Search Results (3,070)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents living in rural communities do not have sufficient access to health promotion services. Community programs that respond to adolescent needs, highlight community strengths, and are locally tailored are needed. Set in Queensland (Australia), this study was cross-sectional and qualitative in design. Using implementation science and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander frameworks, this study aimed to identify community priorities for the co-design of a culturally appropriate, empowerment-focused nutrition program with rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents. Through community yarning, the barriers, enablers, and opportunities for program implementation were explored within an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health organization. Ten adolescents, two parents/caregivers, eight healthcare staff, six community leaders, and four Elders participated. Thematic analysis identified six themes that outline community health priorities, contextualization to the local food environment, and the importance of cooking skills for empowerment and involving the family unit. Thematic analysis also explored community preferences for program evaluation. Themes were integrated with other knowledge sources to develop a program outline that is aligned with evidence-based practice and community voice. Implementation of the co-designed program is recommended and will be explored in partnership with the community through future research. Full article

Edible insects are increasingly recognized as sustainable and nutrient-dense ingredients with potential applications across diverse food systems. While their use in solid foods has been widely explored, the incorporation of insect-derived ingredients into beverages remains fragmented and insufficiently conceptualized. This narrative review critically examines the current state of insect-based beverages, integrating technological, nutritional, cultural, and market-oriented perspectives. Rather than adopting a fully systematic review methodology, this article synthesizes representative scientific literature, traditional practices, and emerging commercial examples to explore how edible insects are being positioned within two distinct yet complementary pathways: (i) functional beverages targeting nutrition, gut health, sports performance, immunity, and meal replacement, and (ii) experiential beverages driven by culinary storytelling, tradition, ritual, and sensory innovation, such as insect-infused beers and spirits. Relevant sources were identified through searches of major scientific databases using combinations of keywords such as edible insects, entomophagy, insect-based beverages, functional beverages, and insect protein, with emphasis on peer-reviewed literature published mainly over the past two decades, complemented by representative examples of traditional practices and emerging commercial products. The review discusses the nutritional and biofunctional potential of insect-derived proteins, lipids, and chitin-related components, with particular emphasis on their behavior in liquid matrices, including solubility, stability, flavor impact, and processing constraints. Technological challenges associated with beverage formulations are critically assessed. In parallel, consumer perception is examined through the lens of neophobia, sensory expectations, and the role of cultural framing and gastronomy in facilitating acceptance. By bridging food science, beverage technology, and food culture, this review identifies key knowledge gaps and research priorities for advancing insect-based beverages beyond niche applications. It argues that future development in this field will depend not only on technological optimization and a regulatory framework, but also on the deliberate design of products that integrate functionality with meaningful culinary and cultural narratives. Full article

Background/Objectives: Rapid population aging has increased the need for effective sarcopenia management. Physical therapists are expected to play a key role in screening and intervention. This study aimed to assess sarcopenia awareness, current clinical practice, and barriers among Korean physical therapists to inform future education and policy improvements. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Korea from 14 August to 31 December 2025. The questionnaire was developed through a two-step process, including a qualitative survey and cognitive interviews with physical therapists, and consisted of items on demographics, sarcopenia knowledge, screening, treatment, and care environment factors. Results: A total of 236 participants were included in the analysis. Although awareness of sarcopenia was high, implementation in clinical practice remained limited. Most participants were familiar with sarcopenia and considered it important in patient management, yet only 16.9% reported screening for sarcopenia and 23.7% reported providing treatment. Among those who performed screening, half were unsure which guideline was being followed. Resistance exercise was the most commonly used intervention, whereas nutritional support was the most frequently identified additional need. Collaboration with nutrition professionals was rare, and fewer than half reported team-based treatment. The main barriers were lack of knowledge, lack of workplace training, and limited exposure to internal sarcopenia-related education. Conclusions: Despite high awareness, sarcopenia-related practice among Korean physical therapists remained limited. These findings highlight the need for standardized screening and treatment guidelines, structured continuing education programs, workplace-based training opportunities, and reimbursement policies that support routine sarcopenia screening and management. Full article

