Functional diversity of ground beetles improved aphid control but did not increase crop yields on European farms.

Land-use intensification is often associated with a decline in functional diversity, potentially undermining the provision of ecosystem services. However, how changes in traits affect ecosystem processes remains poorly understood. Variation in trait values among species in a community may drive ecosystem processes. Alternatively, the mass ratio hypothesis proposes that trait values of the dominant species in a local community are related to ecosystem processes. Using data from 159 farms in six European countries, we quantified the impact of local and landscape-level land-use intensity on ground beetles as pest control agents. We then assessed the extent to which functional diversity and community-weighted mean trait values relate to pest control and cereal yield. In addition, we assessed how the responses to land use and the effects of different species on pest control and yield varied with their traits to compare the relative impact of the traits studied. Functional diversity of ground beetles improved aphid removal, but did not translate into higher crop yields. Pest control of aphids was enhanced by a higher proportion of smaller, mobile ground beetles with a preference for the vegetation layer. Smaller, predatory ground beetles in communities improved crop yield. The magnitude of responses to land-use intensification and the effects on pest control and yield were more strongly influenced by body size than other traits. Our study provides evidence that reduced management intensity can improve pest control by supporting small-sized, macropterous ground beetles. In contrast to the claims of ecological intensification, our joint analysis of the direct effects of land use on yield and indirect effects via functional diversity of ground beetles and pest control suggests that ecosystem services by ground beetles cannot compensate for the yield gap due to a reduction in land-use intensity.

Dietary Pattern Trajectories in French Adults of the NutriNet-Santé Cohort Over Time (2014-2022): Role of Socioeconomic Factors.

While dietary transitions towards more plant-based diets are urgently needed, few studies have investigated current diet trajectories, based on observed longitudinal data. This study investigated current dietary transitions of French adults over an 8 years period (2014-2022), while assessing the diet quality and the role of diverse socio-economic factors.Consumption data from 17,187 NutriNet-Santé cohort participants weighted for the French Census were collected using a food frequency questionnaire in 2014, 2018, and 2022. Adopting a gender-specific approach, consumption changes in 23 food groups were assessed over time. The diet quality was evaluated using the Comprehensive Diet Quality Index (cDQI) score, categorizing foods into "healthy" and "unhealthy". The socioeconomic analysis targeted four food groups (red meat (including fresh beef, pork, offal, and lamb), processed meat (e.g. sausages, ham, and bacon), legumes, and wholegrain products), strongly linked to mortality risk and recognized as significant markers of the sustainable diet transition. All analyses were conducted using multi-adjusted mixed-effects models.Consumption of some healthy plant-based foods (nuts +59 %, legumes +22%, wholegrain products +7%) significantly increased over time; while consumption of some unhealthy foods (red meat -19%, refined cereals -18%, sweetened drinks -15%) decreased. Conversely, consumption of prepared and mixed dishes (+16%), and processed meat (+35%) increased. These changes differed in magnitude between genders and translated into an improved diet quality score (cDQI). Occupational status was linked to longitudinal changes in food consumption, showing increased consumption of plant-based foods among students and higher socio-professional categories.Our findings provide accurate data on trends and factors for targeted initiatives, guiding strategic interventions for a sustainable dietary transition.

What are the changes in mothers' diets after the birth of a child: results from the NutriNet-Santé cohort.

