Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) is a potent regulator of TAG metabolism, but knowledge of the mechanisms underlying ANGPTL4 transcription in response to fatty acids is still limited in teleost. In the current study, we explored the molecular characterisation of ANGPTL4 and regulatory mechanisms of ANGPTL4 in response to fatty acids in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). Here, croaker angptl4 contained a 1416 bp open reading frame encoding a protein of 471 amino acids with highly conserved 12-amino acid consensus motif. Angptl4 was widely expressed in croaker, with the highest expression in the liver. In vitro, oleic and palmitic acids (OA and PA) treatments strongly increased angptl4 mRNA expression in croaker hepatocytes. Moreover, angptl4 expression was positively regulated by PPAR family (PPAR-α, β and γ), and expression of PPARγ was also significantly increased in response to OA and PA. Moreover, inhibition of PPARγ abrogated OA- or PA-induced angptl4 mRNA expression. Beyond that, PA might increase angptl4 expression partly via the insulin signalling. Overall, the expression of ANGPTL4 is strongly upregulated by OA and PA via PPARγ in the liver of croaker, which contributes to improve the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of ANGPTL4 in fish.

Periconceptional maternal ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption impairs embryonic growth. Impacts of exposure to UPF on distinct components of fetal growth in late pregnancy are unknown. We investigated the influence of frequency of UPF consumption during pregnancy on fetal head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC) and femur length (FL). This study included 417 live-born singleton pregnancies prospectively followed-up since the antenatal period in the MINA-Brazil Study, with an available ultrasound scan at >24 gestational weeks. Frequency of food groups consumption in the previous month was categorised as no/monthly, weekly or daily. Ultrasound scans were conducted at 27·8 (sd: 1·7) gestational weeks. HC, AC and FL z-scores were calculated for gestational age using the INTERGROWTH-21st Project standards. Simultaneous-quantile regression models were fitted at the 10th, 50th and 90th percentiles of the distribution of each ultrasound parameter according to UPF consumption, with adjustment for potential confounders. Participants were aged on average 24·7 (sd: 6·5) years, 44·8 % were primiparous, and 26·9 % and 24·9 %, respectively, had weekly and daily UPF consumption. Compared with no/monthly intake, daily UPF consumption impaired HC across its distribution, with significant effect sizes varying from –0·24 to –0·40 z-score. Weekly UPF consumption decreased HC at the 90th percentile by –0·39 z-score (95 % CI: –0·78, –0·01) and FL at the 50th percentile by –0·32 z-score (95 % CI: –0·60, –0·04). No association was noted with AC. Frequency of UPF consumption was negatively associated with skeletal components of fetal growth in late pregnancy. Infant body composition may benefit from healthy food practices since pregnancy.

Increased partitioning of amino acids (AA) from skeletal muscle to the intestine and immune system during parasitic infection may be the cause of poor growth in parasitised animals. The effect of an established Trichostrongylus colubriformis infection (6000 L3 T. colubriformis larvae for 6 d (n 5) or kept as parasite-free controls (n 6)) on AA fluxes across the mesenteric-drained viscera, portal-drained viscera (PDV), liver, total splanchnic tissues (TSP) and hindquarters were determined in lambs fed fresh Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium; 800 g DM/d) 48 d post-infection. The lambs were infused with ρ-aminohippuric acid (PAH; 723 mg/h) into the mesenteric vein for 8 h to measure TSP plasma flow. Concurrently, indocyanine green (ICG; 14·6 mg/h) was infused into the abdominal aorta to measure plasma flow across the hindquarters. Blood was continuously collected from the mesenteric, portal and hepatic veins, vena cava and the mesenteric artery and plasma harvested. PAH, ICG, AA, metabolite and insulin concentrations were measured. Intestinal worm burdens on day 48 post-infection were higher in the infected lambs (P < 0·05). Plasma flows across the tissue beds were unaffected by parasitic infection (P>0·10). There was a 28 % reduction in the release of AA from the PDV of infected lambs (P < 0·05). The uptakes of most AA were similar in the liver; however, there was increased uptake (P < 0·10) of AA by the TSP of infected lambs. Despite this reduction in AA availability at the liver, there was no effect of parasitic infection on AA uptake across the hindquarters (P < 0·05).

