Food-related Variables Research Articles

Mendelian randomization study on the causal relationship between food and cholelithiasis.

Cholelithiasis, commonly referred to as gallstones, is a prevalent medical condition influenced by a combination of genetic factors, lifestyle choices, and dietary habits. Specific food items have been associated with an increased susceptibility to cholelithiasis, whereas others seem to offer a protective effect against its development. In this study, we conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using a large-scale genetic dataset comprising individuals with European ancestry to explore the potential causal relationship between diet and cholelithiasis. The analysis incorporated 17 food-related variables, which were considered as potential factors influencing the occurrence of this condition. Our findings indicate that a higher consumption of cooked vegetables, dried fruit, and oily fish is associated with a reduced risk of cholelithiasis. Conversely, a higher consumption of lamb is associated with an increased risk of developing the condition. Importantly, these associations proved robust to sensitivity and heterogeneity tests, and the pleiotropic test results further supported the hypothesis of a causal relationship between diet and cholelithiasis. Through our study, we provide compelling evidence for the existence of a causal relationship between diet and cholelithiasis. Adopting a dietary pattern enriched with cooked vegetables, dried fruit, and oily fish, while minimizing lamb intake, may contribute to the prevention of cholelithiasis. Recognizing diet as a modifiable risk factor in the prevention and management of this condition is of paramount importance, and our study offers valuable insights in this regard.

Plasma treatment: An alternative and sustainable green approach for decontamination of mycotoxin in dried food products

In the realm of food safety, dried foods have traditionally been perceived as having a lower risk profile. However, recent reports have highlighted concerning levels of mycotoxin contamination in dried food products, such as dried fruits, vegetables, and spices, exceeding permissible limits. This contamination not only compromises shelf life but also poses a significant threat to consumers, while depleting the bioactive components of these products. The food industry grapples with considerable challenges arising from the substantial risk of mycotoxin contamination in dried foods. To meet the demands of a disc; erning food market, there is an imperative need for sustainable mycotoxin-degrading technologies. These technologies must be non-thermal and chemical-free, minimizing thermal damage to treated food to preserve essential nutrients, ultimately enhancing food quality and safety. Developing non-thermal decontamination technologies for dried foods holds enormous economic and public health significance.This review centers its focus on the decontamination of dried foods, proposing a green approach through the utilization of Cold Plasma Technology (CPT). We delve into the working principles and applications of CPT in dried foods, highlight the influential factors affecting its efficacy, and acknowledge the limitations of this innovative technique. Furthermore, we pinpoint and explore emerging research opportunities in the decontamination of dried foods, particularly in conjunction with other complementary methods. CPT, an evolving and environmentally friendly technology, exhibits promising capabilities in controlling pathogens in dried food products and extending their shelf life. Critical determinants encompass the parameters of cold plasma, operational conditions, food-related variables, and microbiological factors, which collectively influence the efficacy of CPT. We advocate for future research dedicated to assessing the impact of CPT on various mycotoxins, food composition, and its interaction with food-related factors. In this vein, it is imperative to emphasize the scaling up of this technology for practical commercial applications, addressing the growing need for enhanced food safety in dried products.

A Mixed-Methods Approach to the Development of a Disaster Food Security Framework

BackgroundLimited research on food systems and food insecurity (FI) following disasters finds contextual differences in post-disaster food systems that shape dimensions of FI. Measurement limitations make it difficult to address FI and develop effective practices for disaster-affected communities. ObjectiveTo develop, validate, and test a Disaster Food Security Framework (DFSF). DesignMixed-methods approach was used, including in-depth interviews to understand lived experiences during disasters; expert panel input to validate DFSF designed using responses from in-depth interviews; and quantitative testing of robustness of DFSF using the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic as a disaster example. Participants and settingThe in-depth interviews included participants from Vermont (n = 5), North Carolina (n = 3), and Oklahoma (n = 2) who had been living in those states during Hurricane Irene (2011), Hurricane Florence (2018), the Moore tornadoes (2013), and coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (2020). The expert panel consisted of researchers and practitioners from different US geographical regions and food-related disciplines (n = 18). For the quantitative testing survey, data from 4 US states (New York, New Mexico, Vermont, and Maryland; n = 3,228) from the National Food Access and COVID Research Team was used. Main outcome measuresThe outcomes from the in-depth interviews were dimensions of disaster FI, those from the expert panel was a content validity ratio, and those from the quantitative testing was the number of items and components to be included. Analyses performedInductive and deductive reasoning were using when reporting on the in-depth interviews and expert panel results, including frequencies. The quantitative testing was conducted using multiple correspondence analysis. ResultsThe in-depth interviews revealed four dimensions of FI: availability (supply and donation), accessibility (economic, physical, and social), acceptability (preference and health), and agency (infrastructure and self-efficacy). The panel of experts reported high content validity for the DFSF and its dimensions (content validity ratio >0.42), thus giving higher credibility to the DFSF. Multiple correspondence analysis performed on 25 food-related variables identified one component with 13 indicators representing three of the four dimensions: availability, acceptability, and accessibility, but not agency.

