Nutritional Issues Research Articles

Recommendation System in the Form of an Ontology-Based Chatbot for Healthy Food Recommendations for Teenagers

Adolescents need adequate nutrition to support their growth and to avoid nutritional problems, such as malnutrition or obesity. Nutritional issues during adolescence can significantly influence health problems in adulthood. Although information about nutrition science is widely available on the internet, accurate interpretation requires specialized knowledge of nutrition science. Therefore, a system is needed to provide direct recommendations for healthy food to adolescents. In this study, a recommendation system in the form of a chatbot was developed to recommend healthy food that meets the nutritional needs of adolescents. The system was constructed using Ontology supplemented with Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL), enabling the recommendation of food according to adolescents' health conditions. From the collected sample data, 150 food menus were recommended. Validation results by nutrition experts showed a precision value of 0.75, a recall of 1, and an F1-score of 0.857. These results indicate that the system is capable of providing appropriate food recommendations for adolescents.

Precision Nutrition Opportunities to Help Mitigate Nutrition and Health Challenges in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Expert Opinion Survey.

Precision nutrition involves several data collection methods and tools that aim to better inform nutritional recommendations and improve dietary intake, nutritional status, and health outcomes. While the benefits of collecting precise data and designing well-informed interventions are vast, it is presently unclear whether precision nutrition is a relevant approach for tackling nutrition challenges facing populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), considering infrastructure, affordability, and accessibility of approaches. The Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley (SFNV) Precision Nutrition for LMIC project working group assessed the relevance of precision nutrition for LMIC by first conducting an expert opinion survey and then hosting a workshop with nutrition leaders who live or work in LMIC. The experts were interviewed to discuss four topics: nutritional problems, current solutions, precision nutrition, and collaboration. Furthermore, the SFNV Precision Nutrition for LMIC Virtual Workshop gathered a wider group of nutrition leaders to further discuss precision nutrition relevance and opportunities. Our study revealed that precision public health nutrition, which has a clear focus on the stratification of at-risk groups, may offer relevant support for nutrition and health issues in LMIC. However, funding, affordability, resources, awareness, training, suitable tools, and safety are essential prerequisites for implementation and to equitably address nutrition challenges in low-resource communities.

Implementation of the ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition in the intensive care unit (ICU): It is time to move forward!: A position paper from the ‘nutrition in the ICU’ ESPEN special interest group

Nutritional assessment and provision of nutritional therapy are a core part of intensive care unit (ICU) patient treatment. The ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition in the ICU was published in 2019. However, uncertainty and difficulties remain regarding its full implementation in daily practice. This position paper is intended to help ICU healthcare professionals facilitate the implementation of ESPEN nutrition guidelines to ensure the best care for their patients. We have aimed to emphasize the guideline recommendations that need to be implemented in the ICU, are advised, or are optional, and to give practical directives to improve the guideline recommendations in daily practice. These statements were written by the members of the ICU nutrition ESPEN special interest group (SIG), based on a survey aimed at identifying current practices relating to key issues in ICU nutrition. The ultimate goal is to improve the ICU patients quality of care.

Context matters: Oil palm production and women's dietary diversity in the tropical forest of Cameroon

AbstractOil palm is one of the most rapidly expanding food and cash crops in many tropical regions with significant environmental implications, but also economic gains. Previous analyses have established that this expansion is associated with changing gender roles and time allocation for women. Time allocation is an important determinant of maternal and child nutrition as well as well‐being. We use a rich farm household survey from a native oil palm production hotspot, Cameroon, to examine the associations between oil palm production and women's dietary diversity. Using different estimation and identification strategies with some sensitivity checks, we show that oil palm is associated with lower dietary diversity for women, measured as the minimum dietary diversity for women and the minimum adequacy diversity diet. We explore heterogeneity in the various food groups consumed by women and show that oil palm production is associated with lower consumption of mainly pulses, fruits and vegetables. These findings contrast with the literature that has established some positive dietary diversity implications of oil palm expansion in Southeast Asia. We carefully discuss these findings and argue that context matters and may explain these differences. Particularly, we show that oil palm production is negatively associated with farm production diversity in Cameroon. Notwithstanding, we also confirm previous findings that highlight that oil palm production is associated with higher income. These insights add to the debate on the implications of oil palm expansion in tropical environments. Moreover, they can guide policy in designing more tailored interventions that address nutrition issues and improve rural development.

