Research exploring the influence of diet on the skin microbiome and its role in skin aging is limited(1,2). This study aimed to investigate age-related changes in skin microbiome and physiological parameters across adulthood, and to examine associations with habitual diet, anthropometry, demographics, and use of skin care products or medications.

Institutional ethical approval was obtained (0617-2025-Apr-HSET). Adults were recruited across 5 age groups through word of mouth, flyers and social media. Exclusion criteria included ongoing intensive medical treatment (e.g., chemotherapy), current or recent smoking (stopped <1 year ago), and allergies to tape strips and/or swabs. Anthropometric measures included weight (kg), body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2), waist circumference (cm) and body fat (%). Habitual dietary intake over the proceeding 4 weeks was assessed using the validated eNutri web app(3) capturing fluid, food, nutrient and supplement intake. Skin physiological measures were conducted on the non-dominant forearm using validated instruments to measure barrier function (indicated by lower trans-epidermal water loss [TEWL]), stratum corneum cohesion (indicated by protein removed from stratum corneum), skin hydration and skin surface pH. Skin swabs from the inner elbow were used for DNA extraction and 16S metagenomic sequencing. Bacterial diversity (observed species, Shannon index), abundance, and phylum level composition were determined. Statistical analysis included Pearson’s or Spearman’s correlation coefficients, Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests for non-parametric comparisons, and general linear models to identify predictors of skin physiological parameters and skin microbiome.

Forty-one adults, aged 20-92 years, 30 female, 11 male (median BMI 24.9kgm2, IQR 6.5) completed the study. There was a significant negative correlation between TEWL and age (r=-0.431, p=0.012), and alcohol intake (% total energy) (r=-0.325, p=0.002) whereas iron intake (mg/d) was positively associated with TEWL (r=0.311, p=0.028). Skin barrier function was significantly higher in females (p=0.008). This indicates that older age, higher alcohol consumption, lower iron intake, and female sex may be associated with improved skin barrier function. There were also significant negative correlations between protein removal from the stratum corneum and both age (r=-0.371, p=0.007) and fruit intake (g/day) (r=-0.480, p=0.013), indicating stronger cohesion in younger individuals and those with higher fruit intake. Skin hydration was negatively associated with body weight (r=-0.343, p=0.020) and positively associated with dietary fibre intake (AOAC g/d) (r=0.468, p=0.001). Additionally, body weight (kg) was positively associated with skin microbiome abundance (r=0.536, p=0.002) and negatively associated with microbial diversity (observed species) (r=-.513, p<0.001).

This study shows it is feasible to explore how age, anthropometry, and diet relate to skin physiology and microbiome in healthy adults. Our findings suggest that these factors influence different aspects of skin health in distinct ways. A larger powered cross-sectional study is warranted to validate these findings.

The NDNS was set up in 2008 as a cross-sectional survey with a continuous programme of fieldwork. It provides the only source of nationally representative data on the diet and nutritional status of the UK population(1). For its first 11 years, dietary data was collected using a paper food diary. In 2019, to modernise methods, increase cost efficiency and provide opportunities for scaling the survey in the future, the paper diary was replaced with an online 24-hour recall tool, Intake24. The new dietary assessment method in NDNS is a significant change in the way dietary data is collected, processed and analysed. The move also necessitated a major review and rationalisation of the NDNS nutrient databank (NDB)(2). Given the importance of the survey to monitor UK dietary trends over time, this study aimed to identify aspects of data discontinuity and the feasibility of continuing to track trends over time.

A trend analysis from 2008 to 2023 (survey years 1 to 15) was carried out on key foods and nutrients using a weighted regression modelling approach. This included a break for the diet method change such that regression lines were fitted separately for 2008 to 2019 (years 1 to 11 using the diary) and 2019 to 2023 (years 12 to 15 using Intake24). This approach enabled the quantification of any step changes at the point of the method change.

A number of step changes were seen in reported consumption of foods including a downward step change in 5 A Day fruit and vegetables portions for adults aged 19 to 64 (1.1 portions per day, 95% CI 0.8, 1.3) and consequently a downward step change in fibre (3.6g per day, 95% CI 2.7, 4.5). However, the majority of the Intake24 recall data collection period coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and significant increases in the cost of living in the UK, both of which impacted diets due to changes in lifestyle, food availability and affordability.

