Unhealthy Dietary Patterns Research Articles

Prickly Pear Cacti (Opuntia spp.) Cladodes as a Functional Ingredient for Hyperglycemia Management: A Brief Narrative Review.

The worldwide prevalence of obesity is increasing along with its comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). From a pathophysiological perspective, T2DM arises as a consequence of insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction, which together induce chronic hyperglycemia. The pharmacological treatment of T2DM specifically focuses on its management, rather than remission, with a lack of pharmacological agents to prevent the onset of the disease. Considering the role of unhealthy dietary patterns on the development of T2DM, identifying novel food ingredients and bioactive substances may provide new avenues by which to address the T2DM epidemic. In this brief review, we have summarized the latest findings on the consumption of the prickly pear (PP; Opuntia spp.) cladode as a potential nutritional tool for the management of hyperglycemia. The consumption of prickly pear cladodes was reported to exert hypoglycemic effects, making it a potential cost-effective nutritional intervention for the management of T2DM. Several studies have demonstrated that the consumption of prickly pear cladodes and the related products reduced post-prandial glucose levels. The cladodes’ high fiber content may be implicated in improving glycemic control, by affecting glucose absorption and effectively slowing its release into the blood circulation. Given these potential hypoglycemic effects, prickly pear cladodes may represent a potential functional food ingredient to improve glycemic control and counter the negative metabolic effects of the modern Western diet. Nonetheless, in consideration of the lack of evidence on the chronic effects of the prickly pear cladode, future research aimed at evaluating its long-term effects on glycemic control is warranted.

Environmental antibiotics exposure in school-age children in Shanghai and health risk assessment: A population-based representative investigation

BackgroundThe widespread use of antibiotics has left extensive residues in the environment and food. Antibiotics can accumulate in human body. As the potential health risks of antibiotic exposure in children are of a great concern in recent years, our study aimed to describe the status of antibiotic exposure in primary school students in Shanghai, China, and to explore the relationships of dietary patterns with internal antibiotic levels. MethodsThe Shanghai Children's Health, Education, and Lifestyle Evaluation (SCHEDULE) Survey was a cross-sectional study with a staged, cluster random sample of all primary school students in Shanghai, China. In the present study, we randomly selected 2199 children aged 6–12 years old. A total of 10 antibiotics in urine samples were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Multivariable survey logistic regression models were used to investigate dietary patterns associated with detection rates of antibiotics. ResultsThe detection rates of individual antibiotics ranged from 4.3% to 30.7%. 68.7% of children were exposed to at least one antibiotic. There was a significant difference in child exposure to overall antibiotics by residential locations (60.9% in urban vs. 71.1% in suburban areas). Principal component analyses suggested that higher unhealthy dietary pattern scores were significantly associated with increased detection rates of tetracyclines [1.27 (95% CI: 1.18, 1.38)] and sulfonamides [1.20 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.36)]. In addition, 9.05% of children had a hazard index (HI) value greater than 1, which was mainly contributed by ciprofloxacin. ConclusionsSchool-age children were widely exposed to antibiotics in Shanghai. Unhealthy diet was associated with a higher level of antibiotic exposure.

An Analysis of the Links between Smoking and BMI in Adolescents: A Moving Average Approach to Establishing the Statistical Relationship between Quantitative and Dichotomous Variables.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of smoking on BMI in male adolescents and explore the relationship between smoking status and diet. Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological study into the health and diet of adolescents was carried out based on a representative sample of 375 vocational school male students aged 16–17 in the city of Chelyabinsk (Russian Federation). The students and their parents filled out verified questionnaires on their socioeconomic status, diet, and smoking status. Students’ height and body weight were measured. A comparative analysis of diets was performed between groups of smokers and non-smokers (149 and 226 individuals, respectively), and the relationship between smoking, body mass index, and actual diet was estimated. The methods used included descriptive statistics, Student’s t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, comparison of proportions, and moving average. Results: Non-smoking adolescent boys tended to have excess body mass compared with smokers (19.0% and 12.1%, respectively). Smokers (adolescent boys) consumed less meat, cereals, beans, and cheeses and more sweet beverages, added sugar, coffee, and alcohol. The bulk of the smokers’ diet was composed of carbohydrates (p = 0.026) and, to a lesser extent, proteins (p = 0.006). Conclusions: Significant differences were discovered in the diet between smokers and non-smokers (among adolescent boys), and smoking was associated with several indicators of unhealthy diet patterns. This is an important conclusion for developing a future program that could additionally protect at-risk groups of adolescents.

