The aim of this study was to examine the effect of three different fatty acid (FA)-rich meals enriched in either SFA, MUFA or PUFA on postprandial metabolic responses in premenopausal, normal-weight women. For this randomised, single-blind, crossover study, three high-fat (HF) meals rich in either SFA, MUFA or PUFA (65 % energy from fat; 35 % of participants’ total daily energy needs) were tested. For each visit, anthropometrics and RMR were measured following a 12–15 h fast. Then, participants consumed one of the HF meals, and respiratory gases were collected using indirect calorimetry for 3 h postprandially. Energy expenditure (EE) following a SFA-rich meal was significantly higher than a MUFA-rich meal (P = 0·04; η2 = 0·19), but SFA was not significantly different from PUFA. There was a trend towards significance in EE between PUFA and MUFA (P = 0·06). After adjusting for fat-free mass (FFM), there were no longer condition or time effects for EE, although FFM remained a significant predictor (P = 0·005; η2 = 0·45). There were no significant differences between conditions for dietary-induced thermogenesis or substrate oxidation. The relationship between fat mass (FM) and both total fat oxidation (r 0·62; P = 0·025) and total change in RER following a MUFA-rich meal was observed (r −0·55; P = 0·05). In conclusion, weight loss through increases in EE may be best achieved by increasing FFM rather than selection of FA type. Further, a relationship exists between FM and fat oxidation following a MUFA-rich meal, most likely due to an unidentified mechanism.

Animal-derived dietary protein ingestion and physical activity stimulate myofibrillar protein synthesis rates in older adults. We determined whether a non-animal-derived diet can support daily myofibrillar protein synthesis rates to the same extent as an omnivorous diet. Nineteen healthy older adults (aged 66 (sem 1) years; BMI 24 (sem 1) kg/m2; twelve males, seven females) participated in a randomised, parallel-group, controlled trial during which they consumed a 3-d isoenergetic high-protein (1·8 g/kg body mass per d) diet, where the protein was provided from predominantly (71 %) animal (OMNI; n 9; six males, three females) or exclusively vegan (VEG; n 10; six males, four females; mycoprotein providing 57 % of daily protein intake) sources. During the dietary control period, participants conducted a daily bout of unilateral resistance-type leg extension exercise. Before the dietary control period, participants ingested 400 ml of deuterated water, with 50-ml doses consumed daily thereafter. Saliva samples were collected throughout to determine body water 2H enrichments, and muscle samples were collected from rested and exercised muscle to determine daily myofibrillar protein synthesis rates. Deuterated water dosing resulted in body water 2H enrichments of approximately 0·78 (sem 0·03) %. Daily myofibrillar protein synthesis rates were 13 (sem 8) (P = 0·169) and 12 (sem 4) % (P = 0·016) greater in the exercised compared with rested leg (1·59 (sem 0·12) v. 1·77 (sem 0·12) and 1·76 (sem 0·14) v. 1·93 (sem 0·12) %/d) in OMNI and VEG groups, respectively. Daily myofibrillar protein synthesis rates did not differ between OMNI and VEG in either rested or exercised muscle (P > 0·05). Over the course of a 3-d intervention, omnivorous- or vegan-derived dietary protein sources can support equivalent rested and exercised daily myofibrillar protein synthesis rates in healthy older adults consuming a high-protein diet.

Healthy dietary habits reduce the likelihood for the metabolic syndrome (MS). The present study investigated whether awareness of nutrition information is associated with a decreased likelihood for the MS after adjusting for potential confounders among Korean adults aged 20 years and older. Data were obtained from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016–2018. Of the 14 490 participants, 4001 (27·6 %) participants had the MS. In total, 3815 (26·3 %) participants checked nutritional facts and made labelling-dependent purchasing decisions (aware + consider), 7001 (48·3 %) checked nutritional facts but did not make labelling-dependent purchasing decisions or were aware of nutrition facts but did not check them when making food purchasing decisions (aware + not consider) and 3674 (25·4 %) were unaware of nutritional facts (not aware). The aware + consider group was less likely to develop the MS than other groups. The aware + not consider, and not aware groups were at higher association with the MS compared with the aware + consider group. Statistically significant associations were observed between the MS and several demographic characteristics including sex, age, household income, education level, employment status, public health insurance status, smoking status, alcohol consumption and aerobic exercise.

