Intake of Animal Protein and Dietary Sources in the Colombian Population: Results of the National Nutrition Survey (ENSIN-2015)

Background. There is a lack of knowledge in Colombia about dietary intake and sources of animal protein. Design. Cross-sectional, nationally representative surveys. Setting. Colombia. Participants. n = 32,457 participants aged from 1 to 64 years. The sample analyzed included 21,036 boys and nonpregnant girls, 10,099 adults, and 1,322 pregnant women, 118 of whom were below 18 years of age. Results. Protein intake was 32.9 g/d (95% CI: 32.4, 33.4) per 1,000 kilocalories. The relative contribution (%) of total protein to the total energy intake/day (acceptable macronutrient distribution) was 13.2% (95% CI: 13.0, 13.3). The acceptable macronutrient distribution (AMDR) for animal protein for those aged 1 to 64 years was 7.8% (95% CI: 7.6, 8.0), with a minimum of 7.1% (95% CI: 6.7, 7.5), which was for children aged from 13 to 17 years, and a maximum of 8.3% (95% CI: 8.1, 8.5), for children aged from 1 to 4 years ( P = 0.018 ). For all groups, animal protein made up the majority of total proteins, with 62.6% (95% CI: 61.7, 63.6) for preschoolers, 55.8% (95% CI: 53.2, 58.4) for school-aged children, 54.6% (95% CI: 53.0, 56.1) for adolescents, 58.1% (95% CI: 57.5, 58.7) for adults, and 57.5% (95% CI: 55.2, 59.7) for pregnant women ( P = 0.027 ). The three main dietary sources of animal protein were red meat (17.8%), chicken (16.3%), and eggs (10.5%). The sources of vegetal protein were bread-arepa-pasta (20.0%), cereals (19.8%), and legumes (8.2%). Conclusions. Protein intake is excessive according to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), while it is not excessive from the perspective of the AMDR.

The Relationship between Macronutrient Distribution and Type 2 Diabetes in Asian Indians

Asian Indians (AIs) are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus than other ethnic groups. AIs also have lower body mass index (BMI) values than other populations, so can benefit from strategies other than weight reduction. Macronutrient distributions are associated with improved glycemic control; however, no specific distribution is generally recommended. This study looks at whether a macronutrient distribution of 50:30:20 (percent of total calories from carbohydrates, fats, and protein) is related to diabetes status in AIs. Diet and Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were assessed from convenience sample of AI adults in Maryland. A ratio of actual to needed calories using the 50:30:20 macronutrient distribution was then tested against diabetes status to identify associations. All groups except non-diabetic females, were in negative energy balance. The non-diabetic group consumed larger actual to needed ratios of protein than pre-diabetics and diabetics. However, all groups consumed protein at the lower end of the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR), and the quality of all macronutrients consumed was low. Therefore, weight loss may not be the recommendation for diabetes management for AIs. Increasing protein and insoluble fiber consumption, could play a critical role.

Caloric Restriction per se Rather Than Dietary Macronutrient Distribution Plays a Primary Role in Metabolic Health and Body Composition Improvements in Obese Mice

Caloric restriction (CR) is of key importance in combating obesity and its associated diseases. We aimed to examine effects of dietary macronutrient distribution on weight loss and metabolic health in obese mice exposed to CR. Male C57BL/6J mice underwent diet-induced obesity for 18 weeks. Thereafter mice were exposed to a 6-week CR for up to 40% on either low-fat diet (LFD; 20, 60, 20% kcal from protein, carbohydrate, fat), low-carb diet (LCD; 20, 20, 60% kcal, respectively) or high-pro diet (HPD; 35, 35, 30% kcal, respectively) (n = 16 each). Ten mice on the obesogenic diet served as age-matched controls. Body composition was evaluated by tissue dissections. Glucose tolerance, bloods lipids and energy metabolism were measured. CR-induced weight loss was similar for LFD and LCD while HPD was associated with a greater weight loss than LCD. The diet groups did not differ from obese controls in hindlimb muscle mass, but showed a substantial decrease in body fat without differences between them. Glucose tolerance and blood total cholesterol were weight-loss dependent and mostly improved in LFD and HPD groups during CR. Blood triacylglycerol was lowered only in LCD group compared to obese controls. Thus, CR rather than macronutrient distribution in the diet plays the major role for improvements in body composition and glucose control in obese mice. Low-carbohydrate-high-fat diet more successfully reduces triacylglycerol but not cholesterol levels compared to isocaloric high-carbohydrate-low-fat weight loss diets.

A Root in Synapsis and the Other One in the Gut Microbiome-Brain Axis: Are the Two Poles of Ketogenic Diet Enough to Challenge Glioblastoma?

