Molecular evolution of SARS-CoV-2 from December 2019 to August 2022.

Severe acute respiratorysyndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic spread rapidly and this scenario is concerning worldwide, presenting more than 590 million coronavirus disease 2019 cases and 6.4 million deaths. The emergence of novel lineages carrying several mutations in the spike protein has raised additional public health concerns worldwide during the pandemic. The present study review and summarizes the temporal spreading and molecular evolution of SARS-CoV-2 clades and variants worldwide. The evaluation of these data is important for understanding the evolutionary histories of SARSCoV-2 lineages, allowing us to identify the origins of each lineage of this virus responsible for one of the biggest pandemics in history. A total of 2897 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences with available information from the country and sampling date (December 2019 to August 2022), were obtained and were evaluated by Bayesian approach. The results demonstrated that the SARS-CoV-2 the time to the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) in Asia was 2019-12-26 (highest posterior density 95% [HPD95%]: 2019-12-18; 2019-12-29), in Oceania 2020-01-24 (HPD95%: 2020-01-15; 2020-01-30), in Africa 2020-02-27 (HPD95%: 2020-02-21; 2020-03-04), in Europe 2020-02-27 (HPD95%: 2020-02-20; 2020-03-06), in North America 2020-03-12 (HPD95%: 2020-03-05; 2020-03-18), and in South America 2020-03-15 (HPD95%: 2020-03-09; 2020-03-28). Between December 2019 and June 2020, 11 clades were detected (20I [Alpha] and 19A, 19B, 20B, 20C, 20A, 20D, 20E [EU1], 20F, 20H [Beta]). From July to December 2020, 4 clades were identified (20J [Gamma, V3], 21 C [Epsilon], 21D [Eta], and 21G [Lambda]). Between January and June 2021, 3 clades of the Delta variant were detected (21A, 21I, and 21J). Between July and December 2021, two variants were detected, Delta (21A, 21I, and 21J) and Omicron (21K, 21L, 22B, and 22C). Between January and June 2022, the Delta (21I and 21J) and Omicron (21K, 21L, and 22A) variants were detected. Finally, between July and August 2022, 3 clades of Omicron were detected (22B, 22C, and 22D). Clade 19A was first detected in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (Wuhan strain) with origin in 2019-12-16 (HPD95%: 2019-12-15; 2019-12-25); 20I (Alpha) in 2020-11-24 (HPD95%: 2020-11-15; 2021-12-02); 20H (Beta) in 2020-11-25 (HPD95%: 2020-11-13; 2020-11-29); 20J (Gamma) was 2020-12-21 (HPD95%: 2020-11-05; 2021-01-15); 21A (Delta) in 2020-09-20 (HPD95%: 2020-05-17; 2021-02-03); 21J (Delta) in 2021-02-26 (2020-11-02; 2021-04-24); 21M (Omicron) in 2021-01-25 (HPD95%: 2020-09-16; 2021-08-08); 21K (Omicron) in 2021-07-30 (HPD95%: 2021-05-30; 2021-10-19); 21L (Omicron) in 2021-10-03 (HPD95%: 2021-04-16; 2021-12-23); 22B (Omicron) in 2022-01-25 (HPD95%: 2022-01-10; 2022-02-05); 21L in 2021-12-20 (HPD95%: 2021-05-16; 2021-12-31). Currently, the Omicron variant predominates worldwide, with the 21L clade branching into 3 (22A, 22B, and 22C). Phylogeographic data showed that Alpha variant originated in the United Kingdom, Beta in South Africa, Gamma in Brazil, Delta in India, Omicron in South Africa, Mu in Colombia, Epsilon in the United States of America, and Lambda in Peru. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on global health worldwide and the present study provides an overview of the molecular evolution of SARS-CoV-2 lineage clades (from the Wuhan strain to the currently circulating lineages of the Omicron).

Molecular evolution of the human monkeypox virus.

