Suboptimal Diet Research Articles

Estimating change in cardiovascular disease and diabetes burdens due to dietary and metabolic factors in Korea 1998–2011: a comparative risk assessment analysis

ObjectivesOver the past 10 years, the burden of chronic diseases in Korea has increased. However, there are currently no quantitative estimates of how changes in diet and metabolic factors have...

The impact of dietary risk factors on the burden of non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia: findings from the Global Burden of Disease study 2013.

BackgroundThe burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has increased in sub-Saharan countries, including Ethiopia. The contribution of dietary behaviours to the NCD burden in Ethiopia has not been evaluated. This study, therefore, aimed to assess diet-related burden of disease in Ethiopia between 1990 and 2013.MethodWe used the 2013 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data to estimate deaths, years of life lost (YLLs) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) related to eight food types, five nutrients and fibre intake. Dietary exposure was estimated using a Bayesian hierarchical meta-regression. The effect size of each diet-disease pair was obtained based on meta-analyses of prospective observational studies and randomized controlled trials. A comparative risk assessment approach was used to quantify the proportion of NCD burden associated with dietary risk factors.ResultsIn 2013, dietary factors were responsible for 60,402 deaths (95% Uncertainty Interval [UI]: 44,943-74,898) in Ethiopia—almost a quarter (23.0%) of all NCD deaths. Nearly nine in every ten diet-related deaths (88.0%) were from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and 44.0% of all CVD deaths were related to poor diet. Suboptimal diet accounted for 1,353,407 DALYs (95% UI: 1,010,433-1,672,828) and 1,291,703 YLLs (95% UI: 961,915-1,599,985). Low intake of fruits and vegetables and high intake of sodium were the most important dietary factors. The proportion of NCD deaths associated with low fruit consumption slightly increased (11.3% in 1990 and 11.9% in 2013). In these years, the rate of burden of disease related to poor diet slightly decreased; however, their contribution to NCDs remained stable.ConclusionsDietary behaviour contributes significantly to the NCD burden in Ethiopia. Intakes of diet low in fruits and vegetables and high in sodium are the leading dietary risks. To effectively mitigate the oncoming NCD burden in Ethiopia, multisectoral interventions are required; and nutrition policies and dietary guidelines should be developed.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12966-016-0447-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The relationship between diet change and regurgitation and reingestion in captive chimpanzees

Captive chimpanzees regularly show abnormal behaviour, including regurgitation and reingestion (R/R). R/R may have several causes, among them a suboptimal diet. For this reason, the effect of a diet change towards a more fibre-rich diet on R/R was studied in the Amersfoort Zoo chimpanzee group comprising 15 individuals. In addition, the relationship with self-directed behaviour, inactivity level and temperature, proxies of the alternative factors stress, boredom and crowding, were studied. Measures of stress and boredom did not show any correlation to R/R behaviour. The new diet did result in less R/R. However, the data could not conclusively dismiss temperature as a factor or confound in the reduction of R/R. Still, the R/R rate in three individuals that showed most R/R did not concur with temperature, countering an effect of temperature on R/R. Individuals that showed R/R in the study period still showed this behaviour several years later, suggesting that R/R may not be related to current welfare but possibly become a habit, where stress and R/R become dissociated and the behaviour persists in improved conditions and over time. This study shows that diet change can contribute to a reduction in R/R, yet this may not be due to the change of diet quality, but to the change in diet as such. The change in diet was not able to abolish R/R behaviour entirely for these chimpanzees.

Impact of Dietary and Metabolic Risk Factors on Cardiovascular and Diabetes Mortality in South Asia: Analysis From the 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study.

To quantify cardiovascular disease and diabetes deaths attributable to dietary and metabolic risks by country, age, sex, and time in South Asian countries. We used the 2010 Global Burden of Disease national surveys to characterize risk factor levels by age and sex. We derived etiological effects of risk factors-disease endpoints, by age, from meta-analyses. We defined optimal levels. We combined these inputs with cause-specific mortality rates to compute population-attributable fractions as a percentage of total cardiometabolic deaths. Suboptimal diet was the leading cause of cardiometabolic mortality in 4 of 5 countries, with population-attributable fractions from 40.7% (95% uncertainty interval = 37.4, 44.1) in Bangladesh to 56.9% (95% uncertainty interval = 52.4, 61.5) in Pakistan. High systolic blood pressure was the second leading cause, except in Bangladesh, where it superseded suboptimal diet. This was followed in all nations by high fasting plasma glucose, low fruit intake, and low whole grain intake. Other prominent burdens were more variable, such as low intake of vegetables, low omega-3 fats, and high sodium intake in India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Important similarities and differences are evident in cardiometabolic mortality burdens of modifiable dietary and metabolic risks across these countries, informing health policy and program priorities.

