Secular Trends in Regional Differences in Nutritional Biomarkers and Self-Reported Dietary Intakes among American Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1988–1994 to 2009–2010

Objective: To understand the contribution of regional differentials in dietary exposures to regional gradients in health, we examined 20-year trends in the association of US census region of residence with nutritional biomarkers and dietary intakes of American adults. Design: Observational. Setting: The biomarker and 24 h dietary recall data were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) conducted during 1988–1994 and 1999–2010. The US census region was operationalized as Northeast, Midwest, South and West. Nutritional biomarker outcomes were serum folate, vitamins B6, B12, C, D and E, and carotenoids; dietary outcomes were intakes of nutrients, food groups and eating patterns. Subjects: US adults, n\u3e8000–40 000 for biomarkers and \u3e43 000 for dietary outcomes. Results: The interactions of survey time period and region were not significant for the examined biomarker and dietary outcomes, indicating similar secular trends among regions. The main effect of region was significant for all nutritional biomarkers except serum vitamin B6, most dietary micronutrients, food groups and eating patterns (P\u3c0·001). The mean serum folate, vitamins B12, C and E, and all carotenoid (except lycopene) biomarker levels, and intakes of dietary fibre, vitamins A, E, C and B6, folate, K, Ca, Mg and Fe, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, were higher in the West and Northeast regions, relative to the South and Midwest regions. Conclusions: Overall, the regional gradients in dietary exposure, expressed objectively as biomarkers or as self-reported nutrient and food group intakes, paralleled trajectories reported for health outcomes and were remarkably persistent over time

Away from home meals: associations with biomarkers of chronic disease and dietary intake in American adults, NHANES 2005-2010

Background Away from home (AFH) meals are known to be energy-dense and of poor diet quality. Both direct and indirect exposure (e.g., neighborhood restaurant density) to AFH meals have been implicated as contributors to higher body weight and adverse health outcomes. Objective To examine the association of frequency of eating AFH and fast-food meals with biomarkers of chronic disease and dietary intake. Design This cross-sectional study used frequency of AFH and fast-food meal and biomarker data from the NHANES 2005-2010. Information on weekly frequency of AFH and fast-food meals was collected via questionnaire during the household interview. The metabolic biomarkers examined included BMI, serum cholesterol (total, HDL, and LDL), triglycerides, glycohemoglobin, and fasting glucose (n=8314, age ≥20, NHANES 2007-2010). Biomarkers of dietary exposure included serum concentrations of vitamins A, D, E, C, B-6, B-12, folate, and carotenoids (n=4162; 2005-2006). Multiple linear and logistic regression methods adjusted for complex survey methodology and covariates. Results American adults reported a mean of 3.9 (95% CI 3.7, 4.0) AFH and 1.8 (1.6, 1.9) fast-food meals/week. Over 50% of adults reported ≥3 AFH and \u3e35% reported ≥2 fast-food meals/week. Mean BMI of more frequent AFH or fast-food meal reporters was higher (Ptrend≤0.0004). Serum concentrations of total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol were related inversely with frequency of AFH meals (P\u3c0.05). Frequency of fast-food meals and serum HDL-cholesterol were also related inversely (P=0.0001). Serum concentrations of all examined micronutrients (except vitamin A and lycopene) declined with increasing frequency of AFH meals (P\u3c0.05); women and ≥50 y olds were at higher risk. Conclusions Reporters of frequent AFH and fast-food meals had higher BMI and lower concentrations of HDL cholesterol; but profiles of other biomarkers did not indicate higher metabolic risk. However, the serum concentrations of nutrients with mostly plant foods as sources declined with increasing AFH meal frequency

Secular Trends in the Association of Socio-Economic Position with Self-Reported Dietary Attributes and Biomarkers in the US Population: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1971–1975 to NHANES 1999–2002

