Evaluation of factors related to organic food consumption and orthorexia nervosa tendencies.

The relationship between organic food consumption, awareness of reducing ecological footprint, and orthorexia nervosa (ON) tendencies has yet to be explored in detail. This study aimed to determine factors related to organic food consumption and ON tendencies in young adults. Also, the relationship between organic food consumption, awareness of reducing ecological footprint, and ON tendencies was investigated. This study was conducted with 887 young adults (58.4% female, 41.6% male, aged 18-25 years, mean age 20.8 ± 2.55 years). Study data were obtained with a web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, the Organic Food Consumption Scale (OFC), ORTO-11, and the Awareness Scale for Reducing Ecological Footprint (ASREF). While 17.2% were overweight or obese, 74.9% had a normal body weight. There were no differences by sex in terms of ORTO-11, OFC, and ASREF total scores (p > .05). Significant positive correlations were found between ASREF and OFC (p < .001), while negative correlations were found for ORTO-11 and OFC (p < .001). A higher ASREF and increased ON tendencies predicted increased organic food consumption (p < .05). Furthermore, higher organic food consumption behaviors and awareness of reducing ecological footprint predicted increased ON tendencies (p < .05). Findings from this study will contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors associated with organic food consumption and ON tendencies among individuals. By shedding light on the interplay between ecological awareness, organic food consumption, and orthorexic tendencies, policymakers and health professionals can develop targeted interventions to promote sustainable and healthy food consumption.

Challenges and opportunities when moving food production and consumption toward sustainable diets in the Nordics: a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

The terms 'Nordic countries' or 'The Nordics' include the five countries Denmark, Finland, Island, Norway, and Sweden. This review includes evaluation of the Nordic countries against Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)/World Health Organizations' (WHO) guiding principles for healthy, sustainable diets with respect to environmental impact (principles #9 - #13) and sociocultural aspects (principles #14 - #16). A food systems perspective is taken to summarize and discuss the most important challenges and opportunities for achieving sustainable diets. Food system, food security, self-sufficiency, and resilience perspectives are applied. The information can underpin decisions when developing and implementing Food Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG) in the Nordics. None of the Nordic countries are on track to reach the 2030 UN climate and biodiversity goals. We describe how food production, processing, and consumption contribute to these and other environmental challenges, and what kinds of dietary changes/transitions consistent with these goals are required. A major challenge is the high production and consumption of meat and too low consumption of fish, vegetables, and fruits. Meat production is a major source of emissions and, together with farmed fish, heavily dependent on imported feed ingredients, leaving a large land-use and water footprint in exporting countries while domestic land resources are not used optimally. Dietary patterns have changed drastically over the past 50 years, and in large parts of the population, meat consumption has doubled since the 1970s, rendering historic food culture less useful as a basis for present-day recommendations. The Nordics have Europe's lowest use of antibiotics in animal and fish production and have made some progress in reducing food waste along the food chain. A major opportunity is better alignment of food production and consumption based on local or regional production potentials, in conjunction with better and more constructive integration with the global food system while integrating novel technologies to reduce emissions and resource use.

Dietary patterns - A scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

Background: A dietary pattern can be defined as the quantities, proportions, variety, or combination of foods and drinks typically consumed. The dietary pattern approach aims to place emphasis on the total diet as a long-term health determinant, instead of focussing on separate foods and nutrients, which may interact or confound each other. Aim: This scoping review describes the totality of evidence for the role of dietary patterns for health-related outcomes as a basis for setting and updating food-based dietary guidelines in the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 (NNR2023). Methods: We used evidence from 10 qualified systematic reviews identified by the NNR2023 project. No additional literature search was conducted. Results: Strong or moderate evidence linked dietary patterns high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, low-fat dairy and legumes, and low in red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, sugary foods- and refined grains with beneficial health outcomes, such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, bone health, and premature death. We also found limited evidence suggesting a relationship with the described dietary patterns in childhood and decreased risk of obesity and hypertension later in life. Most studies have been conducted among adult populations, and thus, there is a need for studies in certain subgroups, such as children and adolescents as well as the elderly.

