Dietary Shifts Research Articles

Impact of Transgenerational Nutrition on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Development: Interplay between Gut Microbiota, Epigenetics and Immunity

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the most prevalent pediatric liver disorder, primarily attributed to dietary shifts in recent years. NAFLD is characterized by the accumulation of lipid species in hepatocytes, leading to liver inflammation that can progress to steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Risk factors contributing to NAFLD encompass genetic variations and metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and insulin resistance. Moreover, transgenerational influences, resulting in an imbalance of gut microbial composition, epigenetic modifications, and dysregulated hepatic immune responses in offspring, play a pivotal role in pediatric NAFLD development. Maternal nutrition shapes the profile of microbiota-derived metabolites in offspring, exerting significant influence on immune system regulation and the development of metabolic syndrome in offspring. In this review, we summarize recent evidence elucidating the intricate interplay between gut microbiota, epigenetics, and immunity in fetuses exposed to maternal nutrition, and its impact on the onset of NAFLD in offspring. Furthermore, potential therapeutic strategies targeting this network are also discussed.

Diet quality as assessed by the healthy eating index-2020 among different smoking status: an analysis of national health and nutrition examination survey (NHANES) data from 2005 to 2018

BackgroundCombining smoking with poor eating habits significantly elevates the risk of chronic illnesses and early death. Understanding of how dietary quality shifts post-smoking cessation remains limited. The objective of this study is to examine dietary quality – using Healthy Eating Index (HEI – 2020) and its 13 components, among current, former, and never smokers, and particularly the impact of quitting and the duration of cessation on dietary habits.MethodsA cross-sectional analysis of 31,569 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2018 was conducted. Dietary quality was assessed using HEI-2020 scores, which were determined by NIH developed - simple HEI scoring algorithm per person. Smoking status was categorized into current, former, and never smokers, with further subdivisions for current (heavy/light smokers) and former smokers (duration post-cessation). Descriptive analysis and multiple regression models weighted to represent the US population were performed.ResultsThe current smoking rate was 19.4%, with a higher prevalence in males (22.5%) than females (17.5%). Current smokers reported statistically significantly lower HEI total score than both former and never smokers. Former smokers exhibited HEI scores similar to those of never smokers. The adjusted HEI total scores for current, former, and never smokers were 49.2, 54.0, and 53.3, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Moreover, light smokers had better total HEI score than heavy smokers (46.8 vs. 50.8, p < 0.001, respectively), but former and never smokers scored even higher. Quitting smoking immediately improved dietary quality, with former smokers reaching the dietary levels of never smokers within 5–10 years (53.8 vs. 53.3, p > 0.05, respectively). Compared to current smokers, former smokers tended to consume more beneficial foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, greens and beans, whole grains, proteins, and fatty acids), while also consuming more sodium and less added sugar.ConclusionsCurrent smokers, particularly heavy smokers, exhibit poorer dietary habits than former and never smokers. The dietary quality of former smokers aligns with never smokers over time, highlighting the positive impact of smoking cessation on diet. This has implications for reducing chronic disease risks associated with poor diet and smoking.

Paedomorphosis and retention of juvenile diet lead speciation in a group of Neotropical snakes (Colubroides-Philodryadini)

Dipsadidae is one of the largest clades of extant reptiles, showing an impressive morphological and ecological diversity. Despite this fact, the developmental processes behind its diversity are still largely unknown. In this study, we used 3D reconstructions based on micro-CT data and geometric morphometrics to evaluate the skull morphology of Philodryas agassizii, a small, surface-dwelling dipsadid that consume spiders. Adult individuals of P. agassizii exhibit a cranial morphology frequently observed in juveniles of other surface-dwelling colubroideans, represented in our analysis by its close relative Philodryas patagoniensis. Large orbits, gibbous neurocranial roof and a relatively short jaw complex are features present in juveniles of the latter species. Furthermore, we performed an extensive survey about diet of P. patagoniensis in which we detected an ontogenetic dietary shift, indicating that arthropods are more frequently consumed by juveniles of this dietary generalist. Thus, we infer that P. agassizzii retained not only the ancestral juvenile skull morphology but also dietary preferences. This study reveals that morphological changes driven by heterochronic changes, specifically paedomorphosis, influenced the retention of ancestral life history traits in P. agassizii, and therefore promoted cladogenesis. In this way, we obtained first evidence that heterochronic processes lead speciation in the snake megadiverse clade Dipsadidae.