Suboptimal maternal diets alter mu opioid receptor and dopamine type 1 receptor binding but exert no effect on dopamine transporters in the offspring brain

Birthweight is a marker for suboptimal fetal growth and development in utero. Offspring can be born large for gestational age (LGA), which is linked to maternal obesity or excessive gestational weight gain, as well as small for gestational age (SGA), arising from nutrient or calorie deficiency, placental dysfunction, or other maternal conditions (hypertension, infection). In humans, LGA and SGA babies are at an increased risk for certain neurodevelopmental disorders, including Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, schizophrenia, and social and mood disorders. Using mouse models of LGA (maternal high fat (HF) diet) and SGA (maternal low protein (LP) diet) offspring, our lab has previously shown that these offspring display alterations in the expression of mesocorticolimbic genes that regulate dopamine and opioid function, thus indicating that these brain regions and neurotransmitter systems are vulnerable to gestational insults. Interestingly, these two maternal diets affected dopamine and opioid systems in somewhat opposing directions (e.g., LP offspring are generally hyperdopaminergic with reduced opioid expression, and the reverse is found for the HF offspring). These data largely involved evaluation at the transcriptional level, so the present experiment was designed to extend these analyses through an assessment of receptor binding. In this study, control, SGA and LGA offspring were generated from dams fed control, low protein or high fat diet, respectively, throughout pregnancy and lactation. At weaning, mice were placed on the control diet and sacrificed at 12 weeks of age. In vitro autoradiography was used to measure mu-opioid receptor (MOR), dopamine type 1 receptor (D1R), and dopamine transporter (DAT) binding level in mesolimbic brain regions. Results showed that the LP offspring (males and females) had significantly higher MOR and D1R binding than the control animals in the regions associated with reward. In HF offspring there were no differences in MOR binding, and limited increases in D1R binding, seen only in females in the nucleus accumbens core and the dorsomedial caudate/putamen. DAT binding revealed no differences in either models. In conclusion, LP but not HF offspring show significantly elevated MOR and D1R binding in the brain thus affecting DA and opioid signaling. These findings advance the current understanding of how suboptimal gestational diets can adversely impact neurodevelopment and increase the risk for disorders such as ADHD, obesity and addiction.

Biological performance of the predatory mite Neoseiulus idaeus (Phytoseiidae): a candidate for the control of tetranychid mites in Brazilian soybean crops.

The soybean (Glycine max (L.): Fabaceae) is considered the most important agricultural crop in Brazil. Phytophagous tetranychid mites as Mononychellus planki McGregor, Tetranychus ludeni Zacher and T. urticae Koch have been considered pest in soybean crops. Neoseiulus idaeus Denmark & Muma (Phytoseiidae) is a predatory mite of T. ludeni and T. urticae. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the biological performance of N. idaeus when fed on T. urticae, T. ludeni and M. planki, coming from the Northwest region of Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. The study was conducted in the laboratory with individual predators supplied with different preys. The mean duration (days) of N. idaeus egg-adult development was similar independently of supplied prey (T. ludeni - 5.29±0.03; M. planki - 5.34±0.05 and T. urticae - 5.23±0.03 days). Female viability was 90% when fed on M. planki and 100% when fed on T. ludeni and T. urticae. Mean fecundity of N. idaeus was lower when fed on M. planki (4.6±1.58 eggs/female) and higher when fed on T. ludeni (21.8±3.22) and T. urticae (26.2±2.41). The mean generation time (T) was lower when N. idaeus fed on M. planki than when fed on T. ludeni and T. urticae. The net reproductive rate (Ro) was 4.42±0.49 on M. planki, 17.77±0.55 on T. ludeni and 20.59±0.48 on T. urticae. The innate capacity for increase (rm) was lower when N. idaeus was fed on M. planki (0.09) and higher when such predator was fed on T. ludeni (0.20) and T. urticae (0.22 females/females/day). These results demonstrated that N. idaeus is able to reach the complete development feeding on all the three tetranychid species. Mononychellus planki demonstrated to provide a sub-optimal diet if compared to T. ludeni and T. urticae.

