Aspects Of Diet Research Articles

Firewood in the forest: Social practices, culture, and energy transitions in a remote village of the Brazilian Amazon

The substitution of firewood for cooking energy is one of the pillars of sustainable energy transition. Despite efforts in promoting the diffusion of less pollutant and modern technologies, such as improved cookstoves, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and electric cookers, there is a persistent demand for traditional fuels, particularly in rural areas of the world. But what drives the persistency of firewood use for cooking? While previous attempts to understand the persistent uses of firewood in rural and peri-urban areas largely focused on access and affordability, few studies assess the dietary and sociocultural aspects of firewood. Methodologically, this paper uses the case study of a remote village of the Brazilian Amazon as approach, to help identify the sociocultural drivers behind the use of firewood and adoption of cleaner cookstoves. Findings suggest that the persistency of firewood consumption for cooking is strongly related to cultural indicators, such as food preferences, cooking habits, rituals, house materials and ethnobotanical knowledge.

Psychological, Morphological, and Dietary Aspects of Eating Disorders in Youth

The authors studied the psychological features, body composition, and nutritional parameters in girls with eating disorders. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study of 65 female individuals living in the city of Barnaul. The average age of participants was 18.6 ± 1.04 years. The Dutch questionnaire on food behavior was used to study eating behavior. To estimate the severity of the characteristics inherent in eating disorders, we used the “Eating behavior rating scale.” The mental state was studied using a clinical and psychological test – a questionnaire for the severity of psychopathological symptoms (SCL-90-R). Essential nutrition was estimated relying on the frequency analysis using the computer program “Analysis of human nutritional status.” Body composition was evaluated by using the apparatus for bioimpedanceometry ABC-01 “Medass.” As a result of the study, in all groups of girls with eating disorders, we indicated higher values on the scales reflecting the pursuit of thinness, bulimia, interoceptive incompetence, somatization, depression, anxiety, and psychoticism. As eating disorders worsened, and the total fat, mono- and disaccharides, and added saccharide increased. A change in psychological features accompanies eating disorders in girls. Eating disorders were expressed by the increasing average daily energy consumption, total fat, mono- and disaccharides, and added saccharide. The imbalance in the consumption of fats and simple carbohydrates did not affect the body fat mass in any way, either in absolute or in relative units.

Attitude and self-care practice on hypertension among antihypertensive medication users in a tertiary care hospital Nepal.

Background:Hypertension a “silent killer” is a serious global health problem, whose prevalence is increasing in Nepal.Objective:This study aimed to determine the attitude and practice of hypertension among anti-hypertensive medication users in a tertiary care teaching hospital in western Nepal.Methodology:A hospital-based cross-sectional study design was used among 136 hypertensive patients under medication, aged ⩾ 30 years, and visiting medical outpatient department, medical ward, and geriatric ward, using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. Semi-structured questionnaires were used for data collection through interviews. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used, and a p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Most of the patients were male (56.6%), mean ± standard deviation age was 56.74 ± 12.58. Majority of them were Hindu (69.9%), upper caste people (29.4%), illiterate (22.1%), and house maker (27.2%). Half of the patients (50.7%) had a positive attitude and more than half (52.2%) had performed adequate self-care practice. Selected variables such as educational status and dietary pattern and attitude were significantly associated, whereas no association was found between sociodemographic variables and self-care practice. Attitude and self-care practices were found strongly associated with one another (p = 0.002).Conclusion:Our study found that half of the study population had positive attitude, and more than half of them had performed adequate self-care practice. Hence, educational interventions and awareness programs on dietary aspects should be focused for improving the attitude and practice of all the patient groups.

