Unbalanced Diet Research Articles

Risk factors for diminished ovarian reserve in women: Current state of the problem

Ovarian reserve is the basis of female fertility. The main markers of ovarian reserve are the level of anti-Mullerian hormone and the number of antral follicles. In addition to the natural age-related loss of follicles, many women experience a premature diminished ovarian reserve associated with a number of factors. This can be caused by both various diseases and environmental factors, lifestyle, and social aspects.The aim of this review was to examine the influence of external factors on the ovarian reserve and women fertility. A systematic analysis of data from modern scientific literature, domestic and foreign sources was carried out. The search involved such resources as PubMed, MEDLINE, Science Direct, eLibrary, Scopus, Cyberleninka. A detailed analysis of the influence of environmental pollution, lifestyle (sleep, nutrition, physical activity), previous surgeries, bad habits, obesity, psychological and social factors on the ovarian reserve and reproductive function of women was carried out. Significantly diminished ovarian reserve was noted with low sleep quality, excessive physical activity, and an unbalanced diet poor with animal proteins. Regular consumption of alcohol, smoking and exposure to certain chemical environmental pollutants cause premature follicle apoptosis and the onset of menopause. Circadian dysrhythmia, chronic stress and obesity can lead to the ovarian menstrual cycle disorders and the development of infertility in women. Previous parovarium surgeries are a significant risk factor for diminished ovarian reserve. Further population-based studies are needed to determine the precise mechanisms of influence of various factors on female fertility.

The Effect of Maternal High-Fat or High-Carbohydrate Diet during Pregnancy and Lactation on Cytochrome P450 2D (CYP2D) in the Liver and Brain of Rat Offspring.

Cytochrome P450 2D (CYP2D) is important in psychopharmacology as it is engaged in the metabolism of drugs, neurosteroids and neurotransmitters. An unbalanced maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation can cause neurodevelopmental abnormalities and increases the offspring's predisposition to neuropsychiatric diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of maternal modified types of diet: a high-fat diet (HFD) and high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) during pregnancy and lactation on CYP2D in the liver and brain of male offspring at 28 (adolescent) or 63 postnatal days (young adult). The CYP2D activity and protein level were measured in the liver microsomes and the levels of mRNAs of CYP2D1, 2D2 and 2D4 were investigated both in the liver and brain. In the liver, both HFD and HCD increased the mRNA levels of all the three investigated CYP2D genes in adolescents, but an opposite effect was observed in young adults. The CYP2D protein level increased in adolescents but not in young adults. In contrast, young adults showed significantly decreased CYP2D activity. Similar effect of HFD on the CYP2D mRNAs was observed in the prefrontal cortex, while the effect of HCD was largely different than in the liver (the CYP2D2 expression was not affected, the CYP2D4 expression was decreased in young adults). In conclusion, modified maternal diets influence the expression of individual CYP2D1, CYP2D2 and CYP2D4 genes in the liver and brain of male offspring, which may affect the metabolism of CYP2D endogenous substrates and drugs and alter susceptibility to brain diseases and pharmacotherapy outcome.

Poor Eating Habits and Low Physical Activity Contribute to Weight Excess and Increase Cardiometabolic Risk in Adolescents Practicing Soccer as a Recreational Sport.

