Appetite

Obesity is associated with low-grade inflammation, which - our prior work shows - causally and reversibly increases effort aversion and related brain responses during food-related decision-making. However, how these laboratory findings translate to daily-life (food) motivation remains unclear. This study investigated low-grade inflammation in more ecologically valid measures of (food-related) motivation in obesity. We conducted a cross-sectional study (N=145 women, BMI>27 kg/m2, 18-59 yrs) and a 12-week randomized controlled trial (N=57 women, BMI>30 kg/m2, 18-59 years, C-reactive protein (CPR)>3 mg/l) testing the anti-inflammatory drug colchicine versus placebo. We measured effort-related food intake using a bogus taste test, daily-life motivation using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), and dietary intake using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). INFLA-score (CRP, white blood cell count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelets) related to lower intake of high-effort food items on the taste test ({beta} -0.26 SD, p=0.011), lower engagement in high-effort activities (OR 0.72, p<0.001), and negatively moderated the association between anticipation and activity completion in EMA (OR 0.89, p=0.032). On the FFQ, INFLA-score related to lower intake of legumes and fruits and more intake of processed meat (all p<0.05). Colchicine decreased overall caloric intake ({beta} -341 kcal, p=0.018). A decrease in inflammation related to healthier dietary choices (Spearman {rho}=0.37, p=0.013). Colchicine did not affect effort-related food intake on the taste test or EMA. These findings indicate that that obesity-related inflammation is associated with increased effort-related food intake and motivation in daily life, and that reducing inflammation decreases (unhealthy) food intake. Such effects may partly underlie the challenges of achieving and maintaining weight loss.

Objective: Studies assessing the validity of screening measures for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) remain scarce. We evaluated the diagnostic performance and validity of an online, parent-reported screening approach for ARFID in a population-based sample of children. Methods: Participants were drawn from the ARFID Initiative Sweden (ARIES) cohort and included 65 children aged 6-14 years. Parents completed three screening questionnaires (Pica, ARFID, and Rumination Disorder Interview-ARFID Questionnaire [PARDI-AR-Q], Nine-Item ARFID Screen [NIAS], and Parent Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire [PEDE-Q]), followed by a diagnostic interview (PARDI). Diagnostic performance indices (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value [PPV], and negative predictive value [NPV]) were calculated. Convergent validity was assessed via correlations between questionnaire and interview dimensions. Results: The combined screening algorithm demonstrated perfect sensitivity and NPV, indicating accurate detection of all ARFID cases and exclusion of non-cases. Specificity was high (0.83), and PPVs ranged from 0.91 to 0.95, decreasing to 0.78 under a more conservative operationalization of ARFID Criterion A4 (psychosocial impairment). Diagnostic performance varied across ARFID criteria: PPVs were low for medically anchored Criteria A1-A3 but high for Criterion A4 (psychosocial impairment; PPV=0.95). Correlations between screening measures and corresponding interview dimensions were generally moderate to strong, supporting convergent validity. Children meeting threshold ARFID criteria showed significantly greater symptom severity than subthreshold cases at screening. Discussion: These findings support the use of a multi-instrument, parent-reported screening approach for ARFID in large-scale pediatric research and highlight the centrality of psychosocial impairment, underscoring the need for standardized operationalization of this criterion.

Background: Childhood obesity is a prevalent public health concern, particularly among children from marginalized backgrounds. Epigenomic mechanisms, including DNA methylation (DNAm), offer insight into the biological embedding of metabolic risk, yet protective family-level factors remain understudied. This study examined whether participation in a positive parenting intervention was associated with reduced epigenetic cardiometabolic risk among preschool-aged children. Methods: Participants were 74 children (n = 35 intervention; n = 39 services-as-usual; mean age = 36 months). Using a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, DNAm-derived body mass index (BMI) and anthropometric BMI were assessed at baseline and 12-month follow-up, and parenting practices were observed post-treatment. Results: Children in the intervention group demonstrated significantly lower DNAm BMI at 12 months relative to controls, adjusting for child sex, race and/or ethnicity, and anthropometric BMI. No treatment effect was observed for anthropometric BMI, and DNAm BMI was not associated with anthropometric BMI at 12 months. Although parenting practices improved, they did not mediate intervention effects on DNAm-derived BMI. Conclusions: Parenting interventions may influence biological pathways related to cardiometabolic risk, even before changes in anthropometric outcomes, underscoring the potential of family-centered approaches to promote early metabolic health.

