Nutrition
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The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation and development of atopic disorders in childhood. ⋯ This review did not find widespread or consistent links between mothers' dietary intake and atopic outcomes in their children. However, maternal consumption of Mediterranean dietary patterns, diets rich in fruits and vegetables, fish, and vitamin D-containing foods were suggestive of benefit, requiring further evaluation.
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Colon cancer strikes more than 1 million people annually and is responsible for more than 500,000 cancer deaths worldwide. Recent evidence suggests that the majority of malignancies, including colon cancer are driven by cancer stem cells (CSCs) that are resistant to current chemotherapeutic approaches leading to cancer relapse. Wnt signaling plays a critical role in colon stem cell renewal and carcinogenesis. ⋯ Although conventional chemotherapy targets the PI3K/AKT pathways and can significantly reduce tumor size, it fails to eliminate CSCs and has serious side effects. Dietary bioactive compounds such as grape seed extract, curcumin, lycopene, and resveratrol have promising chemopreventive effects, without serious side effects on various types of cancers due to their direct and indirect actions on CSC self-renewal pathways such as the Wnt pathway. Understanding the role of CSCs in diet-induced colon cancer will aid in development of evidence-based dietary chemopreventive strategies and/or therapeutic agents targeting CSCs.
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The consumption of high energy and low nutritional content foods, which are known as junk foods, has increased. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between junk food intake and mental health in a national sample of Iranian children and adolescents. ⋯ Junk food consumption may increase the risk for psychiatric distress and violent behaviors in children and adolescents. Improvement of eating habits toward healthier diets may be an effective approach for improving mental health.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Effect of zinc on liver cirrhosis with hyperammonemia: a preliminary randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind trial.
To our knowledge, no randomized study has shown whether zinc replacement therapy is effective for hyperammonemia in liver cirrhosis; therefore, we performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to examine efficacy and safety of the zinc replacement therapy. ⋯ Although this study is preliminary and includes a small sample, it is, to our knowledge, the first randomized controlled trial to show that zinc supplementation for 3 mo seems effective and safe for treating hyperammonemia in liver cirrhosis. Studies with a larger sample size are needed to confirm our findings.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of DASH diet on lipid profiles and biomarkers of oxidative stress in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized clinical trial.
The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet on lipid profiles and biomarkers of oxidative stress in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). ⋯ Consumption of DASH diet for 8 wk led to a significant reduction in serum insulin, triglycerides and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and a significant increase in TAC and GSH levels.