Journal of Nutritional Science最新文献

{"title":"How young adults in the United States understand and conceptualise ultra-processed foods.","authors":"Alexandra B Larcom, Ingrid E Lofgren, Matthew J Delmonico, Amanda Missimer, Kathleen J Melanson","doi":"10.1017/jns.2026.10090","DOIUrl":"10.1017/jns.2026.10090","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Consumer understanding of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is poor, and no consensus definition exists. This study examines how young adults in the United States (US) define UPF and their ability to differentiate UPF from non-UPF of varying nutritional quality (NQ). In a mixed-methods survey of young adults (18-39 years) living in the US for ≥1 year, respondents defined UPF, identified whether 24 foods were UPF or not using images with front and back of package information, and answered demographic questions. Foods were categorised using NOVA for processing and Food Compass for NQ. They included a high NQ non-UPF, low NQ non-UPF, high NQ UPF, and low NQ UPF item from six food groups: fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains, protein, and snacks/sweets. Concepts used to define UPF were reported as number of respondents mentioning each in their definition. A score of correct answers out of 24 was calculated. The sample of 422 adults, mean age 26.0±6.7 years, was predominantly white (82%), female (74%), and from the Northeast (82%). Thirty concepts were identified to define UPF. The top concepts were food containing additives, preservatives, colours/dyes, or natural or artificial flavours (<i>N</i> = 105), containing non-natural/artificial ingredients or food (<i>N</i> = 98), being highly processed/processed in multiple steps (<i>N</i> = 95), being altered, manipulated, or modified (<i>N</i> = 87), and having low nutritional value/nutrients removed (<i>N</i> = 75). The mean score was 16.0±3.6 (67%) foods. These results suggest limited consensus on how young adults define UPF. Studies in more diverse populations are needed, but consumers may benefit from a clear definition of UPF.</p>","PeriodicalId":47536,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutritional Science","volume":"15 ","pages":"e21"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13126058/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147822250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interaction between polygenic scores and dietary intake in relation to BMI in Canadian children.","authors":"Danick Goulet, Michel Boivin, Christopher A Gravel, Julian Little, Beth K Potter, Lise Dubois","doi":"10.1017/jns.2026.10086","DOIUrl":"10.1017/jns.2026.10086","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The effect of dietary intake on body weight may vary based on individual genetic differences. However, children are rarely used in such investigations. The aim was to identify possible genetic moderation through polygenic scores (PGS) for BMI, of the association between dietary intakes and BMI in children. The study sample included children who were part of a French-Canadian birth-cohort study. BMI data was available on seven occasions between ages 4 and 13 years. FFQ (juice and fruit drinks, sweets and snack foods, meats, and fruits and vegetables) and 24-h dietary recall (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, total energy) data were available up to 4 years. Linear mixed models were used to account for repeated BMI measurements. The consumption of juice and fruit drinks (in girls), sweets and snack foods, fruits and vegetables, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and total energy were associated with BMI. Associations with BMI increased with age (kg/m² per year) for fruits and vegetables (β: -0.03, 95%CI: -0.06;-0.01), lipids (β: 0.11, 95%CI: 0.01;0.22), carbohydrates (β: 0.05, 95%CI: 0.01;0.08), and total energy (β: 0.07, 95%CI: 0.02;0.12), and with higher values of a PGS (kg/m² per SD) for proteins (β: 0.54, 95%CI: 0.03;1.06), lipids (β: 0.63, 95%CI: 0.12;1.13), and total energy (β: 0.32, 95%CI: 0.06;0.58). Using longitudinal data, we showed that the associations between specific dietary intakes and BMI may vary depending on age and genetic susceptibility in childhood.