A whole foods diet with omega‐3 and vitamin D supplementation is associated with improved health outcomes in children with ASD

BackgroundThe clinical benefits of omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) supplementation in preventing and treating coronary heart disease (CHD) remain controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the clinical benefits of omega-3 FA supplementation, with special attention given to specific subgroups.MethodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the effects of omega-3 FA supplementation for CHD vs. a control group and including at least 1,000 patients were eligible for the inclusion in this meta-analysis. The relative risk (RR) of all-cause death, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and revascularization were estimated. We analyzed the association between cardiovascular risk and omega-3 FA supplementation in the total subjects. We focused on the cardiovascular risk compared to omega-3 FA in subgroups with different development stages of CHD, omega-3 FA supplementation application dose, diabetes, and sex. PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD42021282459.ResultsThis meta-analysis included 14 clinical RCTs, including 1,35,291 subjects. Omega-3 FA supplementation reduced the risk of MACE (RR; 0.95; CI: 0.91–0.99; p for heterogeneity 0.27; I2 = 20%; p = 0.03), cardiovascular death (RR; 0.94; CI: 0.89–0.99; p for heterogeneity 0.21; I2 = 25%; p = 0.02), and MI (RR; 0.86; CI: 0.79–0.93; p for heterogeneity 0.28; I2 = 19%; p < 0.01), but had no significant effect on all-cause death, stroke, and revascularization. In the subgroup analysis, omega-3 FA supplementation decreased the incidence of MACE and cardiovascular death in acute patients with MI, the risk of MI and stroke in patients with CHD, and the risk of MI in patients with high-risk CHD. 0.8–1.2 g omega-3 FA supplementation reduced the risk of MACE, cardiovascular death, and MI. It was revealed that gender and diabetes have no significant association between omega-3 FA supplementation and MACE risk.ConclusionsOmega-3 FA supplementation had a positive effect in reducing the incidence of MACE, cardiovascular death, MI. Regardless of the stage of CHD, omega-3 FA supplementation can prevent the occurrence of MI. The 0.8–1.2 g omega-3 FA supplementation alleviated CHD risk more effectively than lower or higher doses.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42021282459.

Change of heart: Mixed evidence on omega-3 FAs

Beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acid (O3FA) supplementation in a wide range of disease condition have been well studied. However, there is limited information regarding the effects of O3FAs on chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially in diabetic nephropathy (DN) with hypertriglyceridemia. We investigate whether O3FA supplementation could help maintain renal function in patients with diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia. Total 344 type 2 diabetic patients with a history of O3FA supplementation for managing hypertriglyceridemia were included. Reduction in urine albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) and glomerular filtrate rate (GFR) were examined. Subgroup analyses were stratified according to the daily O3FA doses. Serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and urine ACR significantly reduced after O3FA supplementation. Overall, 172 (50.0%) patients did not experience renal function loss, and 125 (36.3%) patients had a GFR with a positive slope. The patients treated with O3FAs at 4g/day showed greater maintenance in renal function than those treated with lower dosages (p < 0.001). This dose dependent effect remains significant after adjustment for multiple variables. O3FA supplementation in diabetic patients with hypertriglyceridemia shows benefits of reducing albuminuria and maintaining renal function. The effects are dependent on the dose of daily O3FA supplementation.

To assess whether omega-3 fatty acid (FA) supplementation is more efficacious than placebo in amelioration of signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. We performed a systematic literature search in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. We included randomized clinical trials comparing omega-3 FA supplementation with placebo in patients with dry eye disease. The outcome measures were dry eye symptoms, breakup time (BUT), Schirmer test, and corneal fluorescein staining. The pooled effect sizes were estimated using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the Q and I tests. Sensitivity analysis and assessment of publication bias were performed. Meta-regression was performed to evaluate the source of heterogeneity. Seventeen randomized clinical trials involving 3363 patients were included. Compared with placebo, omega-3 FA supplementation decreased dry eye symptoms [standardized difference in mean values (SDM) = 0.968; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.554-1.383; P < 0.001] and corneal fluorescein staining (SDM = 0.517; 95% CI, 0.043-0.991; P = 0.032), whereas it increased the BUT (SDM = 0.905; 95% CI, 0.564-1.246; P < 0.001) and Schirmer test values (SDM = 0.905; 95% CI, 0.564-1.246; P < 0.001). No evidence of publication bias was observed, and sensitivity analyses indicated the robustness of results obtained. Meta-regression analysis showed a higher improvement of dry eye symptoms and BUT in studies conducted in India. This meta-analysis provides evidence that omega-3 FA supplementation significantly improves dry eye symptoms and signs in patients with dry eye disease. Therefore, our findings indicate that omega-3 FA supplementation may be an effective treatment for dry eye disease.

