Methionine is a limiting amino acid (AA) in fish diets, particularly in those containing high levels of plant protein (PP), and is key in the immune system. Accordingly, outcome on the fish immune mechanisms of methionine-deficient and methionine-supplemented diets within the context of 0 % fishmeal formulation, after a short and prolonged feeding period, was studied in European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax). For this, seabass juveniles were fed a (i) fishmeal-free diet, meeting AA requirements, but deficient in methionine (MET0·65); (ii) as control, the MET0·65 supplemented with l-methionine at 0·22 % of feed weight (CTRL); (iii) two diets, identical to MET0·65 but supplemented at 0·63 and 0·88 % of feed weight of l-methionine (MET1·25 and MET1·5, respectively); and (iv) a fishmeal-based diet (FM), as positive control. After 2 and 12 weeks of feeding, blood and plasma were sampled for leucocyte counting and humoral parameter assays and head-kidney collected for gene expression. After 2 weeks of feeding, a fishmeal-free diet supplemented with methionine led to changes in the expression of methionine- and leucocyte-related genes. A methionine immune-enhancer role was more evident after 12 weeks with an increased neutrophil percentage and a decreased expression of apoptotic genes, possibly indicating an enhancement of fish immunity by methionine dietary supplementation. Furthermore, even though CTRL and FM present similar methionine content, CTRL presented a reduced expression of several immune-related genes indicating that in a practical PP-based diet scenario, the requirement level of methionine for an optimal immune status could be higher.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of in ovo feeding (IOF) of vitamin C at embryonic age 11 (E11) on post-hatch performance, immune status and DNA methylation-related gene expression in broiler chickens. A total of 240 Arbor Acres breeder eggs (63 (sem 0·5) g) were randomly divided into two groups: normal saline and vitamin C (VC) groups. After incubation, newly hatched chicks from each group were randomly divided into six replicates with ten chicks per replicate. Hatchability, average daily feed intake (D21–42 and D1–42), and average daily gain and feed conversion ratio (D1–21) were improved by vitamin C treatment (P < 0·05). IOF of vitamin C increased vitamin C content (D1), total antioxidant capacity (D42), IgA (D1), IgM (D1 and D21), stimulation index for T lymphocyte (D35) and lysozyme activity (D21) in plasma (P < 0·05). On D21, vitamin C increased the splenic expression of IL-4 and DNMT1 and decreased IL-1β, Tet2, Tet3 and Gadd45β expression (P < 0·05). On D42, vitamin C increased the splenic expression of IL-4 and DNMT3A and decreased IFN-γ, Tet3, MBD4 and TDG expression (P < 0·05). In conclusion, the vitamin C via in ovo injection can be absorbed by broiler’s embryo and IOF of vitamin C at E11 improves the post-hatch performance and immune status and, to some extent, the antioxidant capacity of broiler chickens. The expression of enzyme-related DNA methylation and demethylation indicates that the level of DNA methylation may increase in spleen in the VC group and whether the fluctuating expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines is related to DNA methylation change remained to be further investigated.

Fruit intake is associated with lower risk of cardiometabolic diseases. However, effects of dried fruits on cardiometabolic health are not well researched. We investigated the effect of daily dried fruit consumption compared with a carbohydrate-rich snack on cardiometabolic disease risk factors in adults with increased cardiometabolic risk. A two-period randomised crossover trial was conducted in adults (n 55) with elevated BMI and at least one additional risk factor for cardiometabolic disease to compare the effects of consuming 3/4 cup/d mixed dried fruits (plums, figs, dates and raisins) or an energy- and carbohydrate-matched control snack for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was LDL-cholesterol; secondary outcomes included other lipids and lipoproteins, glucose and insulin, C-reactive protein, blood pressure and vascular stiffness. Linear mixed models were used for data analysis. Lipid and lipoprotein concentrations did not differ between conditions; however, dried fruit increased LDL-cholesterol (0·10 mmol/l, 95 % CI 0·01, 0·20) compared with baseline. Compared with the control, dried fruit increased mean fasting glucose (0·08 mmol/l, 95 % CI 0·005, 0·16; P = 0·038). Vascular outcomes, fasting insulin and C-reactive protein did not differ between conditions. Mean weight changes did not differ (P = 0·55) but tended to increase after both conditions (dried fruit 0·3 kg, 95 % CI –0·09, 0·65; control 0·4 kg, 95 % CI 0·01, 0·75). Thus, short-term daily consumption of a large portion of mixed dried plums, figs, dates and raisins, without structured dietary guidance, did not improve cardiometabolic risk factors, compared with carbohydrate-rich snacks, in adults with increased baseline cardiometabolic risk.