The European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) roadmap and perspectives to improve nutritional care in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation on behalf of the Cellular Therapy and Immunobiology Working Party (CTIWP) and the Nurses Group (NG) of the EBMT.

Malnutrition is the most common comorbidity during the continuum of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and negatively impacts clinical outcomes, response to therapy, quality of life, and costs. The intensive conditioning regimen administered before transplant causes inflammatory damages to the gastrointestinal system, which themselves contribute to trigger graft versus host disease (GvHD) in the allogeneic setting. GvHD and other post-transplant complications such as infections adversely affect food intake and gut absorption of nutrients. Consequently, patients exhibit signs of malnutrition such as weight loss and muscle wasting, thus triggering a "vicious circle" that favours additional complications. Among HSCT centres, there is marked variability in nutritional care, from screening for malnutrition to nutritional intervention. The present paper, elaborated by the Cellular Therapy and Immunobiology Working Party and the Nurses Group of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, aims at defining a roadmap that identifies the main nutritional critical issues in the field of HSCT. This document will be propaedeutic to the development of clinical algorithms to counteract risk factors of malnutrition, based on scientific evidence and shared among HSCT centres, and thus maximize transplant outcomes.

Food, nutritional and leisure education at school

Many people in adult life are unaware of healthy eating habits and practices of activities in the context of leisure, the lack of this knowledge has as consequences the high rates of chronic-degenerative diseases, emotional and behavioral problems that affect the Brazilian population. The school is a privileged space for food, nutrition, and leisure education, and plays a fundamental role in the formation of values, habits, and lifestyles, serving as a basis for the development of multiple skills in children, including cognitive ones. This work aims to analyze the issue of food, nutrition, and leisure education at school. This is a literature review. As a result, the school is an important space for children to develop knowledge that will be the basis for their lives, among the possible learnings are the understanding of a healthy and nutritional diet and the development of habits that include the practice of leisure activities, such as sport, generating implications for the development and growth of children and for their future routine.

Urban Agriculture in Great Bandung Region in the Midst of Commercialization, Food Insecurity, and Nutrition Inadequacy

The proliferation of commercialization in the development of urban agriculture (UA) within the Great Bandung region has precipitated the dislocation of numerous small-scale farmers, consequently engendering a reduction in the accessibility of locally cultivated sustenance. The resultant effect of this phenomenon is the exacerbation of food insecurity among low-income inhabitants who lack the financial wherewithal to procure the relatively expensive imported food items. Furthermore, the dearth of availability of unprocessed, high-quality sustenance has resulted in suboptimal dietary intake among a considerable proportion of the populace. A survey was conducted utilizing questionnaires to gather data from 137 units of respondents consisting of both subsistence and commercial urban farmers. The comparative analysis of the earnings of urban farmers was conducted vis-à-vis the minimum wages projected for the year 2023 in West Java and Bandung City. The utilization of the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) is a prevalent method for evaluating food insecurity through the analysis of self-reported food-related behaviors and experiences, both pre- and post-UA operations. A 24 h Food Recall Instrument examined nutrition adequacy in urban farmer households, which was analyzed using chi-square with descriptive presentation. Urban agriculture could help solve commercialization, food insecurity, and nutrition issues in the Great Bandung Region. Commercial urban farmers (51.09%) earned 280.46% of West Java provincial minimum wages or 136.82% of Bandung City minimum wages in 2023. The subsistence farmers’ cohort (48.91%) earned 14.64% of West Java provincial minimum earnings or 7.14% of Bandung City minimum wages in 2023. In general, the prevalence of ties to food insecurity was predominantly observed subsequent to UA practices. The study revealed a prevalence of vitamin A surplus among urban farmers, while a preponderance of inadequacy in other nutritional aspects was also observed.

