Nutrition Research Center Research Articles

Low Testosterone Accelerates Age-Associated Declines in Kidney Function Assessed via Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Men

Kidney function declines with increasing age and more than 50% of seniors over the age of 75 years are believed to have overt kidney disease. Data regarding declines in kidney function around the age of menopause in women are consistent with what would be expected of age alone, suggesting that the loss of estrogens do not contribute to declines in kidney function. In contrast, reports indicate that androgen deprivation therapy reduces estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and increases the risk of acute kidney injury, highlighting a possible influence of testosterone (T) on kidney function. The influence of age-related declines in T on declines in kidney function in otherwise healthy aging men has yet to be determine. PURPOSE: To determine the influence of low T on age-related declines in eGFR in men. Methods: Healthy young (YM; 18-40 years) and middle-aged/older (MA/O; 50-75 years) men participated. MA/O men were categorized as having either low (<300 ng/dL) or normal (400-1000 ng/dL) T via a venous blood draw. Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were quantified and eGFR was calculated using the 2021 CKD-EPI creatinine equation. Differences in eGFR and BUN were examined using the Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn’s multiple comparisons test in the case of a significant main effect. Results: 23 YM (age: 29±4 y, T: 508±60 ng/dL), 23 MA/O men with low T (age: 59±7 y, T: 267±44 ng/dL), and 58 MA/O men with normal T (age: 58±6 y, T: 480±72 ng/dL) participated. Serum creatinine was significantly higher in MA/O men with low T (1.05±0.12 mg/dL) compared to YM (0.95±0.14 mg/dL, p=0.043) and MA/O men with normal T (0.96±0.11 mg/d, p=0.019). There were no differences between YM and MA/O men with normal T (p=0.956). There were significant age-associated declines in eGFR (YM= 109.9±14.3 vs. MA/O men with normal T= 90.1±9.3 mL/min/1.73m2, p<0.001) that were exaggerated in MA/O men with low T (82.6±10.4 mL/min/1.73m2, p=0.044 vs. MA/O men with normal T). BUN was significantly higher in MA/O men (normal T=17.2±3.4 mg/dL, low T=19.2 mg/dL) compared to YM (15.1±3.7 mg/dL, p=0.033 vs. normal T and p<0.001 vs. low T), but there was no difference between MA/O men with normal or low T (p=0.110). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that age-associated declines in testosterone contribute to declines in kidney function in otherwise healthy men. These data contrast evidence in women suggesting that the loss of estrogen during the menopause transition does not accelerate kidney dysfunction, suggesting sex differences in the mechanisms of kidney dysfunction. This work was supported by NIH grants R01AG049762, K01HL164978, U54A062319, T32AG000279, the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute UL1TR001082, Colorado Nutrition and Obesity Research Center P30DK048520, and the Eastern Colorado GRECC. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Exploring the effects of resveratrol supplementation on cerebrovascular function in hormonal migraineurs: A pilot study

BackgroundPast research suggests that hormonal migraineurs may have poorer cerebrovascular function than women who do not suffer from migraine. Resveratrol, a vasoactive phytoestrogen, has been shown to improve cerebrovascular function in several populations but has never been tested in hormonal migraineurs. AimTo investigate the effects of 3-month resveratrol supplementation on the cerebrovascular function of hormonal migraineurs. MethodsWe conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover intervention pilot study with resveratrol (150 mg/d for 3 months) in ten hormonal migraineurs (mean age: 37.2 ± 2.6 years). Participants visited the University of Newcastle’s Clinical Nutrition Research Centre where quality of life and disability, and cerebrovascular function were assessed. Quality of life and disability were examined using Migraine-Specific Quality of Life, Headache Impact Test-6 and the Migraine Disability Assessment. Cerebrovascular function was determined using transcranial Doppler ultrasound to bilaterally measure blood flow velocity in the middle and posterior cerebral arteries at rest and in response to a hypercapnic stimulus. Cerebrovascular responsiveness to a cognitive task battery was also measured bilaterally in the middle cerebral arteries. ResultsCompared to placebo, blood flow velocity in the right posterior cerebral artery was significantly higher (P = 0.041) following resveratrol supplementation. No other significant differences in cerebrovascular function between resveratrol and placebo treatments were observed. Baseline correlation analyses revealed higher blood flow velocities in the middle and posterior cerebral arteries were associated with better quality of life and less disability. However, higher cerebrovascular responsiveness to hypercapnia in the posterior circulation was associated with higher migraine-related disability and poorer migraine-related quality of life. ConclusionIn this pilot we found evidence that resveratrol may increase blood flow velocity in the right posterior cerebral artery in hormonal migraineurs. Larger cohorts are required confirm this effect and its potential relationship to migraine in premenopausal women.

