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International Journal of Environmental... Aug 2023Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine condition that impacts nutritional status, metabolic, and hormonal function in females of reproductive age. This... (Review)
Review
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine condition that impacts nutritional status, metabolic, and hormonal function in females of reproductive age. This condition is associated with increased androgen production (hyperandrogenism) and decreased insulin sensitivity, which often leads to insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia. This increase in androgen production and insulin resistance is strongly associated with a high incidence of obesity, type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and certain types of gonad-related cancers among females who suffer from this condition. As research continues to grow, it has been demonstrated that PCOS is a complex condition, and some of its characteristics vary among the females that have this disorder. However, it has been suggested that oxidative stress and low-grade chronic inflammation could play an important role in the development of PCOS. Current evidence suggest that phytochemicals could potentially help with weight-loss by reducing oxidative stress and low-grade inflammation, as well as aid in metabolic and hormonal regulation due to their antioxidant properties. Some of the bioactive compounds found in plants that have shown positive effects in the attenuation of PCOS include flavonoids, polyphenols, phytoestrogen, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Thus, a review of the current literature published on PCOS and phytochemicals was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics databases for articles published between 2013 and 2023 with a study duration of 1 to 3 months and adequate sample sizes. The main purpose of this review of literature was to investigate the metabolic effects of phytochemical compounds and phytochemical-rich diets on females with PCOS by comparing the results of several randomized clinical trials.
Topics: Female; Humans; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Insulin Resistance; Androgens; Diet; Inflammation
PubMed: 37569074
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20156534 -
Current Atherosclerosis Reports Dec 2023The purpose of this review is to summarize the most recent findings investigating the impact of several natural sirtuin (SIRT) activators, particularly SIRT1, on... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The purpose of this review is to summarize the most recent findings investigating the impact of several natural sirtuin (SIRT) activators, particularly SIRT1, on atherosclerosis.
RECENT FINDINGS
Sirtuins that belong to a family of class III histone deacetylases are believed to be novel therapeutic targets to treat age-related and chronic diseases. SIRT expression is regulated by small molecules called SIRT-activating compounds that can be found in natural food products. SIRT1 may exert protective effects in atherosclerosis, which is said to be a major cause of cardiovascular diseases. Most of the evidence supporting the beneficial effects of these natural compounds comes from in vitro or animal-based studies, while there have been particularly few or inconsistent human-based studies evaluating their long-term impact in recent years. SIRT1 activation has been demonstrated to mitigate or prevent atherosclerosis through various mechanisms. However, further research is required to determine the optimal SIRT activator dosage and to establish a stronger correlation between health effects and the administration of bioactive compounds. Additionally, conducting more human clinical trials is necessary to ensure the safety of these compounds for preventing atherosclerosis development.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Sirtuin 1; Atherosclerosis
PubMed: 38038821
DOI: 10.1007/s11883-023-01165-4 -
Nutrients Sep 2023The development of nutritional policies plays a vital role in health promotion [...].
The development of nutritional policies plays a vital role in health promotion [...].
Topics: Choice Behavior; Food Labeling; Nutritive Value; Consumer Behavior; Health Promotion; Nutrition Policy
PubMed: 37764786
DOI: 10.3390/nu15184001 -
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and... Apr 2024Empathy is fundamental to the provision of efficacious patient-centered health care. Currently, there is no comprehensive synthesis of peer-reviewed empirical research...
BACKGROUND
Empathy is fundamental to the provision of efficacious patient-centered health care. Currently, there is no comprehensive synthesis of peer-reviewed empirical research related to empathy in the nutrition and dietetics profession. Understanding empathy in the context of nutrition and dietetics care may lead to improved teaching practices that support nutrition and dietetics students and practitioners to provide high-quality, empathic, patient-centered care.
OBJECTIVE
This scoping review aimed to understand the approaches through which empathy is conceptualized, measured, and taught in the field of nutrition and dietetics.
METHODS
Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses-Scoping Reviews Statement and Checklist, a scoping review process was undertaken. Five databases were searched in February 2023: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, Embase, Medline, PsycInfo, and Scopus, with no date limits. Eligible studies were English language-based, peer-reviewed, empirical research exploring or measuring empathy as an outcome in primary data stratified to nutrition and dietetics. Extracted qualitative data were synthesized and analyzed thematically with an inductive, interpretivist approach applied to conceptualize the interrelationship between empathy and dietetic practice. Quantitative data were extracted and summarized in a table.
