Nutrition Program Research Articles

Evaluation of Childhood Dietary Patterns and Their Impact on Nutrition Status: A Literature Review

One of the main public health issues in underdeveloped nations like Nepal is malnutrition, which is closely related to dietary practices. Child malnutrition has been one of the major public health issues of the twenty-first century in the world. A search of some electronic databases was conducted to identify research involving nutritional status of children. A total 19 studies were identified in this review. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status and dietary pattern of children and its related factors. The study was conducted based on literature review. The search of literature from scholar.google.com, pubmed.com, jstor.com, nepjol.info, tucl.remotexs.co (proquest.com search.ndltd.org) were used for the study. A total of 140 full-text papers were identified from electronic sources. Among 140 full-text papers, irrelevant papers were excluded. Only English medium literature about dietary patterns and nutritional status of children were included in this study. Sixteen studies were related to nutritional status of children and three studies were related to dietary pattern of children. The results of study showed low nutritional status of children of different countries. The result of the study showed that different behaviors related to eating habits promote the nutritional status of children. Dietary behavior strongly correlates nutritional status of children. Similarly, children are facing numerous nutritional problems due to the lack of exclusive breast feeding, maternal education, disease prevalence and low socio-economic condition. Especially the children are suffered from the problem of stunting and wasting in rural area. Most of the studies have been centered in an urban area. The study suggested to conduct appropriate nutritional intervention programs regarding school children and their mothers.

Metabolic profile and gene expression pattern of cytokines and antioxidants markers during different physiological stages in Barki ewes

BackgroundIn livestock, identifying the physiological and reproductive stages is valuable in guiding management decisions related to nutrition, veterinary procedures, and breeding programs. To achieve this goal, a cohort of Barki ewes in this research underwent observation across three pivotal physiological conditions: pre-pregnancy, late pregnancy, and early lactation. Blood samples were collected to investigate the changes in serum metabolic profile as well as gene expression pattern of cytokines and antioxidants markers during these stages.ResultsOur results showed that during late pregnancy, there was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in red blood cells (11.9 ± 0.5 1012/L), hemoglobin (10.8 ± 0.4 g/dl) and neutrophils count (7 ± 0.1 109/L) with significant decrease (P < 0.05) of total white blood cell count (9.1 ± 0.05 109/L). The packed cell volume (%) and monocyte count showed a significant (P < 0.05) decrease during both late pregnancy and early lactation stages. The serum concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, GSH, GPx, SOD and catalase displayed significant (P < 0.05) decrease during late pregnancy and early-lactation. Notably, during late pregnancy, there was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the serum concentrations of albumin, globulin, urea, IGF-1, and malondialdehyde with significant decrease (P < 0.05) of total protein (4.9 ± 0.08 g/dl). Additionally, during early lactation, there was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the serum levels of non-esterified fatty acids, triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxin (T4). The gene expression profiles of cytokines (IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, and NFKB) were decreased in the ewes during late pregnancy compared to pre-pregnant and early lactation stages. In addition, the expression profile of antioxidant genes (SOD, CAT, GPX, and Nrf2) was significantly upsurged in the non-pregnant ewes compared to late pregnancy and early lactation ones.ConclusionsThe results concluded that different physiological status significantly affects the blood metabolic profile and gene expression pattern in Barki sheep. Our findings can be helpful in monitoring animal health and applying in breeding programs of Barki sheep under harsh environmental conditions.

The effect of nutritional education on blood glycemic, lipidemic, and body mass index control among sample of type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder, characterized by poor glycemic control nutritional education enhances people's knowledge on healthy food choices that improve blood glycemic and lipidemic control leading to better overall health. This study is to examine the effect of nutritional education on the glycemic/lipidemic control and the body mass index in patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 40 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and recruited by non-probability convenience sampling method over 3months duration. BMI, HbA1c, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-C, high density lipoprotein-C, and triglyceride were measured at baseline and after 3months during which during which five nutritional educational lectures were done. After 3months of nutritional education, there were a significant reduction in HbA1c % from 9.53 to 8.09 (P < 0.001) and body mass index from 32.19 to 31.58 (P = 0.001) and also slight but non-significant changes in cholesterol, LDL, triglyceride, and HDL (7.05 ± 38.428, 5.00 ± 29.858, 9.10 ± 85.386, 0.24 ± 3.612 respectively) (P = 0.253, 0.296, 0.668, and 0.504 respectively). Nutritional education program is effective to decrease HbA1c % and body mass index.

