The WHO recommends monitoring iodine status in all populations with median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) below 100 µg/l suggesting iodine deficiency. There are no data on the iodine intake among the population of the Faroe Islands. This study aimed to provide data on iodine nutrition in a representative sample of the general adult population from the Faroe Islands. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional survey in 2011–2012 and measured iodine in urine from 491 participants (294/197 men/women) using the ceri/arsen method after alkaline ashing. Participants include about 100 subjects in each of four adult decades and included participants from both the capital city and villages. The median UIC was low within the recommended range 101 µg/l (range 21–1870 µg/l). No samples were in the range suggesting severe iodine deficiency, but half of the samples were in the range of just adequate or mildly insufficient iodine intake with UIC markedly lower in women than in men (86 v. 115 µg/l; P < 0·001). Intake of fish and whale meals affected the UIC. In conclusion, nearly half of the population had an iodine excretion in the range of borderline or mild iodine deficiency. The lowest iodine nutrition level among Faroese women is a concern as it may extend to pregnancy with increased demands on iodine nutrition. In addition, we found that large variations and the intermittently excessive iodine intakes warrant follow-up on thyroid function in the population of the Faroe Islands.

A negative association between blood Pb level (BPbL) and vitamin D metabolites in occupationally exposed populations has been reported, but data from the general population are scarce. Furthermore, the association between BPbL and vitamin D binding protein (DBP) and free 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) has not been reported. We investigated the association of BPbL with DBP, total and free 25(OH)D in healthy adolescents (n 1347; age range 11–16 years) cross-sectionally selected from all Governorates of Kuwait, utilising multi-stage cluster random sampling. Pb in whole blood was analysed by inductively coupled plasma MS, and DBP with ELISA. Plasma 25(OH)D was analysed by LC-MS/MS, and free 25(OH)D was calculated utilising the levels and binding affinities of DBP and albumin for 25(OH)D. DBP was positively associated with BPbL (β = 0·81; 95 % CI 0·14, 0·22; P < 0·001). A negative association between BPbL and total 25(OH)D was non-significant (P = 0·24) when BPbL was used as a continuous variable but was significant when used as quartiles (P = 0·02). The negative association between BPbL and free 25(OH)D was significant whether BPbL was used as continuous, as quartiles or as cut-off point of <5 µg/dl (0·24 µmol/l). In multinomial logistic regression, the odds of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency were more than two-fold higher in the upper quartiles of BPbL compared with the lowest quartile. The negative correlation of BPbL with free 25(OH)D was more robust than its correlation with total 25(OH)D. Future studies must consider the levels of DBP when assessing the association between Pb and vitamin D metabolites.

Fe deficiency has negative effects on voluntary physical activity (PA); however, the impact of consuming Fe-biofortified staple foods on voluntary PA remains unclear. This study compared the effects of consuming Fe-biofortified pearl millet or a conventional pearl millet on measures of voluntary PA in Indian schoolchildren (ages 12–16 years) during a 6-month randomised controlled feeding trial. PA data were collected from 130 children using Actigraph GT3X accelerometers for 6 d at baseline and endline. Minutes spent in light and in moderate-to-vigorous PA were calculated from accelerometer counts using Crouter’s refined two-regression model for children. Mixed regression models adjusting for covariates were used to assess relationships between intervention treatment or change in Fe status and PA. Children who consumed Fe-biofortified pearl millet performed 22·3 (95 % CI 1·8, 42·8, P = 0·034) more minutes of light PA each day compared with conventional pearl millet. There was no effect of treatment on moderate-to-vigorous PA. The amount of Fe consumed from pearl millet was related to minutes spent in light PA (estimate 3·4 min/mg Fe (95 % CI 0·3, 6·5, P = 0·031)) and inversely related to daily sedentary minutes (estimate −5·4 min/mg Fe (95 % CI –9·9, −0·9, P = 0·020)). Consuming Fe-biofortified pearl millet increased light PA and decreased sedentary time in Indian schoolchildren in a dose-dependent manner.