Background/Objectives: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is essential to high-quality nutrition care. Despite its critical importance, its use among clinical dietitians in Saudi Arabia remains poorly understood. This study aims to examine the behavioral factors of EBP engagement among Saudi clinical dietitians using the Capability–Opportunity–Motivation–Behavior (COM-B) model. Methods: This cross-sectional mixed-methods study was conducted in fall 2023 among 82 licensed clinical dietitians (LCDs). Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire including 19 items adapted from the Health Sciences Evidence-Based Practice (HS-EBP) instrument and mapped to the COM-B domains. Qualitative data were obtained from open-ended survey questions completed by a separate sample of LCDs (n = 12) and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Descriptive analysis showed higher mean scores for capability (7.49 ± 2.76) and motivation (7.50 ± 2.57) than for opportunity (6.61 ± 2.74) and behavioral engagement (6.09 ± 1.25). All COM-B domains demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.857–0.959) and were significantly intercorrelated (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis indicated that motivation (β = 0.563, p = 0.001) and opportunity (β = 0.290, p = 0.002) independently predicted behavioral engagement (adjusted R² = 0.681), while capability was not independently associated. Qualitative findings identified professional motivation and research literacy as facilitators, and time pressure and administrative workload as key barriers. Conclusions: EBP engagement among Saudi clinical dietitians is strongly influenced by motivational and organizational factors rather than by knowledge or skills. Full article

Background/Objectives: Bitter taste perception is important for pig feeding behavior and survival. The type 2 taste receptors (T2Rs) are G protein-coupled receptors responsible for the sense of bitter taste perception in mammals. T2Rs are expressed in taste receptor cells located in the taste buds of the papillae of the tongue and in other tissues such as the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory epithelia, and immune system. In pigs, twelve T2R genes have previously been experimentally identified, although only a limited number of studies have investigated this gene family. We hypothesized that the full T2R gene repertoire in pigs has yet to be uncovered. Methods: Circumvallate papillae (CVP) were collected from 12 pigs, and a combination of bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation was used to identify and annotate T2R transcripts in the pig transcriptome. The CVP transcriptome was explored using reference-guided assembly to identify potential novel transcripts, and newly identified protein-coding transcripts were confirmed by PCR and Sanger sequencing. Results: The results confirmed significant expression of 10 of the 12 known T2Rs (3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 16, 20, 39, 41, and 60). Two novel T2R transcripts (ENSSSCT00000089410.2 and ENSSSCT00000091318.1) were discovered and referred to as T2R61 and T2R62. T2R62 contained larger exons than those annotated in the reference genome. The results also showed that porcine T2R20 is a member of the porcine T2R family highly similar to several human TAS2Rs, including TAS2R20 (TAS2R49). In total, the porcine T2R repository contains 14 transcripts supported by strong evidence. Conclusions: This study expands knowledge of the porcine T2R repertoire and provides insight into the genetic basis of taste perception, food selection, nutrition, and adaptation biology in pigs. Full article

Despite strong evidence linking nutritional status to treatment efficacy and survival in pediatric cancer, significant knowledge gaps and practice variation persist globally. On 24th October 2025, the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) Nutrition Network, in collaboration with Prinsess Máxima Center for Paediatric Oncology and the International Initiative for Pediatrics and Nutrition (IIPAN), convened the first global SIOP Nutrition Network Research Forum. The forum brought together 54 international experts from high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries to define global nutrition research strategies for pediatric oncology. The forum addressed six emerging domains: body composition and treatment outcomes; microbiome, micronutrient status and metabolic health; prehabilitation and rehabilitation strategies; validation of nutritional assessment tools, guideline development for high-income settings; insights from international multicentric research initiatives—the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), SIOP Nutrition Network, the Adapted Resource and Implementation Application (ARIA) guide nutrition portal, the International Collaboration on Nutrition in Cancer (ICONIC) WHO knowledge portal; and IIPAN and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) for funding strategies. Delegates identified three priority working groups, namely prehabilitation optimization, pharmacokinetics, and advocacy, with each outlining collaborative nutrition research priorities for the next five years. This forum represents a critical point in pediatric oncology nutrition research as it established the first coordinated and internationally endorsed roadmap to bridge gaps in cancer care and ensure standard nutrition care worldwide. The research priorities and collaborations will help in creating evidence to improve cancer treatment and survival rate for children globally. Full article