Effectiveness of an Artificial Intelligence-Assisted App for Improving Eating Behaviors: Mixed Methods Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: A plethora of weight management apps are available, but many individuals, especially those living with overweight and obesity, still struggle to achieve adequate weight loss. An emerging area in weight management is the support for one's self-regulation over momentary eating impulses. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a novel artificial intelligence-assisted weight management app in improving eating behaviors in a Southeast Asian cohort. METHODS: A single-group pretest-posttest study was conducted. Participants completed the 1-week run-in period of a 12-week app-based weight management program called the Eating Trigger-Response Inhibition Program (eTRIP). This self-monitoring system was built upon 3 main components, namely, (1) chatbot-based check-ins on eating lapse triggers, (2) food-based computer vision image recognition (system built based on local food items), and (3) automated time-based nudges and meal stopwatch. At every mealtime, participants were prompted to take a picture of their food items, which were identified by a computer vision image recognition technology, thereby triggering a set of chatbot-initiated questions on eating triggers such as who the users were eating with. Paired 2-sided t tests were used to compare the differences in the psychobehavioral constructs before and after the 7-day program, including overeating habits, snacking habits, consideration of future consequences, self-regulation of eating behaviors, anxiety, depression, and physical activity. Qualitative feedback were analyzed by content analysis according to 4 steps, namely, decontextualization, recontextualization, categorization, and compilation. RESULTS: The mean age, self-reported BMI, and waist circumference of the participants were 31.25 (SD 9.98) years, 28.86 (SD 7.02) kg/m2, and 92.60 (SD 18.24) cm, respectively. There were significant improvements in all the 7 psychobehavioral constructs, except for anxiety. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, statistically significant improvements were found for overeating habits (mean -0.32, SD 1.16; P<.001), snacking habits (mean -0.22, SD 1.12; P<.002), self-regulation of eating behavior (mean 0.08, SD 0.49; P=.007), depression (mean -0.12, SD 0.74; P=.007), and physical activity (mean 1288.60, SD 3055.20 metabolic equivalent task-min/day; P<.001). Forty-one participants reported skipping at least 1 meal (ie, breakfast, lunch, or dinner), summing to 578 (67.1%) of the 862 meals skipped. Of the 230 participants, 80 (34.8%) provided textual feedback that indicated satisfactory user experience with eTRIP. Four themes emerged, namely, (1) becoming more mindful of self-monitoring, (2) personalized reminders with prompts and chatbot, (3) food logging with image recognition, and (4) engaging with a simple, easy, and appealing user interface. The attrition rate was 8.4% (21/251). CONCLUSIONS: eTRIP is a feasible and effective weight management program to be tested in a larger population for its effectiveness and sustainability as a personalized weight management program for people with overweight and obesity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04833803; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04833803.

Contribution of Ultra-Processed Foods to Weight Gain Recurrence 5 Years After Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate evolution of ultra-processed food intake and recurrent weight gain in patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is an observational longitudinal study that evaluated patients who underwent metabolic and bariatric surgery at four time points: before surgery and at 3, 12, and 60 months after surgery. Anthropometric and dietary intake data were collected through two 24-h dietary recalls. All foods consumed were classified according to degree of processing. Recurrent weight gain was considered the difference between current weight and nadir weight. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 58 patients with a mean age of 38.7 ± 8.9 years and 68% female. After 60 months, mean excess weight loss and recurrent weight gain were 73.6 ± 27.2% and 22.5 ± 17.4%. Calorie and macronutrient intake decreased significantly between the pre-surgery period, and 3 and 12 months post-surgery; however, there was no significant difference after 60 months. In relation to food groups or macronutrients, no difference was observed between the pre-surgery period and 60 months post-surgery. The contribution of unprocessed or minimally processed foods to calorie intake gradually decreased after 3 months post-surgery. CONCLUSION: The profile of dietary intake after 60 months of metabolic and bariatric surgery tends to approach that of the pre-surgery period. The contribution of unprocessed and minimally processed foods to calorie intake decreased after 60 months, while ultra-processed food contribution increased.