Monitoring anthropometry, dietary intake, and physical activity (PA) is essential to prevent/counteract childhood obesity. This study examined dietary intake, PA, and anthropometric characteristics in young boys practicing soccer as a recreational sport. A cross-sectional study included 226 boys aged 8 to 13 years participating in soccer as a recreational activity in football academies located in Tunis, Tunisia. Anthropometric measures allowed the calculation of body mass index, fat mass, and peak height velocity as markers of biological maturity. A three-day food record and a food frequency questionnaire estimated nutrient intake and eating habits. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to estimate the PA level of the participants. It was found that a high percentage of the children had excess weight (54%) and excess fat mass (47%). The total energy, carbohydrate, and saturated fat intake of the children exceeded the recommended levels by approximately 10%, 15%, and 30%, respectively. However, the intake of unsaturated fat was below the estimated requirements, particularly in obese children. In addition to the unbalanced macronutrient intake, the children also showed an insufficient intake of many essential micronutrients. Around 60% to 70% of the children in all three groups had a low intake of magnesium, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and vitamins B9, B12, and D. Moreover, 20% to 35% of the children in the three groups had an insufficient intake of vitamins A and C. Insufficient vitamin E intake was found in 63% of obese children and 35% of non-obese children. It was observed that the PA level was lower in the overweight/obese group compared to the normal-weight group (p < 0.005). More than three-quarters of overweight/obese children had low PA levels, about 20% were moderately active, and only 1 to 2% were highly active. Conversely, normal-weight children showed moderate to high PA levels. Poor eating behavior, an unbalanced diet, and a low PA level are prevalent in Tunisian boys practicing recreational sports. Such a combination is responsible for a disparity between energy intake and expenditure, contributing to weight excess and increased cardiometabolic risk. The study findings provide meaningful information for practitioners and authorities on applying a balanced diet and adequate PA to prevent and fight against obesity and improve cardiometabolic health in youth.

G-Protein-Coupled Receptor 120 Agonist Mitigates Steatotic and Fibrotic Features Triggered in Obese Mice by the Administration of a High-Fat and High-Carbohydrate Diet.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD) represents a complex condition ranging from simple steatosis (nonalcoholic fatty liver, NAFL) to inflammation, and fibrosis is one of the main features of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The pathogenesis of NAFLD is not well established but involves several factors (i.e., predisposition of genetic variants, obesity, and unhealthy lifestyle as unbalanced diets) that lead to an alteration of lipid homeostasis and consequently to an abnormal accumulation of triglycerides and other lipids in the liver parenchyma. Currently, no resolutive pharmacological treatment for NAFLD is available, and the only therapeutic approach is a healthy diet and physical exercise. In this study, we investigated the potential beneficial effect of GprA, a new synthetic agonist of G-protein-coupled receptor 120/free fatty acid receptor 4 (GPR120/FFAR4), in the progression of NAFL/NASH in mice fed for different periods (26 weeks and 30 weeks), with a high-fat (40% kcal) and high-carbohydrate diet, also called a Western-style diet (WSD). In our experimental model, the histological, protein, and transcriptomic analyses highlighted that the GprA can reduce signs of steatosis in WSD-fed mice. Furthermore, in 30 week-treated mice, GprA is also effective in the reduction of collagen deposition and fibrosis development. Altogether, our data validate the central role of FFAR4 in the context of NAFL/NASH onset and progression and reveal that GprA could represent an interesting candidate for the development of a new therapeutic approach in NAFLD treatment.

The actual issues of detection of risk factors and prevention of myocardium infarction in sailors

In Russia, increases morbidity of myocardial infarction. The statistics of recent years demonstrate failure in meeting target indicators of national programs on reducing number of deaths from this disease. At that, able-bodied population is in high risk zone and their professional activity is under influence of large combination of risk factors of myocardial infarction. This risk area covers profession of seafarer that is characterized by irregular work schedule, high levels of stress and mental tension, low physical activity or, contrariwise, increased working loads, unbalanced diet, isotherm stress and interaction with harmful substances. Besides that, situation is aggravated by limited set of first medical aid measures at exacerbation of disease in view of remoteness from hospitalization centers. Thus, considering high mortality rate from myocardial infarction, it is extremely important for ship crews to have full and timely information about diagnostic, symptomatic and prevention of this disease. The article examines statistics data of morbidity and mortality of myocardial infarction in population of the Russian Federation on the basis of Rosstat data and target indicators of the National project "Health Care". The risk factors of myocardial infarction established by INTERHEART studies are analyzed. The specifics of work conditions of crew members of marine vessels are established. The collection of professional modifying risk factors was selected. The recommendations for their correction were developed to enhance efficiency of primary preventive measures and to decrease morbidity and mortality among seafarers.

Extensive loss of forage diversity in social bees owing to flower constancy in simulated environments.

