Glutathione is a key intracellular antioxidant involved in redox balance, detoxification, and immune support. However, oral glutathione supplementation is limited by poor bioavailability due to gastrointestinal degradation and low membrane permeability. Liposomal formulations offer a promising strategy to enhance delivery and therapeutic efficacy. This study aimed to compare the biological activity and systemic availability of a novel liposomal glutathione formulation (LipoDuo™ Glutathione) with plain glutathione using both in vitro cellular models and in vivo human pharmacokinetic evaluation. Human embryonic kidney (HEK-293T) cells were treated with LipoDuo™ or plain glutathione to assess intracellular uptake, optimal dosing, cell proliferation, and wound healing. In a parallel-arm, open-label human study, 12 healthy subjects (n = 6 per group) received a single oral dose of either LipoDuo™ or plain glutathione (1 g), and plasma glutathione levels were monitored over 24 h using LC-MS/MS. Uptake: LipoDuo™ demonstrated ∼1.9-fold higher cellular uptake than plain glutathione, peaking at 6 h (45% vs 23%). Proliferation: LipoDuo™ increased cell proliferation by upto 3-fold over control, superior to plain glutathione. Wound healing: LipoDuo™ achieved 100% closure at 24 h, vs. 59.8% for plain glutathione. Pharmacokinetics: LipoDuo™ achieved a Cmax of ∼1800 ng/mL (6× higher than plain), showed a bimodal absorption pattern, and maintained plasma levels >500 ng/mL at 24 h. LipoDuo™ Glutathione significantly improves cellular delivery, biological activity, and systemic bioavailability compared to conventional glutathione. Its bimodal distribution and prolonged plasma retention position it as a next-generation antioxidant supplement with clinical potential in oxidative stress management, skin health, and metabolic recovery.

In the USA and Japan, body mass index (BMI) has increased over the last several decades, whereas energy intake (EI) has decreased. However, self-reported EI data may show systematic errors. Using the calibration approach for attenuating the systematic error of self-reported EI, we aimed to compare trends in BMI and EI with and without calibration in adults from the USA and Japan. This cross-sectional study included 38,370 Americans evaluated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2018, and 200,629 Japanese evaluated in national nutrition surveys in Japan 1995–2019. EI was estimated using at least 1 day of 24-h diet recalls for Americans and 1 day of household-based dietary records for Japanese. The calibrated EI was calculated using a previously developed equation based on total energy expenditure (TEE) measured by doubly labelled water method. Using data from a review, uncalibrated EI was −20.2% and calibrated EI was −4.1% compared to the TEE; the calibration approach attenuated EI underestimation. In the USA, uncalibrated EI decreased (annual percentage change [APC]: −0.24%), but calibrated EI and BMI increased (calibrated EI, APC: 0.04%; BMI, APC: 0.32%). In Japan, the decrease was smaller for the calibrated EI than for the uncalibrated EI (uncalibrated EI, APC: −0.23%; calibrated EI, APC: −0.04%). Uncalibrated EI decreased and BMI increased in the USA and Japan, and calibrated EI increased in the USA and decreased slowly in Japan. Calibration may attenuate systematic bias in dietary assessments and facilitate the effective use of dietary data.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of blended oils with an balanced n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio of 6:1 and unsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid (UFA/SFA) ratio of 2.5:1 on growth performance and intestinal health in LPS-challenged piglets. One hundred and twenty piglets were selected and randomly assigned to two treatments (2% soybean oil or 2% blended oils). On d 28, the experiment was conducted as a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments including dietary treatment (2% soybean oil vs. 2% blended oil) and LPS challenge (saline vs. LPS). The results showed that the blended oils supplementation increased ADG and ADFI during 1-14 days (P < 0.05), and reduced feed to gain ratio in the whole experimental period (P < 0.05). In addition, the blended oils supplementation improved intestinal morphology, increased maltase and sucrase activities, and alleviated inflammation response in the intestine. Moreover, the blended oils supplementation increased proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) mRNA expression in jejunum and Ki67 mRNA expression in ileum (P < 0.05) in both saline-treated piglets and LPS-challenged piglets. The blended oils reduced C-myc and caspase-3 mRNA expressions and increased Axin2 and Cyclin d1 mRNA expressions after LPS challenge (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the blended oils can improve growth performance and promote intestinal health in piglets.