Food security for survivors of intimate partner violence: Understanding the role of food in survivor well-being.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and food security are two leading public health issues that disproportionately impact women in the United States. Despite this connection, the relationship between IPV and food security has been relatively unexplored. While food security is a known factor in increased well-being, it is not often explicitly included in care for survivors. As part of a larger study on survivors of domestic violence who are receiving services from a domestic violence and sexual assault agency in the Southern United States, we analysed participant responses (n=26) to various scales (i.e. depression, anxiety, PTSD, disability, well-being, hope, food security) to determine the relationships between mental health and food-related variables. Importantly, findings from our study show that survivors experience low food security at higher rates (53.8%) than the U.S. national average (11.5%). Additionally, the proportion of survivors in our sample who are receiving some form of food aid and remain food insecure is high (26.9%), leading to questions about the adequacy of food aid. Finally, our results underpin the relationship between food security and mental health for survivors, as low food security is positively correlated with depression, PTSD, disability, trouble concentrating, lack of hope and decreased well-being. These findings have implications for how we evaluate food security and the role it plays in well-being for survivors.

Socio-economic status and hunger among orphans and vulnerable children households in Lagos State, Nigeria.

HIV/AIDS has contributed to increasing orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria. A measure of vulnerability is household hunger. To assess level of household hunger and associated factors among OVC households in Lagos State. A cross-sectional survey of 1300 OVC households in 5 selected Local Government Areas. The LGAs were selected using the Household Vulnerability Assessment index. Data collection was by personal interview of households' heads/caregivers using a structured questionnaire capturing socio-demographic, household economic profile and food-related variables. A multivariate logit model was fitted to identify independent predictors of household hunger after adjusting for confounding variables. The population density was 5.1 and 52.8% were females. A larger proportion of females (84.6%) than males (78.3%) reported that they had no food to eat in the last four weeks prior the survey. Poor household economic status (OR=1.41, CI: 1.03-1.92), age and marital status of caregiver were independent predictors of household hunger. The odds of hunger increased with caregiver's age; higher in households headed by never married (OR=3.99, CI: 1.15-13.89) and divorced/separated caregivers (OR=2.39, CI: 1.11-5.12). OVC households experienced severe hunger. Household economic strengthening would be useful strategy to mitigate the nutrition challenges of OVC in Lagos state.

Diversity and community structure of kinorhynchs around Svalbard: First insights into spatial patterns and environmental drivers

Kinorhyncha is usually one of the more neglected groups in meiofauna ecology. Although their presence is frequently reported in a number of ecological meiofaunal studies, knowledge on their taxonomic composition and distribution at the local and regional scale is very limited. Particularly for the Arctic region, no comprehensive ecological description of kinorhynch communities has yet existed. To address this gap in our knowledge, we compared kinorhynch community structure in different localities: in the region north of Svalbard, in the Barents Sea and four Spitsbergen fjords. Sample locations covered a wide depth gradient from 300 up to 2200 m and different environmental regimes. We analyzed over 4000 individuals among which 18 species belonging to 4 genera and 2 families were identified. The most common species were Echinoderes drogoni and Echinoderes angustus, while the most dominant species was Echinoderes eximus. Patterns of species abundance and shift in their occurrence across the stations were pronounced, with notable distinctions between regions. Three distinct kinorhynch assemblages were observed: ‘fjord assemblage’ dominated by E. eximus and characterized by the highest standing stock and diversity; ‘open water assemblage’ with Echinoderes arlis as dominant species and ‘north of Svalbard assemblage’ characterized by the presence of E. drogoni and Echinoderes peterseni, but at the same time, by the lowest abundance and diversity. We found sediment particle size diversity as the most important explanatory variable. Variation in kinorhynch community structures and diversity was also explained by water depth, but this factor was less important in comparison to sediment characteristics. Surprisingly, food-related variables did not contribute significantly to the model, which could suggest that food partitioning did not influence on promoting diversity. However, it is the first study of arctic kinorhynch ecology and further research is needed to get a more comprehensive understanding of the environmental drivers for turnover in Arctic kinorhynch diversity and distribution.

