, the causal relationship between TAG levels and PD has not been well-established. We aimed to investigate the relationship between serum TAG levels and risk of PD and explore the potential mediating role of circulating immune cells and inflammatory proteins. We utilised genotype data from the GeneRISK cohort, and summary data from genome wide association studies investigating PD, circulating immune cells, inflammatory proteins, and plasma lipidomes. Using Mendelian randomization (MR) and multivariate MR (MVMR) analysis, we further adjusted for phosphatidylcholine (17:0_18:1) and triacylglycerol (58:7). Our results suggested a robust causal link between higher serum TAG (51:4) levels and a decreased risk of PD, with one standard deviation genetically instrumented higher serum TAG (51:4) level leading to a 21 percent [95% CI, 0.66 – 0.96] reduction in the risk of PD (p = 0.015). Additionally, the results of the mediation analysis suggested a possible role for mediation through circulating immune cells (including IgD-CD38-B cells and resting CD4 regulatory T cells), but not circulating inflammatory proteins, in the causal relationship between the plasma lipidomes and PD. Our study confirms a causal relationship between higher serum TAG (51:4) levels and a lower risk of PD and clarifies a possible role for mediation through circulating immune cells, but not inflammatory proteins. These findings indicate that serum triacylglycerol (51:4) regulates immunity to effectively lower the risk of PD.