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Nutrients
Special Issues
Health Research Methodology on Diet and Dietary Intake
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Health Research Methodology on Diet and Dietary Intake

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 6127

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Maja Miskulin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Interests: health research methodology; public health; epidemiology; preventive medicine; environmental health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are all aware that chronic non-communicable diseases are a significant public health problem of our time. Because of their lifelong nature, these diseases considerably decrease the quality of life and can lead to morbidity and premature death. At the same time, these diseases also represent a continuously growing burden on the healthcare system and the economy in general.

Epidemiological data have confirmed that the majority of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes possess a critical nutrition component and that the connection between indicated diseases and nutrition is undeniable and strong. The latter is probably one of the main reasons the scientific community is so interested in discovering the features of the complex connection between nutrition and particular diseases. Strategies for managing chronic non-communicable diseases are usually multidimensional, and at the center of all approaches are dietary interventions, encouraging regular physical activity and other lifestyle modifications.

The role of nutrition in chronic non-communicable disease management is particularly crucial as diet is a modifiable risk factor for the majority of previously stated diseases that exist either as single conditions or in comorbid states. To fully understand the significance of various dietary factors on the development and progression of today’s main chronic non-communicable diseases, it is necessary to apply adequate health research methodology and to include different population subgroups as well as different populations in epidemiological studies. This approach is the only way to ensure the implementation of evidence-based nutritional public health interventions which can guarantee the effectiveness of implemented preventive and health promotion measures and successfully improve the health of the population as a whole.

Prof. Dr. Maja Miskulin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nutrition
  • diet
  • dietary intake
  • health
  • prevention
  • non-communicable diseases
  • chronic diseases
  • public health