Balanced Nutrition Education on Knowledge and Attitudes of Adolescents in the Time of Covid-19

Background: Adolescence is a condition where there is a transition from childhood to adulthood. These changes result in physical changes and psychological changes spesifically. Increasing the knowledge and attitudes of adolescents about balanced nutritional needs so that they are able to live a healthy life with appropriate food consumption patterns that meet the criteria for balanced nutrition and minimize the occurrence of nutritional issues in adolescents.
 Objectives: The purpose of this study is to find whether there is a significant difference between balanced nutrition education on knowledge and attitudes of adolescents before and after intervention in adolescents.
 Methods: This study used a pre-experimental design method. The form of experimental design used by OneGroup is pretest – post test design. Sampling using total sampling technique sample. The researcher first gave question as pre-test data and then given intervention in the form of education using video media, counselling and intervention leaflets for 3 meetings then carried out the post-test again. The population is the 8th grade students of SMP Advent Bandar Lampung. The statistical test used is the parametric test (Dependent paired T-test).
 Results: The result of the analysis showed that there was a significant relationship between the level of knowledge and attitudes before and after the intervention was given with a sig value of 0.000 (p<0.05).
 Conclusion: There is a relationship between the effect of balanced nutrition education on knowledge and attitudes. Through video media, counselling, and leaflets can be recommended as effective communication media because they can contain a lot of information about educational materials.

Pengaruh Media Komik dan Poster pada Penyuluhan Gizi terhadap Pengetahuan Gizi Seimbang Anak Panti Asuhan

Multiple nutritional issues are currently facing school-age children, namely undernutrition and overnutrition induced by poor awareness of healthy nutrition guidelines. The research objective was to assess the effectiveness of the use of comic book media on the healthy nutritional awareness of children relative to poster media. This research style is a quasi-experimental design with a control pre-post examination. The research site, conducted in October 2020, was located in 2 orphanages in Ambon Region. The subjects were orphanage children with an age span of 7-17 years, with a total of 60 individuals. In healthy nutrition therapy. Children's awareness was assessed by a questionnaire at the beginning of the research. On the second day of the study, care was provided in the form of healthy nutrition therapy, divided into two classes, namely the comic group and the poster group. The paired sample t-test and separate t-test samples were used for data analysis. The findings showed that the creation of healthy nutrition awareness in the intervention and control group study subjects caused a substantial difference in the comic and poster media (p<0.05). There is a significant effect of increasing knowledge of balanced nutrition in orphanage children before and after being given comics and poster media.

Rural-urban difference in meeting the need for healthcare and food among older adults: evidence from India

BackgroundDue to changes in demographic and epidemiological scenarios, and the gradual increase in the older population, India is yet to prepare for rising nutrition and health-related issues among older adults in the coming decades. While the process of ageing and its associated aspect has been found to have an urban-rural divide. Thus, this study examines rural/urban differences in unmet needs for food and healthcare among Indian older adults.MethodsA sample of 31,464 older adults aged 60 years and above were considered in the study from the Longitudinal and Ageing Survey of India (LASI). The bivariate analysis was done using the sampling weights. Logistic regression and decomposition analysis was used to explain the rural-urban gap in the unmet needs for food and healthcare among Indian older adults.ResultsRural older adults were more vulnerable to meeting the need for health and food than their urban counterparts. While factors that contributed majorly to the difference in unmet need for food between urban and rural were education (34.98%), social group (6.58%), living arrangements (3.34%) and monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) (2.84%). Similarly, for the unmet need for health, the factors that contributed the most to the rural-urban gap are education (28.2%), household size (2.32%), and MPCE (1.27%).ConclusionThe study indicates more vulnerability among rural older adults than compared to urban older individuals. The targeted policy-level efforts should be initiated considering the economic and residential vulnerability identified in the study. There is a need for primary care services that can provide targeted help to older adults in rural communities.