Many bees visit just one flower species during a foraging trip, i.e. they show flower constancy. Flower constancy is important for plant reproduction but it could lead to an unbalanced diet, especially in biodiversity-depleted landscapes. It is assumed that flower constancy does not reduce dietary diversity in social bees, such as honeybees or bumblebees, but this has not yet been tested. We used computer simulations to investigate the effects of flower constancy on colony diet in plant species-rich and species-poor landscapes. We also explored if communication about food sources, which is used by many social bees, further reduces forage diversity. Our simulations reveal an extensive loss of forage diversity owing to flower constancy in both species-rich and species-poor environments. Small flower-constant colonies often discovered only 30-50% of all available plant species, thereby increasing the risk of nutritional deficiencies. Communication often interacted with flower constancy to reduce forage diversity further. Finally, we found that food source clustering, but not habitat fragmentation impaired dietary diversity. These findings highlight the nutritional challenges flower-constant bees face in different landscapes and they can aid in the design of measures to increase forage diversity and improve bee nutrition in human-modified landscapes.

Chronic venous disease of lower limbs in young men at high-altitude: A cross-sectional survey.

The aim of this study was to understand the prevalence of chronic venous disease (CVD) of lower limbs in young men at high-altitude in Xizang, and to provide prevention measures. The convenient sampling method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey among males aged 18 to 40 above an altitude of 3000meters in Xizang in April 2023. The contents of the questionnaire included basic information, symptoms of CVD of lower limbs, protection status and training needs. Multivariate logistic regression model was calculated to evaluate the risk factors for CVD. A total of 350 survey questionnaires were received, and 326 valid samples were collected. The prevalence of CVD of lower limbs (C1-C6) was 37.42% (95%CI: 32.17%-42.68%), the ratio of C0 to C5 were 62.58%, 27.30%, 3.07%, 4.60%, 2.15% and 0.31%, respectively, no one reached C6. The top three symptoms of CVD were lower limb fatigue (18.10%), heaviness (15.34%) and pain (13.19%). 46.01% of respondents were unaware of CVD, and 12.88% of respondents did not have any protective measures of CVD. Multivariate logistic regression showed that age (OR = 1.076, 95%CI: 1.018-1.137, p = .009), preference for spicy food (OR = 1.747, 95%CI: 1.083-2.818, p = .022), unbalanced diet (OR = 1.877, 95%CI: 1.049-3.358, p = .034) and physical exercise (OR 0.610, 95%CI: 0.377-0.986, p = .044) were the independent risk factors for CVD. This study provided data on the prevalence of CVD in young men at high-altitude and the risk factors for CVD. The findings of this study may facilitate the development of individualized clinical assessments and targeted prevention programs.

Folate and Vitamin B12 Levels in Chilean Women with PCOS and Their Association with Metabolic Outcomes.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder that affects women of reproductive age. Many women with PCOS have been found to have an unbalanced diet and deficiencies in essential nutrients. This study aimed to assess the levels of folate and vitamin B12 (B12) and their relationship with metabolic factors in women with PCOS. Anthropometric, clinical, and genetic analyses were conducted to evaluate markers related to one-carbon metabolism in women with PCOS and in a control group. The PCOS group had a higher BMI and HOMA-IR (1.7 vs. 3.1; p < 0.0001). HDL cholesterol levels were 23% lower and triglyceride levels were 74% higher in women with PCOS. Although there were no significant differences in folate and B12 levels between the PCOS and control groups, over 60% of women with PCOS had low B12 levels (<300 pg/mL) and high homocysteine levels. In addition, the MTHFR A1298C and C677T polymorphisms were not associated with PCOS. Moreover, erythrocyte folate levels were positively correlated with fasting glucose, triglycerides, and free androgen index, and negatively correlated with SHBG and LH levels. These results suggest that B vitamins may be associated with the metabolic phenotype in PCOS. This study emphasizes the potential link between folate, vitamin B12, and metabolic and hormonal outcomes in women with PCOS.

