Jonatan Fridolfsson , Emma Sjöberg , Meri Thiwång , Stefan Pettersson
{"title":"Performance Evaluation of 3 Large Language Models for Nutritional Content Estimation from Food Images","authors":"Jonatan Fridolfsson , Emma Sjöberg , Meri Thiwång , Stefan Pettersson","doi":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107556","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107556","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Traditional dietary assessment methods face limitations including recall bias, participant burden, and portion size estimation errors. Recent advances in artificial intelligence, particularly multimodal large language models (LLMs), offer potential solutions for automated nutritional analysis from food images.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aims to evaluate and compare the performance of 3 leading LLMs (ChatGPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Gemini 1.5 Pro) in estimating food weight, energy content, and macronutrient composition from standardized food photographs.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We analyzed 52 standardized food photographs including individual food components (<em>n</em> = 16) and complete meals (<em>n</em> = 36) in 3 portion sizes (small, medium, large). Each model received identical prompts to identify food components and estimate nutritional content using visible cutlery and plates as size references. Model estimates were compared against reference values obtained through direct weighing and nutritional database analysis (Dietist NET). Performance metrics included mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), Pearson correlations, and systematic bias analysis using Bland–Altman plots.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>ChatGPT and Claude demonstrated similar accuracy with MAPE values of 36.3% and 37.3% for weight estimation, and 35.8% for energy estimation. Gemini showed substantially higher errors across all nutrients (MAPE 64.2%–109.9%). Correlations between model estimates and reference values ranged from 0.65 to 0.81 for ChatGPT and Claude, compared with 0.58–0.73 for Gemini. All models exhibited systematic underestimation that increased with portion size, with bias slopes ranging from –0.23 to –0.50.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>ChatGPT and Claude achieved accuracy levels comparable with traditional self-reported dietary assessment methods but without associated user burden, suggesting potential utility as dietary monitoring tools. However, systematic underestimation of large portions and high variability in macronutrient estimation indicate these general-purpose LLMs are not yet suitable for precise dietary assessment in clinical or athletic populations where accurate quantification is critical.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10756,"journal":{"name":"Current Developments in Nutrition","volume":"9 10","pages":"Article 107556"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Impact of Maternal Supplementation of Fish Oil and/or Probiotics During Pregnancy on the Serum Metabolomic Profile From Infancy to Childhood: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial","authors":"Veera Houttu , Dattatray Mongad , Noora Houttu , Lotta Saros , Chunpeng Zhang , Jenni Viitaharju , Tero Vahlberg , Leo Lahti , Kirsi Laitinen","doi":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107553","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107553","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Supplementation with probiotics and fish oil may modify circulating serum metabolites, but the extent to which their impacts can be transferred from mother to child is unknown.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To investigate the impact of perinatal exposure to fish oil and/or probiotics on serum metabolomic profile in early childhood.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Children (<em>n</em> = 300) of pregnant females receiving fish oil+placebo, probiotics+placebo, fish oil+probiotics, or placebo+placebo [fish oil: 1.9-g docosahexaenoic acid and 0.2-g eicosapentaenoic acid; probiotics: <em>Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus</em> HN001 and <em>Bifidobacterium animalis</em> subsp. <em>lactis</em> 420] from early pregnancy to 6-mo postpartum were observed until 5–6 y of age. Serum metabolomic profiles were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics. The intervention’s impact on the overall metabolomic profile was assessed using permutation analysis of variance with multi-omics factor analysis utilized to infer latent factors that capture main sources of variability within each group, followed by a univariate comparison between the intervention groups at each age. The time effect was analyzed using a mixed model.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We observed significant differences in the concentrations of fatty acids and lipoproteins at 6 months across the intervention groups (false discovery rate < 0.05). The main effects included higher serum concentration of docosahexaenoic acid and n–3 fatty acids, a higher ratio of n–3/n–6 fatty acids in fish oil+placebo and fish oil+probiotics groups compared with placebo+placebo, along with higher concentrations of lipids and cholesterol derivatives in very large high-density lipoproteins. At 6 mo, there were no significant differences in these metabolites for the probiotics+placebo group compared to placebo+placebo. At 1, 2, and 5–6 y, a total of 24 metabolites were affected by the intervention (non-significant after multiple correction).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Maternal intervention with fish oil alone and in combination with probiotics induces alterations in the metabolic profile at 6 mo of age, as demonstrated by increased circulating n–3 fatty acids and lipids in high-density lipoproteins.