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Background Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) frequently become malnourished due to many factors including hypermetabolic state, inadequate caloric intake, malabsorption, and fluid restriction as part of the hemodynamic intervention. The abnormal nutritional status may affect early outcome after pediatric cardiac surgery; we aim to prove the importance of nutritional assessment and patient nutritional preparation before performing pediatric cardiac surgery. Results We conducted a prospective observational cohort study from March 2013 till January 2015. All children from birth until 14 years of age admitted to the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU) after cardiac surgery. Nutritional status was assessed preoperatively and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) was calculated. All post-operative outcome parameters, PCICU and hospital length of stay (LOS), ventilation time, the rate of infection, and ICU mortality were recorded. Two hundred fifty-nine children were evaluated. At admission, 179 patients (69%) had intake less than 50% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of calories intake. There was a statistically significant relationship between pre-admission RDA and the infection rate (P value 0.018). Severely malnourished patients had significantly longer ICU length of stay (LOS) (P value = 0.049). Similarly, weight and height percentiles have a significant effect on ICU LOS (P value 0.009 and 0.045) respectively. There was a significant relation between PNI ≥ 55 and the ICU LOS (P < 0.05), and ventilation time (P = 0.036). Delay in feeding postoperatively was associated with a higher risk of infection (P = 0.005), and higher mortality (P = 0.03). Conclusions Children with CHD were significantly malnourished preoperatively and had further weight loss postoperatively. Preoperative nutritional status and delayed postoperative enteral feeding were associated with a higher infection rate and mortality.

Introducción: Las Guías Alimentarias para la Población Argentina recomiendan una ingesta diaria de 3 porciones de leche, yogur y/o queso, preferentemente descremados. Sin embargo, la Segunda Encuesta Nacional de Nutrición y Salud (2019) informó que solo 4 de 10 adolescentes y adultos los consumen, al menos una vez al día. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar el contenido de minerales y la contribución de una porción de los alimentos antes mencionados a la ingesta diaria recomendada (IDR). Material y métodos: Se cuantificó calcio (Ca), sodio (Na), potasio (K), hierro (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganeso (Mn) y cobre (Cu) por absorción atómica y fósforo (P) por espectrofotometría visible en 12 leches, 11 yogures, 22 quesos blandos (QB), 23 quesos semiduros (QSD) y 12 quesos duros (QD); y se estableció que un alimento es fuente de algún mineral cuando una porción aporta más del 15% de la IDR para dicho nutriente. Resultados: En promedio, el contenido de Ca, P y Na en yogures es significativamente menor al de leches, mientras que el Fe y Zn presentan valores significativamente más elevados. Por otro lado, en todos los quesos el contenido mineral, excepto el K, es significativamente mayor que en leches y yogures. Conclusiones: Según el porcentaje de valor diario las leches y QSD son fuente de Ca y P, y los yogures de P, mientras los QB y QD son fuente de Ca, P y Zn. Estos hallazgos resultan útiles al momento de establecer pautas nutricionales, con la finalidad de facilitar y promover la adopción de hábitos saludables.

We analyzed the differences in fat-free mass (FFM) according to serum vitamin D level (VitD) and daily calcium intake (Ca) in 14,444 adults aged over 19 years. We used data from the 4th and 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2008–2011). FFM was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. VitD was classified as insufficient or sufficient (cutoff: 20 ng/mL). Ca was classified as unsatisfactory or satisfactory (recommended daily intake: 700 mg). In men, the FFM of group 2 (VitD ≥ 20 ng/mL, Ca &lt, 700 mg), group 3 (VitD &lt, 20 ng/mL, Ca ≥ 700 mg) and group 4 (VitD ≥ 20 ng/mL, Ca ≥ 700 mg) was 0.50 kg (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.084–0.92), 0.78 kg (95% CI, 0.26–1.29) and 1.58 kg (95% CI, 0.95–2.21) higher than that of group 1 (VitD &lt, 700 mg), respectively. In women, a 1 ng/mL increase in VitD was associated with a 0.023 kg increase in FFM (95% CI, 0.003–0.043) and a 1 g increase in Ca was associated with a 0.62 kg increase in FFM (95% CI, 0.067–1.16). High VitD and Ca were associated with a high FFM.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the fishing location on yellowfin tuna’s (YFT, Thunnus albacares) white muscle total lipid (TL) content and fatty acid profile. The comparison included 45 YFT loins, equally divided between the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. The ocean had no significant influence on YFT TL content, total PUFA and total n-3 PUFA (p &gt, 0.05), averaging 1.09 g/100 g of muscle, 229.2 and 192.8 mg/100 g of muscle, respectively. On the other hand, the YFT harvested on the Indian Ocean displayed significantly higher contents of both SFA and MUFA totals than the Atlantic Ocean counterparts (p &lt, 0.05), while the YFT harvested in the Pacific Ocean presented intermediate values, not differing significantly from the other two origins. The YFT from the Indian and Pacific oceans held twice the n-6 PUFA content recorded in the Atlantic YFT (44.1 versus 21.1 mg/100 g of muscle). Considering the recommended daily intake of EPA plus DHA is 250 mg, the consumption of 100 g of YFT from the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans would provide 149.2 mg, 191.8 mg or 229.6 mg of EPA plus DHA, representing 59.7%, 76.7% or 91.8% of the recommended daily intake, respectively.