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 297 KiB  
Article
Adherence to Dietary Recommendations in Organized Living Beneficiaries with Severe Mental Disorders and Their Caregivers
by Lidija Šoher, Milica Cvijetić Stokanović, Sara Prša, Maja Miškulin and Daniela Kenjerić
Nutrients 2024, 16(1), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010143 - 31 Dec 2023
Viewed by 704
Abstract
People with severe mental disorders often require special care. Other than institutionalized care, some organizations provide housing options and special care in the form of organized living. Few studies provide a detailed description of nutrient intake in this type of care. The aim [...] Read more.
People with severe mental disorders often require special care. Other than institutionalized care, some organizations provide housing options and special care in the form of organized living. Few studies provide a detailed description of nutrient intake in this type of care. The aim of this prospective study was to assess nutritional status and adherence to dietary recommendations in both people with mental disorders (beneficiaries) and their caregivers. Across three levels of care, 46 beneficiaries and 19 caregivers participated in the study. The mean intakes of energy (kcal/day) and macro- and micronutrients (g/day) were estimated from a 3-day dietary record and compared with dietary reference values (DRVs) set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The majority of participants did not meet energy intake recommendations (kcal/day). The contribution of total fat to energy intake (% E) was higher than recommended in both beneficiaries and caregivers with 42.1 ± 4.4% and 38.5 ± 6.5%, respectively. A total of 45.2% of beneficiaries and 61.1% of caregivers had their carbohydrate intake within the recommended range. Fiber intake was well below the recommendations (25 g/day) in all groups. Across all levels of care, lower micronutrient intake for pantothenic acid, biotin, folate, potassium, magnesium, copper, selenium, and iodine was observed. Based on the current results, the development and implementation of nutritional guidelines may be targeted to specific populations and nutrient intakes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Research Methodology on Diet and Dietary Intake)
17 pages, 1047 KiB  
Article
Body Mass Index Trends before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Primary School Students in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia: A Retrospective Study
by Luka Androja, Tonči Bavčević, Anamarija Jurčev Savičević, Damir Bavčević, Jasna Ninčević, Anita Buljan, Diana Nonković, Vitor Rodrigues and Željka Karin
Nutrients 2024, 16(1), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010050 - 22 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1611
Abstract
Within the last decade, childhood obesity has become a serious problem, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research paper aimed to examine whether body mass index (BMI) was higher during the pandemic (2020–2022) than in the pre-pandemic period (2012/2013–2019) using trends related to [...] Read more.
Within the last decade, childhood obesity has become a serious problem, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research paper aimed to examine whether body mass index (BMI) was higher during the pandemic (2020–2022) than in the pre-pandemic period (2012/2013–2019) using trends related to sex, urban–rural area, and physical activity (PA). This study included data from physical examinations of an entire population of primary school children from Split-Dalmatia County (Croatia) over a period of 10 years. There were 103,804 students from the first, fifth, and eighth grades who participated in the analysis. During the pandemic, the BMI of all the students increased, except for eighth-grade girls. Generations of eighth graders have had significantly different BMIs throughout the past decade. We found that first graders were overweight and obese in urban areas, while in rural areas, this problem was experienced by upper grades. Girls were more overweight and obese in the first and eighth grades, but boys experienced this more in the fifth grade. Reduced PA influenced an increase in BMI in both sexes, especially in girls. During the pandemic, this situation became worse. This study could be useful to experts for the creation of new policies for Split-Dalmatia County and surrounding regions that are similar economically and culturally. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Research Methodology on Diet and Dietary Intake)
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14 pages, 1053 KiB  
Article
Dietary Strategies to Reduce Triglycerides in Women of Reproductive Age: A Simulation Modelling Study
by Nahal Habibi, Shalem Leemaqz, Jimmy Chun Yu Louie, Thomas P. Wycherley and Jessica A. Grieger
Nutrients 2023, 15(24), 5137; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15245137 - 18 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1082
Abstract
Many women of reproductive age have poor diet quality and are at higher risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes. Triglycerides are a critical risk factor for chronic diseases, and although they can be influenced by diet, there are minimal dietary intervention studies [...] Read more.
Many women of reproductive age have poor diet quality and are at higher risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes. Triglycerides are a critical risk factor for chronic diseases, and although they can be influenced by diet, there are minimal dietary intervention studies identifying key foods/food groups that reduce triglycerides. We performed data simulation modelling to estimate the potential reductions in fasting triglycerides that could be achieved by different dietary strategies in reproductive age women. The model was created using data from the 2011–2013 Australian Health Survey and incorporated various factors such as demographics, nutrient intake, and plasma biomarkers. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to estimate triglyceride levels, considering nutrient intake and pre-determined covariates. Dietary scenarios were developed, reducing the consumption of processed/ultra-processed foods, while increasing the intake of minimally processed foods like fruits, vegetables, fish, and nuts. A total of 606 women were included. Reducing processed foods by 50% plus increasing intakes of fruits (75–225 g/day), vegetables (75–225 g/day), or nuts (10–40 g/day) decreased triglycerides by up to 4.3%. Additionally, incorporating 80 g/day of omega 3 fish (>800 mg long-chain omega 3/100 g) decreased triglycerides by 8.2%. The clinical relevance of lowering triglycerides for cardiometabolic disease management should be tested in dietary intervention studies in women. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Research Methodology on Diet and Dietary Intake)
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15 pages, 750 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in Middle-Aged and Elderly Individuals in the United States
by Qilong Zhao, Xinyue Tan, Zhenni Su, Habasi Patrick Manzi, Li Su, Zhenchuang Tang and Ying Zhang
Nutrients 2023, 15(8), 1857; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15081857 - 12 Apr 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2119
Abstract
(1) Background: With the aging demographic shift in society, there is a growing number of middle-aged and elderly individuals affected by metabolic syndrome (MetS), a risk factor contributing to all causes of mortality. Inflammation plays a crucial role in the development of MetS. [...] Read more.
(1) Background: With the aging demographic shift in society, there is a growing number of middle-aged and elderly individuals affected by metabolic syndrome (MetS), a risk factor contributing to all causes of mortality. Inflammation plays a crucial role in the development of MetS. This study aims to examine the correlation between MetS and pro-inflammatory diets in middle-aged and elderly individuals, utilizing the Dietary Inflammation Index (DII) as a measure. (2) Methods: Data were extracted from the 2007–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database for individuals who were 45 years of age or older. The DII was determined for each participant through 24-h dietary recall interviews. The relationship between DII and MetS was assessed using binary logistic regression analysis, and the association between DII and MetS-related indicators was further explored through generalized linear model (GLM) and quantile regression analysis. (3) Results: A total of 3843 middle-aged and elderly individuals were included in the study. After controlling for confounding factors, the highest quartile of DII was associated with a higher risk of MetS (ORQ4:Q1 = 1.339; 95% CI: 1.013, 1.769; p for trend = 0.018). The top DII quartile also increased the risk of reduced HDL-C (ORQ4:Q1 = 1.499; 95% CI: 1.005, 2.234; p for trend = 0.048) and raised FG (ORQ4:Q1 = 1.432; 95% CI: 1.095, 1.873; p for trend = 0.010) compared to the lowest DII quartile. The levels of DII were found to be positively correlated with BMI (β = 0.258, p = 0.001), FPG (β = 0.019, p = 0.049), TG (β = 2.043, p = 0.013), waistline (β = 0.580, p = 0.002), and negatively correlated with HDL-C (β = −0.672, p = 0.003). (4) Conclusions: In middle-aged and elderly individuals in the United States, a high DII score has been linked to the presence of MetS, low HDL-C, and hyperglycemia. Therefore, dietary recommendations for the middle-aged and elderly should focus on reducing the DII by choosing foods rich in antioxidants, dietary fiber, and unsaturated fatty acids. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Research Methodology on Diet and Dietary Intake)
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