Disordered eating (DE) is associated with elevated cardiometabolic risk (CMR) factors, yet little is known about this association in non-Western countries. We examined the association between DE characteristics and CMR and tested the potential mediating role of BMI. This cross-sectional study included 2005 Chinese women (aged 18–50 years) from the 2015 China Health and Nutrition Survey. Loss of control, restraint, shape concern and weight concern were assessed using selected questions from the SCOFF questionnaire and the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire. Eight CMR were measured by trained staff. Generalised linear models examined associations between DE characteristics with CMR accounting for dependencies between individuals in the same household. We tested whether BMI potentially mediated significant associations using structural equation modelling. Shape concern was associated with systolic blood pressure (β (95 % CI) 0·06 (0·01, 0·10)), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (0·07 (95 % CI 0·03, 0·11)) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (–0·08 (95 % CI –0·12, −0·04)). Weight concern was associated with DBP (0·06 (95 % CI 0·02, 0·10)), triglyceride (0·06 (95 % CI 0·02, 0·10)) and HDL-cholesterol (–0·10 (95 % CI –0·14, −0·07)). Higher scores on DE characteristics were associated with higher BMI, and higher BMI was further associated with lower HDL-cholesterol and higher other CMR. In summary, we observed significant associations between shape and weight concerns with some CMR in Chinese women, and these associations were potentially partially mediated by BMI. Our findings suggest that prevention and intervention strategies focusing on addressing DE could potentially help reduce the burden of CMR in China, possibly through controlling BMI.

Carotenoids are generally associated with health-beneficial effects; however, their intake patterns related to the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components remain controversial. This cross-sectional study investigated associations between dietary intakes of individual carotenoids, fruits and vegetables, and the MetS and its components. Dietary intakes of 1346 participants of the Observation des Risques et de la Santé Cardio-Vasculaire au Luxembourg (ORISCAV-LUX-2) study were investigated by a 174-item FFQ, and carotenoid intake was determined by linking findings using mainly the USDA food databases. Components of MetS and complementary variables, including anthropometric (BMI, waist circumferences and waist:hip ratio) and biological parameters (TAG, HDL-cholesterol, fasting blood glucose and blood pressure), were measured. Logistic (for MetS) and linear multivariable regression models (including assessing MetS as scores) adjusted for various confounders were created. α-and β-Carotene, as well as lutein + zeaxanthin, were inversely associated with MetS (also when it was measured on a continuous scale), reducing the odds for MetS by up to 48 %. However, lycopene, phytoene and phytofluene were rather positively associated with MetS scores and its components, though these adverse effects disappeared, at least for lycopene, when controlling for intakes of tomato-based convenience foods, in line with indicating a rather unhealthy/westernised diet. All these associations remained significant when including fruits and vegetables as confounders, suggesting that carotenoids were related to MetS independently from effects within fruits and vegetables. Thus, a high intake of carotenoids was bidirectionally associated with MetS, its severity, risk and its components, depending on the type of carotenoid. Future investigations are warranted to explore the inverse role that tomato-based carotenoids appear to suggest in relation to the MetS.

Obesity is an important characteristic manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and body roundness index (BRI) is one of the anthropometric indicators associated with obesity. However, studies on the relationship between BRI and MetS risk are limited. We aimed to explore the relationship between baseline BRI and MetS in the USA population. Our study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2018, ultimately enrolling and analysing 47 303 participants. Data-driven tertiles were used to categorise BRI levels, and multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to investigate the association of BRI with MetS in adults. In addition, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the ability of BRI to predict MetS. The distribution of BRI was different across ethnic groups with a gradual decrease in the proportion of non-Hispanic Whites and other races. In addition, BRI was significantly associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Univariate regression analysis indicated BRI to be a moderate risk factor for MetS, and multivariate logistic regression analysis found that BRI remained an independent risk factor for MetS. After adjusting for confounding variables, a non-linear relationship was found between BRI levels and the prevalence of MetS. More importantly, BRI predicted MetS with the largest AUC among anthropometric measures. In summary, elevated baseline BRI levels are independently associated with the development of MetS, and baseline BRI may assist in identifying patients at risk for MetS, leading to early and optimal treatment to improve their outcomes.