Childbirth is a major life-changing event, this period is an opportunity to improve eating habits. The aim of this longitudinal study was to identify and characterise dietary changes in women according to their parity status. Dietary intake data from 4194 women of childbearing age included in the NutriNet-Santé cohort were derived using a FFQ, administered in 2014 and 2018, distinguishing between organic and conventional food consumption. Women were classified into four groups: 'previous children', 'multiparous', 'primiparous' and 'nulliparous'. Multi-adjusted ANCOVA models were used to estimate the changes according to the parity group. Changes in food consumption towards a more plant-based, healthier and organic diet were observed in all four groups of women, although to various degrees. In multivariable models, 'Nulliparous' women showed a greater improvement in terms of 'sustainable' food consumption than 'previous children' women. 'Primiparous' women significantly increased their energy intake (+349 (269­429) kcal/d) and their consumption of dairy products (+30 (3­56) g/d), and they significantly decreased their consumption of alcohol (­23 (­32­15) g/d), coffee and tea (­107 (­155­60) g/d). Regarding organic food, 'nulliparous' women increased their consumption more than 'previous children' and 'primiparous' women were those who were most frequently in the top quintile of organic food increase. Although there were dietary changes in all groups of women according to their parity, childless women have a shift moving towards a more sustainable diet. Women who had a first child reduced their alcohol and caffeine consumption.

A participatory research to assess how a student citizens' assembly can facilitate the co-creation of nutrition interventions in higher education settings.

BACKGROUND: The transition period from adolescence to early adulthood is critical for developing new nutritional behaviors, making higher education students an important target group for public health nutrition interventions. Given the complexity of nutrition-related behaviors and their various determinants, involving the student population (the future beneficiaries of interventions) and the partners engaged in their implementation when designing campus nutrition interventions is essential. Citizens' assemblies are deliberative processes which are more and more frequently organized to co-create solutions to complex problems. This study aims 1) to design and implement a student citizens' assembly using participatory research methods, 2) to describe its process and evaluate its transferability, 3) to evaluate changes in dietary habits, knowledge and citizen practices among students participating in this assembly. METHODS: This study will take place at a French university (University Sorbonne Paris Nord, USPN) located in socio-economically disadvantaged suburbs of Paris. The student citizens' assembly will gather a mini-public of 30 students enrolled at the time of the study and a co-creation team of academic and non-academic partners involved in student life, nutrition, physical activity, or public policies. The aim of the assembly is to co-create a set of concrete proposals that would enhance USPN students' access to sustainable diets and physical activity. The protocol is based on a continuous process evaluation and a pre-post design among the mini-public. A mixed-method framework combining quantitative and qualitative approaches will be developed. This study will make use of (i) field observations of the intervention process and transferability, (ii) data collected by questionnaires on pre- and post- dietary habits, knowledge and citizen practices of the mini-public, and (iii) pre-post interviews with a subsample of the same mini-public. DISCUSSION: Relying on participatory research methods, this study will provide new insights into involving higher education students and diverse partners in co-creating campus nutrition interventions. Through the collaborative work of researchers, higher education students, university representatives, public institutions, and local and community actors, this study will provide evidence-based guidance for designing innovative and contextually-relevant nutrition interventions in the higher education setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This research was registered at the ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT06580795; registration date: 2024-08-30; https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/study/NCT06580795 ).

Identifying Future Study Designs and Indicators for Somatic Health Associated with Diets of Cohorts Living in Eco-Regions: Findings from the INSUM Expert Workshop.

Diets, but also overall food environments, comprise a variety of significant factors with direct and indirect impacts on human health. Eco-Regions are geographical areas with a territorial approach to rural development, utilizing organic food and farming practices, and principles and promoting sustainable communities and food systems. However, so far, little attention has been given to quantifying aspects of the health of citizens living in these sustainable transition territories. The project "Indicators for Assessment of Health Effects of Consumption of Sustainable, Organic School Meals in Eco-Regions" (INSUM) aims to identify and discuss research approaches and indicators that could be applied to effectively measure the somatic, mental, and social health dimensions of citizens in Eco-Regions, linked to the intake of organic foods in their diets. In this paper, we focus on the somatic (physical) health dimension. A two-day workshop was held to discuss suitable methodology with an interdisciplinary, international group of experts. The results showed the limitations of commonly used tools for measuring dietary intake (e.g., relying on the memory of participants), and nutritional biomarkers (e.g., variations in correlations with specific intakes) for research understanding dietary intake and the health effects of diets. To investigate the complexity of this issue, the most suitable approach seems to be the combination of traditional markers of physical and mental health alongside emerging indicators such as the microbiome, nutrigenomics, metabolomics, or inflammatory biomarkers. Using new, digital, non-invasive, and wearable technologies to monitor indicators could complement future research. We conclude that future studies should adopt systemic, multidisciplinary approaches by combining not only indicators of somatic and mental health and social wellbeing (MHSW) but also considering the potential benefits of organic diets for health as well as aspects of sustainability connected to food environments.