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Phytochemical Analysis and in vitro Antioxidant Potential of Aqueous and Ethanol Extracts of Irvingia gabonensis Stem Bark

Pharmacognosy Research,2023,15,2,363-372.DOI:10.5530/pres.15.2.039Published:February 2023Type:Original Article Authors:Catherine Otitolaiye, Akhere Omonkhua, Kelly Oriakhi, Edward Okello, Iyere Onoagbe, and Friday Okonofua Author(s) affiliations:Catherine Otitolaiye1, 2, Akhere Omonkhua2,*, Kelly Oriakhi2, Edward Okello3, Iyere Onoagbe4, Friday Okonofua5 1Department of Biochemistry, Sokoto State University, Sokoto, NIGERIA. 2Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Edo, NIGERIA. 3Human Nutrition Research Centre, Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Tyne, UNITED KINGDOM. 4Department of Biochemistry, University of Benin, Edo-State, NIGERIA. 5Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University of Benin, Benin, NIGERIA. Abstract:Background: Irvingia gabonensis extracts are documented to possess antidiabetic, hypocholesterolemic, and antioxidant activities. The phytochemical components of medicinal plants are responsible for their therapeutic properties, particularly those with antioxidant properties. Objectives: The quantitative phytochemicals and in vitro antioxidant properties of the aqueous and ethanol extracts of I. gabonensis stem bark were assessed in this study. Materials and Methods: Standard techniques were used to measure the concentrations of phenols, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, steroids, and saponins in water and alcohol extracts of this plant. Total Antioxidant Power (TAP) and the extract's capacity to scavenge free radicals including superoxide, nitric oxide, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzoth iazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+), β-carotene, and hydrogen peroxide were also evaluated. The extracts' Ferric-Reducing Potential (FRAP) was also assessed. Results: The alcohol extract had significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentrations of all the phytochemicals measured as well as near significantly (P <0.066) higher TAP in comparison to the aqueous extracts. In general, the in vitro antioxidant capacity of the ethanol extract surpassed that of the water extract. The ethanol extract had IC50 values that were comparable to or less than the reference standards for its ability to neutralize nitric oxide, H2O2, superoxide, and DPPH radicals. Conclusion: The outcomes of the quantitative phytochemical analysis and in vitro antioxidant effects of aqueous and ethanol extracts of I. gabonensis stem bark clearly show their potential as an excellent reservoir of bioactive compounds and scavengers of deleterious oxidants; properties that could be explored therapeutically. Keywords:Antioxidant, Free radicals, in vitro., Irvingia gabonensis, PhytochemicalsView:PDF (364.97 KB)

Effect of different doses of probiotics on growth performance of New Hampshire chicken

The feed additive is one of the important components in poultry production to enhance the performance of birds. An experiment was conducted atNational Animal Nutrition Research Center, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal in order to evaluate the feasibility of probiotics as feed additives in New Hampshire chicken performance. The experiment was laid out with four treatments viz. basal diet which is concentrate mixture without inclusion of probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus - 50*109 cfu/kg, Bacillus subtilis - 1*109 cfu/kg, Bacillus licheniformis - 1*109 cfu/kg, Saccharomyces boulardii - 10*109cfu/kg) as basal diet with 0.5 gram of probiotic per liter of water , basal diet with 1 gram of probiotics per liter of water and basal diet with 1.5 gram of probiotics per liter of water under completely randomized design replicated three times. A total of 180, 8th week New Hampshire chickens were allotted with 15 birds in each experimental unit. Experimental birds were fed ad-libitum amount of formulated concentrate feed and clean drinking water with proper management practices.The highest weight gain was observed in treatment group provided with 1g of probiotic in diet (1957.96 g) followed by treatment group provided with 0.5 g of probiotic in diet (1891.40 g), 1.5g probiotic in diet (1879 g) and lowest in treatment group without probiotic in diet (1793.62 g). However there was no significant difference in total feed intake between all the treatment groups. Similarly, better feed conversion ratio (FCR) was found inbirds fed with 1g probiotic (3.59) followed by 0.5g probiotic (3.67), 1.5 g probiotic (3.72) and without probiotic in diet (3.87). Dressing percentage was also found higher (85.03 %) in birds fed with 1g of probiotic included diet than other groups of birds.

