The contribution of dietary total antioxidant capacity to type 2 diabetes risk and levels of glycemic biomarkers: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

This study systematically reviewed and analyzed epidemiological evidence regarding the association between dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) and both the risk of developing diabetes and glycemic biomarker levels.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases through July 2024 without imposing any date restrictions. Original studies that examined the relationship between DTAC and either the risk of developing diabetes or glycemic biomarker levels-specifically fasting blood glucose (FBG), hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), insulin, and the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)-were eligible for inclusion. After eliminating duplicates and irrelevant records, relevant studies were selected, and data were extracted through rigorous critical analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 32 articles were included in the review. Of the 19 studies that evaluated diabetes risk, 15 reported a lower risk among subjects with higher DTAC values. All 4 studies examining prediabetes risk found lower risk in participants with high DTAC scores. Additionally, significant inverse relationships were observed between DTAC values and FBG (9/15 studies), HbA1C (1/6 studies), insulin (5/6 studies), and HOMA-IR (8/9 studies).

CONCLUSION

The majority of evidence indicates that high adherence to an antioxidant-rich diet may reduce diabetes risk and improve glycemic biomarkers, including FBG, insulin, and HOMA-IR.

Food matrices as delivery units of nutrients in processed foods

Processed food products (PFPs) are amply consumed and important sources of nutrients worldwide. Evaluating PFPs by their composition fails to recognize that nutrients are embedded in food matrices and processing modifies their nutritional functionality, for example, the bioaccessibility and bioavailability. PFPs with equivalent chemical composition may experience the "food matrix effect": a difference in the nutritional outcome and health potential. This review presents food matrices attained after processing and their nutritional significance. It also delves into the complex kinetics of digestion conducive to nutrient release from matrices and nutrient interactions before absorption in the small intestine, and the role of microbial fermentation in the colon. Matrices of PFPs can be designed or redesigned and manufactured to be tasty, nutritious, sustainable, as special foods for vulnerable groups, innovative products from novel food sources, and to feed a healthy microbiota. The potential for nutritional improvement of PFPs is driven by understanding the food materials science and changes in food matrices during processing, control of formulation and manufacturing variables, the application of novel technologies, and a multifactor toolbox that supports the rational design of healthy food matrices.

Food group intakes and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein among community-dwelling Japanese adults: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Healthy dietary patterns have been linked to lower levels of chronic inflammation. The present study aimed to investigate the associations between food group intakes and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) among community-dwelling adults.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

SETTING

Three areas in Japan (Shiga, Fukuoka, or Kyushu and Okinawa).

PARTICIPANTS

The present analysis included 13 648 participants (5126 males and 8522 females; age range, 35-69 years) who had been enrolled in the baseline survey of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study. Food group intakes were estimated using a FFQ. Multiple linear regression was used to examine associations between the quartiles of each energy-adjusted food group intake and log-transformed hsCRP.

RESULTS

The following concentration ratios of hsCRP after comparing the highest and lowest quartiles of food group intake were significant: in males, 1·12 (95 % CI 1·02, 1·22) for processed meat, 1·13 (95 % CI 1·03, 1·24) for fish and 0·83 (95 % CI 0·76, 0·90) for nuts; in females, 0·89 (95 % CI 0·81, 0·97) for bread, 1·11 (95 % CI 1·03, 1·19) for processed meat, 0·86 (95 % CI 0·80, 0·92) for vegetables, 1·19 (95 % CI 1·11, 1·29) for fruit, 0·90 (95 % CI 0·84, 0·97) for nuts and 0·88 (95 % CI 0·82, 0·95) for green tea.

CONCLUSIONS

Processed meat and nut intakes were associated with higher and lower hsCRP levels, respectively, in both sexes. However, for several food groups, including fish and fruit, previous findings from dietary pattern analyses were not supported by the present analyses at the food group level.