RESULTS
Twenty-six studies were included in the scoping review. Analysis identified 2 overarching themes underpinning the current literature on empathy in nutrition and dietetics that described empathy as a key skill in the application of patient-centered care, which was supported by approaches to lifelong cultivation of empathy in the nutrition and dietetics profession. A range of tools has measured empathy in nutrition and dietetics students and practitioners with no clear consensus in findings across studies.
CONCLUSIONS
This review identified the extent and nature of empathy within nutrition and dietetics, from both practitioner and patient perspectives, and the vast array of approaches used to teach and quantify empathy in students and practitioners. Insights from this review inform the need for future studies. The results of this review suggest that future research include exploring implications of empathic dietetics care on patient outcomes and identification of best practice, evidence-based curricula and strategies to support sustainable cultivation and maintenance of empathic care across the career span of nutrition and dietetics practitioners.
PubMed: 38677364
DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2024.04.013 -
Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism Aug 2023The 22nd International Congress of Nutrition (ICN) was organized under the auspices of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) and was celebrated Japan,...
The 22nd International Congress of Nutrition (ICN) was organized under the auspices of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) and was celebrated Japan, December 6-11, 2022. The IUNS-ICN is a four-yearly meeting that has been held since 1946. The 2022 IUNS- ICN edition has been conjointly organized by the Japan society of Nutrition and Food Science, The Japanese Society of Nutrition and Dietetics and the IUNS Council with the integrative collaboration of the Organizing, Scientific and Executive Committees under the motto "The Power of Nutrition: for the smiles of 10 billion people". The aim of this IUNS 22nd ICN was to promote the global exchange of knowledge in Nutritional Sciences and to encourage communications well as capacity building. The scientific program comprised 2 Opening Lectures, 8 Plenary Lectures, 32 Special Lectures, 8 Special Symposia, 124 Symposia and 2 Panel Discussions and 1 Closing Lecture. The congress focused on every aspect of nutrition issues, going through a wide variety of topics, which were dealt with from different perspectives in order to enrich our attendees' points of view. Let us mention the tracks of the developed program: Advances in Nutrition Research, Nutrients and Nutritional Assessment, Nutrition Through Life Course, Nutrition and Management of Diseases, Food Culture Practices and Nutrition Education, Public Health Nutrition and Environment, Functional Foods and Bioactive Compounds, Agriculture, Food Science and Safety, Additional Global Nutritional The main goal was to offer a high-level scientific meeting focused on addressing the key aspects of nutrition in a multicultural environment, from state-of-the-art reviews to cutting edge nutritional science information. Sessions are planned to deliver latest investigations and outcomes concerning the impact of nutrition on homeostasis and body metabolism, on dietary intake and nutritional status of the population and the individual for precision nutrition as well on the role of dietary prescriptions in disease management and prevention. Translational research orientated to design and implement strategies and approaches to change dietary behaviors and to develop policies, as well as aspects related to public health issues, Nutrition Education and Climate Change, or Food and Agriculture for Health Maintenance, were included in the program. Eight plenary sessions framed the program with eminent speakers covering all health aspects in the life cycle with integrative views on food security. The present supplement accounts for 1798 abstracts from 97 countries, including the summaries of more than 500 selected guest speakers participating in the scientific symposia.
PubMed: 37536290
DOI: 10.1159/000530786 -
Nutrients Nov 2023Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects several areas of mental development. The onset of ASD occurs in the first few years of life,... (Review)
Review
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects several areas of mental development. The onset of ASD occurs in the first few years of life, usually before the age of 3 years. Proper nutrition is important to ensure that an individual's nutrient and energy requirements are met, and it can also have a moderating effect on the progression of the disorder. A systematic database search was conducted as a narrative review to determine whether nutrition and specific diets can potentially alter gastrointestinal symptoms and neurobehavioral disorders. Databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science (WoS), and Google Scholar were searched to find studies published between 2000 and September 2023 on the relationship between ASD, dietary approaches, and the role of dietary components. The review may indicate that despite extensive research into dietary interventions, there is a general lack of conclusive scientific data about the effect of therapeutic diets on ASD; therefore, no definitive recommendation can be made for any specific nutritional therapy as a standard treatment for ASD. An individualized dietary approach and the dietician's role in the therapeutic team are very important elements of every therapy. Parents and caregivers should work with nutrition specialists, such as registered dietitians or healthcare providers, to design meal plans for autistic individuals, especially those who would like to implement an elimination diet.
