Nutritional Recommendations Research Articles

Adequacy of oral intakes after cardiac surgery within an ERAS pathway: A prospective observational study.

The 2019 Enhanced Recovery After Cardiac Surgery (ERACS) guidelines presented perioperative recommendations to optimize treatment for patients undergoing cardiac surgery (CS). However, the guidelines have not established postoperative nutrition recommendations. Limited studies have analyzed oral intakes after CS, but to our knowledge, none have done so in an ERACS pathway. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the adequacy of postoperative oral intakes, including adherence to oral nutrition supplements (ONSs). This was an observational prospective study. Postoperative oral intakes were analyzed from postoperative day (POD) 1 to 4, using direct observation of meal plates provided by the hospital. ONSs consumption was evaluated from POD2 to POD4. Adherence to other ERACS recommendations, including nutrition optimization before surgery, was recorded. Forty-three patients were included in this study. Nutrition optimization before CS was offered to three (7%) patients. Forty-one (95%) patients resumed oral intakes on POD1. Mean oral calorie and protein intakes from POD2 to POD4 were 1088 ± 437 kcal and 0.8 ± 0.3 g/kg, respectively; however, 17 (41%) patients had calorie and protein intakes ≥70% of their estimated requirements. On POD2, ONSs consumption contributed 35% ± 19% and 38% ± 20% of calorie and protein intake, respectively. There was a significant decrease in ONSs consumption starting on POD3. Within an ERACS pathway and with the contribution of ONSs, 41% of patients achieved sufficient oral intakes within the first 4 days after CS. The optimization of ONSs adherence on postoperative oral intakes should be further studied.

SOUTH AFRICAN SOCCER PLAYERS’ DIETARY INTAKE: A NEED FOR INTERVENTION?

Introduction: Soccer is a popular sport in the Xikundu area. However, soccer players’ dietary intake remains unknown. Objective: To determine soccer athletes’ energy and macronutrient intakes in the Xikundu area in Limpopo province, South Africa. Methodology: Ninety-seven (97) competitive soccer athletes were randomly sampled from five soccer teams in the Xikundu area, Limpopo province. The dietary intake of athletes was collected using multiple 24-hour-recall questionnaires on different days. The body Mass of the athletes was measured to calculate nutrient requirements. SAMRC Food Finder was used to analyze meal intakes, and mean nutrient intake from the three recalls was considered. The dietary and demographic data were exported onto the SPSS (v.28), and descriptive statistics were applied. Results were compared to the sports nutrition guidelines. Pearson test was used to correlate data, and a probability value (p) of ≤ .05 was a significant criterion to correlate variables. Results: All athletes were young males aged 21.6±4.2 years. The majority (84.5%) had grade 12 certificates and a few (4.1%) - degrees. More than half (60%) participated in soccer for >4 years. Athletes (74%) trained once per day in a week. Athletes consumed energy (23.0±6.6 kcal/kg/day), carbohydrates (3.0±0.9 g/kg/day), and protein (1.0±0.3 g/kg/day) suboptimal, while fat consumption was optimal (0.7±0.5 g/kg/day). No significant correlation (p>.05) was found between dietary intake with demography and anthropometry. Conclusion: The soccer athlete’s energy and macronutrient intakes were mostly suboptimal to the sports nutrition recommendations.

Diet quality, psychological factors and their associations with risk factors of cardiovascular disease: a cross-sectional pilot study

BackgroundSeveral modifiable risk factors, including dietary habits, are linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) progression. However, lifestyle changes remain notoriously challenging, perhaps due to psychosocial factors. This pilot study aims to...

Anishininew Infant Feeding Experiences in Sandy Lake, Canada: A Story of Waabeequanee.