</p>","PeriodicalId":47536,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutritional Science","volume":"15 ","pages":"e19"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13126072/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147822287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"'Do plant-based meats offer a steppingstone towards healthier choices? A cross-sectional audit of the UK market'.","authors":"Megan Grace Flint, Simon David Bowles, Jenny Paxman, Anthony Lynn","doi":"10.1017/jns.2026.10083","DOIUrl":"10.1017/jns.2026.10083","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Consumer enthusiasm in plant-based eating has resulted in the rapid expansion of plant-based meat (PBM) products. The extensive processing required to simulate meat warrants further investigation regarding PBMs nutritional quality and healthiness, particularly considering the health halo that has surrounded these products. An online audit of dominant UK supermarkets evaluated PBM (<i>n</i> = 209) against 'standard' (<i>n</i> = 2143) and 'reduced' (e.g. low fat) meat equivalents (<i>n</i> = 100), across eight product categories. This evaluation included NOVA categorisation, Nutritional Profiling Model (NPM) classification, on-pack claims, micronutrient content and product affordability. PBM products were typically more favourable than 'standard' meat equivalents for energy density, dietary fibre, total and saturated fat content. However, they contained significantly higher salt in most product categories. Differences between PBM and 'reduced' meat comparators were more nuanced. PBM products were significantly more expensive than 'standard' meat equivalents in four of the eight product categories (<i>p</i> < .05). Few PBM and zero meat-based products reported micronutrient information. While all PBM and most meat-based products were characterised as ultra-processed, PBM products demonstrated a lower ('healthier') NPM score compared to 'standard' meat equivalents across all product categories (<i>p</i> ≤ .001). Although no significant differences were detected between PBM and 'reduced' meat-based products, a greater proportion of PBM products were classified as 'healthier' according to NPM compared to 'standard' and 'reduced' meat equivalents. Thus PBM products may offer healthier alternatives with the potential to synergistically support public and planetary health. Future manufacturing practices should consider cost-effective fortification and reformulation strategies to improve nutritional quality and affordability of PBMs.</p>","PeriodicalId":47536,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutritional Science","volume":"15 ","pages":"e20"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13126074/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147822255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sodium content of packaged foods and beverages in Nigeria: a cross-sectional comparative study with WHO global sodium benchmarks, Kenya, and South Africa.","authors":"Adedayo E Ojo, Alexandra Jones, Kylie Howes, Vanessa Alfa, Anthony Orji, Oluwafemi A Stephen, Carla Pool, Alex Kibet, Fraser Taylor, Diederick E Grobbee, Bruce Neal, Mark D Huffman, Dike B Ojji, Sanne A E Peters","doi":"10.1017/jns.2025.10076","DOIUrl":"10.1017/jns.2025.10076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>High intake of processed foods, especially those with high sodium content, is a contributor to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to compare the sodium content of packaged foods and beverages in Nigeria to WHO Global Sodium Benchmarks and similar products in Kenya and South Africa. The study examined packaged foods from major retail stores in the capital cities of the Federal Capital Territory, Kano, and Ogun states in Nigeria from November 2020 to March 2021. Benchmark values were based on the 2021 WHO Global Sodium Benchmarks. We used secondary data from packaged food surveys conducted in South Africa (2015, 2016 and Kenya 2019). Approximately 40.0% (<i>n</i> = 36) of subcategories of packaged foods were captured in the WHO global sodium benchmark. Of these, 64.0% (<i>n</i> = 23) exceeded the benchmarks, including 'processed meat' (912.0 vs. 250.0 mg/100 g), cheese (776.0 vs. 190 mg/100 g), and 'wholegrain chips' (930.0 vs. 470 mg/100 g). Exactly 36.0% (<i>n</i> = 13) had lower sodium content, such as 'rice-based snacks' (113.0 vs. 520 mg/100 g) and 'dried seafood' (400 vs. 800 mg/100 g). In seven out of eleven main food categories (64%), Nigeria had a higher sodium content compared to Kenya. Similarly, Nigeria exhibited higher sodium content than South Africa in six out of eleven food categories (55.0%). With 64.0% of Nigerian subcategories exceeding WHO benchmarks and higher sodium levels than South Africa and Kenya in most categories. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted sodium reduction and product reformulation to align Nigeria's packaged foods with international benchmarks.