Benchmarking the health of health sciences students at Kuwait University: towards a culture of health.

Health professional entry-to-practice programmes are intense, competitive and prolonged. The aims of this study were to benchmark the health of health sciences students at Kuwait University, thereby informing student health services, and to establish a base for individual student's health assessments throughout the programmes. We used a convenience sample of 176 students. Assessment included a health/wellness questionnaire (smoking, nutrition, physical activity, sleep and stress) and objective measures (resting heart rate, blood pressure, waist-to-hip ratio and random blood glucose). Students had suboptimal activity, diet, stress and sleep. Health was suboptimal based on significant proportions of students in unhealthy categories for resting heart rate, blood pressure and body composition. Health status of health sciences students at Kuwait University is not consistent with healthy health professionals in training, who should serve as role models for the public. A culture of health on campus is recommended to maximize the health of students and their capacity as health role models.

Older Patients' Recall of Lifestyle Discussions in Primary Care.

Despite the known benefits of engaging in healthy diet and physical activity across the life span, suboptimal diet and physical inactivity are pervasive among older adults. While health care providers can promote patients' engagement in health behaviors, patient recall of recommendations tends to be imperfect. This study sought to better understand older adults' recall of dietary and physical activity discussions in primary care. One hundred and fifteen adults aged 65 and older were interviewed immediately following a routine primary care visit on whether and what they recalled discussing pertaining to diet and physical activity. Compared against transcripts, most patients accurately recalled their diet and physical activity discussions. The inclusion of a recommendation, and for diet discussions longer duration, increased the likelihood of patient recall for these health behavior discussions. These findings suggest that specific recommendations and an extra minute of discussion, at least for dietary discussions, increase the likelihood of accurate patient recall.

Operation La Sierra: A Novel Wellness Initiative for Neurological Surgery Residents.

Residency education in neurological surgery is physically and mentally demanding. During training, many physicians report suboptimal diet, lack of exercise, poor sleep, and limited attention to personal wellness. Burnout and resident attrition are high. Resident physicians rarely see physicians for regular checkups and often neglect personal illnesses.At the Medical University of South Carolina neurological surgery program, we experienced resident attrition due to poor physical and mental health. This prompted a detailed discussion among residents and faculty regarding the daily stresses and limitations to attend to personal wellness during residency. These discussions have led to the development and implementation of Operation La Sierra, a wellness program named after the California high school that became famous for its physical education program in the 1960s.La Sierra was implemented in our program in July 2015 and is available on a voluntary basis to all faculty and resident physicians in the department, as well as to other health professionals and office staff. All participants were provided with a Fitbit Charge HR wrist monitor (Fitbit Inc, Boston, MA) to wear at all times (when appropriate) and volunteered to undergo baseline physical and psychological testing, bloodwork, and survey instruments. Volunteers also underwent InBody body composition testing to determine percentage of body fat, metabolic rate, and other markers. Testing results were confidential, and all participants receive a generic identifier through which their results are recorded.Wellness lectures on exercise, diet, alcohol avoidance, and mental health are incorporated into weekly departmental conferences. Weekly team-based 1-hour exercise sessions with the aid of physical trainers are incorporated into the workweek, and individuals who decide not to participate may opt out of these sessions. Healthy food choices are provided at morning conferences. Progressive exercise, sleep, and dietary goals are employed in phases to promote advancing fitness gains. The program administers periodic anonymous online surveys to assess concerns whether the program interferes with patient care responsibilities and individuals' perceptions whether there is coercion to participate. To date, we have estimated the cost of the intervention to be approximately $500 annually per resident and faculty member participant.Six faculty neurosurgeons and 9 residents volunteered to participate. Baseline health screening demonstrated abnormalities in 80% (12 of 15) of participants, with elevated resting systolic blood pressure in 60% (9 of 15) of individuals. The average body mass index was 27.6; the average amount of fat loss required to reach ideal body weight was 25.4 pounds. Assessments also identified 36% (5 of 14) of respondents with a possible sleep disorder. Seventy-seven percent (10 of 13) of participants demonstrated quality of life scores below the national average. Importantly, surveys indicated that all participants communicated that they wished they had more time to take better care of themselves.In the 4 months since the initiation of the wellness program, InBody results have demonstrated an average weight loss of 3.6 pounds and 1% of body fat per participant. Survey results indicated that 64% (7 of 11) of participants believed the program improved their physical health (9% [1 of 11] no, 27% [3 of 11] maybe), and 64% (7 of 11) reported improved mental well-being (18% [2 of 11] no, 18% [2 of 11] maybe). No participant indicated that the program interfered with clinical responsibilities, and 91% (10 of 11) reported that it promoted team building and camaraderie (9% [1 of 11] maybe); 91% (10 of 11) indicated that wellness initiatives are important for resident physicians (9% [1 of 11] somewhat); and 82% (9 of 11) reported that La Sierra had a positive impact on the department (18% [2 of 11], neutral). Repeat psychologic surveys and physical testing are pending at this time.The program is accepted by faculty and residents, and other departments at our institution have expressed interest in joining the initiative. Those who have opted out have not perceived adverse effects on evaluations. Overall, Operation La Sierra appears to (1) identify potentially undiagnosed medical conditions; (2) promote healthy lifestyle choices; (3) build camaraderie among our physicians; and (4) help residents' self-motivation to improve personal wellness. This program has been accomplished, at low cost and without loss of clinical activities, by incorporating sessions into routine resident and faculty activities.

