Meal Time Research Articles

Chronic mistimed feeding results in renal fibrosis and disrupted circadian blood pressure rhythms.

Circadian disruption is a disturbance in biological timing, which can occur within or between different organizational levels, ranging from molecular rhythms within specific cells to the misalignment of behavioral and environmental cycles. Previous work from our group showed that less than 1 wk of food restriction to the light (inactive) period is sufficient to invert diurnal blood pressure rhythms in mice. However, kidney excretory rhythms and functions remained aligned with the light-dark cycle. Shift workers have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease that may different between sexes and often have irregular mealtimes, making the possibility of mistimed feeding as a potential contributor to the development of kidney disease. Thus, we hypothesized that chronic mistimed food intake would result in adverse cardiorenal effects, with sex differences in severity. Here, we show that chronic circadian disruption via mistimed feeding results in renal fibrosis and aortic stiffness in a sex-dependent manner. Our results indicate the importance of meal timing for the maintenance of blood pressure rhythms and kidney function, particularly in males. Our results also demonstrate that females are better able to acclimate to circadian-related behavioral change. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Circadian disruption through mistimed feeding resulted in nondipping blood pressure, renal fibrosis, and arterial stiffness that were less severe in females versus males. Mice fed exclusively during the daytime maintain their circadian rhythms of locomotor activity regardless of their loss of blood pressure rhythms. Although these mice ate less food, they maintained body weight, suggesting inefficiencies in overall metabolism. These findings demonstrate the importance of maintaining optimal food intake patterns to prevent cardiorenal pathophysiology.

Meal timing and risk of metabolic syndrome in the prospective French NutriNet-Santé biobank

Abstract Background Circadian rhythm disruption has been associated with higher risks of cardiometabolic diseases and several cancers. Mistimed eating patterns can desynchronize circadian rhythms, and could therefore influence metabolic health. However, long-term associations between meal timing and the metabolic syndrome remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prospective associations between meal timing and the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Methods We used measured biological and clinical data from 16 353 adults (51 years ± 13.72) in the NutriNet-Santé biobank (2011-2014), and examined the associations between meal timing, assessed with repeated 24-hour dietary records during the first two years of follow-up (starting 2009), and the risk of metabolic syndrome, using modified Poisson regression models, adjusted for main confounders. Results At the end of follow-up (mean 2.1 years (SD = 1.2)), a later timing of the first meal of the day was associated with a moderately higher risk of metabolic syndrome (1,788 cases; RR per 1-hour delay = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00-1.10). However, after adjusting for overall diet quality, this association was attenuated (RR: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.99-1.09). Overall, we found no evidence of an association between the occurrence of metabolic syndrome and the time of the last meal (RR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.95-1.05), the number of eating occasions (RR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.98 - 1.03), or night-time fasting duration (RR: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.99 1.07). Conclusions In this large prospective study, timing of the first meal showed modest associations with metabolic syndrome. Further investigations using a longer follow-up are needed to elucidate how meal timing influences metabolic health. Key messages • Beyond the nutritional quality of meals, meal timing, particularly time of first meal, may be an accessible prevention strategy for metabolic health. • More largescale prospective and intervention studies are needed to better understand the links between meal timing and metabolic health.

Eating jetlag and risk of cardiovascular disease: prospective study of the NutriNet-Santé cohort

