Ultraprocessed food (UPF), health, and mechanistic uncertainty: What should we be advising the public to do about UPFs?

In this perspective, we discuss why current mechanistic uncertainty on ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) and health acts as a major challenge to providing informed dietary guidelines and public advice on UPFs. Based on the balance of current evidence, we do not believe it is appropriate to be advising consumers to avoid all UPFs and we await further evidence to inform consumer guidance on the need to limit consumption of specifics foods based on their degree or type of processing.

An increasing proportion of the population is not covered by the current RDA for vitamin C - interrogation of EPIC-Norfolk and NHANES 2017/2018 cohorts.

With the rising prevalence of obesity globally, increasing proportions of the population may not be covered by current recommended daily allowances (RDAs) that are supposed to provide 97.5% of the population with a sufficient nutrient status but are typically based on a healthy young 70 kg male reference person. Using the EPIC-Norfolk (UK) and the NHANES (US) cohorts, we estimated the effect of body weight on the dose-concentration relationship to derive weight-based requirements to achieve an 'adequate' plasma concentration of vitamin C estimated to be 50 µmol/L. Inverse correlations between body weight and vitamin C were observed in both cohorts (p < 0.0001). Moreover, only about 2/3 of the cohorts achieved an adequate plasma vitamin C status by consuming the RDA or above, while only 1/3 to 1/2 of the cohorts achieved adequacy by an intake of the local RDA ± 10%. Using vitamin C as an example, the present data demonstrate that a considerable and expectedly increasing proportion of the world population is unable to achieve an adequate target plasma concentration with the current recommended daily intakes of vitamin C. This needs to be considered in future public health recommendations.

In this paper, we highlight the inverse association between body weight and vitamin C status. Our study strongly suggests that a large proportion of the population is not covered by the current recommended intakes of vitamin C.

The impact of the cost of living crisis and food insecurity on food purchasing behaviours and food preparation practices in people living with obesity.

Lower income households are at greater risk of food insecurity and poor diet quality than higher income households. In high-income countries, food insecurity is associated with high levels of obesity, and in the UK specifically, the cost of living crisis (i.e., where the cost of everyday essentials has increased quicker than wages) is likely to have exacerbated existing dietary inequalities. There is currently a lack of understanding of the impact of the current UK cost of living crisis on food purchasing and food preparation practices of people living with obesity (PLWO) and food insecurity, however this knowledge is critical in order to develop effective prevention and treatment approaches to reducing dietary inequalities. Using an online survey (N = 583) of adults residing in England or Scotland with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥30 kg/m2, participants self-reported on food insecurity, diet quality, perceived impact of the cost of living crisis, and their responses to this in terms of food purchasing behaviours and food preparation practices. Regression analyses found that participants adversely impacted by the cost of living crisis reported experiencing food insecurity. Additionally, food insecurity was associated with use of specific purchasing behaviours (i.e., use of budgeting, use of supermarket offers) and food preparation practices (i.e., use of energy-saving appliances, use of resourcefulness). Exploratory analyses indicated that participants adversely impacted by the cost of living crisis and who used budgeting had low diet quality, whereas use of meal planning was associated with high diet quality. These findings highlight the fragility of food budgets and the coping strategies used by PLWO and food insecurity during the cost of living crisis. Policy measures and interventions are urgently needed that address the underlying economic factors contributing to food insecurity, to improve access to and affordability of healthier foods for all.

The effect of hunger state on hypothalamic functional connectivity in response to food cues.

The neural underpinnings of the integration of internal and external cues that reflect nutritional status are poorly understood in humans. The hypothalamus is a key integrative area involved in short- and long-term energy intake regulation. Hence, we examined the effect of hunger state on the hypothalamus network using functional magnetic resonance imaging. In a multicenter study, participants performed a food cue viewing task either fasted or sated on two separate days. We evaluated hypothalamic functional connectivity (FC) using psychophysiological interactions during high versus low caloric food cue viewing in 107 adults (divided into four groups based on age and body mass index [BMI]; age range 24-76 years; BMI range 19.5-41.5 kg/m2 ). In the sated compared to the fasted condition, the hypothalamus showed significantly higher FC with the bilateral caudate, the left insula and parts of the left inferior frontal cortex. Interestingly, we observed a significant interaction between hunger state and BMI group in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Participants with normal weight compared to overweight and obesity showed higher FC between the hypothalamus and DLPFC in the fasted condition. The current study showed that task-based FC of the hypothalamus can be modulated by internal (hunger state) and external cues (i.e., food cues with varying caloric content) with a general enhanced communication in the sated state and obesity-associated differences in hypothalamus to DLPFC communication. This could potentially promote overeating in persons with obesity.

