Poor Nutritional Quality Research Articles

Nutritional diversity and community perceptions of health and importance of foods in Kiribati: a case study

Over the twentieth century, small island states in the Pacific experienced a dietary shift from traditional foods characteristic of the region to imported foods of poor nutritional quality. In Kiribati, noncommunicable diseases including diabetes and hypertension are now the largest burden of disease in the country and the primary cause of premature mortality. Food and nutritional security in Kiribati are now a major public health challenge. Climate change is likely to negatively affect traditional food production systems. In this study, twelve gender-segregated focus groups in six communities were carried out across Kiribati. Food charts were obtained from each focus group, where all food items mentioned by communities were listed and scored for health and importance. These were analysed using Excel and Stata. Health scores were on average 42.4% lower for imported food compared to local food with strongly significant findings at a p value of <0.001. This significance however disappears entirely for importance scores, with a p value of 0.943, indicating that while local foods are perceived as healthier, they are not seen as more important. Nutritional diversity is greater in rural communities compared to urban communities in Kiribati. Taking local perceptions of food into account, this study informs policymakers on new strategies to improve food and nutritional security and help island communities become more climate resilient through a renewed focus on local agricultural production, which would also improve health outcomes. Food access and availability issues in Kiribati mean that public health policies should factor these in future policymaking.

Urban living influences the nutritional quality of a juvenile shark species

The field of marine urban ecology is a nascent, but growing area of research. An understanding of how urbanization may alter the diets and nutrition of marine species living in urbanized coastal habitats is limited. In the present study, we investigated the influence of urbanization on dietary patterns and nutritional quality of the nurse shark Ginglymostoma cirratum, a coastal epibenthic mesopredator. We tested the hypothesis that sharks sampled in urbanized areas (hereafter, ‘urban sharks’) would exhibit lower nutritional quality than individuals sampled in adjacent, but more pristine areas (hereafter ‘non-urban sharks’). To accomplish this, we compared plasma fatty acid profiles of juvenile nurse sharks in proximity to Miami, a large coastal city, within Biscayne Bay, Florida. Results revealed that urban sharks contained higher levels of plasma saturated and bacterial fatty acids compared to non-urban sharks. Urban sharks also exhibited lower proportions of essential fatty acids (i.e., highly unsaturated fatty acids, HUFAs), mainly due to low contributions of omega-6 HUFAs. These results suggest that urban sharks consumed lower-quality food resources than conspecifics in less impacted areas. The apparent poor nutritional quality of prey consumed by shark living in urban areas may have several long-term consequences on their health and growth.

Trends in food consumption by degree of processing and diet quality over 17 years: results from the Framingham Offspring Study.

Ultraprocessed foods provide the majority of energy content in the American diet, yet little is known regarding consumption trends over time. We determined trends in diet processing level and diet quality from 1991 to 2008 within the prospective Framingham Offspring Cohort. Dietary intakes were collected by FFQ quadrennially 1991-2008 (total of four examinations). The analytical sample included 2893 adults with valid dietary data for ≥3 examinations (baseline mean age = 54 years). Based on the NOVA framework, we classified foods as: unprocessed/minimally processed foods; processed culinary ingredients (salt/sugar/fats/oils); and processed foods and ultraprocessed foods. We evaluated diet quality using the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Adherence Index (DGAI) 2010. Trends in consumption of foods within each processing level (servings/d) and diet quality over the four examinations were evaluated using mixed effects models with subject-specific random intercepts. Analyses were stratified by sex, BMI (<25 kg/m2, 25-29·9 kg/m2, ≥30 kg/m2) and smoking status. Over 17 years of follow-up, ultraprocessed food consumption decreased from 7·5 to 6·0 servings/d and minimally processed food consumption decreased from 11·9 to 11·3 servings/d (Ptrend < 0·001). Changes in intakes of processed foods, culinary ingredients and culinary preparations were minimal. Trends were similar by sex, BMI and smoking status. DGAI-2010 score increased from 60·1 to 61·5, P < 0·001. The current study uniquely describes trends in diet processing level in an ageing US population, highlighting the longstanding presence of ultraprocessed foods in the American diet. Given the poor nutritional quality of ultraprocessed foods, public health efforts should be designed to limit their consumption.

