Journal of Nutrition and Food Security
Volume:7 Issue: 2, May 2022

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of age-related dementia and is one of the most rapidly increasing diseases worldwide (Agahi et al., 2018, Azm et al., 2017). There are over 50 million people worldwide living with Alzheimer's disease. The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease is predicted to more than 100 million in 2050.

Attention to children's nutrition is important; since they are the most sensitive and vulnerable group in the community against malnutrition and food shortages. Therefore, this study aims to design, implement, and evaluate the effect of educational programs based on (philosophy for children) on thinking skills about healthy breakfast consumption of sixth-grade elementary school students in Yazd.

The present clinical trial study was performed on 120 sixth-grade students of public schools in Yazd. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire in control and experimental groups before and after the educational program.

The results showed that the mean score of critical thinking after the intervention (38.7 ± 81.1) in the experimental group (EG) increased compared to before the intervention (29.2 ± 96.4), which was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Based on the results, the difference observed in the mean score of critical thinking, caring, and creative thinking of sixth-grade students before and after the intervention in the two groups was significant (P < 0.001). On the other hand, the mean score of students' critical, caring, and creative thinking in the EG increased. In other words, the designed educational program improved all three skills in the EG. The mean scores of critical, caring, and creative thinking of sixth-grade students in the control group (CG) before and after the educational program in two stages were not significant (P > 0.05).

According to the obtained results, the implementation of philosophy education programs for children raises the level of critical thinking, caring, and creative skills in students to eat a healthy breakfast. Therefore, increasing philosophical thinking in students and improving the studied skills through education, even virtually, can be very valuable and effective.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is known as a common chronic metabolic disease worldwide. Coronary artery diseases are one of the hazardous disorders in diabetic patients. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary antioxidants intake with insulin resistance and insulin sensitivity among T2D without and with coronary stenosis (CS).

This case-control study was conducted on 247 participants (65 diabetic patients suffered from CS and 172 diabetic patients without CS). Dietary antioxidants intake (vitamin E, Vitamin C, selenium, beta-carotene, and zinc) were assessed with a valid and reliable 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Blood pressure, weight, and height were measured. Blood sample was collected for glycaemic control assessment.

Diabetic patients with CS had significantly higher HbA1c levels (P = 0.004). There was a negative significant association between vitamin E (r = -0.91; P < 0.001) and Beta-carotene (r =-0.88; P < 0.001) with HbA1c among all participants. There was also a positive significant association between vitamin E, vitamin C, and selenium with insulin sensitivity among all the participants; (r = 0.59; P = 0.004) for vitamin E, (r = 0.91; P < 0.001) for vitamin C, and (r = 0.27; P = 0.04) for Beta-carotene.

Antioxidants intake especially vitamin C and beta-carotene may have an anti-insulin resistance effect in metabolic disorders

Fat peroxidation is one of the problems in food processing, cooking, and storage. Oxidative changes cause pathological effects in biological systems and reduce the taste and quality and ultimately spoil food. Using aromatic plants and vegetables with antioxidant properties can play an important role in preventing these adverse effects. The antioxidant effects of Mentha longifolia have been considered in recent years.This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant activity of the peppermint plants and determine its protective effect on lipid oxidation of high-consumption meat products in Tabriz.

To this end, aqueous-alcoholic extract of mint leaves and twigs with concentrations of 0.1%, 1%, 5% with homogeneous mixtures of 10%, 90% meat hamburger products, and 45% sausages were exposed. Lipid oxidation was measured by measuring malondialdehyde using the TBARS method on day 0 and after 42 days of exposure to peppermint extract at 0-4 °C and was compared with the control group.

The results showed that increasing the shelf life of meat mixtures significantly increases fat peroxidation (P = 0.05). Also, increasing the concentration of peppermint extract in meat solution samples significantly reduces the amount of malondialdehyde (P = 0.05). The results showed the antioxidant activity of peppermint during the storage time of meat products and its benefits can be used in the food industry.

The present study showed that peppermint extracts have strong antioxidant activity and can be used in food and biological systems and can be used as a substitute for synthetic antioxidants to reduce their harmful effects on health.

To improve dairy consumption among children, it is crucial to explore probable barriers and facilitators toward it. The current qualitative study aims to discover barriers and facilitators of dairy intake among school-age children in Tehran to suggest strategies to improve it based on the optimal components of social marketing.

In a qualitative study, 111 school-age children (mean age 10.08±0.57 years) were selected by purposive sampling with maximum diversity from primary schools in three areas of Tehran. Sixteen focus group discussions (FGDs) were separately conducted among students in different grades. Contents of the FGDs were analyzed using MAXQDA 2010.

Food and nutrition literacy, improvement of attitude and trust-building, training taste and food preferences were the main facilitators to increase dairy products among school-age children. Barriers related to dairy products consumption included negative attitudes toward dairy products, unsound tastes, and unhealthy food preferences. The main suggested strategies to increase dairy consumption were improvement of the products' sensory and non-sensory characteristics, providing the milk and dairy products consumption experience for free, improvement of the quality of preserving places, enhancing physical and economic availability of dairy products. Dairy stores and school buffets were mentioned as the best places for supply. Encouragement and motivation, education and information, modeling and promoting appropriate culture were suggested as the main promotion strategies.

