The objective of the present review was to summarise the existing European published and ‘grey’ literature on the effectiveness of school-based interventions to promote a healthy diet in children (6–12 years old) and adolescents (13–18 years old). Eight electronic databases, websites and contents of key journals were systematically searched, reference lists were screened, and authors and experts in the field were contacted for studies evaluating school-based interventions promoting a healthy diet and aiming at primary prevention of obesity. The studies were included if they were published between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 2007 and reported effects on dietary behaviour or on anthropometrics. Finally, forty-two studies met the inclusion criteria: twenty-nine in children and thirteen in adolescents. In children, strong evidence of effect was found for multicomponent interventions on fruit and vegetable intakes. Limited evidence of effect was found for educational interventions on behaviour, and for environmental interventions on fruit and vegetable intakes. Interventions that specifically targeted children from lower socio-economic status groups showed limited evidence of effect on behaviour. In adolescents, moderate evidence of effect was found for educational interventions on behaviour and limited evidence of effect for multicomponent programmes on behaviour. In children and adolescents, effects on anthropometrics were often not measured, and therefore evidence was lacking or delivered inconclusive evidence. To conclude, evidence was found for the effectiveness of especially multicomponent interventions promoting a healthy diet in school-aged children in European Union countries on self-reported dietary behaviour. Evidence for effectiveness on anthropometrical obesity-related measures is lacking.

Pancreatic β-cells and skeletal muscle act in a synergic way in the control of systemic glucose homeostasis. Several pyruvate-dependent and -independent shuttles enhance tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediate (TACI) anaplerosis and increase β-cell ATP:ADP ratio, triggering insulin exocytotic mechanisms. In addition, mitochondrial TACI cataplerosis gives rise to the so-called metabolic coupling factors, which are also related to insulin release. Peripheral insulin resistance seems to be related to skeletal muscle fatty acid (FA) accumulation and oxidation imbalance. In this sense, exercise has been shown to enhance skeletal muscle TACI anaplerosis, increasing FA oxidation and by this manner restores insulin sensitivity. Protein malnutrition reduces β-cell insulin synthesis, release and peripheral sensitivity. Despite little available data concerning mitochondrial metabolism under protein malnutrition, evidence points towards reduced β-cell and skeletal muscle mitochondrial capacity. The observed decrease in insulin synthesis and release may reflect reduced anaplerotic and cataplerotic capacity. Furthermore, insulin release is tightly coupled to ATP:ADP rise which in turn is related to TACI anaplerosis. The effect of protein malnutrition upon peripheral insulin resistance is time-dependent and directly related to FA oxidation capacity. In contrast to β-cells, TACI anaplerosis and cataplerosis pathways in skeletal muscle seem to control FA oxidation and regulate insulin resistance.

Flaxseed is the richest source of the lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG). After ingestion, SDG is converted to secoisolariciresinol, which is further metabolised to the mammalian lignans enterodiol and enterolactone. A growing body of evidence suggests that SDG metabolites may provide health benefits due to their weak oestrogenic or anti-oestrogenic effects, antioxidant activity, ability to induce phase 2 proteins and/or inhibit the activity of certain enzymes, or by mechanisms yet unidentified. Human and animal studies identify the benefits of SDG consumption. SDG metabolites may protect against CVD and the metabolic syndrome by reducing lipid and glucose concentrations, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation. Flax lignans may also reduce cancer risk by preventing pre-cancerous cellular changes and by reducing angiogenesis and metastasis. Thus, dietary SDG has the potential to decrease the incidence of several chronic diseases that result in significant morbidity and mortality in industrialised countries. The available literature, though, makes it difficult to clearly identify SDG health effects because of the wide variability in study methods. However, the current evidence suggests that a dose of at least 500 mg SDG/d for approximately 8 weeks is needed to observe positive effects on cardiovascular risk factors in human patients. Flaxseed and its lignan extracts appear to be safe for most adult populations, though animal studies suggest that pregnant women should limit their exposure. The present review discusses the potential health benefits of SDG in humans, with supporting evidence from animal studies, and offers suggestions for future research.