Topics: Child; Humans; Child, Preschool; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Diet; Nutritional Status; Autistic Disorder; Nutritional Support
PubMed: 38068711
DOI: 10.3390/nu15234852 -
Current Nutrition Reports Jun 2024Propolis is a bee product that has been used for thousands of years. The chemical composition and biological activity of propolis, which has been investigated in the... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Propolis is a bee product that has been used for thousands of years. The chemical composition and biological activity of propolis, which has been investigated in the twentieth century, may vary according to location. Propolis polyphenols can induce thermogenesis in brown and beige fat tissue via the uncoupled protein-1 and creatinine kinase metabolic pathways. This review provides a comprehensive investigation of the structural and biological properties of propolis and provides insights into their promising potential strategies in body weight management.
RECENT FINDINGS
By raising overall energy expenditure, it might lead to body weight management. Furthermore, the phenolic components artepillin C, quercetin, catechin, and chlorogenic acid found in its composition may have anti-obesogenic effect by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, enhancing browning in white adipose tissue, and triggering AMP-activated protein kinase activation and mitochondrial biogenesis. Propolis, a natural product, is effective in preventing obesity which is a contemporary pandemic.
Topics: Propolis; Obesity; Humans; Anti-Obesity Agents; Animals; Energy Metabolism; Thermogenesis; Polyphenols; Catechin; Quercetin; Adipose Tissue, Brown; Chlorogenic Acid; Adipose Tissue, White; Phenylpropionates
PubMed: 38436884
DOI: 10.1007/s13668-024-00524-0 -
The International Journal of Behavioral... Sep 2023Lifestyle behaviours related to smoking, alcohol, nutrition, and physical activity are leading risk factors for the development of chronic disease. For people in rural... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Lifestyle behaviours related to smoking, alcohol, nutrition, and physical activity are leading risk factors for the development of chronic disease. For people in rural areas, access to individualised lifestyle services targeting behaviour change may be improved by using telehealth. However, the scope of literature investigating telehealth lifestyle behaviour change interventions for rural populations is unknown, making it difficult to ascertain whether telehealth interventions require adaptation for rural context via a systematic review. This scoping review aimed to address this gap, by mapping existing literature describing telehealth lifestyle interventions delivered to rural populations to determine if there is scope for systematic review of intervention effectiveness in this research topic.
METHODS
The PRISMA extension for scoping review checklist guided the processes of this scoping review. A search of eight electronic databases reported in English language until June 2023 was conducted. Eligible studies included adults (18 years and over), who lived in rural areas of high-income countries and undertook at least one synchronous (video or phone consultation) telehealth intervention that addressed either addictive (smoking or alcohol), or non-addictive lifestyle behaviours (nutrition or physical activity). Studies targeting addictive and non-addictive behaviours were separated after full text screening to account for the involvement of addictive substances in smoking and alcohol studies that may impact behaviour change interventions described. Studies targeting nutrition and/or physical activity interventions are presented here.
RESULTS
The search strategy identified 17179 citations across eight databases, with 7440 unique citations once duplicates were removed. Full texts for 492 citations were retrieved and screened for inclusion with 85 publications reporting on 73 studies eligible for data extraction and analysis. Of this, addictive behaviours were comprised of 15 publications from 13 studies. Non-addictive behaviours included 70 publications from 58 studies and are reported here. Most interventions were delivered within the United States of America (n = 43, 74.1%). The most common study design reported was Randomised Control Trial (n = 27, 46.6%). Included studies involved synchronous telehealth interventions targeting nutrition (11, 18.9%), physical activity (5, 8.6%) or nutrition and physical activity (41, 70.7%) and were delivered predominately via videoconference (n = 17, 29.3%).