Consumer resistance diminishes environmental gains of dietary change

The environmental gains of dietary change are often assessed in relation to average national diets, overlooking differences in individual consumption habits and people’s willingness to change. This study combines microdata on food intake and consumer behaviour to elicit the likely environmental gains of dietary shifts. We focus on the Netherlands owing to the country’s ambition to halve its dietary footprint by 2050. Linking food recall survey data from a cross-section of the population (n = 4313), life cycle inventory analysis for 220 food products, and behavioural survey data (n = 1233), we estimate the dietary footprints of consumer groups across water, land, biodiversity and greenhouse gas (GHG). We find that meat and dairy significantly contribute to the dietary GHG footprint (59%), land footprint (54%), and biodiversity footprint (59%) of all consumer groups and that male consumers impose a 30%–32% greater burden than women across these impact areas. Our scenario analysis reveals that simply replacing cow milk with soy milk could reduce the GHG, land and biodiversity footprints by ≈8% if widely adopted by the Dutch adult population. These footprints could be further reduced to ≈20% with full adoption of the EAT-Lancet diet but with a significantly increased blue water footprint. However, when incorporating gender- and age-specific willingness to reduce meat and dairy consumption, the environmental gains resulting from partial adoption of the No-Milk diet and EAT diet diminish to a mere ≈0.8% and ≈4.5%, respectively. Consequently, consumer motivation alone is insufficient to realise the significant environmental gains often promised by dietary change. Yet, substituting high-impact food products offers a near-term opportunity to accelerate a rapid sustainable dietary transition. Future studies on sustainable dietary transition must incorporate consumer behaviour to fully comprehend the lock-in of food consumption patterns and targeted policy action required to secure a sustainable food future.

Fine-scale foraging ecology and habitat use of sympatric green and hawksbill turtles in the Western Indian ocean

Using stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen of turtle tissues and putative prey items, we investigated the diet of immature green turtles and hawksbill turtles foraging in the lagoon of Aldabra Atoll, a relatively undisturbed atoll in the southern Seychelles. Aldabra offers a unique environment for understanding sea turtle ecology. Green turtles mostly consumed seagrass and brown algae while hawksbill turtles mainly consumed mangroves and invertebrates. Green turtles showed a dietary shift with size (a proxy for age). There was minimal niche overlap between species and evidence of small-scale foraging site fidelity with turtle tissue reflecting site-specific prey. This highlights the ecological importance of seagrass and mangrove habitats and suggests that turtles play a role in controlling algal biomass at Aldabra. This study is the first to closely examine the foraging ecology of these sympatric turtle species in the Western Indian Ocean, a globally important region for both species.

A shift to a standard diet after exposure to a high-fat, high-sucrose diet from gestation to weaning restores brain metabolism and behavioral flexibility in adult rats

Prolonged consumption of diets high in saturated fat and sugar has been related to obesity and overweight, which in turn are linked to cognitive impairment in both humans and rodents. This has become a current issue, especially in children and adolescents, because these stages are crucial to neurodevelopmental processes and programming of adult behavior. To evaluate the effects of gestational and early exposure to an obesogenic diet, three groups with different dietary patterns were established: high-fat and high-sucrose diet (HFS), standard diet (SD), and a dietary shift from a high-fat, high-sucrose diet to a standard diet after weaning (R). Spatial learning and behavioral flexibility in adult male and female Wistar rats were evaluated using the Morris water maze (MWM) at PND 60. Furthermore, regional brain oxidative metabolism was assessed in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. Contrary to our hypothesis, the HFS diet groups showed similar performance on the spatial learning task as the other groups, although they showed impaired cognitive flexibility. The HFS group had increased brain metabolic capacity compared to that of animals fed the standard diet. Shifting from the HFS diet to the SD diet after weaning restored the brain metabolic capacity in both sexes to levels similar to those observed in animals fed the SD diet. In addition, animals in the R group performed similarly to those fed the SD diet in the Morris water maze in both tasks. However, dietary shift from HFS diet to standard diet after weaning had only moderate sex-dependent effects on body weight and fat distribution. In conclusion, switching from an HFS diet to a balanced diet after weaning would have beneficial effects on behavioral flexibility and brain metabolism, without significant sex differences.

