Impact of Bean Consumption on Nutritional Outcomes amongst Adolescents

Dietary intake and occupational status among female youths of Thai Nguyen, Vietnam

Adolescence is a sensitive transition time that affects rights, roles, and responsibilities in food choice, yet limited evidence exists on dietary intakes during this critical period. This study assessed the food consumption pattern and the adequacy of energy, macronutrient, and micronutrient intakes among female youth belonging to three occupational groups in Vietnam. Dietary intakes were measured for 1001 participants aged 16-22 years using INDDEX24's 24-h recall method. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to examine differences in diet outcomes among the three occupational groups. Dietary diversity was similar across groups but workers, compared to high school and college students, consumed less baked/grain-based sweets and fast foods, and more soft drinks, other sweets, and processed meat. Two-thirds of the sample showed energy intake lower than the estimated energy requirement, while a substantial percentage had insufficient or excessive intake of carbohydrate and fat. The mean probability of adequacy of nutrient intakes was low (0.33) and not different across all three occupational groups except for folate, which favored workers. Our study provides novel evidence supporting the development and implementation of interventions to achieve national targets, with emphasis on female youths who undergo special transitions in education, occupation, and lifestyle.

Beans comsumption can contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the major cause of global mortality, accounting for 31% of deaths worldwide. Healthy eating habits based on the consumption of bioactive molecules present in plant-based diets can contribute to the prevention of CVD. In this context, the consumption of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is relevant. There are several species of beans, all of which provide proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds. More recently, the complexity of phytochemical components has expanded, including the role of antinutritional factors in nutrient bioavailability and immune responses. Experimental and clinical studies have shown that the consumption of beans results in less food consumption, control of body weight, and improvement of metabolic biochemical parameters. Thus, the consumption of beans is associated with a decrease in CVD risk factors. To date, there have been no interventional studies assessing CVD outcomes, such as hospitalization, infarction, and mortality, in the context of bean consumption. Furthermore, studies on the effect of bean consumption on metabolomics and intestinal microbiota are lacking. The purpose of this review is to explore the nutritional properties of beans and discuss the main effects of the consumption of beans on cardiovascular health. In conclusion, eating habits based on the consumption of bioactive molecules present in beans can contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, there is a large gap in the literature regarding the consumption of beans associated with clinical outcomes, such as hospitalization and mortality.

Consumption of food away from home in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic scoping review

Context

Consumption of food away from home represents an increasing share of people’s food consumption worldwide, although the percentage of food intake that is consumed away from home varies among countries and among individuals. Previous systematic reviews have reported that, overall, consumption away from home negatively affects an individual’s diet and nutritional status. However, these reviews have mainly focused on high-income countries, leaving a gap in knowledge and data for people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Objective

The present review aimed to describe trends in the consumption of food away from home in an apparently healthy population in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and to investigate any associations between this behavior and diet quality, nutritional status, and health outcomes.

Data Sources

A structured search strategy was developed for retrieving (from MEDLINE [via PubMed], Web of Science, and Scopus) peer-reviewed articles published in English from March 2011 until May 2021.

Data Extraction

Forty studies were included, and from them information was obtained based on data from 12 different countries. A qualitative and descriptive approach was used to review the evidence.

Data Analysis

It was found that there was large heterogeneity in the definition of food consumed away from home and the methods used to measure it, making comparisons and syntheses difficult. Consumption of food away from home in LMICs was relatively common and was positively driven by factors such as being a male, being young, having a high socio-economic status, being educated, and living in urban areas. As in high-income countries, consumption of food away from home in LMICs had unfavorable effects on an individual’s diet quality, nutritional status, and health.

Conclusion

There is a need to develop harmonized surveillance systems for better monitoring of the phenomenon of food consumption away from home in LMICs, including a need for a standardized definition for food consumed away from home, to enable the design of effective regulatory policies.

Nomogram Including Serum Ion Concentrations to Screen for New-Onset Hypertension in Rural Chinese Populations Over a Short-Term Follow-up

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to establish a clinically useful nomogram to evaluate the probability of hypertension onset in the Chinese population.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A prospective cohort study was conducted in 2012-2013 and followed up in 2015 to identify new-onset hypertension in 4,123 participants. The dataset was divided into development (n=2,748) and verification (n=1,375) cohorts. After screening risk factors by lasso regression, a multivariate Cox regression risk model and nomogram were established. Among the 4,123 participants, 818 (19.8%) developed hypertension. The model identified 10 risk factors: age, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, high pulse rate, history of diabetes, family history of hypertension and stroke, intake frequency of bean products, and intensity of physical labor. The C-indices of the model in the development and validation cohorts were 0.744 and 0.768, respectively. After the inclusion of serum calcium and magnesium concentrations, the C-indices in the development and validation cohorts were 0.764 and 0.791, respectively, with areas under the curve for the updated model of 0.907 and 0.917, respectively. The calibration curve showed that the nomogram accurately predicted the probability of hypertension. The updated nomogram was clinically beneficial across thresholds of 10-60%.

CONCLUSIONS

The newly developed nomogram has good predictive ability and may effectively assess hypertension risk in high-risk rural areas in China.