Dietary oils and fats contain different fatty acid compositions that are associated with cardiometabolic disease risk. Despite their influence on disease outcomes, the types of dietary oils and fats predominately used in Australian households remain unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of dietary oils and fats in cooking and food preparation in Australia. Adults living in Australia completed a cross-sectional online survey outlining their current household oil and fat use from July to December 2021. The survey was disseminated via social media platforms and included questions about the types of dietary oils and fats used for different cooking methods and the perceived motivators for choosing the main household oil. A total of 1248 participants responded to the survey. Participants were mostly female (91·6 %) aged between 25 and 44 years (56·7 %). The majority of participants (84·5 %) reported using some form of olive oil as their main source of oil for cooking and food preparation. Almost two-thirds of the sample (65·4 %) reported using extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), mainly in raw food preparation (71·5 %) or savoury baking and roasting (58 %). Fewer households reported using rice bran oil (4·6 %), canola oil (4·3 %) and vegetable oil (1·8 %). Almost half of all participants (49·6 %) identified perceived health benefits as the primary motivating factor for their main choice of oil, followed by sensory preference (46·7 %), versatility (10·2 %) and convenience (8·8 %). Australian adults frequently use olive oil, specifically EVOO, as the main oil for cooking and food preparation in the household.

Duyun compound green tea (DCGT) is a healthy beverage with lipid-lowering effect commonly consumed by local people, but its mechanism is not very clear. We evaluated the effect of DCGT treatment on bile acids (BA) metabolism of mice with high-fat diet (HFD) – induced hyperlipidaemia by biochemical indexes and metabolomics and preliminarily determined the potential biomarkers and metabolic pathways of hyperlipidaemia mice treated with DCGT as well as investigated its lipid-lowering mechanism. The results showed that DCGT treatment could reduce HFD – induced gain in weight and improve dyslipidaemia. In addition, a total of ten types of BA were detected, of which seven changed BA metabolites were observed in HFD group mice. After DCGT treatment, glycocholic acid, tauroursodeoxycholic acid and taurochenodeoxycholic acid were significantly down-regulated, while hyodeoxycholic acid, deoxycholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid were markedly up-regulated. These results demonstrated that DCGT treatment was able to make the BA metabolites in the liver of hyperlipidaemia mice normal and alleviate hyperlipidaemia by regulating the metabolites such as glycocholic acid, tauroursodeoxycholic acid and taurochenodeoxycholic, as well as the BA metabolic pathway and cholesterol metabolic pathway involved.

Complete nutrition drinks with a low glycemic index (GI) provide nutritional support and prevent hyperglycaemia. The present study identified GI and factors predicting individual glucose response to a new complete nutrition drink. A randomised cross-over controlled trial was conducted in eighteen healthy volunteers (FPG < 100 mg/dl). Complete nutrition drinks containing retrograded starch, glucose solution and white bread were assigned in a random sequence with 14-day wash-out intervals. Plasma glucose and insulin levels were measured from baseline to 180 min after consuming each food. Results show the adjusted GIs of the drink was 48.2 ± 10.4 and 46.7 ± 12.7 with glucose and white bread as the reference, respectively. While the drink has low GI (<55), the individual glucose responses varied (GI: 7–149). Comparing characters in individual GI < 55 (n = 12) and GI ≥ 55 (n = 6) groups revealed significantly higher baseline insulin in the low GI group (14.86 ± 16.51 μIU/ml v. 4.9 ± 3.4 μIU/ml, P < 0·05). The correlation matrix confirms only two predictive factors for having individual GI <55 were baseline insulin (r = 0·5, P = 0·03) and HOMA-IR (r = 0·55, P = 0·02). ROC curve reveals fasting insulin above 1.6 μIU/ml and HOMA-IR above 1.05 as the cut-off values. The findings suggest that the complete nutrition drink has a low GI, but there was wide variability in individual responses partly explained by fasting insulin levels and HOMA-IR. Screening for fasting insulin and HOMA-IR may be encouraged to maximise the functional benefit of the drink.