Abstract Background Social jetlag corresponds to the misalignment between biological circadian rhythms and the social rhythm imposed by society, resulting in discrepant activity/sleep schedules during work and free days. It has been associated with worsened biological parameters such as BMI or glycemic control. Eating jetlag is a related yet emerging concept defined as the difference of meal timing between free and work days. However, it has been little explored. This study aims to evaluate the association between eating jetlag and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods Dietary, anthropometric, socio-demographic and health data of 104,837 participants (79% women, mean age=42.7 years (14.6 SD)) were collected from the NutriNet-Santé cohort. Eating jetlag was calculated using time of first and last meals on weekdays and weekends, from repeated 24 dietary records, averaged during the 2 first years. It was assessed as a continuous variable or as 3 categories: ‘Advance’, ‘Maintenance’, ‘Delay’, compared to work days. CVD was self-reported and validated against medical records. The associations between eating jetlag and CVD risk were assessed through adjusted Cox models. Results During a median follow-up time of 8.1 years, 2,368 CVD cases were diagnosed. Eating jetlag showed a U-shaped association with CVD risk (HR Advance vs. Maintenance=1.05(95% CI: 0.87-1.26); HR Delay vs. Maintenance=1.08(0.96-1.21)). When the absolute value of eating jetlag was considered, there was a linear association with CVD risk (HR per 1-hour increase=1.05(1.00-1.12)). These linear trends were confirmed in categorial models (Low: ≤1h; Moderate: 1h< to ≤ 2h; High: >2h): HR Moderate vs. Low=1.05(0.94-1.18), and HR High vs. Low=1.13(0.94-1.37); however, statistical significance was not reached. Conclusions Our results suggest a potential role for meal timing regularity between free and work days in CVD etiology. They need to be replicated in other studies and mechanisms are yet to be fully understood. Key messages • Adopting regular meal timing schemes on work and free days could be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases. • Meal regularity between work and free days could play a role in cardiovascular health and should be further investigated.

The Relationship between Diet and Stress with Gastritis Symptoms in Adolescents at Integrated Agricultural Vocational Schools

Adolescence is a productive age that can experience lifestyle changes that don't pay attention to health, making them susceptible to gastritis symptoms. Common causes of gastritis include improper eating patterns, such as inappropriate frequency or timing of meals, eating excessively and quickly, or consuming foods that are stimulating (too spiced and spicy). Gastritis can easily attack individuals who have irregular eating patterns. Stress affects changes in physiological functions in the body's systems, one of which is the digestive system. Stress can cause decreased appetite, stomach emptying, increased stomach acid, resulting in pain in the stomach. This study aims to determine the relationship between diet and stress and symptoms of gastritis in adolescents. This research is a cross sectional study conducted on 271 teenagers at the Integrated Agricultural Vocational School, Riau Province. The data collection tool is a questionnaire that is valid and has high reliability. The results of the analysis carried out using the chi square test showed that there was a significant relationship between diet and stress and symptoms of gastritis in adolescents as evidenced by a correlation value of 0.000 α 0.05. After conducting research, the results showed that poor eating patterns and high levels of stress can result in symptoms of gastritis.

Chrono-nutrition and post-bariatric weight loss: insights from the Portuguese ChronoWise cohort

Abstract Background Post-bariatric weight loss varies substantially, and a large proportion of patients respond poorly. The literature highlights the importance of chrono-nutrition for weight regulation. This study aims to explore the chrono-related factors associated with poorer weight loss. Methods This study was conducted within the ChronoWise project, an ongoing prospective cohort study following patients undergoing bariatric surgery at the Santo António Local Health Unit, Porto. The sample included patients evaluated at both pre-surgery and 3 months post-surgery. Baseline information on meal timing was gathered through the Chrononutrition Profile-Questionnaire. The eating midpoint (midpoint between first and last meal) was calculated for work and free days. Chronotype was determined using the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire. Weight loss was expressed as the percent of total weight loss (%TWL = [(initial weight − current weight)/(initial weight)]×100). Chrono-related variables were compared according to %TWL (dichotomized by the median) using the Mann-Whitney test. Results Sixty patients were included (72% female; mean age 45±11.8). The mean baseline BMI was 44±5.6 kg/m2, which decreased to 35±5.3 kg/m2 at 3 months post-surgery, resulting in an average 20±3.9 %TWL. On free days, participants with lower %TWL tend to do the first meal later in the day (9h45 vs. 9h10, р=0.367), and later lunch on workdays (12h45 vs 12h30, р=0.531) compared with individuals with higher %TWL. Lower %TWL is typically observed in individuals having later eating midpoints (15h00 vs. 14h15 for workdays, р=0.011; 15h07 vs. 14h44 for free days, р=0.205). A later chronotype (3h37 vs 3h30, р=0.347) was also linked with poorer weight loss. Conclusions Eating later during the day and later chronotype may contribute to poorer post-bariatric weight loss. Funding: This work was supported by FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia [2021.01096.CEECIND, UIDB/04750/2020,LA/P/0064/2020&SGITR2023/EPIUnit]. Key messages • Recognizing meal timing as a modifiable lifestyle factor may optimize current approaches by aligning food intake with circadian clock. • A later chronotype, i.e. a behavioural expression of an individual’s internal circadian clock system as a preference for eveningness or later sleep timing, may negatively influence weight loss.