Development of Models by Energy Expended and Age Classifications for Diet Recommendation System

People today are more conscious of their health and constantly looking for methods to improve their health status. Due to the unavailability and inaccessibility of dieticians to recommend diet, people do not know how to plan their diet well, thereby people’s health are compromised because of unbalanced diet and misappropriation of diet. There is need to develop models that recommend diet on various classifications on the basis of energy expended daily and age. The models are mathematically represented using arithmetic expressions on different classifications: Energy expended or job/activities, health status, family size and age. The models use the rule-based statements to proffer solution to diet problems. In employing the technology, the models were implemented using a programming tool like PhP etc The DRS can be deployed on the World Wide Web and be allowed to be used by the general public for a healthy diet. The Diet Recommendation System (DRS) creates and increases people's awareness and assist them in receiving appropriate counsel as to the quantity of food, food types, time to take food, the appropriate food for certain age group, the balanced diet for a family size, the kind of food type according to the activities a person engages in.

An Assessment of Predisposing Factors of Periodontitis in Individuals

Background: Periodontitis, characterized by clinical attachment loss (CAL), is a prevalent global oral health issue leading to tooth loss. Various predisposing factors such as smoking, dietary habits, stress, and oral trauma are implicated in its development. Understanding these factors is crucial for targeted interventions and improved periodontal health outcomes. Objective: To assess the predisposing factors of periodontitis in individuals. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 individuals visiting the College of Dentistry, Sharif Medical and Dental College, Lahore. Data were collected by measuring clinical attachment loss. Patients were classified based on CAL into mild, moderate, and severe periodontitis categories. The Chi-square test was used to analyze associations between periodontitis severity and factors like smoking duration, betel quid chewing, stress, oral trauma, and an unbalanced diet. Results: A significant association was found between smoking duration and periodontitis (p=0.04). Individuals with a smoking history of over five years had higher rates of severe (51%) and moderate (18.4%) periodontitis compared to those with a history of less than five years (8.2%). Betel quid chewing (p=0.254), stress (p=0.871), oral trauma (p=0.557), and an unbalanced diet (p=0.883) were not significantly associated with periodontitis. Conclusion: Severe periodontitis was more prevalent in individuals with a smoking history of over five years and those consuming an unhealthy diet. Moderate periodontitis was more common in individuals without a betel quid chewing habit. Mild periodontitis was observed in those reporting stress-related gum or tooth pain and those with a history of oral trauma.

Tracing the influence of prenatal risk factors on the offspring retina: Focus on development and putative long-term consequences.

Pregnancy represents a window of vulnerability to fetal development. Disruptions in the prenatal environment during this crucial period can increase the risk of the offspring developing diseases over the course of their lifetime. The central nervous system (CNS) has been shown to be particularly susceptible to changes during crucial developmental windows. To date, research focused on disruptions in the development of the CNS has predominantly centred on the brain, revealing a correlation between exposure to prenatal risk factors and the onset of neuropsychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, some studies indicate that the retina, which is part of the CNS, is also vulnerable to in utero alterations during pregnancy. Such changes may affect neuronal, glial and vascular components of the retina, compromising retinal structure and function and possibly impairing visual function. A search in the PubMed database was performed, and any literature concerning prenatal risk factors (drugs, diabetes, unbalanced diet, infection, glucocorticoids) affecting the offspring retina were included. This review collects evidence on the cellular, structural and functional changes occurring in the retina triggered by maternal risk factors during pregnancy. We highlight the adverse impact on retinal development and its long-lasting effects, providing a critical analysis of the current knowledge while underlining areas for future research. Appropriate recognition of the prenatal risk factors that negatively impact the developing retina may provide critical clues for the design of preventive strategies and for early therapeutic intervention that could change retinal pathology in the progeny.