Global public health recommendations for optimal infant nutrition include exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life. Breastfeeding has several benefits; however, breastfeeding initiation rates and duration remain below recommendations in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Sandy Lake First Nation is particularly interested in understanding infant feeding experiences of community members to support increased breastfeeding initiation and duration. Therefore, this project aims to understand Indigenous caregiver infant feeding experiences using qualitative and Indigenous methodologies. As part of the Sandy Lake Health and Diabetes Project (SLHDP), a community-based participatory project focused on the prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 Anishininew caregivers living in Sandy Lake, Ontario. These interviews were tape recorded and transcribed verbatim. The Anishininew medicine wheel and situational analysis were used to inform our methods throughout this work. We recruited 32 co-creators, ages 18 to 57, who contributed knowledge through 26 individual and group interviews which occurred between August and October 2019. Two overarching themes, community context and caregiver identities, were identified that encompass 6 and 8 specific themes, respectively, representing infant feeding experiences in Sandy Lake. Community members provided a variety of recommendations to help support infant nutrition in Sandy Lake, including a focus on structural needs like higher income and water security. This work highlights the need for birthing supports within remote Indigenous communities, and the inclusion of local and Indigenous knowledge in programming.

Cognitive outcomes of the at-home brain balance program

Accessibility to developmental interventions for children and adolescents could be increased through virtual, at-home delivery of training programs. Virtual childhood training programs and their effects on cognitive outcomes have not been well studied. To that end, this study examined the effects of the at-home Brain Balance® (BB) program on the cognitive task performance of children and adolescents with baseline developmental and attentional difficulties. The study included students with reported diagnosis of ADHD, autism, anxiety, sensory processing disorder, or dyslexia, and students with no reported diagnosis (aged 4–17 years). The at-home BB program is delivered through (1) a computer-based format utilizing multimodal program activities previously studied in-center (multisensory stimulation, gross motor, coordination, balance, and nutritional recommendations); and (2) the BB app (visual motor, auditory and visual processing, and rhythm and timing training) — creating a comprehensive program experience delivered remotely. Cognitive performance was measured by six cognitive tasks from Creyos Health before and after 3 months of participation in the at-home BB program (N = 316) or in-center BB program (N = 4,232), compared to controls. Results showed that overall cognitive assessment scores (including attention, response inhibition, and working memory) improved after participation in either the at-home or the in-center program, compared to controls. Importantly, significant improvements over the controls were observed for two tasks involving attention and inhibitory control, in both programs. Further, two analyses support that the effects on cognitive performance from either delivery format, in-center or at home, are comparable in magnitude. This research: (1) presents new findings demonstrating improved cognitive performance after completing the at-home BB program; (2) replicates previous findings of cognitive improvements after completing the BB program; and (3) suggests that the cognitive effects of virtual at-home BB training are similar to those observed for in-center BB training. Overall, the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the at-home BB program in improving cognitive functioning in pediatric populations with preexisting developmental and attentional difficulties. Virtual delivery and ease of use, provide at-home programs the potential to reduce barriers of access to much-needed developmental and cognitive support, for individuals who may otherwise lack access to high-quality, evidence-based developmental programs.

Development of the 10-question household foodwork interactional assessment questionnaire (FIA-Q10)

BackgroundPublic health nutrition recommendations and clinical dietary interventions emphasize eating healthy food at home, implicitly requiring household foodwork. Household foodwork is defined as the physical and mental tasks a household does for eating meals and snacks. Because no tools exist to measure it, how much time people spend doing household foodwork and the foodwork barriers they experience remain unknown. The objective of the present research was to develop the first stand-alone household foodwork assessment tool.MethodsThrough informal interviews with partners with lived experience, clinicians, and researchers, a literature review, a stakeholder meeting of advisors, and a two-round electronic Delphi process including face/content validation by expert panelists (n = 21), we developed the 10-question household foodwork interactional assessment questionnaire (FIA-Q10). An optional accompanying module was developed to collect self-identified demographic data to provide context for understanding how social-structural positionality factors may interact to influence foodwork.ResultsThe FIA-Q10 assesses the domains of household composition, frequency of eating at home, special diets within a household, foodwork stress intensity, foodwork barriers, desired supports related to foodwork, and time use for foodwork. The FIA-Q10 measures time use for four subdomains of foodwork among individuals and their households: (1) planning, (2) getting, (3) preparing/cooking, and (4) cleaning up food. In the second Delphi round, the FIA-Q10 scored 95% for language appropriateness, 67% for visual appropriateness, 95% for relevance, 95% for representativeness, and 95% for distribution. Suggested improvements were implemented. All Delphi panelists (100%) reported they would consider using the FIA-Q10.ConclusionsThe FIA-Q10’s development is the first step towards a standardized assessment of foodwork, enabling examination of challenges in foodwork that may impact nutrition and nutrition equity. Future research will focus on FIA-Q10 validation in multiple populations.