Cartoon Characters in Children’s Series: Gender Disparities in Body Weight and Food Consumption

(1) Background: Media play a significant role in forming audience perceptions about physical external appearance and food consumption patterns. It has been reported that children’s cartoons project slimness, and concomitantly consumption of poor nutritional quality food. However, data on the role of gender in this respect are lacking; thus, this was the aim of the present study. (2) Methods: 100 episodes of the 10 most popular cartoon series were analyzed. Characters’ body weight status was classified into underweight, normal weight and overweight, and foods consumed as core (e.g., fruit, vegetables) and non-core (e.g., sweets, snacks). Messages about characters’ attractiveness were recorded and classified according to their body weight status and gender. (3) Results: Out of 37 protagonists, 12 were female figures (32%), while out of the 10 thin protagonists, 7 were females (70%) and only 3 males (30%). Thin heroines were the recipients of the majority of the messages connotative to physical attractiveness (36 out of 58 messages). However, consumption of core and non-core foods did not differ within genders (core: z = −1.526, p = 0.127, non-core: z = −0.417, p = 0.667). (4) Conclusions: Females seem to be underrepresented in cartoon series but receive the majority of the comments related to physical appearance, with most of them addressing the attractiveness of a thin figure.

Influence of extrusion conditions on the physical and nutritional properties of snacks from maize and pearl millet

The partial replacement of maize grits with pearl millet grains in snacks can increase their nutritional quality. This study aimed to design healthier and less expensive extruded snacks and study extrusion conditions (moisture and temperature) according to an experimental central rotational composite design. The improved snack, optimized as the desirability index of the highest expansion capacity, was extruded and flavored with cheese or ham. Acceptability was analyzed in terms of appearance, texture, flavor, and overall value attributes by typical consumers of snacks. Moisture, as opposed to temperature, was significant factor for the snack expansion. The improved snack was classified as a rich source of dietary fiber (5.9 g·100 g−1 of fresh food) and protein (10 g·100 g−1). The snacks were accepted with most scores above 6 (liked it a little). By replacing 50% of maize grits with pearl millet grain, more sensorial acceptable and healthier snacks can be obtained. Practical applications We observed that under minimal moisture and mild temperature conditions in the third zone of the extruder, snacks rich in fiber and protein, with the best expansion index and a specific volume similar to that of commercial snacks prepared with only maize grits (of poor nutritional quality) are produced. The optimized processing parameters established by mathematical modeling to reach a good expansion index could be applied to other pieces of extruder equipment for industrial purposes, as the results did not undergo any great variation at distinct moments of extrusion. We demonstrated the potential for commercialization of snacks made from maize grits and whole grain pearl millet as a product with added nutritional value. Our interest is to offer healthier options for convenience foods as high-fiber snack foods with low cost, high nutritional quality, and good acceptance by consumers, mainly children, who make snack products one of the most consumed convenience foods in the word.

Fermentation characteristics of tropical legumes and grasses of good and poor nutritional quality and the degradability of their neutral detergent fibre

