The night-time economy contributed £93.7bn to the total UK economy in 2023(1) and relies on extensive employment of night workers. There is strong evidence to support the association between shift work, predominately involving night shifts, and adverse cardiometabolic health(2). However, there are limited evidence based dietary guidelines available for night workers or nutritional practitioners(3). Simulated shift work studies have significantly contributed to understanding how eating at night impacts physiology however, real world research is needed among shift workers. Engaging end users in research design is key to inform acceptable and feasible interventions.

The aim of the Eating on The Night Shift study (King’s College London Ethics:LRM-22/23-35745) is to understand how UK night workers view working at night in relation to nutritional health and wellbeing and the barriers and enablers to participating in nutritional research studies.

Semi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with a convenience sample (n=18) of UK night workers between June and September 2023. Interviews were held virtually and covered experiences of working night shifts, perceptions about night work and health, and perceptions of, and barriers and facilitators of engagement with, nutritional research. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded using an inductive thematic analysis approach to identify overarching themes and sub-themes(4).

Of the final sample 13 were female (72%), 39% worked a rotating shift pattern, 50% had worked night shifts for between one to three years and 39% were employed in the healthcare sector. Four overarching themes were identified 1) The consequences of night work on health and wellbeing: this theme included concerns about the impact on physical and psychological wellbeing and on cognitive function during night shifts, 2) Eating at night means a less healthy diet: this theme highlighted the concerns about less healthy diets at night and how night work impacts meal planning and eating patterns, 3) Working at night has wider knock-on effects: sub themes were related to the negative impact on physical activity, sleep and social networks and 4) Nutritional research is perceived as important but there are barriers – barriers discussed were related to workload and the ability to change eating patterns, identified enablers were clear study instructions and financial compensation.

The results suggest that night workers are aware of the negative long-term consequences working nights has on their health. Furthermore, efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle are impeded by the nature of night work and its disruptions to the circadian rhythm. Although night workers support research to understand how diet during night work can impact long-term health, several barriers to taking part in research need to be considered in the design of research studies. This will ensure that studies are acceptable and feasible to the night shift population.

Increasing the sampling resolution when examining plasma hormone and metabolite profiles will more accurately describe diurnal/circadian rhythms and expose previously undiscovered ultradian rhythms that underpin metabolic physiology(1). In human research studies this must be tempered by the practical, ethical and safety concerns of repeated cannulation/blood draws. Here we examine the correlation between hormone and metabolite profiles present in interstitial fluid microdialysate(2), and plasma to help solve this dilemma.

Hormonal markers of circadian phase (melatonin, cortisol) and metabolites will show similar profiles in plasma and interstitial fluid.

Compare time-series hormone and metabolite profiles collected in interstitial fluid using a novel ambulatory microdialysis collection device (U-RHYTHM) with simultaneously drawn plasma samples.

All study protocols were reviewed by Health Sciences Faculty Research Ethics Committee, University of Bristol. Fasted healthy male volunteers aged 18-35 (n=3) were fed a standardised breakfast (08:00), lunch (13:00), dinner (19:00) and snack (22:00) (2225kCal [83g protein, 273g carbohydrate, 83g fat, 27g fibre]). Participants remained on the study bed, lights off/sleep occurred between 23:00-07:00 (<4 lux).

A 20kDa cutoff 30 mm linear microdialysis membrane was placed in periumbilical subcutaneous tissue, perpendicular to the midline. The membrane was perfused at 1µl/min and the microdialysate collected every 20 minutes for 25 hours into discrete samples using a portable fraction collector (URHYTHM) worn around the waist. Time-matched blood samples were obtained from an antecubital fossa canula.

All samples were stored at -80°C prior to analysis. Hormones and metabolites were measured via targeted UPLC-MS/MS metabolomics, for the metabolites the AbsoluteIDQ® p180 kit (Biocrates Life Sciences AG)) was used with 10µL of plasma(3) and 15µL of microdialysate.

Simultaneous time-courses of n = 24 metabolites were detected in plasma and interstitial microdialysate: alanine, arginine, asparagine, citrulline, glutamine, glutamate, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, ornithine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, trans-4-Hydroxyproline, taurine, carnitine and acetylcarnitine.