Urinary Na excretion is a potential risk factor for CVD. However, the underlying biological mechanisms and effects of salt sensitivity are unclear. The purpose of this study was to characterise the relative contribution of biological factors to the Na–CVD association. A total of 2112 participants were enrolled in this study. Structured questionnaires and blood and urine samples were obtained. Twenty-four-hour Na excretion was estimated using a single overnight urine sample. Hypertension, the metabolic syndrome and overweight status were considered to indicate salt sensitivity. Cox proportional hazard models were used to investigate the effects of salt sensitivity on urinary Na excretion and CVD risk. The traditional mediation approach was used to calculate the proportion of mediation. The mean age (sd) of the 2112 participants was 54·5 (sd 12·2) years, and they were followed up for a mean of 14·1 (sd 8·1) years. Compared with those in the lowest quartile, the highest baseline urinary Na excretion (>4·2 g/24 h) was associated with a 43 % higher CVD risk (hazard ratio, 1·43; 95 % CI 1·02, 1·99). Participants with high urinary Na excretion, hypertension or the metabolic syndrome had a significantly high risk of CVD. The carotid intima-media thickness had the largest mediating effect (accounting for 35 % of the Na–CVD association), followed by systolic blood pressure (BP) (33 %), left ventricular mass (28 %) and diastolic BP (14 %). Higher urinary Na excretion increased the risk of CVD, which was explained largely by carotid media-thickness and systolic BP.

Breast cancer prevention is of great importance to reduce high incidence in South Africa. This study aimed to investigate adherence to the 2018 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) Cancer Prevention Recommendations and the association with breast cancer risk in black urban women from Soweto, South Africa. A total of 396 breast cancer cases and 396 population-based controls from the South African Breast Cancer study (SABC) matched on age and demographic settings were included. Validated questionnaires were used to collect dietary and epidemiological data. To assess adherence to these recommendations, an eight-point adherence score was developed, using tertiles among controls for scoring each recommendation (0, 0·5 and 1) with zero indicating the lowest adherence to the recommendations. OR and 95 % CI were estimated using multivariate logistic regression models to analyse associations between the WCRF/AICR score and breast cancer risk. Greater adherence (>4·5 v. <3·25) to the 2018 WCRF/AICR Cancer Prevention Recommendations was associated with a significant inverse association with breast cancer risk overall (OR = 0·54, 95 % CI 0·35, 0·91) and specifically in postmenopausal women (OR = 0·55, 95 % CI 0·34, 0·95), in cases with oestrogen positive and progesterone positive breast cancer subtypes (OR = 0·54, 95 % CI 0·39, 0·89 and OR = 0·68, 95 % CI 0·43, 0·89, respectively) and in obese women (OR = 0·52, 95 % CI 0·35, 0·81). No significant association with breast cancer risk was observed in premenopausal women. Greater adherence to the 2018 WCRF/AICR Cancer Prevention Recommendations may reduce breast cancer risk in this black urban population of Soweto. Adherence thereof should be encouraged and form a part of cost-effective breast cancer prevention guidelines.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused mild illness in children, until the emergence of the novel hyperinflammatory condition paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (PIMS-TS). PIMS-TS is thought to be a post-SARS-CoV-2 immune dysregulation with excessive inflammatory cytokine release. We studied 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations in children with PIMS-TS, admitted to a tertiary paediatric hospital in the UK, due to its postulated role in cytokine regulation and immune response. Eighteen children (median (range) age 8·9 (0·3-14·6) years, male = 10) met the case definition. The majority were of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) origin (89 %, 16/18). Positive SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies were present in 94 % (17/18) and RNA by PCR in 6 % (1/18). Seventy-eight percentage of the cohort were vitamin D deficient (< 30 nmol/l). The mean 25OHD concentration was significantly lower when compared with the population mean from the 2015/16 National Diet and Nutrition Survey (children aged 4–10 years) (24 v. 54 nmol/l (95 % CI −38·6, −19·7); P < 0·001). The paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) group had lower mean 25OHD concentrations compared with the non-PICU group, but this was not statistically significant (19·5 v. 31·9 nmol/l; P = 0·11). The higher susceptibility of BAME children to PIMS-TS and also vitamin D deficiency merits contemplation. Whilst any link between vitamin D deficiency and the severity of COVID-19 and related conditions including PIMS-TS requires further evidence, public health measures to improve vitamin D status of the UK BAME population have been long overdue.