Recently, in 2022, new cases of human monkeypox virus (hMPXV) occurred in Europe and North America. The first case was reported in Europe in May 2022, and subsequently, more than 50 000 new cases were confirmed in 100 countries. Currently, the classification of hMPXV according to the nextstrain occurs in five big clades (1A, A.1, A.2, A.1.1, and B.1). According to the resurgence of smallpox-like disease caused by hMPXV and the spread of the virus to the European and American continents, in the present study, we review and summarize the molecular evolution of the hMPXV, determining the molecular evolution of the main clades. A total of 442 hMPXV whole-genome sequences with available information from the country and sampling date (between October 2017 and 2022), were obtained and evaluated using the Bayesian method. The clade B.1 which is currently circulating was the most frequent (n = 415; 93.9%). The other clades presented the following frequencies: 1A (n = 13; 2.9%), A.1 (n = 10; 2.3%), A.2 (n = 3; 0.7%) and A.1.1 (n = 1; 0.2%) The overall nucleotide divergence of hMPXV was 5.590e-5. The 1A clade was detected between 2017 and 2020. A.1 was observed, and between 2019 and 2022 some A.2 sequences were detected. In 2022, the great predominance of B.1 was observed. The common ancestor of the hMPXV belongs to the clade 1A and the time to the Most Recent Common Ancestor (tMRCA) was 2017-04-04 (Highest Posterior Density 95% (HPD95%): 2017-03-09; 2017-08-04) on the West African continent. The tMRCA of A.1 was 2018-05-21 (HPD95%: 2018-05-20; 2018-07-04) with divergence of 6.885e-5 substitutions per site per year. This clade was of West African origin but was eventually detected in European countries. Also, A.2 was detected with sequences of North America and showed tMRCA of 2019-07-15 (HPD95%: 2018-11-18; 2020-02-24). A.1.1 showed tMRCA from 2021 to 06-05 (HPD95%: 2021-06-05; 2021-11-26) and this clade was detected in North America and was the precursor for the globally spreading B.1 which tMRCA was 2022-04-26 (HPD95%: 2022-02-27; 2022-04-26). hMPXV has been spread from West Africa to the United Kingdom, Israel, Singapore, the USA, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Austria, the Republic Czech, Sweden, and Finland. hMPXV also reached countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Australia, and Taiwan. The common ancestor of the hMPXV belongs to the clade 1A with origin in the West African continent. Clade B.1 was responsible for the recent widespread worldwide. Immunization to prevent the spread of hMPXV is not yet available to the public, future studies should focus on the development of effective vaccines to contain the spread of this virus.

Effect of Maternal Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation on Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia-Free Survival in Breastfed Preterm Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Maternal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation may prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia, but evidence remains inconclusive. Objective: To determine whether maternal DHA supplementation during the neonatal period improves bronchopulmonary dysplasia-free survival in breastfed infants born before 29 weeks of gestation. Design, Setting, and Participants: Superiority, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial at 16 Canadian neonatal intensive care units (June 2015-April 2018 with last infant follow-up in July 2018). Lactating women who delivered before 29 weeks of gestation were enrolled within 72 hours of delivery. The trial intended to enroll 800 mothers, but was stopped earlier. Interventions: There were 232 mothers (273 infants) assigned to oral capsules providing 1.2 g/d of DHA from randomization to 36 weeks' postmenstrual age and 229 mothers (255 infants) assigned to placebo capsules. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was bronchopulmonary dysplasia-free survival in infants at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age. There were 22 secondary outcomes, including mortality and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Results: Enrollment was stopped early due to concern for harm based on interim data from this trial and from another trial that was published during the course of this study. Among 461 mothers and their 528 infants (mean gestational age, 26.6 weeks [SD, 1.6 weeks]; 253 [47.9%] females), 375 mothers (81.3%) and 523 infants (99.1%) completed the trial. Overall, 147 of 268 infants (54.9%) in the DHA group vs 157 of 255 infants (61.6%) in the placebo group survived without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (absolute difference, -5.0% [95% CI, -11.6% to 2.6%]; relative risk, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.80 to 1.04], P = .18). Mortality occurred in 6.0% of infants in the DHA group vs 10.2% of infants in the placebo group (absolute difference, -3.9% [95% CI, -6.8% to 1.4%]; relative risk, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.33 to 1.13], P = .12). Bronchopulmonary dysplasia occurred in 41.7% of surviving infants in the DHA group vs 31.4% in the placebo group (absolute difference, 11.5% [95% CI, 2.3% to 23.2%]; relative risk, 1.36 [95% CI, 1.07 to 1.73], P = .01). Of 22 prespecified secondary outcomes, 19 were not significantly different. Conclusions and Relevance: Among breastfed preterm infants born before 29 weeks of gestation, maternal docosahexaenoic acid supplementation during the neonatal period did not significantly improve bronchopulmonary dysplasia-free survival at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age compared with placebo. Study interpretation is limited by early trial termination. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02371460.

