Nutrients最新文献

{"title":"Fit-Ideal Internalisation and Disordered Eating in Adolescent Girls: Psychometric Evaluation and Incremental Validity of the Fit Internalization Test.","authors":"Migle Baceviciene, Vaiva Balciuniene, Rasa Jankauskiene","doi":"10.3390/nu18193248","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu18193248","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The present study aimed to validate the Lithuanian translation of the Fit Ideal Internalization Test (FIIT) in adolescent girls.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 1067 girls (mean age = 17.27, SD = 0.61; age range = 15-19 years) participated in the study. FIIT, muscular ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction (BD), disordered eating (DE), body appreciation (BA), and exercise motivation were assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Exploratory factor analysis (<i>n</i> = 534) replicated the original three-factor structure, explaining 74.43% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (<i>n</i> = 533) supported the three-factor model, with strong factor loadings. Composite reliability was excellent (McDonald's ω = 0.919-0.969). Measurement invariance was established across sport participation groups, and sport-involved girls reported higher Fit Drive, Fit Overvaluation, and FIIT total scores than non-sport-involved girls. All FIIT subscales were positively associated with muscular internalization, BD, and DE and negatively associated with BA, while Fit Idealisation and Fit Overvaluation showed weak negative associations with autonomous exercise motivation, consistent with the hypothesised pattern of associations. The FIIT explained significant additional variance in DE beyond body mass index, BD, and muscular ideal internalization, with Fit Idealisation showing the strongest unique association (β = 0.401, <i>p</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Lithuanian FIIT appears to be a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing fit ideal internalization among Lithuanian adolescent girls.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"18 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13666705/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149195716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Small-Nerve Fibre Pathology in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Is Associated with Liver Fat/Inflammation and Improves with Weight Loss.","authors":"Alex E Henney, Azlinda Hamid, Jamie Burgess, David R Riley, Barbara Fielding, Anne Marshall, Khansa Makawi, Abdel-Naser Elzouki, Einas Elgassim, Graham J Kemp, Rayaz A Malik, Uazman Alam, Daniel J Cuthbertson","doi":"10.3390/nu18193242","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu18193242","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is associated with multiple extrahepatic complications, but its relationship with peripheral neuropathy, even without co-existing type 2 diabetes (T2D), remains poorly understood. Furthermore, to what extent addressing liver and metabolic health would be associated with improvements in small nerve fibre morphology (that mediate neuropathy) is unknown. We investigated the relationship between liver health and small nerve fibre morphology in adults with MASLD before and after diet-induced weight loss and improvements in liver health. <b>Methods:</b> Adults with MASLD (n = 12) and controls without MASLD or T2D (n = 16) underwent anthropometry, biochemistry, transient elastography (TE) and corneal confocal microscopy (CCM). Participants with MASLD then completed a 12-week low-calorie diet (LCD; Counterweight-Plus, ~850 kcal/day) with repeat assessments including multi-organ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). TE quantified hepatic steatosis (controlled attenuation parameter, CAP), while MRI measured hepatic and pancreatic fat (proton density fat fraction, PDFF) and fibroinflammation (iron-corrected T1, cT1). Neuropathy was assessed using validated questionnaires and CCM-derived corneal nerve fibre density (CNFD), branch density (CNBD) and fibre length (CNFL). The primary outcome measure was change in liver PDFF. Associations between hepatic and neuropathy measures were assessed using correlation and multivariable linear regression. <b>Results:</b> Compared with controls, MASLD participants had higher liver fat and metabolic dysfunction, with reduced CNFD (25.7 vs. 28.4 fibres/mm², <i>p</i> = 0.03) and CNFL (14.1 vs. 17.1 mm/mm², <i>p</i> = 0.02). In multivariable regression, TE-derived CAP was independently associated with CNFD (β -0.03 (95% CI -0.06, -0.01), <i>p</i> < 0.05), while total cholesterol was associated with CNFL (β -1.54 (95% CI -2.81, -0.27), <i>p</i> < 0.02). After LCD, participants lost 12.5 kg with reductions in metabolic syndrome components (<i>p</i> = 0.04) and liver fat (ΔPDFF -5.0%, <i>p</i> = 0.03). Neuropathic symptoms improved and CNFD increased (+1.87 fibres/mm², <i>p</i> = 0.05). Reduction in liver fat correlated with increased CNFL (r = -0.63, <i>p</i> = 0.03), while change in hepatic fibroinflammation (ΔcT1) correlated with neuropathy disability (r = 0.62, <i>p</i> = 