Volume 27 Issue 2

▪ Keyword : sugar, processed foods, diet, Thailand, nutrient intake

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: The present review examined the best available evidence regarding consumption levels and sources of added sugar in different population groups in Thailand. Methods and Study Design: Information was extracted from food balance sheets, household expenditure surveys, food consumption surveys, government reports, published and unpublished studies.

▪ Keyword : diabetes, grass jelly, glycaemic response, gel, viscous fibre

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate (1) the hydrocolloid properties of grass jelly on reducing glycaemic response, (2) the impact of phenolic compounds in Mesona chinensis L. on glycaemic response. Methods and Study Design: A total of 15 healthy Chinese men were recruited to this study. On each visit, subjects consumed one of the following three treatments, i.e. glucose solution (T1), grass jelly (Mesona chinensis L.) solution with glucose (T2) or grass jelly gel with glucose (T3). Capillary blood glucose and venous plasma insulin were analysed over a period of 180 min.

▪ Keyword : astaxanthin, dyslipidemia, hypertriglycemia, adiponectin, diabetes mellitus

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: This randomized, placebo-controlled trial was performed for 8 weeks to investigate the potential effects of astaxanthin (AST) supplementation on the adiponectin concentration, lipid peroxidation, glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and anthropometric indices in participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

▪ Keyword : kiwifruit, bone markers, isoflavones, gut microbiota, postmenopausal women

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Isoflavone (daidzein and genistein) interventions in postmenopausal women have produced inconsistent skeletal benefits, partly due to population heterogeneity in daidzein metabolism to equol by enteric bacteria. This study assessed changes in microflora and bone turnover in response to isoflavone and kiwifruit supplementation in New Zealand postmenopausal women.

▪ Keyword : egg, breakfast, nutritional balance, dietary habit, antioxidant

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Eggs, an important source of high-quality protein, contain a variety of key nutrients and antioxidants. Here we conducted an intervention study to evaluate whether the additional consumption of one egg per day would affect the daily nutritional intakes and blood antioxidant status in Japanese woman university students. Methods and Study Design: For 4 weeks, the 14 subjects were provided a nutritious breakfast including one boiled egg, and they were asked to keep a daily dietary record.

▪ Keyword : dietary pattern, dietary biomarker, kidney disease, Chinese population, type 2 diabetes

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Western dietary patterns have been linked with kidney disease. This study investigated the association between Chinese dietary patterns and kidney disease in a Taiwanese population with type 2 diabetes and evaluated dietary fatty acid patterns, a kidney-related dietary biomarker. Methods and Study Design: We recruited 838 patients with type 2 diabetes and used their dietary and renal data obtained from three repeated measures in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Diet was assessed using food-frequency questionnaires, and factor analysis was performed to identify dietary patterns.

▪ Keyword : type 2 diabetes mellitus, Chinese, glycemic load, blood glucose, blood lipid

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Large-scale epidemiological investigations worldwide have shown that dietary glycemic load is associated with metabolic diseases, including diabetes. However, only a few studies have examined the correlations between glycemic load and blood glucose and lipids in Chinese diabetic patients. Therefore, this study aimed to determine these correlations in southeastern China.

▪ Keyword : brain-derived neurotrophic factor, ferritin, maternal, neonates, iron deficiency anemia

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Maternal iron deficiency in late pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period has an indirect impact to decrease neurotrophin concentration in the fetal hippocampus, namely brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). It plays an important role in the development of learning, memory, and behavior. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in BDNF between neonates born to mothers with normal and low ferritin.

▪ Keyword : iodine status, breast milk, lactating women, infant, urine

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: The present study investigated the iodine status of breast milk and breast-fed infants during the first 12 weeks postpartum in Tianjin, China. Methods and Study Design: A total of 175 pregnant women were recruited before delivery. Their breastmilk and 24-h urine samples were collected at 4, 8, and 12 weeks postpartum; spot urine samples were simultaneously collected from their infants. The iodine content of the samples was measured.

▪ Keyword : Vietnam, childhood overweight, childhood obesity, diet, physical activity

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Childhood obesity is a rising health concern in Vietnam, however, research in this area is not extensive. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity, and to study associations between weight status and selected lifestyle factors, such as diet and physical activity levels, among children aged 6-10 years in Hai Phong City, Vietnam.