Hemp and buckwheat are valuable sources of dietary amino acids, beneficially modulating gastrointestinal hormones and promoting satiety in healthy volunteers.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the postprandial effects following consumption of buckwheat, fava bean, pea, hemp and lupin compared to meat (beef); focussing on biomarkers of satiety, gut hormones, aminoacids and plant metabolites bioavailability and metabolism. METHODS: Ten subjects (n = 3 men; n = 7 women; 42 ± 11.8 years of age; BMI 26 ± 5.8 kg/m2) participated in six 1-day independent acute interventions, each meal containing 30 g of protein from buckwheat, fava bean, pea, hemp, lupin and meat (beef). Blood samples were collected during 24-h and VAS questionnaires over 5-h. RESULTS: Volunteers consumed significantly higher amounts of most amino acids from the meat meal, and with few exceptions, postprandial composition of plasma amino acids was not significantly different after consuming the plant-based meals. Buckwheat meal was the most satious (300 min hunger scores, p < 0.05).Significant increase in GLP-1 plasma (AUC, iAUC p = 0.01) found after hemp compared with the other plant-based meals. Decreased plasma ghrelin concentrations (iAUC p < 0.05) found on plant (hemp) vs. meat meal. Several plasma metabolites after hemp meal consumption were associated with hormone trends (partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA): 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid, indole 3-pyruvic acid, 5-hydoxytryptophan, genistein and biochanin A with GLP-1, PYY and insulin; 3-hydroxymandelic acid and luteolidin with GLP-1 and ghrelin and 4-hydroxymandelic acid, benzoic acid and secoisolariciresinol with insulin and ghrelin. Plasma branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), (iAUC, p < 0.001); and phenylalanine and tyrosine (iAUC, p < 0.05) were lower after buckwheat comparison with meat meal. CONCLUSION: Plants are valuable sources of amino acids which are promoting satiety. The impact of hemp and buckwheat on GLP-1 and, respectively, BCAAs should be explored further as could be relevant for aid and prevention of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Study registered with clinicaltrial.gov on 12th July 2013, study ID number: NCT01898351.

Associations between ghrelin and leptin and neural food cue reactivity in a fasted and sated state.

Food cue exposure can trigger eating. Food cue reactivity (FCR) is a conditioned response to food cues and includes physiological responses and activation of reward-related brain areas. FCR can be affected by hunger and weight status. The appetite-regulating hormones ghrelin and leptin play a pivotal role in homeostatic as well as hedonic eating. We examined the association between ghrelin and leptin levels and neural FCR in the fasted and sated state and the association between meal-induced changes in ghrelin and neural FCR, and in how far these associations are related to BMI and HOMA-IR. Data from 109 participants from three European centers (age 50±18 y, BMI 27±5 kg/m2) who performed a food viewing task during fMRI after an overnight fast and after a standardized meal were analyzed. Blood samples were drawn prior to the viewing task in which high-caloric, low-caloric and non-food images were shown. Fasting ghrelin was positively associated with neural FCR in the inferior and superior occipital gyrus in the fasted state. This was partly attributable to BMI and HOMA-IR. These brain regions are involved in visual attention, suggesting that individuals with higher fasting ghrelin have heightened attention to food cues. Leptin was positively associated with high calorie FCR in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the fasted state and to neural FCR in the left supramarginal gyrus in the fasted versus sated state, when correcting for BMI and HOMA-IR, respectively. This PFC region is involved in assessing anticipated reward value, suggesting that for individuals with higher leptin levels high-caloric foods are more salient than low-caloric foods, but foods in general are not more salient than non-foods. There were no associations between ghrelin and leptin and neural FCR in the sated state, nor between meal-induced changes in ghrelin and neural FCR. In conclusion, we show modest associations between ghrelin and leptin and neural FCR in a relatively large sample of European adults with a broad age and BMI range. Our findings indicate that people with higher leptin levels for their weight status and people with higher ghrelin levels may be more attracted to high caloric foods when hungry. The results of the present study form a foundation for future studies to test whether food intake and (changes in) weight status can be predicted by the association between (mainly fasting) ghrelin and leptin levels and neural FCR.

