Insufficient Food Intake Research Articles

A study on nutritional status among rural Bengalee Muslim school going adolescent girls

Background: Adolescent period is in-between period of childhood and adulthood. Studies revealed that rural female adolescents are suffering more than the urban girls, due to insufficient food intake, poor healthcare facilities and socioeconomic differences. Present study was an attempt to survey current malnutrition scenario among rural adolescent girls of Bengalee Muslim community of Cooch Behar district, West Bengal, India. Methods: A community based, cross sectional study has conducted from April to May, 2023 among rural Bengalee Muslim adolescent girls aged 10-14 years (n=160) of Cooch Behar district, West Bengal, India. Data were collected after informing and explaining the purpose of the present study to school authorities, students and their parents. Three anthropometric measurements like, height, weight, MUAC recorded using standard procedures. Derived variable BMI was calculated and nutritional status was assessed using height for age and BMI for age. The degree of stunting (low height for age) and thinness (low BMI for age) were categorized on the basis of the position of the plot. Age specific mean and standard deviation was done. One way ANOVA was done to find out age specific mean differences in the Anthropometric variables. The p value <0.05 was considered as statistically significance. Results: Overall prevalence of stunting and thinness was 28.12% and 22.5% respectively. Prevalence of overall severe stunting and thinness was 10.6% and 10% respectively. Overall prevalence of overweight was 11% respectively. Conclusions: Present study revealed about existence of double burden of malnutrition among rural Bengalee Muslim population.

Social policy in a political vacuum: Women's experiences of hunger during the Cost‐of‐Living Crisis in Northern Ireland

AbstractBetween 2022 and 2024, there was no devolved government functioning in Northern Ireland. This protracted absence of government occurred in the aftermath of the Covid‐19 pandemic and during what is arguably the worst economic crisis of recent years. Women are more vulnerable to hardship during economic crisis and thus it is unsurprising that the Cost‐of‐Living Crisis is hitting women hardest. This paper examines increasing food insecurity for women in Northern Ireland and the implications for the realisation of their human right to an adequate standard of living. The UK Government has ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which provides a legal duty to ensure that everyone has adequate access to food. However, increasing numbers of food banks and ill health related to insufficient food intake indicates that there is a fundamental problem. This article draws on 20 focus groups with 250 women on a low‐income to explore their experiences of the Cost‐of‐Living Crisis in Northern Ireland. The research found that women routinely skipped meals; described feelings of shame and guilt associated with struggling to feed their children; and discussed difficulties associated with purchasing food. Much of the pain associated with the hunger experienced by these women and children is hidden within the private sphere of the home. This article intends to shine a light on women's experiences and will reflect on the necessary policy change required to ensure compliance with international human rights obligations.

Relação entre stress, índice de massa corporal e risco de transtornos alimentares

Introduction: Eating disorders are characterized by a persistent disturbance in eating or related behaviors, involving insufficient or excessive food intake, which is considered abnormal eating habits, with harmful effects on physical health and psychosocial function, divided into three main types, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating. The development of eating disorders is multifactorial and may be related to stress and BMI. Objectives: To analyze the relationship between stress and BMI with the risk of eating disorders in adult individuals. Methodology: Quantitative, observational, analytical and cross-sectional study. Sample of 302 individuals, adults over 18 years of age. A questionnaire was used to obtain data, using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) instruments. Data processing was performed using SPSS, version 29. Results: Most individuals were at normal weight (62,6%), at a moderate stress level (64%) and with a low risk of eating disorders (79%). A statistically significant relationship was found between stress and eating disorders and between BMI and eating disorders. Conclusion: Both stress and BMI influence eating attitudes and after obtaining statistically significant evidence that proves the correlation between the variables, we can conclude that the existing relationship cannot be neglected.

Persistent Food Insecurity and Material Hardships: A Latent Class Analysis of Experiences among Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants in Urban Colombia.