Abstract 143: Stroke-Associated Metabolites And Dietary Patterns In The Reasons For Geographic And Racial Differences In Stroke (REGARDS) Cohort

Introduction: Several diet patterns have previously been associated with incident stroke risk in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. We used metabolomics to assess biological state changes that could link diet exposures to stroke risk. Hypothesis: Metabolites linked to stroke risk are correlated with adherence to unhealthy and protective dietary patterns. Methods: Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we analyzed 162 metabolites in baseline plasma samples from REGARDS subjects with or without incident stroke (n = 2,249). Survey-weighted Cox models adjusted for age, race, and sex identified metabolites associated with incident ischemic stroke. Candidate metabolites were correlated with diet patterns using linear regression. Results: Correlations between stroke-associated metabolites and diet patterns linked to higher (Southern diet) or lower (Mediterranean and plant-based diets) stroke risk were consistent with known effects on stroke risk conferred by each metabolite and diet pattern. Notably, the “harmful” nucleoside guanosine was positively correlated with Southern diet (β = 0.11, FDR = 4.7x10 -3 ) and negatively with Mediterranean (β = -0.11, FDR = 3.2x10 -2 ) and plant-based diets (β = -0.13, FDR = 1.6x10 -4 ). In contrast, the “protective” indole-3-propanoic acid, derived from tryptophan metabolism by gut microbiota, was negatively correlated with Southern diet (β = -0.23, FDR = 3.0x10 -6 ) but positively with Mediterranean (β = 0.15, FDR = 6.1x10 -3 ) and plant-based diets (β = 0.23, FDR = 1.5x10 -5 ). Inverse odds ratio weighting mediation analyses showed that guanosine levels partly mediated the protective effect of a plant-based diet (indirect effect hazard ratio [HR] = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.86-0.99) and Mediterranean diet (indirect effect HR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.85-0.99) on stroke risk. We also examined associations between stroke-linked metabolites and 265 specific food items, finding that unhealthy intakes were positively correlated with harmful metabolites and vice versa. Conclusion: Metabolites relevant to ischemic stroke risk correlate with broader diet patterns and specific food exposures. Metabolome perturbations might link dietary intake and the gut microbiota to stroke risk.

Dietary practices, food purchasing, and perceptions about healthy food availability and affordability: a cross-sectional study of low-income Malaysian adults

BackgroundMalaysia has the highest rate of overweight and obesity among Asian countries. Obesity is increasing particularly among low-income populations. This study aimed to assess dietary practices among low-income adults in urban communities, including gender and ethnic variation, to inform the development of locally tailored, evidence-based interventions for health promotion.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted from August to December 2020. Stratified sampling was employed to recruit 2983 low-income adults from households in the bottom 40% of the economic spectrum (B40) at six public, low-cost housing flats in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire to understand dietary practices, perceptions of healthy food availability and affordability, and factors affecting food purchasing decisions.ResultsA staggering 89.5% of B40 adults were found to not consume adequate daily amounts of fruits and vegetables. In addition, 68.1% reported consuming sugar-sweetened beverages at least once per week, including commercially packed ready-to-drink beverages, sugar-added self-prepared drinks, and premixed drinks. Intake was statistically significantly higher among men (71.7%), Malays (70.3%), and Indians (69.9%). Bread and other commercially baked goods were the most common processed foods, and 52.9% of respondents consumed it at least once per week. Majorities reported that healthy foods were moderately available and priced. The top three reported factors affecting food purchase choices were price (79.4%), availability (75%), and taste (73%).ConclusionsAdults in low-cost housing communities have unhealthy dietary patterns with low intake of fruits and vegetables and high intake of ultra-processed foods and calorie-dense local foods, with variations across gender and ethnicity. The study highlighted the need for educating low-income families on diet-disease relationships and possibilities for inexpensive, healthy eating that rely on minimally processed fresh foods. Policymakers engaging the food industry are advised to consider how to increase the affordability and availability of healthy foods in low-income communities in urban areas.

