Cooking

Lifestyle changes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Siew S Lim, Samantha K Hutchison, Emer Van Ryswyk +3 more · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2019 · 379 citations

This comprehensive review found that lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, and behavioral interventions) may lead to a modest reduction in body weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), and the Free Androgen Index (FAI) in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), suggesting that these interventions can help manage some key symptoms, though their impact on fertility and glucose tolerance remains uncertain.

A Randomized Pilot Trial of a Moderate Carbohydrate Diet Compared to a Very Low Carbohydrate Diet in Overweight or Obese Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus or Prediabetes

Laura R. Saslow, Sarah Kim, Jennifer Daubenmier +7 more · PLoS ONE · 2014 · 229 citations

A 3-month pilot study found that a very low carbohydrate, high-fat diet led to a 0.6% greater reduction in HbA1c and a higher rate of diabetes medication reduction compared to a moderate carbohydrate, low-fat, calorie-restricted diet in overweight or obese individuals with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.

Mothers after Gestational Diabetes in Australia (MAGDA): A Randomised Controlled Trial of a Postnatal Diabetes Prevention Program

Sharleen O’Reilly, James Dunbar, Vincent L. Versace +14 more · PLoS Medicine · 2016 · 162 citations

A structured, group-based lifestyle modification program for mothers with a history of gestational diabetes prevented an average of 0.95 kg of weight gain over 12 months compared to usual care, suggesting that even a modest intervention can help manage diabetes risk, but engagement with such programs is a major challenge for self-experimenters.

Protein intake and exercise for optimal muscle function with aging: Recommendations from the ESPEN Expert Group

Nicolaas E.P. Deutz, Jürgen M. Bauer, Rocco Barazzoni +11 more · Clinical Nutrition · 2014 · 1,611 citations

Prevalence and correlates of food insecurity among U.S. college students: a multi-institutional study

Aseel El Zein, Karla P. Shelnutt, Sarah Colby +7 more · BMC Public Health · 2019 · 283 citations

This study found that nearly half of first-year U.S. college students are food-insecure or at risk, and those who are food-insecure are significantly more likely to experience poor sleep, high stress, disordered eating, and lower grades, suggesting that addressing food access could improve multiple aspects of well-being for students.

Maintain Your Brain: Protocol of a 3-Year Randomized Controlled Trial of a Personalized Multi-Modal Digital Health Intervention to Prevent Cognitive Decline Among Community Dwelling 55 to 77 Year Olds

Megan Heffernan, Gavin Andrews, Maria A. Fiatarone Singh +28 more · Journal of Alzheimer s Disease · 2018 · 81 citations

This paper describes the detailed plan for a large, 3-year online study aiming to determine if a personalized digital program targeting lifestyle factors like physical activity, nutrition, mental health, and cognitive training can effectively reduce cognitive decline in older adults. As a protocol, it outlines *how* the study will be conducted, not

Covid-19 Confinement and Changes of Adolescent’s Dietary Trends in Italy, Spain, Chile, Colombia and Brazil

María Belén Ruiz-Roso, Patrícia de Carvalho Padilha, Diana C. Mantilla-Escalante +16 more · Nutrients · 2020 · 727 citations

During COVID-19 lockdowns, adolescents across five countries increased their consumption of fried foods and sweets while also eating more fruits, vegetables, and legumes — a mixed pattern that depended heavily on gender, maternal education, and whether families ate meals together, meaning your own dietary changes during confinement are likely shaped by your household structure and social environment, not just willpower.

Circular economy strategies for combating climate change and other environmental issues

Mingyu Yang, Lin Chen, Jiangjiang Wang +5 more · Environmental Chemistry Letters · 2022 · 703 citations

This review maps how circular economy strategies—reusing materials, designing for longevity, and shifting to bio-based inputs—could cut global carbon emissions by up to 45% by 2030, but warns that carbon removal technologies currently cost $100–$1,200 per ton of CO₂, and that land-use conflicts from bio-based materials remain unresolved.

The impact of the <scp>COVID</scp>‐19 pandemic on eating disorder risk and symptoms

Rachel F. Rodgers, Caterina Lombardo, Silvia Cerolini +6 more · International Journal of Eating Disorders · 2020 · 662 citations

This theoretical review identifies three pathways by which the COVID-19 pandemic likely increased eating disorder risk and symptoms—disrupted routines, increased exposure to body-focused media, and health-related anxiety—but provides no original data, so the conclusions are hypotheses to test in your own life rather than proven effects.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Health Behavior, Stress, Financial and Food Security among Middle to High Income Canadian Families with Young Children

Nicholas Carroll, Adam Sadowski, Amar Laila +5 more · Nutrients · 2020 · 586 citations

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, middle-to-high-income Canadian families with young children reported widespread increases in screen time (74% of mothers, 61% of fathers, 87% of children), decreases in physical activity (59% of mothers, 52% of fathers, 52% of children), and shifts toward more snacking, alongside new healthful behaviors like more home cooking and family meals—highlighting that even relatively privileged families experienced significant behavioral disruption, which matters for anyone running a self-experiment because it shows how external stressors can rapidly override established routines.