Effectiveness of the pomegranate extract in improving hepatokines and serum biomarkers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized double blind clinical trial

Background and aimPomegranate as a functional food has various properties and effects on health. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of pomegranate extract on serum levels of liver enzymes, hepatokines, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and total antioxidant capacity in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). MethodsIn this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 44 patients with NAFLD were divided into two groups: pomegranate extract tablets and placebo. The intervention period was 12 weeks. At the beginning and end of the study, serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), fetuin-A, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and total antioxidant capacity were assessed in both groups. ResultsPomegranate extract reduced the level of ALT (P < 0.001), AST (P < 0.001), GGT (P < 0.001), fetuin-A (P < 0.001), FGF-21(P < 0.001) and IL-6 (P = 0.04) compared to the placebo. Pomegranate extract also led to an increase in total antioxidant capacity (P˂0.001) but had no effect on ALP. ConclusionIt seems that the pomegranate extract improves several markers of NAFLD, and can be useful as a treatment supplement.The clinical trial approved by Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (grant No. NRC-9811). Trial registrationIranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT), IRCT20140107016123N14, https://www.irct.ir/trial/42739.

Effects Of Astaxanthin On Aerobic Capacity And Antioxidant Enzymes For Team Sport Athletes

PURPOSE:Frequent competition can cause oxidative stress, leading to fatigue and a decrease in aerobic capacity. Antioxidant supplementation are commonly consumed to minimize exercise-induced oxidative stress, with the intention of enhancing recovery and improving performance. Thus, this study aims to determine 4 weeks supplement of astaxanthin on aerobic capacity, the recovery of blood lactic acid and antioxidant enzymes activity in team sports athletes during season training. METHODS:Twenty team sport varsity athletes (basketball: n = 10, football: n = 10) were randomly assigned in double-blind fashion to one of two treatment groups. The astaxanthin group (AST, n = 10) was supplemented 12 mg of astaxanthin for 4 weeks, and the placebo group was supplemented with olive oil capsules of the same dose. The incremental exercise test was performed before and after the supplementation, respectively. Fingertip blood was collected at 3, 6 and 9 min after exercise, blood lactic acid were analysed that day and calculated removal rate. Fasting venous blood was collected before and 12 h after incremental exercise test, and the activity of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px were measured. Performance indicators comparisons were made using independent sample T test and paired sample T test. Antioxidant enzymes activity comparisons were made using two-way ANOVA repeated measures. RESULTS:There were no significant changes in exhaustion time and VO2max in AST group, while the exhaustion time (17.22 ± 1.64 vs 15.53 ± 1.70 min P < 0.01) and VO2max (49.14 ± 4.41 vs 44.57 ± 3.87 ml/min/kg, P < 0.05) in PLA group were significantly decreased; The blood lactic acid removal rate had no significant change in two groups(P > 0.05);There was no significant change in the activity of antioxidant enzymes before exercise, but both the CAT (7.93 ± 0.83 vs. 2.91 ± 0.55 U/ml, P < 0.05)and GSH-Px(181.40 ± 9.49 vs. 155.39 ± 8.03 U/ml, P < 0.05) activity recovered more quickly at 12 h after exhaustive exercise than 0-week in AST group. CONCLUSIONS:4 weeks of training during the season can lead to a decline in aerobic capacity in team sport athletes, but intake of astaxanthin can help speed up CAT and GSH-Px activity recovery after exhaustive exercise, then enhancing recovery and improving performance. Supported by Herbalife Winter Sports Nutrition Research Center

