-
Frontiers in Public Health 2023The dietary pattern followed during pregnancy, specifically healthy dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet, is a key factor in the mother's and the offspring's...
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
The dietary pattern followed during pregnancy, specifically healthy dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet, is a key factor in the mother's and the offspring's health. Pregnant women dietary intake is not enough to cover the micronutrient requirements of pregnancy, and higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet may improve dietary quality and nutritional density. The aim of the present study was to describe the dietary nutrient intake and diet quality during pregnancy and to evaluate whether a high adherence to Mediterranean diet was associated with a more adequate intake of micronutrients.
METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study with 1,356 pregnant women selected during the routine second trimester ultrasound scan (19-23 weeks' gestation). Energy and nutrient intake were calculated using a validated 151-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and nutrient density was estimated dividing the absolute nutrient intake by total energy intake. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated with a 17-item Mediterranean diet adherence score. The criterion used for risk of inadequate nutrient intake has been set below two thirds (2/3) of the dietary reference intakes. The differences were assessed by multivariate linear regression models adjusted for confounders.
RESULTS
A significant proportion of pregnant women had an inadequate intake of macro and micronutrient that was lower in those with high adherence to the Mediterranean diet (≥12 points, = 122, 19%), including calcium (the Mediterranean diet high adherence 2.5% vs. low adherence 26.7%, < 0.001), magnesium (0% vs. 7.6%, = 0.001), iron (24.5% vs. 74.1%, < 0.001), and vitamin B9 (0% vs. 29.8%, < 0.001), vitamin C (0% vs. 1.9%, = 0.033), and vitamin D (61.5% vs. 92.8%, < 0.001) intake. High adherence to Mediterranean diet was associated with higher intake of protein, monounsaturated fatty acids, fiber, vitamins (B1, B9, C, D), calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphor, potassium, essential fatty acids, and α-linolenic acid, and with a lower intake of α-linoleic acid and trans fatty acids as compared to low adherence to Mediterranean diet.
CONCLUSION
High adherence to Mediterranean diet was associated with higher diet quality and lower proportion of inadequate micro and macronutrient intake. The Mediterranean diet promotion, particularly among pregnant women, may be a useful and public health strategy to avoid overweight and nutrient deficiencies.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Diet, Mediterranean; Calcium; Cross-Sectional Studies; Magnesium; Pregnant Women; Nutrients; Vitamins; Micronutrients
PubMed: 37645706
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1144942 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2023This study analyzed and evaluated the basic crude fat contents, crude protein contents, phenolic compounds, lipid compositions (fatty acids, phytosterols, and...
This study analyzed and evaluated the basic crude fat contents, crude protein contents, phenolic compounds, lipid compositions (fatty acids, phytosterols, and tocopherols), and amino acid compositions of 26 walnut samples from 11 walnut-growing provinces in China. The results indicate that the oil contents of the samples varied from 60.08% to 71.06%, and their protein contents ranged from 7.26 g/100 g to 19.50 g/100 g. The composition of fatty acids corresponded to palmitic acid at 4.61-8.27%, stearic acid at 1.90-3.55%, oleic acid at 15.50-32.28%, linoleic acid at 53.44-67.64%, and α-linolenic acid at 2.45-12.77%. The samples provided micronutrients in widely varying amounts, including tocopherol, phytosterol, and total phenolic content, which were found in the walnut oil samples in amounts ranging from 356.49 to 930.43 mg/kg, from 1248.61 to 2155.24 mg/kg, and from 15.85 to 68.51 mg/kg, respectively. A comprehensive evaluation of walnut oil quality in the samples from the 11 provinces using a principal component analysis was conducted. The findings revealed that the samples from Henan, Gansu, and Zhejiang had the highest composite scores among all provinces. Overall, Yunnan-produced walnuts had high levels of crude fat, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and total tocopherols, making them more suitable for producing high-quality oil, whereas Henan-produced walnuts, although lower in crude fat, had a higher crude protein content and composite score, thus showing the best walnut characteristics.