Slum Health: Arresting COVID-19 and Improving Well-Being in Urban Informal Settlements

Jason Corburn, David Vlahov, Blessing Mberu +15 more · Journal of Urban Health · 2020 · 586 citations

This is a policy and practice commentary, not an experimental study—it argues that top-down COVID-19 responses (e.g., lockdowns, social distancing) are impossible in slums due to overcrowding, lack of water/sanitation, and economic precarity, and proposes eight immediate community-led interventions to reduce transmission while improving long-term well-being.

American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention: Reducing the Risk of Cancer With Healthy Food Choices and Physical Activity

Lawrence H. Kushi, Tim Byers, Colleen Doyle +5 more · CA A Cancer Journal for Clinicians · 2006 · 1,904 citations

The American Cancer Society (ACS) publishes Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines to serve as a foundation for its communication, policy, and community strategies and ultimately, to affect dietary and physical activity patterns among Americans. These Guidelines, published every 5 years, are developed by a national panel of experts in cancer research, prevention, epidemiology, public health, and policy, and as such, they represent the most current scientific evidence related to dietary and activity patterns and cancer risk. The ACS Guidelines include recommendations for individual choices regarding diet and physical activity patterns, but those choices occur within a community context that either facilitates or interferes with healthy behaviors. Community efforts are essential to create a social environment that promotes healthy food choices and physical activity. Therefore, this committee presents one key recommendation for community action to accompany the four recommendations for individual choices to reduce cancer risk. This recommendation for community action recognizes that a supportive social environment is indispensable if individuals at all levels of society are to have genuine opportunities to choose healthy behaviors. The ACS Guidelines are consistent with guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association for the prevention of coronary heart disease and diabetes, as well as for general health promotion, as defined by the Department of Health and Human Services' 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The Global Food‐Energy‐Water Nexus

Paolo D’Odorico, Kyle Frankel Davis, Lorenzo Rosa +8 more · Reviews of Geophysics · 2018 · 747 citations

Abstract Water availability is a major factor constraining humanity's ability to meet the future food and energy needs of a growing and increasingly affluent human population. Water plays an important role in the production of energy, including renewable energy sources and the extraction of unconventional fossil fuels that are expected to become important players in future energy security. The emergent competition for water between the food and energy systems is increasingly recognized in the concept of the “food‐energy‐water nexus.” The nexus between food and water is made even more complex by the globalization of agriculture and rapid growth in food trade, which results in a massive virtual transfer of water among regions and plays an important role in the food and water security of some regions. This review explores multiple components of the food‐energy‐water nexus and highlights possible approaches that could be used to meet food and energy security with the limited renewable water resources of the planet. Despite clear tensions inherent in meeting the growing and changing demand for food and energy in the 21st century, the inherent linkages among food, water, and energy systems can offer an opportunity for synergistic strategies aimed at resilient food, water, and energy security, such as the circular economy.

Prenatal Exposure to Airborne Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Children’s Intelligence at 5 Years of Age in a Prospective Cohort Study in Poland

Susan Edwards, Wiesław Jędrychowski, Maria Butscher +8 more · Environmental Health Perspectives · 2010 · 336 citations

Pregnant women exposed to higher levels of airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Krakow, Poland, had children who scored roughly 4 IQ points lower on a nonverbal reasoning test at age 5, after controlling for maternal IQ, lead exposure, and other confounders — suggesting that urban air pollution during pregnancy may permanently impair cognitive development.

Changes in Food Consumption During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis of Consumer Survey Data From the First Lockdown Period in Denmark, Germany, and Slovenia

Meike Janßen, Betty P. I. Chang, Hristo Hristov +3 more · Frontiers in Nutrition · 2021 · 393 citations

< 0.1) related to increases and decrease in individuals' consumption frequencies in different food categories. The factors include restrictions put in place in response to the pandemic (i.e., closure of physical workplaces, canteens, cafés and restaurants, schools, and childcare institutions), changes in households' grocery shopping frequency, individuals' perceived risk of COVID-19, income losses due to the pandemic, and socio-demographic factors. Interesting differences between the countries were detected, allowing insights into the different food cultures. Conclusions include implications for policy-makers and actors in the food supply chain on the issues of healthy diets, food system resilience, and behavior change.

The effect of the macrobiotic Ma-Pi 2 diet vs. the recommended diet in the management of type 2 diabetes: the randomized controlled MADIAB trial

Andreea Soare, Yeganeh Manon Khazrai, Rossella Del Toro +14 more · Nutrition & Metabolism · 2014 · 41 citations

A 21-day randomized controlled trial found that a macrobiotic Ma-Pi 2 diet led to significantly greater improvements in fasting and post-meal blood glucose, HbA1c, insulin resistance, cholesterol, and anthropometrics compared to a standard recommended diet for type 2 diabetes, suggesting it could be a powerful short-term dietary intervention for self-experimenters managing their condition.