Dietary Habits of Individuals With Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis-Poor Fat-Soluble Vitamin Intake and Dietary Quality.

Individuals with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) have expressed a need for more dietary information. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dietary intake of individuals with PSC and compare it with Nordic nutrition recommendations 2023 (NNR2023). A cross-sectional assessment of dietary intake was performed using a food-frequency questionnaire among 120 individuals with PSC from five regions across Sweden. Macro- and micronutrient intake was compared to NNR2023. Dietary quality was evaluated using an index developed by the National Food Agency in Sweden. The median age was 47 years (IQR 18), and median body mass index (BMI) was 25.2 kg/m2 (IQR 5.9). Eight percent had a BMI < 20, and 13% had a BMI > 30. The average fibre intake was 18 g (IQR 18). Median energy distribution included 36% from fat (15% saturated, 4.6% polyunsaturated), 17% from protein and 43% from carbohydrates, highlighting an imbalanced diet with low carbohydrate, fibre and polyunsaturated fat intake and high saturated fat consumption. More than half reported suboptimal intake of zinc, selenium and vitamins C, D and K and > 30% suboptimal intake of vitamins A, B6, E, niacin, folate, potassium, magnesium and iron. Forty percent had poor dietary quality. Longer PSC duration and previous colectomy were associated with a lower dietary quality. Many individuals with PSC do not reach the recommended levels of various micronutrients, especially fat-soluble vitamins and report a poor dietary quality. The results highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to nutritional management in this population. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04133792.

Dietary intake and quality in irritable bowel syndrome: a comparative study with controls and the association with symptom severity.

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often attribute the onset or worsening of gastrointestinal symptoms to intake of food. Hence, in order to alleviate symptoms, patients with IBS may avoid triggering foods, potentially impacting their dietary intake and diet quality. This study aimed to compare the habitual diet intake and quality of IBS patients with controls, and to explore the association between dietary habits and symptoms in IBS patients. IBS patients were included from four clinical studies reporting habitual dietary intakes at baseline. Age- and sex-matched controls representing the general population were derived from the Swedish population-based Riksmaten study. Dietary intakes were assessed using 4-day food diaries. Diet quality was measured using a diet quality index (DQI-SNR), and diet diversity was scored based on the variety of food groups consumed. The study included 646 patients with IBS and 646 controls (38±14 years, 77% female). Both groups adhered to Nordic nutrition recommendations for macronutrients, except patients consumed fewer carbohydrates. Patients reported eating less carbohydrates, coffee, and dairy products, and more fats, lactose-free dairy products, and nuts and seeds compared to controls. Fewer patients had a good diet quality according to the DQI-SNR. In patients, symptom severity and gastrointestinal-specific anxiety were associated with reduced energy and carbohydrate intake, lower diet diversity, and worse diet quality. Poor diet quality was associated with younger age, more severe IBS symptoms, anxiety, and depression. Patients with IBS exhibit different dietary patterns compared to controls, with poorer dietary habits linked to more severe symptoms. Understanding food-symptom associations may enhance the optimization and personalization of dietary management for IBS patients.

Eurasian clinical practice guidelines for dietary management of cardiovascular diseases (2024)

Eurasian clinical practice guidelines for dietary management of cardiovascular diseases include actual healthy diet recommendations and modern dietary approaches for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Nutritional assessment and interventions based on pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases are presented.Modern nutritional and dietary recommendations for patients with arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, heart rhythm disorders, dyslipidemia and gout are summarized in present recommendations. Particular attention is paid to the dietary management of cardiovascular patients with obesity and/or diabetes mellitus. This guide would be interesting and intended to a wide range of readers, primarily cardiologists, dietitians and nutritionists, general practitioners, endocrinologists, and medical students.

Personalized nutrition after discharge for pancreatic surgery: A study protocol.