Behavioral and morphological responses of an insect herbivore to low nutrient quality are inhibited by plant chemical defenses

Animals have several strategies to contend with nutritionally poor diets, including compensatory consumption and enhanced food utilization efficiencies. Plants produce a diversity of defense compounds that affect the ability of herbivores to utilize these strategies in response to variation in food nutritional quality. Little is known, however, about effects of allelochemicals on herbivores utilizing integrated behavioral and morphological responses to reduced food quality. Our objectives were to (1) examine how variation in diet nutritional quality influences compensatory responses of a generalist insect herbivore, and (2) determine how plant defenses affect these processes. Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) larvae were administered one of nine combinations of diet having low, moderate, or high nutritional quality and 0, 2, or 4 % purified aspen (Populus tremuloides) salicinoids. We quantified larval growth, consumption, frass production, and biomass allocation to midgut tissue over a 4-day bioassay. In the absence of salicinoids, larvae compensated for reduced nutritional quality and maintained similar growth across all diets through increased consumption, altered midgut biomass allocation, and improved processing efficiencies. Dietary salicinoids reduced larval consumption, midgut biomass allocation, digestive efficiencies, and growth at all nutritional levels, but the effect size was more pronounced when larvae were fed nutritionally suboptimal diets. Our findings demonstrate that integrated behavioral and morphological compensatory responses to reduced food quality are affected by plant defenses, ultimately limiting compensatory responses and reducing larval performance.

Transgenerational effects of maternal diet on metabolic and reproductive ageing.

The early-life environment, in particular maternal diet during pregnancy, influences a wide range of organs and systems in adult offspring. Mounting evidence suggests that developmental programming can also influence health and disease in grand-offspring. Transgenerational effects can be defined as those persisting into an F2 generation, where the F0 mother experiences suboptimal diet during her pregnancy. In this review, we critically examine evidence for transgenerational developmental programming effects in human populations, focusing on metabolic and reproductive outcomes. We discuss evidence from historical cohorts suggesting that grandchildren of women exposed to famine and other dietary alterations during pregnancy may experience increased rates of later health complications than their control counterparts. The methodological difficulties with transgenerational studies in human cohorts are explored. In particular, the problems with assessing reproductive outcomes in human populations are discussed. In light of the relative paucity of evidence available from human cohorts, we consider key insights from transgenerational experimental animal models of developmental programming by maternal diet; data are drawn from a range of rodent models, as well as the guinea-pig and the sheep. The evidence for different potential mechanisms of transgenerational inheritance or re-propagation of developmental programming effects is evaluated. Transgenerational effects could be transmitted through methylation of the gametes via the paternal and maternal lineage, as well as other possible mechanisms via the maternal lineage. Finally, future directions for exploring these underlying mechanisms further are proposed, including utilizing large, well-characterized, prospective pregnancy cohorts that include biobanks, which have been established in various populations during the last few decades.