The causes and conditions of displacement often increase the vulnerability of migrant and refugee populations to food insecurity, alongside other material hardships. We aimed to examine the multidimensional aspects and patterns of food insecurity and other material hardships in a cross-sectional sample of 6221 Venezuelan refugees and migrants in urban Colombia using a latent class analysis. Using multinomial and logistic regression models, we investigated the demographic and migratory experiences associated with identified classes and how class membership is associated with multiple health outcomes among Venezuelan refugees and migrants, respectively. Approximately two thirds of the sample was comprised cisgender women, and the participants had a median age of 32 years (IQR: 26-41). Four heterogeneous classes of food insecurity and material hardships emerged: Class 1-low food insecurity and material hardship; Class 2-high food insecurity and material hardship; Class 3-high income hardship with insufficient food intake; and Class 4-income hardship with food affordability challenges. Class 2 reflected the most severe food insecurity and material hardships and had the highest class membership; Venezuelans with an irregular migration status were almost 1.5 times more likely to belong to this class. Food insecurity and material hardship class membership was independently associated with self-rated health, mental health symptoms, and recent violence victimization and marginally associated with infectious disease outcomes (laboratory-confirmed HIV and/or syphilis infection). Social safety nets, social protection, and other interventions that reduce and prevent material hardships and food insecurity among refugees and migrants, alongside the host community, may improve public health, support development, and reduce healthcare costs. In the long term, regularization and social policies for migrants aimed at enhancing refugees' and migrants' social and economic inclusion may contribute to improving food security in this population.

Liquor for breakfast, fighting against alcohol consumption

IntroductionThe harmful consumption of alcohol is known for how tortuous its management can be in mental health, encouraging introspection of it as a serious problem is perhaps the main key to starting to battle against its damaging influence on the development of a functional and full life.ObjectivesTo describe a clinical case showing an unpredictible complication in an alcohol detoxification process.Methods54-year-old man, native of Cádiz, widowed for half a decade, without children. He resides with his parents in the family home. Currently unemployed for approximately a year. He has previously worked in the IT sector. As a notable somatic history, we found long-established arterial hypertension and a total hip replacement. He has been under irregular follow-up with a mental health team for anxiety-depressive symptoms in the context of grief. He goes to the emergency service brought by his family to begin the detoxification process in the hospital setting. He acknowledges ethanol consumption since he was widowed, which began when he awakes; quantities that ranged between one or up to three bottles of distilled liquor per day, generally consumption is in the home environment. A little less than a year ago, he began to isolate himself in his room and abandon his self-care, eating increasingly insufficient food intake, refusing to receive professional care to quit the habit, mainly because he did not recognize it as disruptive.The patient was admitted to hospital with symptoms suggestive of withdrawal, making it extremely difficult to control blood pressure levels. On the third day of admission to the acute care unit, fever peaks, blood pressure levels well below normal parameters, and compromised level of consciousness began to be evident.ResultsBlood tests were performed that, together with the clinical picture, suggested imminent septic shock, so critical care was contacted for transfer and stabilization. A germ of probable urinary etiology sensitive to a broad spectrum of antibiotics was isolated in blood cultures, and the medication of the detoxification process was progressively optimized. Once clinical stability was achieved at all levels, an inpatient cessation resource was managed, which the patient accepted and considered suitable for his complete recovery.ConclusionsA holistic approach to the alcoholic patient is important, since serious problems of an organic nature often arise. This is why a multidisciplinary intervention is necessary, as well as a holistic approach to care, involving both classic pharmacology and assiduous long-term psychotherapeutic intervention.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

The Correlation Between Knowledge of Local Food Utilization and Clean, Healthy Living Behavior with Nutritional Status of Toddlers