Background: Pancreatic cancer has an increasing incidence and prevalence trend. Its prognosis is negatively affected by poor/altered nutritional status. Therefore, nutritional interventions play a critical/pivotal role at any stage. Despite being included in the prehabilitation items of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols for pancreatic surgery, nutritional recommendations concerning early post-discharge period are lacking. Aim: To assess the acceptability and feasibility of a personalized and standardized food plan for patients following pancreatic surgery. A secondary aim is to determine if adherence to a personalized food plan is linked to improved postoperative outcomes. Methods: A prospective monocentric cohort study will be performed, including 180 patients undergoing pancreatic surgery. Body composition, nutritional, muscular, and hydro-electrolyte status will be assessed with bio-impedance analysis (BIA). Patients will receive a personalized nutritional plan after discharge for the following 45 days. Summary: Detailed nutritional indications have been formulated with broad consensus for the pre-operative (prehabilitation) and postoperative period. No previous study has specifically formulated or validated a nutritional intervention focused on the early post-discharge period. The results of this study might contribute to paving the way for future research and to broaden nutritional recommendations within the ERAS protocol.

Diet quality in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia: time for improving nutritional recommendations.

Treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) is a severe psychiatric disorder that is associated with a high level of psychotic symptoms and cognitive deficit as well as poor functioning, and an increased risk of mortality for cardiometabolic diseases. Some studies suggest that lifestyle, particularly diet, could represent a risk factor for obesity and its metabolic complications in these patients. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate diet quality and eating habits in individuals with TRS. Seventeen participants (13M/4F aged 37.8±13 years) were recruited to assess dietary composition and food groups consumption by a 7days food record to assess. In addition, demographic and clinical data were collected. Most of the participants were overweight/obese (82%) and only 35% performed physical activity. As compared to nutritional recommendations, participants presented an insufficient intake of fiber (15.9±3.2 g/day), vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin A, D, and E), minerals (calcium, magnesium, selenium, and iron), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (2.11±0.8%), likely triggered by the low consumption plant-based foods (legumes, fruit, vegetables, and nuts) and fish. Participants exceeded the intake of saturated fatty acids (11.6±3.4%) and cholesterol (242±124 mg/day), and simple sugars (15.2±3.9%) which were mainly related to greater consumption of red meat and processed meat, and sweet foods, respectively. Individuals with TRS presented low diet quality and did not comply with the nutritional recommendations. These results support the importance of including nutritional assessment in the management of individuals with TRS.

Understanding Patients' Preferences for a Digital Intervention to Prevent Posttreatment Deterioration for Bulimia-Spectrum Eating Disorders: User-Centered Design Study.

Deterioration rates after enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-E) for patients with bulimia-spectrum eating disorders (BN-EDs) remain high, and decreased posttreatment skill use might be a particularly relevant contributor. Digital interventions could be an ideal option to improve skill use after treatment ends but they have yet to be investigated for BN-EDs. This study used a user-centered design approach to explore patients' interest in a digital intervention to prevent deterioration after CBT-E and their desired features. A total of 12 participants who previously received CBT-E for BN-EDs and experienced at least a partial response to treatment completed a qualitative interview asking about their interests and needs for an app designed to prevent deterioration after treatment ended. Participants were also presented with features commonly used in digital interventions for EDs and were asked to provide feedback. All 12 participants expressed interest in using an app to prevent deterioration after treatment ended. In total, 11 participants thought the proposed feature of setting a goal focusing on skill use weekly would help improve self-accountability for skill use, and 6 participants supported the idea of setting goals related to specific triggers because they would know what skills to use in high-risk situations. A total of 10 participants supported the self-monitoring ED behaviors feature because it could increase their awareness levels. Participants also reported wanting to track mood (n=6) and food intake (n=5) besides the proposed tracking feature. A total of 10 participants reported wanting knowledge-based content in the app, including instructions on skill practice (n=6), general mental health strategies outside of EDs (n=4), guided mindfulness exercises (n=3), and nutrition recommendations (n=3). Eight participants reported a desire for the app to send targeted push notifications, including reminders of skill use (n=7) and inspirational quotes for encouragement (n=3). Finally, 8 participants reported wanting a human connection in the app, 6 participants wishing to interact with other users to support and learn from each other, and 4 participants wanting to connect with professionals as needed. Overall, participants thought that having an app targeting skill use could provide continued support and improve self-accountability, thus lowering the risk of decreased skill use after treatment ended. Insights from participants highlighted the perceived importance of continued support for continued skill use after treatment ended. This study also provided valuable design implications regarding potential features focusing on facilitating posttreatment skill use to include in digital deterioration prevention programs. Future research should examine the optimal approaches to deliver the core features identified in this study that could lead to higher continued skill use and a lower risk of deterioration in the long term.

