Influence of culinary skills on ultraprocessed food consumption and Mediterranean diet adherence: An integrative review.

The Mediterranean diet is a diet pattern with several healthy characteristics, including a high consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, and extra virgin olive oil as the main fat source. It is also characterized by a low consumption of processed foods and high-fat meats. However, there has been a nutritional transition such that, because of globalization and economic growth, the consumption of ultraprocessed foods is increasing, comprising 14% to 57% of total energy intake. North America and Australia have the worst prognosis. Further, the younger population consumes greater amounts of ultraprocessed foods compared with adults, whereas the older population has the lowest rates. Among the various factors responsible for the nutritional transition, culinary skills seem an important function of diet quality, but, unfortunately, culinary skills have been little investigated by the scientific community. Higher culinary skills may be related to increased consumption of homemade meals, higher diet quality, and greater consumption of vegetables and fruits and may be associated with higher Mediterranean diet adherence. Consequently, ultraprocessed foods, ready-to-eat food, and delivered meals, as well as meals outside the home, are reduced. Unfortunately, the process of generational transmission of cooking skills is progressively weakening, aggravated by the reduction of free time for home cooking. Still, even though there are few interventions conducted to improve culinary skills, especially those focused on children, the available results suggest that there have been positive changes in the direction of a healthier dietary pattern. This integrative review analyzes consumption levels of ultraprocessed foods. We then consider the extent to which culinary skills affect ultraprocessed food consumption levels and the relative impact on obesity.

Microbiota dysbiosis caused by dietetic patterns as a promoter of Alzheimer's disease through metabolic syndrome mechanisms.

Microbiota dysbiosis and metabolic syndrome, consequences of a non-adequate diet, generate a feedback pathogenic state implicated in Alzheimer's disease development. The lower production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) under dysbiosis status leads to lipid homeostasis deregulation and decreases Angptl4 release and AMPK activation in the adipose tissue, promoting higher lipid storage (adipocyte hypertrophy) and cholesterol levels. Also, low SCFA generation reduces GPR41 and GPR43 receptor activation at the adipose tissue (increasing leptin release and leptin receptor resistance) and intestinal levels, reducing the release of GLP-1 and YPP. Therefore, lower satiety sensation and energy expenditure occur, promoting a weight gaining environment mediated by higher food intake and lipid storage, developing dyslipemia. In this context, higher glucose levels, together with higher free fatty acids in the bloodstream, promote glycolipotoxicity, provoking a reduction in insulin released, insulin receptor resistance, advanced glycation products (AGEs) and type 2 diabetes. Intestinal dysbiosis and low SCFAs reduce bacterial biodiversity, increasing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-producing bacteria and intestinal barrier permeability. Higher amounts of LPS pass to the bloodstream (endotoxemia), causing a low-grade chronic inflammatory state characterized by higher levels of leptin, IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α, together with a reduced release of adiponectin and IL-10. At the brain and neuronal levels, the generated insulin resistance, low-grade chronic inflammation, leptin resistance, AGE production and LPS increase directly impact the secretase enzymes and tau hyperphosphorylation, creating an enabling environment for ß-amyloid senile plaque and tau tangled formations and, as a consequence, Alzheimer's initiation, development and maintenance.

Common polymorphisms in MC4R and FTO genes are associated with BMI and metabolic indicators in Mexican children: Differences by sex and genetic ancestry.

BACKGROUND: Mexico is experiencing an epidemic of childhood obesity and overweight, the factors that determine type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Even though variants in genes such as MC4R, LEP, LEPR, and FTO have been associated with the risk of obesity, in Mexico the level of miscegenation is heterogeneous, so this risk must be measured as genetic ancestry. This study aimed at evaluating the association between common SNPs in FTO and MC4R genes in Mexican children with Amerindian, mestizo and predominance European ancestry. METHODS: Anthropometric data and fasting blood samples were collected from 718 unrelated Mexican school children aged 4-13 years old. Variants in the FTO, MC4R, LEP, LEPR genes and 15 ancestry informative markers (AIMs), were genotyped using allelic discrimination assays. RESULTS: High triglycerides and low cholesterol HDL were the most frequent metabolic alterations. The prevalence of minor allele frequency of polymorphism rs8050136, rs9939609, and rs3751812 in the FTO gene; and rs17782313 of MC4R gene were found to be significantly higher among Mexican children with a predominance of European ancestry (EA) compared to native Mexican children (Amerindian predominance), X2 test, p < 0.05. The FTO (rs8050136, rs9939609) and MC4R (rs17782313) genotypes also were significantly associated with obesity (BMI > 2Z) in boys (OR=1.89, P=0.04, OR=3.3, P=0.006 OR=3.11, p=0.04, respectively). Children with AA genotype (minor) of rs8050136 and rs9939609 SNPs have higher triglycerides in relation to native ancestral genotypes. CONCLUSION: Risk variants in the FTO and MC4R genes had a higher frequency in children with EA compared with Amerindian predominance children, showing that miscegenation is associated with the frequency of obesity-related genotypes.

