Aquafeeds for carnivorous species face a nutritional–technological conundrum: containing sufficient starch to meet specific manufacturing requirements for binding, extrusion and expansion, but ideally containing as little starch as possible owing to their limited ability to utilise carbohydrates. The present study evaluated the effects of dietary starch with different amylose to amylopectin ratios and resistant starch contents on growth performance, hepatic glycogen accumulation and glucose metabolism of an important cultured carnivorous finfish, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). A common starch source (α-cassava starch (CS)) was tested as is or after being enzymatically de-branched at three different inclusion levels in diets for largemouth bass. Results showed that the increased dietary starch levels compromised performance and high dietary α-CS content led to obvious liver damage. However, the growth performances of fish fed the diets with de-branched starch (DS) were improved, and no manifest liver damages were observed even at the higher inclusion level. The increasing dietary starch contents significantly increased hepatic glycogen accumulation, but not when DS was used. High dietary starch content, without regard to starch sources, had no effect on the expression of glucose metabolism-related genes, except for down-regulation of insulin receptor expression. However, the use of dietary DS promoted the expression of genes involved in the insulin pathway and glycolysis. In conclusion, this study showed that the use of starch sources with a high amylose to amylopectin ratio and resistant starch in the feed for cultured carnivorous finfish could alleviate the hepatic glycogen deposition through regulating the insulin pathway and glycolysis.

Data on average iodine requirements for the Chinese population are limited following implementation of long-term universal salt iodisation. We explored the minimum iodine requirements of young adults in China using a balance experiment and the ‘iodine overflow’ hypothesis proposed by our team. Sixty healthy young adults were enrolled to consume a sequential experimental diet containing low, medium and high levels of iodine (about 20, 40 and 60 μg/d, respectively). Each dose was consumed for 4 d, and daily iodine intake, excretion and retention were assessed. All participants were in negative iodine balance throughout the study. Iodine intake, excretion and retention differed among the three iodine levels (P < 0·01 for all groups). The zero-iodine balance derived from a random effect model indicated a mean iodine intake of 102 μg/d, but poor correlation coefficients between observed and predicted iodine excretion (r 0·538 for μg/d data) and retention (r 0·304 for μg/d data). As iodine intake increased from medium to high, all of the increased iodine was excreted (‘overflow’) through urine and faeces by males, and 89·5 % was excreted by females. Although the high iodine level (63·4 μg/d) might be adequate in males, the corresponding level of 61·6 μg/d in females did not meet optimal requirements. Our findings indicate that a daily iodine intake of approximately half the current recommended nutrient intake (120 μg/d) may satisfy the minimum iodine requirements of young male adults in China, while a similar level is insufficient for females based on the ‘iodine overflow’ hypothesis.

We evaluated the differences between the supplementation of urea in rumen and/or abomasum on forage digestion, N metabolism and urea kinetics in cattle fed a low-quality tropical forage. Five Nellore heifers were fitted with rumen and abomasum fistulas and assigned to a Latin square design. The treatments were control, continuous infusion of urea in the abomasum (AC), continuous infusion of urea in the rumen, a pulse dose of urea in the rumen every 12 h (PR) and a combination of PR and AC. The control exhibited the lowest (P < 0·10) faecal and urinary N losses, which were, overall, increased by supplementation. The highest urinary N losses (P < 0·10) were observed when urea was either totally or partially supplied as a ruminal pulse dose. The rumen N balance was negative for the control and when urea was totally supplied in the abomasum. The greatest microbial N production (P < 0·10) was obtained when urea was partially or totally supplied in the abomasum. Urea supplementation increased (P < 0·10) the amount of urea recycled to the gastrointestinal tract and the amount of urea-N returned to the ornithine cycle. The greatest (P < 0·10) amounts of urea-N used for anabolism were observed when urea was totally and continuously infused in the abomasum. The continuous abomasal infusion also resulted in the highest (P < 0·10) assimilation of microbial N from recycling. The continuous releasing of urea throughout day either in the rumen or abomasum is able to improve N accretion in the animal body, despite mechanism responsible for that being different.