Smoking and consumption of ultra-processed foods - a combination of risky choices: A cross-sectional study using Vigitel 2018 data

BACKGROUND

Smoking and unhealthy diet are important risk factors for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, contributing to public health crises.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the consumption of natural/minimally processed and ultra-processed foods by Brazilian adults (18-59 years old) according to smoking status.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Cross-sectional study of a representative population sample from 26 state capitals and the Federal District (Brazil-2018).

METHODS

Data were obtained from Vigitel-Surveillance System for Risk and Protection Factors for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey. Participants were categorized as smokers, ex-smokers, and never smokers. Multinomial logistic regression was used for analyses.

RESULTS

Of the 30,800 adults evaluated, 9.4% (95%CI: 8.7-10.2) were smokers and 16.5% (95%CI: 15.8-17.3) were ex-smokers. Smokers were less likely to consume fruit and natural juice, and more likely to consume soda or artificial juice (≥ 5 days/week) than ex-smokers and never smokers. Regarding the daily frequency of consumption, smokers were observed to be less likely to eat fruit more than 1 time/day and more likely to drink ≥ 3 cups/cans of soda/day. Compared to never smokers, smokers had a 42% higher chance of consuming ≥ 3 glasses of natural juice/day. On the day before the interview, fruit, milk, tubers, squash, and okra consumption were lower among smokers than non-smokers. Smokers were more likely to report consuming soft drinks, fruit juice, sauces, ready-made dishes, margarine, and sausages.

CONCLUSION

Smokers had lower fruit consumption, and higher consumption of natural juices and ultra-processed foods. We highlight the need for strategies that encourage healthy eating and smoking cessation.

Are organics more nutritious than conventional foods? A comprehensive systematic review

The growing consumer interest fueled by the belief in the superiority of organic foods raises questions about their actual nutritional superiority over conventional ones. This assumption remains a controversial issue. The present study addresses scientific evidence to clarify this controversy and provide relevant insights for informed decision-making regarding dietary choices. We collected 147 scientific articles containing 656 comparative analyses based on 1779 samples of 68 vegetable, fruit, and other (cereals, pulses, etc.) foods, 22 nutritional properties, and nine residues. Results show that in 191 (29.1%) comparisons, there were significant differences between organic and conventional foods. In a similar quantity of cases (190; 29.0%), there were divergences in the results since some studies reported significant differences while others did not. Finally, most of the comparative analyses (275; 41.9%) showed no significant difference between organic and conventional foods. Therefore, the results herein show no generalizable superiority of organic over conventional foods. Claims for nutritious advantages would eventually be applied to specific comparisons, depending on the food type and nutritional parameter.

Association of a healthy beverage score with total mortality in the adult population of Spain: A nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

Despite the substantial evidence of the relationship between diet and mortality, the role of beverage consumption patterns is not well known. The aim of this study was to assess the association of the adherence to a Healthy Beverage Score (HBS) and all-cause mortality in a representative sample of the Spanish adult population.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We conducted an observational cohort study using data from the Study on Nutrition and Cardiovascular Risk in Spain (ENRICA), which included 12,161 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥18 years recruited in 2008 to 2010 and followed until January 2022. At baseline, food consumption was collected using a validated diet history. The HBS consists of 7 items, each of which is scored from 1 to 4 (highest adherence). The HBS ranges from 7 to 28 points with a higher score representing a healthier pattern. Adherence was assigned as a higher consumption of low-fat milk, and coffee and tea, a lower consumption of whole-fat milk, no consumption of fruit juice, artificially sweetened beverages, or sugar-sweetened beverages, and no or moderate consumption of alcohol. Total mortality was ascertained by linkage to the Spanish National Death Index. Statistical analyses were performed with Cox models and adjusted for the main confounders, including sociodemographic, lifestyle, dietary variables, and morbidity. After a mean follow-up of 12.5 years (SD: 1.7; range: 0.5 to 12.9), a total of 967 deaths occurred. For all-cause mortality, the fully adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for the highest versus lowest sex-specific quartiles of HBS was 0.72 (95% confidence interval [0.57, 0.91], p linear-trend = 0.015), corresponding to an 8.3% reduction in the absolute risk of death. A linear relationship between the risk of death and the adherence to the HBS was observed using restricted cubic splines. The results were robust to sensitivity analyses. The main limitation was that repeated measurements on beverage consumption were not available and beverage consumption could have changed during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we observed that higher adherence to the HBS was associated with lower total mortality. Adherence to a healthy beverage pattern could play a role in the prevention of premature mortality.