Affordability of healthy and water-saving dietary patterns in The Gambia

Abstract Background: Dietary modification has the potential to improve nutritional status and reduce environmental impacts of the food system. However, for many countries, the optimal composition of locally contextualised healthy and sustainable diets is unknown. The Gambia is vulnerable to climate-change-induced future water scarcity which may affect crop yields and the ability to supply healthy diets. This study identifies potential shifts in Gambian diets that could make diets healthier and reduce the associated agricultural water footprint, and assesses the cost and affordability implications of such dietary changes. &amp;#xD;Methods: Gambian Integrated Household Survey (IHS) food consumption data was combined with market prices, food expenditure and agricultural water footprint data. Current dietary patterns were compared with WHO dietary guidelines and optimised using linear programming to identify least-cost diets that met nutrition recommendations and reduced agricultural water use. Optimisation scenarios explored the maximum reduction in green water use that could be achieved with “culturally-acceptable” dietary shifts, and the magnitude of shifts required to maintain green water use at current levels. &amp;#xD;Results: On average, current diets provide adequate energy and have appropriate macronutrient composition. However, only 14% of households consume enough fruit and vegetables, and consumption of added sugars exceeds recommendations. With ‘culturally-acceptable’ changes in consumption, agricultural water use could decrease by 10–13% or increase by 9%, depending on baseline dietary pattern. Extreme dietary shifts will be required to maintain water use at 2015 levels with projected population growth. To meet WHO recommendations dietary costs would increase by 43% compared to the current baseline. Healthy and green water-saving diets would require 48–63% of average household expenditure to purchase, which is unaffordable for almost half of the population. Fruit and vegetables alone account for 31–40% of the cost of optimised diets compared to 12% of current diets.&amp;#xD;Conclusion: Dietary modification has the potential to improve the nutritional quality of Gambian diets while reducing agricultural water use, but the required changes are likely to be unaffordable for a large proportion of the population. Improving availability and affordability of nutritious foods—particularly fruit and vegetables—will be crucial for accessibility of healthy and sustainable diets in the Gambian population.&amp;#xD;

Caregivers' Perceptions and Willingness to Utilize Telerehabilitation for Outpatient Consultation and Therapy for Pediatric Patients in a COVID-Referral Center in a Developing Country: A Cross-sectional Study.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation and quarantine measures set to control the spread of the infection paved for the increased utilization of virtual methods of consultation and follow-up. Telerehabilitation allows access to rehabilitation services despite distance and makes possible the continuation of rehabilitation services despite the lack of face-to-face interaction. This is difficult for pediatric patients who are dependent on their caregivers for understanding and making decisions regarding their health. Loss of continuity of rehabilitation services led to poorer outcomes in children with disabilities. Although advantageous for them, pediatric patients may not benefit from telerehabilitation if caregivers have negative perceptions of the process and are unwilling to utilize the service. This study determined caregivers' perceptions and willingness to participate in telerehabilitation as a method of outpatient follow-up for pediatric patients admitted to a COVID-referral center in a developing country. The study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design. Respondents were adults (≥19 years old) caring for pediatric patients admitted at non-COVID wards of the Philippine General Hospital and who were referred for rehabilitation services. A survey tool adapted from a previous study on willingness to utilize telemedicine among caregivers of pediatric patients was translated into the Filipino language and used in the study. A dataset from Excel was imported in STATA 16 (StataCorp, Texas, USA) and was exhaustively checked for completeness, accuracy, and consistency before analysis. The association between patient characteristics and willingness to utilize telerehabilitation for any app was determined using Pearson's chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. The latter was used when more than 20% of the cells had an expected value of less than or equal to five. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant for all tests. Of 123 respondents, 92 (75%) reported willingness to utilize telerehabilitation for outpatient consultation and therapy using video calls or a customized telerehabilitation app when available. Among 31 (25%) respondents who were not willing or unsure of participation, the main reasons identified were preference for face-to-face, lack of financial resources/load, poor connectivity, and doubt about the effectiveness of telerehabilitation.Patients with younger age (Fisher's exact test, P=0.023), low usage of video call service (Fisher's exact test, P=0.020), and lack of available devices (Fisher's exact test, P=0.015) significantly reduced willingness to utilize telerehabilitation. Caregiver age, sex, educational attainment, estimated monthly income, number of devices used, speed of internet connectivity, and technological behaviors did not show statistical significance in association with willingness to participate in telerehabilitation.Most caregivers recognized the usefulness of a service allowing transmission of health data to and from the hospital, consultation with a doctor in case of an emergency, sending of reminders for medical visits and therapy, and provision of a list of home exercises and nutritional recommendations. Telerehabilitation was perceived advantageous, but concerns regarding privacy, trust, lack of human contact, and technological difficulty were also present. With high levels of willingness among caregivers, telerehabilitation is a viable method of providing rehabilitation services for the continuation of management after inpatient admission among pediatric patients. Limitations in its utilization include technological issues including the lack of devices, low level of service use, and slow internet connectivity. Although well perceived as advantageous, there are concerns regarding loss of human contact, difficulty in using technological devices, and trust and privacy issues that may affect utilization.