Whole-grain wheat, in particular coloured varieties, may have health benefits in adults with chronic metabolic disease risk factors. Twenty-nine overweight and obese adults with chronic inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) > 1·0 mg/l) replaced four daily servings of refined grain food products with bran-enriched purple or regular whole-wheat convenience bars (approximately 41–45 g fibre, daily) for 8 weeks in a randomised, single-blind parallel-arm study where body weight was maintained. Anthropometrics, blood markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and lipaemia and metabolites of anthocyanins and phenolic acids were compared at days 1, 29 and 57 using repeated-measures ANOVA within groups and ANCOVA between groups at day 57, with day 1 as a covariate. A significant reduction in IL-6 and increase in adiponectin were observed within the purple wheat (PW) group. TNF-α was lowered in both groups and ferulic acid concentration increased in the regular wheat (RW) group. Comparing between wheats, only plasma TNF-α and glucose differed significantly (P < 0·05), that is, TNF-α and glucose decreased with RW and PW, respectively. Consumption of PW or RW products showed potential to improve plasma markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in participants with evidence of chronic inflammation, with modest differences observed based on type of wheat.

Preoperative nutritional status plays an important role in predicting postoperative outcomes. Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) and Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) are good tools to assess patients’ nutritional status. They have been used in predicting outcomes in various malignancies, but few studies have focused on pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients. Totally, 306 PDAC patients were enrolled. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was introduced to eliminate the baseline inequivalence. Patients with different PNI (or CONUT) scores showed inequivalence baseline characteristics, and patients with compromised nutritional status were related with a more advanced tumour stage. After PSM, the baseline characteristics were well balanced. Both low PNI (≤45) and high CONUT (≥3) were independent risk factors for poor overall survival (P < 0·05), and the result remained the same after PSM. Survival analysis demonstrated both patients with low PNI and high CONUT score were associated with poorer survival, and the result remained the same after PSM. The results of AUC indicated that CONUT might have a higher sensitivity and specificity in predicting complications and survival. Preoperative low PNI (≤45) and high CONUT (≥3) scores might be reliable predictors of prognosis and surgical complications in PDAC patients. Compared with PNI, CONUT might be more effective.

Flavonoids are suggested to reduce disease risk. Since dietary habits are acquired during early life, describing age and time trends of flavonoid intake and major food sources are important for monitoring and disease prevention in later life. We aimed to describe total flavonoid intake and food sources and to investigate age and time trends of flavonoid intake in 3–18-year-olds, from the Dortmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed study from 1985 to 2016. Intake was assessed annually using 3-d weighed food records (WFR). Flavonoid values were assigned using the United States Department of Agriculture database. Foods contributing to intake were determined. Age and time trends in total flavonoid and isoflavone density were analysed by sex with PROC MIXED. In total, 1312 children completed 10 758 WFR. Across all ages, daily mean total flavonoid density was lower in boys compared with girls (134 v. 146 mg/4184 kJ) and no difference in median isoflavone density (0·04 mg/4184 kJ per d) was found. The top five foods contributing to total flavonoid intake were apple with peel (15·0/17·1 %), strawberries (5·9/6·1 %), chocolate spread (3·9/3·5 %), orange juice (3·5/3·4 %) and pasta (3·5/3·4 %) for boys and girls, respectively. Overall, in boys, total flavonoid density decreased over the course of age and time. In girls, there was no association with age or time. In both sexes, isoflavone density followed a U-shaped age trend with no change over time. From a public health perspective, the overall observed downwards trend of flavonoid intake in boys deserves attention. Future initiatives should be tailored at maintaining a high flavonoid density as children age, specifically among boys.

