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Nutrients
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Nutritional Adequacy and Health Outcome
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Nutritional Adequacy and Health Outcome

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 17474

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Enbo Ma

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Associate Professor, Health Promotion Centre, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
2. Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
Interests: nutrition epidemiology; dietary; chronic diseases; clinical nutrition; lifestyle habits
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

To maintain good health and prevent chronic diseases, adequate nutrition is essential. Adequate intake, a formal reference value, is the best scientific estimate of the amount of a nutrient that similar individuals should consume. It is determined not only by the food quality and access but also by knowledge and nutritional practice during life stages. For example, nutrition requirements vary in pregnancy and in the elderly and between men and women according to their bodies’ physiological differences. Excessive consumption of some nutrients might be as unhealthy as not consuming enough. Therefore, adherence to healthy diets recommended in different life stages is necessary.

In this Special Issue on “Nutritional Adequacy and Health Outcome” of Nutrients (IF 5.9), we welcome original articles that examine healthy diets, nutrients, or dietary patterns, in terms of adequacy and their associations with chronic disease, as well as related education and knowledge.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in IJERPH.

Dr. Enbo Ma
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • healthy diet
  • adequacy
  • recommendation
  • nutrient knowledge
  • chronic diseases

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 952 KiB  
Article
Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Association with Self-Perception of Dietary Behavior (Discrepancy between Self-Perceived and Actual Diet Quality): A Cross-Sectional Study among Spanish University Students of Both Genders
by Luis M. Béjar
Nutrients 2024, 16(19), 3364; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193364 - 3 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1376
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The Mediterranean diet (MD) is one of the most studied dietary patterns to date and is associated with multiple benefits for health and sustainability. However, paradoxically, adherence to the MD (AMD) has been gradually decreasing in native regions. It is necessary [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The Mediterranean diet (MD) is one of the most studied dietary patterns to date and is associated with multiple benefits for health and sustainability. However, paradoxically, adherence to the MD (AMD) has been gradually decreasing in native regions. It is necessary to identify the factors that influence AMD to reverse this trend and to mitigate the negative outcomes (for health and the environment) associated with westernized diets. The objective of this study was to assess how self-perception of dietary behavior influences AMD. Methods: During the 28-day repeated measurement cross-sectional study, participants’ dietary information was obtained from an initial form which established the self-perception of dietary behavior and the e12HR application to establish actual food consumption by individuals. Using the dietary information from both sources, the AMD index was calculated (specifically, the Mediterranean diet Serving Score (MDSS) index). Two categories of self-perception of dietary behavior were defined: Normal/underestimation: difference (MDSS index from initial form—MDSS index from e12HR application) ≤0; and Overestimation: difference >0 (with three subcategories: low (difference = 1–5), moderate (difference = 6–10), high (difference = 11–15)). Results: 139 (111, women; 28, men) Spanish university students were studied, with 98.6% (99.1%, women; 96.4%, men) falling into the overestimation category (they overestimated their dietary behavior); these students had significantly lower MDSS indexes, mean = 6.7, than students in the normal/underestimation category, mean = 12.0. Within the overestimation category, there were significant differences in the MDSS index: low (mean = 8.1), moderate (mean = 6.7), and high (mean = 4.9) subcategories and also differences that were significant in women but not in men. Conclusions: Overestimation of dietary behavior could be associated with lower AMD in all Spanish university students and women. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Adequacy and Health Outcome)
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15 pages, 10417 KiB  
Article
Adequacy and Distribution Equity of Nutrition Supplies across China
by Chuan Zhao, Zhengyang Zhang and Kazuyo Matsubae
Nutrients 2024, 16(3), 426; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16030426 - 31 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1994
Abstract
Procuring food enriched with diverse nutrients is pivotal for maintaining a robust immune system. However, the food system is now unprecedentedly globalized and faces challenges arising from climate change, pandemics, and political unrest. This study aims to illuminate the gap in exploring the [...] Read more.
