Artificial sweeteners are used to reduce energy intake, but studies suggest that consumption during pregnancy may impact the offspring’s risk of overweight. In this longitudinal cohort study, we aimed to examine the association between consumption of artificially sweetened or sugar-sweetened beverages during pregnancy and offspring overweight from birth to 18 years in the Danish National Birth Cohort. A total of 101 042 pregnancies were enrolled in the Danish National Birth Cohort from 1996 to 2002. Follow-up was conducted throughout pregnancy, childhood and adolescence. Additionally, 72 821 women completed an FFQ during pregnancy, reporting intake of beverages sweetened with artificial sweeteners or sugar. Offspring height and weight were obtained during childhood and adolescence. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to estimate the OR for overweight concerning maternal beverage consumption. Analyses were adjusted for risk factors for childhood overweight, including maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, physical activity and smoking in pregnancy, healthy eating index, paternal BMI, socio-economic status and duration of breastfeeding. We found increased odds of overweight in 7-, 11-, 14- and 18-year-old offspring whose mothers reported drinking ≥ 1 artificially sweetened beverage daily during pregnancy compared with no consumption (18 years: adjusted OR 1·26 (95 % CI 1·12, 1·42)). We found decreased adjusted odds of overweight in 11- and 18-year-old offspring whose mothers reported drinking ≥ 1 sugar-sweetened beverage daily during pregnancy compared with no consumption. We found that consumption of artificially sweetened beverages during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of overweight in childhood and adolescence after adjustment for risk factors for childhood overweight.

Measurement error undermines the accuracy of dietary intake data. The 24-h dietary recall (24HR) is the standard data collection method in nutrition surveillance. Several neurocognitive processes underpin the act of recall, and individuals differ in their performance of these processes. This study aimed to investigate whether variation in neurocognitive processes, measured using four cognitive tasks, was associated with variation in measurement error of 24HR. Participants (n 139) completed the Trail Making Test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Visual Digit Span and the Vividness of Visual Imagery questionnaire. During a controlled feeding study, participants completed three technology-assisted 24HR: the Automated Self-Administered Dietary Assessment Tool, Intake24 and an Interviewer-Administered Image-Assisted 24HR (IA-24HR) 1 week apart. The percentage error between reported and true energy intakes was calculated. Using linear regression, the association between cognitive task scores and absolute percentage error in estimated energy intake was assessed. Longer time spent completing the Trail Making Test, an indicator of visual attention and executive functioning, was associated with greater error in energy intake estimation using ASA24 (B 0·13, 95 % CI 0·04, 0·21) and Intake24 (B 0·10, 95 % CI 0·02, 0·19). Regression models explained 13·6 % (ASA24) and 15·8 % (Intake24) of the variance in energy estimation error. No cognitive task scores were associated with error using IA-24HR. This study demonstrates that variation between individuals in neurocognitive processes explains some of the variation in 24HR error. Further investigation into the role of neurocognitive processes in 24HR and their role in the reliability of dietary intake data is warranted.

Children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present feeding problems that may influence food acceptance and refusal. However, data regarding dietary intake variability in this population are either not available in the literature or not well-known. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the within-person and between-person variability, and the number of days needed for a 24-hour recall (24HR) to estimate the usual intake of children and adolescents with ASD. Data were collected from 284 patients assisted at a public neuropediatric health service in the city of Pelotas, Southern Brazil. Food consumption was assessed using three non-consecutive 24HR. Within-person (S2w) and between-person (S2b) variances, the variance ratio (VR) and the distribution of energy, macronutrients and micronutrients were obtained using the Multiple Source Method® (version 1.0.1). The number of days of 24HR needed was calculated for correlation coefficients of 0·7, 0·8 and 0·9. For most nutrients, S2w was greater than S2b, resulting in VR > 1, except for age-group analyses where children up to 5 years old showed VR < 1. Two to three days of 24HR were estimated for most nutrients, considering a correlation coefficient of 0·8. Differences were observed according to sex and age group, with adolescents requiring more days of 24HR. These findings indicate the need to assess dietary variability among individuals with ASD according to the characteristics of this investigated population.

