Feeding Research Articles

Kantin Sehat dalam Meningkatkan Kebiasaan Makan Sehat pada Siswa Sekolah Dasar

Nutrition can be one of the main problems in school-age children. Malnutrition can trigger drowsiness and lack of enthusiasm, so that the learning process at school is disrupted. The problem of undernutrition and poor nutrition is directly influenced by food consumption patterns and infectious diseases. This study aims to determine the role of healthy canteens in improving healthy eating habits in elementary school students. This research uses a qualitative approach through the literature study method. Data collection was carried out by collecting various relevant and up-to-date references, including research articles published on Google Scholar, books, and other documents related to the substance of the problem in this study. Data analysis is carried out qualitatively through the stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results of the analysis show that the school canteen program which began to be held in 2009 by the Ministry of National Education is one of the interventions to maintain food safety, especially in schools in Indonesia. Nutritional intake is quite important for the growth and development of children. The healthy canteen program in schools is an effort to encourage healthy eating habits from an early age. Healthy canteens provide nutritious food and become a means of nutrition education for students. Healthy canteens provide nutritious food and become a means of nutrition education for students

Making Arab socialism palatable: Egyptian housewives and the politics of food in Nasser’s Egypt

ABSTRACT This article looks at the intersection of gender, politics and domesticity in the context of Arab Socialist planning in Egypt by analysing the advice given to women around food shopping and preparation in the 1960s. Discourses around food provision and consumption as a crucial component of socialist domesticity and of state intervention positioned women at the centre of the Nasserist project – as its symbols, beneficiaries, agents and occasionally, as its antagonists. Women – housewives in particular – were responsible, in a multitude of ways for making Arab socialism comfortable and, in the case of food shopping and preparation, palatable in the context of increasing economic austerity. I argue that cooking advice, found chiefly in the women’s press but also in cookbooks, popular culture, the educational system and government discourses around food purchasing under socialism politicised the figure of the housewife in new ways, as both as a beneficiary of the food supply program and as a political subject charged with the success of Arab socialist planning.

Calorie (energy) labelling for changing selection and consumption of food or alcohol.

Calorie (energy) labelling for changing selection and consumption of food or alcohol.

Mechanosensation of the heart and gut elicits hypometabolism and vigilance in mice.

Interoception broadly refers to awareness of one's internal milieu. Although the importance of the body-to-brain communication that underlies interoception is implicit, the vagal afferent signalling and corresponding brain circuits that shape perception of the viscera are not entirely clear. Here, we use mice to parse neural circuits subserving interoception of the heart and gut. We determine that vagal sensory neurons expressing the oxytocin receptor (Oxtr), referred to as NGOxtr, send projections to cardiovascular or gastrointestinal tissues and exhibit molecular and structural features indicative of mechanosensation. Chemogenetic excitation of NGOxtr decreases food and water consumption, and remarkably, produces a torpor-like phenotype characterized by reductions in cardiac output, body temperature and energy expenditure. Chemogenetic excitation of NGOxtr also creates patterns of brain activity associated with augmented hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and behavioural indices of vigilance. Recurrent excitation of NGOxtr suppresses food intake and lowers body mass, indicating that mechanosensation of the heart and gut can exert enduring effects on energy balance. These findings suggest that the sensation of vascular stretch and gastrointestinal distention may have profound effects on whole-body metabolism and, possibly, mental health.

Comparing the Effect of Heat Therapy and Mitochondrial-Targeted Antioxidants in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Phenotype Induced by Junk Food Consumption.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine-metabolic disorder, and multiple factors contribute to its pathophysiology. The current study assessed a PCOS-like animal model induced by consuming a high-fat sugar (HFHS) diet and compared the treatment outcome of mitochondrial-targeted antioxidants versus heat therapy. Sixty rats were divided into the following study groups: three control groups (negative and positive for the treatments used), HFHS, hot tub therapy (HTT) treatment, and MitoQ10 treatment (500 µmol/L MitoQ10 in clean drinking water daily, from week fourteen till week twenty-two of the study). At week fourteen, PCOS was confirmed by vaginal smear examination; measurements of blood testosterone (T), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), glucose, and insulin; and determination of the homeostatic model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR). At week 22, blood samples were collected for measurement of the serum LH, FSH, AMH, T, insulin, glucose, lipid profile, kisspeptin, ADAM metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type 1 motif 19 (ADAMTS19), S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B), fibulin 1 (FBLN1), immunoglobulin free light chains (FLCs), kappa and lambda. Ovaries were examined for morphological changes; for the levels of glutathione (GSH), catalase, SOD, malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO); and the expression of FK506 binding protein 52 (FKBP52) and the androgen receptor (AR). The consumption of HFHS diet-induced PCOS-like features, which have been ameliorated by both HTT and mitoQ10 as potential therapies, with MitoQ10 showing a superior effect over HTT.

