The prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults is increasing worldwide. Food portion size (PS) is an important environmental determinant of energy intake (EI) and may contribute to the obesity epidemic. However, UK evidence on the typical PS of commonly consumed foods in adults and how these may have changed over time is limited. Using combined data from Years 1–4 (2008/2009–2011/2012) and Years 9–11 (2016/2017–2018/2019) of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), this study examined trends in the PS of commonly consumed food groups over the last decade among UK adults. Significant increases in both consumption frequency and PS were observed for pasta, rice & pizza, eggs, oils & spreads, vegetables, fruits, nuts & seeds and low-calorie carbonated/soft drinks (all P ≤ 0·005). In contrast, bread, potato & potato products, condiments and fruit juice & smoothies showed significant decreases in both frequency and PS (all P ≤ 0·032). Divergent patterns were also evident: red meat showed increased frequency but reduced PS, while white meat and fish increased in frequency without significant changes in PS. Changes in PS alone were identified for milk and milk products, processed meat, alcoholic drinks and total beverages. Although fibre intake increased, recommendations are still not being met. There was no clear evidence that overweight or obese individuals consumed greater PS than those with normal weight. These findings highlight changes in food patterns among UK adults over the past decade and the importance of continued monitoring.

Current fibre recommendations are based on historical data and may underestimate the intake required for optimal cardiometabolic protection. We examined whether fibre intakes exceeding current guidelines are associated with additional improvements in inflammation and lipid metabolism. We analysed data from 7,008 adults (≥20 years) from the NHANES 2015-2018 with 24-h dietary recall and biomarker data (CRP, total cholesterol [TC], LDL, HDL, triglycerides [TG]). Fibre intake was expressed relative to recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), and associations with biomarkers were assessed using multivariable regression models. Higher fibre intake was consistently associated with lower CRP concentrations, with the greatest reductions observed at intakes >150% of the IOM recommendation (>55.7 g/day; 95% CI: 48.6–56.7). Among men, both TC and LDL cholesterol decreased significantly at intakes >150% of IOM values (>69.8 g/day; 95% CI: 64.2–75.4). Triglycerides were significantly lower when fibre intake exceeded AND recommendations (>41.0 g/day; 95% CI: 32.6–49.5). No clear associations were observed for HDL cholesterol. The associations found in this study make us consider the possibility that the benefits of fibre on systemic inflammation and lipid profile may extend beyond current recommended levels. Public health guidelines may need to reconsider fibre targets to better reflect condition-specific benefits rather than minimum thresholds for adequacy should this hypothesis be duly proven by future longitudinal studies.

The study of hyperinfection in animal models is important to control strongyloidiasis as a public health concern. While human strongyloidiasis is often chronic, experimental models allow the assessment of the acute phase of hyperinfection. This study evaluated excretory/secretory (E/S) antigens of Strongyloides venezuelensis L3 larvae to detect IgG antibodies in serum samples from rats immunosuppressed or not and experimentally infected or not with S. venezuelensis. Infection parameters and IgG detection by the antigenic extracts – total saline extract (TS), E/S in RPMI 1640 (RPMI E/S), and E/S in phosphate buffered saline (PBS E/S) – were evaluated. RPMI E/S achieved the best diagnostic parameters, showing no reactivity with non-infected controls. These data demonstrate that E/S antigens are effective for detecting strongyloidiasis during the acute hyperinfection window, offering a reliable tool for experimental research and potential translational applications for screening high-risk patients.

This article addresses a central challenge in political science: how to choose between competing conceptions and structures of concepts. Existing approaches to concept validity offer useful criteria—such as resonance, consistency, differentiation, causal utility, and operationalization—but tend to omit criteria for evaluating the normative considerations that often underpin conceptual choices. As a result, conceptualization may face a fundamental indeterminacy when multiple conceptions appear equally well grounded. To address this lacuna, I introduce a “concern” criterion, which evaluates concepts according to the extent to which they capture what is most worrisome in the political world. Building on the semantic–pragmatic approach to conceptualization, I argue that normative considerations can be disciplined, rather than avoided. The argument is illustrated through the case of political polarization, where a shift from issue-based to affect-based conceptions reflects changing concerns about political division. I also examine the implications of the concern criterion for structuring multidimensional concepts and address objections concerning objectivity, stability, and legitimacy. A concern criterion, although not sufficient on its own, provides a valuable complement to existing criteria and helps ground conceptual choices in a normatively informed yet methodologically disciplined manner.

Evidence-based nutrition guidance for female athletes remains limited relative to that available for males; in part, this has contributed to widespread reliance on social media for dietary information. Whilst social media can enhance health communication, it also facilitates the rapid dissemination of unverified, commercially driven nutrition claims. This narrative review critically synthesises the current scientific literature underpinning four prevalent claims targeting nutrition close to exercise for active females; (1) fasted training is harmful for all females, (2) menstrual cycle-related hormonal fluctuations require sex-specific hydration strategies, (3) carbohydrate differences by sex and menstrual cycle phase and (4) precise protein timing is essential for optimal adaptation in females. Despite social media and ‘influencer’ claims of no evidence in humans for many of the claims, there is some, albeit limited, evidence. This review evaluates the available research and the evidence supporting these claims to provide practical advice for active females. Collectively, this review demonstrates that many widely circulated nutrition claims directed at active females lack robust scientific support. The findings emphasise the importance of individual context, including training load, energy availability, environmental conditions and total dietary intake, over rigid, sex-specific nutrition rules. Improved translation of female-specific sports nutrition research into accurate, accessible public messaging is urgently needed to counter persistent misinformation in digital media.