The diet proposed by the EAT-Lancet Commission has faced criticism concerning its affordability. This study aimed to investigate the cost associated with a greater alignment to the EAT-Lancet reference diet in the province of Québec, Canada. The dietary habits of 1147 French-speaking adults were assessed using repeated web-based 24-h recall data collected between 2015 and 2017 in the cross-sectional PRÉDicteurs Individuels, Sociaux et Environnementaux (PREDISE) study. Diet costs were calculated using a Nielsen food price database. Usual dietary intakes and diet costs were estimated using the National Cancer Institute’s multivariate Markov Chain Monte Carlo method. Adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet was assessed using the EAT-Lancet dietary index (EAT-I). Associations between diet costs and EAT-I scores were evaluated using linear regression models with restricted cubic splines. After adjustment for energy intake, a higher EAT-I score (75th v. 25th percentiles) was associated with a 1·0 $CAD increase in daily diet costs (95 % CI, 0·7, 1·3). This increase in diet costs was mostly driven by the following component scores of the EAT-I (75th v. 25th percentiles, higher scores reflecting greater adherence): vegetables (1·6 $CAD/d, 95 % CI: 1·2, 2·1), free sugars (1·6 $CAD/d, 95 % CI: 1·3, 1·9), fish and plant-based proteins (1·4 $CAD/d, 95 % CI: 1·0, 1·8), fruits (0·9 $CAD/d, 95 % CI: 0·4, 1·3) and whole grains (0·4 $CAD/d, 95 % CI: 0·0, 0·8). Inversely, a greater score for the poultry and eggs component was associated with reduced diet costs (–1·2 $CAD/d, 95 % CI: −1·7, −0·7). This study suggests that adhering to the EAT-Lancet diet may be associated with an increase in diet costs in the province of Québec.

This review aimed to assess the impact of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) consumption on CVD risk factors. Relevant studies were identified through electronic searches of databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CENTRAL and EMBASE, up to January 2025. Twelve trials involving 770 participants with interventions ranging from 2 to 12 weeks and doses varying from 125 to 40 000 mg/d were included. Okra supplementation significantly reduced BMI (standardised mean difference (SMD) = −0·70; 95 % CI −1·23, −0·16; P = 0·011), fat mass (SMD = −0·74; 95 % CI −1·13, −0·36; P < 0·001), hip circumference (SMD = −0·85; 95 % CI −1·41, −0·28; P = 0·003), weight (SMD = −0·77; 95 % CI −1·42, −0·11; P = 0·022), fasting insulin (SMD = −0·35; 95 % CI −0·63, −0·07; P = 0·013), fasting plasma glucose (SMD = −1·07; 95 % CI −1·75, −0·38; P = 0·002), HbA1c (SMD = −0·38; 95 % CI −0·71, −0·05; P = 0·023), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (SMD = −0·56; 95 % CI −0·84, −0·29; P < 0·001), LDL-cholesterol (SMD = −0·32; 95 % CI −0·52, −0·11; P = 0·003), total cholesterol (SMD = −0·45; 95 % CI −0·74, −0·16; P = 0·003) and aspartate aminotransferase (SMD = −0·45; 95 % CI −0·73, −0·17; P = 0·002). Okra supplementation demonstrated significant benefits in improving anthropometric measures, glycaemic control, lipid profiles and liver function tests, suggesting its potential as an adjunct therapy for improving CVD risk factors.

