Adult Food Research Articles

Analysing the behaviour change techniques in an effective food literacy program to inform future program design.

Food literacy programs aim to improve food related skills and knowledge and are selected Governments as a strategy to address dietary intakes at a community level. The purpose of this research is to identify behaviour change techniques in a food literacy program, which were assessed by the achievement of participant goals related to food literacy and dietary behaviour changes. Consensus methods were applied to map behaviour change techniques to an adult food literacy program. A second phase investigation applied content analysis of participant process evaluation data (collected between 2016 and June 2021) to align target behaviours and behaviour change techniques. Chi-square and ANCOVA were used to assess the statistically significant demographic characteristics, food literacy, and dietary behaviour scores for participants who set goals and recorded changes. A total of 4697 program participants provided evaluation data from the 4-week food literacy program. Participants who set goals and made changes were statistically more likely to have higher food literacy factor scores (p < 0.001) and fruit serves (p = 0.004). Statistical analysis showed that participants were more likely to have set goals and recorded changes if they were female (p < 0.001), older (p < 0.001), higher education level (p < 0.001), had a higher socioeconomic status (p = 0.049), lived with children (p = 0.014), were born in Australia (p = 0.019), or did not identify as Indigenous (p < 0.001). The behaviour change technique mapping process identified nine techniques used weekly and a total of 22 techniques used over the entire 4 week program curriculum. This is the first Australian study to link the contribution of behaviour change techniques to food literacy and dietary behaviour change in an established effective food literacy program. Knowing the behaviour change techniques associated with effective programs will facilitate replication of effective interventions.

Patient Preferences for Attributes of Androgen Deprivation Therapies in Prostate Cancer: A Discrete Choice Experiment with Latent Class Analysis.

Medical androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) options have expanded for patients with advanced prostate cancer (PC). Historically, ADT was primarily available in long-acting injectable formulations. In 2020, the first oral formulation was US Food and Drug Administration-approved for adults with advanced PC. This study's aim was to assess patient preferences for attributes of medical ADT, including mode of administration, side effects, impact on sexual interest, and out-of-pocket (OOP) costs, and to segment respondents into distinct groups based on their treatment choice patterns. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among US residents aged > 40years with PC, employing a discrete choice experiment to assess preferences for ADT attributes. For each choice task, respondents were asked to select the hypothetical treatment profile that they preferred out of two presented. Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to estimate attribute-level preference weights and calculate attribute relative importance for groups of respondents with similar treatment preferences. A total of 304 respondents completed the survey (mean age 64.4years). LCA identified four preference groups, named according to the attribute each group considered most important: Sexual interest, Cost-sensitive, Favors daily pill, and Favors injection. Most respondents in the Sexual interest group were < 65years, while the Cost-sensitive group was mostly ≥ 65years. Favors daily pill had the highest proportion of ADT-naïve individuals. On average, respondents in these groups preferred an oral medication. Favors injection, which had the highest proportion of ADT-experienced individuals, preferred infrequent intramuscular injections, lower chance of post-ADT testosterone recovery, and lower OOP cost. Respondents differed in their preferences regarding ADT attributes, highlighting the need for patient involvement in their treatment decisions. Effective communication between healthcare providers and patients about the benefits and risks of available therapies should be encouraged to ensure that patients receive the PC treatment that best meets their needs.

Adult Food Poisoning in a Tertiary University Hospital: Retrospective Evaluation of Emergency Department Visits and Outcomes

Aim The clinical diagnosis, which occurs with various symptoms as a result of consumption of contaminated food, is defined as food poisoning (FP). A large number of people experience FP around the world each year. This report focuses on the clinical and descriptive characteristics of adult cases visiting the emergency department (ED) due to FP. Material and Methods This study was planned as a retrospective examination of adult FP cases who visited a tertiary ED in a 4-year period. Complaints, vital signs, physical examination and laboratory data at the time of the visit were recorded. The treatment given for ED and the ways to recover from ED were also evaluated. Results 61 patients were included. 43 patients (70.5%) were male. Median age was 31 years (min: 18- max: 73). The most common symptom was nausea (n=27, 44.3%). No relationship was detected between length of hospital stay and descriptive data. Most of cases except two (96.7%), were discharged after the treatments administered in the ED. Conclusion FP cases are often young and male. They most often visit ED with complaints of nausea and are often discharged from ED after treatment. Descriptive data is not predictive of outcomes.