Perceived barriers in accessing food among recent Latin American immigrants in Toronto

Mandana Vahabi, Cynthia Damba · International Journal for Equity in Health · 2013 · 341 citations

Recent Latin American immigrants in Toronto face four main barriers to getting enough safe, nutritious, and culturally-appropriate food: limited money (the biggest factor), language difficulties, cultural food preferences that aren't easily met, and poor knowledge of available community food resources—with financial constraints affecting everything from what they can buy to how they get to the store and how much time they have to shop.

Past results and future directions in urban community gardens research

Daniela Guitart, Catherine Marina Pickering, Jason Byrne · Urban forestry & urban greening · 2012 · 572 citations

Lifestyle management of hypertension: International Society of Hypertension position paper endorsed by the World Hypertension League and European Society of Hypertension

Fadi J. Charchar, Priscilla R. Prestes, Charlotte Mills +43 more · Journal of Hypertension · 2023 · 230 citations

This international expert consensus paper synthesises the strongest available evidence on lifestyle interventions for preventing and managing hypertension, concluding that a combination of weight control, physical activity, dietary changes (reduced sodium, increased potassium, limited alcohol), stress management, and adequate sleep can lower systolic blood pressure by 5–20 mmHg — often enough to delay or reduce the need for medication — and that these effects are additive when multiple changes are made together.

An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint report on the terminology for the conservative and nonpharmacological management of female pelvic floor dysfunction

Kari Bø, Helena Frawley, Bernard T. Haylen +12 more · International Urogynecology Journal · 2016 · 397 citations

ASMBS Allied Health Nutritional Guidelines for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient

Linda Aills, Jeanne Blankenship, Cynthia Buffington +2 more · Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases · 2008 · 579 citations

Disparities in State-Specific Adult Fruit and Vegetable Consumption — United States, 2015

Seung Hee Lee, Latetia V. Moore, Heidi M. Blanck +2 more · MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report · 2017 · 382 citations

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that Americans consume more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall dietary pattern to reduce the risk for diet-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and obesity (1). Adults should consume 1.5-2.0 cup equivalents of fruits and 2.0-3.0 cups of vegetables per day.* Overall, few adults in each state met intake recommendations according to 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data; however, sociodemographic characteristics known to be associated with fruit and vegetable consumption were not examined (2). CDC used data from the 2015 BRFSS to update the 2013 report and to estimate the percentage of each state's population meeting intake recommendations by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and income-to-poverty ratio (IPR) for the 50 states and District of Columbia (DC). Overall, 12.2% of adults met fruit recommendations ranging from 7.3% in West Virginia to 15.5% in DC, and 9.3% met vegetable recommendations, ranging from 5.8% in West Virginia to 12.0% in Alaska. Intake was low across all socioeconomic groups. Overall, the prevalence of meeting the fruit intake recommendation was highest among women (15.1%), adults aged 31-50 years (13.8%), and Hispanics (15.7%); the prevalence of meeting the vegetable intake recommendation was highest among women (10.9%), adults aged ≥51 years (10.9%), and persons in the highest income group (11.4%). Evidence-based strategies that address barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption such as cost or limited availability could improve consumption and help prevent diet-related chronic disease.

Disordered eating in a population‐based sample of young adults during the <scp>COVID</scp>‐19 outbreak

Melissa Simone, Rebecca L. Emery, Vivienne M. Hazzard +3 more · International Journal of Eating Disorders · 2021 · 98 citations

During the early COVID-19 pandemic (April–May 2020), young adults with low stress management skills, food insecurity, financial difficulties, and higher depressive symptoms reported significantly more disordered eating behaviors—including binge eating and extreme weight control behaviors—suggesting that psychological and economic stressors are key drivers of eating pathology during public health crises.

Relationship between food waste, diet quality, and environmental sustainability

Zach Conrad, Meredith T. Niles, Deborah A. Neher +3 more · PLoS ONE · 2018 · 336 citations

Improving diet quality while simultaneously reducing environmental impact is a critical focus globally. Metrics linking diet quality and sustainability have typically focused on a limited suite of indicators, and have not included food waste. To address this important research gap, we examine the relationship between food waste, diet quality, nutrient waste, and multiple measures of sustainability: use of cropland, irrigation water, pesticides, and fertilizers. Data on food intake, food waste, and application rates of agricultural amendments were collected from diverse US government sources. Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index-2015. A biophysical simulation model was used to estimate the amount of cropland associated with wasted food. This analysis finds that US consumers wasted 422g of food per person daily, with 30 million acres of cropland used to produce this food every year. This accounts for 30% of daily calories available for consumption, one-quarter of daily food (by weight) available for consumption, and 7% of annual cropland acreage. Higher quality diets were associated with greater amounts of food waste and greater amounts of wasted irrigation water and pesticides, but less cropland waste. This is largely due to fruits and vegetables, which are health-promoting and require small amounts of cropland, but require substantial amounts of agricultural inputs. These results suggest that simultaneous efforts to improve diet quality and reduce food waste are necessary. Increasing consumers' knowledge about how to prepare and store fruits and vegetables will be one of the practical solutions to reducing food waste.