Adolescence is a sensitive period during which unhealthy diets may shape metabolic health and cognition. Diets high in fat and sugar have been linked to obesity, impaired glucose regulation and hippocampus-dependent deficits, but the exposure duration required to affect cognition remains unclear. This study examined whether adolescent-onset exposure to a high-fat high-sucrose (HFHS) diet induces metabolic dysfunction and impairs object-based memory, spatial working memory and spatial pattern separation in male Long Evans rats. Rats were assigned to a control or HFHS diet at four weeks of age and remained on this diet into adulthood. Basal blood glucose was assessed monthly and home-cage behaviour using 48-hour LABORAS recordings. Cognitive testing started after 10 weeks of diet exposure, when basal glucose was elevated in HFHS-fed rats. Object displacement and novel object recognition were used in short open-field test settings, whereas touchscreen-based trial-unique nonmatching-to-location testing (TUNL) assessed spatial working memory and pattern separation across repeated operant sessions. Finally, glucose (in)tolerance and tissue weights were measured. HFHS diet exposure produced a metabolic phenotype, including increased body weight, elevated basal glucose, impaired glucose tolerance and increased liver and gonadal white adipose tissue weights. The diet also altered the general behavioural repertoire, with increased immobility and grooming and reduced rearing. HFHS-fed rats did not differ from controls in object displacement or novel object recognition performance. In the touchscreen task, both groups acquired the task at a comparable rate. Long-delay and spatial separation challenges reduced performance as expected, confirming task sensitivity, but did not reveal diet-related impairments. These findings show that adolescent-onset HFHS diet exposure induces metabolic dysfunction but does not necessarily produce detectable cognitive impairment when behavioural testing starts after 10 weeks of exposure. Longer exposure or advanced diet-induced inflammatory or neurobiological alterations may be required to reveal cognitive consequences.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined 1) the effects of stress management interventions on changes in stress eating for women, and 2) the longevity of these effects, by summarizing and assessing evidence from controlled and non-equivalent pretest-posttest intervention studies. Method: Five databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL), existing sources, and grey literature were searched (February - June 2025). Studies that assessed stress eating or emotional eating, included a stress management intervention, and comprised at least 70% women were included. The primary outcome was reduction in stress eating. Data were pooled in meta-analyses using multi-level random-effects models and subset by follow-up period. Risk of bias was assessed via funnel plots and sensitivity analyses. Results: Sixty studies with 119 effect size estimates were included in the primary analysis. Pooled estimates indicated that stress management interventions significantly reduced stress eating (Hedges g = -0.4174, p < 0.001), with pre-post designs having larger effects than controlled trials. Subgroup analyses of follow-up periods found small effects in the short-term (before 3 months; Hedges g = -0.4202, p < 0.0001) and moderate effects for mid-term (3-6 months; Hedges g = -0.5886, p < 0.0001). Effects beyond 6 months were small and nonsignificant (Hedges g = -0.4370, p = 0.0660). Conclusion and Relevance: Stress management interventions appear to be effective for reducing stress eating for women, suggesting the potential to incorporate stress management in interventions targeting obesity. Effects may be only sustained 6 months post-intervention, suggesting the need for strategies to bolster long-term effectiveness.

Background: Despite growing evidence that personalised nutrition (PN) can improve dietary behaviour and health outcomes, the implementation of PN food services in real-world settings remains largely unexplored. This study evaluated the feasibility of a comprehensive PN service for delivering personalised nutrition products (PNPs) in a military setting and assessed consumer acceptance following repeated consumption. Methods: A complete PN service was developed to design, produce, and distribute personalised nutrition products (PNPs). Twenty-five participants from the Royal Netherlands Army took part in a feasibility study, using a single-cohort pre-test post-test design. Each participant consumed a PNP on 10 consecutive days during a two-week combat training exercise. Product liking was assessed through daily questionnaires, while broader user experiences were assessed at baseline (t=0), one week follow-up (t=1) and two-week endline (t=2). Results: The PN service was succesfully implemented during a real-life military training exercise. In total, 229 PNPs were produced and distributed. Participants evaluated all aspects of the PN service from just below neutral to slightly positive (3.4 to 5.0 on 7 point scales). Across the different product combinations, mean overall liking and all sensory attributes were slightly positive (5.7 to 6.1 on 9 point scales). Overall liking did not change over time (F (9,194) = 1.242, p=0.27). Attitudes toward a PNP service in the army decreased over time, but remained just-above neutral at study end. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility of a personalised nutrition service in a military setting. Both the service and PNPs received modestly positive evaluations, while repeated exposure did not change overall liking of the products. Although further optimisation of the service is warranted, these findings support the potential for broader implementation of PN services in military and other high performance environments.