A Multidisciplinary Prospective Audit of Practices of Providing Hydration to Patient in An Acute Care Setting. Stop, Think and Drink

Abstract Background In the Dementia Friendly Hospital Guidelines 2018, it recommends we support patient safety, health and well-being. This can be facilitated by supporting diet, nutrition and hydration in a calm, accessible and usable space with appropriate lighting, and clearly visible and easily understood furniture and tableware. We have audited our practices across the hospital to ensure we have practices that promote hydration in all our wards. As we are an MDT team we bring a unique broad perspective on the issue of availability, accessibility and assistance. Methods We prospectively audited the provision and accessibility of drinks of any kind across our hospital. This was carried out on two separate occasions, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. We developed a unique audit tool. We used the HIQA nutrition and hydration standards to develop this tool. This was carried out on two separate occasions, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Results Total number audited - 131 Availability Accessibility Assistance - 38% required prompting/reminding to drink. Conclusion Almost all of our patients in St. Michael’s Hospital had a drink and water jug available, however not all patients were able to access or independently hydrate themselves. Through making improvements, we aim to improve the hydration for our patients. According to the Food, Nutrition and Hydration policy for adults in acute hospital, by improving patient hydration, we are supporting the reduction of malnutrition amongst our patient cohort, in turn reducing their susceptibility to disease and improving their rate of recovery.

Crop Diversification, Household Welfare and Conflict: Afghanistan 2011–2017

We use three waves (2011–2012 to 2016–2017) of nationally representative repeated cross section surveys to study the impact of crop diversification (number of crops grown) on household welfare, measured by real adult equivalent consumption and food expenditure and dietary diversity, in Afghanistan. Diversification is very low (almost half grow only one crop and fewer than a fifth grow three or more crops) but increased during the period. A multinomial endogenous switching regression (MESR) addressing selection bias and endogeneity is used to estimate average treatment effects of moving from one crop to two crops and then to three or more crops. The analysis shows that crop diversification increases household consumption and food spending, and, to a modest extent, dietary diversity compared to undiversified households. This holds irrespective of conflict although the effect varies; households experiencing violence tend to divert spending to food from other consumption spending and only the most diversified are able to increase spending compared to undiversified households. The evidence implies that supporting crop diversification can improve food security (through combined effects on spending and food diversity) and mitigate the negative impacts of conflict.

Project DINE: Addressing Disparities in Nutrition and Maternal Mortality and Morbidity through Nutrition and Father Engagement

Abstract: This study assessed the outcomes of an intervention (Project DINE) that added nutrition and breastfeeding education to Healthy Start programs in Georgia for a sample of Black expecting parents. Using a community-based participatory approach and a 2 × 2 randomized cluster factorial design, three of six Healthy Start sites were intervention sites. Participants completed the Adult Food and Physical Activity Behavior Questionnaire and a breastfeeding education survey pre- and post-intervention. Paired t-tests determined that there was an improvement in overall self-reported diet quality among the expecting couples (n=61; p = .025). Breastfeeding survey data showed that the percentage of correct answers increased from 78% to 84% (n=89; p=.0009) for all participants. Qualitative data were also collected through open-ended responses on the breastfeeding post-test (n=66) and focus groups with fathers (n=10). This project demonstrates the need for nutrition and breastfeeding education for both expecting parents during pregnancy to improve maternal health.