Evaluating the Association of the Increase in the WIC Cash Value Benefit on the Diversity of MyPlate Fruits and Vegetables Redeemed and Consumed By Children in Low-Income Households

BackgroundFruits and vegetables (FV) are a critical source of nutrients, yet children in the United States are not meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). The monthly FV cash value benefit (CVB) included in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)’s food package to support child FV intake (FVI) received a substantial increase for economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. ObjectivesTo evaluate how an expansion of the monthly WIC CVB to purchase FV for WIC children ages 1–4 y is associated with diversity in FV redeemed, and how changes in redeemed FV are related to FVI. MethodsCaregivers representing 1463 WIC-participating children recruited from Los Angeles County, California, completed surveys during the CVB augmentation (T1: CVB = $9/mo; T2 = $35/mo; T3 = $24/mo). Redeemed price look-up codes (PLUs), corresponding to a food item, were assigned to its corresponding MyPlate FV group. Multivariable generalized estimating equation regression models assessed changes in amount and diversity of FV redemption across MyPlate groups and associations between changes in FV diversity and changes in FVI. ResultsSlightly over half of all households were food insecure (55%), half of the children were female (52%), and most were Hispanic (78%). Compared with T1, significant increases in the number of PLUs and dollars redeemed were observed in most MyPlate FV groups. From T1 to T2, significant increases in diversity scores were observed for total fruit (β: 1.6 pts; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4, 1.7), total vegetable (β: 3.6 pts; 95%CI: 3.4, 3.9), and total FV (β:7.8 pts; 95%CI: 7.4, 8.2). Similarly, increases in diversity score were observed at T3 compared with T1. Changes in FV diversity redeemed were not associated with changes in FVI. ConclusionsDuring the CVB augmentation, WIC participants redeemed a greater amount and variety of FV according to DGA MyPlate recommendations, supporting its permanent increase.

The Food and Nutrition Policy Environment and Drivers of Changes in Key Food System Outcomes in Ethiopia

Background: There seems to be huge gap in our understanding of the changes over time in food system outcomes and their drivers in Ethiopia. The main aim of this study is to examine the food and nutrition programs and policies and their corresponding key food system outcomes in Ethiopia. Methods: The bulk of the information was generated using scooping review of relevant articles and policy documents. About 67 full text records were used for the review. In addition, data were collected using Key Informant Interview (KIIs) purposefully selected from sectoral offices from two major cities (Hawassa and Dire Dawa), of two regions. The analytical framework used in this paper was adopted from previous studies on related subjects and addressed three key components of food system: review of food and nutrition policy environment, key food system outcomes and key drivers. Results: Despite improvement in some food system outcomes (such as child nutrition and survival), food security crises in Ethiopia are still becoming more frequent and more acute, affecting the poor disproportionately. Most food and nutrition policies are constrained by lack of implementation capacities. Indicating the presence of various barriers (socioeconomic, demographic, and environmental). Poor human capital (such as knowledge and attitude), food taboos and tradition, cultural practices such as gender-based norms, poor education, poor delivery/supply chain, demographic pressure and other environmental drivers play critical role in food and nutrition security of most vulnerable population groups in Ethiopia. Conclusion and implications: Given the challenges confronting Ethiopia today, it is imperative to assume that meeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 (i.e., attaining zero hunger by 2030) becomes challenging. This calls for continuous capacity building to help implement, learn, and adapt a systems approach; and access to education and skill training on food production and consumption and narrowing down the gender differential in food access and consumption.

