Cancer burden remains uneven worldwide, and the contribution of insufficient fruit and vegetable intake to cancer outcomes requires updated assessment. Using Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2021 estimates, this ecological study evaluated total cancer burden and cancer mortality and disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) rates attributable to low fruit intake and low vegetable intake from 1990 to 2021 across 204 countries and territories, 21 GBD regions, and five Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintiles. Bayesian age–period–cohort models were further used to project global trends through 2035. Globally, the age-standardized incidence rate increased from 252.85 to 275.16 per 100,000 population between 1990 and 2021, whereas the age-standardized mortality rate decreased from 147.67 to 115.81 and the age-standardized DALY rate decreased from 3956.14 to 2939.02 per 100,000 population. Higher-SDI settings generally showed higher incidence but greater reductions in mortality and DALY rates, while lower-SDI settings showed less consistent improvements. Low-vegetable-attributable cancer mortality declined from 1.89 to 0.66 per 100,000 population, whereas low-fruit-attributable mortality declined from 1.30 to 0.77; by 2021, low fruit intake became the slightly larger contributor. Diet-attributable burden was highest in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and was higher among males. Projections suggested stable incidence but continued declines in mortality and DALY rates through 2035. Low fruit intake and low vegetable intake remain distinct, modifiable contributors to cancer burden, supporting nutrition-sensitive cancer prevention strategies.
Residents of Ethiopia’s Rift Valley face high fluorosis risk due to deep well water containing fluoride levels above the World Health Organization limit of 1.5 mg/L. While dietary calcium (Ca) can mitigate fluorosis, intake in many regions remains below the recommended dietary allowance. This study assessed the adherence and safety of a calcium-rich eggshell powder (ESP) supplement ( 1 g Ca/day) among women enrolled in a Phase II clinical trial to investigate urinary fluoride excretion and fluorosis symptoms. Seventy-eight women (39 Intervention Group [IG], 39 Control Group [CG]) completed a 6-month trial (95
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major public health challenge, which is a dynamic condition, and individuals may revert from a metabolically unhealthy to a healthy state over time. Sustainable dietary patterns, which emphasize plant-based foods and limited animal products, may offer dual benefits for human health and environmental sustainability. Here we aimed to examine the association between sustainable diet score (SDS) and the likelihood of MetS reversion over time in Iranian adults participating in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS). This cohort study included 531 adults (aged ≥ 19 years) with MetS at baseline (phase 3, 2006–2008) who were followed to the sixth phase of TLGS. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. A sustainable diet score was calculated based on intake of plant-based foods (whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, vegetables, fish, healthy oils, tea and coffee), and limited red meat, processed meat, hydrogenated oils, sweetened beverages, refined grains, sweets and salty snacks. Four types of MetS reversion were defined: final-phase reversion, any-phase reversion, early reversion, and sustained reversion. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95
Diet quality is an important component of care for patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD), who are at risk of nutritional disturbances. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the intake of food groups among patients on PD from different regions, to compare their intake with that of the general population, and to assess factors independently associated with the consumption of these selected foods. Cross-sectional study including prevalent patients on PD from four of the five Brazilian geographic regions (QUALI-DIET-PD). Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire to assess the intake of four food groups (beans, raw vegetables, cooked vegetables, and fruits), and the prevalence of consumption ≥ 5 times per week were compared between patients across participating centers and with the general population according to the Brazilian national epidemiological surveillance system (VIGITEL). A composite Healthy Foods Score based on the frequency of consumption of four selected plant-based food groups was calculated, with higher scores indicating greater consumption of selected healthy food groups. We included 360 patients (52
