Nutrition & Food Science
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Item Urtica dioica Whole Vegetable as a Functional Food Targeting Fat Accumulation and Insulin Resistance-a Preliminary Study in a Mouse Pre-Diabetic Model(MDPI, 2020-04-10) Fan, Si; Raychaudhuri, Samnhita; Kraus, Olivia; Shahinozzaman, Md; Lofti, Leila; Obanda, Diana N.The shoot of Urtica dioica is used in several cultures as a vegetable or herb. However, not much has been studied about the potential of this plant when consumed as a whole food/vegetable rather than an extract for dietary supplements. In a 12-week dietary intervention study, we tested the effect of U. dioica vegetable on high fat diet induced obesity and insulin resistance in C57BL/6J mice. Mice were fed ad libitum with isocaloric diets containing 10% fat or 45% fat with or without U. dioica. The diet supplemented with U. dioica attenuated high fat diet induced weight gain (p < 0.005; n = 9), fat accumulation in adipose tissue (p < 0.005; n = 9), and whole-body insulin resistance (HOMA-IR index) (p < 0.001; n = 9). Analysis of gene expression in skeletal muscle showed no effect on the constituents of the insulin signaling pathway (AKT, IRS proteins, PI3K, GLUT4, and insulin receptor). Notable genes that impact lipid or glucose metabolism and whose expression was changed by U. dioica include fasting induced adipocyte factor (FIAF) in adipose and skeletal muscle, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (Ppar-α) and forkhead box protein (FOXO1) in muscle and liver, and Carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (Cpt1) in liver (p < 0.01). We conclude that U. dioica vegetable protects against diet induced obesity through mechanisms involving lipid accumulation and glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue.Item DIET, FOOD SECURITY, SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN HOMEBOUND OLDER ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND THEIR IMPACT ON HEALTHCARE UTILIZATION(2020) Ashour, Fayrouz A.; Sahyoun, Nadine R; Nutrition; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Homebound older adults may be at increased risk for malnutrition and social isolation, posing a potential threat to them aging in their communities and increasing healthcare cost. The Nutrition Service Program under Older Americans Act (OAANSP) was established to support older adults aging in place by delivering meals and providing nutrition-related services. Aims: 1) Examine diet quality of home-delivered meal (HDM) recipients; 2) examine direct and indirect associations between social relationships, depressive symptoms, food insecurity (FI) and diet quality; and 3) examine direct and indirect associations between social relationships, FI, diet quality and hospitalization. Methods: Data obtained from OAANSP Outcomes Evaluation study included: 1) client outcomes survey, 2) two 24-hour dietary recalls, and 3) Medicare healthcare utilization data. Dietary recalls examined diet quality by calculating 1) population-level mean HEI scores; and 2) usual vegetable and protein intakes. Diet quantity was compared to Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 (DGA), and structural equation modeling was used to examine direct and indirect relationships. Results: HDM recipients and controls have high prevalence of FI, 22.4% and 16.5%, respectively. HDM recipients who did not receive a meal on day of dietary recall (no-meal recipients) had significantly poorer diet quality than HDM recipients who received a meal (meal recipients) that day and control group. Quality of overall diet for meal recipients, no-meal recipients and controls did not meet recommendations for several food groups/nutrients. Compared to DGA, HDM and complementary foods were low in whole grains, dairy, fiber, and surpassed upper limit of consumption for saturated fats, refined grains, sodium and added sugar. High FI was associated with greater depressive symptoms and lower usual vegetable intake in control group. High FI was associated with lower usual protein intake in HDM recipients and controls. Both groups were at high risk for protein insufficiency, which was associated with greater hospitalization in the control group. Conclusions: HDM recipients and controls have high prevalence of FI, poor diet quality, and insufficient protein intake. Increasing funding for OAANSP can allow program expansion and improvement of HDM. Validated tools to examine social relationships and additional contributors to FI are neededItem Electronic Interventions to Improve Health Behaviors in College Students(2014) Schweitzer, Amy; Lei, David K.Y.; Nutrition; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Introduction: In transitioning from adolescence to adulthood, college students are faced with significant challenges to their health habits. Time, independence and stress have