Nutrition Sciences (Belgium)

Obesity is a disease that is both costly and prevalent, and although the development and use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists has dramatically altered the landscape of obesity treatment, there remains a need to identify alternate approaches to reduce body weight. Amylin, a pancreatic hormone, has been viewed as a favorable candidate for novel obesity pharmacotherapies due to its ability to suppress feeding and body weight through its actions in the brain. Although research initially focused on hindbrain sites of action for amylin, more recent work has identified other central nuclei at which amylin influences food intake and food reward. This review discusses the growing body of literature suggesting that amylin signaling in mesolimbic structures of the brain influences food intake and reward processing. These effects are observed for palatable food as well as other reinforcing stimuli such as drugs of abuse. This is an important area of research as the broad effects of amylin-based pharmacotherapies should be considered when developing new obesity medications.

A low fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) diet is a primary therapy for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). One-on-one sessions with registered dietitians (RDs) require considerable resources and may not be readily available. This literature review assessed the impact of a low FODMAP diet group education in patients with IBS. Three relevant articles were identified. The RD-led low FODMAP diet group education was found to significantly improve gastrointestinal symptoms with good diet adherence. Patient preferences for education format varied, with approximately a quarter favoring group education and over 40% expressing no preference. Group education can be a practical and cost-effective alternative in IBS management.

Purpose To describe the development of a healthy eating habits intervention in a school and to evaluate parents’ acceptability of this initiative. Design/methodology/approach This exploratory study was conducted between February and March 2022 in a public school serving children aged 1–4 years in São Paulo, Brazil. The school acted as an educational distribution channel. Interviews with school staff helped co-design four educational videos with seasonal recipes. These were matched with boxes of local vegetables (that would otherwise have been wasted by a local vegetable grower) and delivered to parents (matching ingredients to recipes). Qualitative analysis was conducted to evaluate parental acceptability of the intervention. Findings The intervention was well-received. All parents liked the videos, 74% used most of the fruits and vegetables provided and 83% tried the recipes. However, 30% suggested reducing the amount of leafy greens, as their children tended to avoid them. Originality/value This pilot intervention was feasible and appreciated by parents, indicating potential for adaptation in similar educational contexts. It contributes to the literature by testing a co-designed, school-based food education strategy in a low-income setting and emphasises the importance of integrating school and home environments to foster healthier eating habits. Further research is needed to assess long-term impacts and scalability.

Obesity is well-known as a major risk factor for metabolic disorders, and natural compounds are being explored as alternatives to conventional therapies. While Centella asiatica is well known for its medicinal and dietary benefits, the biological activities of Giant Centella asiatica (GCA), especially when extracted with mineral-rich lava seawater, remain poorly characterized. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-adipogenic and lipid-metabolism-regulating effects of a novel GCA extract (GCA-LS-90) and its ability to stimulate GLP-1 secretion in vitro. GCA-LS-90 significantly inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by up to 24.3% at 200 µg/mL (p < 0.001). It downregulated adipogenic transcription factors (C/EBPβ, C/EBPα, PPARγ) and lipogenic regulators (SREBP1c, FAS, G6PD, ME), while upregulating KLF2 (all p < 0.001). Western blotting confirmed reduced SREBP1c and SREBP2 protein expression, increased phosphorylation of AMPKα/ACC, and enhanced HSL activity (p < 0.05-0.001). In STC-1 cells, GCA-LS-90 increased GLP-1 secretion (53.5 pmol/L at 90 µg/mL vs. 41.3 pmol/L in control, p < 0.001). The major compounds, 3,5- and 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acids, reproduced these effects. In conclusion, GCA-LS-90 modulated adipogenesis-, lipid-metabolism-, and GLP-1 secretion-related pathways in vitro, suggesting its potential as a functional ingredient for obesity management. Further in vivo studies are needed to confirm efficacy and translational relevance.

The radiation shielding properties of zinc doped sodium bismuth borate glasses were analyzed using Phy-X/PSD. The chemical composition of glass xZnO-(15-x)-Na2O-15Bi2O3-70B2O3 with 0 ≤ x ≤ 12 mol % glass, and are coded as ZNBB1, ZNBB2, ZNBB3, ZNBB4, and ZNBB5 in increasing xZnO content. Phy-X/PSD was used to determine the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), and half value layer (HVL), tenth value layer (TVL), and mean free path (MFP) of the investigated glasses. The maximum values for all the glasses can be observed at the lowest tested energy, 0.015 MeV and are equal to 27.017, 35.330, 42.036, 47.560, 52.190 (cm2/g) for the ZNBB1, ZNBB2, ZNBB3, ZNBB4, and ZNBB5 glasses, respectively. At this energy, the MAC of the glasses can be observed to increase as the Zinc oxide concentration of the sample increases, which is due to the increase in density that correlates with B2O3 content. The minimum HVL values occurred at the lowest tested energy, 0.15 MeV, and decreased with decreasing energy, meaning that the glasses are more effective at lower energies. The results proved that the glass with the highest content of zinc oxide, has the higher density with greatest potential for radiation shielding applications.

