Comprehensive assessment of the anti-obesity effects of highland barley total, insoluble, and soluble dietary fiber through multi-omics analysis.

The impact of different forms of dietary fiber (total, insoluble or soluble) derived from the same source on health remains incompletely understood. In this study, the effects of total, insoluble, and soluble dietary fiber extracted from highland barley (HDF, HIDF, and HSDF) on combating obesity were evaluated and compared. A high-fat diet (HFD) was used to induce obesity in a murine model, followed by gavage administration of HDF, HIDF, or HSDF, and a comprehensive multi-omics approach was utilized to assess and compare the effects of these dietary fibers on obesity-related parameters. The results showed that all three dietary fibers significantly reduced body weight, modified blood lipid profiles, and ameliorated tissue damage in HFD-fed mice. Additionally, 16S rRNA sequencing analysis of mice feces showed that three types of dietary fiber exerted varying degrees of impact on the composition and abundance of gut microbiota while simultaneously promoting the biosynthesis of short-chain fatty acids. Specifically, HDF supplementation remarkably enhanced the abundance of Coprococcus, while HIDF and HSDF supplementation elevated the levels of Akkermansia and Allobaculum, respectively. Transcriptomic and proteomic results suggested the PPAR signaling pathway as a central regulatory mechanism influenced by these fibers. HDF and HIDF were particularly effective in modulating biological processes related to triglyceride and fatty acid metabolism, identifying Abcc3 and Dapk1 as potential targets. Conversely, HSDF primarily affected processes related to membrane lipids, ceramides, and phospholipids metabolism, with Pck1 identified as a potential target. Collectively, HDF, HIDF, and HSDF demonstrated distinct mechanisms in exerting exceptional anti-obesity properties. These insights may inform the development of personalized dietary interventions for obesity.

Evaluation of Subjective Appetite Assessment under Free-Living vs. Controlled Conditions: A Randomized Crossover Trial Comparing Whole-Grain Rye and Refined Wheat Diets (VASA-Home).

BACKGROUND: Accurate assessment of self-reported appetite under free-living conditions is warranted to conduct large-scale intervention studies measuring appetite at a feasible cost. However, the performance of visual analogue scales (VASs) for this purpose has not been widely examined. METHOD: This randomized crossover trial was conducted to evaluate VASs in free-living vs. clinic-based settings and to assess appetite response following hypocaloric whole-grain rye and refined wheat diets. Twenty-nine healthy adults with overweight or obesity continuously answered VAS questions about their perceived appetite from morning to evening. RESULTS: No differences in whole-day VAS scores (primary outcome) between clinic-based and free-living settings were observed, whereas measures of total area under the curve (tAUC) showed increased fullness in clinic-based interventions of 7% (p < 0.008) for whole-day responses and 13% (p < 0.03) following a snack. Appetite responses for a whole day did not differ between diets whereas rye-based dinners induced 12% (p < 0.016) higher fullness and reduced hunger by 17% (p < 0.02) irrespective of setting. A reduction in hunger of 15% (p < 0.05) was also observed following rye-based vs. wheat-based lunches. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the VAS is valid for evaluation of appetite responses between diets under free-living conditions. No difference in self-reported appetite over the whole day was found after whole-grain rye vs. refined wheat-based diets, but there were some suggested differences at certain postprandial periods, in individuals with overweight or obesity.

Medical School Hotline: Immunoepigenetic-Microbiome Axis: Implications for Health Disparities Research in Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) populations suffer from disproportionately higher rates of chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, that arises from metabolic dysfunction and are often associated with obesity and inflammation. In addition, the global coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has further compounded the effect of health inequities observed in Indigenous populations, including NHPI communities. Reversible lifestyle habits, such as diet, may either be protective of or contribute to the increasing prevalence of health inequities in these populations via the immunoepigenetic-microbiome axis. This axis offers insight into the connection between diet, epigenetics, the microbiome composition, immune function, and response to viral infection. Epigenetic mechanisms that regulate inflammatory states associated with metabolic diseases, including diabetes, are impacted by diet. Furthermore, diet may modulate the gut microbiome by influencing microbial diversity and richness; dysbiosis of the microbiome is associated with chronic disease. A high fiber diet facilitates a favorable microbiome composition and in turn increases production of intermediate metabolites named short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that act on metabolic and immune pathways. In contrast, low fiber diets typically associated with a westernized lifestyle decreases the abundance of microbial derived SCFAs. This decreased abundance is characteristic of metabolic syndromes and activation of chronic inflammatory states, having larger implications in disease pathogenesis of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders that once thrived on healthy traditional diets may be more sensitive than non-indigenous peoples to the metabolic perturbation of westernized diets that impinge on the immunoepigenetic-gut microbiome axis. Recent studies conducted in the Maunakea lab at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine have helped elucidate the connections between diet, microbiome composition, metabolic syndrome, and epigenetic regulation of immune function to better understand disease pathogenesis. Potentially, this research could point to ways to prevent pre-disease conditions through novel biomarker discovery using community-based approaches.