FICOCIANINA COMO INDICADOR DE CIANOBACTÉRIAS EM RESERVATÓRIOS

PHYCOCYANIN AS AN INDICATOR OF CYANBACTERIA IN RESERVOIRS. Phycocyanin is a pigment present in cyanobacteria whose optical characteristics favor its application in clinical, dietary, and environmental aspects. There are reports of studies of these pigments in lakes and reservoirs, which present different analysis methodologies. Based on this information, this work aims to evaluate correlations between phycocyanin and the number of cyanobacteria to optime the methodologies mentioned above. The samples were collected from four reservoirs in the semiarid region of Ceará, and the applied methodology was based on the work of Hórvath (2013). The spectrophotometry and the fluorimetry analyzes were performed in this analysis. The analytical curves for the phycocyanin showed high linearity, and the fluorimetric technique, which was used due to its greater analytical sensitivity. The absorbance coefficient (2.57 mL mg-1 cm-1) was obtained by spectrophotometry, which was lower than that reported in the literature. The correlations found were higher and significant for phycocyanin (r &gt; 0.70) for the reservoirs, while the correlations with chlorophyll were much lower, hence is contrary to what was observed in the literature. It is concluded that the phycocyanin pigment should be used as an indicator in the estimation of cyanobacteria in reservoirs, replacing the use of chlorophyll for the same function.

The of effect of partnership-based education on adherence to the treatment plans in open heart surgery

BACKGROUND:Adherence to the treatment plans is one of the most effective conducts to prevent and reduce postoperative side effects. Partnership-based education is one of the most efficient ways to shape health behaviors. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of partnership-based education on adherence to the treatment plans in open heart surgery.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2019–2020 on the patients undergoing open heart surgery in Tehran (Capital of Iran). Sampling was done in one educational hospital. A total of 86 patients and their caregivers participated in the study. Sampling was done nonrandomly by tossing a coin, and patients were allocated into the odd week in the intervention group and the even week in the control group (n = 43 in each group), and data were collected before and after intervention using the Treatment Adherence Questionnaire concerning dietary, physical activity, and medication aspects. The educational intervention was carried out after the pretest analysis in five 20–45 min sessions (two individual and three group educations). Data were analyzed with Chi-square, independent t-test, and paired t-test using SPSS 19 at a significance level of P < 0.05.RESULTS:Patients and caregivers in both groups did not have a significant difference in terms of demographic variables (P > 0. 05). In addition, there was no significant difference in the mean of dietary, physical activity, and medication plans before the intervention in both groups; however, after the intervention, the mean of the three aspects in the intervention group was significantly higher than that of control (P < 0.001).CONCLUSION:Implementing partnership-based education with participation of patients and caregivers is influential in improving patients’ adherence to the treatment plans and it is recommended as a clinical dynamic educational strategy.

A New Paradigm for Clinical Nutrition Services in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The role of clinical nutrition services is emphasized in the care of chronic diseases; the prevalence of chronic diseases continues to increase due to the living environment change, westernized dietary life and the aging population in Korea. The effectiveness of clinical nutrition services in the treatment of diseases in inpatients has been demonstrated in several studies. However, in recent days, innovative changes are pursued in clinical nutrition services through a convergence with information and communication technology (ICT), a core technology of the fourth industrial revolution such as big data, deep learning, and artificial intelligence (AI). The health care environment is changing from a medical treatment-oriented service to a preventive and personalized paradigm. Furthermore, we live in an era of personalization where we can personalize dietary aspects including food choice, cooking recipes, and nutrition in daily life. In addition, ICT technology can build a personalized nutrition platform in consideration of individual patient's diseases, genetic trait, and environment, all of which can be technical means in personalized nutrition management services. Personalized nutrition based on ICT technology is able to provide more standardized and high-quality clinical nutrition services to the patients. The purpose of this review is to examine the core technologies of the fourth industrial revolution affecting clinical nutrition services, and ultimately discuss how clinical nutrition professional should respond to ICT technology-related fields in the era of the new technological innovations.