</div></div><div><h3>Clinical Trial Registry number</h3><div>NCT01922791 (<span><span>https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01922791</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10756,"journal":{"name":"Current Developments in Nutrition","volume":"9 10","pages":"Article 107553"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145263397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Energy Underreporting in Low-Calorie and Carbohydrate-Restrictive Diets: Epidemiological Considerations","authors":"Maximilian Andreas Storz , Alvaro Luis Ronco","doi":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107557","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107557","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Inaccurate energy intake assessments and dietary underreporting are important barriers to assess reliable health correlates of food consumption in nutritional epidemiology. Studies that do not account for this phenomenon may result in spurious diet–health associations. Whether underreporting occurs more frequently with special diets remains subject to investigation.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aimed to test the hypothesis whether low-calorie and carbohydrate-restrictive diets were associated with increased odds for energy intake underreporting and investigate whether a lower carbohydrate intake (in %/total energy intake) was associated with a higher discrepancy between self-reported energy intake and total energy expenditure.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study used a predictive equation derived from 6497 doubly labeled water measurements to detect erroneous self-reported energy intake in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES, 2009–2018). Weighted underreporting prevalence was compared among 3 groups, namely, the United States general population without a special diet, individuals who reported low-calorie diets, and individuals who reported carbohydrate-restrictive diets. Crude and multivariate logistic binomial regression models were built to examine associations between diet and energy intake underreporter status.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Data from 18,150 adult NHANES participants ≥20 y were analyzed. Underreporting occurred almost twice as often in participants reporting low-calorie diets [38.84% (CI: 34.87, 42.95)] and carbohydrate-restrictive diets [43.83% (CI: 33.02, 55.26)] as compared with the general population [22.89% (CI: 21.88, 23.93)]. Both diets were associated with significantly higher odds for underreporting even after an adjustment for sociodemographic factors [odds ratio (OR): 2.32; CI: 1.93, 2.79 and OR: 2.86; CI: 1.85, 4.42, respectively]. Subanalyses in participants denying any weight loss intention/with stable weight revealed a comparable picture. The lowest level of agreement between total energy expenditure and self-reported energy intake was found in carbohydrate-restrictive diets.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our findings have far-reaching implications, especially with regard to studies that associated carbohydrate restriction or low-calorie diets with favorable health outcomes while not accounting for the herein-suggested phenomena.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10756,"journal":{"name":"Current Developments in Nutrition","volume":"9 10","pages":"Article 107557"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145263394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An Updated Definition of “Healthy” Foods in the United States: How Do They Measure in Nutrient Density, Cost, and Frequency of Consumption?","authors":"Kayla Hooker, Namrata Sanjeevi, Pablo Monsivais","doi":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107545","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107545","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>In 2024, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized an update to the definition of the term “healthy” as used on food labels, to align with current dietary guidelines. A holistic understanding of food choice is vital for socially- and economically-conscious food programs and policies.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study applied the new “healthy” criteria to a nationally-representative database of foods and beverages and compared qualifying items to those that failed to qualify, in terms of nutrient density, monetary cost, and frequency of consumption.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Nutrient profile scores based on the Nutrient Rich Foods Index 9.3 model and weighted frequency of consumption data from the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies were linked to data for monetary cost, based on national food prices.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The analysis included 3062 foods and beverages in 12 food groups, of which 14% qualified as “healthy.” Many foods did not qualify due to excess sodium and saturated fat. Overall, qualifying foods and beverages had a higher median nutrient density and frequency of consumption (<em>P</em> < 0.001) and lower median cost per serving (<em>P</em> < 0.001) compared with items that failed to qualify. Among food groups, qualifying plant protein foods, consisting primarily of nuts and seeds, were significantly lower in nutrient density and more expensive than not qualifying plant proteins. Qualifying mixed dishes were also significantly more costly than those that failed to qualify.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Foods and beverages that would qualify as “healthy” under new FDA criteria were more nutrient dense. Overall, qualifying items may be less expensive and consumed more frequently than not qualifying items, although results differed for individual food groups. To increase the availability of foods and beverages qualifying as “healthy,” industry reformulation of packaged and processed nutrient-dense foods should be considered to reduce the addition of sodium, sugar, and saturated fat.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10756,"journal":{"name":"Current Developments in Nutrition","volume":"9 10","pages":"Article 107545"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seth W Rather , Parker S Lawson , Jorin D Larsen , Dalton L Braathen , Jacob G Mabey , James D LeCheminant , Ted D Adams , Steven C Hunt , Lance E Davidson