The efficacy of hydrolized feathermeal as a protein source in diets for juvenile catfish Ictalurus punctatus

Chicken feather meal is often viewed as an undesirable product, as most people think of ground up feathers, which have many processing and nutritional issues. However, modern feather meals are produced through a hydrolysis process which greatly improves protein digestibility. Given the poor understanding of the quality of these meals, we chose to evaluate the efficacy of hydrolyzed feather meal (HFM) as a protein source in channel catfish feeds. For this work, we investigated the replacement of either poultry-by-product meal (PBM) or soybean meal (SBM) in a practical feed formulation for juvenile catfish. The basal diet contained 6% PBM and 56.5% SBM. For the first series of diets, we incrementally replaced PBM with 2.5% and 5% hydrolyzed feather meal (HFM). The second series included five experimental diets with SBM replaced by HFM at a rate of 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, and 15%. Diets were formulated to be iso‑nitrogenous and essential amino acids were supplemented to maintain minimal levels that met the nutritional requirements. Catfish were stocked at 15 fish per aquaria using four replicates per treatment and grown for 78 days. The survival of the catfish was above 85% across all treatments with no significant differences found due to diet. Apart from one diet, the inclusion of HFM did not influence the growth or FCR of the fish. Diet 3, which contained 5% HFM as a complete replacement for PBM had significantly lower growth and FCR than the other treatments. These results indicate that up to 20% HFM can be used in catfish feeds a as long as there is a low level of another animal protein. However, the complete replacement of PM with HFM was not successful.

Factores culturales involucrados en el estado nutricional de los menores de 5 años de caseríos del municipio de Tacuba, Ahuachapán

Malnutrition is a situation that has a great burden on child mortality worldwide. The objective of this study was to identify the cultural factors associated with the nutritional status of children under 5 years of age in the municipality of Tacuba, Ahuachapán, El Salvador. The research approach was quantitative, and descriptive, with cross-sectional data collection, a non-experimental approach, and a non-probabilistic sample that included 53 children under 5 years and 44 parents. Socioeconomic and cultural factors were found to have some influence on the phenomenon, with parents having a good level of knowledge about a balanced diet for their children's age. Conclusions: Lack of education or training in nutrition was not an important factor in this group of parents, so the nutrition issues identified are mainly addressed to the scarce availability of some foods, mainly due to the economic level of the individuals.

BEHAVIOR OF ROMANIAN BREAD CONSUMERS

The food segment is diversified and renewed due to the needs, desires, and increased demands of consumers. In the evolution of society, a defining role is the issue of nutrition which is quite complex, wide-ranging and contradictory. The purpose of this study is to identify the behavior of the Romanian bread consumer. It was used as a research method for conducting the case study opinion survey, the research tool being the questionnaire, in online format. In order to make the research as rigorous as possible, it was calculated by means of χ² whether certain variables such as sex, environment, income and age influence consumption.

Sex-based approach to estimate human body fat percentage from 2D camera images with deep learning and machine learning

Obesity is one of the most concerning nutritional issues since it is a significant risk factor for chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Many dietary disorders require an anthropometry assessment and body fat percentage (BFP) information. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the most precise and automated method for determining BFP; nevertheless, it is costly and difficult to locate in clinics. This paper proposes the utilization of digital image processing and machine learning techniques to estimate BFP, considering four 2D camera images and additional factors such as age, weight, height, and sex. Our proposal specifically adopts a sex-specific approach. Our experiments included pre-processing steps and several regressors. Moreover, we built a dataset composed of 912 samples, including male and female individuals. The sex-based approach to estimating the BFP achieved satisfactory results for both males and females. Thus, it can assist monitor patients as a mobile application, especially in areas where experts and technology, such as equipment, are scarce.

Comprehensive review: by-products from surimi production and better utilization.

Over 1 million MT of surimi is produced globally, which theoretically would generate approximate 2 million MT of solid by-products and more than 1 million MT of wash water. Utilization of the by-products has increasingly become interested based on their nutritional, economical, and environmental issues. Surimi by-products represent an important source of valuable compounds such as functional protein, collagen, gelatin, fish oil, peptides, minerals, and enzymes. Better utilization of the by-products would make the surimi industry sustainable and profitable. This review paper characterizes sources and composition of the solid by-products and wash water generated from the surimi production as well as factors related to extraction and processing techniques. In addition, the potential food applications are explored including specialty foods and snacks, flavor ingredients, bioactive ingredients, and functional ingredients. Moreover, an outlook summarizing the challenges and prospects on the utilization of surimi by-products is provided.