been known to result in poor eating and exercise habits which can lead to increased disease risk. Objective: To assess whether an electronic health intervention can improve health habits in college students. Methods: A 24-week diet and physical activity program was delivered by e-mail to 148 college students. The intervention involved weekly tailored, interactive diet and physical activity goals. The control group received non-diet-non-exercise-related health fact sheets. Baseline, 12-week, and 24-week diet and physical activity surveys were completed online. BMI, neck circumference, waist circumference, and percent fat mass (FM%) by bioelectrical impedance analysis were measured at baseline, week 12 and week 24. Results: Students were 18-20 years old 70% female from a diverse college campus (46% Caucasian, 23% Asian, 20% African American, 5% Hispanic, and 6% other). At baseline, 23% were overweight/obese by BMI, 88% reported consuming <5 fruits and vegetables daily, 59% consumed >10% of kcalories from saturated fat, although 91% met or exceeded 150 minutes/week of moderate-vigorous exercise. Seventy-one percent of students completed all study visits. Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant treatment by linear time interaction for saturated fat. A significant change from baseline saturated fat intake was detected between the treatment groups at week 24 (mean change ± standard error 0.7±0.42% of kcal for control and -0.3±0.30% of kcal for intervention). Differences in saturated fat intake between the two treatment groups were more evident in those whose intake exceeded recommendations. BMI, neck circumference, waist circumference, FM%, weekly minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity as well as intake of fruit, vegetables, and added sugar were not significantly different between treatment groups. Conclusion: College students enrolled in an interactive electronic health intervention decreased saturated fat intake compared to control. Furthermore, the decrease observed in the intervention group was mainly due to those whose intake of saturated fat intake was above the recommended 10% of total kcalories. Further development of the electronic intervention program is needed to maximize health benefits in college students.Item Dietary Patterns, Metabolic Risk and Survival in Older Adults(2008-10-28) Anderson, Amy Louise; Sahyoun, Nadine R.; Nutrition; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Background: Recent evidence suggests that older adults' diets can appreciably impact their health. Dietary patterns may better capture the multifaceted effects of diet on health than individual nutrients or foods. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the dietary patterns of a cohort of older adults, and examine relationships with body composition, insulin sensitivity, systemic inflammation, and survival. The influence of a polymorphism in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) gene was considered. Design: The Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study is a prospective cohort study of 3075 older adults. Participants' body composition, genetic variation, glucose metabolism, systemic inflammation, and vital status were evaluated in detail. Food intake was assessed with a modified Block food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and dietary patterns were derived by cluster analysis. Results: Six clusters were identified, including a 'Healthy foods' cluster characterized by higher intake of lowfat dairy products, fruit, whole grains, poultry, fish and vegetables. An interaction was found between dietary pattern and PPAR-γ Pro12Ala genotype in relation to body composition. While Pro homozygotes in the 'Healthy foods' cluster did not differ significantly in body composition from those in other clusters, men with the Ala allele in the 'Healthy foods' cluster had significantly lower adiposity than those in other clusters. The 'Healthy foods' cluster had lower fasting insulin and HOMA-IR values than the 'High-fat dairy products' and 'Breakfast cereal' clusters, while no differences were found in fasting or 2-hour glucose. With respect to inflammation, the 'Healthy foods' cluster had lower levels of IL-6 than the 'High-fat dairy products' and 'Sweets and desserts' clusters, and did not differ in CRP or TNF-α. The 'Healthy foods' cluster also had a lower risk of mortality than the 'High-fat dairy products' and 'Sweets and desserts' clusters, and more years of healthy life and more optimal nutritional status than the other clusters. Conclusion: A dietary pattern consistent with current guidelines to consume relatively high amounts of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, poultry, fish and lowfat dairy products may reduce the metabolic risk and improve the nutritional status, quality of life and survival of older adults.