Perspectives on Drug Product Design Among Patients with Lung Cancer in the United Kingdom.

The use of oral anticancer medications has become more prevalent in cancer therapy. This is particularly the case in the management of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, when the treatment delivery interaction between the patient and the healthcare provider is removed, the risk of non-adherence increases. Insights into patient preferences can allow drug product formulation scientists to design more patient-centric medications that may promote an increase in adherence which, in turn, may lead to more beneficial health outcomes. We conducted an advisory board with patients with NSCLC in the United Kingdom to elicit and understand preferences for drug product attributes related to appearance, instructions, and modality. The advisory board was preceded by a quantitative preference survey that included three object-case best-worst scaling exercises and was followed by administering the same survey to a broader group of patients to confirm the results. Patients strongly prefer once-daily dosing over more frequent dosing, regardless of the number of pills because taking tablets or capsules multiple times each day can disrupt daily activities. In addition, patients place high importance on surface smoothness because a rough surface implies decreased swallowability. Finally, food restrictions involving directions regarding taking medication with or without food represent difficulties for patients with cancer. Results of the follow-up survey confirmed these results. Drug developers should attempt to limit the dosing of these medications to once-daily regimens, avoid surface roughness, and develop formulations that can be taken without regard to the timing of meals to the greatest extent possible.

Nutritional management, skipping breakfast, glycemic control, and cardiovascular risk on type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract Background Meal timing is an emerging field that investigates the influence of eating patterns on circadian rhythm and general health. There is still disagreement in the literature as to whether eating windows could impact weight gain and biochemical markers. Purpose 1- Evaluate the impact of nutritional interventions on weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), fasting blood glucose (FG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), between 0th and 12th month in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D); 2-Observe breakfast skipping and sleep disorders, and also analyze the influence of these data with possible changes in anthropometric and biochemical markers. Methods This experimental and observational study recruited 44 participants with T2D. The assessments were carried out in October 2022 and 2023. The nutritional assessment consisted of prescribing a personalized eating plan (Mediterranean diet and DASH). Statistical analysis: For the variables "breakfast habits", "nocturnal awakenings", and "sleep duration", the numbers of participants were converted into percentages of the total number of individuals. Parametric variables were compared using the paired t-test and non-parametric variables were compared by the Wilcoxon test. To evaluate the influence of the habit of eating breakfast and sleep disorders on quantitative variables, variations were calculated between the 0th and 12th month between participants who had or did not have the habit of eating breakfast and had or did not have sleep disorders. Parametric variables were compared using the unpaired t test and non-parametric variables using the Mann-Whitney test. Parametric data were presented as mean ± standard deviation and non-parametric data as median ± interquartile range, both accompanied by the dispersion of all repetitions. α<0.05 and P<0.05 were adopted. Results Significant reductions were found between the 0th and 12th month of FG, HbA1c, LDL-C, triglycerides, SBP, DBP, BMI, WC, and weight (p<0.0001). Regarding breakfast habits, in the 1st month, 77.3% of participants skipped this meal, reducing to 13.6% in the 12th month. For sleep duration, in the 1st month, 90.9% of participants slept less than 6 hours, reducing to 40.9% in the 12th month. For nocturnal awakenings, 70.5% of participants had at least 1 awakening in the 1st month, reducing to 54.5% in the 12th month. For influence analysis, no significant differences were found between changes in FG, HbA1c, LDL-C, triglycerides, SBP, DBP, BMI, WC, and weight on breakfast habit or sleep disorders, except for HDL-C and sleep disorders (p<0.005). Conclusion Nutritional management improved biochemical markers, reduced anthropometric data, regulated the eating window, reduced nocturnal awakenings, and optimized sleep duration in patients with T2D.