Arctic berry extracts target the gut-liver axis to alleviate metabolic endotoxaemia, insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in diet-induced obese mice.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: There is growing evidence that fruit polyphenols exert beneficial effects on the metabolic syndrome, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In the present study, we aimed to analyse the effects of polyphenolic extracts from five types of Arctic berries in a model of diet-induced obesity. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 J mice were fed a high-fat/high-sucrose (HFHS) diet and orally treated with extracts of bog blueberry (BBE), cloudberry (CLE), crowberry (CRE), alpine bearberry (ABE), lingonberry (LGE) or vehicle (HFHS) for 8 weeks. An additional group of standard-chow-fed, vehicle-treated mice was included as a reference control for diet-induced obesity. OGTTs and insulin tolerance tests were conducted, and both plasma insulin and C-peptide were assessed throughout the OGTT. Quantitative PCR, western blot analysis and ELISAs were used to assess enterohepatic immunometabolic features. Faecal DNA was extracted and 16S rRNA gene-based analysis was used to profile the gut microbiota. RESULTS: Treatment with CLE, ABE and LGE, but not with BBE or CRE, prevented both fasting hyperinsulinaemia (mean ± SEM [pmol/l]: chow 67.2 ± 12.3, HFHS 153.9 ± 19.3, BBE 114.4 ± 14.3, CLE 82.5 ± 13.0, CRE 152.3 ± 24.4, ABE 90.6 ± 18.0, LGE 95.4 ± 10.5) and postprandial hyperinsulinaemia (mean ± SEM AUC [pmol/l × min]: chow 14.3 ± 1.4, HFHS 31.4 ± 3.1, BBE 27.2 ± 4.0, CLE 17.7 ± 2.2, CRE 32.6 ± 6.3, ABE 22.7 ± 18.0, LGE 23.9 ± 2.5). None of the berry extracts affected C-peptide levels or body weight gain. Levels of hepatic serine phosphorylated Akt were 1.6-, 1.5- and 1.2-fold higher with CLE, ABE and LGE treatment, respectively, and hepatic carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule (CEACAM)-1 tyrosine phosphorylation was 0.6-, 0.7- and 0.9-fold increased in these mice vs vehicle-treated, HFHS-fed mice. These changes were associated with reduced liver triacylglycerol deposition, lower circulating endotoxins, alleviated hepatic and intestinal inflammation, and major gut microbial alterations (e.g. bloom of Akkermansia muciniphila, Turicibacter and Oscillibacter) in CLE-, ABE- and LGE-treated mice. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Our findings reveal novel mechanisms by which polyphenolic extracts from ABE, LGE and especially CLE target the gut-liver axis to protect diet-induced obese mice against metabolic endotoxaemia, insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis, which importantly improves hepatic insulin clearance. These results support the potential benefits of these Arctic berries and their integration into health programmes to help attenuate obesity-related chronic inflammation and metabolic disorders. DATA AVAILABILITY: All raw sequences have been deposited in the public European Nucleotide Archive server under accession number PRJEB19783 ( https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/data/view/PRJEB19783 ).