Assessing Energy Availability and Glucose Dynamics in Adolescent Cyclists: Implications for Nutritional Interventions During the Competitive Season.

The risk of developing a state of low energy availability (LEA) (<30 kcals/kg free-fat mass) in endurance athletes is known and recommendations for nutrition are available. However, information on male adolescent cyclists and the influence of hot temperatures is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact on energy availability of two 4-day nutritional intervention strategies: (1) supplementary carbohydrate (CHO) intake during exercise and (2) designing and implementing individual nutritional interventions. Each intervention was preceded by a 4-day basal assessment. Eight competitive male junior road cyclists (aged 16-17 years) were investigated using a 4-day diet and activity records, alongside bioelectric impedance analysis. Their real-time power output, interstitial glucose, and temperature were recorded via sensors and a bike computer. Their energy intake (EI) was estimated from daily, self-reported food diaries. Overall, 100% and 71% of the cyclists were in a state of LEA during the baseline assessment of the supplementary CHO and nutritional interventions, respectively. LEA prevalence, not modified by supplementary CHO intake alone (from 100% to 87%, ns), was markedly reduced by the individual nutritional intervention (from 71% to 14%, p < 0.05). When considering all the data as a whole, LEA was positively influenced by the training load (OR 1.06; 95% Cl 1.03 to 1.09) and free-fat mass (OR 1.46; 1.04 to 2.04) and was negatively affected by EI (OR 0.994; 0.991 to 0.997). A hot environment (air temperature) failed to influence the LEA or glucose dynamics. the nutritional intervention, but not the supplementary CHO intake, markedly reduced the prevalence of LEA in adolescents, who often fail to match their energy expenditure with their energy intake during the competitive season. Nutritional education is essential for adolescent endurance cycling teams.

CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM IN BLOOD DONORS

Objective: This study investigates the effects of blood donation on carbohydrate metabolism and examines dietary strategies to support donor health. Blood donation is vital for healthcare but can temporarily disrupt glucose levels, potentially causing symptoms like fatigue and dizziness, particularly in donors susceptible to blood sugar fluctuations. Method: The research integrates a review of WHO guidelines, an analysis of recent studies on carbohydrate metabolism in blood donors, and the development of specific nutritional recommendations to support recovery. The WHO guidelines offer foundational insights into safe donation practices, while scientific research provides data on glucose regulation and recovery needs. Results: Findings reveal that complex carbohydrates before donation stabilize glucose levels, while fast-absorbing carbohydrates after donation rapidly restore energy, reducing symptoms associated with blood sugar dips. Regular donation may also benefit individuals with high carbohydrate intake by regulating glucose levels and reducing disease risks. Novelty: This study uniquely combines WHO recommendations with recent scientific insights to provide a practical, evidence-based dietary framework specifically tailored for blood donors, addressing both donor safety and physiological recovery. This approach emphasizes the importance of carbohydrate type and timing, offering a nuanced perspective for dietary management in donation contexts, and underscores the need for future research on personalized nutrition strategies for optimal donor health.