PubMed: 38002181
DOI: 10.3390/foods12224123 -
Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and... 2024To investigate the association between the dietary intake of linoleic acid (LA) and alpha linolenic acid (ALA) with mortality outcomes in patients with diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between the dietary intake of linoleic acid (LA) and alpha linolenic acid (ALA) with mortality outcomes in patients with diabetes.
PARTICIPANTS
3,112 U.S. adults aged≥20 years.
SETTING
Basic information was collected at baseline of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Serum CRP (mg/dL), total protein (g/L), waist circumference (cm), fasting blood glucose (mmol/L), white blood cell count, serum LDL-C, and serum HDL-C were also measured. Daily diets were also recorded using a 24-hour dietary review to produce the individuals' intake of LA and ALA. The association between tertiles of LA and ALA intake with mortality was analyzed by weighted Cox models adjusted for the main confounders.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
The study included 3,112 adults with diabetes from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2008. Death outcomes were ascertained by linkage to the database records through 31 December 2015.
RESULTS
Subjects with a high intake of LA (T3) had 17% [hazard ratio (HR) 0.83, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.99) and 48% (HR=0.52, 0.35 to 0.80)] reductions in all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, compared with subjects with lowest intake (T1). Similar results were observed for ALA, HR of cardiovascular mortality was 0.55 (0.38 to 0.81) and for all-cause mortality was 0.85 (0.69 to 1.04) comparing the highest to lowest intake tertiles.
CONCLUSION
Higher intakes of LA and ALA were inversely associated with CVD and all-cause deaths in patients with diabetes. Proper dietary intakes of LA and ALA could contribute to the cardiovascular health and the long-term survival of patients with diabetes.
PubMed: 38721345
DOI: 10.3389/fcdhc.2024.1318578 -
Nutrients Aug 2023The microbiota gut-brain axis (mGBA) is an important contributor to mental health and neurological and mood disorders. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are endotoxins that are...
The microbiota gut-brain axis (mGBA) is an important contributor to mental health and neurological and mood disorders. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are endotoxins that are components of Gram-negative bacteria cell walls and have been widely shown to induce both systemic and neuro-inflammation. Flaxseed () is an oilseed rich in fibre, n3-poly-unsaturated fatty acid (alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)), and lignan, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, which all can induce beneficial effects across varying aspects of the mGBA. The objective of this study was to determine the potential for dietary supplementation with flaxseed or flaxseed oil to attenuate LPS-induced inflammation through modulation of the mGBA. In this study, 72 5-week-old male C57Bl/6 mice were fed one of three isocaloric diets for 3 weeks: (1) AIN-93G basal diet (BD), (2) BD + 10% flaxseed (FS), or (3) BD + 4% FS oil (FO). Mice were then injected with LPS (1 mg/kg i.p) or saline ( = 12/group) and samples were collected 24 h post-injection. Dietary supplementation with FS, but not FO, partially attenuated LPS-induced systemic (serum TNF-α and IL-10) and neuro-inflammation (hippocampal and/or medial prefrontal cortex IL-10, TNF-α, IL-1β mRNA expression), but had no effect on sickness and nest-building behaviours. FS-fed mice had enhanced fecal microbial diversity with increased relative abundance of beneficial microbial groups (i.e., Lachnospiraceae, , Coriobacteriaceae), reduced , and increased production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which may play a role in its anti-inflammatory response. Overall, this study highlights the potential for flaxseed to attenuate LPS-induced inflammation, in part through modulation of the intestinal microbiota, an effect which may not be solely driven by its ALA-rich oil component.