Maternal plasma PUFA concentrations during pregnancy and childhood adiposity: the Generation R Study1–3

Maternal polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations during pregnancy may have persistent effects on growth and adiposity in the offspring. A suboptimal maternal diet during pregnancy might lead to fetal cardiometabolic adaptations with persistent consequences in the offspring. We examined the associations of maternal PUFA concentrations during pregnancy with childhood general and abdominal fat-distribution measures. In a population-based, prospective cohort study of 4830 mothers and their children, we measured maternal second-trimester plasma n-3 (ω-3) and n-6 (ω-6) PUFA concentrations. At the median age of 6.0 y (95% range: 5.6, 7.9 y), we measured childhood body mass index (BMI), the fat mass percentage, and the android:gynoid fat ratio with the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and measured the preperitoneal abdominal fat area with the use of ultrasound. Analyses were adjusted for maternal and childhood sociodemographic- and lifestyle-related characteristics. We observed that higher maternal total n-3 PUFA concentrations, and specifically those of eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid, were associated with a lower childhood total-body fat percentage and a lower android:gynoid fat mass ratio (P< 0.05) but not with childhood BMI and the abdominal preperitoneal fat mass area. Higher maternal total n-6 PUFA concentrations, and specifically those of dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, were associated with a higher childhood total-body fat percentage, android:gynoid fat mass ratio, and abdominal preperitoneal fat mass area (P< 0.05) but not with childhood BMI. In line with these findings, a higher maternal n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio was associated with higher childhood total-body and abdominal fat mass. Lower maternal n-3 PUFA concentrations and higher n-6 PUFA concentrations during pregnancy are associated with higher body fat and abdominal fat in childhood. Additional studies are needed to replicate these observations and to explore the causality, the underlying pathways, and the long-term cardiometabolic consequences.

(303) Sex differences in the impact of the suboptimal American diet in rats: effects on behavior, physiology and recovery

Obesity is a major concern in today’s society. Obesity contributes to poor health outcomes and, we have shown, prolonged recovery from injury. Here we fed male and female rats our Suboptimal American Diet (SAD, 49% kcal from carbohydrates, 35.6% from fat, 15.4% from protein) over the course of 20 weeks. Mechanical and thermal sensitivity did not change over the course of the diet exposure. However, locomotor activity, blood glucose levels and percent body fat were elevated in the SAD-exposed groups, whereas bone mineral density was decreased. At 20 weeks of exposure, Complete Friend’s Adjuvant (CFA) was administered and sensitivity measured. Male SAD-fed animals took longer to recover, but not SAD-fed females. Following resolution of CFA-induced hypersensitivity, blood was analyzed. SAD-fed males showed higher levels of leptin and the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFa, IL-1b and IL-6 when compared to male controls. In contrast, female SAD-fed animals showed elevated triglycerides and the following cytokines and chemokines: IL-10, IL-13, IL-4, CXCL1, TNFa, IFN-g and IL-6. The prevalence of T-cell mediated cytokines (IL-13, IL-4) found in female SAD-fed circulation, suggests different physiological processes at play. Finally, microglial activation in spinal cords of SAD-fed animals was elevated threefold (when compared to controls) in the absence of pain. Therefore, these data suggest that a poor-quality diet results in significant changes in behavior and physiology that may be due to chronic immune system activation. Furthermore, the physiological changes resulting from an American diet may differentially affect males and females. Currently we are investigating immune system activation in the brain to further characterize these diet-induced alterations.

The Impact of Dietary and Metabolic Risk Factors on Cardiovascular Diseases and Type 2 Diabetes Mortality in Brazil.

BackgroundTrends in food availability and metabolic risk factors in Brazil suggest a shift toward unhealthy dietary patterns and increased cardiometabolic disease risk, yet little is known about the impact of dietary and metabolic risk factors on cardiometabolic mortality in Brazil.MethodsBased on data from Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study, we used comparative risk assessment to estimate the burden of 11 dietary and 4 metabolic risk factors on mortality due to cardiovascular diseases and diabetes in Brazil in 2010. Information on national diets and metabolic risks were obtained from the Brazilian Household Budget Survey, the Food and Agriculture Organization database, and large observational studies including Brazilian adults. Relative risks for each risk factor were obtained from meta-analyses of randomized trials or prospective cohort studies; and disease-specific mortality from the GBD 2010 database. We quantified uncertainty using probabilistic simulation analyses, incorporating uncertainty in dietary and metabolic data and relative risks by age and sex. Robustness of findings was evaluated by sensitivity to varying feasible optimal levels of each risk factor.ResultsIn 2010, high systolic blood pressure (SBP) and suboptimal diet were the largest contributors to cardiometabolic deaths in Brazil, responsible for 214,263 deaths (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 195,073 to 233,936) and 202,949 deaths (95% UI: 194,322 to 211,747), respectively. Among individual dietary factors, low intakes of fruits and whole grains and high intakes of sodium were the largest contributors to cardiometabolic deaths. For premature cardiometabolic deaths (before age 70 years, representing 40% of cardiometabolic deaths), the leading risk factors were suboptimal diet (104,169 deaths; 95% UI: 99,964 to 108,002), high SBP (98,923 deaths; 95%UI: 92,912 to 104,609) and high body-mass index (BMI) (42,643 deaths; 95%UI: 40,161 to 45,111).Conclusionsuboptimal diet, high SBP, and high BMI are major causes of cardiometabolic death in Brazil, informing priorities for policy initiatives.