Context Tropical legumes are commonly assumed to share all positive attributes known from temperate legumes such as lucerne. However, increasing evidence exists on the differences between those forages, particularly in terms of their ruminal degradability. Aims Exploring the 24-h rumen in vitro-fermentation characteristics of tropical legumes, their direct comparison with lucerne, and their interactions with grasses depending on their nutritional quality. Methods Arachis and stylosanthes (tropical legumes), pennisetum and andropogon (tropical grasses), and lucerne (lucerne_21 and lucerne_35, harvested 21 and 35 days after emergence respectively) were used for the study. On the basis of the nitrogen and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) concentration, arachis and pennisetum were classified as of good quality, while stylosanthes and andropogon as of poor quality. The following four incubation series were performed: first, forages alone were incubated under iso-nitrogenous conditions; second, forages were incubated under iso-nitrogenous conditions with supplemented starch; third, NDF extract of each forage was incubated alone; fourth, NDF extract of tropical grasses and legumes was incubated combined in grass : legume proportions of 33 : 67 and 67 : 33. Key results When incubated alone, gas production (GP) and total short chain fatty acids were higher for temperate legumes, intermediate for tropical legumes and lowest for tropical grasses. Similar trends were observed for GP when the forages were incubated with starch, but the differences between arachis and lucerne_35 disappeared; short chain fatty acids did not differ among all tropical forages. Moreover, acetate : propionate ratio was highest for tropical legumes, intermediate for temperate legumes, and lowest for tropical grasses. Gas production of NDF extracts was highest for the lucerne samples and lowest for the tropical legumes. Improvements in GP were found when the NDF from the poor-quality grass (andropogon) was combined with the legumes, particularly the good-quality legume (arachis). Conclusions On the basis of the gas production, tropical legumes appear to have lower degradability than do temperate ones, while also showing a different fermentation pattern. Fibre of tropical legumes is less degradable than that of tropical grasses, but when combining both fibre sources, there seems to be a synergistic effect on degradability. Implications The current results give important insights on the fermentation characteristics of tropical legumes, helping better understand their role in ruminants’ nutrition, while giving inputs towards improving their utilisation.

VITAMIN E INTAKE AND FOOD SOURCES IN ADOLESCENT DIET: A CROSS-SECTIONAL POPULATION-BASED STUDY.

ABSTRACTObjective: To assess vitamin E intake and its relationship with sociodemographic variables, and to identify the main dietary sources of the nutrient in the diet of adolescents.Methods: This is a population-based cross-sectional study that used data from 891 adolescents living in Campinas, SP, participating in ISACamp 2014/15 (Health Survey) and ISACamp-Nutri 2015/16 (Food Consumption and Nutritional Status Survey). The nutrient intake averages were estimated using the Generalized Linear Model, adjusted for the total energy of the diet. Dietary sources of vitamin E were identified from the calculation of the relative contribution.Results: The average vitamin E intake was 3.2 mg for adolescents aged 10 to 13 years and 3.5 mg for those aged 14 to 19 years, results far below the recommended values of 9 and 12 mg, respectively. The prevalence of inadequacy was 92.5%. ­Ten ­foods/­food groups represented 85.7% of vitamin E present in the adolescents’ diet; the vegetable oils group accounted for more than a quarter of the contribution (25.5%), followed by cookies (9.1%) and beans (8.9%).Conclusions: There were a low intake and a high prevalence of inadequate vitamin E intake among adolescents in Campinas, with vegetable oil as the main source. For the total number of adolescents, almost 33% of the nutrient content was derived from foods of poor nutritional quality such as cookies, packaged snacks, and margarine. The results of this study can guide public health actions that aim to improve the quality of adolescents’ diets.

Synergistic Regulation of Nitrogen and Sulfur on Redox Balance of Maize Leaves and Amino Acids Balance of Grains.

As a primary food crop, maize is widely grown around the world. However, the deficiency of essential amino acids, such as lysine, tryptophan, and methionine, results in poor nutritional quality of maize. In addition, the protein concentration of maize declines with the increase in yield, which further reduces the nutritional quality. Here, the photosynthesis of leaves, grain amino acid composition, and stoichiometry of N and S are explored. The results show that N and S maintained the redox balance by increasing the content of glutathione in maize leaves, thereby enhancing the photosynthetic rate and maize yield. Simultaneously, the synergy of N and S increased the grain protein concentration and promoted amino acid balance by increasing the cysteine concentration in maize grains. The maize yield, grain protein concentration, and concentration of essential amino acids, such as lysine, tryptophan, and methionine, could be simultaneously increased in the N:S ratio range of 11.0 to 12.0. Overall, the synergy of N and S simultaneously improved the maize yield and nutritional quality by regulating the redox balance of maize leaves and the amino acids balance of grains, which provides a new theoretical basis and practical method for sustainable production of maize.

Nutritional Status of Pediatric Cancer Patients at Diagnosis and Correlations with Treatment, Clinical Outcome and the Long-Term Growth and Health of Survivors.