Interventions in practice: re-framing policy approaches to consumer behaviour

Nicola Spurling, Andrew McMeekin, Elizabeth Shove +2 more · Lancaster EPrints (Lancaster University) · 2013 · 308 citations

This report introduces a novel approach to sustainability policy— a practice perspective. We argue that social practices are a better target of intervention for sustainability policy than ‘behaviour’, ‘choice’ or technical innovation alone. Understanding the dynamics of practices offers us a window into transitions towards sustainability.We consume resources as part of the practices that make up everyday life—showering, doing the laundry, cooking or driving—what we might call inconspicuous or ordinary consumption. While we may have degrees of choice in how we perform these practices, access to resources (economic, social, cultural), norms of social interaction, as well as infrastructures and institutional organisation constrain our autonomy. Practices are social phenomena—their performance entails the reproduction of cultural meanings, socially learnt skills and common tools, technologies and products. This shift of perspective places practices, not individuals or infrastructures, at the centre stage of analysis. Taking practices as the unit of analysis moves policy beyond false alternatives—beyond individual or social, behaviour or infrastructure. A practice perspective re-frames the question from “How do we change individuals’ behaviours to be more sustainable?” to “How do we shift everyday practices to be more sustainable?” After all, ‘behaviours’ are largely individuals’ performances of social practices.

Can eating pleasure be a lever for healthy eating? A systematic scoping review of eating pleasure and its links with dietary behaviors and health

Alexandra Bédard, Pierre-Olivier Lamarche, Lucie-Maude Grégoire +4 more · PLoS ONE · 2020 · 77 citations

This systematic scoping review of 119 studies found that eating pleasure is a multi-dimensional concept (with 22 key dimensions, most commonly sensory and social experiences), and that 57.1% of studies reported favorable associations between eating pleasure and healthier dietary outcomes—suggesting that deliberately cultivating pleasure from healthy foods, rather than relying on willpower or guilt, could be a viable strategy for improving diet quality.

The food environment, its effects on dietary consumption, and potential for measurement within agriculture-nutrition interventions

Anna Herforth, Selena Ahmed · Food Security · 2015 · 452 citations

The food environment in markets constrains and signals consumers what to purchase. It encompasses availability, affordability, convenience, and desirability of various foods. The effect of income on dietary consumption is always modified by the food environment. Many agricultural interventions aim to improve incomes, increase food availability and reduce food prices. Their effects on nutrition could be better understood if food environment measures helped to explain how additional income is likely to be spent, and how food availability and prices change as a result of large-scale interventions. Additionally, measurement of the food environment could elucidate food access gaps and inform the design of nutrition-sensitive interventions. This paper reviews existing measures of the food environment, and then draws from these tools to suggest ways the food environment could be measured in future studies and monitoring.

Plate waste in hospitals and strategies for change

Peter Williams, Karen Walton · e-SPEN the European e-Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism · 2011 · 329 citations

Factors influencing eating behavior and dietary intake among resident students in a public university in Bangladesh: A qualitative study

Ashraful Kabir, Md. Shahgahan Miah, Asraful Islam · PLoS ONE · 2018 · 238 citations

BACKGROUND: Over the past decades, Bangladesh has made substantial progress in improving higher education, and in part, this was achieved by promoting residence based higher education in public universities. University residency is considered a crucial period for students to develop healthy eating habits and adopt nutritious intake, which comprise a strong foundation for good health throughout life. Although, there is extensive literature on eating behaviors and dietary intake internationally, there appears to be relatively scarce research and analysis concerning Bangladesh. This study aims to address this, by investigating the factors that influence eating behavior and dietary intake. METHODS: Adopting a qualitative approach, we conducted 25 in-depth interviews and 13 focus group discussions with students of various disciplines and semesters. We used thematic analysis to analyze the textual data, and methodological triangulation to validate the information provided. RESULTS: Student eating behavior and dietary intake are influenced by a variety of factors. Individual factors (cooking skills, food taste, food taboos, and knowledge and perceptions), societal factors (influence of peers and social norms), factors related to university (campus culture and frequency of examination), and environmental factors (availability of cooking resources and facilities and food prices) emerged as the key aspects that determine students' eating behavior and dietary intake. CONCLUSION: This is the first study that explored factors influencing nutritional behavior and dietary intake among resident graduates in a Bangladeshi university. The results suggest that resident students have a poor dietary intake that might have a harmful impact on their health, well-being, and academic performance. Therefore, multilevel nutritional interventions may be beneficial to promote healthy eating behavior and dietary intake among university students.