Longer preoperative fluid resuscitation decreased anesthetic fluid interventions in 297 dogs undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal foreign body obstruction.

The objectives were to (1) compare the impact of preoperative fluid resuscitation on anesthetic parameters and interventions and (2) assess the impact of preoperative resuscitation duration on the integrity of intestinal tissue and postoperative complications in dogs with gastrointestinal foreign body obstruction. Medical records from 1 academic hospital were reviewed for 297 client-owned dogs that underwent gastrointestinal foreign body obstruction surgery between May 2017 and August 2022. Data collected included the following: signalment, preoperative fluid resuscitation, surgical findings, anesthetic parameters and interventions, postoperative complications, and timing of the first meal. Variables for preoperative length of fluid resuscitation (hours), total preoperative fluid bolus (mL/kg), and preoperative fluid rate (mL/kg/d) were changed to categorical variables. Associations between anesthetic interventions, postoperative outcomes, preoperative fluid resuscitation length, and total fluid bolus were assessed with ordered logistic regression. Shorter preoperative fluid resuscitation length was associated with higher anesthetic fluid rates (P = .033) and fluid boluses performed (P = .023). Increased total volume of preoperative fluid boluses was associated with anesthetic synthetic colloid use (P = .028). There was insufficient evidence to claim an association between the impact of preoperative fluid resuscitation length and intestinal wall compromise (perforation, P = .912; enterectomy performed, P = .711). Shorter preoperative fluid resuscitation was associated with increased anesthetic fluid interventions but not the need for more complex surgeries. Longer fluid resuscitation periods are associated with fewer anesthetic interventions in dogs.

07 Partnering with patients with living and lived experience of eating disorders to improve inpatient care on an acute paediatric medicine unit

Abstract Background Since the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals nationally are seeing a growing number of adolescent patients with eating disorders requiring acute medical stabilization, which is often a time of crisis in the trajectory of this ego-syntonic disorder. The complexity of these admissions often lead to safety events for patients and moral distress for clinicians. Medical admissions can also be an opportunity to engage youth and families. Patient partners are a pillar in healthcare quality improvement, but historically we have not engaged adolescent patient partners in improving acute eating disorder treatment. We gathered the experience of patients and families with living and lived experience of eating disorder treatment to improve their quality of care in an acute paediatric medicine unit. Objectives We aimed to describe the experience of patients and families with living and lived experience of eating disorder treatment, specifically acute medical stabilization, through a quality improvement patient engagement project. Design/Methods We used a mixed-methods design of semi-structured interviews and a focus group with adolescents with eating disorders and their caregivers in an acute medical unit at a tertiary paediatric hospital in British Columbia. We employed opportunity sampling by distributing recruitment flyers through patient experience councils, outpatient clinics, other non-acute units, and to all patients admitted with a medically unstable eating disorder at our hospital during the study period. The interviews consisted of open-ended questions, yes/no questions, and Likert scales related to four categories: admission process, inpatient experience, team communication, and discharge process. Two reviewers analyzed the qualitative data using thematic analysis, and the quantitative data was analyzed descriptively. Quality improvement projects are exempt from Research Ethics Board approval. However, we utilized the "A Project Ethics Community Consensus Initiative" (ARECCI) Ethics Guideline and Screening Tool and presented our proposal at the hospital's quality improvement and research oversight committees. Results We completed 8 interviews with patients with current living experience admitted to our acute medical unit. We also completed 1 interview with a patient with past lived experience and 1 focus group with patients and caregivers. Primary themes identified included uncertainty about their overall treatment journey and stress due to the sudden new expectations on the inpatient unit, such as activity restriction, meal plans by the hospital, and bathroom access after meal times. Patients identified the importance of relational care, inclusion in treatment planning, acknowledgement of the demanding nature of eating disorders, and individualized care. Due to variability in training, resource allocation, and gaps in communication, these patient-identified priorities are not always met. While 100% of participants stated they understood the reasons and goals for admission, participants averaged 3.7 on a 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) Likert scale when asked to rate their satisfaction with the information they received. Five out of eight adolescents felt that there was consistency in communication within the team. Conclusion We demonstrate the complex needs of patients with eating disorders who require acute medical stabilization. Targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives through admission orientation documents and family-centered rounds could better meet those needs. We are currently developing an admission pamphlet and journal for patients admitted with a new eating disorder to our medical unit. Patient partners exhibited a high willingness to participate in our study and readily acknowledged the importance their contributions could hold for other patients.

