Gluten is only partially digested by intestinal enzymes and can generate peptides that can alter intestinal permeability, facilitating bacterial translocation, thus affecting the immune system. Few studies addressed the role of diet with gluten in the development of colitis. Therefore, we investigate the effects of wheat gluten-containing diet on the evolution of sodium dextran sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis. Mice were fed a standard diet without (colitis group) or with 4·5 % wheat gluten (colitis + gluten) for 15 d and received DSS solution (1·5 %, w/v) instead of water during the last 7 d. Compared with the colitis group, colitis + gluten mice presented a worse clinical score, a larger extension of colonic injury area, and increased mucosal inflammation. Both intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation were increased, propitiating bacteria migration for peripheral organs. The mechanism by which diet with gluten exacerbates colitis appears to be related to changes in protein production and organisation in adhesion junctions and desmosomes. The protein α-E-catenin was especially reduced in mice fed gluten, which compromised the localisation of E-cadherin and β-catenin proteins, weakening the structure of desmosomes. The epithelial damage caused by gluten included shortening of microvilli, a high number of digestive vacuoles, and changes in the endosome/lysosome system. In conclusion, our results show that wheat gluten-containing diet exacerbates the mucosal damage caused by colitis, reducing intestinal barrier function and increasing bacterial translocation. These effects are related to the induction of weakness and disorganisation of adhesion junctions and desmosomes as well as shortening of microvilli and modification of the endocytic vesicle route.

To compare the growth and biosynthetic ability of long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA) of the genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT) (Oreochromis niloticus) in different water salinities, an 8-week feeding trial was conducted on the GIFT juveniles at 0, 12 and 24 ‰ (parts per thousand; ppt), respectively, with three isonitrogenous (32 %) and isolipidic (8 %) diets (D1–D3). Diet D1 with fish oils (rich in LC-PUFA) as lipid source was used as the control, while D2 and D3 with vegetable oil (free LC-PUFA) blends as lipid source contained different ratios of linoleic acid (LA, 18 : 2n-6) and α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18 : 3n-3) at 4·04 (D2) and 0·54 (D3), respectively. At the end of feeding trial, the growth performance of D2 and D3 groups under all salinity treatments was as good as that of D1 group, which indicates that the GIFT juveniles may convert dietary LA and ALA into LC-PUFA to meet the requirement of essential fatty acids for normal growth and physiology. When fed the same diets, GIFT at 12 ppt had a better growth performance coupled with a higher liver and muscle arachidonic acid content than those in freshwater. Furthermore, brackish water (24 ppt) significantly promoted the mRNA levels of elongase 5 of very long-chain fatty acids (elovl5) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (pparα) in liver, when compared with freshwater. These results suggest that the GIFT may display better growth performance together with a relatively higher endogenous LC-PUFA biosynthetic ability under brackish water (12 and 24 ppt), probably through improving the expression of elovl5 and pparα in liver.

Soldier operational performance is determined by their fitness, nutritional status, quality of rest/recovery, and remaining injury/illness free. Understanding large fluctuations in nutritional status during operations is critical to safeguarding health and well-being. There are limited data world-wide describing the effect of extreme climate change on nutrient profiles. This study investigated the effect of hot-dry deployments on vitamin D status (assessed from 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration) of young, male, military volunteers. Two data sets are presented (pilot study, n 37; main study, n 98), examining serum 25(OH)D concentrations before and during 6-month summer operational deployments to Afghanistan (March to October/November). Body mass, percentage of body fat, dietary intake and serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured. In addition, parathyroid hormone (PTH), adjusted Ca and albumin concentrations were measured in the main study to better understand 25(OH)D fluctuations. Body mass and fat mass (FM) losses were greater for early (pre- to mid-) deployment compared with late (mid- to post-) deployment (P<0·05). Dietary intake was well-maintained despite high rates of energy expenditure. A pronounced increase in 25(OH)D was observed between pre- (March) and mid-deployment (June) (pilot study: 51 (sd 20) v. 212 (sd 85) nmol/l, P<0·05; main study: 55 (sd 22) v. 167 (sd 71) nmol/l, P<0·05) and remained elevated post-deployment (October/November). In contrast, PTH was highest pre-deployment, decreasing thereafter (main study: 4·45 (sd 2·20) v. 3·79 (sd 1·50) pmol/l, P<0·05). The typical seasonal cycling of vitamin D appeared exaggerated in this active male population undertaking an arduous summer deployment. Further research is warranted, where such large seasonal vitamin D fluctuations may be detrimental to bone health in the longer-term.