What do patients and oncologists think about the evaluation and management of cancer-related anorexia-cachexia? The Quasar_SEOM study.

Cancer patients often suffer from malnutrition and early detection and raising awareness of nutritional issues is crucial in this population. The Spanish Oncology Society (SEOM) conducted the Quasar_SEOM study to investigate the current impact of the Anorexia-Cachexia Syndrome (ACS). The study employed questionnaires and the Delphi method to gather input from both cancer patients and oncologists on key issues related to early detection and treatment of ACS. A total of 134 patients and 34 medical oncologists were surveyed about their experiences with ACS. The Delphi methodology was used to evaluate oncologists' perspectives of ACS management, ultimately leading to a consensus on the most critical issues. Despite widespread acknowledgement of malnutrition in cancer as a significant issue by 94% of oncologists, the study revealed deficiencies in knowledge and protocol implementation. A mere 65% of physicians reported being trained to identify and treat these patients, with 53% failing to address ACS in a timely manner, 30% not monitoring weight, and 59% not adhering to any clinical guidelines. The lack of experience was identified as the primary hindrance to the use of orexigens in 18% of cases. Furthermore, patients reported concerns and a perception of inadequate attention to malnutrition-related issues from their physicians. The results of this study point to a gap in the care of this syndrome and a need to improve education and follow-up of cancer patients with anorexia-cachexia.

Multiple Sclerosis-Related Dietary and Nutritional Issues: An Updated Scoping Review with a Focus on Pediatrics.

Lifestyle/dietetic habits play an important role in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) disease. Here, we examine the basic pathomechanisms underlying intestinal and brain barrier modifications in MS and consider diets and dietary supplementations proposed over time to complement pharmacological therapies for improving disease outcome both in adults and in children. Scoping literature search about evidence-based findings in MS-related gut-brain axis (GBA) pathophysiology and nutritional issues at all ages. Data show that (1) no universal best diet exists, (2) healthy/balanced diets are, however, necessary to safeguard the adequate intake of all essential nutrients, (3) diets with high intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins that limit processed foods, sugar, and saturated fat appear beneficial for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and their ability to shape a gut microbiota that respects the gut and brain barriers, (4) obesity may trigger MS onset and/or its less favorable course, especially in pediatric-onset MS. Vitamin D and polyunsaturated fatty acids are the most studied supplements for reducing MS-associated inflammation. Pending results from other and/or newer approaches targeting the GBA (e.g., pre- and probiotics, engineered probiotics, fecal-microbiota transplantation), accurate counseling in choosing adequate diet and maintaining physical activity remains recommended for MS prevention and management both in adults and children.

MATERNAL NUTRITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND DETERMINANTS OF THE CHILD NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF BANGLADESH

This present study investigates the factors that affect child nutrition and the status of maternal Knowledge in the northern region of Bangladesh. For this purpose, this study employs a cross-sectional data survey of two divisions in the northern region of Bangladesh, namely Rangpur and Rajshahi, from which three districts were chosen from each division using a simple random sampling process. This survey collected data from 527 respondents with face-to-face direct interview method. The questionnaire is in the native language for their understanding. This study applies Weight for Age, Height for Age, Weight for Height, and Weight for Height for the nutritional status of children. This study uses bivariate logistic analysis for factor analysis and descriptive analysis for mothers' nutritional Knowledge. The result shows that sanitation, mothers' Employment, maternal nutritional Knowledge, wealth index, maternal educational status, and antenatal care are the key significant determinants of child nutritional status. In addition, this study also reveals that only 30% of the total respondents were aware of the child's nutritional status while feeding their children, that is 158 out of 537 mothers. The findings of this study indicate that improvement in the rate of a child's dietary diversity, women's dietary diversity, and also self-esteem leads to an improvement in the child's nutritional status in a significant manner. It also indicates that moving towards an upward ceiling for cases including compulsory higher education for women, spreading awareness about child nutritional issues, and prohibiting child marriage and early premature pregnancy may enhance sustaining lives for them.

