Vitamins play a crucial role in health, but modern lifestyles may lead to suboptimal intakes even in affluent countries. The aim of the present study is to review vitamin intakes in Germany, the UK, The Netherlands and the USA and to compare them with respective national recommendations. Data on adults from the most recently published national dietary intake surveys for the first three countries and data for adults from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2003 to 2008 for the USA were used as a basis for the analysis. The proportions of the populations with intakes below recommendations were categorised as < 5, 5–25, >25–50, >50–75 and >75 % for each vitamin. The data generated are presented in a ‘traffic light display’, using colours from green to red to indicate degrees of sufficiency. The trends found were compared with the results from the European Nutrition and Health Report 2009, even though in that report, only information on mean intakes in the different countries was available. We showed that, although inter-country differences exist, intakes of several vitamins are below recommendations in a significant part of the population in all these countries. The most critical vitamin appears to be vitamin D and the least critical niacin. The variation between the countries is most probably due to differences in recommendations, levels of fortification and local dietary habits. We show that a gap exists between vitamin intakes and requirements for a significant proportion of the population, even though diverse foods are available. Ways to correct this gap need to be investigated.

The post-genomic era has been driven by the development of technologies that allow the function of cells and whole organisms to be explored at the molecular level. Metabolomics is concerned with the measurement of global sets of low-molecular-weight metabolites. Metabolite profiles of body fluids or tissues can be regarded as important indicators of physiological or pathological states. Such profiles may provide a more comprehensive view of cellular control mechanisms in man and animals, and raise the possibility of identifying surrogate markers of disease. Metabolomic approaches use analytical techniques such as NMR spectroscopy and MS to measure populations of low-molecular-weight metabolites in biological samples. Advanced statistical and bioinformatic tools are then employed to maximise the recovery of information and interpret the large datasets that are generated. Metabolomics has already been used to study toxicological mechanisms and disease processes and offers enormous potential as a means of investigating the complex relationship between nutrition and metabolism. Examples include the metabolism of dietary substrates, drug-induced disturbances of lipid metabolites in type 2 diabetes mellitus and the therapeutic effects of vitamin supplementation in the treatment of chronic metabolic disorders.

Vegetarian dietary patterns have been reported to be associated with a number of favourable health outcomes in epidemiological studies, including the Adventist Health Study 2 (AHS-2). Such dietary patterns may vary and need further characterisation regarding foods consumed. The aims of the present study were to characterise and compare the food consumption patterns of several vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. Dietary intake was measured using an FFQ among more than 89 000 members of the AHS-2 cohort. Vegetarian dietary patterns were defined a priori, based on the absence of certain animal foods in the diet. Foods were categorised into fifty-eight minor food groups comprising seventeen major food groups. The adjusted mean consumption of each food group for the vegetarian dietary patterns was compared with that for the non-vegetarian dietary pattern. Mean consumption was found to differ significantly across the dietary patterns for all food groups. Increased consumption of many plant foods including fruits, vegetables, avocados, non-fried potatoes, whole grains, legumes, soya foods, nuts and seeds was observed among vegetarians. Conversely, reduced consumption of meats, dairy products, eggs, refined grains, added fats, sweets, snack foods and non-water beverages was observed among vegetarians. Thus, although vegetarian dietary patterns in the AHS-2 have been defined based on the absence of animal foods in the diet, they differ greatly with respect to the consumption of many other food groups. These differences in food consumption patterns may be important in helping to explain the association of vegetarian diets with several important health outcomes.