</p>","PeriodicalId":47536,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutritional Science","volume":"15 ","pages":"e17"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13126064/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147822260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of maternal polyphenol intake on foetal neurodevelopment in rodent models: a narrative review.","authors":"Kyungseo Won, Martin Guerrero, Gabrielle Kowkabany, Rebecca Bloch, Eliana Pray, Kedar Rao, Elizabeth A Jonas, Yuping Bao, Han-A Park","doi":"10.1017/jns.2026.10082","DOIUrl":"10.1017/jns.2026.10082","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Maternal nutrition is critical for foetal brain development, and dietary polyphenolic compounds play an important role in mitigating oxidative stress, inflammation, and neurotoxic damage. This narrative review explored the potential promotion of brain development by polyphenols such as resveratrol, curcumin, quercetin, naringin, ferulic acid, genistein, and fisetin through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neurotrophic effects. The key molecular mechanisms are central to the advantageous actions of these polyphenols in the neurogenesis process. These compounds protect against neurodevelopmental challenges induced by maternal high-fat diet, immune activation, environmental toxins, and psychological stressors. However, their efficacy may depend on dosage, timing of administration, and maternal-foetal metabolic interactions, emphasising the need for personalised maternal nutrition strategies. Further research is needed to investigate the long-term effects and interactions of these compounds with other nutrients toward personalised maternal nutrition strategies. This narrative review presents the potential of polyphenols to support foetal brain health with an emphasis on their possible incorporation into maternal dietary interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":47536,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutritional Science","volume":"15 ","pages":"e18"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13126073/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147822276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Monocrotaline toxicity in rats: decreased lung retinol and elevated alpha-tocopherol levels in lung and liver.","authors":"Richard Carleton Baybutt, Vance La Baron Smith, Donovan Gabriel Kearns, Samuel Bryce Stafford","doi":"10.1017/jns.2026.10077","DOIUrl":"10.1017/jns.2026.10077","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Monocrotaline (MCT) induces lung injury and pulmonary hypertension (PH) by a mechanism that is in part due to oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to determine how MCT affected nutrient antioxidants retinol and alpha-tocopherol in a rat lung and liver. Rats were fed a purified diet (AIN-93G) one-week prior to a subcutaneous injection of MCT (60 mg/kg) and remained on the diet throughout the study. Three weeks after injection, the animals were euthanized, and the lungs and livers were analyzed for retinol, alpha-tocopherol, phospholipid (PL), and cholesterol content. Lung retinol concentrations were significantly lower in MCT-treated rats, 2.0 ± 1.2 (nmol/g lung) vs. vehicle control (VEH), 5.8 ± 1.4 (<i>P</i> < 0.01). However, liver retinol concentrations were not significantly different, 3.3 ± 1.3 vs. 2.5 ± 0.9 nmol/g liver. Alpha-tocopherol was significantly greater in MCT-treated rats in the lung, 145 ± 24 vs. 99 ± 13 nmol/g lung (<i>P</i> < 0.001), and liver, 107 ± 30 vs. 47.7 ± 4.8 nmol/g liver (<i>P</i> < 0.001). Phospholipid and cholesterol were significantly lower in the lung of the MCT-treated group, but not significantly different in the liver. In conclusion, retinol along with phospholipid, and cholesterol were decreased in the lungs whereas alpha-tocopherol was elevated in the lungs and liver in response to MCT. These findings along with others suggest a novel mechanistic link between MCT-induced oxidative stress, lung vitamin A depletion, inflammation and the impairment of alveolar cell proliferation and repair. Pulmonary retinol is important in the pathogenesis of MCT-induced lung injury.</p>","PeriodicalId":47536,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutritional Science","volume":"15 ","pages":"e16"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12926668/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147285973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CELEBRATE Feeding: Impacts of a responsive feeding behaviour change coaching intervention in child care settings.","authors":"Julie E Campbell, Misty Rossiter, Margaret Young, Sarah Caldwell, Olga Levin, Linda Mann, Stéphanie Ward Chiasson, Jessie-Lee D McIsaac","doi":"10.1017/jns.2026.10078","DOIUrl":"10.1017/jns.2026.10078","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Responsive feeding characterised by recognising and appropriately addressing children's hunger and satiety signals, plays a key role