Diet composition and variation in four commonly landed and threatened shark species in Maharashtra, India

The diets of Carcharhinus limbatus, Scoliodon laticaudus, Chiloscyllium arabicum and Ch. Griesum from the west coast of India were investigated. We compared trophic resource use and overlap across and within benthic and pelagic habitat guilds, between the two sympatric species belonging to family Hemiscyliidae, and between the life stages of S. laticaudus. It was observed that there was a significant difference in the diet composition of benthic and pelagic shark species. There was no difference in the diet of the two sympatric Chiloscyllium species. S. laticaudus showed an ontogenetic dietary niche shift from an invertebrate-rich to an ichthyophagous diet. Specifically, C. limbatus showed an ichthyophagous diet while S. laticaudus showed a diet consisting of both benthic and pelagic prey. C. arabicum, C. griesum, and S. laticaudus were less dependent on teleosts and displayed similar diet composition. The study also found that several of the prey species were commercially important fish species caught in the fisheries of Malvan. Thus a change in the relative abundance of either prey or predators due to fishing pressure could influence coastal food webs, leading to impacts both on ecosystems and fisheries.

Reassessing Established Assumptions of Dietary Habits in the USA in the Context of Migration and Acculturation: a Qualitative Study of Latino Immigrants.

The growing prevalence of obesity in the USA disproportionately affects Latinos compared to non-Latino Whites. Immigration and acculturation have been associated with unhealthy dietary shifts among Latino immigrants, a phenomenon known as dietary acculturation. Emerging evidence points to a more nuanced relationship between dietary habits, immigration, and acculturation, highlighting the need for a more current comprehension of dietary acculturation. We explored how Latino immigrants' experiences in migrating to the USA have affected their perceived dietary habits and their experiences of how supportive the USA is in establishing healthy practices compared to their native country. Employing a descriptive qualitative study design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 Latinos who had participated in a lifestyle change program between 2016 and 2019. We used thematic analysis to analyze the data and report emerging themes. Participants expressed divergent perceptions of their dietary habits post-immigration. Some affirmed prevailing assumptions of dietary acculturation, citing deteriorating diet quality in the USA in the context of a faster pace of life, healthier options in the native country, and shifts in the food environment that prevented access to healthy foods. Conversely, others held opposing views, attributing their perceived improved diet to unhealthy dietary habits in Latin America, coupled with increased access to and affordability of healthy foods in the USA. Our study contributes to the evolving understanding of dietary acculturation among Latino immigrants and provides a more nuanced and updated understanding of this process that reflects their current experiences in acculturating to the USA.

Mapping the evidence of novel plant-based foods: a systematic review of nutritional, health, and environmental impacts in high-income countries.

Shifting from current dietary patterns to diets rich in plant-based (PB) foods and lower in animal-based foods (ABFs) is generally regarded as a suitable strategy to improve nutritional health and reduce environmental impacts. Despite the recent growth in supply of and demand for novel plant-based foods (NPBFs), a comprehensive overview is lacking. This review provides a synthesis of available evidence, highlights challenges, and informs public health and environmental strategiesfor purposeful political decision-making by systematically searching, analyzing, and summarizing the available literature. Five peer-reviewed databases and grey literature sources were rigorously searched for publications. Study characteristics meeting the inclusion criteria regarding NPBF nutrient composition and health and environmental outcomes in high-income countries were extracted. Fifty-seven peer-reviewed and 36 grey literature sources were identified; these were published in 2016-2022. NPBFs typically have substantially lower environmental impacts than ABFs, but the nutritional contents are complex and vary considerably across brands, product type, and main primary ingredient. In the limited evidence on the health impacts, shifts from ABFs to PB meats were associated with positive health outcomes. However, results were mixed for PB drinks, with links to micronutrient deficiencies. If carefully selected, certain NPBFs have the potential to be healthier and nutrient-rich alternatives to ABFs and typically have smaller environmental footprints. More disaggregated categorization of various types of NPBFs would be a helpful step in guiding consumers and key stakeholders to make informed decisions. To enable informed policymaking on the inclusion of NPBFs in dietary transitions as part of a wider net-zero and health strategy, future priorities should include nutritional food standards, labelling, and subdivisions or categorizations of NPBFs, as well as short- and long-term health studies evaluating dietary shifts from ABFs to NPBFs and standardized environmental impact assessments, ideally from independent funders.