Background: Nutritional status issues in toddlers are caused by insufficient food intake and diseases. The most important primary prevention effort involve various human activities and behaviors, including meeting nutritional needs and implementing the Clean Healthy Living Behavior program. Method: This study employed a quantitative approach with a Cross-sectional research design. The sample consisted of 74 mothers of toddlers aged 6-59 months in Panembangan Village, Cilongok District, Banyuma Regency, selected using the Sampling Fraction Per Cluster technique. Data were analyzed using the Chi-Square test. Results: The study found that the most dominant level of education was junior hight school (39,2%), and most mother were housewives (87,8%). Most parents in Panembangan Village had good knowladge of local food utilization (70,3%), and there was a significant correlation between parental knowladge and nutritional status, with Continuity Correction of 0.037. In terms of Clean, Healthy Living Behavior (CHLB), most respondents in Panembangan Village exhibited good behavior (94,6%), and there was a significant relationship between CHLB and the nutritional status of toddlers, with a Fisher’s Exact Test of 0,046. Conclusion: There is a correlation between knowledge of local food utilization and clean, healthy living behavior with nutritional status of toddlers.

The Influence of Child Caregivers’ Personal Hygiene and Family Smoking Behavior on Stunting

Background: Stunting is a problem that still occurs in Indonesia. It is a chronic nutritional problem associated with insufficient food intake so that nutritional needs are not fulfilled over a long period. Stunting also can be caused by indirect factors such as environmental and behavioral. Aims: This study aimed to analyze the correlation of child caregivers’ personal hygiene implementation and family smoking behavior on the occurrence of stunting. Methods: This type of research is an analytic survey with a case-control study approach. The number of respondents was 25 cases and 25 controls so the total number of respondents was 50 respondents. Results: The results of the examination found that personal hygiene of caregivers and smoking habits in the families of stunted toddlers were mostly inadequate and there was a smoking habit in the families of stunted toddlers. There is a significant relationship between defecation behaviors and the incidence of stunting with a p-value of 0.02 (<0.05). Based on multivariate analysis, it was found that unqualified defecation behaviors had a 63.3% probability of stunting. Conclusion: There is a significant correlation between defecation behaviors and the occurrence of stunting with a p-value of 0.02 (<0.05). According to multivariate analysis, respondents with defecation behaviors that did not meet the standards had a 4.03 times greater risk of having a child with stunting.

Prevalence of Stunting and Its Associated Factors Among Children Residing in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps in Hargeisa, Somaliland: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Stunting, a consequence of prolonged malnutrition, remains a critical global health issue affecting 165 million children under the age of five, with 10.6 million associated deaths. Its stunting prevalence is particularly pronounced in developing nations, notably Sub-Saharan Africa. Chronic protein-energy malnutrition, identified as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in displaced settings, underscores the urgency of understanding its impact in such contexts. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of stunting among children aged 12-59 months and residing in IDP camps in Hargeisa, Somaliland. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Hargeisa from May 5 to July 30, 2022, utilizing systematic random sampling, online mobile surveys, and caregiver interviews with anthropometric measurements. The SPSS version 25 was utilized in handled data entry, processing and analysis. Multivariable logistic regression, with p < 0.05 significance, included variables from bivariate analysis (p < 0.2). Stunting assessment utilized WHO AnthroPlus software, categorizing HAZ scores < -2.0 SD. The prevalence of stunting among children living in IDP camps was found to be 21.1% [95% CI: 17.0-24.91%]. Vaccination status (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.09-0.38), deworming practice (aOR = 6.5, 95% CI: 2.91-14.52), place of delivery (aOR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.07-0.30), measles experience in the last year (aOR = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.04-0.34), ANC visits (aOR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.14-0.81), and maternal insufficient extra food intake (aOR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.11-4.15) were significantly associated with stunting. The observed stunting prevalence in IDP camps (21.1%) was substantial, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. Future efforts should aim to reduce stunting from the current rate to an estimated 5-10%, emphasizing comprehensive measures such as deworming, maternal nutrition, postnatal care improvement, robust immunization, and promoting healthcare facility deliveries.