Abstract P279: Major Dietary Risk Factors for Cardiometabolic Disease: Current Evidence for Causal Effects and Effect Sizes From the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) 2015 Study

Background: Dietary habits are major contributors to cardiometabolic diseases. Estimating the impact of diet on these conditions requires identification and quantification of evidence for causal effects. Objectives: To comprehensively evaluate the current evidence and quantify the effects of major dietary factors on CHD, stroke, and diabetes as part of the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) 2015 study. Methods: We assessed probable or convincing evidence for causal effects based on Bradford-Hill, World Health Organization, and WCRF/AICR criteria. We searched PubMed through April 2015 to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses of well-designed observational studies and clinical trials. Meta-analyses were evaluated and selected based on design, number of studies and events, definition of dietary exposure and disease outcomes, length of follow-up, statistical methods, evidence of bias, and control for confounders. Effect sizes and uncertainty were quantified per standardized units. We focused on dose-response meta-analyses. When necessary, original data were extracted from individual studies within each meta-analysis to perform de novo dose-response meta-analyses using generalized least squares for trend estimation. Results: We identified 11 dietary factors with probable or convincing evidence for causal effects on CHD, 4 on stroke, and 7 on diabetes. ( Table ). Examples of other factors not yet meeting probable or convincing evidence for causal effects included coffee and tea (consistent dose-response, yet plausible biology not well-established), eggs, and dietary cholesterol. Conclusion: This evaluation provides the best current evidence-based quantitative estimates of effects of major dietary factors on CHD, stroke, and diabetes. These findings enable quantitative estimation of disease burdens of suboptimal diet in the US and globally, and also inform policy planning and priorities.

Effect of Supplementation of Non-Starch Polysaccharide Hydrolyzing Enzymes on Nutrient Utilization and Economics of Broilers Reared on Sub-Optimal Diets

Three hundred one-day old Ven-Cobb straight run commercial broiler chicks were supplemented with non starch polysaccharide (NSP) hydrolyzing enzymes at 1X higher concentration (HC) viz. (xylanase, s-D-glucanase, cellulase, mannanase and pectinase @ 2400, 4800, 1800, 4800, and 2400 IU/kg respectively. The similar enzyme combination was supplemented @ 4800,9600,3600,9600 and 4800 IU/kg respectively as 2X (HC) to the corn + soybean meal based having sub-optimal diets (-100 Kcal). Similarly the diets were supplemented with NSP hydrolyzing enzymes at 1X lower concentrations (LC) viz. (xylanase, s-D-glucanase, cellulase, mannanase and pectinase @ 400, 240, 200, 200, and 400 IU/kg respectively. The same NSP hydrolyzing enzyme combination was supplemented @ 800,480,400,400 and 800 IU/Kg respectively as 2X (LC). The birds were weighed, wing banded and randomly distributed in to six experimental groups, with ten replicates and five birds in each replicate to assess the effect of the NSP hydrolyzing enzyme combinations on nutrient utilization and economics of broiler production. The protein and energy utilization had shown significant variation (P

Micronutrient deficiencies among children and women in Bangladesh: progress and challenges.

