Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition. Omega-3 fatty acid insufficiency has been linked to ASD. This umbrella meta-analysis was performed to investigate the effects of omega-3 supplementation on clinical manifestations in participants with ASD. Based on the PRISMA statement, databases including Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus were systematically searched for published meta-analyses on the effect of omega-3 supplementation on ASD up to December 2023. To assess the risk of bias, the assessment of multiple systematic reviews (AMSTAR)-2 was utilised. The outcomes were core and non-core symptoms of ASD including social withdrawal/lethargy, cluttering speech, hyperactivity, irritability and stereotypy. Seven meta-analyses eventually remained in the umbrella review. The results revealed that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation caused a significant reduction in cluttering speech in studies conducted on age ≤8 years (effect size (ES) −0·30; 95% confidence interval (CI) −0·55, −0·06; P = 0·02). Omega-3 supplementation caused a significant reduction in hyperactivity in participants ≤8 years (ES −0·30; 95% CI −0·55, −0·06; P = 0·02) and in participants who received the supplements for more than 14 weeks (ES −0·30; 95% CI −0·55, −0·06; P = 0·02). A dosage of ≤1000 mg/d of omega-3 supplementation led to a significant increase in the stereotypy/restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours (ES 0·19; 95% CI 0·03, 0·35; P = 0·02). This umbrella review revealed that omega-3 fatty acid may be a beneficial supplement to control cluttering speech and hyperactivity in children with ASD who are 8 years old or younger.

Coffee is one of the most known and consumed beverages worldwide. Only three species are used in commercial coffee production, that is, Coffea arabica L. (Arabica coffee), Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner (Robusta coffee) and Coffea liberica Hiern (Excelsa coffee). The world population consumes approximately two billion cups of coffee per day, making it an important commercial resource of bioactive compounds in world markets. High interest in coffee consumption described in the literature is due not only to its organoleptic properties (for example, desirable bitterness, amount of flavours and aromas) but also to its ability to stimulate the central nervous system.

It is now known that there are more than 1000 compounds in coffee beverages, several of which have a bioactive activity. Recent studies show that consuming three to four cups of coffee per day, that is, moderate consumption according to the European Food Safety Authority, may be beneficial for health.

The main objective of the proposed review is to provide a comprehensive overview of bioactive compounds in coffee and other caffeine-containing beverages and their effects on neurodegenerative proteinopathies.

Chrono-nutrition is an emerging field that examines how the frequency and timing of meals impact health. Previous research shows inconsistency in the relationship between chrono-nutritional components and cardiometabolic health. We investigated cross-sectional associations between these components and cardiometabolic health in 825 Iranian adults aged 20–59 years. Dietary data, including the number of eating occasions, meal timing and meal irregularity of energy intake, were collected using three 24-h dietary recalls. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and laboratory tests (fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, insulin, uric acid and C-reactive protein) were conducted. Insulin resistance and sensitivity (homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, homeostatic model assessment for insulin sensitivity), the TAG-glucose, the lipid accommodation product and BMI were calculated. The demographic and morning-evening questionnaire was completed. General linear regression was used to assess associations between chrono-nutritional components and outcomes. Interactions with age and BMI were examined in all associations. Chrono-nutrition components were not significantly related to cardiometabolic risk factors in the total population. However, a lower number of eating occasions was associated with an increased LDL-cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio (β (95 % CI): 0·26 (0·06, 0·48)) among overweight and obese participants. Additionally, less irregularity in breakfast energy intake was associated with a lower total cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio (–0·37 (–0·95, –0·18)) and a lower LDL-cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio (–0·32 (–0·79, –0·13)) among participants with a normal BMI (all P< 0·05). The study concluded that more frequent meals and regular energy intake might enhance cardiometabolic health cross-sectionally, highlighting the need for prospective studies to further investigate these associations and the mediating role of BMI.

Obesity is a chronic, complex and multi-factorial condition with an increasing prevalence worldwide. Irregular eating schedules might be a contributing factor to these numbers through the dysregulation of the circadian system. Time-restricted eating (TRE), an approach that limits eating windows, has been studied as a strategy to treat obesity, aligning eating occasions with metabolic circadian rhythms. This review aims to provide an overview of the impact of TRE protocols on metabolic, inflammatory, oxidative stress and circadian rhythm biomarkers in people with overweight or obesity. Most studies report significant weight loss following TRE protocols. While glucose levels decreased in nearly all TRE interventions, only a few studies demonstrated statistically significant differences when compared to the control groups. The findings for c-reactive protein and TNF-α were inconsistent, with limited significant differences. Changes in lipid profile changes were variable and generally did not reach statistical significance. Both 4-hour and 6-hour TRE interventions significantly reduced 8-isoprostane levels. Additionally, TRE significantly altered clock gene expression, as well as that of genes associated with metabolic regulation in subcutaneous adipose tissue. While the evidence is still inconsistent, limiting eating to a consistent daily window of 8 to 12 h can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels and promote weight loss. These effects are likely attributable to both direct metabolic impacts and indirect benefits from weight loss and improved dietary habits. However, data on circadian, inflammatory and specific metabolic biomarkers remain scarce and occasionally contradictory, highlighting the need for further research on these interventions.