Nutrition Counseling for Adolescents with Chronic Energy Deficiency

Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) is a condition arising from insufficient food intake, leading to chronic health issues. Among adolescent girls, factors such as body image concerns and dietary habits contribute to the development of CED. This study aimed to examine variations in students' intake, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors before and after receiving nutritional counseling at Private Madrasah Aliyah Alauddin. Employed a pre-experimental design with a one-group pretest-posttest approach, the study involved 49 subjects. Data analysis included univariate tests, normality tests, as well as paired t-tests and wilcoxon tests. The findings indicated that nutritional counseling had a positive impact on subjects’ knowledge and behaviors, though no significant changes were observed in attitudes and dietary intake. The results emphasized the importance of regulating dietary habits. Additionally, the study suggests that, as a follow-up to nutritional counseling, students should actively engage in peer counseling initiatives for adolescents within the school community.

Effectiveness of Feeding Beets on Changes in Hemoglobin in Pregnant Women

Pregnant women are a group that is vulnerable to anemia. Anemias that commonly occur in pregnant women are iron deficiency anemia and folic acid deficiency anemia. This can be caused by excessive use of iron and folate during pregnancy, blood loss after delivery, decreased iron and folic acid during pregnancy, and insufficient food intake. Beets are a fruit that can be used as an alternative treatment for anemia and can also be used to prevent anemia because of several of the ingredients in it. The aim of this study was to determine changes in hemoglobin levels in the working area of ​​the Muara Bangkahulu Community Health Center, Bengkulu City in pregnant women after giving beets. This research is a pre-experimental study with a one group pre-test-post-test design, data normality was tested with Shapiro-Wilk and continued with a paired t test. The results of this research analysis provide a P-value of 0.000 (Pandlt; 0.005). From this it can be concluded that there is a change in the hemoglobin levels of pregnant women after giving beets, so that the difference before and after giving beets is 2.54 g/dl from the original hemoglobin.

Pengaruh Penyuluhan Dengan Media Leaflet Terhadap Pengetahuan Ibu Tentang Pencegahan Stunting Pada Balita Usia 12-36 Bulan Di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Ambalawi Kabupaten Bima

Stunting is an indicator of chronic malnutrition due to insufficient food intake for a long time, poor food quality, increased morbidity and an increase in height that does not match the age. Stunting data at the Ambalawi Health Center in 2022 in February were 260 and in August there were 8,431 (22.5%) of 1295 toddlers. To determine the effect of leaflet media counseling on mothers' knowledge about stunting prevention in toddlers aged 12-36 months in the Working Area of the Ambalawi Health Center. This research is a quantitative method with a Two Group Pre-Post Test design. The population is mothers who have toddlers aged 12-36 months in the Working Area of the Ambalawi Health Center in October-November as many as 100 people. Sampling used purposive sampling so that a total sample of 50 people was obtained. The instrument uses a questionnaire with the Wilcoxon chi test. Knowledge of mothers who have toddlers aged 12-36 months before counseling is carried out using leaflet media about stunting prevention in toddlers in the Working Area of the Ambalawi Health Center, Bima Regency, most of them are in the less category as many as 24 people (48.0%) and after being given some counseling 35 people (70.0%) were in the good category and there was an effect of counseling using leaflet media on mothers' knowledge about stunting prevention in toddlers aged 12-36 months in the Working Area of the Ambalawi Health Center (p value = 0.000 &lt;0.05). Providing counseling using leaflet media can increase mother's knowledge about stunting prevention. The more actively the mother participates in counselling activities, the better her knowledge will be.

Household food security and dietary diversity in south-eastern Nigeria.