Evaluating Reliability, Quality and Readability of ChatGPT's Nutritional Recommendations for Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Evaluating Reliability, Quality and Readability of ChatGPT's Nutritional Recommendations for Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The Relationship Between Dance Training Volume, Body Composition, and Habitual Diet in Female Collegiate Dancers: The Intercollegiate Artistic Athlete Research Assessment (TIAARA) Study.

This study's purpose was to evaluate the relationship between dance training volume, body composition, and habitual diet in female collegiate dancers. Thirty-three female collegiate dancers from three dance programs (20.4 ± 1.05 yrs.; 165.4 ± 11.3 cm, BMI 21.3 ± 3.4 kg/m2) participated in "The Intercollegiate Artistic Athlete Research Assessment (TIAARA)" study. We assessed dance training volume, body composition, and habitual diet. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (means ± SD). Two-sample t-tests were conducted to compare reported intake values versus sports nutrition recommendations. Two-tailed Pearson correlations (r) were computed for body composition and dietary intake (p < 0.05). Collegiate dancers were enrolled in 16 ± 2.09 semester credits, with 7.7 ± 3.8 credits as dance movement courses and an additional 3.0 ± 1.5 h/week of rehearsal time. Body composition assessments included fat mass (24.4 ± 6.8%), lean mass (LM) (42.4 ± 10.1 kg), and total body water (32.6 ± 4.6 L). Habitual diets reflected a low-calorie diet (1399 ± 648 kcal/d), with ~20% of dancers consuming a very low-calorie diet (≤1000 kcal/d). Dancers reported under-consuming dietary protein (54.3 ± 26.2 g) and carbohydrate (171.8 ± 77.8 g). LM was positively correlated with daily total energy (r = 0.333), fat (r = 0.37), protein (r = 0.349), and leucine intake (r = 0.352). Our findings emphasize the positive effect of adequate nutritional quantity and quality on body composition in female collegiate dancers.

Environmental sustainability of food production and consumption in the Nordic and Baltic region - a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

This scoping review examines environmental impacts related to food production and consumption in Nordic and Baltic countries. The overarching advice to all Nordic and Baltic countries, in line with the current body of scientific literature, is to shift to a more plant-based dietary pattern and avoid food waste. Taking into account current consumption patterns, there is a high potential and necessity to shift food consumption across the countries to minimise its environmental impact. More specifically, a substantial reduction in meat and dairy consumption and increased consumption of legumes/pulses, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds are suggested as a priority intervention. Reducing the environmental impacts of seafoods is also key and suggestions include a shift to seafoods with lower environmental impacts such as seaweed and bivalves. As part of the suggested transition to a more plant-based diet, the scope for increasing the provision of plant-based foods through increasing the cultivation of legumes/pulses, vegetables, and grains and through feed-to-food shifts within the region should be explored.

Data-driven development and validation of a nutrient-based score to measure nutritional balance of meals in the Philippines

BackgroundThe goal of the present study was to design an easily computable score, based on nutrient composition data instead of food groups, to evaluate the nutritional quality and balance of meals, adapted to the nutritional recommendations for Filipino adults.MethodThe score was defined as a weighted average of 9 nutrient scores. Protein, total fat, saturated fat, free sugars were scored as % of energy; calcium, fiber, sodium, vitamin C, magnesium were scored based on the local dietary reference intakes. The scoring algorithm was an adaption of a score previously developed by the authors based on US data. In the present study, the score was applied to 69,923 meals reported by 31,218 adult Filipinos aged 20 to 59 in the 2018 edition of the Philippine Expanded National Nutrition Survey to evaluate its validity and compare against exemplary meals designed as part of 24 h diet plans that meet local dietary guidelines.ResultsMeals from these exemplary menu plans, developed by local nutrition experts, scored on average 72.2 ± 13.9 (mean ± standard deviation) while those of survey participants scored 46.1 ± 12.9. Meal scores were significantly associated with the density of positive micronutrients (e.g., Vit A, Vit C) and favourable food groups (e.g. fruits, whole grains) not directly included in the algorithm.ConclusionThe score, between 0 and 100, is a valid tool to assess the nutritional quality of meals consumed by the PH population, accounting for both shortfall and excess nutrients, adjusted for the energy content of the meal. If applied to consumer-facing applications, it could potentially help users to understand which meals are nutritionally balanced.