Influence of nutritional knowledge on the use and interpretation of Spanish nutritional food labels

The present study analyzed the nutritional knowledge of Spanish consumers and its relationship with the correct use of food labels. Consumers were asked about their nutritional knowledge and some functional foods and about their understanding of food labeling and their use of it to select healthy food. A 2-part questionnaire was employed. The 1st part concerned their knowledge of nutritional facts, including their knowledge about macronutrients and perception of certain functional foods, while the 2nd part addressed some questions regarding food labels. The results revealed no statistically significant differences in nutritional knowledge by either age or gender, but a direct relationship with educational level. The association between nutritional knowledge and the perception and understanding of food labeling showed that the nutritional label rarely influenced the food purchases of the group with low nutritional knowledge, who considered that this information was too technical. More than half of the consumers did not consider the calorie or sugar content important for selecting food. In addition, the group with low nutritional knowledge stated that they never or rarely looked at the food labels to check whether it was low-fat food that they were buying. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Knowing the status of the consumer's nutritional knowledge allows health campaigns to be designed; considering the influence of cultural factors and the perception of food labeling is very useful for promoting better nutritional information.     

Beer and wine consumers' perceptions of the nutritional value of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages

ABSTRACT:  In general beer has not been portrayed as part of a balanced diet. However, red wine has been promoted as a beneficial part of a nutritious diet. The evidence is that beer is at least the equal of wine from a nutritional perspective and in countering ailments such as coronary heart disease. This study used surveys to compare beer and wine consumers' perceptions of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. The consumers ranked 7 beverages based upon perceived healthfulness both before and after they were exposed to nutritional information about the beverages. The ranked data were analyzed using analysis of variance. The variance due to the 3-way interaction of place of recruitment, beverage, and ranking was found to be significant at P < 0.05. There was no significant difference between genders. Overall, consumers of alcoholic beverages perceived red wine to be more healthful than the other 6 beverages, including beer and white wine. The perceived healthfulness of a beverage does not appear to be the main factor driving the choice of beverage. Nutritional information does impact consumers' perceptions of the healthfulness of beverages. Consumers who are predominately beer drinkers were more heavily influenced by nutritional information than consumers who were predominately wine drinkers.     

Short communication: Dairy consumption among middle-aged and elderly adults in Switzerland

Different studies have shown that people are aware of the benefits of dairy products, but a sizeable part of the world's population still does not consume the recommended amount of dairy produce. The aims of the present research were to determine which dairy products are consumed by the middle-aged and elderly (50–81 yr old) living in Switzerland and to explore why some of this population segment are actually reducing their consumption of dairy products. On average, older Swiss adults consumed 2.6 portions of dairy products per day, which is slightly less than the recommended 3 to 4 portions a day. Additionally, about one-quarter of the respondents indicated that they have reduced their milk or dairy consumption. The main reasons given for this decision were to reduce fat or cholesterol. A reported difficulty in digesting some dairy products may be a further reason for limiting dairy intake, particularly cheese. It follows that a need for the propagation of appropriate nutritional information about dairy products to the middle-aged and elderly exists.     

A review of the relative efficacy of dietary,nutritional supplements,lifestyle, and drug therapies in the management of hypertension

Despite advancements in hypertensive therapies, the prevalence of hypertension and associated morbidities are still immense. Physicians are in great need for updated information on novel and effective antihypertensive therapies. Therefore, the study objective was to provide comprehensive information on the efficacy of available antihypertensive therapies. Antihypertensive therapies were divided into four general approaches: diet, nutritional supplements, lifestyle modification, and conventional antihypertensive medications. A search of PubMed and Google Scholar resulted in an analysis of 30 antihypertensive therapies from meta-analyses and randomized-controlled trials (RCTs). The studies were analyzed using the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology classification system. Calculated average blood pressure reductions were: (systolic/diastolic) 6/4 mmHg, 4/2 mmHg, 5/3 mmHg, and 9/5 mmHg for dietary, nutritional supplements, lifestyle, and medications, respectively. The results demonstrate that dietary, nutritional supplement and lifestyle strategies have a solid level of evidence to support their efficacy as antihypertensive strategies. These strategies can be as effective as medications and, in some cases, even more effective. Dissemination of this information to physicians/dietitians can help facilitate an important shift in hypertension management.     