The food we eat has a critical impact on human and planetary health. Food systems are responsible for approximately a third of total global greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE). This review summarises studies that have measured dietary GHGE and assessed their associations with various demographic variables. Most studies report dietary emissions at the individual level, but some studies use households as the unit of analysis. Studies investigating individuals estimate dietary intakes using 24-hour dietary recalls, FFQ, diet history interviews, food diaries or other dietary records. Studies investigating households rely on food purchasing data and expenditure surveys. The majority of studies estimate dietary GHGE using process-based life cycle assessments. It is difficult to directly compare emissions estimates between studies at either the individual or household-level due to methodological differences. In general, there are mixed findings with regard to the relationships between various demographic variables and dietary emissions, although older adults generally had higher dietary GHGE than younger adults, and men typically had higher dietary GHGE than women, even when standardising for total energy intake. This review may be useful in informing and targeting policies and interventions to reduce GHGE of dietary intake.

Food systems in Africa are under pressure from climate change, conflicts, health pandemics such as COVID-19 and rising food prices. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted weaknesses in global food systems and indeed Africa’s was not spared. Although COVID-19 mortality and morbidity in Africa were relatively low in comparison to other regions, the containment measures employed by countries amplified a rather dire situation. Disruptions were seen in livelihoods, food value chains, increases in food prices and loss of income. These changes affected access to nutritious foods. A resilient food system that can withstand and recover from disruption and shocks will be important for ensuring access to healthy diets for all. This review paper assesses the state of food insecurity and malnutrition situation pre-COVID-19 and the impact of COVID-19 on Africa’s food systems and access to healthy diet. To put Africa on a path to accelerated recovery, a resilient and sustainable food system will be crucial. The following recommendations are made: (i) increasing agriculture productivity, with special attention to the foods that contribute to healthy diets – fruits and vegetables, and animal source foods (ii) promoting the production and consumption of nutritious African traditional and indigenous foods (iii) transforming Africa’s food systems to be gender-sensitive (iv) investing in well-targeted social protection programmes (v) supporting food environments that protect healthy diets and (vi) employing data and information to monitor food systems transformation.

The longer-term trend towards decreasing foreign assistance has aroused great interest in tracking domestic funding given that more than half of the anticipated additional funding for nutrition is expected from domestic sources. Given the limited trend analysis of nutrition budgets across developing countries, this review aimed to examine trends in nutrition financing as a proxy of national commitment to nutrition. We explored the programme-based budget allocations and expenditure from 2017 to 2019 in the Chad Republic, Gambia and Ghana for food and nutrition security (FNS) activities in various sectors. The total annual allocations for FNS activities from 2017 to 2019 in the Chad Republic, Gambia and Ghana were €24,796,501, €155,416,112 and €3,299,472,194 of which 93.5%, 15.7% and 100% respectively of allocated funded were expended. The proportion of FNS allocations and expenditure was <5% of the gross domestic product across the three countries. Three-quarters (the Chad Republic and Gambia) and one-quarter (Ghana) of all FNS activities were nutrition-friendly as compared to being nutrition-specific/sensitive. Of the nutrition-specific/sensitive activities, about 9 in 10 were nutrition-sensitive. The main thematic areas of FNS activities were agriculture/food systems, health, education, water, sanitation and hygiene. There were significant resource gaps in FNS budget allocations and expenditure across the three countries making it difficult to establish a consistent domestic funding trend. Resource mobilisation plans to bridge budget implementation gaps for domestic funding are urgently needed to scale-up government commitments toward the attainment of the sustainable development goals in these countries.