Fermented foods affect the seasonal stability of gut bacteria in an Indian rural population

The effect of fermented foods on healthy human gut microbiota structure and function, particularly its seasonal preference and frequent long-term consumption, has been largely uncharacterised. Here, we assess the gut microbiota and metabolite composition of 78 healthy Indian agrarian individuals who differ in the intake of fermented milk and soybean products by seasonal sampling during hot-humid summer, autumn and dry winter. Here we show that, seasonal shifts between the Prevotella- and Bifidobacterium/Ruminococcus-driven community types, or ecological states, and associated fatty acid derivatives, with a bimodal change in Bacteroidota community structure during summer, particularly in fermented milk consumers. Our results associate long-term fermented food consumption with reduced gut microbiota diversity and bacterial load. We identify taxonomic groups that drive the seasonal fluctuation and associated shifts between the two ecological states in gut microbiota. This understanding may pave the way towards developing strategies to sustain a healthy and resilient gut microbiota through dietary interventions.

Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Obesity: A Narrative Review of Their Association and Potential Mechanisms.

Obesity is a major global health concern, with diet playing a crucial role in its development and treatment. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have become prevalent in diets due to changes in the food environment. These foods are energy-dense; high in fat, sugars, or salt; and low in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, raising concerns about their effects on health. In addition to traditional research focused on nutrients, food, and dietary quality, growing evidence has linked UPF consumption to obesity. Therefore, this study provides a comprehensive review of the levels and trends of UPF consumption, current epidemiological evidence on the association between UPF consumption and obesity, and UPFs' potential role in the etiology of obesity and weight gain. Additionally, this study reviews strategies for reducing UPF consumption and outlines future studies of the link between UPF consumption and obesity.

Food, memory, and changing framings of sustainable consumption in Johannesburg

This paper addresses how food, tradition, and memories intersect with how sustainable food consumption is conceived, practiced, and mobilised. Using ethnographic research, the paper examines articulations and practices of ‘good food’ among food system actors and middle-class consumers in Johannesburg, South Africa. It argues that a nuanced and contextualised understanding of foodways and food consumption is required to capture the relationships between food cultures and consumption practices in African contexts, as well as to speculate on emerging pathways to sustainability during contemporary crises through conceptualising eating as an ethical act. After contextualising the research within South Africa’s contemporary food system and the historical legacies that continue to shape it, the paper argues that memory and tradition are central in consumer perceptions of good food. They also enable consumers to viscerally sense both pasts and futures in which they can gain control of their diets, health, and extract some independence from an industrial urban food system that they do not entirely trust. The paper explores the possibilities of combining consumer interest in traditional foods with increasing concern for the biodiversity of underutilised species, and the role of food activists and influencers to promote sustainable food consumption. The paper concludes that a growing interest in traditional foods is emerging at the confluence of fashionable, ‘ethical’ food trends which, if harnessed sensitively, has potential to promote more sustainable foodways.

Carbon Emissions from Food Consumption and Reduction Potential in Urban Residents: A Case Study of Provincial Capitals in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yellow River

Existing studies have established reliable methods for estimating carbon emissions from food consumption, yet there remains a lack of quantitative analysis on the decarbonization effects of energy transition and resource recycling. This study integrates lifecycle analysis and scenario analysis, based on data from 2006 to 2020, to conduct an empirical investigation of four provincial capital cities (Zhengzhou, Xi’an, Jinan, and Taiyuan) in the lower and middle reaches of the Yellow River, exploring the potential for reducing carbon emissions from food consumption and examining the driving effects of energy transition and resource recycling. The results indicate the following: (1) Per capita carbon emissions from food consumption decreased after 2016. (2) Incineration for power generation has a significantly higher carbon reduction effect than landfilling. The proportion of carbon emissions from food waste disposal decreased from 20% to around 6%, with the decarbonization potential of recycling transformation being 8.8%, 8.3%, 11.5%, and 14.4% in Zhengzhou, Xi’an, Jinan, and Taiyuan, respectively. Our findings suggest that promoting the widespread adoption of new-energy vehicles, increasing the share of renewable energy in power generation, optimizing food recycling technologies, and reducing food waste are crucial for achieving future reductions in carbon emissions from urban food consumption. The proposed methodology for assessing carbon emissions and reduction potential in food consumption can also be applied to other regions with varying geographical, economic, and policy contexts.