The aim of this study was to explore the effects and mechanisms of different starvation treatments on the compensatory growth of Acipenser dabryanus. A total of 120 fish (60·532 (sem 0·284) g) were randomly assigned to four groups (fasting 0, 3, 7 or 14 d and then refed for 14 d). During fasting, middle body weight decreased significantly with prolonged starvation. The whole-body and muscle composition, serum biochemical indexes, visceral indexes and digestive enzyme activities had been effected with varying degrees of changes. The growth hormone (GH) level in serum was significantly increased in 14D; however, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) showed the opposite trend. The neuropeptide Y (npy) mRNA level in brain was significantly improved in 7D; peptide YY (pyy) mRNA level in intestine was significantly decreased during fasting. After refeeding, the final body weight, percentage weight gain, specific growth rate, feed intake, feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio showed no difference between 0D and 3D. The changes of whole-body and muscle composition, serum biochemical indexes, visceral indexes and digestive enzyme activities had taken place in varying degrees. GH levels in 3D and 7D were significantly higher than those in the 0D; the IGF-1 content decreased significantly during refeeding. There was no significant difference in npy and pyy mRNA levels. These results indicated that short-term fasting followed by refeeding resulted in full compensation and the physiological and biochemical effects on A. dabryanus were the lowest after 3 d of starvation and 14 d of refeeding. Additionally, compensation in A. dabryanus may be mediated by appetite genes and GH, and the degree of compensation is also affected by the duration of starvation.

Evidence suggests that eating nuts may reduce the risk of CVD. This study was intended to pool the data of all randomised controlled trials (RCT) available to determine if pistachios confer a beneficial effect on anthropometric indices, inflammatory markers, endothelial dysfunction and blood pressure. Without language restriction, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched for articles published from the earliest records to June 2019 investigating the effect of pistachio consumption on inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and hypertension. Mean difference (MD) was pooled using a random effects model. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. The meta-analysis of thirteen RCT with 563 participants indicated that pistachio consumption significantly decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) (MD: −2·12 mmHg, 95 % CI −3·65, −0·59, P = 0·007), whereas changes in flow-mediated dilation (MD: 0·94 %, 95 % CI −0·99, 2·86, P = 0·813), diastolic blood pressure (MD: 0·32 mmHg, 95 % CI −1·37, 2·02, P = 0·707), C-reactive protein (MD: 0·00 mg/l, 95 % CI −0·21, 0·23, P = 0·942), TNF-α (MD: −0·09 pg/ml, 95 % CI −0·38, 0·20, P = 0·541), body weight (MD: 0·09 kg, 95 % CI −0·38, 0·69, P = 0·697), BMI (MD: 0·07 kg/m2, 95 % CI −0·16, 0·31, P = 0·553) and waist circumference (MD: 0·77 cm, 95 % CI −0·09, 1·64, P = 0·140) were not statistically significant. This systematic review and meta-analysis suggested the efficacy of pistachio consumption to reduce SBP levels. However, further large-scale studies are needed to confirm these results.

Depression affects approximately 350 million people worldwide. Evidence suggests that diet plays an important role with the Mediterranean diet (MD) displaying promising preliminary results. Currently, most of the research is conducted on women and older adults; however, the majority of mental illnesses occur before the age of 25 years. Men are less likely to seek help than women with only 13 % of young men aged 15–24 years seeking help for their mental health. Young men are hugely underrepresented in the current research which poses a significant issue. A 12-week randomised controlled trial will be conducted to examine the effect of a MD on the symptoms of depression in young men aged 18–25 years. Participants will be randomised to either follow a MD or receive the inactive control therapy befriending. Participants will attend three appointments at baseline, week 6 and week 12. The main outcome will be changes to the Beck’s Depression Inventory score. This research aims to answer the question of whether diet can be used effectively in this population. This will be the first trial to examine the effect of a MD on the symptoms of depression in young men. This trial will help fill a significant research gap, contribute to the growing field of nutritional psychiatry, guide future research and inform advice given by clinicians to this specific demographic.

Adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) is the only available treatment for gluten-related disorders, although a GFD may also be followed for discretionary reasons. The main objectives of the present study were to (1) describe and test for differences in key nutrient intakes among Canadians who follow a GFD compared with Canadians with no dietary exclusions and (2) describe additional dietary avoidances adhered to by Canadians who avoid gluten. We conducted a secondary analysis of the cross-sectional 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition Survey, which included a general health survey and 24-h dietary recall (n 20 487). Participants were categorised as those who avoid dietary gluten and those who reported no avoidances. Key nutrient intakes were assessed, as a percentage of Dietary Recommended Intakes, including fibre, B vitamins, vitamin D, Ca, Fe, Na and Zn, and compared between the two groups using t tests. Canadians who avoided gluten had significantly lower intakes of folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, Fe, Na and Ca compared with those who did not avoid any food groups. However, Canadians who reported following a GFD were significantly more likely to use vitamin or mineral supplements in the past 30 d. More than 20 % of those who avoided gluten also avoided dairy products. Findings suggest that following a GFD places Canadians at risk for nutrient inadequacies, particularly folate, Ca and vitamin D. Further research is required to further examine how multiple dietary avoidances among those who avoid gluten may contribute to dietary inadequacies.

Vegetables are an important source for the essential vitamins and minerals that are necessary for optimal health. This research investigated changes in vegetable intake over time in the Korean population from 1998 to 2017, focusing on preparation methods of vegetables and location of consumption. This cross-sectional study is based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) that was established in 1998 to assess the health and nutritional status of the South Korean population. This research utilised information from 1998 to 2017 which is the extent of all available KNHANES data. Vegetable consumption was grouped, according to preparation methods and common eating locations. Both crude and age-standardised means of vegetable intake were derived via a 24-h dietary recall. All participants who completed a 24-h dietary recall survey were selected for the analyses. This included 109 220 individuals (49 069 men and 60 151 women) over the course of 20 years of the KNHANES. Total vegetable intake decreased over time (Pfor trends < 0·001), specifically, steamed and salted vegetables (Pfor trends < 0·001). In contrast, Koreans consumed noticeably more raw vegetables from 1998 to 2017 (Pfor trends < 0·001). Vegetable intake at home significantly declined (Pfor trends < 0·001), while that eaten at restaurants or outside the home increased greatly (Pfor trends < 0·001). Over 20 years, Koreans have ingested decreasing amounts of vegetables, but the intake of raw vegetables has escalated. However, the location of vegetable consumption has changed, with an increase at both restaurants and outside the home (approximately 70·0 %).

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread globally, forcing countries to apply lockdowns and strict social distancing measures. The aim of this study was to assess eating habits and lifestyle behaviours among residents of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during the lockdown. A cross-sectional study among adult residents of the MENA region was conducted using an online questionnaire designed on Google Forms during April 2020. A total of 2970 participants from eighteen countries participated in the present study. During the pandemic, over 30 % reported weight gain, 6·2 % consumed five or more meals per d compared with 2·2 % before the pandemic (P < 0·001) and 48·8 % did not consume fruits on a daily basis. Moreover, 39·1 % did not engage in physical activity, and over 35 % spent more than 5 h/d on screens. A significant association between the frequency of training during the pandemic and the reported change in weight was found (P < 0·001). A significantly higher percentage of participants reported physical and emotional exhaustion, irritability and tension either all the time or a large part of the time during the pandemic (P < 0·001). Although a high percentage of participants reported sleeping more hours per night during the pandemic, 63 % had sleep disturbances. The study highlights that the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a variety of lifestyle changes, physical inactivity and psychological problems among adults in the MENA region.

Online food delivery (OFD) platforms guarantee access to food during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic when commercial food establishments are closed and access to food retail is controlled. The present study aimed to describe the advertisements published in an OFD platform in Brazilian capitals, during the 13th and 14th weeks of the pandemic. Data collection occurred on 1 d of the week and 1 d of the weekend and during lunch and dinner time. A random sample of 25 % of the advertisements (n 1754) published in this period was classified in accordance with the presence of food groups and to the use of marketing strategies. Sandwiches, ultra-processed beverages, traditional meals or pasta were the most common food groups shown in the advertisements. Free delivery prevailed in advertisements of ice cream, candies or salty packages snacks and pizza (P < 0·01). Combos were more frequently shown in the advertising of natural juices or smoothies, ultra-processed beverages, sandwiches and pizzas (P < 0·01). Messages about healthiness were more seen among natural juices or smoothies, vegetables and traditional meals and pasta advertisements (P < 0·01) and less seen in sandwiches (P = 0·02) and pizza advertisements (P < 0·01). Economy messages were rare in advertisements of traditional meals or pasta (P < 0·01) and more common in ultra-processed beverages (P = 0·03) and ice cream, candies or salty packages snacks (P < 0·01) advertisements. The OFD platform promoted unhealthy eating during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil due to the expressive presence of unhealthy foods advertising.