Child eating behaviors, parental feeding practices and food shopping motivations during the COVID-19 lockdown in France: (How) did they change?

Kaat Philippe, Claire Chabanet, Sylvie Issanchou +1 more · Appetite · 2021 · 154 citations

The COVID-19 pandemic caused France to impose a strict lockdown, affecting families' habits in many domains. This study evaluated possible changes in child eating behaviors, parental feeding practices, and parental motivations when buying food during the lockdown, compared to the period before the lockdown. Parents of 498 children aged 3-12 years (238 boys; M = 7.32; SD = 2.27) completed an online survey with items from validated questionnaires (e.g., CEDQ, CEBQ, HomeSTEAD). They reported on their (child's) current situation during the lockdown, and retrospectively on the period before the lockdown. Many parents reported changes in child eating behaviors, feeding practices, and food shopping motivations. When changes occurred, child appetite, food enjoyment, food responsiveness and emotional overeating significantly increased during the lockdown. Increased child boredom significantly predicted increased food responsiveness, emotional overeating and snack frequency in between meals. When parents changed their practices, they generally became more permissive: less rules, more soothing with food, more child autonomy. They bought pleasurable and sustainable foods more frequently, prepared more home-cooked meals and cooked more with the child. Level of education and increased stress level predicted changes in parental practices and motivations. This study provides insights in factors that can induce positive and negative changes in families' eating, feeding and cooking behaviors. This can stimulate future studies and interventions.

Effects of a Diet-Based Weight-Reducing Program with Probiotic Supplementation on Satiety Efficiency, Eating Behaviour Traits, and Psychosocial Behaviours in Obese Individuals

Marina Sánchez, Christian Darimont, Shirin Panahi +5 more · Nutrients · 2017 · 136 citations

= 0.06). In men, significant benefits of LPR on fasting fullness and cognitive restraint were also observed. Taken together, these observations lend support to the hypothesis that the gut-brain axis may impact appetite control and related behaviors in obesity management.

Updating the Food-Based Dietary Guidelines for the Spanish Population: The Spanish Society of Community Nutrition (SENC) Proposal

Javier Aranceta Bartrina, Teresa Partearroyo, Ana M. López‐Sobaler +5 more · Nutrients · 2019 · 100 citations

Diet-related risk factors and physical inactivity are among the leading risk factors for disability and are responsible for a large proportion of the burden of chronic non-communicable diseases. Food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) are useful tools for nutrition policies and public health strategies to promote healthier eating and physical activity. In this paper, we discuss the process followed in developing the dietary guidelines for the Spanish population by the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition (SENC) and further explain the collaboration with primary healthcare practitioners as presented in the context of the NUTRIMAD 2018 international congress of SENC. From a health in all policies approach, SENC convened a group of experts in nutrition and public health to review the evidence on diet-health, nutrient intake and food consumption in the Spanish population, as well as food preparation, determinants and impact of diet on environmental sustainability. The collaborative group drafted the document and designed the graphic icon, which was then subject to a consultation process, discussion, and qualitative evaluation. Next, a collaborative group was established to plan a dissemination strategy, involving delegates from all the primary healthcare scientific societies in Spain. A product of this collaboration was the release of an attractive, easy-to-understand publication.

Trends in consumption of ultra-processed foods and obesity in Sweden between 1960 and 2010

Filippa Juul, Erik Hemmingsson · Public Health Nutrition · 2015 · 247 citations

OBJECTIVE: To investigate how consumption of ultra-processed foods has changed in Sweden in relation to obesity. DESIGN: Nationwide ecological analysis of changes in processed foods along with corresponding changes in obesity. Trends in per capita food consumption during 1960-2010 were investigated using data from the Swedish Board of Agriculture. Food items were classified as group 1 (unprocessed/minimally processed), group 2 (processed culinary ingredients) or group 3 (3·1, processed food products; and 3·2, ultra-processed products). Obesity prevalence data were pooled from the peer-reviewed literature, Statistics Sweden and the WHO Global Health Observatory. SETTING: Nationwide analysis in Sweden, 1960-2010. SUBJECTS: Swedish nationals aged 18 years and older. RESULTS: During the study period consumption of group 1 foods (minimal processing) decreased by 2 %, while consumption of group 2 foods (processed ingredients) decreased by 34 %. Consumption of group 3·1 foods (processed food products) increased by 116 % and group 3·2 foods (ultra-processed products) increased by 142 %. Among ultra-processed products, there were particularly large increases in soda (315 %; 22 v. 92 litres/capita per annum) and snack foods such as crisps and candies (367 %; 7 v. 34 kg/capita per annum). In parallel to these changes in ultra-processed products, rates of adult obesity increased from 5 % in 1980 to over 11 % in 2010. CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of ultra-processed products (i.e. foods with low nutritional value but high energy density) has increased dramatically in Sweden since 1960, which mirrors the increased prevalence of obesity. Future research should clarify the potential causal role of ultra-processed products in weight gain and obesity.

