Nutrition
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Use of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) has increased worldwide in recent decades. However, evidence from preclinical studies shows that sweetener consumption may induce glucose intolerance through changes in the gut microbiota, which raises public health concerns. As studies conducted on humans are lacking, the aim of this review was to gather and summarize the current evidence on the effects of NNSs on human gut microbiota. ⋯ All three clinical trials on polyols (i.e, xylitol) showed prebiotic effects on gut microbiota, but these studies had multiple limitations (publication date, dosage, duration) that jeopardize their validity. The microbial response to NNSs consumption could be strongly mediated by the gut microbial composition at baseline. Further studies in which the potential personalized microbial response to NNSs consumption is acknowledged, and that include longer intervention protocols, larger cohorts, and more realistic sweetener dosage are needed to broaden these findings.
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Acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) is very common in critically ill patients, and its severity is positively correlated with mortality. Critically ill patients with digestive and absorption dysfunction caused by AGI face higher nutritional risks, making nutritional support particularly important. ⋯ The use of EN feeding strategies in critically ill patients with AGI remains controversial. The aim of this review was to elaborate on how EN feeding strategies should transition from limited to progressive to open feeding and explain the time window for this transition.
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Evaluating muscle quality instead of its mass has gained attention in diagnosing sarcopenia. The aim of this study was to examine whether phase angle (PhA) as a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)-derived muscle quality indicator is associated with overall lower extremity function better than appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) in community-dwelling older adults. ⋯ PhA reflected physical function better than ASMI; using PhA instead of ASMI in BIA-based morphometric evaluation may add information on low physical function and enhance the diagnostic value of sarcopenia.
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Infant and young children feeding (IYCF) practices, particularly for infants and young children <2 y old, became increasingly challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several studies have discussed various educational models in the pre-pandemic period, most of which were conducted in person. The last reviews on IYCF interventions were conducted in 2020 and were relevant to pre-pandemic contexts. ⋯ Three studies had a significant effect, one had in-person meetings, and two consisted of WhatsApp discussions. Most IYCF educational models from the pandemic context comprised online education, whereas WhatsApp was the most popular media used. Future researchers may develop these findings to design research on a larger scale and for a longer period, especially on complementary feeding and continued breastfeeding based on IYCF indicators.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Metabolic effects of an oral carbohydrate-whey protein supplement after fasting in volunteers: A randomized controlled crossover trial.
Oral supplements containing carbohydrates (CHOs) can be used to reduce preoperative fasting time. The aim of this study was to investigate the early metabolic and acute phase responses to a clear, oral supplement containing CHO and whey protein (WP) in young, healthy volunteers during a fasting-induced organic response. ⋯ After overnight fasting, the oral supplement containing CHO and WP decreased ketosis. These findings may help select the most efficient oral supplement to be given 2 to 3 h before elective surgeries.