A limited intake of free and added sugars is recommended due to potential associations with adverse health effects and nutrient inadequacy. However, the impact of free and added sugars intakes on dietary intake is unknown in Swedish adolescents. This study investigated associations of free and added sugars intakes with nutrient and food consumption. Data were derived from the Riksmaten Adolescents 2016–2017 cross-sectional survey, including a nationally representative sample of 3099 adolescents, aged around 12, 15 and 18 years, which provided two 24-h recalls. Median nutrient and food group intakes were compared across sugars intake quintiles, with adjustments for sex, school year and energy misreporting. Inverse associations were observed for almost all micronutrients, dietary fibre, essential fats and food groups commonly included in a healthy diet (e.g. vegetables, fruit, dairy products, meat, fish). However, positive associations between free sugars and vitamin C intake were observed, with fruit juice influencing intake trends. Total energy intake was not positively associated with free or added sugars intakes. Higher intakes of free and added sugars (> 12·9 and > 11·3 % of total energy intake) significantly reduced the likelihood of meeting nutrient reference values. However, for critical nutrients within the adolescent diet (vitamin D, Se, dietary fibre and polyunsaturated fats), lower odds of meeting reference values were observed even at lower intakes of free and added sugars. To conclude, with increasing sugars intake, Swedish adolescents appear to displace nutrient-dense foods with sugars-rich foods, emphasising differences in dietary patterns between those with lower v. higher free and added sugars intake.

This paper summarises the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s (SACN) 2023 and 2025 assessments of processed foods and health and its 2025 review of the WHO guideline on non-sugar sweeteners (NSS). On processed foods, SACN sought to identify available evidence on existing processed food classification systems, applying NOVA to UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey data and associations between food processing and health outcomes. For NSS, health outcomes of greatest policy relevance to the UK were considered. The assessments were undertaken in line with SACN’s Framework for the evaluation of evidence. SACN found that NOVA dominated the research literature and ultra-processed food (UPF) constitutes a significant proportion of UK dietary energy intake, especially among children. Higher UPF consumption was consistently associated with increased risks of adverse health outcomes, although not for all subgroups. Important limitations included most evidence being observational and inconsistent adjustment for covariables. For NSS, randomised controlled trials indicate a small reduction in body weight when NSS replace sugars, whereas prospective cohort studies indicate higher NSS intake is associated with higher measures of body fatness and may be associated with a range of adverse health outcomes. The findings were based on low- and/or very low-certainty evidence. SACN concluded that, on balance, most people are likely to benefit from reducing consumption of processed foods high in energy, saturated fat, salt and free sugars and low in fibre. SACN made a precautionary recommendation that intake of NSS be minimised. SACN made a range of recommendations to the government on processed foods and sweeteners.

The microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA) has garnered considerable attention for its role in health, disease, and higher psychological processes. One area of particular importance is the relationship between the MGBA and stress. Although numerous animal models are suitable for research on stress, the number suitable for research on the impact of social stressors with translatability to humans is limited. The prairie vole is regarded as an ideal organism for probing the impact of social stress, as these animals not only exhibit social behaviours rare in mammals but also lack many drawbacks that come with using non-human primates. Moreover, the neurophysiological basis of their social behaviours is well characterized, and numerous studies have examined the impact of social stress, particularly social isolation, on these animals. However, only a limited number of studies have examined the prairie vole gastrointestinal system, intestinal microbiome, or MGBA. Consequently, this leaves ample opportunity for future research. In this review article, we summarize basic aspects of prairie vole ecology, behaviour, and neurophysiology, then review the limited but valuable body of research examining the gastrointestinal system and microbiome of prairie voles. Additionally, we note potential challenges and opportunities for future MGBA research utilizing prairie voles.

Currently, alternative sources of protein are being sought to replace not only meat but also dairy products in the diet. From this perspective, it is worth examining how consumers perceive these products, what motivates them to choose them and what barriers they encounter, especially with regard to attitudes towards dairy products. The present study aimed to compare attitudes towards plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDAs) in three European countries – Poland, Germany and the UK. Furthermore, the study aims to examine the extent to which two main arguments appearing in the media, intended to persuade consumers to replace dairy products with PBDA – referring to ethical concerns (animal welfare) or emphasising ecological considerations (environmental impact) – are actually convincing to them. An online survey was conducted in each of the three countries on a representative sample of dairy consumers (2,157 respondents in total). Curiosity proved to be the primary motivation for trying PBDA in all countries. In contrast, the arguments commonly used in PBDA communication (referring to environmental protection and animal welfare) appeal to consumers to a much lesser extent. However, these ethical and ecological factors influenced consumers differently across regions. British consumers emerged as the most receptive to PBDA. German respondents showed the highest sensitivity to animal welfare and environmental concerns in PBDA communication. Polish consumers, on the other hand, strongly believe in the exceptional health benefits and necessity of dairy in daily diets, which negatively affects their interest in PBDA. Notably, dairy is perceived more favourably than PBDAs on most attributes in all investigated countries.