Background/Objectives: Appropriate nutritional management constitutes one of the key elements of conservative treatment and renal replacement therapy in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The level of patients’ nutritional knowledge may significantly influence adherence to dietary recommendations, the rate of disease progression, and the frequency of complications. The aim of this study was to assess the level of nutritional knowledge, dietary habits, adherence to dietary recommendations, and nutritional status of patients with CKD according to disease stage. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 98 adult patients diagnosed with CKD. A questionnaire assessing nutritional knowledge and dietary behaviors was administered. An overall nutritional knowledge score was calculated based on eight questionnaire items assessing nutritional knowledge. Nutritional status was evaluated using the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ). Anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical data were collected. Statistical analysis was performed using tests appropriate to the data distribution. Results: The level of nutritional knowledge varied and was dependent on CKD stage. Patients in more advanced stages of the disease demonstrated significantly higher awareness of dietary recommendations compared with those in earlier stages. The median nutritional knowledge score was 6 points, with 46.9% of participants demonstrating insufficient knowledge (<6 points) and 53.1% achieving adequate knowledge (≥6 points). The greatest knowledge deficits concerned the control of phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and fluid intake. Discrepancies were also observed between declared knowledge and actual dietary behaviors. Good nutritional status (SGA A) was identified in 73 patients, risk of malnutrition or moderate malnutrition (SGA B) in 22 individuals, and severe malnutrition (SGA C) in 3 patients. SNAQ indicated good appetite in the study population, with an average consumption of three meals per day, and identified a risk of weight loss in 6% of patients. Overweight and obesity were present in more than half of the study population, while underweight was observed in 4%. Conclusions: Nutritional knowledge among patients with CKD remains insufficient, particularly in the early stages of the disease. The findings highlight the necessity of early and systematic implementation of individualized nutritional education as an integral component of slowing disease progression. Full article

Brosimum alicastrum Swartz is a forest species with substantial potential for animal and human nutrition. However, its nutritional attributes and commercial applications are poorly disseminated and structurally underdeveloped. This study examines the relationship between scientific research and the commercialization of Brosimum alicastrum products in Mexico, integrating bibliometric analysis with a value network approach to identify market constraints and opportunities. Scientific publications indexed in Scopus from 1961 to 2024 were analyzed to characterize research trends, documented uses, and the geographic distribution of knowledge production. In parallel, companies commercializing Brosimum alicastrum-based products in Mexico were surveyed during 2024 using a value network approach (suppliers, customers, complementors, and competitors). A SWOT analysis was conducted to assess the structural strengths and vulnerabilities affecting market development. The results show that research in Mexico has primarily focused on the species’ properties as a functional food. At the same time, limited attention has been given to silviculture, commercialization strategies, and value-chain governance. Although Brosimum alicastrum products are currently positioned within premium market segments, business continuity is constrained by unstable supply systems that rely almost exclusively on seasonal wild collection from natural distribution areas. Both the value network and the SWOT analysis identified supply instability as the main factor limiting market expansion. Therefore, advancing research on the silviculture of Brosimum alicastrum is essential to support the establishment of managed production systems and commercial plantations capable of ensuring a stable, year-round supply of raw material. These developments would facilitate access to new market niches and enhance the biocultural and ethnobotanical value of Brosimum alicastrum as a functional and medicinal food resource within Mexico’s emerging bioeconomy. Full article

Purpose: Anemia remains a major public health concern among vulnerable rural adolescent girls in many countries, including India. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia, nutritional status, and anemia-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among school-going rural adolescent girls, along with predictors of KAP score, complemented by stakeholder perspectives. Methods: A mixed-methods cross-sectional study was conducted among 553 school-going adolescent girls aged 14–19, selected through a multi-stage stratified random sampling technique from three rural districts of Andhra Pradesh, India. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing KAP, anthropometric measurements to collect Body Mass Index (BMI) and middle upper arm circumference (MUAC), dietary assessments using a dietary diversity score, and hemoglobin estimation using standardized procedures. Qualitative insights were obtained through focus group discussions (FGDs) with teachers, parents, frontline health workers, and community leaders and analyzed thematically. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of KAP. Results: The prevalence of anemia among the participants was 55.3%, and 30.7% were underweight. Although over half of the girls demonstrated adequate knowledge of anemia, only 39.6% reported good anemia-preventive practices, indicating a significant gap between knowledge and practice. Dietary scores indicated micronutrient-deficient diet consumption by participants (36.2%), which might be contributing to anemia. Multivariable analysis revealed that maternal education, hemoglobin status, diet patterns, and type of school attended were significantly associated with KAP scores. Qualitative findings highlighted challenges related to health-seeking behavior, cultural misconceptions, gaps in awareness and implementation of existing adolescent health programs. Conclusions: Anemia remains highly prevalent among rural school-going adolescent girls in Andhra Pradesh, with suboptimal anemia-preventive practices despite moderate levels of knowledge. Strengthening school-based nutritional education, improving dietary diversity, and enhancing the reach and effectiveness of adolescent health programs through community engagement may help combat anemia. Full article