Nutritional biomarkers for objective dietary assessment

The accurate assessment of dietary exposure is important in investigating associations between diet and disease. Research in nutritional epidemiology, which has resulted in a large amount of information on associations between diet and chronic diseases in the last decade, relies on accurate assessment methods to identify these associations. However, most dietary assessment instruments rely to some extent on self-reporting, which is prone to systematic bias affected by factors such as age, gender, social desirability and approval. Nutritional biomarkers are not affected by these and therefore provide an additional, alternative method to estimate intake. However, there are also some limitations in their application: they are affected by inter-individual variations in metabolism and other physiological factors, and they are often limited to estimating intake of specific compounds and not entire foods. It is therefore important to validate nutritional biomarkers to determine specific strengths and limitations. In this perspective paper, criteria for the validation of nutritional markers and future developments are discussed.     

运动类营养补充剂对运动能力影响的研究进展

精心设计的饮食有助于改善身体机能并提升运动能力,但是只要存在竞技运动,运动员就希望可以通过摄取运动类营养补充剂来改善其表现,这样的想法催生了数十亿美元的运动类营养补充剂行业.虽然很多公司都宣称他们的产品可以改善运动员的运动能力,但是大多都没有客观的科学证据.鉴于此,本文综述了近年运动类营养补充剂对运动能力影响的科学研究...     

Families’ use of nutritional information on food labels

How interested and competent are families in fact when using nutritional information on food labels? By means of ethnographical methodologies 12 families with children aged 9–13 were monitored when shopping for food and in their own home when cooking and eating dinner in order to explore their use of nutritional information on food labels and the problems they experience. Later, 300 parents participated in a hall test, the purpose being to investigate the relation between the problems and use of as well as the problems and preference for nutritional labelling. Children use nutritional information rarely or not at all. Parents seldom use nutritional information when they seem to sense an overflow of information, information that is too technical and a problematic presentation of energy distribution, and/or when their health consciousness is limited. Having to deal with information overflow, technical information and energy distribution makes parents more likely to prefer food labels with concise information and more visual aspects.     

The target cells of anthocyanins in metabolic syndrome

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome develops to several related chronic diseases, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. Diseases are outcomes of various cells dysfunction, which are especially acting with a network in metabolic syndrome. Anthocyanins are natural edible pigments widely existed in dark-colored fruits, vegetables, and grains. Epidemiological investigation and nutritional intervention of anthocyanins have exhibited broad-spectrum biological effects that they can benefit patients with metabolic syndrome related chronic diseases. Whereas the underlying mechanisms and the effects of anthocyanins on critical cells in chronic metabolic diseases are complex and elusive. Therefore, this review summarizes the studies about the effects of anthocyanins on various metabolism related chronic diseases, and mainly focuses on the effects and underlying molecular mechanisms on critical cells. We confirmed that anthocyanins are efficient on adipocytes, endothelial cells, inflammatory cells, hepatocytes, intestinal cells and gut microbiota, but lack of evidence on platelets, skeletal muscle cells, hepatic stellate cells and pancreatic beta cells. Additionally, we discussed the structure-function relationship of anthocyanins and the metabolites. This review summarizes the development of studies on anthocyanins with its target cells in metabolic syndrome, and discusses the unclear aspects of the anthocyanins research work, which is necessary for the future clinical application.     

Dietary supplements and human health: For better or for worse?

Encouraged by the potential health benefits of higher dietary intake of substances with beneficial properties, the use of supplements containing these compounds has increased steadily over recent years. The effects of several of these, many of which are antioxidants, have been supported by data obtained in vitro, in animal models, and often by human studies as well. However, as carefully controlled human supplementation trials have been conducted, questions about the efficacy and safety of these supplements have emerged. In this Educational Paper, three different supplements were selected for consideration of the benefits and risks currently associated with their intake. The selected supplements include β-carotene, selenium, and genistein. The use of each is discussed in the context of preclinical and clinical data that provide evidence for both their use in reducing disease incidence and the possible liabilities that accompany their enhanced consumption. Variables that may influence their impact, such as lifestyle habits, baseline nutritional levels, and genetic makeup are considered and the application of these issues to broader classes of supplements is discussed.     

HEALTH PROMOTING CONSTITUENTS IN PLANT DERIVED EDIBLE OILS

Of all the edible oils, only that produced from olives has had its health attributes studied in detail. For maximum nutritional benefit, an edible oil should contain minimal levels of saturated fats, especially lauric and myristic acids and minimal levels of trans fatty acids. If the oils are not to be heated repeatedly and if they contain high levels of antioxidants, they should contain omega-3 and possibly omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The fatty acid profile should be dominated by monounsaturated fatty acids. Secondary products which act as antioxidants including polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, tocopherols and carotenoids increase the shelf-life of oils, reportedly reduce cardiovascular disease and provide some anticarcinogenic properties. More research is also required, but there is evidence that phytosterols and squalene are also beneficial components of edible oils. Selection and breeding can be used to increase the desirable components of edible oils. Geographic, culture and environmental factors can influence the properties of the oil produced by crops, and methods of processing can greatly reduce the levels of health promoting components. Despite the current anti-GMO sentiments, biotechnology should be used both in the development of plant cultivars which produce nutritional oils and in processing to maximize the desirable components.     