{"title":"Comparison of Resting Energy Expenditure Prediction Equations and Indirect Calorimetry Among Adults with Severe Obesity","authors":"Seth W Rather , Parker S Lawson , Jorin D Larsen , Dalton L Braathen , Jacob G Mabey , James D LeCheminant , Ted D Adams , Steven C Hunt , Lance E Davidson","doi":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107538","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107538","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Proper estimations of resting energy expenditure (REE) are important for developing weight management strategies, but it is unclear which prediction equations best estimate REE for those with severe obesity.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This validation study tested 11 previously validated REE prediction equations to determine which equations estimate REE with the least bias and most precision in participants with severe obesity.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>REE was measured by indirect calorimetry in 632 females and 148 males with severe obesity from the Utah Obesity Study. A literature search was conducted to identify prediction equations designed from, validated, or commonly used in samples with severe obesity. All equations were tested on each participant. Equations were considered unbiased if mean predicted REE did not differ significantly (<em>P</em> > 0.05) from measured values. Bland–Altman plots characterized bias across measured REE values for prediction equations consistent with measured values. Precision was the percentage of the sample where an equation estimate was within 10% of the measured REE. Equations were further assessed within sex and body mass index subgroups.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Only the body weight-based Lazzer equations (Lazzer A) and the Horie–Waitzberg equation generated unbiased predictions across all subgroups, with bias values ranging from −68.1 to 71.6 kcal, yet Bland–Altman plots revealed systematic bias, particularly at extreme values of REE. Equations including body composition did not predict better than body weight-based equations, and no single equation predicted best in every subgroup. Precision measurements never rose above 67.8%.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Clinicians may benefit from tailoring their choice of REE prediction equation to the specific characteristics of each patient, favoring equations with lower bias and greater precision within relevant subgroups. However, because of the low precision of REE prediction equations and the systematic bias revealed at REE extremes, it is highly recommended to measure REE whenever possible.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10756,"journal":{"name":"Current Developments in Nutrition","volume":"9 10","pages":"Article 107538"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amanda B Zeitlin , Catherine P Ward , Alma Oralia Minerva Cooper , Matthew J Landry , Andrea M Krenek , Lindsay R Durand , Kristen M Cunanan , Jennifer L Robinson , Christopher C Dant , Christopher D Gardner
{"title":"Diet Quality and Comparison of Plant-Based Versus Omnivore Diets in Identical Twins: A Secondary Analysis of the Twins Nutrition Study (TwiNS)","authors":"Amanda B Zeitlin , Catherine P Ward , Alma Oralia Minerva Cooper , Matthew J Landry , Andrea M Krenek , Lindsay R Durand , Kristen M Cunanan , Jennifer L Robinson , Christopher C Dant , Christopher D Gardner","doi":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107549","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107549","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Omnivorous, vegan, and other diet patterns contain combinations of healthy and less-healthy foods. One aspect of equipoise in designing nutrition intervention studies is to emphasize high diet quality for all dietary patterns being contrasted.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This secondary analysis of an 8-wk long study was designed to qualitatively examine the alignment of participant diet assessment data with the original study design goal of achieving adherence to study diets that were both healthy and yet meaningfully different from one another.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this diet intervention, 22 pairs of identical twins were randomly assigned to a vegan or omnivorous diet and to consume either delivery-service meals (weeks 0–4) or prepare their own diet-appropriate meals/snacks (weeks 4–8). Data from 24-h dietary recalls at weeks 0, 4, and 8 were used to compare changes in intake of select food groups and nutrients. Linear mixed modeling evaluated changes in Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI) scores at weeks 4 and 8 compared with baseline, accounting for repeated measurements.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Both groups showed significant increase in their HEI scores during the study. Relative to baseline, mean changes in HEI total scores increased at 4 wk for both vegans (14.2) and omnivores (9.0), and these increases were largely maintained at 8 wk for both vegans (12.0) and omnivores (7.9). Healthy aspects similar for both groups included more vegetables and less added sugars. Differentiating factors included more legumes and fiber for vegans and more cholesterol and vitamin B-12 for omnivores.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In this secondary analysis of a diet intervention trial, it is demonstrated that both the vegan and omnivore groups improved their diet quality during the study, while at the same time achieving substantive differences between the 2 groups in key nutrients/food groups. This allowed us to meaningfully contrast healthy versions of the 2 diets for their effects on previously reported health end points.</div><div>This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT05297825.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10756,"journal":{"name":"Current Developments in Nutrition","volume":"9 10","pages":"Article 107549"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kaiyin Cui , Jiabao Zhang , Huiting Wei , Yifu Meng , Changshuo Li , Ruizhe Liao , Jiajie Miao , Hao Su