Alignment between greenhouse gas emissions reduction and adherence the EAT-Lancet diet: A modeling study based on the NutriNet-Santé cohort.

The potential of the EAT-Lancet reference diet, which promotes a healthy diet within planetary limits, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) remains understudied. This study examines the role of nutritional and acceptability constraints in reducing GHGe through diet optimization, and tests the alignment between GHGe reduction and the EAT-Lancet score. The study used data from 29,413 NutriNet-Santé participants to model French diets and evaluate their environmental, nutritional, economic, and health impact. The Organic Food Frequency Questionnaire was used to assess organic and conventional food consumed, and the Dialecte database was used to estimate the diet environmental impacts. Quality of diets were also evaluated based using the PNNS-GS2 (Programme National Nutrition-Santé 2 guidelines score). When testing minimizing GHGe under strict nutritional and acceptability constraints, it was possible to reduce GHGe up to 67 % (from 4.34 in the observed diet to GHGe = 1.45 kgeqCO2/d) while improving the EAT score by 103 % with 91 % of the food as organic. Greater reductions required relaxation of some constraints. When testing maximizing EAT score under gradual reduction in GHGe, the adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet was not significantly affected by the gradual reduction in GHGe. To maximize EAT score with 75 % reduction in GHGe (1.09 kgeqCO2/d), less strict constraints on the bioavailability of iron and zinc are necessary. The EAT score improved by 141 %, while land occupation decreased by 57 %, compared to the observed value. The diet contained 94 % of organic foods. There was some alignment between the degree of adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet and the reduction in GHGe, but other diets may also lead to a strong reduction in GHGe. Thus, GHGe can be greatly reduced by dietary choices, but require profound reshaping of diets which must be coupled with changes in other areas of the food chain.

Food biodiversity and gastrointestinal cancer risk in nine European countries: Analysis within a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Food biodiversity in human diets has potential co-benefits for both public health and sustainable food systems. However, current evidence on the potential relationship between food biodiversity and cancer risk, and particularly gastrointestinal cancers typically related to diet, remains limited. This study evaluated how dietary species richness (DSR) was associated with gastrointestinal cancer risk in a pan-European population. METHODS: Associations between DSR and subsequent gastrointestinal cancer risk were examined among 450,111 adults enrolled in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort (EPIC, initiated in 1992), free of cancer at baseline. Usual dietary intakes were assessed at recruitment with country-specific dietary questionnaires. DSR of an individual's yearly diet was calculated based on the absolute number of unique biological species in each food and drink item. Associations between DSR and cancer risk were assessed by multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. FINDINGS: During a median follow-up time of 14.1 years (SD=3.9), 10,705 participants were diagnosed with gastrointestinal cancer. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) comparing overall gastrointestinal cancer risk in the highest versus lowest quintiles of DSR indicated inverse associations in multivariable-adjusted models [HR (95 % CI): 0.77 (0.69-0.87); P-value < 0·0001] (Table 2). Specifically, inverse associations were observed between DSR and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, proximal colon, colorectal, and liver cancer risk (p-trend<0.05 for all cancer types). INTERPRETATION: Greater food biodiversity in the diet may lower the risk of certain gastrointestinal cancers. Further research is needed to replicate these novel findings and to understand potential mechanisms.