A comparative study on dietary pattern and meal skipping habits of diabetic works

Workers are the pillars of the nation. Hence, the health of the workers must be maintained in terms of Nutrition. But our workers do not concentrate in dietary aspects and skips meal regularly. Improper dietary habits affect the health and the well-being of the workers. To study the dietary pattern and meal skipping habits of dietary work force. Adopting random stratified sampling technique, 100 diabetic general shift workers and 100 diabetic rotation shift workers were selected. Interview schedule was used to obtain the dietary pattern and meal skipping pattern of the subjects. After obtaining the details, raw data was coded and subjected to statistical analysis. About 84.5% and 15.5 were mixed vegetarian and vegetarian respectively. About 86% consumed all three meals a day. 79% brings food from home to workplace. About 37% of diabetic workers skip meal, among them, majority of workers skips breakfast (52.7%). Considering the dietary habits of the diabetic workers, it is essential to educate the workers regarding the good nutritional habits to maintain the blood glucose levels and to prevent micro and macrovascular complication. Employees must provide "health friendly" foods at canteen for the subsidized rates to maintain the wellness of diabetic workers.

A systematic, mixed studies review of the outcomes of community garden participation related to food justice

ABSTRACT Community gardens have been proposed as a way to build community capacity while simultaneously improving equity in food systems, core tenets of the food justice movement. Yet to date, there is no literature that connects the evidence-based outcomes of community gardening with specific social and dietary aspects of the movement. To explore this, we analysed 277 community gardening articles, which resulted in 31 quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods studies that met the inclusion criteria for this synthesis. An appraisal of the quality of each included study was conducted. Results of the synthesis indicate many positive impacts across seven outcomes: three related to the social benefits of gardening (social capital, neighbourhood participation, community sharing) and four related to the dietary benefits of gardening (fruit and vegetable intake, food quality, food security, access to produce). Findings were similar across studies, although methodological rigour in study design and lack of participant racial/ethnic and socioeconomic diversity were common issues. Studies found that community garden participation is positively correlated with aspects of community connectedness but evidence demonstrating that it improves diet is neutral. Given these results, that community gardening may be an effective strategy to create a more equitable and just food system remains unclear.

Sustainable and healthy diets: Synergies and trade‐offs in Switzerland

AbstractFood systems have increasingly strong impacts on the environment, and they influence our human well‐being. In Switzerland, food consumption accounts for one‐third of the environmental impact caused by total final consumption. At the same time, non‐communicable diseases have been linked to a number of dietary aspects. In Switzerland, all non‐communicable diseases together are responsible for 80% of total public health care costs annually. Current assessments that link environmental sustainability and human health‐oriented diets for Switzerland lack a transparent representation of the dynamic effects caused by large‐scale conversions of the food system. In this study, therefore, a system dynamics model is employed to investigate intended and unintended changes on the food system structure and on environmental impacts. Several human health‐oriented scenarios are implemented and tested with different production‐ and consumption‐side intervention strategies. Because all scenarios assuming an increase in the consumption of plant‐based products also involve higher consumption of dairy products, consequences for bovine meat need to be considered. The biological link between milk and bovine meat production leads to an unintended increase in bovine meat production as milk production increases. Intervention strategies at the consumption level thus need to be accompanied by intervention strategies at the agricultural production level. Similarly, intervention strategies that aim at improving health outcomes at the production level need to be accompanied by strategies that affect diets and thus consumption preferences. Avoiding instances of policy resistance requires integrated policy design and implementation across agriculture, the environment and human health. This integration is a challenge for farmers, the food industry and consumers alike.

Effects of hay provision and presentation on cognitive development in dairy calves.