Objective: Recent reports suggest persistence of health disparities related to socioeconomic position (SEP). To understand if diet may be a contributor to these trends, we examined secular trends in the association of diet and indicators of SEP from 1971–1975 to 1999–2002. Design: We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) I (1971–1975), II (1976–1980), III (1988–1994) and 1999–2002 to examine the independent associations of poverty income ratio (PIR) and education with diet and biomarkers of diet and disease in 25–74-year-olds (n ¼ 36 600). We used logistic and linear regression methods to adjust for multiple covariates and survey design to examine these associations. Results: A large PIR differential in the likelihood of reporting a fruit or all five food groups and vitamin C intake, and an education differential in likelihood of obesity and carbohydrate intake, was noted in 1971–1975 but narrowed in 1999–2002 (P , 0.007). The positive association of education with intake of a fruit, vegetable or all five food groups, vitamins A and C, calcium and potassium intake remained unchanged across surveys (P , 0.001). Similarly, the positive association of PIR with the amount of foods and intakes of energy and potassium remained unchanged over three decades (P , 0.001). The education and the PIR differential in energy density, and the PIR differential in the likelihood of obesity, persisted over the period of the four surveys (P , 0.001). Conclusions: Persistence of unfavourable dietary and biomarker profiles in Americans with low income and education suggests continued need for improvement in the quality of diets of these high-risk groups

The International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce (INPST) and the power of Twitter networking exemplified through #INPST hashtag analysis

Background: The development of digital technologies and the evolution of open innovation approaches have enabled the creation of diverse virtual organizations and enterprises coordinating their activities primarily online. The open innovation platform titled "International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce" (INPST) was established in 2018, to bring together in collaborative environment individuals and organizations interested in natural product scientific research, and to empower their interactions by using digital communication tools. Methods: In this work, we present a general overview of INPST activities and showcase the specific use of Twitter as a powerful networking tool that was used to host a one-week "2021 INPST Twitter Networking Event" (spanning from 31st May 2021 to 6th June 2021) based on the application of the Twitter hashtag #INPST. Results and Conclusion: The use of this hashtag during the networking event period was analyzed with Symplur Signals (https://www.symplur.com/), revealing a total of 6,036 tweets, shared by 686 users, which generated a total of 65,004,773 impressions (views of the respective tweets). This networking event's achieved high visibility and participation rate showcases a convincing example of how this social media platform can be used as a highly effective tool to host virtual Twitter-based international biomedical research events

Secular trends in patterns of self-reported food consumption of adult Americans: nhanes 1971-1975 to nhanes 1999-2002

Background: The contributors to trends in increasing prevalence of obesity in the US population are poorly understood. Objective: We examined secular trends in food consumption behaviors to understand their possible contribution to increasing energy intakes and adiposity in the American population. Design: We used dietary data from 4 consecutive National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) to examine trends (1971\u962002) in frequency of eating episodes, meal and snack consumption, quantity of food consumed, and the energy density of foods reported by adult Americans (n =3D 39 094). Logistic and linear regression methods were used to adjust for multiple covariates and survey design. Results: The reported number of all eating episodes increased slightly in women from 4.90 in 1971\u961975 to 5.04 in 1999\u962002 (P for trend =3D 0.002). The amount (in g) of foods and beverages consumed, the energy density of foods, and energy intake per eating episode increased, but the mention of breakfast declined in both sexes (P for trend < 0.0001). The observed trends in mention of a snack (in men) and percentage of energy from evening food intake (in women) were downward. The amount (in g) of foods and their energy density were independent positive correlates of obesity in combined data from all surveys (P for trend < 0.0001). Conclusions: Our results do not support large increases in eating frequency, snacking, or evening eating by the American population from 1971 to 2002. The quantity of foods and their energy density increased beginning in NHANES III (1988\u961994) with trajectories roughly parallel to the rates of prevalence of obesity in the US population. However, we urge cautious interpretation of these results because of concurrent changes in dietary methods during this period

Clock Time of First Eating Episode and Prospective Risk of All-Cause Mortality in US Adults