Higher consumption of ‘ultra-processed’ (UP) foods has been linked to adverse health outcomes. The present paper aims to characterise percentage energy from UP foods by participant socio-economic status (SES), diet quality, self-reported food expenditure and energy-adjusted diet cost. Participants in the population-based Seattle Obesity Study III (n 755) conducted in WA in 2016–2017 completed socio-demographic and food expenditure surveys and the FFQ. Education and residential property values were measures of SES. Retail prices of FFQ component foods (n 378) were used to estimate individual-level diet cost. Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015) and Nutrient Rich Food Index 9.3 (NRF9.3) were measures of diet quality. UP foods were identified following NOVA classification. Multivariable linear regressions were used to test associations between UP foods energy, socio-demographics, two estimates of food spending and diet quality measures. Higher percentage energy from UP foods was associated with higher energy density, lower HEI-2015 and NRF9.3 scores. The bottom decile of diet cost ($216·4/month) was associated with 67·5 % energy from UP foods; the top decile ($369·9/month) was associated with only 48·7 % energy from UP foods. Percentage energy from UP foods was inversely linked to lower food expenditures and diet cost. In multivariate analysis, percentage energy from UP foods was predicted by lower food expenditures, diet cost and education, adjusting for covariates. Percentage energy from UP foods was linked to lower food spending and lower SES. Efforts to reduce UP foods consumption, an increasingly common policy measure, need to take affordability, food expenditures and diet costs into account.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the cross-cultural measurement equivalence of the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) for children aged 1–2 years and to analyse the quality of nutrition of preterm infants. This was a cross-sectional study with 106 premature infants attended in two specialised outpatient clinics of university hospitals. The quality of the diet was analysed through an adapted HEI to meet the dietary recommendations of Brazilian children aged 1–2 years. Food consumption was measured by 24-h recalls. The reliability of the instrument was evaluated by internal consistency analysis and inter-observer reliability using Cronbach’s α coefficient and κ with quadratic ponderation. The construct validity was evaluated by principal component analysis and by Spearman’s correlation coefficient with total energy and consumption of some groups’ food. The diet quality was considered adequate when the total HEI score was over 80 points. Cronbach’s α was 0·54. Regarding inter-observer reliability, ten items showed strong agreement (κ > 0·8). The item scores had low correlations with energy consumed (r ≤ 0·30), and positive and moderate correlation of fruit (r 0·67), meat (r 0·60) and variety of diet (r 0·57) with total scores. When analysing the overall quality of the diet, most patients need improvement (median 78·7 points), which can be attributed to low total vegetable intake and the presence of ultraprocessed foods in the diet. The instrument showed auspicious psychometric properties, being promising to evaluate the quality of the diet in children aged 1–2 years.

The consumption of energy-dense sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and its low satiating effects may influence the development of child eating behaviours. We aimed to investigate the association of SSB consumption at 4 years on appetitive behaviours at age 7 years. Children from the Generation XXI birth cohort were included (n 3880). SSB consumption was evaluated through a FFQ and appetitive behaviours were evaluated through the Children’s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, which includes eight subscales. Two composite factors, derived by principal component analysis (Appetite Restraint – related to Food Fussiness, Enjoyment of Food, Slowness in Eating and Satiety Responsiveness – and Appetite Disinhibition – related to Food Responsiveness, Emotional Under- and Overeating and Desire to Drink), were also investigated. The dose–response relationship between SSB consumption and appetitive behaviours was examined using multivariable linear regression (continuous eating behaviour scores) and multinomial logistic regression (tertile categories of eating behaviour scores). Child SSB consumption at 4 years was associated with higher Appetite Disinhibition and Desire to Drink and lower Food Fussiness and Slowness in Eating at 7 years. Consuming SSB ≥1 times/d (compared with a lower intake) was associated with 29 % increase in the odds of Desire to Drink (3rd v. 1st tertile). Pre-schoolers’ SSB consumption was associated with higher food approach and less food avoidant behaviours later in childhood. Family characteristics, particularly maternal SSB consumption, explained part of these associations. It is essential to promote the intake of water, instead of sugary drinks, and make parents and caregivers aware of the importance of this exposure, since they have a pivotal role in shaping children’s eating behaviours.