Fruit and vegetables consumption is associated with higher vitamin intake and blood vitamin status among European adolescents

Analysing food groups and nutrient intake in adults who met and did not meet the daily recommended vegetable intake of 350 g: the 2016 National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan

This study aimed to compare the differences in the intake of food groups and nutrients between Japanese adults who consumed the recommended daily vegetable intake (350 g/day) and those who did not. Dietary information was obtained from one-day dietary records collected from the 2016 National Health and Nutrition Survey, which was conducted in 46 prefectures in Japan. The participants aged ≥20 years (n = 21,606; 53.8% women) were classified into the < and ≥350 g/day groups. Inter-group differences for 17 food groups and 27 nutrients were assessed as percentages of consumers (food groups only) and energy-adjusted intake (units/MJ/d or % of total energy intake). Overall, 29% of participants consumed ≥350 g/day of vegetables. The ≥350 g/day group had a higher percentage of consumers and energy-adjusted intakes for all vegetable subgroups than the <350 g/day group. For other food groups, the ≥350 g/day group had higher percentages of consumers for all food groups, except for cereals, eggs, and condiments and seasonings, which showed no significant differences. However, the ≥350 g/day group had a significantly higher energy-adjusted intake for potatoes and other tubers, mushrooms, meats, and condiments and seasonings but a significantly lower value for cereals, eggs, savoury snacks and confectionaries, and beverages. The ≥350 g/day group had a significantly higher intake of almost all (25/27) nutrients, including sodium, than the <350 g/day group. Participants with vegetable intake ≥350 g/day might have a more favourable intake of food groups and nutrients; however, watching for salt intake is necessary when promoting vegetable intake.

Relationship between Serum Homocysteine Concentration and Dietary Factors in Young Japanese Women

Homocysteine is a methionine metabolism intermediate and its increased blood levels are associated with a higher risk of noncommunicable diseases. Reportedly, blood homocysteine levels increase with inadequate folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 intake; however, its relationship with dietary factors other than these three vitamins remains unknown. Thus, we investigated the relationship of homocysteine with other nutrient intake. We performed a dietary survey on 227 young women using a food record with approximate amounts for 7 consecutive days in conjunction with digital imaging. We collected early morning fasting blood samples the day after the dietary survey was completed and analyzed the serum homocysteine levels. We observed that the serum homocysteine concentrations were significantly negatively associated with soluble, insoluble, and total fiber intake. In addition, participants with high fruit and mushroom intake displayed lower serum homocysteine concentrations, suggesting dietary fiber involvement from these foods. However, we observed no serum homocysteine concentration-related association with cereals and vegetables (well-documented dietary fiber sources) or with fruits and mushrooms. In conclusion, fiber quality-related differences could thus be caused by different sources, including antioxidant components such as fruit polyphenols and mushroom antioxidant and anti-inflammatory factors.

Blackberries and Mulberries: Berries with Significant Health-Promoting Properties

Blackberries and mulberries are small and perishable fruits that provide significant health benefits when consumed. In reality, both are rich in phytochemicals, such as phenolics and volatile compounds, and micronutrients, such as vitamins. All the compounds are well-known thanks to their medicinal and pharmacological properties, namely antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antiviral, and cardiovascular properties. Nevertheless, variables such as genotype, production conditions, fruit ripening stage, harvesting time, post-harvest storage, and climate conditions influence their nutritional composition and economic value. Given these facts, the current review focuses on the nutritional and chemical composition, as well as the health benefits, of two blackberry species (Rubus fruticosus L., and Rubus ulmifolius Schott) and one mulberry species (Morus nigra L.).

The effect of nutritional and lifestyle education intervention program on nutrition knowledge, diet quality, lifestyle, and nutritional status of Croatian school children

Introduction

Nutrition education during adolescence has proven effective in increasing knowledge, attitudes, and practices in the diet. The Mediterranean diet has proven health benefits and is proposed as a model of a sustainable diet that is beneficial for health and the environment. Its promotion with the educational program can have a significant effect on improvements in nutrition knowledge, diet quality, and nutritive status of adolescents for their healthy adulthood.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the effect of the educational program on the nutrition knowledge, diet quality, lifestyle, and nutritional status of school children from the littoral part of Croatia.