Nutritional and functional roles of millets-A review.

The available cultivable plant-based food resources in developing tropical countries are inadequate to supply proteins for both human and animals. Such limition of available plant food sources are due to shrinking of agricultural land, rapid urbanization, climate change, and tough competition between food and feed industries for existing food and feed crops. However, the cheapest food materials are those that are derived from plant sources which although they occur in abundance in nature, are still underutilized. At this juncture, identification, evaluation, and introduction of underexploited millet crops, including crops of tribal utility which are generally rich in protein is one of the long-term viable solutions for a sustainable supply of food and feed materials. In view of the above, the present review endeavors to highlight the nutritional and functional potential of underexploited millet crops. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Millets are an important food crop at a global level with a significant economic impact on developing countries. Millets have advantageous characteristics as they are drought and pest-resistance grains. Millets are considered as high-energy yielding nourishing foods which help in addressing malnutrition. Millet-based foods are considered as potential prebiotic and probiotics with prospective health benefits. Grains of these millet species are widely consumed as a source of traditional medicines and important food to preserve health.

Modified Dietary Fiber from Cassava Pulp and Assessment of Mercury Bioaccessibility and Intestinal Uptake Using an In Vitro Digestion/Caco-2 Model System.

The ability of modified dietary fiber (MDF) generated from cassava pulp to modulate the bioaccessibility and intestinal absorption of heavy metals may be helpful to mitigate health risk associated with select foods including select fish high in methyl mercury. Using a coupled in vitro digestion/Caco-2 human intestinal cell model, the reduction of fish mercury bioaccessibility and intestinal uptake by MDF was investiaged. MDF was prepared from cassava pulp, a byproduct of tapioca production. The highest yield (79.68%) of MDF was obtained by enzymatic digestion with 0.1% α-amylase (w/v), 0.1% amyloglucosidase (v/v) and 1% neutrase (v/v). MDF and fish tissue were subjected to in vitro digestion and results suggest that MDF may reduce mercury bioaccessibility from fish to 34% to 85% compared to control in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, accumulation of mercury from digesta containing fish and MDF was only modestly impacted by the presence of MDF. In conclusion, MDF prepared from cassava pulp may be useful as an ingredient to reduce mercury bioavailability from food such as fish specifically by inhibiting mercury transfer to the bioaccessibile fraction during digestion.

[Assessment of the impact of vitamin and dietary fiber content in the diet on the characteristics of protective colon microbiota populations of rats].

The content of lactobacilli and enterobacteria in the experiment in rats with varying levels of vitamins and dietary fiber was studied. The study was performed on 48 male weanling Wistar rats randomized into 8 groups, with the creation of vitamin deficiency (30 d.) and its further compensation (5 d.). Vitamin content in the semisynthetic diet in rats of the control group N 1 corresponded to 100% of a daily adequate intake. In the similar composition of the diet of the control group N 2 wheat bran was added in amount of 5% of the weight of the diet. In groups N 3­8 rats received a diet with the reduced amount of vitamin mixture by 5 times (20% of the adequate intake) and the total exclusion of tocopherol, thiamine and riboflavin from the mixture. The wheat bran (5% of diet mass) was added to the diets in Groups N 4, 6, 8. At the stage of compensation of deficiency rats were fed with the diets with increased content of vitamin mixture: Group 5­6 to 80% 7­8 to 200% (100 and 220% of the adequate intake, respectively), and the groups N 3­4 continued to receive deficient diet with or without wheat bran until the end of the experiment. After 35 days rats were anesthetized with ether, decapitated, necropsied and the cecum segments were selected for quantitative microbiological analysis of its contents. It has been shown that the addition of wheat bran to vitamin deficient diet lead to the reduction of the manifestation of physical sign of hypovitaminosis. It also eliminated the differences in the integrated index of growth and development of rats in comparison with the group without vitamin deficiency. It was found that the vitamin deficiency in the diet, regardless of the presence or absence of wheat bran, led to a significant reduction of the number of lactobacilli in the intestinal contents, but almost did not affect the number of normal and opportunistic pathogenic enterobacteria. The compensation of deficiency during 5 days lead to the increased number of lactobacilli, but the physiological levels and levels in control animals it reached only in rats received 220% of the vitamins with the addition of wheat bran. In the lactobacilli population in all rats received different doses of vitamins (including reduced to 20%), regardless of the presence of wheat bran, prevailing culturable representatives were 3 kinds of Lactobacillus spp. ­ acidophilus, fermentum, paracasei. These species showed stable presence in the intestine even in conditions of prolonged vitamin deficiency (35 days). L. acidophilus was the dominated lactoflora representative in all rats, its' content was average 91.7% of all culturable lactobacilli. With less constancy and in lower amounts were detected L. plantarum and representatives of coccal flora (Leuconostoc lactis, Lactococcus lactis).