The Long-Term Effects of Dietary Nutrient Intakes during the First 2 Years of Life in Healthy Infants from Developed Countries: An Umbrella Review

The role of both qualitative and quantitative early nutrient intakes on later health has been suggested for decades and supported by observational studies on humans, mainly preterm and low-birth-weight infants, and animal models. However, to date, no comprehensive review has been conducted to evaluate the full impact of nutritional variables on healthy full-term infants. This umbrella review considers meta-analyses and systematic reviews on the health effects of different nutritional exposures or interventions in the first 2 y of life of healthy full-term infants in developed countries. The systematic reviews and meta-analyses published by March 2018 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were included. The following outcomes were considered: growth and obesity, cardiovascular disease, neurodevelopment, allergy and autoimmunity, infections, and malignancy. Breastfeeding and complementary feeding were considered separately and analyzed by means of their differences in delivering heterogeneous food-related variables. The resulting data on the long-term effect of early nutritional differences in healthy full-term infants were found to be inconclusive. Only breastfeeding has a beneficial effect, which is nevertheless slight and limited to just a few outcome measures, whereas the type and duration required to be effective are still unclear. As regards the complementary feeding period, no clear effects of different dietary interventions emerge in terms of health outcomes. Available evidence on the health effects of differences in early nutrition in healthy full-term infants still remains largely inconclusive.

Effectiveness of the Children's Healthy Living (CHL) Multilevel Multicomponent Community Intervention Program in 5 US affiliated Pacific Jurisdictions

The Children's Healthy Living (CHL) program, a collaboration among Pacific Land Grant Colleges, was developed and implemented with 27 communities across the US affiliated Pacific region in a 24 month community randomized intervention trial to prevent young child obesity. The multilevel, multisite, community‐based intervention consisted of 4 cross‐cutting functions (initiate or strengthen school wellness policies; partner and advocate for environmental change; promote CHL messages; and local capacity building) with 20 activities addressing 6 targeted behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep, fruit and vegetable intake, sugar sweetened beverage intake, and water intake). A common intervention template and outcome measures were developed and implemented; IRB approval or ceding of approval was obtained at each of the 5 collaborating institutions. Controlling for age and sex of 2–10 year old children and accounting for the randomization units and clustering, the CHL intervention communities had significant changes in the following variables compared to control communities: prevalence of acanthosis nigricans (change of −0.1% vs +0.2%), child overweight plus obesity (−3.0% vs +1.7%), child waist circumference (+0.2cm vs +9cm), and daily screen time (−2.4min vs +3.0mins). Accelerometry and food related variables (fruit and vegetable intake, sugar sweetened beverage intake, water intake) are still being analyzed. The results indicate that community‐based multilevel multi‐component interventions can impact young child overweight and obesity and related behaviors and conditions.Support or Funding InformationUSDA/NIFA grant 2011‐68001‐30335

The effect of poverty-influenced, food-related consumer behaviors on obesity: An analysis of the NHANES flexible consumer behavioral module

ABSTRACTDespite extensive research investigating obesity, the problem continues to increase, particularly in poor, minority, and under-resourced communities. However, the literature continues to demonstrate many obesity-predicating variables are outside of personal volitional control, such as food-related consumer behaviors, which are strongly influenced by income and environment. This cross-sectional study (n = 5,109) employed secondary data analysis to quantitatively examine the effect of food-related consumer variables on obesity while controlling for covariates. Participants answered questions regarding money spent on food, time preparing meals, number of meals eaten at home and away from home, and types of food products consumed (frozen/fast foods, sodas, salty snacks, etc.) In this study, 48.9% of respondents were either overweight or obese. No significant differences were noted between the contextual variables examined and BMI scores. However, given the sample’s limitations illuminated in the study, further research regarding the relationship between obesity and poverty-influenced, food-related consumer behaviors is warranted.