Abstract Pea proteins (PPs) have limited application in the food industry due to their unfavorable solubility and poor digestibility. This study aimed to improve the quality of PPs through physical modifications followed by 24 h of fermentation using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 8014. The conformational, secondary, and tertiary structures of both fermented and unfermented PPs were analyzed using ultraviolet, fluorescence, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed substantial modifications to the protein structure during fermentation. Specifically, water solubility increased (P&amp;lt;0.05) from 78.03% to 84.43%, while digestibility improved (P&amp;lt;0.05) from 84.77% to 89.95%. Substantial changes were also observed in surface properties. Particle size shifted (P&amp;lt;0.05) from 750.6 to 877.0 nm, and surface charge changed (P&amp;lt;0.05) from −33.40 to −39.87 mV. Conversely, surface hydrophobicity decreased (P&amp;lt;0.05) from 384 to 270 arbitrary units (a.u.). Furthermore, the total phenolic content increased (P&amp;lt;0.05) during fermentation, reaching approximately 789.64 mg GAE/100 g. In summary, fermenting PPs with L. plantarum can effectively enhance their digestibility, protein structure, and nutritional value.

Heat stress (HS) has a significant effect on poultry husbandry, especially laying breed, which lowers productivity and egg quality. In this study, grape seed powder (GSP) and black mulberry leaf powder (BMLP) were evaluated as natural antioxidants against HS effects on laying quails. The trial involved 288 8-week-old laying quails in a 2 × 3 factorial design with (six replicates and eight quails in each) two temperatures (thermoneutral and HS) and three diets (Control, 3%GSP, 4%BMLP). Feed intake was shown to be negatively impacted by HS, however its effects were mitigated by GSP and BMLP (P < 0.05). Despite HS-induced reductions in egg and shell weight, BMLP significantly prevented egg weight loss (P < 0.05). A positive impact of GSP and BMLP could be seen on egg weight, albumen quality, and yolk color (P < 0.05). Serum biochemistry analysis indicated that GSP and BMLP reduced cholesterol and triglyceride levels, while BMLP showed superiority in decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA), an oxidative stress marker (P < 0.05). Furthermore, both additives improved albumen quality and reduced oxidative stress. These findings emphasize the potential of natural antioxidants, particularly BMLP, for enhancing quail resilience to HS and maintaining overall health. Therefore, incorporating GSP and BMLP into quail diets is recommended to mitigate the detrimental effects of HS on productivity and egg quality.

Antibiotic alternatives are urgently needed to enhance growth performance, maintain gut ecosystem equilibrium, and support the immune system of broilers. Pomegranate peel (PP) by-product comprises 50% of the fruit and possesses antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, as well as fungicidal aspects. This study specifically aimed to evaluate, over a 35-day feeding period, the impact of dietary inclusion of graded levels of pomegranate peel by-products (0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5%) on growth performance, carcass traits, antioxidants, gene expression of intestinal markers, and cecal microbial balance in broiler chickens to determine the most effective fortification level for optimizing health and productivity. A total of 240 male one-day Cobb500® broiler chicks were randomly split up into four distinct groups, with 3 replications (20 chicks/replicate). G1, the control group, was offered a base diet. The fortified groups, G2, G3, and G4, were offered a base diet enriched with various concentrations of PP by-products (0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5%), respectively. The chicks offered a diet enriched with 0.5% PP achieved a substantial (p < 0.05) improvement in final BW development, cumulative BWG, FCR, as well as percentage of dressing yield, breast, and bursa versus the control group. Serum TAC, CAT were also jejunalGPx levels were also substantially elevated (P < 0.05) in PP-fortified groups versus the control group. Furthermore, mRNA expression of FABP2 was significantly upregulated in all PP-enriched groups compared to the control group. In the G4 (0.5% PP) enriched group, the greatest expression level was registered. However, there was no discernible variation in IL-1β across groups. Incorporation of 0.5% PP by-products significantly balanced cecal microbial composition, exhibited by a notable elevation in Lactobacillus population and a reduction in coliform counts. In conclusion, broiler diets supplemented with PP by-product, especially at 0.5%, maximize productivity and efficiency through fostering BWG, FCR, antioxidant status, and balanced gut health biomarkers.

This pilot crossover study explored whether the 2–3-hour postprandial glycemic slope may serve as an objective correlate of subjective hunger and psychological eating comfort in cancer patients, addressing the current gap in psycho-oncology where appetite-related distress is assessed almost exclusively through self-report. Seven cancer survivors completed two standardized test days with different preloads used solely to elicit distinct glucose trajectories, allowing examination of the physiological–psychological relationship. Subjective appetite was assessed using VAS ratings while blood glucose was measured over 4 hours. Although satiety did not differ significantly, the preload that attenuated the late postprandial glycemic decline produced a 23% reduction in hunger AUC (p = 0.030) and a significantly higher 2–3 h glucose AUC (p = 0.049), indicating a delayed glycemic dip. The correspondence between a flatter glycemic slope and reduced hunger suggests that postprandial glucose patterns may represent a measurable physiological marker reflecting subjective appetite experience and psychological comfort around eating in cancer populations. These findings introduce the glycemic slope as a potential biomarker that could complement subjective assessments, support psycho-oncological interventions, and improve understanding of appetite-related distress, warranting larger studies integrating validated psychological measures.