To explore molecular targets for regulating glucose metabolism in carnivorous fish, the glucose tolerance test (GTT) was carried out on the Paralichthys olivaceus. The concentration of glucose and insulin in serum were measured at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 24, and 48h after intraperitoneal (IP) injecting. The concentration of insulin was the lowest after 3h of glucose injection, and that of glucose reached the highest after 5h. Therefore, 0h (IP0) was chosen as control group, 3h (IP3) and 5h (IP5) were selected as experimental groups, which the liver samples in three time points were used to high-throughput sequencing. Although, there were no significant KEGG and GO functional enrichment, the differential genes including MAPK binding protein 1 (MAPKBP1), glycosyltransferase (FNG), suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBP-α) were closely related to glucose metabolism, among which SOCS3 was worthy of further explore. The full-length cDNA sequence of SOCS3 gene was cloned and the open reading frame (ORF) of SOCS3 encoded 225 amino acids including conserved domains SH2 and SOCS3-box. The results of tissue differential expression showed that SOCS3 was highly expressed in liver and intestine. The SOCS3 was knocked down by specific siRNA in the primary hepatocyte of P. olivaceus. Results showed that the gene expression of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), protease B1 (AKT1), glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), pyruvate kinase (PK) and glucokinase (GK) increased significantly after knocking down SOCS3. Meanwhile, the phosphatidylinositol-3-hydroxykinase (PI3K) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) decreased significantly. The results of this study indicated that siSOSC3 enhanced the sensitivity of the insulin signaling pathway to promote glucose transport, thereby affecting gluconeogenesis and glycolysis to maintain glucose homeostasis.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different intermittent fasting regimens on metabolic parameters in healthy rats and compare them to caloric restriction. A total of 50 adult male Wistar rats (± 90 days old) were randomised into 5 groups: control group (CON); caloric restriction group (CR); time-restricted feeding group (TRF); alternate-day fasting (ADF) group; and alternate-day modified fasting group (ADMF). ADF and ADMF stood out for improving the metabolic parameters in healthy rats by presenting improvements in glucose parameters, greatest weight loss (ADF vs. CON: -16.50±6.16 g; effect size = -5.34; 95% CI: -7.05, -3.04; p<0.001; ADMF vs. CON: - 21.88±6.66 g; effect size = -5.83; 95% CI: -7.66, -3.36; p<0.001), and higher HDL (ADF vs. CON: 141.50±10.17 mg/dL; effect size = 3.03; 95% CI: 1.01, 4.45; p<0.001; ADMF vs. CON: 133.10±5.94 mg/dL; effect size = 3.37; 95% CI: 1.22, 4.86; p=0.004). Additionally, ADMF presented a smaller adipocyte area among the fasting regimens (13.92±2.06 area/µm2; effect size = -4.20; 95% CI: -5.45, -2.66; p<0.001 vs. CON), in addition to presenting muscle fibre hypertrophy (71.20±5.16 area/µm2; effect size = 2.93; 95% CI: 1.57, 4.05; p<0.001 vs. CON), followed by ADF (adipocyte area: 19.25±0.87 area/µm2; effect size = -2.19; 95% CI: -3.12, -1.12; p=0.003 vs. CON; muscle fibre: 53.80±6.61 area/µm2; effect size = 2.93; 95% CI: 1.57,4.05; p=0.566 vs. ADMF). The ADF and ADMF groups were more effective among the intermittent fasting regimens analysed in promoting improvements in metabolic parameters in healthy rats.