Malnutrition is caused either by cancer itself or by its treatment, and affects the clinical outcome, the quality of life (QOL), and the overall survival (OS) of the patient. However, malnutrition in children with cancer should not be accepted or tolerated as an inevitable procedure at any stage of the disease. A review of the international literature from 2014 to 2019 was performed. Despite the difficulty of accurately assessing the prevalence of malnutrition, poor nutritional status has adverse effects from diagnosis to subsequent survival. Nutritional status (NS) at diagnosis relates to undernutrition, while correlations with clinical outcome are still unclear. Malnutrition adversely affects health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children with cancer and collective evidence constantly shows poor nutritional quality in childhood cancer survivors (CCSs). Nutritional assessment and early intervention in pediatric cancer patients could minimize the side effects of treatment, improve their survival, and reduce the risk of nutritional morbidity with a positive impact on QOL, in view of the potentially manageable nature of this risk factor.

Junk Food on Demand: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Nutritional Quality of Popular Online Food Delivery Outlets in Australia and New Zealand.

The demand for convenience and the increasing role of digital technology in everyday life has fueled the use of online food delivery services (OFD’s), of which young people are the largest users globally. OFD’s are disrupting traditional food environments, yet research evaluating the public health implications of such services is lacking. We evaluated the characteristics and nutritional quality of popular food outlets on a market-leading platform (UberEATS®) in a cross-sectional observational study conducted in two international cities: Sydney (Australia) and Auckland (New Zealand). A systematic search using publicly available population-level data was used to identify geographical areas with above-average concentrations (>30%) of young people (15–34-years). A standardized data extraction protocol was used to identify the ten most popular food outlets within each area. The nutritional quality of food outlets was assessed using the Food Environment Score (FES) (range: −10 ‘unhealthiest’ to 10 ‘healthiest’). Additionally, the most popular menu items from each food outlet were classified as discretionary or core foods/beverages according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines. The majority of popular food outlets were classified as ‘unhealthy’ (FES range −10 to −5; 73.5%, 789/1074) and were predominately takeaway franchise stores (59.6%, 470/789, e.g., McDonald’s®). 85.9% of all popular menu items were discretionary (n = 4958/5769). This study highlights the pervasion and accessibility of discretionary foods on OFD’s. This study demonstrated that the most popular food outlets on the market-leading online food delivery service are unhealthy and popular menu items are mostly discretionary foods; facilitating the purchase of foods of poor nutritional quality. Consideration of OFD’s in public health nutrition strategies and policies in critical.

Cancer cachexia: an overview of diagnostic criteria and therapeutic approaches for the accredited practicing dietitian.

Cancer cachexia (CC) is a multifactorial syndrome characterised by ongoing skeletal muscle loss that leads to progressive functional impairment driven by reduced food intake and abnormal metabolism. Despite the traditional use of non-volitional weight loss as the primary marker of CC, there is no consensus on how to diagnose and manage CC. The aim of this narrative review was to describe and discuss diagnostic criteria and therapeutic approaches for the accredited practicing dietitian with respect to identifying and managing CC. Available diagnostic criteria for cachexia include the cancer-specific (Fearon and Cachexia Score) and general criteria (Evans and Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition). These include phenotypic criteria [weight loss, body mass index, (objective) muscle mass assessments, quality of life] and aetiological criteria (disease burden, inflammation, energy expenditure, anorexia and inadequate food intake) and can be incorporated into the nutrition care process (NCP). This informs the nutrition diagnosis of 'chronic disease- or condition-related malnutrition (undernutrition) as related to increased nutrient needs, anorexia or diminished intake due to CC'. Optimal nutrition care and management of CC is multidisciplinary, corrects for increased energy expenditure (via immunonutrition/eicosapentaenoic acid), suboptimal protein/energy intake and poor nutrition quality of life, and includes a physical exercise intervention. Monitoring of intervention efficacy should focus on maintaining or slowing the loss of muscle mass, with weight change as an alternative gross indicator. Dietitians and the NCP can play an essential role with respect to identifying and managing CC, focusing on aspects of nutrition screening, assessment and intervention.

