Metabolic dysregulation increases the risk of cognitive and motor deficits, exacerbated by diets high in refined carbohydrates and fats. Polyphenol-rich berries, such as red raspberries (RRB; Rubus idaeus), may offer protective benefits. This randomised, single-blinded, controlled crossover study evaluated the acute metabolic and cognitive effects of RRB intake in older adults (55–70 years) with overweight/obesity. Thirty-six adults (61 (sd 5) years, BMI: 30·0 (sd 2·8) kg/m2; 19 females: 17 males) consumed a high-carbohydrate, moderate-fat meal (56 % carbohydrate, 33 % fat) containing 0 g (control) or 25 g of freeze-dried RRB powder. Plasma was collected at baseline and postprandially over 7·5 h to assess glucose, insulin, triacylglyceride (TAG) and IL-6. In vitro, fasting and postprandial serum samples were applied to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglial cells to assess neuroinflammatory responses (nitric oxide (NO) production, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression). Cognitive and vascular function were assessed at baseline and postprandially. The RRB meal significantly reduced peak glucose (by 8 %), insulin concentrations at 0·5 h and overall insulin response compared with control (P < 0·05). Serum from RRB consumers attenuated LPS-induced NO, iNOS and COX-2 expression in microglial cells (P < 0·001). Cognitive performance improved following the RRB meal, with fewer attempts in the CANTAB (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery) Paired Associates Learning task (P < 0·05) and fewer errors with better strategy use in the Spatial Working Memory task (P < 0·05). No significant differences were observed in vascular function. These findings suggest that acute RRB supplementation attenuated postprandial metabolic stress, reduced markers of neuroinflammation and improved cognitive performance, supporting RRB’s potential role in a dietary strategy for ageing populations.

To determine values for the digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS), it is recommended that ileal amino acid (AA) digestibility values obtained in growing pigs are used to characterise protein quality in different foods. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to determine the standardised ileal digestibility (SID) of AA in eight energy ingredients (barley, sorghum, wheat, brown rice, rice bran, wheat bran, cassava and paddy rice) fed to pigs, where SID values in pigs can be used to calculate approximate DIAAS values in humans. Among the data obtained for all energy ingredients, significant variations (P < 0·01) in CP and AA composition were observed. Rice bran and wheat bran had the highest CP (16·43 % and 18·16 %, respectively) and DIAAS scores of 81–88 for adult, qualifying as ‘good’ protein sources (> 75). Cassava, with the lowest CP (2·74 %), was limited by sulphur amino acid (54). Lysine (Lys) was the first-limiting AA in barley (74), sorghum (51) and wheat (49), with SID values lowest in wheat (71·04 %). Brown rice and paddy rice showed higher SIDLys (87·51 % and 78·13 %, respectively). These findings highlight the potential of bran-based ingredients and Lys fortification to improve protein quality in grain-dependent diets, providing the scientific basis to combat protein malnutrition.

Eating duration and shift work can both influence metabolic regulation, but their joint associations with diabetes are unknown. We aimed to examine the independent and joint associations of eating duration and shift work with diabetes in a cross-sectional study using a nationally representative sample of US workers. We included 14852 eligible participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005–2010 and 2017–2020. Eating duration was calculated based on first and last eating occasions from 24-h dietary recalls. Long eating duration (LED: ≥ 13 h) v. short eating duration (SED: < 13 h) was defined based on the median. Workers were classified as engaging in shift work (SW, n 5140) v. non-shift work (NSW, n 8945) based on self-report. Logistic regressions were used to examine the associations of LED and SW with diabetes, independently and jointly with stratification by age. LED was associated with higher odds of diabetes among workers aged < 45 years (OR, 1·51; 95 % CI, 1·05–2·19) but not among workers aged ≥ 45 years (OR, 0·98; 95 % CI, 0·79–1·20). SW was associated with higher odds of diabetes among both younger (OR, 1·28; 95 % CI, 0·88–1·85) and older workers (OR, 1·28; 95 % CI, 1·04–1·58). There was suggestive evidence that workers with both LED and SW had higher odds of diabetes compared with those with SED and NSW, but the association was stronger among younger (OR, 1·40; 95 % CI, 0·85–2·28) than older workers (OR, 1·28; 95 % CI, 0·99–1·66). LED and SW were independently associated with increased odds of diabetes with suggestive evidence on their joint associations, but associations varied by workers’ age.

