Special Issue

Recent studies suggest that systemic metabolic disorders may lead to cognitive impairment and potentially increase the risk of dementia onset. Specifically, lifestyle diseases an contribute to vascular cognitive impairment resulting from atherosclerosis. Moreover, other systemic metabolic factors, such as malnutrition, can also influence the risk of cognitive impairment. Based on the relationship between the brain and systemic metabolism, we utilized AI technology to assess the risk of dementia using health check-up data including basic blood data that did not include dementia-specific biomarkers. The AI model was trained to estimate cognitive function, represented by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) from basic blood test data and age. The trained AI model was able to estimate MMSE scores with high accuracy using blood test data and subject’s ages as inputs. Although the estimation accuracy slightly decreased when age was excluded from the input features, a significant correlation with the actual measurements was still observed. The most important variables in the estimation were subject’s ages, followed by blood parameters indicating malnutrition, anemia, renal function, and liver function. These variables showed significant correlations with MMSE. Such findings suggest that the pathology of dementia should not be limited to the brain alone, but rather should be considered as a systemic metabolic disorder. By considering dementia in this way, it becomes possible to evaluate the risk of dementia using health check-ups. Furthermore, it becomes possible to identify metabolic disorders underlying an individual’s dementia risk based on abnormalities in blood data and provide personalized dietary interventions accordingly. Currently, dietary therapies aimed at preventing cognitive impairment are mainly uniform diets intended for the prevention of lifestyle diseases, such as the Mediterranean diet. However, combining individualized dietary therapies tailored to metabolic disorders contributing to an individual’s dementia risk may offer a more effective approach to dementia prevention.

Introduction: Front of Package Food Labels (FOPL) provide information on the nutrients contained in packaged food items, assisting consumers in making healthier food choices during purchase. Objective to explore the purchase intentions based on FOPL of packaged food among adult consumers in Chandigarh, India.

Materials and methods: Pre-tested, semi structured questionnaire was purposively administered among 183 participants residing in Chandigarh at various confectionary stores during the pint of purchase in May-June 2021. This cross-sectional study included sample of commonly used 51 packaged products of four categories including frying oils, snacks (local and branded), sweets and bakery. The detailed information like FSSAI registration no., brand name, package weight, price of the product, list of ingredients, nutritional value (fat, trans fat, carbohydrate, sugar and protein), nutrition information per serving and nutrition information per 100g, and additional claims if any were recorded from the package. Purchase intention of the consumers was documented under personal, product related and external factors. 

Results: It was discovered that customer perception of FOPL regarding cost, expiration date, and Manufacturing (Mfg) date was significant; however, relatively few consumers were found to be paying attention to nutritional information. The respondents’ occupation and level of education were associated with the personal factor of label information. The reasons given for not verifying label information included being in a higher age group, being pressed for time, and not understanding the significance of the label. The consumer choice of items was influenced by product related factors such as pricing, brand name, and advertisement. Doctor recommendations on diet compliance are examples of external factors that affect consumer purchasing.

Conclusion: Consumer purchase intention to check the nutritional information on FOPL is low. We recommend launching a global effort to raise awareness of healthcare issues and implementing uniform FOPL. We also advise conducting evidence-based research and community- based clinical trials to investigate the cause and develop appropriate policy guidelines. 

Today, various dietary supplements are taken to improve endurance performance during physical activity. These supplements have proven to be very successful in controlling and balancing various hormone levels and have contributed to the prevention and healing of metabolic disorders and physical injuries. In this study, we sought to investigate the effects of the ACTN3 gene and nutrient supplementation, including betaalanine, ashwagandha, L-carnitine, and iron, on athletic performance. The ACTN3 gene has been identified as a potential genetic determinant of athletic performance, particularly in activities that require high levels of power and strength. This study investigated the interaction between the ACTN3 gene and supplementation and highlighted the potential for personalized approaches to improve athletic performance. 24 subjects per group, were randomized in a parallel-group design to examine the effects of supplementation on the ACTN3 gene and athletic performance over a 21-day intervention period. Participants in the intervention were divided into four groups of six members each. The same subjects who did not take supplements formed the control group. In addition, the subjects were divided into 4 groups (G1, G2, G3, and G4), each consisting of subgroups of control and a treated. All treated groups (TG1, TG2, TG3, and TG4) received 4 supplements for 21 days, namely S1 (ashwagandha), S2 (iron), S3 (beta-alanine) and S4 (L-carnitine), together with the 4 control groups, i.e. CG1, CG2, CG3 and CG4, who received no supplements during the same period. In particular, this study determines the effect of these 4 supplements on ACTN3 gene expression, testosterone, cholesterol and BUN levels of the participants. The P-values determined for all parameters showed statistically significant values and the final result showed that all supplements had positive effects on the tested parameters. The result showed a highly significant difference between the intake of supplements before and after the intake of 24 athletes per group on the ACTN3 gene expression level and biochemical indicators.