Coffee polyphenols ameliorate early-life stress-induced cognitive deficits in male mice

Stress exposure during the sensitive period of early development has been shown to program the brain and increases the risk to develop cognitive deficits later in life. We have shown earlier that early-life stress (ES) leads to cognitive decline at an adult age, associated with changes in adult hippocampal neurogenesis and neuroinflammation. In particular, ES has been shown to affect neurogenesis rate and the survival of newborn cells later in life as well as microglia, modulating their response to immune or metabolic challenges later in life. Both of these processes possibly contribute to the ES-induced cognitive deficits. Emerging evidence by us and others indicates that early nutritional interventions can protect against these ES-induced effects through nutritional programming. Based on human metabolomics studies, we identified various coffee-related metabolites to be part of a protective molecular signature against cognitive decline in humans. Caffeic and chlorogenic acids are coffee-polyphenols and have been described to have potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Therefore, we here aimed to test whether supplementing caffeic and chlorogenic acids to the early diet could also protect against ES-induced cognitive deficits. We induced ES via the limited nesting and bedding paradigm in mice from postnatal(P) day 2–9. On P2, mice received a diet to which 0.02% chlorogenic acid (5-O-caffeoylquinic acid) + 0.02% caffeic acid (3′,4′-dihydroxycinnamic acid) were added, or a control diet up until P42. At 4 months of age, all mice were subjected to a behavioral test battery and their brains were stained for markers for microglia and neurogenesis. We found that coffee polyphenols supplemented early in life protected against ES-induced cognitive deficits, potentially this is mediated by the survival of neurons or microglia, but possibly other mechanisms not studied here are mediating the effects. This study provides additional support for the potential of early nutritional interventions and highlights polyphenols as nutrients that can protect against cognitive decline, in particular for vulnerable populations exposed to ES.

The Food and Nutrition Policy Environment and Drivers of Changes in Key Food System Outcomes in Ethiopia

Background: There seems to be huge gap in our understanding of the changes over time in food system outcomes and their drivers in Ethiopia. The main aim of this study is to examine the food and nutrition programs and policies and their corresponding key food system outcomes in Ethiopia. Methods: The bulk of the information was generated using scooping review of relevant articles and policy documents. About 67 full text records were used for the review. In addition, data were collected using Key Informant Interview (KIIs) purposefully selected from sectoral offices from two major cities (Hawassa and Dire Dawa), of two regions. The analytical framework used in this paper was adopted from previous studies on related subjects and addressed three key components of food system: review of food and nutrition policy environment, key food system outcomes and key drivers. Results: Despite improvement in some food system outcomes (such as child nutrition and survival), food security crises in Ethiopia are still becoming more frequent and more acute, affecting the poor disproportionately. Most food and nutrition policies are constrained by lack of implementation capacities. Indicating the presence of various barriers (socioeconomic, demographic, and environmental). Poor human capital (such as knowledge and attitude), food taboos and tradition, cultural practices such as gender-based norms, poor education, poor delivery/supply chain, demographic pressure and other environmental drivers play critical role in food and nutrition security of most vulnerable population groups in Ethiopia. Conclusion and implications: Given the challenges confronting Ethiopia today, it is imperative to assume that meeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 (i.e., attaining zero hunger by 2030) becomes challenging. This calls for continuous capacity building to help implement, learn, and adapt a systems approach; and access to education and skill training on food production and consumption and narrowing down the gender differential in food access and consumption.

Military Family Perspectives on Enrollment and Engagement in the WIC Program.