Synergy between the Waste of Natural Resources and Food Waste Related to Meat Consumption in Romania

The study examines the dichotomy between individual dietary autonomy and the broader implications of food overconsumption and waste, particularly focusing on meat consumption’s environmental, health, and social equity aspects. In the context of increasing awareness about the negative impacts of excessive meat consumption, this research explores the potential benefits of modest dietary shifts, specifically a reduction in animal product intake, on natural resources and the environment. Utilizing data from international and Romanian sources, including data about meat environmental impacts, in original research, the article analyzes the water, carbon, and land use footprints associated with different types of meat, emphasizing the significant differences between beef, pork, chicken, and sheep meat. The findings highlight that even a small reduction in meat consumption, such as 100 g per week per capita, can lead to substantial decreases in water use, carbon emissions, and land use, underscoring the importance of sustainable eating habits. Moreover, the study explores the potential of plant-based proteins as viable nutritional alternatives that can mitigate environmental footprints and foster global food security. Conclusively, this work advocates for a balanced approach that respects individual choices while promoting collective responsibility towards sustainable consumption patterns, emphasizing the role of scientific research and public awareness in driving positive change in dietary habits for environmental conservation and health benefits.

Enhanced gut microbiome supplementation of essential amino acids in Diploptera punctata fed low-protein plant-based diet.

Building on our previous work, we investigate how dietary shifts affect gut microbial essential amino acid (EAA) provisioning in the lactating cockroach Diploptera punctata. To that end, we fed cockroaches three distinct diets: a plant-only Gari diet composed of starchy and granulated root tuber Yucca (Manihot esculenta), a dog food diet (DF), and a cellulose-amended dog food (CADF) diet. We anticipated that the high carbohydrate, low protein Gari would highlight increased microbial EAA supplementation to the host. By day 28, we observed distinct profiles of 14 bacterial families in the insect gut microbiomes of the three dietary groups. CADF-fed insects predominantly harbored cellulolytic and nitrogen-fixing bacteria families Streptococcaceae and Xanthomonadaceae. In contrast, Gari-fed insects were enriched in anaerobic lignocellulolytic bacteria families Paludibacteraceae andDysgonomonadaceae, while DF-fed insects had a prevalence of proteolyticanaerobes Williamwhitmaniaceae and sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfovibrionaceae. Furthermore, we confirmed significantly higher EAA supplementation in Gari-fed insects than in non-Gari-fed insects based on δ13C-EAA offsets between insect and their diets. The δ13C-EAA offsets between DF and CADF were nearly indistinguishable, highlighting the relevance of using the plant-based Gari in this experiment to unequivocally demonstrate this function in this insect. These results were underscored by lower standard metabolic rate (SMR) relative to the DF insect in Gari-fed (intermediate SMR and dietary quality) and CADF (least SMR and dietary quality) insects. The influence of diet on EAA provisioning and SMR responses in insects underscores the need for further exploration into the role of gut microbial functions in modulating metabolic responses.