Dietary habits with sea food containing high polyunsaturated fatty acid content have been associated with a low risk of developing obesity. Obesity is associated with increased cardiometabolic risks due to increased copying of western diet and sedentary lifestyle. This research aimed at evaluating the protective effect of Sardinella maderensis oil on obesity, insulin resistance and biomarkers of cardiometabolic dysfunction in obese albino rats receiving high fat diet. The fish oil was extracted by the Bligh and Dyer method followed by analysis of oil quality indices, Percentage Free Fatty Acids (%FFA), Iodine Value (IV), Peroxide Value (PV), p-Anisidine Value (p-AV) and Total Oxidation Value (TOTOX) using the standard methods of the AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists). An ethical clearance was obtained in order to carry out in vivo studies. Thirty-six male albino rats were randomly and evenly distributed into six groups of six animals each. These groups were: Normal group (healthy rats fed with normal rodent chow), negative control (obese+250 mg/ kg body weight of distilled water), positive control (obese rats receiving 20 mg/kgBW of Orlistat), test groups 1, 2 and 3 all obese and receiving 250, 500, 1000 mg/kgBW of fish oil respectively by oral gavage. After 28 treatment days, oral glucose tolerance test was performed, fasting blood glucose, lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoproteins, low density lipoproteins and very low density lipoproteins) and serum markers (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transferase, lactate dehydrogenase and creatinine) were measured using commercial kits. The results from S. maderensis oil quality indices revealed that the FFA content (0.98 ± 0.27%), IV (118.41 ± 5.83 gI2/100g), PV (7.94 ± 0.39 meqO2/kg), P-AV (18.57 ± 0.30) and TOTOX (34.24 ± 0.80) were all within the codex alimentarius commission recommended ranges meaning that oil may be safe for consumption. The fish oil significantly (p<0.05) decreased body weight, food intake and serum lipids (TC, TG and LDL-c) but increased HDL-c. Serum AST, ALT and insulin levels were significantly decreased (p<0.05). HOMA-IR, atherogenic index of plasma and AST/ALT ratio were all significantly decreased (p<0.05) in treated groups. All these results suggested that the oil showed a protective effect against cardiometabolic risks. This data may be useful for the design a preventive plan against obesity and cardiometabolic risks.

Background and objective: Hardly research has been conducted to investigate how well India’s Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) ensures that its participants have better dietary habits and optimal nutritional status. The objective of this study was to evaluate the dietary habits and nutritional status of upper primary school children covered under mid-day meal scheme in rural Punjab.

Methods: This cross-sectional research was conducted among 336 adolescent (10-15 years) students of 6th to 8th standard randomly selected from 11 government/ municipality schools selected randomly from the total 112 schools in Khamannon district of rural Punjab in 2018. After taking informed written assent/consent, pretested, semi structured questionnaire was administered. Anthropometric measurements i.e., height, weight were taken to establish malnutrition, underweight, stunting, wasting, overweight and risk of overweight as per World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. The data was analysed using SPSS Window Version 17.0 (US).

Results: Out of all the students, 90% liked the MDM which was being served to them. There was 96% regularity in attending the school daily with a slightly less emphasis on the cleanliness maintenance (73%) of the children by the schoolteachers. Malnutrition and underweight were 59% and 50% prevalent, respectively.

The prevalence of stunting was higher in girls (30%). In boys (n=154) both the stunting and wasting was 23%, with 5% and 6% prevalence of overweight and at risk of overweight respectively. Whereas in case of girls (n=182), the prevalence of stunting (30%) was more than wasting (25%) with less girls (3% each) being overweight and at risk of overweight.

Conclusion: Regularity and attendance were up to mark due to increased likeliness of the food by majority of the students, though cleanliness should be improved further. Higher prevalence of malnutrition, wasting and stunting was observed which was even higher among girls. Overweight and risk of overweight was higher among boys. Hence, Nutritional status was unsatisfactory.

Purpose: Dietary supplement enriched with antioxidants and fish oil had been shown to protect the retina from oxidative stress in vivo from light-induced retinal damage as well as Müller cells in vitro from H₂O₂ treatment. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of this complex supplement on human retinal pigment epithelium cells line (Arising Retinal Pigment Epithelia- ARPE-19) since RPE (Retinal Pigment Epithelia) is key for nutrients uptake from the choriocapillaris and to the photoreceptors of neural retina.

Methods: We used ARPE-19 cells treated for 7 days with the dietary supplement at 11 or 44 μM eq. DHA.

Results: Herein, we demonstrated that incubation of ARPE-19 cells for 7 days with the supplement significantly reduced cells death induced by H₂O₂-oxidative stress from 11 μM and 44 μM equivalent DHA. Interestingly, we showed different mechanism of protection at both concentrations with a direct signal effect at 11 μM and through membrane composition modification at 44 μM. Surprisingly, at 44 μM equivalent DHA, the supplement induces phosphatidylserine externalization, an increase of isoprostanes production and caspase-3/7 activation.

Conclusion: At this high concentration, pre-conditioning effect seems to take place. Nevertheless, these results raised up the question of the long-term treatment in human.

Binge eating disorder is considered the most prevalent disorder in the athletic population (compared to anorexia and bulimia nervosa), however, there is still a lot of research to be done, especially from an interdisciplinary perspective. For this reason, in this article we present the most updated research on genetic predisposition, eating behavior, relationship with stress and other eating diseases or addiction to sport and analyze whether precision nutrition offers tools to offer effective work guidelines from its scope. In the literature consulted, factors in which nutrition can work in both prevention and treatment are observed. For this reason, knowing the genetic factors, function of the microbiota and psychosocial aspects of each athlete could be important to prevent the appearance of eating disorder in general and binge eating disorder. However, although precision nutrition may be key, interdisciplinary work is also essential (psychiatry, psychology, nursing, nutrition and other specialists depending on the need). And, although future research will provide more information in this regard, it is known that the Mediterranean Diet pattern still offers an important preventive tool