Mediterranean diet and psychological well-being intervention to reverse metabolic syndrome in Chile (CHILEMED trial)

Guadalupe Echeverría, Bárbara Samith, Andrea von Schultzendorf +33 more · Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications · 2023 · 5 citations

The CHILEMED trial is an *ongoing* study investigating whether a Mediterranean diet, either alone or combined with psychological well-being support, is more effective than a low-fat diet at reversing metabolic syndrome in Chilean adults. *As of the abstract's publication, the study is still enrolling participants, and no results have been reported yet.*

Incense smoke: clinical, structural and molecular effects on airway disease

Ta‐Chang Lin, Guha Krishnaswamy, David S Chi · Clinical and Molecular Allergy · 2008 · 242 citations

In Asian countries where the Buddhism and Taoism are mainstream religions, incense burning is a daily practice. A typical composition of stick incense consists of 21% (by weight) of herbal and wood powder, 35% of fragrance material, 11% of adhesive powder, and 33% of bamboo stick. Incense smoke (fumes) contains particulate matter (PM), gas products and many organic compounds. On average, incense burning produces particulates greater than 45 mg/g burned as compared to 10 mg/g burned for cigarettes. The gas products from burning incense include CO, CO2, NO2, SO2, and others. Incense burning also produces volatile organic compounds, such as benzene, toluene, and xylenes, as well as aldehydes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The air pollution in and around various temples has been documented to have harmful effects on health. When incense smoke pollutants are inhaled, they cause respiratory system dysfunction. Incense smoke is a risk factor for elevated cord blood IgE levels and has been indicated to cause allergic contact dermatitis. Incense smoke also has been associated with neoplasm and extracts of particulate matter from incense smoke are found to be mutagenic in the Ames Salmonella test with TA98 and activation. In order to prevent airway disease and other health problem, it is advisable that people should reduce the exposure time when they worship at the temple with heavy incense smokes, and ventilate their house when they burn incense at home.

Zinc: the missing link in combating micronutrient malnutrition in developing countries

Rosalind S. Gibson · Proceedings of The Nutrition Society · 2006 · 327 citations

The first cases of human Zn deficiency were described in the 1960s in the Middle East. Nevertheless, it was not until 2002 that Zn deficiency was included as a major risk factor in the global burden of disease, and only in 2004 did WHO/UNICEF include Zn supplements in the treatment of acute diarrhoea. Despite this recognition Zn is still not included in the UN micronutrient priority list, an omission that will continue to hinder efforts to reduce child and maternal mortality, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases and achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals for improved nutrition in developing countries. Reasons for this omission include a lack of awareness of the importance of Zn in human nutrition, paucity of Zn and phytate food composition values and difficulties in identifying Zn deficiency. Major factors associated with the aetiology of Zn deficiency include dietary inadequacies, disease states inducing excessive losses or impairing utilization and physiological states increasing Zn requirements. To categorize countries according to likely risk of Zn deficiency the International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group has developed indirect indicators based on the adequacy of Zn in the national food supplies and/or prevalence of childhood growth stunting. For countries identified as at risk confirmation is required through direct measurements of dietary Zn intake and/or serum Zn in a representative sample. Finally, in at risk countries either national or targeted Zn interventions such as supplementation, fortification, dietary diversification or modification, or biofortification should be implemented, where appropriate, by incorporating them into pre-existing micronutrient intervention programmes.

Nutritional challenges for the elderly

Caryl Nowson · Nutrition & Dietetics · 2007 · 23 citations

Older adults (especially over 70) have higher needs for protein, calcium, vitamin D, B6, B12, riboflavin, and zinc, yet lower energy requirements and reduced appetite — meaning every calorie must be nutrient-dense, and supplements or fortified foods are often necessary to prevent malnutrition, muscle loss, and bone fractures.

Facilitators and barriers to weight loss and weight loss maintenance: a qualitative exploration

Catherine J Metzgar, Amy G. Preston, Debra L. Miller +1 more · Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics · 2014 · 141 citations

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to explore facilitators and barriers to weight loss (WL) and weight loss maintenance (WLM) in women who participated in a primary, 18-week comparative trial that promoted WL with an energy-restricted diet. METHODS: Twenty-three women participated in seven focus groups conducted by a moderator and co-facilitator using open-ended questions and probes. Focus groups were held in a private room and audio tape-recorded. Tapes were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was used to evaluate transcripts for common themes. RESULTS: Accountability to others, social support, planning ahead, awareness and mindfulness of food choices, basic nutrition education, portion control, exercise, and self-motivation were perceived as key facilitators for WL and WLM by women. Identified barriers included life transitions, health status changes, internal factors, environmental pressures, lack of accountability and an absence of social support. CONCLUSIONS: Future interventions should address these salient facilitators and barriers to promote sustainable changes in women across their WL and WLM journeys.