Topics: Male; Animals; Mice; Flax; Linseed Oil; Lipopolysaccharides; Interleukin-10; Brain-Gut Axis; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Diet
PubMed: 37630732
DOI: 10.3390/nu15163542 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Juvenile Systemic Connective Tissue Diseases (JSCTD) are a heterogeneous group of chronic autoimmune diseases, associated with dyslipidemia and increased cardiovascular... (Review)
Review
Juvenile Systemic Connective Tissue Diseases (JSCTD) are a heterogeneous group of chronic autoimmune diseases, associated with dyslipidemia and increased cardiovascular risk are related. Studies from the last 10 years, from 2013 to 2022, on lipid profiles in JSCTD were collected. Different studies on lipid profiles in children affected by JSCTD were selected, because the aim is to analyze the cardiovascular risk and the possibility of atherosclerosis in these patients in whom, sometimes, corticosteroid therapies and immunosuppressants increase the state of dyslipidemia. Several studies have shown that autoimmune diseases with an inflammatory substrate also share abnormalities in lipid profile and increased cardiovascular risk. Specifically, associations have been found between Juvenile Systemic Connective Tissue Diseases and elevated triglycerides, TC-C (Total Cholesterol), LDL-C (Low-Density Lipoprotein), low HDL-C (High-Density Lipoprotein), and increased risk of developing diseases such as myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease, pulmonary and arterial hypertension, and atrial fibrillation. Supplementation with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) on the other hand has also been analyzed with positive results in reducing inflammatory parameters, such as IL-6 (Interleukin-6), CRP (C-reactive protein), and fasting glucose, in subjects with dyslipidemia. These observations suggest that supplementation with ALA, an omega-3 precursor, may positively modulate both the inflammatory status and dyslipidemic conditions in patients with autoimmune disorders.
Topics: Child; Humans; Risk Factors; Cardiovascular Diseases; Inflammation; Lipoproteins, LDL; Heart Disease Risk Factors; Dyslipidemias; Connective Tissue Diseases
PubMed: 38605945
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1380372 -
Food Science & Nutrition Jul 2023Inflammation, oxidative stress, obesity, infection, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes are the main causes of atherosclerosis, which in the long term lead to... (Review)
Review
Inflammation, oxidative stress, obesity, infection, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes are the main causes of atherosclerosis, which in the long term lead to hardening of the arteries. In the current study, we reviewed recent findings of the mechanism of sesame and its active compounds of sesamin and sesamolin regulates on atherosclerosis. Sesame can decrease the lipid peroxidation and affect the enzymes, which control the balance of oxidative status in the body. Besides modulating the inflammatory cytokines, sesame regulates the main mediators of the signaling pathways in the process of inflammation, such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), nuclear factor kappa light-chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ). Sesame decreases the growth of different pathogens. It fights against obesity and helps to reduce weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and lipid count of serum and liver. In addition to lowering fasting blood sugar (FBS), it decreases the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and glucose levels and improves insulin function. With high content of linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, and total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), sesame efficiently controls the blood plasma lipids and changes the lipid profile. In the case of hypertension, it maintains the health of endothelium through multiple mechanisms and conserves the response of the arteries to vasodilation. PUFA in sesame suppresses blood clotting and fibrinogen activity. All the mentioned properties combat atherosclerosis and hardening of blood vessels, which are detailed in the present review for sesame.
PubMed: 37457142
DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3407 -
BMC Pediatrics Sep 2023Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently suffer from persistent gastrointestinal symptoms, such as constipation and diarrhea. Various studies...
BACKGROUND
Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently suffer from persistent gastrointestinal symptoms, such as constipation and diarrhea. Various studies have highlighted differences in gut microbiota composition between individuals with ASD and healthy controls of similar ages. However, it's essential to recognize that these disparities may be influenced by cultural practices, dietary habits, and environmental factors.
METHODS
In this study, we collected fecal samples from both children diagnosed with ASD (n = 42) and healthy individuals (n = 41) residing in the southeastern coastal region of China. Subsequently, 16 S rRNA gene sequencing and advanced bioinformatics analyses were conducted to investigate the distinctive features of gut microbial communities within each group.