Urinary metabolic biomarkers of diet quality in European children are associated with metabolic health.

Urinary metabolic profiling is a promising powerful tool to reflect dietary intake and can help understand metabolic alterations in response to diet quality. Here, we used 1H NMR spectroscopy in a multicountry study in European children (1147 children from 6 different cohorts) and identified a common panel of 4 urinary metabolites (hippurate, N-methylnicotinic acid, urea, and sucrose) that was predictive of Mediterranean diet adherence (KIDMED) and ultra-processed food consumption and also had higher capacity in discriminating children's diet quality than that of established sociodemographic determinants. Further, we showed that the identified metabolite panel also reflected the associations of these diet quality indicators with C-peptide, a stable and accurate marker of insulin resistance and future risk of metabolic disease. This methodology enables objective assessment of dietary patterns in European child populations, complementary to traditional questionary methods, and can be used in future studies to evaluate diet quality. Moreover, this knowledge can provide mechanistic evidence of common biological pathways that characterize healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns, and diet-related molecular alterations that could associate to metabolic disease.

Retrospective Study of Biochemical Markers and Risk Factors in Obese and Non-Obese Adolescence

Obesity is a chronic disease defined by an excessive accumulation of body fat that represents health risks, being considered now a days the major public health problem worldwide. Obesity is characterized as a low-grade inflammatory disease due to the variety of pro-inflammatory adipokines secreted by adipose tissue, especially visceral adipose tissue. This inflammation is characterized by macrophage infiltration and expression of inflammatory adipokines, which are related to insulin resistance, blood pressure, and vascular endothelium alterations. These alterations are closely related to development and progression of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including paediatric patients. Obesity considered now as one among the major global issue affecting young adults. Rapid changes in sedentary lifestyle choices were the risk factors for obesity including unhealthy diet patterns, expending time in front of TV and lacking physical activity etc. The present study aimed for correlating the risk factors of obesity with healthy groups among the adolescent population. And the result was recorded with significant level of elevation in most of the parameters in cases than control and the significance was represented as student’s test (p<0.001).

Risky behaviors, substance use, and other lifestyle correlates of energy drink consumption in children and adolescents: a systematic review.

Frequent ED consumption might be a screening indicator to identify students at risk of substance use or other risky/problem behaviors; enquiring about an adolescent's recent ED consumption could create opportunities for early intervention/prevention by informed pediatricians. • Substances, especially alcohol, are associated with energy drinks in most cross-sectional studies. •Violent behaviors are associated with energy drink consumption, in the absence of longitudinal studies;problematic use of internet/videogames deserves further investigation; unhealthy dietary patterns are related toenergy drinks; evidence on physical activity is inconclusive, but sedentary behaviors are related to energy drinks.

Determine Dietary Diversity and Its Relationship with Nutritional Status of Adolescents Studying in High Schools of Bagalkot