We investigated the associations between dietary patterns and chronic disease mortality in Switzerland using an ecological design and explored their spatial dependence, i.e. the tendency of near locations to present more similar and distant locations to present more different values than randomly expected. Data of the National Nutrition Survey menuCH (n 2057) were used to compute hypothesis- (Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI)) and data-driven dietary patterns. District-level standardised mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated using the Swiss Federal Statistical Office mortality data and linked to dietary data geographically. Quasipoisson regression models were fitted to investigate the associations between dietary patterns and chronic disease mortality; Moran’s I statistics were used to explore spatial dependence. Compared with the first, the fifth AHEI quintile (highest diet quality) was associated with district-level SMR of 0·95 (95 % CI 0·93, 0·97) for CVD, 0·91 (95 % CI 0·88, 0·95) for ischaemic heart disease (IHD), 0·97 (95 % CI 0·95, 0·99) for stroke, 0·99 (95 % CI 0·98, 1·00) for all-cancer, 0·98 (95 % CI 0·96, 0·99) for colorectal cancer and 0·93 (95 % CI 0·89, 0·96) for diabetes. The Swiss traditional and Western-like patterns were associated with significantly higher district-level SMR for CVD, IHD, stroke and diabetes (ranging from 1·02 to 1·08) compared with the Prudent pattern. Significant global and local spatial dependence was identified, with similar results across hypothesis- and data-driven dietary patterns. Our study suggests that dietary patterns partly contribute to the explanation of geographic disparities in chronic disease mortality in Switzerland. Further analyses including spatial components in regression models would allow identifying regions where nutritional interventions are particularly needed.

This paper investigates the prevalence and interaction of overweight/obesity-related lifestyles (specifically, examining whether subjects meet the recommended criteria), in a representative sample of university students. This study is part of the project EHU12/24, an observational cross-sectional study, designed to assess the prevalence of excess body fat (BF) and major risk of developing overweight/obesity, according to a standardised protocol. In a cohort of 603 students, aged between 18 and 28 years, of the University of the Basque Country, information about meal patterns, diet quality, physical activity, sitting time, sleeping time, toxic habits and anthropometric measurements were collected. Sampling took place from February 2014 to May 2017. Binary logistic regression models adjusted for the covariates were utilised to test the association between lifestyles and risk of excess adiposity. The prevalence of overweight/obesity, according to BF percentage, was 14·4 %. The variables analysed related to meal pattern were associated with diet quality, and less healthy food habits were associated with other less health-related behaviours. Among men, moderate/low physical activity, breakfast skipping, non-adequate breakfast duration, number of eating occasions and eating breakfast alone/depending on the occasion were associated with excess BF, while among women, low MedDietScore, moderate/high alcohol consumption, non-adequate sleep duration, eating breakfast and lunch alone/depending on the occasion. Results suggest that certain unhealthy lifestyle behaviours coexist, interact with one another and increase the risk of overweight/obesity in this population. Sex-specific differences in risk factors of obesity have implications for interventions for primary prevention of obesity within this environment.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the mixed evidence of almond consumption on HbA1c stems from testing people with different body fat distributions (BFD) associated with different risks of glucose intolerance. A 6-month randomised controlled trial in 134 adults was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to the almond (A) or control (C) group based on their BFD. Those in the almond group consumed 1·5 oz of almonds with their breakfast and as their afternoon snack daily. Those in the control group continued their habitual breakfast and afternoon snack routines. Body weight and composition were measured and blood samples were collected for determination of HbA1c, glycaemia and lipaemia at 0 and 6 months. Appetite ratings, energy intake and diet quality were collected at 0, 2, 4 and 6 months. Participants consuming almonds ingested 816 (sem 364) kJ/d more than participants in the control group (P = 0·03), but this did not result in any differences in body weight (A: –0·3 (sem 0·4), C: –0·4 (sem 0·4); P > 0·3). Participants in the almond, high android subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) group had a greater reduction in android fat mass percentage (A: –1·0 (sem 0·6), C: 1·1 (sem 0·6); P = 0·04), preserved android lean mass percentage (A: 0·9 (sem 0·6), C: –1 (sem 0·6); P = 0·04) and tended to decrease android visceral adipose tissue mass (A: –13 (sem 53) g, C: 127 (sem 53) g; P = 0·08) compared with those in the control, high SAT group. There were no differences in HbA1c between groups (A: 5·4 (sem 0·04), C: 5·5 (sem 0·04); P > 0·05). Thus, BFD may not explain the mixed evidence on almond consumption and HbA1c. Long-term almond consumption has limited ability to improve cardiometabolic health in those who are overweight and obese but otherwise healthy.

