Insights into the stomach of tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier (Péron & Lesueur, 1822): Histochemical, ultrastructural, and phylogenetic analysis.

Dung beetles are ecosystem engineers, providing ecosystem services like nutrient cycling, waste degradation and parasite suppression. Their gut microbiome is essential for exploiting specialised diets, yet the eco-evolutionary factors driving microbial composition across diverse feeding strategies remain ambiguous. Here, we show that diet strongly influences gut bacterial composition across seven dung beetle species specialising in coprophagy, necrophagy, detritophagy, fungivory and carnivory. Most dietary specialisations grouped separately, though fungivores clustered with carrion and millipede feeders. The millipede-feeding species, Sceliages brittoni and S. hippias, hosted the most distinct and least diverse gut microbiomes. Taxonomically, differences were driven by distinct marker taxa, many of which are consistently isolated across taxonomic orders with similar diets. For example, the indicative bacterial species I. indica has been identified in various flesh-feeding insect taxa. Crucially, this pattern of shared bacterial communities suggests that diet is a dominant structuring factor which promotes community convergence regardless of host phylogeny. This study highlights the role of diet in shaping the dung beetle gut microbiome and provides the first characterisation of the gut microbiota in millipede-feeding dung beetles. Our findings underscore the critical role of diet, laying the foundation for functional studies into the eco-evolutionary significance of these host-microbe interactions.

Behind the plate: revealing the drivers of women's food choices in Senegal.

Trends and predictors of malnutrition during chemotherapy among adults with cancer in Ethiopia: A prospective longitudinal study.

Effect of nutrition education and counseling intervention on the dietary diversity practice of pregnant women in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Changing landscapes drive dietary diversification in Asian elephants.

Adolescent nutrition plays a crucial role in physical growth, cognitive development, and long-term health outcomes, particularly among socioeconomically marginalized populations. The present study examines dietary habits and their impact on the nutritional status of Scheduled Caste (SC) students studying in government higher secondary schools of Malda district, West Bengal. A mixed-methods research design was adopted using both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data were collected from 150 SC students through anthropometric measurements and a structured food-frequency questionnaire to assess meal frequency, breakfast consumption, dietary diversity, and junk food intake. Anthropometric indicators such as BMI-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-age were used to evaluate nutritional status. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis were applied to examine the relationship between dietary habits and nutritional outcomes. The findings reveal irregular dietary patterns among many students, with 35% consuming two or fewer meals per day and 44% frequently skipping breakfast. Dietary diversity was limited, as 54% of the students fall under the low dietary diversity category, while 41% frequently consume junk or processed foods. Anthropometric assessment indicates a considerable burden of undernutrition, with 34% of students classified as thin, 39% stunted, and 42% underweight, while 31% show clinical signs of micronutrient deficiency. A positive association was observed between dietary diversity and BMI-for-age (r = 0.42), suggesting that diversified diets contribute to better nutritional outcomes. The study highlights the need for improved nutrition education, enhanced dietary diversity, and strengthened nutrition-sensitive interventions to promote better health among marginalized adolescents in Malda district

An image-based transcriptomics atlas reveals the regional and microbiota-dependent molecular, cellular, and spatial structure of the murine gut.

Animal venoms vary greatly in compositional complexity, where complex venoms are hypothesized to be maintained by greater dietary breadth. Beyond explaining venom composition, the dietary breadth hypothesis predicts that these more complex venoms should show greater functional breadth in terms of overall toxicity and by disrupting multiple prey physiological processes. We evaluate these predictions with six distinct physiological assays of cardiac and blood clotting functions and compared the effects of venoms from snake species with a range of taxonomic dietary diversity levels. We compared the taxonomic dietary generalists Agkistrodon piscivorus and Sistrurus miliarius to taxa with varying taxonomic specialization, namely Agkistrodon contortrix and Crotalus adamanteus, and Azemiops feae. Comparing fish thrombocyte and mammal platelet aggregation and fibrin clot formation, only species with broader diets disrupted both fish and mammal hemostatic function. Venom of A. piscivorus, a uniquely fish-eating species, was the most disruptive of zebrafish heart rate, thrombocyte activation, vascular permeability, and clotting after injury. S. miliarius was also highly toxic, whereas mammal-specialists' venoms scarcely altered zebrafish physiology. Our results support the hypothesis that dietary breadth selects functionally-complex venoms. Understanding venom gene evolution, snakebite symptoms, and searching for therapeutics in venom should be guided by evolutionary ecology.