Doris Howes Calloway

When the US Department of Agriculture developed a new West Coast human nutrition research center in 1980, it turned to Dr Doris Calloway at the University of California at Berkeley, an internationally known and respected researcher in human nutrition, for expertise on controlled human nutrition metabolic research. This article highlights the importance and impact of Dr Calloway's leadership, expertise, and unique metabolic research methods in establishing human nutrition metabolic research at the US Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Western Human Nutrition Research Center. It also provides a historical overview of the origins of the Western Human Nutrition Research Center and discusses the importance of a metabolic facility for human nutrition research.

Dietary Energy.

Journal Article Accepted manuscript Dietary Energy Get access Susan B Roberts, Susan B Roberts Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA Address correspondence to SBR (E-mail: susan.roberts@tufts.edu). https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1320-8460 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Valerie Flaherman Valerie Flaherman Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Advances in Nutrition, nmac092, https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmac092 Published: 27 August 2022

Adiposity, Insulin Resistance, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Bone Health in Hispanic Children.

Childhood obesity disproportionately affects Hispanic youth. The skeletal system appears to be a target organ of the adverse effects of obesity. Yet, the relationship between adiposity and bone health in youth and the modulating factors are not well understood. This work aims to examine the relationship between adiposity, insulin resistance (IR), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and bone mass in Hispanic youth. A total of 951 Hispanic youth (50% male), aged 4 to 19 years, participated in this cross-sectional design study from the Viva La Familia Study at Children's Nutrition Research Center. Bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD), lean mass (LM), total body fat mass (FM), truncal FM were obtained using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Fasting glucose and insulin were obtained and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. CRF was measured using a treadmill ramp protocol. We applied linear regression models and mediation analyses. Adiposity measures were negatively related to BMC and BMD after accounting for LM and sex. IR negatively contributed whereas CRF positively contributed to the variance in BMC and BMD, more notably in the pubertal age group. In mediation analysis, HOMA-IR partially mediated the negative relationship of adiposity to BMC (standardized indirect effect [IE] = -0.0382; 95% CI, -0.0515 to -0.0264) whereas the sequential IE of HOMA-IR and CRF partially attenuated (IE = -0.0026; 95% CI, -0.0053 to -0.0005) this relationship. Similar findings were seen with BMD as the primary outcome. IR mediates the negative relationship between adiposity and bone mass whereas CRF may partially attenuate it.

College Students’ Experience Utilizing a Food Scholarship Program During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ObjectivesIn 2020, students reported a high prevalence of food insecurity during the recent coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic at a public university. Despite closure of the campus during the pandemic, a Food Scholarship Program (FSP) continued to provide students with food twice a month to help mitigate food insecurity. The purpose of this study was to assess the diet quality among college students participating in the FSP during the pandemic and their experience with the program using mixed methods. MethodsStudents were recruited for this cross-sectional study by email and flyers. Students participating in FSP completed: 1) an online survey including the 6-item USDA food security survey and sociodemographic questions; 2) ASA-24 dietary recall; and 3) Zoom interviews to discuss their experience during the pandemic. In-depth interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded by two people using thematic analysis. Nutrient intake and Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 scores were calculated. ResultsThe thirteen participants were primarily females (77%), Asian (54%), graduate students (54%), and average age was 26 years. Food insecurity was high (46%). HEI scores (57 ± 16) indicated diets did not align with the 2015 dietary recommendations. Intake of added sugar (66 ± 24 g/d) averaged 17% (11% - 23%) of total caloric intake and exceeded recommendations of <10% per day. Finances impacted student food choices (40%). Interviews revealed that students decreased shopping frequency (40%), bought more food in bulk (40%), prepared more food at home (40%), reduced take-out food/eating in restaurants (80%), decreased the amount of food eaten (30%), and increased more curbside ordering (20%). Students utilized the FSP primarily for financial reasons (90%) and convenience (30%). Overall, students reported a positive experience (70%) with the FSP. ConclusionsThe qualitative responses from the interviews support the quantitative results regarding food insecurity and diet quality. Nevertheless, food insecurity remained high, and diet quality remained suboptimal. More work is warranted to improve food security and diet quality among college students, especially during situations such as COVID-19. Funding SourcesMoore-Khourie Grant, USDA Children’s Nutrition Research Center.