Diet quality indices in relation to metabolic syndrome in an Indigenous Cree (Eeyouch) population in northern Québec, Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To assess associations between three diet quality indices and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the Cree (Eeyouch) of northern Québec, Canada, as well as to evaluate their pertinence in this Indigenous context. DESIGN: The alternative-Healthy Eating Index 2010 (aHEI-2010), the Food Quality Score (FQS) and the contribution of ultra-processed products (UPP) to total daily dietary energy intake using the NOVA classification were calculated from 24 h food recalls. MetS was determined with the latest harmonized definition. Logistic regressions assessed the relationship between quintiles of dietary quality scores with MetS and its components. SETTING: Study sample from the 2005-2009 cross-sectional Nituuchischaayihititaau Aschii Environment-and-Health Study. SUBJECTS: Eeyouch (n 811) from seven James Bay communities (≥18 years old). RESULTS: MetS prevalence was 56·6 % with 95·4 % abdominal adiposity, 50·1 % elevated fasting plasma glucose, 43·4 % hypertension, 38·6 % elevated TAG and 44·5 % reduced HDL cholesterol. Comparing highest and lowest quintiles of scores, adjusted OR (95 % CI) of MetS was 0·70 (0·39, 1·08; P-trend=0·05) for aHEI-2010, 1·06 (0·63, 1·76; P-trend=0·87) for FQS and 1·90 (1·14, 3·17; P-trend=0·04) for the contribution of UPP to total daily dietary energy intake. CONCLUSIONS: Although diet quality indices have been associated with cardiometabolic risk, only the dietary intake of UPP was significantly associated with MetS in the Eeyouch. Indices tailored to the food environment of northern communities are essential to further understand the impact of diet quality in this context.

Branched-chain and aromatic amino acids in relation to behavioral problems among young Inuit from Nunavik, Canada: a cohort study.

BackgroundObesity and insulin resistance are linked with mood disorders, and elevated concentrations of branched-chain (BCAAs) and aromatic amino acids (AAAs). Our study aimed to prospectively assess the relationship between childhood plasma BCAAs and AAAs, and behavioral problems in young Inuit from Nunavik.MethodsWe analyzed data on 181 children (with a mean age of 11.4 years at baseline) involved in the Nunavik Child Development Study. Plasma BCAA and AAA concentrations were measured in childhood (2005-2010). BCAA/AAA tertiles-the ratio of total BCAAs to AAAs-were considered as surrogate categorical independent variables. Behavioral problems were assessed with the Youth Self-Report (YSR) from the Child Behavior Checklist about 7 years later during adolescence (2013-2016). ANOVA ascertained relationships between BCAA/AAA tertiles and YSR outcomes.ResultsAscending BCAA/AAA tertiles were positively associated (Ptrend<0.05) with somatic complaint scores. Scores of somatic complaints syndrome were significantly higher (Ptrend <0.05) with increasing BCAA/AAA tertiles among both normal and overweight/obese participants.ConclusionOur results suggest that higher BCAA/AAA ratios in childhood are significantly associated with somatic complaints in adolescence.

Overweight and obesity prevalence among Cree youth of Eeyou Istchee according to three body mass index classification systems.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the suitability of three commonly used body mass index (BMI) classification systems for Indigenous youth. We estimated overweight and obesity prevalence among Cree youth of Eeyou Istchee according to three BMI classification systems, assessed the level of agreement between them, and evaluated their accuracy through body fat and cardiometabolic risk factors. METHODS: Data on 288 youth (aged 8-17 years) were collected. Overweight and obesity prevalence were estimated with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Agreement was measured with weighted kappa (κw). Associations with body fat and cardiometabolic risk factors were evaluated by analysis of variance. RESULTS: Obesity prevalence was 42.7% with IOTF, 47.2% with CDC, and 49.3% with WHO criteria. Agreement was almost perfect between IOTF and CDC (κw = 0.93), IOTF and WHO (κw = 0.91), and WHO and CDC (κw = 0.94). Means of body fat and cardiometabolic risk factors were significantly higher (P trend < 0.001) from normal weight to obesity, regardless of the system used. Youth considered overweight by IOTF but obese by CDC or WHO exhibited less severe clinical obesity. CONCLUSIONS: IOTF seems to be more accurate in identifying obesity in Cree youth.

Social integration and suicide mortality among men: 24-year cohort study of U.S. health professionals.