Methods

An education-based intervention study was carried out on 2,709 schoolchildren aged 10–12 years (educated/control group: 2617/92). The questionnaire about sociodemographic, anthropometric, dietary, physical activity, screen time, sleep habits, and nutrition knowledge was assessed at the baseline and after a 6- to 9-month follow-up for the medium-term effect of education. Nutrition knowledge was provided after 3 weeks for the short-term education effect assessment.

Results

Educated schoolchildren achieved a significant increase in nutrition knowledge (+75.5%), expressed as a short-term effect of the education and maintained at the 6- to 9-month follow-up (+66.8%, p &lt; 0.001). Follow-up of children significantly improved their nutritional status (underweight −56.6%, normal weight 24.8%, overweight −22.1%, and obesity −57.5%) and physical activity engagement (+13.2%). The proportion of children with a diet highly adhering to the Mediterranean diet significantly doubled (+105.0). Those children with the highest nutrition knowledge at the follow-up significantly improved their nutritional status (+218.9%), participated in organized sports (+204.7%), and had a diet that highly adhered to the MD (+291.8%).

Conclusion

A significantly good medium-term effect of education-based nutrition and lifestyle intervention program on nutrition knowledge, diet quality, lifestyle, and nutritional status of schoolchildren aged 10–12 years was shown. The educational program promoted a Mediterranean diet and lifestyle as a healthy and sustainable way of living, important for children's future health and wellbeing. New research-based approaches are needed for making children more aware and capable of handling the complexity of sustainable living.

Associations between variety of fruits and vegetables consumed, diet quality, and sociodemographic factors among 8th and 11th grade adolescents in Texas

OBJECTIVE

To examine demographic and dietary correlates of consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables (FV) among Texas adolescents. Different types of FV are needed for adequate dietary intake of vitamins and phytochemicals for proper development and functioning throughout the lifespan.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis from the Texas Surveillance of Physical Activity and Nutrition (Texas SPAN) data comparing consumption of a variety of fruit and vegetables by gender, race/ethnicity, and region (Texas-Mexico border/non-border).

SETTING

Middle, high schools in Texas.

PARTICIPANTS

8th, 11th grade Texas adolescents (n=9,056 representing N=659,288) mean age 14.8 years.

RESULTS

Within this sample, mean fruit and vegetable variety scores (0-7) ranged from 2.47-2.65. Boys consumed a significantly greater variety of fruit than girls (m=1.12 compared to 1.04). Adolescents in non-border regions consumed a greater variety of vegetables and FV compared to those in border regions. FV variety was associated with healthier eating in the full sample, particularly in the highest Socioeconomic Status (SES) tertile. Within the highest SES tertile, a one-unit increase in variety of fruit, vegetable, and FV was associated with significant increases (p<0.001) in a healthy eating measure, the SPAN Healthy Eating Index: Fruit variety (β=1.33, SE=.29), Vegetable variety (β=0.90, SE=0.28), and FV Variety (β=.81, SE=0.19).

CONCLUSIONS

Consumption of a greater variety of FV appears to be associated with a healthier overall diet. Associations of FV variety with healthy eating were most significant in the highest SES tertile. These findings support the need to further examine consuming a variety of FV within healthy eating behavior.

Biological Role of Nutrients, Food and Dietary Patterns in the Prevention and Clinical Management of Major Depressive Disorder

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a growing disabling condition affecting around 280 million people worldwide. This complex entity is the result of the interplay between biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors, and compelling evidence suggests that MDD can be considered a disease that occurs as a consequence of an evolutionary mismatch and unhealthy lifestyle habits. In this context, diet is one of the core pillars of health, influencing multiple biological processes in the brain and the entire body. It seems that there is a bidirectional relationship between MDD and malnutrition, and depressed individuals often lack certain critical nutrients along with an aberrant dietary pattern. Thus, dietary interventions are one of the most promising tools to explore in the field of MDD, as there are a specific group of nutrients (i.e., omega 3, vitamins, polyphenols, and caffeine), foods (fish, nuts, seeds fruits, vegetables, coffee/tea, and fermented products) or dietary supplements (such as S-adenosylmethionine, acetyl carnitine, creatine, amino acids, etc.), which are being currently studied. Likewise, the entire nutritional context and the dietary pattern seem to be another potential area of study, and some strategies such as the Mediterranean diet have demonstrated some relevant benefits in patients with MDD; although, further efforts are still needed. In the present work, we will explore the state-of-the-art diet in the prevention and clinical support of MDD, focusing on the biological properties of its main nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns and their possible implications for these patients.