Takeaway food consumption and depressive symptoms in Chinese university students: mediating effects of physical activity

BackgroundThe consumption of takeaways is becoming increasingly prevalent. Despite this, the relationship between takeaway food consumption and depressive symptoms in Chinese populations has not been clarified. Furthermore, the factors that mediate the association between takeaway frequency and depressive symptoms are unknown.MethodsQuestionnaires were employed to collect data from 6,417 new students at Chongqing Medical University in the autumn of 2023, including sociodemographic information, takeaway frequency, physical activity levels (measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form), and depressive symptoms (measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9). Multiple linear regression and mediation analysis were performed. Multiple imputations were used to fill in missing data through sensitivity analyses.ResultsAmong 6417 participants, 2,606 (40.6%) students ordered takeaway at least once a week, with 235 (3.7%) of them ordering takeaway food every day. Takeaway frequency was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (β=0.034, P=0.006), and physical activity partially mediated this relationship (95% bootstrap confidence interval=0.0024, 0.0371).ConclusionsThe study highlights the negative relationship between takeaway frequency and emotional well-being, emphasizing the need to focus on the emotional health of frequent takeaway food consumers. Moreover, our study suggests that increased physical activity may alleviate takeaway-induced mood-related outcomes.

The Global Food System and Its Environmental Impact: A Call for Sustainable Transformation

The modern global food system—spanning production, processing, distribution, and consumption—has emerged as a significant contributor to environmental degradation. It drives greenhouse gas emissions, land and water degradation, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion. Sustainable nutrition, which integrates environmental considerations into dietary choices, has become a key concern, emphasizing plant-based proteins, seasonal food consumption, and minimal ecological impact. With the global population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, ensuring food security while minimizing environmental harm is crucial. Agriculture accounts for about 24% of global greenhouse gas emissions, driven by methane from livestock and nitrous oxide from fertilizers. Land use changes for agriculture contribute to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation, exacerbating climate change. Water use in agriculture, the largest consumer of freshwater, further strains ecosystems, while pollution from agricultural runoff causes eutrophication. Effective strategies for sustainable transformation include agroecology, regenerative agriculture, dietary shifts, reducing food waste, and technological innovations. Practices like crop rotation and managed grazing improve soil health and sequester carbon. Transitioning to plant-based diets and reducing food waste could significantly lower emissions. Precision agriculture and alternative protein sources offer promising advancements. Holistic approaches involving policy reform, innovation, and behavioral change are needed to create a resilient, environmentally friendly food system that sustains both human and planetary health.

Knowledge of and perception towards eclampsia among women and men in Unguja Island, Zanzibar: A qualitative study.

Eclampsia is among the primary causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in Zanzibar. Many women and men are not aware of the signs, symptoms and causes of eclampsia and may have different explanatory models. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the community understanding of pre-eclampsia, as a key stage to improve maternal and perinatal health in Unguja Island, Zanzibar. A qualitative study design of six focus group discussions (FDGs) was performed using a focus group interview guide; 51 male and female respondents at three selected wards of Unguja Island, Zanzibar participated. Thematic analysis was applied using Qualitative data analysis (QDA Miner Lite software version 2.0.9). Overall participants demonstrated a lack of understanding regarding eclampsia. The majority of participants perceived that there are certain things related to eclampsia: Mjusi or Mdudu (devil/satanic), superstitious issues, tension/stress from partners, food consumption, eating slaughtered meat like chicken, cow and goat during pregnancy, nice smelling lotion, soap and perfumes have been stated to be the causes of eclampsia. Spiritual and traditional remedies were mentioned as a treatment for eclampsia, including herbs, makombe (written verses of the Qur'an) and steaming (smoked dry leaves). Local names of eclampsia used by the communities, in urban and rural areas are mjusi (lizard) or mdudu (bug), which means the devil enters a woman's body, especially during pregnancy or within 42 days post-delivery. Most participants had a lack of understanding of eclampsia and perceived that there are traditional and spiritual issues related to its causes, attributed risks and clinical presentation, which makes them rely more on traditional and spiritual treatments. Therefore, health educational programs in the community setting and at the antenatal clinics, aiming at improving knowledge and dismissing myths and misperceptions regarding eclampsia, are recommended in rural and urban areas of Unguja Zanzibar.