Metabolic dysregulation increases the risk of cognitive and motor deficits, exacerbated by diets high in refined carbohydrates and fats. Polyphenol-rich berries, such as red raspberries (RRB; Rubus idaeus), may offer protective benefits. This randomised, single-blinded, controlled crossover study evaluated the acute metabolic and cognitive effects of RRB intake in older adults (55–70 years) with overweight/obesity. Thirty-six adults (61 (sd 5) years, BMI: 30·0 (sd 2·8) kg/m2; 19 females: 17 males) consumed a high-carbohydrate, moderate-fat meal (56 % carbohydrate, 33 % fat) containing 0 g (control) or 25 g of freeze-dried RRB powder. Plasma was collected at baseline and postprandially over 7·5 h to assess glucose, insulin, triacylglyceride (TAG) and IL-6. In vitro, fasting and postprandial serum samples were applied to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglial cells to assess neuroinflammatory responses (nitric oxide (NO) production, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression). Cognitive and vascular function were assessed at baseline and postprandially. The RRB meal significantly reduced peak glucose (by 8 %), insulin concentrations at 0·5 h and overall insulin response compared with control (P < 0·05). Serum from RRB consumers attenuated LPS-induced NO, iNOS and COX-2 expression in microglial cells (P < 0·001). Cognitive performance improved following the RRB meal, with fewer attempts in the CANTAB (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery) Paired Associates Learning task (P < 0·05) and fewer errors with better strategy use in the Spatial Working Memory task (P < 0·05). No significant differences were observed in vascular function. These findings suggest that acute RRB supplementation attenuated postprandial metabolic stress, reduced markers of neuroinflammation and improved cognitive performance, supporting RRB’s potential role in a dietary strategy for ageing populations.

Educational attainment is a key determinant of diet quality. The overarching pathways (i.e. theories and mechanisms) through which educational attainment shapes diet quality remain largely unexplored in the nutrition literature, and the most salient pathways likely differ across time, populations and socio-economic and political contexts. This commentary proposes a research agenda and outlines methodological considerations that are intended to better illuminate the educational attainment–diet quality relationship. From an extensive review of the literature, which led to two publications pertinent to the topic, we identified three major research gaps that should be addressed to better understand how educational attainment stratifies diet quality to guide interventions and inform equity-enhancing policies: (1) interrogating the construct of educational attainment; (2) comparative population–level and subgroup studies; and (3) root cause analyses and structural reforms. We also discuss methodological considerations needed to inform future studies of associations between educational attainment and diet quality.

Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) is a critical public health priority during emergencies, yet remains poorly integrated into emergency preparedness planning in many high-income countries (HICs). Despite the availability of international guidance, such as the Operational Guidance on IYCF in Emergencies the implementation of these tools in national systems has been inconsistent within HICs. This review examines recent emergencies in HICs to identify policy and operational gaps affecting breastfeeding support, the management of commercial milk formula (CMF), and the distribution of commercially available complementary foods (CACFs). The present review focuses on the practical translation of Infant and young child feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) guidance into emergency responses across a range of contexts. This review highlights widespread failures to protect breastfeeding during crises, often due to a lack of trained personnel, inadequate shelter infrastructure, and limited integration of IYCF into emergency protocols. CMF was frequently distributed without needs assessment or support, undermining breastfeeding and introducing risks related to hygiene and preparation. CACFs were often age-inappropriate, ultra-processed, or culturally unsuitable, with potential long-term implications for child health. Even in countries with strong health systems, IYCF-E was often fragmented, under-resourced, or absent from preparedness frameworks. To build nutritional resilience, IYCF-E must be embedded within public health and disaster planning, supported by legal protections, trained personnel, regulated product distribution, and coordinated communication. This requires a shift in policy and perception, recognising that the right to safe and appropriate feeding in emergencies applies equally in all settings.

Anorexia of ageing – the age-related reduction in appetite and food intake – is a public health concern for an ageing global population. However, current understanding of the aetiology of the condition is limited. In this review, evidence of gut hormone responses to feeding in older adults is reviewed, and it is proposed that a dysregulation of this process is a mechanism driving low appetite in later life. The evidence is synthesised to critically present this case, spotlighting recent data demonstrating a highly anorexigenic gut hormone profile in older adults exhibiting low appetite, which is not observed in older adults exhibiting a “healthy” appetite. These findings and this theory are interrogated with an appreciation that appetite control is complex and multifactorial, not least in the context of anorexia of ageing; it is posited that changes in gut hormone secretions are a mechanism rather than the mechanism, but propose that this may explain certain presentations of anorexia of ageing. The current knowledge base is contextualised for practical implications and priorities for future research are highlighted.

This review synthesizes current evidence linking alterations in the gut microbiome to menopausal transition. The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in numerous physiological processes, particularly due to its bidirectional communication with the brain via multiple neural, endocrine, and immune pathways. Menopause-associated oestrogen decline disrupts this axis, influencing not only gastrointestinal function and microbial diversity but also mood, cognition, and inflammation.