Secondary school canteens in Australia: analysis of canteen menus from a repeated cross-sectional national survey.

The current study aimed to assess the nutritional quality of Australian secondary school canteen menus. Stratified national samples of schools provided canteen menus in 2012-2013 and 2018, which were systematically assessed against a 'traffic light' classification system according to the National Healthy School Canteen Guidelines. Items were classified as green (healthiest and recommended to dominate canteen menus), amber (select carefully) or red (low nutritional quality, should not appear on canteen menus), and pricing and promotional strategies were recorded. Australia. Canteen menus from 244 secondary schools (2012-2013 n 148, 2018 n 96). A total of 21 501 menu items were classified. Forty-nine percent of canteen menus contained at least 50 % green items; however, nearly all (98·5 %) offered at least one red item and therefore did not comply with national recommendations. Snacks and drinks had the least healthy profile of all product sectors, and a large proportion of schools supplied products typically of poor nutritional quality (meat pies and savoury pastries 91·8 %, sugary drinks 89·5 %, sweet baked goods 71·5 %, ice creams 64·1 % and potato chips 44·0 %). Red items were significantly cheaper than green items on average, and many schools promoted the purchase of red items on canteen menus (52·8 %). There were few differences between survey waves. There is considerable room for improvement in the nutritional quality of canteen menus in Australian secondary schools, including in the availability, pricing and promotion of healthier options. Additional resources and services to support implementation of national guidelines would be beneficial.

Comparative study on the nutrition composition of adult male Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) with different coloured hepatopancreases

High lethality of white hepatopancreas syndrome has caused large economic loss of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). Hepatopancreas colour of diseased crabs is gradually lighter, turning from golden yellow to yellow-white to white. This study investigated composition of conventional nutrients in three edible parts of different coloured hepatopancreases of adult males, including normal yellow hepatopancreas group (Control), yellow-white hepatopancreas group (YWH) and white hepatopancreas group (WH). No significant differences were observed in tissue indices and total edible yield among three crab types; however, condition factor level in crabs of YWH and WH was significantly lower. Dry matter content was significantly reduced in crabs of WH, especially crude fat level of hepatopancreas in WH males. Levels of all the amino acids of WH crabs in muscles and gonads were significantly lower than that of control. Proportion of saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids were much lower in hepatopancreas of WH crabs than those of control, while proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids and highly unsaturated fatty acids were significantly higher. Overall, YWH and WH do not affect growth. WH crabs showed poor nutritional quality, and nutritional value of YWH was in the middle as transition state between control and WH.

Celiac Disease and Non-celiac Wheat Sensitivity: State of Art of Non-dietary Therapies.

Gluten related disorders (GRD), which include celiac disease, non-celiac wheat sensitivity and wheat allergy are heterogeneous conditions triggered by ingestion of gluten-containing grains. Together, their prevalence is estimated to be ~5% in the general population, however, in the last years the number of diagnoses has been rapidly increasing. To this day, the gold standard treatment for these disorders is the complete removal of gluten-containing grains from the diet. Although this therapy results effective in the majority of patients, up to 30% of individuals affected by GRD continue to present persistent symptoms. In addition, gluten-free diet has been shown to have poor nutritional quality and to cause a socio-economic burden in patients' quality of life. In order to respond to these issues, the scientific community has been focusing on finding additional and adjuvant non-dietary therapies. In this review, we focus on two main gluten related disorders, celiac disease and non-celiac wheat sensitivity. We delineate the actual knowledge about potential treatments and their relative efficacy in pre-clinical and clinical trials.