Objectives: Estimate the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of adolescent-reported food insecurity experiences from 2019-2021. Methods: Repeat cross-sectional data were collected in November-December 2019, 2020, and 2021 from adolescents aged 10-17 years living in the ten Canadian provinces (n = 11,057). The prevalence of ten items and five food insecurity subconstructs based on the 10-item Child Food Insecurity Experiences Scale was estimated. Weighted multinomial logistic regression assessed associations between sociodemographic characteristics and food insecurity experiences as a four-level (no, few, several, or many experiences) variable. Results: Across 2019-2021 among adolescents, the prevalence of worrying about food scarcity ranged between 18.4%-22.5%, worrying about parental/guardian ability to get food ranged between 22.8%-26.9%, and not being able to get the food they wanted ranged between 23.5%-26.1%. Close to or above one in four adolescents affirmed the uncertainty (range: 26.9%-29.9%) and compromised diet quality or preferences (range: 23.5%-26.1%) subconstructs. In 2021, adolescents identifying as Black had a higher relative risk ratio of few food insecurity experiences (adjusted relative risk ratio (ARRR): 2.04 [95% CI: 1.20, 3.47], p-value: <0.01) and adolescents identifying as Indigenous had a higher relative risk ratio of several food insecurity experiences (2.38 [1.10, 5.15], p-value 0.03) compared to adolescents identifying as White. The relative risk ratio of having few, several, or many food insecurity experiences also differed by age, sex-at-birth, perceived income adequacy, and region. Conclusion: The type and number of experiences reported underscores the value of directly measuring food insecurity. Interventions to mitigate food insecurity's adverse consequences are warranted.

Objective: Breast milk is the optimal source of nutrition for preterm infants, however, low breast milk production is common following a preterm birth. This study aimed to determine if taking brewers yeast' or beta-glucan improves daily expressed breast milk volume. Design: Randomised, blinded, parallel, placebo-controlled trial. Setting: Three Australian tertiary level neonatal units. Patients: Mothers with a singleton or twin pregnancy who gave birth at less than 34 weeks' gestation. Interventions: Mothers were randomised within 72 hours of birth into three parallel groups in 1:1:1 ratio to receive either brewers' yeast, beta-glucan or placebo capsules for seven days. Main outcome measure: Total expressed breast milk volume over a 24-hour period on day seven of intervention. Results: A total of 105 mothers underwent randomisation between August 2022 and April 2024 (36 brewers' yeast, 35 beta-glucan, and 34 placebo). The adjusted mean difference in daily expressed breast milk volume was 94 mL/day (95% CI -51 to 239 mL/day) between the brewers' yeast and placebo groups, and -25 mL/day (95% CI -173 to 123 mL/day) between the beta-glucan and placebo groups. Maternal side effects were similar across groups. Conclusion: We found no clear effect of short-term administration of brewers' yeast or beta-glucan on breast-milk production following preterm birth; both interventions were well tolerated. Given the small sample size, these findings do not rule out the possibility of a clinically meaningful benefit of brewers' yeast and suggest further research with a larger sample size may be warranted to clarify the potential clinical impact. Trial registration number ACTRN12622000968774.

Disordered eating attitudes exist on a continuum that extends well below clinical diagnostic thresholds, yet the cognitive correlates of this non-clinical variation remain incompletely understood. Previous research linking executive functioning to disordered eating in non-clinical samples has relied almost exclusively on self-report questionnaire measures of executive function, which show weak correspondence with performance-based assessments. This methodological reliance leaves open the question of how objective executive performance relates to eating behavior across the spectrum. The present study addressed this gap by examining the association between performance-based measures of executive function and disordered eating attitudes in a non-clinical sample of 243 university students via an online experiment, using a dimensional approach consistent with the Research Domain Criteria framework. Participants completed established neurocognitive tasks covering three executive function domains: working memory was assessed with Digit Span and an N-back task, inhibitory control with a Go/No-Go task, and cognitive flexibility with the Card Sorting Task. Disordered eating attitudes were indexed using the EAT-26 total score and its subscales. A notable correlation was identified between cognitive flexibility and disordered eating attitudes, while working memory and inhibitory control exhibited no such association. Overall, our findings provide evidence for associations between executive functioning and disordered eating attitudes in a non-clinical sample.