In the dairy industry, feeding management has considerable influence on calf behavioral development, yet there is limited understanding of how aspects of diet or accommodating more varied feeding behavior may affect cognitive development in young calves. The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of provision and presentation of hay on the cognitive ability of pre-weaned dairy calves. Individually-housed Holstein heifer calves were assigned at birth to 1 of 3 treatments: pelleted starter only (n = 10), hay (chopped to 5 cm) and starter provided in separate buckets (n = 12), or hay and starter offered as a mixture (n = 11). During week 5 of age, calves were tested daily in a learning task consisting of a T-maze with a milk reward (0.2 L milk) placed in one arm. Calves were subjected to an initial learning and reversal learning stage, where the reward location was changed to the opposite arm of the maze. Calves received 5 sessions/d until they met learning criterion (moving directly to correct side in 3 consecutive sessions) for initial and reversal learning. Dietary treatment did not affect pass rate or the number of sessions required to pass the initial learning stage. During the reversal learning stage, calves provided only starter had a lower pass rate (0.038, during first 8 testing session) early during testing than calves provided hay separately (0.20; P = 0.020) and tended to have a lower pass rate than calves provided hay as a mixture (0.14; P = 0.057). Calves provided only starter also tended to require more sessions to meet the learning criterion (15.8) than both calves provided hay separately (10.8; P = 0.089) and as a mixture (11.8; P = 0.10). Calves provided hay also kicked less and spent more time sniffing or licking the testing area. The results of this experiment indicate that provision of hay may affect behavioral flexibility in dairy calves.

Therapeutic Effects of Ketogenic Diet Components on Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease and no proper treatment or cure has been developed for it till now. Worldwide the incidence of disease has been increased with age. Latest researches have focused on the dietary aspects of Parkinson's and have revealed that a ketogenic diet may be benecial in prevention and for therapy. The main aim of this review article was to explore the dietary elements present in ketogenic diet and their respective roles in the body with link to Parkinson's disease. Ketogenic diet has been used in many neurological diseases due to its neuroprotective effects. Ketogenic diet is a normal caloric diet that composed of with high fat (mostly composed with polyunsaturated fatty acids), medium protein and low in carbohydrates. The composition of this diet makes body to utilize fatand ketones for energy by altering glucose. The major constituents present in a ketogenic diet which have neuroprotective effects against Parkinson's are; B complex vitamins, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Omega-6 Fatty acids and Vitamin D. The benecial effects have been evaluated regarding the role of constituents present in a ketogenic diet on Parkinson's disease. The need for further researches, especially clinical trials forthe different constituents of ketogenic diet and their neuroprotective properties are still required.

Nutritional Interventions in the Management of Fibromyalgia Syndrome.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a multifactorial syndrome of unknown etiology, characterized by widespread chronic pain and various somatic and psychological manifestations. The management of FM requires a multidisciplinary approach combining both pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies. Among nonpharmacological strategies, growing evidence suggests a potential beneficial role for nutrition. This review summarizes the possible relationship between FM and nutrition, exploring the available evidence on the effect of dietary supplements and dietary interventions in these patients. Analysis of the literature has shown that the role of dietary supplements remains controversial, although clinical trials with vitamin D, magnesium, iron and probiotics’ supplementation show promising results. With regard to dietary interventions, the administration of olive oil, the replacement diet with ancient grains, low-calorie diets, the low FODMAPs diet, the gluten-free diet, the monosodium glutamate and aspartame-free diet, vegetarian diets as well as the Mediterranean diet all appear to be effective in reducing the FM symptoms. These results may suggest that weight loss, together with the psychosomatic component of the disease, should be taken into account. Therefore, although dietary aspects appear to be a promising complementary approach to the treatment of FM, further research is needed to provide the most effective strategies for the management of FM.

New evidence for diet and subsistence economy in Early and Middle Bronze Age Cyprus

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data from the settlement of Marki Alonia provides new evidence for dietary patterns and aspects of livestock management during the Early and Middle Cypriot Bronze Age. Animal data indicate exploitation of a mainly C3 ecosystem and hint at the possibility that caprines and cattle were subjected to different herding practices; they currently constitute the sole available isotopic baseline for this region and time period. As for the few analysed humans, a primarily C3 terrestrial protein-based diet can be suggested.