Current literature has shown that poor sleep patterns and social jet lag (SJL) are associated with obesity and weight gain. However, this area remains underexplored in patients who have undergone bariatric surgery. We hypothesised that higher levels of SJL and poorer sleep patterns are associated with lower weight loss, greater caloric/nutrient intake and poorer metabolic outcomes following surgery. This study aims to assess the associations of SJL and subjective sleep with anthropometric, metabolic and dietary parameters during the first year following bariatric surgery. SJL, sleep quality and daytime sleepiness were measured in 122 patients (77 % women; median age 33·0 [28·0 – 41·7]). SJL was estimated by the absolute difference between the midpoint of sleep and wake times on weekdays and weekends. Daytime sleepiness and sleep quality were evaluated using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (Epworth) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively. Multiple linear regressions were employed to evaluate the associations of SJL, sleep quality and daytime sleepiness with weight loss, metabolic and dietary outcomes. Independent variables were negatively associated with weight loss after surgery: SJL at 6 months and 1 year; sleep quality at all time points and sleepiness after one year (P < 0·05). SJL was positively associated with calorie and protein intake after 1-year post-surgery (P < 0·05). Our results show that higher SJL and poorer sleep patterns are associated with worse anthropometric, metabolic and dietary outcomes after bariatric surgery. These findings reinforce the importance of addressing variables related to biological rhythms to optimise post-surgical outcomes in bariatric patients.

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-inflammatory skin disease. Cross-sectional research examining diet quality indices in psoriasis has focused on the Mediterranean diet and is confined to Mediterranean populations, thereby lacking generalisability to other populations. We explored associations between diet quality indices and the likelihood of reporting a higher psoriasis severity. This was an online cross-sectional study recruiting adult volunteers with psoriasis (n 257). A 147-item FFQ evaluated adherence to the Mediterranean diet score, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension score and the Plant-based Diet Index (PDI), including its original (oPDI), healthy (hPDI) and unhealthy (uPDI) subtypes. Psoriasis severity was determined with the self-assessed Simplified Psoriasis Index. When adjusted for age, sex, smoking, alcohol overconsumption, energy intake and psychological morbidity, multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed an increased likelihood of reporting a higher psoriasis severity in participants with a very low adherence to Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (OR = 3·75; 95 % CI 1·313, 10·700; P = 0·01) and hPDI (OR = 4·04; 95 % CI 1·251, 13·064; P = 0·02) patterns. A reduced likelihood of reporting a higher psoriasis severity was shown in participants with low adherence to the uPDI (OR = 0·25; 95 % CI 0·085, 0·716; P = 0·01). With further adjustment for BMI, a very low adherence to the oPDI was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of reporting a higher psoriasis severity (OR = 3·46; 95 % CI 1·029, 11·656; P = 0·05). Dietary interventions and assessment should be introduced in the care pathway for psoriasis management.

Free sugar intakes are currently higher than recommended for health, yet effective strategies for reducing consumption are yet to be elucidated. This work investigated the effects of different dietary recommendations for reducing free sugar (FS) intakes, on relevant outcomes, in UK adults consuming > 5 % of total energy intake (TEI) from FS. Using a randomised controlled parallel-group design, 242 adults received nutrient-based (n 61), nutrient- and food-based (n 60), nutrient-, food- and food-substitution-based (n 63) or no (n 58) recommendations for reducing FS at a single timepoint, with effects assessed for the following 12 weeks. Primary outcomes were FS intakes as a percentage of TEI (%FS) and adherence to the recommendations at week 12. Secondary outcomes included TEI, diet composition, sugar-rich and low-calorie-sweetened food consumption and anthropometry. In intention-to-treat analyses adjusted for baseline measures, %FS reduced in intervention groups (%FSchange = –2·5 to −3·3 %) compared with control (%FSchange = –1·2 %) (smallest B = –0·573, P = 0·03), with effects from week 1 until week 12 and no differences between interventions (largest B = 0·352, P = 0·42). No effects of the interventions were found in dietary profiles, but change in %FS was associated with change in %TEI from non-sugar carbohydrate (B = 0·141, P < 0·01) and from protein (B = –0·171, P = 0·02). Body weight was also lower at week 12 in intervention groups compared with control (B = –0·377, P < 0·05), but associations with %FS were weak. Our findings demonstrate the benefit of dietary recommendations for reducing FS intakes in UK adults. Limited advantages were found for the different dietary recommendations, but variety may offer individual choice.

