Nutrients

The prevalence of obesity has increased at an alarming rate worldwide. Metallic elements are involved in the pathogenesis of obesity and related diseases. To date, whether environmental exposure to metallic elements has effects on obesity in children and adolescents is still unclear. The aim of the current study was to investigate the association of blood metallic elements with obesity in U.S. children and adolescents. This cross-sectional study was performed with 5404 children and adolescents (6–19 years, 2745 males and 2659 females) who participated in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2014. Blood lead, mercury, selenium, manganese, copper, and zinc, as well as biochemical parameters including triglyceride (TG), cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were assessed for all subjects. Multivariate logistic regression and linear regression were applied to assess associations of metallic elements and overweight, obesity status, and serum metabolites as distinct outcomes adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity, and the poverty income ratio. When stratified by age and sex, significant associations were found between the highest quartile of copper concentrations in blood with obesity status (OR = 9.27, 95% CI: 5.43, 15.82, pfor trend < 0.001) and cholesterol (OR = 3.08, 95% CI: 1.43, 6.63, pfor trend < 0.001). The highest concentrations of manganese in the blood was associated with obesity in those aged 6–19 years (OR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.74, 3.02, pfor trend < 0.001). Moreover, blood mercury and selenium showed positive relationships with cholesterol. Further, a negative association existed between blood zinc and obesity. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data provide epidemiological evidence that blood metallic elements are positively associated with obesity in children and adolescents. However, the underlying mechanisms still need further exploration.

Đường tiêu hóa của con người được định cư bởi một hệ sinh thái phức tạp của các vi sinh vật. Vi khuẩn đường ruột không chỉ là vi khuẩn hội sinh, mà chúng còn trải qua quá trình đồng tiến hóa cùng với vật chủ của chúng. Các vi khuẩn đường ruột có lợi có nhiều chức năng quan trọng, ví dụ, chúng sản xuất nhiều chất dinh dưỡng cho vật chủ, ngăn chặn các nhiễm trùng do các tác nhân gây bệnh đường ruột và điều chỉnh phản ứng miễn dịch bình thường. Do đó, việc điều chỉnh vi sinh vật đường ruột nhằm đạt được, phục hồi và duy trì sự cân bằng có lợi trong hệ sinh thái, cũng như hoạt động của các vi sinh vật có mặt trong đường tiêu hóa là cần thiết cho tình trạng sức khỏe tốt hơn của vật chủ. Việc bổ sung probiotics, prebiotics hoặc synbiotics vào chế độ ăn uống của con người có lợi cho vi sinh vật đường ruột. Chúng có thể được tiêu thụ dưới dạng rau củ và trái cây tươi, dưa chua lên men hoặc sản phẩm từ sữa. Một nguồn khác có thể là các công thức dược phẩm và thực phẩm chức năng. Bài báo này cung cấp một cái nhìn tổng quan về thông tin hiện có và tóm tắt kiến thức hiện tại về tác động của probiotics, prebiotics và synbiotics đến sức khỏe con người. Cơ chế tác động có lợi của những chất này được thảo luận, và các kết quả nghiên cứu đã được xác minh chứng minh hiệu quả của chúng trong dinh dưỡng con người được trình bày.

Background: Lockdown due to COVID-19 influenced food habits and lifestyles with potential negative health impact. This study aims to identify patterns of change in eating habits and physical activity during COVID-19 lockdown in Spain and to identify associations with sociodemographic factors and usual habits. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1155 adults recruited online to answer a 10-section questionnaire. The protocol assessed usual diet by means of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, usual physical activity (PA) and supplement use, dietary changes, sedentary time, PA, exposure to sunlight, sleep quality, and smoking during confinement. Patterns of dietary change were identified by factor analysis. Factor scores were included in cluster analysis together with change in PA. Results: Six patterns of dietary change were identified that together with PA changes during lockdown defined three clusters of lifestyle change: a cluster less active, a more active cluster, and a third cluster as active as usual. People who were usually less active were more likely to be classified in the cluster that increased physical activity in confinement. Scores of the Healthy Mediterranean-Style dietary pattern were higher in this group. Conclusions: Different patterns of change in lifestyles in confinement suggest the need to tailor support and advice to different population groups.