Positive Deviance in Nutritional Practices for Two-Year-Olds in Poor Fisherman Families in the Belawan Health Center Area, 2022

The problem of malnutrition is still the main problem faced in human resource development. The problem of growth and development of Baduta is a serious problem because at this age the process of physical and intellectual growth and development is critical. Malnutrition problems mostly occur in poor families but are not caused by poor families who have well-nourished children. The Belawan Community Health Center working area is one of the community health centers with the highest number of cases of malnutrition in Medan City. To overcome this, a program is needed that is believed to be effective and sustainable. One of the existing programs to overcome the problem of malnutrition and malnutrition is positive deviation. This research aims to identify positive behavior in feeding (type of food, processing of food ingredients, mealtimes and method of feeding) of toddlers who are well-nourished in poor fishing families in the Belawan Community Health Center Working Area in 2022. This research method is qualitative research with a narrative approach. Researchers studied individual lives by asking one or several individuals to tell stories about their lives related to positive behavior in feeding well-nourished animals. This information is then retold by the researcher in a narrative chronology. The findings of this research indicate that addressing nutritional challenges in children can be effectively achieved by leveraging the potential and resources within the community. This is done through the identification of positive deviant behaviors, particularly those related to beneficial feeding practices. These practices encompass aspects such as the types of food provided, the methods of food preparation, the timing of meals, and the approach to food administration. Keep up the great work! The way you’re thinking about integrating community strengths is spot-on for creating sustainable solutions.

Association of the Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index and Consumption Time with NAFLD: The U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2017-2020.

The timing of food intake can affect the physiological and metabolic functions of the body. However, whether and how the timing of dietary antioxidant intake could influence non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is largely unknown. The Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index (CDAI) serves as a comprehensive measure that encompasses various dietary antioxidants. This study aims to investigate the association between the meal timing of CDAI and NAFLD in American adults. We used data from the 2017-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Dietary intake was assessed through the implementation of two non-concurrent 24-h dietary recalls. Vibration-controlled transient elastography was employed to assess the controlled attenuation as an indicator of NAFLD. CDAI across the day (total, breakfast, lunch, dinner) and Δ CDAI (Δ = dinner-breakfast) were categorized into quartiles. Weighted logistic regression models and restricted cubic splines were used to evaluate the association between the meal timing of CDAI and NAFLD. Of the 6570 participants in this study, 1153 had NAFLD. Participants in the highest quartile of total CDAI levels had a lower risk of NAFLD compared with the lowest quartile (OR = 0.52; 95% CI, 0.38-0.71). More importantly, participants in the highest quartile of dinner CDAI, but not those in that of breakfast or lunch, had a lower risk of NAFLD (OR = 0.54; 95% CI, 0.40-0.73) compared with the lowest quartile. The restricted cubic splines indicated a linear relationship between total CDAI and NAFLD (Pfor nonlinearity = 0.70), as well as between dinner CDAI and NAFLD (Pfor nonlinearity = 0.19). Stratification analyses revealed that the effect of dinner CDAI on NAFLD varied between non-Hispanic Whites and individuals of other races (Pfor interaction = 0.032). these findings suggest the potential beneficial effects of an antioxidant-rich diet and strategic meal timing on NAFLD.

Genetic Perspectives on Feed Event, Meal and Feed Efficiency Traits in Bos taurus indicus Beef Cattle.