EPA and DHA are required for normal cell function and can also induce health benefits. Oily fish are the main source of EPA and DHA for human consumption. However, food choices and concerns about the sustainability of marine fish stocks limit the effectiveness of dietary recommendations for EPA + DHA intakes. Seed oils from transgenic plants that contain EPA + DHA are a potential alternative source of EPA and DHA. The present study investigated whether dietary supplementation with transgenic Camelina sativa seed oil (CSO) that contained EPA and DHA was as effective as fish oil (FO) in increasing EPA and DHA concentrations when consumed as a dietary supplement in a blinded crossover study. Healthy men and women (n 31; age 53 (range 20–74) years) were randomised to consume 450 mg/d EPA + DHA provided either as either CSO or FO for 8 weeks, followed by 6 weeks washout and then switched to consuming the other test oil. Fasting venous blood samples were collected at the start and end of each supplementation period. Consuming the test oils significantly (P < 0·05) increased EPA and DHA concentrations in plasma TAG, phosphatidylcholine and cholesteryl esters. There were no significant differences between test oils in the increments of EPA and DHA. There was no significant difference between test oils in the increase in the proportion of erythrocyte EPA + DHA (CSO, 12 %; P < 0·0001 and FO, 8 %; P = 0·02). Together, these findings show that consuming CSO is as effective as FO for increasing EPA and DHA concentrations in humans.

Diet has direct and indirect effects on health through inflammation and the gut microbiome. We investigated total dietary inflammatory potential via the literature-derived index (Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®)) with gut microbiota diversity, composition and function. In cancer-free patient volunteers initially approached at colonoscopy and healthy volunteers recruited from the medical centre community, we assessed 16S ribosomal DNA in all subjects who provided dietary assessments and stool samples (n 101) and the gut metagenome in a subset of patients with residual fasting blood samples (n 34). Associations of energy-adjusted DII scores with microbial diversity and composition were examined using linear regression, permutational multivariate ANOVA and linear discriminant analysis. Spearman correlation was used to evaluate associations of species and pathways with DII and circulating inflammatory markers. Across DII levels, α- and β-diversity did not significantly differ; however, Ruminococcus torques, Eubacterium nodatum, Acidaminococcus intestini and Clostridium leptum were more abundant in the most pro-inflammatory diet group, while Akkermansia muciniphila was enriched in the most anti-inflammatory diet group. With adjustment for age and BMI, R. torques, E. nodatum and A. intestini remained significantly associated with a more pro-inflammatory diet. In the metagenomic and fasting blood subset, A. intestini was correlated with circulating plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, a pro-inflammatory marker (rho = 0·40), but no associations remained significant upon correction for multiple testing. An index reflecting overall inflammatory potential of the diet was associated with specific microbes, but not overall diversity of the gut microbiome in our study. Findings from this preliminary study warrant further research in larger samples and prospective cohorts.