Fatty acids (FA) are among the most important natural biologically active compounds. A healthy diet involves the intake of different fatty acids especially from omega-3 (n-3) series. Seafood provides a very good source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), but in Bulgaria there is limited information regarding the n-3 PUFA contents in traditionally consumed seafood by the population. The aims of this study were to determine lipid content, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA and DHA), and the recommended daily intake of eleven fish species, three bivalves, rapana, and shrimp harvested in the Western part of Black Sea, Bulgaria. Total lipids were extracted according to the method of Blight and Dyer and fatty acid composition was analyzed by GC/MS. Fatty acid profile showed differences among species. PUFA were found in high content among total lipids, especially in shellfish (60.67–68.9% of total lipids) compared to fish species (19.27–34.86% of total lipids). EPA was found in higher amounts in rapana (0.16 g/100 g ww) and two of pelagic species (up to 0.29 g/100 g ww), whereas DHA prevailed in demersal and the most of pelagic fish (0.16–1.92 g/100 g ww) and bivalves (0.16–1.92 g/100 g ww). The health beneficial n3/n6 and PUFA/SFA ratios were found in all analyzed species. The lower values of the lipid nutritional quality indices (AI &lt, 1, TI &lt, 1) and higher for h/H index (0.8–1.78 for fish and 1.52 to 4.67 for bivalves and shrimp) confirm that the commonly consumed Black Sea fish and shellfish may provide health benefits for local populations. This study shows the seafood amounts that can provide the minimum recommended intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Background India suffers from a double burden of malnutrition and anaemia. The Karnataka anaemia project indicated that a counselling intervention delivered by community health workers improved anaemia cure rates. Objective To evaluate the effect of maternal counselling on nutritional aspects of anaemia prevention. Methods Secondary analysis of a cluster randomised controlled trial (55 simultaneously randomised villages using random number generator in Chamrajnagar district, Northern India). In the intervention group mothers of anaemic children received five monthly counselling sessions plus usual care (iron and folic acid supplements), while mothers of anaemic children in the control group received usual care alone. Daily intake of nutrients related to anaemia prevention, i.e. iron (mg) and vitamin C (mg), was estimated using the 24-h dietary recall method at baseline and 6 months follow-up. Linear and logistic mixed regression models were used to assess between-groups difference in changes in nutrients intake from baseline to end of follow-up. Data collectors and analysts were blinded to the group assignment. Results Participants were 534 (intervention n = 303; usual treatment n = 231) anaemic children, aged 1 to 5 years and their caregivers, of whom 521(intervention n = 299 from 28 villages; usual treatment n = 222 from 27 villages) were retained at 6 months follow-up and included in the analysis. This study provides inconclusive evidence of improvement in the intake of nutrients that prevent anaemia from baseline to follow-up among the intervention compared to the control group; increase in iron intake was 0.24 mg/day (95% CI -0.67; 1.15) and increase in vitamin C intake was 4.61 mg/day (95% CI -0.69, 9.91). Although encouraging, it is notable that the overall intake of nutrients that prevent anaemia remained well below the national recommended daily allowance. Conclusion This study provides inconclusive evidence of the effect of parental counselling on nutritional aspects of anaemia prevention. The results highlight the need to devise multi-component anaemia-prevention interventions that include facilitators of the availability of nutritious food and should be evaluated in studies that are adequately powered to detect nutritional changes. Trial registration International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number ISRCTN68413407, prospectively registered on 17/12/2013.

