Greater consumption of red meat has been linked to a higher risk of mortality and chronic diseases, including diabetes. We aim to examine the associations between total, processed, and unprocessed red meat intake and diabetes, and to evaluate the substitution effects of other protein sources for red meat on diabetes. This population-based cross-sectional study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2016. Diabetes was defined as being diagnosed by a physician or other health professional, having a fasting plasma glucose of 126 mg/dL or higher, an HbA1c level of 6.5% or higher, or the use of antidiabetic drugs. Multivariable logistic regression models were conducted. The study included 34,737 adult participants (mean (SD) age of 45.8 (17.5) years) from NHANES 2003-2016. After adjusting for major confounders, compared to the first quintile, higher intakes of total, processed, and unprocessed red meat were positively associated with higher odds of diabetes, with adjusted odds ratios of 1.49 (95% CI, 1.22-1.81), 1.47 (95% CI, 1.17-1.84), and 1.24 (95% CI, 1.06-1.44), respectively (P- trend for all < 0. 001). In this nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, participants in the highest quintiles of total, processed, and unprocessed red meat intake had higher odds of diabetes than those in the lowest quintile. Substituting 1 serving/day of dietary protein from foods of plant origin (including nuts, seeds, legumes, and soy) for total, processed, or unprocessed red meat was associated with 9% to 14% lower odds of diabetes.

Limited evidence exists on the combined effect of lifestyle factors on breast cancer (BC) risk, particularly in developing countries. This study aimed to investigate the association between adherence to WCRF/AICR cancer prevention recommendations and BC risk among Moroccan women. We conducted a large case control study including 1400 cases and 1400 matched controls (by age and place of residence), between 2019 and 2023. A structured general questionnaire and a food frequency questionnaire were used for data collection. Adherence to cancer recommendations was assessed using a scale ranging from 0 to 7, including 7 components about: food categories, physical activity, healthy weight, and breastfeeding. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to calculate multivariable odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for Potential confounding variables. For each one-point increase in the WCRF/AICR adherence score, the odds of BC decreased by 67% overall (95% CI: 0.29–0.37). This inverse association was consistent among both premenopausal women (OR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.24–0.35) and postmenopausal women (OR = 0.35; 95% CI: 0.30–0.41). Analysis of individual recommendations showed that being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, breastfeeding, consuming a plant-rich diet, and limiting the intake of fast foods and other processed foods were the main key drivers of the observed inverse associations with BC. In conclusion, the present study suggests that greater adherence to the WCRF/AICR recommendations is associated with decreased risk of BC risk in Morocco. Prevention strategies should consider comprehensive interventions targeting multiple lifestyle factors.

Grip strength is a simple and practical method for evaluating overall muscle strength, and a key health biomarker that is linked to sarcopenia, chronic conditions, and overall mortality. Although protein intake plays a vital role in muscle protein synthesis, its association with grip strength in adults remains unclear. This study examined the cross-sectional relationship between total, animal, and plant protein intake and grip strength among local government workers in Japan. Participants were 349 workers (175 men and 174 women; mean age, 42.9 years; range, 19-71 years) who received a health check-up and participated in a nutrition and health survey. Protein intake was assessed using a validated self-administered diet-history questionnaire. Grip strength was measured with a digital dynamometer. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate adjusted means of grip strength according to tertile of protein intake. Higher animal protein intake was significantly associated with higher grip strength in women, but not in men. After adjustment for covariates including lifestyle and dietary factors, mean (95% confidence interval) grip strength for the lowest through highest tertile of animal protein intake was 24.6 (21.7-27.5) kg, 25.8 (22.9-28.7) kg, and 26.8 (23.7-29.9) kg (P for trend = 0.015) in women. No association was found between total and plant protein intake and grip strength in either men or women. These findings suggest that animal protein is important for muscle strength in women, with potential sex differences in the relationship between protein intake and grip strength.