Nondigestible Carbohydrates Affect Metabolic Health and Gut Microbiota in Overweight Adults after Weight Loss.

BACKGROUND: The composition of diets consumed following weight loss (WL) can have a significant impact on satiety and metabolic health. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to test the effects of including a nondigestible carbohydrate to achieve weight maintenance (WM) following a period of WL. METHODS: Nineteen volunteers [11 females and 8 males, aged 20-62 y; BMI (kg/m2): 27-42] consumed a 3-d maintenance diet (15%:30%:55%), followed by a 21-d WL diet (WL; 30%:30%:40%), followed by 2 randomized 10-d WM diets (20%:30%:50% of energy from protein:fat:carbohydrate) containing either resistant starch type 3 (RS-WM; 22 or 26 g/d for females and males, respectively) or no RS (C-WM) in a within-subject crossover design without washout periods. The primary outcome, WM after WL, was analyzed by body weight. Secondary outcomes of fecal microbiota composition and microbial metabolite concentrations and gut hormones were analyzed in fecal samples and blood plasma, respectively. All outcomes were assessed at the end of each dietary period. RESULTS: Body weight was similar after the RS-WM and C-WM diets (90.7 and 90.8 kg, respectively), with no difference in subjectively rated appetite. During the WL diet period plasma ghrelin increased by 36% (P < 0.001), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) decreased by 33% (P < 0.001), and insulin decreased by 46% (P < 0.001), but no significant differences were observed during the RS-WM and C-WM diet periods. Fasting blood glucose was lower after the RS-WM diet (5.59 ± 0.31 mmol/L) than after the C-WM diet [5.75 ± 0.49 mmol/L; P = 0.015; standard error of the difference between the means (SED): 0.09]. Dietary treatments influenced the fecal microbiota composition (R2 = 0.054, P = 0.031) but not diversity. CONCLUSIONS: The metabolic benefits, for overweight adults, from WL were maintained through a subsequent WM diet with higher total carbohydrate intake. Inclusion of resistant starch in the WM diet altered gut microbiota composition positively and resulted in lower fasting glucose compared with the control, with no apparent change in appetite. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01724411.

Comparing supermarket loyalty card data with traditional diet survey data for understanding how protein is purchased and consumed in older adults for the UK, 2014-16.

BACKGROUND: Our ability to understand population-level dietary intake patterns is dependent on having access to high quality data. Diet surveys are common diet assessment methods, but can be limited by bias associated with under-reporting. Food purchases tracked using supermarket loyalty card records may supplement traditional surveys, however they are rarely available to academics and policy makers. The aim of our study is to explore population level patterns of protein purchasing and consumption in ageing adults (40 years onwards). METHODS: We used diet survey data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2014-16) on food consumption, and loyalty card records on food purchases from a major high street supermarket retailer (2016-17) covering the UK. We computed the percentage of total energy derived from protein, protein intake per kg of body mass, and percentage of protein acquired by food type. RESULTS: We found that protein consumption (as the percentage of total energy purchased) increased between ages 40-65 years, and declined thereafter. In comparison, protein purchased in supermarkets was roughly 2-2.5 percentage points lower at each year of age. The proportion of adults meeting recommended levels of protein was lowest in age groups 55-69 and 70+. The time of protein consumption was skewed towards evening meals, with low intakes during breakfast or between main meals. Meat, fish and poultry dominated as sources of protein purchased and consumed, although adults also acquired a large share of their protein from dairy and bread, with little from plant protein. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides novel insights into how protein is purchased and consumed by ageing adults in the UK. Supermarket loyalty card data can reveal patterns of protein purchasing that when combined with traditional sources of dietary intake may enhance our understanding of dietary behaviours.

Biological and psychological mediators of the relationships between fat mass, fat-free mass and energy intake.