Introduction: Dietary diversity is defined as the number of food groups or items consumed over a reference period. A good diverse diet is necessary to furnish the daily nutritional requirements of body. Inadequate dietary diversity is one of major public health problem and can result in unhealthy physical, emotional and psychological changes among adolescents. Objective of the study was to determine dietary diversity and its relationship with nutritional status of adolescents studying in high school. Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 12 to April 03, 2021, among a total of 120 adolescents, selected using the stratified random sampling technique. The study was conducted in Kalidas high school, Bagalkot. A structured and prepared questionnaire was used to collect baseline data. Dietary diversity was measured by Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance (FANTA) 2020 using the food items method. A multivariable binary logistic regression model was employed to identify the association of nutritional status and dietary diversity among adolescents. Result: Mean age of sample was 15.14 ± 0.81 years. The mean height for age was 1.63 S.D± .880 S.D. The mean BMI for age Z score was 1.73 SD ± .579 SD. The mean BMI for thinness Z score was 2.35 SD ± 1.301SD.Logistic regression analysis revealed that there was no significant association (P< 0.202) found between dietary diversity and nutritional status of adolescents. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that only one-third of both (boys and girls) have adequate dietary diversity. Low level of dietary diversification suggested points to the need for strengthening efforts targeting to improve the healthy dietary practice of adolescents by giving due attention to poor households and undernourished adolescents. Keywords: dietary diversity, nutritional status, adolescents, High school, unhealthy dietary pattern.

Interaction of Cry1 Gene Polymorphisms and Dominant Food Patterns on Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background:Evidence suggests that there is some relationship between circadian clock gene variants and obesity. However, there are few examinations supporting this observation in human subjects. This study was aimed to investigate the interaction between Cry1 circadian gene polymorphism and major dietary patterns on obesity measurements.Methods:Healthy overweight and obese women aged 18–53 years old were recruited from health centers in Tehran, Iran by a multistage cluster random sampling method (n = 377). Major dietary patterns were elicited after assessing the intake of 16 food groups using a valid and reliable 147-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Anthropometric measurements were performed for each and every participant. Body composition was analyzed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Socio-demographic and physical activity data were also collected by a validated Farsi demographic questionnaire and the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ). The Cry1 rs2287161 polymorphism were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Generalized linear models were used for interaction analysis.Results:Two major dietary patterns, including healthy and unhealthy dietary pattern (HDP and UDP, respectively) were determined using factor analysis. Our study showed a significant higher weight (P = 0.003), body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.042), hip circumference (P = 0.052), and body fat mass (P = 0.028) in carriers of C allele compared with G allele. Moreover, a significant gene-diet interaction was observed between being a carrier of C allele and BMI (P = 0.099 for CC genotype; P = 0.1 for CG genotype) and fat mass (P = 0.1 for CG genotype).Conclusions:The current study suggests a significant interaction of Cry1 rs2287161 gene polymorphisms in people following a healthy dietary pattern on BMI and fat mass among carriers of C allele compared to carriers of G allele.

Diet and Physical Activity Behaviors of Families Receiving Maternal and Child Health Services: The Perspective of the Home Visitor.

Women and children enrolled in federally funded home visitation services are at an increased risk for unhealthy diet and physical activity patterns. Home visitors have a privileged relationship with their clients and hold a unique perspective of the multilevel influences surrounding these behaviors. This study explored the question: “What are home visitors’ perspectives and experiences with their families’ diet and physical activity behaviors?” Home visitors enrolled in a larger trial were invited to participate in focus group sessions (n=13). Topics covered their clients’ constraints and capacity building opportunities for healthful diet and activity practices. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The home visitors discussed key influences on diet and activity, and three overarching themes were identified: (a) acute periods of crises and mental health issues; (b) the role of the mother within the family; and (c) support and barriers within mothers’ broader social network. The themes identified in this study highlight the complex, multidimensional influences on the dietary and physical activity patterns of these families, and pinpoint key areas of opportunity for intervention.

Dietary changes in males from adolescence to adulthood: results of a 28-year prospective study