Aim: to describe physical activity and ultra-processed foods consumption, their changes and sociodemographic predictors among adolescents from countries in Europe (Italy and Spain) and Latin America (Brazil, Chile, and Colombia) during the SARS-CoV-2-pandemic period. Methods: Cross-sectional study via web survey. International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and weekly ultra-processed food consumption data were used. To compare the frequencies of physical activity status with sociodemographic variables, a multinomial logistic and a multiple logistic regression for habitual ultra-processed foods was performed. In final models, p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Sample of 726 adolescents, mostly females (59.6%) aged 16–19 years old (54.3%). Adolescents from Latin America presented odds ratio (OR) 2.98 (CI 95% 1.80–4.94) of being inactive and those whose mothers had higher level of education were less active during lockdown [OR 0.40 (CI 95% 0.20–0.84)]. The habitual ultra-processed consumption was also high during this period in all countries, and more prevalent in Latin America. Conclusion: A higher prevalence of inactivity was observed in this population, but reductions of physical activity and habitual ultra-processed consumption during the pandemic were more pronounced in Latin America. Our findings reinforce the importance of promoting a healthy lifestyle, i.e., exercise and diet, during periods of social isolation.

Objective: To investigate dietary habits, sleep and psychological well-being of adolescents and medical students during COVID-19 lockdown in Split, Croatia. Methods: We surveyed 1326 students during 2018 and 2019, and compared their responses with 531 students enrolled in May 2020. Perceived stress, quality of life (QoL), happiness, anxiety, and optimism were assessed as proxies of psychological well-being, using general linear modelling. Results: We found no substantial differences in dietary pattern between pre-lockdown and lockdown periods, including the overall Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence. However, the MD pattern changed, showing increased adherence to the MD pyramid for fruit, legumes, fish, and sweets, while cereals, nuts, and dairy intake decreased during COVID-19 lockdown. A third of students reported weight loss during lockdown, 19% reported weight gain, while physical activity remained rather stable. The most prominent change was feeling refreshed after a night’s sleep, reported by 31.5% of students during lockdown vs. 8.5% before; median length of sleep duration increased by 1.5 h. Lockdown significantly affected QoL, happiness, optimism (all p < 0.001), and perceived stress in students (p = 0.005). MD adherence was positively correlated with QoL and study time, and negatively with TV and mobile phone use in pre-lockdown period (all p < 0.001). Interestingly, higher MD adherence was correlated with less perceived hardship and greater happiness and QoL during lockdown. Conclusion: These insights provide valuable information for tailored interventions aimed at maintaining healthy lifestyle in young population. Given the numerous beneficial effects associated with MD adherence, modification of lifestyle through application of lifestyle medicine deserves a priority approach.