Although legumes are rich in protein and fibre, and low in saturated fat and Na, traditional legume-based recipes include substantial amounts of processed meat, salt and potatoes, which could counteract the potential benefits of legumes. This prospective study aimed to assess the longitudinal association of consumption of different types of legumes, and traditional legume-based recipes, with unhealthy ageing in older adults. Data were taken from 2505 individuals aged ≥60 years from the Seniors-ENRICA cohort. Habitual legume consumption was assessed in 2008–2010 with a validated diet history. Unhealthy ageing was measured in the 2013, 2015 and 2017 follow-up waves, with a fifty-two-item multidimensional health deficit accumulation index (DAI) which ranges from 0 (best) to 100 (worst health). The mean age was 68·7 years, with 53·1 % of women. Among study participants, 78·4 % reported consumption of legumes, with a mean intake of 57·9 g/d. Multivariable-adjusted linear regression models did not show an association between total legume consumption and the DAI over a 7-year follow-up (non-standardised coefficient for the second and highest v. the lowest tertile of consumption: 0·94 (95 % CI −0·30, 2·17) and 0·18 (95 % CI −1·07, 1·43), respectively; Ptrend = 0·35). Similar results were observed for the 3-year and 5-year follow-ups and, separately, for lentils, beans, chickpeas and traditional legume-based recipes. According to the results obtained, consumption of legumes and traditional legume-based recipes is not associated with unhealthy ageing and can be part of a healthy diet in old age.

Although the association between fruit consumption and CHD risk has been well studied, few studies have focused on flavonoid-rich fruits (FRF), in particular strawberries and grapes. We aimed to verify the association of total and specific FRF consumption with risk of CHD by a large prospective cohort study. A total of 87 177 men and women aged 44–75 years who were free of CVD and cancer at study baseline were eligible for the present analysis. FRF consumption was assessed using a FFQ. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) of CHD in relation to FRF consumption with adjustment for potential risk factors and confounders. During a mean follow-up of 13·2 years, we identified 1156 incident CHD cases. After full adjustment for covariates including demographics, lifestyles and dietary factors, the HR were 0·93 (95 % CI 0·77, 1·11), 0·91 (95 % CI 0·75, 1·11), 0·84 (95 % CI 0·67, 1·04) and 0·78 (95 % CI 0·62, 0·99) for the second, third, fourth and fifth quintiles compared with the lowest quintile of FRF consumption. Regarding specific fruits, we observed a significant inverse association for citrus fruit consumption and a borderline inverse association for strawberry consumption, while no association was observed for apple/pear or grape consumption. Although the associations appeared to be stronger in women, they were not significantly modified by sex. Higher consumption of FRF, in particular, citrus fruits, may be associated with a lower risk of developing CHD.

Few studies have evaluated the association between a healthful plant-based diet and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We followed 50 290 women in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS; 1992–2000) and 51 784 women in NHSII (1993–2001) for 8 years to investigate changes in plant-based diet quality in relation to changes in physical and mental HRQoL. Plant-based diet quality was assessed by three plant-based diet indices: overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful PDI (hPDI) and unhealthful PDI (uPDI). Physical and mental HRQoL were measured by physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS) of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. Diet was assessed 2 years before the HRQoL measurements and both were updated every 4 years. The associations between 4-year changes in PDIs and HRQoL were evaluated. Each 10-point increase in PDI was associated with an improvement of 0·07 (95 % CI 0·01, 0·13) in PCS and 0·11 (95 % CI 0·05, 0·16) in MCS. A 10-point increase in hPDI was associated with an increment of 0·13 (95 % CI 0·08, 0·19) in PCS and 0·09 (95 % CI 0·03, 0·15) in MCS. Conversely, a 10-point increase in uPDI was associated with decreases in PCS and MCS (−0·07 (95 % CI −0·12, −0·02) and −0·10 (95 % CI −0·16, −0·05), respectively). Compared with a stable diet, an increase in hPDI was significantly associated with improvements in physical HRQoL in older women and with mental HRQoL in younger women. In conclusion, adherence to a healthful plant-based diet was modestly associated with improvements in both physical and mental dimensions of HRQoL.