Phytotherapy in Anorexia: Effective Medicinal Plants on Appetit Based on Iranian Ethnobotanical Sources

Appetite is defined based on the regulators of the food-related variables that predict eating behaviors. It influences on energy homeostasis. Gastro-intestinal track is of the components of food intake and appetite control system. Environmental signals, including insulin, ghrelin, leptin, and centeral neuropeptides in the hypothalamus specify an individual's appetite. Medicinal plants are a natural and useful medicinal source in the treatment of diseases. Many native medicinal plants of Iran have effective properties on appetite. Thus, in this review, the effective medicinal plants of Iranian ethnobotanical resources on appetite were reported. In this review study, a search for articles by the keywords colic, ethnobotanical, and medicinal plants was done. A search on the databases, such as Scopus, ISI C, S ID, Mega Iran, and a number of other databases was performed. 26 herbs from different parts of Iran are traditionally used to treat anorexia. Such medicinal plants as sweet fennel, artichoke, rhubarb, chamomile, chicory, turnip, wild plum, pennyroyal, thistle, fumitory, salsify, etc. are of the most important medicinal plants affecting appetite.

Are food-related perceptions associated with meal portion size decisions? A cross-sectional study

The purpose of this study was to test a comprehensive model of meal portion size determinants consisting of sociodemographic, psychological and food-related variables, whilst controlling for hunger and thirst.Using cross-sectional nationally representative data collected in 2075 participants from the Island of Ireland (IoI) and Denmark (DK), eight separate hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between food-related variables and meal portion size (i.e. pizza, vegetable soup, chicken salad and a pork meal) within each country. Stepwise regressions were run with physiological control measures (hunger and thirst) entered in the first step, sociodemographic variables (sex, age, body mass index (BMI)) in the second step; psychological variables (cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, emotional eating, general health interest (GHI)) in the third step and food-related variables (expected fillingness, liking, expected healthfulness, food familiarity) in the fourth step.Sociodemographic variables accounted for 2–19% of the variance in meal portion sizes; psychological variables explained an additional 3–8%; and food-related variables explained an additional 2–12%. When all four variable groups were included in the regression models, liking and sometimes expected healthfulness was positively associated with meal portion size. The strongest association was for liking, which was statistically significant in both countries for all meal types. Whilst expected healthfulness was not associated with pizza portion size in either country, it was positively associated with meals that have a healthier image (vegetable soup; chicken salad and in IoI, the pork meal).In conclusion, after considering sociodemographic and psychological variables, and the food-related variables of liking and expected healthfulness, there may be little merit in manipulating the satiating power, at least of these type of meals, to maintain or promote weight loss.

Happiness and health and food-related variables: Evidence for different age groups in Chile

This study aimed to identify the factors determining the happiness in young and middle-aged adults in Chile, including health and food-related factors, and their relationships between them. To achieve this objective, a survey was conducted on a total of 1163 people (from 20 to 65 years old), proportionally distributed in the cities over 100000 inhabitants in the central area of Chile. The main scales used were: Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), Health Related Quality of Life Index (HRQoL), and Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFL). In this study, the logistic ordinal regression models were estimated. The main finding was that people have more unhealthy days, poorer perception of their health, and are less satisfied with their food-related life, and are less happy in both age groups. Therefore, health-related factors and SWFL are strong predictors of happiness.

Diferencias en factores de riesgo para la salud entre adolescentes tardíos/jóvenes y adultos

Fundamento: Casi dos tercios de las muertes prematuras y un tercio de la carga total de morbilidad en adultos se asocian a comportamientos que comenzaron en su juventud. La literatura, identifica problemas de salud estrechamente relacionados con la adolescencia que se asocian a conductas de riesgo. Objetivo: Determinar si en factores de riesgo para la salud particularmente importantes en la adolescencia/ juventud existen diferencias con la edad adulta. Método: Se plantea un estudio transversal analítico, en el que se analizan datos obtenidos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud, para dos grupos de población, (adolescentes tardíos/ jóvenes y adultos). Se han seleccionado las variables relacionadas con las conductas de riesgo en la adolescencia y juventud. Para las variables categóricas se ha utilizado el test de chi- cuadrado de Pearson, aplicando la corrección de Yates en variables dicotómicas. Para las variables no categóricas se contrasta la igualdad de medianas (test de rangos de Wilcoxson) y de medias (t de Student) Resultados: Se han detectado diferencias estadísticamente significativas para determinados comportamientos como el consumo de alcohol y tabaco y en relación a la alimentación los resultados muestran que son los adultos los que siguen en mayor medida dietas, pero al analizar los motivos, los resultados muestran que es mayor el porcentaje de adolescentes tardíos que siguen una dieta para adelgazar. Conclusión: Se aportan datos sobre diferencias en factores de riesgo para la salud entre adolescentes y adultos, que pueden ser de utilidad para diseñar acciones preventivas específicas.