A person’s chronotype reflects individual variability in diurnal rhythms for preferred timing of sleep and daily activities such as exercise and food intake. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the evidence around the influence of chronotype on eating behaviour and appetite control, as well as our perspectives and suggestions for future research. Increasing evidence demonstrates that late chronotype is associated with adverse health outcomes. A late chronotype may exacerbate the influence of greater evening energy intake on overweight/obesity risk and curtail weight management efforts. Furthermore, late chronotypes tend to have worse diet quality, with greater intake of fast foods, caffeine and alcohol and lower intake of fruits and vegetables. Late chronotype is also associated with eating behaviour traits that increase the susceptibility to overconsumption such as disinhibition, food cravings and binge eating. Whether an individual’s chronotype influences appetite in response to food intake and exercise is an area of recent interest that has largely been overlooked. Preliminary evidence suggests additive rather than interactive effects of chronotype and meal timing on appetite and food reward, but that hunger may decrease to a greater extent in response to morning exercise in early chronotypes and in response to evening exercise in late chronotypes. More studies examining the interplay between an individual’s chronotype, food intake/exercise timing and sleep are required as this could be of importance to inform personalised dietary and exercise prescriptions to promote better appetite control and weight management outcomes.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder amongst reproductive-aged women associated with cardiometabolic, reproductive and psychological abnormalities. Lifestyle modification, including a healthy diet, is considered first-line treatment for management of clinical symptoms. However, there is limited high-quality evidence to support one superior therapeutic dietary intervention for PCOS management that is beyond general population-based dietary guidelines. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has been shown to decrease cardiometabolic disease risk and attenuate depressive symptoms, particularly in patients with metabolic perturbations. This narrative review summarises the proposed biological mechanisms underpinning the potential therapeutic benefits of a MedDiet for the management of cardiometabolic, reproductive and psychological features related to PCOS. Observational evidence suggests an inverse relationship between MedDiet adherence and PCOS features, particularly insulin resistance and hyperandrogenemia. Although the exact mechanisms are complex and multifaceted, they are likely related to the anti-inflammatory potential of the dietary pattern. These mechanisms are underpinned by anti-inflammatory bioactive constituents present in the MedDiet, including carotenoids, polyphenols and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Synthesis of the available literature suggests the MedDiet could be a promising therapeutic dietary intervention to attenuate short and long-term symptoms associated with PCOS and may aid in reducing the longer-term risks associated with cardiometabolic diseases and reproductive and psychological dysfunction. Nevertheless, current evidence remains insufficient to inform clinical practice and well-designed clinical trials are needed. As such, we provide recommendations for the design and delivery of future MedDiet interventions in women with PCOS, including exploring the acceptability, and feasibility to enhance adherence.

Sleep is vital for the maintenance of physical and mental health, recovery and performance in athletes. Sleep also has a restorative effect on the immune system and the endocrine system. Sleep must be of adequate duration, timing and quality to promote recovery following training and competition. Inadequate sleep adversely impacts carbohydrate metabolism, appetite, energy intake and protein synthesis affecting recovery from the energy demands of daily living and training/competition related fatigue. Sleep’s role in overall health and well-being has been established. Athletes have high sleep needs and are particularly vulnerable to sleep difficulties due to high training and competition demands, as such the implementation of the potential nutritional interventions to improve sleep duration and quality is commonplace. The use of certain nutrition strategies and supplements has an evidence base i.e. carbohydrate, caffeine, creatine, kiwifruit, magnesium, meal make-up and timing, protein and tart cherry. However, further research involving both foods and supplements is necessary to clarify the interactions between nutrition and the circadian system as there is potential to improve sleep and recovery. Additional research is necessary to clarify guidelines and develop products and protocols for foods and supplements to benefit athlete health, performance and/or recovery. The purpose of this review is to highlight the potential interaction between sleep and nutrition for athletes and how these interactions might benefit sleep and/or recovery.

It is estimated that more than one-tenth of adults aged ≥60 years are now classified as having sarcopenic obesity (SO), a clinical condition characterised by the concurrent presence of sarcopenia (low muscle mass and weakness) and obesity (excessive fat mass). Independently, sarcopenia and obesity are associated with a high risk of numerous adverse health outcomes including CVD and neurological conditions (e.g. dementia), but SO may confer a greater risk, exceeding either condition alone. This imposes a substantial burden on individuals, healthcare systems and society. In recent years, an increasing number of observational studies have explored the association between SO and the risk of CVD; however, results are mixed. Moreover, the pathophysiology of SO is governed by a complex interplay of multiple mechanisms including insulin resistance, inflammation, oxidative stress, hormonal shifts and alteration of energy balance, which may also play a role in the occurrence of various CVD. Yet, the exact mechanisms underlying the pathological connection between these two complex conditions remain largely unexplored. The aim of this review is to examine the association between SO and CVD. Specifically, we seek to: (1) discuss the definition, epidemiology and diagnosis of SO; (2) reconcile previously inconsistent findings by synthesising evidence from longitudinal studies on the epidemiological link between SO and CVD and (3) discuss critical mechanisms that may elucidate the complex and potentially bidirectional relationships between SO and CVD.