CONCLUSIONS
Despite differences in intervention characteristics, the number of randomised control trials published suggests sufficient scope for future systematic reviews to determine intervention effectiveness related to nutrition and physical activity telehealth interventions for rural populations.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
The scoping review protocol was not pre-registered.
Topics: Humans; Adult; Adolescent; Smoking; Ethanol; Telemedicine; Life Style; Exercise
PubMed: 37715234
DOI: 10.1186/s12966-023-01505-2 -
Advances in Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) Nov 2023Malnutrition is prevalent in people with upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and is associated with shorter survival and poor quality of life. In order to effectively... (Review)
Review
Malnutrition is prevalent in people with upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and is associated with shorter survival and poor quality of life. In order to effectively prevent or treat malnutrition, nutrition interventions must ensure appropriate energy provision to meet daily metabolic demands. In practice, the energy needs of people with cancer are frequently estimated from predictive equations which are not cancer-specific and are demonstrated to be inaccurate in this population. The purpose of this scoping review was to synthesize the existing evidence regarding energy expenditure in people with upper GI cancer. Three databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase via Ovid, CINAHL plus) were systematically searched to identify studies reporting on resting energy expenditure using indirect calorimetry and total energy expenditure using doubly labeled water (DLW) in adults with any stage of upper GI cancer at any point from diagnosis. A total of 57 original research studies involving 2,125 individuals with cancer of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, biliary tract, or liver were eligible for inclusion. All studies used indirect calorimetry, and one study used DLW to measure energy expenditure, which was reported unadjusted in 42 studies, adjusted for body weight in 32 studies, and adjusted for fat-free mass in 13 studies. Energy expenditure in upper GI cancer was compared with noncancer controls in 19 studies and measured compared with predicted energy expenditure reported in 31 studies. There was heterogeneity in study design and in reporting of important clinical characteristics between studies. There was also substantial variation in energy expenditure between studies and within and between cancer types. Given this heterogeneity and known inaccuracies of predictive equations in patients with cancer, energy expenditure should be measured in practice wherever feasible. Additional research in cohorts defined by cancer type, stage, and treatment is needed to further characterize energy expenditure in upper GI cancer.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Quality of Life; Energy Metabolism; Body Weight; Malnutrition; Water; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms
PubMed: 37562709
DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.08.002 -
European Journal of Obstetrics &... Sep 2023Endometriosis is a chronic gynaecological condition, often causing gastrointestinal symptoms and misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Endometriosis guidelines...
OBJECTIVE
Endometriosis is a chronic gynaecological condition, often causing gastrointestinal symptoms and misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Endometriosis guidelines do not formally endorse dietary changes and little is known about how they are self-managed. The objective of this study is to understand nutritional practices and management of gut symptoms in people with endometriosis.
STUDY DESIGN
Participants were recruited as part of a larger survey study via endometriosis support groups on social media. Eligibility criteria were: a self-reported physician-led diagnosis of endometriosis, over 18 years old and residing in the United Kingdom (UK). Semi-structured interviews were undertaken virtually via Zoom using a predefined interview guide. All interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.
RESULTS
10 people with endometriosis were interviewed. All had made individual dietary changes to manage their gut-related endometriosis symptoms. Dietary changes were made based on advice from social media support, books, websites or professionals other than dietitians. Changes included the restriction and exclusion of multiple essential food groups, including dairy, grains (primarily gluten), vegetables, fruits, and animal products. These changes impacted participants' weight, nutritional status and relationship with food. Four strong themes were identified: 1) impact of pain 2) severe and unpredictable gut symptoms 3) dietary changes and their impact 4) seeking support for dietetic intervention. A common thread underlying and linking these four main themes was the feeling of being dismissed, care being delayed and lack of support. Overall the long delay waiting for a diagnosis, surgery and, at times, the re-occurrence of symptoms post-surgery led to unsupported trial and error with modifiable lifestyle factors, including diet.
CONCLUSION
Overall, participants demonstrated some patterns of restrictive eating behaviour and wanted more professional support to help manage their endometriosis-related gut symptoms. This highlights the need for dietitians to be involved in endometriosis care to help alleviate gut symptoms, whilst ensuring nutritional adequacy and offering weight management support where required.
PubMed: 37575367
DOI: 10.1016/j.eurox.2023.100219