0.04) and small-fibre symptom scores (r = 0.47, <i>p</i> = 0.05). <b>Conclusions:</b> These exploratory findings suggest that MASLD, even without T2D, may be associated with small nerve fibre abnormalities and neuropathic symptoms. Diet-induced weight loss improved liver, metabolic and neural health in parallel. Larger prospective confirmatory studies are required to more precisely establish this relationship both at baseline and with interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"18 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13666698/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149195663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Target Versus Modified-Standard Fortification of Human Milk and Growth of Very Low Birth Weight Infants: A Double-Blind Randomized Trial.","authors":"Corinna M Gebauer, Rudolf G Ascherl, Nadine Stamm, Julia Wiegand, Marina Stopsack, Annett Blaeser, Niels Rochow, Christoph Fusch, Walter A Mihatsch, Ulrich H Thome","doi":"10.3390/nu18193241","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu18193241","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives:</b> Individualized (\"target\") fortification of human milk is promoted to improve growth and subsequent neurodevelopment in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, because standard fortifiers may not provide sufficient protein given the considerable intra- and interindividual variability of human-milk composition. We compared modified-standard fortification (MSF), an optimized high-protein standard regimen, with high-protein target fortification (TFO). <b>Methods:</b> In a single-center, double-blind randomized trial, VLBW infants (24 + 0 - 31 + 6 weeks) receiving 100 mL/kg/d of standard fortified human milk were randomized to MSF (protein and medium-chain triglycerides added to standard fortifier) or TFO until 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA). The primary outcome was weight-gain velocity from randomization to 36 weeks PMA; the trial was powered to detect a difference of 0.666 standard deviations. <b>Results:</b> Weight-gain velocity did not differ between the groups (MSF <i>n</i> = 54, TFO <i>n</i> = 52; MSF - TFO - 0.18 g/kg/d, 95% CI -1.02 to +0.67, <i>p</i> = 0.68), nor did anthropometry, z-scores, skinfold thickness or cranial widths at 36 weeks PMA, or Bayley-III scores at 24 months. <b>Conclusions:</b> Compared with optimized high-protein standard fortification, high-protein target fortification did not improve growth or neurodevelopmental outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"18 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13667121/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149195855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Blueberry and Collard Greens Dietary Intervention on Metabolic and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Zucker Obese Rats.","authors":"Jacqueline A Yeboah, Chastity N Bradford, Norma L Dawkins","doi":"10.3390/nu18193246","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu18193246","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives:</b> Obesity is a global health challenge associated with metabolic and inflammatory health outcomes. Dietary interventions such as phytochemical-rich foods may offer a sustainable and cost-effective approach to improving health outcomes associated with obesity. This study evaluated the effects of diets containing 4% blueberry powder and extracts, and 4% collard greens powder and extracts, and a combination of 2% blueberry and 2% collard greens on metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers in obese Zucker rats. <b>Methods</b>: Fifty-six male rats were randomly assigned to seven treatment groups (<i>n</i> = 8), including five diet treatment groups, an AIN- 93 control group, and an Ozempic^® (semaglutide)-treated group. Body weight, feed intake, plasma glucose, lipid profile, and inflammatory biomarkers were assessed following an 8-week dietary intervention. <b>Results</b>: A high mortality rate was observed in the Ozempic^® (semaglutide)-treated group, with five out of eight rats dying during the third week of intervention. The semaglutide-treated group showed the greatest reductions in fasting plasma glucose concentrations. Diets supplemented with blueberry and collard greens significantly increased HDL cholesterol and reduced LDL cholesterol concentrations compared with the control group, while also improving selected inflammatory biomarkers. The collard green extract group had the lowest IL-6 concentration (34.65 ± 3.90 pg/mL) compared with the control group (339.57 ± 185.65 pg/mL) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). <b>Conclusions</b>: Overall, blueberries and collard greens consumption improved dyslipidemia and inflammation in obese Zucker rats. These preliminary findings suggest that phytochemical-rich fruits and vegetables may provide a cost-effective dietary strategy for improving metabolic and inflammatory outcomes associated with obesity.