Bovine mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus increases antimicrobial use and may compromise milk quality, yet genomic evidence from subtropical China remains limited. This study aimed to characterise the genomic epidemiology, antimicrobial non-susceptibility and functional risk tiers of dairy-associated S. aureus in northern Fujian, China. We analysed 59 S. aureus isolates recovered from 162 bulk-tank milk samples collected from 14 farms during 2023–2024, using whole-genome sequencing, MLST/spa typing and core-genome SNP phylogenetics, together with disc diffusion susceptibility testing (CLSI M100) and annotation of resistance, virulence and plasmid replicons (CARD, VFDB and PlasmidFinder). An unsupervised multivariate workflow (principal component analysis followed by K-means clustering) integrated genomic and phenotypic features to assign functional-risk tiers. Seven MLST and eight spa types were detected, dominated by ST1-t114/t127 (40.7%) and ST9784-t189 (20.3%). Livestock-associated MRSA ST59-t437 carrying SCCmec IV and IEC-D was detected in raw milk from this region for the first time. Overall, 45.8% of isolates were non-susceptible to at least one antimicrobial, most commonly penicillin and ampicillin (28.8% each). ST9784-t189 more frequently carried lnu(A) and pLNU4-like plasmid sequences and showed higher clindamycin non-susceptibility than other lineages. PCA/K-means grouped isolates into low-, medium- and high-risk tiers (76.3%, 15.3% and 8.4%, respectively); medium/high tiers showed higher multidrug non-susceptibility and a greater enterotoxin gene burden and were more often associated with plasmid replicons including pKH1 and pAMalpha1. This single-province pilot study provides a genomic baseline for dairy-associated S. aureus in subtropical China and suggests that unsupervised multivariate grouping may support risk-aware surveillance and milk-quality assurance; larger multi-region datasets are needed to assess generalisability.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)-derived water composition ratios are non-invasive and cost-effective indices that reflect body fluid distribution. This study aimed to investigate the associations between these BIA-derived ratios and overall survival (OS) in patients with gastric cancer. A retrospective multicentre study included 385 gastric cancer patients. Optimal cut-offs were determined via receiver operating characteristic curves. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, Cox regression analysis and restricted cubic spline (RCS) evaluated associations with OS. The optimal cut-off values were 0.389 for extracellular water (ECW)/total body water (TBW), 0·611 for intracellular water (ICW]/TBW and 0·638 for ECW/ICW. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis revealed that elevated ECW/TBW (72·6% vs. 58·7%; P < 0·001) and ECW/ICW (59·1% vs. 72·4%; P < 0·001) were associated with poorer OS, while a higher ICW/TBW (73·4% vs. 57·3%; P < 0·001) indicated better prognosis. In RCS models, ECW/TBW (hazard ratio (HR) = 1·552, 1·202–2·005, P = 0·001) and ECW/ICW (HR = 1·735, 1·320–2·280, P < 0·001) independently predicted worse OS, whereas ICW/TBW inversely correlated with mortality (HR = 0·620, 0·486–0·790, P < 0·001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis further confirmed that higher ECW/TBW (HR =1·552, 95% CI 1·272–2·688, P < 0·001) and ECW/ICW (HR = 1·735, 1·320–2·280, P < 0·001) ratios independently predicted worse OS. Conversely, a higher ICW/TBW ratio was inversely correlated with mortality (HR = 0·567, 95% CI 0·390–0·824, P = 0·003). The ECW/ICW ratio demonstrated the highest C-index (0·596), outperforming other ratios in predicting survival. These associations were consistent across subgroups, including advanced-stage patients. BIA-derived water composition ratios, particularly ECW/ICW, are robust and independent predictors of survival in gastric cancer patients, reflecting underlying metabolic and inflammatory disturbances. These non-invasive and cost-effective markers could enhance prognostic accuracy and guide personalised treatment strategies.

