Nutritional Data Research Articles

The Relationship Between Nutritional Status and the Incidence of Dysmenorrhea in Adolescent Girls: A Frequency Analysis Based on Nutritional Status Categories

Background: Dysmenorrhea is a common complaint that occurs during menstruation. The main research problem is that dysmenorrhea is often experienced by young women with high cases. The results of preliminary studies show that adolescents with poor nutritional status or malnutrition have a 50% risk of experiencing dysmenorrhea. This study aims to analyze the relationship between nutritional status and the incidence of dysmenorrhea in adolescent girls. Methods: This type of research is observational analytic with a cross-sectional design. The population is all students in class VII MTs. Negeri 2 Magetan, totaling 225 students. The sample size was 144 students, calculated using the Slovin formula. The sampling technique is simple random sampling using a lottery. The independent variable in this study is nutritional status, and the dependent variable is dysmenorrhea. Instruments for measuring height use a height-measuring device, and instruments for measuring body weight use a weight scale. The instrument for measuring dysmenorrhea uses a questionnaire. Nutritional status data was collected by measuring body weight and height, while dysmenorrhea data was collected by filling out questionnaires. Analyze the data descriptively, and test the hypothesis using the Chi-Square statistical test. Results: The results of the study obtained a picture of 144 female students studied, half of whom had abnormal nutritional status (54.9%), and dysmenorrhea (54.2%). The prevalence ratio of exposure to abnormal nutritional status to the incidence of dysmenorrhea is 0.91. Then at 95% significance, there is a relationship between nutritional status and dysmenorrhea. Conclusion: This study concludes that there is a relationship between nutritional status and the incidence of dysmenorrhea in young women at MTs. Negeri 2 Magetan and the prevalence ratio of dysmenorrhea from exposure to abnormal nutritional status was 50.7%. Comprehensive nutritional education and early health intervention are recommended to prevent and reduce the risk of dysmenorrhea.

Klarifikasi Status Penderita Gizi Sunting Pada Balita Menggunakan Metode Random Forest

Stunting in children, as in this case, is characterized by lower-than-average body growth. This is caused by a mismatch between long-term nutrient intake and the body's needs. Possible impacts include delayed cognitive development, impairments in learning ability, as well as an increased risk of metabolic syndrome. To overcome these problems, a structured and data-based system is needed with one of the agreements used, namely the Random Forest Method on the system using stunting nutrition data for toddlers as the basis for the classification process. In developing the system that was built to help track the health of young children, especially stunting by using several indicators to support innovation, provide a classification model for toddlers suffering from stunting nutrition, and measure and evaluate the performance results of the Random Forest Method against the data variables used. From this study, it can be shown that the results of this study are that this system has successfully made a classification model and is very effective in measuring and evaluating the performance results of the Random Forest Method in the Status Classification of Stunting Nutritional Patients in Toddlers by using a dataset of 300 data so that it produces an average accuracy of 81%, an average result of 76%, an average recall result of 69%, and the average F1 score result is 72%.

Clinical and Nutritional Aspects and Outcomes of Covid-19 in Cancer and Non-Cancer Pediatric Patients

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been the subject of study by several researchers worldwide since 2020; however, there are points to be clarified. This study aimed to analyze the clinical and nutritional aspects of hospitalized cancer and non-cancer pediatric patients and the association with COVID-19 outcomes. This is a cohort study of hospitalized children and adolescents with a laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19. Patients were assessed according to the presence or absence of previous oncological diseases. Sociodemographic, clinical and nutritional data were investigated during the course of the infection. Outcomes included Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission, longer length of stay (14 days), criticality, and death. Oncological disease was found in 16 (19.3%) patients, most of whom had B-type acute lymphoid leukemia. In Poisson regression, adjusted for age and comorbidity, an association was found between oncological disease and length of stay ≥14 days (RR 4.30; 95% CI 1.46 − 15.6; p = 0.013), COVID-19 criticality (RR 3.82; 95% CI 1.66 − 30.9; p = 0.010) and death (RR 3.42; 95% CI 0.94 − 9.96; p = 0.035). The research revealed that cancer patients had longer hospital stays, were more likely to have the severe form of COVID-19, and had a 3.42 times greater risk of dying.