The longitudinal relationship between muscle strength, dietary intake and physical activity among adolescents is not well understood. We investigated the trend and longitudinal effects of dietary intakes and physical activity scores on muscle strength in adolescents. This prospective cohort study consisted of 436 adolescents (134 males; 302 females) aged 13 years at baseline (2012) who were followed up at the ages of 15 (2014) and 17 (2016) years, respectively. We measured muscle strength using a calibrated hand dynamometer, estimated dietary intake with a 7-d dietary history and physical activity scores with a validated physical activity questionnaire for older children. A generalised estimating equation was used to examine the effect of dietary intakes and physical activity on muscle strength changes. The analysis was performed separately by sex. The muscle strength for males and females had increased within the 5-year period. The dietary intakes (energy and macronutrients) also increased initially but plateaued after the age of 15 years for both sexes. Females recorded a significant declining trend in physical activity scores compared with males as they grew older. A significant positive longitudinal relationship was found between protein (β = 0·035; P = 0·016), carbohydrate intake (β = 0·002; P = 0·013) and muscle strength among males. However, no longitudinal relationship was found between dietary intake, physical activity and muscle strength among females. Higher protein and carbohydrate intake among males was associated with higher muscle strength but was not observed in females. Nutrition and physical activity focusing on strength building are required in early adolescence and need to be tailored to males and females accordingly.

Epidemiological evidence on the association between eating frequency and overall diet quality does not represent a consistent picture. This cross-sectional study examined the associations of meal frequency and snack frequency with diet quality, using different definitions of meals and snacks. Based on 4-d weighed dietary record data obtained from 639 Japanese adults aged 20–81 years, all eating occasions were divided into meals or snacks based on either the participant-identified or time-of-day definitions. Diet quality was assessed by the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) and Nutrient-Rich Food Index 9.3 (NRF9.3). One additional meal per d increased the HEI-2015 total score by 3·6 and 1·3 points based on the participant-identified and time-of-day definitions, respectively. A higher meal frequency was also associated with higher values of some of the HEI-2015 component scores (total vegetables, greens and beans, and total protein foods), irrespective of how meals were defined. Additionally, one additional participant-identified snack per d increased the HEI-2015 total score by 0·7 points. The frequency of participant-identified snacks also showed positive associations with some of the HEI-2015 component scores (total fruits, whole fruits, total vegetables, greens and beans, dairy products, and Na). However, the frequency of time-of-day defined snacks was not associated with the total scores of HEI-2015, although there were some associations for its components. Similar findings were obtained when the NRF9.3 was used. In conclusion, higher meal frequency was consistently associated with higher diet quality, while associations between snack frequency and diet quality varied depending on the definition of snacks.

Objective measurement of RMR may be important for optimal nutritional care but is hindered by the price and practicality of the metabolic monitoring device. This study compared two metabolic monitoring devices for measuring RMR and VO2 and compared the measured RMR with the predicted RMR calculated from equations. RMR was measured using QUARK RMR (reference device) and Fitmate GS (COSMED) in a random order for 30 min, each on fasted participants. In total, sixty-eight adults participated (median age 22 years, interquartile range 21–32). Pearson correlation showed that RMR (r 0·86) and VO2 (r 0·86) were highly correlated between the two devices (P < 0·05). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) showed good relative agreements regarding RMR (ICC = 0·84) and VO2 (ICC = 0·84) (P < 0·05). RMR measured by QUARK RMR was significantly higher (649 (sd 753) kJ/d) than Fitmate GS. Equations significantly overpredicted RMR. Accurate RMR (i.e. within ±10 % of the RMR measured by QUARK RMR) was found among 38 % of the participants for Fitmate GS and among 46–68 % depending on the equations. Bland–Altman analysis showed a low absolute agreement with QUARK RMR at an individual level for both Fitmate GS (limits of agreement (LOA): −828 to +2125 kJ/d) and equations (LOA ranged from −1979 to +1879 kJ/d). In conclusion, both Fitmate GS and predictive equations had low absolute agreements with QUARK RMR at an individual level. Therefore, these limitations should be considered when determining RMR using Fitmate GS or equations.