Selenium (Se) is an important micronutrient that plays a key role in brain development. Only a few studies have explored the associations between prenatal maternal Se concentration and motor development in early infancy. We have previously described that 36% of pregnant Nepalese women had Se concentration below the cut off of 71.1 µg/L in early pregnancy. In the current cohort study, we aimed to describe the association between maternal plasma Se concentration and infant motor development measured at 8-12 weeks of age. From a cohort of 800 Nepalese mother-infant pairs we included 711 dyads with available data on maternal Se concentration and motor development scores. Maternal Se concentration was measured in plasma samples collected within 15 weeks of gestation using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Motor development was measured by the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP). We examined the association between Se concentration and the TIMP scores in regression models adjusted for age of the mother and socioeconomic status. There was no association between maternal Se concentration and the TIMP scores (coefficient for the total TIMP score: -0.035 (95% CI: -0.105, 0.036). In conclusion, even though a considerable proportion of the women had Se concentration below the cut off of 71.1 µg/L, there were no association between maternal Se concentration and early motor development in their infants. Our findings do not support Se supplementation during pregnancy to enhance early infant motor development. However, Se may still be essential for other aspects of maternal and infant health.

Growing evidence supports early eating to control appetite and energy balance but there are few controlled studies to assess the amount and/or type of breakfast meal. This randomized, within-participant, diet intervention examined the effects of higher-fibre (HF) and higher-protein (HP) breakfasts in adults with overweight/obesity. Nineteen healthy adults consumed two randomized 28 day weight loss (WL) diets; as higher-fibre (HFWL) or higher protein (HPWL), with all food provided. Both WL diets were designed as 45%, 35% and 20% of calories to be consumed at the morning, afternoon and evening, respectively. The primary outcome was energy balance, analysed by body weight changes. The secondary outcomes were gut health (assessed by changes in faecal microbiota composition and microbial metabolite concentrations) and subjective appetite assessed with visual analogue scales (VAS). There was a diet effect on WL, with mean loss of -4.87 kg and -3.87 kg for the HFWL and HPWL diets, respectively (P=0.002). The HPWL diet was superior to the HFWL diet for suppressing subjective appetite (P=0.003). The faecal microbiota analysis showed beneficial groups of bacteria, including bifidobacteria, and the butyrate-producers Faecalibacterium and Roseburia, were significantly increased in proportional abundance on the HFWL diet. Breakfast composition has an important role in influencing subjective appetite with the higher-protein diet promoting greater feelings of satiety. The proportional abundance of putatively beneficial groups of gut microbiota was markedly higher on the fibre-enriched diet, which may be preferable for gut health.

This study aimed to verify whether a higher percentage contribution of food and beverage consumption at dinner and evening snack was associated with overweight in schoolchildren from a city in southern Brazil. Cross-sectional study conducted with schoolchildren aged 7 to 14 years from the Prevalence Study of Obesity in Children and Adolescents of Florianopolis/SC. Weight and height were measured individually by trained researchers. The assessment of the weight status of the schoolchildren was conducted using the Body Mass Index (BMI), classified according to the Z-score for age. The self-reported food consumption was obtained through the online Web-CAAFE questionnaire. Multivariate logistic was used to verify the association between the percentage contribution of food groups in the dinner and evening snack meals with overweight. A total of 1379 schoolchildren participated in the study, of which 33.8% were overweight. It was observed that a higher percentage contribution of meat, eggs, and seafood consumption at dinner was positively associated with overweight (OR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.27-2.04); p=0.001). In contrast, a higher percentage contribution of water consumption at dinner and dairy products and sugary drinks at the evening snack were negatively associated with overweight (OR: 0.67; OR: 0.61; and OR: 0.67, respectively). It is concluded that a higher percentage contribution of food groups in schoolchildren’s diet at dinner and evening snack is associated with overweight. However, further studies are recommended to assess food consumption in schoolchildren during dinner and evening snack meals for more conclusive findings.

Iron deficiency (ID) represents the most prevalent nutritional disorder and a major public health concern. As part of the HYDRIA 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition study, a cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of adults in Greece, serum ferritin levels (SFL) were measured in participants aged ≥55 years and dietary intake was assessed using two nonconsecutive 24h dietary recalls per participant. The study aimed to evaluate SFL, determine the prevalence of ID among older adults and explore associations with dietary iron intake and adherence to Mediterranean diet(MD). Among individuals over 55 years, ID prevalence was 6.5% for SFL<15 ng/ml and 12.7% for SFL<30 ng/ml. SFL were significantly associated with sex and age (p<0.001), with men showing higher SFL than women. Advancing age, particularly among individuals over 74 years, increased the risk of ID. Dietary iron intake declined with age, and women had significantly lower intake than men (p<0.001). Overall, 57.2% of participants had inadequate daily iron intake. SFL were not associated with total or heme iron intake. High adherence to MD was associated with higher energy-adjusted total iron intake but lower heme-iron intake. Weighted logistic regression for SFL<15 ng/mL showed that MD adherence was significantly associated with reduced odds of ID (p=0.007), likely due to the protective effect of intermediate adherence (OR=0.10, p=0.002). Conclusively, while ID prevalence among older adults in Greece is low, over half of the population present inadequate daily iron intake, especially women. High adherence to MD may have a protective effect against ID.