BACKGROUND: While recent studies in humans indicate that fat-free mass (FFM) is closely associated with energy intake (EI) when in energy balance, associations between fat mass (FM) and EI are inconsistent. OBJECTIVES: The present study used a cross-sectional design to examine the indirect and direct effects of FFM, FM and resting metabolic rate (RMR) on EI in individuals at or close to energy balance. METHODS: Data for 242 individuals (114 males; 128 females; BMI = 25.7 ± 4.9 kg/m2) were collated from the non-intervention baseline conditions of five studies employing common measures of body composition (air-displacement plethysmography), RMR (indirect calorimetry) and psychometric measures of eating behaviours (Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire). Daily EI (weighed dietary records) and energy expenditure (flex heart rate) were measured for 6-7 days. Sub-analyses were conducted in 71 individuals who had additional measures of body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and fasting glucose, insulin and leptin. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, sex and study, linear regression and mediation analyses indicated that the effect of FFM on EI was mediated by RMR (P < 0.05). FM also independently predicted EI, with path analysis indicating a positive indirect association (mediated by RMR; P < 0.05), and a stronger direct negative association (P < 0.05). Leptin, insulin and insulin resistance failed to predict EI, but cognitive restraint was a determinant of EI and partially mediated the association between FM and EI (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: While the association between FFM and EI was mediated by RMR, FM influenced EI via two separate and opposing pathways; an indirect 'excitatory' effect (again, mediated by RMR), and a stronger direct 'inhibitory' effect. Psychological factors such as cognitive restraint remain robust predictors of EI when considered alongside physiological determinants of EI, and indeed, have the potential to play a mediating role in the overall expression of EI.

Activity energy expenditure is an independent predictor of energy intake in humans.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that the energetic demand of metabolically active tissue is associated with day-to-day food intake (EI). However, the extent to which behavioural components of total daily energy expenditure (EE) such as activity energy expenditure (AEE) are also associated with EI is unknown. Therefore, the present study examined the cross-sectional associations between body composition, resting metabolic rate (RMR), AEE and EI. METHODS: Data for 242 individuals (114 males; 128 females; BMI = 25.7 ± 4.9 kg/m2) were collated from the baseline control conditions of five studies employing common measures of body composition (air displacement plethysmography) and RMR (indirect calorimetry). Daily EI (weighed-dietary records) and EE (FLEX heart rate) were measured over 6-7 days, and AEE was calculated as total daily EE minus RMR. RESULTS: Linear regression indicated that RMR (ß = 0.39; P < 0.001), fat mass (ß = -0.26; P < 0.001) and AEE (ß = 0.18; P = 0.002) were independent predictors of mean daily EI, with AEE adding ≈3% of variance to the model after controlling for age, sex and study (F(10, 231) = 18.532, P < 0.001; R2 = 0.445). Path analyses indicated that the effect of FFM on mean daily EI was mediated by RMR (P < 0.05), while direct (ß = 0.19; P < 0.001) and indirect (ß = 0.20; P = 0.001) associations between AEE and mean daily EI were observed. CONCLUSIONS: When physical activity was allowed to vary under free-living conditions, AEE was associated with mean daily EI independently of other biological determinants of EI arising from body composition and RMR. These data suggest that EE per se exerts influence over daily food intake, with both metabolic (RMR) and behavioral (AEE) components of total daily EE potentially influencing EI via their contribution to daily energy requirements.