BackgroundSchool feeding programs are ubiquitous in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and may have critical implications for the health and education of school-age children and adolescents. This systematic review aimed to assess the impacts of school feeding on educational and health outcomes of children and adolescents in LMICs.MethodsInterventional studies on the effects of school feeding on nutritional and health outcomes of children and adolescents receiving primary or secondary education in LMICs were included. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, and grey literature were searched (through December 2019) to identify eligible studies. We included randomized controlled trials and controlled before-after studies on school feeding conducted in LMICs among children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 who received primary or secondary education. Two reviewers independently conducted study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment. Meta-analyses were performed for outcomes available in three or more independent studies. Subgroup analyses were conducted by study design and school feeding modality whenever possible.ResultsFifty-seven articles met the inclusion criteria for the review, including 44 randomized controlled trials and 13 controlled before-after studies; 19 articles were included in the meta-analysis. School feeding resulted in a significant increase in height (mean difference = 0.32 cm; confidence interval (CI) = 0.03, 0.61; P = 0.032) and weight (mean difference: 0.58 kg; 95% 95% CI = 0.22, 0.93; P = 0.001) over 12 months, compared to those in the control groups. School feeding also resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of school days attended (2.6%; 95% CI = 1.2%, 3.9%; P < 0.001).ConclusionsSchool feeding is an important approach to improving the health and education outcomes of children and adolescents living in LMICs. More well-designed research is needed to establish further the effectiveness of school feeding for nutritional outcomes and academic achievement.RegistrationPROSPERO ID: CRD42020159003.

59 Late gestation supplementation of long chain fatty acids increases foal docosahexaenoic acid concentrations at birth

The high incidence of cardiovascular disease and vitamin D deficiency in chronic kidney disease patients is well known. Vitamin D activation by omega-3 fatty acid (FA) supplementation may explain the cardioprotective effects exerted by omega-3 FA. We hypothesized that omega-3 FA and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) supplementation may increase 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) levels compared to 25(OH)D supplementation alone in hemodialysis (HD) patients that have insufficient or deficient 25(OH)D levels. We enrolled patients that were treated for at least six months with 25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL (NCT01596842). Patients were randomized to treatment for 12 weeks with cholecalciferol supplemented with omega-3 FA or a placebo. Levels of 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D were measured after 12 weeks. The erythrocyte membrane FA contents were also measured. Levels of 25(OH)D were increased in both groups at 12 weeks compared to baseline. The 1,25(OH)2D levels at 12 weeks compared to baseline showed a tendency to increase in the omega-3 FA group. The oleic acid and monounsaturated FA content decreased, while the omega-3 index increased in the omega-3 FA group. Omega-3 FA supplementation may be partly associated with vitamin D activation, although increased 25(OH)D levels caused by short-term cholecalciferol supplementation were not associated with vitamin D activation in HD patients.

Paola Bozzatello et al. [1] have done a comprehensive qualitative review of the potential use of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders.[...].