The aim of this study was to investigate household food security (access) level and the dietary diversity of households in the Nsukka Local Government Area in South-eastern Nigeria. From 20 local communities of Nsukka, 390 women were randomly sampled from the women's group and asked to complete a survey that determined the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale scores and the Household Dietary Diversity Scores (HDDS). The descriptive results indicated a high level of food insecurity with 82.6% households reporting various degrees of food insecurity. Over half of the sampled population experienced insufficient food quality. They either ate unwanted food (65.9%), limited variety (63.1%), or unpreferred food (64.6%). Some households experienced insufficient food intake by going a whole day without food (38.2%), go to sleep hungry (45.1%), or have no food of any kind (49%). The analysis of variance showed no significant difference (p = 0.428) in the food security level of households headed by males as compared with those headed by females. Approximately 53.6% of households fell at or below the average HDDS; males headed 48% of these households, while females headed 64%. The chi-square test indicated factors associated with household food security including age, education, work status and income, whereas the gender of the household head, household size and marital status were not significantly associated. Public-private partnerships, nutrition orientation and food intervention programs could improve food security in this area.

Early Childhood Caries and Nutritional Status of Children: A Review.

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a serious public health issue affecting children around the world. Severe symptoms and complications commonly found with ECC are adverse effects on health and growth retardation triggered by sensitivity, pain, and abscesses associated with decayed teeth, premature tooth loss, and insufficient food intake due to difficulty in chewing and keeping food in the mouth. This article aims to provide an overview of the most recent and current evidence on the association between ECC and nutritional status with an aim to stimulate further research and to identify the impact of nutritional status on ECC and vice versa. PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were used to search the studies conducted between 2016 and 2022. The included studies were searched using some keyword combinations and saved in Mendeley Desktop for review and referencing. All books, policy briefs, thesis/dissertations, and non-peer-reviewed articles were excluded, and 47 studies were selected for this narrative review. Many studies have identified long-term, frequent, and nocturnal bottle-feeding and breastfeeding as well as frequent consumption of sugary food and beverages as high-risk factors for ECC. Adverse nutritional status assessed by anthropometric measures, vitamin D status, and iron-deficiency anemia have been studied as risk factors for ECC. Most of the prevailing studies are either case-control or cross-sectional studies, which are unable to provide strong evidence to prove the direction of causality. Thus, further prospective studies are needed to clarify the association between ECC and the nutritional status of children.

Patterns of diet‐related practices and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux among high school students: A cross‐sectional study

Background: GERD is a gastrointestinal motility disorder characterized by the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus, causing typical symptoms such as heartburn (a burning sensation in the epigastric region), acid regurgitation (a bitter taste in the mouth), nausea, and dysphagia, which can lead to esophageal mucosal damage. Over the long term, it can result in complications like Barrett's esophagus. The prevalence of GERD in Asia was approximately 2.5%-7.8% in 2014, generally lower compared to Western countries. However, recent data indicates an increasing prevalence. Poor dietary patterns, such as irregular eating habits, consuming low-nutrient foods, excessive or insufficient food intake, can elevate gastric acid production and affect an individual's health.Purpose: To determine the relationship between dietary patterns and symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) among vocational high school students.Method: A quantitative study was applied using correlation analysis with a cross-sectional study approach. The research was conducted at Vocational High School Bojonegoro in January 2023. The study population comprised 305 students in grade 12. The sampling technique employed was purposive sampling, with a sample size of 74 respondents. The measurement tool for dietary pattern variables was the FFQ questionnaire, and GERD symptoms were assessed using the GERD-Q questionnaire. Data analysis techniques included univariate analysis to describe the frequency distribution of each variable and bivariate analysis using the chi-square test to determine the relationship between dietary patterns and GERD symptoms among students.Results: Poor dietary patterns were found to cause GERD in 47 (97.9%) respondents, whereas good dietary patterns significantly minimized GERD; only 1 (2.1%) respondent experienced GERD symptoms in this study. The research resulted a value of ρ = 0.000 &lt; α (0.05), indicating that the ρ value in this study was less than α (0.05) or below 0.05; thus, H0 was rejected. It can be concluded that there is a relationship between dietary patterns and GERD symptoms, with a correlation coefficient value of 0.542 (moderate) and a positive correlation direction.Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between dietary patterns and GERD symptoms. The correlation coefficient analysis also showed a figure of 0.542 (moderate) with a positive correlation direction, indicating that better dietary patterns lead to fewer respondents suffering from GERD.Suggestion: It is advisable for students to avoid consuming spicy foods, fast food, fried food, and high-sugar food or beverages. They should pay more attention to a balanced diet and timely meals. Additionally, the school authorities are encouraged to establish regulations or advisories to cafeteria owners to refrain from providing fast food, nutritionally poor food, carbonated drinks, spicy food, and other items that may contribute to digestive problems among students.

