Utilizing Dietary Nutrient Ratios in Nutritional Research: Expanding the Concept of Nutrient Ratios to Macronutrients

The Dietary Carbohydrate/Fat-Ratio and Cognitive Performance: Panel Analyses in Older Adults at Risk for Dementia

Background

Roughly 80% of total energy intake (TEI) in most human diets originates from digestible carbohydrates (eCarb) and fat (eFat), but the impact of their proportions on cognitive performance is poorly understood.

Objectives

Our primary aim was to investigate estimates of global cognition in relation to macronutrient intake, with the log-ratio eCarb/eFat (CFr) as the primary predictor variable of interest. Secondary predictors were protein and the saturated/total fat ratio. Exploratory comparisons of CFr with eCarb and eFat as separate predictors were an additional aim.

Methods

The observations were made on panel data (years 0, 1, 2) from the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability, n = 1251; age 60-77 y; 47% females; selected by risk factors for dementia. Self-reported diet was assessed by 3-d food records. Global cognition was measured using a modified Neuropsychological Test Battery. A mixed linear regression model was used, adjusted for age, sex, education, body-mass index, cholesterol-lowering drugs, TEI, time, time × intervention/control group, with study site and subject as random factors. Estimates were standardized (mean = 0; SD = 1) with 95% CI.

Results

CFr had a negative estimate to global cognition (β = -0.022, CI: -0.039, -0.005; P = 0.011). The point estimate for protein was β = 0.013 (P = 0.41), and for the saturated/total fat ratio, associations with cognition were nonlinear. CFr correlated highly with eCarb (Pearson's r = 0.92) and eFat (r = -0.94). The point estimate for CFr fell between eCarb (β = -0.026, P < 0.001) and (inversely) eFat (β = 0.017, P = 0.090).

Conclusions

A lower CFr was associated with better global cognition among older adults at risk for dementia. Because this is an important target group for preventive interventions, clinical trials are warranted to further investigate the impact of macronutritional composition on cognitive health. The potential role of CFr as a predictor for cognitive health should be further studied.

Beneficial effects of monounsaturated fatty acid-rich blended oils with an appropriate polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio and a low n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio on the health of rats

BACKGROUND

The effects of dietary fat on health are influenced by its fatty acid profile. We aimed to determine the effects of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)-rich blended oils (BO) containing a balance of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and with a low n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio on the health of rats fed normal or high-fat diets. The BO was obtained by mixing red palm oil, rice bran oil (RO), tea seed oil and flaxseed oil in appropriate proportions.

RESULTS

BO consumption reduced the serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), insulin (INS), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1 (IL-1), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), malondialdehyde (MDA), lipid peroxide (LPO) and oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) concentrations and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR); it increased the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentrations, and the bone mineral density (BMD) versus control oil-containing normal and high-fat diets. BO also reduced the triglyceride (TG), hs-CRP, MDA, ox-LDL and reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations; and increased the serum HDL-C and SOD, and BMD versus RO-containing high-fat diets. Finally, BO reduced the glucose (GLU) and INS, and HOMA-IR; it increased HDL-C, SOD, femoral weight and BMD versus RO-containing normal diets.

CONCLUSION

BOs with an appropriate fatty acid profile have beneficial effects on the glucolipid metabolism, inflammation, oxidative stress and bone quality of rats when included in both normal and high-fat diets. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Log-ratio transformations for dietary compositions: numerical and conceptual questions

When evaluating the impact of macronutrient intakes on health outcomes, researchers in nutritional epidemiology are mostly interested in two types of information: the relative importance of the individual macronutrients and the absolute effect of total energy intake. However, the usual substitution models do not allow these separate effects to be disentangled. Dietary data are typical examples of compositional data, which convey relative information and are, therefore, meaningfully expressed in the form of ratios. Various formulations of log-ratios have been proposed as a means of analysing compositional data, and their interrelationships when they are used as predictors in regression models have been previously reported. This note describes the application of distinct log-ratio transformations to the composition of dietary macronutrients and discusses the interpretative implications of using them as explanatory variables in regression models together with a term for the total composition (total energy intake). It also provides examples that consider serum glucose levels as the health outcome and are based on data coming from an Italian population-based study. The log-ratio transformation of dietary data has both numerical and conceptual advantages, and overcomes the drawbacks of traditional substitution models.

Korean Maize Hybrids Present Significant Diversity in Fatty Acid Composition: An Investigation to Identify PUFA-Rich Hybrids for a Healthy Diet

Precise information on the content and composition of nutritionally essential metabolites in food crops is a prerequisite for dietary recommendations and nutrient-dense food formulations. In the present study, the fatty acid profile of 21 Korean maize hybrids was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC)–mass spectrometry (MS). In the studied hybrids, linoleic acid (LA; C18:2n6c) was dominant (38.0–58.9%), followed by oleic (OA; C18:1n9c) (23.5–45.3%), palmitic (C16:0) (10.8–17.3%), and stearic acids (C18:0) (1.84–3.86%). Among all the quantified fatty acids, the highest variation was recorded for LA and OA. The highest amount of LA (58.9%), the lowest amount of OA (23.5%), and the highest polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)/monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) ratio of 2.47 were recorded in the Shingwang hybrid. The highest PUFAs/saturated fatty acids (SFAs) ratio of 4.04 was recorded in the Ahndaok hybrid due to the high content of LA (57.8%) and low amount of SFA. Similarly, the highest PUFAs + MUFAs/SFAs ratio of 6.38 was recorded in the Pyeonggangok hybrid as a result of the high OA (34.6%) and LA (51.4%) contents, along with the lowest amount of SFAs. Considering the high levels of health-beneficial MUFAs and PUFAs and low levels of undesirable SFAs, the maize hybrids Pyeonggangok, Ahndaok, and Shingwang can be used in the preparation of a healthy PUFA-rich diet.