Adesão a um protocolo de intervenção nutricional para crianças e adolescentes com transtorno do espectro autista

Objetivo: avaliar a adesão às orientações nutricionais de um protocolo de intervenção nutricional individualizado a crianças e adolescentes com transtorno do espectro autista. Métodos: estudo longitudinal realizado em um ambulatório de nutrição infantil com pacientes do espectro autista, de 3 a 18 anos incompletos, de ambos os sexos. Foi realizado um questionário para obter dados sociodemográficos da família e do paciente, aferidos o peso e altura e realizadas orientações nutricionais baseadas em recordatório de 24h. Em consulta subsequente foi aplicado um checklist para avaliar a adesão as orientações referentes a redução do consumo de alimentos marcadores de má qualidade nutricional (bebidas açucaradas; frituras, salgadinhos de pacote, macarrão instantâneo, açúcares e guloseimas, carnes processadas e biscoitos doce). A comparação entre as frequências das orientações realizadas e as alcançadas foi analisada por meio do teste de Fisher. Adotou-se um erro alfa aceitável de 5%. Resultados: as orientações mais frequentes foram para redução de bebidas adoçadas, frituras e carnes processadas, representando 63%, 28% e 22% respectivamente. A frequência de adesão às orientações variou de 50% a 80%, correspondendo a 63%, 80% e 88% para bebidas adoçadas frituras e carnes processadas. Conclusão: a taxa de adesão às orientações propostas no protocolo foi satisfatória, mostrando que uma orientação nutricional direcionada ao ajuste do consumo de alimentos de baixa qualidade nutricional poderá ser efetiva e contribuir na prevenção de agravos à saúde em indivíduos do espectro autista.

Children-menus in restaurants of Portuguese, Hungarian and Croatian shopping centres: A qualitative study

Abstract Background Families to eat out frequently use shopping centres and, there is evidence that children's menus are poor nutritional quality. Obesity rates have increased all over the world, and it has been associated to the observed out of home food consumption. This study aimed to characterise children's menus in shopping center restaurants in Portugal, Hungary and Croatia, as a preliminary study to further develop strategies to intervene. Methods An observational cross-sectional study was carried out in shopping centres in Portugal, Hungary and Croatia. Only the ones providing a children's menu were selected. Data collection tool was developed by the research team, consisting of a three-section form to identify and characterise the restaurant and analyses the quality of children's menu. Results Researcher visited 295 restaurants, from which only 69 provided a children's menu. From these 12 restaurants offered gifts associated with it. The most frequently featured items on the menu were hamburgers (22%), grilled or fried chicken (19%), nuggets (17%) and pizza (12%). Potato chips were the most frequent side dish option (33%). Only 11 restaurants offered vegetable soup or vegetables. Although water was available, a variety of soft drinks and sugary fruit juices were also options. Sweet dessert is a common part of the menu. Nutritional information is present in only 13% of the menus. Menu prices do not differ much, Portugal having the higher average (x ̅ = €5.35±1.45). Hungary had the lower average (x ̅ = €4.30±1.50) and Croatia the lowest range (min=€3.00, max=€7.40). Conclusions Children's menu options have poor quality. Shifting foods offered to children in restaurants has the potential to improve diet quality, reduce excess energy intake and promote healthy eating habits. Key messages European strategies are needed to promote children healthy food environment. Following aim is to develop and test balanced menus for children among food chains.

Perspective: Childhood Obesity Requires New Strategies for Prevention

The prevalence of obesity among youth in the USA is currently >18% with projections that more than half of today's children will be obese as adults. The growth trajectory of children more likely to become obese is determined by weight in earliest childhood, and childhood body mass index (BMI) tracks through adolescence and adulthood. Childhood consequences of obesity include increased risk of asthma, type 2 diabetes mellitus, orthopedic disorders, and reduced academic performance. Health implications of obesity in adulthood include premature coronary artery disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and certain cancers, contributing to the leading causes of adult mortality. Early childhood obesity is influenced by prenatal exposure to maternal obesity and environmental obesogens, and is associated with poverty, food insecurity, and poor nutritional quality. New strategies for primordial prevention of early childhood obesity require focusing attention on growth parameters during the first 2 y of life, with support for increasing the duration of breastfeeding, and improvements in dietary quality and availability, particularly the reduced consumption of added sugars. Reducing the prevalence of obesity among adolescent females and reducing exposure to environmental obesogens may reduce the prevalence of transgenerational obesity. The reduction of early childhood obesity could improve population health, quality of life, and longevity throughout the life course.