A Glimpse of the Sports Nutrition Awareness in Spanish Basketball Players

Basketball is a team sport, with many fans and practitioners worldwide from all ages and levels. In all cases, players accumulate high levels of fatigue, and there is also limited time to recover between games or practices. In particular, nutrition plays a key role in optimizing performance and recovery. However, it is typical to observe erroneous nutritional behaviors among basketball players. It has been theorized that these behaviors are influenced by habits acquired based on the individual’s knowledge. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to conduct a descriptive research of the sports nutrition knowledge and practices in a sample of Spanish basketball players, from athletes under 18 years old (n = 69) to nonprofessional (n = 14) and professional adult players (n = 21). The sample was comprised of 49 men and 55 women. This was a transversal, cross-sectional, observational and descriptive study. All participants (n = 104) completed an anonymous online survey in order to analyze their sports nutrition knowledge and practices. In view of the obtained results, we can conclude that the knowledge of sport-specific nutrition in players under 18 years old, as well as non-professional and professional adult basketball players, is insufficient through all the categories and levels. The lack of professional support and time management difficulties were identified as some of the main barriers.

Assessment of Food Supplement Consumption in Polish Population of Adults

Introduction: In recent years, there has been a great interest in food supplements. However the use of food supplements can be associated with the risk of excessive intake of vitamins or minerals which may have adverse health effects.

Objective: Assessment of food supplement consumption in the adult population in Poland.

Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 1,831 adults (913 men, 918 women) from which 178 (59 men, 119 women) food supplement users were selected. The consumption of food supplements were assessed by the 24-h recall repeated two times and the food propensity questionnaire (FPQ).

Results: 10% of the subjects consumed food supplements during the 12 months prior to the study (6% of men, 13% of women) and among users 68% (79% of men and 88% of women) in the day before the survey. Most respondents (44%) used vitamin supplements during the year. More men than women (27 vs. 11%, p = 0.0059) used mineral supplements while more women than men used vitamin and mineral supplements (31 vs. 8%, p = 0.0008). The most frequently supplemented vitamins were: B₆ (58%), C (53%), and D (47%) and minerals were: magnesium (43%), zinc (34%), and iron (29%). More women than men supplemented vitamin B6 (71 vs. 40%, p = 0.0012), vitamin D (54 vs. 36%, p = 0.0061) and magnesium (49 vs. 34%, p = 0.0075). Intake of riboflavin, pantothenic acid and manganese were higher in the group of men (respectively: 3.3 mg ± 6.0 vs. 1.4 mg ± 0.3, p = 0.0329; 9.4 mg ± 5.6 vs. 6.1 mg ± 2.0, p = 0.0357; 2.2 mg ± 0.9 vs. 1.3 mg ± 0.6, p = 0.0080) but intake of vitamin D was higher in the group of women (15.7 μg ± 20.4 vs. 33.1 μg ± 26.4, p = 0.0085). In many cases, the intake of vitamins and minerals from food supplements covered the Dietary Reference Values for these nutrients in 100%. In some persons the intake of biotin, vitamin B₁₂, C, B₆, riboflavin, niacin was higher than the reference values several dozen times. The intake of vitamins and minerals exceed UL in a few cases relating to vitamin B₆ and magnesium.

Conclusions: A minority of adults in Poland used food supplements. However, those products were a significant source of vitamins and minerals. Intake of vitamins and minerals from food supplements should be monitored.