The dietary behavior of two early medieval individuals with temporomandibular ankylosis

ObjectivesThis study aimed to reconstruct the dietary behavior of two early medieval individuals who display gnathic malformation. MaterialTwo skeletons affected by temporomandibular ankylosis were analyzed, one from the Great Moravian burial site of Rajhradice (9th century AD, Czech Republic), and the other from the Avar burial site of Schӧnkirchen (8th century AD, Austria). MethodsCarbon and nitrogen isotopic values were measured from the bone collagen of both individuals. In the Rajhradice case, where the childhood origin of ankylosis is deduced, isotopic analysis of dentine sections was performed. ResultsBoth individuals show isotopic values within the range of variation of a contemporaneous population sample. There was no observable dietary change in the Rajhradice individual that could be linked to the occurrence of ankylosis. ConclusionsBoth individuals consumed diets typical for their populations. They appear to not have restricted access to foodstuffs, namely animal protein, which would likely have had to be served in liquid (e.g. milk) or in a highly mashed form to compensate for insufficient mastication. SignificanceThis finding provides specific evidence of care provided to these two afflicted members of past populations. LimitationsThough the proportion of animal protein is an important indicator of the quality of diet, many other aspects of diet – such as micronutrient content – elude stable isotope analysis. Suggestions for further researchAmino acid compound specific isotope analyses of collagen would provide deeper insight into both the diet and physiology of the affected individuals.

Household Income, Food Insecurity and Nutritional Status of Migrant Workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia.

Background and Purpose:Food insecurity exists whenever accessibility to nutritious food is limited. It affects a person’s health with regards to nutritional status, indicated by malnourishment or overnutrition. This study aims to study the relationship between household income, household food insecurity, and weight status of migrant workers in Klang Valley, Selangor.Method:A cross-sectional study involving a convenience sampling of 125 documented migrant workers from five selected countries was conducted. A researcher-administered questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic questions, three-day 24-hour dietary recall (3DR), and nine-item Household Food Insecurity Access Scale was used. Anthropometric measurements, including body weight, height, and waist circumference, were taken.Findings:About 57.6% of the households studied were food insecure (24.8% mildly, 29.6% moderately, and 3.2% severely). Burmese were found to have the highest rate of household food insecurity (96%). The majority of the migrant workers were of normal weight (68.0%). No significant relationship was found between monthly household income and household food security status (p = 0.475), as well as between household food security status and weight status (p = 0.535).Conclusion:Results imply that food security status affects certain nutrient intake among migrant workers. There were no significant associations between variables. Interventions focusing on nutritional education on food choices and implementation on health policy are recommended. Further studies should consider the accessibility, nutritional-related diseases, and dietary aspects of migrant workers, which are risk factors for food insecurity.

Tracking of Maternal Diet from Pregnancy to Postpregnancy: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies.

ABSTRACTWe systematically reviewed studies to examine changes in women's diets from pregnancy to the postpregnancy period and sought to understand the characteristics of women making these changes. From a search of 4 databases and up to November 2019, 17 studies met our inclusion criteria. They reported changes in various dietary aspects. Mixed findings were reported for changes in energy and micronutrient intakes. Most studies reported significant decreases in fruit and vegetable consumption, diet quality, and adherence to a healthier dietary pattern during the transition from pregnancy to postpregnancy, whereas increases in discretionary food and fat intakes were observed. Women with lower education level, lower income, and/or who worked full-time tended to have poorer dietary behaviors postpregnancy. Further research, with better aligned dietary measurement time points during pregnancy and postpartum and standardization of dietary assessment tools, is needed for future studies to be comparable. The systematic review protocol was registered in the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews as CRD42020158033.

Recent advances in diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome.