A doubly labelled water (DLW) sub-study showed that use of Intake24 in NDNS was associated with a similar degree of underreporting of energy intake to that found by previous NDNS DLW studies for the paper diary method.

The study identified a number of step changes in reported intakes between Intake24 and the paper diary. However, as it was not possible to definitively distinguish between differences in the data due to the method change and those that signified real changes in diets, it was not appropriate for NDNS to continue the time trend over this period. Instead a new time trend will be built up from 2019 and presented in the future when sufficient data are available.

Dietary intake is increasingly recognised as a modifiable determinant of cognitive function, with emerging evidence linking higher intake of ultra-processed foods (UPF) to poorer cognitive outcome, especially in older adults aged 60 and above(1-3). However, evidence on specifically the very old (aged 85 and above) are scarce. Since they are a rapidly growing population in the United Kingdom (UK) where the number of adults aged 85 and over has increased by 186% between 1981 and 2021(4). Due to this demographic shift, it is essential to study specifically this populations UPF intake in relation to cognition.

The Newcastle 85+ Study (n = 790) provides a unique opportunity to investigate nutritional determinants of cognition in the very old (≥ 85 y); the mean (standard deviation) age at baseline was 85.5 (0.4) y. Baseline diet (2006/07) was assessed with two non-consecutive 24-h recalls(5) and foods were classified according to the NOVA food classification system(6). Global cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination, MMSE) were assessed at baseline and at 1.5, 3 and 5 years, while the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), composite attention scores [Power of Attention (PoA), Continuity of Attention (CoA), Reaction-Time Variability (RTA)] and single-task reaction times [simple reaction time (SRT), choice reaction time (CRT), and vigilance reaction time (VIGRT)] times were assessed at baseline, and at 1.5 and 3 years. UPF intake was categorised into tertiles using the Nova system as a proportion of total energy (%TE).

UPF intake supplied 56 % of total energy intake at baseline. Cross-sectionally, higher UPF intake was associated with poorer baseline performance on selected attention and processing-speed measures, but not with global cognition. In fully adjusted regression models, each standard-deviation increase in UPF intake was associated with worse baseline PoA (β = 0.020, SE = 0.010, P = 0.045) and slower baseline SRT (β = 0.049, SE = 0.023, P = 0.032). No statistically significant associations were observed for MMSE, CoA, RTV, CRT, VIGRT, or CDR after full adjustment. Additionally, longitudinal mixed-effects models showed no statistically significant associations between baseline UPF intake and subsequent change in MMSE, attention domains, reaction-time measures, or CDR over up to five years of follow-up.

Findings indicate that a higher intake of %TE of UPF was cross-sectionally associated with poorer attention and processing-speed performance, but not global cognition, while longitudinal mixed-effects models showed no association with cognitive decline over three and five years. These findings suggest that associations between UPF intake and cognition may vary within older age groups, highlighting the need to avoid treating adults aged ≥60 years as a homogeneous population and to adopt age-stratified approaches in research on UPF. Further research is needed to confirm whether these observed links reflect a causal influence of high UPF intake on cognition or whether the links are driven by overall diet quality, is essential. Future work should also test how the United Kingdom food-policy initiatives could improve both dietary quality and cognitive health in the very old.

Receipt of violence (victimisation) is associated with a higher risk of severe mental illness and with worse illness severity; however, associations with routine clinical outcomes are less clear.

To investigate associations between victimisation and subsequent clinical outcomes in people presenting with severe mental illness, using a south London health records data resource.

Data were extracted for 16 372 patients presenting between January 2007 and October 2022, aged 18+ years and receiving diagnoses of schizophrenia-related disorders, mania or bipolar disorder. Recorded victimisation and subtype (any, physical, domestic or sexual) were ascertained via natural language processing from the first 3 months of the record following presentation. Cox regression models were deployed to investigate subsequent risk of mental health emergency care assessment, crisis intervention, in-patient care, Mental Health Act (MHA) detention and mortality. Poisson regression models investigated the numbers of attended healthcare events and antipsychotic agents received. Covariates included sociodemographic characteristics and clinical status (service receipt, medication, symptom profile).