Oxidative stress is an important pathomechanism in psoriasis, and the oxidative balance score (OBS) serves as a standardised metric for assessing systemic oxidative status, but its association with psoriasis is unclear. This study included 18 023 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to investigate the relationship between OBS and psoriasis. After using a complex sampling weighting method, we performed multi-model logistic regression and stratified analysis with OBS as the exposure and psoriasis as the outcome for the primary analysis. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) plots were used to evaluate potential non-linear associations between OBS and psoriasis. In addition, we performed replication analyses using two 24-h dietary records data as a sensitivity test to ensure robustness of the results. Multi-model logistic regression analyses revealed no statistically meaningful link between OBS and psoriasis prevalence when accounting for all confounders (P > 0·05), but in stratified analyses, OBS demonstrated a significant association with reduced risk of psoriasis in individuals aged 60–80 years (OR = 0·27–0·35, P < 0·05). As part of the overall OBS, moderate dietary OBS demonstrated an association with reduced psoriasis risk in 60- to 80-year-olds (OR = 0·39–0·43, P < 0·05). Lifestyle OBS (LOBS) indicates a significant negative correlation with psoriasis risk among the ‘Other Hispanic’ group. (Q3 OR = 0·23, P < 0·05). The RCS showed a non-linear relationship between LOBS and psoriasis (non-linear P = 0·013). This study provides the first systematic confirmation of an association between OBS and a reduced risk of psoriasis in elderly populations and specific ethnic groups. These findings offer new insights and directions for the prevention and treatment of psoriasis.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been frequently associated with an increased risk of obesity and metabolic disorders, including dyslipidaemia. However, research on lipid profiles and dietary intake in this population remains scarce. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate dietary patterns and their association with serum lipid profile in children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD. The study included 233 individuals from 2 to under 19 years assisted by the public health system in Pelotas, Brazil. Fasting blood samples were collected and analysed for serum concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TAG. Dietary intake was assessed using three non-consecutive 24-h food recalls (two weekdays and one weekend day). Dietary patterns were derived through reduced rank regression, using food group intakes as predictors and fibre density, energy density, carbohydrate and saturated fat intakes as response variables. Standardised pattern scores were calculated to assess individual adherence, and linear regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, were applied to examine the association between the dietary pattern scores and lipid profiles. Elevated TAG concentrations were observed in 48·9 % of the participants. Four dietary patterns were identified: Healthy, sugar and starches, mixed and dairy and biscuits. After adjustment, no significant associations were observed between dietary pattern scores and lipid profile. These findings underscore the complex nature of lipid metabolism in individuals with ASD and suggest that dietary patterns alone may not fully explain variations in lipid profiles. This reinforces the need for further research and development of appropriate nutritional interventions for this population.

There is limited research on the association between soda consumption and the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS), particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the relationship between soda consumption and MetS in Korean adults, stratified by sex, and compared differences before and after the pandemic using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2017–2021). A total of 13 051 adults aged 19–64 years were included. Soda consumption was assessed using 24-h recall and categorised into five groups (non-drinkers and four quartiles). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate OR and 95 % CI for MetS and its components. After adjusting for multiple covariates, no significant association was found between soda consumption and MetS overall. However, adults in the highest quartile of soda consumption (≥ 373 g/d) had higher risks of abdominal obesity (P-trend = 0·006) and hypertriglyceridaemia (P-trend = 0·003), compared with non-drinkers. When analysed by gender, women in the highest quartile of soda consumption (≥ 315 g/d) had significantly higher risk of MetS (OR = 1·70; 95 % CI: 1·08, 2·68), and multiple MetS components, whereas no significant associations were obserbed in men. Post-pandemic analysis revealed a significant association between high soda consumption (≥ 416 g/d) and MetS (OR = 1·56; 95 % CI: 1·04, 2·34), which was NS in the pre-pandemic period (P–interaction = 0·031). These findings suggest that high soda consumption may increase the risk of MetS, particularly among Korean women.