Pulse grain consumption and obesity: effects on energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, body composition, fat deposition and satiety.

Pulses have been identified as important components of a healthy diet. Assessment of pulse grains' nutritional composition alongside data from available preclinical and clinical trials suggests that pulses can modulate biological processes that lead to obesity. Components of pulse grains, including pulse-derived fibre and resistant starch, have been shown to alter energy expenditure, substrate trafficking and fat oxidation as well as visceral adipose deposition. Although mechanistic studies are scarce, studies have indicated that fibres found in pulses can have an impact on the expression of genes that modulate metabolism. Arginine and glutamine may produce thermogenic effects as major components of pulse grain proteins. Finally, evidence suggests that pulse-derived fibres, trypsin inhibitors and lectins may reduce food intake by inducing satiety via facilitating and prolonging cholecystokinin secretion. Nonetheless, the aforementioned data remain controversial and associations between dietary pulse grains and energy intake require further study. Given the available evidence, it can be concluded that pulses could be useful as functional foods and food ingredients that combat obesity.

Invited review: strategies for promoting productivity and health of dairy cattle by feeding nonforage fiber sources.

High-fiber byproducts are generated by several industries, and the supplies of some of these nonforage fiber sources (NFFS) are increasing. Although NFFS generally have limited utility in nonruminant diets, dairy cattle nutritionists can use these products to partially replace both forages and concentrates in lactation diets. Research has shown that production responses vary, but under certain conditions, NFFS-based diets can maintain or improve performance of dairy cattle. Traditional dietary formulation strategies are not ideal when formulating diets to contain large concentrations of NFFS. When feeding high levels of NFFS (≥15% inclusion rates, dry matter basis), less physically effective fiber is required; however, determining if this requirement has been met can be challenging, mainly because of the lack of a broadly applicable method for quantifying effective fiber in the field. Nutritionists must also be conscious of the nutrient variation that exists among many NFFS. Strategies to reduce risks associated with this variability include purchasing feed from a sole supplier who demonstrates product consistency and combining multiple NFFS at lower inclusion rates. A targeted approach whereby nonforage fiber primarily replaces some forage fiber for higher-producing cows but partially replaces some starch for lower-producing cows can optimize nutrient utilization without sacrificing animal health. In summary, the judicious use of NFFS represents an opportunity to improve the productivity and health of cattle in all stages of lactation while potentially controlling feed costs.

Fiber's impact on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in cardiovascular disease.

PURPOSE: To determine if increased dietary or supplemental intake of fiber slows or prevents inflammation as evidenced by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) values. DATA SOURCES: CINAHL, Medline, Health Source, Nursing/Academic Edition, and the Cochrane Library. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from this review suggested significant associations between fiber consumption and decreased risk for cardiovascular (CV) disease as evidenced by a decrease in hs-CRP levels. Six of the seven articles reviewed showed statistically significant decreases in hs-CRP levels as dietary fiber was increased. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Fiber in the diet may play a strong role in CV health as evidenced by six clinical trials completed using amount of fiber intake in relation to inflammation, particularly hs-CRP levels. Patients need to be educated to adhere to a high fiber diet, either by dietary or supplemental means, using the recommended 25-30 g of fiber per day.

A debriefing session with a nutritionist can improve dietary assessment using food diaries.