Consumption of edible insects has been widely suggested as an environmentally sustainable substitute for meat to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the novel research field for edible insects relies on the content of bioactive ingredients and on the ability to induce a functional effect in humans. The goal of this manuscript is to review the available body of evidence on the properties of edible insects in modulating oxidative and inflammatory stress, platelet aggregation, lipid and glucose metabolism and weight control. A search for literature investigating the functional role of edible insects was carried out in the PubMed database using specific keywords. A total of 55 studies, meeting inclusion criteria after screening, were divided on the basis of the experimental approach: in vitro studies, cellular models/ex vivo studies or in vivo studies. In the majority of the studies, insects demonstrated the ability to reduce oxidative stress, modulate antioxidant status, restore the impaired activity of antioxidant enzymes and reduce markers of oxidative damage. Edible insects displayed anti-inflammatory activity reducing cytokines and modulating specific transcription factors. Results from animal studies suggest that edible insects can modulate lipid and glucose metabolism. The limited number of studies focused on the assessment of anti-coagulation activity of edible insects makes it difficult to draw conclusions. More evidence from dietary intervention studies in humans is needed to support the promising evidence from in vitro and animal models about the functional role of edible insect consumption.

Fructose (C6H12O6), also known as levulose, is a hexose. Chronic consumption of fructose may be associated with increased intrahepatic fat concentration and the development of insulin resistance as well as an increase in the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and hyperlipidemia during pregnancy. Despite the existence of many studies regarding the consumption of fructose in pregnancy, its effects on fetuses have not yet been fully elucidated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic and biochemical effects in offspring (male and female) of female mice treated with fructose during pregnancy and lactation. Pairs of 60-day-old Swiss mice were used and divided into three groups; negative control and fructose, 10%/l and 20%/l doses of fructose groups. After offspring birth, the animals were divided into six groups: P1 and P2 (males and females), water; P3 and P4 (males and females) fructose 10%/l; and P5 and P6 (males and females) fructose 20%/l. At 30 days of age, the animals were euthanized for genetic and biochemical assessments. Female and male offspring from both dosage groups demonstrated genotoxicity (evaluated through comet assay) and oxidative stress (evaluated through nitrite concentration, sulfhydril content and superoxide dismutase activity) in peripheral and brain tissues. In addition, they showed nutritional and metabolic changes due to the increase in food consumption, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, it is suggested that high consumption of fructose by pregnant female is harmful to their offspring. Thus, it is important to carry out further studies and make pregnant women aware of excessive fructose consumption during this period.

Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) could indirectly, as well directly, influence metabolic parameters related to health effects in response to selenium (Se) supplementation. This study aimed to investigate whether the selenoprotein SNPs were associated with the response of Se status biomarkers to the Brazil nut consumption in patients using statins and if the variation in Se homoeostasis could affect antioxidant protection, lipid profile, muscle homoeostasis and selenoproteins mRNA. The study was performed in the Ribeirão Preto Medical School University Hospital. Thirty-two patients using statins received one unit of Brazil nut daily for 3 months. Body composition, blood Se concentrations, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triacylglycerol (TAG), creatine kinase (CK) activity and gene expression of GPX1 and selenoprotein P (SELENOP) were evaluated before and after Brazil nut consumption. The volunteers were genotyped for SNP in GPX1 (rs1050450) and SELENOP (rs3877899 and rs7579). SNPs in selenoproteins were not associated with plasma and erythrocyte Se, but SNPs in SELENOP influenced the response of erythrocyte GPX activity and CK activity, TAG and LDL after Brazil nut consumption. Also, Brazil nut consumption increased GPX1 mRNA expression only in subjects with rs1050450 CC genotype. SELENOP mRNA expression was significantly lower in subjects with rs7579 GG genotype before and after the intervention. Thus, SNP in SELENOP could be associated with interindividual differences in Se homeostasis after Brazil nut consumption, emphasising the involvement of genetic variability in response to Se consumption towards health maintenance and disease prevention.

Although the intake of specific flavonoid-rich foods may reduce C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, the association between dietary flavonoid intakes and CRP is inconsistent. We aim to describe dietary flavonoid intakes in a Taiwanese nationally representative sample and to investigate the association between flavonoid intakes and CRP. We conducted a cross-sectional study based on 2592 adults from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan 2005–8. Flavonoid intakes were estimated by linking the 24-h dietary recall with the U.S. Department of Agriculture flavonoid database and divided into quartiles. Adjusted estimates of the flavonoid intakes for the continuous and binary (elevated CRP: >0⋅3 mg/dl) variables were performed by using general linear and logistic regression. We found that tea, orange, tofu and sweet potato leaves/water spinach constituted the major food items of the total flavonoid intake. The total flavonoid intake was lower among women and elderly. Compared with the lowest total flavonoid intake quartile, participants in higher quartiles were associated with a lower CRP status (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 0⋅61, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0⋅44–0⋅86 for the highest quartiles). The trends were similar for flavonol and flavan-3-ol intakes. Compared with non-consumers, tea consumers were likely to have a lower CRP status (adjusted OR: 0⋅74, 95 % CI: 0⋅57–0⋅97). In brief, a higher total flavonoid intake and tea consumption were inversely associated with CRP levels, indicating that a high-flavonoid diet may contribute to anti-inflammatory effects. A Taiwanese flavonoid content table is necessary for conducting further studies related to flavonoids in Taiwan.

