Adolescent obesity is associated with both immediate and longer-term health implications. This study aims to identify dietary patterns among a nationally representative sample of Lebanese adolescents aged between 13 and 19 years (n 446) and to assess the association of these patterns with overweight and obesity. Through face-to-face interviews, socio-demographic, lifestyle and anthropometric variables were collected. Dietary intake was assessed using a sixty-one-item FFQ. Dietary patterns were derived by factor analysis. The following two dietary patterns were identified: Western and traditional Lebanese. The Western pattern was characterised by high consumption of red meat, eggs and fast-food sandwiches. The traditional Lebanese pattern reflected high intakes of fruits and vegetables, legumes and fish. Female sex and a higher maternal education level were associated with a greater adherence to the traditional Lebanese pattern. As for the Western pattern, the scores were negatively associated with crowding index, physical activity and frequency of breakfast consumption. After adjustment, subjects belonging to the 3rd tertile of the Western pattern scores had significantly higher odds of overweight compared with those belonging to the 1st tertile (OR 2·3; 95 % CI 1·12, 4·73). In conclusion, two distinct dietary patterns were identified among adolescents in Lebanon: the traditional Lebanese and the Western, with the latter pattern being associated with an increased risk of overweight. The findings of this study may be used to guide the development of evidence-based preventive nutrition interventions to curb the obesity epidemic in this age group.

p-Coumaric acid (3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-propenoic acid; 4CA), is a ubiquitous plant metabolite with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The antiplatelet activity of this compound was analysed both ex vivo and in vitro. 4-CA, administered to rabbits for 2 weeks at the dose of 5 mg/kg, mixed with food, inhibited ADP-induced platelet aggregation without affecting blood coagulation. This effect was associated with a marked increase in plasma antioxidant activity, measured as ferric reducing ability of plasma, and with the reduction of thromboxane B2 production. The antiplatelet effect was confirmed by in vitro experiments on human blood: 4CA (500 μm and 1 mm) reduced ADP-induced platelet aggregation (55·2 (se 4·01) % and 35·6 (se 2·35) % relative to basal level, respectively). 4CA was able to modify platelet function, measured with PFA-100™, a shear-inducing device that simulates primary haemostasis. 4CA interfered also with arachidonic acid cascade, reducing thromboxane B2 production and lipopolysaccharide-induced prostaglandin E2 generation (ic50 371 and 126 μm, respectively). The data show that 4CA is an antioxidant compound with good antiplatelet activity at doses that can be obtained with dietary intervention, suggesting possible applications for primary prevention of vascular disease.

1. Eight women were studied under metabolic-ward conditions while consuming a constant diet throughout a single menstrual cycle. Basal body temperature, salivary and urinary hormone concentrations were used in monitoring the cycle and designing the study so that whole-body calorimetry for 36 h was conducted at four phases of the cycle in relation to the time of ovulation.

2. The metabolic rate during sleep showed cyclical changes, being lowest in the late follicular phase and highest in the late luteal phase. The increase amounted to 6.1 (SD 2.7)%. Energy expenditure (24 h) also increased but the change was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Exercise efficiency did not change during the cycle.

3. There were no significant changes in plasma thyroxine, 3, 5, 3'-triiodothyronine or free 3, 5, 3'-triiodothyronine concentrations to explain the metabolic rate changes; nor did they relate to urinary luteinizing hormone, pregnanediol-3α-glucuronide or oestrone-3-glucuronide excretion rates. No link with salivary cortisol or progesterone concentrations was observed, but there was a small inverse relation between the individual increase in sleeping metabolic rate and the subjects' falling ratio of urinary oestrone-3-glucuronide: pregnanediol-3α-glucuronide.