Evaluation of Maternal Ischemia-Modified Albumin Levels during Pregnancy and Their Effect on Fetal Birth Weight.

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of maternal ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels on pregnancy-related complications, fetal growth, and development over time. Materials and Methods: The prospective longitudinal and single-center study included 43 pregnant women ages 18 to 43. Routine pregnancy follow-up began at the first antenatal examination for all pregnant women before 14 weeks gestation, with IMA levels measured during the first, second, and third trimesters. The albumin cobalt binding test was used to determine the amount of ischemia-modified albumin (IMA). The patients' medical, sociodemographic, and nutritional data were analyzed. The primary outcome was to investigate how changes in maternal ischemia affected albumin levels during pregnancy and the relationship between these changes and newborn weight. Results: This study included 43 cases with a mean age of 28.5 ± 5.2 years and a mean gestation period of 39.2 ± 1.3 weeks. The mean IMA levels for cases in the first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester were 0.53 ± 0.06, 0.64 ± 0.11, and 0.64 ± 0.06, respectively. The second and third trimesters showed significantly higher levels of ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) than the first trimester (p < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in IMA levels between the second and third trimesters (p = 1.000; p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between fetal birth and percentage changes in IMA measurements between the first and second trimesters, the first and third trimesters, or the second and third trimesters (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Our study determined that maternal ischemia-modified albumin levels during pregnancy did not correlate with fetal birth weight. Our findings revealed that age, sociodemographic changes, BMI, weight gain, and pregnancy complications had no effect on the change in IMA levels during pregnancy. We believe that this result will serve as a benchmark for future studies on IMA levels during pregnancy.

PSXI-5 Transforming retailer’s food waste into silage for sustainable animal nutrition

Abstract Food waste (FW) represents a major environmental and socio-economic problem. In Canada, about 11.2 million metric tons of avoidable food waste is produced yearly. An alternative to reduce this impact would be preserving a greater proportion of this, for livestock feed. Therefore, the objective of this study was to use discarded fruits, vegetables, and bakery products from retailers (FW), ensile them, and assess their nutritional value and contribution to a sustainable livestock feed supply. For this, two treatments for reducing the moisture content of FW were evaluated: Sun-dried (SD), and Passive-dried (PD), were compared with Control (C), using laboratory mini-silos over 60 d of ensiling. Although dry matter (DM) increased by 1-5% for PD and SD, respectively, up to 41.9% of bread products were required to produce a targeted silage DM of 38%. Silage aerobic stability was assessed during 20 d exposure to air. Chemical analyses (pH, volatile fatty acids, lactic acid, ammonia) were assessed in pre-fermentation (d 0), and post-fermentation (d 60). Nutritional quality was evaluated according to AOAC standard methods. Statistical analyses employed mixed models for nutritional and fermentation data, with drying treatments (C, PD, SD) as fixed effects. All mature silages were greater in crude protein (15.2 to 15.7%), crude fat (6.0 to 6.3%), sodium (0.48 to 0.52 %), sugars (WSC; 0.95 to 1.53 %), and less in neutral detergent fiber (6.2 to 7.6%) as compared with traditional silages used as livestock feed. Fermentation parameters showed that lactic acid content was greater than acetic acid, and pH decreased from a maximum of 5.26 at d 0 to a minimum of 3.85 at d 60. Mycophenolic acid was the only mycotoxin above the limit of detection in d 0 silage, with all mycotoxins below reference concentrations at d 60. Plate counts of molds and yeasts declined (P &amp;lt; 0.001) by 5 to 7 log colony-forming units (CFU) over 60 d of fermentation and were not detected in mature silage. Silage showed aerobic stability after 20 d of aerobic exposure (pH 3.86 ± 0.027). In conclusion, ensiling FW could be a viable way of converting low-value waste products into good-quality feed. However, approaches other than SD and PD are required for increasing silage DM as insufficient bread products may be available for this purpose in all batches of FW. Further study of palatability along with digestibility testing will be needed for a scaling-up process.