Fetal malnutrition (FM) in appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) neonates represents a clinically underrecognized condition characterized by disproportionate soft tissue depletion despite normal birth weight. While severe fetal growth restriction is associated with marked alterations in adipokines, the metabolic profile of milder wasting states remains insufficiently defined. This study aimed to evaluate cord blood omentin-1 levels in term AGA neonates with FM and to explore associated socio-demographic factors. In this prospective cross-sectional study, 68 vaginally delivered term AGA neonates were enrolled. FM was defined as a ponderal index (PI) < 2.2 g/cm³. Cesarean deliveries were excluded to minimize peripartum inflammatory confounding. Cord blood omentin-1 concentrations were measured using ELISA. Socio-demographic variables were analyzed, and multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with FM. Thirty neonates met criteria for FM and 38 served as controls. PI was significantly lower in the FM group (p < 0.001), while birth weight and gestational age were comparable. Cord blood omentin-1 levels did not differ significantly between groups (281.6 ± 101.6 vs. 262.8 ± 94.8 ng/mL; p = 0.387), and no correlation was observed between omentin-1 and PI (Spearman’s rho = − 0.159; p = 0.196). Household size was smaller in the FM group (p = 0.012). In multivariate analysis, larger household size was identified as a significant protective factor against FM (OR 0.47; 95
This study evaluated the status of vitamin B12, folate, homocysteine, and hsCRP and examined their associations with glycemic and lipid parameters in young PCAD patients. A total of 141 participants with men aged 18–35 years and women aged 18–40 years with angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease, were included. The blood levels of vitamin B12, folate, homocysteine, and hsCRP were measured. The dietary intake, lifestyle, and socioeconomic factors were assessed. Spearman correlation and regression analyses were performed to determine relationships between micronutrients, inflammation, and cardiometabolic parameters. Vitamin B12 deficiency (< 200 pg/mL) was observed in 56.7
Rising global consumption of ultra-processed, high-fat, and sugary foods, notably in developing countries like Ghana, contributes to escalating adolescent obesity and chronic diseases. Understanding adolescents’ unhealthy food (UF) intake patterns and the factors influencing them is crucial for informing effective, targeted interventions and thus curbing the surge in non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to examine unhealthy food consumption patterns and identify factors associated with their intake among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in the Sagnarigu Municipality, Ghana. An analytical cross-sectional study involving 425 adolescents aged 10–19 years was conducted. Data were collected using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire, including a food frequency questionnaire and items on socioeconomic and food-environment factors. Descriptive statistics and multilevel logistic regression were performed using SPSS version 26 for analysis. Unhealthy food consumption was assessed using a 12-item food frequency questionnaire (score range: 0–36), with higher scores indicating more frequent consumption. Individual food groups were categorized as rare (never or once/month; score = 0), low (2–3 times/month or once/week; score = 1), moderate (2–4 or 5–6 times/week; score = 2), or high (once or 2–3 times/day; score = 3) consumption. The mean age of adolescents was 16.3 ± 2 years, with 87.3
Creatine monohydrate supplementation is commonly combined with exercise training to promote muscle hypertrophy and enhance performance. This study investigated the effects of creatine monohydrate supplementation on hepatic markers of tissue damage, lipoperoxidation intensity, and enzymatic antioxidant cofactor levels in healthy rats submitted to high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Male Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: sedentary control (C), sedentary creatine supplementation (Cr), HIIT (HT), and HIIT combined with creatine supplementation (HTC). The C and HT groups received standard commercial chow, whereas the Cr and HTC groups received a diet supplemented with 2
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemia is widely employed to model acute inflammation; however, the unresolved inflammatory alterations after withdrawal of LPS-exposure remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study investigated unresolved post-LPS inflammatory alterations and assessed the duration-dependent efficacy of Caffeic Acid (CA)-supplementation in modulating unresolved inflammatory responses within the gut-liver axis. We further postulated that unresolved inflammatory signaling act as an upstream driver of metabolic-oxidative-apoptotic-neuroendocrine disturbances. Swiss albino-female-mice were allocated into six-group: I-Control, II, III, IV-LPS-administration (1 mg/kg BW) for 5-days then sacrificed on day-6, 11 and 34.V, VI-LPS-administration (similar with group-II/III/IV) followed by CA-supplementation (20 mg/kg BW) from day-6th to next 5 and 28-days, then sacrificed on day-11 and 34 respectively. Plasma level of inflammatory mediators like NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, leptin, apoptotic markers (BCL-2/Caspase-3), lipid profile, liver enzymes (ALT/AST), neurotensin alterations were quantified. Oxidative stress status (CAT, LOOH) was evaluated in both gut and liver tissue. To complement in vivo analysis molecular docking was performed between CA-inflammatory protein (HMGB1). LPS-induced unresolved inflammatory activation up to 28-days, evidenced by prolonged elevation of inflammatory mediators, dyslipidemia, increased ALT/AST and pro-oxidant, apoptotic imbalance and reduced IL-10 and neurotensin. Histological examination confirmed significant gut and hepatic structural damage. This duration-dependent model confirmed that long-term CA-supplementation (28-days) significantly restored inflammatory-metabolic-oxidative-apoptotic-neuroendocrine disturbances as compared to short-term CA-supplementation. Docking analysis demonstrated stable CA-HMGB1interaction. These findings indicate that acute LPS-exposure results in unresolved multi-organ inflammatory dysregulation. Prolonged CA-supplementation effectively attenuates unresolved inflammation, potentially via modulation of HMGB1/NF-κB signaling, supporting its efficacy in inflammatory conditions.
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries. To analyze the interaction between the rs693 (APOB gene) and rs1799983 (NOS3 gene) polymorphisms and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and cardiovascular risk (CVR) in adults. This population-based cross-sectional household study in Brazil evaluated CVR using the Framingham Risk Score (FRS), categorized as low (< 5
This study aimed to assess food literacy (FL) among early childhood education teachers in the Federal District/Brazil. This cross-sectional study used the Short Food Literacy Questionnaire (SFLQ-Br) and sociodemographic and professional questions administered to 203 teachers via online dissemination. Participants were predominantly women (98
Dietary habits are among the main environmental factors influencing the composition and function of the gut microbiota. This study aimed to investigate the associations of microbiota awareness with sociodemographic characteristics, healthy-related indicators, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and mental health indicators in adults. This descriptive and correlational study included 255 adults aged 20–64 attending a private nutrition and dietetic counselling center center in Ankara between September 2024 and February 2025. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews. Microbiota awareness was assessed using the Microbiota Awareness Scale (MAS), Mediterranean diet adherence using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS), and mental health using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and a multivariable linear regression. The mean MAS score was 70.31 ± 11.27. MAS scores were higher in women, participants with higher educational levels, and those using dietary supplements, probiotics, and probiotic foods (p < 0.05). MAS was negatively correlated with body weight, body mass index, and central obesity indicators (p < 0.01), and positively correlated with Mediterranean diet adherence (p < 0.01). No significant associations were observed between MAS and depression, anxiety, or stress (p > 0.05). Higher MEDAS score, being a female, university-level education, and probiotic food consumption were independent positive predictors of MAS (p < 0.05). Microbiota awareness was associated with dietary patterns and obesity indicators. A positive relationship was observed between microbiota awareness and adherence to the Mediterranean diet, whereas no significant association was observed with mental health indicators. Increasing microbiota awareness may support healthier eating behaviors.
Propolis is a resinous substance collected by Apis mellifera bees from plant sources, characterized by a chemically diverse composition. Traditionally used for centuries in folk medicine, it has been valued for its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and tissue-repairing activities, as well as for its beneficial effects in respiratory, gastrointestinal, and oral conditions. Its phytochemical profile is largely dependent on the surrounding vegetation, resulting in regional differences in bioactive constituents and, consequently, in therapeutic potential. Brazilian green propolis has garnered attention due to its purported health benefits. Although Brazilian green propolis is a well-known natural product that has been extensively investigated for its potential in respiratory diseases, particularly for its antiviral properties and its role during the COVID-19 pandemic, studies addressing its effects on metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes mellitus, remain scarce. Therefore, this review aims to evaluate the potential role of Brazilian green propolis in metabolic diseases, particularly obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, with a focus on its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions.