All victimisation exposures were associated with a higher risk of all outcomes, apart from mortality and number of antipsychotics, following adjustment for sociodemographic factors, and with emergency assessment (hazard ratio for any victimisation 1.17, 95% CI 1.09–1.27), in-patient/MHA detention (hazard ratio 1.32, 95% CI 1.06–1.65/1.82, 95% CI 1.31–2.55) and higher numbers of attended events (incidence rate ratio 1.17, 95% CI 1.16–1.19) following full adjustment. Associations were similar for subtypes of victimisation and exposures, and between men and women following sociodemographic adjustment, but the associations were slightly weaker for women following full adjustment.

Experiences of violence, to the extent to which patients report their experiences and these are recorded, are risk factors for worse outcomes in severe mental illness, only partly accounted for by clinical status around the time of presentation. More systematic ascertainment and recording of victimisation needs to be considered if interventions are to be appropriately targeted.

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The escalating global prevalence of obesity among working professionals presents a substantial public health and economic burden, marked by reduced workplace productivity and an increased risk of chronic diseases.(1) While workplace wellness programs serve as essential avenues for intervention, their long-term success depends heavily on sustained participant adherence. In this context, social media offers a powerful yet underutilized tool to enhance adherence by providing continuous peer support, real-time professional guidance, and motivational accountability.(2) Despite this potential, the specific impact of integrating structured digital engagement with weight management programs on both objective health outcomes and adherence-related behaviours remains insufficiently explored in occupational health research.(3) This study aimed to address the role of structured social media engagement (WhatsApp) in influencing both health outcomes and behavioural adherence within a targeted workplace weight management intervention tailored specifically for office workers living with obesity.

The intervention, named the Trim and Triumph (TNT) Challenge, was a 12-week, comprehensive wellness program. A total of 40 overweight and obese office workers were enrolled (average age: 35±5.49 years; average BMI: 32.80±5.75 kg/m2). The TNT Challenge included 36 high-intensity group workout sessions and, importantly, a robust social media engagement component. This digital platform served as the backbone for daily nutritional guidance, food intake tracking, dietary competitions, and real-time feedback from a certified nutritionist. The blended approach involved physical training enhanced by constant digital interaction was designed to create a supportive and accountable environment to facilitate long-term behavioural change. Pre- and post-intervention data, comprising anthropometric measurements, metabolic markers, and assessments of health-related Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) scores, were analyzed using IBM SPSS software, version 28 with paired-sample t-tests to compare mean differences between pre- and post-intervention outcomes.

Demonstrated both statistically and clinically significant improvements across multiple health indicators. Participants experienced an average weight loss of −5.62±2.45 kg and a BMI reduction of −2.21±0.99 kg/m2 (p<0.05). Body composition improved notably, with decreases in fat mass (−3.91±2.19 kg) and body fat percentage (−2.11±2.12%). Additionally, there were marked improvements in metabolic health, including reductions in total cholesterol (−0.41±0.79 mmol/L) and LDL levels (−0.28±0.75 mmol/L) (p<0.05). Behavioural changes were equally significant: health knowledge scores increased from 66.62±10.15 to 82.50±11.32, attitude scores rose from 72.50±8.61 to 79.13±6.51, and practice scores improved from 67.18±9.58 to 79.64±8.63 (all p<0.001). Improvements included better dietary habits and increased exercise adherence. No significant changes were observed in fasting glucose, hs-CRP, triglycerides, or leptin.

In conclusion, the TNT Challenge effectively combined structured lifestyle intervention with interactive social media engagement, yielding significant improvements in physical health, metabolic risk factors, and health behaviours. This study underscores the potential of digital strategies to enhance adherence and maximize the long-term success of workplace wellness programs. By leveraging the continuous support and accountability inherent in social media platforms, organisations can create a more effective intervention model.

In 2021, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accounted for nearly 2 million deaths, while obesity remained a key risk factor for ischemic heart disease, the world’s leading cause of mortality(1). A major contributor to the prevalence of both T2DM and obesity is the long-term consumption of highly digestible carbohydrates, which trigger substantial post-prandial blood glucose excursions. Carbohydrate-rich staple foods, such as bakery products, are predominantly made from flour, in which starch is the primary carbohydrate source. We hypothesise that modifying the physicochemical properties of whole flours can lower starch digestibility and thus modulate the glycaemic impact of bakery products, providing a potential dietary strategy to help reduce the burden of metabolic disease(2). In this study, we examine our hypothesis using whole-grain wheat flour in a sweet biscuit formulation.