DIFFERENCES IN FOOD INTAKE (ENERGY, PROTEIN, FAT AND CARBOHYDRATES) IN CHILD WASTING BY GIVING COOKIES OF PURPLE SWEET POTATO AND TEMPEH FLOUR

Wasting is a malnutrition condition attributable to insufficient food intake and/or disease. Poor quality and quantity nutrition in food intake is particular concern, especially for child wasting. One of the efforts to deal of child wasting is by providing nutrient-rich supplementary foods such as cookies. Cookies of purple sweet potato and tempeh flour have nutritional value of protein (8.06-22.31%) and carbohydrates (63.85-82.42%). The aim of study was to analyze differences in food intake (energy, protein, fat and carbohydrates) in child wasting by giving cookies of purple sweet potato and tempeh flour. The design of this study was quasi-experiment used a pre-posttest design with a controlled group. The study consisted of a control group (100% purple sweet potato cookies), K1 (90% purple sweet potato: 10% tempeh flour) and K2 (80% purple sweet potato: 20% tempeh flour). The intervention for 30 days. The analyze of data used were paired t-test and One-Way Anova. The results found that there was an increase in food intake (energy, protein, fat and carbohydrates) before and after giving cookies of purple sweet potato and tempeh flour and it was statistically significant. There was a significant difference food intake in each group after intervention by cookies (p&lt;0.05). Intervention with cookies of purple sweet potato and tempeh flour could be the alternative to increase food intake in child wasting.

Functional and molecular profiling of fasted piglets reveals decreased energy metabolic function and cell proliferation in the small intestine.

The small intestine requires energy to exert its important role in nutrient uptake and barrier function. Pigs are an important source of food and a model for humans. Young piglets and infants can suffer from periods of insufficient food intake. Whether this functionally affects the small intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) metabolic capacity and how this may be associated with an increased vulnerability to intestinal disease is unknown. We therefore performed a 48-h fasting intervention in young piglets. After feeding a standard weaning diet for 2 wk, 6-wk-old piglets (n = 16/group) were fasted for 48 h, and midjejunal IECs were collected upon euthanasia. Functional metabolism of isolated IECs was analyzed with the Seahorse XF analyzer and gene expression was assessed using RNA-sequencing. Fasting decreased the mitochondrial and glycolytic function of the IECs by 50% and 45%, respectively (P < 0.0001), signifying that overall metabolic function was decreased. The RNA-sequencing results corroborated our functional metabolic measurements, showing that particularly pathways related to mitochondrial energy production were decreased. Besides oxidative metabolic pathways, decreased cell-cycle progression pathways were most regulated in the fasted piglets, which were confirmed by 43% reduction of Ki67-stained cells (P < 0.05). Finally, the expression of barrier function genes was reduced upon fasting. In conclusion, we found that the decreased IEC energy metabolic function in response to fasting is supported by a decreased gene expression of mitochondrial pathways and is likely linked to the observed decreased intestinal cell proliferation and barrier function, providing insight into the vulnerability of piglets, and infants, to decreased food intake.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Fasting is identified as one of the underlying causes potentiating diarrhea development, both in piglets and humans. With this study, we demonstrate that fasting decreases the metabolism of intestinal epithelial cells, on a functional and transcriptional level. Transcriptional and histological data also show decreased intestinal cell proliferation. As such, fasting-induced intestinal energy shortage could contribute to intestinal dysfunction upon fasting.