On food and cooking

Harold McGee · Scribners · 1984 · ★ 4.5 (8)

On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen

Harold McGee · Simon and Schuster · 2007 · ★ 4.0 (26)

This is not a single scientific study but a comprehensive reference work that synthesises centuries of food science, chemistry, biology, and culinary history into actionable explanations of how cooking works — essential reading for anyone running personal experiments in the kitchen because it provides the mechanistic understanding needed to design, control, and interpret your own tests.

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

Samin Nosrat · Generic · 2017 · ★ 4.3 (16)

The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

J. Kenji López-Alt · W. W. Norton & Company · 2015 · ★ 5.0 (1)

This is not a scientific paper but a cookbook that applies kitchen-experiment methods (systematic variation of one variable at a time, controlled comparisons, and sensory evaluation) to debunk common cooking myths and provide evidence-based techniques for home cooks — useful as a model for how to run your own food-related n=1 experiments.

The Food Lab

J. Kenji López-Alt · Tantor Audio · 2015 · ★ 5.0 (5)

Mindfulness and pharmacological prophylaxis after withdrawal from medication overuse in patients with Chronic Migraine: an effectiveness trial with a one-year follow-up

Licia Grazzi, Emanuela Sansone, Alberto Raggi +6 more · The Journal of Headache and Pain · 2017 · 93 citations

BACKGROUND: Chronic Migraine (CM) is a disabling condition, worsened when associated with Medication Overuse (MO). Mindfulness is an emerging technique, effective in different pain conditions, but it has yet to be explored for CM-MO. We report the results of a study assessing a one-year course of patients' status, with the hypothesis that the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based approach would be similar to that of conventional prophylactic treatments. METHODS: Patients with CM-MO (code 1.3 and 8.2 of the International Classification of Headache Disorders-3Beta) completed a withdrawal program in a day hospital setting. After withdrawal, patients were either treated with Prophylactic Medications (Med-Group), or participated in a Mindfulness-based Training (MT-Group). MT consisted of 6 weekly sessions of guided mindfulness, with patients invited to practice 7-10 min per day. Headache diaries, the headache impact test (HIT-6), the migraine disability assessment (MIDAS), state and trait anxiety (STAI Y1-Y2), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered before withdrawal and at each follow-up (3, 6, 12 after withdrawal) to patients from both groups. Outcome variables were analyzed in separate two-way mixed ANOVAs (Group: Mindfulness vs. Pharmacology x Time: Baseline, 3-, 6-, vs. 12-month follow-up). RESULTS: A total of 44 patients participated in the study, with the average age being 44.5, average headache frequency/month was 20.5, and average monthly medication intake was 18.4 pills. Data revealed a similar improvement over time in both groups for Headache Frequency (approximately 6-8 days reduction), use of Medication (approximately 7 intakes reduction), MIDAS, HIT-6 (but only for the MED-Group), and BDI; no changes on state and trait anxiety were found. Both groups revealed significant and equivalent improvement with respect to what has become a classical endpoint in this area of research, i.e. 50% or more reduction of headaches compared to baseline, and the majority of patients in each condition no longer satisfied current criteria for CM. CONCLUSIONS: Taken as a whole, our results suggest that the longitudinal course of patients in the MT-Group, that were not prescribed medical prophylaxis, was substantially similar to that of patients who were administered medical prophylaxis.

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Daniel A. Epstein, Felicia Cordeiro, James Fogarty +2 more · 2016 · 88 citations

features also enabled learning about the variety of foods other people use to meet a challenge.

Bring Back Home Economics Education

Alice H. Lichtenstein · JAMA · 2010 · 237 citations

AS DOMEStic education, was a fixture in secondary schools through the 1960s, at least for girls. The underlying concept was that future homemakers should be educated in the care and feeding of their families. This idea now seems quaint, but in the midst of a pediatric obesity epidemic and concerns about the poor diet quality of adolescents in the United States, instruction in basic food preparation and meal planning skills needs to be part of any long-term solution.

Exploring probiotics as a sustainable alternative to antimicrobial growth promoters: mechanisms and benefits in animal health

Angel Sachdeva, Tanu Tomar, Tabarak Malik +2 more · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · 2025 · 46 citations

The extensive use of antimicrobial growth promoters (AGPs) in livestock has raised global concerns due to increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among pathogenic microbes. This review examines probiotics as a sustainable alternative to AGPs, offering a safer approach for promoting animal growth and health. Probiotics enhance animal productivity and immunity by producing antimicrobial compounds and competing with pathogens for nutrients. In addition, probiotics strengthen the gut barrier and modulate the gut microbiome, facilitating beneficial bacterial growth while suppressing pathogenic species. Studies demonstrate the efficacy of probiotic strains of genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in inhibiting pathogens such as Clostridium perfringens and Salmonella in livestock. This comprehensive evaluation highlights probiotics' potential to advance sustainable livestock practices, reduce reliance on antibiotics, and mitigate AMR risks, underscoring the need for further research and regulatory considerations for their use in animal husbandry.