First evidence of feeding on micromammals and fish by a cyprinid species (Squalius carolitertii) in lacustrine food webs

The consumption of resources at multiple trophic levels reflects the omnivorous behaviour of various species. Despite the importance of omnivory in food web structure and stability, there are still few observational data to assess the omnivorous role of species in food webs. We first assessed the feeding of two cyprinid [northern Iberian chub (Squalius carolitertii) and northern straight-mouth nase (Pseudochondrostoma duriense)] and one salmonid (brown trout Salmo trutta) species in a mountain lake of the Iberian Peninsula, and then we studied the omnivorous behaviour and niche partitioning of the cyprinid species. A noteworthy result was the consumption of micromammals by northern Iberian chub. This species showed a high trophic flexibility feeding on diverse food types (detritus, vegetal rests, zooplankton, aquatic insects, terrestrial insects, micromammals and small fish), whereas northern straight-mouth nase fed mostly on detritus. We observed that the consumption of zooplankton decreased with increasing fish length in northern Iberian chub, whereas no evidence for ontogenetic dietary shifts were observed for northern straight-mouth nase. Brown trout fed only on cyprinids, acting as top predator in the studied mountain lake. Despite high dietary overlap between omnivorous cyprinids, our analyses suggested that omnivorous behaviour and ontogenetic dietary shifts of northern Iberian chub can be an important adaptive feature that may reduce food competition and enable species coexistence in mountain lakes. Our study shows that endemic omnivorous cyprinids can exploit alternative energy pathways and underlines the importance of omnivorous species as promoters of stability in lacustrine food webs. We highlight that the importance of occasional pulses of allochthonous energy sources fueling lacustrine food webs, such as micromammals and terrestrial insects, represent a particularly promising area for future research.

Replacement tooth in mesosaurs and new data on dental microanatomy and microstructure.

The Permian mesosaurs are well known for being the earliest amniotes to exhibit adaptations for living in a marine environment (Irati-Whitehill Sea). In addition to their set of skeletal features associated with aquatic dwelling life, their dentition includes important characteristics related to feeding in this habitat, which is described in this work, based on the analysis of mesosaur specimens from the Lower Permian Irati Formation of Brazil. Mesosaurs have several slender, conical teeth bordered by enamel apicobasal ridges, a feature predominantly found in aquatic amniotes. Internally, the dentine walls are formed by the arrangement of layers of orthodentine and globular dentine. To prevent tooth loss, the basal area is equipped with plicidentine, a particular type of orthodentine, allied with cementum, alveolar bone trabeculae, and periodontal space that reinforces anchorage and provides some flexibility. The teeth are replaced in a labio-vertical path, and the dentition replaces alternately. This feature is regarded as plesiomorphic, and it ensures the oral cavity is supplied with enough teeth. However, these features do not the assessment of whether mesosaurs teeth were capable of piercing prey with resistant tegument. Instead, we interpret this adaptation as a mechanism for catching prey, at least in adults, and we endorse a possible ontogenetic dietary shift from small to large forms.

Spatiotemporal drivers of food system GHG emissions in China

Food systems emissions (FSE) account for one-third of anthropogenic GHGs. Mitigating these emissions is pivotal for achieving the 1.5 °C target. Given current research gaps in regional FSE accounting and drivers for China, the world's largest food system emitter, this study constructs a regionally specific, bottom-up FSE inventory detailed by food types and downscales FSE drivers to the provincial level. China's FSE exhibited an initial decline due to energy pattern upgrades during the period of 1990–2000, followed by a rise between 2000 and 2018. Increases were predominantly in developed southern regions and were propelled by economic growth, consumer expenditure, and dietary pattern shifts. This study reveals the spatial heterogeneity of emission sources and drivers, emphasizing the necessity of demand-side mitigation strategies in developed areas. It underscores the importance of formulating regionally differentiated emission reduction and interregional compensation policies.

Assessing diet quality and associated environmental impacts: a cross-sectional analysis in a middle- to older-aged Irish population