Electronic feeders record feeding behaviour as feed events by tracking the animal's in-out visits to the feeder. Another way to measure feeding behaviour is based on meals. However, the two approaches provide different outcomes. The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters (heritabilities and genetic and phenotypic correlations) for feed event and meal traits, and their genetic and phenotypic correlations with feed efficiency traits in Nellore cattle. The present study analysed six feed event traits (DMIFE: dry matter intake per feed event, FED: feed event duration, TBFE: time between feed events, FTd: feeding time per day, FEd: feed events per day, and FR: feeding rate), six meal traits (DMIME: DMI per meal, MED: meal duration, TBME: time between meals, MC: meal criterion, MTd: meal time per day, and MEd: meals per day), and three feed efficiency traits (ADG: average daily gain, DMI, and RFI: residual feed intake). The traits were measured in feed efficiency tests of Nellore cattle (age = 280 ± 41 days and body weight = 258 ± 47 kg at enrolment). The MC was calculated for each animal and ranged from 1.70 to 64.0 min, i.e., any pair of feed events separated by less than the MC value was considered part of the same meal. The heritabilities and correlations were estimated by fitting univariate and bivariate animal models, respectively, using single-step genomic BLUP. The highest heritabilities for feed event traits were 0.35 ± 0.06 (FED), 0.39 ± 0.06 (FTd), and 0.50 ± 0.05 (FTd), and for meal traits were 0.31 ± 0.06 (MED) and 0.45 ± 0.06 (MTd). The genetic correlation between feed event traits and meal traits were weak. FR, FED, and FTd had moderate genetic correlations with RFI (-0.56 ± 0.11, 0.44 ± 0.11, 0.60 ± 0.08, respectively). These results indicate that more efficient animals spent less time at the feeder per feed event and per day, and eat faster compared to less efficient animals. In conclusion, feed event and meal traits must be treated as distinct groups of traits since the genetic and phenotypic correlations were, in general, weak to moderate. Among feed event versus meal traits, feed event traits are more favourable to explain the genetic relationships of feeding behaviour with feed efficiency-related traits.

The impact of chrononutrition on metabolic health: Aligning eating patterns with circadian rhythms

Chrononutrition, the study of how the timing of meals impacts health by aligning with the body’s circadian rhythms, is increasingly recognized for its influence on metabolic regulation. This review examines the scientific foundation of chrononutrition, focusing on key research surrounding meal timing, circadian disruption, and their effects on metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Findings from both clinical trials and animal studies indicate that irregular eating schedules can disturb circadian rhythms, resulting in impaired glucose metabolism, increased fat accumulation, and hormonal imbalances. This review also identifies critical gaps in the current research, highlighting the potential for chrononutrition-based strategies in preventing and managing disease.

Bed bugs, Cimex lectularius: Undercover agents in forensic investigations.

Insects have long played a role in forensic investigations and can be used to estimate minimum time since death, corpse translocation, and link an individual to a crime scene. Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are wingless ectoparasitic insects of potential forensic utility, given that all mobile life stages feed on vertebrate blood. Successful profiling of autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) from human DNA isolated from bed bugs has been previously reported. This proof-of-concept study looked to expand this work and determine any possible limitations of using bed bugs for both rapid stain identification (RSID™) for human blood and Y-STR profiling. To achieve this, bed bugs were fed either human male only or human pooled (female:male) blood for 30 min and subsequently collected at 12-h intervals up to 108 h post-blood meal (PBM). RSID™ blood testing was successful from the bed bug carcass remaining after DNA isolation, regardless of blood meal type and time of collection PBM. Complete Y-STR profiles were generated from bed bugs <60 h PBM. As the time PBM increased, DNA quantity decreased, while the degradation index increased. Collection of bed bugs at a crime scene could provide a valuable source of human blood for Y STR profiling and be used to link an individual to a crime scene or for potential male suspect exclusion. Future studies should look to replicate the results of this proof-of-concept study with larger numbers of bed bugs, more diverse blood donors, and additional STR profiling kits.