Sufficient protein intake has been suggested to be important for preventing physical frailty, but studies show conflicting results which may be explained because not all studies address protein source and intake of other macronutrients and total energy. Therefore, we studied 2504 subjects with data on diet and physical frailty, participating in a large population-based prospective cohort among subjects aged 45+ years (the Rotterdam Study). Dietary intake was assessed with a FFQ. Frailty was defined according to the frailty phenotype as the presence of at least three out of the following five symptoms: weight loss, low physical activity, weakness, slowness and fatigue. We used multinomial logistic regression models to evaluate the independent association between protein intake and frailty using two methods: nutrient residual models and energy decomposition models. With every increase in 10 g total, plant or animal protein per d, the odds to be frail were 1·06 (95 % CI 0·98, 1·15), 0·87 (95 % CI 0·71, 1·07) and 1·07 (95 % CI 0·99, 1·15), respectively, using the nutrient residual method. Using the energy partition model, we observed that the odds to be frail were lower with higher vegetable protein intake (OR per 418·4 kJ (100 kcal): 0·61, 95 % CI 0·39, 0·97), however, results disappeared when adjusting for physical activity. For energy intake from any source we observed that with every 418·4 kJ (100 kcal) increase, the odds to be frail were 5 % lower (OR: 0·95, 95 % CI 0·93, 0·97). Our results suggest that energy intake, but not protein specifically, is associated with less frailty. Considering other macronutrients, physical activity and diet quality seems to be essential for future studies on protein and frailty.

Adherence to dietary guidelines (DG) may result in higher intake of polyphenols via increased consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. We compared polyphenol dietary intake and urinary excretion between two intervention groups in the Cardiovascular risk REduction Study: Supported by an Integrated Dietary Approach study: a 12-week parallel-arm, randomised controlled trial (n 161; sixty-four males, ninety-seven females; aged 40–70 years). One group adhered to UK DG, whereas the other group consumed a representative UK diet (control). We estimated polyphenol dietary intake, using a 4-d food diary (4-DFD) and FFQ, and analysed 24-h polyphenol urinary excretion by liquid chromatography-tandem MS on a subset of participants (n 46 control; n 45 DG). A polyphenol food composition database for 4-DFD analysis was generated using Phenol-Explorer and USDA databases. Total polyphenol intake by 4-DFD at endpoint (geometric means with 95 % CI, adjusted for baseline and sex) was significantly higher in the DG group (1279 mg/d per 10 MJ; 1158, 1412) compared with the control group (1084 mg/d per 10 MJ; 980, 1197). The greater total polyphenol intake in the DG group was attributed to higher intake of anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins and hydroxycinnamic acids, with the primary food sources being fruits, cereal products, nuts and seeds. FFQ estimates of flavonoid intake also detected greater intake in DG compared with the control group. 24-h urinary excretion showed consistency with 4-DFD in their ability to discriminate between dietary intervention groups for six out of ten selected, individual polyphenols. In conclusion, following UK DG increased total polyphenol intake by approximately 20 %, but not all polyphenol subclasses corresponded with this finding.