Analysis of the Role of Vitamin C Hypovitaminosis in Scurvy on Bone Health: A Single Center Observational Study at Dr. Moewardi General Hospital, Surakarta, Indonesia

Background: Scurvy, vitamin C deficiency, is a rare condition but remains relevant in Indonesia. This study aims to analyze the role of vitamin C hypovitaminosis in the development of scurvy and its impact on bone health through an observational study at Dr. Moewardi General Hospital. Surakarta. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 30 patients diagnosed with scurvy at Dr. Moewardi General Hospital Surakarta during the 2020-2023 period. Demographic data, medical history, nutritional status, and severity of scurvy were collected. A radiological examination of the bone is performed to assess scurvy-related changes. Descriptive, comparative, and Spearman correlation statistical analyzes were used. Results: The majority of patients were men (66.7%) with a mean age of 45 years. A history of an unbalanced diet with low fruit and vegetable intake was found in the majority of patients (86.7%). Common symptoms include fatigue (86.7%), joint pain (73.3%), bleeding gums (60%), and skin bleeding (53.3%). The severity of scurvy varied, with 10 patients (33.3%) experiencing severe scurvy. Radiological examination shows significant changes in long bones, especially osteoporosis and thinning of the cortex, which is more obvious in patients with severe scurvy. Spearman correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between the severity of scurvy and the incidence of osteoporosis (rho = 0.495, p = 0.005) and cortical thinning (rho = 0.394, p = 0.031). Conclusion: Vitamin C hypovitaminosis plays a significant role in the development of scurvy and has a negative impact on bone health. Early screening and diagnosis of scurvy are important to prevent musculoskeletal complications. Nutritional education and dietary interventions to increase vitamin C intake need to be intensified, especially in high-risk groups.

Caracterización de los hábitos y estilos de vida saludables en estudiantes universitarios de Tunja, Colombia

Introduction: healthy lifestyles are behaviors based on the interaction between conditions in a broad sense, and individual patterns determined by sociocultural factors and personal characteristics. Objective: to quantify the lifestyle habits of a university population. Methodology: an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study, including Universidad de Boyacá students aged 18 to 29 years. Results: of 248 subjects included, 38.7% had healthy lifestyle habits and 57.26% were females. Discussion: overall, said students did not have good nutrition habits, took high-calorie unbalanced diets and did not get enough physical activity despite being aware of their beneficial effects on their health. Besides, a high alcohol and tobacco consumption was evidenced among these youngsters. Conclusions: thus, there is the need to develop novel and creative health programs promoting heathy lifestyles among university students.

Effects of glyphosate herbicide ingestion on kidney function in rats on a balanced diet.

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide worldwide and in Brazil. There is currently increasing concern about the effects of glyphosate on human health. The Brazilian Institute for Consumer Protection showed data on the presence of glyphosate in some of Brazil's most consumed ultra-processed products. Currently, regulations on the upper limit for these residues in ultra-processed foods have yet to be established by the National Health Surveillance, and ultra-processed food consumption is independently associated with an increased risk of incident chronic kidney disease. Since an unbalanced diet can interfere with kidney function, this study aims to investigate the effect of daily intake of 5 mg/kg bw glyphosate in conjunction with a balanced diet and the possible impact on renal function in rats. Kidney function, kidney weight, markers of renal injury, and oxidative stress were evaluated. There was a decrease in kidney weight. The main histopathological alterations in renal tissues were vacuolation in the initial stage and upregulation of the kidney injury marker KIM-1. Renal injury is associated with increased production of reactive oxygen species in mitochondria. This study showed changes in the kidney of rats exposed to a balanced diet with glyphosate, suggesting a potential risk to human kidney. Presumably, ultra-processed food that contain glyphosate can potentiate this risk. The relevance of these results lies in drawing attention to the need to regulate glyphosate concentration in ultra-processed foods in the future.