Adipocyte expansion through adipogenesis can offset the adverse metabolic effects of obesity. Nigella sativa (NS) (black seed) oil is shown to have therapeutic features in the management of obesity. NS oil might have beneficial changes in obese populations through mediating serum levels of adipogenesis-related parameters and relative transcriptional gene–diet interactions (nutrigenomics), though no previous studies assessed this mechanism in overweight/obese participants. This study assessed the effects of NS oil supplements on blood concentration and mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, PPAR-γ and serum adiponectin and expression of AdipoR1, as major adipogenesis and obesity-related parameters, in overweight/obese women using a cross-over design. Eligible women were randomised to receive either NS oil supplements (2000 mg/d) or placebo. Two periods of interventions (8 weeks in each) were cross-changed by a 4-week washout period. An individualised diet plan without calorie deficits was given to participants to match their energy/macronutrient intakes. The Pkcross procedure and intention-to-treat analysis were performed using Stata. Cohen’s d(d) was estimated to measure the magnitude of the effects. Forty-six participants were included. NS oil capsules reduced transcription levels ((d = –2·31), P < 0·001) and blood concentrations of TNF-α ((d = –0·29), P < 0·001). AdipoR1 expression (d = 2·24, P < 0·001) and serum adiponectin (d = 0·88, P < 0·001) showed a significant augmentation with a medium-high effect size, as did gene expression (d = 0·69, P < 0·001) and serum levels of PPAR-γ (d = 0·97, P < 0·001). There was a moderate but significant decrease in body weight (d = 0·6, P < 0·001). The present beneficial findings would provide strong information for future nutrigenomics/clinical trial studies assessing the role of NS in the management of obesity and other comorbidities.

Diets deficient in fibre are reported globally. The associated health risks of insufficient dietary fibre are sufficiently grave to necessitate large-scale interventions to increase population intake levels. The Danish Whole Grain Partnership (DWP) is a public–private enterprise model that successfully augmented whole-grain intake in the Danish population. The potential transferability of the DWP model to Slovenia, Romania and Bosnia-Herzegovina has recently been explored. Here, we outline the feasibility of adopting the approach in the UK. Drawing on the collaborative experience of DWP partners, academics from the Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Healthy People (H3) project and food industry representatives (Food and Drink Federation), this article examines the transferability of the DWP approach to increase whole grain and/or fibre intake in the UK. Specific consideration is given to the UK’s political, regulatory and socio-economic context. We note key political, regulatory, social and cultural challenges to transferring the success of DWP to the UK, highlighting the particular challenge of increasing fibre consumption among low socio-economic status groups – which were also most resistant to interventions in Denmark. Wholesale transfer of the DWP model to the UK is considered unlikely given the absence of the key ‘success factors’ present in Denmark. However, the DWP provides a template against which a UK-centric approach can be developed. In the absence of a clear regulatory context for whole grain in the UK, fibre should be prioritised and public–private partnerships supported to increase the availability and acceptability of fibre-rich foods.