Fruit and vegetable consumption and serum vitamin A in lactating women: A cross-sectional survey in urban China

During the lactation period, healthy eating behavior is essential to maternal and child health. However, Chinese lactating women may have some traditional food restrictions. Our aims were to evaluate the fruit and vegetable consumption of Chinese lactating women and to examine the associations between fruit and vegetable consumption and serum vitamin A concentrations. A total of 885 participants were included. Dietary intakes were assessed during the same time frame as blood collection via a one-time 24-h dietary recall (24HDR) and a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ), respectively. Serum vitamin A concentrations were assessed with high-performance liquid chromatography. Based on 24HDR, 64.7% and 85.5% of lactating women did not consume the appropriate amount of fruits and vegetables, respectively. New mothers who adopt zuo yuezi behavior during the first month were negatively associated with fruit consumption. The median (25th to 75th) dietary vitamin A intake was 349.5 (202.5-591.4) μg RAE/day. Vegetable contributed 24.9% and fruit 4.8% of the dietary vitamin A intake. The median (25th to 75th) serum vitamin A concentration was 1.92 (1.61-2.30) μmol/L. 24HDR assessments of total fruit and vegetable consumption, and fruit consumption were positively associated with higher serum vitamin A concentrations, respectively (β = 0.200, 95%CI = 0.077, 0.323, p = .001; β = 0.241, 95%CI = 0.008, 0.474, p = .044). These positive associations were replicated in the SFFQ assessments (β = 0.102, 95%CI = 0.016, 0.188, p = .020; β = 0.215, 95%CI = 0.088, 0.341, p = .001). Chinese lactating women had inappropriate fruit and vegetable consumption. Fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with serum vitamin A concentrations.

Potential Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Serum from Healthy Adolescents with Optimal Mediterranean Diet Adherence: Findings from DIMENU Cross-Sectional Study

During adolescence, health status is influenced by several factors, among which dietary pattern is a crucial element of lifestyle in terms of prevention and treatment of metabolic and chronic diseases. The most studied healthy dietary pattern is the Mediterranean Diet (MD), due to a combination of foods that are rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients. The aim of this study, carried out in healthy adolescents from the DIMENU study, is to assess the adherence to the MD, as well as the dietary nutrient intake and to evaluate the potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of sera from participants grouped according to the MD score. Using the KIDMED score, as the MD quality index for children and teenagers, we found that the adolescents in this study had an average adherence to the MD (6.71 ± 2.58). Adolescents were clustered into three groups based on their MD adherence. Assessment of quality by 24 h recall revealed higher intakes in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)/saturated fatty acid (SFA) ratio, dietary fibers, vitamins, and total oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) in the optimal than in poor MD adherence group. We observed that dietary PUFA/SFA ratio was negatively correlated with serum C-Reactive Protein levels, and total dietary fibers were inversely correlated with Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate values, while total ORAC was directly correlated with serum glucose concentrations. Interestingly, the reactive oxygen metabolite (ROM) concentrations, determined by the ROM assay, were significantly lower in pooled sera from optimal than poor adherers. Finally, using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human macrophages, as an in vitro model of acute inflammation, we found a reduced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines upon serum treatment from adolescents with optimal respect to medium and poor MD adherence. Our results highlight the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of serum from adolescents with healthy nutrition in terms of adherence to the MD, which may have a positive impact on the prevention of chronic diseases in adulthood.

A Novel Personalized Systems Nutrition Program Improves Dietary Patterns, Lifestyle Behaviors and Health-Related Outcomes: Results from the Habit Study

Personalized nutrition may be more effective in changing lifestyle behaviors compared to population-based guidelines. This single-arm exploratory study evaluated the impact of a 10-week personalized systems nutrition (PSN) program on lifestyle behavior and health outcomes. Healthy men and women (n = 82) completed the trial. Individuals were grouped into seven diet types, for which phenotypic, genotypic and behavioral data were used to generate personalized recommendations. Behavior change guidance was also provided. The intervention reduced the intake of calories (−256.2 kcal; p < 0.0001), carbohydrates (−22.1 g; p < 0.0039), sugar (−13.0 g; p < 0.0001), total fat (−17.3 g; p < 0.0001), saturated fat (−5.9 g; p = 0.0003) and PUFA (−2.5 g; p = 0.0065). Additionally, BMI (−0.6 kg/m²; p < 0.0001), body fat (−1.2%; p = 0.0192) and hip circumference (−5.8 cm; p < 0.0001) were decreased after the intervention. In the subgroup with the lowest phenotypic flexibility, a measure of the body’s ability to adapt to environmental stressors, LDL (−0.44 mmol/L; p = 0.002) and total cholesterol (−0.49 mmol/L; p < 0.0001) were reduced after the intervention. This study shows that a PSN program in a workforce improves lifestyle habits and reduces body weight, BMI and other health-related outcomes. Health improvement was most pronounced in the compromised phenotypic flexibility subgroup, which indicates that a PSN program may be effective in targeting behavior change in health-compromised target groups.