Cohort profile: The Camden Study - a pregnancy cohort study of pregnancy complications and birth outcomes in Camden, New Jersey, USA.

Pregnancy is a unique stage of the life course characterized by trade-offs between the nutritional, immune, and metabolic needs of the mother and fetus. The Camden Study was originally initiated to examine nutritional status, growth, and birth outcomes in adolescent pregnancies and expanded to study dietary and molecular predictors of pregnancy complications and birth outcomes in young women. From 1985-2006, 4765 pregnant participants aged 12 years and older were recruited from Camden, NJ, one of the poorest cities in the U.S. The cohort reflects a population under-represented in perinatal cohort studies (45% Hispanic, 38% non-Hispanic Black, 17% White participants; 98% using Medicaid in pregnancy). Study visits, including questionnaires, dietary assessments, and biospecimen collection, occurred in early and late pregnancy as well as at delivery. Medical records were abstracted, and a subset of mothers and infants participated in a six-week postpartum visit. Over the last five decades, the Camden Study has provided data toward the publication of numerous peer-reviewed papers. Results show that adolescent linear growth in pregnancy is associated with smaller birth size, possibly due to impaired hemodynamics. In the context of preterm birth and other perinatal outcomes, analyses of nutritional data have demonstrated the importance of micronutrients (e.g., folate, iron, zinc), as well as glucose/insulin dynamics and prenatal supplement use. More recent analyses have begun to unpack the biochemical pathways in pregnancy that may be shaped by race as an indicator for systemic racism. The Camden Study data and biorepositories are well-positioned to support future research aimed at better understanding perinatal health in under-represented women and infants. Linkages to subsequent health and administrative records and the potential for recontacting participants over 18-39 years after initial participation may provide key insights into the trajectories of maternal and child health across the life course.

Increased enteral lipid supplementation is not associated with weight gain in extremely preterm infants with sufficient energy intakes.

Practices for fortifying human milk vary among neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). It is unclear whether enteral energy intake above 140 kcal/kg/day with increased fat supplementation leads to greater weight gain in breastmilk-fed extremely preterm (EPT) infants. Anthropometric and nutritional data were collected from clinical records for Swedish EPT infants born between gestational weeks 26 + 0 and 27 + 6. Included infants were treated at NICU A (n = 17) or NICU B (n = 39). The primary outcome was change in standard deviation (SD) scores (ΔSDS) for weight between postmenstrual weeks 29 + 0 and 34 + 0. At birth, the mean gestational age was 26.9 (±0.45 SD) weeks and the mean birthweight was 969 (±107 SD) g. Between postmenstrual weeks 29 + 0 and 33 + 6, the energy intake was significantly higher at NICU B: mean (SD) 149 (±14.9) versus 132 (±11.2) kcal/kg/day, p ≤ 0.001. This was driven by a higher fat intake at NICU B: mean (SD) 7.97 (±1.05) versus 6.20 (±0.92) g/kg/day, p ≤ 0.001, which in turn was explained by more liberal use of lipid supplements at NICU B. No significant differences were found in ΔSDS for weight, length or head circumference between the two NICUs. Despite considerable differences in energy intake due to the use of enteral lipid supplements, our study showed no differences in ΔSDS for weight, length or head circumference. This may be due to limited fat absorption in infants already receiving adequate energy and fat, and poor absorption of fat from human donor milk.

Dietary exposure assessment for volatile N-nitrosamines from food and beverages for the U.S. population

Detailed analysis of dietary nitrosamine exposure for the U.S. population has been limited, yet it is critical for evaluating the amount of nitrosamines in the American diet. The dietary exposures to N-nitrosamines from consumption of food and beverages were estimated for the U.S. population aged 2 years and older and children aged 2 to 5 years using 2-day food consumption data from the publicly available, combined 2015–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and data on residual volatile N-nitrosamine levels in food available from our recent comprehensive literature review. The estimated eaters-only mean dietary exposure to N-nitrosamines ranged from 0.1 µg/person/day for U.S. children aged 2–5 years to 0.2 µg/person/day for the U.S. population aged 2 years and older. For the U.S. population aged 2 years and older, over 40% of the daily dietary exposure to N-nitrosamines resulted from the consumption of processed cured meats.