This review summarizes recent progress in the diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome, with a focus on dietary and microbiota aspects. From a pathophysiological point of view, IBS is a multifactorial condition with both peripheral (transit) as central (visceral hypersensitivity, anxiety, depression) contribution in a cumulative fashion to the symptom pattern and severity. More recently, the focus has shifted to diet and microbiota. The number of dietary options that can be used for IBS and the understanding of determinants of their efficacy is rapidly increasing. Several studies have confirmed the efficacy of the low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet. Sucrose-isomaltase deficiency has emerged as pathogenetic mechanisms in a subset of patients, who do not respond to low FODMAP diet but may respond to starch and sucrose elimination. Herbal remedies, probiotics and secretagogues have been the topic of additional treatment trials. The efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation in IBS is variable across studies, but donor selection is emerging as a critical factor. Irritable bowel syndrome has evolved into a disorder of interaction between dietary factors and gut microbiota, with impact on bowel symptoms as well as extra-intestinal, central, symptoms. Dietary adjustments and treatments targeting the gut microbiota are areas of active research and clinical progress.

Oral and maxillofacial conditions, dietary aspects, and nutritional status of children with congenital Zika syndrome.

The aim of this study was to investigate oral and maxillofacial outcomes in children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) and the presence of nonnutritive sucking habits, functional habits, and features related to breastfeeding and nutrition of these children. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 45 children with CZS and 50 healthy controls in Sergipe state, Brazil, from February 2018 to June 2018. Demographic and clinical data, including breastfeeding and feeding data, were obtained for each child. Additionally, oral and maxillofacial evaluation was performed. Low weight (prevalence rate [PR] 8.33; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.02-34.45), nonexclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months (PR 1.56; 95% CI 1.18-2.08); mouth breathing (PR 3.46; 95% CI 1.83-6.52); difficulty in swallowing (PR 6.00; 95% CI 2.53-14.25); and excessive salivation (PR 4.81; 95% CI 2.18-10.62) were more frequent in children with CZS. Children with CZS were more likely to have abnormal insertion of the upper labial frenulum (PR 7.04; 95% CI 2.23-22.20); ogival palate (PR 3.70; 95% CI 1.63-8.40), dental enamel defects (PR 2.22; 95% CI 1.05-4.69); and delayed dental eruption (PR 8.89; 95% CI 1.16-68.32) compared with healthy children. Children with CZS had a higher frequency of problems related to breastfeeding, low weight, and oral and maxillofacial abnormalities compared with healthy children.

Neurocognitive Performance of African Americans and Hispanic Adults in Relation to Diet and Physical Activity: A Literature Review

As minorities, African Americans (AAs) and Hispanic adults face enormous discrepancies across many dimensions, including race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, legal status, gender, insurance status, or severity of conditions. There is a lot of evidence in the literature about the relationship between lifestyle and cognitive functioning in older adults. However, due to the infancy of research in this area, the relationship between diet, physical activity and cognitive decline in ethnic minorities remains unclear. We discussed the neurocognitive changes associated with physical activity and/or dietary aspects in Hispanic and AA adults, and explored various factors that affect physical activity and dietary changes in this population. Our analysis confirmed the convincing link between certain dietary patterns, physical inactivity and poor cognitive performance in AA and Hispanic adults. This report allowed us to draw necessary conclusions regarding the structure of Jacobi Frailty Initiative in the Bronx, NY, USA. J Neurol Res. 2020;10(3):56-68 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jnr594

Will the plant-based movement redefine physicians’ understanding of chronic disease?

The world is experiencing a cataclysmically increasing burden from chronic illnesses. Chronic diseases are on the advance worldwide and treatment strategies to counter this development are dominated by symptom control and polypharmacy. Thus, chronic conditions are often considered irreversible, implying a slow progression of disease that can only be hampered but not stopped. The current plant-based movement is attempting to alter this way of thinking. Applying a nutrition-first approach, the ultimate goal is either disease remission or reversal. Hereby, ethical questions arise as to whether physicians’ current understanding of chronic illness is outdated and morally reprehensible. In this case, physicians may need to recommend plant-based diets to every patient suffering from chronic conditions, while determining what other socioecological factors and environmental aspects play a role in the chronic disease process. This article provides insights to aspects of diet and chronic illness and discusses how the plant-based movement could redefine current understanding of chronic disease. The ethical justifications for recommending of a plant-based diet are analyzed. The article concludes that not advocating for plant-based nutrition is unethical and harms the planet and patients alike.