BACKGROUND: Suicide is a major public health problem. Current thinking about suicide emphasizes the study of psychiatric, psychological, or biological determinants. Previous work in this area has largely relied on surrogate outcomes or samples enriched for psychiatric morbidity. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between social integration and suicide mortality. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study initiated in 1988. SETTING: United States. PARTICIPANTS: 34,901 men aged 40 to 75 years. MEASUREMENTS: Social integration was measured with a 7-item index that included marital status, social network size, frequency of contact, religious participation, and participation in other social groups. Vital status of study participants was ascertained through 1 February 2012. The primary outcome of interest was suicide mortality, defined as deaths classified with codes E950 to E959 from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision. RESULTS: Over 708,945 person-years of follow-up, there were 147 suicides. The incidence of suicide decreased with increasing social integration. In a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model, the relative hazard of suicide was lowest among participants in the highest (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 0.41 [95% CI, 0.24 to 0.69]) and second-highest (AHR, 0.52 [CI, 0.30 to 0.91]) categories of social integration. Three components (marital status, social network size, and religious service attendance) showed the strongest protective associations. Social integration was also inversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality, but accounting for competing causes of death did not substantively alter the findings. LIMITATIONS: The study lacked information on participants' mental well-being. Some suicides could have been misclassified as accidental deaths. CONCLUSION: Men who were socially well-integrated had a more than 2-fold reduced risk for suicide over 24 years of follow-up. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Institutes of Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Suicide mortality in relation to dietary intake of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fish: equivocal findings from 3 large US cohort studies.

Intake of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of depression. We sought to estimate the association between intake of fish and n-3 and n-6 PUFAs and suicide mortality over the course of long-term follow-up. In this prospective cohort study, biennial questionnaires were administered to 42,290 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1988-2008), 72,231 women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study (1986-2008), and 90,836 women enrolled in Nurses' Health Study II (1993-2007). Dietary fish and n-3 and n-6 PUFA intakes were assessed every 4 years using a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Suicide mortality was ascertained through blind physician review of death certificates and hospital or pathology reports. Adjusted relative risks of suicide mortality were estimated with multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and pooled across cohorts using random-effects meta-analysis. The pooled multivariable relative risks for suicide among persons in the highest quartile of intake of n-3 or n-6 PUFAs, relative to the lowest quartile, ranged from 1.08 to 1.46 for n-3 PUFAs (Ptrend = 0.11-0.52) and from 0.68 to 1.19 for n-6 PUFAs (Ptrend = 0.09-0.54). We did not find evidence that intake of n-3 PUFAs or fish lowered the risk of completed suicide.

Inflammatory dietary pattern and risk of depression among women.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is considered as a mechanism leading to depression, but the association between inflammatory dietary pattern and depression risk is unknown. METHODS: Using reduced-rank regression, we identified a dietary pattern that was related to plasma levels of inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor α receptor 2), and we conducted a prospective analysis of the relationship of this pattern and depression risk among participants in the Nurses' Health Study. A total of 43,685 women (aged 50-77) without depression at baseline (1996) were included and followed up until 2008. Diet information was obtained from food frequency questionnaires completed between 1984 through 2002 and computed as cumulative average of dietary intakes with a 2-year latency applied. We used a strict definition of depression that required both self-reported physician-diagnosed depression and use of antidepressants, and a broader definition that included women who reported either clinical diagnosis or antidepressant use. RESULTS: During the 12-year follow-up, we documented 2594 incident cases of depression using the stricter definition and 6446 using the broader definition. After adjustment for body mass index and other potential confounders, relative risks comparing extreme quintiles of the inflammatory dietary pattern were 1.41 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22, 1.63; P-trend<.001) for the strict definition and 1.29 (95% CI, 1.18, 1.41; P-trend<.001) for the broader definition of depression. CONCLUSIONS: The inflammatory dietary pattern is associated with a higher depression risk. This finding suggests that chronic inflammation may underlie the association between diet and depression.

L-cysteine improves boar semen motility at 5 ºC but does not affect the oxidative status.