Waking Salivary Cortisol Associated with Magnitude of Cholesterol Reduction in Women Fed a Healthy Whole-Food Diet for 8 Weeks

Diet and cortisol are independently linked to cardiometabolic function and health, but underlying alterations in circulating cortisol may influence beneficial cardiometabolic effects of consuming a healthy diet. This study was a secondary analysis to examine whether baseline concentrations of waking salivary cortisol interacted with 8-wk whole-food diet interventions to affect cardiometabolic outcomes. A randomized, double-blind, controlled 8-wk diet intervention was conducted in 44 participants. The trial was conducted at the Western Human Nutrition Research Center in Davis, California. Participants were overweight or obese women aged 20-64 y, minimally active, and insulin resistant and/or dyslipidemic. Diets were randomly assigned and based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) or a typical American diet (TAD). Cardiometabolic risk factors and salivary cortisol were assessed at baseline and at 8 wk. Primary outcome measures included 8-wk change in overnight fasted cardiometabolic risk factors, including blood pressure, BMI, and circulating triglycerides, cholesterol, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), nonesterified fatty acids, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. This trial was approved by the University of California, Davis, Institutional Review Board. Baseline waking cortisol concentrations interacted (P = 0.0474) with diet to affect 8-wk changes in fasting total cholesterol. Compared with a TAD, a DGA diet was associated with 8-wk decreases in total cholesterol in participants with low (10th percentile of all participants; 2.76 nmol/L) or average (7.76 nmol/L) but not higher (90th percentile of all participants; 13.44 nmol/L) baseline waking cortisol. Consistent with this finding, there was a DGA-specific positive association (P = 0.0047; b: 2.88 ± 0.94) between baseline waking cortisol and 8-wk increases in total cholesterol. The underlying status of waking cortisol may explain interindividual variability in total cholesterol responses to whole-food diets. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02298725) as NCT02298725.

A study to assess the impact of medical nutrition therapy compared to standard nutrition therapy in children with severe thinness in the age group of 5 to 10 years.

Aim:The aim of our study was to study and compare the impact and efficacy of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) with that of the standard nutrition therapy(SNT) in children diagnosed with Severe thiness in the age group of 5-10 years and diagnosed as severely thin.Study Design:It was a prospective comparative study, conducted over a period of 18 months at the Nutrition Rehabilitation, Research and Training Centre (NRRTC) associated with a tertiary care hospital in India.Methods and Materials:A total of 113 children in the age group of 5 to 10 years with severe thinness were enrolled and divided into 2 groups—58 were placed in the MNT group and 55 in the SNT group for a period of 8 weeks. The children in both groups received MNT and SNT diet over the said period of 8 weeks. Primary outcome variables were weight gain and body mass index (BMI) (i.e., change in nutritional status).Results:At the end of 8 weeks, the rate of weight gain (gm/kg/day) was significantly greater in the MNT group, that is, 2.35 gm/kg/day as compared with the SNT group, that is, 0.73 gm/kg/day, and the change in nutritional status was significantly better in the MNT group (p < 0.001) with 62.1% achieving normal nutritional status, 32.8% remaining thin, and 5.2% remaining severely thin as compared to the SNT group in which 9.1% achieved normal nutritional status, 65.5% remained thin, and 25.5% remained severely thin.Conclusion:To conclude, MNT is superior to SNT for the treatment of severe thinness (ST).