The measurement of household socio-economic position in tuberculosis prevalence surveys: a sensitivity analysis

To assess the robustness of socio-economic inequalities in tuberculosis (TB) prevalence surveys. Data were drawn from the TB prevalence survey conducted in Lusaka Province, Zambia, in 2005-2006. We compared TB socio-economic inequalities measured through an asset-based index (Index 0) using principal component analysis (PCA) with those observed using three alternative indices: Index 1 and Index 2 accounted respectively for the biases resulting from the inclusion of urban assets and food-related variables in Index 0. Index 3 was built using regression-based analysis instead of PCA to account for the effect of using a different assets weighting strategy. Household socio-economic position (SEP) was significantly associated with prevalent TB, regardless of the index used; however, the magnitude of inequalities did vary across indices. A strong association was found for Index 2, suggesting that the exclusion of food-related variables did not reduce the extent of association between SEP and prevalent TB. The weakest association was found for Index 1, indicating that the exclusion of urban assets did not lead to higher extent of TB inequalities. TB socio-economic inequalities seem to be robust to the choice of SEP indicator. The epidemiological meaning of the different extent of TB inequalities is unclear. Further studies are needed to confirm our conclusions.

Consumption of Soft Drinks and Hyperactivity, Mental Distress, and Conduct Problems Among Adolescents in Oslo, Norway

We examined whether high levels of consumption of sugar-containing soft drinks were associated with mental distress, hyperactivity, and conduct problems among adolescents. A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted with 10th-grade students in Oslo, Norway (n = 5498). We used the Hopkins Symptom Checklist and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to assess mental health outcomes. There was a J-shaped dose-response relationship between soft drink consumption and mental distress, conduct problems, and total mental health difficulties score; that is, adolescents who did not consume soft drinks had higher scores (indicating worse symptoms) than those who consumed soft drinks at moderate levels but lower scores than those with high consumption levels. The relationship was linear for hyperactivity. In a logistic regression model, the association between soft drink consumption and mental health problems remained significant after adjustment for behavioral, social, and food-related variables. The highest adjusted odds ratios were observed for conduct problems among boys and girls who consumed 4 or more glasses of sugar-containing soft drinks per day. High consumption levels of sugar-containing soft drinks were associated with mental health problems among adolescents even after adjustment for possible confounders.

Food and status in the prehispanic Malpaso Valley, Zacatecas, Mexico

Most archaeological analyses of social status focus on variation in burials, elaborate architecture, and prestige items and give less attention to the fact that people express and construct social identities in their everyday lives. In fact, domestic practices are both rooted in social distinctions and used to manipulate them. By expanding analyses to include variation in domestic activities, archaeologists can observe how social variability is expressed in everyday life. The utility of this approach is demonstrated with an example from the Malpaso Valley, Zacatecas, Mexico, where there is strong evidence for complex social organization, but limited indication of status in prestige indices. Analyses of food-related variables, including macrobotanical remains, food preparation tools, and serving vessels from 10 household middens demonstrate a general, though not direct, correlation between involvement in domestic activities and frequencies of the few prestige markers present. The results suggest that the foundation and manifestation of social differences in the Malpaso Valley was not the same among all elite. This study demonstrates the potential contribution that the inclusion of domestic variables can provide to any study of status variability.

Influence of ingestion rate and food types on cadmium accumulation by the aquatic insect Chaoborus

We measured the influence of two food-related variables, prey type and ingestion rate, on Cd uptake by larvae of the aquatic insect Chaoborus punctipennis. Larvae collected from a low-Cd lake (0.1 nM total dissolved Cd) were held in the laboratory where they were exposed to water and to various quantities of either copepods (Diaptomus minutus) or cladocerans (Diaphanosoma birgei) from a high-Cd lake (1 nM total dissolved Cd). The Cd content of larvae exposed to the metal in water only did not increase, confirming the results of previous experiments in which food was demonstrated to be the major Cd source for C. punctipennis larvae. Prey type did not influence predator Cd content, likely because Cd concentrations in the two prey types were approximately the same (~10 µg Cd·g-1) and because Cd was assimilated with the same efficiency by the predator from the two prey types. Cadmium assimilation efficiencies were greater at low prey ingestion rates (nearly 100%) than at high prey ingestion rates (~30%), which is likely explained by a shorter residence time of food in the gut at high prey consumption rates.

Influence of ingestion rate and food types on cadmium accumulation by the aquatic insect <i>Chaoborus</i>

We measured the influence of two food-related variables, prey type and ingestion rate, on Cd uptake by larvae of the aquatic insect Chaoborus punctipennis. Larvae collected from a low-Cd lake (0.1 ...