Associations between birth weight and CVD in adult life are supported by experiments showing that undernutrition in fetal life programmes blood pressure. In rats, the feeding of a maternal low-protein (MLP) diet during gestation programmes hypertension. The present study aimed to assess the potential for a nutritional insult to impact across several generations. Pregnant female Wistar (F0) rats were fed a control (CON; n 10) or MLP (n 10) diet throughout gestation. At delivery all animals were fed a standard laboratory chow diet. At 10 weeks of age, F1 generation offspring were mated to produce a second generation (F2) without any further dietary change. The same procedure produced an F3 generation. Blood pressure in all generations was determined at 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age and nephron number was determined at 10 weeks of age. F1 generation MLP-exposed offspring exhibited raised (P < 0·001) systolic blood pressure (male 143 (sem 4) mmHg; female 141 (sem 4) mmHg) compared with CON animals (male 132 (sem 3) mmHg; female 134 (sem 4) mmHg). Raised blood pressure and reduced nephron number was also noted in the F2 generation (P < 0·001) and this intergenerational transmission occurred via both the maternal and paternal lines, as all three possible offspring crosses (MLP × CON, CON × MLP and MLP × MLP) were hypertensive (132 (sem 3) mmHg) compared with CON animals (CON × CON; 123 (sem 2) mmHg). No effect was noted in the F3 generation. It is concluded that fetal protein restriction may play a critical role in determining blood pressure and overall disease risk in a subsequent generation.

Dietary guidelines from a variety of sources are generally congruent that an adequate dietary protein intake for persons over the age of 19 is between 0·8–0·9 g protein/kg body weight/d. According to the US/Canadian Dietary Reference Intakes, the RDA for protein of 0·8 g protein/kg/d is “…the average daily intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of nearly all [~98 %]… healthy individuals…” The panel also states that “…no additional dietary protein is suggested for healthy adults undertaking resistance or endurance exercise.” These recommendations are in contrast to recommendations from the US and Canadian Dietetic Association: “Protein recommendations for endurance and strength trained athletes range from 1·2 to 1·7 g/kg/d.” The disparity between those setting dietary protein requirements and those who might be considered to be making practical recommendations for athletes is substantial. This may reflect a situation where an adaptive advantage of protein intakes higher than recommended protein requirements exists. That population protein requirements are still based on nitrogen balance may also be a point of contention since achieving balanced nitrogen intake and excretion likely means little to an athlete who has the primary goal of exercise performance. The goal of the present review is to critically analyse evidence from both acute and chronic dietary protein-based studies in which athletic performance, or correlates thereof, have been measured. An attempt will be made to distinguish between protein requirements set by data from nitrogen balance studies, and a potential adaptive ‘advantage’ for athletes of dietary protein in excess of the RDA.

Over the past 50 years, increases in dietary n-6 PUFA, such as linoleic acid, have been hypothesised to cause or exacerbate chronic inflammatory diseases. The present study examines an individual's innate capacity to synthesise n-6 long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA) with respect to the fatty acid desaturase (FADS) locus in Americans of African and European descent with diabetes or the metabolic syndrome. Compared with European Americans (EAm), African Americans (AfAm) exhibited markedly higher serum levels of arachidonic acid (AA) (EAm 7·9 (sd 2·1), AfAm 9·8 (sd 1·9) % of total fatty acids; P < 2·29 × 10− 9) and the AA:n-6-precursor fatty acid ratio, which estimates FADS1 activity (EAm 5·4 (sd 2·2), AfAm 6·9 (sd 2·2); P = 1·44 × 10− 5). In all, seven SNP mapping to the FADS locus revealed strong association with AA, EPA and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) in the EAm. Importantly, EAm homozygous for the minor allele (T) had significantly lower AA levels (TT 6·3 (sd 1·0); GG 8·5 (sd 2·1); P = 3·0 × 10− 5) and AA:DGLA ratios (TT 3·4 (sd 0·8), GG 6·5 (sd 2·3); P = 2·2 × 10− 7) but higher DGLA levels (TT 1·9 (sd 0·4), GG 1·4 (sd 0·4); P = 3·3 × 10− 7) compared with those homozygous for the major allele (GG). Allele frequency patterns suggest that the GG genotype at rs174537 (associated with higher circulating levels of AA) is much higher in AfAm (0·81) compared with EAm (0·46). Similarly, marked differences in rs174537 genotypic frequencies were observed in HapMap populations. These data suggest that there are probably important differences in the capacity of different populations to synthesise LC-PUFA. These differences may provide a genetic mechanism contributing to health disparities between populations of African and European descent.

