Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center

adiponectin and improve insulin action in energy-deficient ruminants facing metabolically demanding states such as early lactation.The study tested the hypothesis that FGF21 is unable to improve insulin action in energy-deficient ruminants as a consequence of its failure to increase plasma adiponectin.Methods: Non-pregnant, non-lactating ewes were treated for 12 days with FGF21 (provided by Eli Lilly) or excipient solution when well-fed (2-fold of maintenance energy requirement) or underfed (0.5-fold of maintenance energy requirement).Indices of insulin action measured include plasma glucose, insulin and adiponectin and glucose disposal during glucose and insulin tolerance tests.Expression of genes mediating FGF21 effects was measured in adipose tissue using quantitative RT-PCR.Results: Underfed ewes lost weight and had reduced plasma glucose and insulin, confirming negative energy balance.In underfed ewes, FGF21 retained the ability to reduce plasma glucose but not plasma insulin.FGF21 improved insulin action in both well-fed and underfed ewes during glucose and insulin tolerance tests and did so in the absence of increased plasma adiponectin in underfed ewes.Underfeeding reduced adipose tissue expression of the FGF21 co-receptor -Klotho and attenuated FGF21 stimulation of the FGF-responsive genes SPRY4 and DUSP4.FGF21 failed to increase adiponectin expression at both feeding levels.Conclusions: These data show that energy insufficiency alone does not prevent FGF21 improvement of insulin action in ruminants and that increased adiponectin production is not necessary for its insulin-sensitizing effects.

Background/Objectives: Understanding influences on food habits is crucial to developing effective strategies to improve dietary quality. Past research shows that the predictors of food habits may be dependent on individuals' age and sex. Young women are a population of particular concern, as they have one of the greatest disparities between actual and recommended diet. The purpose of this review is to better understand the current body of research on factors that may influence young women's eating patterns. Methods: A systematic search on PubMed identified studies on the social, behavioral, and psychological predictors of food choices among females 13-24 years in the United States published between 2017 and 2022. Two researchers independently conducted a content analysis of the 48 final articles. The two researchers then jointly identified overarching themes in the literature, with consultation from a third researcher. Results: While social and psychological factors are frequently examined in the current literature, few studies evaluate behavioral influences on young women's eating habits. Overall, little research has been conducted on diet quality influences among young women, as <2% of articles contained findings that met the inclusion criteria. Conclusions: This analysis indicates that additional research is needed to ascertain predictors of adolescent and young adult women's food patterns and dietary choices.

Exercise counters many adverse health effects of consuming a high-fat diet (HFD). However, complex molecular changes that occur in skeletal muscle in response to exercising while consuming a HFD are not yet known. We investigated the interplay between diverse exercise regimes and HFD consumption on the adaptation of skeletal muscle transcriptome. C57BL/6 male mice were randomized into five groups-one sedentary control group and four exercise groups. The exercise groups consisted of an unrestricted running group (8.3 km/day) and three groups that were restricted to 75%, 50%, or 25% of unrestricted running (6.3, 4.2, and 2.1 km/day, respectively). Total RNA was extracted from frozen gastrocnemius muscle for transcriptome analyses. DEG counts were 1347, 1823, 1103, and 1107 and there were 107, 169, 67, and 89 unique genes present in the HFD-25%, HFD-50%, HFD-75%, and HFD-U, respectively. Comparing exercise groups, we found that exercising at 50% resulted in the most differentially expressed transcripts with the MAPK and PPAR signaling pathways enriched in down- and up-regulated genes, respectively. These results demonstrate that running distance impacts the adaptation of the skeletal muscle transcriptome to exercise and suggest that middle-distance running may provide the greatest protection against high-fat diet-induced stress coupled with exercise.

Processed foods have been part of the American diet for decades, with key roles in providing a safe, available, affordable, and nutritious food supply. The USDA Food Guides beginning in 1916 and the US Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) since 1980 have included various types of commonly consumed processed foods (e.g., heated, fermented, dried) as part of their recommendations. However, there are multiple classification systems based on "level" of food processing, and additional evidence is needed to establish the specific properties of foods classified as "highly" or "ultra"-processed (HPF/UPFs). Importantly, many foods are captured under HPF/UPF definitions, ranging from ready-to-eat fortified whole grain breakfast cereals to sugar-sweetened beverages and baked goods. The consequences of implementing dietary guidance to limit all intake of foods currently classified as HPF/UPF may require additional scrutiny to evaluate the impact on consumers' ability to meet daily nutrient recommendations and to access affordable food, and ultimately, on health outcomes. Based on a meeting held by the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences in May 2023, this paper provides perspectives on the broad array of foods classified as HPF/UPFs based on processing and formulation, including contributions to nutrient intake and dietary patterns, food acceptability, and cost. Characteristics of foods classified as UPF/HPFs are considered, including the roles and safety approval of food additives and the effect of food processing on the food matrix. Finally, this paper identifies information gaps and research needs to better understand how the processing of food affects nutrition and health outcomes.