Over the last few years, several aspects of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) culture have been developed and optimised but the dietary lipid level for optimal growth has never been determined. Hence, five isonitrogenous diets (56 % dietary protein) with increasing dietary lipid levels (4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 % DM) were fed to satiation to triplicate groups of twenty fish (mean initial weight 10 g). Fifteen tanks were randomly assigned one of the five diets. Feed was distributed using automatic feeders, and fish were fed over a 16-week period. At the end of the experiment the fish fed on diets containing the two lowest dietary lipid levels (4 and 8 %) showed a 3-fold body-weight increase with a significantly higher daily growth index than fish fed higher lipid levels (1·2 v. 0·8). Moreover, these fish displayed a significantly lower dry feed intake (12 g/kg per d) and feed conversion ratio (1·0) compared with fish fed higher lipids levels (16–19 g/kg per d; feed conversion ratio 2·0). Low dietary lipid levels ( < 12 %) significantly improved nutrient retention and gain and hence growth, without major effects on whole-body composition. Despite the slight alteration in n-3 PUFA muscle content in the fish fed low-fat-diets, this fish fed low dietary lipid still remains a rich n-3 PUFA product and generally maintained its nutritional value. These results evidenced a low lipid tolerance of Senegalese sole juveniles and suggest a maximal dietary inclusion level of 8 % lipids for both optimal growth and nutrient utilisation without compromising flesh quality.

1. Comparisons were made between castrated male Scottish Blackface sheep and red deer (Cervus elaphus) of voluntary forage intake (VFI), digestibility and the mean retention time (MRT) of a particulate-phase marker (103Ru-phenanthroline) in the alimentary tract, when a range of forages: dried-grass pellets, chopped dried grass, fresh-frozen Agrostis-Festuca spp. and heather (Calluna vulgaris, L. Hull) were given at different times of the year.

2. On both the dried-grass-pellet and chopped dried-grass diets the red deer and sheep ate similar quantities. Both species had a higher VFI of dried-grass pellets in July than in November. The sheep digested the dried-grass-pellet diet better than the red deer and this was associated with a longer MRT of the particulate-phase marker in the alimentary tract.

3. The VFI of Agrostis-Festuca spp. and heather by the red deer was twice that of the sheep. The VFI of heather by the sheep increased by 32 % between January and April, and the VFI of both the Agrostis-–Festuca spp. and heather diets by the red deer increased by 65–70 %. The sheep digested the Agrostis–Festuca spp. better than the red deer but the red deer digested the heather slightly better than the sheep. MRT of the particulate-phase marker was greater for the sheep than for the red deer on both diets. The digestibility and MRT of both diets in the red deer did not decrease with the seasonal increase in VFI, suggesting a possible hypertrophy of the alimentary tract.

Dietary patterns containing nuts are associated with a lower risk of CVD mortality, and increased nut consumption has been shown to have beneficial effects on CVD risk factors including serum lipid levels. Recent studies have reported on the relationship between nut intake and CVD outcomes and mortality. Our objective was to systematically review the literature and quantify associations between nut consumption and CVD outcomes and all-cause mortality. Five electronic databases (through July 2015), previous reviews and bibliographies of qualifying articles were searched. In the twenty included prospective cohort studies (n 467 389), nut consumption was significantly associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (ten studies; risk ratio (RR) 0·81; 95 % CI 0·77, 0·85 for highest v. lowest quantile of intake, Phet=0·04, I2=43 %), CVD mortality (five studies; RR 0·73; 95 % CI 0·68, 0·78; Phet=0·31, I2=16 %), all CHD (three studies; RR 0·66; 95 % CI 0·48, 0·91; Phet=0·0002, I2=88 %) and CHD mortality (seven studies; RR 0·70; 95 % CI 0·64, 0·76; Phet=0·65, I2=0 %), as well as a statistically non-significant reduction in the risk of non-fatal CHD (three studies; RR 0·71; 95 % CI 0·49, 1·03; Phet=0·03, I2=72 %) and stroke mortality (three studies; RR 0·83; 95 % CI 0·69, 1·00; Phet=0·54, I2=0 %). No evidence of association was found for total stroke (two studies; RR 1·05; 95 % CI 0·69, 1·61; Phet=0·04, I2=77 %). Data on total CVD and sudden cardiac death were available from one cohort study, and they were significantly inversely associated with nut consumption. In conclusion, we found that higher nut consumption is associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, total CVD, CVD mortality, total CHD, CHD mortality and sudden cardiac death.

Prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics are dietary ingredients with the potential to influence health and mucosal and systemic immune function by altering the composition of the gut microbiota. In the present study, a candidate prebiotic (xylo-oligosaccharide, XOS, 8 g/d), probiotic (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bi-07, 109 colony-forming units (CFU)/d) or synbiotic (8 g XOS+109 CFU Bi-07/d) was given to healthy adults (25–65 years) for 21 d. The aim was to identify the effect of the supplements on bowel habits, self-reported mood, composition of the gut microbiota, blood lipid concentrations and immune function. XOS supplementation increased mean bowel movements per d (P= 0·009), but did not alter the symptoms of bloating, abdominal pain or flatulence or the incidence of any reported adverse events compared with maltodextrin supplementation. XOS supplementation significantly increased participant-reported vitality (P= 0·003) and happiness (P= 0·034). Lowest reported use of analgesics was observed during the XOS+Bi-07 supplementation period (P= 0·004). XOS supplementation significantly increased faecal bifidobacterial counts (P= 0·008) and fasting plasma HDL concentrations (P= 0·005). Bi-07 supplementation significantly increased faecal B. lactis content (P= 0·007), lowered lipopolysaccharide-stimulated IL-4 secretion in whole-blood cultures (P= 0·035) and salivary IgA content (P= 0·040) and increased IL-6 secretion (P= 0·009). XOS supplementation resulted in lower expression of CD16/56 on natural killer T cells (P= 0·027) and lower IL-10 secretion (P= 0·049), while XOS and Bi-07 supplementation reduced the expression of CD19 on B cells (XOS × Bi-07, P= 0·009). The present study demonstrates that XOS induce bifidogenesis, improve aspects of the plasma lipid profile and modulate the markers of immune function in healthy adults. The provision of XOS+Bi-07 as a synbiotic may confer further benefits due to the discrete effects of Bi-07 on the gut microbiota and markers of immune function.

1. A previously reported rumen in vitro system (Broderick, 1978) was modified to include chloramphenicol (CAP) with hydrazine sulphate (HS) to give quantitative recovery of protein breakdown products. Degradation rates were determined by regression v. time of log proportion remaining undegraded (computed by subtracting from added nitrogen the amount of N recovered as ammonia and amino acids). Concentrations of reagents giving optimal N recoveries and estimated degradation rates for casein and expeller soya-bean-meal (SBM) were: 1.0 mM-HS, 30 μg CAP/ml, 20 mM-mercaptoethanol, 3.3 mg maltose/ml, when protein was added at 0125 mg N/ml.

2. Digestion of azo-casein and azo-albumin, solubilization of radioactivity from 14C-labelled casein, ovalbumin and bovine serum albumin (BSA), and hydrolysis of benzoyl-L-tyrosine p-nitroanilide and benzoyl-L-arginine p-nitroanilide were not significantly decreased by HS and CAP. This suggests that the inhibitors did not reduce microbial proteolysis.

3. Mean fractional degradation rates (/h) were: 0395 casein, 0.135 BSA, 0.159 solvent-SBM, 0.045 expeller-SBM, 0.061 meat meal, 0070 lucerne (Medicago sativa) hay. Extents of protein escape, estimated assuming rumen passage of 0.06/h, were 13, 28, 56 and 40% for casein, solvent-SBM, expeller-SBM and lucerne hay respectively. This method appears more reliable for assessing rumen degradability than buffer N solubility and protein digestibility with ficin protease.

4. Azo-dye treatment slowed the rate of casein degradation, measured by ammonia plus amino acid release, but did not alter digestion of BSA.

5. The validity of the inhibitor in vitro method for estimating protein degradability, as well as potential problems in its application, are discussed. The complete procedure may be limited to laboratories with automated analytical equipment, but a simplified version of the method may be more generally applicable.

1. The activities at 15° of three gluconeogenic enzymes, d-fructose-1,6-diphosphate, 1-phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.3.11), pyruvate carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.1) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (4.1.1.32), were determined in liver, kidney, gill and muscle of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) given a commercial diet. The results indicated that liver and kidney are the main sites of gluconeogenesis.