▪ Keyword : selenium speciation, infant formula milk, human breast milk, food, policy

▪ Content : Formula-based animal milk is an alternative source of infant nutrition in many cases when breastfeeding is unacceptable or inaccessible; however, these replacements often have low selenium levels. The composition of infant formula milk should be as close as possible to that of human breast milk, both in content and chemical speciation. Selenium is an essential trace element for infants.

▪ Keyword : dietary patterns, intake, preschool children, overweight, obesity

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Dietary patterns have been linked to the risk of obesity in adults but little is known about such a link in young children. To examine the association between dietary patterns, nutrient intake and obesity in a representative population of preschool children in Australia. Methods and Study Design: Dietary intake was assessed using a 3-day weighed food diary. Dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis. Children were classified as overweight or obesity if their BMI z-score was between the 85th–95th percentiles or was above the 95th percentile, respectively.

▪ Keyword : dietary diversity indices, adequacy ratio, anthropometric parameters, nutritional status, preschool children

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Dietary diversity plays a critical role in infants as they need energy and nutrient dense foods for both physical and mental development. This study examines whether three dietary diversity indices validate against Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (NAR) and Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR) and studies the relationship of dietary diversity with nutritional status of preschool children, in two districts of India: Wardha district in Maharashtra state and Koraput district in Odisha state.

▪ Keyword : breakfast consumption, physical activity, body weight status, children, Malaysia

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relationship between breakfast consumption and body weight status among primary and secondary school children in Malaysia. Methods and Study Design: This nationwide cross-sectional study involved 5,332 primary school children aged 6 to 12 years and 3,000 secondary school children aged 13 to 17 years. Height and weight were measured and BMI-for-age was determined. Socio-demographic backgrounds, breakfast habits and physical activity levels were assessed using questionnaires.

▪ Keyword : n-3 fatty acid, α-Linolenic acid, linoleic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, n-6 fatty acid

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: In addition to the intake ratio of omega 6 (n-6) to omega 3 (n-3) fatty acids, their intake amount has an effect on health. This study evaluated the n-6:n-3 intake ratio as well as the food sources and association of these fatty acids with demographic characteristics based on sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data.

▪ Keyword : under-reporting, over-reporting, energy intake, national survey, Japan

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Information on a whole array of characteristics associated with dietary misreporting in a representative sample in each country is still limited. Using data from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey, Japan, we investigated the prevalence and characteristics of under- and over-reporting of energy intake among 19,986 Japanese adults aged ≥20 years.

▪ Keyword : dietary patterns, dietary lead exposure, hypertension, older Chinese, factor analysis

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: With rapid population ageing and an increasing rate of hypertension in China, this study aims to examine the association between dietary patterns, dietary lead and hypertension among older Chinese population. Methods and Study Design: We analysed the 2009 China Health and Nutrition Survey data (2,634 individuals with dietary and hypertension measurement data, aged ≥60 years).

▪ Keyword : polyphenols, green tea, coffee, food frequency questionnaire, food record

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Despite the demonstrated protective effects of green tea and coffee intake against several chronic diseases, finding between studies have not been consistent. One potential reason of this discrepancy is the imprecision in the measurement of tea or coffee consumption using food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and food record (FR) in epidemiological studies.

▪ Keyword : behavioural feedback, adolescents, nutrition knowledge, nutritional behaviour

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: The integration of nutrition knowledge into nutritional behaviour can help children to develop a healthy lifestyle that may be carried forward into adulthood. E-learning enables students to take ownership of recording their dietary intake and modify their diets by making their own decisions regarding food choices and portion sizes through reflective feedback. This study investigated the role of behavioural feedback in nutrition education in modifying students’ nutrition knowledge and behaviour.

▪ Keyword : lunch menu, child care centers, menu pattern, food service, Korea and Japan

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the nutritional quality and patterns of lunch menus provided by child care centers in South Korea and Japan. Methods and Study Design: The weekly lunch menus from Monday to Saturday that child care centers provided in November 2014 in South Korea and Japan were analyzed. For Korea, a total of 72 meals provided by 12 centers in Seoul were analyzed by referring to the homepage of the Center for Children’s Foodservice Management, which serviced menus for child care centers. For Japan, a total of 30 meals provided by 5 child care centers in Tokyo were analyzed. Nutrient content and pattern in lunch menus were evaluated.