Sustainable diets can improve environmental health by supporting food security and promoting healthy living for future generations. This study aimed to assess changes over time in the consumption of foods within the national diet and diet-related environmental indicators, specifically greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and water footprint (WF). Individual food consumption was assessed using 24-hour dietary recalls from the Türkiye Nutrition and Health Surveys (TNHS) conducted in 2010 and 2017. GHGE and WF were calculated based on these dietary data. According to the TNHS 2010 and 2017, GHGE increased by 16·1 %, total WF by 17 %, green WF by 19·3 %, blue WF by 9·4 % and grey WF by 10·9 % (p < 0·001). During the same period, the consumption of red meats (by 72 %), eggs (by 42·5 %) and fats (by 53·6 %) increased significantly (p < 0·001). Conversely, the most notable decrease in consumption was observed for fresh vegetables and fruits, which declined by 17·5 % and 6·9 %, respectively (p < 0·001). In 2010 and 2017, red meats (GHGE: +29·8 %; total WF: +23·6 %) and fats (GHGE: +14·3 %; total WF: +13·6 %) were the foods that increased their contribution to GHGE and total WF the most. Although the GHGE and total WF values of Türkiye’s national diet remain below the global average, both indicators increased in 2017 compared to 2010. Despite the rising consumption of animal-based foods in recent years, the predominance of cereals in the national diet has played a key role in keeping GHGE and total WF below the global average.

Menopausal age represents the endpoint of the entire reproductive cycle of women, and it is a biological marker that indicates the overall health and ageing status of women. Flavonoids are the most common polyphenolic compounds in the daily diet, and their intake is related to reduced risks of certain diseases. Our study aimed to analyse the relationships between the intake of flavonoids and menopausal age. We selected 29 940 participants from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database from 2007–2008, 2009–2010 to 2017–2018. A total of 680 participants were included in our analysis after screening. Multiple logistic regression was used to explore the association between dietary flavonoid subclasses intake and menopausal delay (≥ 55 years old). Restricted cubic splines plots were generated to reveal the nonlinear relationships between the subclasses of flavonoids intake and menopausal age. According to the adjusted multiple factor logistic regression analysis, the top quartile intake (compared with bottom intake) of anthocyanidins was positively associated with delayed menopause (OR = 4·123; 95 % CI: 1·130, 15·041; Ptrend = 0·036), whereas the moderate intake of flavonols was negatively associated with delayed menopause (Q2 v. Q1, OR = 0·081 (95 % CI: 0·025, 0·261), Ptrend = 0·001; Q3 v. Q1, OR = 0·271 (95 % CI: 0·093, 0·791), Ptrend = 0·023). The restricted cubic splines revealed that non-linear association was observed between the intake of isoflavones, flavan-3-ols, flavonols and later menopause (P value for non-linearity < 0·05). Our findings suggest that specific dietary flavonoids intake may have potential roles in regulating menopausal timing.

