Insights into the current status of bioactive value, postharvest processing opportunities and value addition of black carrot

Black carrots are a type of carrot that is naturally dark purple or black in color. They are a good source of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and have been shown to have several health benefits, including reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. This review article discusses the bioactive compounds present in black carrot, including anthocyanins, phenolic acids, carotenoids, and organic acids and sugars. It also compares the bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of black carrot with other carrot varieties. Furthermore, it discusses various postharvest processing methods, both conventional and novel, such as encapsulation, drying, and microbial decontamination, highlighting their effects on preserving and stabilizing the bioactive compounds. The review also emphasizes the incorporation of black carrot into different food products, including dairy items, beverages, and baked goods, and their impact on nutritional enhancement. The article provides knowledge on utilizing black carrot for improved nutritional and functional outcomes.

Associated factors of health-promoting lifestyle of the elderly based on the theory of social ecosystem

OBJECT

To explore the factors related to health-promoting lifestyles of the elderly based on social-ecosystem theory.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey study was carried out to include 627 elderly people in communities in three cities of Hebei Province (Shijiazhuang, Tangshan, and Zhangjiakou) from October 2021 to January 2022 for questionnaire survey (601 validly returned cases).

VENUE

Three cities of Hebei Province (Shijiazhuang, Tangshan, and Zhangjiakou).

PARTICIPANTS

627 elderly people.

INTERVENTIONS

A cross-sectional survey study.

MAIN MEASUREMENTS

The questionnaire survey was conducted by using the general demographic data, health promotion life scale, frailty scale, general self-efficacy scale, health engagement scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, The family Adaptability, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve scale, and Perceived Social Support Scale.

RESULTS

The total health promotion lifestyle score for the elderly was 100.20±16.21, which was at the lower limit of the good level, with the highest mean score for nutrition (2.71±0.51) and the lowest mean score for physical activity (2.25±0.56). Stepwise linear regression showed that exercise frequency (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.304-3.885), smoking status (95% CI -4.190 to -1.556), self-efficacy (95% CI 0.071-0.185), health management (95% CI 0.306-0.590), frailty (95% CI -3.327 to -1.162) in the microsystem, marital status (95% CI 0.677-3.660), children's attention to the elderly health (95% CI 4.866-11.305), family care in the mesosystem (95% CI 1.365-4.968), and pre-retirement occupation (95% CI 2.065-3.894), living area (95% CI 0.813-3.912), whether receive community-based chronic disease prevention and management services (95% CI 2.035-8.149), social support (95% CI 1.667-6.493) in the macrosystem were the main factors affecting health promotion of life in the elderly (P<0.05). Hierarchical regression analysis showed the microsystem accounted for 17.2%, the mesosystem accounted for 7.1%, and the macrosystem accounted for 11.4%.

CONCLUSION

The health promotion lifestyle of the elderly in Hebei Province was at the lower limit of good level. Among them, exercise frequency, children's attention to the elderly health, and pre-retirement occupation played a major role in relation to the health-promoting lifestyle of the elderly. Hence, it needs the joint action of individuals, families, and society to promote the elderly to adopt the health promotion lifestyle and realize healthy aging.

[Reference values for SPPB in people over 60 years of age in the Basque Country]

Objetivo

Proporcionar valores de referencia del Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) en adultos y adultos mayores en el País Vasco, identificando puntos de corte para medir la fragilidad y comparar los valores con otras poblaciones de España.

Emplazamiento

Bilbao capital, País Vasco (España).

Participantes

1.923 personas mayores de 60 años incluidos en el Programa de Salud para Personas Mayores del Ayuntamiento de Bilbao participaron en el estudio. El programa de actividad física (AF) se impartió dos veces por semana durante un mínimo de 12 semanas, con sesiones de 50 minutos.

Mediciones principales

Se evaluó a los participantes con la prueba SPPB que evalúa: equilibrio (PE), velocidad de la marcha en 4 m (PM) y la fuerza a través de la prueba de levantarse y sentarse de la silla (PS). Según el resultado obtenido de todas las pruebas, se identificó la funcionalidad de las personas en: limitación grave (cero a cuatro puntos), moderada (cuatro a seis puntos), leve (siete a nueve puntos) y mínima (10 a 12 puntos).