Vegetable substituted tuna nuggets and changes in nutrient content during frozen storage

Malnutrition in children will affect their growth, causing a decrease in study skills and immunity. Considering the issues, overcoming the nutritional issues of babies and toddlers by giving food supplements is mandatory. Innovations in making food supplements basically from fish aim to increase the number of nutritions such as protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which contribute to the development of body organ function. This research is aimed to know the changes in iron, beta carotene, and zinc during storage. The research design is experimental. The first stage is making tuna nuggets which are substituted with pumpkin, broccoli, and red beans. Furthermore, the analysis of nutrients before and after storage in the freezer for 3 months. There was a decrease in beta carotene levels in pumpkin tuna nuggets, broccoli tuna, and red bean tuna, 34.5%, 14.2%, and 9.6%, respectively. There was an increase in the iron content of pumpkin tuna nuggets, broccoli tuna, and red bean tuna as much as 65.2%, 7.1%, and 30%, respectively. There was a decrease in zinc levels in pumpkin tuna and broccoli tuna nuggets as much as 23.6% and 78.8%, respectively. There was an increase in zinc levels in red bean tuna nuggets as much as 46.3%. Storage of nuggets in frozen conditions in the freezer for 3 months causes changes in beta carotene, iron, and zinc levels.

CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES IN HYDROPONICALLY PRODUCTION OF MEDICINALLY IMPORTANCE CULINARY HERBS, EXOTIC AND HIGH VALUE VEGETABLES FOR FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SECURITY IN COLD DESERT LEH, LADAKH REGION, INDIA

Leh a Cold Desert, which is capital of union territory Ladakh and strategic location for India. There is round the year dearth of culinary herbs & exotic and high value vegetables like- basil, rosemary, parsley, oregano, mint, lettuce and minor culinary herbs and turnip, tomato, capsicum, cucumber, bitter gourd, gourds, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage etc. Meeting the demand of the region by conventional production is difficult due to the harsh climate i.e. extremely dry with scanty rainfall and very little snowfall. Being a cold desert, climate is extreme in Leh ambient minimum temperatures are below or near freezing point, however, in winter, days are sunny and bright. The soil is underdeveloped and vegetation is very sparse. Major source of water for drinking and irrigation is glacier melt water. Moreover, supply of such culinary herbs and vegetables to Ladakh region necessitates the transportation with trucks which passes at a height of 5300 m, for more than 400 kms. Food items/vegetables in winters has to be air freighted as the roads are snowed. Storage of highly perishable items such as vegetable and culinary herbs is difficult. Local people and security personnel of armed forces posted in Ladakh region do not get access to green vegetables in winter, therefore, they suffer from nutritional issues. For hospitality industry also availability of these items for tourists become difficult and costly affair. With the using of hydroponic crop production technology which offers an alternate crop production system where soil is not used as a growing medium for the crops fresh vegetables and culinary herbs can be indigenously produced in Leh-Ladakh. This technology will ensure quality food and nutritional security in this region. This production system is already being used successfully for crop production in cold regions of world similar to the climate in Leh. In this technique water culture scientists discovered that as compared to soil based growth,hydrophonic plant system needs only small number of inorganic elements in addition to water, oxygen, carbon dioxide and sun light to grow the plant Hydroponics farming can be a major advantage for Leh, Ladakh Indian Horticulture it has the potential to produce crops in every season without soil. Such practices can help Leh, Ladakh farmers to increase their crop productivity even in small fragmented lands.This review paper focus on the challenges and possibilities to bring soil less farming in cold desert region Leh, Ladakh, India to ensure its stability so that it may prove more beneficial for growers to grow crops which areuninterrupted year-round production (plant factory), high quality produce, pesticide residue free produce, sustainable crop production technology, consistency in quality and supply of fresh produce.