Body composition (BC) offers essential insights into the physical condition and performance capacity of athletes. Several factors can influence athletes’ BC, such as nutrition, which can improve lean mass (LM) and body fat percentage (%BF). This longitudinal observational study aimed to investigate the factors influencing BC in professional female football players, including hormones, dietary habits and physical activity, as these are relevant to their sport performance and health. Data related to dietary habits, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements, serum hormones, menstruation and global position system metrics were collected in November 2023 and late March 2024 from thirty-eight female football players from the Real Sociedad team. Of the thirty-eight players enrolled, thirty-five completed all assessments and were included in the final analyses. Spearman correlations and linear regression analyses were performed. Statistically significant models were executed for %BF and LM (adjusted R2 = 0·55 and 0·47, respectively). For %BF, total testosterone had a positive influence, while high-speed running per minute, follicle-stimulating hormone, distance covered per minute, prolactin and fat intake influenced negatively. In the LM model, positive associations were total testosterone, progesterone, age, adrenocorticotropic hormone and carbohydrate intake, while insulin, distance covered per minute and sex hormone binding globulin had negative associations. These results emphasise the complexity of the factors influencing BC in female football players. Personalising and periodising carbohydrate intake and monitoring training loads are crucial to prevent adverse effects such as higher %BF and muscle catabolism. Establishing healthy nutritional practices is essential for long-term health and performance.

This study aimed to investigate (1) the longitudinal associations between food patterns and body weight in young adulthood and (2) how food patterns of young adults relate to food consumption in early, middle and late childhood. The study sample includes 700 participants of the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development. During childhood, frequency of consumption of various foods was reported on ten occasions between 1·5 and 13 years. At age 22 years, food frequency questions (with quantities) were used to derive four food patterns (labelled healthy, beverage rich, protein rich and high energy density) through exploratory factor analysis. Self-reported height and weight were collected at 22 and 23 years. Regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between (1) food patterns and weight outcomes a year later (BMI, BMI change and overweight status) and (2) frequency of consumption of eight food groups in childhood and food patterns in adulthood. Dietary habits characterised by the consumption of vegetables, fruit, plant-based sources of protein and whole-grain cereal products were related to a lower risk of obesity a year later. Conversely, dietary habits characterised by a high consumption of energy-dense foods, of animal sources of proteins and, among women, of high quantities of liquids were associated with higher risk of excess weight a year later. Healthier food choices in childhood were associated with healthier food patterns in young adulthood. These findings reinforce the value of preventive dietary interventions in the early years to foster eating environments that favour healthy eating and healthy weights in adulthood.

Ultra-processed foods (UPF), defined using frameworks such as NOVA, are increasingly linked to adverse health outcomes, driving interest in ways to identify and monitor their consumption. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers potential, yet its application in classifying UPF remains underexamined. To address this gap, we conducted a scoping review mapping how AI has been used, focusing on techniques, input data, classification frameworks, accuracy and application. Studies were eligible if peer-reviewed, published in English (2015–2025), and they applied AI approaches to assess or classify UPF using recognised or study-specific frameworks. A systematic search in May 2025 across PubMed, Scopus, Medline and CINAHL identified 954 unique records with eight ultimately meeting the inclusion criteria; one additional study was added in October following an updated search after peer review. Records were independently screened and extracted by two reviewers. Extracted data covered AI methods, input types, frameworks, outputs, validation and context. Studies used diverse techniques, including random forest classifiers, large language models and rule-based systems, applied across various contexts. Four studies explored practical settings: two assessed consumption or purchasing behaviours, and two developed substitution tools for healthier options. All relied on NOVA or modified versions to categorise processing. Several studies reported predictive accuracy, with F1 scores from 0·86 to 0·98, while another showed alignment between clusters and NOVA categories. Findings highlight the potential of AI tools to improve dietary monitoring and the need for further development of real-time methods and validation to support public health.