Current dietary patterns have implications for both population and planetary health, giving dietary shifts the potential to reduce these impacts. However, higher quality diets are not inherently of lower environmental impact. This paper examines the association between diet quality, defined using the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, Mediterranean (MED) diet and Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2015, and environmental impacts among middle- to older-aged adults. The cross-sectional analysis used a random sample of 1862 males and females aged 46–73 years. Diet quality scores (DQS) were derived from validated food frequency questionnaires (FFQ). The impact of food production was estimated using greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and blue water use (BWU) environmental impact indicators from secondary data sources. Relationships between food groups, DQS and environmental impacts were evaluated via correlation and regression analyses. The food group red meat & offal was found to be the largest contributor to dietary GHGE and caffeinated beverages to BWU for all DQS across all quartiles of adherence. The cumulative contribution of discretionary foods and beverages requires attention given they are superfluous to human health. In fully adjusted regression analyses, higher diet quality was associated with lower GHGE for all DQS. Conversely, adherence to the DASH and MED diet was positively associated with water use, but not the HEI. Encompassing principles of the DASH and MED diets in future dietary recommendations may reduce diet-related disease in later life and dietary GHGE. However, the increase of BWU as diets become healthier is a concern. Advocating for plant-based diets must be coordinated with sustainable production and supply. National solutions to increase self-sufficiency and reduce impacts and reliance on climate vulnerable countries is warranted. The population dietary shifts required for health and planet can only be realised by multi-level structural changes to food systems through policy, and not through sole expectation of individual change.

Integrating health, nutrition, and environmental impacts of foods: a life cycle impact assessment and modelling analysis of foods in Canada

BackgroundGiven the urgency of transitioning towards sustainable nutrition, dietary shifts that provide co-benefits to human health and the environment are imperative. There is currently no database of the environmental impacts of foods that reflects Canada's unique geographical and agri-climatic context and regional inputs and emissions. To determine sustainable diets, harmonising nutritional considerations with environmental impacts is also essential for an equitable comparison of foods. We aimed to develop a Canadian Food Life Cycle Inventory database and a multidimensional index to enable a joint assessment of the health and environmental impacts of foods in Canada. MethodsThe Canadian Food Life Cycle Inventory database uses life cycle assessment methodology to evaluate environmental impacts. The datasets mirror Canada's food consumption patterns, averaging the spectrum of agricultural practices weighted by domestic production and import shares. The database is structured according to the nomenclature and categorisation of the Canadian Nutrient File. Environmental sustainability is assessed using a cradle-to-grave approach, including indicators such as greenhouse gas emissions, eutrophication, particulate matter, freshwater usage, land use, non-renewable energy consumption, and food loss and waste. Environmental impacts are quantified through an environmental impact score (EIS) assigned to each impact category for a given food. The EIS-nutrition (EIS-N) integrates the evaluation of nutritional quality with environmental impacts using Nutri-Score, a validated food nutrient-profiling tool. The EIS-N is modelled as a ratio of the EIS to the Nutri-Score values. FindingsPreliminary results show the greatest environmental impacts for animal-based foods, particularly beef, in agreement with current literature. Foods with greater nutritional quality also generally show greater environmental sustainability, with some exceptions for particular impact categories. InterpretationThe database and index have potential to serve as powerful tools to support researchers, policy makers, and consumers, harnessing big data to drive efficient food and climate solutions for systems transformation. FundingProvince of Ontario and University of Toronto, CIHR SMART Healthy Cities Training Platform, and University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

Assessing the sustainability of cultured meat in optimized Danish diets

Reducing animal-sourced foods in diets significantly saves a large share of environmental impacts. Sustainable dietary patterns have proposed large reductions in red meats in particular. Foods with the potential to reduce the environmental impacts of diets are under increasing investigation, and cultured meat, produced by culturing animal cells could play a key role, especially for diet transitions away from high red meat consumption. In this paper, the inclusion of cultured meat in optimized Danish diets is explored through minimizing climate impact as greenhouse gas emissions measured in Global Warming Potential (GWP) with ±30 %, 60 %, and 90 % stepwise changes from current diets while meeting nutritional requirements; the total consumer diet costs were also assessed. Three optimization models were run, one with a cultured meat diet (all animal-sourced foods are replaced with cultured meat), an omnivore diet (with conventional animal-sourced foods and no cultured meat), and a vegan diet (neither cultured meat nor other animal-sourced foods are allowed). Results revealed that both omnivore diets with and without cultured meat and vegan diets can achieve impact improvements compared to current diets. The greatest GWP reductions can be seen in the cultured meat diet (8.0 Mt CO2 eq) and vegan diets (9.8 Mt CO2 eq) with 90 % deviation in both from current diets. These reductions could represent potential Danish national emissions decrease of 21 % and 25 %, respectively, in 2022. Cultured meat diets resulted in the highest costs (11.58€/day) compared to the current diets (8.05€/day), vegan diets (6.49€/day) and omnivore diets (6.11 €/day). This paper provides key information about diet shifts and the potential of novel foods to reduce carbon emissions compared with the current diets. Although the socio-cultural acceptability of cultured meat, which represents a crucial prerequisite to its inclusion in diets, still needs to be assessed.

