The Consumption of Dietary Antioxidant Vitamins Modifies the Risk of Obesity among Korean Men with Short Sleep Duration

Differences in Overweight or Obesity, Changes in Dietary Habits after Studying Abroad and Sleep Quality by Acculturative Degree among Asian Foreign Students: A Cross Sectional Pilot Study

The number of foreign students is increasing worldwide, and they suffer from acculturation to different environments or cultures. This pilot study examined the difference in overweight or obesity, changes in dietary habits after studying abroad and sleep quality according to acculturative degree among 225 Asian foreign students in South Korea. Most subjects (61.8%) experienced a low acculturative degree. The change in dietary habits after studying abroad showed a significant difference according to the acculturative degree (p < 0.001); however, there were no differences observed in sleep quality (p = 0.090) and prevalence of overweight or obesity according to acculturative degree (p = 0.101). Interestingly, a difference in the risk for being overweight or obese by sleep quality after being stratified into groups according to acculturative degree was observed. Among the groups with a low acculturative degree, subjects reporting poor sleep quality had a 2.875-fold (95% CI = 1.167−7.080) higher risk of being overweight or obese than those reporting good sleep quality. However, the risk of being overweight or obese was not different among the high acculturative group regardless of their sleep quality. The results showed that the degree of acculturation could influence the risk of being overweight or obese according to sleep quality among Asian foreign students.

Effect of occupation on sleep duration among daytime Japanese workers: A cross-sectional study

Occupation is one of the factors contributing to the loss of sleep. Although many studies have investigated sleep loss due to irregular and nighttime shifts, the causes of sleep loss in daytime workers remain unknown. The aims of the present study were to determine whether occupation is a dependent factor for sleep duration and whether working status and lifestyle are related to sleep duration.We examined the health check results of 17,519 (9028 men and 8491 women) workers who had at least 1 health check between the fiscal years 2013 and 2019. We asked about the workers' occupation, bedtime, dinner time, overtime work, and commuting time, using a self-administered questionnaire at their health check. The occupations were classified into 4 categories: high white-collar, low white-collar, pink-collar, and blue-collar. We conducted a linear regression model and analysis of covariance to investigate the effect of occupation on sleep duration.As a result of linear regression analysis, bedtime, overtime work and occupation were significantly associated with decreased sleep duration in males, and bedtime, age, and occupation were significantly associated with decreased sleep duration in females. Analysis of covariance revealed that both male and female blue-collar tended to sleep for significantly shorter durations than those in the other occupations.The results of the current study indicate that sleep duration is affected by occupation. When determining the cause of loss of sleep, medical personnel should consider their patient's lifestyles and how they have been affected by their occupation.

Anthropometric and Biochemical Measures in Bariatric Surgery Candidates: What Is the Role of Inflammatory Potential of Diet?

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to assess dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC), dietary phytochemical intake (PI), and dietary inflammatory index (DII) in patients with morbid obesity who are candidates of bariatric surgery and their association with anthropometric and biochemical parameters.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

One hundred seventy patients with morbid obesity who were referred to surgery clinic of Firoozgar Hospital were enrolled in the study. Ideal body weight and adjusted ideal body weight were calculated. The dietary data were collected using a food frequency questionnaire. Anthropometrics and biochemical parameters were assessed. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

The strongest correlations of DII with dietary intakes and anthropometric and biochemical biomarkers were found for iron (p<0.0001). Significant association was also observed for ferritin (p=0.02) and transferrin (p=0.02). In terms of PI, The strongest associations were also found for iron (p<0.0001). Additionally, the value of body mass index (BMI) showed significant correlation with PI (p=0.04). The correlations of dietary total antioxidant indices with dietary intakes and anthropometric and biochemical biomarkers were assessed. Non-significant correlation was found between fasting blood sugar (FBS), hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), vitamin B12, and vitamin D3 with ORAC index. Significant strong correlation showed for the value of iron in both ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) indices (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

We find statistical significance correlation for dietary PI and BMI. The inflammatory and antioxidant properties of diet were not related to biochemical markers associated with obesity. Graphical abstract.