Hypothermic storage has been proposed as a method to reduce bacterial loads and promoting prudent use of antibiotics. Reducing temperature, however, can lead to cold shock damage and oxidative stress in boar semen. This study verified the effect of L-cysteine on the quality of semen stored at 5 °C for 120 h. Twenty-one normospermic ejaculates were diluted in Beltsville Thawing Solution into five treatments: Positive control (Pos_Cont, storage at 17 °C without L-cysteine) and groups with 0, 0.5, 1, and 2 mmol/L of L-cysteine supplementation stored at 5 °C. Variables were analyzed as repeated measures, considering treatment, storage time, and interaction as main factors. The effects of different L-cysteine concentrations were also evaluated using polynomial orthogonal contrasts. Sperm motility and pH were higher in the Pos_Cont compared to the groups stored at 5 °C (P < 0.05). In polynomial orthogonal contrast models, total motility was affected by the interaction between L-cysteine and storage time (P = 0.04), with a linear increase in motility when increasing the amount of L-cysteine at 72 and 120 h. Progressive motility increased quadratically as the L-cysteine reached 1 mmol/L (P < 0.01). In the thermoresistance test at 120 h, sperm motility increased quadratically up to an L-cysteine dose of 1 mmol/L (P < 0.05). Sulfhydryl content linearly increased with L-cysteine supplementation (P = 0.01), with no effect on intracellular ROS and sperm lipid peroxidation (P ≥ 0.06) in 5ºC-stored doses. In conclusion, L-cysteine supplementation has a positive effect on sperm motility up to 120 h of storage at 5 °C.

Isotemporal substitution analysis for physical activity, television watching, and risk of depression.

The isotemporal substitution model (ISM) was previously developed as a methodology to study the time-substitution effects of 1 type of activity for another in a data setting with continuous outcomes. To demonstrate the application of ISM with a dichotomous outcome, we prospectively examined the associations of different activities with various activity displacements with depression risk among 32,900 US women from the Nurses' Health Study who were free from depressive symptoms at baseline (in 1996). During a 10-year follow-up, 5,730 incident depression cases were documented. Results from the ISMs indicated that for each physical activity, differences in magnitude of effects of each activity type were observed, dependent on the activity being displaced/substituted. Notably, an isotemporal substitution gradient was found for television watching, in which its association with depression risk varied by its substitution for slow-, average-, or brisk-paced walking in a gradient toward high depression risk when television watching replaced a faster walking pace (relative risk = 1.18, 95% confidence interval: 1.05, 1.31). Conversely, no association with depression was found for replacement of television watching with 60 minutes/day of slow walking, whereas a lower depression risk (relative risk = 0.85, 95% confidence interval: 0.76, 0.95) was found when 60 minutes/day of brisk walking replaced 60 minutes/day of television watching. Thus, the ISM could offer a more meaningful alternative to the standard nonsubstitution models to support public health recommendations.

Canadians Adults Fail Their Dietary Quality Examination Twice.

For many years, dietary quality among Canadians has been assessed using an index that gives criticized scores and does not allow for comparison with Americans. In Canadians aged ≥19 years, we aimed to (1) determine the dietary quality by using a more widely used evidence-based index that has shown associations with health outcomes, the alternative Healthy Eating Index (aHEI-2010); (2) assess changes in aHEI-2010 score and its components between 2004 and 2015; and (3) identify factors associated with aHEI-2010 score. We relied on the Canadian Community Health Survey 2004 (n = 35,107) and 2015 (n = 20,487). We used adjusted linear models with a time effect to compare the total aHEI-2010 score and its components. The overall aHEI-2010 score increased from 36.5 (95%CI: 36.2-36.8) in 2004 to 39.0 (95%CI: 38.5-39.4) in 2015 (p < 0.0001). Participants with less than a high school diploma showed the lowest score and no improvement from 2004 to 2015 (34.8 vs. 35.3, p = 0.4864). In each period, higher scores were noted among immigrants than non-immigrants (38.3 vs. 35.9 in 2004, p < 0.0001; 40.5 vs. 38.5 in 2015 p < 0.0001), and lower scores were observed in current smokers (33.4 vs. 37.1 in 2004, p < 0.0001; 34.5 vs. 39.9 in 2015, p < 0.0001). The use of the aHEI-2010 tool suggests a lower score among Canadians than the previous index, more comparable to the score among Americans.

Humero-femoral index and diabetes risk in the US population- a case study.