Background: Dopamine (DA) is a neurotransmitter critically involved in food-related reinforcement learning. While mesolimbic DA reward-associated signaling in the nucleus accumbens has been widely investigated, far less is known about DA function in the hippocampus (HPC), a brain region traditionally known for its role in episodic and spatial memory processes that has recently been associated with appetite and food intake control. Methods: Here we investigated dorsal HPC DA signaling dynamics in rats using fiber photometry to detect changes in DA binding (via GRAB-DA sensors) before, during, and after a meal consumption in food-restricted rats. Pharmacological studies targeting HPC dopamine 2 receptors (D2R) assessed the functional role of HPC DA signaling in food intake and meal-related memory processes. Results: HPC DA binding was significantly elevated in the post-meal relative to the pre-meal state following standard chow consumption. This effect was replicated after consuming a high fat diet or liquid sucrose, but not a low-calorie sweetener. These post-meal DA signaling elevations are dependent on nutrient consumption, as HPC DA binding levels were unaffected by intraperitoneal administration of glucose or the satiation hormone, cholecystokinin, in otherwise fasted rats. Direct HPC D2R agonists administration reduced food intake, whereas HPC D2R blockade after a meal reduced the latency to the next meal and impaired spatial memory for meal location without affecting spatial memory for object location. Conclusions: Collective results identify HPC DA-D2R signaling as a candidate neurobiological mechanism through which nutrient consumption promotes meal-related episodic memory formation, and by extension, reduces subsequent food intake.

Texture is one of the major barriers to acceptance of sustainable protein products, yet the relationship between instrumental texture and consumer perception remains poorly understood. Here we combined consumer sensory evaluation and texture profile analysis to identify the factors that drive burger acceptance across blended, animal-based, and plant-based formulations. A total of 472 diners evaluated beef-mushroom (n = 171), turkey (n = 100), bean (n = 100), and pea (n = 101) burgers served in Stanford University dining halls, while texture profile analysis quantified physical texture (n = 10 per product). The beef-mushroom burger achieved the highest ratings for meatiness (77.0/100), tastiness (69.4/100), and moistness (61.8/100), and 78% of consumers rated its moistness as just-about-right. Although the pea burger exhibited mechanical properties similar to the beef-mushroom burger, including indistinguishable cohesiveness values (0.53 vs. 0.53), it received substantially lower ratings for meatiness (56.1 vs. 77.0), indicating that mechanical similarity alone does not ensure consumer acceptance. Across products, moistness emerged as the primary sensory limitation, with 58% of turkey consumers and 46% of bean consumers reporting insufficient moisture. Cohesiveness showed the strongest association with perceived meatiness (r = 0.82). These findings demonstrate that successful burger reformulation requires more than mechanical matching; products must reproduce the moisture, flavor, and eating experience associated with meat. Blended burgers may represent the most practical near-term strategy for reducing meat consumption without compromising eating quality.

Purpose Postprandial sedentary behavior is associated with negative health effects and constitutes a large part of daily life in modern society. This study investigated how the timing of physical activity after eating influences glucose levels, cerebral and muscle oxygenation, cognitive performance, and well-being during subsequent sitting. Methods In a four-armed randomized crossover trial, healthy adults consumed four standardized meals separated by 48-hour washout periods. Each meal was followed by 2 hours of sitting combined, in random order, with one of four interventions: (1) sitting only, (2) 15 minutes of moderate intensity cycling immediately after eating, (3) 15 minutes of cycling 20 minutes after eating, or (4) three workload-matched five-minute cycling bouts during sitting. Interstitial glucose (continuous glucose monitoring), cerebral and muscle oxygenation (Functional near infrared spectroscopy), cognitive performance (Stroop test), heart rate, blood pressure, and subjective ratings were assessed every 30 minutes. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Results Twenty participants (mean age 27.1{+/-}10.3 years, 12 females) completed the study. Cycling immediately after eating reduced mean glucose levels during postprandial sitting, while both 15-minute cycling bouts increased cerebral oxygenation. All active conditions enhanced muscle oxygenation. Heart rate and arousal increased with delayed cycling and active breaks. No effects were observed for blood pressure, cognitive performance, focus, or well-being. Conclusion A short bout of physical activity immediately after eating reduces postprandial hyperglycemia and improves brain oxygenation during sitting, whereas delayed activity and brief breaks increase physiological activation without cognitive or perceptual benefits.