Glioblastoma is the most frequent and aggressive brain cancer in adults. While precision medicine in oncology has produced remarkable progress in several malignancies, treatment of glioblastoma has still limited available options and a dismal prognosis. After first-line treatment with surgery followed by radiochemotherapy based on the 2005 STUPP trial, no significant therapeutic advancements have been registered. While waiting that genomic characterization moves from a prognostic/predictive value into therapeutic applications, practical and easy-to-use approaches are eagerly awaited. Medical reports on the role of the ketogenic diet in adult neurological disorders and in glioblastoma suggest that nutritional interventions may condition outcomes and be associated with standard therapies. The acceptable macronutrient distribution of daily calories in a regular diet are 45–65% of daily calories from carbohydrates, 20–35% from fats, and 10–35% from protein. Basically, the ketogenic diet follows an approach based on low carbohydrates/high fat intake. In carbohydrates starvation, body energy derives from fat storage which is used to produce ketones and act as glucose surrogates. The ketogenic diet has several effects: metabolic interference with glucose and insulin and IGF-1 pathways, influence on neurotransmission, reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation, direct effect on gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms. Apart from these central effects working at the synapsis level, recent evidence also suggests a role for microbiome and gut-brain axis induced by a ketogenic diet. This review focuses on rationales supporting the ketogenic diet and clinical studies will be reported, looking at future possible perspectives.

A comparison of dietary quality and nutritional adequacy of popular energy restricted diets against the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and the Mediterranean Diet

There is limited information regarding the nutrition profile and diet quality of meal plans from currently popular weight loss diets in Australia. This includes the energy content (kilojoules), the macronutrient distribution, and the micronutrient composition. Further, these diets have not been compared with current government guidelines and healthy eating principles for nutritional adequacy. Popular diets were identified through grey literature, trending searches and relative popularity in Australia. Meal plans for each diet were analysed using Foodworks Dietary Software to determine food group intake, micronutrient, and macronutrient distribution. Results indicated that all popular diets assessed deviated from government recommended healthy eating principles such as the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and the Mediterranean Diet. In most cases both popular diets, and the healthy eating principles had low intakes of multiple food groups, low intakes of essential micronutrients, and a distorted macronutrient distribution. Popular diets may not provide adequate nutrition to meet needs, particularly in the long-term and potentially resulting in micronutrient deficiency. When energy restricting for weight loss, meal plans should be highly individualized in conjunction with a qualified nutrition professional to ensure adequate dietary intake.

Effects of time-restricted feeding on supramaximal exercise performance and body composition: a randomized and counterbalanced crossover study in healthy men

BackgroundUsing a crossover design, we explored the effects of both short- and long-term TRF vs. regular diet on Wingate (WnT) performance and body composition in well-trained young men. MethodsTwelve healthy male physical education students were included. The order of dieting was randomized and counterbalanced, and all participants served as their own controls. TRF was limited to an 8-h eating window and non- TRF involved a customary meal pattern. Participants performed WnT tests and body composition scans at baseline, post-1 and 4 weeks of the assigned diet. Before testing, participants were asked to fill out a dietary record over 4 consecutive days and were instructed to continue their habitual training throughout the study. Energy intake and macronutrient distribution were similar at baseline in both conditions. ResultsWnT mean power and total work output increased post-4 weeks of TRF. Both conditions were similarly effective in increasing fat-free mass after 4 weeks of intervention. However, there was no correlation between change in fat-free mass and WnT mean power after TRF. Neither condition elicited any changes in WnT performance or body composition 1 week post-intervention. ConclusionsThus, long- term TRF can be used in combination with regular training to improve supramaximal exercise performance in well-trained men. Trial registration: This study has been 'retrospectively registered' in Clinical Trials and its registration number is NCT04756635.

Breakfast Habits of a Representative Sample of the Spanish Child and Adolescent Population (The ENALIA Study): Association with Diet Quality

The association between breakfast quality and total diet quality of children and adolescents ((1–17.9 years (n = 1570)) from the National Dietary Survey on the Child and Adolescent Population in Spain (ENALIA) was analyzed. Dietary information was collected using two non–consecutive one–day food diaries (1–10 years old) or two 24 h dietary recalls (>10 years). Breakfast quality index (BQI) and a variant of Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF9.3) were calculated to assess the total diet quality. Children and adolescents who had breakfast on at least one day (n = 1561) were divided into two groups according to BQI: Worse Quality Breakfast (WQB) (BQI < 4 points (P66), n = 781) and Good Quality Breakfast (GQB) (BQI ≥ 4, n = 780). Younger children and those whose parents have university education presented higher BQI. GQB group had significantly higher intakes of micronutrients (vitamins A, D, C, B1, B2, B6, niacin, folate, calcium, potassium, magnesium). Fewer GQB children exceeded the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range for fat and had folate and calcium intakes below their estimated average requirement. Daily NRF9.3 was 496.2 ± 54.0, being higher in GQB (503.8 ± 50.6 vs. 488.6 ± 56.2, p < 0.001). Increasing the quality of breakfast increased the possibility of having a NRF9.3 higher than P50 (OR: 1.893, CI: 1.549–2.315, p < 0.0001). Breakfasts have room for quality improvement in a high percentage of children. A higher quality breakfast is associated with a benefit in the quality of the total diet.