Food security is a significant priority for the Konawe Islands Regency government. Kendari City, the island's outermost area, serves as the economic center for the inhabitants. The majority of garden or agricultural goods are sold beyond the island, and residents' necessities, such as food and domestic equipment, are met elsewhere. Under these conditions, achieving food security is critical to improving one's quality of life. Most of the Regency's population works as coconut farmers because coconut is a valuable product in this archipelago. This study examined the household food security of copra processing producers in the Northeast Wawonii District. Household food security for copra processing producers on the island was assessed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). The HDDS (Household Dietary Diversity Score) approach was used to assess the diversity of food consumption among the household farmers. Copra processing farmer households in the district had 80% food security. In contrast, they consume rice, fish, oil, sugar, and spices, the majority of which are sourced locally due to the difficulty of accessing markets beyond the island.Keywords: household food insecurity access scale, household dietary diversity score, food security, Konawe Island, Northeast Wawonii

Malnutrition among school-going children in India has long been a public health concern, characterized by pronounced rural–urban disparities and a dual burden of undernutrition and overweight. This review provides a critical synthesis of evidence on the nutritional status of school-age children and examines the role of parental nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and feeding practices in shaping children’s dietary behaviors and nutritional outcomes. Structured searches of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, along with reports from national and international agencies, were conducted to identify peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2024. The analysis indicates that rates of stunting and underweight remain higher among rural children, whereas urban children are increasingly exposed to poor-quality diets and overweight associated with nutritional transition. Parental nutrition education is positively associated with improved dietary diversity and modest improvements in selected anthropometric indicators across settings. The review recommends integrating systematic parental nutrition education into national programs such as PM-POSHAN and POSHAN Abhiyaan to strengthen family-based strategies, reduce rural– urban disparities, and enhance the overall effectiveness of child nutrition interventions.

Food security is a significant priority for the Konawe Islands Regency government. Kendari City, the island's outermost area, serves as the economic center for the inhabitants. The majority of garden or agricultural goods are sold beyond the island, and residents' necessities, such as food and domestic equipment, are met elsewhere. Under these conditions, achieving food security is critical to improving one's quality of life. Most of the Regency's population works as coconut farmers because coconut is a valuable product in this archipelago. This study examined the household food security of copra processing producers in the Northeast Wawonii District. Household food security for copra processing producers on the island was assessed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). The HDDS (Household Dietary Diversity Score) approach was used to assess the diversity of food consumption among the household farmers. Copra processing farmer households in the district had 80% food security. In contrast, they consume rice, fish, oil, sugar, and spices, the majority of which are sourced locally due to the difficulty of accessing markets beyond the island.Keywords: household food insecurity access scale, household dietary diversity score, food security, Konawe Island, Northeast Wawonii

Many forests in Madagascar harbor numerous and diverse species of lemur in sympatry. Whereas more distant relatives can avoid competition by occupying distinct ecological niches, more subtle niche partitioning may explain how congeners coexist in the same place at the same time. Here, we examine the behavioral ecology of sympatric furry-eared (Cheirogaleus crossleyi) and Sibree's (C. sibreei) dwarf lemurs at Tsinjoarivo- a high-altitude rainforest in central-eastern Madagascar. Specifically, we followed 24 collared individuals during the pre- and post-hibernation seasons of 2011-2014 to determine activity budgets, spatial distribution, foraging behavior and macronutrient selection. Overall, we find that furry-eared dwarf lemurs, compared to Sibree's dwarf lemurs, had smaller home ranges and traveled shorter nightly distances, spent more time foraging and less time in their resting sites. The species were somewhat spatially differentiated, with furry-eared dwarf lemurs more often found closer to forest edges and in generally more degraded habitats. Furry-eared dwarf lemurs consumed a more diverse diet, but both species foraged for fruits (and flowers) that were rich in sugars and/or fats, key nutrients particularly during the fattening season prior to hibernation. Since this study was conducted, anecdotal observations at this site strongly suggest that the furry-eared dwarf lemur is replacing Sibree's dwarf lemur, in step with ongoing habitat fragmentation and degradation. Placing our results in broader context highlights the furry-eared dwarf lemur as a more generalist species in terms of habitat occupation, geographic distribution, and ecological flexibility. In contrast, Sibree's dwarf lemur seems to be a specialist highly adapted only to Madagascar's intact and high-elevation rainforests. If this is the case, the sympatric occurrence of these two species at Tsinjoarivo may be recent, tenuous, and unsustainable in the long run. We advocate for greater research of the behavioral ecology of sympatric dwarf lemurs at this and other sites across Madagascar.