In France, dairy products contribute to dietary saturated fat intake, of which reduced consumption is often recommended for CVD prevention. Epidemiological evidence on the association between dairy consumption and CVD risk remains unclear, suggesting either null or inverse associations. This study aimed to investigate the associations between dairy consumption (overall and specific foods) and CVD risk in a large cohort of French adults. This prospective analysis included participants aged ≥18 years from the NutriNet-Santé cohort (2009–2019). Daily dietary intakes were collected using 24-h dietary records. Total dairy, milk, cheese, yogurts, fermented and reduced-fat dairy intakes were investigated. CVD cases (n 1952) included cerebrovascular disease (n 878 cases) and CHD (n 1219 cases). Multivariable Cox models were performed to investigate associations. This analysis included 104 805 French adults (mean age at baseline 42·8 (sd 14·6) years, mean follow-up 5·5 (sd 3·0) years, i.e. 579 155 person-years). There were no significant associations between dairy intakes and total CVD or CHD risks. However, the consumption of at least 160 g/d of fermented dairy (e.g. cheese and yogurts) was associated with a reduced risk of cerebrovascular diseases compared with intakes below 57 g/d (hazard ratio = 0·81 (95 % CI 0·66, 0·98), Ptrend = 0·01). Despite being a major dietary source of saturated fats, dairy consumption was not associated with CVD or CHD risks in this study. However, fermented dairy was associated with a lower cerebrovascular disease risk. Robust randomised controlled trials are needed to further assess the impact of consuming different dairy foods on CVD risk and potential underlying mechanisms.

The present study examined the effects of different temperatures of protein-containing drink after exercise on subsequent gastric motility and energy intake in healthy young men. Twelve healthy young men completed three, 1-d trials in a random order. In all trials, the subjects ran on a treadmill for 30 min at 80% of maximum heart rate. In exercise + cold drink (2°C) and exercise + hot drink (60°C) trials, the subjects consumed 300 ml of protein-containing drink (0·34 MJ) at 2°C or 60°C over a 5-min period after exercise. In the exercise (i.e. no preload) trial, the subjects sat on a chair for 5 min after exercise. Then, the subjects sat on a chair for 30 min to measure their gastric motility with an ultrasound imaging system in all trials. Thereafter, the subjects consumed a test meal until they felt comfortably full. Energy intake in the exercise + hot drink trial was 14 % and 15 % higher than the exercise (P = 0·046, 95% CI 4·010, 482·538) trial and exercise + cold drink (P = 0·001, 95% CI 160·089, 517·111) trial, respectively. The frequency of the gastric contractions in the exercise + hot drink trial was higher than the exercise (P = 0·023) trial and exercise + cold drink (P = 0·007) trial. The total frequency of gastric contractions was positively related to energy intake (r = 0·386, P = 0·022). These findings demonstrate that consuming protein-containing drink after exercise at 60°C increases energy intake and that this increase may be related to the modulation of the gastric motility.

Current cancer prevention recommendations advise limiting red meat intake to <500 g/week and avoiding consumption of processed meat, but do not differentiate the source of processed meat. We examined the associations of processed meat derived from red v. non-red meats with cancer risk in a prospective cohort of 26 218 adults who reported dietary intake using the Canadian Diet History Questionnaire. Incidence of cancer was obtained through data linkage with Alberta Cancer Registry with median follow-up of 13·3 (interquartile range (IQR) 5·1) years. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were adjusted for covariates and stratified by age and sex. The median consumption (g/week) of red meat, processed meat from red meat and processed meat from non-red meat was 267·9 (IQR 269·9), 53·6 (IQR 83·3) and 11·9 (IQR 31·8), respectively. High intakes (4th Quartile) of processed meat from red meat were associated with increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer adjusted hazard ratio (AHR): 1·68 (95 % CI 1·09, 2·57) and colorectal cancers AHR: 1·90 (95 % CI 1·12, 3·22), respectively, in women. No statistically significant associations were observed for intakes of red meat or processed meat from non-red meat. Results suggest that the carcinogenic effect associated with processed meat intake may be limited to processed meat derived from red meats. The findings provide preliminary evidence towards refining cancer prevention recommendations for red and processed meat intake.