A meta-analysis was carried out in order to establish the energy requirements of adult cats. Publications that identified cat body weight (BW) were used to generate allometric relationships between energy requirements and BW of healthy adult cats, using log-log linear regression. Energy requirements were expressed in kcal/kg BW to be consistent with those reported by the National Research Council. Mean maintenance energy requirements were 55·1 (se 1·2) kcal/kg BW (115 treatment groups). Three allometric equations were identified to predict the energy requirements for maintenance of BW in the cat based on BW: light (53·7 kcal/kg BW− 1·061), normal (46·8 kcal/kg BW− 1·115) and heavy (131·8 kcal/kg BW− 0 ·366). When reported on lean mass, the allometric equation revealed maintenance requirements were 58·4 kcal/kg lean mass− 1·140 (adjusted R2 0·694; thirty-six treatment groups). The present review suggests that values for maintenance energy requirements based on BW alone may not be an accurate prediction and more detailed information on the age, sex and neuter status, BW and composition would enhance the ability to interpret the maintenance energy requirements of cats.

Curcumin is the active ingredient of turmeric. It is widely used as a kitchen spice and food colorant throughout India, Asia and the Western world. Curcumin is a major constituent of curry powder, to which it imparts its characteristic yellow colour. For over 4000 years, curcumin has been used in traditional Asian and African medicine to treat a wide variety of ailments. There is a strong current public interest in naturally occurring plant-based remedies and dietary factors related to health and disease. Curcumin is non-toxic to human subjects at high doses. It is a complex molecule with multiple biological targets and different cellular effects. Recently, its molecular mechanisms of action have been extensively investigated. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. Under some circumstances its effects can be contradictory, with uncertain implications for human treatment. While more studies are warranted to further understand these contradictions, curcumin holds promise as a disease-modifying and chemopreventive agent. We review the evidence for the therapeutic potential of curcumin from in vitro studies, animal models and human clinical trials.

Habitual coffee consumption is associated with the prevention of type 2 diabetes, which often accompanies diabetic nephropathy. However, the relationship between coffee consumption and kidney function is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the associations between habitual coffee consumption and kidney function and damage assessed by the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria using dipstick urinalysis, respectively, in a cross-sectional study of 342 apparently healthy adults. Habitual coffee consumption was defined as drinking one or more cups of coffee per d. eGFR in coffee consumers (n 182; 80·1 (sd 15·0) ml/min per 1·73 m2) was significantly higher than that in non-coffee consumers (n 160; 76·9 (sd 12·6) ml/min per 1·73 m2) (P < 0·05). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that, compared with non-coffee consumption, coffee consumption was significantly associated with normal or increased eGFR (NIGFR) ( ≥ 90 ml/min per 1·73 m2), but not proteinuria, which was not attenuated, even after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, tea consumption and other cardiovascular risks (OR 2·91; 95 % CI 1·51, 5·61; P = 0·001). When we took into account eGFR measured 1 year before in a subgroup of the subjects (n 262), coffee consumption (n 142) had a significant relationship with eGFR, which was consistently higher with a difference of 4·0 ml/min per 1·73 m2 compared with non-coffee consumption (P = 0·01; two-way repeated ANOVA). Similar associations were observed in both sexes when data were reanalysed according to sex. In conclusion, our findings suggest that habitual coffee consumption is associated with NIGFR independently of clinical confounders. Further studies are needed to confirm this association and to explore whether the effect of coffee consumption on eGFR is beneficial for the kidney.

Archaeological evidence from dry cave deposits in the northern Chihuahuan Desert reveal intensive utilisation of desert plants that store prebiotic inulin-type fructans as the primary carbohydrate. In this semi-arid region limited rainfall and poor soil conditions prevented the adoption of agriculture and thus provides a unique glimpse into a pure hunter–forager economy spanning over 10 000 years. Ancient cooking features, stable carbon isotope analysis of human skeletons, and well-preserved coprolites and macrobotanical remains reveal a plant-based diet that included a dietary intake of about 135 g prebiotic inulin-type fructans per d by the average adult male hunter–forager. These data reveal that man is well adapted to daily intakes of prebiotics well above those currently consumed in the modern diet.