Development of a short food frequency questionnaire to assess diet quality in UK adolescents using the National Diet and Nutrition Survey

BACKGROUND

UK adolescents consume fewer fruits and vegetables and more free sugars than any other age group. Established techniques to understand diet quality can be difficult to use with adolescents because of high participant burden. This study aimed to identify key foods that indicate variation in diet quality in UK adolescents for inclusion in a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and to investigate the associations between adolescent diet quality, nutritional biomarkers and socio-demographic factors.

METHODS

Dietary, demographic and biomarker data from waves 1-8 of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey rolling programme were used (n=2587; aged 11-18 years; 50% boys; n=≤997 biomarker data). Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to 139 food groups to identify the key patterns within the data. Two diet quality scores, a 139-group and 20-group, were calculated using the PCA coefficients for each food group and multiplying by their standardised reported frequency of consumption and then summing across foods. The foods with the 10 strongest positive and 10 strongest negative coefficients from the PCA results were used for the 20-group score. Scores were standardised to have a zero mean and standard deviation of one.

RESULTS

The first PCA component explained 3.0% of variance in the dietary data and described a dietary pattern broadly aligned with UK dietary recommendations. A correlation of 0.87 was observed between the 139-group and 20-group scores. Bland-Altman mean difference was 0.00 and 95% limits of agreement were - 0.98 to 0.98 SDs. Correlations, in the expected direction, were seen between each nutritional biomarker and both scores; results attenuated slightly for the 20-group score compared to the 139-group score. Better diet quality was observed among girls, non-white populations and in those from higher socio-economic backgrounds for both scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The diet quality score based on 20 food groups showed reasonable agreement with the 139-group score. Both scores were correlated with nutritional biomarkers. A short 20-item FFQ can provide a meaningful and easy-to-implement tool to assess diet quality in large scale observational and intervention studies with adolescents.

Trends of Healthy Lifestyles Among Adolescents: An Analysis of More Than Half a Million Participants From 32 Countries Between 2006 and 2014

The purpose of this study was to provide data regarding the prevalence and trends of adolescents' healthy lifestyles from 32 countries between 2006 and 2014 by sex and age interval. The data used in the present study were derived from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2006, 2010, and 2014 international database. Healthy lifestyle was assessed using the combination of daily physical activity, daily fruit and vegetable consumption, <2 h daily on screen-based behaviors, abstinence from alcohol, and abstinence from tobacco products. Healthy lifestyle measures were based on self-report. The final sample comprised 519,371 adolescents (aged between 10 and 16 years old). The prevalence of healthy lifestyle behaviors increased between 2006 and 2014. The healthy lifestyle score worsened with advancing age for boys and girls. Comparing countries, for boys, the highest values were observed in adolescents from Ireland (5.2%, 95% CI: 3.9, 6.4), and for girls, the highest values were observed in adolescents from Iceland (4.2%, 95% CI: 3.6, 4.7). The present study showed a slight trend to an improved healthy lifestyle among adolescents, although much more has to be done. A joint effort from multiple areas of knowledge must be made to improve adolescent health policies, since lifestyles in adolescence play an important role for the development of vulnerability and health in later life.

Low serum vitamin C correlates with an increased risk of peripheral arterial disease in current smokers: Results from NHANES 2003-2004

Background

Cigarette smoking is one of the most critical risk factors for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and inversely correlated Vitamin C. Here we determine whether serum vitamin C correlates with the risk of PAD, especially among current smokers.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis of 2383 individuals ≥40 y was performed from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003–2004), including measurement of ankle-brachial index (ABI), smoking status and serum vitamin C. We examined the interactions between plasma vitamin C and exposure to smoking on the risk of PAD.