Globally, 75% of adolescents do not meet recommendations for fruits and vegetables (F&V) consumption. This study investigated drivers of F&V choices among adolescents in Benin and identified barriers and facilitators to modifying F&V consumption. We conducted 16 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 126 adolescents and 5 semi-structured school observations in December 2024. FGDs were purposively chosen to explore variation by region (north/south), school location (urban/rural), adolescent age (12 to 15 years/16-18 years) and gender (boys/girls). Inductive and deductive thematic content analysis was performed using Atlas.ti. Findings showed that adolescents perceived a healthy diet as one composed of meals providing nutrients and strength, and including F&V. At home, adolescents mentioned eating staples and other vegetables more than other food groups. The foods adolescents reported typically eating at school varied by age, gender, and location. The primary categories of factors that influenced adolescent F&V choices were: intrapersonal (knowledge related to healthy eating and the nutrition and health benefits of F&V, taste preferences, and health prioritisation), socio-cultural (family and peer influences), and food environment (low availability, low affordability, convenience, and desirability). DFC factors were consistent across adolescent age, gender, and location. Multiple, dynamic, and multilevel factors influence adolescent F&V choices. Interventions that simultaneously address multiple barriers and involve family and peers are likely to be more successful in promoting F&V consumption and healthy diets than interventions only addressing individual barriers.

Importance: In adolescence, attempts to lose weight are common, but their long-term impacts on mental and physical health are not known. Objective: To investigate the association between adolescent dieting and exercising to lose weight and adult trajectories of depressive symptoms and body mass index (BMI). Design: A longitudinal cohort study of children born between April 5 and 11, 1970, and followed up to age 51 years. Setting: Adolescents in the 1970 British Cohort Study in England, Wales and Scotland. Participants: A total of 4,650 adolescents with available exposure data. Exposures: Self-reported lifetime dieting or exercising for weight loss measured at age 16 years. Main Outcomes and Measures: Depressive symptoms measured with the nine-item Malaise Inventory, and BMI derived from self-reported height and weight, at ages 26, 30, 34, 42, 46, and 51 years. Results: Among 4,650 adolescents (56.7% girls, 97.7% White), 1,938 (41.7%) had dieted and 343 (7.4%) had exercised for weight loss by age 16 years. In fully adjusted analyses controlling for a wide range of child- and family-based confounders including prior BMI and emotional difficulties, there was evidence that adolescents who had dieted had higher adult depressive symptom trajectories (adjusted mean difference [aMD] 0.13, 95% CI 0.03-0.24, p=0.015) and higher and increasing adult BMI trajectories than those who had not dieted. There was also evidence that adolescents who exercised for weight loss had higher adult depressive symptom (aMD 0.18, 95% CI 0.02-0.34, p=0.031), and BMI trajectories (aMD 0.37, 95% CI -0.03, 0.78, p=0.071), though evidence of the latter was weak. Conclusions and Relevance: Behaviours aimed at weight loss occurring in adolescence might be a shared risk factor for depressive symptoms and high BMI in adulthood. If causal, these findings could suggest that reducing pressures to lose weight in adolescence may help prevent poor mental and physical health across the lifecourse.