2. Glucose formation from pyruvate was approximately 6 μmol/h per g wet weight at 15° in liver slices of trout given a commercial diet.

3. Glucose diffusion space in trout was measured by the dilution principle after intravascular injection of a trace dose of [U-14C]glucose. Glucose space was found to be 13.7% of the body-weight. Gluconeogenesis in vivo amounted to approximately 45 μmol/kg body-weight per h.

4. Intraperitoneally injected [U-14C]alanine was quickly converted to glucose. Maximal incorporation of alanine into glucose occurred 6 h after alanine administration.

5. Rainbow trout given a high-protein diet gained in weight significantly during a 4-week period. Those given a high-carbohydrate diet did not make a significant weight gain over the same period. Gluconeogenesis from alanine was markedly reduced in fish given the high-carbohydrate diet. There was no significant difference in gluconeogenesis from alanine in fish given a high-protein diet and fish which were fasted for 21 d.

6. Gluconeogenesis from alanine in trout was suppressed by intravenous injection of insulin. This effect was found both in trout given a high-protein diet and in fasted trout.

Both cereal staples and household diets can be manipulated to enhance the content of micronutrients and/or alter the levels of absorption modifiers to improve micronutrient bioavailability. Strategies described range from plant breeding, use of fertilizers and genetic engineering to changes in food preparation and processing methods at the household level involving soaking, fermentation and germination. The impact of five household strategies designed to enhance the content and bioavailability of iron, zinc and calcium in a representative daily menu for rural Malawian preschool children has been calculated using food composition data. In the five strategies, relishes based on small dried fish replaced plant-based relishes, maize-based porridges prepared with maize flour soaked to reduce its hexa (IP-6)- and penta (IP-5)-inositol phosphate content replaced conventional porridges; and a pumpkin-leaf relish replaced sweet potato to increase the retinol content of the daily menu. Comparison of the calculated energy, nutrient, and phytate content, and [phytate]:[zinc] molar ratios of the five modified menus compared with the unmodified menu emphasizes that to ensure that the estimated requirements for iron and zinc are met, the optimal strategy includes dried fish relish twice daily together with porridges prepared using soaked (or fermented) maize flour to reduce their hexa- and penta-inositol phosphate content. Implementation of these household strategies has the potential to increase the bioavailability of iron and zinc in rural Malawian diets from low to high.

1. The concentration of taurine in the diets, plasma, urine and breast milk were measured in vegans and age- and sex-matched omnivore controls. Plasma and urinary amino acid concentrations were also determined

2. Taurine was absent from the vegan diet and occurred in variable amounts in the diets of the omnivores. Urinary taurine levels were less than half those of the omnivores but plasma and breast-milk levels were only slightly lower.

3. Dietary energy intakes were similar in the vegans and omnivores, but protein intakes tended to be lower in the vegans.

The method of Zinn & Owens (1986; Canadian Journal of Animal Science66, 157–166), based on release of purine bases by HClO4 followed by their precipitation with AgNO3, was used to study recovery of purines from lyophilized rumen microbial or Escherichia coli preparations added to matrices such as cellulose, starch and neutral-detergent fibre. The recovery of purines was poor (approximately 50 %). Under the hydrolysis conditions (12 M-HClO4, 90–95° for 1 h) used in the method of Zinn & Owens (1986), the recovery of purines from the rumen microbial preparations added to matrices measured using an HPLC method was 95–102 %, suggesting that the lower recovery of purines in the method of Zinn & Owens (1986) was not due to incomplete hydrolysis of nucleic acids. Using the HPLC method, adenine and allopurinol (an internal standard) were found to be heat-labile as substantial destruction was observed on heating at 121°. On the other hand, another commonly used internal standard, caffeine, was stable at 121°. A complete hydrolysis of nucleic acids from the rumen microbial preparation was observed with 2·5 ml 0·6 M-HClO4 in a total volume of 3 ml (0·5 M-HClO4 during hydrolysis) at 90–95° for 1 h, and under these conditions adenine, guanine, allopurinol and caffeine were stable. Moreover, under these milder hydrolysis conditions, the recovery of purine bases from the rumen microbial or E. coli preparations added to matrices ranged from 92 to 108 % using the method of Zinn & Owens (1986). Based on the results, changes in hydrolysis conditions have been proposed for accurate determination of purine bases using spectrophotometric or HPLC methods.