Spearman rank cross correlation identified the time shift that was required to reach highest correlation between the plasma and microdialysate profiles. Excluding taurine, microdialysate profiles were delayed by 32.3 minutes (range 0-130) and 12.9 minutes (range 0-50) for participant 1 and 2, respectively (p <0.05), only 3/20 metabolite profiles were correlated for participant 3. Trans4-hydroxyproline had the strongest correlation (rs 0.890, 0.814 and 0.808), with only participant 3 displaying a time shift (50 minutes). Taurine had the weakest correlation in all 3 participants. (rs 0.096, 0.182, 0.325).

These data demonstrate that our novel approach can be used to comprehensively detect hormone and metabolite profiles in interstitial fluid. Thus, the U-RHYTHM would serve as a useful tool, not only to increase sampling resolution in controlled laboratory studies but would prove particularly useful for examining circadian/ultradian profiles for chronobiology and nutrition studies in free-living individuals.

This abstract was awarded the Student Competition prize.

Time-limited eating is a dietary intervention whereby calorie intake is limited to a specific window of time during the day(1). The usual eating windows (EW) of adults, and how this can be manipulated for dietary interventions, is well documented(2). However, there is a paucity of data on the usual EW of children and adolescents, which may be a useful intervention for reducing obesity.

The primary objective was to systematically review existing literature on the usual EW of children and adolescents. Secondary objectives were to identify average clock times of first and last food/drink intakes and also variations in EW and clock times by age, nationality or weight status subgroups, if available data allowed.

Two databases (Medline and Embase) were searched for eligible papers published between February 2013 and February 2023. Included papers were forward searched using the citation network on Web of Science. 6347 papers were identified, and after deduplication 4569 papers were screened by two independent reviewers. Methodological quality was assessed using a Joanna Briggs Institute checklist(3).

Ten studies were included, with both observational and experimental designs. These studies had a total population of 4,589 participants, with individual study sample sizes ranging from 22 to 2195. Ages of participants ranged from 6 – 20 years, with six studies involving adolescents alone (≥10 years), and four involving children and adolescents. There were four studies from the USA, two from Germany and one each from Brazil, India, The Netherlands and pan-European.

Narrative synthesis showed large variations in average eating windows from 9.7 to 16.4 hours. Only four studies included clock times of intake, with large variations in both first and last intake times. Five studies were included in a random-effects meta-analysis, in which heterogeneity was considerable (I2 = 95.8%), and pooled duration of usual daily eating was 11.3 hours (95% confidence interval (CI) 10.95, 11.73). Sources of heterogeneity included differences in study design and populations, variation in dietary assessments methods and definition of eating windows. Narrative synthesis of an adolescent sub-group showed eating windows increased as children got older. Four studies were included in a random-effects sub-group meta-analysis, with a pooled EW of 11.2 hours (95% CI 10.27, 12.05; I2 = 96.6%) in adolescents. Insufficient data prevented further subgroup analysis.

In conclusion large variations in eating windows exist across different study populations, with limited data available on first and last intake times; however, the pooled data suggest it may be possible to design time-limited eating interventions in paediatric populations aimed at reducing eating windows. Further high-quality research, of eating windows and associations with health outcomes, is needed.

The circadian timing system regulates many aspects of metabolic physiology, including the postprandial response to meals(1). Experimental inversion of circadian and behavioural rhythms by 12 hours adversely effects markers of metabolic health(2). We investigated effects of a more modest 5hour delay in behavioural cycles.

Fourteen participants completed an 8-day in-patient laboratory protocol, with controlled sleepwake opportunities, light-dark cycles, and diet. The 5-hour delay in behavioural cycles was induced by delaying sleep opportunity. We measured: melatonin to confirm central circadian phase; fasting markers and postprandial metabolism; energy expenditure; subjective sleepiness; and appetite, throughout the waking period.

After the phase delay, there was slower gastric emptying at breakfast, lower fasting plasma glucose, higher postprandial plasma glucose and triglycerides, and lower thermic effect of feeding. Any changes were abolished or attenuated within 48-72 hours. Further, we show no difference in 16 h waking energy expenditure.

These data extend our previous findings, which showed no time-of-day effect on energy expenditure in healthy adults.