High-protein diets are popular for weight management, but the health effects of such diets in diabetic persons are inconclusive. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to examine the effects of high-protein diets on body weight and metabolic risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes. We searched the PubMed and Cochrane Library databases for relevant randomised trials up to August 2012. Either a fixed- or a random-effects model was used to combine the net changes in each outcome from baseline to the end of the intervention. Overall, nine trials including a total of 418 diabetic patients met our inclusion criteria. The study duration ranged from 4 to 24 weeks. The actual intake of dietary protein ranged from 25 to 32 % of total energy in the intervention groups and from 15 to 20 % in the control groups. Compared with the control diets, high-protein diets resulted in more weight loss (pooled mean difference: − 2·08, 95 % CI − 3·25, − 0·90 kg). High-protein diets significantly decreased glycated Hb A1C (HbA1C) levels by 0·52 (95 % CI − 0·90, − 0·14) %, but did not affect the fasting blood glucose levels. There were no differences in lipid profiles. The pooled net changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure were − 3·13 (95 % CI − 6·58, 0·32) mmHg and − 1·86 (95 % CI − 4·26, 0·56) mmHg, respectively. However, two studies reported a large influence on weight loss and HbA1C levels, respectively. In summary, high-protein diets (within 6 months) may have some beneficial effects on weight loss, HbA1C levels and blood pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, further investigations are still required to draw a conclusion.

Resveratrol has been shown to have beneficial effects on diseases related to oxidant and/or inflammatory processes and extends the lifespan of simple organisms including rodents. The objective of the present study was to estimate the dietary intake of resveratrol and piceid (R&P) present in foods, and to identify the principal dietary sources of these compounds in the Spanish adult population. For this purpose, a food composition database (FCDB) of R&P in Spanish foods was compiled. The study included 40 685 subjects aged 35–64 years from northern and southern regions of Spain who were included in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Spain cohort. Usual food intake was assessed by personal interviews using a computerised version of a validated diet history method. An FCDB with 160 items was compiled. The estimated median and mean of R&P intake were 100 and 933 μg/d respectively. Approximately, 32 % of the population did not consume R&P. The most abundant of the four stilbenes studied was trans-piceid (53·6 %), followed by trans-resveratrol (20·9 %), cis-piceid (19·3 %) and cis-resveratrol (6·2 %). The most important source of R&P was wines (98·4 %) and grape and grape juices (1·6 %), whereas peanuts, pistachios and berries contributed to less than 0·01 %. For this reason the pattern of intake of R&P was similar to the wine pattern. This is the first time that R&P intake has been estimated in a Mediterranean country.

Mastication efficiency is defined as the efficiency of crushing food between the teeth and manipulating the resulting particles to form a swallowable food bolus. It is dependent on the orofacial anatomical features of the subject, the coordination of these anatomical features and the consistency of the food used during testing. Different measures have been used to indirectly quantify mastication efficiency as a function of children's age such as observations, food bolus characterisation, muscle activity measurement and jaw movement tracking. In the present review, we aim to describe the changes in the oral physiology (e.g. bone and muscle structure, teeth and soft tissues) of children and how these changes are associated with mastication abilities. We also review previous work on the effect of food consistency on children's mastication abilities and on their level of texture acceptance. The lack of reference foods and differences in testing methodologies across different studies do not allow us to draw conclusions about (1) the age at which mastication efficiency reaches maturity and (2) the effect of food consistency on the establishment of mature mastication efficiency. The effect of food consistency on the development of children's mastication efficiency has not been tested widely. However, both human and animal studies have reported the effect of food consistency on orofacial development, suggesting that a diet with harder textures enhances bone and muscle growth, which could indirectly lead to better mastication efficiency. Finally, it was also reported that (1) children are more likely to accept textures that they are able to manipulate and (2) early exposure to a range of textures facilitates the acceptance of foods of various textures later on. Recommending products well adapted to children's mastication during weaning could facilitate their acceptance of new textures and support the development of healthy eating habits.

