Association of eating habits with health perception and diseases among Chinese physicians: a cross-sectional study

Selective production of functional sn-1,3-diacylglycerol by microbial lipases: A comprehensive review

Since early 1990s, diacylglycerol (DAG) has drawn a continuous trending interest among researchers and oil industries/markets as part of a reduced-energy diet due to its functions to prevent and manage obesity. With the accumulated knowledge, a stereoisomer of sn-1,3-DAG is regarded as the sole compound to contribute to DAG's functions. sn-1,3-DAG can be produced by direct esterification of free fatty acids and glycerol, partial hydrolysis of TAGs/edible oils, and glycerolysis of TAGs/edible oils with glycerol using the regioselective microbial lipases as the catalyst. However, the specific microbial lipases with high efficiency to produce sn-1,3-DAG and their catalytic mechanisms are still a mystery. Herein, we provide an overview of metabolic fates of three stereoisomers of DAGs including sn-1,3-DAG, sn-1,2-DAG and/or sn-2,3-DAG, and synthesis process for sn-1,3-DAG, and critically outline the microbial lipases to selectively produce sn-1,3-DAG, and their pathways and mechanisms, which hopefully presents a reasonable full picture of functions, synthesis schemes, and catalytic performance to improve regioselectivity and catalytic efficiency for sn-1,3-DAG production with high yield.

'Supporting the Support Staff': A Narrative Review of Nutritional Opportunities to Enhance Recovery and Wellbeing in Multi-Disciplinary Soccer Performance Staff

BACKGROUND

With ever-increasing training, match-play and travel demands in professional soccer, recovery is vital for athletic performance, a statement amplified in tournament and in-season scenarios. However, alongside supporting the tasks associated with these increased demands, the recovery and wellbeing strategies recommended for playing staff are often unavailable to their support staff counterparts, who routinely experience extended working hours over and above scheduled player attendance.

METHODS

Focusing on the contributions of nutrition to this undoubtedly multifactorial issue, this narrative review aimed to (1) identify potential strategies to enhance recovery and wellbeing in multi-disciplinary soccer support staff and (2) highlight future research opportunities exploring the benefits of nutrition for those staff in soccer performance-related support roles.

RESULTS

The potential health and wellbeing consequences of chronic sub-optimal practices suggest that chrononutrition strategies may be an area of future interest. Notably, nutritional strategies that enhance sleep hygiene and immune function warrant consideration. Individualizing such strategies to maximize recovery and wellbeing in multi-disciplinary soccer support staff should offer an adjunct and complementary strategy to the holistic performance-focused support provided to professional soccer players.

CONCLUSIONS

Policymakers responsible for organizational and club structures aligned with soccer performance could consider 'Supporting the Support Staff' when seeking to improve overall performance.

Unhealthy Eating Habits and Determinants of Diet Quality in Primary Healthcare Professionals in Poland: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

The aim of this work was to understand the factors influencing the prevalence of dietary behaviors, as well as determinants of unhealthy eating and diet quality among primary care physicians and nurses in Poland.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study involving 161 doctors and 331 nurses was conducted in the years 2020-2022 in primary healthcare settings.

RESULTS

Unhealthy eating habits affected GPs aged 40-54 years (42.9%), females (64.3%), those of normal body weight (67.9%), representing private medical practice (67.9%), who had over 20 years of work experience (42.8%). Similarly, among the group of nurses, unhealthy eating habits were reported in subjects aged 40-54 (46.5%), individuals with normal body weights (49.5%), those with one chronic disease (38.4%), representing public medical practice (63.6%), with over 20 years of work experience (40.4%), seeing ≤100 patients during the work week (84.8%). The univariable logistic regression analyses for unhealthy dietary habits showed that overweight GPs had lower odds of unhealthy eating habits (OR = 0.35; 95% CI: 0.11-1.08; p < 0.05). Among the nurses, the odds of unhealthy eating habits increased with the number of years of work. Nurses with 10-20 years of work experience had 1.23 times greater odds of unhealthy eating habits, while people working for more than 20 years had 1.81 times greater odds of unhealthy eating habits than individuals working for a period shorter than ten years (OR = 1.23; 95% CI: 0.68-2.23; p > 0.05 vs. OR = 1.81; 95% CI: p < 0.05). The multivariable logistic regression analysis did not show statistically significant results.

CONCLUSIONS

These issues should be addressed when planning educational activities aimed at supporting healthcare professionals in implementing lifestyle changes.

Causal relationship between dietary salt intake and dementia risk: Mendelian randomization study

OBJECTIVE

Observational research has indicated a potential link between dietary salt intake and susceptibility to dementia. However, it is important to note that these types of studies are prone to the issues of reverse causation and residual confounding. Therefore, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to explore the causality.

METHOD

To explore the causal relationship between them, this Mendelian randomization (MR) study incorporated summary statistics of dietary salt intake and dementia. We estimated the causality between salt intake and the risk of overall dementia and various subtypes of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Vascular dementia (VaD), and Lewy body dementia (LBD). The inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method was the major MR analysis. To conduct sensitivity analyses, we employed various MR methods, the pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) method, and the leave-one-out approach. The MR-Egger intercept and Cochran's Q test were conducted to test pleiotropy and heterogeneity respectively.

RESULTS

A suggestive association was observed for genetically predicted higher dietary salt intake and increased risk of overall dementia in the European ancestry [odds ratio (OR): 1.542; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.095-2.169; P = 0.013]. The causal relationship between dietary salt intake and overall dementia is robust with respect to the choice of statistical methods and is validated through extensive sensitivity analyses that guard against various model assumption violations. Meanwhile, no clear heterogeneity or pleiotropy was identified. However, we failed to detect a causal effect of dietary salt intake on the risk of various dementia subtypes.

CONCLUSION

The results of this research present strong evidence that established a significant association between dietary salt intake and the likelihood of developing dementia. These findings reinforce the notion that the amount of dietary salt intake plays a crucial role in determining the risk of acquiring this cognitive condition. By establishing a definitive correlation, this study highlights the importance of reducing salt consumption as a preventive measure against dementia.

Investigating the Influence of Heavy Metals and Environmental Factors on Metabolic Syndrome Risk Based on Nutrient Intake: Machine Learning Analysis of Data from the Eighth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES)

This study delves into the complex interrelations among nutrient intake, environmental exposures (particularly to heavy metals), and metabolic syndrome. Utilizing data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), machine learning techniques were applied to analyze associations in a cohort of 5719 participants, categorized into four distinct nutrient intake phenotypes. Our findings reveal that different nutrient intake patterns are associated with varying levels of heavy metal exposure and metabolic health outcomes. Key findings include significant variations in metal levels (Pb, Hg, Cd, Ni) across the clusters, with certain clusters showing heightened levels of specific metals. These variations were associated with distinct metabolic health profiles, including differences in obesity, diabetes prevalence, hypertension, and cholesterol levels. Notably, Cluster 3, characterized by high-energy and nutrient-rich diets, showed the highest levels of Pb and Hg exposure and had the most concerning metabolic health indicators. Moreover, the study highlights the significant impact of lifestyle habits, such as smoking and eating out, on nutrient intake phenotypes and associated health risks. Physical activity emerged as a critical factor, with its absence linked to imbalanced nutrient intake in certain clusters. In conclusion, our research underscores the intricate connections among diet, environmental factors, and metabolic health. The findings emphasize the need for tailored health interventions and policies that consider these complex interplays, potentially informing future strategies to combat metabolic syndrome and related health issues.