Postprandial hyperlipidaemia has been recognised to be a risk factor for atherosclerosis development. Epidemiological and animal studies have shown that Mg intake is inversely associated with some risk factors of atherosclerosis, including lipid metabolism. The present study was performed to determine the effects of Mg supplementation on postprandial responses in serum lipid levels. We used bittern (Nigari, in Japanese), a natural MgCl2 solution from sea or salt lake water, for Mg supplementation. In a two-way, randomised, crossover study, sixteen healthy male volunteers consumed 30 g butter with or without 5 ml bittern containing 500 mg of Mg. Fasting and postprandial blood samples were taken 2, 3, 4 and 6 h after ingestion. Postprandial lipid responses were evaluated by serum TAG, chylomicron TAG, apo-B48, remnant-like particle cholesterol (RLP-C) and NEFA concentrations. We found that the serum and the chylomicron TAG responses after the fat load were reduced and delayed by Mg supplementation. The concentrations of apo-B48 (P < 0·05), RLP-C (P < 0·05) and NEFA (P < 0·05) were significantly lower at 2 h after the fat-with-Mg meal compared with the fat-only meal. The present study indicated that Mg supplementation could inhibit fat absorption and improve postprandial hyperlipidaemia in healthy subjects.

Sucrose increases postprandial blood glucose concentrations, and diets with a high glycaemic response may be associated with increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and CVD. Previous studies have suggested that polyphenols may influence carbohydrate digestion and absorption and thereby postprandial glycaemia. Berries are rich sources of various polyphenols and berry products are typically consumed with sucrose. We investigated the glycaemic effect of a berry purée made of bilberries, blackcurrants, cranberries and strawberries, and sweetened with sucrose, in comparison to sucrose with adjustment of available carbohydrates. A total of twelve healthy subjects (eleven women and one man, aged 25–69 years) with normal fasting plasma glucose ingested 150 g of the berry purée with 35 g sucrose or a control sucrose load in a randomised, controlled cross-over design. After consumption of the berry meal, the plasma glucose concentrations were significantly lower at 15 and 30 min (P < 0·05, P < 0·01, respectively) and significantly higher at 150 min (P < 0·05) compared with the control meal. The peak glucose concentration was reached at 45 min after the berry meal and at 30 min after the control meal. The peak increase from the baseline was 1·0 mmol/l smaller (P = 0·002) after ingestion of the berry meal. There was no statistically significant difference in the 3 h area under the glucose response curve. These results show that berries rich in polyphenols decrease the postprandial glucose response of sucrose in healthy subjects. The delayed and attenuated glycaemic response indicates reduced digestion and/or absorption of sucrose from the berry meal.

Since there is a reported interrelationship between vitamin A and Fe metabolism, and with immunological response, the objective was to evaluate the effect of a single dose of vitamin A administered to preschool children, on Fe and vitamin A nutritional status, anaemia and phagocytic function of neutrophils, 30 d after supplementation. A total of eighty children (sixty-eight supplemented and twelve controls) were supplemented orally with 200 000 IU (60 mg) vitamin A, and evaluated for nutritional, haematological and immunological responses at the beginning of the study and 30 d after supplementation. Parameters studied included Hb, serum ferritin, retinol and Fe concentrations, transferrin saturation, IL-4, interferon-γ and phagocityc capacity of neutrophils using non-fluorescent latex microbeads. After supplementation there was a significant increase in Hb concentration (P = 0·03), mean corpuscular Hb concentration (P = 0·001) and serum retinol (P = 0·0078). Prevalences of anaemia and vitamin A deficiency decreased significantly from 17·6 % to 13·2 % and from 25 % to 13·2 %, respectively. Regarding phagocytic function, there was a significant increase in the number of microbeads engulfed by neutrophils (P < 0·05) and no significant changes in cytokine concentrations at 1 month after treatment. A single dose of 200 000 IU (60 mg) vitamin A administered orally to a group of preschool children with a high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency enhanced serum retinol and Hb concentrations, decreased the prevalence of anaemia and vitamin A deficiency and improved the constitutive phagocytic capacity of neutrophils. Vitamin A supplementation could help to decrease vitamin A deficiency, anaemia prevalence and to improve the innate immunity response in preschool children. The effects were obtained without Fe supplementation.