There is a gap in the understanding of meal patterns offered to students targeted by the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE). This study aimed to identify and analyse the menu patterns planned in schools participating in the PNAE. This observational cross-sectional study was carried out from a database consisting of 557 weekly menus from primary schools across Brazilian municipalities. We used factor analysis (FA) with principal components analysis (PCA) to identify menu patterns. Nutritional quality assessment of the menus was based on the Revised School Feeding Menu Quality Index (IQCAE-R). Differences in nutritional quality and associations with sociodemographic factors were analysed using the Kruskal–Wallis test, followed by Wilcoxon post hoc testing with Bonferroni correction. Two menu patterns were identified: (1) ‘Traditional’, predominantly composed of cereals and pasta, roots and tubers, legumes, vegetables, and meats and eggs; and (2) ‘Snack’, with a higher occurrence of bread, cakes, and biscuits, milk and dairy products, chocolate powder, and coffee and tea. The ‘Traditional’ pattern, consisting of food items commonly found in Brazilian food culture, and the ‘Snack’ pattern, characterised by the presence of sweets and highly processed foods, showed significant relationships with sociodemographic variables and nutritional quality of menus. Stimulating schools to provide meals that resemble the ‘Traditional’ pattern may contribute to the adoption of healthier dietary patterns, thus benefiting and strengthening health promotion through PNAE.

Obesity and depression are highly prevalent diseases that are strongly correlated. At the same time, there is a growing gap in care, and treatment options should be improved and extended. Positive effects of a Mediterranean diet on mental health have already been shown in various studies. In addition to the physiological effects of nutrients, the way food is eaten, such as mindful eating, seems to play a role. The present study investigates the effect of a Mediterranean diet and mindful eating on depression severity in people with clinically diagnosed major depressive disorder and obesity. Participants will be randomised to one of the four intervention groups (Mediterranean diet, mindful eating, their combination and a befriending control group). The factorial design allows investigating individual effects as well as potential synergistic effects of the interventions. The study consists of a 12-week intervention period, where five individual appointments will take place, followed by a 12-week follow-up. The primary outcome is depression severity. Secondary outcomes are remission of depression, assessor-rated depression severity, quality of life, self-efficacy, BMI, waist:hip ratio and body composition; adherence to the Mediterranean diet and mindful eating will also be assessed. Alongside mediator and moderator analysis, a microbiome analysis, a qualitative evaluation and an economic analysis will be conducted. The study investigates an important health issue in a vulnerable target group. It allows to draw valuable conclusions regarding the effectiveness of different interventions and therefore contributes to improving available care options for people suffering from depression and obesity.

Diet can affect health directly or by altering the gut microbiota; thus, there are strong interrelationships between the gut immune system, gut microbiota and diet. This study examined the effects of ingesting AIN-93M purified diet (PD) on gut immune function and gut microbiota in DO11·10 mice, in which T cell–dependent and T cell–independent (TI) IgA can be analysed separately. Ingestion of the PD for 2 weeks reduced both T cell–dependent and TI secretory IgA in the faeces compared with non-PD, whereas the diet did not affect T cell–dependent and TI serum IgA. Ingestion of the PD had no effect on systemic immune system splenocyte responses. Ingestion of the PD reduced intestinal tissue expression levels of B-cell activating factor and A proliferation–inducing ligand, cytokines involved in TI-IgA production and polymeric Ig receptor, which transports IgA into the intestinal lumen. Co-abundance group (CAG) analysis of the intestinal microbiota was conducted based on correlations between changes in the abundance of bacterial genera, and the correlations between CAG and IgA were determined. The Allobaculum-dominated CAG expanded following ingestion of the PD, accompanied by an inverse correlation with the decrease in faecal IgA, whereas the Lactobacillus-dominated CAG shrank relative to the Allobaculum-dominated CAG. These results suggest that TI-IgA suppresses the expansion of some intestinal bacteria and that ingestion of the PD induces dysbiosis via impaired IgA secretion into the intestinal lumen.

