Current Nutrition & Food Science - Volume 21, Issue 1, 2025

Low protein intake during pregnancy increases maternal mortality and blood levels of leptin and ghrelin, the hormones that regulate energy balance, affecting energy intake and body weight. The benefits of protein depend on the amount and type of amino acids that make up the protein. The need for L-lysine amino acids in pregnant women is reported to increase, especially at the end of pregnancy. Bambara beans contain high levels of the amino acid L-lysine, so they can be used as a source of protein that contains high levels of L-lysine.

This study evaluated the Bambara groundnuts (Vigna subterranea) supplementation effects on reproductive function related to ghrelin-leptin in female mice fed a low protein diet.

Quasi-experimental study with a control group employing 50 female mice divided into five groups: normal protein diet (N), low protein diet (LP), low protein diet with 100 g (LP+100); 200 g (LP+200), and 300 g (LP+300) Bambara groundnut supplementation. After 2 months of intervention, half of the mice in each group (n=25) were terminated, and blood samples were collected to determine albumin, ghrelin, and leptin levels. The other half mice were mated to assess gestational age.

Supplementation with Bambara groundnuts at 200 and 300 g/kg of feed increases protein intake and ghrelin and leptin levels. The leptin/ ghrelin ratio in the group of mice supplemented with Bambara groundnut at a dose of 300 g/kg feed shows a similar ratio to the normal group. Although there were no significant changes in albumin levels in all groups, protein intake, ghrelin and leptin levels were positively correlated with gestational age.

Bambara groundnuts can reduce the negative effect of a low protein diet in female mice. It is an excellent protein source that increases the leptin/ghrelin ratio to improve gestational age.

While most healthy diets can help control the progression of disease, they can fail in the long term for many factors. Patients abandon the diet altogether after a while because it is too restrictive or the foods are unappealing; still, others engage in less physical activity because they consume fewer calories. What's more, almost all plans are based on optimization models. These models produce statistical diets offering limited choices to users, and a small substitution can call the whole diet into question.

This article develops an intelligent system for generating flexible nutritional menus that each person can adopt to their environment and dietary preferences (food availability, price, patient eating habits, etc.). The system implements mathematical fuzzy optimization models and constraint satisfaction programming.

First, the Moroccon foods were decomposed using fuzzy Cmeans. Next, the artificial foods, formed by the centers, were introduced into a fuzzy mathematical optimization diet model, which controlled the total glycemic load and met the World Health Organization (WHO) and Dietary Guidelines for Americans (GDA) recommendations (requirements for personalized menu). Then, we used a genetic algorithm strategy to generate optimal serving sizes and to build a nutritional menu based on the groups formed. To help patients choose customized diets, the menu was transformed into a constraint satisfaction programming model.

The proposed strategy was applied to Moroccan foods, experimental results show that all diets offer a wide range of choices to users and that substitutions comply with WHO and GDA recommendations.

The suggested scheme has been applied to Moroccan foods; experimental findings demonstrate that all diets provide users with a wide variety of options that keeps consumers on their diet.

α-tocopherol and tocotrienol are known for their antioxidant properties and cannot be produced directly in the human body. However, their use remains limited because of their low solubility, instability, and susceptibility to oxidation and high temperatures.

This study aims to identify the optimal formulation of a carrier of phytonutrient α-tocopherol/tocotrienol prepared via ultrasonication with rice bran oil (RBO), palm kernel stearin (PKS), and Tween 80 and determine the characteristics of the optimal formulation during storage.

The box-behnken design (three factors and levels) was used to determine the formulation of a nanostructured lipid carrier -tocopherol/tocotrienol (NLC-TT) based on the solid: liquid lipid ratio, total lipid: surfactant ratio, and sonication time.

The optimal NLC-TT formulation prepared with a solid: liquid lipid ratio of 7.5:2.5, total lipid: surfactant ratio of 1:3.9, and sonication time of 12 min and 6 s yielded a particle size of 126.7 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.339, a zeta potential of -31.7 and an encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 96.4%. During storage, NLC-TT and NLC-free particles exhibited particle sizes of 123.6-144.2 nm, polydispersity indices of 0.245-0.339, zeta potentials of -31.7--39.6 mV, EEs of 96.4%-89.6%, stabilities of 2.02-1.63, peroxide values of 0.05-0.25 mEqO2/kg, anisidine values of 0.07-1.60 and free fatty acid contents of 0.04%-0.08%.

