Nutrition
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A key determinant of food intake besides hunger is food craving, which refers to an intense desire to consume a specific food. Although they commonly co-occur, they are conceptually different and their dissociation is thought to underlie unhealthy eating (e.g., eating in the absence of hunger). To date, we know almost nothing about their coherence (or dissociation) in daily life or about the role of time of day and different food types. ⋯ These findings suggest that dissociations between hunger and craving are found only for snack-type foods, whereas hunger and general food cravings cohere strongly. Interventions addressing snacking may take these circadian patterns of food cravings into account.
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Calcium is an essential nutrient required for peak bone mass growth during adolescence and into young adulthood. The aim of this study was to examine the calcium intake of Australian adolescents and young adults from both food sources and supplements; and the relationship between calcium intake and intake of food groups. ⋯ Calcium intake among Australian adolescents and young adults remains below recommendations, particularly in females. A higher intake of calcium was associated with a better dietary pattern. Further investment in interventions is indicated.
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Evidence on the relationship between food sources of protein and progressive decline in renal function in the general population is still controversial. Among the protein-rich foods, dairy products have gained a lot of attention in research on the prevention of metabolic disorders. This systemic review attempted to summarize the findings of prospective cohort studies on the relationship between dairy foods and incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the general population. ⋯ Despite the limited studies on this topic, findings from the available reports are generally in favor of a positive association between dairy and renal health in the general population. However, further studies are needed to replicate this finding and to determine whether this relationship could be influenced by the fat content and/or the dairy subtypes.
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According to the dietary patterns identified in adolescence, we assessed the tracking of food and nutrient intake between adolescence and early adulthood. ⋯ Despite differences in food and nutrient intake according to patterns that were attenuated at 21y, our results suggest that they are likely to track from adolescence into early adulthood.
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Comparative Study
Physiological effects of a short-term lifestyle intervention based on the Mediterranean diet: comparison between older and younger healthy, sedentary adults.
The aim of this study was to determine whether short-term adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) was associated with improved physiological function. ⋯ Improvements in physiological function were observed after a short-term dietary intervention based on the MD in a younger population. These were not statistically matched in an older group. Our findings suggest that different durations should be applied when designing dietary interventions in different age groups, with expectations in physiological improvement differing.