Higher maternal bread and thiamine intakes are associated with increased infant allergic disease.

A mother's diet during pregnancy may influence her infant's immune development. However, as potential interactions between components of our dietary intakes can make any nutritional analysis complex, here we took a multi-component dietary analysis approach. Nutritional intake data was collected from 639 pregnant women using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire to reflect their dietary intakes during 32-36 weeks of gestation. To investigate their dietary intake pattern, we calculated Dietary Inflammatory Index scores. Maternal consumption of 12 food groups, 20 individual whole foods, and 18 specific nutrient intakes, along with any vitamin and mineral supplementation, were determined. Infant outcomes included eczema, allergen sensitization, and IgE-mediated food allergy. Regression-based analyses with covariates adjustment were applied. Women with higher white bread consumption were more likely to have an infant with doctor-diagnosed eczema (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 1.16; 95% CI 1.08, 1.24; p < .001) and IgE-mediated food allergy (aRR 1.14; 95% CI 1.02, 1.28; p = .02). Higher maternal intakes of fiber-rich bread (aRR 1.14; 95% CI 1.04, 1.25; p = .01) and legumes (aRR 1.11; 95% CI 1.02, 1.21; p = .02) were also associated with infant doctor-diagnosed eczema. Higher maternal thiamine intakes were associated with increased parent-reported infant eczema (aRR 1.08; 95% CI 1.03, 1.12; p < .001). In Australia, where bread flour is fortified with thiamine, we identified consistent links between higher maternal thiamine-rich diets and increased risk of infant eczema and food allergy. Our results highlight a need for further investigation of potential effects of high thiamine exposures on immune development, especially in-utero.

Gendered farmer perceptions towards soil nutrition and willingness to pay for a cafetière-style filter system for in-situ soil testing: Evidence from Central Kenya

Soil nutrition is a key pillar in agricultural productivity. However, point-of-need testing for soil nutrition is not readily available in resource-limited settings such as Kenya. We set out to study the perceived need for soil testing among farmers in this country. A group of 547 farmers from Murang'a and Kiambu counties in central Kenya were recruited through multi-stage sampling to help assess the perceptions and willingness to pay (WTP) toward a prototype technology for surveillance of in-situ soil nutrition. The technology is based on a cafetière-style filter system for extraction and a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) for nutrient readout. We employed the double bounded choice contingent valuation method (CVM) to analyze the willingness of farmers to accept and pay for the prototype if the technology was available on the market. It was found that currently, only 1.5 % of farmers carry out soil testing. The high costs of analysis at testing centers, which are often far from the farmers, are among the main reasons contributing to the majority of farmers not testing their soils. The farmers surveyed were generally willing to make their soil data publicly accessible, especially to extension officers. CVM showed that uncontrolled WTP had a 94.24 % premium above KSh1,000 ($6.60) incurred by using the existing rapid testing method. Factoring the control variables and disaggregating the model into gender categories, the findings showed that youth, women, and men had WTP values of KSh1,612.53 ($10.75), KSh1,558.68 ($10.39), and KSh1,504.83 ($10.03), respectively, indicating that farmers can indeed pay for the convenience to test their soils in situ. Through the democratization of soil nutrition data, extension agents can enhance the improvement of agricultural productivity, which implies that farmers can commercialize their agricultural activities.

Analysis data spatial for nutrition programs: a review using geographic information system

Nutritional problems are public health problems that are still found in developing countries, one of the prevention efforts requires nutritional data information. Geographic information systems (GIS) is an information system application that can analyze spatial data, such as population distribution, regional boundaries, and access to health centers. This study aims to examine the use of spatial data analysis with GIS in monitoring nutrition programs. The methods used in data retrieval use scientific database searches such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar as well as VOSviewer application with Keywords such as "spatial data analysis", "Geographic Information System", "Nutrition program", and design and implementation. The results of this study state that the GiS has a broad impact on the dissemination of nutritional status information, especially in areas with nutritional vulnerability, GIS spatial analysis can help understand the factors that contribute to malnutrition, as well as environmental factors that influence the success of nutrition programs. The results of the study concluded that priority areas of nutrition program intervention on the use of Geographic Information Systems can be used to make decisions and analyze spatial data to reduce the burden of disease in these areas. Furthermore, this review further enhances the understanding of the use of GiS for nutrition program interventions in improving the success of nutrition programs.