Sepsis-related deaths remain prevalent in intensive care settings, with metabolic dysregulation as a key contributor. Although amino acid supplementation has shown promise, its clinical effectiveness in sepsis is unclear. This study evaluated the impact of intravenous amino acid administration on 28-day mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) sepsis patients using retrospective cohort analysis and Mendelian randomization (MR). We analyzed data from the MIMIC-IV database, matching 726 patients (363 per group) using propensity scores. The association between amino acid supplementation and mortality was assessed using Logistic regression, Cox regression, and targeted maximum likelihood estimation (TMLE). Two-sample MR was used to explore causal links between 20 common amino acids and sepsis mortality. In the cohort analysis, amino acid supplementation was consistently associated with significantly reduced 28-day mortality across all analytical methods (logistic regression: OR = 0.48, p < 0.01; Cox regression: HR = 0.48, p < 0.01; TMLE: ATE = -0.102, p < 0.01). In contrast, the MR analysis did not find a significant causal association for any single amino acid after correction for multiple comparisons; although glycine showed a nominal protective signal, it did not remain significant after FDR correction. This dual-method study demonstrates a strong association between compound amino acid infusions and reduced mortality in sepsis but did not identify any single amino acid as a robust causal mediator. These findings suggest the benefit may arise from a synergistic effect, highlighting the need for randomized controlled trials to validate these observational results and optimize nutritional strategies.

This study is a prospective observational study to systematically compare the effects of intermittent tube feeding and thickened feeding on dehydration status, thirst degree and quality of life in patients with dysphagia after stroke. A total of 48 patients with dysphagia after stroke were selected and divided into intermittent tube feeding group (24 cases) and thickened feeding group (24 cases). The grouping was based on the nutritional intake mode after clinical decision-making. Participants were selected from the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. All enrolled patients received conventional treatment and nursing measures and were treated for 2 weeks. The dehydration status was evaluated by plasma osmotic pressure. The degree of thirst is evaluated by the Numerical Rate Scale (NRS). Total protein and hemoglobin are used to assess nutritional status; The Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) assesses swallowing function; The Swallowing Quality of Life Scale (SWAL-QOL) was used to assess the quality of life. After 2 weeks of treatment, the improvement in dehydration and thirst in intermittent tube feeding group was better than that in thickened feeding group (P<0.05). The FOIS and SWAL-QOL scores of both groups of patients improved compared with those before treatment (P<0.05). Intermittent tube feeding can improve the dehydration status of patients with dysphagia after stroke, relieve thirst, and enhance swallowing function and quality of life. The study may provide a more comprehensive basis for the selection of clinical nutritional support plans.

Nutrition is crucial for the growth of children and adolescents. This study investigated multiple nutritional problems and influencing factors among 2,423 students aged 6-17 in Guizhou Province, using questionnaire surveys, physical examinations, and blood tests. Multifactorial logistic and Poisson regression analyses were used to identify determinants of overnutrition and undernutrition. The results showed a distinct profile compared to national averages: wasting was more prevalent (9.6%), while overweight (8.6%) and obesity (5.0%) were less common. Notably, hyperuricemia (27.6%) and zinc deficiency (17.9%) were elevated, whereas classical metabolic syndrome (2.3%) was lower, delineating a regional pattern that prioritizes these emerging and micronutrient issues. Marginal vitamin A deficiency (17.2%) and vitamin D inadequacy (50.9%) remained significant. Older age (11-17 years) was a strong risk factor for overnutrition-related disorders and hyperuricemia (All p<0.001). Overweight/obesity increased risks of hyperuricemia and metabolic syndrome (All p<0.001). Being female was a major risk factor for undernutrition (PR=1.27, 95%CI: 1.19-1.35, p<0.001) and vitamin D deficiency (AOR=2.51, 95%CI: 2.10-3.00, p<0.001), but a protective factor against hyperuricemia (AOR=0.34, 95%CI: 0.27-0.41, p<0.001). Frequent sugary drink consumption (≥3/week) elevated hyperuricemia risk (AOR=1.33, 95%CI: 1.05-1.69, p=0.020). This study underscores a complex double burden of malnutrition in western China, characterized by specific priority areas, and necessitates tailored, multi-component interventions such as limiting sugary drinks and focusing nutrition support on adolescent girls.