Gluten-free flour confectionery for school meals

The priority task in the development of gluten-free flour confectionery products is to ensure the health of children with metabolic disorders that lead to the development of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and other pathological conditions, which in turn contribute to reducing the child's immunity. Children are the most vulnerable group, for whom nutrition is a factor in the development of all organs and life support systems. Students receive increased mental and physical loads, therefore, the lack of necessary food components negatively affects the development of children. Parents are undoubtedly aware of the role of proper nutrition, especially for children with various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, but it is extremely important that educational institutions at all levels complement and in some cases completely make up for poor-quality nutrition of the child in the family. All educational institutions have children with metabolic disorders, and these institutions are already working in accordance with the sanitary norms and regulations of the Russian Federation, but the task of the University is to inform such institutions about the need to provide specialized products, including gluten-free ones.

Understanding food westernisation and other contemporary drivers of adult, adolescent and child nutrition quality in urban Vietnam.

To examine the association between consumption of western foods purchased and consumed away from home and measures of nutrition quality: average daily caloric intake and macronutrient (carbohydrates, fat and protein) shares, for urban consumers in Vietnam, a country undergoing economic transition. Cross-sectional observational data were collected using household surveys and 24-h food diaries. Outcome variables were individual average daily caloric intake and shares of calories from macronutrients: carbohydrates, fat and protein. The key explanatory variable was individual daily share of calories from western food purchased and consumed away from home. Ordinary least squares and multivariate regression analyses were used to examine the association between the outcome variables: caloric intake and macronutrient shares and the share of calories from western food consumed away from home. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. In total, 1685 households and 4997 individuals, including adults (aged $$ \ge $$ 18 years), adolescents (aged 10-17 years) and children (aged 0-9 years). The share of calories from western food away from home was significantly associated with higher caloric intake among male and female adults (P < 0·01), adolescents (P < 0·01) and male children (P < 0·10) and was associated with higher shares of fat for male and female adults (P < 0·01), adolescents (P < 0·01) and male children (P < 0·01). Policymakers must be conscious of the numerous factors associated with poor nutrition quality, especially in younger Vietnamese individuals. Relevant interventions targeting at risk groups are required if nutrition improvement is a long-term goal.

The bHLH protein OsIRO3 is critical for plant survival and iron (Fe) homeostasis in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under Fe-deficient conditions

ABSTRACT Iron (Fe) is an essential element for most organisms since it is involved in various biological reactions. Fe deficiency is a major constraint for plant growth and leads to low crop yields and poor nutritional quality. Fe uptake and translocation in plants require the coordinated expression of multiple genes, which is regulated by various transcription factors (TFs), especially members of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family. OsIRO3 was first reported as a repressor related to Fe homeostasis gene regulation in roots based on evidence in overexpressing rice. However, its functions in regulating rice growth and Fe homeostasis between roots and shoots during Fe deficiency is poorly understood. Here, we developed osiro3 knockout mutants by the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The leaves of osiro3 knockout mutants showed abnormal growth and development after Fe-deficiency treatment. Strong lesions occurred on the young leaves of osiro3 knockout mutants, which even led to plant death during severe Fe deficiency. Furthermore, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), Fe and manganese concentrations were all elevated in the shoots of osiro3 knockout mutants under the Fe deficiency stress. Quantitative RT-PCR showed that OsNAC4 for ROS induced plant hypersensitive cell death and OsFerritins for Fe storage and overload were all significantly activated in osiro3 knockout shoots after Fe deficiency treatment. In osiro3 knockout mutants, Fe-deficiency response genes were induced in roots, but suppressed in shoots, and furthermore Fe sufficiency/overload genes were induced in shoots under Fe-deficient conditions according to DNA microarray. Yeast two-hybrid analysis revealed a positive interaction between OsIRO3 and the homologous protein OsbHLH062, which was also transcriptionally increased in Fe-deficient roots. OsIRO3 is essential for maintaining plant survival in rice under Fe-deficient conditions and plays an important role in signal transmission from shoots to roots which is critical for plants to prevent Fe overload.