Background Household hunger remains a major public health challenge globally and is particularly severe in Kinshasa. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of household hunger and identify its associated factors in the Mont Ngafula II health zone. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted between November and December 2024 among 583 households with at least one child aged 6–59 months, selected using multistage probability sampling. Household hunger was assessed using the Household Hunger Scale. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with household hunger. Results Overall, 32.4% of households experienced moderate hunger and 3.8% experienced severe hunger. After adjustment, children with inadequate dietary diversity were more likely to experience household hunger (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–2.44). Children from food-insecure households had a higher risk of wasting (aOR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.65–8.24) and were more likely to be underweight (aOR = 7.1; 95% CI: 2.4–22.0). Household hunger was also significantly associated with unemployment of the household head, poverty, food expenditure below US$1 per person per day, consumption of fewer than three meals per day, and larger household size. Conclusions Household hunger remains highly prevalent in this urban setting and is strongly associated with poor child nutritional outcomes and socioeconomic deprivation. The findings underscore the need for integrated policies addressing poverty reduction, social protection, equitable resource allocation, and nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions, including urban agriculture and nutrition education.

BackgroundWild edible plants (WEPs) are vital components of traditional food systems, supporting nutrition, health, and livelihood resilience in food-insecure and climate-vulnerable regions. In eastern Ethiopia, particularly the Somali Region, communities rely on WEPs to supplement diets and cope with seasonal food shortages. However, comprehensive documentation of species diversity, indigenous knowledge, and conservation challenges remains limited. This study assessed the diversity, use patterns, indigenous knowledge, and public health relevance of WEPs in Gursum District.MethodsAn ethnobotanical survey was conducted from February to December 2024 using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, guided field walks, and market surveys. A total of 100 informants, including 25 key informants, were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Plant specimens were collected and identified using standard taxonomic references, with voucher numbers assigned. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices and statistical analyses (ANOVA, regression) were applied to examine knowledge distribution across socio-demographic groups. Focus group discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed to complement quantitative findings.ResultsForty-four WEP species, representing 30 genera and 17 families, were documented. Fruits (61%) and leafy vegetables (27%) were the most commonly consumed plant parts, while tubers and roots (12%) served as important famine foods. Women, elders, married individuals, and illiterate informants demonstrated significantly higher WEP knowledge (p < 0.05). WEPs contributed to dietary diversity, micronutrient intake, income generation, and resilience during food shortages. Major threats to their sustainability included overharvesting, land-use change, climate variability, and erosion of indigenous knowledge.ConclusionWEPs play a critical role in supporting nutrition, health, and food security in Gursum District. Integrating indigenous knowledge with conservation, nutrition, and public health strategies is essential to safeguard these resources and enhance community resilience in semi-arid regions.