Whole wheat grains were milled using a beater mill to pass through a screen with either 2.0 or 0.1 mm perforations, producing coarse or fine flours, respectively. Biscuits were made from these whole flours, as well as refined wheat flour, using rotary-moulding technology. The in vitro starch digestibility of the biscuits was assessed using the Englyst method to obtain RDS, SDS and RS in g/100g of total starch, and an α-amylase assay(3) measuring the starch digested after 90 minutes using a fixed enzyme-to-substrate ratio. Significant differences were determined using one-way ANOVA. The mechanisms underlying the variations in starch digestibility among various biscuits were investigated by analysing the differences in the flours’ microstructure using bright-field and scanning electron microscopy.

The milled flour which passed through the 2 mm screen was confirmed to have larger particle size (D50 = 559 ± 208 µm) than those that passed through the 0.1 mm screens (D50 = 35 ± 1µm). Biscuits made from fine whole flour and refined flour showed higher starch digestibility than those from coarse flour. After ninety minutes of amylolysis, starch digested was significantly greater in refined (44.4 ± 0.3 g/100g) and fine flour biscuits (50.6 ± 5.2 g/100g) compared to coarse flour (31.1 ± 2.2 g/100g). The Englyst method confirmed these findings, showing more SDS in coarse flour biscuits (53.7 ± 0.4 g/100g) than in refined (40.6 ± 0.3 g/100g) or fine flour biscuits (29.3 ± 0.3 g/100g). Microstructural analysis showed that coarse flours contained large endosperm fragments with some intact cells. In contrast, fine and refined flours mainly consisted of free, damaged starch granules and small endosperm fragments. The smaller particles in fine and refined flour increased surface area, enhancing enzyme access and starch digestibility in biscuits.

Controlling particle size in milled whole wheat is helpful for developing low-moisture baked goods with slower starch digestion. This provides valuable insights for dietary interventions targeting populations that require improved glycaemic control.

Vitamin D-fortified foods are a proven effective method of improving vitamin D status(1); however, the magnitude of the effect varies across populations and interventions(2). This conservative meta-analysis and meta-regression aimed to assess the overall effect of vitamin D-fortified foods on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations and to explore potential moderators influencing this response.

A literature search of PubMed was conducted on 23 January 2024. A conservative approach was taken, with RCTs only eligible for inclusion if the control and intervention foods were identical, apart from vitamin D fortification of the treatment arm, allowing the effect of fortification to be isolated with minimal risk of confounding. Of 701 publications identified by the initial search, 25 studies were deemed eligible for inclusion. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the overall effect of fortification on serum 25(OH)D concentrations. Due to the limited number of studies, univariate meta-regression analyses were used to test potential moderators. Baseline serum 25(OH)D, vitamin D dose, intervention duration, sample size, and food type (animal or plant based) were included in this analysis. Significant moderators were then incorporated into a final multivariate model. Sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of findings.

Random effects meta-analysis found that vitamin D-fortified foods significantly increase serum 25(OH)D concentrations (weighted mean difference: 24.4 nmol/L, 95% CI: 17.4 to 31.5, p < 0.001) but substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 98%) was present. Meta-regression revealed that baseline serum 25(OH)D (p = 0.002) and dose (p < 0.001) were significant independent predictors of response, explaining 53.9% of the between-study variance (R2 = 53.9%). Leave-one-out analysis identified two studies of note: exclusion of an outlier study, with an exceptionally high dose, reduced model fit and rendered dose non-significant (R2 = 36.5%, dose p = 0.058), whereas removal of a second influential study increased model fit (R2 = 72.5%). A model excluding both studies explained 61.8% of the heterogeneity, with dose (p = 0.004) and baseline 25(OH)D (p < 0.001) remaining significant predictors.

This confirms the effectiveness of vitamin D-fortified foods in raising serum 25(OH)D concentrations, however, the degree of response is influenced by baseline 25(OH)D and dose, with poorer baseline status and higher doses generally producing greater increases. Surprisingly, duration was not found to moderate response, perhaps due to lower compliance at longer durations, or a reduced effect as concentrations increased. Substantial heterogeneity remains, suggesting the contribution of additional unmeasured factors.