Due to the pandemic situation caused by the COVID-19 infection, some governments have implemented house confinement measures. The objective of our study is to learn the dietary patterns, consumption, and physical activity of the Spanish population before and during the period of confinement by COVID-19. A cross-sectional descriptive study based on a questionnaire during May 2020, coinciding with the period of confinement and the step forward into Phase 1, is carried out. During confinement, the adherence to the Mediterranean Diet increases (8.0% versus 4.7%; p < 0.001). No socio-demographic variables show statistical significance (p < 0.05) regarding good adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) before and during confinement. During confinement, consumption of homemade baking shows a higher increase (0.28% versus 4.60%; p = 0.004). During confinement, the number of subjects that practice exercise decreases (29.4% versus 28.8%; p = 0.004), as well as the time spent exercising (more than an hour, 26.6% versus 14.7%, p = 0.001). Mediterranean Diet adherence slightly increases during confinement, although consumption of ‘unhealthy’ food also increases. Moreover, the number of subjects that practice physical activity, as well as the time spent on it weekly, decreases.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether dietary behaviours of the Spanish adult population were changed during the COVID-19 outbreak confinement. For that purpose, an online questionnaire, based on 44 items including socio-demographic data, Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) Adherence Screener (MEDAS) as a reference of a healthy diet, processed foods intake, changes in their usual food choices and weight gain was distributed using social media and snowball sampling. A total of 7514 participants (37% aged below 35 years, 70.6% female, 77.9% university-level education or higher) from all the Spanish territory completed the questionnaire. Results outlined healthier dietary behaviours during the confinement when compared to previous habits. Overall, the MEDAS score (ranging from 0 to 14, whereby higher a scoring reflects greater adherence to the MedDiet) increased significantly from 6.53 ± 2 to 7.34 ± 1.93 during the confinement. Multivariate logistic regression models, adjusted for age, gender, region and other variables, showed a statistically significant higher likelihood of changing the adherence to the MedDiet (towards an increase in adherence) in those persons who decreased the intake of fried foods, snacks, fast foods, red meat, pastries or sweet beverages, but increased MedDiet-related foods such as olive oil, vegetables, fruits or legumes during the confinement. COVID-19 confinement in Spain has led to the adoption of healthier dietary habits/behaviours in the studied population, as reflected by a higher adherence to the MedDiet. This improvement, if sustained in the long-term, could have a positive impact on the prevention of chronic diseases and COVID-19-related complications.

The COVID-19 lockdown clearly affected the lifestyle of the population and entailed changes in their daily habits, which involved potential health consequences, especially on patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to examine the impact of the lockdown caused by COVID-19 pandemic on both nutrition and exercise habits, as well as the psychological effects in patients with T2DM, compared to their usual diet and physical activity level previous to the complete home confinement. We also intended to analyse any potential variables that may have influenced these lifestyle modifications. A Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Food Craving Questionnaire-State (FCQ-S) and Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait (FCQ-T) were used. Our results showed an increase in vegetable, sugary food and snack consumption. An association between levels of foods cravings and snack consumption was also found. Data also showed a high percentage of physical inactivity before the COVID-19 lockdown, which was exacerbated during the home confinement. These findings emphasise the great importance to do further research with larger study samples to analyse and explore dietary habits and to develop public health policies to promote a healthy lifestyle in terms of diet and physical activity in these patients, especially after this strict period of lockdown.

Các nghiên cứu in vitro và một số mô hình động vật đã chỉ ra rằng quercetin, một polyphenol có nguồn gốc từ thực vật, có nhiều hoạt động sinh học đa dạng bao gồm các hoạt động chống ung thư, chống viêm và kháng virus; cũng như giảm thiểu quá trình oxy hóa lipit, sự kết tập tiểu cầu và tính thấm mao mạch. Bài tổng quan này tập trung vào các đặc tính lý hóa, nguồn thực phẩm, sự hấp thu, khả dụng sinh học và chuyển hóa của quercetin, đặc biệt là các tác động chính của quercetin lên viêm và chức năng miễn dịch. Theo các kết quả thu được cả in vitro và in vivo, quercetin mở ra những triển vọng tốt. Tuy nhiên, cần có thêm các nghiên cứu để làm rõ hơn các cơ chế hoạt động nằm sau những tác động có lợi của quercetin lên viêm nhiễm và miễn dịch.

Polyphenol là nhóm phytochemical lớn nhất, và nhiều loại trong số đó đã được tìm thấy trong thực phẩm từ thực vật. Chế độ ăn giàu polyphenol đã được liên kết với nhiều lợi ích sức khỏe. Bài báo này nhằm mục đích xem xét hóa học và sinh hóa của polyphenol liên quan đến phân loại, chiết xuất, tách và các phương pháp phân tích, sự xuất hiện và sinh tổng hợp của chúng trong thực vật, cũng như hoạt động sinh học và tác động của chúng đến sức khỏe con người. Các thảo luận tập trung vào những tiến bộ quan trọng và gần đây nhất trong các lĩnh vực trên, và những thách thức được xác định cho nghiên cứu trong tương lai.