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Time-restricted eating (TRE), a type of intermittent fasting in which all daily calories are consumed within a window of ≤12 hours, is hypothesized to promote long-term weight management because of its relative simplicity. This study reports correlates of adherence among community-dwelling adults currently or formerly following a TRE dietary strategy. A 25-minute cross-sectional online survey was developed, including questions about TRE perceptions, behaviors, motivators and drivers, and demographics. The survey was administered in February 2021 via Prolific, an online platform for sample recruitment and survey dissemination. Eligibility criteria included US adult ages 18+ who currently or formerly (past 3 months) followed TRE (ie, consumed all daily calories within a window of ≤12 hours) for a minimum of 1 week. χ2 tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA; adjusting for sex and age) compared responses between current and former followers. Current followers (n = 296, mean [SD]: 34.2 ± 12.2y) were older than former followers (n = 295, mean [SD]: 31.1 ± 10.9 y) and practiced TRE for longer (median: 395 vs 90 days, P < 0.001). Current followers reported more success with meeting TRE goals (P ≤ 0.015), were less likely to report TRE concerns (P < 0.001), and more likely to report TRE satisfaction (P < 0.001). Four TRE motivators were more important among current (vs former) followers: weight maintenance, health (not weight), improved sleep, and preventing disease (P ≤ 0.017); weight loss was more important among former (vs current) followers (P = 0.003). Among adherence drivers, ability to work from home and the impact of COVID-19 were reported as more helpful for TRE adherence among current compared with former followers (P ≤ 0.028). TRE motivators and drivers differed between current and former followers; interventions tailored to individuals' preferences and circumstances may benefit TRE adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective/Goals: Cognitive decline is intricately linked to various factors such as obesity, stress, poor sleep, and circadian rhythm misalignment, which are interrelated in their impact on cognitive health. Irregular food-intake timing further compounds these issues. The practice of prolonged nightly fasting (PNF) may help synchronize food intake with circadian rhythms, potentially mitigating adverse effects of cognitive decline and associated factors. Methods: A pilot nationwide, remotely delivered, 2-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the 8-week outcomes of cognition, stress, and sleep, after a PNF intervention (14-hr nightly fast, 6 nights/week, no calories after 8 pm) compared to a health education (HED) control condition. Participants were living with memory decline, stress, and obesity and had weekly check-in calls to report fasting times (PNF) or content feedback (HED). Results: Participants were enrolled from 37 states in the US; N = 58, 86% women, 71% white, 93% non-Latinx, mean (SD) age 50.1 (5.1) years and BMI 35.6 (3.6) kg/m2. No group differences existed at baseline. Linear mixed-effects models were used to compare outcome change differences between groups. Compared to the HED control, the PNF intervention was associated with improved sleep quality (B = −2.52; SE = 0.90; 95% CI −4.30–−0.74; p = 0.006). Perceived stress and everyday cognition significantly changed over time (p < 0.02), without significant difference by group. Discussion: Changing food intake timing to exclude nighttime eating and promote a fasting period may help individuals living with obesity, memory decline, and stress to improve their sleep. Improved sleep quality may lead to additional health benefits.

BackgroundIn times of physical stress, the body orchestrates a multisystemic regulatory response. The hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine play a role in the immediate regulation chain, while cortisol is involved in delayed regulation. The release of those stress hormones in response to exercise has previously been reported to elicit diverse immune reactions.ObjectiveThe aim of this systematic review was to examine and present the acute effects of immediate pre- and mid-exercise carbohydrate ingestion on cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels in experienced endurance athletes.MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library and Web of Science in accordance with PRISMA guidelines up to February 2023. Randomized controlled trials in English or German language were included if baseline and at least two follow-up measures of blood plasma or serum of chosen stress hormones (cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine) were collected in response to prolonged continuous endurance activity. Eligibility furthermore required an acute carbohydrate ingestion of at least 30 g of carbohydrates per hour no more than 30 min before start of the exercise, as well as a placebo-controlled study design.ResultsEleven studies of moderate to high quality were included in this review. Carbohydrate ingestion of at least 30 g per hour was able to attenuate rises in cortisol concentration in majority of the included studies. Epinephrine levels were considerably lower with ingestion of carbohydrates compared to placebo in all studies. Norepinephrine concentrations were largely unaffected by acute carbohydrate feeding.ConclusionPre- and mid-exercise ingestion of carbohydrates seems an effective dietary strategy to attenuate rises in cortisol and epinephrine levels and, thus, an effective countermeasure for endurance exercise-induced increases in stress hormone levels.