Visual mobility scoring to detect lame dairy cattle can be subjective and inconsistent. This study assessed the reliability of visual mobility scores from multiple assessors, using different scoring methods (live vs. video) and experience levels to evaluate their influence on label quality for machine learning applications. We gathered data from two farms using the AHDB 4-point mobility scale and a simplified post-hoc dichotomised version, with both live and video assessments. Substantial within- and between-assessor variation was seen in scores, particularly for scores 0 and 1 (consistent with normal and slightly abnormal gaits, respectively). Assessors showed only fair (weighted kappa ≈ 0.33) score consistency when they scored the same animal in different ways (live vs. video). Post-hoc simplification of the four-level scores to a dichotomous score improved agreement but reduced granularity. Assessor experience had limited influence on agreement levels (P > 0.05), and increased video viewing frequency during the assessment process was associated with lower inter-assessor agreement (probability estimate = −0.49, P = 0.005), suggesting higher uncertainty in ambiguous cases. Qualitative feedback from assessor comments revealed that the speed of the animal affected their scoring decisions (β = –1.92, P = 0.007). These results highlight the difficulties in using subjective human scores as labels for machine learning training. To improve automatic lameness detection in dairy cattle, we need strategies to reduce this variation and use more definitive labels.

This study investigated the relationships of total dietary grain fibre (TGF) and its two subtypes (whole-grain fibre (WGF) and refined grain fibre (RGF)) with essential hypertension (EHP) in a large-scale prospective cohort study. The participants were recruited by UK Biobank. Dietary grain fibre was assessed using the baseline touchscreen FFQ. New-onset EHP was defined by International Classification of Disease version 10. Cox proportional hazards model and restricted cubic spline analysis were utilised to examine the associations of TGF and its subtypes with EHP. Additionally, mediation analysis was applied to assess whether the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and inflammatory index score (INFLA-score) mediated these associations. Among 60 315 participants without prior hypertension, 3651 (6·05 %) developed EHP over a median follow-up of 10·3 years, with an incidence density of 6·08 per 1000 person-years. The adjusted hazard ratios for Q4 compared with Q1 were 0·828 (95 % CI: 0·750, 0·914) for TGF and 0·842 (95 % CI: 0·767, 0·936) for WGF. Restricted cubic spline analysis confirmed inverse relationships for TGF and WGF with EHP risk. But RGF showed no significant association with EHP. The TyG index and INFLA-score partially mediated the associations of TGF and WGF with EHP, with mediation proportions of 4·2 % and 3·3 % for TGF, and 4·9 % and 5·2 % for WGF, respectively. Jointly, TyG index and INFLA-score together mediated 5·6 % between TGF and EHP, and 7·4 % between WGF and EHP. In conclusion, higher intake of TGF and WGF reduces EHP risk, and this effect is only partly mediated by TyG index and INFLA-score.

Epidemiological and clinical research has confirmed a link between obesity and depressive symptoms, with inflammation as a potential common mechanism. Given that dietary components modulate inflammation and relate to both conditions, investigating dietary inflammation as a potential underlying pathway is necessary. Herein, we aimed to explore the potential role of the Energy-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DII) in explaining the relationship between obesity and depressive symptoms. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2007–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cohort, enrolling 20 324 participants. Obesity and dietary inflammation were assessed by BMI and E-DII, respectively. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire-9. We found that obesity and inflammatory diets were positively associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0·50, 95 % CI 0·30, 0·69; β = 0·35, 95 % CI 0·19, 0·50; both P < 0·001), and variations in the association among obesity, pro-inflammatory diets and depressive symptoms were evident across various population subgroups (e.g. sex, age, chronic diseases and smoking status subgroups, Pfor interaction < 0·050). After adjusting for all covariates, E-DII accounted for 4 % of the obesity–depression association. Despite this modest proportion, the finding identifies dietary-induced inflammation as a statistically significant, modifiable pathway. In conclusion, obesity and pro-inflammatory diets are linked to an increased risk of depressive symptoms, with E-DII serving as a modest but significant modifiable pathway. These findings highlight dietary intervention as a potential strategy for mitigating depressive symptoms in individuals with obesity.

This study aimed to assess the productivity and profitability of Iranian Holstein dairy herds by utilizing technical-economic indices, particularly in light of fluctuations of milk and feed prices. The dataset comprised 2,890,994 test day records from 190,900 cows across 93 Holstein dairy herds in Isfahan province, covering agricultural years from 2016 to 2022. To evaluate the effects of production levels and lactation stages on investigated indices, a two-way ANOVA analysis using SAS software was used. The results revealed that the average daily milk income was US $9.37 ± 3.63 per cow, while the average of feed cost was $3.97 ± 1.70 per cow. The mean of income over feed cost (IOFC) was estimated at $5.40 ± 2.41, with a range from $1.12 to18.06. Notably, with an average income equal to feed cost (IEFC) of 16.8 kg, farmers need approximately 42% of their produced milk to cover feed costs. The results of this research indicated that only 1% of the milk-to-feed price ratio (MFPR) exceeded 3.0, suggesting that higher milk production at this level is indeed profitable. Additionally, the money-corrected milk (MCM) yield was found to be 1.5% higher than the standard milk yield. The IOFC exhibited a positive and relatively strong correlation with various factors: 0.92 with milk income, 0.75 with MCM, 0.55 with feed costs and 0.22 with IEFC. Furthermore, the production levels and lactation stages significantly impacted the measures studied (P < 0.01). Interestingly, the second-parity cows with medium milk production emerged as the most profitable due to quality bonuses associated with higher milk prices. This highlights how increasing rewards and penalties related to milk quality provide incentives to farmers to focus on improving milk quality rather than merely increasing volume.