Results

912 (38.2%) were current smokers while 207 participants were diagnosed with PAD based on ABI(ABI≤0.9). Current smokers in the lowest vitamin C quartile had the highest prevalence of PAD (14.1%) compared to other quartiles. However, this trend was not significant in nonsmokers. Current smokers in the lowest quartile had a 2.32-fold risk (95% CI, 1.03–5.32; P = 0.04) for PAD after weighted adjustment for potential confounders, including vitamin D and C-reactive protein. In contrast, non-smokers did not have a differing risk of PAD as a function of vitamin C (P for interaction = 0.019).

Conclusions

As an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory, low serum vitamin C appears to associates with the risk of PAD in smokers. A relationship between PAD and vitamin C in non-current smokers is not apparent. Modulating vitamin C in current smokers may help mitigate the risk of PAD and should be a target of mechanistic study.

A Scoping Review of the Operationalization of Fruit and Vegetable Variety

Adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables is critical for healthy growth and development. Less is known about fruit and vegetable variety, with variation in operationalization of variety. This review aims to identify currently available evidence operationalizing fruit and vegetable (FV) variety through a scoping review to summarize, compare, and critically evaluate the operationalization of variety. A secondary aim is to examine the implications of measuring FV variety and outcomes including dietary quality/nutrient intake. PubMed, Medline, PsycINFO were searched using the following criteria: (1) human study participants ages 2 years and above; (2) assessment of fruit variety consumption, vegetable variety consumption, or combined fruit and vegetable variety consumption; and (3) peer-reviewed publication available in the English language. Etiologic, intervention, and determinant studies were eligible to be included, and 47 studies met inclusion criteria. Differences in operationalization of variety were found. Findings included associations of FV variety with aspects of nutrient intake, dietary behaviors, lifestyle behaviors, and health outcomes. There were no studies that assessed conventionally grown produce vs. organic produce, and none of the included studies assessed cultivar. Nonstandard classification of fruit and vegetables, differences in fruit and vegetables grown in other countries, and the restriction to studies published in the English language may have excluded studies examining variety published in languages other than English. Operationalization of variety should be reported to allow one to explore comparability across studies, use national or international guidelines for greater comparability, associate variety with nutrient intake, and change variety behaviors via intervention.

Evaluation of adherence to Mediterranean diet and association with clinical and biological markers in an Italian population

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the overall diet quality of an Italian population through the use of the Mediterranean Diet Serving Score (MDSS) and its relation to clinical and biochemical nutritional markers.

METHODS

The study was conducted on healthy participants ages 18 to 86 y living in central Italy. Adherence to the Mediterranean food pattern was evaluated by a semiquantitative food frequency, using the MDSS. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical analyses of nutritional interest were performed according to the standardized procedure.

RESULTS

The sample included a total of 349 participants (121 men and 228 women) with an average age of 54 ± 15 y and a body mass index of 27.4 ± 4.8 kg/m², underlining an overweight status in both men and women. The mean educational level was medium-high in both sexes, whereas the occupation level was higher in women than in men (P = 0.001). The mean MDSS score was 14.4 ± 4.1 out of a total of 24 points. The adherence was higher in women (score 14.7 ± 3.9) than men (score 13.9 ± 4.4), although there were no significant differences (P = 0.25). No statistical differences in MDSS were found in relation to body mass index and educational level, whereas a higher MDSS score was observed in the older age group (P < 0.05). A positive correlation among MDSS, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and vitamin C has been found (P < 0.05), whereas there was a negative correlation with uric acid and triacylglycerols (P < 0.05). A logistic regression analysis highlighted smoking habit as the only predictive factor for a high adherence to MDSS (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MDSS has a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, particularly in the youngest age group and smokers. The index shows a correlation with some parameters of nutritional interest and further larger cohorts studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Association between antioxidant vitamins and oxidative stress among patients with a complete hydatidiform mole

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the potential relationship between oxidative stress, dietary intake, and serum levels of antioxidants in patients with a complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) compared with controls.

METHODS

This was an observational cross-sectional study conducted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A total of 140 women were enrolled in this study and divided into four groups: 43 patients with CHM, 33 women who had had an abortion, 32 healthy pregnant women, and 32 healthy non-pregnant women. All participants underwent blood sampling, assessment using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire, and anthropometric measurement. Blood samples were collected after overnight fasting (10-12 h). Vitamin levels (A, C, and E) were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography, and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels were assessed using an automated quantitative analysis system (Dimension®, Siemens).