This study aimed to evaluate the agreement between three body composition devices and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in assessing segmental body composition among healthy Iranian adults. This comparative study recruited 62 healthy adults (33 men and 29 women) from Tehran, Iran, using a convenience sampling approach. Socio-demographic data were collected, and segmental body composition was assessed using several devices, including the InBody 770, Anea Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), Tanita BC-418, and DXA. Agreement between DXA and the BIA devices was evaluated using Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient. Additionally, Bland–Altman plots and mean percentage error were applied to assess the consistency between the two methods. The Anea, InBody 770, and Tanita BC-418 devices showed strong correlation with DXA for all segmental measurements (r≥0.74, p<0.05). Moderate agreement (concordance correlation coefficient (CCC): 0.90 ≤ CCC < 0.95) with the DXA method was found for some segments using the Anea (trunk fat mass, arms fat-free mass, legs fat-free mass, and trunk fat-free mass) and the InBody 770 (trunk lean body mass and trunk fat mass) devices. The estimation of legs fat mass was the least accurate across all BIA devices. Furthermore, subgroup analyses showed that the BIA devices provided more precise results in men and in individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) <25.00 kg/m2. The Anea BIA and InBody 770 devices show relatively acceptable validity for segmental body composition assessment. More research is needed to confirm these findings.

Monocrotaline (MCT) induces lung injury and pulmonary hypertension (PH) by a mechanism that is in part due to oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to determine how MCT affected nutrient antioxidants retinol and alpha-tocopherol in a rat lung and liver. Rats were fed a purified diet (AIN-93G) one-week prior to a subcutaneous injection of MCT (60 mg/kg) and remained on the diet throughout the study. Three weeks after injection, the animals were euthanized, and the lungs and livers were analyzed for retinol, alpha-tocopherol, phospholipid (PL), and cholesterol content. Lung retinol concentrations were significantly lower in MCT-treated rats, 2.0 ± 1.2 (nmol/g lung) vs. vehicle control (VEH), 5.8 ± 1.4 (P < 0.01). However, liver retinol concentrations were not significantly different, 3.3 ± 1.3 vs. 2.5 ± 0.9 nmol/g liver. Alpha-tocopherol was significantly greater in MCT-treated rats in the lung, 145 ± 24 vs. 99 ± 13 nmol/g lung (P < 0.001), and liver, 107 ± 30 vs. 47.7 ± 4.8 nmol/g liver (P < 0.001). Phospholipid and cholesterol were significantly lower in the lung of the MCT-treated group, but not significantly different in the liver. In conclusion, retinol along with phospholipid, and cholesterol were decreased in the lungs whereas alpha-tocopherol was elevated in the lungs and liver in response to MCT. These findings along with others suggest a novel mechanistic link between MCT-induced oxidative stress, lung vitamin A depletion, inflammation and the impairment of alveolar cell proliferation and repair. Pulmonary retinol is important in the pathogenesis of MCT-induced lung injury.

The Mediterranean and a low carbohydrate diet are two popular dietary approaches recommended for cardiovascular and metabolic health, respectively. This trial will compare the combined effect of these diets to either approach alone for the treatment of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Males and females (n=222), 30-75 years, with at least three MetS risk factors will be randomised to one of 3 diets: i) Traditional Mediterranean (∼55% of energy carbohydrate [CHO]:15% Protein [Pro]: 30% Fat), ii) Lower Carbohydrate (∼35%CHO:20%Pro:45%Fat), or iii) Lower Carbohydrate Mediterranean (∼35%CHO:20%Pro:45%Fat) diet for 12-weeks. The primary outcome measure is the MetS Severity Z Score (MetS-Z), a composite score of risk factors, sex and ethnicity. MetS-Z will be calculated pre and post intervention using fasted blood samples for plasma triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and glucose, systolic blood pressure, body weight and waist circumference measures. The findings from this trial will offer new insights into the most effective dietary strategy for managing diabetes and reducing cardiovascular risk in individuals with metabolic syndrome.