Probiotic-fortified fruit juices: Health benefits, challenges, and future perspective

Consumers' growing interest in using foods that improve health has motivated researchers and the food industry to develop new functional products, such as foods containing probiotics or live microbes. Probiotics have functional attributes that could satisfy most basic nutritional and therapeutic supplementation requirements. These microbes positively respond to clinical therapies against diseases and illnesses such as rotavirus-associated diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and food allergies. Moreover, the role of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and diseases related to pathogenic microbes is an exciting and rapidly advancing research arena. Probiotic supplementation usually involves dairy products. However, because of the growing number of individuals affected by lactose intolerance and/or vegans, other food matrices like fruits, vegetables, cereals, and so on, have been studied as potential carriers for these microorganisms, presenting an alternative and better source in the process of assessing novel probiotic strains. The present review discusses the various factors affecting the survival of probiotics during storage in fruit juices, the possible effect of probiotics on sensory attributes and the overall acceptance of the products, and future technologies to improve the viability of probiotics.

Efficacy of front-of-pack warning label system versus guideline for daily amount on healthfulness perception, purchase intention and objective understanding of nutrient content of food products in Guatemala: a cross-over cluster randomized controlled experiment

BACKGROUND

Front-of-package warning labels (FOPWL) have been adopted in many countries aiming at reducing the consumption of unhealthy food and drink products and have also been considered in Guatemala. The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of FOPWL versus Guidelines for Daily Amount (GDA) on products' healthfulness perception (HP), purchase intention (PI) and the objective understanding of the nutrient content (UNC) in Guatemala.

METHODS

Participants (children and adults) (n = 356) were randomly assigned to evaluate either FOPWL or GDA during a crossover cluster randomized experiment in rural and urban areas across 3 phases of exposure. During phase 1, participants evaluated mock-up images of single products (single task) and compared pairs of products within the same food category (comparison task) without any label. In phase 2, participants evaluated labels only (without any product), and during phase 3, they evaluated the same products and questions from phase 1, now depicting the assigned front-of-package label. We generated indicators for single-task questions and scores for comparison tasks, one for each HP, PI and UNC questions. We used intention-to-treat, difference-in-difference regression analysis to test whether exposure to FOPWL was associated with HP, PI and UNC, compared to GDA. We also tested models for children and adults and by area (rural/urban) separately adjusting for sociodemographic variables.

RESULTS

In single tasks, FOPWL significantly decreased the PI (β -18.1, 95%CI -23.3, -12.8; p < 0.001) and the HP (β -13.2, 95%CI -18.4, -7.9; p < 0.001) of unhealthy food products compared to GDA. In the comparison task, FOPWL significantly increased the UNC (β 20.4, 95%CI 17.0, 23.9; p < 0.001), improved PI towards healthier choices (OR 4.5, 95%CI 2.9, 7.0 p < 0.001) and HP (OR 5.6, 95%CI 2.8, 11.1; p < 0.001) compared to GDA. Similar results were found in children and adults and in urban and rural settings.

CONCLUSIONS

FOPWL reduces products' healthfulness perception and purchase intention, and increases understanding of products' nutrient content compared to GDA.

Two countries, similar practices: the political practices of the food industry influencing the adoption of key public health nutrition policies in Guatemala and Panama

OBJECTIVE

To identify the corporate political activity (CPA) strategies used by food industry actors during the development of two public health nutrition policies in Central America: Law #570 (taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages) in Panama and Bill #5504 (labelling and food marketing regulations) in Guatemala.