This study aimed to investigate the intake of dairy products during pregnancy in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and its impacts on neonatal birth weight and pregnancy outcomes. A total of 386 women with GDM during the second trimester pregnancy participated in this prospective cohort study. We evaluated dairy products intake through the FFQ. Pregnancy outcomes were obtained from the delivery data. Participants were divided into insufficient and sufficient intake of milk and dairy products groups (< 300 g/d and ≥ 300 g/d, respectively). The average intake of dairy products during the second trimester pregnancy in women with GDM was 317·8 ± 179·5 g/d, and the total energy intake was 1635·4 ± 708·7 kcal/d. However, 76·68 % of them did not meet the recommended total energy intake of women with GDM. After adjusting for confounding factors, women with GDM who consumed ≥ 300 g/d of dairy products had an average reduction in birth weight of 93·1 g compared with women who consumed < 300 g/d of dairy products (95 % CI −171·343, −14·927). Women with GDM in sufficient intake group was also associated with lower risk of macrosomia (95 % CI 0·043, 0·695) and caesarean section (95 % CI 0·387, 0·933) and not related to low birth weight infant (95 % CI 0·617, 14·502) and preterm birth (95 % CI 0·186, 1·510) when compared with participants in insufficient intake group. Under the premise of insufficient total energy intake, the intake of dairy products during the second trimester pregnancy in women with GDM might be related to the decrease of neonatal birth weight.

Accumulation of exogenous fatty acids such as the long-chain n-11 MUFA cetoleic acid (CA, C22:1n-11) may induce functional changes, through direct effects or by affecting the amounts of other fatty acids through changes in catabolic and anabolic processes including desaturation of fatty acids or by other processes. The primary aim of this study was to investigate if dietary CA was absorbed and accumulated in a TAG-rich tissue for storage (white adipose tissue), a stable phospholipid-rich tissue (brain), metabolically active tissues (liver and skeletal muscle) or circulating in the blood (blood cells) and metabolised. Secondary aims included investigating any effects on the levels of EPA and DHA. Eighteen male Zucker diabetic Sprague Dawley (ZDSD) rats were fed diets with herring oil (HERO) containing 0·70 % CA or anchovy oil (ANCO) devoid of CA, or a control diet with soyabean oil for 5 weeks. The HERO and ANCO diets contained 0·35 and 0·37 wt% EPA + DHA, respectively. Data were analysed using one-way ANOVA. CA from dietary HERO was absorbed, and CA and two chain-shortened metabolites were found in blood cells, liver, white adipose tissue (WAT) and muscle, but n-11 MUFAs were not found in the brain. The concentrations of EPA and DHA were similar in liver lipids (TAG, cholesteryl esters and NEFA) as well as in WAT, muscle and brain from rats fed the HERO or ANCO diets. To conclude, CA was taken up by tissues but did not affect levels of EPA and DHA in this diabetic rat model.