Background/Objective: Dizziness is managed using various therapies, including lifestyle changes, nutritional supplementation, pharmaceutical therapies, and physical therapy, each offering differing efficacy. With legalization of cannabis in Canada, patients are exploring its use in treating their dizziness and related symptoms. Limited knowledge exists regarding usage patterns, forms, doses, and effects on these symptoms. The current study aims to examine cannabis use in patients experiencing dizziness. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study at the Ottawa Hospital outpatient neuro-otology clinic. Eligible participants included new patients presenting with a primary complaint of dizziness and follow-up patients reporting new-onset dizziness. Participants completed a questionnaire capturing demographic data, dizziness and related symptoms, attitudes toward cannabis use, consumption patterns, and its perceived effects on their symptoms. Results: Of 154 participants, 118 (77%) expressed willingness to consider cannabis for dizziness and 78 (51%) reported previous cannabis use. Of those patients, 44 (56%) consumed it recreationally, largely via smoking (29/78, 37%). Approximately 21% of these patients reported a moderate–large subjective relief from dizziness after use of cannabis. The most common diagnoses amongst cannabis users were migraine/vestibular migraine (24%), persistent postural perceptive dizziness (22%), and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (17%). Other related symptoms relieved by cannabis included sleep (28/78, 36%), emotional difficulties (17/78, 22%), neck pain/stiffness (14/78, 18%) and headaches/migraines (9/78, 12%). Conclusions: There is generally a positive attitude towards cannabis use in treating dizziness amongst patients, with a subset of patients reporting a subjective improvement of dizziness and its related symptoms, such as sleep and emotional difficulties. Full article

Climate change is intensifying winters in temperate regions, posing a serious threat to Apis mellifera health. The gut microbiome, a distinct community of core bacterial species, is central to overwintering success by supporting immune function, nutrient assimilation, and pathogen resistance, but is highly sensitive to environmental stressors such as cold temperatures and dietary shifts. Stress-induced perturbations can reshape the composition and relative abundance of the gut microbiome in honey bees, leading to adverse effects on host health, physiological functions, and overwinter survival. Cold temperatures and additional stressors further destabilize the microbiome, compounding these effects. This review is the first to synthesize current knowledge on how extrinsic factors, such as diet, antibiotics, and pathogens, and intrinsic factors, including age and strain, influence the composition and function of the honey bee gut microbiota during the overwintering period. Given the increasing severity of winter conditions under climate change, a deeper understanding of microbiome–host–environment interactions is essential for improving honey bee resilience. By integrating evidence on the microbiome’s roles in nutrient utilization, immune modulation, and pathogen defense, this review outlines a framework to guide future research aimed at sustaining pollinator health and nutrition in a changing global climate. Full article

Background: Adolescence is a critical developmental period during which dietary habits are formed and may influence long-term health outcomes. Monitoring changes in adolescents’ eating behaviors and nutrition-related knowledge over time is important for developing effective health promotion strategies. The aim of this study was to compare adolescents’ (Lower Silesia, Poland) dietary habits and nutritional knowledge between two study periods (2011 and 2023) using comparable survey methods. Methods: A repeated cross-sectional comparison of two independent cohorts was conducted using an identical questionnaire in both study periods. The 2023 cohort included 14-year-old primary school students (n = 100; 48 girls and 52 boys), while the comparison group consisted of adolescents aged 13–15 years assessed in 2011 (n = 377; 202 girls and 175 boys). Anthropometric measurements and self-reported data on dietary habits and nutritional knowledge were analyzed using descriptive statistics and group comparison tests. Results: The findings indicate changes in selected dietary behaviors and levels of nutritional knowledge among adolescents over the studied period. A higher percentage of students in 2023 reported eating four meals per day and obtaining information about healthy eating from the Internet rather than from television. Students in 2023 were also more likely to recognize the relationship between diet and attention, identify the harmful effects of energy drinks and excessive fast-food consumption, and provide correct answers regarding proper nutrition. Nutritional knowledge improved over time, with a mean percentage of correct responses of 71.9% in 2023 compared with 63.7% in 2011. Although nutritional awareness improved in several areas, certain unhealthy eating habits remained prevalent, including irregular breakfast consumption and frequent intake of sweets. Changes in the distribution of body weight categories were also observed, with gender-specific differences between cohorts. Conclusions: The results suggest that improvements in nutritional knowledge alone may not be sufficient to ensure positive changes in dietary behavior among adolescents. Continued monitoring of adolescent nutrition and the development of comprehensive health promotion strategies addressing both knowledge and environmental influences remain necessary. Full article

