Intake of dietary advanced glycation end products may be associated with depression and sleep quality in young adults

BACKGROUND

This study examined the relationship between dietary intake of advanced glycation end products (dAGEs) and depression and sleep quality in young adults.

METHODS

This study, which included 420 university students (F = 80.2 %; M = 19.8 %), is observational and cross-sectional. Dietary AGEs intakes of individuals were taken with a 24-h food consumption record system. Measuring the depression status of the participants was evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the assessment of their sleep quality was evaluated with the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Individuals' dAGEs intakes were divided into three equal groups (low, medium, and high). The energy was adjusted in all analyzes of dAGEs intake. Study data were analyzed with the SPSS (27.0 version) and GraphPad program (8.0 version).

RESULTS

The BDI and PSQI total score averages of individuals in the high dAGEs intake group were higher than the other groups, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). There is no significant difference between individuals' dAGEs intakes and energy and macronutrient intakes. Students' dAGEs intake was affected by BDI (β = 0.722, 95 % Cl = 0.639;0.811) and PSQI (β = 0.286, 95 % Cl = 0.179;0.431) scores (p < 0.001). This effect persisted even when various confounding factors were included (age, gender, smoking, body mass index, chronic disease) (p < 0.001).

LIMITATIONS

These data are cross-sectional, which limits the generalizability of results and establishing cause-effect relationships.

CONCLUSION

There may be an association between dAGEs intake and the development of depression and sleep quality in young adults. Clinical intervention studies using objective measurement methods should be conducted on this issue in the future.

Evaluation of the effects of dietary advanced glycation end products on inflammation

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a large number of heterogeneous compounds formed by the glycation of proteins, fats or nucleic acids. Endogenous AGEs have been associated with various health problems such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Inflammation is thought to be one of the main mechanisms in the development of these disorders. Although AGEs are produced endogenously in the body, exogenous sources such as smoking and diet also contribute to the body pool. Therefore, when the AGE pool in the body rises above physiological levels, different pathological conditions may occur through various mechanisms, especially inflammation. While the effects of endogenous AGEs on the development of inflammation have been studied relatively extensively, and current evidence indicates that dietary AGEs (dAGEs) contribute to the body's AGE pool, it is not yet known whether dAGEs have the same effect on the development of inflammation as endogenous AGEs. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate the results of cross-sectional and intervention studies to understand whether dAGEs are associated with inflammation and, if there is an effect on inflammation, through which mechanisms this effect might occur.

Nutritional literacy levels of university academic and administrative staff: A cross-sectional study from Turkey

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional literacy levels of university academic and administrative staff.

METHODS

Data were collected with a questionnaire including sociodemographic variables, some eating habits, and the Nutritional Literacy Assessment Tool of Adults. A total of 413 individuals, 211 women (51.1%) and 202 men (48.9%), aged 23-64 (mean: 37.41 ± 10.04 years), were included in the study. The data obtained were evaluated with the SPSS 25.0 statistical package program.

RESULTS

It was found that the nutritional literacy level of 18.15% of the participants is at the borderline, 81.85 are sufficient. Women's nutrition literacy scores are significantly higher than men's (p = 0.034). A significant relationship was found between nutritional literacy, socioeconomic status, and some eating habits (p < 0.05). The average daily water consumption of individuals with sufficient nutritional literacy is statistically significantly higher than those with borderline nutritional literacy (p < 0.001). It was determined that individuals with borderline nutritional literacy skipped meals more frequently (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests that nutritional literacy may be effective in developing healthy eating behaviors. The study's results can guide the determination of methods that will improve nutritional literacy and increase awareness in the future.

A Comparison of Caffeine Intake and Physical Activity According to Fatigue Severity in University Students

This study aims to compare caffeine intake and physical activity levels in university students with severe and ineffective fatigue and examine the relationship between them. A total of 647 (F:527; M:120) university students were included in this cross-sectional study. Individuals' socio-demographic information, severity of fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS)), amount of caffeine intake and physical activity level (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF)) were evaluated. It was determined that 56.5% of the university students (age: 21.21 ± 2.57) participating in the study had severe fatigue. Caffeine intake and physical activity level of students with severe fatigue were statistically significantly lower than those with ineffective fatigue (p < 0.05). In addition, there was a weak negative correlation between fatigue and caffeine intake (r = -0.157; p < 0.001) and physical activity level (r = -0.096; p < 0.017). There was a significant positive correlation between caffeine intake and physical activity (r = 0.143; p < 0.001). This study showed that a significant portion of university students have severe fatigue. In addition, individuals with severe fatigue have decreased caffeine intake and lower physical activity levels. To reduce fatigue, caffeine intake in safe doses should be encouraged in accordance with the individual's metabolic and physiological parameters. In addition, physical activity counseling should be given to encourage physical activity.