Ретроспективний аналіз споживання основних груп харчових продуктів населенням України

The purpose of the article is to analyze trends in the nature of consumption by the population of Ukraine during 2000-2021 of food substances and energy, as well as the main groups of food products based on statistical indicators of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Materials and methods. The study included the analysis of information from national government statistics on population nutrition and its changes over a long period. The results. The nutrition structure of the population of Ukraine does not meet the requirements for rational nutrition. The analysis of the consumption of the main groups of food products since 2010 shows a gradual decrease in consumption and an unbalanced diet of the population. A decrease in the consumption of meat and meat products (less than recommended by 33.75%), milk and dairy products (less by 46.97%), fruits and vegetables (less by 34.44%), fish and fish products ( less by 34%). Low total caloric content of the diet and low estimated calcium content were also found. According to data on food consumption by the Ukrainian population compared to similar indicators in other countries, low consumption of meat and meat products, fish and vegetable oil, moderate consumption of sugar is noted. milk and milk products, significant consumption of vegetables and potatoes. Conclusions. The revealed trends in the structure of nutrition clearly indicate a significant impact of these changes on the life of the population, in particular, on the formation of health and an increase in the risk of developing food-dependent diseases. The nutritional status of Ukrainians requires careful attention and intervention to preserve and improve the health of the population.

The Role of Microbiota on the Incidence of Obesity

Obesity is predicted to become a global public health problem, especially in developing countries. Obesity is characterized by a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, which is calculated by dividing a person's weight by the square of their height (in kilograms per square meter). The incidence of obesity by age increased from 4.6% in 1980 to 14.0% in 2019. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 2 billion adults are classified as overweight, while another 650 million people are categorized as obese. Based on a national survey, the obesity rate in Indonesia is 23.1%, while in South Sulawesi province it is 31.6% (Riskesdas, 2018). This can alter the gut microbiota structurally and functionally, and the gut microbiota can also modulate nutritional status. A certain abundance and diversity of bacteria may facilitate energy storage and metabolic pathways that lead to obesity. Dietary interventions with probiotics, prebiotics, or synbiotics may be effective in counteracting the disturbances observed in the gut microbiota during obesity or unbalanced diets, as they may be able to reduce and maintain body weight. Intestinal anaerobic bacteria, including Firmicute and bacteroids, can hydrolyze carbohydrates that cannot be digested by the intestine, obtaining short chain fatty acids (SCFA) including acetate, propionate and butyrate, which have an impact on human health. Therefore, anaerobic bacteria can inhibit obesity.

The Economic Aspect of the Importance of a Balanced Diet: Reducing the Burden On Healthcare

Relevance. The study of a balanced diet of the population is relevant at the present time, since a healthy diet is one of the key factors affecting human health and preventing the development of many diseases. It is also important to maintain optimal physical and mental health, increase productivity and improve quality of life. Malnutrition and obesity increase health care costs because more resources are needed to treat related diseases. This puts pressure on health budgets and may worsen the availability of medical care for other patients.The purpose of the study is to assess the economic aspect of the importance of a balanced diet.Objectives Objectives: to study the essence and main criteria of a balanced diet; to identify health problems associated with an unbalanced diet of the population; to consider the increase in the number of obese patients as a health problem.Methodology. The methodological basis of the study was the idea that there is a connection between a balanced diet of the population and the burden on the country's health care. Results. The analysis carried out in the work showed that malnutrition and obesity increase health care costs, since more resources are needed to treat diseases related to these problems. This puts pressure on health budgets and may worsen the availability of medical care for other patients. Conclusions. A balanced diet can lead to lower health care costs by reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This can lead to lower healthcare costs for individuals and society as a whole. In addition, a balanced diet can increase productivity and reduce absenteeism in the workplace. When people eat right, they are less prone to fatigue, illness and other diseases that can affect their ability to work effectively. This can lead to increased productivity and economic growth.

Gender Differences in the Impact of a High-Fat, High-Sugar Diet in Skeletal Muscles of Young Female and Male Mice.