Focused Perioperative Nutritional Supplementation Reduces Wound Complications in Patients Undergoing Spinal Fusion Surgery.

Retrospective cohort study. To evaluate intensive postoperative nutritional supplementation on wound healing complications and outcomes after spinal fusion surgery. Poor nutritional status leads to inferior postoperative outcomes by increasing mortality and predisposing patients to infection and wound healing complications. While perioperative nutritional supplementation has shown promise in mitigating these risks, there is a paucity of literature regarding specific nutritional routines in spinal fusion surgery. A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent spinal fusion surgery between 2019 and 2022. Demographic and nutritional data, including preoperative prealbumin levels (PAB) and postoperative supplemental diet, were examined. Primary endpoints included wound complications, with secondary outcomes assessing Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Health (PH) scores. Statistical analyses included unpaired t-tests and Chi-squared/Fischer's exact tests with significance set at P<0.05. Patients receiving the supplemental diet (n=229) demonstrated fewer wound complications (7% vs. 21%, P=0.004) and reoperations (3% vs. 11%, P=0.016) compared to those without supplementation (n=56). No significant differences were observed in preoperative or postoperative PROMIS PH or ODI scores. Patients with normal preoperative PAB had more wound complications without the supplemental diet (5% vs. 18%, P=0.025). A similar trend was seen in the patients with low preoperative PAB (12% vs. 26%, P=0.12). Postoperative nutritional supplementation significantly reduces wound complications after spinal fusion surgery in a cost-effective manner. This study underscores the modifiability of certain perioperative risk factors and suggests that nutritional strategies can mitigate potential complications.

Pengaruh Status Gizi terhadap Tingkat Kelelahan Pekerja PT. Maruki Internasional Indonesia

Fatigue is a common complaint in the wider community and the working population. Work-related fatigue is a situation where workers experience a decrease in work productivity. This study aims to determine the effect of nutritional status on work fatigue. This type of research is observational analysis with a cross-sectional study design, which is carried out on employees of the production department of PT. Maruki International Indonesia. The research population amounted to 197 people, and 130 people were selected as a sample through the proportional sampling method. Nutritional status data collection is carried out by measuring Body Mass Index (BMI). Work fatigue data was obtained through interviews using a Subjective self-rating test questionnaire from the Industrial Fatigue Research Committee (IFRC). Data analysis was carried out using a linear regression test with SPSS. Based on the results of the study, a p-value of 0.043 (p&lt;0.05) was obtained, so nutritional status had a significant influence on fatigue in employees of the production department of PT. Maruki International Indonesia. So it can be concluded that work fatigue can be influenced by the nutritional status of workers in the Production section of PT. Maruki International Indonesia.

Effects of healthy eating patterns based nutrition education and providing structured suplementary feeding on improving the nutritional status of stunted children

Nutrition education can improve mothers' knowledge in fulfilling nutritional needs among children under five years through provision of supplementary feeding. Local ingredients based supplementary feeding which had high nutritional value can contribute to improving the nutritional status of children. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of healthy eating patterns nutritional education and provision of supplementary feeding on improving the nutritional status of stunted children under five years. This study used a quasi-experimental design with a pre-posttest with control group design carried out in Sidawangi Village in August-October 2023. The subjects were children under five years and their mothers (10 intervention group: 10 control group). The interventions were nutritional education and supplementary feeding for a month. Nutritional knowledge data was obtained from interviews using a questionnaire, and nutritional status data (Height-for-Age) was obtained based on z-score calculations. Data was analyzed using Wilxocon, Mann-Whitney, and independent t-test. The average difference in HAZ index in the intervention group (z-score: 0.81 SD) compared to the control group (z-score: -0.50 SD). There was a significant difference between the average difference in the HAZ index in the intervention group and the control group (p=0.001). Nutrition education improved nutritional knowledge of mothers in understanding nutrition education and supplementary feeding (p=0.042). In conclusion, nutritional education intervention can improve the nutritional knowledge of mothers and supplementary feeding can improve the nutritional status of children.