Improving student diet and food security in higher education using participatory and co-creation approaches: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Higher education students are an important target group for public health nutrition interventions. When designing tailored and contextually relevant interventions, participatory and co-creation approaches are increasingly recognized as promising but their use and effectiveness has not been assessed in this type of population. We systematically reviewed interventions aiming to improve dietary quality and/or food security in higher education settings with the aims 1) to identify and describe their participatory and co-creation approaches and 2) to compare the effectiveness of interventions using or not using participatory and co-creation approaches. METHODS: Our search in PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, EMBASE was performed in January 2023 and yielded 3658 unique records, out of which 42 articles (66 interventions) were included. Effectiveness of interventions was assessed at the individual level (longitudinal evaluations) or at the group level (repeated cross-sectional evaluations). A five-level classification was used to describe a continuum of engagement from students and other partners in the intervention design and implementation: no participation (level one), consultation, co-production, co-design and co-creation (levels two to five). To synthetize effectiveness, comparisons were made between studies without participation (level one) or with participation (levels two-five). RESULTS: Ten (24%) out of 42 studies used a participatory and co-creation approach (levels two-five). Studies using a participatory and co-creation approach reported a positive finding on individual-level outcome (i.e. overall diet quality or food group intake or food security) in 5/13 (38%) intervention arms (vs 13/31 or 42% for those without participation). Studies using a participatory and co-creation approach reported a positive finding on group-level outcomes (i.e. food choices in campus food outlets) in 4/7 (57%) (vs 8/23 or 35% in those without participation). CONCLUSIONS: Participatory and co-creation approaches may improve the effectiveness of nutrition interventions in higher education settings but the level of evidence remains very limited. More research is warranted to identify best co-creation practices when designing, implementing and evaluating nutritional interventions in the higher education setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number CRD42023393004.

Chronic insomnia, high trait anxiety and their comorbidity as risk factors for incident type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the association of the insomnia-anxiety comorbidity with incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a large prospective cohort. We selected adults without diabetes at baseline from the French NutriNet-Santé cohort who had completed the trait anxiety subscale of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T, 2013-2016) and a sleep questionnaire (2014); insomnia was defined according to established criteria. Using multivariable Cox models, we compared T2D risk across 4 groups: no insomnia or anxiety (reference), insomnia alone, anxiety alone (STAI-T ≥ 40), and comorbid anxiety and insomnia. Among 35,014 participants (mean baseline age: 52.4 ± 14.0 years; 76% women), 378 (1.1%) developed T2D over a mean follow-up of 5.9 ± 2.1 years. Overall, 28.5% of the sample had anxiety alone, 7.5%-insomnia alone, and 12.5%-both disorders. In the fully-adjusted model, a higher T2D risk was associated with anxiety-insomnia comorbidity (HR = 1.40; 95% CI 1.01, 1.94), but not with each disorder separately, compared to the group without insomnia or anxiety. The findings supported a positive association between anxiety-insomnia comorbidity and incident T2D among general-population adults. Future research using clinical diagnoses of mental disorders could confirm the findings and guide diabetes prevention programs.

A randomized controlled trial to test the effects of displaying the Nutri-Score in food advertising on consumer perceptions and intentions to purchase and consume.