RBO and PKS are potential lipid-based carrier systems for tocopherol/ tocotrienol and exhibit good stability during storage.

Using sports supplements is a common strategy for improving athletic performance. The prevalence of using sports supplements among adolescent and young athletes has been increasing in recent years.

This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 200 bodybuilding athletes. The data collection tool was a pre-made questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed among the athletes by available methods and collected after filling out. The chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and logistic regression model were used to analyze the data.

The prevalence of using sports supplements was 62.5% (n=125), with males accounting for 67.5% (n=135) of the consumers. Various forms of proteins (43.5%, n=87), vitamins (40.5%, n=81), and hormones (38.5%, n=77) were the most commonly recommended supplements by the coaches (58.4%, n=73) and other athletes (31.2%, n=9). The sports supplements have been considered to have no side effects by 16.8% (n=21) of the athletes; however, 19.2% (n=24) mentioned cardiac adverse events, and 13.6% (n=17) pointed to renal complications as potential consequences of supplement use. The results of statistical tests and a logistic regression model showed a statistically significant relationship between sex, age, education and income, and sports supplement use (p=0.001).

According to the results of this current study, a significant proportion of bodybuilding athletes take sports supplements without being aware of the side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an educational program to inform the population about the mechanism of action of supplements in the body and also educate athletes and coaches about the correct use, side effects, and irreversible consequences of improper supplements use.

Dietary intake is increasingly recognized as a pivotal factor in the etiology of metabolic syndrome. A substantial body of evidence suggests a discernible correlation between dietary quality indices and the occurrence of metabolic syndrome.

This survey seeks to rigorously evaluate the impact of diet quality indices and demographic variables on the manifestation of metabolic syndrome.

This case-control study encompassed 175 individuals diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and an equal number of age-matched healthy counterparts (Comprising both genders) aged between 20 and 65 years. Participants were sourced from diverse laboratories and the general population in Chalous, northern Iran. Dietary intake data were meticulously acquired using a comprehensive Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Furthermore, dietary quality indices, specifically the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), Dietary Diversity Score (DDS), Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (NAR), and Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR), were meticulously evaluated employing standardized methodologies.

There was no significant diversity in the likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome concerning the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (NAR), and Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR) when comparing quartile 4 (Maximum score) to quartile 1 (Minimum score). However, this likelihood diminished following adjustments for confounding variables, including age, sex, dietary energy, education, job, and marital status. In the case of the Dietary Diversity Score (DDS), there was an observed difference in morbidity likelihood between quartile 4 and quartile 1. Nevertheless, after meticulous adjustment for confounding variables, this difference failed to reach statistical significance. No substantial variations (P ≥ 0.05) were detected in the odds ratio across quartiles and models (P trend) for all dietary quality indices.

No significant associations were identified between dietary quality indices and the occurrence of metabolic syndrome.

Considering the significance of relation between dietary diversity and dietary antioxidants in the mechanism of obesity and related outcomes and due to limited studies in postmenopausal women, the present research was designed to evaluate the relationship between Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) and Dietary Total Antioxidant Capacity (DTAC) with some cardio-metabolic risk factors and Pro-Oxidant-Antioxidant Balance (PAB) level in overweight and/or obese postmenopausal women.

The research participants comprised 128 overweight and/or obese postmenopausal women aged 45-65 years attending the health centers. Anthropometric measures, e.g., weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, were obtained. Serum lipid profile, glucose, and insulin were determined, and the Homeostasis Model Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was estimated. PAB was determined. DDS and DTAC were determined using information from the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ).

Compared to those in the first tertile, there was no significant relationship between anthropometric and biochemical data with DDS neither among participants in the second tertile nor the third tertile (P>0.05). Furthermore, considerable negative relationships were only observed between waist-to-hip ratio (P=0.035) and waist-to-height ratio (P=0.006) with DTAC among participants in the second tertile compared with those in the first tertile. Also, insulin and HOMA-IR were inversely related to DTAC among participants in the second tertile (both P<0.001) and the third tertile (P=0.004 and P=0.009, respectively) compared to those in the first tertile. There was a considerable negative relationship between PAB and DTAC (P=0.036) among participants in the third tertile compared with those in the first tertile.