We have previously reported the anticarcinogenic effects of an olive fruit extract composed of pentacyclic triterpenes, the main components of which are maslinic acid (73·25 %) and oleanolic acid (25·75 %). Here we examined the effects of the individual components on proliferation, necrosis and apoptosis rates by fluorescence-based techniques in human HT-29 colon cancer cells. Oleanolic acid showed moderate antiproliferative activity, with an ec50 of 160·6 (se 10·6) μmol/l, and moderate cytotoxicity at high concentrations ( ≥ 250 μmol/l). On the other hand, maslinic acid inhibited cell growth with an ec50 of 101·2 (se 7·8) μmol/l, without necrotic effects. Oleanolic acid, which lacks a hydroxyl group at the carbon 2 position, failed to activate caspase-3 as a prime apoptosis protease. In contrast, maslinic acid increased caspase-3-like activity at 10, 25 and 50 μmol/l by 3-, 3·5- and 5-fold over control cells, respectively. The detection of ROS in the mitochondria, which serve as pro-apoptotic signal, evidenced the different bioactivity of the two triterpenes. Confocal microscopy analysis revealed that maslinic acid generated superoxide anions while oleanolic acid-treated cells did not differ from the control. Completion of apoptosis by maslinic acid was confirmed microscopically by the increase in plasma membrane permeability, and detection of DNA fragmentation. In conclusion, the anticancer activity observed for olive fruit extracts seems to originate from maslinic acid but not from oleanolic acid. Maslinic acid therefore is a promising new compound for the chemoprevention of colon cancers.

A prospective cohort study, involving 141 Anglo-Celts and 189 Greek-Australians of both sexes aged 70 years or more, was undertaken in Melbourne, Australia. The objective was to evaluate whether adherence to the principles of the Mediterranean diet affects survival of elderly people in developed non-Mediterranean countries. Diet was assessed using an extensive validated questionnaire on food intake. A one unit increase in a diet score, devised a priori on the basis of eight key features of the traditional common diet in the Mediterranean region, was associated with a 17 % reduction in overall mortality (two-tailed P value 0·07). Mortality reduction with increasing diet score was at least as evident among Anglo-Celts as among Greek-Australians. We conclude that a diet that adheres to the principles of the traditional Mediterranean diet is associated with longer survival among Australians of either Greek or Anglo-Celtic origin.

1. Thirty Ayrshire bull calves were used in an experiment to study the effects of diets containing different proportions of concentrates to hay on rumen development at 12 weeks of age. In addition, six milk-fed calves were slaughtered at 3 weeks of age for comparison. 2. Restriction of the maximum daily allowance of concentrates to the lower levels was accompanied by an increase in the voluntary intake of hay, but the performance of calves from 3 to 12 weeks of age was significantly better in calves given the high-concentrate diets. 3. The weight of contents of the reticulo-rumen increased from 0.7 kg at 3 weeks of age in the milk-fed calf to 7.7 kg and 10.9 kg at 12 weeks in calves given the high-concentrate and high-roughage diets respectively. Between 68 and 79% of the total contents of the alimentary tract was contained in the reticulo-rumen of the ruminant calf. The weight of contents of the omasum was significantly greater in calves given 1.36 kg concentrates/day than in those given either 0.45 or 2.27 kg concentrates/day. Equations were developed from the results by which the weight of contents of the various parts of the alimentary tract, and hence empty body weight in the live animal, can be determined from a knowledge of the live weight and daily consumption of concentrates and hay, 4. Volume displacement of the reticulo-rumen tended to increase with increase in the proportion of hay in the diet. The volume displacement of the omasum increased in response to concentrate intake up to a maximum of 1.36 kg/day and thereafter declined, but the nature of the diet had no significant effect on the volume displacement of the abomasum. 5. Calves given the high-concentrate diets had a significantly greater weight of reticulo-rumen tissue at 12 weeks than those given the high-roughage diets. 6. Whereas the thickness of the muscular wall of the rumen did not differ significantly between treatments, there was an increase in the length and density of papillas, particularly in the anterior dorsal and ventral sacs of the rumen, as the intake of concentrates was increased. The results show the marked relationship between the performance of the animal and an advanced stage of development of the rumen papillas.