Approximately 40% of the community-dwelling population aged over 65 experiences falls annually, leading to significant morbidity, immobility, and mortality, with reduced muscle strength identified as a major risk factor(1). In comparison to other ethnic populations, Asian older adults often demonstrate weaker muscle strength, with this decline accelerating notably in female Asian older adults as they age(2). Existing research indicates a correlation between vitamin D deficiency (circulating level of 25(OH)D below 50 nmol/L) and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults(3). Postmenopausal women, experiencing a decline in oestrogen, face an elevated risk of vitamin D deficiency(4). Notably, vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in Asian populations(5). However, the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in promoting muscle strength among community-dwelling postmenopausal Asian women has not been comprehensively investigated. This scoping review aims to provide an overview and synthesis of existing evidence in the literature concerning the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in enhancing muscle strength among community-dwelling postmenopausal Asian women.

A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR recommendations(6). Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published from 2013 to 2023 were identified through searches conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central databases. Articles would be included if they: (i) were human RCTs with a cross-over or parallel design, (ii) included community-dwelling postmenopausal women, and (iii) investigated the effect of vitamin D supplementation on muscle strength. The review excluded: (i) in vivo animal studies, in vitro cell research, case reports, and observational studies; (ii) studies investigating the effect of vitamin D supplementation combined with other interventions, such as physical exercise, amino acid supplements, or other medication administration records like insulin or hormone therapy; and (iii) studies not in English. Following deduplication and relevance screening, five studies met the criteria, with Jadad scores (methodological quality assessment) of 1, 3, 5, 5, and 5, respectively.

Five RCTs involving a total of 872 subjects were reviewed(7–11). The three studies with Jadad scores of 5 indicated statistically significant and meaningful increases in muscle strength, measured by handgrip strength, with p-values <0.05 and effect sizes of 0.97, 1.75, and 3.83, respectively, indicating large effect sizes. The study with a Jadad score of 3 highlighted such increases only in the younger subgroup (<68 years old). Conversely, the study with a Jadad score of 1 suggested no significant changes in muscle strength.

In conclusion, this review suggests promising outcomes for vitamin D supplementation in enhancing muscle strength among postmenopausal Asian women. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency underscores potential health benefits, but heterogeneity in study designs, Jadad scores, and age subgroup responses necessitates cautious interpretation. Further high-quality research is imperative to elucidate optimal dosages and durations, ensuring a nuanced understanding of the relationship between vitamin D supplementation and muscle strength.

The term ‘chrono-nutrition’ describes the interaction between circadian timing and nutritional intake, as demonstrated by a wealth of animal and human studies(1). This relationship is bidirectional, with post-prandial response varying across the day and meal timing acting as a synchronising signal for some circadian rhythms. In humans, we have demonstrated that meal timing is a strong synchroniser of plasma glucose rhythms(2). Our recent data also suggest that interstitial glucose concentration can anticipate large meals(3). However, little is known about the effects of meal timing on other metabolic pathways. The existence of circadian rhythms in human plasma metabolites(4-6) provides a clear opportunity to address this timely issue. Here, in a controlled laboratory protocol, we tested the hypothesis that the anticipation of large meals is observed in human plasma metabolites.

Twenty-four male participants undertook an 8-day laboratory study, with strict sleep-wake schedules, light-dark schedules, and food intake. For 6 days, participants consumed either hourly small meals throughout the waking period or two large daily meals (7.5 and 14.5 h after wake-up). Isocaloric meals were calculated using the Mifflin St Jeor formula, and contained 55% carbohydrate, 15% protein, 30% fat(2). All participants then undertook a 37-h constant routine. Samples were collected across a 30-h period in the middle of the constant routine. Plasma was collected every 30 minutes for targeted UPLC-MS/MS metabolomics analysis (Absolute p180 Biocrates kit), and saliva was collected hourly for assessment of melatonin onset, a marker of circadian timing. Data were statistically evaluated by cosinor analysis, unpaired t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA.