Effect of Traditional Cooking and In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion of the Ten Most Consumed Beans from the Fabaceae Family in Thailand on Their Phytochemicals, Antioxidant and Anti-Diabetic Potentials

The edible beans in Fabaceae have been used for foods and medicines since the ancient time, and being used more and more. It is also appeared as a major ingredient in dairy cooking menu in many regions including Thailand, a rich biodiversity country. Many studies reported on health benefits of their flavonoids, but there is no report on the effect of cooking on phytochemical profile and pharmacological potentials. Thus, this present study aims to complete this knowledge, with the 10 most consumed Fabaceae beans in Thailand, by determining the impact of traditional cooking and gastrointestinal digestion on their phytochemicals, their antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities using different in vitro and in cellulo yeast models. The results showed that Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis were the richest source of phytochemicals, whereas the population of V. mungo, Phaseolus vulgaris, V. angularis, and V. unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis were richest in monomeric anthocyanin contents (MAC). Furthermore, the results clearly demonstrated the impact of the plant matrix effect on the preservation of a specific class of phytochemicals. In particular, after cooking and in vitro digestion, total flavonoid contents (TFC) in Glycine max extract was higher than in the uncooked sample. This study is the first report on the influence of cooking and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the inhibition capacity toward advanced glycation end products (AGEs). All samples showed a significant capacity to stimulate glucose uptake in yeast model, and V. angularis showed the highest capacity. Interestingly, the increase in glucose uptake after in vitro digestion was higher than in uncooked samples for both P. vulgaris and G. max samples. The current study is the first attempt to investigate at the effects of both processes not only on the natural bioactive compounds but also on antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities of Thailand's 10 most consumed beans that can be applied for agro-industrial and phytopharmaceutical sectors.

Association between body weight misperception and dietary patterns in Brazilian adolescents: Cross-sectional study using ERICA data

The association between body image and eating behaviors or weight control strategies has been demonstrated in the scientific literature, but there is a lack of evidence on the association between weight misperception and food consumption indicators in adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate the association between weight misperception and dietary patterns (DPs) in the Brazilian Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA). It was a national school-based cross-sectional study conducted among students aged 12-17 years. Data were collected in the form of anthropometric measurements, responses in self-answered questionnaires, and 24-h dietary recall. The following variables were assessed: weight underestimation and overestimation (independent variables), which were defined as the presence of a disagreement between nutritional status and self-perceived weight; dietary patterns (dependent variables), defined by a posteriori method using principal component factor analysis; and individual and demographic variables (covariates). Data analysis was performed using the Poisson regression models method, stratified by sex. A total of 52,038 adolescents with normal weights were evaluated. The weight misperception prevalence was 34.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 33.0, 35.0). Three DPs were identified: "Traditional Brazilian," "Processed meat sandwiches and coffee," and "Ultra-processed and sweet foods." In girls, weight underestimation was directly associated with the "Traditional Brazilian" (1.24; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.43) and "Ultra-processed and sweet foods" DPs (1.29; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.54), and overestimation was inversely associated with all the DPs. In boys, a direct association between underestimation and the "Ultra-processed and sweet foods" DP (1.29; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.51) was found. Overestimation was inversely associated with the "Traditional Brazilian" DP (0.79; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.99). The inverse association between overestimation and the "Traditional Brazilian" DP, and the direct association between underestimation and the "Ultra-processed and sweet foods" DP indicated that weight misperception was related to unhealthy eating habits in Brazilian adolescents.

DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and overweight/obesity in adolescents: The ERICA study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Childhood and adolescent obesity is one of the most important issues in the global health of the population and has been increasing dramatically in recent decades. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between overweight/obesity and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet score in a representative sample of Brazilian adolescents.

METHODS

Data from the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), a national school-based survey, were used. A total of 71,553 adolescents (12-17 years old), of both sexes, participated in the study; they had their anthropometric measurements taken and responded to a 24-h dietary recall. Eight food components of the DASH score were evaluated. 1) fruits (except fruit juices), 2) vegetables (except potatoes and beans), 3) pulses/nuts, 4) whole grains, 5) low-fat and diet/light dairy products, 6) sodium, 7) red and processed meats, and 8) sugary drinks and fruit juices. A higher score was indicative of greater accordance with the DASH diet, with a final score ranging from eight to 40 points. The association between overweight/obesity and the DASH score was assessed using Poisson regression models.

RESULTS

The highest prevalence of overweight/obesity was observed among boys aged 12-14 years (28.2%), white (27.7%), enrolled in private schools (32.4%) and among those who practiced ≥300 min physical activity/week (26.1%). The food groups most frequently consumed were sugary drinks, pulses and nuts, and red and processed meats. No association was found between overweight/obesity and the DASH diet score in Brazilian adolescents, in the adjusted analysis models.

CONCLUSIONS

Low consumption of foods considered protective and high consumption of health-risk foods, even among adolescents with greater accordance with the DASH diet, may have contributed to these findings. Public health measures are needed to prevent/reduce the prevalence of overweight/obesity in adolescence, as it is a risk for overweight/obesity in adulthood as well as other complications, leading to loss of quality of life for the individual and increased health spending.