Elemental Composition and Some Nutritional Parameters of Sweet Pepper from Organic and Conventional Agriculture

The increasing demand of organic agriculture (OA) is based on the consumer's belief that organic agricultural products are healthier, tastier and more nutritious. The effect of OA and conventional agriculture (CA) methods on the elemental compositions of green and red sweet peppers were studied. The highest concentrations of Ca, Cu, K and P occur in peppers from OA in both states of ripeness, with emphasis on Ca and K contents. Furthermore, the principal component analysis (PCA), points out to a clear separation, regarding concentrations, between peppers from OA and CA. The average fruit weight is higher in OA, 141 g versus 112 g in CA. Regarding productivity, CA reaches a value of 30.1 t/ha, 7% higher than the value observed for OA, i.e., 28 t/ha. Peppers from CA, exhibited greater protein content than those which originated from OA, regardless of the ripening stage, but not more ashes. Regarding nutritional ratios, the ripening stage and the production mode, can be important for an adequate choice regarding a more balanced Ca/P ratio, and the studied variety contained high Ca values ranging between 1009 and 1930 mg.kg-1. The PCA analysis also revealed that Mn and Fe are inversely correlated, confirming the importance of the Mn/Fe ratio evaluation in nutritional studies.

INVESTIGATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE ROSEMARY EXTRACT ON THE OXIDIZING STABILITY OF FATS OF SEMI-SMOKED SAUSAGES WITH PEKING DUCK MEAT

The work is devoted to studying the fatty-acid composition and biological efficiency of a developed meat-containing semi-smoked sausage, based on duck meat with the balanced fatty-acid composition, investigating the effectiveness of using a rosemary extract in a technology of sausages with a high content of unsaturated fatty acids. It is confirmed, that the fatty-acid composition of meat-containing semi-smoked sausage of Peking duck is characterized by the optimal ratio of PUFA and SFA that is 0.33, at standard 0.2–0.4. The ratio between FA families w-3/ w-6 in the developed products is from 1:11 at recommended physiological norms of the ideal composition of lipids in a meat product as 1:10. Introduction of the rosemary extract in amount 0.02–0.06 % of the forcemeat mass decelerates hydrolytic oxidation of forcemeat lipids, favors deceleration of peroxide oxidation of lipids in a meat-containing semi-smoked sausage, decreasing the amount of peroxides in practically five times. The positive influence of the introduced antioxidant on accumulation of secondary oxidation products is noticed. Their summary amount was the least at the end of the storage term of ready products with the rosemary extract as 0.38–0.80 mg of МА/kg of the product that is 2.54–3.94 times lower than in a control sample. The most stabilizing effect on the process of lipids oxidation is obtained at introducing the rosemary extract in amount 0.06 % that allows to decrease the speed of oxidation processes in the product almost twice

Proportions of macronutrients, including specific dietary fats, in prospective anti-Alzheimer's diet

Here we present a novel life-long whole-population study, which enabled us to predict a diet that, in terms of macronutrient proportions, may be prophylactic against Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The method is based on the existence of oscillations in the correlation between historical per capita personal income (PCPI) and age-adjusted death rates (AADR) for AD for each state of the USA in 2005. These oscillations can be explained by changing proportions of macronutrients in the average American diet between 1929 and 2005. We assumed that reducing future correlation of PCPI with AADR will reduce the population's susceptibility to AD. Based on the results of fitting macronutrient availabilities to the variability of Roriginal, using Generalized Additive Models (GAM) analysis, we constructed four "Calculator" equations. The Calculator allowed for prediction of an optimal diet characterized by low correlation of PCPI with AADR (Rpredicted) and minimum energy difference from the historical average macronutrient consumption for each corresponding period of life. We predict that protein consumption should be reduced by half in early middle age and late middle age, whereas in late age it should increase. Our predictions are in line with results on humans and simpler organisms in the context of prolonging life.

Osteosarcopenic Obesity: Current Knowledge, Revised Identification Criteria and Treatment Principles

Osteosarcopenic obesity (OSO) syndrome describes the simultaneous deterioration of bone, muscle and excess fat, resulting in reduced functionality and systemic metabolic dysregulation. The key component contributing to this may be ectopic fat in the viscera, bone and muscle. OSO research to date is summarized, and the revised criteria for its identification for research purposes are reviewed and proposed, including new criteria to assess visceral fat in males and females. Finally, nutritional and physical activity recommendations are consolidated into a treatment algorithm, which can be validated in future studies and which may also be applied to preventative management.