There was no difference (p >0.05) in melatonin onset between the two groups. Rhythms, as indicated by significant (p < 0.05) cosinor fit, were detected in 64 plasma metabolites (out of 141 detected) in both groups. These metabolites included glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, plus multiple amino acids, acylcarnitines, phospholipids and sphingolipids. Consistent with previous work, there was a large (c. 7-hour) difference in the phase of plasma glucose between groups, with no significant difference in the phase of plasma triglyceride. Some other metabolites (e.g. histidine and proline) exhibited phase changes like that of glucose, but the phase was mostly unchanged. Glucose, alanine, arginine, citrulline, glutamine, methionine, phenylalanine, met-SO, 3 acylcarnitines and 13 phospholipids exhibited a significant interaction (FDR <0.05 meal-size x time, n=25). Totalcholesterol, asparagine, glutamate, glycine, isoleucine, leucine, ornithine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, kynurenine, SDMA, sarcosine, t4-OH-Pro, taurine, 6 acylcarnitines, 25 phospholipids and SMC18:1 exhibited a significant effect of meal-size and time. A further 8 metabolites had a significant effect of time only. Sixteen metabolites had no significant differences in neither meal size nor time. Our data therefore reveal novel effects of meal timing on multiple metabolite rhythms and average daily concentrations.

The proportion of the UK population over 65 years old is predicted to increase from 18.7% to 26% by 2066(1). However, healthy life expectancy (HLE) and disability free life expectancy (DLE) are decreasing(2, 3), which is particularly concerning in Scotland which also has the lowest overall life expectancy(4). Diet is a major modifiable factor in healthy aging(5) and should be a target to address declining HLE and DLE, but nutrient deficiencies in over 65s in Scotland are poorly understood. This study aimed to understand the presence and extent of inadequate intake of protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals within over 60 year olds in Scotland.

Secondary data analysis of the Scottish Health Survey 2021(6) was performed. Dietary data of older adults (≥ 60 years old, n = 1344) were analysed for protein, fibre, and micronutrient (from food sources) inadequacies, defined as percentage below estimated average requirement, reference nutrient intake or adequate intake(7, 8). Wald Z-test was used to analyse inadequacy between males and females, and urban and rural populations. Differences between Scottish index of multiple deprivation (SIMD) levels (1 [most deprived] to 5 [least deprived]) were analysed using χ2 test and cellwise sub-analysis(9) with Bonferroni corrections.

The percentage of over 60s that had inadequate nutrient intake was highest for vitamin D (97%), fibre (93%), selenium (90%), potassium (79%) and Zinc (65%). Compared to males, females were at a greater risk of undernutrition in 18 of the 25 nutrients analysed, of which 11 were significant (p<0.05). Compared to rural populations, urban populations were at a greater risk of undernutrition in 22 of 25 nutrients analysed, of which 10 were significant. People in SIMD 1 were at a greater risk of undernutrition in 20 of 25 nutrients analysed, of which 14 were significant. 40% of over 60s had inadequate protein intake. Risk of inadequate protein intake was greatest for people in SIMD 1 (56%, p<0.001). 24% of over 60s had inadequate folate intake which was significantly higher in females than males (28% and 18%, respectively; p<.001), urban than rural (26% and 19%, respectively; p<.01), and in SIMD1 (36%; p<.001). Inadequate fibre intake was significantly higher in females than males (95% and 91% respectively, p<.01), and urban than rural (95% and 89%, respectively, p<.001). 26% of over 60s had inadequate calcium intake. Inadequate calcium intake was significantly higher in females than males (25% and 17%, respectively; p<.001).

These data highlight a considerable undernutrition risk, both overall and within specific nutrients important for healthy aging, in Scotland’s older adult population. Those in SIMD 1, females, and urban dwelling demographics being particularly vulnerable. Although the extent of potential health implications, are dependent on key aspects such as nutrient absorption and utilisation.

Increasing scientific interest in diurnal patterns of appetite and food reward means it is important to employ valid methodologies that are time-of-day appropriate. Moreover, it is unknown whether people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) experience similar diurnal patterns to healthy individuals. The Steno Biometric Food Preference Task (SBFPT)(1) utilises an array of food images to assess food reward and biometric responses to food cues varying in fat content and sweet taste. We aimed to adapt and validate the SBFPT to assess diurnal appetite and food reward in Danish adults with a range of BMI with/without T2D.