The Association of Walking Ability with Oral Function and Masticatory Behaviors in Community-Dwelling Older People: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background/Objectives: An association between oral function and physical fitness, including walking capacity, has been reported. However, the association between masticatory behaviors and walking ability-both of which represent patterns of movement in daily life-has not been clarified. This study aimed to investigate the association between masticatory behaviors, oral function, and walking capacity in older people. Methods: One hundred community-dwelling older people (31 men, 69 women, mean age 75.7 ± 6.3 years) were selected to participate in this study. Age, sex, masticatory behaviors, oral functions (tongue pressure, tongue-lips motor function, occlusal force, and masticatory performance), and walking capacity were assessed. Masticatory behaviors were assessed during the consumption of one rice ball (100 g) using a wearable chewing counter, and the number of chews, chewing rate, the number of chews per bite, and meal time were recorded. Walking capacity was assessed using the timed up and go test (TUG). Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the strength and direction of the association. Results: Moderate negative correlations were observed between TUG time and tongue pressure and between TUG time and tongue-lips motor function (/ta/ and /ka/) (rs = -0.33, -0.21, -0.28, respectively). In addition, moderate negative correlations between TUG time and chewing rate (rs = -0.22) and between TUG time and meal time (rs = 0.33) were observed, suggesting that lower walking capacity was associated with slower chewing rate and longer meal times. Conclusions: In community-dwelling older people, declines in mastication speed and dexterity and tongue strength are associated with lower walking capacity.

Microbial community characteristics and pathogens detection in Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Haemaphysalis hystricis from Hainan Island, China.

Microbial communities significantly influence the vector capacity of ticks, which, along with tick-borne diseases, pose an increasing global threat. Due to the substantial individual variability caused by various factors, it is essential to assess tick microbial communities and vectorial capacities under different environmental conditions. However, there is a relative scarcity of research on the microbial communities and pathogen transmission of ticks in different physiological states and environmental conditions, especially in Hainan Island, southern China. From 2021 to 2022, we collected 4,167 tick samples, grouping them by blood meal status, developmental stage, sex, time, geographical location, and tick species. We selected 128 samples for full-length 16S rRNA sequencing to describe microbial community characteristics and identify potential biomarkers. Seven hundred seventy-two samples were tested for seven tick-borne pathogens (Rickettsia, Borrelia burgdorferi, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Theileria, Babesia, and Hepatozoon), and sera from 208 residents of Hainan Island were tested for IgG antibodies against Rickettsia and B. burgdorferi. Blood meal status, developmental stage, sex, time, geographical location, and tick species significantly influenced the microbial communities of ticks. We observed distinct microbial community characteristics across different states. We noted the non-random replacement of stable and transient species, with functional differences between parasitic and engorged ticks mainly driven by transient species. Functionally, we observed three distinct response patterns: driven by stable species, transient species, and both together in response to the six factors. We identified 273 potential biomarkers (200 robust core species and 73 robust differential species). Six genera and eight species of pathogens were detected in ticks, with an overall positivity rate of 12.44% (96/772). Among humans, 18.27% (38/208) of serum samples were positive for at least one tick-borne pathogen IgG. Our findings indicate that these six factors significantly influence both tick microbial communities and vectorial capacity, with varying effects on vector competence for different pathogens and inconsistent impacts on microbial communities under different conditions. This study supplemented the understanding of tick microbial communities on Hainan Island, assessed the relatively high risk of tick-borne pathogens in the region, and evaluated the impact of these factors on both microbial communities and vectorial capacity.

Lifestyle, meal times, and sleep patterns changes in higher education professors during COVID-19: Association with non-communicable chronic diseases.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions had to swiftly adapt and transition to remote teaching in order to maintain academic activities. However, these changes presented a number of challenges for professors, which could have negative effects on their health. To analyze the association between changes in dietary and sleep habits, physical activity level, and sedentary behavior with the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among Brazilian higher education professors during the pandemic period. This is a cross-sectional and retrospective study conducted using an online form. Generalized linear models, adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index, were used to verify the difference between pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. Logistic regression models were used to predict the odds ratio (OR) for the development of NCDs according to physical activity time, sedentary behavior time, dietary and sleep patterns. A total of 936 professors residing across Brazil participated in the survey. The duration of sedentary behavior increased, sleep duration slightly decreased, and meal times shifted to earlier during the pandemic. A total of 22.9%of the participants reported the diagnosis of some NCDs during this period. Physical activity practice was associated with a lower risk of diseases during the pandemic, regardless of the intensity performed. On the other hand, late eating habits and excessive food consumption during the pandemic were associated with a higher risk. The results provide data that can help in the development of public policies that promote health actions to minimize the consequences associated with the pandemic period.