One in four U.S. service members endorses food insecurity. The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is an invaluable, underutilized resource that can increase access to nutritious food for families with children under 5 years of age. Our research sought to evaluate military family perceptions and engagement with the WIC program. We conducted a mixed-method study, recruiting from a convenience sample of military families who applied for financial assistance for child care. An 18-question survey and follow-up focus groups assessed participant demographics and experiences with WIC. We utilized descriptive statistics ordinal logistic regression analyses for quantitative data analysis. For qualitative data, descriptive content analysis with constant comparison and inductive and deductive coding of interviews identified emerging themes. This study was approved by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Institutional Review Board. Among the 399 survey respondents, 25% were currently enrolled in WIC and 39% had been previously enrolled. Service members and their partners learned about WIC from a variety of sources, and there was no significant association between the branch of service or rank and WIC enrollment. There were 40 total participants in 10 completed focus groups. Six themes emerged: (1) Military-specific factors create unique circumstances related to WIC engagement; (2) the WIC program facilitates access to formula supplementation and nutritious foods for military families; (3) lack of program awareness and misinformation are top barriers to WIC engagement in military families; (4) stigma impacts WIC program enrollment and engagement; (5) logistics of enrollment can impact WIC engagement among military families; and (6) the military can support WIC enrollment and engagement through standardization, education, and leadership commitment. Our findings suggest that unique circumstances related to military family life create a profound need for programs addressing food support, such as WIC. Interventions to improve WIC enrollment among military families need to be rooted in broad outreach efforts, not targeted at specific ranks, branches, or ages. Specific recommendations include increasing information dissemination, universally screening military families for WIC, decreasing logistical burdens, and involving military leadership.

Nutritional status of primary school children and their caregiver's knowledge on malnutrition in rural and urban communities of Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria.

Nutritional imbalance is an underlying cause of 2.6million death annually and a third of child's death globally. This study assessed and compared the nutritional status of primary school children and their caregiver's knowledge on malnutrition in rural and urban communities of Ekiti State. This is a cross-sectional comparative study carried out among 983 urban and rural primary school children in Ekiti State (495 in urban and 488 in rural) using interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire. A multi-stage sampling technique was used and data collected was analyzed using SPSS 23 with level of statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Underweight and stunting were relatively higher in rural (6.5% and 22.7% respectively) than in urban (6.3% and 19.4% respectively) and these differences are not statistically significant (p = 0.898, p = 0.197). However, wasting, overweight and obesity were higher in urban (12.7%, 6.1% and 7.7% respectively) than rural (11.5%, 3.7% and 7.5% respectively) but the difference is not statistically significant. (p = 0.242). Majority of the caregivers in both settings had good knowledge of malnutrition though higher in urban mothers (89.5%) with statistical significance than their rural counterparts (71.5%). However, there is no significant association between caregiver's knowledge and malnutrition in this study. Being in lower primary school class, relationship with caregiver, educational status of caregiver and occupation of caregiver were the common predictors of malnutrition among the school children in both community settings. Generally, the prevalence of malnutrition was high in both urban and rural primary school children in this study. However, while underweight and stunting were more prevalent among the children in the rural communities, wasting, overweight and obesity were more prevalent in the urban. The caregivers in both communities had good knowledge of malnutrition (better in the urban) but this is not good enough to bring a significant relationship with the occurrence of malnutrition in the children. Common predictors of malnutrition in both community settings are being in lower primary school class, relationship with caregiver, educational status of caregiver and occupation of caregiver. It is therefore recommended that regular continuous public enlightenment, nutritional education programmes and other programmes targeted at improving the economic power of the caregivers are measures that will improve the nutritional status of the primary school children.

The Feasibility and Efficacy of Warrior Health and Fitness: A 3-Month Fitness and Nutrition Program for Veterans.