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"18 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13666909/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149195537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Longitudinal Changes in Left Ventricular Structure and Function During a Dietary Weight-Management Trial in Adults with Heart Failure, Type 2 Diabetes, and Obesity: A Secondary Analysis of Pro-HEART.","authors":"Lorraine S Evangelista, Rebecca Meraz, Alona D Angosta, Angelina P Nguyen, Kelly L Wierenga, Jennifer Kawi, Michele A Hamilton, Gregg C Fonarow","doi":"10.3390/nu18193238","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu18193238","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Obesity is associated with adverse cardiac remodeling in heart failure (HF), but changes during dietary weight management are not well described. We examined longitudinal changes in left ventricular (LV) structure and systolic function during a dietary weight-management intervention. <b>Methods:</b> Pro-HEART participants were randomized to high-protein or standard-protein hypocaloric diets. LV end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD), ejection fraction (LVEF), and posterior wall thickness (LVPWT) were assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 15 months. Linear mixed-effects models tested time and diet effects. <b>Results</b>: At 15 months, LVEDD data were available for 31 of 92 participants (33.7%). Achieved protein intake was similar between randomized groups. Among 92 participants, LVEDD changed significantly over time (F(2, 51.20) = 7.45, <i>p</i> = 0.001), with model-estimated mean LVEDD decreasing from 59.00 mm at baseline to 54.56 mm at 15 months. LVEDD decreased from 3 to 15 months (-4.42 mm; 95% CI, -7.52 to -1.33; nominal <i>p</i> = 0.006; Holm-adjusted <i>p</i> = 0.012) and from baseline to 15 months (-4.44 mm; 95% CI, -6.86 to -2.02; nominal <i>p</i> < 0.001; Holm-adjusted <i>p</i> = 0.002). LVEF did not change significantly over time (overall <i>p</i> = 0.074); an exploratory baseline-to-15-month contrast was +4.11 percentage points (95% CI, 0.55-7.67; Holm-adjusted <i>p</i> = 0.072). LVPWT did not change significantly, and no diet group × time interactions were observed. <b>Conclusions:</b> LVEDD was lower at longer-term follow-up. LVEF did not change significantly over time, although an exploratory baseline-to-15-month contrast suggested an increase. Because both groups received hypocaloric diets, there was no non-dietary control group, and longitudinal HF medication data were unavailable, the observed cardiac changes cannot be attributed specifically to weight loss or the dietary intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"18 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13667116/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149195878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations of Dietary Patterns, Daily Nutrient Intakes, and Food-Group Intakes with Hyperglycemia in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy.","authors":"Kyung Hee Lim, Jiyeong Kim","doi":"10.3390/nu18193249","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu18193249","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives:</b> Hyperglycemia can compromise anticancer treatment, leading to treatment delay or discontinuation. Identifying factors associated with hyperglycemia is therefore important. We aimed to examine associations between hyperglycemia and dietary patterns, food-group and nutrient intakes, and clinical and behavioral factors in patients undergoing chemotherapy. <b>Methods:</b> This cross-sectional survey assessed 176 patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy at a university hospital in South Korea. Data were collected from April 2024 to March 2025 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square or Fisher's exact tests, t-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests, and logistic regression. <b>Results:</b> Hyperglycemia was observed in 26.7% of participants. In adjusted analyses, the Korean side-dish dietary pattern (odds ratio [OR] = 0.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.14-0.65, per 1 standard deviation increase in the pattern score), higher physical activity (highly active: OR = 0.06, 95% CI 0.01-0.31, active: OR = 0.13, 95% CI 0.04-0.40), and higher serum albumin levels (OR = 0.17, 95% CI 0.03-0.89) were associated with lower odds of hyperglycemia. Higher intakes of oils/fats, vegetables, eggs, and seaweed were associated with lower odds, whereas higher grain intake was associated with higher odds. All these associations remained significant after false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Because no individual nutrient remained significantly associated with hyperglycemia after FDR correction, nutrient-level findings were considered exploratory. <b>Conclusions:</b> Hyperglycemia was associated with the Korean side-dish dietary pattern, several food-group intakes, physical activity, and serum albumin. Given the observational design, these findings indicate associations rather than causal effects and warrant confirmation in prospective studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"18 