DESIGN

We triangulated data from publicly available information from 2018 to 2020, (e.g. industry and government materials; social media material) with semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders.

SETTING

Guatemala and Panama.

PARTICIPANTS

Government, academia and international organisations workers in health and nutrition.

DESIGN

CPA strategies were categorised according to an existing internationally used taxonomy into action-based, instrumental strategies (coalition management, information management, direct involvement and influence in policy, legal action) and discursive strategies.

RESULTS

Instrumental strategies included the establishment of relationships with policymakers and direct lobbying against the proposed public policies. Discursive strategies were mainly criticising on the unfounded ground that they lacked evidence of effectiveness and will imply negative impacts on the economy. The industry pointed at individuals for making their own food choices, in order to shift the focus away from the role of its products in contributing to ill health.

CONCLUSION

We provide evidence of the political practices used by the food industry to interfere with the development and implementation of public health nutrition policies to improve diets in Central America. Policymakers, public health advocates and the public should be informed about those practices and develop counterstrategies and arguments to protect the public and policies from the vested interests of the food industry.

Adherence to a Healthy Beverage Score Is Associated with Lower Frailty Risk in Older Adults

Many beverages include bioactive components and energy but are frequently not considered in diet quality estimations. We examined the association of a healthy beverage score (HBS) with incident frailty in older adults from the Seniors-ENRICA-1 cohort. We used data from 1900 participants (mean ± SD age 68.7 ± 6.4 years, 51.7% women), recruited in 2008-2010 and followed-up until 2012 assessing food consumption at baseline with a validated diet history. The HBS was higher for increasing consumption of low fat milk, tea/coffee, lower consumption of whole milk, fruit juice, artificially sweetened beverages, sugar-sweetened beverages, and moderate intake of alcohol. Frailty was considered as having ≥3 criteria: exhaustion, low-physical activity, slow gait speed, weakness, and weight loss. We performed logistic regression analyses adjusted for potential confounders. During a 3.5 y mean follow-up, 136 new cases of frailty occurred. Compared to the lowest sex-specific HBS tertile, the fully adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of frailty was 0.59 (0.38, 0.92) in the intermediate tertile, and 0.52 (0.31, 0.88) in the highest tertile, p trend = 0.007. Results for slow gait speed were 0.79 (0.58, 1.07) and 0.71 (0.51-0.99), p trend = 0.033. Therefore, adherence to HBS was inversely associated with incident frailty and slow gait speed. HBS can help on the beverage quality evaluation, highlighting beverage importance as contributors to diet and to health.

Consumer or Patient Determinants of Hospital Brand Equity-A Systematic Literature Review

The purpose of this study was to analyze consumer or patient determinants of hospital brand equity (HBE) based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Statement. A search of six databases: Scopus, Web of Sciences, PubMed, Google Scholar, Ebsco, and Elsevier was conducted. A search for studies published up to January 2022 was performed between 15 February and 5 March 2022. Article type, peer-reviewed papers, and studies based on empirical research were used as inclusion criteria. Non-English language papers, dissertations, short reports, works in progress, conference publications, and book chapters were excluded. As a result, a final set of 32 studies were selected for the analysis. Three research questions were formulated on the main determinants of HBE, brand-related factors, and specific medical-related factors. The studies included in the systematic literature review were analyzed in three areas: study description, key findings, and practical recommendations. Among the traditional HBE factors, brand loyalty has been analyzed most often, and the following have also been studied: perceived quality, brand associations, brand awareness, and brand image. Patient satisfaction, service quality, perception of the treatment process, and the work of medical staff were found to be specific medical-related factors. Other factors related to the management process, brand, and patients were also identified. It was noted that the number and variety of medical and other determinants of HBE have increased in recent years. The results of this systematic literature review are relevant to the analysis of consumer/patient behavior in choosing a hospital or other health care facility as they provide a deeper understanding of the increasingly differentiated needs of patients and the way in which the quality of health care services is evaluated.