▪ Keyword : taste intensities, dietary patterns, Chinese, sodium, phenylthiocarbamide (PTC)

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Taste perception plays a key role in consumer acceptance and food choice, which has an important impact on human health. Our aim was to examine the relationship between taste intensities and preferences of sweet (sucrose), salty (sodium chloride and potassium chloride), sour (citric acid), and bitter (quinine and phenylthiocarbamide) in relation to dietary intake and dietary patterns in people of Chinese ancestry.

▪ Keyword : postprandial triglyceridemia, trunk fat, leg fat, trunk/leg fat ratio, insulin resistance

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: To determine whether postprandial lipemia is associated with fat distribution even in young, normal weight women independently of fat mass, adipokines, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation. Methods and Study Design: Female college students (ages 21-24, n=35) underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and a standardized breakfast providing 17 g triglycerides (TG). Serum lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins, adipokines and markers of insulin resistance and inflammation were measured in fasting blood samples.

▪ Keyword : environment, heat, diabetes, case study, exercise training

▪ Content : The objective is to present the case of a 21-yr-old athlete observed with non-physiological immediate post-prandial insulin response (1162 pmol/l; normal glucose excursion: 6.6 mmol/l), in a warm environment. No suspicion or evidence of any underlying pathology was found in this well-trained Afro-Caribbean male runner. He never reported any hypoglycemic episode. When performing the same protocol performed in a cooler environment (21.0°C vs 30.3°C), only physiological responses were observed.

▪ Keyword : liver cirrhosis, nutritional screening, malnutrition, body composition, MNA short-form

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Malnutrition is an important prognostic factor for patients with liver disease and a novel nutritional assessment tool is required for these patients. The aim of this study was to validate the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) as a nutritional screening tool for patients with liver disease, by comparing MNA scores with other nutrition-related parameters. Methods and Study Design: Patients who were hospitalized at the gastroenterology division of Kyushu and Beppu Medical Center were enrolled.

▪ Keyword : parenteral fish oil, sepsis, critical illness, clinical study, nutrition

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: To investigate the clinical outcomes in septic patients receiving parenteral fish oil. Methods and Study Design: A prospective, non-randomized, observational clinical study was carried out in 112 patients with sepsis from March, 2013 to May, 2015 in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) of a tertiary-referral hospital. The patients were put into one of two groups; either the control or the study group. Patients received the standard treatment of sepsis based on guidelines in the control group.

▪ Keyword : continuous tube feeding, intermittent oral feeding, enterostomy, infants, nutrition

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: The stoma of intermediate position enterostomy (IPE) often leads to high output, which is related to electrolyte abnormalities, and prolongs patient recovery post-operatively. The continuous nasogastric tube feeding method has the advantage of reducing the risk of feeding intolerance, and improves nutrient absorption. In the current study, we review our experience with continuous tube feeding and compare the clinical outcomes with intermittent oral feeding in patients with an IPE post-operatively.

▪ Keyword : nutritional deficiency, developing countries, Cambodia, anaemia, vitamin A deficiency

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: To investigate the nutritional status of patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and the factors involved. Methods and Study Design: We used the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) of nutritional status, a general questionnaire, dietary records, and laboratory parameters from 3 consecutive days to develop a NS assessment with it, we assessed 240 patients undergoing CAPD at a dialysis center in Henan Province.

▪ Keyword : cirrhosis, nutrition, meal frequency, respiratory quotient, indirect calorimetry

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Respiratory quotient (RQ) is a good marker of substrate oxidation. Low RQ is frequently found in patients with liver cirrhosis and is associated with poor outcome. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effects of eating frequency on RQ in patients with cirrhosis. Methods and Study Design: We performed a randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of eating frequency on RQ in patients with cirrhosis.

▪ Keyword : refeeding syndrome, refeeding hypophosphataemia, organ failure, intensive care unit, risk factors

▪ Content : Background and Objectives: Refeeding hypophosphataemia (RH) is characterized by an acute electrolyte derangement following nutrition therapy. Complications associated include heart failure, respiratory failure, paraesthesia, seizure and death. We aim to assess its incidence, risk factors, and outcome in our local intensive care unit (ICU). Methods and Study Design: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted at the mixed medical-surgical of a tertiary ICU in Kuantan, Malaysia.