Dietary pattern usually changes with age; however, certain dietary habits may remain constant. The goal of this study was to analyze dynamic changes in the dietary pattern of males from adolescence to adulthood during a 28-year prospective follow-up. Material and methods. Initially, a representative population sample of 1,005 boys aged 11 to 12 years (mean age 11.9±0.1 years) was examined. Four visits were performed at the ages of 15, 17, 22 and 43. Assessment of actual dietary pattern was carried out by the 24-hour dietary recall method. Results. It was discovered that dietary pattern was changing with age as follows: proportions (Δ%) of meats [M (95% confidence interval)] 2.4 (-0.5-5.3), fish and seafood 1.5 (0.4-2.7), eggs 0.8 (0.1-1.5), and vegetable oils 0.3 (0.1-0.5) were increasing with age, whereas the proportions of animal fats -1.0 [-1.4…-0.6], bread and bakery -2.8 [-5.5…-0.1], sweets and confectionery -2.6 [-4.8…-0.5] were decreasing. We also observed a trend of increased consumption of fruits and fruit juices [Δ=4.9 (1.5-8.4)%]. The magnitudes of the tracking coefficients (correlation coefficients) between the initial (at the age of 15 years) values of the contributions of the main food groups to the total weight of the daily diet and their values at subsequent stages of prospective study showed that eating habits, as a certain dietary pattern, are relatively stable only in adolescence. Conclusion. Over 28 years of prospective observation of males, from adolescence to adulthood, their eating patterns underwent significant changes, which must be taken into account when developing preventive measures aimed at correcting unhealthy dietary patterns in children and adolescents, and at transition to a balanced diet.

Is the association between dietary patterns and cognition mediated by children's adiposity? A longitudinal approach in Generation XXI birth cohort

There is a consistent body of evidence on the association between single nutrients and cognition, but the role of a healthful dietary pattern on cognition in children has been seldomly studied. This study aims to assess the association between dietary patterns at 4 years (y) and cognitive abilities at 10-13y and examine whether adiposity mediated these associations. This study used data from a sub-sample of the population-based birth cohort Generation XXI, with complete information on diet and cognition (n=3575). At 4y, data on dietary intake was collected by a validated food frequency questionnaire and dietary patterns were derived by latent class analysis, namely Energy-dense food (EDF) pattern, Snacking pattern and Healthier pattern (Reference). At 10-13y, the Portuguese Version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children®-Third Edition was administered by trained psychologists and age-adjusted composite scores were computed: a Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (IQ), plus a Verbal IQ, Performance IQ and Processing Speed IQ. Age- and sex-specific body mass index (BMI) z-scores, body fat percentage from bioimpedance, and waist-to-weight ratio and waist-to-hip ratio were used as measures of adiposity. Regression coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using linear regression models (adjusted for maternal age and education, pre-pregnancy BMI, smoking and alcohol intake during pregnancy, child's sex, birthweight, exclusive breastfeeding duration and having siblings at 4y). Mediation analysis was conducted using path analysis. After adjustment, children classified in the EDF or a Snacking patterns at 4y were more likely to have lower scores on total IQ (β=-0.116; 95%CI:-0.192,-0.039 and β=-0.148; 95%CI-0.252,-0.044, respectively), Verbal IQ (β=-0.104; 95%CI-0.177,-0.031 and β=-0.163; 95%CI-0.262,-0.064, respectively) and Performance IQ (β=-0.116 95%CI-0.193,-0.040 and β=-0.147; 95%CI-0.250,-0.042, respectively) at 10-13y, when compared to those classified in the Healthier pattern. None of the adiposity measures seemed to explain the associations between dietary patterns and IQ. This study supports that early unhealthy dietary patterns were associated with lower child's cognitive ability, but this effect did not seem to be mediated by adiposity.

Can the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet affect blood pressure? a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Rationale: High Blood Pressure (BP) constitutes a common and serious medical condition which is rising globally, despite the fact high BP is among the easily preventable factors for cardiovascular, renal, brain and other diseases. Modifiable risk factors of high BP include unhealthy dietary patterns, presence of obesity, excess alcohol consumption and lack of physical activity. Data in regard to the different types of diets show that Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated with healthy levels of BP. In this study we aimed to investigate the impact of the level of adherence to MD in BP.