As city residents eat out more frequently, it is unknown that if iodised salt is still required in home cooking. We analysed the relationship of household salt and eating out on urinary iodine concentration (UIC) in pregnant women. A household condiment weighing method was implemented to collect salt data for a week. A household salt sample was collected. A urine sample was taken at the end of the week. Totally, 4640 participants were investigated. The median UIC was 139·1 μg/l in pregnant women and 148·7, 140·0 and 122·9 μg/l in the first, second and third trimesters. Median UIC in the third trimester was lower than in the other trimesters (P < 0·001). The usage rates of iodised (an iodine content ≥ 5·0 mg/kg) and qualified-iodised (an iodine content ≥ 21·0 mg/kg) salt were 73·9 and 59·3 %. The median UIC in the qualified-iodised salt group was higher than in the non-iodised group (P = 0·037). The median UIC in the non-iodised group who did not eat out was lower than in qualified-salt groups who both did and did not eat out (P = 0·007, <0·001). The proportion of qualified-iodised salt used in home cooking is low, but foods eaten out have universal salt iodisation according to the national compulsory policy. Household iodised salt did not play a decisive role in the iodine status of pregnant women. Pregnant women in their third trimester who are not eating out and using non-iodised salt at home require extra iodine.

There is a lack of research on associations of social jetlag with eating behaviours and obesity among adolescents. We examined the associations of social jetlag with eating behaviours and BMI in adolescents before and after adjustment for potential confounders. Self-report data were collected from 3060 adolescents (48·1 % female, mean age 15·59 (sd 0·77) years) from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. In regression models, social jetlag predicted odds of consumption of breakfast, fruits/vegetables, fast food and sweetened drinks and BMI percentile. Primary models adjusted for school night sleep duration, sex, age, household income and youth living arrangements; secondary models further adjusted for race/ethnicity. In fully adjusted models, greater social jetlag was associated with lower odds of consumption of breakfast (OR = 0·92, P = 0·003) and fruits/vegetables (OR = 0·92, P = 0·009) and higher odds of consumption of fast food (OR = 1·18, P < 0·001) and sweetened drinks (OR = 1·18, P < 0·001). Social jetlag was positively associated with BMI percentile after additional adjustment for eating behaviours (b = 0·84, P = 0·037), but this relationship was attenuated after adjustment for race/ethnicity (b = 0·72, P = 0·072). Ethnoracial differences in social jetlag may attenuate the association of social jetlag with BMI and should be considered in future studies of circadian misalignment, eating behaviours and obesity markers.

Food and energy intake can be effectively lowered by changing food properties, but little is known whether modifying food shape is sufficient to influence intake. This study investigated the influence of cracker shape and cheese viscosity on ad libitum intake of cracker–cheese combinations. Forty-four participants (thirteen males, 23 (sd 3) years, BMI 21 (sd 2) kg/m2) participated in four late afternoon snack sessions (2 × 2 randomised crossover design). Iso-energetic crackers were baked into flat squares and finger-shape cylindrical sticks and combined with a cheese dip varying in viscosity. Approximately eighty crackers and 500 g cheese dip were served in separate large bowls. Participants consumed crackers with cheese dip ad libitum while watching a movie of 30 min. Dipping behaviour and oral processing behaviour were measured simultaneously by hidden balances under the cheese bowls and video recordings. Cracker intake (28 (sem 1) crackers) of cracker–cheese combinations was not influenced by cracker shape. Cheese intake of cracker–cheese combinations was 15 % higher for flat-squared than finger-shape crackers (131 kJ, P = 0·016), as a larger amount of cheese was scooped with flat-squared crackers (2·9 (sem 0·2) v. 2·3 (sem 0·1) g cheese per dip, P < 0·001) and showed higher eating rate and energy intake rate (P < 0·001). Eating rate over snacking time decreased by reducing bite frequency (P < 0·001) while cheese dip size remained fairly constant (P = 0·12). Larger energy intake from condiments was facilitated by increased cracker surface, and this did not trigger earlier satiation. Changing food carrier surface may be a promising approach to moderate energy intake of often high energy dense condiments, sauces and toppings.