To provide practical strategies for increasing dairy consumption among children, the perceived barriers and facilitators mentioned by them should be addressed.

High blood pressure, coronary heart disease (CHD), and anxiety ailments entirely lead to many illness in patients and impose expenses on the health care system. Anxiety can significantly predict future CHD consequences. Spirulina is a known antioxidant that has a role in anxiety. The hypothesis was that Spirulina could alleviate anxiety and positively affect hypertension and its consequences. Nonetheless, there are scarce recently developed investigations on assessing the effect of consuming Spirulina on anxiety in human beings.

The present study assessed the effect of Spirulina on anxiety in 48 Iranian patients with hypertension (female and male) aged 24–65 years in a randomized triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The patients were given either 2 g Spirulina in the form of spirulina-fortified dressing or placebo. Anxiety levels were evaluated for each patient before and after eight weeks following consumption products with the Beck Anxiety Inventory.

Forty-one participants completed the intervention. At the baseline, there was no significant difference in anxiety levels between groups, and they also had the same levels of stress based on the Holmes-Rahe questionnaire. The results showed no significant difference in the level of anxiety between groups after the intervention (P = 0.93).

Although no positive results were seen in this study, this novel issue has a potential for further investigations to make comprehensive decisions.

High consumption of fatty acids is known as a dietary risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The aim of study was to survey of fatty acid profiles in the traditional/fast foods commonly consumed in Iran.

Gas chromatography was used in the present study to determine the composition of fatty acids in 40 most popular traditional/fast foods consumed in Isfahan, Iran. The food samples were collected from 19 restaurants.

In all the tested samples, palmitic acid was at the highest level of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) (P < 0.05). Although in both groups of foods, the levels of trans fatty acids (TFAs) were above 2% in 30% of examined foods, the higher amounts of TFAs were found in traditional foods (P < 0.05). The results show that traditional foods contain higher levels of SFAs and TFAs than fast foods.

The alarming findings of the present study should compel the relevant authorities in Iran to adopt and implement appropriate policies that systematically and continually control the types of food prepared and served in restaurants in order to minimize the intake of SFAs and TFAs.

This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge and attitude towards food safety and hygiene among the health-care staff in Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

This survey-descriptive was conducted on 101 staff working in primary health-care centers of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences who were selected taking a census. Data collection was also performed by a researcher-made questionnaire.

The results showed that the mean score of knowledge and attitude of the staff was 13.36 ± 2.44 and 37.19 ± 3.74, which obtained 70.31% and 74.38% of the total score, respectively. The lowest level of knowledge towards food safety and hygiene among the staff was about the reuse of foods, such as cheese (solid), jam, yogurt, tomato paste (liquid), as well as the need to store some foods refrigerated. The mean score of knowledge in the subjects with a history of food poisoning was also lower, which was statistically significant (P = 0.03). The most common wrong attitudes among the staff included rinsing vegetables in sufficient water (85.1%), putting raw and cooked foods together (82.2%), and using foods in bulging cans (75.2%). However, the staff’s attitudes regarding personal hygiene were appropriate.

Finally, education about correct food storing and reusing, correct washing and consuming of raw foods and vegetables is recommended.

Ice cream is one of the most important and popular frozen desserts based on cow milk that is popular in the world. Due to the valuable properties of camel milk and with the aim of diversifying the production of this product and improving its nutritional quality,

In the present study, ratios of 0%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, and 80% of camel milk were replaced. The probiotic ice cream formulation contained Lactobacillus acidophilus and the samples were stored in a freezer at -18 °C and on the days after (first) production, thirty and sixty days were subjected to physicochemical, microbial, and sensory tests.

The results showed that the trend of changes in pH, specific gravity and volume increase was irregular. In contrast, the trends of fat changes, melting resistance, and sensory properties were decreasing. In physicochemical tests, treatment based on 40% cow milk had the highest pH value and volume increased, while the highest viscosity and melting resistance were related to camel milk treatment. The highest fat content and specific gravity belonged to 80% camel milk treatment. Treatment based on 40% cow milk showed the highest L. acidophilus count, while the treatment based on 60% cow milk had the lowest count. In terms of sensory properties, this treatment received the highest flavor and overall acceptance scores in terms of evaluators, while the highest color and texture score belonged to the treatment based on 40% and 70% camel milk, respectively.

The overall results showed that cow milk can be replaced by probiotic ice cream formulation with different proportions of camel milk and obtained a desirable product. Finally, treatments based on higher ratios of camel milk had better quality properties and 60% of camel milk was selected as optimum treatment.

Breast milk provides the ideal nutrition for infants. It has a nearly perfect mix of vitamins, protein, and fat. Breastfeeding has many health benefits for both the mother and infant. Breast milk contains all the nutrients an infant needs in the first six months of life. The present study aimed to measure aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) levels in breast milk and identify nutritional and socio-demographic factors associated with AFM1 levels.