{"title":"Effects of 8-Week High-Intensity Interval Training Intervention Regulating the SIRT1/PGC1α Pathway on Hippocampal Neuron Injury and Cognitive Impairment in Obese Rats","authors":"Kaiyin Cui , Jiabao Zhang , Huiting Wei , Yifu Meng , Changshuo Li , Ruizhe Liao , Jiajie Miao , Hao Su","doi":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107548","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107548","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Obesity can causes changes in cognitive function, leading to cognitive impairment (CI).</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aimed to explore the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on hippocampal neuronal damage, cognitive function, and the SIRT1/PGC1α pathway in obese rats and provide a theoretical basis for HIIT intervention in improving CI caused by obesity.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Rats with successful obesity modeling and rats of the same age were randomly divided into a normal quiet group (CSG, <em>n</em> = 10), regular exercise group (CEG, <em>n</em> = 10), high-fat quiet group (HSG, <em>n</em> = 10), and high-fat exercise group (HEG, <em>n</em> = 10). Rats in the exercise group underwent an 8-week (8-wk) HIIT training. Subsequently, behavioral testing and sampling indicator testing were conducted.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Compared with the normal quiet group, the exercise group showed a significant decrease in body weight and Lee index, whereas the obesity group showed a significant increase. The Morris water maze experiment showed that compared with the CSG, the HSG had a longer latency period and a reduced number of platform crossings. The latency period of the CEG was shortened, and the frequency increased. Compared with the HSG, the HEG had a shorter latency period and an increase in frequency. Organizational staining showed that the HSG had reduced neuron number, deepened staining, chaotic arrangement, and Nissl body lysis in the hippocampal CA1 region, whereas HIIT improved these pathological changes. RT-qPCR showed obesity reduces the mRNA level of <em>Sirt1</em> gene in hippocampal tissue, whereas exercise increases it. Western blot analysis showed exercise and obesity independently regulate the SIRT1/PGC1α pathway: exercise upregulates its expression, whereas obesity downregulates its expression.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>An 8-wk HIIT can reduce hippocampal neuronal damage and CI in obese rats, and the specific mechanism may improve neuronal pathological damage and restore cognitive function by activating the SIRT1/PGC1α pathway.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10756,"journal":{"name":"Current Developments in Nutrition","volume":"9 10","pages":"Article 107548"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145263395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marilyn E Scott , Dorian Irwin Kristmanson , Eduardo Ortega-Barria , Kristine G Koski
{"title":"Unbalanced Macronutrient Intakes, Multiple Micronutrient Inadequacies, and Diarrhea Underscore Low-Height-for-Age in Indigenous Panamanian Preschool Children","authors":"Marilyn E Scott , Dorian Irwin Kristmanson , Eduardo Ortega-Barria , Kristine G Koski","doi":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107547","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107547","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>In remote indigenous Panamanian subsistence farming communities, poor diet, diarrhea, and <em>Ascaris</em> may have seasonally distinct contributions to high rates of stunting in preschool children.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study explored the relative contributions of food, nutrient intakes, and infections (diarrhea and intestinal nematodes) to height-for-age <em>z</em>-scores (HAZ) during a dry and rainy season in Panama’s Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This prospective community-based study collected sociodemographic and health data from 328, 12‒59-mo-old children in both the dry and rainy seasons. Diets were assessed in nonbreastfeeding children using a food frequency questionnaire and a 24-h recall during both seasons. Bivariate comparisons between stunted and nonstunted children and between the dry and rainy seasons were conducted. Stepwise linear regression models identified associations of sociodemographic status, infections, food groups, and estimated nutrient intakes with HAZ.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The diet characterized as low fat, high sugar was deficient in micronutrients. Food and nutrient intakes were lower in the rainy than the dry season (<em>P</em> < 0.05), and stunted children had fewer servings of dairy than nonstunted children (<em>P</em> < 0.05). The incidence of diarrhea was higher in the rainy season (<em>P</em> < 0.05). Determinants of HAZ differed between dry and rainy seasons. In dry season models (<em>P</em> < 0.0001), HAZ was positively associated with income and fat intake and negatively associated with total sugar intake. In contrast, rainy season models (<em>P</em> < 0.0001) revealed that servings of grains/cereals and fat were positively associated with HAZ, and fruit and total sugar intake and diarrhea were negatively associated with HAZ.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The multifactorial nature of linear growth faltering in these preschool children differed by season. The negative impact of diarrhea emerged only in the rainy season, but the negative impact of sugar intake and the positive impact of fat intake emerged in both seasons.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10756,"journal":{"name":"Current Developments in Nutrition","volume":"9 10","pages":"Article 107547"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rebecca J Solch-Ottaiano , Colin Harper , Madison Prats , Elizabeth B Engler-Chiurazzi , Blake Ouvrier , Saifudeen Ismael , Gregory Bix , Demetrius M Maraganore