The nutritional status and problems among older adults in a selected rural community of kerala

Older adults are vulnerable to nutritional risk states due to low food intake and presence of chronic medical conditions. Thus, they require an extended nutrition assessment.: This study aimed to assess the nutritional status and identify the common nutritional problems present among older adults in the community. A quantitative approach was used with a convenience sampling method. The participants were 50 adults, both males and females, aged above 50 years and residing in a selected catchment area of the community in Kottayam district. Data collection was extracted from a larger survey carried out in this area which used a structured questionnaire. A majority of the participants were aged between 50- 55 years (n =28, 56%), males (n = 26, 52%), belonged to nuclear families (n= 33, 66%), had high school education (n= 17, 34%), were unemployed (n =18, 36%), and married (n=48, 96%). Regarding the nutritional status, nearly 24% of the participants were overweight (n 12) and 6% were obese (n = 3). Regarding the nutritional risk factors, a majority of them were following unhealthy diets (n=39, 78%), had irregular food habits (n=32, 64%), and had the habit of skipping meals (n=31, 62%). Consumption of sugar-rich foods (n = 11, 22%), with a low intake of milk and milk products (n =36, 72%), and an intake of fried foods (n =32, 64%) were reported by the participants. Moreover, 18% of them (n =9) had regular consumption of alcohol. Nutritional risk states were present in nearly 50% of them.The study results demonstrated the presence of various lifestyle-related nutritional risk factors and gave insight into the existing nutritional patterns among older adults and the problems associated with nutritional intake.The study results highlight the need for adopting a healthy lifestyle and the dietary and behavioral modifications required as an urgent measure to tackle the problems associated with chronic disease escalating at the fastest pace in Kerala. Further studies are required to assess the specific nutritional problems in a large sample of the population and long-term monitoring of the nutritional factors.

A Review on the Role of Spicy Food Consumption in Reducing Mortality

This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between chili consumption and disease risk, as well as mortality, while exploring the underlying mechanisms involved. Methods: To gather relevant literature, we conducted a systematic search using keywords such as "capsaicin" and "spicy food consumption and mortality" in the CNKI and Wanfang databases, which primarily focus on Chinese-language publications. In addition to the direct search, we also identified key studies through references cited in the selected articles. Further materials were discovered by reviewing related content, contributing to the synthesis of this review. Results: A total of 28 studies were included in this review, consisting of 3 Chinese articles and 25 English-language studies. Among the English-language studies, 10 were conducted in China. The studies included both cohort and case-control designs, and they examined various aspects of chili consumption, from its impact on metabolic health to its role in reducing the incidence of diseases. Conclusion: The consumption of spicy foods, particularly those containing capsaicin, has been found to be associated with a reduced risk of developing a range of diseases, including malignant tumors, cardiovascular diseases, and parasitic infections. Additionally, spicy food consumption appears to be linked to a lower overall mortality risk, making it a potentially beneficial dietary habit in promoting health and longevity.