Feed Composition Differences Resulting from Organic and Conventional Farming Practices Affect Physiological Parameters in Wistar Rats-Results from a Factorial, Two-Generation Dietary Intervention Trial

Recent human cohort studies reported positive associations between organic food consumption and a lower incidence of obesity, cancer, and several other diseases. However, there are very few animal and human dietary intervention studies that provide supporting evidence or a mechanistic understanding of these associations. Here we report results from a two-generation, dietary intervention study with male Wistar rats to identify the effects of feeds made from organic and conventional crops on growth, hormonal, and immune system parameters that are known to affect the risk of a number of chronic, non-communicable diseases in animals and humans. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used to separate the effects of contrasting crop protection methods (use or non-use of synthetic chemical pesticides) and fertilizers (mineral nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) fertilizers vs. manure use) applied in conventional and organic crop production. Conventional, pesticide-based crop protection resulted in significantly lower fiber, polyphenol, flavonoid, and lutein, but higher lipid, aldicarb, and diquat concentrations in animal feeds. Conventional, mineral NPK-based fertilization resulted in significantly lower polyphenol, but higher cadmium and protein concentrations in feeds. Feed composition differences resulting from the use of pesticides and/or mineral NPK-fertilizer had a significant effect on feed intake, weight gain, plasma hormone, and immunoglobulin concentrations, and lymphocyte proliferation in both generations of rats and in the second generation also on the body weight at weaning. Results suggest that relatively small changes in dietary intakes of (a) protein, lipids, and fiber, (b) toxic and/or endocrine-disrupting pesticides and metals, and (c) polyphenols and other antioxidants (resulting from pesticide and/or mineral NPK-fertilizer use) had complex and often interactive effects on endocrine, immune systems and growth parameters in rats. However, the physiological responses to contrasting feed composition/intake profiles differed substantially between the first and second generations of rats. This may indicate epigenetic programming and/or the generation of "adaptive" phenotypes and should be investigated further.

Associations among Sleep Quality, Changes in Eating Habits, and Overweight or Obesity after Studying Abroad among International Students in South Korea

International students are experiencing health problems due to many lifestyle changes, such as those in dietary and sleep patterns. We conducted this study to identify the associations among sleep patterns, changes in eating habits after studying abroad, and overweight or obesity in international students. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data on health-related variables, changes in eating habits after studying abroad, and sleep patterns that were collected from 225 international students in South Korea. Approximately half of the participants experienced poor sleep (47.6%). After adjusting for covariates such as age, gender, nationality, and acculturative stress, the subjects who had poor sleep quality were 2.020-fold (adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence interval = 1.045–3.906) more likely to be overweight and obese than those who had good sleep quality. There were significant differences in changes of eating habits after studying abroad according to sleep quality (p < 0.001). When subjects were stratified into groups according to changes in eating habits after studying abroad, the risk of overweight and obesity increased in those with poor sleep quality but not in those with good sleep quality among subjects who had changes in bad eating habits. However, the risk of overweight and obesity did not differ among subjects with changes in good eating habits regardless of their sleep quality.

Dietary Habits and Dietary Antioxidant Intake Are Related to Socioeconomic Status in Polish Adults: A Nationwide Study

The aim of this study was to estimate dietary habits and dietary antioxidant intake in a Polish adult population in relation to socioeconomic status. The subjects (4774) were participants in the Polish National Multi-Centre Health Examination Survey (the WOBASZ II study) performed in 2013–2014. Socioeconomic status (SES) scores were calculated by multiplying ordinal numerical values assigned to consecutive categories of education level and monthly income per capita in a family. In the Polish adult population, a higher socioeconomic status was significantly associated with a better lifestyle (more physical activity and less smoking), a better health status (lower occurrence of overweight individuals and metabolic syndrome in both genders, and lower occurrence of central obesity, hypertension, and diabetes in women), and better dietary habits, including a higher intake of dietary antioxidants.

Sleep, Diet, and Cardiometabolic Health Investigations: a Systematic Review of Analytic Strategies

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Poor sleep is a risk factor for cardiometabolic morbidity. The relationship of sleep and cardiometabolic health could be confounded, mediated, or modified by diet, yet the incorporation of diet in sleep-cardiometabolic health studies is inconsistent. This rapid systematic literature review evaluates the conceptualization of diet as a confounder, mediator, or effect modifier within sleep-cardiometabolic health investigations, and the statistical approaches utilized.

RECENT FINDINGS

Of 4692 studies identified, 60 were retained (28 adult, 32 pediatric). Most studies included diet patterns, quality, or energy intake as confounders, while a few examined these dietary variables as mediators or effect modifiers. There was some evidence, mostly in pediatric studies, that inclusion of diet altered sleep-cardiometabolic health associations. Diet plays a diverse role within sleep-cardiometabolic health associations. Investigators should carefully consider the conceptualization of diet variables in these relationships and utilize contemporary statistical approaches when applicable.