{"title":"Comparing Mediterranean and Western Diets: Cognitive and Microbiota Effects in Middle-Aged Rats","authors":"Rebecca J Solch-Ottaiano , Colin Harper , Madison Prats , Elizabeth B Engler-Chiurazzi , Blake Ouvrier , Saifudeen Ismael , Gregory Bix , Demetrius M Maraganore","doi":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107543","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107543","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>As the global population continues to age, cognitive decline has emerged as a major area of concern. Modifiable lifestyle factors, such as diet, have been associated with the trajectory of brain aging. Dietary patterns such as the Western diet (WD) have been linked to cognitive decline, whereas a Mediterranean diet (MeDi) promotes healthy brain aging.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aimed to compare the effects of MeDi and WD on gut microbiota and cognitive health in middle-aged rats. Our hypothesis was that the MeDi, when introduced to middle-aged rats, would maintain cognitive health and produce a distinct gut microbiota composition relative to a WD.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Twelve-month-old male Fischer344 rats were randomly assigned to MeDi, WD, or chow (<em>n</em> = 10/group). After 12 wk, fecal samples were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess microbial composition. Animals completed the following neurobehavioral assessments, including Y-maze, Morris Water Maze, and Radial Arm Water Maze. At the end of the study, the hippocampus was analyzed for gene and protein expression related to barrier integrity, glial cell activity, and neuroplasticity.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>There were trending differences in cognitive function in MeDi rats relative to WD rats. Rats exhibited distinct diet-dependent microbial phenotypes with 28 differentially abundant bacteria, including <em>Blautia</em>, <em>Clostridia</em> UCG-014, <em>Clostridium innocuum</em> group, <em>Faecalibacterium</em>, and <em>Bifidobacterium</em>. This was accompanied by changes in hippocampal gene expression of glial cell activity, including glial fibrillary acidic protein, ionized calcium binding protein, and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2. Blood–brain barrier integrity and neuroplasticity were maintained during the short-term dietary intervention.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>A longer diet duration may be needed to elicit robust differences in cognitive function driven by the changes in microbiota and neurobiology. This study highlights that a short-term diet introduced in middle age has trending effects on cognitive performance but significantly impacts gut microbiota composition and gene expression of biomarkers of brain health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10756,"journal":{"name":"Current Developments in Nutrition","volume":"9 10","pages":"Article 107543"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sara E Vandersip , Lindsey Smith Taillie , Anna H Grummon , Carmen E Prestemon , Alexandria E Reimold
{"title":"Food Waste among Young Adults: Behaviors, Barriers, and Opportunities for Intervention","authors":"Sara E Vandersip , Lindsey Smith Taillie , Anna H Grummon , Carmen E Prestemon , Alexandria E Reimold","doi":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107541","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107541","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Reducing food waste is critical for protecting planetary and human health. Given that young adulthood is often a formative period for learning food management skills, young adults are a key demographic to study to better understand and intervene on food waste-related behaviors.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To describe food waste behaviors and barriers to reducing food waste among young adults.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional online survey with a convenience sample (<em>n</em> = 2132) of United States young adults was conducted between November 2023 and December 2023. The survey measured self-reported food waste, difficulty reducing food waste, food waste-related behaviors, perceptions, intentions, and sociodemographic characteristics using items adapted from previous studies. Logistic regression was used to examine correlates of food waste.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Roughly 1-quarter (26%) of participants reported high food waste (≥30% of food wasted). Three-quarters of participants (77%) reported concern with food waste, and half (45%) reported being likely to reduce their food waste in the next 30 days. Non-Hispanic Black participants reported higher food waste than non-Hispanic White participants, whereas participants meeting financial needs with a little left over reported less food waste than those reporting comfortable financial situations (all <em>P</em> < 0.05). Barriers to reducing food waste included the inability to save food for later (25%), limited motivation to avoid food waste (18%), and not knowing how to avoid food waste (17%).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Food waste varied by race and perceived financial situation. Barriers to reducing food waste could be addressed with environmental interventions that make it easier to save food for later and educational campaigns on why and how to reduce food waste.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10756,"journal":{"name":"Current Developments in Nutrition","volume":"9 10","pages":"Article 107541"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145263392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}