Calorie restriction (CR) has been shown to be one of the most effective methods in alleviating the effects of ageing and age-related diseases. Although the protective effects of CR have been reported, the exact molecular mechanism still needs to be clarified. This study aims to determine differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs and altered gene pathways due to long-term chronic (CCR) and intermittent (ICR) CR in the brain of mice to understand the preventive roles of miRNAs resulting from long-term CR. Ten weeks old mice were enrolled into three different dietary groups; ad libitum, CCR or ICR, and fed until 82 weeks of age. miRNAs were analysed using GeneChip 4.1 microarray and the target of DE miRNAs was determined using miRNA target databases. Out of a total 3,163 analysed miRNAs, 55 of them were differentially expressed either by different CR protocols or by ageing. Brain samples from the CCR group had increased expression levels of mmu-miR-713 while decreasing expression levels of mmu-miR-184-3p and mmu-miR-351-5p compared to the other dietary groups. Also, current results indicated that CCR showed better preventive effects than that of ICR. Thus, CCR may perform its protective effects by modulating these specific miRNAs since they are shown to play roles in neurogenesis, chromatin and histone regulation. In conclusion, these three miRNAs could be potential targets for neurodegenerative and ageing-related diseases and may play important roles in the protective effects of CR in the brain.

Non-resolving inflammation is characteristic of tuberculosis (TB). Given their inflammation-resolving properties, n-3 long-chain PUFA (n-3 LCPUFA) may support TB treatment. This research aimed to investigate the effects of n-3 LCPUFA on clinical and inflammatory outcomes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected C3HeB/FeJ mice with either normal or low n-3 PUFA status before infection. Using a two-by-two design, uninfected mice were conditioned on either an n-3 PUFA-sufficient (n-3FAS) or -deficient (n-3FAD) diet for 6 weeks. One week post-infection, mice were randomised to either n-3 LCPUFA supplemented (n-3FAS/n-3+ and n-3FAD/n-3+) or continued on n-3FAS or n-3FAD diets for 3 weeks. Mice were euthanised and fatty acid status, lung bacterial load and pathology, cytokine, lipid mediator and immune cell phenotype analysed. n-3 LCPUFA supplementation in n-3FAS mice lowered lung bacterial loads (P = 0·003), T cells (P = 0·019), CD4+ T cells (P = 0·014) and interferon (IFN)-γ (P < 0·001) and promoted a pro-resolving lung lipid mediator profile. Compared with n-3FAS mice, the n-3FAD group had lower bacterial loads (P = 0·037), significantly higher immune cell recruitment and a more pro-inflammatory lipid mediator profile, however, significantly lower lung IFN-γ, IL-1α, IL-1β and IL-17, and supplementation in the n-3FAD group provided no beneficial effect on lung bacterial load or inflammation. Our study provides the first evidence that n-3 LCPUFA supplementation has antibacterial and inflammation-resolving benefits in TB when provided 1 week after infection in the context of a sufficient n-3 PUFA status, whilst a low n-3 PUFA status may promote better bacterial control and lower lung inflammation not benefiting from n-3 LCPUFA supplementation.

The transition from childhood to adolescence is a sensitive period, triggering changes in health- and weight-related behaviours including eating habits which likely vary between girls and boys. We aimed to characterise the changes in the frequency of consumption of select sugary foods and drinks (‘sweet treats’) among 4237 Finnish girls and boys during a 2-year follow-up period. Additionally, we examined four subgroups: children whose weight or waist normalised as well as children whose weight or waist circumference increased during follow-up. An FFQ was completed at 11·1 (sd 0·9) and again at 13·4 (sd 1·1) years of age. A sum variable sweet treat index (STI, range 0–84) captured the weekly consumption frequencies of sweet treats. From baseline to follow-up, the mean STI decreased among girls from 7·1 (95 % CI 6·9, 7·3) to 6·0 (95 % CI 5·9, 6·2) (P < 0·001) and boys from 8·5 (95 % CI 8·3, 8·8) to 7·8 (95 % CI 7·6, 7·8) (P < 0·001), although both sexes increased their chocolate/sweets consumption: girls from 1·3 (95 % CI 1·3, 1·4) to 1·6 (95 % CI 1·5, 1·6) (P < 0·001) and boys from 1·4 (95 % CI 1·3, 1·4) to 1·6 (95 % CI 1·6, 1·7) (P < 0·001), and boys increased their soft drink consumption from 1·4 (95 % CI 1·3, 1·4) to 1·5 (95 % CI 1·4, 1·5) (P = 0·020). We found similar decreases in both the weight and waist subgroups. To conclude, the total frequency of consumption of sweet treats decreased during early adolescence. A similar trend across subgroups suggests that the frequency of consumption of sweet treats is unrelated to becoming overweight.