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Nutritional Quality of New South Wales High School Student Food and Drink Purchases Made via an Online Canteen Ordering System

Unhealthy dietary patterns in adolescence are associated with an increased risk of future chronic disease. This study aimed to assess online canteen lunch purchases made by high school students to identify: (1) the nutrient composition of purchases (energy, saturated fat, sugar, sodium, percent energy from saturated fat and total sugar); (2) the proportion of items classified as healthier (‘Everyday’) and less healthy (‘Occasional’ or ‘Should not be sold’) according to the New South Wales Healthy Canteen Strategy; (3) the frequency of purchases by product type (e.g., salty snacks), their classification and nutrient composition; and (4) associations between student characteristics and the nutrient composition and classification of purchases. The average order contained 2075 kJ of energy, 6.4 g of saturated fat, 18.4 g of sugar and 795 mg of sodium. Less healthy (‘Occasional’ and ‘Should not be sold’) items combined accounted for 56% of purchases. The most frequently purchased products were burgers and crumbed/coated foods. Students in higher grades purchased a significantly higher mean percent of ‘Everyday’ items, compared to students in grades 7 or 8. The majority of high school student purchases were less healthy (‘Occasional’ or ‘Should not be sold’) items, warranting further investigation of factors influencing online canteen purchasing behaviour in this setting.

Easy Diet Screener: A quick and easy tool for determining dietary patterns associated with lipid profile and body adiposity

AbstractBackgroundThere is a lack of simple tools that could allow members of the general population to estimate their own dietary patterns and to associate them with unfavourable health outcomes. The present study aimed to develop and validate a simple self‐administered tool, called the Easy Diet Screener (EDS), that would identify healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns and evaluate their association with unfavourable blood and anthropometric parameters (i.e. values outside the recommended values).MethodsIn total, 259 adult people (31−50 years of age) participated in this observational study. They filled out an online version of the EDS questionnaire; those who scored highly were assigned to the healthy dietary pattern (HDP) group, whereas those with a low score were assigned to the western dietary pattern (WDP) group. The dietary records, anthropometric and biochemical parameters were evaluated in a subset of 200 participants who obtained similar score in the repeated EDS (paper version).ResultsPeople assigned to HDP on the basis of EDS had significantly better diet quality than those assigned to WDP, with values of the Healthy Eating Index being 76.9 ± 9.2 and 58.7 ± 10.5, respectively. People classed as WDP had a higher risk of too high serum low‐density lipoproteins [odds ratio (OR) = 2.65], triglycerides (OR = 3.67), body mass index (OR = 2.87) and percentage of fat tissue (OR = 3.98) than did people in the HDP.ConclusionsEDS is an easy tool for quickly identifying healthy and western dietary patterns that are associated with lipid profile and body adiposity.

Changes in Dietary Patterns through a Nutritional Intervention with a Traditional Atlantic Diet: The Galiat Randomized Controlled Trial.

Unhealthy dietary patterns (DPs) can lead to cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. We assessed the effects of a community-focused intervention with a traditional Atlantic diet on changes in DPs in families and the associations of these changes with weight loss. The Galiat study is a randomized, controlled trial conducted in 250 families (720 adults and children) and performed at a primary care setting with the cooperation of multiple society sectors. Over 6 months, families randomized to the intervention group received educational sessions, cooking classes, written supporting material, and foods that form part of the Atlantic diet, whereas those randomized to the control group followed their habitual lifestyle. At baseline, five DPs that explained 30.1% of variance were identified: “Caloric”, “Frieds”, “Fruits, vegetables, and dairy products”, “Alcohol”, and “Fish and boiled meals.” Compared to the controls, the intervention group showed significant improvements in “Fruits, vegetables, and dairy products” and “Fish and boiled meals” and reductions in the “Caloric” and “Frieds”. Changes in bodyweight per unit increment of “Frieds” and “Fruits, vegetables, and dairy products” scores were 0.240 kg (95% CI, 0.050–0.429) and −0.184 kg (95% CI, −0.379–0.012), respectively. We found that a culturally appropriate diet improved DPs associated with weight loss.

Associations of plasma glycerophospholipid profile with modifiable lifestyles and incident diabetes in middle-aged and older Chinese.