A high circulating cholesterol concentration is considered an important risk factor for the development of CVD. Since lean fish intake and fish protein supplementation have been associated with lower cholesterol concentration in some but not all clinical studies, the main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of diets containing proteins from fish muscles and fish by-products on the serum/plasma total cholesterol (TC) concentration in rodents. A systematic literature search was performed using the databases PubMed, Web of Science and Embase, structured around the population (rodents), intervention (type of fish and fraction, protein dose and duration), comparator (casein) and the primary outcome (circulating TC). Articles were assessed for risk of bias using the SYRCLE’s tool. A meta-analysis was conducted in Review Manager v. 5·4·1 (the Cochrane Collaboration) to determine the effectiveness of proteins from fish on the circulating TC concentration. Thirty-nine articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis, with data from 935 rodents. The risk of bias is unclear since few of the entries in the SYRCLE’s tool were addressed. Consumption of proteins from fish resulted in a significantly lower circulating TC concentration when compared with control groups (mean difference −0·24 mmol/l, 95 % CI − 0·34, −0·15, P < 0·00001), with high statistical heterogeneity (I2 = 71 %). To conclude, proteins from fish muscles and by-products show promise as a functional dietary ingredient or supplement by preventing high cholesterol concentration in rodents, thus reducing one of the most important risk factors for developing CVD.

Some lactic acid bacteria play an important role in the immune system with potential benefits to the host. However, detailed mechanisms of immune modulation exerted by probiotics remain to be clarified. Since immune response changes in a time-related manner in some cases, we monitored changes in mRNA levels in the spleen of mice during 14 d feeding with Lactobacillus brevis KB290 (KB290). Female BALB/c mice, aged 9 weeks, commenced a diet containing KB290 (3 × 109colony-forming units/g) or starch for a period of 1, 4, 7 or 14 d. Cytotoxic activity of the resulting splenocytes against YAC-1 cells was measured using flow cytometry. The activity was found to be significantly higher in the treated group on days 1 and 7. The highest activity appeared on day 4, but was not statistically significantly different. Gene expression profiles were analysed using DNA microarray. Gene Ontology (GO) terms related to the immune process were significantly enriched in the up-regulated gene set on days 1, 4 and 7, and GO terms related to the cellular process were enriched in the down-regulated gene set on days 4 and 7. Although the up-regulated genes involved in antigen processing and presentation for stimulation of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells were not observed on day 14, some genes involved in T-cell and natural killer cell activation remained up-regulated until day 14. For the majority of the genes tested, RT-PCR analysis was used to verify the results obtained from the DNA microarray analysis. The sequential gene expression profiling reflected changes in cytotoxic activity during KB290 feeding.

Accumulative evidence indicates that meal timing is associated with cardiometabolic risks by deteriorating circadian rhythms. However, evidence is unclear. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relation between nightly fasting duration, meal timing and frequency and metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Iranian adults. Eight hundred fifty adults were recruited in this study. Dietary data were collected by 24-h dietary recalls. Time-related eating patterns were determined as nightly fasting duration, occasions of eating, time and energy proportion of first and last meal and meal frequency on a day. The MetS was recognised on the basis of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. A binary logistic regression was applied to examine the relation between meal timing and MetS. A significant inverse relation between habitual nightly fasting duration with MetS (OR = 0·74, 95 % CI 0·55, 0·99, P = 0·04) and ‘increased TAG’ (OR = 0·73, 95 % CI 0·55, 0·98, P = 0·03) was found after confounder adjustment. Also, habitual first and last meal energy had no significant connection with MetS. However, the odds of ‘increased fasting blood glucose’ were lower in subjects who consumed ≥25% of habitual energy intake in the last meal (OR = 0·60, 95 % CI 0·42, 0·85, P = 0·005). Having longer nightly fasting duration may be useful for decreasing the risk of both MetS and ‘elevated TAG’. These findings introduce a new insight that time-related eating patterns, instead of nightly fasting duration alone, might be related to cardiometabolic risks in Iranian adults.