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Japan: Prevalence Trends and Clinical Background in the 10 Years before the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.

Background and Objectives: The trends in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and related metabolic dysfunctions in Japan are unknown. Thus, we aimed to clarify these trends before the novel coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Japan. Materials and Methods: We included Japanese individuals aged 25-79 years who underwent health examinations at our center. We analyzed anthropometry, lifestyle-related disease, and nutritional intake in relation to MASLD trends from 2010-2019. Results: The prevalence of MASLD increased in all ages and body mass index (BMI) classes, reaching 30.3% in males and 16.1% in females, with MASLD accounting for 75% of steatotic liver cases and more than half of all type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and high waist circumference (HWC) cases. The increase in the prevalence of MASLD was thought to be largely attributable to an increase in that of the incidence of steatotic liver itself, and there was no increase in the prevalence of other factors, such as overweight, T2DM, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. The prevalence of glucose metabolic disorders (GMDs) and hypertension decreased. National nutritional data showed an increase in energy intake, total fat, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which correlated with a decrease in GMDs. Salt intake also decreased, which correlated with hypertension. The MASLD group had a higher prevalence of all related metabolic factors than the non-MASLD group, especially HWC, T2DM, and hyperlipidemia. Conclusions: The prevalence of MASLD increased with that of steatotic liver, regardless of age or BMI. A relationship between increased dietary fat, increased steatotic liver, and decreased GMDs was suggested.

Comparison of Volatile Organic Compounds, Quality, and Nutritional Parameters from Local Italian and International Apple Cultivars

Apple cultivars ‘Annurca’ and ‘Limoncella’ are grown locally in the Campania region of Italy and are valued for their distinctive flavour and characteristics, including a high content of nutritionally important bioactive compounds. However, apples are typically stored chilled for several months before consumption, so it is important to assess if the valuable characteristics are still present after postharvest storage. Here, we compare the quality, nutritional parameters, and aroma of these two cultivars with two widely grown international cultivars, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Fuji’, after 60 days of storage. The aroma profiles of all four apples were analysed using thermal desorption and gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry. We show that the local cultivars are distinct from the international cultivars in their bioactive compound content and their antioxidant activity. ‘Limoncella’ shows high sugar content, which may be acting as a cryoprotectant during storage, and high total phenolics in the flesh, which is of nutritional interest. We identified 104 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and showed that the overall aroma profile is distinct for each cultivar, containing 11 published odorant compounds. The ‘Annurca’ profile is uniquely low in esters. Seven VOCs retain good discrimination across the four cultivars and, together with the quality and nutritional data, separate the two local cultivars from the international cultivars by hierarchical clustering. Overall, the data emphasize the unique characteristics of the two local cultivars and their value.

Knowledge, Prevalence, and Consequences of Dietary Supplements Intake among Iranian Bodybuilders

BackgroundThis study investigated the nutritional knowledge and prevalence of dietary supplements (DSs) among Iranian bodybuilders. MethodsThis cross-sectional research study involved sampling 648 bodybuilding clubs in Iran. A researcher distributed questionnaires among clubs in various regions and analyzed categorical variables, DS, nutritional knowledge, and sports nutrition data from 160 bodybuilders aged 18 and above in Iran. The analysis was conducted using the results obtained from a quantitative questionnaire. ResultsThere was a significant relationship between DS use and gender (P = 0.001, r = 0.330, males > females), bodybuilding history (P = 0.045; r = 0.158), and exercise sessions/wk (P = 0.050, r = 0.156). Whey protein (45.6%) and branched-chain amino acid (33.7%), vitamin D (50%), caffeine (34.3%), and generally vitamin C (56.2%) were the most common DS used. The most information sources for bodybuilders regarding DS were fitness coaches (35.6%) and registered dietitians/nutritionists (34.3%). Drug stores (36.7%) and fitness coaches (19.3%) were the most prominent sources for purchasing DS. Increasing performance (54.3%), increasing the need for DS through exercise (53.6%), preventing injury, and improving recovery (36.2%) were the most important reasons to consume DS. Skin problems (21.0%), increased liver enzymes (10.8%), and hair loss (9.4%) were the most common side effects of DS use. Total nutritional knowledge (macronutrients, micronutrients, and sports nutrition) was 58.6%. ConclusionsThis study concluded that fitness coaches and registered dietitians/nutritionists were the most common information sources for bodybuilders. It also revealed a moderate level of nutrition knowledge among bodybuilders. The most commonly used DS were vitamins C, D, and whey protein. Also, gender, bodybuilding history, and exercise sessions had a significant relationship with the prevalence of DS. However, the study also revealed some concerning findings; bodybuilders commonly experienced adverse side effects such as skin rashes, increased liver enzymes, and hair loss.