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13666821/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149195354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Hypothesis Linking Early-Life Adversity to Altered Synaptic Connectivity Through Disrupted Gut Microbiome-Microglia Communication.","authors":"Tulasi Pasam, Christian Bowers, Sahabuddin Ahmed, Arie Kaffman","doi":"10.3390/nu18193237","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu18193237","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Childhood adversity is a major risk factor for the development of numerous psychiatric and medical disorders later in life. Individuals exposed to early adversity also tend to experience more severe, treatment-resistant, and highly comorbid conditions, suggesting that childhood adversity represents a distinct pathophysiological entity requiring specialized diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. However, the biological mechanisms underlying these diverse long-term outcomes remain poorly understood. Recent studies have implicated disruptions of the gut-immune-brain axis and persistent low-grade inflammation in mediating the long-term consequences of childhood adversity. Here, we propose a complementary and novel, but still speculative, hypothesis that shifts the focus away from chronic low-grade neuroinflammation and instead emphasizes the direct crosstalk between the gut microbiome and glia-mediated synaptic pruning during critical periods of brain development. Specifically, we hypothesize that alterations in microbiome-derived signals disrupt the normal maturation and function of glial cells, leading to aberrant synaptic pruning, long-lasting changes in neural circuit connectivity, and persistent deficits in cognition and emotional regulation. Although several lines of evidence are consistent with individual components of this model, direct evidence linking these processes into a causal pathway is currently limited. We therefore discuss the experimental findings that provide a rationale for this hypothesis, identify important gaps in the current literature, and propose specific experimental strategies to rigorously test its central predictions. If validated, this framework could transform our understanding of how childhood adversity becomes biologically embedded and provide a foundation for the development of novel diagnostic biomarkers and targeted therapeutic interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"18 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13666702/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149195682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Self-Reported Awareness and Adherence to Recommendations for Dietary Fat Amongst Australian Adults Aged 18-45 Years: Potential Relevance to Cardiovascular Health.","authors":"Elmira Karimi, Barbara Brayner, Lewan Parker, Jenna McVicar, Michelle A Keske, Sian A O'Gorman, Kimberley L Way, Gunveen Kaur","doi":"10.3390/nu18193236","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu18193236","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In Australia, the National Health and Medical Research Council provides Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) and the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) to support public understanding of dietary fat intake and its role in cardiovascular as well as overall health. However, little is known about how effectively these recommendations reach and influence the public. This study examined self-reported awareness and beliefs related to dietary fats, with a particular focus on adherence to NRVs and ADG.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional online survey was conducted using Qualtrics among Australian adults aged 18-45 years. Data were analysed using Stata. A total of 132 participants were included in the analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The respondents were largely females (89%), 71% had a Bachelor's degree or higher level of education, 90% had some form of employment and 93% were non-smokers. More than half the respondents reported being unaware of Australian dietary fat recommendations. Only 7% agreed that they followed these recommendations, while 37% reported the guidelines were difficult to access and 24% expressed uncertainty about their accessibility. Although most participants considered saturated fats as detrimental and omega-3 polyunsaturated fats as beneficial for health, awareness and adherence to national dietary fat recommendations remained low. Social media was the most frequently reported source of nutrition information (20%), exceeding healthcare professionals (14%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Overall, this survey demonstrates low self-reported awareness and adherence to national dietary fat recommendations and a greater reliance on social media than health professionals for sourcing nutrition information in our study sample. Strategies to improve the accessibility, visibility and communication of dietary fat recommendations may enhance public understanding and may support dietary behaviours beneficial for good overall and cardiovascular health.