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effect of a debriefing call on nutrient intake estimates using two 3-d food diaries among women participating in the Women's Health and Interview Study (WISH) Diet Validation Study. Subjects were 207 women with complete data and six 24-h recalls (24-HR) by telephone over 8 mo followed by two 3-d food diaries during the next 4 mo. Nutrient intake was assessed using the food diaries before and after a debriefing session by telephone. The purpose of the debriefing call was to obtain more detailed information on the types and amounts of fat in the diet. However, due to the ubiquitous nature of fat in the diet, the debriefing involved providing more specific detail on many aspects of the diet. There was a significant difference in macronutrient and micronutrient intake estimates after the debriefing. Estimates of protein, carbohydrate, and fiber intake were significantly higher and total fat, monounsaturated fat, saturated fat, vitamin A, vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol, folic acid, and calcium intake were significantly lower after the debriefing (P < 0.05). The limits of agreement between the food diaries before and after the debriefing were especially large for total fat intake, which could be under- or overestimated by approximately 15 g/d. The debriefing call improved attenuation coefficients associated with measurement error for vitamin C, folic acid, iron, alpha tocopherol, vitamin A, and calcium estimates. A hypothetical relative risk (RR) = 2.0 could be attenuated to 1.16 for folic acid intake assessed without a debriefing but to only 1.61 with a debriefing. Depending on the nutrients of interest, the inclusion of a debriefing can reduce the potential attenuation of RR in studies evaluating diet disease associations.

Energy expenditure and quantitative oxidation of nutrients in rats (Rattus norvegicus) kept in different thermal environments and given two levels of dietary fiber.

A study was performed to investigate the effect of environmental temperature (16 degrees C, 24 degrees C or 32 degrees C) and dietary fiber (DF) on energy expenditure and quantitative oxidation of nutrients in rats. Forty-eight male rats, initial body weight 90-105 g, were allocated to eight groups in two series. The rats kept at 24 degrees C was repeated in both series. Low and high fiber diets (56 vs. 257 g DF/kg dry matter) were studied in 6-week balance experiments. The rats in all groups were offered the same amount of air-dried food. Indirect calorimetry was used to measure the energy metabolism. The difference in heat production (HP) calculated by RQ and CN methods was < 2% and was not affected by environmental temperature and DF. The relation between fat and protein oxidation changed from 1.54 to 1.00 when the ambient temperature changed from 16 degrees C to 32 degrees C. The contribution of carbohydrate oxidation to total HP was lowest at 16 degrees C, whereas the fat and protein oxidation was highest at 16 degrees C. The oxidation of nutrients was not influenced by DF. The additional energy retained at the higher temperatures had a constant ratio between fat and protein, i.e., 70:30. At an energy retention of 65.8 kJ/kg0.75 d or less, body fat is mobilized and only protein deposited. Because of higher HP, rats living in the cold environment used more fat as substrate for HP than rats kept in warmer environments. The cold environment results in an increase in the amount of interscapular brown adipose tissue, but no significant difference was found between DF levels.

The effect of protein intake on 24-h energy expenditure during energy restriction.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether protein intake influences the decline in energy expenditure during energy restriction. DESIGN: Cross-over study of three diets of 4.2 MJ/d for 7 days: one diet with 36% energy as protein and two with 15% energy as protein, one high in carbohydrate and the other high in fat. SUBJECTS: Two men and six women aged 31-57 y. BMI 27.B-34.1 kg/m2. MEASUREMENTS: 24-h energy expenditure (24-h EE), sleeping metabolic rate (SMR) and body weight on days 0 and 7 of each diet; 24-h urinary nitrogen excretion (24-h UN) on days 0-7 of each diet. RESULTS: 24-h EE and SMR declined on all three diets but the decrease was significantly less on the high protein diet than on the two low protein diets. Weight loss was similar on all three diets. 24-h UN was less than N intake on the high protein diet but greater than N intake on the two low protein diets. CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining protein intake reduces the decrease in energy expenditure during energy restriction.

Interaction of dietary fat and acid detergent fiber diets of lactating dairy cows.

Twenty multiparous and 4 primiparous cows averaging 32 DIM were used in an experiment with a 2 x 2 factorial design for 12 wk to determine whether the response to supplemental choice white grease in the diet was augmented with higher fiber. Treatments were 1) 21% ADF with no added fat; 2) 21% ADF plus 6% added fat; 3) 28% ADF with no added fat; and 4) 28% ADF plus 6% added fat. Addition of fat decreased milk fat percentage and tended to decrease milk protein percentage. An interaction of fat by fiber by week for milk fat percentage suggested that ruminal fermentation was disrupted as the trial progressed when fat was included in the lower fiber diet. This disruption did not occur with the higher fiber diets. Yields of milk and FCM were not affected by treatment. There was no fat by fiber interaction for milk yield, which suggested that the yield response to fat was unaffected by fiber concentration. There were no treatment interactions for results of ruminal fermentation. Fiber increased ruminal acetate and the ratio of acetate to propionate but lowered molar percentages of propionate. Supplemental fat decreased acetate and increased propionate. The ratio of acetate to propionate was significantly decreased when fat was fed.