Factors affecting food addiction: emotional eating, palatable eating motivations, and BMI

AbstractEvaluating the factors leading to adult food addiction should shed light on potential preventive and treatment strategies for obesity and eating disorders. This research aimed to assess the relationship between food addiction, emotional eating, palatable eating motivations, and the factors that affected them. Five hundred twenty‐two adults participated in this descriptive, cross‐sectional study in Erzurum, Turkey. Participants completed a questionnaire that included a general information form, anthropometric measurements, Palatable Eating Motives Scale (PEMS), Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), and Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ). In total, 181 (34.7%) men and 341 (65.3%) women participated in the study. While 24.7% were overweight or obese, 65.7% had normal BMI (body mass index). Food addiction (FA) was determined in 18.2% of the participants. The FA group had significantly higher PEMS and EEQ scores (p &lt; .001). The risk of FA was 3.18 times higher in women than in men (95% CI = 1.65, 6.13, p = .001). Significant positive associations between FA, BMI (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.00, 1.11, p = .021), and EEQ (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.23, 1.38, p = .000) were found. Emotional eating behavior and palatable eating motivations are more common in individuals with food addiction than nonfood addiction. Female gender, emotional eating, and high BMI values were determined as risk factors for food addiction.

Impact of a Hospital-Based Food Pharmacy Program on Health Outcomes of Vulnerable Patients.

Access to healthy foods, especially for those who are living with diabetes and hypertension, is crucial in managing these chronic diseases. This study evaluates the implementation of a food pharmacy and food prescription program at a safety-net hospital that serves vulnerable populations. Patients who screen as food insecure using the USDA adult food security survey receive a referral from the physician to the food pharmacy program where a dietician reviews their dietary requirements based on their chronic disease and develops a diet plan. Patients then receive fresh produce, meats and other products every 2weeks that meets their nutritional needs from the food pharmacy. Biometric data from the patient's most recent clinic visit at the time of enrollment was collected as the baseline measures including blood pressure, weight, and HbA1c (if diabetic). Additionally, biometric information was collected from the patient's medical records from regularly scheduled clinic visits at 6month intervals. A total of 266 patients were enrolled in the program during the 13-month period that was studied (121 patients with 6-month data and 68 patients with 12-month data). The statistical analysis showed a significant improvement in diastolic blood pressure at 12months and in weight at both the 6months and 12months timeframes when comparing to baseline biometrics.

Biologics and Small Molecule Targeted Therapies for Pediatric Alopecia Areata, Psoriasis, Atopic Dermatitis, and Hidradenitis Suppurativa in the US: A Narrative Review.

The management of pediatric dermatological conditions such as alopecia areata (AA), psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (AD), and hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) has significantly evolved with the introduction of biologics and small molecule targeted therapies. The advancement in understanding the immunopathogenesis of these chronic skin conditions has led to the development and approval of novel biologics and small molecule therapies. Initially approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults, most of these therapies are now being evaluated in clinical trials for safety and efficacy in adolescents and children, expanding new treatment options for pediatric patients. The role of the FDA in drug approval is multifaceted from drug inception, ensuring that research, data, and evidence show that the proposed drug is effective and safe for the intended use. The goal of this review article is to provide an overview of the recently FDA-approved and potential biologic and oral small molecule therapies in clinical trials for AA, psoriasis, AD, and HS in pediatric patients. The search for this review included keywords in ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, and Google Scholar for the latest research and clinical trials relevant to these conditions and treatments without the PRISMA methodology. For pediatric AA, ritlecitinib is FDA-approved, while baricitinib and updacitinib are in phase 3 clinical trials for pediatric approval. The FDA-approved drugs for pediatric psoriasis include secukinumab, ustekinumab, ixekizumab, etanercept, and apremilast. Other phase 3 clinical trials for pediatric psoriasis include risankizumab, guselkumab, tildrakizumab, brodalumab, and deucravacitinib. For pediatric AD, the FDA-approved drugs are dupilumab, tralokinumab, abrocitinib, and upadacitinib, with many other drugs in phase 3 trials. Adalimumab is an FDA-approved biologic for pediatric HS, with various clinical trials ongoing for adults. The approved biologics and small molecule therapies had higher efficacy and improved safety profiles compared to traditional medications. With numerous ongoing trials, the success of these clinical trials could lead to their inclusion in treatment guidelines for these chronic skin conditions. Biologics and small molecule therapies offer new avenues for effective disease management, enabling personalized therapeutic interventions and improving pediatric health outcomes.