Objectives: Maintaining lean soft tissue and bone mineral density during early to middle adulthood is important for delaying the effects of sarcopenia and osteopenia later in life. Physical activity high in intensity and volume is associated with optimal bone health. CrossFit® (CF) training combines high-intensity aerobic, resistance, and floor exercises to stimulate physical fitness and health responses. We tested differences in total and regional body composition between adult CF participants and nonactive (NA) adults. Methods: 24 CF trained (at least 3 times/wk for the past 3 months, n=11 women) and 24 NA (exercise no more than 1 time/wk for the past 3 months, n=12 women) adults were measured for body composition by iDXA (Lunar Corporation, Madison, WI). Subjects were further categorized into early (≤29y, mean=24y) and middle (30-49y, mean=37y) adulthood. Results: Linear models testing the main and interactive effects of training group and age group demonstrated no difference (p=0.82) in body weight of CF (77.5kg) and NA (76.6 kg) groups. CF had lower trunk (p< 0.002), android (p=0.001), gynoid (p=0.01), arm (p< 0.003), leg (p< 0.05), and total body (p=0.01) fat mass, lower total body %fat (p=0.002) and greater trunk (p=0.01), arm (p< 0.03), leg (p< 0.02), and total body (p=0.002) lean soft tissue (LST) mass. Younger adults had lower android (p< 0.04) and arm (p< 0.02) fat. CF had greater pelvis (p=0.004), arms (p< 0.01), legs (p< 0.04), spine (p< 0.02), trunk (p< .0009), and total body (p< 0.03) bone mineral density. Conclusions: CF training, typically high in intensity and volume, is associated with beneficial body composition and bone health with few differences between early- and middle-aged adults. CF training maintained through at least middle adulthood may delay the onset of difficulty performing daily activities, falls, and morbidities associated with the effects of sarcopenia and osteopenia. Funding Sources: USDA-Agriculture Research Service.

BackgroundBoric acid (BA) has been found to have therapeutic effects on periodontal disease through beneficially affecting antibacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory actions. MethodsThis study was conducted to determine the effect of BA on cell viability and on mRNA expressions of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and on oxidative stress enzymes induced by IL-1β (1 ng/mL) in Human Gingival Fibroblasts (HGF) cultured for 24 and 72 h in DMEM media. The BA concentrations added to the media were 0.09 %, 0.18 %, 0.37 %, and 0.75 %. ResultsAll of the BA concentrations increased the viability of cell cultured in DMEM media only, indicating that these concentrations were not toxic and actually beneficial to cell viability. The addition of 1 ng/m: of IL-1β decreased cell viability that was overcome by all concentrations of BA at both 24 and 72 h. The IL-1β addition to the media increased the expressions of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17; the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10; and the oxidative stress enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD0 and glutathione peroxidase (GPX). The IL-1β induced increase mRNA expression of IL-1β was decreased at 24 h by the 0.37 % and 0.75 % BA additions to the media and decreased in a dose-dependent manner by all concentrations of BA at 72 h. The IL-1β induced increase in the expression of IL-6 was decreased in dose-dependent manner at 72 h by BA. All BA concentrations decreased the IL-1β induced expression of IL-8 at both 24 and 72 h. The induced increase in IL-17 by IL-1β was not significantly affected by the BA additions. The increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL10 induced by IL-1β was increased further by all BA additions in dose dependent manner at both 24 and 72 h. The mRNA expressions of SOD and GPX increased by IL-1β were further increased by the 0.37 % and 0.75 % BA concentrations at 72 h. ConclusionsThese findings indicate that BA can significantly modulate the cytokines that are involved in inflammatory stress and reactive oxygen species action and thus could be an effective therapeutic agent in the treatment of periodontal disease.