In rats, maternal anaemia during pregnancy causes hypertension in the adult offspring, although the mechanism is unknown. The present study investigated the renal morphology of adult rats born to mothers who were Fe-deficient during pregnancy. Rats were fed either a control (153 mg Fe/kg diet, n 7) or low-Fe (3 mg/kg diet, n 6) diet from 1 week before mating and throughout gestation. At delivery, the Fe-restricted (IR) mothers were anaemic; the IR pups were also anaemic and growth-retarded at 2 d of age. At 3 and 16 months, systolic blood pressure in the IR offspring (163 (sem 4) and 151 (sem 4) mmHg respectively, n 13) was greater than in control animals (145 (sem 3) and 119 (sem 4) mmHg respectively, n 15, P<0·05). At post mortem at 18 months, there was no difference in kidney weight between treatment groups, although relative kidney weight as a fraction of body weight in the IR offspring was greater than in control animals (P<0·05). Glomerular number was lower in the IR offspring (11·4 (sem 1·1) per 4mm2, n 13) compared with control rats (14·8 (sem 0·7), n 15, P<0·05). Maternal treatment had no effect on glomerular size, but overall, female rats had smaller and more numerous glomeruli per unit area than male rats. When all animals were considered, inverse relationships were observed between glomerular number and glomerular size (r−0·73, n 28, P<0·05), and glomerular number and systolic blood pressure at both 3 months (r−0·42, n 28, P<0·05) and 16 months of age (r−0·64, n 28, P<0·05). Therefore, in rats, maternal Fe restriction causes hypertension in the adult offspring that may be due, in part, to a deficit in nephron number.

Recent studies have shown an inverse association between the level of dietary Ca, particularly from dairy sources, and body weight in adults; there is, however, a paucity of data regarding this relationship in children. We therefore investigated this issue in 1087 children who underwent body weight and height measurement during a survey on childhood obesity. Lifestyle and dietary habits were investigated by a questionnaire. After excluding children who were following a dietary regimen for any reason, 884 children (M:F 451:433; age 7·5 (sd 2·1) years) were selected. Milk consumption was pooled into four frequency categories: poor (≤1/week; n 125), moderate (>1 but ≤5–6/week; n 133), regular (1/d; n 408) and high (≥2/d; n 218). The frequency of consumption of milk was inversely and significantly associated (t=–2·64, P=0·003) with age- and sex-specific BMI z-scores by linear regression analysis, controlling for sex, age, physical activity, birth weight and parental overweight and education. The statistical association remained significant (t=–2·831, P=0·005) after the inclusion of children consuming only skimmed milk (n 91). Milk consumption was still significantly and inversely associated with BMI z score (t=–2·791, P=0·005) in the whole-milk consumers when controlling for age and the frequency of consumption of various foods; this association was no longer significant (P=0·21) when children consuming skimmed milk were included in the analysis. This is the first report showing a significant inverse association between frequency of milk consumption and body mass in children. Regardless of the mechanisms involved, our results might encourage further research on this issue and might have important implications for the prevention of obesity.

Healthy pregnant women (n 23) were supplemented with fish-oil capsules (2·7 g n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids/d) from the 30th week of gestation until delivery. Subjects in a control group were either supplemented with olive-oil capsules (4 g/d, n 6) or received no supplementation (n 10). Fatty acid compositions of the phospholipids isolated from umbilical plasma and umbilical arterial and venous vessel walls were determined. Fatty acid compositions of maternal venous plasma phospholipids were determined as well. Maternal plasma phospholipids of the fish-oil-supplemented group contained more n-3 fatty acids and less n-6 fatty acids. Moreover, the amounts of the essential fatty acid deficiency markers Mead acid (20:3n-9) and Osbond acid (22:5n-6) were significantly lower. The extra amount of n-3 fatty acids consumed by the mothers resulted in higher contents of n-3 fatty acids, and of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) in particular, in the phospholipids of umbilical plasma and vessel walls. It is, indeed, possible to interfere with the docosahexaenoic acid status at birth: children born to mothers supplemented with fish oil in the last trimester of pregnancy start with a better docosahexaenoic acid status at birth, which may be beneficial to neonatal neurodevelopment.