A pan EU survey of consumer attitudes to food, nutrition and health: an overview

The objective of the study was to investigate attitudes to food, nutrition and health among nationally-representative samples of adults from each member state of the European Union. Overall, 14 331 subjects completed the face-to-face interviewer-assisted questionnaire. A majority of EU subjects believe they do not need to alter their diets, as they perceive them to be already healthly enough. Price may play a significant role in the choice of food for some groups in the population. Furthermore, a lack of knowledge about nutrition is not a commonly cited barrier to healthy eating. Among EU subjects there is general agreement about the sources of information on healthy eating which they use and trust, health professionals are the most trusted source across all member states. The problem facing healthy eating promoters in the EU may not, therefore, be a lack of knowledge, but rather how nutritional guidelines pertain to themselves. For nutrition education programmes to be effective, it is important that strategies be designed which take account of the cultural diversity, thereby reflecting the geographical variability of the EU population as well as being targeted or focused to specific sub-groups in the population.     

Women, nutrition and exercise: a review of athletes' intakes and a discussion of energy balance in active women

Given the heightened interest in nutritional aspects of exercise, and an increase in athletic participation by women, it appeared timely to review the nutritional implications of exercise in women. The initial part of this paper contains a compilation of published studies on the nutrient intakes of female athletes. These reveal that most groups of athletes have adequate nutrient intakes, and that their vitamin and mineral intakes appear to be superior to those of nonathletic women. The average energy intake of athletes in studies summarized in this paper was 2069 kcal, and for certain groups of athletes, energy intakes were even lower. How these women manage to train intensely while consuming energy intakes similar to those of sedentary women is not readily apparent, and for this reason, the remainder of the paper discusses energy balance as affected by activity. Methodological considerations related to assessment of the components of the energy balance equation (food intake, energy expenditure, and body energy stores) are presented, with a focus on considerations in women. The effects of activity on each of these components are then discussed in an attempt to determine whether some form of energy conservation may occur. Finally, effects of activity on the menstrual cycle are reviewed. The observed changes are discussed in relation to nutrition 1) in terms of how nutrition may play a role in their causation; and 2) in terms of their nutritional implications for the amenorrheic athlete, specifically as regards energy balance and bone density.     

Linking small-scale fisheries and aquaculture to household nutritional security: an overview

Small-scale fisheries and aquaculture have been recognized as important opportunities to enhance household food security in developing countries. While interventions aiming at promoting these activities reveal many positive effects, their direct and indirect impacts on nutritional status have not yet been fully documented. The objective of this paper is to identify more specifically the potential pathways that exist between fish-related livelihoods (small-scale fisheries, fish farming) and household nutritional security. The existing literature reveals scattered but increasing evidence of the contribution of fish to nutritional security through three distinct pathways. The first one is the direct nutritional contribution from fish consumption: because fish are rich in essential nutrients such as vitamin A, calcium, iron and zinc, households engaged in small-scale fisheries or aquaculture are, in theory, able to improve their own nutritional intakes by consuming some of the fish they capture or farm. The second relates to income: increased purchasing power through the sale of fish is recognized as critical for households to be able to access other foods and to improve their overall dietary intake. Finally, because the degree of control exercised by women over family income impacts directly on household food security and nutritional outcomes, enhancing the economic status of women through their involvement in aquaculture and/or fisheries-related activities (fish processing and trading) is also identified as another important pathway to improve household nutritional security. For these three pathways, however, evidence is often only anecdotal and therefore, the paper concludes by highlighting areas where further research and data are needed.     

Do men and women really live in different taste worlds?

In this review, I highlight what is currently known about the sensory, psychological, and physical/nutritional, differences between men and women in terms of their sensory-discriminative and hedonic responses to multisensory tasting experiences. However, despite the evidence for there being numerous individual differences in tasting, few neatly support the claim that men and women live in different worlds of taste. Perhaps the only situation in which consumed products directed specifically at men and women would appear to succeed is when they are advertised as providing some sort of nutritional benefit to the end user.     