An anonymous online survey was used to validate 28 food images (7 high-fat sweet (HFSW), 7 lowfat sweet (LFSW), 7 high-fat savoury (HFSA) and 7 low-fat savoury (LFSA)) in Danish residents in order to select 16 images for the diurnal-SBFPT (4 from each category). For each food image, participants had to name the food, report the frequency of consumption, and rate its tastiness, sweetness, fat content, appropriateness to consume in the morning (between 8:00-12:00), afternoon (between 12:00-16:00), and evening (between 16:00-20:00) on a 100-mm visual analogue scale(2).

We obtained 207 complete responses (with >80% completion). Participants included 61 men, 144 women and 2 not specified. Of these, 124 did not have T2D and 83 had T2D with a median [Q1, Q3] diagnosis duration of 12 [8, 18] years. Median [Q1, Q3] age was 61 [50, 67] years and BMI was 26.4 [23.4, 31.8] kg/m2. After data were cleaned, the mean of the individual ratings for each food was calculated and adequacy was judged according to pre-specified criteria(2). As there were overall differences in ratings of appropriate consumption time between those with/without T2D regardless of time of day (linear mixed model β = -5.3mm; p=.01), a difference score between morning (AM) and afternoon/evening (PM) ratings was computed (AM-PM difference). Adequacy for this criterion was based on foods with the smallest absolute mean across those with/without T2D and smallest absolute difference between groups.

Overall, the majority of the final 4 images from each food category met the criteria for recognition, frequency of consumption, liking, taste and perceived fat content. LFSW foods had the smallest absolute AM-PM differences (i.e., more similar appropriateness scores in AM vs PM; range 110mm), followed by LFSA (5-21mm), HFSA (8-21mm) and HFSW (8-38mm).

This image validation study will allow us to examine appetite and food reward across the day using a validated tool among Danish adults ranging in BMI with/without T2D. Future studies should consider the perceived appropriateness of the foods selected for appetite-related assessments in T2D, especially high-fat sweet foods.

The number of clinical studies assessing the effects of time-restricted eating (TRE) has increased in recent years(1). The results of the studies conducted on humans demonstrate some health benefits, however, there is still a need to design larger and longer randomized clinical trials to prove the effectiveness and long-term benefits of these types of interventions(2). However, to ensure these health benefits, individuals need to be able to integrate its principles into their daily routines. This work aimed to associate daily habits with the potential adherence to different TRE protocols and to determine the factors that predict adherence to these protocols.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire based on a previous study(3), to assess the dietary and sleeping habits, daily routines and willingness to adhere to different windows of time-restricted eating in a sample of Portuguese adults. To analyze the associations between variables, the Spearman correlation coefficient and the Chi-Square test were calculated, and multiple linear regression was performed to identify the predictive factors. Statistical analysis was conducted on IBM SPSS Statistics version 29.0.

130 responses were obtained (26% men, 74% women) with a mean age of 37.9±13.59 years old. On workdays, 60.0% of participants reported a daily eating window (the period between the first and last caloric intake) of 12h-14h, while on free days the highest percentage (41.5%) was between 10h12h. An inverse correlation was observed between age and willingness to adhere to a TRE protocol if there were health benefits (r=-0.356, p<0.001). Moderate correlations were also found between the availability to follow a TRE protocol on work days (r=0.538) and free days (r=0.598) and the potential health benefits of this type of intervention (p<0.001)). Associations were found between sex and potential adherence to the TRE protocol (χ2=10.644, df=2, p=0.005), with a tendency for more men not to adhere to a TRE protocol. There was also an association between body weight management and reducing the eating window by 1h-2h (χ² =24.883, df=12, p=0.015) and 2h-3h (χ²=22.367, df=12, p=0.034). The living situation, motivation for change, income, weight management, cooking knowledge, and working schedule were among the main factors predicting the willingness to adhere to TRE protocols (p<0.05).

People’s willingness and motivation to adhere to TRE protocols outside the controlled environment of a clinical study depends on several factors. The results presented herein provide information that may be central when considering the translation of study results into nutritional practice and counselling.

Thailand suffers from the double burden of malnutrition due to the nutrition transition(1). Shifts in eating patterns from traditional foods to more processed foods, an increase in snacking and urbanisation are associated with the nutrition transition(2). We aimed to explore eating, feeding, and snacking behaviours in children aged 3-5 living in urban and rural areas of Thailand’s Southernmost Border Provinces (SBPs).