The estrobolome is a community of gut bacteria capable of modulating circulating estrogen levels. Taken together, research suggests a complex dynamic interplay between the intestinal microbiota and sex hormones, potentially contributing to menopausal symptoms and related comorbidities.

Understanding these interactions offers promising avenues for intervention, as dietary strategies (such as isoflavones), lifestyle modifications, and targeted probiotic and prebiotic therapies may help restore balance within the gut-brain axis and optimize brain health by influencing neurotransmitter synthesis, stress responses, and hormonal regulation during and after the menopausal transition.

Here, we highlight the importance of an integrative, microbiome-informed approach to midlife women’s health, emphasizing innovative, non-pharmacological strategies to promote long-term well-being in women.

Modifiable health behaviours, including suboptimal dietary patterns, contribute to the global burden of disease. Messaging to raise awareness about health and nutrition behaviours is an important first step toward behaviour change and promotion of healthy dietary patterns. The aim of this rapid review was to systematically identify best practice recommendations and evidence for the development and characteristics of persuasive health and nutrition messages for awareness raising among adults. Academic reviews and grey literature reports published in English after 2010 that focused on the development or characteristics of general health or nutrition-specific messaging for awareness raising were eligible. MEDLINE Complete, CINHAL, Global Health, Embase and websites of public health organisations were searched between April-July 2024. Data was synthesised narratively. From 12,507 records, 31 were included (27 reviews, 4 reports). There was consistent support for an audience-centred approach to messaging, including audience segmentation, message tailoring and testing with target audiences. It was recommended that messages be disseminated through multiple channels, including mass and social media to facilitate repeat exposure. Message characteristics including use of narratives, simple language, keeping messages short, conveying the general gist rather than detailed information and utilising imagery were considered best practice for persuasive messaging. Nutrition messages that are audience-centred, tailored, thoroughly tested and incorporate elements such as narratives, imagery and simple language are likely to be accepted and persuasive among adults. Findings can be used to inform effective nutrition messaging for awareness raising in research and nutrition promotion settings.

This study investigates the associations between social determinants of health (SDOH) and hypertension prevalence across Wisconsin communities, with particular attention to food environments, economic factors, and transportation patterns. Using data from the 2019–2020 Wisconsin State Inpatient Database (387,047 patients) and the 2020 AHRQ SDOH database, we employed spatial analysis and logistic regression models to examine relationships between hypertension prevalence and neighbourhood characteristics across 597 ZIP codes. Lower-income areas exhibited significantly higher hypertension prevalence (EE = 1.233, 95% CI: 1.128–1.347 for incomes under $14,999), neighbourhoods with greater food resource density showed protective associations (EE = 0.549, 95% CI: 0.474–0.636 for supermarket access). Active transportation patterns were associated with lower hypertension rates (EE = 0.879, 95% CI: 0.829–0.933 for walking). We observed a ‘Hispanic paradox’ in Milwaukee County, where Hispanic populations demonstrated lower hypertension prevalence despite socioeconomic disadvantages, whereas African American populations with similar disadvantages exhibited higher prevalence. Our proposed ‘Food Environment Synergy Model’ helps frame these findings by conceptualising food environments through three interacting dimensions: physical access, economic accessibility, and cultural dietary patterns. This integrated approach highlights how these dimensions collectively relate to unique risk and resilience profiles within communities, challenging conventional binary classifications of ‘food deserts’ versus ‘food secure’ areas. These findings indicate that addressing food access disparities, promoting walkable neighbourhoods, and preserving beneficial cultural dietary traditions may be related to lower hypertension prevalence and advance health equity in diverse communities. However, the analysis is cross-sectional, causality cannot be inferred; further longitudinal studies are needed to establish causal relationships.