Abstract Chronic kidney disease (CKD) results mainly from diabetes, hypertension, and glomerulonephritis, which can develop into end‐stage renal disease and CKD‐related complications, thereby causing high morbidity and mortality. This progression is correlated with pathogenic alterations in the gut microbiota that generate uremic toxins, mainly including indoxyl sulfate, p‐cresol sulfate, and trimethylamine‐N‐oxide. The uremic toxins directly or indirectly induce CKD through oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and subsequently renal fibrosis. However, ongoing developments in CKD therapy still lack nutritional guidelines and new pharmacotherapies with significant effects. In this review, we discuss the modulatory effects of plant‐derived bioactive ingredients, such as dietary fiber (oligosaccharides and polysaccharides), polyphenols (e.g., curcumin, anthocyanins, catechins, and resveratrol), and peptides, on gut microbiota and CKD particularly from the view of the gut–kidney axis. We believe that a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms of CKD is necessary to develop new targeted therapy strategies that will benefit the prevention and treatment of CKD.

A variety of physical, emotional, and mental factors can induce a stress response in pet dogs and cats. During this process, hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) and sympathetic–adrenal medulla (SAM) axes are activated to produce a series of adaptive short-term reactions to the aversive situations. Meanwhile, oxidative stress is induced where there is an imbalance between the production and scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative damage is also incorporated in sustained stress response causing a series of chronic problems, such as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases, immune dysfunction, and development of abnormal behaviors. In this review, the effects and mechanisms of dietary regulation strategies (e.g., antioxidants, anxiolytic agents, and probiotics) on relieving stress in pet dogs and cats are summarized and discussed. We aim to shed light on future studies in the field of pet food and nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the positive relationship between anthocyanin-rich foods and cognitive health, a dietary deficit exists in older adults. Effective interventions require an understanding of people's dietary behaviors situated in social and cultural contexts. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore older adults' perceptions about increasing their consumption of anthocyanin-rich foods for cognitive health. Following an educational session and the provision of a recipe and information book, an online survey and focus groups with Australian adults aged 65 years or older (n = 20) explored the barriers and enablers towards eating more anthocyanin-rich foods and potential strategies to achieve dietary change. An iterative, qualitative analysis identified the themes and classified the barriers, enablers and strategies onto the Social-Ecological model levels of influence (individual, interpersonal, community, society). Enabling factors included a desire to eat healthily, taste preference and familiarity of anthocyanin-rich foods (individual), social support (community), and the availability of some anthocyanin-rich foods (society). The barriers included budget, dietary preferences and motivation (individual), household influences (interpersonal), limited availability and access to some anthocyanin-rich foods (community) and the cost and the seasonal variability (society). The strategies included increasing individual-level knowledge, skills, and confidence in utilizing anthocyanin-rich foods, educational initiatives about the potential cognitive benefits, and advocating to increase access to anthocyanin-rich foods in the food supply. This study provides for the first time, insight into the various levels of influence impacting older adults' ability to consume an anthocyanin-rich diet for cognitive health. Future interventions should be tailored to reflect the barriers and enablers and to provide targeted education about anthocyanin-rich foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eat Better South Africa (EBSA) is an organization that provides low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) nutrition and health education programs for women from under-resourced South African communities. Community assessments are essential to explore participants' potential facilitators and challenges of adhering to new dietary behaviours and should be implemented before any dietary interventions. This study is a qualitative community assessment to enable the EBSA program to better meet potential participants' needs and explore their willingness to enrol in the EBSA program. Sixty women from two communities in the Western Cape were interviewed through six focus group discussions. A thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo 12 software, and four themes were developed around the women's (1) role within the households; (2) dietary behaviour; (3) health perceptions; and (4) willingness to participate in an LCHF program. Women mentioned that they were responsible for cooking and shopping for their households. They expressed their understanding of healthy and unhealthy behaviours and their dietary patterns. Some women showed concerns about LCHF diets, but others wanted to learn more due to their knowledge of other people's positive experiences with the diet. There was a general desire to become healthy. However, the women anticipated dietary behaviour change to be challenging. Those challenges mostly revolved around their socioeconomic environments. The findings are intended to inform EBSA (or other nutrition interventions) on what to consider when implementing their interventions in these communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many tropical animals inhabit mosaic landscapes including human-modified habitat. In such landscapes, animals commonly adjust feeding behavior, and may incorporate non-natural foods. These behavioral shifts can influence consumers' nutritional states, with implications for population persistence. However, few