Protein Valuation in Food Choice Is Positively Associated with Lean Mass in Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Calorie for calorie, protein is more satiating than carbohydrate or fat. However, it remains unclear whether humans perceive calories derived from these macronutrients equally and whether lean mass is associated with a tendency to "value" protein when dietary decisions are made. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the test-retest reliability of a novel method for quantifying macronutrient valuations in human volunteers and to determine whether "protein valuation" is associated with a higher fat-free mass index (FFMI) in older adults. METHODS: A 2-alternative, forced-choice task in which 25 foods were compared in 300 trials was undertaken in 2 studies. In study 1, participants (age range 19-71 y, n = 92) attended 2 test sessions, spaced 1 wk apart. In study 2, older adults (age range 40-85 y; n = 91) completed the food-choice task and assessed the test foods for liking, expected satiety, and perceived healthiness. Body composition and habitual protein intake were assessed in both studies. Data were analyzed through the use of individual binomial logistic regressions and multilevel binomial logistic regressions. RESULTS: In study 1, measures of macronutrient valuation showed excellent test-retest reliability; responses in the forced-choice task were highly correlated (week 1 compared with week 2; protein, r = 0.83, P < 0.001; carbohydrate, r = 0.90, P < 0.001; fat, r = 0.90, P < 0.001). Calorie for calorie, protein and carbohydrate were stronger predictors of choice than fat (P < 0.001). In study 2, protein was a stronger predictor than both carbohydrate (P = 0.039) and fat (P = 0.003), and a positive interaction was observed between protein valuation and FFMI (OR = 1.64; 95% CI: 1.38, 1.95; P < 0.001). This was the case after controlling for age, gender, liking for foods, and habitual protein consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these findings demonstrate that adult humans value calories derived from protein, carbohydrate, and fat differently, and that the tendency to value protein is associated with greater lean mass in older adults.

Nudging, formulating new products, and the lifecourse: A qualitative assessment of the viability of three methods for reducing Scottish meat consumption for health, ethical, and environmental reasons.

Most governmental initiatives designed to improve dietary and planetary health have adopted a light-touch informing approach. However, it may be necessary to consider more direct measures that go beyond simply informing the public if the current high levels of meat consumption in Scotland are to be addressed. This paper considers three possible avenues through which more sustainable meat consumption patterns may be promoted: 'nudging', the formulation of new meat-alternative products, and targeting those in particular stages of the lifecourse. Through focus groups held in various locations in Scotland, the perceived viability of these measures was explored. While each measure shows some promise for reducing Scottish meat intake, the complex nature of food choice means that more qualitative research into meat consumption in Scotland is required.

Responses in gut hormones and hunger to diets with either high protein or a mixture of protein plus free amino acids supplied under weight-loss conditions.

High-protein diets are an effective means for weight loss (WL), but the mechanisms are unclear. One hypothesis relates to the release of gut hormones by either protein or amino acids (AA). The present study involved overweight and obese male volunteers (n 18, mean BMI 36·8 kg/m2) who consumed a maintenance diet for 7 d followed by fully randomised 10 d treatments with three iso-energetic WL diets, i.e. with either normal protein (NP, 15% of energy) or high protein (HP, 30%) or with a combination of protein and free AA, each 15% of energy (NPAA). Psychometric ratings of appetite were recorded hourly. On day 10, plasma samples were taken at 30 min intervals over two consecutive 5 h periods (covering post-breakfast and post-lunch) and analysed for AA, glucose and hormones (insulin, total glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide, active ghrelin and total peptide YY (PYY)) plus leucine kinetics (first 5 h only). Composite hunger was 16% lower for the HP diet than for the NP diet (P<0·01) in the 5 h period after both meals. Plasma essential AA concentrations were greatest within 60 min of each meal for the NPAA diet, but remained elevated for 3-5 h after the HP diet. The three WL diets showed no difference for either fasting concentrations or the postprandial net incremental AUC (net AUCi) for insulin, ghrelin or PYY. No strong correlations were observed between composite hunger scores and net AUCi for either AA or gut peptides. Regulation of hunger may involve subtle interactions, and a range of signals may need to be integrated to produce the overall response.

Measuring the difference between actual and reported food intakes in the context of energy balance under laboratory conditions.

To date, no study has directly and simultaneously measured the discrepancy between what people actually eat and what they report eating under observation in the context of energy balance (EB). The present study aimed to objectively measure the 'extent' and 'nature' of misreporting of dietary intakes under conditions in which EB and feeding behaviour were continuously monitored. For this purpose, a total of fifty-nine adults were recruited for 12 d, involving two 3 d overt phases and two 3 d covert phases of food intake measurement in a randomised cross-over design. Subjects had ad libitum access to a variety of familiar foods. Food intake was covertly measured using a feeding behaviour suite to establish actual energy and nutrient intakes. During the overt phases, subjects were instructed to self-report food intake using widely accepted methods. Misreporting comprised two separate and synchronous phenomena. Subjects decreased energy intake (EI) when asked to record their food intake (observation effect). The effect was significant in women ( - 8 %, P< 0·001) but not in men ( - 3 %, P< 0·277). The reported EI was 5 to 21 % lower (reporting effect) than the actual intake, depending on the reporting method used. Semi-quantitative techniques gave larger discrepancies. These discrepancies were identical in men and women and non-macronutrient specific. The 'observation' and 'reporting' effects combined to constitute total misreporting, which ranged from 10 to 25 %, depending on the intake measurement assessed. When studied in a laboratory environment and EB was closely monitored, subjects under-reported their food intake and decreased the actual intake when they were aware that their intake was being monitored.