Given there is no prospective research evidence on the association between ultra-processed food intake (UPF) and human bone health, this study aimed to analyze the associations of UPF intake with bone mineral density (BMD) and risk of fractures using data from 163855 participants in the UK Biobank. Multiple linear regression assessed BMD, and Cox regression models estimated fracture risk. Restricted cubic splines were used to evaluate non-linearity. Participants’ average age was 56.0 years, with 1097 hip fractures and 7889 all fractures recorded over 12.0 years of follow-up. Complex inverted U-shaped associations between UPF intake and BMD were found at the femur trochanter. Compared with the lowest UPF intake, the highest UPF intake was linked to a reduction in BMD at the femoral neck (β [SE] = –0.0061 [0.0024], P < .05), femur trochanter (β [SE] = –0.0083 [0.0024], P < .001), lumbar spine (β [SE] = –0.0114 [0.0036], P < .01), and total body (β [SE] = –0.0095 [0.0021], P < .001). The link was more pronounced in participants under 65 and those who were underweight (Pinteraction < .01). Per standard deviation increment of UPF intake was linked to 10.5% and 2.7% higher risks of incident hip fractures (HR, 95% CI: 1.105, 1.029-1.186; P < .01) and all fractures (HR, 95% CI: 1.027, 1.000-1.055; P < .05), respectively. Our results suggest that higher UPF intake is associated with lower BMD and increased risk of fractures captured in hospital inpatient records, highlighting the need for dietary interventions to protect bone health.

The influence of the maternal antenatal environment on infant growth and development beyond the neonatal period is not well understood. This study investigated associations between maternal cardiometabolic health and lifestyle on infant growth during the first year of life. This sub-study of the longitudinal Microbiome Understanding in Maternity Study included 87 mother-infant dyads. Maternal anthropometrics were collected at each trimester. Lifestyle was assessed through the Australian Eating Survey (Trimester T1 and T3) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (T1, T2 and T3). Infant anthropometrics were measured at birth, 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months. Changes in weight, weight-for-age z-score, length-for-age z-score, rapid weight gain and conditional weight gain (CWG) were determined. Multiple linear regression was used to assess associations between maternal parameters and infant growth, adjusting for common confounders. Maternal T1 weight (CWG: p = 0.03), T3 weight (CWG: p = 0.03) and GWG (weight z-score change: p = 0.031) were positively associated with increased infant growth from 0 to 6 months. Greater maternal fat mass was associated with increased CWG (p = 0.042) from 6 weeks to 6 months. Higher quality maternal T1 diet was associated with increased infant growth (weight z-score change: p = 0.022, CWG: p = 0.013) from 0 to 12 months. Increased maternal physical activity was associated with increased CWG (p = 0.022) and length z-score change (p = 0.024) from 0 to 12 months in T1, and increased CWG from 6 to 12 months in T2 (p = 0.014) and T3 (p = 0.047). Markers of maternal cardiometabolic health risk and healthier lifestyle were associated with increased infant growth. Further investigation is required to confirm findings and investigate links with future health sequelae.

Developmental programming has emerged as one of the major biological principles and biomedical issues of this century because of its potential for long-term, even transgenerational, effects on the health and productivity of offspring. Livestock models have been widely used to establish the mechanisms of developmental programming in fetuses and offspring, and accordingly present data with dual benefits; both serving animal agricultural purposes and providing insights for biomedical applications. Livestock models have furthered our understanding of how developmental processes can influence postnatal health and productivity in the short- and long-term. In addition, because livestock are key to agricultural sustainability and food security, studies in livestock contribute to human livelihood. In this review, we will focus on the influence of maternal nutrition in livestock models on developmental outcomes. Maternal nutritional models include global nutrient intake (over- and under-nutrition) and supplementation of specific macro and micronutrients. Specifically, we will review the effects of maternal nutrition on: placental function, key metabolic tissues of the fetus/offspring (visceral tissues, skeletal muscle, and immune system), genetics, epigenetics, and transgenerational programming, parturition, and the underlying mechanism of developmental programming. Lastly, we will focus on gaps in knowledge and future research directions.