BACKGROUND: Some research shows that advertising for high-fat, sugar, or salt (HFSS) products is contributing to a shift in consumer preferences toward products of poor nutritional quality, leading to unhealthy nutritional intakes that increase the risk of obesity and chronic diseases. A strategy of displaying simple and understandable nutritional information (like the front-of-pack nutrition label Nutri-Score) in food messages could be an aid to help guide consumers' choice towards healthier products. METHODS: A randomized controlled experiment was conducted on 27,085 participants randomly assigned to two experimental conditions or a control condition. In both experimental conditions (independent variable: advertising messages with vs. without the Nutri-Score), participants were exposed to advertisements for diversified food products with contrasting nutritional quality and belonging to nine different food categories. Participants were then asked questions about their perception, affective evaluation, and intentions to purchase and consume the products. In the control condition, they were not exposed to the advertisements. RESULTS: Overall, interaction effects between the two variables (1) the messages with vs. without the Nutri-Score and (2) the nutritional quality of products, were significant for all dependent variables, with effect sizes between large and medium. Overall, the better the products' nutritional quality, the more positive their perceptions, affective evaluations, and intentions to buy and consume them. When the Nutri-score was displayed in advertising messages (vs. when it was not), perceptions, affective evaluation, and behavioral intentions: (1) became more positive for products of good nutritional quality (Nutri-score A and B), (2) became more negative for products of poor nutritional quality (Nutri-score D and E), (3) changed little or not at all for products of intermediate nutritional quality (Nutri-Score C). CONCLUSIONS: This research is the first in the literature to demonstrate that displaying the Nutri-Score in advertising messages assists consumers in directing their choices towards healthier foods. Regulations mandating the display of the Nutri-Score in food advertising could be an effective public health measure.

Food additive emulsifiers and the risk of type 2 diabetes: analysis of data from the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Experimental studies have suggested potential detrimental effects of emulsifiers on gut microbiota, inflammation, and metabolic perturbations. We aimed to investigate the associations between exposures to food additive emulsifiers and the risk of type 2 diabetes in a large prospective cohort of French adults. METHODS: We analysed data from 104 139 adults enrolled in the French NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort study from May 1, 2009, to April 26, 2023; 82 456 (79·2%) were female and the mean age was 42·7 years (SD 14·5). Dietary intakes were assessed with three 24 h dietary records collected over three non-consecutive days, every 6 months. Exposure to additive emulsifiers was evaluated through multiple food composition databases and ad-hoc laboratory assays. Associations between cumulative time-dependent exposures to food additive emulsifiers and the risk of type 2 diabetes were characterised with multivariable proportional hazards Cox models adjusted for known risk factors. The NutriNet-Santé study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03335644). FINDINGS: Of 104 139 participants, 1056 were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during follow-up (mean follow-up duration 6·8 years [SD 3·7]). Intakes of the following emulsifiers were associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes: total carrageenans (hazard ratio [HR] 1·03 [95% CI 1·01-1·05] per increment of 100 mg per day, p<0·0001), carrageenans gum (E407; HR 1·03 [1·01-1·05] per increment of 100 mg per day, p<0·0001), tripotassium phosphate (E340; HR 1·15 [1·02-1·31] per increment of 500 mg per day, p=0·023), acetyl tartaric acid esters of monoglycerides and diglycerides of fatty acids (E472e; HR 1·04 [1·00-1·08] per increment of 100 mg per day, p=0·042), sodium citrate (E331; HR 1·04 [1·01-1·07] per increment of 500 mg per day, p=0·0080), guar gum (E412; HR 1·11 [1·06-1·17] per increment of 500 mg per day, p<0·0001), gum arabic (E414; HR 1·03 [1·01-1·05] per increment of 1000 mg per day, p=0·013), and xanthan gum (E415, HR 1·08 [1·02-1·14] per increment of 500 mg per day, p=0·013). INTERPRETATION: We found direct associations between the risk of type 2 diabetes and exposures to various food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods, in a large prospective cohort of French adults. Further research is needed to prompt re-evaluation of regulations governing the use of additive emulsifiers in the food industry for better consumer protection. FUNDING: European Research Council, French National Cancer Institute, French Ministry of Health, IdEx Université de Paris, and Bettencourt-Schueller Foundation.

How far can reformulation participate in improving the nutritional quality of diets at population level? A modelling study using real food market data in France.