Veterans are at risk for mental and physical health problems but may not seek traditional health care services. Wellness-based interventions, including exercise and nutrition, have been associated with improvements in physical and mental health among this population. This study explores the acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of a 3-month health and fitness program for veterans. Participants in 2 time-based cohorts from 2019 to 2023 (cohort 1: n = 261; cohort 2: n = 256) were cleared by a physician to participate. Participants then completed a fitness test and self-reported surveys (e.g., quality of life, sleep, and pain) before and after the 3-month program. Participants were recruited to participate at one of three sites: Boston, MA Fort Myers, FL, or Tampa, FL. The 3-month program consisted of weekly, supervised group fitness and one-on-one sessions, nutritional consultations, yoga, and other wellness activities. Primary program outcomes were measured by fitness assessments, self-report surveys, program completion, and program satisfaction. Fitness assessments included measures of weight, body mass index, grip strength, waist to hip ratio, body fat, lean mass, fat mass, heart rate, and blood pressure (BP). Self-report measures included quality of life, depression, loneliness, sleep quality, pain intensity, and pain interference. In cohort 1, significant improvements were found for measures of weight (P = .01), left-handed grip strength (P < .01), body fat percent (P < .01), and quality of life (P < .01). In cohort 2, significant improvements were found for measures of waist:hip ratio (P = .02), right and left-handed grip strength (P < .01), body mass index (P = .02), body fat percent (P < .01), and quality of life (P = .02). For both cohorts, pain intensity (cohort 1: P = .01, cohort 2: P < .001) and pain interference (cohort 1: P = .02, cohort 2: P < .001) increased significantly. These data suggest that a 3-month health and fitness program for veterans is acceptable and feasible and may improve physical and mental health outcomes. Considerations for program retention and assessment completion are discussed.

Cyclic Formula Feeding Among Infants Participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children

BackgroundLow-income households often experience a cyclic pattern in food availability, with acute food shortages at month end. Variations in the monthly feeding of infant formula are understudied. ObjectivesThis study aimed to compare the amount and frequency of formula consumed at the beginning and end of the monthly Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) assistance cycle and test associations with total energy intake and other feeding practices among infants aged 7–11 mo. MethodsThis study was conducted between May 2020 and April 2021 in the southeastern United States and involved mothers of infants participating in WIC’s fully formula package. Mothers were interviewed and 24-h feeding recalls were conducted at the beginning and end of the month. We defined month beginning as 5 d following the first WIC formula purchase and month end as 5 d before the next monthly cycle. Fifty mother-infant dyads participated in single or multiple monthly cycles, totaling 98 monthly cycles. Generalized linear mixed-effects modeling was used to test differences in formula feeding at month beginning and end. ResultsMost participants (84%) were African American or Latino and >90% purchased all formula within 2–3 d of the WIC issuance. The energy intake from formula at month beginning was significantly higher than at month end (67.63% and 57.85%, respectively; P = 0.002), with no differences in total energy intake. The odds of infants being fed cow milk and fruit juices/drinks increased from month beginning to end (P < 0.05). ConclusionsInfants in low-income households are at risk of experiencing a cyclic feeding pattern characterized by higher formula feeding at month beginning and an increase in feeding of nonrecommended drinks at month end. The WIC program policy could review educational and distribution options to reduce cyclic formula feeding and clarify caregivers’ understanding of infants’ formula needs. Household-level investigations into formula management and determinants of cyclic feeding are warranted.

The effects of pregnancy-related changes in eating attitudes and behaviours on nutritional status.

During pregnancy, the requirements of essential nutrients for the mother and foetus increase. The changes in pregnant women's eating behaviours may vary according to their sociodemographic characteristics. It is important to meet these increased requirements and understand the factors influencing eating habits during pregnancy. This study aimed to determine the effects of changes in pregnant women's eating attitudes and behaviours and their sociodemographic characteristics on their meeting status for nutrient recommendations. Sociodemographic information, eating behaviours, and attitudes of 656 pregnant women were obtained in face-to-face interviews between February and June 2020. Food consumption records were taken with a 24-hour recall method and evaluated according to the estimatedaverage requirementvalue. The average age of pregnant women was 29.0 ± 5.2 years, 28.0% were high school graduates, and 69.2% were non-working. The frequency of intakes below the estimated mean requirement value were iron, folic acid, vitamin B6, niacin, and calcium. It was demonstrated that there was a significant difference in snack consumption based on the working status and nutrition information obtained (P < .05). Getting nutrition information, age, education level, working status, and pre-pregnancy body mass index significantly increased food consumption (P < .05). Inadequate nutrient intake is a common public health problem in pregnant women. It is necessary to identify the sociodemographic characteristics that negatively impact pregnant women's nutritional status and to develop nutrition and health education programs based on these features.