Bridging the Reciprocal Gap between Sleep and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption: A Review of the Evidence, Potential Mechanisms, Implications, and Directions for Future Work

A substantial burden of disease and mortality globally is attributable to both sleep disruption and low intakes of fruit and vegetable (FV) and there is increasing mechanistic and epidemiological evidence to support a reciprocal relationship between the two. This review provides an overview of experimental and observational studies assessing the relations between sleep and FV consumption from 52 human adult studies. Experimental studies are currently limited and show inconsistent results. Observational studies support a non-linear association with adults sleeping the recommended 7–9 hours/day having the highest intakes of FV. The potential mechanisms linking sleep and FV consumption are highlighted. Disrupted sleep influences FV consumption through homeostatic and non-homeostatic mechanisms. Conversely, FV consumption may influence sleep through polyphenol content via several potential pathways. Few human experimental studies have examined the effects of FV items and their polyphenols on sleep and there is a need for more studies to address this. An appreciation of the relationship between sleep and FV consumption may help optimize sleep and FV consumption and may reduce the burden of chronic diseases. This review provides implications for public health and directions for future work.

The association between sleep duration, sleep quality, and food consumption in adolescents: A cross-sectional study using the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the relationship between sleep duration, sleep quality and food consumption among adolescents.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Data from the 2014 and 2015 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey were used.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants aged 12-18 years (n=118 462 (59 431 males and 59 031 females)) were selected.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Sleep duration, sleep quality and the frequencies of fruits, soda, soft drinks, fast food, instant noodle, confectionaries, vegetables and milk consumption.

RESULTS

Short sleep durations (<6 hours) were associated with higher soft drinks and confectionaries intake than longer sleep durations (9+ hours) (adjusted ORs (AORs) (95% CIs) for ≥5 times a week for soft drinks: 1.73 (1.57 to 1.91) and confectionaries: 1.32 (1.20 to 1.46); p<0.001). Poor sleep quality, with 7-8 hours of sleep, was associated with a lower intake of fruits, vegetables and milk (AORs (95% CIs) for ≥5 times a week for fruits: 0.71 (0.65 to 0.77); vegetables: 0.66 (0.58 to 0.75); and milk: 0.80 (0.74 to 0.86); each p<0.001), and higher intake of soda, soft drinks, fast food, instant noodle and confectionaries (AORs (95% CIs) for ≥5 times a week for soda: 1.55 (1.40 to 1.70); soft drinks: 1.58 (1.43 to 1.73); fast food: 1.97 (1.65 to 2.35); instant noodle: 1.55 (1.37 to 1.76); and confectionaries: 1.30 (1.18 to 1.43); each p<0.001) than good sleep quality of the same duration.

CONCLUSION

Short sleep durations and poor sleep quality might be associated with higher consumption of unhealthier foods, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, fast food, instant noodle and confectionaries, and associated with lower consumption of fruits, vegetables and milk.

Overfed but undernourished: recognizing nutritional inadequacies/deficiencies in patients with overweight or obesity

Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent throughout the world and can adversely affect the nutritional status of individuals. Studies have shown that many people with obesity have inadequate intake of iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, folate and vitamins A and B₁₂, likely as a result of poor diet quality. Nutritional inadequacies or deficiencies may also occur due to altered pharmacokinetics in the individual with obesity and due to interactions in those with overweight or obesity with various pharmaceuticals. However, it has been demonstrated that the adult population in the United States as a whole is deficient in certain micronutrients as a result of the availability and overconsumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient processed foods. Poor nutrition may contribute to the development of certain chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, which is already more prevalent in those with obesity. Clinicians need to be aware of these gaps, particularly in those individuals with obesity who are undergoing bariatric surgery or taking pharmaceutical products long term to facilitate weight loss. Patients with overweight or obesity likely struggle to achieve a balanced diet and may benefit from consultation with a dietitian. Along with providing recommendations for healthy eating and exercise, supplementation with specific micronutrients or multivitamins should be considered for individuals at the highest risk for or with established deficiencies. Further research is needed to understand the factors underlying nutritional inadequacies in individuals with overweight or obesity, as well as the outcomes of treatment strategies employed to address them.