Background: There is increasing recognition that morning or evening preference is associated with time of eating, metabolic health, and morbidity. However, few studies have examined the association of time of eating with mortality. Objective: To examine the association of time of first recalled ingestive episode with prospective risk of all-cause mortality. Design: We used mortality-linked data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) conducted in 1988-1994 and 1999-2014 (n=34609; age \u3e40 y). Quartiles (Q1-Q4) of clock time of first eating episode self-reported in the baseline 24-h dietary recall was the exposure. Follow-up time from date of NHANES examination to date of death or end of the follow-up period (12/31/2015) was the outcome. We used proportional hazards regression methods to determine the independent association of time of first eating episode with relative hazard of all-cause mortality with adjustment for multiple covariates and complex survey design. Multiple linear regression methods were used to examine the association of time of first eating episode and baseline cardiometabolic biomarkers and dietary attributes. Results: In this national cohort, median age ~55 y (95% CI 54.6, 55.4) at baseline, median follow-up of 8.3 y (IQR 8.75), there were 10, 303 deaths. The median time (military time) of first eating episode in Q1-Q4 was 0545, 0700, 0800, and 1000. Covariate-adjusted relative hazard of mortality in Q1 to Q3 of time of first eating episode was 0.88 (95% CI 0.81-0.96), 0.88 (0.81-19 0.95), 0.94 (0.87, 1.02), with Q4 as the referent (P=0.0008). Qualitative dietary attributes were inversely related with time of first eating episode; however, BMI and serum concentrations of glycemic biomarkers increased with later time of first eating episode (P Conclusion: Recall of an earlier time of the first eating episode by US \u3e40-y-olds was suggestive of a small relative survival advantage in this observational study

A prospective study of frequency of eating restaurant prepared meals and subsequent 9-year risk of all-cause and cardiometabolic mortality in US adults

<div><p>Restaurant prepared foods are known to be energy-dense and high in fat and sodium, but lower in protective nutrients. There is evidence of higher risk of adiposity, type II diabetes, and heart disease in frequent consumers of restaurant meals. However, the risk of mortality as a long-term health consequence of frequent consumption of restaurant meals has not been examined. We examined the prospective risk of all-cause and coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and diabetes (cardiometabolic) mortality in relation to frequency of eating restaurant prepared meals in a national cohort. We used frequency of eating restaurant prepared meals information collected in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, conducted from 1999–2004, with mortality follow-up completed through Dec. 31, 2011 (baseline age ≥ 40y; n = 9107). We estimated the relative hazard of all-cause and cardiometabolic mortality associated with weekly frequency of eating restaurant meals using Cox-proportional hazards regression methods to adjust for multiple covariates. All analyses accounted for complex survey design and included sample weights. Over 33% of all respondents reported eating ≥3 restaurant prepared meals/week. In this cohort, 2200 deaths due to all causes and 665 cardiometabolic deaths occurred over a median follow-up of 9 years. The covariate-adjusted hazard ratio of all cause or cardiometabolic mortality in men and women reporters of <1 or 1–2 restaurant prepared meals did not differ from those reporting ≥3 meals/week (P>0.05). The results were robust to effect modification by baseline BMI, years of education, and baseline morbidity. Expectedly, the 24-h dietary intakes of whole grains, fruits, dietary fiber, folate, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium at baseline were lower, but energy, energy density, and energy from fat were higher in more frequent restaurant meal reporters (P<0.05). Baseline serum HDL cholesterol, folate, and some carotenoids were inversely associated with the frequency of eating restaurant prepared meals (P<0.05); however, serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose, insulin, glycated hemoglobin, and c-reactive protein were unrelated (P<0.05). The weekly frequency of eating restaurant prepared meals and prospective risk of mortality after 9 years were not related in this cohort.</p></div

¹Covariate-adjusted geometric mean and 95% CI of serum concentration of cardiometabolic and nutritional biomarkers measured at baseline, by weekly frequency of eating restaurant prepared meals: US adults, aged ≥ 40, NHANES 1999–2004.

<p><a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0191584#t004fn001" target="_blank">¹</a>Covariate-adjusted geometric mean and 95% CI of serum concentration of cardiometabolic and nutritional biomarkers measured at baseline, by weekly frequency of eating restaurant prepared meals: US adults, aged ≥ 40, NHANES 1999–2004.</p