Occurrence,types, properties and interactions of phenolic compounds with other food constituents in oil-bearing plants

ABSTRACT

Phenolic phytochemicals have become of interest due to their therapeutic potential, particularly with regards to their anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic properties. An evolving area of research involving phenolics in foods and their products pertains to the functional, biological, and nutritional consequences resulting from the binding between certain phenolic compounds and the macronutrient and micronutrient constituents of foods. The goal of this review is to provide a summary of studies investigating endogenous phenolic interactions with major components in food systems, including carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, minerals and vitamins, with a focus on the phenolic compounds and nutrients in oil-bearing plants. Another major objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of the chemical nature of phenolic interactions with food constituents that could affect the quality, nutritional and functional properties of foods. Such information can assist in the discovery and optimization of specific phenolic complexes in plant-based foods that could be utilized towards various applications in the food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.     

膳食纤维干预炎症性肠病研究进展

炎症性肠病（Inflammatory bowel disease,IBD）是一种慢性、反复发作、久治难愈的胃肠道炎症性疾病,通常伴随着炎性细胞浸润及肠粘膜受损,具有一定的癌变风险。大量研究表明,膳食纤维（Dietary fiber,DF）作为一种益生元,在改善肠道菌群结构、强化肠道屏障功能、缓解肠道炎症等方面功效显著,具有多重营养及保健功能,在干预IBD方面表现出巨大的潜力,但其中的作用机制尚未阐明。此外,DFs由于水溶性不同可分为可溶性膳食纤维（Soluble dietary fiber,SDF）和不溶性膳食纤维（Insoluble dietary fiber,IDF）,二者特性不同,对IBD的作用效果也不尽相同。因此,本文就SDF和IDF防治IBD的基本原理、现有证据及其作用机制进行综述,综合分析了IBD的DFs干预治疗策略,为DFs的深入研究和开发应用提供参考。     

肾病患者营养素推荐之中外指南及专家共识对比

肾脏疾病特别是慢性肾病（Chronic Kidney Disease,CKD）已成为威胁全球的公共卫生健康问题,不仅严重危害到人类健康,也带来巨大的经济和社会负担。医学营养治疗（Medical Nutritiontherapy,MNT）可延缓CKD向终末期肾病（End-Stage Renal Disease,ESRD）的进展,MNT在CKD治疗过程中具有非常重要的作用。其中,口服营养补充剂（Oral Nutritional Supplement,ONS）具有安全有效且患者依从性高等优点。当肾病患者面临经口营养摄入不足的情况,ONS是其首选人工营养方式。ONS的研发应以医学和营养学的研究结果为依据,其安全性及临床应用均需要经过科学证实。权威机构发布的指南、专家共识是ONS产品配方设计的重要依据,因此有必要对比分析中外指南和专家共识对于不同阶段肾病患者的营养素推荐,为肾病特定营养产品开发提供借鉴,推动营养相关慢性病的防治。     

老年住院患者营养风险筛查和营养状况分析

目的:评价老年住院患者营养状况,分析营养状况与所患慢性疾病的关系,为指导老年住院患者营养治疗提供依据。方法:随机选取302例第一诊断为常见慢性疾病的老年住院患者,使用NRS2002结合BMI、ALB进行营养评价,评价结果与经人体测量、生化检查获得的反映蛋白质-能量营养状况的指标进行比较研究。结果:302例老年患者营养风险的检出率为50.7%、营养不足的检出率为25.8%,随着年龄的增加,营养风险、营养不足的发生率增加,差异有统计学意义;第一诊断为脑血管疾病的老年患者营养风险、营养不足的发生率最高,分别为71.3%、29.9%;随着营养状况的下降,BMI、AC、CC、TP、ALB、PA、HB显著下降。结论:老年住院患者营养风险、营养不足检出率高,第一诊断为脑血管疾病的患者营养状况最差。因疾病、年龄的影响,老年患者能量、蛋白质摄入不足,消耗过多,易发生蛋白质-能量营养不良。     

Tackling obesity: A knowledge-base to enable industrial food reformulation

In seeking to tackle obesity and metabolic disease, research on reformulating ultra-processed foods has intensified in recent years. Despite numerous publications, information on reformulation may not be accessible to many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), because they are generally low-tech with little budget for research and development. This paper presents the development of a knowledge-base that illustrates a holistic approach to food reformulation to provide SMEs with practical information on successful methods to reduce sugar and fat from existing products. This knowledge-base uses recent findings in food reformulation, assesses and evaluates outcomes and presents them in an industrially relevant context. The knowledge-base (which is demonstrated on a working example of sweet American-style muffins) identifies the readiness of various reformulation techniques for industrial application by indicating the consequences of different techniques of reformulation on a products' nutritional profile, acceptability, quality and processability. Adhering to the sequential process described ensures that processed foods are reformulated using healthier alternatives, comply with food legislations and are suitable to be used on an industrial scale.