This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess AFM1 levels in the breast milk of 100 mothers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), 20 of whom had COVID-19 in the past 4 months during June 2020-March 2021. The participants were given a questionnaire to answer nutritional and socio-demographic questions, such as age, place of residence, COVID-19, educational status, employment status, and body mass index (BMI).

The mean age of mothers was 29.1 ± 4.9 years. Based on the results, 39/100 samples had AFM1 more than 5 ng/l, and all 20 mothers who previously had COVID-19 had AFM1 in their milk. The mean AFM1 was 7.10 ng/l and ranged 5.37–9.01 ng/l. Consumption of milk and yogurt also significantly increased AFM1 in milk. Moreover, place of residence and BMI and COVID-19 had a statistically significant effect on the presence of AFM1.

The AFM1 contamination was significantly associated with the consumption of milk and yogurt by the lactating mother. Breastfeeding mothers should be careful in their food intake and try to fit their BMI. The presence of aflatoxin in the lactating mothers who previously had COVID-19 indicates that their children are more vulnerable.

Increasing population aging is a global challenge and has occurred very rapidly in all parts of the world. The elderly population is more at risk of diseases, and their improper condition may impair their ability to live and cook at home. Food insecurity endangers public health as well as nutritional status, especially in the elderly. The present study aims to investigate the food security status and its associated factors in adults aged over 60‏ years.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 elderly (88 men and 112 women) referring to health centers in Yazd. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to record demographic information. The standardized FaCPS-FSSM (Farsi Current Population Survey-Food Security Survey Module) questionnaire was used to assess the food security of the elderly. The participants’ food security and their relationship with the studied variables were evaluated by chi-square and ANOVA statistical tests using SPSS software version 20.

The findings indicate 44% complete food security, 12.5% mild insecurity, 8.5% moderate insecurity, and 35% severe food insecurity in the elderly participated in the study. Moreover, a significant relationship was observed between education level (P = 0.01), marital status (P = 0.01), income (P = 0.001), and some chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular (P = 0.02), gastrointestinal disorders (P = 0.03), and hyperlipidemia (P = 0.01) with food insecurity (P ˂ 0.05).

The present study shows a significant prevalence of food insecurity (56%) in the elderly. A significant relationship was also observed between some chronic diseases and food insecurity. Therefore, it is recommended to perform educational programs, intervention studies, and cohort studies to improve food insecurity, especially in the elderly with the mentioned chronic diseases

The link between food insecurity and weight disorders of children or adolescents remains controversial. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to clarify the association between food insecurity and weight disorders of children and adolescents in Iran.

PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, Magiran, and SID databases were searched up to August 2020. Study selection, data extraction, and bias assessment in the included studies were performed by two reviewers independently. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using a random effects model.

The pooled ORs of cross-sectional studies showed that food insecurity was not associated with the odds of underweight (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.52, 2.70) with no evidence of publication bias but high heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 80 %; P < 0.05). Similarly, the pooled ORs demonstrated that there was no association between food insecurity and obesity in children and adolescents of Iranian population (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.91, 1.82) with no evidence of publication bias and heterogeneity between the studies (I2 = 0.0 %; P = 0.52).

There was no association between food insecurity and underweight or obesity in children and adolescents of Iranian population.

Among non-communicable diseases, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) account for 44% of all deaths. Among natural alternatives, Nigella sativa (NS) exert beneficial effects on cardio-metabolic factors. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis protocol aimed to identify all the findings relevant to the effects of NS on cardio-metabolic factors among adults.

This study was prepared according to PRISMA-P checklist based on Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. An initial literature search was conducted in various databases using MeSH terms and related synonyms. Trials examining the effects of NS versus control group were included. Main outcomes consisted of blood pressure, lipid and glycemic factors, and atherogenic indices. Seven reviewers independently evaluated titles and abstracts, reviewed full texts, extracted information, and assessed the risk of bias. Methodological quality of each randomized controlled trial was assessed using the Cochrane Handbook and the GRADE system, while Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale was used for non-randomized studies. Continuous data of homogeneous studies were meta-analyzed via STATA. Mean differences were calculated as the effect size with 95% CIs. Heterogeneity assessment, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias were performed.

The quality of both randomized and non-randomized studies was assessed. The evidence from this study can provide information for future clinical trials

The development of policies for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption is highlighted as a priority in developing countries. This review study aimed to present the available policy options for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in the populations.

To collect relevant English publications, five electronic databases, including PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Embase, ProQuest, and Ovid from 2000 until 1st January 2021 were searched. The national or population based programs aimed to increase fruit and/or vegetable intake were included. Four types of policy options were recognized, including food promotion, school and workplace food environment regulations, agriculture, food production, supply and storage, and fiscal policies.

Increasing consumer’s knowledge has been more effective in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among populations. However, most of the interventions in the workplace and school emphasize increasing knowledge and changing access to healthy food.

In general, the evaluation of these policies has been done in the short term and has had a moderate impact on changing dietary behavior. Agricultural and food supply chain policies are currently less researched. Finally, recent evidence suggests that multi-component interventions are more effective than one-component interventions.