in health. Despite children's innate ability to self-regulate food intake, caregivers can override these cues, especially in child care settings. The study determined the effects of a 6-month coaching intervention on the responsive feeding environments of child care centres. CELEBRATE Feeding was a 6-month, coaching, pre-post intervention design conducted in eight child care centres across Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Canada. Child care centres' feeding environments and educator practices were observed using a modified Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation tool at baseline and follow-up in two rooms per centre (<i>n</i> = 16). Twenty-one responsive feeding components were scored from 0-3 (3 as best practice). The average centre scores were summed for an overall score ranging from 0-63 at each time point. Paired samples t-tests and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were conducted to assess the impact of the intervention on overall rooms' and individual responsive feeding components' scores. There was an increase in scores from baseline (<i>M</i> = 38.16, SD = 6.55) to follow-up (<i>M</i> = 45.75, SD = 5.87), <i>t</i> (15) = 4.91, <i>P</i> < 0.001. All but one score improved, where 3 of the 21 scores were significantly more responsive after the intervention after applying a Bonferroni correction (<i>P</i> < 0.002). The score with the greatest positive change was 'Educators provide gentle comments or nudges towards feeding', with a mean difference of 1.33, <i>P</i> < 0.001. The CELEBRATE Feeding coaching intervention was successful in improving responsive feeding practices and environments in child care settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":47536,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutritional Science","volume":"15 ","pages":"e15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12926667/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147285840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and validation of an educational comic book on healthy eating in early childhood.","authors":"Cristiano Carvalho Soares, Luciane Zanin, Marcelo Sperandio, Flávia Martão Flório","doi":"10.1017/jns.2025.10072","DOIUrl":"10.1017/jns.2025.10072","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objective of this study was to develop and validate an educational comic book designed to promote healthy eating among caregivers of young children. The study was conducted in four phases: (1) literature review and script development; (2) creation of the initial version of the comic book, including illustrations, layout and design, and calculation of the Flesch Readability Index (FI); (3) expert validation of the initial version and calculation of the Content Validity Index (CVI); and (4) adaptation of the comic book based on expert suggestions, recalculation of the FI, and pilot testing (CVI) with a lay population. A total of 64 volunteers participated in the validation process, including 14 expert judges and 50 caregivers responsible for feeding children aged 0 to 5 years. Statistical analysis included descriptive measures and inferential testing using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The FI score for the initial version was 85.0%, indicating a reading level classified as \"easy to understand.\" After expert evaluation, the CVI reached 94%, reflecting high agreement among participants. In the revised version, the FI remained high at 84.7%, reinforcing the \"easy to understand\" reading level, while the CVI increased to 98% following the pilot test, demonstrating strong consensus among participants. A significant improvement in knowledge regarding healthy eating was observed after reading the comic book (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The comic book was validated for appearance, content and readability, showing a positive impact on caregivers' knowledge about healthy eating practices. It represents an accessible and effective resource that can be integrated into community-based nutrition education programmes.