Gregarines impact consumption and development but not glucosinolate metabolism in the mustard leaf beetle.

Gregarines are usually classified as parasites, but recent studies suggest that they should be viewed on a parasitism-mutualism spectrum and may even be seen as part of the gut microbiota of host insects. As such, they may also impact the consumption of their hosts and/or be involved in the digestion or detoxification of the host's diet. To study such effects of a gregarine species on those traits in its host, the mustard leaf beetle (Phaedon cochleariae) was used. This beetle species feeds on Brassicaceae plants that contain glucosinolates, which form toxic compounds when hydrolyzed by myrosinases. We cleaned host eggs from gametocysts and spores and reinfected half of the larvae with gregarines, to obtain gregarine-free (G-) and gregarine-infected (G+) larvae. Growth and food consumption parameters of these larvae were assessed by rearing individuals on watercress (Nasturtium officinale, Brassicaceae). A potential involvement of gregarines in the glucosinolate metabolism of P. cochleariae larvae was investigated by offering G- and G+ larvae leaf discs of watercress (containing mainly the benzenic 2-phenylethyl glucosinolate and myrosinases) or pea (Pisum sativum, Fabaceae, lacking glucosinolates and myrosinases) treated with the aliphatic 4-pentenyl glucosinolate or the indole 1-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl glucosinolate. Larval and fecal samples were analyzed via UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS to search for breakdown metabolites. Larval development, body mass, growth rate and efficiency to convert food into body mass were negatively affected by gregarine infection while the pupal mass remained unaffected. The breakdown metabolites of benzenic and aliphatic glucosinolates were conjugated with aspartic acid, while those of the indole glucosinolate were conjugated with glutamic acid. Gregarine infection did not alter the larvae's ability to metabolize glucosinolates and was independent of plant myrosinases. In summary, some negative effects of gregarines on host performance could be shown, indicating parasitism. Future studies may further disentangle this gregarine-host relationship and investigate the microbiome potentially involved in the glucosinolate metabolism.

The impact of healthy nutrition education based on traffic light labels on food selection, preference, and consumption in patients with acute coronary syndrome: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Acute Coronary Syndrome is the most common heart disease and the most significant cause of death and disability-adjusted life years worldwide. Teaching a healthy eating style is one preventive measure to prevent the disease's recurrence. This study aimed to determine the effect of healthy nutrition education with the help of traffic light labels on food selection, preference, and consumption in patients with acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: This randomized, single-blinded clinical trial was conducted with 139 participants (66 in the intervention group and 73 in the control group) from January 2021 to August 2021 in Shaheed Rajaie Hospital, Tehran, Iran. The control group received standard training. The intervention group, besides this, received additional bedside training with an educational poster on traffic light labels from the research team during their final hospitalization days. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire on food selection, preference, and consumption. RESULTS: The Brunner-Munzel test showed no significant difference between the two groups in terms of selection (P = 0.127), preference (P = 0.852), and food consumption (P = 0.846) in the baseline, while after the intervention, there were significant differences in selection (P > 0.001), preference (P > 0.001), and consumption (p < 0.004). Comparing the difference between the two groups in the difference between the before and after scores for selection (p < 0.001), preference (p < 0.001), and food consumption (p = 0.011) with the Brunner-Munzel test indicated a significant difference in all outcome variables. CONCLUSIONS: Teaching healthy eating styles with the help of traffic light labels affected food selection, preference, and consumption and led to healthier diets in these patients. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical trial registration: It was prospectively registered in the Iran Clinical Trials Registration Center on this date 30/10/2020 (IRCT20200927048857N1).

Assessing the Cost of Nutritionally Adequate and Low-Climate Impact Diets in Finland.