In contrast to the promised ‘antioxidant miracle’ of the 1980s, several randomised controlled trials have shown no effect of antioxidant supplements on hard endpoints such as morbidity and mortality. The former over-optimistic attitude has clearly called for a more realistic assessment of the benefit:harm ratio of antioxidant supplements. We have examined the literature on vitamin C intervention with the intention of drawing a conclusion on its possible beneficial or deleterious effect on health and the result is discouraging. One of several important issues is that vitamin C uptake is tightly controlled, resulting in a wide-ranging bioavailability depending on the current vitamin C status. Lack of proper selection criteria dominates the currently available literature. Thus, while supplementation with vitamin C is likely to be without effect for the majority of the Western population due to saturation through their normal diet, there could be a large subpopulation with a potential health problem that remains uninvestigated. The present review discusses the relevance of the available literature on vitamin C supplementation and proposes guidelines for future randomised intervention trials.

Most of the investigations for an alternative medicinal treatment on atherosclerosis have been focused on natural or dietary compounds including phytochemicals. So far, few studies regarding anti-atherosclerotic small peptides except for tetrapeptide of Lys-Arg-Glu-Ser have been reported. The present study was, thus, to investigate whether dipeptide Trp-His, which is one of vasodilating small peptides, could reduce atherosclerotic lesions in apo E-deficient mice fed a high-fat diet. The animal study involved a 9-week-successive administration of Trp-His at a dose of 0, 10 or 100 mg/kg per d. After 9-week administration, en face analyses provided the first direct evidence that the atherosclerotic lesion area was significantly reduced by 27 and 38 % for Trp-His dosed at 10 and 100 mg/kg per d, respectively, compared with the control group. Administration of Trp-His did not affect growth parameters such as body weight and feeding efficiency (P>0·1). Total serum cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol as well as lipid profiles in the liver did not differ between the tested groups. Taken together, the anti-atherosclerotic effect of dipeptide Trp-His should be addressed into physiological functions of bioactive peptides, in which the dipeptide may elicit the power by alternative mechanism(s), not by the regulation of lipid metabolism.

A 20-d zebrafish (Danio rerio) feeding trial, in which a near doubling of fish weight was achieved, was conducted with GM feed ingredients to evaluate feed intake, growth, stress response and uptake of dietary DNA. A partial aim of the study was to assess zebrafish as a model organism in GM safety assessments. Roundup Ready® soya (RRS®), YieldGard® Bt maize (MON810) and their non-modified, maternal, near-isogenic lines were used in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Soya variety and maize variety were the main factors, both with two levels; non-GM and GM. Compared with fish fed non-GM maize, those fed GM maize exhibited significantly better growth, had lower mRNA transcription levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD)-1 and a tendency (non-significant) towards lower transcription of heat shock protein 70 in liver. Sex of the fish and soya variety had significant interaction effects on total RNA yield from the whole liver and transcription of SOD-1, suggesting that some diet component affecting males and females differently was present in different levels in the GM and the non-GM soya used in the present study. Dietary DNA sequences were detected in all of the organs analysed, but not all of the samples. Soya and maize rubisco (non-transgenic, multicopy genes) were most frequently detected, while MON810 transgenic DNA fragments were detected in some samples and RRS® fragments were not detected. In conclusion, zebrafish shows promise as a model for this application.