As bread is the most relevant source of available carbohydrates in the diet and as lowering dietary glycaemic index (GI) is considered favourable to health, many studies have been carried out in order to decrease the GI of bread. The most relevant strategy that has been applied so far is the addition of fibre-rich flours or pure dietary fibre. However, the effectiveness of dietary fibre in bread in reducing the GI is controversial. The purpose of the present review was to discuss critically the effects obtained by adding different kinds of fibre to bread in order to modulate its glycaemic response. The studies were selected because they analysed in vivo whether or not dietary fibre, naturally present or added during bread making, could improve the glucose response. The reviewed literature suggests that the presence of intact structures not accessible to human amylases, as well as a reduced pH that may delay gastric emptying or create a barrier to starch digestion, seems to be more effective than dietary fibre perse in improving glucose metabolism, irrespective of the type of cereal. Moreover, the incorporation of technologically extracted cereal fibre fractions, the addition of fractions from legumes or of specifically developed viscous or non-viscous fibres also constitute effective strategies. However, when fibres or wholemeal is included in bread making to affect the glycaemic response, the manufacturing protocol needs to reconsider several technological parameters in order to obtain high-quality and consumer-acceptable breads.

Plant-derived foods rich in polyphenols are associated with several cardiometabolic health benefits, such as reduced postprandial hyperglycaemia. However, their impact on whole-body insulin sensitivity using the hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp technique remains under-studied. We aimed to determine the effects of strawberry and cranberry polyphenols (SCP) on insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, insulin secretion, lipid profile, inflammation and oxidative stress markers in free-living insulin-resistant overweight or obese human subjects (n 41) in a parallel, double-blind, controlled and randomised clinical trial. The experimental group consumed an SCP beverage (333 mg SCP) daily for 6 weeks, whereas the Control group received a flavour-matched Control beverage that contained 0 mg SCP. At the beginning and at the end of the experimental period, insulin sensitivity was assessed by a hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp, and glucose tolerance and insulin secretion by a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Insulin sensitivity increased in the SCP group as compared with the Control group (+0·9 (sem 0·5)×10−3 v. −0·5 (sem 0·5)×10−3 mg/kg per min per pmol, respectively, P=0·03). Compared with the Control group, the SCP group had a lower first-phase insulin secretion response as measured by C-peptide levels during the first 30 min of the OGTT (P=0·002). No differences were detected between the two groups for lipids and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. A 6-week dietary intervention with 333 mg of polyphenols from strawberries and cranberries improved insulin sensitivity in overweight and obese non-diabetic, insulin-resistant human subjects but was not effective in improving other cardiometabolic risk factors.

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are positional isomers of linoleic acid which have been suggested by some to possess antiatherosclerotic properties. To test this hypothesis, three groups of twenty C57BL/6 mice were fed on atherogenic diets containing: 5 g CLA/kg, 2·5 g CLA + 2·5 g linoleic acid/kg or 5 g linoleic acid/kg. All diets were fed for 15 weeks and contained (g/kg): triacylglycerol 145, free fatty acids 5, cholesterol 10 and cholic acid 5. At the completion of the experimental period, when data from both groups fed on CLA were combined, dietary CLA did not produce significant differences in body weight, serum total cholesterol concentration or serum HDL-cholesterol concentration. However, mice receiving CLA developed a significantly higher serum HDL-cholesterol: total cholesterol ratio and a significantly lower serum triacylglycerol concentration than controls. Despite causing a serum lipoprotein profile considered to be less atherogenic, the addition of CLA to the atherogenic diet increased the development of aortic fatty streaks. Considering the increased atherogenesis associated with dietary CLA in the present study, and the failure to demonstrate a significant beneficial effect of CLA in other animal studies, there is currently no conclusive evidence to support the hypothesis that CLA protect against atherogenesis.