Background: Dietary changes form an important component of the sustainability transition of food systems but could be hindered by the cost of sustainable diets. Objectives: This study aimed to characterize the cost of nutritionally adequate and culturally acceptable diets with low-greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) in Finland. Methods: Two optimization models were built to find diets complying with nutritional and emissions requirements. The first model minimizes diet cost and the second one deviation from current diets. Both are calibrated to Finnish sociodemographic groups using dietary intake data, household budget survey data (for prices), and life cycle assessment coefficients (for GHGE). Three scenarios are simulated: "Health only" imposes only compliance with nutritional constraints, whereas "Health and GHGE-33%" and "Health and GHGE-50%" impose, in addition, minimum reductions in GHGE. Results: Minimum cost diets have a low-carbon footprint [-65% (-73%) for females (males)] and low cost [-69% (-73%) for females (males)] when compared with current diets but lack diversity and cultural acceptability. The more culturally acceptable health-only minimum deviation diets are marginally less costly and have a lower climate impact than baseline diets across all population groups. Reducing GHGE results in a substantial decrease in the cost of the minimum deviation diets. The lower cost of the minimum deviation diets with reduced GHGE results from both intercategory and intracategory substitutions. Conclusions: Affordability is not the key obstacle to the adoption of nutritionally adequate and lower GHGE diets, but cultural acceptability is. Reducing the climate footprint of diets can generate side benefits in terms of nutrition and affordability, which confirms that dietary change should be central to the sustainability transition of the Finnish food system. However, more attention should be paid to the issues of taste, convenience, social norms, and other aspects determining the cultural acceptability of sustainable diets.

Consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados en niños entre 6 y 23 meses según la Segunda Encuesta Nacional de Nutrición y Salud de Argentina / Consumption of ultra-processed foods among children aged 6 to 23 months as per the Second National Survey on Nutrition and Health of Argentina

Introducción. Contar con los datos del consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados en los niños resulta importante para planificar políticas públicas. Objetivos. Describir la prevalencia de consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados en menores de 2 años e identificar factores asociados. Describir la proporción que los alimentos ultraprocesados representan del número total de los alimentos consumidos en el día. Métodos. Análisis secundario de los datos de niños entre 6 y 23 meses de edad con al menos un recordatorio de 24 horas de consumo de alimentos de la Segunda Encuesta Nacional de Nutrición y Salud de Argentina del año 2018. Se estudiaron como variables principales: "consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados" (según el sistema NOVA) categorizada en sí/no y la "proporción de ultraprocesados del total de alimentos consumidos". Los factores asociados explorados fueron lactancia materna, sexo, edad y el número de alimentos no ultraprocesados consumidos. Se realizó un modelo de regresión logística multivariable y se aplicó un factor de expansión para ponderar los datos. Resultados. Se incluyeron 4224 niños (ponderado 908 104). La prevalencia de consumo de ultraprocesados fue del 90,8 % (IC95%: 89,5-92) y fue asociado con mayor edad (OR 3,21; IC95% 2,28-4,52) y con el número de alimentos no ultraprocesados consumidos (OR 1,17; IC95% 1,13-1,23). Los ultraprocesados representaron una mediana del 20 % (RIC: 12,5-28,6 %) del total de alimentos consumidos en el día. Conclusiones. Este estudio señala la alta penetración de los alimentos ultraprocesados en la alimentación complementaria.

Introduction. The availability of data on the consumption of ultra-processed foods among children is important for planning public policies. Objectives. To describe the prevalence of consumption of ultra-processed foods in children under 2 years of age and identify associated factors. To describe the proportion that ultra-processed foods represent out of the total number of foods consumed in a day. Methods. Secondary analysis of data from children aged 6­23 months with at least a 24-hour recall of food consumption based on the Second National Survey on Nutrition and Health of Argentina (2018). The following primary variables were studied: "consumption of ultra-processed foods" (according to the NOVA system) categorized into yes/no and "proportion of ultra-processed out of total foods consumed." The following associated factors were studied: breastfeeding, sex, age, and number of non-ultra-processed foods consumed. A multivariate logistic regression model was developed and an expansion factor was applied to weight the data. Results. A total of 4224 children were included (weighed: 908 104). The prevalence of ultra-processed food consumption was 90.8% (95% CI: 89.5­92) and was associated with an older age (OR: 3.21, 95% CI: 2.28­4.52) and the number of non-ultra-processed foods consumed (OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.13­1.23). Ultra-processed foods accounted for a median 20% (IQR: 12.5­28.6%) of all foods consumed in a day. Conclusions. This study highlights the high penetration of ultra-processed foods in complementary feeding.