Monitoring Data Nilai Gizi Balita menggunakan Tableau Public (Studi Kasus : Posyandu Sedap Malam)

In Indonesia, there are still toddlers with poor nutritional status. Nutrition is food substances needed for the development, growth, and health of a person's body. Toddlers who experience nutritional problems will have an impact on their growth and development, be susceptible to disease, and can even result in death in children under five. Children's growth and development are monitored regularly to detect potential problems early. Utilizing a community-based health system such as Posyandu is the most important key to improving the quality of children's growth and development. Monitoring of children's growth and development in Indonesia is carried out by measuring body weight every month at Posyandu with the Healthy Way Card (KMS) as a supporting tool. Through KMS, growth and development disorders in children can be identified early and appropriate steps can be taken to correct these problems. The Berbabis Tablue Posyandu Service Analysis Information System can help monitor data and information on the nutritional status of each child. The results of this paper show that the use of Tableau in analyzing data on the nutritional status of toddlers can provide a comprehensive and in-depth picture. Interactive visualization allows users to explore data directly, identify patterns, and quickly retrieve important information. With visualization, posyandu cadres can make decisions regarding toddler nutrition programs

Basic dairy and beef nutrition principles for the new graduate

Ruminant nutrition is often considered a difficult and complex subject in the minds of veterinary students. This may be due to the lack of nutritional training in veterinary colleges, the lack of exposure to agriculture, or because nutrition is considered a separate career practiced by a nutritionist. Nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated. The purpose of the nutritional program is to provide safe feed that meets the cow’s nutritional require­ments. Veterinarians have an intricate knowledge of ruminant health and a well-developed problem-solving skillset. These at­tributes make the veterinarian highly capable of consulting with clients regarding nutritional concepts. The goal of this session is to demonstrate to aspiring veterinarians that nutrition is simple in concept and can be easily implemented in clinical practice.

Enhancing dietary adherence among African-American adolescents: the role of parenting styles and food-related practices.

Parenting styles (PSs) and food-related parenting practices (FPPs) play a crucial role in shaping adolescent eating behavior. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the different PSs and FPPs of African-American families and the frequency of consumption of MyPlate food items by adolescents based on recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). This study used a cross-sectional design. Data collection was conducted using Qualtrics through an online survey of 211 African-American parents and their adolescents aged 10-17-year-old. Adolescents completed the Youth and Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire to assess their dietary behavior, while parents filled out the survey to identify the degree of PSs (i.e., authoritative, authoritarian, setting rules, and neglecting) and FPPs (i.e., monitoring, reasoning, copying, and modeling). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and stepwise logistic regression were performed to determine the answers to the research questions. For fruit consumption, authoritative parenting significantly reduced the likelihood of adherence to DGA, while authoritarian, monitoring, and reasoning practices increased it. Female adolescents were more likely to meet fruit intake recommendations, with a similar positive impact observed for those whose parents had above high school education. In vegetable intake, authoritarian and monitoring practices positively impact on adherence to DGA, whereas setting rules had a detrimental impact. Being in a married household also increased vegetable intake DGA adherence. For grain consumption, reasoning was a significant positive predictor, while setting rules negatively impacted adherence. Dairy DGA adherence was positively impacted by monitoring and copying practices, but negatively impacted by female gender. Protein intake showed a positive association with reasoning and parental education. Our findings confirm the importance of parenting in developing desired eating behaviors among African-American adolescents. The results of this study can be used to develop culture-based nutritional education programs for parents and youth.