Glycaemic index (GI) and glycaemic load (GL) values of foods consumed in Asia remain poorly characterised despite the fact that Asian diets are high in carbohydrates. We evaluated the GI and GL of the most commonly consumed carbohydrate-rich foods, according to food type and cooking methods. GI and GL values were determined using protocols from the FAO/WHO and International Standards Organization recommendations. A total of 152 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. In all, forty-nine carbohydrate-rich foods were categorised as cereal grains, noodles and pasta, breads and other processed grains and starchy vegetables, prepared using standard cooking methods and evaluated. Cereal grains had the widest range of GI values that the food made with white rice and barley had GI values of 51–93 and 35–70, respectively, according to cooking methods, and most cereal grains had high GL values. Noodles and pasta had low to medium GI values, but most foods had high GL values. Breads had medium to high GI and GL values, while other processed grains had low to medium GI and GL values. The GI values for food made with starchy vegetables (e.g. potatoes and sweet potatoes) varied widely for different cooking methods but tended to have low GL values. In conclusion, GI values for a single food type varied widely with the cooking method used. This study of GI and GL values for common carbohydrate-rich foods provides a valuable reference for consumers and health professionals to make informed food choices for glycaemic control.

Pregnant and lactating women and breastfed infants are at risk of vitamin D deficiency. The supplemental vitamin D dose that optimises maternal vitamin D status and breast milk antirachitic activity (ARA) is unclear. Healthy pregnant women were randomised to 10 (n 10), 35 (n 11), 60 (n 11) and 85 (n 11) µg vitamin D3/d from 20 gestational weeks (GW) to 4 weeks postpartum (PP). The participants also received increasing dosages of fish oil supplements and a multivitamin. Treatment allocation was not blinded. Parent vitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) were measured in maternal plasma at 20 GW, 36 GW and 4 weeks PP, and in milk at 4 weeks PP. Median 25(OH)D and parent vitamin D at 20 GW were 85 (range 25–131) nmol/l and ‘not detectable (nd)’ (range nd–40) nmol/l. Both increased, seemingly dose dependent, from 20 to 36 GW and decreased from 36 GW to 4 weeks PP. In all, 35 µg vitamin D/d was needed to increase 25(OH)D to adequacy (80–249 nmol/l) in >97·5 % of participants at 36 GW, while >85 µg/d was needed to reach this criterion at 4 weeks PP. The 25(OH)D increments from 20 to 36 GW and from 20 GW to 4 weeks PP diminished with supplemental dose and related inversely to 25(OH)D at 20 GW. Milk ARA related to vitamin D3 dose, but the infant adequate intake of 513 IU/l was not reached. Vitamin D3 dosages of 35 and >85 µg/d were needed to reach adequate maternal vitamin D status at 36 GW and 4 weeks PP, respectively.

This study investigated bidirectional associations between intake of food groups and depressive symptoms in 1058 Italian participants (aged 20–102 years) of the Invecchiare in Chianti study. Dietary intake, assessed with a validated FFQ, and depressive symptoms, measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D), were assessed at baseline and after 3, 6 and 9 years. Associations of repeated measurements of intakes of thirteen food groups with 3-year changes in depressive symptoms, and vice versa, were analysed using linear mixed models and logistic generalised estimating equations. Fish intake was inversely (quartile (Q)4 v. Q1, B=–0·97, 95 % CI –1·74, –0·21) and sweet food intake positively (Q4 v. Q1, B=1·03, 95 % CI 0·25, 1·81) associated with subsequent CES-D score. In the other direction, higher CES-D scores were associated with decreases in intakes of vegetables (ratio: 0·995, 95 % CI 0·990, 0·999) and red and processed meat (B=–0·006, 95 % CI –0·010, –0·001), an increase in dairy product intake (ratio: 1·008, 95 % CI 1·004, 1·013), and increasing odds of eating savoury snacks (OR: 1·012, 95 % CI 1·000, 1·024). Fruit, nuts and legumes, potatoes, wholegrain bread, olive oil, sugar-sweetened beverages, and coffee and tea were not significantly associated in either direction. Our study confirmed bidirectional associations between food group intakes and depressive symptoms. Fish and sweet food intakes were associated with 3-year improvement and deterioration in depressive symptoms, respectively. Depressive symptoms were associated with 3-year changes in vegetable, meat, dairy product and savoury snack intakes. Trials are necessary to examine the causal associations between food groups and depression.