The mammalian lactoperoxidase system, consisting of lactoperoxidase and the H2O2‐producing enzyme duox, is our first line of defence against airborne microbes. This system catalyses the production of hypoiodite and hypoiodous acid in the presence of sufficient iodine. These products are highly efficient at destroying the H1N1 virus and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Japan has not been affected as much as other nations during the COVID‐19 pandemic (death rate about 10% of the United States), and we think this is due to a diet high in iodine. With this in mind, we suggest four actions to prevent SARS‐CoV‐2 infections. First, health professionals should study the preventative effect of increasing iodine in the diets of the aged, institutionalized, diabetics andsmokers. Second, the recommended daily intake (RDI) for iodine should be significantly increased, to at least double, the current RDI. Governments should encourage the use and distribution of cheap iodized salts, kelp and seaweed. Third, more research should be done around the physiology and the protective effects of the lactoperoxidase system. Finally, the degradation products of the SARS‐CoV‐2 viral particle by hypoiodite and hypoiodous acid should be characterized; portions of the damaged particle are likely to elicit stronger immunity and better vaccines.

This work was supported by project PY20_00585 from Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Economía, Conocimiento, Empresas y Universidad and by the Plan Propio de Investigación y Transferencia of the University of Granada under the program “Intensificación de la Investigación, modalidad B”. This paper will form part of Ana Cervera-Mata's doctoral thesis, which is being developed within the context of the “Nutrition and Food Sciences Programme” at the University of Granada ., Spent coffee grounds (SCG), an ever-increasing food waste whose annual generation is 15 million tons, have the potential to fulfil many different purposes after being recycled. However, though SCG have been used as soil organic amendment, their utilization is limited by their phytotoxic nature. Although SCG favour the assimilation of nutrients by plants, whether or not they could be used as an agronomical bio-fortifying agent has not been investigated yet. Therefore, we carried out an in vitro investigation to analyse the influence of SCG and coffee melanoidins functionalized with Fe and Zn (biochelates) on the agronomic biofortification of lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia), one of the most consumed edible plants worldwide. Commercial chelates (EDDHA-Fe and EDTA-Zn) and non-functionalized SCG and melanoidins were used as controls. Total Fe and Zn content in lettuces and available Fe and Zn in soil were measured. Functionalized SCG and melanoidins were able to significantly increase both Fe and Zn levels in lettuces. While Fe levels increased around 28–30%, Zn showed a much larger improvement with levels up to 177–416% higher. According to our results, both SCG and coffee melanoidins could be used as agronomical bio-fortifying agents. Additionally, bio-fortified lettuce would provide up to a 16.3% of the Fe recommended daily intake and up to a 6.6% of that of Zn, reflecting positively in human health., Consejería de Economía, Conocimiento, Empresas y Universidad, Plan Propio de Investigación y Transferencia of the University of Granada, Universidad de Granada

This study aimed to benchmark the healthiness of the New Zealand (NZ) fast-food supply in 2020. There are currently no actions or policies in NZ regarding the composition, serving size and labeling of fast food. Data on serving size and nutrient content of products was collected from company websites and in-store visits to 27 fast-food chains. For each fast-food category and type of combo meal, medians and interquartile ranges were calculated for serving size and energy, sodium, total sugar, and saturated fat per serving. Nutrient contents/serving were benchmarked against the United Kingdom (UK) soft drinks levy sugar thresholds and targets for salt for away from home foods, the NZ daily intake guidelines for energy, sodium, and saturated fat, and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation for free sugars. Analyses were conducted for the 30.3% (n = 1772) of products with available nutrition information and for 176 meal combos. Most (n = 67, 91.8%) sugar-sweetened drinks would qualify for a UK soft drink industry levy and 47% (n = 1072) of products exceeded the relevant UK sodium target. Half of the meal combos provided at least 50.3% of the daily energy requirements and at least 88.6% of the maximum recommended intake of sodium. Fast-food products and combo meals in NZ contribute far more energy and negative nutrients to recommended daily intake targets than is optimal for good health. The NZ Government should set reformulation targets and serving size guidance to reduce the potential impact of fast- food consumption on the health of New Zealanders.