RESULTS
The ASD group consisted of 28 males and 14 females, with a median age of 5.8 years, while the control group included 25 males and 16 females, with a median age of 6.8 years. Among the 83 sequenced fecal samples, a total of 1031 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified. These included 122 unique OTUs specific to the control group and 285 unique OTUs specific to the ASD group. Analyses of α-diversity and β-diversity unveiled significant differences in the abundance and composition of gut microbiota between the two groups. It was found that the dominant bacterial taxa in healthy individuals were UBA1819, Flavonifractor, and Bradyrhizobium. In contrast, the ASD group exhibited a prevalence of Streptococcus, Ruminococcus, and Ruminiclostridium. Further analysis using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) showed significant differences in the metabolic functionalities of the gut microbiota between the two groups. Notably, the metabolic pathway related to alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in the gut microbiota of the ASD group was notably diminished compared to the control group. Conversely, the ASD group demonstrated significantly elevated levels of metabolic pathways involving uncharacterized conserved proteins, aminoglycoside phosphotransferase, and inorganic pyrophosphatase compared to the control group.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, these results confirm that there are significant differences in the gut microbiota structure between children with ASD and healthy controls in the southeast coastal region of China. This underscores the critical significance of delving into clinical interventions capable of mitigating the gastrointestinal and psychological symptoms encountered by children with ASD. A particularly encouraging path for such interventions lies in the realm of fecal microbiota transplantation, a prospect that merits deeper inquiry.
Topics: Female; Male; Child; Humans; Child, Preschool; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Microbiota; Anxiety; Constipation
PubMed: 37730588
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-023-04292-8 -
Scientific Reports Feb 2024Despite recent advances in science and medical technology, pancreatic cancer remains associated with high mortality rates due to aggressive growth and no early clinical...
Despite recent advances in science and medical technology, pancreatic cancer remains associated with high mortality rates due to aggressive growth and no early clinical sign as well as the unique resistance to anti-cancer chemotherapy. Current numerous investigations have suggested that ferroptosis, which is a programed cell death driven by lipid oxidation, is an attractive therapeutic in different tumor types including pancreatic cancer. Here, we first demonstrated that linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (αLA) induced cell death with necroptotic morphological change in MIA-Paca2 and Suit 2 cell lines. LA and αLA increased lipid peroxidation and phosphorylation of RIP3 and MLKL in pancreatic cancers, which were negated by ferroptosis inhibitor, ferrostatin-1, restoring back to BSA control levels. Similarly, intraperitoneal administration of LA and αLA suppresses the growth of subcutaneously transplanted Suit-2 cells and ameliorated the decreased survival rate of tumor bearing mice, while co-administration of ferrostatin-1 with LA and αLA negated the anti-cancer effect. We also demonstrated that LA and αLA partially showed ferroptotic effects on the gemcitabine-resistant-PK cells, although its effect was exerted late compared to treatment on normal-PK cells. In addition, the trial to validate the importance of double bonds in PUFAs in ferroptosis revealed that AA and EPA had a marked effect of ferroptosis on pancreatic cancer cells, but DHA showed mild suppression of cancer proliferation. Furthermore, treatment in other tumor cell lines revealed different sensitivity of PUFA-induced ferroptosis; e.g., EPA induced a ferroptotic effect on colorectal adenocarcinoma, but LA or αLA did not. Collectively, these data suggest that PUFAs can have a potential to exert an anti-cancer effect via ferroptosis in both normal and gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Gemcitabine; Ferroptosis; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Linoleic Acid; Cell Line, Tumor; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Cyclohexylamines; Phenylenediamines
PubMed: 38388563
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55050-4 -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2023The objective of this meta-analysis was to examine the impact of a low-ratio linoleic acid/α-linolenic acid (LA/ALA) diet on the glycemic profile of adults. A... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The objective of this meta-analysis was to examine the impact of a low-ratio linoleic acid/α-linolenic acid (LA/ALA) diet on the glycemic profile of adults. A comprehensive search was performed across four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and PubMed) to evaluate the influence of the low-ratio LA/ALA. Relevant references were screened up until February 2023. Intervention effects were analyzed by calculating change values as weighted mean differences (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using fixed-effects models. Additionally, subgroup analysis and meta-regression were employed to investigate potential sources of heterogeneity. Twenty-one randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included, and the low-ratio LA/ALA diet had no significant effect on fasting blood sugar (FBS, WMD: 0.00 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.06, 0.06, = 0.989, I = 0.0%), insulin levels (WMD: 0.20 μIU/mL, 95% CI: -0.23, 0.63, = 0.360, I = 3.2%), homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR, WMD: 0.09, 95% CI: -0.06, 0.23, = 0.243, I = 0.0%), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c, WMD: -0.01%, 95% CI: -0.07, 0.06, = 0.836, I = 0.0%). Based on subgroup analyses, it was observed that the impact of a low-ratio LA/ALA diet on elevated plasma insulin (WMD: 1.31 μIU/mL, 95% CI: 0.08, 2.54, = 0.037, I = 32.0%) and HOMA-IR (WMD: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.84, = 0.012, I = 0.0%) levels exhibited greater prominence in North America compared to Asian and European countries. Publication bias was not detected for FBS, insulin, HOMA-IR, and HbA1c levels according to the Begg and Egger tests. Furthermore, the conducted sensitivity analyses indicated stability, as the effects of the low-ratio LA/ALA diet on various glycemic and related metrics remained unchanged even after removing individual studies. Overall, based on the available studies, it can be concluded that the low-ratio LA/ALA diet has limited impact on blood glucose-related biomarker levels.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Glycated Hemoglobin; Linoleic Acid; alpha-Linolenic Acid; Glucose; Insulin
PubMed: 37762686
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814383 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023With the increasing global nutritional bar market, developing and formulating innovative high-energy and protein bars to compensate for nutrients using date fruits is...