BACKGROUND: Food reformulation is promoted as a tool to improve the nutritional quality of population diets. However, the potential impact of industry-wide reformulation on dietary intake has been investigated minimally. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to estimate the impact on the French population nutrient intakes of industry-wide reformulation towards healthier products using the updated nutrient profiling system underpinning the front-of-pack nutrition label Nutri-Score (uNS-NPS). METHODS: Dietary data were retrieved from the Nutrinet-Santé cohort at baseline (N=100 418), providing detailed information regarding participants' food choices (N>3000 generic food items). Each individual food from 24 hours dietary record was matched with French food market data from OpenFoodFacts database (N=119 073 products). Three scenarios were constructed using nutrient content of currently existing food products: (1) all products available (baseline situation); (2) only existing products of better nutritional quality were available as potential substitutes and (3) only existing products of poorer quality were available. The assessment of the nutritional quality was based on the uNS-NPS score. Finally, dietary intakes were calculated for each scenario after random attribution of healthier/less healthy products as dietary choices. Monte-Carlo iterations (n=300) were conducted to generate uncertainty intervals. RESULTS: After simulation of reformulation using scenario 2, reduction in daily intake in comparison with the baseline situation was observed for energy (-55 kcal/day, -2.9%), saturated fat (-2.4g/day, -7.6%), sugar (-4.8g/day, -5.3%) and salt (-0.54g/day, -8.3%) and increase was observed for fibre (+1.0g/day, +4.9%). Improvements in diet quality were observed regardless of the overall quality of diet. The most important contributors to diet improvement were the followings: (1) sugars: sugary products, sweet bakery products and dairy products; (2) saturated fat: sweet bakery products, dairy products and prepared dishes and (3) salt: bread, prepared dishes, vegetable preparations and soups. CONCLUSION: Widespread reformulation of food offer appeared to be an opportunity for improving nutritional status at population level in France.

Complementarity between the updated version of the front-of-pack nutrition label Nutri-Score and the food-processing NOVA classification.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the initial and the updated versions of the front-of-pack label Nutri-Score (related to the nutritional content) with the NOVA classification (related to the degree of food processing) at the food level. DESIGN: Using the OpenFoodFacts database - 129,950 food products - we assessed the complementarity between the Nutri-Score (initial and updated) with the NOVA classification through a correspondence analysis. Contingency tables between the two classification systems were used. SETTINGS: The food offer in France. PARTICIPANTS: Not applicable. RESULTS: With both versions (i.e. initial and updated) of the Nutri-Score, the majority of ultra-processed products received medium to poor Nutri-Score ratings (between 77·9 % and 87·5 % of ultra-processed products depending on the version of the algorithm). Overall, the update of the Nutri-Score algorithm led to a reduction in the number of products rated A and B and an increase in the number of products rated D or E for all NOVA categories, with unprocessed foods being the least impacted (-3·8 percentage points (-5·2 %) rated A or B and +1·3 percentage points (+12·9 %) rated D or E) and ultra-processed foods the most impacted (-9·8 percentage points (-43·4 %) rated A or B and +7·8 percentage points (+14·1 %) rated D or E). Among ultra-processed foods rated favourably with the initial Nutri-Score, artificially sweetened beverages, sweetened plant-based drinks and bread products were the most penalised categories by the revision of Nutri-Score while low-sugar flavoured waters, fruit and legume preparations were the least affected. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the update of the Nutri-Score reinforces its coherence with the NOVA classification, even though both systems measure two distinct health dimensions at the food level.

The association between consideration of future consequences and food intake is mediated by food choice motives in a French adult population.