How Do Anger and Impulsivity Impact Fast-Food Consumption in Transitional Age Youth?

Introduction: Consumption of fast food has been linked to psychiatric distress, violent behaviors, and impulsivity in adolescents. The relationship between eating fast food, anger, and impulsivity has not been widely investigated. The National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence community-based cohort consists of 831 youth, half at elevated risk factors for substance use disorders during adolescence, followed annually. Methods: Impulsivity using Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance, and Sensation Seeking Impulsive Behavior scale from annual assessments was examined in relation to self-reported fast-food consumption frequency and mobile application questions of anger. This study tested the hypotheses that youth anger may be predicted by fast-food consumption frequency and impulsivity using multiple regression, in addition to whether adolescent fast-food consumption frequency may be predicted by anger and impulsivity. Results: Among youth, higher anger levels and impulsivity predicted greater frequency of fast-food consumption, and greater fast-food consumption frequency and impulsivity predicted higher anger levels. Conclusions: This study's longitudinal findings are consistent with those of other studies that have found fast-food consumption and anger associated with impulsivity and also reveal a bidirectional link between anger and fast-food consumption. These results may point attention to food selection considerations for those at risk of anger and poorer psychiatric outcomes.

Neophobia, sensory experience and child's schemata contribute to food choices.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present review is to analyze dynamic interactions between nutrigenomics, environmental cues, and parental influence, which can all lead to children's neophobic reactions and its persistence in time. METHODS: We reviewed studies available on electronic databases, conducted on children aged from birth to 18 years. We also considered official websites of Italian Institutions, providing advice on healthy eating during infancy. RESULTS: Modern day societies are faced with an eating paradox, which has severe and ever-growing implications for health. In face of a wider availability of healthy foods, individuals instead often choose processed foods high in fat, salt and sugar content. Economic reasons surely influence consumers' access to foods. However, there is mounting evidence that food choices depend on the interplay between social learning and genetic predispositions (e.g., individual eating traits and food schemata). Neophobia, the behavioral avoidance of new foods, represents an interesting trait, which can significantly influence children's food refusal. Early sensory experiences and negative cognitive schemata, in the context of primary caregiver-child interactions, importantly contribute to the priming of children's food rejection. CONCLUSIONS: As neophobia strongly affects consumption of healthy foods, it will be relevant to rule definitively out its role in the genesis of maladaptive food choices and weight status in longitudinal studies tracking to adulthood and, in meanwhile, implement early in life effective social learning strategies, to reduce long-term effects of neophobia on dietary patterns and weight status. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, controlled trials without randomization.

Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with obesity and abdominal obesity in socially vulnerable Brazilian women.

This study aimed to assess the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and identify their association with obesity and abdominal obesity in adult women of reproductive age living in situations of social vulnerability in Maceió, Northeastern Brazil. This was a cross-sectional study carried out between October 2020 and May 2021. An anthropometric evaluation was carried out to assess obesity and abdominal obesity. A dietary assessment was also conducted using a 24-h food recall to determine the calorie intake from UPF. To estimate intra-individual variability in food consumption, the probabilistic Multiple Source Method was used. These data in the form of tertiles were used to analyse the association between the consumption of UPF and obesity and abdominal obesity. Logistic regressions were used to analyse the association. A directed acyclic graph (DAG) was created for this analysis. This study included 1702 women of which 53.7% were 31 years old or older, and 74.2% lived in poverty. It identified that 36.5% and 38.1% of the women had obesity and abdominal obesity, respectively, and that an average of 33.8% of calories consumed came from UPF. In the analysis of association guided by the DAG, it was observed that women with a high-calorie intake from UPF had a 1.3 times higher probability of being obese. It was also observed that women with a moderate and high-calorie intake from UPF were 1.4 and 1.3 times more likely, respectively, to have abdominal obesity. Thus, it can be concluded that socially vulnerable women in Brazil have a relatively high consumption of UPF and that this condition increases the probability of obesity in this population group.