Urban and rural residence: their influence on food group consumption in Iran

BackgroundUrbanization is expanding in Iran, leading to the emergence of three distinct socio-geographical areas: urban, rural, and suburban areas. These different areas may exhibit significant variations in dietary patterns. This study investigates the association between people’s place of residence and their consumption of different food groups.MethodsThis study utilized data from Iran’s Food and Nutrition Surveillance System (FNS). A total of 1697 participants were randomly recruited from different rural (N = 568), urban (N = 568), and suburban (N = 561) regions across Iran. Their food intake was assessed using a validated dish-based semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (DB-FFQ).ResultsRural males consumed significantly more grains (35.51 g/day, p = 0.03) than urban males, while rural females consumed significantly less dairy (-30.07 g/day, p = 0.03) than urban females. Additionally, rural males and females consumed significantly more fats and oils (3.72 g/day, p = 0.01 for males and 5.2 g/day, p < 0.001 for females) than their urban counterparts. Moreover, both suburban females and males were found to consume significantly less fruit compared to urban individuals, with suburban females consuming − 47.41 g/day (p < 0.001) less fruit and suburban males consuming − 60.42 g/day (p = 0.001) less fruit.ConclusionFindings showed that rural men’s diets are characterized by higher consumption of grains and fats, while urbanization is linked to increased dairy consumption in women. Additionally, the study highlights a worrying lack of fruit consumption in suburban areas. These findings underscore the necessity of implementing specific nutritional policies to promote dietary diversity in various residential areas.Graphical

Prospects of cold plasma in enhancing food phenolics: analyzing nutritional potential and process optimization through RSM and AI techniques

Consumption of plant-based food is steadily increasing and follows an augmented trend owing to their nutritive, functional, and energy potential. Different bioactive fractions, such as phenols, flavanols, and so on, contribute highly to the nutritive profile of food and are known to have a sensitivity toward higher temperatures. This limits the applicability of traditional thermal treatments for plant products, paving the way for the advancement of innovative and non-thermal techniques such as pulsed electric field, microwave, ultrasound, cold plasma, and high-pressure processing. Among these techniques, cold plasma would be an operative choice in plant-based applications due to their higher efficacy, greenness, chemical exclusivity, and quality retention. The efficiency of the plasma process in ensuring the bioactive potential depends on several factors, such as feeding gas, input voltage, exposure time, pressure, and current flow. This review explains in detail the optimization of process parameters of the cold plasma technique, ensuring greater extractability or retention of total phenols and antioxidant potential. Response surface methodology (RSM) is one of the common techniques involved in the optimization of these course factors. It also covers the convention of artificial intelligence-based methods, such as artificial neural networks (ANN) and genetic algorithms (GA), in evaluating the data on process parameters. The review critically examines the strengths of each optimization tool in determining the optimal process parameters for maximizing phenol retention and antioxidant activity. The ascendancy of these techniques was mentioned in the studies regarding fruit, vegetables, and their products, and they can also be applied to other food products.

Differential use of multiple food sources at a bathyal benthic ecosystem in the central Sagami Bay revealed by amino acid nitrogen isotopic compositions

The nitrogen isotopic composition (δ15N) of amino acids can be used to estimate the trophic position of organisms with high precision compared to bulk tissue analyses, and shed light on potential food sources and food webs. Sagami Bay, Japan, is located at the tectonic plate boundary and have complex bottom topography, making multiple sources of organic matter to bathyal deep-sea ecosystems. Here, we applied this method to benthic animals (meiofauna, macrofauna, and megafauna) living at 1430 m deep in the central Sagami Bay, Japan. The δ15N value of phenylalanine (δ15NPhe) reflects the value of primary producers and was used to estimate the food sources of organisms, while the difference between δ15N value of glutamic acid (δ15NGlu) and δ15NPhe shifts between food source and consumer and was thus used to estimate the trophic position (TPGlu/Phe). The data obtained were interpreted together with previously reported values from benthic foraminifera of the same site for a holistic understanding of the food web. The trophic positions of organisms from the central Sagami Bay ranged mostly from 2.2 to 3.6, except hydrozoans (up to 4.3). Organisms with similar bulk tissue δ15N values sometimes exhibited different TPGlu/Phe values. The observed δ15NPhe varied greatly among benthic organisms in the central Sagami Bay (− 8.3‰ to 21.1‰), suggesting a wide variety of food sources exhibiting different δ15NPhe values. Given the location of the study site at the central part of the deep basin, various organic matter from terrestrial, planktic, coastal, upper bathyal, and perhaps chemosynthetic origins can be expected to accumulate and become available for bathyal benthic organisms. Furthermore, the cross-plot of δ15NPhe values and bulk tissue δ13C values, another indicator of food source, suggested that macro–megafauna examined rely on different organic matter than metazoan meiofauna and foraminifera, which rely on particulate organic matter and bulk sediments. Despite living in the same habitat, organisms of these two size classes may belong to independent food webs due to differences in feeding ecology.