Adolescent girls often skip breakfast due to time constraints and reduced morning appetite. This study examined the acute impact of breakfast consumption timing v. breakfast omission (BO) on glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to lunch in infrequent breakfast-consuming girls. Fifteen girls (13·1 (sd 0·8) years) completed three conditions in a randomised crossover design: early-morning breakfast consumption (EM-BC; 08.30), mid-morning breakfast consumption (MM-BC; 10.30) and BO. A standardised lunch was provided at 12.30, followed by a 2-h post-lunch observation period. Blood and expired gas samples were collected periodically. Linear mixed models with Cohen’s d effect sizes compared outcomes between conditions. Pre-lunch glucose and insulin incremental AUC (iAUC) were higher in the breakfast conditions v. BO (P ≤ 0·009), with no differences between breakfast conditions. MM-BC reduced post-lunch glucose iAUC by 36 % and 25 % compared with BO and EM-BC, respectively (P < 0·001, d = 0·92–1·44). A moderate, non-significant 15 % reduction in post-lunch glucose iAUC was seen with EM-BC v. BO (P = 0·077, d = 0·52). These reductions occurred without changes in post-lunch insulinemia (P ≥ 0·323) and were accompanied by increased post-lunch carbohydrate oxidation compared with BO (P ≤ 0·018, d = 0·58–0·75); with no differences between EM-BC and MM-BC. MM-BC lowered glycaemic response over the experimental period compared with BO (P = 0·033, d = 0·98) and EM-BC (P = 0·123, d = 0·93), with no difference between EM-BC and BO. Compared with BO, both breakfast conditions lowered post-lunch glycaemic responses with mid-morning breakfast eliciting a greater second-meal effect than early-morning breakfast. These findings indicate the breakfast-to-lunch meal interval may be a crucial factor affecting postprandial glycaemia in infrequent breakfast-consuming girls.

Postpartum maternal diet quality has been linked with optimal infant feeding practices. However, whether maternal diet quality during pregnancy influences infant feeding practices remains unclear. The present study explored the relationship between maternal diet quality in pregnancy and infant feeding practices in Australian women. A brief 15-item FFQ was used to collect maternal dietary data (n 469). Diet quality was calculated using a modified 2013 Dietary Guideline Index (DGI). Multivariable linear and logistic regressions with adjustment for covariates were used to examine associations between maternal diet quality in pregnancy and infant feeding practices: infant feeding mode, breast-feeding duration and timing of solids introduction. Higher DGI score during pregnancy was associated with higher odds of breast-feeding than formula/mixed feeding (adjusted OR (AOR) 1·03, 95 % CI 1·00, 1·07), longer breast-feeding duration (adjusted β 0·09, 95 % CI 0·03, 0·15) and higher odds of breast-feeding for ≥ 6 months (AOR 1·04, 95 % CI 1·02, 1·07) than for < 6 months. Associations between maternal DGI score and breast-feeding variables were moderated by maternal country of birth, with significant associations observed in Australian-born mothers only. No association was found between maternal DGI score and timing of solids introduction. Higher maternal diet quality was associated with better infant feeding practices, and the association was moderated by country of birth. Our findings provide evidence to support the initiation of dietary interventions to promote diet quality during pregnancy, particularly among Australian-born women. Further research could explore underlying mechanisms linking maternal diet quality and infant feeding practices.

A randomised parallel intervention study was conducted with male patients diagnosed with CHD. Participants were assigned to three groups: Group A abstained from alcohol (n 20), Group B consumed red wine (n 21) and Group C (n 16) consumed an alcoholic beverage without wine micro-constituents. Biological samples were collected at baseline, 4 and 8 weeks. Enzyme activities of acetyl-CoA:lyso-platelet-activating factor (PAF) acetyltransferase, cytidine 5’-diphospho (CDP)-choline:1-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol cholinephosphotransferase (PAF-cholinephosphotransferase), PAF-acetylhydrolase in leukocyte homogenates, serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase-A2 and plasma markers of thrombosis were measured. PAF-, ADP- and collagen-induced platelet aggregation was measured in human platelet-rich plasma. Red wine consumption led to a 15·3 % reduction in LysoPAF-acetyltransferase activity at 4 weeks (P= 0·008) compared with baseline and Group A (P= 0·01). PAF-cholinephosphotransferase activity was reduced by 11·1 % at 8 weeks (P= 0·04) compared with baseline and by 24·9 % compared with Group C (P= 0·02). PAF-acetylhydrolase activity was reduced by 36·2 % at 8 weeks compared with baseline (P= 0·001) and compared with Group A (P< 0·000) and Group C (P= 0·009). Fibrinogen levels in Group B reduced by 6–9 % at 4 (P= 0·04) and 8 weeks (P= 0·01) compared with baseline while D-dimer in Group C increased by 16·1 % at 8 weeks (P= 0·005) compared with baseline. Platelet aggregation against PAF and collagen was reduced in Group B (82·6 and 35·4 %, respectively), and in Group C (158·4 and 37·1 %, respectively) compared with baseline and Group A (P< 0·05). In conclusion, moderate wine consumption improved the activity of PAF-metabolism enzymes regardless of ethanol and reduced platelet aggregation, probably through mechanisms different from those of ethanol.