Background: The between-subject variability in diabetes risk persists in epidemiological studies, even after accounting for obesity. We investigated whether the humero-femoral index (HFI) was associated with prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and assessed the incremental value of HFI as a marker of T2DM. Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2018. We assessed 42,088 adults aged ≥ 30 years. HFI was defined as the upper arm length/upper leg length ratio. The outcome included undiagnosed diabetes (based on 2-hour plasma glucose levels, fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1C) and history of diabetes (diagnosed diabetes or taking antidiabetic drugs). Results: As compared with the bottom quartile, the prevalence ratio of T2DM was 1.28 (95% CI 1.19-1.38) in the second, 1.61 (95% CI 1.50-1.72) in the third, and 1.75 (95% CI 1.64-1.88) in the fourth quartile of HFI (P for trend < 0.0001). The positive association remained consistent within different patterns of BMI and WC in men but was rendered null in women. After adding HFI to the reference model (including WC only), the discrimination slopes increased by 60.0% in men and 51.1% in women. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that HFI may be a key component in body structure contributing to the risk of T2DM. In men, the highest HFI was associated with elevated prevalence of T2DM, independent of BMI and WC. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-023-01251-z.

Branched-Chain and Aromatic Amino Acids in Relation to Fat Mass and Fat-Free Mass Changes among Adolescents: A School-Based Intervention.

Plasma levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and aromatic amino acids (AAA) are considered early metabolic markers of obesity and insulin resistance (IR). This study aimed to assess changes in plasma concentrations of BCAA/AAA and HOMA-IR2 (homeostasis model assessment of IR) after intervention-induced modifications in fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) among French Polynesian adolescents. FM, FFM, plasma levels of BCAA and AAA, HOMA-IR2 were recorded at baseline and post intervention among 226 adolescents during a 5-month school-based intervention on diet and physical activity. Participants were divided into two subgroups according to their college attendance status which determined their intervention adherence: externs/half-residents (n = 157) and residents (n = 69). Four ordinal categories of body composition changes post-intervention were created for the analysis (FMgain/FFMlost < FMgain/FFMgain < FMlost/FFMlost < FMlost/FFMgain). After 5 months, changes in BCAA (p−trend < 0.001) and AAA (p−trend = 0.007) concentrations were positively associated with ordinal categories of body composition. HOMA-IR2 significantly decreased with FMlost (−0.40; 95% CI, −0.60 to −0.20) and increased with FMgain (0.23; 95% CI, 0.11 to 0.36). Our results suggest that FM loss is associated with a decrease in concentrations of obesity and IR metabolic markers which is more substantial when FM loss is accompanied with FFM gain.

Relation between clinical depression risk and physical activity and time spent watching television in older women: a 10-year prospective follow-up study.

Although physical activity (PA) has been inversely associated with depressive symptoms, it is not clear whether regular PA and television watching are associated with clinical depression risk. The authors conducted a prospective analysis involving 49,821 US women from the Nurses' Health Study who were free from depressive symptoms at baseline (1996). Information on PA was obtained from validated questionnaires completed in 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000; analyses were conducted using the cumulative average of PA (minutes/day) with a 2-year latency period applied. Participants were asked about television-watching habits in 1992. Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusted for multiple risk factors were used to estimate relative risks of clinical depression (self-reported physician-diagnosed depression or use of antidepressants). During 10 years of follow-up (1996-2006), 6,505 incident cases of depression were documented. Higher levels of PA were associated with lower depression risk. The multivariate relative risk comparing the highest level of PA (≥ 90 minutes/day) with the lowest (<10 minutes/day) was 0.80 (95% confidence interval: 0.70, 0.92; P(trend) < 0.001). In contrast, the risk of depression increased with increasing television-watching time. The multivariate relative risk comparing women who spent 21 hours/week or more watching television with those who spent 0-1 hour/week was 1.13 (95% confidence interval: 1.00, 1.27; P(trend) = 0.01). Analyses simultaneously considering PA and television watching suggested that both contributed independently to depression risk.

Early docosahexaenoic acid supplementation of mothers during lactation leads to high plasma concentrations in very preterm infants.