Glucose uptake by the brain on chronic high-protein weight-loss diets with either moderate or low amounts of carbohydrate.

Previous work has shown that hunger and food intake are lower in individuals on high-protein (HP) diets when combined with low carbohydrate (LC) intakes rather than with moderate carbohydrate (MC) intakes and where a more ketogenic state occurs. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the difference between HPLC and HPMC diets was associated with changes in glucose and ketone body metabolism, particularly within key areas of the brain involved in appetite control. A total of twelve men, mean BMI 34·9 kg/m², took part in a randomised cross-over trial, with two 4-week periods when isoenergetic fixed-intake diets (8·3 MJ/d) were given, with 30% of the energy being given as protein and either (1) a very LC (22 g/d; HPLC) or (2) a MC (182 g/d; HPMC) intake. An ¹8fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography scan of the brain was conducted at the end of each dietary intervention period, following an overnight fast (n 4) or 4 h after consumption of a test meal (n 8). On the next day, whole-body ketone and glucose metabolism was quantified using [1,2,3,4-¹³C]acetoacetate, [2,4-¹³C]3-hydroxybutyrate and [6,6-²H2]glucose. The composite hunger score was 14% lower (P= 0·013) for the HPLC dietary intervention than for the HPMC diet. Whole-body ketone flux was approximately 4-fold greater for the HPLC dietary intervention than for the HPMC diet (P< 0·001). The 9-fold difference in carbohydrate intakes between the HPLC and HPMC dietary interventions led to a 5% lower supply of glucose to the brain. Despite this, the uptake of glucose by the fifty-four regions of the brain analysed remained similar for the two dietary interventions. In conclusion, differences in the composite hunger score observed for the two dietary interventions are not associated with the use of alternative fuels by the brain.

Platelet-derived microparticle count and surface molecule expression differ between subjects with and without type 2 diabetes, independently of obesity status.

This study investigated the impact of either type 2 diabetes or obesity, separately or in combination, on the absolute amounts of microparticles (MP) and the pathways by which these are associated with either condition. The concentrations of circulating MP derived from platelets (PMP), leukocytes (LMP) and monocytes (MMP), together with their specific activation markers, were compared in 30 subjects who were characterised across 4 cohorts as obese or type 2 diabetes. The subjects with type 2 diabetes had elevated concentrations of total PMP (P = 0.003), and PMP that were fibrinogen-positive (P = 0.04), tissue factor-positive (P < 0.001), P-selectin-positive (P = 0.03). Type 2 diabetes did not alter either total or activated LMP or MMP. Obesity per se did not impact on any MP measurement. Elevated concentrations of plasma PMP occurred in subjects with type 2 diabetes, whether they were obese or non-obese. In contrast, obesity in the absence of type 2 diabetes had no effect. The increased concentrations of specific marker-positive PMP in the subjects with diabetes might reflect potential pathways by which PMP may contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes.

Time for a Re-Think? The Rationale for Multi-Component Intervention to Prevent Malnutrition in At-Risk Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Dietary strategies for early intervention in older adults are highly desirable, as they encourage individuals to retain a good functional status despite morbidity [...].

Impact of age on the prevalence of poor-quality dietary variety, associated lifestyle factors, and body composition profile (low body muscle mass and high body fat mass) in older people residing in Colombo district, Sri Lanka.