With the increasing global nutritional bar market, developing and formulating innovative high-energy and protein bars to compensate for nutrients using date fruits is beneficial for health-conscious individuals. The current research was undertaken to study the composition and physicochemical characteristics of innovative high-energy and high-protein bars using two combinations of Sukkari dates or fruit mixtures as a base. Fifty percent of either Sukkari date paste or dried fruit mixture (25% raisin, 12.5% fig, and 12.5% apricot) combined with other different ingredients was used to produce a date-based bar (DBB) or fruit-based bar (FBB). Proximate composition, sugar content, amino and fatty acid profiles, minerals and vitamins, phytochemicals, antioxidant activity, and visual color parameters of the DBB and the FBB were determined and statistically compared. Proximate analysis revealed higher moisture and fat content in the FBB than the DBB, while ash and crude fiber were higher in the DBB than the FBB. The protein content in the DBB and the FBB was not statistically different. Both prepared bars exuded around 376-378 kcal 100 g fresh weight. Sugar profile analysis of the DBB and the FBB showed dependable changes based on date or fruit content. Fructose, glucose, and maltose contents were higher in the FBB than in the DBB, while sucrose content was higher in the DBB than in the FBB. The DBB showed significantly higher content in Ca, Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Se and significantly lower content in Mg, K, and Na than the FBB, with no variation in phosphorus content. The DBB and the FBB contained both essential (EAA) and non-essential (NEAA) amino acids. The DBB scored higher Lysine, Methionine, Histidine, Threonine, Phenylalanine, Isoleucine, and Cystine contents than the FBB, while the FBB scored only higher Leucine and Valine contents than the DBB. Seventeen saturated fatty acids were identified in the DBB and the FBB, with Palmitic acid (C16:0) as the predominant fatty acid. Oleic acid (C18:1n9c) was predominant among seven determined monounsaturated fatty acids. Linoleic fatty acid (C18:2n6c) was predominant among eight identified polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, α-Linolenic (C18:3n3) was detected in a considerable amount. However, in both the DBB and the FBB, the content and distribution of fatty acids were not remarkably changed. Regarding phytochemicals and bioactive compounds, the FBB was significantly higher in total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids (TF), and total flavonols (TFL) contents and scavenging activity against DPPH and ABTS free radicals than the DBB. The DBB and the FBB showed positive a* values, indicating a reddish color. The b* values were 27.81 and 28.54 for the DBB and the FBB, respectively. The DBB is affected by the lower L* value and higher browning index (BI) to make its color brownish. Sensory evaluation data showed that panelists significantly preferred the DBB over the FBB. In conclusion, processing and comparing these bars indicated that using Sukkari dates is a nutrient-dense, convenient, economical, and better sugar alternative that helps combat the calorie content. Thus, scaling up the use of dates instead of fruits in producing high-energy and protein bars commercially is highly recommended.
PubMed: 37509869
DOI: 10.3390/foods12142777