Previous studies have shown that low-fat diet (LFD) is associated with various health benefits, and that lipid and fatty acid metabolism is linked to telomere shortening. However, no epidemiological studies have examined the association between LFD and telomere length (TL). Dietary information was collected using 24-h recalls among 6981 adults from a nationwide cross-sectional study. Diet quality was assessed using overall LFD, healthful LFD (hLFD) and unhealthful LFD (uLFD). TL was measured using quantitative PCR. Linear regression was employed to evaluate the association between LFD and log-transformed TL, and ordinal logistic regression was performed to assess the association of LFD with ordinal quintiles of TL in descending order. In both fully adjusted linear and ordinal regression models, higher overall LFD (Tertile 3 v. Tertile 1: percentage change = 2·48 %, 95 % CI: 0·60 %, 4·40 %, Ptrend = 0·003; OR = 0·79, 95 % CI: 0·68, 0·93; Ptrend = 0·001) and hLFD (Tertile 3 v. Tertile 1: percentage change = 2·71 %, 95 % CI: 0·87 %, 4·58 %; Ptrend = 0·002; OR = 0·84, 95 % CI: 0·72, 0·97; Ptrend = 0·003) scores were significantly associated with longer TL. The positive association between hLFD and TL was observed in other racial/ethnic groups, but not in non-Hispanic whites (Pinteraction < 0·005). There was no significant association between uLFD and TL in all the models. Our results suggest that LFD rich in high-quality carbohydrates, unsaturated fat and plant protein is associated with longer TL and underscore the need to consider the quality and dietary sources of the macronutrients.

While the effects of multidisciplinary weight loss (WL) on resting energy expenditure remain unclear in adolescents with obesity, the potential presence of adaptive thermogenesis (AT) has never been explored, which was the objective of the present work. Twenty-six adolescents (14·1 (sd 1·5) years) with severe obesity completed a 9-month inpatient multidisciplinary intervention followed by a 4-month follow-up. Anthropometric measurements, body composition (dual X-ray absorptiometry) and resting energy expenditure (REE, indirect calorimetry) were assessed before (T0) and after 9 months of WL intervention (T1) and after a 4-month follow-up (T2). AT, at the level of REE, was defined as a significantly lower measured v. predicted (using regression models with baseline data) REE. Two pre-cited REE equations were used, using both fat mass and fat-free mass (FFM) (predicted REE using equation 1) or FFM only (predicted REE using equation 2). Measured and predicted REE significantly decreased between T0 and T1 (P < 0·001) and remained lower at T2 compared with T0 (measured REE: P = 0·017; predicted REE: P < 0·001). Predicted REE using equation 2 was significantly higher than measured REE at T1 (P = 0·012), suggesting the presence of AT. FFM at T0 was negatively correlated with ATp1T1 (Rho = –0·428; P = 0·033) and ATp2T1 (Rho = –0·485; P = 0·014). The variation of FFM between T0 and T1 was negatively correlated with AT at T1 and T2. These preliminary results suggest the existence of AT in response to WL in adolescents with obesity, independently of the degree of WL. AT was associated with subsequent body weight and fat regain, suggesting AT may represent a damper to WL attempts while increasing the adolescents’ risks for subsequent weight and adiposity rebounds.

Evidence regarding the association between dietary choline intake and mortality in individuals with diabetes remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between dietary choline intake and all-cause, CVD and cancer-related mortality among adults with diabetes. A total of 4712 participants with diabetes were included from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2018 cycles. Dietary choline intake was estimated using two 24-h dietary recalls, and mortality outcomes were ascertained via linkage to National Death Index records through 31 December 2019. Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier analyses were employed to assess the associations between choline intake and mortality. Restricted cubic spline models were used to examine potential non-linear relationships, and threshold analyses were conducted to identify inflection points. Over a median follow-up of 6·42 years, 805 deaths were documented, including 267 from CVD and 126 from cancer. A U-shaped association was observed between dietary choline intake and all-cause mortality (Pfor non-linearity < 0·0001). Compared with the lowest quartile, multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for all-cause mortality were 0·64 (95 % CI 0·47, 0·88) for the second quartile, 0·59 (0·43, 0·82) for the third and 0·69 (0·43, 1·09) for the highest quartile. No significant associations were found between choline intake and either CVD or cancer mortality. These findings indicate a U-shaped relationship between dietary choline intake and all-cause mortality in individuals with diabetes, with intakes between 286·77 and 538·86 mg/d associated with the lowest risk – providing potential implications for dietary guidance in diabetes management.