Establishment of DRIS standards and sufficiency range for ‘nanica’ banana trees in Vale do Ribeira

For a banana tree to reach its productive potential, plants must be nutritionally balanced. Therefore, it is important to use methods that diagnose the nutritional status of plants through chemical leaf analysis, considering the relationships between nutrients and taking advantage of productivity and nutritional monitoring data from orchards. This study aimed to establish norms and ranges of nutrient sufficiency for ‘Nanica’ banana trees in Vale do Ribeira, São Paulo state, using the Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) method. Productivity data and chemical analysis of the leaf tissue of 291 commercial plots of Nanica banana trees, collected between 2015 and 2020 in Vale do Ribeira, were used. The DRIS method was used to establish norms and sufficiency ranges for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn. Fruit yield did not correlate with the average nutritional balance index (NBIa), indicating that its variation was affected by non-nutritional factors. The contents of K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn showed high correlations with their respective nutritional indices. The sufficiency ranges and adequate nutrient contents differed from the values established for bananas in the literature.

Trends in Plant-Based Diets and the Associated Health Characteristics among Canadians.

In Canada, unhealthy dietary patterns comprise diets with poor nutrient density and are associated with chronic conditions. Plant-based diets have gained popularity due to their ability to provide a nutritionally adequate healthy diet. This study aims to compare sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics, and diet quality between Canadian adults following plant-based and omnivore diets as well as assess the extent to which key nutrient intakes are of public health concern among Canadians following plant-based diets. The study used nationally representative nutritional data from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey and descriptive statistics were computed. The analysis determined that Canadians following strict plant-based diets (1% of total population) were significantly more likely to be an immigrant to Canada, less likely to meet national physical activity guidelines, and less likely to be overweight, compared to Canadians following omnivore diets. Compared to omnivore diets, plant-based diets were nutritionally superior according to the Nutrient-Rich Food index. Continued knowledge translation on what comprises healthy plant-based diets, public guidance on the intersection between diet and health, and the completion of prospective cohort studies are needed. To conclude, the research suggests well-planned plant-based diets, in comparison to omnivore diets, offer a nutrient-dense diet.

Methodology and challenges for harmonization of nutritional data from seven historical studies

BackgroundCollection of detailed dietary data is labor intensive and expensive, harmonization of existing data sets has been proposed as an effective tool for research questions in which individual studies are underpowered.MethodsIn this paper, we describe the methodology used to retrospectively harmonize nutritional data from multiple sources, based on the individual participant data of all available studies, which collected nutritional data in Israel between 1963 and 2014. This collaboration was established in order to study the association of red and processed meat with colorectal cancer. Two types of nutritional questionnaires, the Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ) and the 24-h dietary recall (24HR recall), and different food composition tables, were used by the participating studies. The main exposure of interest included type of meat (total meat, red meat, and poultry) and level of processing.ResultsA total of 29,560 Israeli men and women were enrolled. In studies using FFQ,the weighted mean intakes of total, red, processed meat, and poultry were 95, 27, 37 and 58 gr/day and 92, 25, 10, and 66 gr/day in studies using 24HR recall, respectively.. Despite several methodological challenges, we successfully harmonized nutritional data from the different studies.ConclusionsThis paper emphasizes the significance and feasibility of harmonization of previously collected nutritional data, offering an opportunity to examine associations between a range of dietary exposures and the outcome of interest, while minimizing costs and time in epidemiological studies.