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the current situation regarding micronutrient deficiencies among children and women in Bangladesh. This review also discusses the successes and current challenges of existing intervention programmes. Data from nationally representative and selected small surveys since the 1980s that have reported on the status of at least one micronutrient in children and/or women have been examined. National policy documents/reports on existing interventions have been analysed. While the severity of various micronutrient deficiencies has declined since the 1980s, a significant proportion of preschool-age children remains with deficiencies in vitamin A (20·5%), Zn (44·5%) and vitamin D (39·6%); about one-third of these children are anaemic, and 10·7% of the children are Fe deficient. A high proportion of non-pregnant and non-lactating women is deficient in Zn (57%) and I (42%), while one-quarter of women live with anaemia and vitamin B12 and vitamin D (21%) deficiencies. Nearly one-half of the pregnant and lactating women are anaemic. Suboptimal diets, poor hygiene, infection and infestation are identified as some of the key factors associated with high levels of deficiencies. Multiple approaches and interventions are being supported, and while some notable progress has been achieved, significant challenges continue, including those related to coverage, quality and compliance. It is concluded that although current intervention programmes have made some progress in controlling the severe deficiencies, micronutrient deficiencies in Bangladesh remain a considerable problem. More well-integrated approaches for strengthening the existing intervention programmes are needed. In addition, new intervention strategies for alleviating and preventing specific micronutrient deficiencies are recommended.

Predictive Value of Biomarkers for Normal and Pathological Ageing in a Rat Model

Sub-optimal diets are widely known to be associated with disease. This study investigated two questions: first, whether a Western affluent diet affects long-term health in the rat, and second, whether, and to what extent, early changes in blood biomarkers can predict specific pathologies. A rat model was used in which animals were fed from weaning either a control diet or a high fat, low protein, energy dense Western affluent diet. Rats were harvested at either 12 or 18 months, and at these time points blood samples were taken and various clinical biomarkers measured using a hospital analyser or by ELISA. Predictive biomarkers should show small changes at early time points and larger changes at later time-points, and be associated with disease(s). Tissues were examined for overt pathology, and data were mined to establish links between pathologies and specific blood markers that might be used predictively. Results showed that the Western affluent diet is associated with ill-health, with a relative risk of developing disease 4.5 times higher than for the control diet. Furthermore we conclude that triacylglycerol, HDL cholesterol, the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol, creatinine and alanine aminotransferase were good predictors of disease as across the cohorts they showed altered levels before the clinical development of pathologies, in agreement with our hypothesis.

Transgenerational Developmental Programming of Ovarian Reserve.

Exposure to an adverse early-life environment leads to long-term health problems, many of which are recapitulated in subsequent generations. The female reproductive tract is particularly sensitive to early-life influences, and plays a pivotal role in programming the conceptus. We examine the influence of suboptimal grandmaternal diet on reproductive potential of granddaughters in the absence of any further dietary manipulations in the daughters in a rat low-protein diet model. Exposure to low-protein grand-maternal diet leads to decreased ovarian reserve and increased intra-abdominal fat mass in granddaughters, accompanied by accelerated accumulation of oxidative stress and mtDNA copy number instability in the ovaries. Ovarian telomere length declines more rapidly in the exposed granddaughters, indicating accelerated ageing in the reproductive tract. Thus, we demonstrate that suboptimal grandmaternal diet during pregnancy accelerates reproductive ageing across subsequent generations. These findings have important implications for understanding both individual rates of decline in fertility with age, and the clinical impact of current global trends towards delayed childbearing.

Intervention fidelity for a complex behaviour change intervention in community pharmacy addressing cardiovascular disease risk

Delivery of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention programs by community pharmacists appears effective and enhances health service access. However, their capacity to implement complex behavioural change processes during patient counselling remains largely unexplored. This study aims to determine intervention fidelity by pharmacists for behavioural components of a complex educational intervention for CVD prevention. After receiving training to improve lifestyle and medicines adherence, pharmacists recruited 70 patients aged 50-74 years without established CVD, and taking antihypertensive or lipid lowering therapy. Patients received five counselling sessions, each at monthly intervals. Researchers assessed biomedical and behavioural risk factors at baseline and six months. Pharmacists documented key outcomes from counselling after each session. Most patients (86%) reported suboptimal cardiovascular diets, 41% reported suboptimal medicines adherence, and 39% were physically inactive. Of those advised to complete the intervention, 85% attended all five sessions. Pharmacists achieved patient agreement with most recommended goals for behaviour change, and overwhelmingly translated goals into practical behavioural strategies. Barriers to changing behaviours were regularly documented, and pharmacists reported most behavioural strategies as having had some success. Meaningful improvements to health behaviours were observed post-intervention. Findings support further exploration of pharmacists' potential roles for delivering interventions with complex behaviour change requirements.