Aims: To assess the impact of age on the prevalence of poor-quality dietary variety, associated lifestyle factors, and body composition profile (low body muscle mass and high-fat mass) in older Sri Lankans. Methods: In this population-based cross-sectional study, older people of 60 years or above were selected using a multistage cluster sampling technique probability proportionate to the size. They were classified into 3 groups; 60-64, 65-69 and > 70-years. The poor-quality dietary variety was defined based on food variety, dietary diversity and dietary serving scores assessed using 24-h dietary recall. Body composition was measured using bio-electrical impedance. The impact of age on determinants of poor-quality dietary variety and being at risk of low muscle mass and high-fat mass were assessed by using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: Eight hundred older participants with a mean (SD) 68.1(5.8) years were included. There were 28.4%(n = 227), 36.2%(n = 290) and 35.4%(n = 283) in the 60-64, 65-69 and ≥ 70-year age groups, respectively. The prevalence of poor-quality dietary variety was similar across age groups. The urban living environment, and getting nutritional advice from the GP/hospital were found to have a significant negative association only in the 60-64 age group. A poor-quality dietary variety was significantly associated with no education or up to the primary level in the 65-69 age group and having diabetes or hypertension in the ≥70-year group. Odds of low muscle mass and high-fat mass were 2.43(1.46-4.03) and 2.17(1.30-3.63) respectively among the≥70-year age group compared to the 60-64-year group, after controlling for confounders. Conclusions: The prevalence of poor-quality dietary variety was similarly high in all age groups. Increasing age was associated with higher odds of low body muscle and high body fat mass despite similar dietary variety, indicating the need for special dietary attention.

Diet and health inequalities: Connecting with vulnerable groups to address food insecurity-the DIO food project.

The current cost-of-living crisis is disproportionately affecting families experiencing poverty and is likely to be amplifying existing dietary inequalities and challenges, such as food insecurity (FI). Government policies designed to address diet inequality in the UK have historically had minimal impact on population diet and health and may have even widened existing inequalities. Therefore, the effect of nutrition policies on those experiencing FI in the context of the current cost-of-living crisis needs to be better understood. The aim of the Diet and Health Inequalities (DIO Food) project is to work with early years, people living on a low income and retailers to generate opportune evidence-based research and commentary that will inform diet-related health inequalities policy and practice. DIO Food is related to the existing Food Insecurity in people living with Obesity (FIO Food) project, which consists of four interlinked work packages (WPs1-4). DIO Food consists of three interlinked work packages (WPs5-7), which enhance the scope of FIO Food, and are described in this article. WP5 addresses a paucity of research on maternal and infant food insecurity in the UK, by applying a qualitative research approach to capture parents' and carers' perceptions of the relationship between the food system and other influences impacting infant feeding practice, associated with the cost-of-living crisis. WP6 will conduct the first-ever cross-retailer independent evaluation of England's high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) product placement legislation. Researchers will analyse store-level supermarket sales data provided by large UK retailers to produce sector-level insights into whether HFSS legislation reduced HFSS purchasing, improved the healthiness of retailer product portfolios, and was equitable across areas with different characteristics. WP7 will support WP5 and 6, by strengthening engagement with key stakeholders, including at-risk consumers and representatives of major supermarkets, and effectively translating research outcomes and stakeholder perspectives for policy and industry decision-makers.

Tackling diet inequalities in the UK food system: is food insecurity driving the obesity epidemic? (The FIO Food project).

By 2050 the number of adults living with obesity in the UK will rise with approximately one in four in the adult population. This rising trend is not equitable, with higher prevalence in socially disadvantaged groups. There is an apparent paradox of not being able to provide food for the family to eat, a feature of food insecurity and living with obesity. With the current cost-of-living crisis, there is a challenge to afford both food and fuel bills. Environmentally sustainable and healthy diets are proposed to improve public health and reduce the impact of the food system on the environment, while also improving diet quality. However, healthier foods tend to be nearly three times more expensive than unhealthy foods, and this provides a challenge for citizens on low incomes. In this review, we explore some of the evidence for solutions in the retail food environment to support the UK food system to be safe, nutritious, environmentally friendly and fair for all. We highlight the value of co-production in research, to give value and power to the lived experience to address these inequalities. Our multidisciplinary research approach within the FIO Food research grant will generate new insights into modifiable and potentially impactful changes to the UK food system, specifically for the retail food sector. We believe that the co-creation, design and delivery of research with those living with obesity and food insecurity will help to transform the UK food system for health and the environment in this vulnerable group.