Inflammation level in type 2 diabetes is associated with dietary advanced glycation end products, Mediterranean diet adherence and oxidative balance score: A pathway analysis

AIMS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary advanced glycation end products (dAGE) intake, Mediterranean diet adherence screener (MEDAS), and oxidative balance score (OBS) on inflammation among individuals with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

The study was conducted with 96 adults (aged between 32 and 64 years) with type 2 diabetes. The average daily dAGE intakes, energy and macronutrient intakes of the participants were taken with the three-day food consumption recording method. OBS and MEDAS score was used. At the same time, routine blood lipids, HbA1c, fasting blood glucose and inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured.

RESULTS

Dietary AGE intake was associated with fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, CRP and blood pressures (p < 0.01). The relationship between OBS and dAGE intake was significant (β = -0.36; 95 % Cl = -0.500, -0.220; p < 0.001). MEDAS has a negative and statistically significant effect on dAGE intake (β = -0.56; 95 % Cl = -0.696, -0.444; p < 0.001). There was a significant and positive effect of dAGE on CRP when other variables (MEDAS, OBS) affecting dAGE were also included in the analysis (β = 0.79; 95 % CI = 0.664, 0.917; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings may have important implications for explaining the development of inflammation in type 2 diabetes patients with high dAGE intake.

Possible effects of dietary advanced glycation end products on maternal and fetal health: a review

Excessive accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in the body has been associated with many adverse health conditions. The common point of the pathologies associated at this point is oxidative stress and inflammation. Pregnancy is an important period in which many physiological, psychological, and biological changes are experienced. Along with the physiological changes that occur during this period, the mother maintaining an AGE-rich diet may cause an increase in the body's AGE pool and may increase oxidative stress and inflammation, as seen in healthy individuals. Studies have reported the negative effects of maternal AGE levels on maternal and fetal health during pregnancy. Although gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, endothelial dysfunction, and pelvic diseases constitute maternal complications, a number of pathological conditions such as intrauterine growth retardation, premature birth, neural tube defect, neurobehavioral developmental disorders, fetal death, and neonatal asphyxia constitute fetal complications. It is thought that the mechanisms of these complications have not been confirmed yet and more clinical studies are needed on this subject. The possible effects of dietary AGE levels during pregnancy on maternal and fetal health are examined in this review.

The effect of orthorexia nervosa on food label reading habits among university students

PURPOSE

This observational cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate university students' food label reading habits with and without orthorexia nervosa (ON) tendency.

METHODS

Data were collected online with a questionnaire. The questionnaire form included sociodemographic variables, the ORTO-11 scale, the reading frequency of some components on the food label, and the evaluation of some opinions about the food label. The obtained data were evaluated with SPSS 25.0 statistical package program and GraphPad Prism program.

RESULTS

A total of 674 university students (mean age: 21.03 ± 2.43 years), 537 women (79.7%) and 137 men (20.3%) were included in the study. It was determined that individuals with ON tendency read some nutrients, content information, serving size, health information, instructions for use, additives and brand more frequently compared to individuals without ON tendency (p < 0.05). At the same time, it was determined that individuals with ON tendency were more likely to agree with the idea that reading food labels is important for a healthy diet, compared to individuals with normal eating behavior (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The study findings show that individuals with ON tendency have a higher habits of reading food labels compared to individuals with normal eating behavior. To reach a decision on this issue and to determine the diagnostic criteria for ON, future studies should be conducted on different groups and samples with higher participation, as well as studies using different screening tools to determine the tendency for ON.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

V, Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Is high adaptation to the Mediterranean diet effective in increasing ecological footprint awareness? A cross-sectional study from Turkey

BACKGROUND

The effect of diet type on sustainable environment is known. It is important to understand the adaptation of individuals with high ecological footprint awareness to the Mediterranean type diet, especially under the assumption that the Mediterranean diet will reduce the ecological footprint. In the study, it is aimed to examine the relationship between the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and Ecological Footprint awareness of adults.

RESULTS

The sample of the study consisted of 395 individuals with a mean age of 26.2 ± 8.7 years: 293 females (74.2%) and 102 males (25.8%). As the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Scale (MDAS) score of individuals increased, the Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale score also increased. Similarly, a positive correlation was found between the participants' MDAS score and the awareness of food (r = 0.157; P = 0.002), energy (r = 0.133; P = 0.008), waste (r = 0.149; P = 0.003) and water consumption (r = 0.101; P = 0.045), which are sub-factors of the Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale.

CONCLUSION

As far as is known, this cross-sectional study is one of the first studies on compliance with the Mediterranean diet and awareness of the ecological footprint. The findings of the study show that as individuals' compliance with the Mediterranean diet increases, their awareness of their ecological footprint will also increase. To reach a conclusion on this issue, future studies should evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and awareness of food-environmental impact on different samples. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.