Can Mindfulness Address Maladaptive Eating Behaviors? Why Traditional Diet Plans Fail and How New Mechanistic Insights May Lead to Novel Interventions

Judson A. Brewer, Andrea Ruf, Ariel L. Beccia +4 more · Frontiers in Psychology · 2018 · 81 citations

Emotional and other maladaptive eating behaviors develop in response to a diversity of triggers, from psychological stress to the endless external cues in our modern food environment. While the standard approach to food- and weight-related concerns has been weight-loss through dietary restriction, these interventions have produced little long-term benefit, and may be counterproductive. A growing understanding of the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms that underpin habit formation may explain why this approach has largely failed, and pave the way for a new generation of non-pharmacologic interventions. Here, we first review how modern food environments interact with human biology to promote reward-related eating through associative learning, i.e., operant conditioning. We also review how operant conditioning (positive and negative reinforcement) cultivates habit-based reward-related eating, and how current diet paradigms may not directly target such eating. Further, we describe how mindfulness training that targets reward-based learning may constitute an appropriate intervention to rewire the learning process around eating. We conclude with examples that illustrate how teaching patients to tap into and act on intrinsic (e.g., enjoying healthy eating, not overeating, and self-compassion) rather than extrinsic reward mechanisms (e.g., weighing oneself), is a promising new direction in improving individuals' relationship with food.

The mindful moms training: development of a mindfulness-based intervention to reduce stress and overeating during pregnancy

Cassandra Vieten, Barbara Laraia, Jean L. Kristeller +6 more · BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth · 2018 · 78 citations

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is a time of high risk for excessive weight gain, leading to health-related consequences for mothers and offspring. Theory-based obesity interventions that target proposed mechanisms of biobehavioral change are needed, in addition to simply providing nutritional and weight gain directives. Mindfulness training is hypothesized to reduce stress and non-homeostatic eating behaviors - or eating for reasons other than hunger or caloric need. We developed a mindfulness-based intervention for high-risk, low-income overweight pregnant women over a series of iterative waves using the Obesity-Related Behavioral Intervention Trials (ORBIT) model of intervention development, and tested its effects on stress and eating behaviors. METHODS: Overweight pregnant women (n = 110) in their second trimester were enrolled in an 8-week group intervention. Feasibility, acceptability, and facilitator fidelity were assessed, as well as stress, depression and eating behaviors before and after the intervention. We also examined whether pre-to-post intervention changes in outcomes of well-being and eating behaviors were associated with changes in proposed mechanisms of mindfulness, acceptance, and emotion regulation. RESULTS: Participants attended a mean of 5.7 sessions (median = 7) out of 8 sessions total, and facilitator fidelity was very good. Of the women who completed class evaluations, at least half reported that each of the three class components (mindful breathing, mindful eating, and mindful movement) were "very useful," and that they used them on most days at least once a day or more. Women improved in reported levels of mindfulness, acceptance, and emotion regulation, and these increases were correlated with reductions in stress, depression, and overeating. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that in pregnant women at high risk for excessive weight gain, it is both feasible and effective to use mindfulness strategies taught in a group format. Further, increases in certain mindfulness skills may help with better management of stress and overeating during pregnancy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01307683 , March 8, 2011.

A Mediterranean Diet Model in Australia: Strategies for Translating the Traditional Mediterranean Diet into a Multicultural Setting

Elena S. George, Teagan Kucianski, Hannah L. Mayr +3 more · Nutrients · 2018 · 73 citations

Substantial evidence supports the effect of the Mediterranean Diet (MD) for managing chronic diseases, although trials have been primarily conducted in Mediterranean populations. The efficacy and feasibility of the Mediterranean dietary pattern for the management of chronic diseases has not been extensively evaluated in non-Mediterranean settings. This paper aims to describe the development of a MD model that complies with principles of the traditional MD applied in a multiethnic context. Optimal macronutrient and food-based composition was defined, and a two-week menu was devised incorporating traditional ingredients with evidence based on improvements in chronic disease management. Strategies were developed for the implementation of the diet model in a multiethnic population. Consistent with the principles of a traditional MD, the MD model was plant-based and high in dietary fat, predominantly monounsaturated fatty acids from extra virgin olive oil. Fruits, vegetables and wholegrains were a mainstay, and moderate amounts of nuts and seeds, fish, dairy and red wine were recommended. The diet encompassed key features of the MD including cuisine, biodiversity and sustainability. The MD model preserved traditional dietary components likely to elicit health benefits for individuals with chronic diseases, even with the adaptation to an Australian multiethnic population.