1. Two experiments were carried out with lactating Friesian cows with a potential for high milk production. Within 3 d after calving they were fitted with a catheter to allow infusions to be given into the abomasum. During each experiment the milk yields and intake of the cows were such that they were calculated to be in negative energy balance.

2. In the first experiment three cows were infused daily with 10 l, the infusate being water, a suspension providing 300 g casein, or a solution providing 300 g glucose. The cows were offered a diet of barley straw, rolled barley and urea ad lib. during the first 60 d, after which they were fed to a calculated yield of 7 kg fat-corrected milk (FCM) less than their previous yield to ensure a negative energy balance. Infusion of casein increased yield by up to 3 kg FCM in comparison with glucose or water infusion. It also increased the concentration of crude protein in milk by approximately 13%. There was no consistent effect on milk fat concentration.

3. In the second experiment four cows were used in a trial of Latin-Square design. The basal ration was sufficient for a yield of 10 kg FCM/d. Four levels of casein and glucose infused into the abomasum daily were (g) 0, 750; 250, 500; 500, 250; 750, 0. The yields of FCM (kg/d) were 18.9, 22.7, 25.2 and 26.1, the concentration of protein (g/kg) was 25.2, 28.4, 29.6 and 31.5 and the concentration of milk fat (g/kg) was 48.2, 49.8, 51.0 and 54.8 for the four treatments respectively. In each instance the increases in values obtained with increasing level of casein infusion were significant. Infusion of casein was calculated to increase the extent of net energy deficit from 20.5 to 41.0 MJ/d. The possible protein limitations for cows in negative energy balance were discussed.

Dietary protein intake might be beneficial to physical function (PF) in the elderly. We examined the cross-sectional and prospective associations of protein intake of g/kg body weight (BW), fat mass (FM) and lean mass (LM) with PF in 554 women aged 65·3–71·6 years belonging to the Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Fracture Prevention Study. Participants filled a questionnaire on lifestyle factors and 3-d food record in 2002. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and PF measures were performed at baseline and at 3-year follow-up. Sarcopaenia was defined using European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria. At the baseline, women with higher protein intake (≥1·2 g/kg BW) had better performance in hand-grip strength/body mass (GS/BM) (P=0·001), knee extension/BM (P=0·003), one-leg stance (P=0·047), chair rise (P=0·043), squat (P=0·019), squat to the ground (P=0·001), faster walking speed for 10 m (P=0·005) and higher short physical performance battery score (P=0·004) compared with those with moderate and lower intakes (0·81–1·19 and ≤0·8 g/kg BW, respectively). In follow-up results, higher protein intake was associated with less decline in GS/BM, one-leg stance and tandem walk for 6 m over 3 years. Overall, results were no longer significant after controlling for FM. Associations were detected between protein intake and PF in non-sarcopaenic women but not in sarcopaenic women, except for change of GS (P=0·037). Further, FM but not LM was negatively associated with PF measures (P<0·050). This study suggests that higher protein intake and lower FM might be positively associated with PF in elderly women.