PERBANDINGAN METODE LVQ DAN BACKPROPAGATION UNTUK KLASIFIKASI STATUS GIZI ANAK DI KECAMATAN SANGKUP

The problem of children nutrition isi still a problem in various regions in Indonesia. Poor or poor nutrition of children is influenced by several factors, namely insufficient food intake and infectious diseases. Undernutrition or poor nutrition can be known from the nutritional status assessment obtained from classifying the nutrional status of children. Classification is a part of data mining that is often used to classify data based on certain data or variables. This study aims to compare the classification of the nutritional status of children using data mining with the learning vector quantization (LVQ) and backpropagation methods. Test were carried out using a comparasion ratio of training and testing data, namely 75% and 25%. From the research results, LVQ is superior with an accuracy of 95.12% and backpropagation of 80.49%.

Riga-Fede disease: report of a case in an infant

Riga-Fede disease (RFD) is a rare, benign condition found in infants, characterized by ulcers in the oral mucosa, around the tongue and gums. It is caused by repeated injuries, caused by movements of the tongue over the lower incisors. It usually coexists with neonatal teeth. Although it starts as a small ulcer, it can progress to a large fibrous lesion. Symptoms include pain, swelling and difficulty swallowing and sucking. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent late complications, including insufficient food intake, growth retardation and deformity of the tongue, gums, lips and floor of the mouth. The diagnosis is usually made on the basis of medical history and clinical features. The following paper presents the case of a 9-month-old boy with a lump occurring in the fundus of the mouth, at the base of the tongue.

Underestimated health risks: Dietary restriction magnify the intestinal barrier dysfunction and liver injury in mice induced by polystyrene microplastics

Microplastics (MPs) have gained significant attention due to their widespread presence in the environment. While studies have been conducted to investigate the risks associated with MPs, the potential effects of MPs on populations with varying dietary habits, such as dietary restriction (DR), remain largely undefined. The sensitivity of the body to invasive contaminants may increase due to insufficient food intake. Here, we aimed to investigate whether dietary restriction could affect the toxicity of MPs in mice. Following a 5-week exposure to 200 μg/L polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs), DR-PSMPs treatment group exhibited significant intestinal barrier dysfunction compared to ND-PSMPs treatment group, as determined by histopathological and biochemical analysis. Dietary restriction worsened liver oxidative stress and bile acid disorder in mice exposed to PSMPs. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis revealed that DR-PSMPs treatment caused alterations in gut microbiota composition, including the downregulation of probiotics abundance and upregulation of pathogenic bacteria abundance. The negative effects caused by PSMPs in mice with dietary restriction could attribute to increased MPs bioaccumulation, declined water intake, reduced probiotics abundance, and elevated pathogenic bacteria abundance, as well as the susceptibility of the dietary restriction individual. Our findings hint that the biological effects of contaminants could be affected by dietary habits.

Food literacy and its relationship with food intake: a comparison between adults and older adults using 2021 Seoul Food Survey data.

This study was conducted to examine the differences in food literacy between adults and older adults and the association of food literacy with food group intake. In total, 4,039 participants from the 2021 Survey for Food Consumption in Seoul were included in this study. The intake of whole grains, high-protein foods, total vegetables, vegetables excluding kimchi and pickles, fresh fruits, and milk and dairy products was assessed using a simple food frequency questionnaire. Food literacy was measured using a food literacy measurement questionnaire. With the exception of milk and dairy, adults had a significantly higher proportion of insufficient food intake than older adults (p<0.001). Both adults and older adults with sufficient food group consumption had higher food literacy scores. Notably, the difference in food literacy scores by level of food intake was highest for fresh fruits (p<0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors affecting food literacy scores, a higher score was associated with a lower probability of having insufficient food intake in all food groups for both adults and older adults. Specifically, those in the highest food literacy score quartile were less likely to have insufficient intake of vegetables (odds ratio [OR], 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28 to 0.43) and fresh fruits (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.24 to 0.43), compared to the lowest quartile. Improving food literacy is an important factor for promoting healthy food intake in older adults as well as adults. Therefore, it is necessary to develop intervention programs to work toward this goal.