The aim of this study was to assess the associations of intake of different types of meat with semen parameters and reproductive hormones in healthy young men. This cross-sectional study included 206 men, 18–23 years, from Southern Spain. All men completed a validated FFQ, underwent a physical examination, and provided blood and semen samples. Multivariable linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between meat intake with semen quality parameters and reproductive hormones. Total meat intake was unrelated to semen quality or reproductive hormone levels. When subgroups of meat were separately considered, however, shellfish intake was positively related to progressive motility. The adjusted percentages of progressively motile spermatozoa for men in increasing quartiles of shellfish intake were 45·2, 42·0, 49·4 and 53·2 % with a significant linear trend across quartiles (Ptrend≤0·001). In contrast, men who consumed organ meats had significantly lower progressive sperm motility (51·5 v. 42·8 %; P = 0·001) and higher luteinising hormone levels (4·0 v. 4·6 IU/l; P = 0·03) compared with men who did not consume organ meats. Intake of shellfish and organ meats was low in this population, however. Given the scarcity of data on the relation between specific types of meat with semen quality and reproductive hormone levels, additional research is needed to confirm or refute these findings.

The evidence linking low-carbohydrate diets (LCD) to CVD is controversial, and results from epidemiological studies are inconsistent. We aimed to assess the relationship between LCD patterns and coronary artery Ca (CAC) scores from computed tomography in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis cohort. Our sample included 5614 men and women free of clinical CVD at baseline (2000–2002), who had a FFQ, a baseline measure and ≥1 measure of CAC during follow-up. We excluded those with implausible energy intake or daily physical activity. The overall, animal-based and plant-based LCD scores were calculated based on intakes of macronutrients. Relative risk regression and robust regression models were used to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between LCD score quintile and CAC outcomes, after adjustment for multiple cardiovascular risk factors. The mean age of participants was 63 years. The median intakes of total carbohydrate, fat and protein were 53·7, 30·5 and 15·6 % energy/d, respectively. Among 2892 participants with zero CAC scores at baseline, 264 developed positive scores during 2·4-year follow-up (11–59 months). Among those with positive scores at baseline, the median increase in CAC was 47 units over the course of follow-up. The overall, the animal-based and the plant-based LCD scores were not associated with CAC prevalence, incidence and progression. In conclusion, diets low in carbohydrate and high in fat and/or protein, regardless of the sources of protein and fat, were not associated with higher levels of CAC, a validated predictor of cardiovascular events, in this large multi-ethnic cohort.

A total of eight ileal and caecal cannulated Yorkshire barrows were used to determine the interactions of dietary fibre (DF) and lipid types on apparent digestibility of DM and fatty acids (FA) and FA flows in gastrointestinal segments. Pigs were offered four diets that contained either pectin or cellulose with or without beef tallow or maize oil in two Youden square designs (n 6). Each period lasted 15 d. Faeces, ileal and caecal contents were collected to determine apparent ileal digestibility (AID), apparent caecal digestibility and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dietary components. The interactions between DF and lipid types influenced (P <0·05) the digestibility of DM and FA flows. The addition of maize oil decreased (P <0·05) AID of DM in pectin diets, and the addition of beef tallow depressed (P <0·001) ATTD of DM in cellulose diets. Dietary supplementation with beef tallow decreased (P <0·05) the AID of FA in pectin-containing diets but had no effects in cellulose-containing diets. Dietary supplementation with beef tallow increased (P <0·05) AID of SFA and PUFA and the flow of ileal oleic, vaccenic, linolenic and eicosadienoic acids and reduced the flow of faecal lauric, docosatetraenoic and docosapentaenoic acids in pectin- and cellulose-containing diets. In conclusion, the interaction between DF type and lipid saturation modulates digestibility of DM and lipids and FA flows but differs for soluble and insoluble fibre sources, SFA and unsaturated fatty acids and varies in different gastrointestinal segments.