Sociodemographic and behavioural differences between frequent and non-frequent users of convenience food in Germany.

Introduction: Convenience foods are a double-edged sword in that they provide quick and easy nutrition but may promote non-communicable diseases related to excess intakes of sugar, fat, and salt. To inform the German national reduction and innovation strategy for less sugar, fat, and salt in processed foods, the present study sought to analyse the consumption frequency of selected convenience foods and to determine sociodemographic and behavioural factors that characterise frequent users. Methods: In a representative computer-assisted telephone interview survey in the adult German population (N = 3,997) conducted in 2018, consumption frequency of 21 convenience foods was assessed. To characterise frequent in contrast to non-frequent users, data on sociodemographics and behavioural aspects were compared. Statistical analyses comprised chi-square tests with Bonferroni correction as well as Spearman's rank correlation. Cramer's V was used to determine the strength of an association. Results: Overall and among frequent users (7.7% of the sample) sweet convenience foods and savoury cooking aids were consumed most frequently. Around 75% of the participants indicated little-to-no consumption of 19 of the 21 convenience foods. Male gender (p < 0.001), younger age (p < 0.001), and not having a high level of education (p = 0.017) were identified as key characteristics of frequent users. Furthermore, frequent users were more likely than non-frequent users to live in a family household (p = 0.003) or without a partner (p < 0.001), and to work in shifts (p = 0.002). Additionally, they showed significantly lower cooking skills (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Public health interventions to limit excess intakes of sugar, fat, and salt from convenience food in Germany should target people of male gender, younger age, and having a lower level of education. On the behavioural side, developing the skills to cook from scratch emerged as major point of focus. Simultaneously, reformulation of the food offer should continue in order to help transition to a more health-promoting food environment.

Can social media be used to increase fruit and vegetable consumption? A pilot intervention study.

Background: Exposure to social norms about fruit and vegetable intake has been shown to increase individuals' consumption of these foods. Further, exposure to socially endorsed 'healthy' food posts can increase consumption of low energy-dense (LED), relative to high energy-dense (HED) foods. The current pilot study aimed to investigate whether exposure to healthy eating (vs. control) social media accounts can shift normative perceptions about what others eat, eating intentions and self-reported food consumption. Methods: In a 2 (condition) × 2 (type of food consumed) mixed factorial design, 52 male and female students were asked to follow either healthy eating (intervention) or interior design (control) Instagram accounts over a two-week period. Baseline and post-intervention measures assessed normative perceptions of Instagram users' consumption of fruit and vegetables (LED foods), and energy dense snacks and sugar sweetened beverages (HED foods). Participants' intentions to consume, and self-reported consumption of these foods, were also measured. Results: There were no significant changes in perceptions about what others eat, or participants' own eating intentions (ps > 0.05). However, the intervention increased participants' self-reported consumption of LED foods by 1.37 servings (per day) and decreased consumption of HED foods by 0.81 items (per day), compared to the control condition (ps < 0.05). Conclusions: This novel pilot study demonstrates that a social norm-based social media intervention can successfully encourage healthier eating, with a large effect after two weeks. Certain social media platforms may therefore provide a viable tool for nudging healthy eating. Future work will aim to replicate these findings in a larger and more diverse sample.

The effect of Internet use on nutritional intake and health outcomes: new evidence from rural China.