Food-triggered anaphylaxis in adults.

Adult food allergy, either unresolved from childhood, or new-onset in adult-life, is known to be increasingly prevalent. Although much of the reported anaphylaxis in adults is due to drug reactions, foods are becoming an increasingly important trigger, affecting adults of all ages, with a wide variation in food triggers which are often quite different to those reported in children. Peanuts are well known to cause anaphylaxis in some adult populations, but other legumes such as soy may be more relevant in others. Reactions to natto, fermented soybeans, are currently mainly reported in Japan, but changing dietary practices and an increase in plant-based eating mean natto, other forms of soy and other legumes are increasingly linked to anaphylaxis in Western countries. Anaphylaxis to red meat, caused by sensitization to galactose-α-1,3-galactose and first reported in North America, is now a more world-wide concern. Co-factor induced anaphylaxis is increasingly associated with both wheat allergy and lipid transfer protein allergy. More research is urgently needed to characterize adult food allergy, its triggers and symptom severity. Unusual food triggers and potential co-factors should be considered, so that anaphylaxis in adults can be correctly managed, not merely labelled as idiopathic.

Construction and Content Validation of Mobile Devices' Application Messages about Food and Nutrition for DM2 Older Adults.

Older adults face a decline in the quality of their diet, which affects their health. The prevalence of DM2 is increasing, as are the associated complications. Effective nutrition education and mobile health (mHealth) interventions offer a viable solution in the scenario of the widespread use of mobile devices. This study aimed to develop and validate messages for a mobile application aimed at older adult Brazilians with DM2 who receive care at the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). The educational messages on healthy eating for older adults with DM2 were created from 189 excerpts selected from Brazilian official documents. A total of 37 messages were created, categorized into 20 educational, 12 motivational, and 5 congratulatory, all up to 120 characters. Twenty-one experts validated the messages for clarity and relevance, and 11 messages had to be revised to meet the criteria. Subsequently, the 36 messages approved by the experts were tested on a sample of 57 older adults, guaranteeing clarity rates of over 80%. This study developed and validated 36 messages for a mobile health app aimed at older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Brazil. Expert evaluation ensured clarity and relevance, confirmed by older adult participants who evaluated clarity. This research highlights the potential of mHealth to overcome barriers to accessing healthcare in the SUS, emphasizing personalized interventions for the effective management of older adults' health.

Association between hypercholesterolemia and isolated and simultaneous consumption of ultra-processed foods in older adults.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is a risk factor for several cardiovascular diseases and mortality, with potential physiological mechanisms including elevated serum cholesterol levels. To analyze the association between hypercholesterolemia and the isolated and simultaneous consumption of UPFs in older adults. This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study conducted with 1322 Brazilian older adults (mean age of 70.4 years; 55.0% females) from the state of Roraima. The data was obtained from the Department of Epidemiological Surveillance of the State of Roraima. Hypercholesterolemia was diagnosed based on nosology criteria. Food consumption patterns were assessed using a nationally standardized instrument comprising four categories of UPFs. Binary logistic regression models were employed to explore potential associations. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was high (54.4%, 95% CI 51.7-56.6). While the simultaneous consumption of all UPFs types was lower (15.2%), over half of the older adults reported consuming at least one type of UPFs (71.8%). Isolated consumption of UPFs was associated with approximately twice the odds of hypercholesterolemia. Older adults who consumed two (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.26-2.43), three (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.58-3.29), or all four types of UPF (OR 6.65, 95% CI 4.35-9.44) had a higher likelihood of having hypercholesterolemia. Isolated consumption of UPFs is a risk factor for hypercholesterolemia, which can increase up to sixfold when older adults consume multiple UPFs simultaneously. Prioritizing nutritional education and raising awareness regarding the reduction of UPFs consumption is crucial.