RESULTS

Although all groups showed sufficient serum vitamin A and E levels, the participants had inadequate dietary intake of these vitamins. Conversely, all groups had an insufficient serum level of vitamin C, despite adequate intake. The gamma-glutamyl transferase values did not differ significantly among the groups. However, elevated serum levels of this enzyme were observed in several patients.

CONCLUSIONS

All groups exhibited high levels of oxidative stress, as evaluated by gamma-glutamyl transferase levels, and had inadequate intake of antioxidant vitamins. Therefore, the high exposure to oxidative stress found in our study, even in healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women, may increase the incidence of CHM in this region.

Global Patterns of Adolescent Fruit, Vegetable, Carbonated Soft Drink, and Fast-Food Consumption: A Meta-Analysis of Global School-Based Student Health Surveys

BACKGROUND

Adolescence presents an opportunity to influence diet, which impacts present and future health outcomes, yet adolescent diets globally are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

We generate evidence on adolescent diets globally and explore patterns and trends by subpopulation.

METHODS

We estimated mean frequency of consumption and prevalence of less-than-daily fruit and vegetable consumption, at-least-daily carbonated beverage consumption, and at-least-weekly fast-food consumption among school-going adolescents aged primarily 12 to 17 years from the Global School-based Student Health Surveys in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America between 2008 and 2015. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to pool estimates globally and by subgroup.

RESULTS

On average, adolescents consumed fruit 1.43 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-1.60) times per day, vegetables 1.75 (1.58-1.92) times per day, carbonated soft drinks 0.99 (0.77-1.22) times per day, and fast food 1.05 (0.78-1.32) times per week. Overall, 34.5% (95% CI 29.4-39.7) consumed fruit less than once per day, 20.6% (15.8-25.9) consumed vegetables less than once per day, 42.8% (35.2-50.7) drank carbonated soft drinks at least once per day, and 46.1% (38.6-53.7) consumed fast food at least once per week. Mean daily frequency of fruit consumption was particularly low in South and East Asia (1.30 [1.02-1.58]); carbonated soft drink consumption high in Latin America (1.54 [1.31-1.78]), high-income countries (1.66 [1.29-2.03]), and modern food system typologies (1.44 [0.75-2.12]); and mean weekly fast food consumption high in mixed food system typologies (1.29 [0.88-1.71]).

CONCLUSIONS

School-going adolescents infrequently consume fruits and vegetables and frequently consume carbonated soft drinks, but there is wide variability by subpopulation.

Preventive and Therapeutic Role of Functional Ingredients of Barley Grass for Chronic Diseases in Human Beings

Barley grass powder is the best functional food that provides nutrition and eliminates toxins from cells in human beings; however, its functional ingredients have played an important role as health benefit. In order to better cognize the preventive and therapeutic role of barley grass for chronic diseases, we carried out the systematic strategies for functional ingredients of barley grass, based on the comprehensive databases, especially the PubMed, Baidu, ISI Web of Science, and CNKI, between 2008 and 2017. Barley grass is rich in functional ingredients, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), flavonoids, saponarin, lutonarin, superoxide dismutase (SOD), K, Ca, Se, tryptophan, chlorophyll, vitamins (A, B1, C, and E), dietary fiber, polysaccharide, alkaloid, metallothioneins, and polyphenols. Barley grass promotes sleep; has antidiabetic effect; regulates blood pressure; enhances immunity; protects liver; has anti-acne/detoxifying and antidepressant effects; improves gastrointestinal function; has anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypolipidemic, and antigout effects; reduces hyperuricemia; prevents hypoxia, cardiovascular diseases, fatigue, and constipation; alleviates atopic dermatitis; is a calcium supplement; improves cognition; and so on. These results support that barley grass may be one of the best functional foods for preventive chronic diseases and the best raw material of modern diet structure in promoting the development of large health industry and further reveal that GABA, flavonoids, SOD, K-Ca, vitamins, and tryptophan mechanism of barley grass have preventive and therapeutic role for chronic diseases. This paper can be used as a scientific evidence for developing functional foods and novel drugs for barley grass for preventive chronic diseases.