Introduction: Internet use is changing nutritional intake and health outcomes, but the results are mixed, and less attention is given to the rural developing regions. Based on the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) data from 2004 to 2015, this study seeks to better understand the effect of Internet use on nutritional intake and health outcomes. Methods: An instrumental variable estimation is used to address endogeneity problem. Results: The results show that Internet use improves the dietary knowledge of rural residents, and thus has a positive impact on dietary quality, such as healthy eating index (HEI) and dietary diversity score (DDS). The higher the dietary quality, the better the nutritional health status. However, results also show that Internet use increases the risk of overweight, and obesity among rural Chinese residents. Because Internet use has significantly reduced the physical activity of rural residents in China. Interestingly, we also find that the Internet increases the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, but there is a positive causal relationship between Internet use and the self-assessment score of health. Discussion: Our findings suggest that there may be a serious lack of awareness of the health risks of chronic diseases among Chinese rural residents. Therefore, policymakers are suggested to consider the possible negative effects when promoting digital development.

A Longitudinal Analysis of the Impact of Digital Technologies on Sustainable Food Production and Consumption in the European Union.

In today's landscape, digital technologies hold immense potential in tackling challenges associated with food sustainability. This study aims to contextualize a broader investigation of food sustainability and digitalization within the agricultural sector. Its objective is to explore the influence of digital technologies on sustainable food production and consumption, particularly examining relationships among digital technologies, municipal waste, agricultural output, nitrogen emissions, methane emissions from agriculture, and Goal 12 Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG12). Through the use of Structural Equation Modeling, the empirical investigation scrutinizes the relationships between digital technology use and critical variables linked to food sustainability in a longitudinal analysis. The results highlight the significant impact of extensive digital technology use on municipal waste, sustainable production, and consumption, indirectly influencing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Empirical research findings reveal a negative influence of digital technologies on responsible consumption and production (path coefficient -0.349, p values < 0.001), suggesting an impact of digital technologies on diminishing sustainability in consumption and production. The relationship between digital technologies and municipal solid waste is also negative (path coefficient -0.360, p values < 0.001), suggesting that the use of digital technologies can contribute to reducing the amount of municipal solid waste. Digitalization has the potential to improve the sustainability of supply chains by reducing resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with production and distribution operations.

Dietary Flavonoid Intakes in France Are Linked to Brewed Tea Consumption and to Socioeconomic Status: Analyses of the Third French Individual and National Food Consumption (INCA3) Survey for Children and Adults.

Flavonoids from green and black tea may benefit cardiovascular health. Brewed tea consumption and flavonoid intake in France have not been previously explored. This study assessed the dietary intake of flavonoids among French children and adults, using 3 days' dietary recall for 3896 persons aged >4 y in the Third French Individual and National Food Consumption Survey (INCA3). Foods consumed by INCA 3 participants were manually matched with the flavonoid content of foods from the French PhenolExplorer database and the US Department of Agriculture expanded flavonoid database (2018 version). The six subclasses of flavonoids were flavan-3-ols, flavanones, anthocyanidins, flavonols, flavones, and isoflavones. Flavonoid intake was stratified by age subgroups (children and adults separately) and examined using socio-demographics and tea consumption patterns. Mean flavonoid intake was 210 mg/d. Flavonoids in the French diet were predominantly flavan-3-ols (147 mg/d), of which tea is the main source. The effects of age, education, income, and socio-professional category (SPC) on flavonoid intake were all significant (p < 0.0001). Brewed tea consumers were 31.88% of French adults and 3.79% of children. Brewed tea consumption and flavonoid intake were highly correlated. The highest brewed tea and flavonoid intakes were found among individuals with the highest SPC and education levels. Flavonoid intake in France was associated with brewed tea consumption and with higher education and income.

An industrialized diet as a determinant of methylation in the 1F region of the NR3C1 gene promoter.