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 279 parent-child dyads recruited from one urban (n=135) and three rural schools (n=144) in the SBPs. The International Eating and Feeding Tool (ICFET)(3) was used to collect sociodemographic data, feeding frequency, food and snack consumption. Weight and height were measured to calculate WHZ (weight- for-height z score) and HAZ (heigh-for-age z score) scores. The frequency of consumption for groups and types of food were summed to give a monthly frequency. A 24-hour recall of intake of plated foods and drinks during five potential eating occasions was taken. Carers rated the applicability of statements regarding their use and control of snacks. Descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U test for comparisons between urban and rural areas were analysed using SPSS V28.

Socioeconomic disparities between caregivers from urban and rural areas were observed. Onefourth (22%) of rural caregivers reported senior high school education and no income (16%) compared to 0.7%, (P<0.001) and 1% respectively in urban caregivers (P<0.001). Child stunting was more prevalent in rural areas (24% vs 6% urban, P<0.001). No difference in wasting was observed between the two settings (7% rural vs 9% urban, P<0.423). Monthly food frequencies (times) (Median, IQR) were higher in urban compared to rural areas for milk and dairy products (30, 15-45) urban vs (15, 15-30) rural (P<0.001) and fruits and vegetables (Mean, SD) (53, 31) urban vs (43, 29) rural, (P=0.008). Half the children (56%) had three between-meals snacks and dry finger foods (mean, SD) (1.7, 0.5) times daily. Rural parents described higher scores of snack control (Median, IQR) (16, 15-18) rural vs (15, 13-16) urban, (P<0.001), and felt children were more likely to seek snacks in response to hunger compared to urban children (5, 2-5) rural vs (4, 2-5) urban, (P<0.001). Surprisingly, more snack foods were consumed in rural areas (50, 33-75) rural vs (45, 33-60) urban, (P=0.042).

Eating snacks between meals is common in Thai children living in SBPs. Snack foods are widely eaten, even more in rural than urban children. Despite the substantial differences in socioeconomic characteristics and levels of stunting, there was little variation between urban and rural areas in the commonness of snacking.

With the growing global population and climate change, achieving food security is a pressing challenge(1). Vertical farming has the potential to support local food production and security. In the UK population females and younger adults appear to be particularly vulnerable to micronutrient shortfalls from food sources alone. Levels of micronutrient intakes including zinc and iron are below the recommended daily intake(2). As a Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA) system, vertical farming employs hydroponics using a nutrient solution which offers opportunities to modulate nutrient uptake, and thus influence plant mineral and vitamin composition(3).

In this study we aimed to determine the suitability of different crop types for soilless agronomic biofortification with zinc and iron to achieve biofortified crops.

In this study, we investigated the effect of the addition of 20ppm (+20 mg L−1) of zinc (ZnSO4) or iron (Fe-EDTA) to the nutrient solution on the growth and nutritional components in pea microgreens, kale microgreens and kale baby leaf plants. The growth conditions were kept identical throughout the treatments with photoperiod 18 h d-1, temperature 20-22°C and relative humidity at 70-80%. Plant growth, mineral composition, glucosinolate content and protein content were evaluated. Results were analysed using ANOVA (p<0.05, Tukey’s test).

It was determined that higher amounts of zinc in the nutrient solution resulted in significantly higher levels of zinc in all three crops (p<0.05), with increases of 205% in pea microgreens, 264% in babyleaf kale and 217% in kale microgreens compared to the control plants. Higher amounts of iron in the nutrient solution resulted in significantly higher levels of iron only in pea microgreens, with an increase of 38% (p<0.05). Neither dosing regimen negatively influenced the overall crop performance.

These results suggest that the three different crops are suitable for soilless biofortification with zinc and iron, although pea microgreens were the only crop that had a significant increase in iron upon iron-dosing.

The early establishment of the gut microbiome during the first 1000 days of life is crucial for health and development during childhood and beyond(1,2). The composition of the microbiome is influenced by various factors including mode of delivery, gestational age, feeding method, medication use, and other early life experiences(1). Disruptions to optimal early microbial colonisation, as presented with preterm infants, and infants delivered via caesarean section, can compromise microbial diversity which in turn may manifest in health problems(2,3). This study aims to investigate parental awareness around infantile gut health to establish potential gaps in the education provided by healthcare professionals (HCPs).