Background: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid (O3FA), reduces oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in patients with hypertriglyceridemia, an effect that may contribute to lower cardiovascular (CV) events as reported in the REDUCE-IT trial. By contrast, DHA-containing products have failed to show a reduction in CV events, which may be due, in part, to differences in antioxidant activity. We compared the effects of EPA versus DHA and a mixed O3FA (EPA/DHA) supplement on oxidation of human LDL in vitro . Methods: LDL was isolated from human plasma by isopycnic centrifugation, separated into test samples of 100 μg/mL, and incubated at 37°C for 30 min in the absence (vehicle) or presence of EPA, DHA, or mixed O3FA supplement at equimolar levels (2.5 μM). All samples were then subjected to copper-induced oxidation (20 μM) as measured by formation of malondialdehyde (MDA). The FA content of the O3FA supplement was measured using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results: EPA significantly inhibited LDL oxidation in a time-dependent manner compared with vehicle; after 4 hours, EPA inhibited MDA levels by 96% compared with the vehicle oxidation level (0.51 ± 0.01 vs 11.4 ± 0.4 μM; p &lt;0.001). While DHA exhibited antioxidant activity at 2 hours at a level below EPA (2.5 ± 0.1 vs 11.4 ± 0.4; p &lt;0.001), even this level of activity was lost by 4 hours. The mixed O3FA supplement failed to show any antioxidant activity through 4 hours (11.4 ± 0.5 μM). Fatty acid analysis showed that the O3FA supplement, in addition to EPA and DHA, contained more than 30 other fatty acids, including saturated fats, that may have nullified any potential benefits. Conclusions: These data support potent LDL antioxidant effects of EPA that were sustained over time compared with DHA, which had a weaker, transient effect, or a mixed O3FA supplement, which had no beneficial effect at all. This potent antioxidant mechanism of EPA may contribute to reduced CV risks seen in REDUCE-IT compared with negative findings from trials using DHA-containing formulations.

Fatty acids and bipolar disorder

BackgroundToday’s public health discourse prioritizes the health and well-being of children and adolescents. As step counts include both light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activities, and monitoring steps has become a popular method for assessing daily physical activity, it is critical to gain a better understanding of how measuring daily steps may contribute to overall health in children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to thoroughly review the studies that investigated the associations between daily number of steps (DNoS) and health outcomes (HO) in children and adolescents.MethodsElectronic searches were conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, MEDLINE, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus (2000 –January 2024.). Key terms such as number of steps, daily steps, average steps, physical activity, health outcomes were used. The primary outcomes were (1) body composition/obesity risk factors; (2) cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF); and (3) cardiovascular risk factors. Secondary outcomes were psychological/psychosocial parameters (sleep habits, i.e. quality of life). We assessed the methodological quality of each trial using AXIS quality assessment tool. In instances where continuous data emanated from two or more trials, a meta-analysis was undertaken.ResultsThe main findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis are that an increased number of DNoS is associated with better HO in children and adolescents, as evidenced by improvements in body mass index (BMI), body weight, waist circumference, body fat percentage, and cardiorespiratory fitness (i.e., VO2max). However, due to a dearth of studies and conflicting results from current studies, no inferences can be drawn about the correlations between DNoS and sleep quality, quality of life, or cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., blood pressure). Across most of the studies, the average correlation between the DNoS and HO reflected a small, but significant, association with a small effect size.ConclusionsOur findings highlight the importance of daily physical activity, as evidenced by the association between the number of steps and health outcomes in children and adolescents.Trial registrationPROSPERO # CRD42024523729.

Exercise interventions for health outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder: An umbrella review of meta-analyses of clinical trials.

Dietary Intake Patterns of Omega Fatty Acid Profiles in Athletes

Oral Supplementation with Omega3 Fatty Acids Inhibits NFkB Activation In Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Cells.

In the past, studies have compared smokeless tobacco and non-tobacco users for the risk of various chronic diseases. The differences in the risk of chronic diseases between smokeless tobacco user and smokers have not been explored. The objective of this study is to estimate the risk of chronic diseases among smokeless tobacco users compared to smokers. The data were used from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) Wave-1, conducted in 2007-2008 in India. The study sample is the respondents who reported consuming any form of tobacco in last 1 month. The total sample size was 4,038 respondents. The odds ratio of chronic morbidities was estimated taking smokers as the reference category. The odds ratios for (self-reported) diabetes, asthma, and hypertension were not significant for smokeless tobacco user compared to smoked tobacco users. The odds ratio of chronic lung diseases (CLDs) was significantly lower among smokeless tobacco users compared to smoked tobacco users. The odds ratio of hypertension (measured) combined with low education and belonging to lowest wealth quintiles were not significant for smokeless tobacco users compared to smoked tobacco users. Duration of the use of smokeless tobacco and quantity of use was found to have no significant relation with risk of chronic diseases as compared to smoking. This study did not find the significantly higher risk of chronic morbidities except for CLD for smokeless tobacco users compared to smoked tobacco users. The study suggests that the use of any form of tobacco may have a similar risk of chronic diseases.