Effects of a personalized nutrition program on cardiometabolic health: a randomized controlled trial

Large variability exists in people’s responses to foods. However, the efficacy of personalized dietary advice for health remains understudied. We compared a personalized dietary program (PDP) versus general advice (control) on cardiometabolic health using a randomized clinical trial. The PDP used food characteristics, individual postprandial glucose and triglyceride (TG) responses to foods, microbiomes and health history, to produce personalized food scores in an 18-week app-based program. The control group received standard care dietary advice (US Department of Agriculture Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025) using online resources, check-ins, video lessons and a leaflet. Primary outcomes were serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and TG concentrations at baseline and at 18 weeks. Participants (n = 347), aged 41–70 years and generally representative of the average US population, were randomized to the PDP (n = 177) or control (n = 170). Intention-to-treat analysis (n = 347) between groups showed significant reduction in TGs (mean difference = −0.13 mmol l−1; log-transformed 95% confidence interval = −0.07 to −0.01, P = 0.016). Changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were not significant. There were improvements in secondary outcomes, including body weight, waist circumference, HbA1c, diet quality and microbiome (beta-diversity) (P < 0.05), particularly in highly adherent PDP participants. However, blood pressure, insulin, glucose, C-peptide, apolipoprotein A1 and B, and postprandial TGs did not differ between groups. No serious intervention-related adverse events were reported. Following a personalized diet led to some improvements in cardiometabolic health compared to standard dietary advice. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT05273268.

The neighborhood food environment modifies the association between infant feeding and childhood obesity

BackgroundThe Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) issues infant formula to infants who are not fully breastfed, and prior research found elevated obesity risk among children receiving lactose-reduced infant formula with corn syrup solids (CSSF) issued by WIC. This study was conducted to evaluate associations between a broader set of specialty infant formulas issued by WIC and child obesity risk, whether neighborhood context (e.g. neighborhood food environment) modifies associations, and whether racial/ethnic disparities in obesity are partly explained by infant formula exposure and neighborhood context.MethodsWIC administrative data, collected from 2013–2020 on issued amount (categorical: fully formula fed, mostly formula fed, mostly breastfed, fully breastfed) and type of infant formula (standard cow’s milk formula, and three specialty formulas: any CSSF, any soy-based formula, and any cow's milk-based formula with added rice starch) and obesity at ages 2–4 years (defined as a Body Mass Index z-score ≥ 95th percentile according to World Health Organization growth standard) were used to construct a cohort (n = 59,132). Associations of infant formula exposures and race/ethnicity with obesity risk were assessed in Poisson regression models, and modification of infant feeding associations with obesity by neighborhood context was assessed with interaction terms.ResultsAny infant formula exposure was associated with significantly higher obesity risk relative to fully breastfeeding. Receipt of a CSSF was associated with 5% higher obesity risk relative to the standard and other specialty infant formulas (risk ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval 1.02, 1.08) independent of breastfeeding duration and receipt of other specialty infant formulas. The association between CSSF and obesity risk was stronger in neighborhoods with healthier food environments (10% higher risk) compared to less healthy food environments (null). Racial/ethnic disparities in obesity risk were robust to adjustment for infant formula exposure and neighborhood environment.ConclusionsAmong specialty infant formulas issued by WIC, only CSSFs were associated with elevated obesity risk, and this association was stronger in healthier food environments. Future research is needed to isolate the mechanism underlying this association.

Remission of Type-2 Diabetes on Plant Based Diet

The incidence of diabetes has amplified worldwide, but health outcomes have not improved significantly. Anti-hyperglycemic medications are often accompanied by weight gain, hypoglycemia, and risk of cardiovascular events. Most diabetics are suggested a “low carb diet” as a nutritional strategy but the results short-termed and often unsustainable in most cases. Aim: This case report depicts the effectiveness of a personalized nutritional intervention program focused on Whole Food Plant Based Diet (WFPBD) and Intermittent Fasting (IF) in reducing blood glucose, body weight, waist circumference, without any pharmacological treatment. Methods: We present a case of a personalized nutritional intervention program of a 47-year-old diabetic female, weighing 86kg, measuring 168cm (BMI 30.5), with waist circumference of 43 inches. Her pre-intervention glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was 12.5%, post prandial glucose (PPG) was 342mg/dl, and fasting blood glucose (FBG) was 250mg/dl. Besides following a WFPBD, the patient was advised to do intermittent fasts of 14 hours, starting from about 6 pm in the evening and extending till about 8 am the next morning. The primary measures were changes in HbA1c, fasting and postprandial glucose levels, body weight, waist circumference, and BMI. Results: Nutritional intervention brought substantial improvements in several health parameters of the patient. Post-intervention, the patient was able to achieve an HbA1c of 6.40%, average FBG of 113mg/dl, average PPG of 127mg/dl, body weight of 74kg, BMI of 26.2, and waist circumference of 37 inches. Conclusions: The results suggest that a personalized dietary modification program combining WFPBD and IF can significantly improve metabolic health and potentially reverse T2D without the need for pharmacological treatment.