Edible flora is one of the most relevant groups for the survival and food security of socioeconomically vulnerable communities in Brazil. We aimed to provide an overview of research advances in the country, record the known edible biodiversity, national consumption patterns across different communities (rural, traditional, and urban), and the geographic and ethnic distribution of the articles, while identifying gaps and possibilities for future studies. To this end, a literature review was conducted in the SciELO, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases for the indexing of ethnobiological research. Following detailed analyses, 163 articles were included in our database. The research was concentrated in the Northeast and North regions, primarily in rural communities. A total of 1,079 botanical species were cited (754 native, 325 exotic), with the most diverse families being Myrtaceae Juss., Arecaceae Bercht. & J. Presl., and Fabaceae Lindl. The chosen predictors (urbanity gradient, phytogeographic domains, and types of traditional communities) could not distinguish the analyzed groups according to their similarity in food diversity, although some detectable statistical differences exist, especially when considering the type of traditional community and native edible species. Gaps in Brazilian local and traditional ecological knowledge regarding species diversity for food security and its cultural relationship, in addition to the low scientific representation of traditional groups, influenced these results. Studies on the internal variability of edible species composition are important as they allow for an understanding of whether the characteristics that differentiate communities, regarding the richness of utilized edible species, are related to ethnic, cultural, and geographical delimitations and which groups overlap these barriers.

Background/Objectives: With increasing life expectancy, interest in healthy aging has grown substantially. Dietary habits are among the key factors that contribute to achieving healthy aging. This study analyzes the relationship between dietary habits and the age-health association in older adults, using the first two years of data from an ongoing annual cohort study conducted in a region of Japan. Methods: We used observational data from approximately 1200 community-dwelling males and females aged 55 to 75 at baseline, drawing on the first two years of a ten-year annual cohort study conducted from 2023 to 2032. First, dietary habits were classified using an ordinal latent block model (OLBM), a model-based clustering approach applied to food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) data. We then examined whether the age-health gradient-measured across 33 indicators-differed significantly across the derived dietary habit types, using random effects models. Results: Dietary habits in the analyzed sample were categorized into six distinct types. Parameter estimates from the model suggest that the extracted patterns represent a continuum ranging from low to high dietary diversity. Regression analyses indicated that, in females, a negative association between age and LDL-C levels was observed among those with highly diverse dietary habits. Conclusions: The data-driven classification of dietary habits based on FFQ responses highlights the potential importance of dietary diversity.

Background: Maternal and child under-nutrition is responsible for millions of deaths among women of childbearing age and significant disability adjusted life years (DALYs) among children younger than five years. This work was designed to assess the maternal and child dietary diversity and food security among households in rural and urban locations in Umuahia North LGA. Methodology: The respondents were selected using standard methods, the socio-economics, dietary diversity score and food security status were evaluated using standard questionnaires. The statistical analysis was also determined. Results: The results showed that the majority of respondents were married both in rural and urban locations in Umuahia North LGA (91.7%). The educational level of the respondents revealed that 18.0% and 26.6% in the urban and rural area respectively, had secondary education while 31.9% and 21.8% of the respondents in the urban and rural area had tertiary education. All of the respondents (100%) were of the Igbo ethic group, The occupation of the respondents showed that 27.8% of the respondents were civil servants, 16.3% and 11.5% were residing in the urban and rural areas respectively while 26.0% were traders and 15.0% artisans, the family type of 100% of the respondents was monogamy. Monthly income of the respondents showed that 10.9% of rural residents were low-income earners while only 7.1% were high income earners and the urban residents were 25.2% and 24.8% of Middle-income earners and High-income earners, respectively. For respondents’ source of income, 65.1% (30.7% urban and 34.3% rural) received their income source from their husbands, 9.8% of respondents (1.8% in the urban area and 7.9% in the rural area) had a household size of 8 members and above, The research showed that 9.8% and 11.8% of children in urban and rural households, respectively had a low dietary diversity, 13.0% in urban households and 21% in rural households had a medium dietary diversity while 27.2% and 17.2% in the urban and rural households had a high dietary diversity. The food security status of households in rural and urban locations were 15.1% and 28.9% of households in rural and urban locations were food secure and 18.1% of urban households and 18.3% of rural households were mildly food insecure while 2.9% of urban households and 16.6% of rural households were food insecure.

Female earnings and dietary diversity: Evidence from an inflationary economic crisis

Healthy lifestyles and survival beyond age 100: Evidence from a national cohort of Chinese centenarians.