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"18 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13666735/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149195966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes in Nutritional Status and Sport-Specific Performance During Ramadan in Adolescent Male Volleyball Players: A Prospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Eda Elif Delice, Gülgün Ersoy","doi":"10.3390/nu18193227","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu18193227","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives</b>: Many adolescent athletes fast during Ramadan, similar to adults. However, research on Ramadan fasting during adolescence, a critical period for growth and development, is insufficient. This study aimed to examine changes in nutritional status and sport-specific performance during Ramadan in adolescent volleyball players and to explore whether these changes differed by Ramadan fasting adherence. <b>Methods</b>: This prospective cohort study included 35 male adolescent volleyball players (age: 16.43 ± 1.29 years, height: 1.75 ± 0.07 m, training experience: 6.20 ± 2.13 years) who fasted during Ramadan. Energy and macronutrient intake, anthropometric measurements, and sport-specific performance tests were conducted before, during, and at the end of Ramadan, and biochemical parameters were measured before and at the end of Ramadan. <b>Results</b>: Fat intake decreased during and at the end of Ramadan (1.60 ± 0.16 and 1.52 ± 0.15 g/kg BW, respectively; <i>p</i> = 0.021). Energy and macronutrient intakes were generally consistent with recommended levels, whereas fluid intake remained relatively low (1.60 ± 0.11 L, 1.35 ± 0.09 L, 1.44 ± 0.10 L, respectively). Anthropometric measurements remained unchanged. Left-hand grip strength (<i>p</i> = 0.006), 20 m sprint performance (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and agility performance (<i>p</i> = 0.002) decreased over the study period. Significant group effects were observed for 5 m, 10 m, and 20 m sprint, SJ, and standing long jump performances according to fasting adherence. Chloride, urea, and the BUN/creatinine ratio increased at the end of Ramadan, whereas albumin and potassium remained unchanged. <b>Conclusions</b>: In adolescent male volleyball players, Ramadan fasting may be associated with changes in dietary intake, certain sport-specific performance measures, and biochemical parameters potentially related to hydration status.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"18 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13666602/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149195609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ultra-Processed Foods as a Cross-Cutting Driver of Health Inequities: Low- and Middle-Income Countries Across the Life-Course.","authors":"Lei Qian, Zimeng Cheng, Shiling Huang, Kailin Zhong, Bin Xue, Ankita Kumari, Abdul Rahaman","doi":"10.3390/nu18193235","DOIUrl":"10.3390/nu18193235","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have become a growing part of everyday diets worldwide and have been linked to obesity, non-communicable diseases, and adverse mental health outcomes. Yet their role in deepening nutritional and health inequalities across socioeconomic groups and different stages of life is still not fully addressed in policy discussions. Drawing on recent population-based studies, longitudinal surveys, and mechanistic evidence, this perspective examines how UPF consumption intersects with food insecurity, psychosocial distress, and neurodevelopmental health from pregnancy through adulthood. Evidence from the United States shows that adults experiencing food insecurity obtain a larger share of their daily energy from UPFs. At the same time, surveys from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) show that many infants and young children are already consuming sugar-sweetened beverages. Other observational studies have linked higher UPF intake with addictive-like eating behaviours and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, although these studies cannot yet prove causality. In many LMICs, ongoing dietary transitions are also contributing to a rapid increase in overweight and obesity among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, even while childhood stunting declines only slowly. Together, these findings suggest that UPF exposure is not only a dietary issue, but also a marker of wider social and nutritional vulnerability across the life-course. Breaking this cycle will require coordinated policy action, including stronger restrictions on unhealthy food marketing, front-of-package warning labels, better regulation of foods marketed to infants and young children, reforms to food-assistance programmes, and fiscal measures that make minimally processed foods more affordable and accessible.</p>","PeriodicalId":19486,"journal":{"name":"Nutrients","volume":"18 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13667011/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149196022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}