This study aimed to identify the association of recommended dairy intake with several dietary habits, obesity, physical fitness (PF), physical activity (PA), screen time and sleep. Population data were derived from a health survey on a representative sample of 177 091 children aged 8–17 years. Dairy intake and dietary habits were evaluated using questionnaires (KIDMED index). Participants were characterised as ‘dairy products consumers’ based on whether they met current recommendations for milk or dairy consumption (e.g. if they consumed two yogurts and/or 40 g cheese and a cup of milk daily). Participants who did not consume the above-mentioned quantities were characterised as ‘non-consumers.’ Anthropometric and PF data were obtained by trained investigators. PA status, screen time and sleeping habits were assessed through self-completed questionnaires. Boys and girls consuming recommended dairy products were 25 % (95 % CI: 0·71, 0·79) and 43 % (95 % CI: 0·51, 0·64) less likely to have low performances in cardiorespiratory fitness tests, Participants from both sexes classified as dairy products consumers had lower odds of central obesity by 10 % (95 % CI: 0·86, 0·95), as compared with non-consumers. Moreover, recommended dairy products consumers had lower odds for insufficient sleep by 8 % (95 % CI: 0·89, 0·96) in boys and 14 % (95 % CI: 0·83–0·90) in girls, for inadequate PA levels by 15 % (95 % CI: 0·77, 0·93) in boys and 16 % (95 % CI: 0·76, 0·90) in girls and for increased screen time by 11 % (95 % CI: 0·83, 0·95) in boys and 9 % (95 % CI: 0·85, 0·97) in girls than no-consumers. In conclusion, recommended dairy intake is associated with less obesity, better PF and a healthier lifestyle profile.

Milk is a source of several nutrients which may be beneficial for skeletal muscle. Evidence that links lower milk intake with declines in muscle strength from midlife to old age is lacking. We used data from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development to test sex-specific associations between milk consumption from age 36 to 60–64 years, low grip strength (GS) or probable sarcopenia, and GS decline from age 53 to 69 years. We included 1340 men and 1383 women with at least one measure of both milk intake and GS. Milk intake was recorded in 5-d food diaries (aged 36, 43, 53 and 60–64 years), and grand mean of total, reduced-fat and full-fat milk each categorised in thirds (T1 (lowest) to T3 (highest), g/d). GS was assessed at ages 53, 60–64, and 69 years, and probable sarcopenia classified at the age of 69 years. We employed logistic regression to examine the odds of probable sarcopenia and multilevel models to investigate decline in GS in relation to milk intake thirds. Compared with T1, only T2 (58·76–145·25 g/d) of reduced-fat milk was associated with lower odds of sex-specific low GS at the age of 69 years (OR (95 % CI): 0·59 (0·37, 0·94), P = 0·03). In multilevel models, only T3 of total milk (≥ 237·52 g/d) was associated with stronger GS in midlife in men (β (95 % CI) = 1·82 (0·18, 3·45) kg, P = 0·03) compared with T1 (≤ 152·0 g/d), but not with GS decline over time. A higher milk intake across adulthood may promote muscle strength in midlife in men. Its role in muscle health in late life needs further examination.

Higher milk intake has been associated with a lower stroke risk, but not with risk of CHD. Residual confounding or reverse causation cannot be excluded. Therefore, we estimated the causal association of milk consumption with stroke and CHD risk through instrumental variable (IV) and gene-outcome analyses. IV analysis included 29 328 participants (4611 stroke; 9828 CHD) of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-CVD (eight European countries) and European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Netherlands (EPIC-NL) case-cohort studies. rs4988235, a lactase persistence (LP) SNP which enables digestion of lactose in adulthood was used as genetic instrument. Intake of milk was first regressed on rs4988235 in a linear regression model. Next, associations of genetically predicted milk consumption with stroke and CHD were estimated using Prentice-weighted Cox regression. Gene-outcome analysis included 777 024 participants (50 804 cases) from MEGASTROKE (including EPIC-CVD), UK Biobank and EPIC-NL for stroke, and 483 966 participants (61 612 cases) from CARDIoGRAM, UK Biobank, EPIC-CVD and EPIC-NL for CHD. In IV analyses, each additional LP allele was associated with a higher intake of milk in EPIC-CVD (β = 13·7 g/d; 95 % CI 8·4, 19·1) and EPIC-NL (36·8 g/d; 95 % CI 20·0, 53·5). Genetically predicted milk intake was not associated with stroke (HR per 25 g/d 1·05; 95 % CI 0·94, 1·16) or CHD (1·02; 95 % CI 0·96, 1·08). In gene-outcome analyses, there was no association of rs4988235 with risk of stroke (OR 1·02; 95 % CI 0·99, 1·05) or CHD (OR 0·99; 95 % CI 0·95, 1·03). Current Mendelian randomisation analysis does not provide evidence for a causal inverse relationship between milk consumption and stroke or CHD risk.