DDS was not correlated with a lower risk of obesity, abdominal adiposity, and better metabolic features. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that higher DTAC was correlated with lower abdominal obesity, insulin, HOMA-IR, and PAB levels.

This study aimed to showcase the particular lifestyle and behavioural pattern changes during the pandemic using Google Trends (GT).

The pandemic hit by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) globally has brought basic living into the context of surprise. Since the lockdown and social restrictions, the population has faced many changes in their daily routine.

The purpose of the study was to demonstrate how COVID-19 has affected eating habits and lifestyle in India.

A retrospective analysis was carried out with the aid of Google Trend Relative Search Volume (RSV) data obtained for interest areas, such as COVID-19 cases, symptoms, preference of medicines, choice of nutrients, reduced physical activity, and watching varied Over-the-top media service (OTT) platforms as the source of entertainment; these were the variables that were taken into consideration to derive correlation coefficient values.

There was a strong positive correlation found between zinc and vitamin C, zinc and vitamin D, and vitamin C and D, which was 0.83, 0.78, and 0.72, respectively. Symmetrical observation has been observed in Netflix and Amazon Prime as 0.81; a notable negative correlation was found between COVID-19 and gym as -0.32.

This study can be used as a checkpoint list for future predictions and past timelines and how they have a cohabitant role in the spread of the epidemic and its line of mitigation strategies.

The use of probiotics is increasing with time. However, there is limited data available related to the referral and knowledge of pediatricians regarding the use of probiotics.

The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pediatricians toward the referral of probiotics in government hospitals located in Faisalabad, Pakistan.

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 196 pediatricians who participated in this study. A well-structured, self-administered questionnaire was distributed among participants to assess their knowledge, attitude, and practices towards probiotics referral. The questionnaire was based on four sections including questions related to socio-demographics, knowledge, attitude, and practices about probiotics’ use and referral. The obtained data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and, the chi-square test in SPSS.

The findings indicated that the majority of participants had fair knowledge (57.7%), a positive attitude (69.4%), and good practices (80.1%) towards the referral of probiotics products. The chi-square test results revealed that the gender difference of participants was significantly associated with the knowledge (p-value = 0.042). Whereas, the knowledge of participants did not vary significantly concerning the increase in the working experience (p-value = 0.075). In addition, the attitudes and practices of pediatricians were also found to be non-significantly related to the gender difference and working experience of the participants. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between the attitude and practices (p-value = 0.019), and between knowledge and practices (p-value = 0.000). Whereas, no significant correlation was found between knowledge and attitude (p-value = 0.197).

In conclusion, the majority of the participants in this study had fair knowledge, a positive attitude, and good practices towards the referral of probiotics. Although there are certain limitations to this study, it is the first study that provides insights into the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pediatricians in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Consequently, it is suggested that additional training programs and healthcare policies should be initiated to further promote the clinical applications of probiotics by enhancing the knowledge of pediatricians as well as other healthcare professionals in the country.

Fenugreek seed polysaccharides (FSP) have gained significant attention in research due to their availability in different forms, which play a tremendous role in the pharmaceutical industry as a natural excipient like matrix-former, binder, gelling, and suspending agent. Extraction of polysaccharides plays a vital role in their purity, cost, etc. In extraction processes, several parameters like time, temperature, pressure, solvent to be used, or the combination of all these can be modified to optimize the process.

The aim of this study was to optimize the extraction of the fenugreek seed polysaccharide. In other words, the objective of this study was to optimize the various parameters of the microwave-assisted extraction of polysaccharide content from the fenugreek seed (Trigonella foenum-graecum) using the Box-Behnken design (BBD).

The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the extraction of the FSP. This study finds the interactive effects of the independent process variables (irradiation time, power, and solvent-to-solid ratio) on polysaccharide yield (%) by using BBD.

The result showed a 40.11% yield of polysaccharides when ideal conditions were met, such as a 9.95 minute irradiation time, 51.03 solvent-to-solid ratio, and a microwave power of 180.09. The presence of functional groups in polysaccharides was confirmed by the FTIR spectrum of the isolated polysaccharide.

The findings demonstrate that microwave-assisted extraction is a viable method for extracting FSP.