Very preterm infants are vulnerable to deficiency in DHA. In a longitudinal study, 10 mothers who delivered ≤29 wk gestation and planned to breast-feed received DHA (1200 mg/d) until 36 wk after conception. The plasma DHA status was assessed in their 12 infants (including 2 pairs of twins) from birth to d 49. Fatty acid profiles were measured weekly in breast milk, and in plasma of mothers and infants at baseline and at d15 and 49. Plasma and breast milk fatty acid concentrations in the DHA-supplemented group at d 49 were compared with a reference group of very preterm infants (n = 24, including triplets) whose mothers (n = 22) did not receive DHA during lactation. The infants' plasma DHA concentration tended to be greater in the DHA group than in the reference group (P = 0.10) and was greater when expressed as a percentage of total fatty acids (P = 0.009). At d 49, maternal milk DHA in the DHA group (1.92 ± 1.10 mmol/L) was ~12 times higher than in the reference group (0.15 ± 0.27 mmol/L) (P < 0.001). The amount of DHA provided to the infants increased from wk 1 through wk 7 in the DHA group (P < 0.001). Although enteral intake at wk 7 did not differ between the DHA group [119 ± 51 mL/(kg·d)] and the reference group [113 ± 66 mL/(kg·d)], DHA group infants received 55 ± 38 mg/(kg·d) of DHA, and the reference group infants received 7 ± 11 mg/(kg·d) (P < 0.001). Early supplementation with DHA to lactating mothers with low dietary DHA intake successfully increased the plasma DHA status in very preterm infants.

Metabolic features of adiposity and glucose homoeostasis among school-aged inuit children from Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada).

In contrast to most Indigenous people in Canada, Inuit appeared until recently to have been protected from type 2 diabetes (T2D) related to obesity. We assessed the associations of metabolites (amino acids, acylcarnitines) with adiposity and biomarkers of T2D in school-aged Inuit children of Nunavik (Canada). Concentrations of metabolite were measured in plasma samples from a cross-sectional analysis of 248 children (mean age = 10.8 years). We assessed associations of plasma metabolites with adiposity measures (BMI, skinfold thicknesses) and T2D markers (insulin, glucose, adiponectin). Plasma concentrations of valine and tyrosine were higher in obese and overweight children compared to those of normal weight children (P < 0.05). An increment of 1-SD in BMI (SD = 3.3 kg/m2) was statistically associated with an increment of 0.21 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.33) for valine, 0.15 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.27) for isoleucine and 0.17 (95% CI: 0.04, 0.29) for tyrosine. Insulin concentration increased with concentrations of all amino acids (P < 0.05) except methionine. None of the acylcarnitines measured were statistically significantly associated with adiposity or T2D biomarkers A signature of metabolites, particularly higher levels of branched-chain amino acids, might allow for early detection of T2D among school-aged Inuit children.

Erythrocyte n-3 is inversely correlated with serious psychological distress among the Inuit: data from the Nunavik health survey.

OBJECTIVE: A decrease in omega-3 (n-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) and an increase in omega-6 (n-6) linoleic acid in the diet have been suggested as contributing factors in the pathogenesis of depression. The present study examined the relationship between red blood cell (RBC) n-3 and n-6 and serious psychological distress (SPD). METHODS: The authors analyzed data on 746 Inuit adults who took part in the 2004 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey. Fatty acids were quantified in RBC membranes. Psychological distress was measured by the Kessler 6-Item Scale (K6), a brief screening instrument for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fourth edition) mood disorders in the past 30 days. A score ≥13 on the K6 has been established as a threshold to differentiate cases of SPD from noncases. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The risk of SPD according to RBC n-3 and n-6 was assessed by logistic regression analysis. Weighted estimates were calculated by the SUDAAN statistical package to account for the complex survey design. RESULTS: The 30-day prevalence rate of SPD was 12.4%. In SPD cases, mean n-3 LC-PUFAs were lower (7.81% ± 0.24% [SEM] vs. 9.24% ± 0.12%, p < 0.0001) and mean total n-6 was higher (27.3% ± 0.36% vs. 25.9% ± 0.15%, p = 0.0003) than in noncases. For each 1% increase in RBC n-3 LC-PUFA, the odds ratio for SPD was 0.90 (95% confidence interval: 0.83, 0.99; p = 0.0248). However, neither individual n-6 FAs nor total n-6 was significantly associated (p ≥ 0.05) with SPD in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the authors observed that n-3 LC-PUFAs in RBCs were inversely associated with SPD. The study's cross-sectional design implies that one cannot ascertain any causal relationship. The findings suggest that n-3 LC-PUFA consumption from the traditional Inuit diet deserves prospective analyses.