</p>","PeriodicalId":47536,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutritional Science","volume":"15 ","pages":"e14"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12926666/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147285894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inclusion of stabilised rice bran in ready-to-use therapeutic food supports growth in Indonesian children with severe and moderate acute malnutrition: solutions to enhance health with alternative treatments (SEHAT), a double-blinded, randomised clinical trial.","authors":"Silvia Barbazza, Annika M Weber, Moretta D Fauzi, Asrinisa Rachmadewi, Ririh Zuhrina, Fildzah Putri, Maiza Campos Ponce, Marinka van der Hoeven, Sonia Fortin, Rimbawan Rimbawan, Zuraidah Nasution, Puspo Edi Giriwono, Frank T Wieringa, Damayanti D Soekarjo, Elizabeth P Ryan","doi":"10.1017/jns.2025.10074","DOIUrl":"10.1017/jns.2025.10074","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) are widely used to treat severe acute malnutrition (SAM) by improving key anthropometric outcomes; however, optimisation of RUTF formulations remains important to support sustained recovery. Rice bran, a novel nutrient-dense, prebiotic food ingredient, can support healthy growth. This two-arm, double-blinded, randomised controlled trial, compared the effectiveness of a locally produced RUTF with rice bran to the same RUTF without rice bran for the treatment of uncomplicated acute malnutrition in Jember, Indonesia. 200 children aged 6-59 months with SAM (WHZ < -3.0 and/or mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) < 115 mm or having bilateral pitting oedema +/++) or approaching SAM (WHZ < -2.5) were enrolled in the study. Primary outcomes were weight, MUAC, and anthropometric <i>z</i>-scores. Linear mixed models were applied across all ages, and split by age groups (6-23 months and 24-59 months) at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 for intention-to-treat (ITT) and per protocol analysis (PP). Children in two age groups were expected to respond differently to treatment based on their microbiome maturity. At week 4, the PP analysis revealed RUTF+rice bran treatment had significantly greater weight gain velocity (<i>p</i> = 0.02; <i>p</i> = 0.008) and MUAC velocity (<i>p</i> = 0.004, <i>p</i> = 0.03) when compared to RUTF at all ages and in the 24-59 months age group, respectively. There were no significant differences between treatment groups at time points in the other anthropometric outcomes. This investigation shows promising impact of stabilised rice bran as a prebiotic and nutrient-dense ingredient for inclusion into RUTFs that can improve child growth outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":47536,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutritional Science","volume":"15 ","pages":"e13"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12926669/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147285959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dietary magnesium intake and dementia risk in community-dwelling people aged 40-74 years: an 8-year cohort study.","authors":"Irina Bulycheva, Yumi Watanabe, Kaori Kitamura, Keiko Kabasawa, Toshiko Saito, Akemi Takahashi, Ryosaku Kobayashi, Rieko Oshiki, Ribeka Takachi, Shoichiro Tsugane, Osamu Yamazaki, Kei Watanabe, Kazutoshi Nakamura","doi":"10.1017/jns.2025.10075","DOIUrl":"10.1017/jns.2025.10075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dietary magnesium (Mg) is a potentially modifiable factor in preventing dementia, but current evidence supporting this remains insufficient and inconclusive. This study aimed to determine whether dietary Mg is associated with the risk of dementia among middle-aged and older people. Participants of this 8-year cohort study were 13,032 community-dwelling individuals aged 40-74 years. Dietary data were collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire in 2011-2013. Mg intake was adjusted for energy intake using the residual method. The outcome was newly diagnosed dementia determined using Japan's long-term care insurance database. Covariates included demographic characteristics, body size, lifestyles, and disease histories. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine adjusted hazard ratios (HRs). The mean age of participants was 59.0 years. Dementia occurred in 148 males and 138 females. Lower quartiles of energy-adjusted Mg intake were associated with a higher risk of dementia (<i>P</i> for trend = 0.0410) in males, with the lowest quartile (Q1) having an elevated risk of dementia (HR = 1.73, 95% CI:1.07-2.83) compared to the highest quartile (Q4, reference); however, this association was not found in females. In a subgroup analysis by disease history in males, the HR of Q1 was attenuated in both subgroups; HR was 1.52 (95% CI:0.74-3.11) in those with a disease history and 1.40 (95% CI:0.73-2.69) in those without. In conclusion, low dietary Mg intake is associated with increased dementia risk in middle-aged and older Japanese males. However, this association may be partly attributable to underlying disease history.</p>","PeriodicalId":47536,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nutritional Science","volume":"15 ","pages":"e12"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12854930/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146107932","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}