Estado nutricional de yodo en niños escolares mexicanos de zonas urbanas y rurales / Iodine nutritional status in urban and rural Mexican schoolchildren

INTRODUCCIÓN: El déficit o consumo excesivo de yodo en humanos tiene efectos en la salud, por lo que determinar las prevalencias y los factores de riesgo en los niños ayuda a reorientar las acciones de prevención o tratamiento. MÉTODO: Estudio transversal probabilístico realizado en 631 infantes de 5-12 años a quienes se les cuantificó yodo en una muestra de orina y de sal; se presentan resultados por tipo de localidad y condición de indigenismo, la asociación de estas variables con intervalos de yoduria fue evaluada con una regresión logística binaria. RESULTADOS: La mediana de la concentración de yodo en orina (yoduria) fue de 278,4 μ,g/L (177,3-360,9, RIC), el 13,2% de los infantes evaluados presentaron yodurias < 100 μ,g/L y el 41,8% registraron cifras ≥ 300 μ,g/L. Los escolares indígenas fueron los que registraron mayor riesgo para yodurias < 100 μ,g/L ((ß = 2,29, 1,1-4,6 IC, p < 0,05) e infantes de localidades urbanas y no indígenas riesgos altos para cifras ≥ 300 μ,g/L (ß = 2,2, 1,3-3,9 IC, p < 0,01 y ß = 3,8, 2,2-6,5 IC, p < 0,01; respectivamente). La mediana de la concentración de yodo en sal fue de 35,9 ppm (29,1-42,4, RIC), no se presentaron diferencias en las concentraciones de yodo en sal por tipo de localidad o etnicidad. CONCLUSIONES: En escolares mexicanos de zonas rurales e indígenas las cifras de yodurias < 100 μ,g/L no han sido erradicadas. Se registraron altas prevalencias de cifras elevadas de yoduria en escolares que habitan en localidades urbanas, esto se asoció al consumo de sodio de alimentos procesados

INTRODUCTION: Deficient or excess iodine intake has effects on human health. Assessment of the prevalence and risk factors in children can therefore support effective prevention or treatment. METHOD: A cross-sectional probabilistic study in 631 children aged 5 to 12 years in whom iodine levels were measured in urine and salt samples. Results are reported by type of location and indigenous condition. Association of these variables to urinary iodine levels was assessed using a binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Median urinary iodine level was 278.4 μ,g/L (177.3-360.9, IQR), 13.2% of children assessed had iodine levels < 100 μ,g/L, and 41.8% had values ≥ 300 μ,g/L. Indigenous schoolchildren had the greatest risk of urinary iodine levels < 100 μ,g/L (ß = 2.29, CI 1.1-4.6, p <.05), while children from urban and non-indigenous localities had a high risk of iodine levels > 300 μ,g/L (ß = 2.2, CI 1.3 -3.9, p <.01, and (ß = 3.8, CI 2.2-6.5, p <.01 respectively). Median iodine level in salt was 35.9 ppm (29.1-42.4 IQR), and there were no differences in iodine levels in salt by type of location or ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: In Mexican schoolchildren living in rural and indigenous areas, iodine levels < 100 μ,g/L have not been eradicated. There was high prevalence of urinary iodine levels ≥ 300 μ,g/L in schoolchildren living in urban areas which was associated to high sodium intake from processed food

Iodine nutritional status in urban and rural Mexican schoolchildren. / Estado nutricional de yodo en niños escolares mexicanos de zonas urbanas y rurales.

INTRODUCTION: Deficient or excess iodine intake has effects on human health. Assessment of the prevalence and risk factors in children can therefore support effective prevention or treatment. METHOD: A cross-sectional probabilistic study in 631 children aged 5 to 12 years in whom iodine levels were measured in urine and salt samples. Results are reported by type of location and indigenous condition. Association of these variables to urinary iodine levels was assessed using a binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Median urinary iodine level was 278.4µg/L (177.3-360.9, IQR), 13.2% of children assessed had iodine levels <100µg/L, and 41.8% had values ≥300µg/L. Indigenous schoolchildren had the greatest risk of urinary iodine levels <100µg/L (ß = 2.29, CI 1.1-4.6, p <.05), while children from urban and non-indigenous localities had a high risk of iodine levels >300µg/L (ß = 2.2, CI 1.3 -3.9, p <.01, and ß = 3.8, CI 2.2-6.5, p <.01 respectively). Median iodine level in salt was 35.9ppm (29.1-42.4 IQR), and there were no differences in iodine levels in salt by type of location or ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: In Mexican schoolchildren living in rural and indigenous areas, iodine levels <100µg/L have not been eradicated. There was high prevalence of urinary iodine levels ≥300µg/L in schoolchildren living in urban areas which was associated to high sodium intake from processed food.