Insulin resistance, an often-untreated precursor of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), is implicated in cognitive decline in adults, yet its impact on the developing brain in youth with obesity remains poorly understood. We investigate whether insulin resistance moderates the relation between hippocampal volume and unhealthy food-seeking in overweight and depressed youth ages 9-17 who completed an oral glucose tolerance test and a cognitive task assessing unhealthy food-seeking motivation at baseline, 6-, and 24-months follow-up, and structural MRI at baseline and 6-months follow-up. Insulin sensitivity moderated this relation: smaller baseline hippocampal subfield volumes predicted increased unhealthy food-seeking over 24 months (ps<0.05). Categorical grouping revealed subfield CA2/3 and 4 volumes predicted this relation among insulin-resistant (ps<0.05), but not insulin-sensitive (ps>0.10), youth, suggesting that threshold criteria for insulin resistance are physiologically meaningful. These findings identify a neuro-metabolic risk phenotype that precedes T2DM and may accelerate unhealthy food-seeking severity in youth with obesity.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods is rising globally and has been implicated in inflammation and metabolic dysfunction, yet the impact of specific food additives on the human gut microbiota remains poorly understood. Using dietary data from the Food & You study (approximately 1000 participants in Switzerland), we identified 257 unique additives from 4,119 unique packaged products to quantify each participant's daily additive exposure. Higher exposure to a combination of high intensity sweeteners and sugar polyols, commonly found in low calorie products, was independently associated with reduced gut microbial Shannon diversity (beta = -0.39, p < 0.001), after adjustment for demographics, diet quality, BMI and bowel movement frequency. At a broader level, total additive exposure and fast food consumption were each negatively associated with gut microbial diversity; however, additive exposure remained independently associated and also specifically attenuated the diversity benefits of vegetable rich diets. Furthermore, microbial log ratio signatures linked to additive exposure showed strong negative correlations with Shannon diversity, including emulsifiers and thickeners (r = -0.66) and preservatives and antioxidants (r = -0.56). Integrating additive exposure with healthy dietary components such as HEI, fruits, or vegetables strengthened associations with gut microbial diversity; for example, vegetable linked correlations with Shannon diversity increased from r = 0.52 to r = 0.65 when contrasted against preservative-antioxidant exposure. Concordantly, microbial signatures associated with the sweeteners and sugar polyols additive combination showed depletion of fiber associated commensal taxa, and enrichment of pathways involved in polyol and aromatic compound metabolism. Notably, these associations emerged despite packaged foods representing only approximately 15% of logged dietary intake, underscoring the sensitivity of gut microbial diversity to limited exposure, and demonstrating that without integrating additive and processed-food metrics, one of the largest effect-size phenomena in human gut microbiota diversity would remain undetected.

Background & Aims The adoption of plant-based diets in the United Kingdom (UK) is increasing, which has potential health benefits, but may increase risk of inadequate intakes of some nutrients. We aimed to assess differences in biomarkers of nutritional status and disease across diet groups in UK adults. Methods This cross-sectional analysis included 124 omnivores, 131 flexitarians, 71 pescatarians, 124 vegetarians, and 183 vegans from the Feeding the Future (FEED) follow-up study (2024-2025). Capillary blood samples were collected and analysed for: haemoglobin; lipid measures (low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and HDL-C), non-HDL-C, total cholesterol, and triglycerides); vitamins B12 and D. We estimated age- and sex-adjusted arithmetic or geometric mean concentrations and 95% confidence intervals of these biomarkers across diet groups. Participants taking lipid-lowering medications were excluded for analysis of lipid markers (n = 85). Results We observed differences in concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, and vitamin B12 across diet groups (P heterogeneity for all [&le;] 0.03). Cholesterol markers (mmol/L) were lower with greater exclusion of animal foods (omnivores vs vegans, total cholesterol = -0.8; LDL-C = -0.7; HDL-C = -0.2). Triglyceride concentrations (mmol/L) were similar across groups, with slightly higher values in vegetarians (+0.2) and vegans (+0.1) compared with omnivores. Vitamin B12 concentrations (pmol/L) were highest in vegans and lowest in vegetarians compared to omnivores. Supplement users had higher vitamin B12 and D concentrations in all groups (P heterogeneity between strata = <0.001), while non-supplementing vegetarians and vegans had lower, but not deficient, vitamin B12 concentrations compared to omnivores (P heterogeneity between diet groups = <0.001). Conclusions In this contemporary UK cohort, those following plant-based diets had more favourable blood lipid profiles, with little evidence of vitamin B12 or D deficiency, or anaemia. Supplement use was associated with higher vitamin B12 and D concentrations, particularly among vegetarians and vegans.