Understanding the determinants of malnutrition is pivotal for public health interventions. This study aimed to identify socio-economic, demographic, dietary and maternal determinants of wasting and overweight among Brazilian children between 6 and 59 months. Data from the Brazilian National Survey on Child Nutrition were analysed (n 11 789). Children’s weight-for-height Z-scores were calculated according to the WHO growth standard and classified as wasting (Z < −2), normal weight (–2 ≤ Z ≤ 1), overweight risk (1 < Z ≤ 2) and overweight (Z > 2). Socio-economic, demographic, dietary and maternal covariables were considered. Adjusted multinomial logistic regression (OR and 95 % CI) was employed. The prevalence of overweight and wasting was 9·5 and 2·6 %, respectively. In the adjusted model, younger age (6–23 months: OR: 1·7; 95 % CI: 1·3, 2·2), consumption of ≥ 5 ultra-processed food groups (OR: 1·8; 95 % CI: 1·1, 3·1), maternal underweight (OR: 0·4; 95 % CI: 0·2, 0·9), overweight (OR: 1·5; 95 % CI: 1·2, 1·9) and mild food insecurity (OR: 0·8; 95 % CI: 0·6, 1·0) were associated with child overweight. The Brazilian Northeast (OR: 4·9; 95 % CI: 2·1, 11·3), Southeast (OR: 7·1; 95 % CI: 3·0, 16·6), South (OR: 4·7; 95 % CI: 1·8, 12·1), Midwest regions (OR: 2·7; 95 % CI: 1·2, 6·2) and maternal underweight (OR: 5·4; 95 % CI: 2·7, 10·7) were associated with wasting. Overweight in Brazil is prevalent among children between 6 and 59 months, while wasting is not a major public health problem. The main determinants of these Brazilian children’s nutritional status were age, ultra-processed food consumption and maternal nutritional status.

Vitamin K exists naturally in foods as phylloquinone (vitamin K1, PK) and as a range of menaquinones (vitamin K2, MK). There is scarce information on the occurrence and distribution of PK and MK in dietary sources, particularly in seafood. This study aimed to comprehensively analyse the contents of vitamin K1, dihydro-K1, and MK-4 to MK-10 in various species, tissue types and processing degrees of shellfish. Additionally, seasonal differences in the vitamin K content of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) were explored. Most shellfish products had low contents of total vitamin K (< 10 µg/100 g). The highest content of total vitamin K was found in the hepatopancreas of snow crab (170 µg/100 g), the brown meat of brown crab (35 µg/100 g), pre-packaged blue mussels (20 µg/100 g), stuffed brown crab shells (15 µg/100 g) and blue mussels in brine (12 µg/100 g). In general, the hepatopancreas of crustaceans contained considerably higher contents of vitamin K than their white meat counterparts. MK contributed most to total vitamin K contents, whereas most shellfish products contained low contents of PK, thus making only a minor contribution to the adequate intake established for adults. No statistically significant differences were observed in PK and MK contents of blue mussels sampled during spring v. late summer (P < 0·005). Nevertheless, a non-significant trend of increasing vitamin K content was observed towards the autumn months. This study presents novel vitamin K data for shellfish, an unexplored food group, and adds to the scarce vitamin K composition data worldwide.