Resultados

Edad media 77,9 (5,6) años, siendo el 87,9% mujeres y el 12,1% hombres. La batería SPPB mostro diferencias significativas en la edad (p = 0,000) y género (p = 0,005) Además, se realizó una comparación con una población similar: 70 a 75 años = 0,6 (d de Cohen), 76 a 79 años = 0,98 (d de Cohen) y >80 años = 0,98 (d de Cohen).

Conclusiones

El presente estudio señala los valores normativos para SPPB. La funcionalidad de las personas disminuye a medida que avanza la edad. A pesar de los hallazgos actuales que los profesionales de la salud disponen para una detección más eficaz de la fragilidad, muchos de ellos aún no se han traducido a la práctica clínica.

Documenting the heritage along the Silk Road: An ethnobotanical study of medicinal teas used in Southern Xinjiang, China

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

People in Southern Xinjiang, China have been consuming medicinal teas for healthcare since before the ancient Silk Road markets began. Several pharmaceutical studies have illustrated the potential healthcare benefits of medicinal teas used in Southern Xinjiang, China. However, little information is available from the literature about the diversity of the species used and related traditional knowledge of these medicinal teas.

AIMS OF THE STUDY

(i) create a comprehensive record of medicinal tea plant species (MTPS) and combinations used with related traditional knowledge for healthcare in Southern Xinjiang, China; (ii) assess safety of MTPS, and (iii) address conservation status for sustainable use of MTPS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We employed both field and market surveys from 2014 to 2019 in 10 counties/cities and four main medicinal tea markets by using semi-structured interviews. We interviewed 236 informants and 70 medicinal tea shop vendors. The commonly used MTPS were ranked by Frequency of Citation. Safety issues were assessed based on expert knowledge and with reference to the official list of Medicinal Plants Used as Food. Conservation implications of plant use were assessed as part of the interviews and this was cross referenced with official records.

RESULTS

The surveys revealed 145 different plants from 65 families used for making medicinal teas, expanding the list of known Chinese herbal tea species from 782 to 884. Leguminosae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae and Apiaceae were dominant families. Herbs (60.7%, 88 species) were the most commonly used plant types; fruits (23.1%, 50 species) and seeds (22.2%, 48 species) were commonly used parts. Nearly half (42.1%) of the plant species were introduced from abroad. Respondents reported more than 50 types of healthcare uses of medicinal teas. Tonic (13.7%, 71 species) and promoting digestion (9.6%, 50 species) were the most frequently mentioned healthcare uses. The majority of commonly used plant species were spices (20 species, 50%) and aromatic plants (10 species, 25%). Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J.Presl, Piper longum L. Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L. M. Perry and Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis were the most cited species. High doses of Piper longum L., Crocus sativus L., Curcuma longa L, and Senna alexandrina Mill. May have negative health implications. Assessments of conservation status and sustainable use of tea species indicate that wild harvesting of Nardostachys jatamansi (D. Don) DC. and Pterocarpus indicus Willd. Should be controlled and cultivation technologies should be improved.

CONCLUSIONS

We found high plant species diversity and rich traditional knowledge of medicinal teas used in Southern Xinjiang, China. The traditional healthcare uses of some of the medicinal teas are also supported by pharmaceutical evidence. Others should be investigated further. Conservation pressures exist for commonly used wild species. China's 'Healthy China 2030' policy should do more to take traditional cultural practices into account. In doing so, both local and national government agendas may seek to promote sustainable harvest and to protect traditional knowledge so that this cultural heritage continues to serve human well-being into the future.

Prospective Advances in Beneficial Effects of Exercise on Human Health

Physical inactivity increases the chance of many adverse health conditions. It has been well recognized that exercise exerts widespread beneficial effects in health promotion and disease prevention. However, there remain many unknowns in the understanding of the complex biology and performance behind diversity in response to exercise among populations and individuals. The exercise-afforded health benefits are not sufficiently researched, which to some extent holds back the translation of exercise biology to society and the widespread adoption of physical activity promotion. A comprehensive understanding of the physiology of exercise and pathogenic processes underpinning physical inactivity-associated disorders will facilitate the development of new preventative and therapeutic strategies to improve health and well-being at the whole-body level. In this chapter, we will discuss some important questions that remain to be addressed in the research of health-promoting benefits of exercise.