This study involved the distribution of a 15-item questionnaire to parents of infants aged 0-12 months, via a parenting platform, ‘everymum.ie’. Descriptive statistics were conducted using IBM SPSS V29. Frequencies, Cross-tabulations and Pearson Chi-Squares were performed to analyse categorical variables (significance at p≤0.05).

A total of 933 valid responses were collected. The majority of respondents were female (98%), aged between 25 and 44 years (95%) and had received third level education (85%). Of the sample, 76% did not receive any information from a HCP on the importance of their infant having a healthy gut. Only 15% of parents received this information before their infant’s birth and 22% received this information after. Furthermore, 89% of respondents did not receive any information from a HCP about the role of pre- or probiotics for their infant’s gut health.

Of the 364 parents (39%) who gave birth via caesarean section, 70% were not aware that mode of delivery was linked to their infant’s gut health and 73% did not receive information on the importance of their infant having a healthy gut. Almost 7% of the sample (n=64) had a premature infant. Of this subgroup, only 22% received information after their infant was born on the importance of gut health in infants. Furthermore, 86% of parents with a preterm infant did not receive information about the role of prebiotics or probiotics in relation to their infant’s gut health. There was no significant difference in the information provided to those with or without a preterm infant, and those who gave birth vaginally or via caesarean section, where p=0.950 and p=0.824, respectively.

This study highlights gaps in parental knowledge around infantile gut health and in the education provided by HCPs. Preterm infants and those born via caesarean section are particularly at risk of disruptions to optimal early microbial colonisation and these parents may potentially benefit from information on the importance of supporting their infant’s gut microbiome for long term health and development. Further support and education for HCPs appears necessary to help deliver this message to parents to reduce the burden of health problems during infancy.

Social media platforms like YouTube have become tools to get information on self-care, including nutrition and health. Recently, there has been a growing public interest in protein sources and protein content of foods due to health and environmental concerns(1). High-protein diets, particularly, have gained popularity for their perceived benefits(2), highlighting the importance of individuals’ nutritional literacy. This study aimed to identify and describe the predominant topics about food protein discussed by YouTube commenters to explore their level of protein literacy.

Videos for analysis were selected employing the approach suggested by Gibson(3). Comments added from 2022 to 26 June 2023 (date of data collection), posted within 15 YouTube videos related to food proteins, were extracted through a big data text analysis software, Mozdeh(4), which allows the gathering of comments from YouTube videos by utilising YouTube APIs to collect data. Eight search terms (protein for vegetarians, protein shake, protein foods, low protein foods, Vegan diet, Keto or keto diet, plant based diet vs animal based diet, high protein diet), informed by YouTube’s search predictions and Google Trends, facilitated video identification. Inductive semantic thematic analysis(5) was conducted to organise comments into patterns (codes) and to summarise, interpret, and theorise meanings in broader concepts by connecting them(5).

Of 3,993 comments, 307 referred to food and dietary protein-related content, with a subset of comments contributing to multiple codes. Five themes emerged: 1: Quality (with a reference percentage of comments (RP) = 20.0%, indicating the proportion of comments pertinent to a given theme, relative to the total number of comments), about comments on bioavailability and amino acids content of protein sources; 2: Intake (RP = 30.0 %), regarding protein requirements and metabolism; 3: Health (RP = 15.0%), about health consequences and benefits of protein intake; 4: Sources (RP = 10.5%), on aspects inherent to specific food protein sources; 5: Queries (RP = 25%), related on questions and concerns raised by users.

Comments primarily focused on the importance of identifying daily protein requirements, the perceived ineffectiveness of high-protein diets, and the need for personalised dietary guidance. Also, a polarised viewpoint regarding protein sources emerged, with a marked divergence between animal- and plant-based diet advocates. This study underscores the significant demand for nutritional advice on YouTube, emphasising the potential use of the platform as a means for sharing validated information by registered nutritionists and authoritative bodies. It also accentuates the pressing need for implementing methods into the platform to guarantee the reliability of shared information, such as community-driven approaches that can alert the public about potential misinformation. Future research should delve into the validity of nutritional claims made by non-expert contributors and shed light on their impact on shaping nutritional literacy among the public.