studies have addressed the nutritional role of non-natural food. We examined nutritional ecology of wild blue monkeys to understand how dietary habits related to non-natural foods might support population persistence in a mosaic landscape. We documented prevalence and nutritional composition of non-natural foods in monkey diets to assess how habitat use influenced their consumption, and their contribution to nutritional strategies. While most energy and macronutrients came from natural foods, subjects focused non-natural feeding activity on five exotic plants, and averaged about a third of daily calories from non-natural foods. Most non-natural food calories came from nonstructural carbohydrates and least from protein. Consumption of non-natural foods related to time in human-modified habitats, which two groups used non-randomly. Non-natural and natural foods were similar in nutrients, and the amount of nonnatural food consumed drove variation in nutritional strategy. When more daily calories came from non-natural foods, females consumed a higher ratio of non-protein energy to protein (NPE:P). Females also prioritized protein while allowing NPE:P to vary, increasing NPE while capitalizing on non-natural foods. Overall, these tropical mammals achieved a similar nutrient balance regardless of their intake of non-natural foods. Forest and forest-adjacent areas with non-natural vegetation may provide adequate nutrient access for consumers, and thus contribute to wildlife conservation in mosaic tropical landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of physical, emotional, and mental factors can induce a stress response in pet dogs and cats. During this process, hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) and sympathetic–adrenal medulla (SAM) axes are activated to produce a series of adaptive short-term reactions to the aversive situations. Meanwhile, oxidative stress is induced where there is an imbalance between the production and scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative damage is also incorporated in sustained stress response causing a series of chronic problems, such as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases, immune dysfunction, and development of abnormal behaviors. In this review, the effects and mechanisms of dietary regulation strategies (e.g., antioxidants, anxiolytic agents, and probiotics) on relieving stress in pet dogs and cats are summarized and discussed. We aim to shed light on future studies in the field of pet food and nutrition.

Breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy often experience muscle wasting and weakness, which impact their quality of life. A potential solution lies in customizing amino acid compositions based on exome-derived formulations (ExAAs). The study hypothesized that tailoring dietary amino acids using ExAAs could enhance muscle health. Theoretical amino acid requirements were calculated from the genome's exome region, and a breast cancer mouse model undergoing paclitaxel treatment was established. The mice were supplemented with a cancer-specific nutritional formula (QJS), and the effects of QJS and amino acid-adjusted QJS (adjQJS) were compared. Both formulations improved the nutritional status without compromising tumor growth. Notably, adjQJS significantly enhanced muscle strength compared to QJS (1.51 ± 0.25 vs. 1.30 ± 0.08 fold change, p < 0.05). Transcriptome analysis revealed alterations in complement and coagulation cascades, with an observed upregulation of C3 gene expression in adjQJS. Immune regulation also changed, showing a decrease in B cells and an increase in monocytes in skeletal muscle with adjQJS. Importantly, adjQJS resulted in a notable increase in Alistipes abundance compared to QJS (10.19 ± 0.04% vs. 5.03 ± 1.75%). This study highlights the potential of ExAAs as valuable guide for optimizing amino acid composition in diets for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

• Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play a role in kidney disease in type 2 diabetes. • AGE-restricted diets reduce circulating AGE levels. • Lowering circulating AGE levels, by a Mediterranean diet, might be linked to preservation of kidney function in type 2 diabetes. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play a role in kidney disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, there have been no prior controlled clinical trials examining the effects of specific diets on AGE metabolism and their impact on kidney function. Our aim was to assess whether modulating AGE metabolism resulting in reduced AGEs levels, after consumption of two healthy diets, could delay kidney function decline in patients with T2DM and coronary heart disease (CHD). T2DM patients (540 out of 1002 patients from the CORDIOPREV study), with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 30 ml/min/1.73 m2, were classified based on their baseline kidney function: normal eGFR (≥ 90 ml/min/1.73 m2), mildly decreased eGFR (60- < 90 ml/min/1.73 m2) and moderately decreased eGFR (<60 ml/min/1.73 m2). Serum AGE levels, methylglyoxal (MG) and N-carboximethyllysine (CML), and gene expression related to AGE metabolism (AGER1, RAGE , and GloxI mRNA) were measured before and after 5-years of dietary intervention (a Mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet). Mediterranean diet produced a lower declined of eGFR compared to the low-fat diet only in patients with mildly decreased eGFR (P = 0.035). Moreover, Mediterranean diet was able to decrease MG levels and increase GloxI expression in normal and mildly decreased eGFR patients (all P < 0.05). One standard deviation increment of MG levels after dietary intervention resulted in a 6.8-fold (95 % CI 0.039;0.554) higher probability of eGFR decline. Our study showed that lowering circulating AGE levels, specifically MG, after following a Mediterranean diet, might be linked to the preservation of kidney function, evidenced by a decreased decline of eGFR in T2DM patients with CHD. Patients with mildly decreased eGFR could potentially benefit more from AGE reduction in maintaining kidney function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proportion