Nutrition
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Approximately 50% to 60% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by an increase in metabolic rate. The Harris and Benedict (HB) 1919 formula is the equation mainly used to calculate resting energy expenditure (cREE) compared with measured REE (mREE) by indirect calorimetry (IC), but other formulas are also applied in current practice. The present study aimed to assess mREE in patients with ALS compared with 12 cREE formulas and study the relevant threshold of REE variation to screen patients with a higher evolving risk. ⋯ The increase in metabolic rate is present according to the different cREE formulas used compared with IC. In clinical practice, REE formulas (e.g., HB 1919, HB 1984, or Mifflin) can be used as a reference value compared with IC to screen patients with ALS with an REE variation >20% and a higher evolving risk.
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There is a growing interest in identifying alternatives to traditional oligosaccharide-based prebiotic agents owing to their undesirable attributes, such as a lack of microbial growth specificity and limited inherent bioactivity. In addition, a novel concept of second-generation synbiotic agents is currently emerging, which argues that prebiotic agents could be best defined on the basis of their physiological effects or functional capacities in the host rather than their specific microbial targets. ⋯ In the present review, we study evidence pertaining to the prebiotic and synbiotic attributes of polyphenols, as well as their relationship with probiotic bacteria, and discuss their efficacy, suitability, and strategies to develop second-generation synbiotic agents. We provide a perspective that polyphenol-based synbiotic agents are fundamentally superior to the traditional carbohydrate-based synbiotic agents and could therefore offer health benefits of both polyphenols and probiotic agents in a synergistic manner.
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Maternal obesity increases the risk for adverse infant outcomes; therefore, achieving an optimal body mass index before conception is recommended. Periconceptional maternal weight loss, however, has been associated with adverse outcomes for the fetus, including altered body composition in animal studies. It is not clear whether periconception weight loss alters infant body composition in humans. The aim of this study was to compare body composition in offspring of women who attempted to lose or maintain weight in the periconception period. ⋯ The results of this study showed that attempts to lose weight in the periconception period do not significantly alter infant body composition. The increase in abdominal circumference may indicate a difference in fat distribution in offspring of women who attempted to lose weight, which may increase their risk for future metabolic and cardiovascular disease.
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Sociocultural factors and personality traits play key roles in determining dietary behaviors. Orthorexia nervosa (ON), the pathologic obsession with healthy eating, is increasingly receiving scientific attention. However, mechanisms and risk factors are not completely understood. The aims of this study were to compare the prevalence of orthorexic eating attitudes among adults in Germany and Lebanon, and to examine the relationship with primary facets of personality and maladaptive personality traits. ⋯ The present results suggested the importance of sociocultural factors in the development of eating pathologies and proposed specific personality traits as important associated factors.
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In recent years, home enteral nutrition (HEN) has been adopted as a feasible and safe form of nutrition for patients undergoing esophagectomy. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of 4 wk of HEN with standard enteral nutrition (SEN) on immune function, nutritional status, and survival in patients undergoing esophagectomy. ⋯ Four weeks of HEN is a safe and feasible nutritional strategy to improve immune function and nutritional status after esophagectomy. Although there was no significant difference in survival between the two groups, HEN could still be more effective and beneficial than SEN to patients with defective nutritional and immune status.