Malnutrition is highly prevalent among oncology patients, with large-scale studies reporting involuntary weight loss in 31–87%, depending on tumour site and disease stage. Driven by a combination of nutrition-impact symptoms, reduced oral intake, and systemic inflammation, leading to poor treatment tolerance, diminished quality of life, and reduced survival. Systemic inflammation is a hallmark of cancer-associated malnutrition and contributes to loss of lean mass and abnormal body composition phenotypes such as sarcopenia, cachexia, and myosteatosis, which may coexist with overweight or obesity. Malnutrition screening tools are widely used to identify patients at risk; however, traditional weight and BMI-based instruments such as the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) and Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) frequently misclassify patients with cancer as well-nourished. These tools fail to account for nutrition-impact symptoms, inflammation, and muscle wasting. Although obesity is an established cancer risk factor, 40–60% of patients remain overweight or obese during treatment, even those with metastatic disease. When screening tools are BMI-based, high fat stores mask muscle wasting, leading to misclassification of nutritional risk and delayed dietetic referrals. To improve detection, screening tools should incorporate patient-reported symptoms, inflammatory markers, and body composition assessment, enabling earlier, proactive nutritional care. Alternatively, it may be time to acknowledge that all cancer patients are inherently “at risk” of malnutrition and to prioritise universal access to dietetic support from diagnosis through treatment. This review summarises current malnutrition screening and assessment practices in oncology and outlines key considerations for future research and clinical practice.

Malnutrition remains a major public health issue in Sub-Saharan Africa, with one-third of all malnourished children residing in the region. In Malawi, 37.1% of children under five are stunted, and 63% are anaemic. Poor diets and poverty contribute significantly. Legumes, being rich in protein, fibre, and micronutrients, offer a sustainable food-based approach to improve child nutrition and support local agriculture. This study aimed at assessing the association between legume consumption and nutritional status in children aged 6–59 months in rural Malawi. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Mzimba, Mchinji, and Mangochi districts, involving 1275 children. Data were collected on dietary intake, socioeconomic status, and anthropometry using semi-structured questionnaires. Nutritional status was determined using WHO Anthro, and associations were analysed using logistic regression in Stata. Prevalence of stunting was 42.8%, underweight 17.4%, and wasting 8.4%. Over half of the children did not consume legumes. Pigeon pea consumption significantly reduced odds of wasting (AOR = 0.14), and common beans were associated with lower odds of both wasting and stunting. Conversely, groundnut consumption was linked to increased underweight (AOR = 1.68). Animal food consumption was associated with lower underweight but higher odds of wasting. Legume consumption showed both protective and adverse associations with child malnutrition. In conclusion, this study has shown that promoting dietary diversity and appropriate legume use could enhance nutrition outcomes. Findings highlight the potential of legumes in addressing undernutrition but also the need for targeted nutrition education and interventions in rural Malawi.

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in cancer survivorship, influencing not only long-term health outcomes but also quality of life and risk of recurrence. As advances in early detection and treatment have led to a growing global population of cancer survivors, attention has increasingly shifted from acute care to the promotion of sustained well-being and prevention of secondary health challenges. Despite growing evidence linking dietary patterns, body composition, and metabolic health with survivorship outcomes, there remains significant variability in nutritional guidance, access to evidence-based interventions, and integration of nutrition into oncology care. This review explores the current state of knowledge on nutrition in cancer survivorship, highlights key challenges faced by healthcare systems and patients and presents a new proposed model of care to optimise nutrition within survivorship care, bridging the evidence-practice gap.

Household food insecurity has previously been associated with psychological distress, and subsequently, poorer diet quality. Further understanding of this relationship is required to improve nutritional outcomes, with food-related concerns suggested as one potential mechanism. Therefore, the current pre-registered (https://osf.io/zd3ak) study conducted cross-sectional secondary analyses of Wave 6 (October 2022–January 2023) of the Food and You 2 survey administered in adults aged 16 years and over across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (N = 2315), to explore the differential prevalence of food-related concerns in people experiencing food insecurity. Exploratory analyses also identified characteristics of food support users (food bank or social supermarket; N = 467) and quantified associations between food support use and the same food-related concerns. People experiencing marginal (OR = 1.43, p = 0.02) and low food security (OR = 1.51, p = 0.02) (relative to high food security) were significantly more concerned about food prices, but this association was not seen in people experiencing very low food security. Both food bank and social supermarket use were predicted by very low food security (food bank OR = 6.05, p < 0.001; social supermarket OR = 2.40, p = 0.02) and having a long-term health condition (food bank OR = 3.91, p = 0.00; social supermarket OR = 3.17, p = 0.00). Food bank users were less concerned about healthy eating (OR = 0.33, p = 0.00) whereas social supermarket users were less concerned about food prices (relative to non-users) (OR = 0.40, p = 0.01). Food-related concerns, particularly regarding food prices, are differentially associated with food security status and food support use. Findings could support specific interventions to promote better diet quality and improve health and wellbeing in populations experiencing food insecurity.