of concentrate, lipids, inhibitors and electron acceptors decrease methanogenesis. • Hydrogen production improve methane production models. • Hydrogen production slope depends on the mitigation strategy and its mechanism of action. • Hydrogen slope is negative with inhibitors or electron acceptors. • Hydrogen slope is positive with proportion of concentrate and lipids. Stoichiometric models that predict methane (CH 4) production of ruminants assume that the amount of hydrogen gas (H 2) produced during fermentation in the rumen equals the amount of H 2 consumed by electron sinks in the rumen and thus that H 2 should not be emitted into the environment. However, some studies have demonstrated that H 2 emissions occur under practical conditions. In addition, the H 2 emissions increase when nutritional mitigation strategies are used. Hence, this study hypothesized that considering H 2 emission would improve the prediction of enteric CH 4 emission, especially when using mitigation strategies that induce high variation in the H 2 emission. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate the performance of CH 4 emission prediction models using H 2 emission as an explanatory variable. A database of CH 4 and H 2 emission (mean treatment data) from ruminants (dairy cattle, growing cattle and sheeps) was built to develop mixed-effects models at three levels of complexity: level 1 - H 2 production/yield, DMI, or both; level 2 - level 1 explanatory variables plus chemical composition of the diet (i.e. CP, EE, NDF, OM, or PCO); and level 3 - level 2 explanatory variables plus animal metabolic weight (BW0.75, kg). When all animal categories were grouped, including H 2 production improved the performance of CH 4 production prediction only in level 1 models for the electron-receptor mitigation strategy, reducing the root mean square of prediction error (RMSPE) by 18 %. For dairy cattle and sheep, dry matter intake was not a significant explanatory variable in level 1 or 2 models. For growing beef cattle, for all mitigation strategies together and the inhibitor-mitigation strategy alone, including H 2 production reduced RMSPE by 13 % and 27 %, respectively. Overall, H 2 production was included in 60 % of level 1 models and 100 % of level 2 and 3 models, which best predicted CH 4 production. Thus, including H 2 emission does improve prediction of enteric CH 4 emission, especially when mitigation strategies that induce variation in the H 2 are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In times of physical stress, the body orchestrates a multisystemic regulatory response. The hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine play a role in the immediate regulation chain, while cortisol is involved in delayed regulation. The release of those stress hormones in response to exercise has previously been reported to elicit diverse immune reactions., Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to examine and present the acute effects of immediate pre- and mid-exercise carbohydrate ingestion on cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels in experienced endurance athletes., Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library and Web of Science in accordance with PRISMA guidelines up to February 2023. Randomized controlled trials in English or German language were included if baseline and at least two follow-up measures of blood plasma or serum of chosen stress hormones (cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine) were collected in response to prolonged continuous endurance activity. Eligibility furthermore required an acute carbohydrate ingestion of at least 30 g of carbohydrates per hour no more than 30 min before start of the exercise, as well as a placebo-controlled study design., Results: Eleven studies of moderate to high quality were included in this review. Carbohydrate ingestion of at least 30 g per hour was able to attenuate rises in cortisol concentration in majority of the included studies. Epinephrine levels were considerably lower with ingestion of carbohydrates compared to placebo in all studies. Norepinephrine concentrations were largely unaffected by acute carbohydrate feeding., Conclusion: Pre- and mid-exercise ingestion of carbohydrates seems an effective dietary strategy to attenuate rises in cortisol and epinephrine levels and, thus, an effective countermeasure for endurance exercise-induced increases in stress hormone levels., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (© 2024 Christ, Ringleb, Haunhorst, Fennen, Jordan, Wagner and Puta.)

Eat Better South Africa (EBSA) is an organization that provides low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) nutrition and health education programs for women from under-resourced South African communities. Community assessments are essential to explore participants' potential facilitators and challenges of adhering to new dietary behaviours and should be implemented before any dietary interventions. This study is a qualitative community assessment to enable the EBSA program to better meet potential participants' needs and explore their willingness to enrol in the EBSA program. Sixty women from two communities in the Western Cape were interviewed through six focus group discussions. A thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo 12 software, and four themes were developed around the women's (1) role within the households; (2) dietary behaviour; (3) health perceptions; and (4) willingness to participate in an LCHF program. Women mentioned that they were responsible for cooking and shopping for their households. They expressed their understanding of healthy and unhealthy behaviours and their dietary patterns. Some women showed concerns about LCHF diets, but others wanted to learn more due to their knowledge of other people's positive experiences with the diet. There was a general desire to become healthy. However, the women anticipated dietary behaviour change to be challenging. Those challenges mostly revolved around their socioeconomic environments. The findings are intended to inform EBSA (or other nutrition interventions) on what to consider when implementing their interventions in these communities.