Vitamin D (VitD) exerts diverse biological effects, including on cardiac function, with a biphasic dose–response profile. The growing use of high-dose supplementation has raised concerns, as excessive VitD, even without hypercalcemia. However, the timing of these effects and the influence of biological sex remain unclear. This study evaluated whether excessive, non-hypercalcemic, VitD supplementation induces sex-specific alterations in components involved in myocardial inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways in rats, as well as to determine the temporal onset of these changes. A total of 144 Wistar rats (72 males and 72 females) were assigned to control or VitD-supplemented groups for 20, 40, or 60 days. Supplemented animals received chow containing 10,000 IU/kg of cholecalciferol. Body weight, food intake, and cardiac compartment weights were recorded. Biochemical parameters and protein expression related to antioxidant, inflammatory, and apoptotic pathways were analyzed. Data were assessed using two-way ANOVA. VitD supplementation induced time and sex-dependent molecular changes. After 20 days, supplemented males showed increased glutathione peroxidase expression, indicating an early response. At 40 and 60 days, activation of the NF-κB inflammatory pathway was more pronounced, particularly in females. Heme oxygenase-1 expression exhibited temporal and sex-specific modulation. Excessive non-hypercalcemic VitD supplementation promotes early and sex-specific alterations in myocardial antioxidant and inflammatory signalling pathways.
This study aimed to investigate the potential association between maternal nutritional intakes, Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), dietary total antioxidant capacity, maternal serum inflammation, and oxidative markers in preeclampsia. In this prospective case-control study, a total of 53 pregnant women (23 with preeclampsia and 30 normotensive pregnant women as controls) in their third trimester were included. Dietary intake was assessed via dietary recalls, analyzed through standardized databases. Maternal E-DII (Energy-Adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index), dietary antioxidant capacity (dORAC), serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-10 (IL-10), total antioxidant status (TAS), and total oxidant status (TOS) were measured. The main findings of this study were significantly elevated E-DII (p<0.001) and decreased ORAC (p<0.01) levels. Women with preeclampsia had a diet significantly low in protein, plant-derived proteins, overall fat, energy, carbohydrates, fiber, and omega-3 intake. There was a positive correlation between serum TNF-α and E-DII (p=0.016, r=0.329) and a significant negative correlation between E-DII and dORAC (r=-.526, p<0.001). Maternal serum TNF-α levels were significantly elevated (p<0.01), and IL-10 levels significantly decreased in preeclampsia (p<0.001). The findings emphasize the potential role of antioxidants and the inflammatory potential of nutrition on maternal inflammation and oxidative parameters in relation to preeclampsia risk and support the importance of nutritional follow-up during pregnancy.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is characterized by excess liver fat and metabolic dysfunction, increasing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease due to insulin resistance and lipid abnormalities. Oats contain beneficial components like β-glucan, avenanthramides, and peptides that lower blood glucose and cholesterol and improve insulin sensitivity. Although combined oat-rich diets have shown metabolic benefits in MAFLD patients. To investigate the influence of oat consumption on triglyceride (TG), cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), waist to height ratio (WHtR), triglyceride-glucose index (TyG), LDL/ HDL and TG/ HDL in individuals with MAFLD. Sixty-four patients with MAFLD were randomly assigned in to the oat group (n =32), or control group (n=32) for 12 weeks. Patients in the intervention group were instructed to consume 50 gr/day oat. All outcomes were measured at the beginning and end of this study. This parallel randomized trial was registered at IRCT.ir (IRCT20130903014551N12). Oat consumption did not significantly change FBS, insulin, TG, LDL, HDL, cholesterol, HOMA-IR, QUICKI, TyG, LDL/ HDL, TG/ HDL, WHtR. Oats consumption had no effects on anthropometric variables, blood glucose indices and serum lipid profile in patients with MAFLD. It should be declared to public that herbs are no definitely effective in all situations.