Procuring food enriched with diverse nutrients is pivotal for maintaining a robust immune system. However, the food system is now unprecedentedly globalized and faces challenges arising from climate change, pandemics, and political unrest. This study aims to illuminate the gap in exploring the adequacy and distribution equity of nutrition supplies in response to potential trade fluctuations and restrictions on agrifood within China’s local agriculture endowments. Also, it seeks to identify the role of trade in contributing to these indices. Accordingly, we analyzed the distribution of nutrients in agrifood categories from production to consumption and assessed the adequacy and distribution equity of corresponding available nutrition supply from the local food provision system in terms of meeting residents’ nutritional requirements, across China, and compared with those in the practical market. The local self-supply system showed that 12 out of 31 provinces have difficulty achieving an iron supply with 11% to 108% deficiencies. Except for iron, 52% (folate)–90% (vitamin B12) of agricultural output was available for diet provisioning nationwide. While food trade emerges as a crucial factor in enhancing secure and equitable nutrition supply, risks associated with micronutrient deficiencies necessitate careful consideration in current global circumstances. Our analysis explored a regional pool of nutrient information in supplements to the conventional food profile in China and could implicate better knowledge toward healthier food supplies and tailored improvements for achieving a resilient nutrition supply. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Adequacy and Health Outcome)
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16 pages, 329 KiB  
Article
Consumer Knowledge about Dietary Relevance of Fruits and Vegetables: A Study Involving Participants from Portugal and France
by Nolwenn Le Turc, Ana Jaquelina Silva, Sofia G. Florença, António Raposo, João Carlos Gonçalves, Maria João Lima, Edite Teixeira-Lemos and Raquel P. F. Guiné
Nutrients 2024, 16(2), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16020287 - 18 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2794
Abstract
Fruits and vegetables are recommended as low-calorie foods that contribute to the proper intake of necessary micronutrients, macronutrients, and bioactive compounds with health benefits. However, the recommendations for the dietary intake of these foods fail to be attained in most European countries. For [...] Read more.
Fruits and vegetables are recommended as low-calorie foods that contribute to the proper intake of necessary micronutrients, macronutrients, and bioactive compounds with health benefits. However, the recommendations for the dietary intake of these foods fail to be attained in most European countries. For this reason, promoting more knowledge about the health effects of fruits and vegetables is essential to decrease the incidence of chronic diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the knowledge of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables among the population of Portugal and France. The present work involved a questionnaire survey of 639 participants (257 from Portugal and 382 from France). The results revealed that most participants were young females (68.9%) with good education (76%) and an average weight range. They consumed a varied diet (57%) but had body dissatisfaction (63.2%). The respondents had good knowledge about the health effects of fruits and vegetables. However, the French population knew more about the theme than the Portuguese. Portuguese individuals were more likely to have incomplete information. Gender and education significantly influenced knowledge levels, with females and highly educated individuals demonstrating greater understanding. Dissatisfaction with body weight drives individuals to seek nutrition information. This investigation enhances our comprehension of the factors that affect knowledge of vegetable and fruit consumption among young adults in Portugal and France. Moreover, it highlights the importance of implementing focused educational programs to enhance nutrition literacy, particularly for less-aware demographic groups. Going forward, a more in-depth analysis of these factors could assist in creating more efficient strategies to encourage healthier dietary habits and improve nutrition literacy among these communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Adequacy and Health Outcome)
14 pages, 1180 KiB  
Article
Association of Glutamine and Glutamate Metabolism with Mortality among Patients at Nutritional Risk—A Secondary Analysis of the Randomized Clinical Trial EFFORT
by Carla Wunderle, Diana von Arx, Sydney Chiara Mueller, Luca Bernasconi, Peter Neyer, Pascal Tribolet, Zeno Stanga, Beat Mueller and Philipp Schuetz
Nutrients 2024, 16(2), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16020222 - 10 Jan 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2740
Abstract
Glutamine and its metabolite glutamate serve as the main energy substrates for immune cells, and their plasma levels drop during severe illness. Therefore, glutamine supplementation in the critical care setting has been advocated. However, little is known about glutamine metabolism in severely but [...] Read more.
Glutamine and its metabolite glutamate serve as the main energy substrates for immune cells, and their plasma levels drop during severe illness. Therefore, glutamine supplementation in the critical care setting has been advocated. However, little is known about glutamine metabolism in severely but not critically ill medical patients. We investigated the prognostic impact of glutamine metabolism in a secondary analysis of the Effect of Early Nutritional Support on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of Malnourished Medical Inpatients Trial (EFFORT), a randomized controlled trial comparing individualized nutritional support to usual care in patients at nutritional risk. Among 234 patients with available measurements, low plasma levels of glutamate were independently associated with 30-day mortality (adjusted HR 2.35 [95% CI 1.18–4.67, p = 0.015]). The impact on mortality remained consistent long-term for up to 5 years. No significant association was found for circulating glutamine levels and short- or long-term mortality. There was no association of glutamate nor glutamine with malnutrition parameters or with the effectiveness of nutritional support. This secondary analysis found glutamate to be independently prognostic among medical inpatients at nutritional risk but poorly associated with the effectiveness of nutritional support. In contrast to ICU studies, we found no association between glutamine and clinical outcome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Adequacy and Health Outcome)
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Review