The reciprocal relationship between genes and nutrients, known as nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics, has been established in many studies. However, current investigations of maternal and neonatal nutrition using a precision nutrition approach focused on genomics are limited, especially in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This review aims to summarize the impacts of the dietary micronutrients, folic acid, thiamine, and cobalamin on optimal health outcomes during pregnancy, fetal development, lactation, and infant growth. In this review, the roles of folic acid, thiamine, and cobalamin are discussed in the context of various aspects of pregnancy, such as preconception, fetal development, and lactation, highlighting how genetic events occurring during developmental periods can have consequential impacts on health outcomes later in life. Deficiency rates and related health consequences as well as the prevalence of genetic mutations related to these nutrients of interest in the MENA region are also elaborated on. How to advance knowledge and applications of precision nutrition, how genes interact with the neurochemical changes during pregnancy, and how this interaction impacts maternal eating behaviors, and consequently fetal development and infant and child growth and health, should be further explored in future studies. This includes taking advantage of cutting-edge technologies and the role of artificial intelligence in this endeavor. Full article

Background/Objectives: Schools, as structured social environments, are important settings for shaping lifelong eating habits, and teachers play a mediating role in nutrition education. This study aimed to assess nutrition knowledge among public school teachers, examine their perceptions of the school food environment, and identify factors associated with knowledge scores. Methods: A stratified cross-sectional survey was conducted among 736 teachers from 12 public schools during the fall of 2025. A structured questionnaire based on the Knowledge–Attitudes–Practice model was used to evaluate nutrition knowledge, teaching practices, perceived school food environment, and teachers’ observations of student food-related behaviors. Group differences were examined using t-tests and ANOVA, and multivariable logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with low nutrition knowledge. Results: The mean knowledge score was 6.26 ± 2.64 out of 12, with 23.6% of teachers classified as having low knowledge, 59.9% satisfactory, and 16.4% good. Primary school teachers scored significantly higher than subject teachers (7.27 vs. 5.64; p < 0.001). Regular conduct of nutrition classes was associated with lower odds of low knowledge (adjusted OR 0.10, 95% CI 0.05–0.23, p < 0.001). A sensitivity analysis using continuous knowledge scores confirmed this pattern, with the absence of nutrition teaching predicting a 1.40-point reduction in scores (95% CI −1.86 to −0.94, p < 0.001). Teachers rated school meal quality moderately high, and frequently observed student refusal of canteen food and purchase of sweets or fast food outside school. Conclusions: This study found that public school teachers in Karaganda, Kazakhstan showed satisfactory overall nutrition knowledge, with gaps in applied understanding and common dietary myths. Primary teachers and those actively teaching nutrition had higher knowledge scores, indicating an association between pedagogical engagement and content knowledge. To help optimize the school food environment, educational policies would benefit from the development of cross-curricular instructional materials fitted specifically for secondary school subject teachers. Full article

The increased demand for food worldwide has led to the widespread use of synthetic chemical fertilizers. Since the Green Revolution, the use of such chemical fertilizers has been in high demand as a nutrient input in agriculture. The increased application of fertilizer to upsurge crop yields is not suitable for the long term and leads to nutrient loss, as well as severe environmental and ecological consequences. In contrast to conventional fertilizers, nano fertilizers, which are designed at the 1–100 nm size, provide focused nutrient delivery, decreased leaching, and improved plant absorption. They accomplish this by greatly increasing crop yields, enhancing fertilizer usage efficiency, and facilitating sustainable farming in the face of obstacles, including resource scarcity, climate change, and a projected population size of 10 billion by 2050. In comparison to typical NPK fertilizers at equal nutrient rates, nano fertilizers enhanced crop yields by an average of 20–23% across cereals, legumes, and horticulture crops according to studies conducted between 2015 and 2024. In particular, using nano urea with rice increased grain yields by 28.6% with 44% less nitrogen input, and applying nano zinc to wheat increased yields by 31.2% and improved the grain’s Zn content by 41%. Through targeted foliar or soil application, nano fertilizers frequently increase nutrient use efficiency (NUE) by more than 50% as opposed to 30–50% for conventional fertilizers. Nano fertilizer is prepared based on the encapsulation of plant essential minerals and nutrients with a suitable polymer matrix as a carrier and then delivered as nano-sized particles or emulsions to the plants. Natural plant openings like stomata and lenticels in plant parts facilitate the uptake and diffusion, leading to higher NUE. This review provides an overview of current knowledge on the development of advanced nano-based and smart agriculture using nano fertilizer to improve nutritional management. Furthermore, nanoscale fertilizers and their formulation, nano-based approaches to increase crop production, the different types of fertilizers that are currently available, and the mechanism of action of the nano fertilizers are discussed. Thus, it is expected that a properly designed nano fertilizer could synchronize the release of nutrients in crop plants as and when needed. Full article