Manipulating the community structure of arthropods in rice fields with floral resources plants

Abstract Conservation biological control encourages natural enemies to suppress target pests through manipulation of environmental factors that influence natural enemy survival and effectiveness, including microclimates, availability of food for adults and alternative prey, and shelter from adverse environmental conditions. This study aimed to identify selective flowering plants that could be used to manipulate the arthropod community structure in rice fields. Three rice fields (a field without resources of flowering plants, a field with vegetable crop, and a field with ornamental plant) were used in this experiment. The flowering plants included Helianthus sp., Catharanthus roseus, and Cosmos sulphureus while the vegetable plants included eggplant, cucumber, and long beans. Arthropod recording was carried out by direct observation and yellow pan traps from 14 to 98 days after planting. We recorded 33,728 arthropods representing 153 species in 68 families, 13 orders, and 2 classes. The presence of flowering plant significantly affects abundance, species richness, diversity index, and evenness of arthropods both in dry and wet seasons. The rice field surrounded with ornamental plants or vegetables showed the lowest abundance of phytophagous arthropods, the highest abundance of parasitoid and predatory arthropods. Therefore, vegetable crops such as cucumber, long beans and eggplant have great opportunities as refugia in rice fields.

Designing the Food and Lifestyle Information Program (FLIP) culinary nutrition intervention for adults with mild-to-moderate intellectual disability.

People with intellectual disability have diverse needs and experience higher rates of diet-related chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes compared to people without disability. However, they are infrequently included in development and implementation of interventions to address diet-related chronic disease. The present study describes the process to plan, develop and refine the Food and Lifestyle Information Program (FLIP) culinary nutrition intervention for adults with mild-to-moderate intellectual disability. The project was initiated by a disability service provider and was guided by the Cook-Ed™ model and inclusive research principles. Initially the disability service provider and academic research team members co-designed pre-program consultation and pilot studies, and draft program resources. Pre-program consultation explored paid disability support worker (n = 10) perceptions of cooking and food skills, nutrition priorities and optimal program format, which guided further program drafting. Program resources and pilot study design were further developed and refined with co-researchers with lived experience of intellectual disability who attended a pre-pilot and then pilot study sessions as remunerated co-facilitators. Key characteristics of the FLIP intervention arising from pre-program consultation included providing cooking task instruction in small steps, enabling participant choice in program activities, promoting an inclusive and social atmosphere, and providing paper-based resources. FLIP intervention co-design was enabled through ongoing input from the disability service provider and people with lived experience of intellectual disability. Evaluation of FLIP feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness to improve diet-related health is underway.

Hungry, Stressed, and Away From "Home": Predictors of Food Security and Perceived Stress Among International Students.

Examine the predictors of food security and perceived stress among international students. Cross-sectional Design. A public university in the Southwest United States. Sample size of Seventy-three participants (≥18 years). Self-report measures of food insecurity and perceived stress. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Adult Food Security Survey Module (AFSSM) to assess food security status, and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) questionnaire to evaluate stress levels. Logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of food security and perceived stress. Duration of stay in the U.S. was a predictor of food security status, while gender was a predictor of perceived stress. International students in the U.S. for less than a year had a lower chance of being food secure [OR (95% CI) = 0.22 (0.05 - 0.74)]. Female international students had a lower chance of experiencing low perceived stress [OR (95% CI) = 0.07 (0.00 - 0.51)]. In supporting international students, targeted nutrition and stress management interventions should be emphasized, particularly for females and those who recently moved to the U.S.