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28 pages, 1362 KiB  
Review
Interventions and Programs Using Native Foods to Promote Health: A Scoping Review
by Carla Vanessa Alves Lopes, Julianna Lys de Sousa Alves Neri, John Hunter, Rimante Ronto and Seema Mihrshahi
Nutrients 2024, 16(23), 4222; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16234222 - 6 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1878
Abstract
(1) Background: Native foods are essential for promoting health, sustainability, and the resilience of Indigenous communities. They contribute to biodiversity, are adapted to local ecosystems, and support cultural identity. This study aims to identify and describe strategies and health outcomes from programs and [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Native foods are essential for promoting health, sustainability, and the resilience of Indigenous communities. They contribute to biodiversity, are adapted to local ecosystems, and support cultural identity. This study aims to identify and describe strategies and health outcomes from programs and interventions using native foods to promote health or address food insecurity. (2) Methods: A scoping review was conducted using five databases, including studies that implemented interventions using native foods exclusively or combined with introduced foods (non-native). The review included studies involving human participants and reporting outcomes related to health, nutritional improvements, food security, or cultural impacts. (3) Results: Nineteen studies were included. Most interventions (n = 16) combined native foods with introduced healthy foods and implemented multicomponent strategies to promote their intake (n = 15), such as educational sessions, food distribution, gardening, cooking activities, community events, media campaigns, and policy changes. Of the 19 studies, 12 explicitly used a participatory method. Reported outcomes included improved dietary intake and nutrient intake, such as increased intake of vitamin A, calcium, and iron; enhanced knowledge about native foods and healthy eating; improved health; positive cultural impacts; and enhanced food security. (4) Conclusions: The results from this scoping review suggest that interventions using native foods show promising results in improving health, nutritional outcomes, cultural identity, and food security, highlighting their potential for broader public health applications and the value of participatory approaches for sustainable interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Adequacy and Health Outcome)
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19 pages, 2264 KiB  
Review
A Narrative Review Exploring the Similarities between Cilento and the Already Defined “Blue Zones” in Terms of Environment, Nutrition, and Lifestyle: Can Cilento Be Considered an Undefined “Blue Zone”?
by Silvana Mirella Aliberti, Antonio Donato, Richard H. W. Funk and Mario Capunzo
Nutrients 2024, 16(5), 729; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16050729 - 2 Mar 2024
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5948
Abstract
Longevity is rightly considered one of the greatest achievements of modern society, not only as a function of lifespan, but, more importantly, as a function of healthspan. There are Longevity Blue Zones (LBZs), regions around the world, such as in Okinawa, Japan; the [...] Read more.
Longevity is rightly considered one of the greatest achievements of modern society, not only as a function of lifespan, but, more importantly, as a function of healthspan. There are Longevity Blue Zones (LBZs), regions around the world, such as in Okinawa, Japan; the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; Loma Linda, California; Icaria, Greece; and Ogliastra, Sardinia, that are characterized by a significant percentage of residents who live exceptionally long lives, often avoiding age-related disability to a significantly higher degree than in the Western way of life. Longevity is not a universal phenomenon, so if there are places in the world with characteristics similar to the LBZs, it is important to identify them in order to better understand what other factors, in addition to the known ones, might contribute to a long and healthy life. This narrative review aims to identify common factors between Cilento and the five LBZs, taking into account environmental, nutritional, and lifestyle factors. Articles from 2004 to the present, limited to studies published in English, German, and Italian, were searched in PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The co-authors agreed on 18 final reference texts. In order to evaluate the similarities between Cilento and the LBZs, a descriptive comparative approach was used. Cilento and the LBZs share several common factors, including a hilly altitude ranging from 355 to 600 m; a mild climate throughout the year, with temperatures between 17.4 and 23.5 degrees Celsius; traditional professions, such as agriculture and animal husbandry; and a predominantly Mediterranean or plant-based diet, with typical recipes based on legumes, tubers, vegetables, and extra virgin olive oil. Additionally, maintenance of strong intergenerational family relationships, religious devotion, and social relationships within the community are also prevalent. Given the similarities to Cilento, one might wonder if this is an LBZ waiting to be discovered. The lessons learned from this discovery could be applied to the general population to protect them from non-communicable chronic diseases and help slow the aging process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Adequacy and Health Outcome)
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