Prolonged parturition duration has been widely demonstrated to be a risk factor for incidence of stillbirth. This study evaluated the supply of dietary fibre on the parturition duration, gut microbiota and metabolome using sows as a model. A total of 40 Yorkshire sows were randomly given diet containing normal level of dietary fibre (NDF, 17·5 % dietary fibre) or high level of dietary fibre (HDF, 33·5 % dietary fibre). Faecal microbiota profiled with 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, SCFA and metabolome in the faeces and plasma around parturition were compared between the dietary groups. Correlation analysis was conducted to further explore the potential associations between specific bacterial taxa and metabolites. Results showed that HDF diet significantly improved the parturition process as presented by the shorter parturition duration. HDF diet increased the abundance of the phyla Bacteroidetes and Synergistetes and multiple genera. Except for butyrate, SCFA levels in the faeces and plasma of sows at parturition were elevated in HDF group. The abundances of fifteen and twelve metabolites in the faeces and plasma, respectively, markedly differ between HDF and NDF sows. These metabolites are involved in energy metabolism and bacterial metabolism. Correlation analysis also showed associations between specific bacteria taxa and metabolites. Collectively, our study indicates that the improvement of parturition duration by high fibre intake in late gestation is associated with gut microbiota, production of SCFA and other metabolites, potentially serving for energy metabolism.

1. The content of total pantothenic acid (PaA) in two foodstuffs of microbial origin was measured by standard microbiological and chick biological assays.

2. Substantially and consistently higher values were found by the chick assay than by the microbiological determination, indicating that PaA-containing compounds were present that were not utilized by the test micro-organisms but were available for chicks. Attempts to identify these compounds did not explain the source of excess PaA activity for the chick.

3. It is suggested that forms of PaA that are undetected by standard methods of microbiological assay differ from one food to another and require different treatments to make the vitamin available to the assay organism.

The relationships between both dietary and empty body fatty acid composition and the morphometry, densitometry, geometry and biomechanical properties of the femur of growing pigs were analysed. A total of thirty-two pigs aged 115 d were divided into four groups (n 8 per group). The pigs were fed either a control diet (group C) or a diet supplemented with linseed oil (rich in α-linolenic acid (C18 : 3n-3), group L), fish oil (rich in EPA (C20 : 5n-3) and DHA (C22 : 6n-3), group F) and beef tallow (rich in SFA, group T). The diets differed in n-3 PUFA contents (0·63–18·52 g/kg) and n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios (0·91–14·51). At 165 d of age, the pigs were slaughtered and the fatty acids in the empty body were determined. Moreover, the left femur was dissected. The cortical wall thickness, cross-sectional area, cortical index, bone mineral content, bone mineral density, maximum elastic strength and maximum strength were lower (P<0·05) in the femurs of pigs from groups C and T than in those from groups F and L. Significant positive correlations were found between the densitometry, geometry and biomechanical properties of the femur and both dietary and empty body n-3 PUFA content, whereas significant negative correlations were observed between the same properties and both dietary and empty body n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio. The results of the present study suggest that in growing pigs α-linolenic acid has a similar positive effect on bone health to that of EPA and DHA.