Fruquintinib plus capecitabine versus capecitabine as first-line maintenance treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): Update results from the randomized, controlled, phase Ib/II study.

3567 Background: Capecitabine (Cap) is a standard first-line maintenance treatment option for colorectal cancer. Fuquinitinib (Fru) is a highly selective small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits VEGFR1/2/3, which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults with mCRC who have been previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy and has recommended by NCCN guidelines as a standard treatment. Preliminary research results found that adding Fru to Cap as maintenance treatment was safe and improved progression-free survival (PFS, primary endpoint) for mCRC patients (pts). Methods: Eligible pts had been confirmed mCRC who achieved disease control (including CR/PR and SD) after at least six cycles of first-line standard chemotherapy. During phase Ib, pts received Fru (4 mg p.o. qd, 3 weeks on/1 week off, q4w]) plus Cap (850 mg/m2, p.o. bid, d1-7 and d15-21, q4w). In phase II, pts were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either Fru (RP2D, 3mg, 3 weeks on/1 week off) plus Cap or Cap alone. The primary outcome was PFS 1 (defined as time from randomization to disease progression or death). Secondary were PFS 2 (defined as time from first time receiving 1L treatment to disease progression or death), ORR and DCR. Results: At data cutoff (Jan 23, 2024), 46 pts were enrolled and 38 pts who had at least one tumor assessment post treatment were randomly assigned in Fru plus Cap arm (n=20) and Cap arm (n=18). Of these pts, the median age was 59.5 (39-78) and 58.5 (32-75) years, 11 (55.0%) and 10 (55.6%) had left-sided tumors, respectively. Most pts had previously received bevacizumab therapy (65.0% /66.7%) or cetuximab (30% /22.2%). The median cycles of first-line treatment were 8 (5-12) and 8 (4-13), 8 (40.0%) and 8 (44.4%) achieved PR in the pts who had received first-line therapy, respectively. The median PFS 1 was 9.2 mo in Fru plus Cap arm and 3.1 mo in Cap arm (HR=0.385 [95% CI: 0.163 - 0.906], p=0.024). And PFS 2 was also significantly prolonged in Fru plus Cap vs Cap (16.8 vs 8.5 mo, HR=0.314 [95% CI: 0.125 - 0.788], p=0.0098). Consistently, ORR (15.0% vs 5.6%) and DCR (80% vs 55.6%) were improved in Fru plus Cap arm. The safety was similar to the previous results without new safety signals appearing. Conclusions: PFS was significantly prolonged and ORR was improved in mCRC pts treated with Fru plus Cap as first-line maintenance treatment. This trial is ongoing and updated data will be presented in the future. Clinical trial information: NCT05451719 .

Exploring reasons for high levels of food insecurity and low fruit and vegetable consumption among university students post-COVID-19

High rates of food insecurity and low consumption of fruit and vegetables among university students have been observed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and intensified during the pandemic. This study aimed to investigate food insecurity among university students and its associations with sociodemographic factors, fruit and vegetable consumption behaviours, and preferred campus programs to address these issues. A convenience sample of 237 Australian university students completed a cross-sectional online survey from October to December 2022. Food insecurity was assessed using the 10-item US Adult Food Security Module, applying the Canadian classification scheme. Sociodemographic variables, fruit and vegetable consumption behaviours, and perceptions of fruit and vegetable access and their affordability were included in the survey. Students were also asked to select the most suitable program(s) and provide reasons for their choice using open-ended questions. Approximately half of respondents (46.4%) were identified as food insecure. The proportion of students meeting the recommended intake of vegetables as specified in the Australian Dietary Guidelines was very low (5.1%) compared with fruit (46.2%). Low fruit consumption was significantly associated with food insecurity (OR = 1.81; 95%CI 1.03, 3.18, p = 0.038). Factors such as the perceived lower accessibility and higher price of fruit and vegetables were significantly associated with higher odds of food insecurity. In terms of potential programs, a free fruit and vegetable campaign was the most popular program, with affordability and physical access being the most frequently cited reasons. These findings suggest that food insecurity is associated with low fruit and vegetable consumption in university students. Therefore, transforming campus food environments and developing food policies at the university level must be considered to address food and nutrition security in university students.