Microgreens are highly regarded as nutrient-rich foods, based on their higher concentration of important vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients than their mature counterparts. However, the concentration of nutrients alone does not adequately reflect their physiological benefits. This review critically examines the current evidence for the bioavailability of nutrients and phytonutrients in microgreens, moving beyond compositional analyses by integrating evidence from in vitro digestion models, cellular uptake studies, and in vivo animal and human research. Some of the key findings indicate that the bioavailability of minerals, vitamins, phenolics, carotenoids, and glucosinolates differs among different plant species and is affected by the characteristics of the plant matrix, anti-nutritional factors, processing factors, and physiological factors. Although some of the microgreens have been found to have high bioavailability of nutrients, other microgreens have been found to have low bioavailability despite having high nutrient composition. The review also highlights the discrepancy between the labelling of nutrients and their physiological outcomes, emphasizing the need to incorporate bioavailability data into functional food evaluation. The review article thus shows that bioavailability-based assessment is important in order to make dietary recommendations that are scientifically sound.
Eating attitudes, a set of beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, are important because they influence food choices. This cross-sectional study investigated the influence of sociodemographic factors and sociocultural pressure on eating attitudes regarding food taste. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 513 university students (≥ 18 years), of both sexes, from the health sciences and humanities. Sociodemographic data were collected, including sex, region of origin, income and employment status. Eating attitudes were assessed using the Taste Related Attitudes Scale, and sociocultural pressures were evaluated using the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4). Multiple linear regression analysis was performed. A multiple linear regression model (r² = 21.4
This study addresses the challenge of maintaining probiotic viability in cheese during storage and improving its functional properties. Microalgae-derived pigments such as phycocyanin and phycoerythrin have shown antioxidant and antimicrobial potential but suffer from low stability under processing conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of alginate-encapsulated phycocyanin and phycoerythrin from Aliinostoc sp. 2 and Spirulina sp. 1 on the properties of probiotic feta cheese during storage. The novelty lies in the combined use of these encapsulated cyanobacterial pigments as natural functional ingredients to enhance probiotic cheese quality. In this study, four cheese treatments were prepared, including a control sample without additives and three probiotic feta cheese formulations containing alginate-encapsulated phycocyanin and phycoerythrin at concentrations of 0.5
To examine whether rotavirus vaccination is associated with better nutritional status among children aged 6–35 months in India. This study used data from the National Family Health Survey–5 (NFHS-5), a nationally representative cross-sectional survey. Child nutritional status was assessed using stunting, wasting, and underweight as outcome indicators. Rotavirus vaccination status was used as the treatment variable. A causal framework based on a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) was developed to identify potential confounders and guide covariate selection. Propensity score matching (PSM) was then applied to reduce selection bias and improve comparability between vaccinated and unvaccinated children. The study showed that the rotavirus vaccination was associated with lower prevalence of child stunting by 2.2 percentage point (pp) and wasting and underweight by 2.1 pp. Our findings were consistent across different matching techniques, pre-trend analyses, falsification checks, and different sub-sample analyses, with satisfactory covariate balance between comparison groups. The findings indicate that rotavirus vaccination may be associated with improvements in child nutritional outcomes in addition to a reduction in diarrheal cases. The findings suggest that rotavirus vaccination is associated with improved nutritional outcomes among children. These findings add to the evidence on the broader benefits of vaccination. Strengthening rotavirus vaccine coverage may help reduce diarrheal disease and improve child health and nutrition. The observed association may be related to reductions in diarrheal morbidity following vaccination; however, this pathway remains hypothetical and warrants further investigation.