Chrono-medicine considers circadian biology in disease management, including combined lifestyle and medicine interventions. Exercise and nutritional interventions are well-known for their efficacy in managing type 2 diabetes, and metformin remains a widely used pharmacological agent. However, metformin may reduce exercise capacity and interfere with skeletal muscle adaptations, creating barriers to exercise adherence. Research into optimising the timing of exercise has shown promise, particularly for glycaemic management in people with type 2 diabetes. Aligning exercise timing with circadian rhythms and nutritional intake may maximise benefits. Nutritional timing also plays a crucial role in glycaemic control. Recent research suggests that not only what we eat but when we eat significantly impacts glycaemic control, with strategies like time-restricted feeding (TRF) showing promise in reducing caloric intake, improving glycaemic regulation and enhancing overall metabolic health. These findings suggest that meal timing could be an important adjunct to traditional dietary and exercise approaches in managing diabetes and related metabolic disorders. When taking a holistic view of Diabetes management and the diurnal environment, one must also consider the circadian biology of medicines. Metformin has a circadian profile in plasma, and our recent study suggests that morning exercise combined with pre-breakfast metformin intake reduces glycaemia more effectively than post-breakfast intake. In this review, we aim to explore the integration of circadian biology into type 2 diabetes management by examining the timing of exercise, nutrition and medication. In conclusion, chrono-medicine offers a promising, cost-effective strategy for managing type 2 diabetes. Integrating precision timing of exercise, nutrition and medication into treatment plans requires considering the entire diurnal environment, including lifestyle and occupational factors, to develop comprehensive, evidence-based healthcare strategies.

This cross-sectional study examined the barriers and facilitators that influence vegetarian menu choices in a university cafeteria in Geneva, Switzerland. As a first step, an online survey developed by the authors based on the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation Behaviour (COM-B) model was e-mailed to all university students and staff. In the second step, focus groups (FG) were held to complete the survey responses and identify what needed to be changed to promote the choice of the vegetarian menu in the cafeteria. Data from 304 participants collected through the survey was analysed. The main mentioned barriers were lack of vegetarian options, tastelessness and insufficient satiation. The facilitators that emerged from the survey were the price of the vegetarian menu for students and health and environmental benefits. Thirteen people participated in four FG sessions, which were analysed using thematic analysis. Five themes were identified: spontaneous menu selection, predefined menu selection, influence of opportunity on menu selection, influence of environmental sensitivity on menu selection, and threat to identity in menu selection. The choice of a vegetarian menu in a university cafeteria was mainly influenced by the attractiveness and taste of the plate. Future strategies to reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions should (a) ensure the quality and attractiveness of the vegetarian menu, especially to appeal to the more resistant, such as men and omnivores, and (b) inform consumers about the guarantee of balanced nutrient intake of the vegetarian menu offered in the cafeteria, and about health and environmental benefits.

As the Mediterranean diet (MDi) has demonstrated a powerful preventative effect on various medical conditions, a positive effect on oral health may also be speculated. Tooth loss, pain or tooth mobility may discourage the consumption of specific food types, affecting MDi adherence. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between adherence to MDi and oral health in adult populations. The study protocol was registered in Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/vxbnh/) and adhered to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The principal research questions were: (1) Does better oral health enable adults to better adhere to MDi? and (2) Does better adherence to MDi enable adult individuals to have better oral health? The content of three databases, Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed was searched without language, date or any other restrictions. The search results were imported into the Rayyan environment, and from the initial 1127 studies identified, only 20 remained after the exclusion process. Three articles composed the first group, revealing significant associations between various oral health parameters and adherence to MDi, with large variations in methodology and no safe conclusions. The studies investigating the effect of the level of adherence to MDi on various oral parameters were more numerous and revealed negative associations with the prevalence of periodontal disease and upper aero-digestive tract cancer. Further studies to explore the existence and direction of the association between oral health and MDi are needed, with public health interventions encouraging adherence to the MDi to reduce the burden of oral conditions and other non-communicable diseases.

Endogenous biological rhythms synchronise human physiology with daily cycles of light-dark, wake-sleep and feeding-fasting. Proper circadian alignment is crucial for physiological function, reflected in the rhythmic expression of molecular clock genes in various tissues, especially in skeletal muscle. Circadian disruption, such as misaligned feeding, dysregulates metabolism and increases the risk of metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes. Such disturbances are common in critically ill patients, especially those who rely on enteral nutrition. Whilst continuous provision of enteral nutrition is currently the most common practice in critical care, this is largely dictated by convenience rather than evidence. Conversely, some findings indicate that intermittent provision of enteral nutrition aligned with daylight may better support physiological functions and improve clinical/metabolic outcomes. However, there is a critical need for studies of skeletal muscle responses to acutely divergent feeding patterns, in addition to complementary translational research to map tissue-level physiology to whole-body and clinical outcomes.