Evolutionary history and biological adaptation of Han Chinese people on the Mongolian Plateau

Complex demographic processes and natural selection pressures are critical to resolving patterns of the molecular genetic basis of adaptative traits or complex diseases. Recent ancient genome data allow us to trace how key traits evolved in different human populations over time, connecting ancient population history with disease susceptibility in western Eurasians. To fill this gap in eastern Eurasians and provide deep insights into the evolutionary history of the population-specific genetic basis of complex biological traits, we explored the evolutionary basis of adaptative traits in one integrative modern and ancient genomic database, including 225 out of 5583 genomes first reported here. We comprehensively characterized the demographic history and biological adaptation of Han Chinese individuals on the Mongolian Plateau based on the allele frequency spectrum and haplotype-resolved fragments. We found strong genetic homogeneity among geographically different Han populations from Inner Mongolia (IMH). We reconstructed their admixture models and demographic events, revealing that IMH had a close genetic relationship with ancient millet farmers and obtained additional gene flow from Altaic-speaking populations. The enrichment of selected candidate genes suggested that essential metabolism-related genes promoted the rapid adaptation of eastern Eurasians to ancient environmental shifts and dietary changes during agricultural innovations. Evolutionary trajectory reconstruction of metabolism-related genes of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1) suggested that ancient dietary shifts during the Neolithic transition period promoted the differentiated metabolic rate of folate and fatty acid. We revealed the polygenicity of biological adaptation traits and the pleiotropy of adaptative genes, indicating that complex recent polygenic adaptations, genetic interactions, and genotype-phenotype correlations have contributed to the genetic architecture of complex traits in eastern Eurasians.

Food matters: Dietary shifts increase the feasibility of 1.5°C pathways in line with the Paris Agreement.

A transition to healthy diets such as the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet could considerably reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, the specific contributions of dietary shifts for the feasibility of 1.5°C pathways remain unclear. Here, we use the open-source integrated assessment modeling (IAM) framework REMIND-MAgPIE to compare 1.5°C pathways with and without dietary shifts. We find that a flexitarian diet increases the feasibility of the Paris Agreement climate goals in different ways: The reduction of GHG emissions related to dietary shifts, especially methane from ruminant enteric fermentation, increases the 1.5°C compatible carbon budget. Therefore, dietary shifts allow to achieve the same climate outcome with less carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and less stringent CO2 emission reductions in the energy system, which reduces pressure on GHG prices, energy prices, and food expenditures.

Dietary shift can enhance the environmental benefits of crop redistribution

Crop redistribution is widely recognized as an effective means of reducing the environmental costs of agricultural production without technological improvements. However, changes in food supply driven by dietary shift are rarely taken into account in crop redistribution. Based on inventory analysis of water consumption, land demand and carbon emission in crops production, this study constructed a linear optimization model to explore crop redistribution strategy and the saving potential of environmental costs in context of dietary shift. The results showed that crops production in 2030 would increase water consumption by 2.84%, land demand by 1.19%, and carbon emission by 1.31% compared with 2020 if the diet remained unchanged. Crop redistribution considering dietary shift provided an effective approach to achieve significant environmental benefits, including reductions in water consumption of 3.33%–14.91%, arable land use of 1.13%–13.90%, and carbon emission of 6.17%–20.26% compared to the baseline scenario, among which, dietary shift contributed 2.64 ± 6.12%, 0.75 ± 7.06%, and 1.32 ± 7.19%, respectively. The findings highlighted that appropriate dietary shift could enhance the environmental benefits of crop redistribution. Insights into the dietary shift and concomitant environmental benefits debate on crop redistribution have important policy implications for improving the sustainability of agricultural production.