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) has been shown to have various health-promoting activities, including antidiabetic and hypoglycaemic effects. Improvement in insulin sensitivity and increase in glucose utilisation in peripheral tissues have been reported, but the effect on insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of bitter melon fruit on insulin secretion from β-cells and the underlying mechanism. The green fruit of bitter melon was freeze-dried and extracted with methanol. The bitter melon fruit extract (BMFE) was fractionated using ethyl acetate (fraction A), n-butanol (fraction B) and water (fraction C). Insulin secretory capacity from INS-1 rat insulinoma cell line and rat pancreatic islets, as well as glucose tolerance in rats by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), was measured using BMFE and fractions. ATP production in β-cells was also examined. BMFE augmented insulin secretion from INS-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The significant augmentation of insulin secretion was independent of the glucose dose. Fraction A (i.e. hydrophobic fraction), but not fractions B and C, augmented insulin secretion significantly at the same level as that by BMFE. This finding was also observed in pancreatic islets. In OGTT, BMFE and fraction A decreased blood glucose levels and increased serum insulin levels after glucose loading. The decrease in blood glucose levels was also observed in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. In addition, BMFE and fraction A increased the ATP content in β-cells. We concluded that hydrophobic components of BMFE increase ATP production and augment insulin secretion from β-cells, consequently decreasing blood glucose levels.

With over 1·3 million Anganwadi centres (AWC) (meaning ‘courtyard shelter’), the Indian government runs a nationwide intervention providing nutrition supplement to pregnant mothers to improve the health of their children. Using two successive rounds of the nationally representative cross-sectional National Family Health Survey data (collected during 2005–2006 and 2015–2016) of India, we assessed whether nutrition supplements given to pregnant mothers through AWC were associated with select child health indicators – extremely low birth weight (ELBW), very low birth weight (VLBW), low birth weight (LBW) and neonatal mortality (death during day 0–27) stratified by death during day 0–1, day 2–6 and day 7–27. A total of 148 019 children and 205 593 children were eligible for analysing birth weight and neonatal mortality, respectively. OR with 95% CI, estimated from multivariate logistic regression models, suggest that receipt of nutrition supplements was associated with decreased risk of VLBW (OR: 0·73, 95% CI 0·63, 0·83, P < 0·001), LBW (OR: 0·92, 95% CI 0·88, 0·96, P < 0·001), but not ELBW (OR: 0·80, 95% CI 0·56, 1·15, P = 0·226). Women who always received nutrition supplements during their pregnancy saw lower risk of death of their neonates (OR: 0·67, 95% CI 0·61, 0·73, P < 0·001), including death on day 0–1 (OR: 0·66, 95% CI 0·58, 0·74, P < 0·001), day 2–6 (OR: 0·69, 95% CI 0·58, 0·82, P < 0·001) and day 7–27 (OR: 0·68, 95% CI 0·53, 0·87, P = 0·002). Therefore, nutritional supplementation to pregnant mothers appears to be helpful in deterring various stages of neonatal mortality, VLBW and LBW, though it might not be effective in mitigating ELBW. Findings were discussed considering possible limitations of the study.

Commercial diets for tilapia juveniles contain high levels of plant protein sources. Soybean meal has been utilised due to its high protein content; however, soy-based diets are limited in methionine (Met) and require its supplementation to fulfil fish requirements. dl-Methinone (dl-Met) and Ca bis-methionine hydroxyl analogue (MHA-Ca) are synthetic Met sources supplemented in aquafeeds, which may differ in biological efficiency due to structural differences. The present study evaluated the effect of both methionine sources on metabolism and growth of Nile tilapia. A growth trial was performed using three isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets, containing plant ingredients as protein sources: DLM and MHA diets were supplemented on equimolar levels of Met, while REF diet was not supplemented. Hepatic free Met and one-carbon metabolites were determined in fish fed for 57 d. Metabolism of dl-Met and MHA was analysed by an in vivo time-course trial using 14C-labelled tracers. Only dl-Met supplementation significantly increased final body weight and improved feed conversion and protein efficiency ratios compared with the REF diet. Our findings indicate that Met in DLM fed fish follows the transsulphuration pathway, while in fish fed MHA and REF diets it is remethylated. The in vivo trial revealed that 14C-dl-Met is absorbed faster and more retained than 14C-MHA, resulting in a greater availability of free Met in the tissues when fish is fed with DLM diet. Our study indicates that dietary dl-Met supplementation improves growth performance and N retention, and that Met absorption and utilisation are influenced by the dietary source in tilapia juveniles.