The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the predictive INTERSALT equation using spot urine samples to estimate 24-h urinary Na (24-hUNa) excretion and daily Na intake among the French adult population. Among 193 French adults (‘validation sample’), we assessed the validity by comparing predicted 24-hUNa excretion from spot urine and measured 24-hUNa excretion from 24-h urine collections. Spearman correlation coefficients and Bland–Altman plots were used and we calculated calibration coefficients. In a nationally representative sample of 1720 French adults (‘application sample’), the calibrated predictive equation was then applied to the spot urine Na values to estimate 24-hUNa excretion and daily Na intake. In that sample, predicted Na intake was compared with that estimated from 24-h dietary recalls. Results were adjusted and corrected using calibration coefficients. In the validation sample, the measured 24-hUNa excretion was on average 14 % higher than the predicted 24-hUNa (+13 % for men and +16 % for women). Correlation between measured and predicted 24-hUNa excretion was moderate (Spearman r 0·42), and the Bland–Altman plots showed underestimation at lower excretion level and overestimation at higher level. In the application study, estimated daily salt intake was 8·0 g/d using dietary recalls, 8·1 g/d using predicted INTERSALT equation and 9·3 g/d after applying calibration coefficients calculated in the validation study. Despite overall underestimation of 24-hUNa excretion by spot urinary Na, the use of predictive INTERSALT equation remains an acceptable alternative in monitoring global Na intake/excreted in the French population but its use is not advised at the individual level.

The impact of change in socio-economic status (SES) from childhood to adulthood (SES mobility) on adult diet is not well understood. This study examined associations between three SES mobility variables (area disadvantage, education, occupation) and adult diet quality. 1482 Australian participants reported childhood area-level SES in 1985 (aged 10–15 years) and retrospectively reported highest parental education and main occupation (until participant age 12) and own area-level SES, education, occupation and dietary intake in 2004–2006 (aged 26–36 years). A Dietary Guidelines Index (DGI) was calculated from food frequency and habit questionnaires. A higher score (range 0–100) indicated better diet quality. Sex-stratified linear regression models adjusted for confounders. Area-level SES mobility was not associated with diet quality. Compared with stable high (university) education, stable low (school only) was associated with lower DGI scores (males: β = –5·5, 95 % CI: −8·9, –2·1; females: β = –6·3, 95 % CI: −9·3, –3·4), as was downward educational mobility (participant’s education lower than their parents) (males: β = –5·3, 95 % CI: −8·5, –2·0; females: β = –4·5, 95 % CI: −7·2, –1·7) and stable intermediate (vocational) education among males (β = –3·9, 95 % CI: −7·0, −0·7). Compared with stable high (professional/managerial) occupation, stable low (manual/out of workforce) males (β = –4·9, 95 % CI: −7·6, –2·2), and participants with downward occupation mobility (males: β = –3·2, 95 % CI: −5·3, –1·1; females: β = –2·8, 95 % CI: −4·8, –0·8) had lower DGI scores. In this cohort, intergenerational low education and occupation, and downward educational and occupational mobility, were associated with poor adult diet quality.

With the recent growing interest in improving fruit and vegetable intake for better health and limited research resources in many settings, simple-to-administer and low-priced indicators are essential tools for monitoring fruit and vegetable intake at the population level. A potential candidate indicator is the fruit and vegetable component of the Global Dietary Recommendation score (FV-GDR) based on data collected using the Diet Quality Questionnaire (DQQ). We investigated the relative validity of FV-GDR collected with the DQQ to measure fruit and vegetable intake by comparison with a 24-h recall (24hR) as a reference collected from 620 Vietnamese and 630 Nigerian adults in 2021. We found proportional differences in the prevalence of intake of vitamin A-rich vegetables, other vegetables and other fruits in Vietnam and all vegetable food groups in Nigeria. In both countries, we found a small difference in the total FV-GDR from DQQ compared with the 24hR, and the percentage of agreement between the two methods was quite high for the majority of the food groups. The FV-GDR calculated from the DQQ correlated with the actual intake, although less strongly than the FV-GDR from 24hR. The DQQ is a promising low-burden, low-cost and simple tool to calculate FV-GDR and to monitor fruit and vegetable consumption at the population level. This provides the possibility of evaluating an important aspect of diet quality in low-resource settings.