Linear Programming Optimization of Local Food-Based Recommendations for Undernourished Urban Poor Malaysian Children Aged 2 to 5 Years.

Poor diet quality may contribute to undernutrition, particularly affecting young children from low-income households. Therefore, affordable and healthy local food-based recommendations (FBRs) are needed. This study aimed to (1) identify problem nutrient(s), (2) identify locally available nutrient-dense food sources that can provide adequate nutrients to meet the recommended dietary intakes of undernourished urban poor children aged 2-5 years, and (3) use linear programming to recommend a daily diet based on the current food patterns that achieves dietary adequacy and meets average food costs for these children. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Seremban, Malaysia. Three-day 24hour dietary recalls were collected from the mothers (n = 168). Food costs were estimated using market surveys. The FBRs were formulated by linear programming analysis using Optifood software. Folate was an "absolute problem nutrient" (such a nutrient does not achieve the 100% recommended nutrient intake even upon diet optimization). Full-cream milk, chocolate malted milk, fortified cornflakes, and chicken egg were the common locally available nutrient-dense foods that would provide adequate nutrients to meet the recommended dietary intakes of undernourished urban poor children. The final FBR set would ensure dietary adequacy for eight to nine of 11 nutrients at a cost of ringgit Malaysia (RM) 4.80/day (US $1.05/day) and RM6.20/day (US $1.34/day), depending on the age group. Interventions are required to ensure dietary adequacy for undernourished urban poor children under 5 years old. Dietary adequacy could be improved via realistic changes in habitual food consumption practices.

Tiered intake assessment for propylene glycol in beverages

A tiered intake assessment approach is presented and applied to derive estimates of maximum potential global propylene glycol (PG) intake from beverage sources. The US and UK markets served as surrogates for the world and the EU region, respectively, to determine the maximum potential exposure for PG in various subpopulations, including brand-loyal consumers. Conservative intake estimates for PG used in non-alcoholic beverages were calculated for toddlers less than 2 years (y), young children 3-9 y, adolescents 10-17 y, adults 18-64 y, elderly 65-74 y, very elderly 75+ y, based on assumed uses in high beverage consumption markets, leveraging either the 2-day food consumption data from the 2013–2016 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey or the 4-day food consumption data from the 2008-2017 UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme. This study shows that safety of PG in beverages at proposed use levels up to 3,000 mg kg−1 can be supported for any geography, based not only on a refined budget method approach but also on a refined deterministic approach when applying the proposed safe intake (pADI) of 62.5 mg kg bw−1 day−1. In all refined assessments, intake estimates across all age groups fell close to or well below the pADI even among high consumers at the 95th percentile.

Application of three statistical approaches to explore effects of dietary intake of multiple persistent organic pollutants on ER-positive breast cancer risk in the French E3N cohort

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a group of organic chemical compounds. Contradictory results have emerged in epidemiological studies attempting to elucidate their relationship with breast cancer risk. This study explored the relationship between dietary exposures to multiple POPs and ER-positive breast cancer risk in the French E3N cohort study, using three different approaches to handle multicollinearity among exposures. Intakes of 81 POPs were estimated using food consumption data from a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and food contamination data. In the first approach, hierarchical clustering was performed to identify clusters of correlated POPs. For each cluster, the levels of POPs belonging to it were averaged. These average levels were then included in a Cox model to estimate their associations with ER-positive breast cancer occurrence. The second and third approaches applied in the present study were Principal component Cox regression (PCR-Cox) and partial least squares Cox regression (PLS-Cox) respectively, both being dimension-reduction methods (respectively unsupervised and supervised) coupled to a Cox model, used to identify principal components of POPs and to estimate their associations with ER-positive breast occurrence. All models were adjusted for potential confounders previously identified using a directed acyclic graph. The study included 66,722 women with a median follow-up of 20.3 years, during which 3,739 developed an incident ER-positive breast cancer. The variable clustering method did not identify any association between the averaged variables and ER-positive breast cancer risk. Five components were retained using both the PCR-Cox and PLS-Cox methods explaining 82% and 77% of the variance in the initial exposure matrix respectively. Among these components, none was significantly associated with the occurrence of ER-positive breast cancer. This study provides an illustrative example of the application of three distinct statistical methods in the context of highly correlated environmental exposures, discussing their potential relevance and limitations within this specific framework.