Ultraprocessed Products as Food Fortification Alternatives: A Critical Appraisal from Latin America

Ultraprocessed products (UPPs), associated with obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), are becoming predominant on the global market and a target for market-driven fortification initiatives. The aim of this article is to describe the implications of adding micronutrients to UPPs with excessive amounts of critical nutrients associated with NCDs and provide recommendations for legislation and policies. UPPs with added micronutrients such as breakfast cereals, sugar-sweetened beverages, powder beverages, fruit juices, sauces, and bouillon cubes, among others, are commonly available and heavily promoted in Latin American countries. Misleading advertising of UPPs with added micronutrients and with excessive content of sugar, fat, and salt might increase the consumption of such products, giving them a “health halo effect” that leads consumers to overestimate their nutritional quality and healthfulness. Although international collections of standards such as the Codex Alimentarius provide some guidelines on this matter, countries need to implement national legislations, through a food systems approach, to regulate the marketing and labeling of UPPs. Lastly, there is still the need to foster research to close knowledge gaps and help countries to guide the process of food fortification strategies from a regulatory standpoint.

Innovation as a Factor Increasing Fruit Consumption: The Case of Poland

Due to the low level of fruit consumption in relation to dietary recommendations in many European countries, including Poland, multidirectional actions should be taken to increase the consumption of these products. One of the ideas could be the introduction of innovative products. The main goal of the study is to determine the relationship between consumer propensity to purchase innovative products and the frequency of consumption of fruits and their preserves of consumers. The research sample consisted of 600 respondents who declared to consume fruit and were responsible for food shopping in their households. The results obtained indicate that consumers with a higher propensity to purchase innovative products consumed fruit and fruit preserves more. In addition, statistically significant differences were found between innovators and non-innovators in terms of income, expenditures on fruit purchases, places where fruit and fruit preserves were purchased and product characteristics that determined the purchase decision. The logistic regression results indicate that a higher frequency of supermarket/hypermarket and online shopping, a higher weekly spending on fruit and a greater importance attributed to the biodegradability of the packaging increased the favorability of innovation relatively to fruit products (by 23.8%, 31.4%, 32.7% and 21.6%, respectively). The relationships found may have important implications for both private and public stakeholders in the fruit and vegetable sector.

Estimation of Intake of Critical Nutrients Associated with Noncommunicable Diseases According to the PAHO/WHO Criteria in the Diet of School-Age Children in Montevideo, Uruguay

PURPOSE

To estimate the effect of the consumption of products with an excessive amount of critical nutrients associated with NCDs, according to the PAHO Nutrient Profile Model on the quality of the diet of Uruguayan school-age children (4 to 12 years).

METHODS

A 24 h recall of food intake was conducted in a representative sample of 332 participants in the evaluation of the School Feeding Program in 2018 in public schools in Montevideo, Uruguay. Food and preparations were categorized according to the NOVA food classification, according to the nature, extent, and purposes of the industrial processes they undergo. Later, they were analyzed according to the Pan American Health Organization Nutrient Profile Model (PAHO NPM) to identify processed and ultra-processed products with an excessive content of critical nutrients.

RESULTS

Only 0.52% of children consumed exclusively natural foods, or culinary ingredients. Twenty-five per cent of children consumed ≥4 products categorized with an excessive content of free sugars, total fat, or saturated fat according to the PAHO NPM; in the case of excessive sodium, this was 40%. In general, children who included products with excessive free sugars, sodium, or saturated fat in their diet exceeded the limits established by the World Health Organization, and, as a result, their diet is of poorer nutritional quality compared to children who did not consume such products.

CONCLUSION

Diets free of ultra-processed and processed products with excess free sugars, total fats, saturated fats, and sodium increased the chances of school-age children in Montevideo of meeting WHO nutrient intake recommendations. Meanwhile, intake of each additional gram of products with excessive critical nutrients according to PAHO NPM, significantly worsens diets, preventing children from meeting WHO recommendations.