Abstract Background and Objective: To investigate the efficacy of a new, proprietary high-resistance potato starch as a prebiotic in comparison to inulin and a control. Methods: In this prospective study, an intervention of 9 g of resistant potato starch (RPS, Potatodaat), inulin, or accessible corn starch was given to participants with mild to moderate indigestion for 30 days. Short chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels, changes to the gut microbiome, and changes in clinical symptoms of indigestion were assessed as primary outcomes. Results: Subjects in the RPS (n = 22), inulin (n = 23), and accessible corn starch (n = 22) groups demonstrated similarity in age, sex, and baseline parameters. At 30 days, the groups experienced 21.1%, 6.29%, and 9.15% increases in stool butyrate, respectively. Clinical symptoms like indigestion and flatulence showed greater improvement with the use of RPS compared to the other two groups. Conclusion: Consumption of high resistance potato starch helps improve stool SCFA levels along with clinical symptoms related to digestion, showing its better prebiotic potential as compared to inulin and accessible corn starch. The new high-resistance potato starch can be considered an effective replacement for inulin.

Background: Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is a model organism in agricultural and industrial fermentation with nutritional benefits, yet less is understood about its nutritional value for supporting whole-body protein synthesis in vivo, and its comparison to animal-based protein. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of microbial-based protein (yeast) compared to a high (whey) and low (collagen) quality animal-based protein on the ability to support whole-body protein synthesis using the indicator amino acid oxidation technique. Methods: Thirteen healthy participants (M: n=6, 24{+/-}4 yr; F: n=7, 27{+/-}7 yr) consumed eight hourly yeast (Y), whey (W), or collagen (CH) protein beverages at 0.9 g{middle dot}kg-1{middle dot}d-1 supplemented with L-[1-13C]phenylalanine in a randomized, cross-over, counterbalanced design. Breath and urine were collected to measure fraction of expired 13CO2 (F13CO2) and [1-13C]Phe oxidation (PheOx) as inverse correlates of whole-body protein synthesis. An a priori 20% noninferiority margin was used to determine equivalency between protein sources. A Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was provided to assess fullness and hunger by protein sources. Results: Protein source had no effect on F13CO2 (P=0.15) or PheRa (P=0.10). PheOx was greater in CH compared to both Y (14.94{+/-}2.16 vs. 12.93{+/-}2.80 mol{middle dot}kg BM-1{middle dot}h-1, P<0.05) and W (14.94{+/-}2.16 vs. 12.50{+/-}2.75 mol{middle dot}kg BM-1{middle dot}h-1, P<0.05) whereas there was no significant difference between Y and W (P=0.59). Change in PheOx (mean difference [90% CI]) between CH and W (2.44 mol{middle dot}kg BM-1{middle dot}h-1 [0.98, 3.90], P<0.05) and between Y and W (0.44 mol{middle dot}kg BM-1{middle dot}h-1 [-1.34, 2.21], P>0.99) confirmed respective inferiority and noninferiority to W compared to the 20% noninferiority margin (2.50 mol{middle dot}kg BM-1{middle dot}h-1), while Y was superior to CH (-2.00 mol{middle dot}kg BM-1{middle dot}h-1 [-3.01, -0.99], P<0.05). Protein source did not significantly influence satiety (P=0.32) or hunger scores (P=0.15). Conclusion: EAA-enriched whey and yeast protein similarly reduced PheOx as compared to EAA-deficient collagen hydrolysate, suggesting these proteins were similarly superior in supporting whole-body protein synthesis.

While substantial research has examined the role of infant nutrition in early brain and cognitive development, the links between later childhood nutrition, brain development, and cognitive and academic skills remain less explored. In this work, we investigated for the first time the direct and indirect associations between nutrition intake, white matter microstructure and structural connectivity, and cognitive and academic outcomes. Using longitudinal data from typically developing children aged 2 to 14 years, we combined neuroimaging, dietary, and cognitive measures to test direct associations between nutrition and brain structure and connectivity, as well as cognitive and learning outcomes, and to assess whether brain development mediated these relationships. We found that specific nutrients, including DHA, sphingomyelin, iron, niacin, choline, and palmitoleic acid (omega-7), were associated with improved brain structure and connectivity, as well as better cognitive and learning outcomes. We also found that brain development partly mediated the association between childhood nutrition and learning outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show such a pathway in school-age children. These results add to the growing literature demonstrating the ongoing importance of nutrition beyond infancy in supporting childhood brain and cognitive development.