OBJECTIVES: Consideration of future consequences (CFC) distinguishes individuals who adopt behaviours based on immediate needs and concerns from individuals who consider the future consequences of their behaviours. We aimed to assess the association between CFC and diet, and testing the mediating role of food choice motives on this relationship. DESIGN: Individuals (aged ≥ 18 years) completed the CFC-12 questionnaire in 2014, at least three 24-h dietary records, and a food choice motive questionnaire. A multiple mediator analysis allowed to assess the mediating effect of food choice motives on the cross-sectional association between CFC and diet, adjusted for socio-demographic factors. SETTING: Data from the NutriNet-Santé cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: 27 330 participants. RESULTS: CFC was associated with all food choice motives (P < 0·001), with the strongest positive associations for avoidance for environmental reasons, absence of contaminants and health motives and the strongest negative associations for innovation and convenience. Positive total effects were found between CFC and the consumption of healthy food groups (fruits and vegetables, whole-grain foods, legumes), and negative total effects for alcohol, meat and poultry and processed meat (P < 0·001). CFC was positively associated with diet quality (P < 0·001). Across food groups, major mediators of these relationships were higher health (8·4-32·6%), higher environmental (13·7-22·1 %) and lower innovation (7·3-25·1 %) concerns. CONCLUSIONS: CFC was associated with healthier dietary intake, essentially mediated by a greater motivation of future-oriented participants for self-centred and altruistic outcomes, including health and environment. Focusing on the awareness of future benefits in public health interventions might lead to healthier dietary behaviours.

Association between dietary pesticide exposure profiles and body weight change in French adults: Results from the NutriNet-Santé cohort.

BACKGROUND: Pesticides cause a wide range of deleterious health effects, including metabolic disorders. Little is known about the effects of dietary pesticide exposure on body weight (BW) change in the general population. We aimed to investigate the role of dietary pesticide exposure in BW change among NutriNet-Santé participants, focusing on potential sexual dimorphism. METHODS: Participants completed a Food Frequency Questionnaire (2014), assessing conventional and organic food consumption. Dietary exposure from plant foods of 25 commonly used pesticides was estimated using a residue database, accounting for agricultural practices (conventional and organic). Exposure profiles based on dietary patterns were computed using Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF). Mixed models were used to estimate the associations between BW change and exposure to pesticide mixtures, overall and after stratification by sex and menopausal status. RESULTS: The final sample included 32,062 participants (8,211 men, 10,637 premenopausal, and 13,214 postmenopausal women). The median (IQR) follow-up was 7.0 (4.4; 8.0) years. Four pesticides profiles were inferred. Overall, men and postmenopausal women lost BW during follow-up, whereas premenopausal women gained BW. Higher exposure to NMF3, reflecting a lower exposure to synthetic pesticides, was associated with a lower BW gain, especially in premenopausal women (ß(95 %CI) = -0.04 (-0.07; 0) kg/year, p = 0.04). Higher exposure to NMF2, highly positively correlated with a mixture of synthetic pesticides (azoxystrobin, boscalid, chlorpropham, cyprodinil, difenoconazole, fenhexamid, iprodione, tebuconazole, and lamda-cyhalothrin), was associated with a higher BW loss in men (ß(95 %CI) = -0.05 (-0.08; -0.03) kg/year, p < 0.0001). No associations were observed for NMF1 and 4. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a role of pesticide exposure, inferred from dietary patterns, on BW change, with sexually dimorphic actions, including a potential role of a lower exposure to synthetic pesticides on BW change in women. In men, exposure to a specific pesticide mixture was associated with higher BW loss. The underlying mechanisms need further elucidation.

Food additive emulsifiers and cancer risk: Results from the French prospective NutriNet-Santé cohort.