Easy Diet Screener: A quick and easy tool for determining dietary patterns associated with lipid profile and body adiposity

BACKGROUND

There is a lack of simple tools that could allow members of the general population to estimate their own dietary patterns and to associate them with unfavourable health outcomes. The present study aimed to develop and validate a simple self-administered tool, called the Easy Diet Screener (EDS), that would identify healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns and evaluate their association with unfavourable blood and anthropometric parameters (i.e. values outside the recommended values).

METHODS

In total, 259 adult people (31-50 years of age) participated in this observational study. They filled out an online version of the EDS questionnaire; those who scored highly were assigned to the healthy dietary pattern (HDP) group, whereas those with a low score were assigned to the western dietary pattern (WDP) group. The dietary records, anthropometric and biochemical parameters were evaluated in a subset of 200 participants who obtained similar score in the repeated EDS (paper version).

RESULTS

People assigned to HDP on the basis of EDS had significantly better diet quality than those assigned to WDP, with values of the Healthy Eating Index being 76.9 ± 9.2 and 58.7 ± 10.5, respectively. People classed as WDP had a higher risk of too high serum low-density lipoproteins [odds ratio (OR) = 2.65], triglycerides (OR = 3.67), body mass index (OR = 2.87) and percentage of fat tissue (OR = 3.98) than did people in the HDP.

CONCLUSIONS

EDS is an easy tool for quickly identifying healthy and western dietary patterns that are associated with lipid profile and body adiposity.

A Multidisciplinary Perspective of Ultra-Processed Foods and Associated Food Processing Technologies: A View of the Sustainable Road Ahead

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are negatively perceived by part of the scientific community, the public, and policymakers alike, to the extent they are sometimes referred to as not "real food". Many observational surveys have linked consumption of UPFs to adverse health outcomes. This narrative synthesis and scientific reappraisal of available evidence aims to: (i) critically evaluate UPF-related scientific literature on diet and disease and identify possible research gaps or biases in the interpretation of data; (ii) emphasize the innovative potential of various processing technologies that can lead to modifications of the food matrix with beneficial health effects; (iii) highlight the possible links between processing, sustainability and circular economy through the valorisation of by-products; and (iv) delineate the conceptual parameters of new paradigms in food evaluation and classification systems. Although greater consumption of UPFs has been associated with obesity, unfavorable cardiometabolic risk factor profiles, and increased risk for non-communicable diseases, whether specific food processing techniques leading to ultra-processed formulations are responsible for the observed links between UPFs and various health outcomes remains elusive and far from being understood. Evolving technologies can be used in the context of sustainable valorisation of food processing by-products to create novel, low-cost UPFs with improved nutritional value and health potential. New paradigms of food evaluation and assessment should be funded and developed on several novel pillars-enginomics, signalling, and precision nutrition-taking advantage of available digital technologies and artificial intelligence. Research is needed to generate required scientific knowledge to either expand the current or create new food evaluation and classification systems, incorporating processing aspects that may have a significant impact on health and wellness, together with factors related to the personalization of foods and diets, while not neglecting recycling and sustainability aspects. The complexity and the predicted immense size of these tasks calls for open innovation mentality and a new mindset promoting multidisciplinary collaborations and partnerships between academia and industry.