The larva and adult of Helicoverpa armigera use differential gustatory receptors to sense sucrose

Almost all herbivorous insects feed on plants and use sucrose as a feeding stimulant, but the molecular basis of their sucrose reception remains unclear. Helicoverpa armigera as a notorious crop pest worldwide mainly feeds on reproductive organs of many plant species in the larval stage, and its adult draws nectar. In this study, we determined that the sucrose sensory neurons located in the contact chemosensilla on larval maxillary galea were 100–1000 times more sensitive to sucrose than those on adult antennae, tarsi, and proboscis. Using the Xenopus expression system, we discovered that Gr10 highly expressed in the larval sensilla was specifically tuned to sucrose, while Gr6 highly expressed in the adult sensilla responded to fucose, sucrose and fructose. Moreover, using CRISPR/Cas9, we revealed that Gr10 was mainly used by larvae to detect lower sucrose, while Gr6 was primarily used by adults to detect higher sucrose and other saccharides, which results in differences in selectivity and sensitivity between larval and adult sugar sensory neurons. Our results demonstrate the sugar receptors in this moth are evolved to adapt toward the larval and adult foods with different types and amounts of sugar, and fill in a gap in sweet taste of animals.

The larva and adult of Helicoverpa armigera use differential gustatory receptors to sense sucrose.

Almost all herbivorous insects feed on plants and use sucrose as a feeding stimulant, but the molecular basis of their sucrose reception remains unclear. Helicoverpa armigera as a notorious crop pest worldwide mainly feeds on reproductive organs of many plant species in the larval stage, and its adult draws nectar. In this study, we determined that the sucrose sensory neurons located in the contact chemosensilla on larval maxillary galea were 100-1000 times more sensitive to sucrose than those on adult antennae, tarsi, and proboscis. Using the Xenopus expression system, we discovered that Gr10 highly expressed in the larval sensilla was specifically tuned to sucrose, while Gr6 highly expressed in the adult sensilla responded to fucose, sucrose and fructose. Moreover, using CRISPR/Cas9, we revealed that Gr10 was mainly used by larvae to detect lower sucrose, while Gr6 was primarily used by adults to detect higher sucrose and other saccharides, which results in differences in selectivity and sensitivity between larval and adult sugar sensory neurons. Our results demonstrate the sugar receptors in this moth are evolved to adapt toward the larval and adult foods with different types and amounts of sugar, and fill in a gap in sweet taste of animals.

Scientific Mapping of Elderly Food Studies: A Bibliometric Approach

As the global population ages, there is a growing emphasis on addressing the dietary needs and overall well-being of older individuals. Bibliometric analysis of existing literature on food innovation for the elderly helps identify research trends and gaps, guiding future exploration to better meet the nutritional needs and preferences of this population. The aim of this research is to examine the literature on food and nutrition for older adults through bibliometric analysis. Data was gathered on April 19th, 2024, from the Scopus database by using the search term "elder* AND food". Articles were restricted to specific subject areas and then analyzed using VOSviewer and descriptive statistics. A total of 746 articles published between 1951 and 2024 were discovered, with a notable rise in publications in the past decade. The United States ranked first in the number of published articles, followed by South Korea and Brazil. Keywords were grouped into 11 clusters, encompassing themes such as diet quality, food security, nutritional status, and elderly care. The analysis underscored the global importance of research on elderly nutrition, underscoring the necessity for international cooperation. Recent developments revealed a concentration on food-based dietary guidelines and the management of food bolus for older individuals. The study also addressed limitations, such as potential biases arising from relying on Scopus and excluding non-English publications.