Glycerophospholipid (GPL) perturbance was linked to the pathogenesis of diabetes in animal studies but prospective studies in humans are rare, particularly in Asians. We aimed to investigate the associations between plasma GPLs and incident diabetes and to explore effects of lifestyle on the associations in a Chinese population. The study included 1877 community-dwelling Chinese individuals aged 50-70years (751 men and 1126 women), free of diabetes at baseline and followed for 6years. A total of 160 GPL species were quantified in plasma at baseline by using high-throughput targeted lipidomics. Log-Poisson regression was used to assess the associations between GPLs and incidence of diabetes. Over the 6years of follow-up, 499 participants (26.6%) developed diabetes. After multivariable adjustment, eight GPLs were positively associated with incident diabetes (RRper SD 1.13-1.25; all false-discovery rate [FDR]-corrected p < 0.05), including five novel GLPs, namely phosphatidylcholines (PCs; 16:0/18:1, 18:0/16:1, 18:1/20:3), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC; 20:3) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE; 16:0/16:1), and three reported GPLs (PCs 16:0/16:1, 16:0/20:3 and 18:0/20:3). In network analysis, a PC-containing module was positively associated with incident diabetes (RRper SD 1.16 [95% CI 1.06, 1.26]; FDR-corrected p< 0.05). Notably, three of the diabetes-associated PCs (16:0/16:1, 16:0/18:1 and 18:0/16:1) and PE (16:0/16:1) were associated not only with fatty acids in the de novo lipogenesis (DNL) pathway, especially 16:1n-7 (Spearman correlation coefficients = 0.35-0.62, p< 0.001), but also with an unhealthy dietary pattern high in refined grains and low in fish, dairy and soy products (|factor loadings| ≥0.2). When stratified by physical activity levels, the associations of the eight GPLs and the PC module with incident diabetes were stronger in participants with lower physical activity (RRper SD 1.24-1.49, FDR-corrected p< 0.05) than in those with the median and higher physical activity levels (RRper SD 1.03-1.12, FDR-corrected p ≥ 0.05; FDR-corrected pinteraction < 0.05). Eight GPLs, especially PCs associated with the DNL pathway, were positively associated with incident diabetes in a cohort of Chinese men and women. The associations were most prominent in participants with a low level of physical activity.

Assessment of Spanish Food Consumption Patterns during COVID-19 Home Confinement.

People’s eating habits and lifestyle can have a negative impact on health. In situations of difficulty or socioeconomic crisis, these habits tend to be modified, leading to unhealthy dietary patterns that result in an increase of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Previous studies have indicated that, due to the state of alarm imposed in Spain to combat the spread of COVID-19, an increase in the purchase of non-core products occurred, along with a decrease in the daily physical activity of the population. This could be a risk factor for COVID-19 infection. The objective of this observational study was to analyze the dietary pattern of the Spanish population during home confinement and to compare it with the pattern of habitual consumption collected in the last National Health Survey, analyzing the possible changes. More than half of the respondents in the sample increased their consumption of sweets and snacks during confinement, while the consumption of fresh products decreased. Most claimed to be emotionally hungry, leading to an increase in their daily energy intake. The stress and anxiety generated by confinement could be the cause of the increased consumption of products rich in sugars and saturated fats, which are associated with greater stress and anxiety.

Impact of Genetic Polymorphism on Response to Therapy in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

In the last decades, the global prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has reached pandemic proportions with derived major health and socioeconomic consequences; this tendency is expected to be further aggravated in the coming years. Obesity, insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes mellitus, sedentary lifestyle, increased caloric intake and genetic predisposition constitute the main risk factors associated with the development and progression of the disease. Importantly, the interaction between the inherited genetic background and some unhealthy dietary patterns has been postulated to have an essential role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Weight loss through lifestyle modifications is considered the cornerstone of the treatment for NAFLD and the inter-individual variability in the response to some dietary approaches may be conditioned by the presence of different single nucleotide polymorphisms. In this review, we summarize the current evidence on the influence of the association between genetic susceptibility and dietary habits in NAFLD pathophysiology, as well as the role of gene polymorphism in the response to lifestyle interventions and the potential interaction between nutritional genomics and other emerging therapies for NAFLD, such as bariatric surgery and several pharmacologic agents.