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Effects of plant spacing on seed yield and seed quality in new Urochloa cultivars

AbstractUrochloa (syn. Brachiaria) cultivars are widely used as forage for ruminants in tropical countries and also in Thailand. Two new Urochloa cultivars, OKI‐1 and Br‐203, have high forage yield and digestibility compared with other cultivated Urochloa grasses. Seed production is a fundamental requirement for widespread sowing, and it can be increased by optimizing agronomic practices, such as changing plant spacing. Two field trials were conducted in 2018–2020 at Lampang Animal Nutrition Research and Development Center, Northern Thailand, to determine the optimal plant spacing for seed production of these Urochloa cultivars. In both trials, four plant‐spacing regimes (50 × 100, 75 × 100, 100 × 100 and 125 × 100 cm) were used in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. In two consecutive harvests of both trials, plant spacing did not significantly affect seed yield and quality but affected tiller and inflorescence densities. Specifically, significant higher numbers of tillers and inflorescences were produced per unit area at the narrowest plant spacing (i.e., 50 × 100 cm). OKI‐1 and Br‐203 tended to have higher pure seed yields (PSY) at plant spacings of 100 × 100 (136.46 kg/ha) and 75 × 100 cm (79.59 kg/ha), respectively. Both cultivars showed similar trends in PSY, filled seed percentage and a thousand seed weight, which tended to be higher in the first‐year crops than the second‐year crops. This difference could be attributed to a reduction in available soil N resulting from a large amount of N utilization during vegetative growth, combined with inadequate and erratic rainfall. In addition to the recommended optimum plant spacing, sufficient fertilizer and suitable environmental factors could increase seed yield.

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Associations of Low-Inflammatory Dietary Patterns With Psychological Health and Wellbeing During Weight Loss in Military Family Dependents

ObjectivesEmerging evidence suggests that anti-inflammatory dietary patterns may improve depression, stress, and quality of life. Similar benefits are observed during weight loss interventions; however, the effect of combining these dietary patterns with weight loss is not clear. We evaluated the association between dietary inflammation and measures of psychological health in female military dependents with overweight and obesity during a behavioral weight loss intervention. MethodsParticipants (n = 120) received a 6-month intervention recommending dietary patterns with an anti-inflammatory profile. An energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (DII) score was calculated from 28 food components collected using 3 interviewer-administered multiple-pass 24-hour recalls at each study time point. A negative score indicates a lower-inflammatory dietary pattern, and a positive score indicates a pro-inflammatory pattern. Self-reported symptoms of depression, stress, general health, vitality, and psychological quality of life were measured by validated questionnaires. Multivariable linear mixed models were used to assess the association between 6-month changes in DII and each outcome and were adjusted for age, ethnicity, military rank of spouse, body weight, and physical activity. ResultsOn average, females were 42.2 ± 11.8 years old with a body mass index of 34.9 ± 6.4 kg/m2. The average DII score was 0.07 (range: –4.3, 3.0) at baseline. Six-month improvements in DII scores (i.e., for a 1-unit reduction) were associated with fewer self-reported symptoms of depression (β: –0.87; 95% confidence interval: –1.43, –0.31; P = 0.003) and stress (–0.85; –1.44, –0.26; P = 0.005), as well as higher general health (0.57; 0.23, 0.91; P = 0.001), vitality (0.45; 0.12, 0.77; P = 0.008), and psychological quality of life (0.33; 0.11, 0.55; P = 0.004). No significant associations between weight loss or physical activity and any outcome were observed in these models that included the DII. ConclusionsAnti-inflammatory dietary patterns are associated with beneficial effects on a range of psychological health and wellbeing measures independent of weight loss. Funding SourcesJean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging Doctoral Scholarship; Department of Defense (DoD) grant W81XWH-14–2-0005 (SBR). Author views do not reflect official DoD or Army policy.

Metabolic Adaptations to Weight Loss: Relative Changes in Resting Metabolic Rate and Energy Expenditure for Physical Activity and Association With Weight Loss Maintenance