Nutritional Significance of Fruit and Fruit Products in the Average Polish Diet

The aim of the present study was to analyze the supply of energy, 19 nutrients, free sugars, and dietary fiber in the average Polish diet from fruit and fruit products. Our analysis is based on 2016 data from the national representative household budget survey conducted on a sample of 36,886 households, yielding a population of 99,230 individuals. Fruit and fruit products provided 3.12% of energy to the average diet in Poland with the highest share of bananas and apples. The highest significance of this food group was found for vitamin C (23.65%), including citrus fruits providing 8.03% of vitamin C, berries (5.97%), other fruits (3.45%), and apples (3.13%). The share of fruit and their products in the supply of free sugars is equally high and amounts to 23.52%. This means that apples provide 6.34% of free sugars, while other fruits also have a high supply of free sugars, including berries 3.68%, stone fruits 3.06%, bananas 2.56%, and citrus fruits 2.54%. The proportion of supply exceeding the percentage of energy (which was 3.12%) was obtained for carbohydrate (5.79%), and fiber (13.66%). The food group studied was particularly important (more than 5% share) in providing four minerals: potassium (8.59%), iron (5.07%), magnesium (5.51%), copper (8.81%), and three vitamins: vitamin C (23.65%), vitamin B6 (5.74%), and vitamin E (5.53%). The influence of sociodemographic and economic characteristics of households on the structure of energy and nutrient supply from fruit and fruit products was assessed using cluster analysis. There were four clusters characterized by different energy, nutrient, and fiber supply. The factors with the highest statistical significance on the supply of energy, nutrients, and fiber from fruit and fruit products were month of study, income, degree of urbanization, education, size of town, and land use. The obtained results concerning energy and nutrient supply from fruits and fruit products are important for the Polish society from the public health point of view, as indicated in the discussion of results and conclusions.

Bioactives and health benefits of nuts and dried fruits

Nuts and dried fruits have been part of the human diet since prehistoric times. They are nutrient-rich foods and constitute an excellent means to deliver health-promoting bioactive compounds. As such, they serve as important healthful snack items, besides being part of many traditional and new recipes of gastronomy worldwide. Frequent consumption of nuts and/or dried fruits is highly recommended to obtain the full benefit of the nutrients, bioactives, and antioxidants that they contain, together with their desirable flavour. The macronutrients, micronutrients, and other health-promoting bioactive compounds contained in nuts and dried fruits may synergistically contribute to modulate the risk of cardiometabolic and other non-communicable diseases through various mechanisms. Experimental research, prospective studies, and human clinical trials have reported beneficial effects of nut consumption on various health outcomes. The benefits of dried fruits, however, have been less explored. This review summarizes recent findings on bioactive constituents, health claims, and health benefits of nuts and dried fruits and also discusses their great potential as healthy foods to benefit a number of diseases afflicting human beings.

The holistico-reductionist Siga classification according to the degree of food processing: an evaluation of ultra-processed foods in French supermarkets

The Siga classification of foods according to degree of processing showed that two-thirds of 24 932 packaged foods collected in French supermarkets are ultra-processed at various degrees.

Association between Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Physical Fitness with Body Composition Parameters in 1717 European Adolescents: The AdolesHealth Study

Obesity, low levels of physical fitness, and unhealthy eating patterns are responsible for part of the health problems of adolescents today. The current study aimed at examining the association between the adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), through each answer to the items of the Adherence to the MD Questionnaire (KIDMED), and physical fitness with body composition parameters (body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat, and waist circumference) in 1717 European adolescents (N = 900 boys, N = 817 girls). Data of body composition, physical fitness results, and the answers to KIDMED were analyzed by the Student’s t-test. Additionally, the effect size (ES) was calculated and a Chi-square test analyzed the proportion of participants with and without over waist circumference, overfat, and overweight in each KIDMED question. The relative risk of suffering over waist circumference, overfat and overweight in relation to the responses was calculated by Odd-Ratio. Adherence to the MD did not influence the condition of over waist circumference, overfat and overweight, although certain dietary habits were identified as risk factors for their development. Over waist circumference, overfat, and overweight boys and girls presented higher levels of body mass, waist circumference, body fat percentage, and BMI (p < 0.001; ES = 1.73–3.38), as well as lower levels of all the parameters of the physical fitness analyzed (p < 0.001; ES = 0.45–1.08), except the handgrip test. A direct relationship between fitness and over waist circumference, overfat, and overweight was found.