Changepoint detection on daily home activity pattern: a sliced Poisson process method.

The problem of health and care of people is being revolutionized. An important component of that revolution is disease prevention and health improvement from home. A natural approach to the health problem is monitoring changes in people's behavior or activities. These changes can be indicators of potential health problems. However, due to a person's daily pattern, changes will be observed throughout each day, with, eg, an increase of events around meal times and fewer events during the night. We do not wish to detect such within-day changes but rather changes in the daily behavior pattern from one day to the next. To this end, we assume the set of event times within a given day as a single observation. We model this observation as the realization of an inhomogeneous Poisson process where the rate function can vary with the time of day. Then, we propose to detect changes in the sequence of inhomogeneous Poisson processes. This approach is appropriate for many phenomena, particularly for home activity data. Our methodology is evaluated on simulated data. Overall, our approach uses local change information to detect changes across days. At the same time, it allows us to visualize and interpret the results, changes, and trends over time, allowing the detection of potential health decline.

The daily experience of hunger in UK females with and without food insecurity

Food insecurity (FI) is associated with increased mortality risk, depression, and obesity in females in high-income countries, but causal mechanisms remain unclear. FI is often assumed to lead to increased levels of hunger. However, quantitative evidence describing daily experiences of hunger in FI is lacking. Our pre-registered study used ecological momentary assessment to capture experiences of hunger in two groups of UK-based females: those experiencing FI (N = 143) and those experiencing food security (FS; N = 149). Participants self-reported hunger hourly (0900-2100) for one week (Monday-Sunday). There was no difference between groups in mean hunger (t(290) = 0.17, p = .866, d = 0.02) nor within-day standard deviation in hunger (t(290) = 1.31, p = .193, d = 0.15). However, both quantities fluctuated more from day to day in the FI group. Compared to the FS group, participants in the FI group had a larger day-to-day variation in mean hunger (t(284) = 2.43, p = .016, d = 0.29) and a larger day-to-day variation in the within-day standard deviation of hunger (t(284) = 2.90, p = .004, d = 0.34). In exploratory analyses, we found that the hunger of the two groups patterned differently across the day. Our findings suggest that experiences of hunger are less stable in those experiencing FI, which may reflect associations between FI and greater uncertainty in food access, higher variability in meal timings or the increased likelihood of chaotic home and work lives.

Dietary protein in a challenge meal does not alleviate postprandial impairments in vascular endothelial function in healthy older adults with cardiometabolic risk: a randomized crossover-controlled trial

BackgroundPostprandial vascular endothelial dysfunction is an early marker of atherosclerosis. Meal protein has been reported to reduce endothelial dysfunction in adults and the effect could be mediated by the amino acid content. ObjectiveThis trial aims to assess the effect of a specifically designed plant protein blend that contains high leucine, arginine and cysteine on postprandial endothelial function in the elderly. MethodsIn a randomized, double-blind, 3-period crossover (2-wk washout), controlled trial, we compared the vascular effects of 3 high-saturated-fat high-sucrose (HFHS) meals based on either our specific plant-protein blend, milk protein, or without added protein. The trial was conducted on 29 healthy adults >65y presenting at least 2 cardiometabolic risk factors. Postprandial vascular function was evaluated at fasting, 3 hours, and 5 hours postprandially, using brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), hand microvascular reactivity (by Flowmetry Laser Doppler, FLD), and finger reactive hyperemia index (using Peripheral Arterial Tonometry, RHI). Immune cells count and gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was also assessed postprandially. Data were analyzed using mixed linear models with repeated measurements on participants for meal composition and time of sampling. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04923555. ResultsFMD iAUC decreased after meals (time effect P<0.01), with no significant differences between meals. RHI also decreased with time (P<0.01). PBMC count and MCP1, IL-1b, IL-6 expression increased after meals showing postprandial endothelial activation (P<0.05). Overall, meal composition had no effect on any of the postprandial changes (Ps>0.10). ConclusionsIn healthy adults over 65 years presenting cardiometabolic risk, adding protein to an HFHS challenge meal does not mitigate postprandial impairments in vascular endothelial function and inflammatory activation. Further studies are needed to explore the potential differences with younger adults.