Background: Dietary composition can modify gene expression, favoring the development of chronic diseases via epigenetic mechanisms. Objective: Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns and NR3C1 gene methylation in users of the Brazilian Public Unified Health System (SUS). Methods: We recruited 250 adult volunteers and evaluated their socioeconomic status, psychosocial characteristics, lifestyle, and anthropometrics. Peripheral blood was collected and evaluated for cortisol levels, glycemia, lipid profile, and insulin resistance; methylation of CpGs 40-47 of the 1F region of the NR3C1 gene was also measured. Factors associated with degree of methylation were evaluated using generalized linear models (p < 0.05). Lifestyle variables and health variables were included as confounding factors. Results: The findings of our cross-sectional study indicated an association between NR3C1 DNA methylation and intake of processed foods. We also observed relevant associations of average NR3C1 DNA across the segment analyzed, methylation in component 1 (40-43), and methylation in component 2 (44-47) with a pattern of consumption of industrialized products in relation to BMI, serum cortisol levels, and lipid profile. These results may indicate a relationship between methylation and metabolic changes related to the stress response. Conclusion: These findings suggest an association of methylation and metabolic alterations with stress response. In addition, the present study highlights the significant role of diet quality as a stress-inducing factor that influences NR3C1 methylation. This relationship is further linked to changes in psychosocial factors, lifestyle choices, and cardiometabolic variables, including glucose levels, insulin resistance, and hyperlipidemia.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods and mental health of pregnant women from the South of Brazil.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and the mental health of pregnant women from the South of Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study carried out in Criciúma, Brazil, through face-to-face interviews, from April to December 2022. Pregnant women aged 18 or older who underwent prenatal care in the forty-eight basic health care units of the municipality and who were in their third trimester of pregnancy were included. High consumption of UPF was considered as six or more items or subgroups of UPF consumed on the day before the interview, using the Nova-UPF screener. The mental health variables were depressive symptoms, stress, sadness and anxiety. Crude and adjusted analyses were conducted using the Fisher's exact test and the Poisson regression with robust variance. In total, 428 pregnant women were studied; most of them were aged between 20 and 25 years and were white. Pregnant women who presented high consumption of UPF were 1·42-fold (95 % CI 1·06, 1·92) more likely to experience anxiety and presented a prevalence 56 % (95 % CI 1·18, 2·07) higher of stress when compared with those who did not present high consumption of UPF. The prevalence of depressive symptoms and feelings of sadness was 1·31-fold (95 % CI 1·08, 1·60) and 3·41-fold (95 % CI 1·77, 6·58) higher among those with high consumption of UPF, respectively. The results suggest that diet quality is associated with the mental health of pregnant women. Promoting joint actions focused on food and nutritional education, and mental health, for pregnant women, is necessary.

Molecular, behavioral, and growth responses of juvenile yellow catfish (Tachysurus fulvidraco) exposed to carbamazepine.

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is an anticonvulsant medication used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder. Due to its persistence and low removal rate in wastewater treatment plants, it is frequently detected in the environment, raising concerns regarding its potential adverse effects on aquatic organisms and ecosystems. In this study, we aimed to assess the impact of CBZ on the behavior and growth of juvenile yellow catfish Tachysurus fulvidraco, a native and economically important species in China. Fish were exposed to CBZ at three concentrations of 1, 10, or 100 µg/L for 14 days. The fish exposed to 10 and 100 µg/L of CBZ exhibited decreased feeding, and a significant increase in cannibalistic tendencies was observed in fish exposed to 100 µg/L CBZ. Acetylcholinesterase activity was increased in the brain of fish exposed to 100 µg/L CBZ. CBZ also inhibited the growth of yellow catfish. To better elucidate mechanisms of toxicity, transcriptomics was conducted in both the brain and liver. In the brain, gene networks associated with neurotransmitter dysfunction were altered by CBZ, as well as networks associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolism. In the liver, gene networks associated with the immune system were altered by CBZ. The current study improves comprehension of the sub-lethal effects of CBZ and reveals novel insight into molecular and biochemical pathways disrupted by CBZ, identifying putative key events associated with reduced growth and altered behavior. This study emphasizes the necessity for improved comprehension of the effects of pharmaceutical contaminants on fish at environmentally relevant levels.