Determinants of nutritional status of children aged 6–59 months in the case of Itang special woreda, Gambella, Ethiopia

Nutritional status is one of the most important causes of improper physical and mental development in children. The study attempts to assess the factors affecting the severity status of children aged 6–59 months’ malnutrition based on the weight-for-age anthropometric index (z-score) and examine between-kebeles-level differences in determinants of the nutritional status of children. A community-based, cross-sectional study design was conducted from October 12 to November 12, 2022. A sample of 397 children aged 6–59 months primary data by applying multi–stage clustered sampling technique was used by considering their heterogeneity. The data were entered by SPSS and analyzed by using R version 3.4.0 and STATA 14.2 statistical software package using a multilevel ordinal logistic regression model and inferences were conducted at a 5% significance level. The results show that birth interval ≥ 24 months (OR = 1.431253, 95% CI 1.221337 1.6763421, P-value = 0.008), economic status of households medium (OR = 16.21466, 95% CI 1.221403 1.423929, P-value = 0.000), economic status of households rich (OR = 223.2856, 95% CI 1.34295 2.582325, P-value = 0.000), employment status of the mother unemployed (OR = 0.2291348, 95% CI 0.0529511 0.9966281, P-value = 0.049), No toilet facility (bush field) (OR = 0.3163329, 95% CI 0.1825356 0.5481975, P-value = 0.000), number of household members (OR = 0.9100682, 95% CI 0.8313481 0.9967315, P-value = 0.042), breastfeeding < 12 months (OR = 0.53803, 95% CI 0.322315 0.898135, P-value = 0.018), educational level of father Primary (OR = 4.601687, 95% CI 1.758009 2.22053, P-value = 0.000), educational level of father Secondary above (OR = 99.65229, 95% CI 2.533502 4.788896, P-value = 0.000) and geographical area (kebeles) were found to be important factors that affect a child's nutritional status between 6 and 59 months. 15% of the overall variation is attributable to the Kebeles level, according to two-level multilevel ordinal logistic regressions with estimates of the variation attributable to the Kebeles level equal to 0.569 and an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.15. Due to the nature of the response variable random intercept model with random coefficients fitted the data adequately in predicting the severity status of children aged 6–59 months’ malnutrition for the multilevel ordinal logistic regression model analysis. So, the researcher recommended that implementing primary health care and nutrition programs that would fit each kebeles’ features in Itang Special Woreda to safeguard children from nutritional deficiency.

Investigation of Communication Skills and Subjective Well-being Levels in Helping Professional Groups

This study examines the relationship between communication skills and subjective well-being among students in the psychological counseling and guidance and nutrition and dietetics programs. The research, which involved 430 university students as professional candidates, investigates the impact of program, gender, grade, perceived parental behaviours, and residence on both subjective well-being and communication style. The results indicate a significant association between effective communication, well-being, and family influences, highlighting their crucial role in personal and professional development. It is worth noting that gender differences in subjective well-being and communication skills levels were identified, with females exhibiting higher scores. These findings have important implications for the design of psycho-education programs and support measures. The study provides guidance for tailoring interventions to address gender-specific needs and recognizes the influential role of familial factors in cultivating communication and well-being competencies of students in counseling and nutrition-related disciplines.