The effect of a soluble dietary fibre supplement on 24-hour energy expenditure during a standardized physical activity programme.

Twenty-four hour energy expenditure during a standard physical activity programme was investigated in 19 healthy volunteers in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over design, after supplementation with a soluble dietary fibre amounting 7 g/day for 2 weeks. Energy intake and food fibre intake were kept constant during the treatment period. Twenty-four hour energy expenditure decreased insignificantly during fibre treatment (1.3 +/- 1.7 per cent). The dietary fibre supplement also had no significant effect on body weight, faecal energy loss or heart rate. Systolic blood pressure was insignificantly reduced during both placebo and fibre treatment (P = 0.09). There was, however, no difference between the groups after treatment.

[Morphological assessment of the activity of mucus-producing structures of the rat duodenum after administration of varying-dispersion wheat germ rations]. / Morfologicheskaia otsenka aktivnosti slizeprodutsiruiushchikh struktur dvenadtsatiperstnoi kishki krys pri vvedenii v ratsion pshenichnykh otrubei raznoi dispersnosti.

Three groups of Wistar rats were fed a wheat-bran diet of different size particles for each group during three months. Goblet cells and duodenal glands are sated to develop a more intensive mucous secretion in case of coarse bran particles. Mucous composition and the length of the area of the duodenal glands are not influenced by the size of the diet particles. The idea of the goblet cell renewal rate and the diet particle size correlation is suggested.

[Carbohydrates and fiber]. / Considerações sobre carboidratos e fibra.

Dietary carbohydrates comprise two fractions that may be classified as digestible, and which are useful as energy sources (simple and complex carbohydrates) and fiber, which is presumed to be of no use to the human body. There are insufficient epidemiologic data on the metabolic effects of simple carbohydrates and it is not advisable to make quantitative recommendations of intake. It is questionable to recommend in developing countries that a fixed proportion of dietary energy be derived from simple sugars, due to the high prevalence of deficient energy intake, cultural habits, and regional differences in food intake and physical activity. In relation to recommendations of complex carbohydrates, it should be considered that their absorption is influenced by many factors inherent to the individual and to the foods. Fiber is defined as a series of different substances derived from tissue structures, cellular residues and undigested chemical substances that may be partially utilized after intestinal bacteria have acted on them. There is not a clear definition of the chemical composition of fiber, but it consists mainly of polysaccharides (such as cellulose, hemicellulose and pectins), lignin and end products of the interactions of various food components. The effects of fiber, such as control of food intake, regulation of gastrointestinal transit, post-prandial blood concentrations of cholesterol, glucose and insulin, flatulence and alterations in nutrient bioavailability are due to various physical properties inherent to its chemical components. Impairment of nutrient absorption may be harmful, mainly among populations whose food intake is lower than their energy needs, and with a high fiber content. This may be particularly important in pregnant women, growing children and the elderly, and should be considered when making nutrient recommendations. A precise knowledge of fiber is also important to calculate the real energy value of foods, mainly for two reasons: 1) the proportion of "crude fiber" (as measured by acid and alkaline digestion) leads to an over-estimation of the proportion of digestible carbohydrates calculated by difference; 2) fiber may alter the polysaccharide utilization of some foods, as shown by the "glycemic index". It is difficult to make recommendations on dietary fiber due to insufficient data on intake, fiber composition, its physiological effects, and epidemiological studies. However, a preliminary evaluation of the diets from most Latin American countries shows large intakes of vegetable foods and, consequently, an adequate fiber intake may be expected.

Appendicectomy prevalences in South African adolescents.

From questioning 16,939 South African pupils of 16-18 years, in 56 high schools, mean prevalences of appendicectomies in representative segments of ethnic groups were found to be: rural Blacks 0.6%; urban Blacks 0.7%; Indians, 2.9%; Coloureds (Eur-African-Malay), 1.7%; Whites, 10.5%. Percentages in the sexes were similar. Only those of Indian and Coloured pupils appear to be increasing. Blacks and Whites, respectively, have high and low intakes of fibre-containing foods, which are negatively correlated with appendicectomy prevalences. However, although intakes of fibre-containing foods are slightly higher in Indians and Coloureds than in Whites, the former's appendicectomy prevalences are lower than would be dietarily expected.