Low birth weight was associated with cardiometabolic diseases in adult age. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has a crucial role in fetal growth and also associates with cardiometabolic risks in adults. Therefore, we elucidated the association between IGF-1 level and serum lipids in cord blood of preterm infants. The subjects were 41 consecutive, healthy preterm neonates (27 male, 14 female) born at <37-week gestational age, including 10 small for gestational age (SGA) infants (<10th percentile). IGF-1 levels and serum lipids were measured in cord blood, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and very low-density lipoprotein triglyceride (VLDLTG) levels were determined by HPLC method. SGA infants had lower IGF-1 (13.1 ± 5.3 ng/ml), total cholesterol (TC) (55.0 ± 14.8), LDLC (21.6 ± 8.3) and HDLC (26.3 ± 11.3) levels, and higher VLDLTG levels (19.0 ± 12.7 mg/dl) than in appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants (53.6 ± 25.6, 83.4 ± 18.9, 36.6 ± 11.1, 38.5 ± 11.6, 8.1 ± 7.0, respectively). In simple regression analyses, log IGF-1 correlated positively with birth weight (r = 0.721, P < 0.001), TC (r = 0.636, P < 0.001), LDLC (r = 0.453, P = 0.006), and HDLC levels (r = 0.648, P < 0.001), and negatively with log TG (r = −0.484, P = 0.002) and log VLDL-TG (r = −0.393, P = 0.018). Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that IGF-1 was an independent predictor of TC, HDLC and TG levels after the gestational age and birth weight were taken into account. In preterm SGA infants, cord blood lipids profile altered with the concomitant decrease in IGF-1 level.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) refers to a group of positional and geometric isomers of linoleic acid. Studies using animal models have shown that CLA reduces adiposity, improves plasma lipoprotein metabolism and insulin sensitivity and reduces arteriosclerosis. Whilst CLA may have therapeutic potential with regard to coronary artery disease risk factors in human subjects, there has been little investigation into its effects in human subjects. This current study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation using two isomeric blends of CLA on triacylglycerol (TAG)-rich lipoprotein metabolism and reverse cholesterol transport in human subjects and evaluates whether CLA modulated cardiovascular disease risk factors. Fifty-one normolipidaemic subjects participated in this randomised double-blind placebo-controlled intervention trial. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive 3 g cis-9,trans-11–trans-10,cis-12 isomeric blend (50: 50) or a cis-9,trans-11–trans-10,cis-12 isomeric blend (80: 20) CLA or linoleic acid (control)/d for 8 weeks. The 50: 50 CLA isomer blend significantly reduced (P≤0·005) fasting plasma TAG concentrations. The 80: 20 CLA isomer blend significantly reduced (P≤0·05) VLDL-cholesterol concentrations. CLA supplementation had no significant effect on LDL-cholesterol, HDL-lipid-protein composition or reverse cholesterol transport. CLA supplementation had no effect on body weight, plasma glucose and insulin concentrations. Fatty acid analysis revealed that the cis-9,trans-11 CLA isomer was incorporated into total plasma lipids following supplementation with both isomeric blends of CLA. The present study demonstrates that CLA supplementation significantly improves plasma TAG and VLDL metabolism in human subjects. The study confirms that some of the cardio-protective effects of CLA that were shown in animal studies are relevant to man.

Dizygotic (DZ) World War II veteran twins who participated in the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Twin Study have been reported to have greater variance than monozygotic (MZ) twins for plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), cholesterol in the low-density fraction of HDL (HDL2-C) and apolipoprotein A-I, a major protein component of HDL. It was hypothesized that a possible source of this difference in zygosity variance could be prenatal environmental influences related to placental type. Dermatoglyphics were used to provide a retrospective index of placental type in a subset of the NHLBI MZ twins aged 59-70. The MZ twins classified as dichorionic were found to have significantly greater within-pair variability than the monochorionic MZ twins for HDL-C, HDL2-C and Apo A-I. These findings indicate that intrauterine environmental influences on HDL are manifest later in life.