Abstract Objectives There is persistent controversy over the extent to which different components of energy expenditure disproportionately decrease after weight loss and contribute to weight regain through decreased energy requirements. We conducted a secondary analysis of the CALERIE I study to test the hypothesis that decreased resting metabolic rate (RMR) and energy expenditure for physical activity (EEPA) after a 6-month calorie restriction intervention would predict weight regain at 12 months, with a greater decrease in RMR than EEPA. Methods Participants (n = 46) received all food and energy-containing beverages for 6 months. Outcome measures included total energy expenditure by doubly labeled water, RMR by indirect calorimetry, and body composition by BOD POD. Predictions for RMR and EEPA were derived from baseline linear regression models including age, sex, fat mass, and fat free mass. Baseline regression coefficients were used to calculate the predicted RMR and EEPA at 6 months. Residuals were calculated as the difference between measured and predicted values and were adjusted for body weight. The presence of metabolic adaptation was evaluated by a paired t-test comparing measured and predicted RMR at 6 months. Differences between 6-month RMR and EEPA residuals were evaluated by the same method. Linear regression was used to assess the association between 6-month residuals and weight loss maintenance (% weight change, 6 to 12 months). Results Mean weight loss was 6.9% at 6 months with 2.1% regain from 6 to 12 months. No adaptation in RMR was observed at 6 months (mean residual: 19 kcal; 95% confidence interval: −9, 48; P = 0.18). However, significant adaptation was observed in EEPA (mean residual: −199 kcal; −126, −272; P &amp;lt; 0.0001). In addition, the mean 6-month RMR residual was significantly greater than the mean 6-month EEPA residual (218 kcal; 133, 304; P &amp;lt; 0.0001). There was no significant association between 6-month RMR or EEPA residuals and weight regain at 12 months (P = 0.56, 0.34). Conclusions There was no measurable decrease in RMR with weight loss after adjusting for changes in fat free mass and fat mass, but there was a decrease in EEPA. Changes in RMR and EEPA with weight loss over 6 months did not predict weight regain at 12 months. Funding Sources Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging Doctoral Scholarship; USDA agreement #8050–51000-105–01S

ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE OF SEVERE ACUTE MALNOURISHED (SAM) CHILDREN IN MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRAAGED 2 – 4 YEARS

Background: Malnutrition is a serious health problem affecting children globally. Nutritional status of an individual is a factor determining his / her quality of life. Quality of Life (QOL) means a sense of well-being, satisfaction and happiness experienced by an individual. The aim of the study was to assess the Quality Of Life (QOL) of SAM children aged 2 – 4 years. Methodology: It was a cross sectional study for which children were selected from the Nutrition Rehabilitation, Research and Training Centre (NRRTC) located at Sion, Mumbai based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A structured interview was conducted to administer the case report form for data collection and consisted of anthropometry and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory tool. The ethical approval for the study was received from Inter System Biomedica Ethics Committee (ISBEC), Mumbai, India. Statistical Analysis: The data was analyzed using SPSS software version 25 for Windows. Results: The mean age of children was 38.56 ± 7.99 months. The mean total scale score for children with SAM aged 2 – 4 years was found to be 74.47 ± 22.57 and was significantly correlated with height, weight and MUAC. Amongst the subscales, social functioning had the highest scores and emotional functioning had the lowest scores. Conclusion: SAM children have low scores on the quality of life scale. The quality of life total scale scores have a statistically significant correlation with anthropometry.

Preanalytical Sample Handling Conditions and Their Effects on the Human Serum Metabolome in Epidemiologic Studies

Many epidemiologic studies use metabolomics for discovery-based research. The degree to which sample handling may influence findings, however, is poorly understood. In 2016, serum samples from 13 volunteers from the US Department of Agriculture's Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center were subjected to different clotting (30 minutes/120 minutes) and refrigeration (0 minutes/24 hours) conditions, as well as different numbers (0/1/4) and temperatures (ice/refrigerator/room temperature) of thaws. The median absolute percent difference (APD) between metabolite levels and correlations between levels across conditions were estimated for 628 metabolites. The potential for handling artifacts to induce false-positive associations was estimated using variable hypothetical scenarios in which 1%-100% of case samples had different handling than control samples. All handling conditions influenced metabolite levels. Across metabolites, the median APD when extending clotting time was 9.08%. When increasing the number of thaws from 0 to 4, the median APD was 10.05% for ice and 5.54% for room temperature. Metabolite levels were correlated highly across conditions (all r's ≥0.84), indicating that relative ranks were preserved. However, if handling varied even modestly by case status, our hypotheticals showed that results can be biased and can result in false-positive findings. Sample handling affects levels of metabolites, and special care should be taken to minimize effects. Shorter room-temperature thaws should be preferred over longer ice thaws, and handling should be meticulously matched by case status.