In the context of the increasing number of obese individuals, a major problem is represented by obesity and malnutrition in children. This condition is mainly ascribable to unbalanced diets characterized by high intakes of fat and sugar. Childhood obesity and malnutrition are not only associated with concurrent pathologies but potentially compromise adult life. Considering the strict correlation among systemic metabolism, obesity, and skeletal muscle health, we wanted to study the impact of juvenile malnutrition on the adult skeletal muscle. To this aim, 3-week-old C56BL/6 female and male mice were fed for 20 weeks on a high-fat. high-sugar diet, and their muscles were subjected to a histological evaluation. MyHCs expression, glycogen content, intramyocellular lipids, mitochondrial activity, and capillary density were analyzed on serial sections to obtain the metabolic profile. Our observations indicate that a high-fat, high-sugar diet alters the metabolic profile of skeletal muscles in a sex-dependent way and induces the increase in type II fibers, mitochondrial activity, and lipid content in males, while reducing the capillary density in females. These data highlight the sex-dependent response to nutrition, calling for the development of specific strategies and for a systematic inclusion of female subjects in basic and applied research in this field.

Improving dietary patterns in obese mice: Effects on body weight, adiposity, anhedonia-like behavior, pro-BDNF expression and 5-HT system

IntroductionThe excessive fat accumulation in obesity, resulting from an unbalanced diet, can lead to metabolic and neurological disorders and increase the risk of developing anxiety and depression. AimAssess the impact of dietary intervention (DI) on the serotonergic system, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and behaviors of obese mice. MethodsMale C57BL/6 mice, 5 weeks old, received a high-fat diet (HFD) for 10 weeks for the induction of obesity. After this period, for 8 weeks, half of these animals received a control diet (CD), group obese (OB) + control diet (OB + CD, n = 10), and another half continued being fed HFD, group obese + HFD (OB + HFD, n = 10). At the end of the eighth week of intervention, behavioral tests were performed (sucrose preference test, open field, novel object recognition, elevated plus maze and tail suspension). Body weight and food intake were assessed weekly. Visceral adiposity, the hippocampal and hypothalamic protein expression of BDNF, 5-HT1A (5-HT1A serotonin receptor) and TPH2 (key enzyme in serotonin synthesis), were evaluated after euthanasia. ResultsThe dietary intervention involved changing from a HFD to a CD over an 8-week period, effectively reduced body weight gain, adiposity, and anhedonia-like behavior. In the OB + HFD group, we saw a lower sucrose preference and shorter traveled distance in the open field, along with increased pro-BDNF expression in the hypothalamus compared to the OB + CD mice. However, the levels of TPH2 and 5-HT1A remained unchanged. ConclusionThe HFD model induced both obesity and anhedonia, but the dietary intervention successfully improved these conditions.

The shelf life of pork depends on its quality and microbial and non-microbial meat destructors

This work aimed to establish the maximum shelf life of pork of different quality classes depending on the action of non-microbial and microbial destructors. To achieve this goal, samples were taken from the longest back muscles of domestic and industrial pig carcasses. Depending on the results of organoleptic research, pork was divided into three quality classes: 1) NOR (close to optimal quality indicators), 2) PSE (pale, soft, exudative), and 3) DFD (dark, firm, dry). After that, each of the samples was divided into 1 equal parts and placed for storage in a refrigerator (t = 3 ± 1 °C). Each day, one part of the samples was used for laboratory research. The purpose of laboratory research was to establish the freshness of meat by determining the reaction to peroxidase, amino-ammonia nitrogen, reaction to ammonia with Nessler's reagent, and the content of short-chain fatty acids. In addition, the level of MAFAnM was determined. The results of laboratory studies showed that the fastest signs of spoilage were registered in pork, with signs of PSE obtained after the slaughter of pigs on small farms. The first signs of deterioration appeared already on the sixth day of storage. The second fastest spoilage rate (on the eighth day) was meat samples of the PSE quality class taken from pigs of industrial origin. At the same time, the highest increase in microbial contamination during storage was registered in meat samples of industrial origin with signs of DFD. We found that the microbial contamination of pork depends not only on the initial contamination at the production site but also on the quality class of the meat. On the 12th day of pork storage, only NOR-class meat samples of industrial origin remained fresh. Comparing meat samples of the same quality classes, asserting a shorter shelf life and a higher risk of meat products obtained due to domestic origin and backyard slaughter of pigs is possible. The main reason is a combination of factors, the main of which are the impossibility of observing proper hygienic conditions for animal slaughter, poor bleeding, unbalanced diet, and others.