BACKGROUND: Emulsifiers are widely used food additives in industrially processed foods to improve texture and enhance shelf-life. Experimental research suggests deleterious effects of emulsifiers on the intestinal microbiota and the metabolome, leading to chronic inflammation and increasing susceptibility to carcinogenesis. However, human epidemiological evidence investigating their association with cancer is nonexistent. This study aimed to assess associations between food additive emulsifiers and cancer risk in a large population-based prospective cohort. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This study included 92,000 adults of the French NutriNet-Santé cohort without prevalent cancer at enrolment (44.5 y [SD: 14.5], 78.8% female, 2009 to 2021). They were followed for an average of 6.7 years [SD: 2.2]. Food additive emulsifier intakes were estimated for participants who provided at least 3 repeated 24-h dietary records linked to comprehensive, brand-specific food composition databases on food additives. Multivariable Cox regressions were conducted to estimate associations between emulsifiers and cancer incidence. Overall, 2,604 incident cancer cases were diagnosed during follow-up (including 750 breast, 322 prostate, and 207 colorectal cancers). Higher intakes of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (FAs) (E471) were associated with higher risks of overall cancer (HR high vs. low category = 1.15; 95% CI [1.04, 1.27], p-trend = 0.01), breast cancer (HR = 1.24; 95% CI [1.03, 1.51], p-trend = 0.04), and prostate cancer (HR = 1.46; 95% CI [1.09, 1.97], p-trend = 0.02). In addition, associations with breast cancer risk were observed for higher intakes of total carrageenans (E407 and E407a) (HR = 1.32; 95% CI [1.09, 1.60], p-trend = 0.009) and carrageenan (E407) (HR = 1.28; 95% CI [1.06, 1.56], p-trend = 0.01). No association was detected between any of the emulsifiers and colorectal cancer risk. Several associations with other emulsifiers were observed but were not robust throughout sensitivity analyses. Main limitations include possible exposure measurement errors in emulsifiers intake and potential residual confounding linked to the observational design. CONCLUSIONS: In this large prospective cohort, we observed associations between higher intakes of carrageenans and mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids with overall, breast and prostate cancer risk. These results need replication in other populations. They provide new epidemiological evidence on the role of emulsifiers in cancer risk. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03335644.

Consistency of the Initial and Updated Version of the Nutri-Score with Food-Based Dietary Guidelines: A French Perspective.

BACKGROUND: To help consumers to make healthier food choices, 7 European countries have implemented the front-of-pack nutrition label Nutri-Score. The algorithm was updated in 2022-2023 by the Nutri-Score European scientific committee, based on the current scientific knowledge. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the consistency of the newly internationally developed algorithm with the French food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) and compare the respective performances of the initial and updated algorithm. METHODS: Three complementary French food composition databases were used to access extensive coverage of the food supply in France (n = 46,752): the Oqali, OpenFoodFacts, and CIQUAL databases. Based on the French FBDG, a list of 41 criteria was defined by which the consistency between French FBDG and the Nutri-Score was assessed (eg, consumption of fresh vegetables is promoted in FBDG, thus the Nutri-Score should rate favorably such products). RESULTS: Of all criteria, the initial algorithm met 63% (26/41) of them, whereas the revised algorithm met 85% (35/41) of them. Improvements achieved by the updated version of the Nutri-Score in alignment with the FBDG were particularly observed for high-fat products (ie, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds), sweet products (ie, ice creams and sweet spreads), salty products (ie, savory snacks and salted nuts), dairy beverages, and beverages with artificial sweeteners. CONCLUSIONS: The Nutri-Score's updated nutrient profiling system appears to rate foods more consistently regarding the French dietary guidelines and improved the currently existing system. This work supports the implementation of the updated nutrient profiling system underlying Nutri-Score.

Dietary circadian rhythms and cardiovascular disease risk in the prospective NutriNet-Santé cohort.

Daily eating/fasting cycles synchronise circadian peripheral clocks, involved in the regulation of the cardiovascular system. However, the associations of daily meal and fasting timing with cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence remain unclear. We used data from 103,389 adults in the NutriNet-Santé study. Meal timing and number of eating occasions were estimated from repeated 24 h dietary records. We built multivariable Cox proportional-hazards models to examine their association with the risk of CVD, coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. In this study, having a later first meal (later than 9AM compared to earlier than 8AM) and last meal of the day (later than 9PM compared to earlier than 8PM) was associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular outcomes, especially among women. Our results suggest a potential benefit of adopting earlier eating timing patterns, and coupling a longer nighttime fasting period with an early last meal, rather than breakfast skipping, in CVD prevention.