We describe a clinical trial to study the efficacy of a casein hydrolysate, prepared using an Aspergillus oryzae protease, containing the major angiotensin-I-converting enzyme inhibitory peptides Val-Pro-Pro (VPP) and Ile-Pro-Pro (IPP) in a single-blind, placebo-controlled study. A total of 131 volunteers with high-normal blood pressure and mild hypertension were randomly divided into four groups (n 32 or 33 in each group). Each volunteer was given two tablets containing four different dosages of VPP and IPP (VPP+IPP: 0, 1·8, 2·5 and 3·6 mg), daily for 6 weeks. A significant decrease in systolic blood pressure was observed at 6 weeks in the active group receiving 1·8 mg (P<0·01) VPP and IPP; in the active groups receiving either 2·5 mg or 3·6 mg, systolic blood pressure was decreased at both 3 weeks (P<0·05 and P<0·05) and 6 weeks (P<0·001 and P<0·0001) compared with systolic blood pressure measured before treatment. Changes in the systolic blood pressure after 6 weeks of treatment in the four groups were −1·7, −6·3, −6·7 and −10·1 mmHg, and these effects were dose dependent. In addition, a significant difference in systolic blood pressure between the placebo group and the VPP and IPP group receiving 3·6 mg was observed (P<0·001) by two-way ANOVA. The antihypertensive effect was greater in mildly hypertensive subjects (n 20 or 21 in each group) than in any of the other subjects. No significant change of diastolic blood pressure was observed for all the test groups, and no differences in diastolic blood pressure in the test sample groups compared with the placebo group were observed during the test period.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common manifestations of chronic liver disease worldwide. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of resveratrol on liver fat accumulation, as well as on the activity of those enzymes involved in lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation in fa/fa Zucker rats. A total of thirty rats were assigned to three experimental groups and orally treated with resveratrol for 6 weeks, or without resveratrol (C: control group; RSV15 group: 15 mg/kg body weight per d; RSV45 group: 45 mg/kg body weight per d). Liver histological analysis was performed by microscopy. Levels of hepatic carnitine palmitoyltransferase-Ia (CPT-Ia), acyl-coenzyme A oxidase (ACO), fatty acid synthase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme were assessed by spectrophotometry, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase was assessed by radiometry. Commercial kits were used to determine serum TAG, NEFA, total HDL and non-HDL-cholesterol, glycerol, ketonic bodies, glucose, insulin, adiponectin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), hepatic TAG, thiobarbituric acid reactive substrates, GSH (GSSG) and superoxide dismutase. Resveratrol reduced liver weight and TAG content. It did not modify the activity of lipogenic enzymes but it did increase CPT-Ia and ACO activities. NEFA and ALP were reduced in both resveratrol-treated groups. AST/GOT was reduced only by the lowest dose. ALT/GPT, TAG and adiponectin remained unchanged. Resveratrol reduced liver oxidative stress. This study demonstrates that resveratrol can protect the liver from NAFLD by reducing fatty acid availability. Moreover, resveratrol also protects liver from oxidative stress.

Several epidemiological studies link consumption of fibre-rich foods to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and CHD. The ‘fibre hypothesis’ suggested that this was a direct effect of fibre. However, fibre-rich foods contain different types of fibre as well as other potentially beneficial compounds, and many foods naturally high in fibre have low glycaemic and insulinaemic indices, possibly due to food form. The question therefore emerges as to the effect of isolated fibre per se on insulin sensitivity, lipids and other risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome. Many beneficial effects are seen with pharmacological doses of isolated viscous soluble fibre, including improved insulin sensitivity, decreased LDL-cholesterol levels and decreased clotting factors. Similar effects are seen with low glycaemic-index foods. In contrast, insoluble non-viscous cereal fibre is not seen to act directly on risk factors when taken in refined foods such as in milled flour. Since cereal fibre, the major type of fibre in western diets, does not directly act on the risk factors for the metabolic syndrome, the question remains as to possible mechanisms. Until now, fibre and the nature and processing of the starch and particle size have been seen as the main determinants of the metabolic response to starchy foods. However, fibre-rich foods also have an increased protein-to-carbohydrate ratio. Hence we suggest that the protective effect of fibre may also be due to increased vegetable protein content, which may act directly to reduce clotting factors and oxidized LDL-cholesterol levels.

The high dietary protein requirements of salmonid fish are met with fishmeal-based feed in commercial aquaculture. The sustainability of this practice is questionable and, therefore, the feasibility of substituting fishmeal with plant-based products needs to be investigated. We investigated growth and metabolism in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed a diet composed of a mixture of plant proteins compared with those fed a fishmeal-based diet. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of liver protein extracts, we showed that the liver protein profile changed in response to the alteration in the diet. A number of metabolic pathways were identified as sensitive to the protein source substitution. These included pathways involved in primary energy generation, maintenance of reducing potential, bile acid synthesis, and transport and cellular protein degradation. Interestingly, the pathways shown to be affected in the present study were somewhat different from those identified in our previous work with soyabean-based-protein replacement of fishmeal, with the effects on the abundance of several stress response proteins notably absent. We conclude, therefore, that the metabolic effects of plant protein replacement in aquaculture feed varies with plant-protein source.