Evidence-based nutrition and cardiovascular disease in the Asia-Pacific region

The Asia-Pacific region is undergoing a major change in both food and health patterns, with a connection between the two more than likely. Evidence for certain traditional Asia-Pacific foods as protective agents against chronic non-communicable disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD), in particular, is growing at a time when their usage diminishes. The nature of the evidence to establish relevant Asia-Pacific food-health linkages will include randomised placebo-controlled clinical trials, but is much more extensive and meaningful. Okinawans have probably achieved one of the most successful food cultures from a health point of view and serve as a reference point for the Asia-Pacific region. The expert working party has produced, in November 2000, the \u27Okinawan Recommendations on Nutrition and CVD in the Asia-Pacific region\u27.<br /

Effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid on gene expression of the critical enzymes involved in homocysteine metabolism

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies showed that plasma n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) was negatively associated with plasma homocysteine (Hcy).</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>We investigated the regulatory effect of n-3 PUFA on mRNA expression of the critical genes encoding the enzymes involved in Hcy metabolism.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>HepG2 cells were treated with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) respectively for 48 h. The cells were collected and total RNA was isolated. The mRNA expression levels of the genes were determined by using Real Time-PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared with controls, the mRNA expression levels of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) were significantly increased in the DHA group (p < 0.05) and ALA group (p < 0.05); Significantly down-regulated mRNA expression of methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) was observed with the treatments compared with the controls; the level of MAT expression was significant lower in the DHA group than the ALA group (p < 0.05); Cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) expression was significantly increased in the DHA (p < 0.05) and EPA groups (p < 0.05) compared with control. No significant changes were shown in mRNA expression levels of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolases (SAHH), cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase (MTR).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest that DHA up-regulates CSE and MTHFR mRNA expression and down-regulates MAT mRNA expression involved in Hcy metabolism.</p

Dietary quality may enhance survival related to cognitive impairment in Taiwanese elderly

Impaired cognition increases mortality in the aged. It is unclear how dietary quality might affect this relationship.To examine how dietary diversity and cognition might interact to determine survival.In a Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT 1999&#x2013;2000), 1,839 representative elderly were followed for mortality up to 10 years. The dietary quality measure was a dietary diversity score (DDS, range: 0&#x2013;6) to present six food groups (dairy, meat, rice and grains, fruit, vegetable,fat and oil) derived from a 24-h dietary recall. Cognitive function was evaluated by the validated Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ).Those with cognitive impairment (SPMSQ&#x200A;&#x2265;&#x200A;3 errors) had 2.56 (95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.99&#x2013;3.28) times the all-cause-mortality risk of those with intact cognition. After control for potential confounders, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) remained significant (1.46, 95% CI: 1.06&#x2013;2.02). Significant interactions for DDS and cognition were found (p&#60;0.001). Jointly, compared to normal-SPMSQ-highest DDS, the greatest HR is where impaired cognition is combined with the lowest DDS (HR 2.24, 95% CI: 1.19&#x2013;4.24). Increased DDS was associated with improvement in survival that is especially evident in those with 1&#x2013;2 errors where the greatest HR reduction was found, and for fruit. Attributability for mortality amounted to 18% for impaired cognition and 33% for least diverse diet.Dietary diversity may improve survival in relation to impaired cognitive function

Pathways to new drug discovery in neuropsychiatry

There is currently a crisis in drug discovery for neuropsychiatric disorders, with a profound, yet unexpected drought in new drug development across the spectrum. In this commentary, the sources of this dilemma and potential avenues to redress the issue are explored. These include a critical review of diagnostic issues and of selection of participants for clinical trials, and the mechanisms for identifying new drugs and new drug targets. Historically, the vast majority of agents have been discovered serendipitously or have been modifications of existing agents. Serendipitous discoveries, based on astute clinical observation or data mining, remain a valid option, as is illustrated by the suggestion in the paper by Wahlqvist and colleagues that treatment with sulfonylurea and metformin reduces the risk of affective disorder. However, the identification of agents targeting disorder-related biomarkers is currently proving particularly fruitful. There is considerable hope for genetics as a purist, pathophysiologically valid pathway to drug discovery; however, it is unclear whether the science is ready to meet this promise. Fruitful paradigms will require a break from the orthodoxy, and creativity and risk may well be the fingerprints of success

Characterization of polyphenols in Australian sweet lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) seed coat by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS

Seeds of the legume lupin (Lupinus spp.) are becoming increasingly important as human food. The seed coat, at ~25% of the whole seed of Lupinus angustifolius (Australian sweet lupin, ASL), is the main by-product of lupin kernel flour production. The primary market for lupin seed coat is low value feed with very limited use in foods. In this study, seed coats of six ASL commercial varieties from two growing sites were sampled for identification and quantification of polyphenols using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array detector (DAD) and coupled with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer which equipped with electrospray ionization source (ESI-MS/MS). Three flavones (apigenin-7-O-β-apiofuranosyl-6,8-di-C-β-glucopyranoside, vicenin 2, and apigenin-7-O-β-glucopyranoside), one isoflavone (genistein) and one dihydroflavonol derivative (aromadendrin-6-C-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7-O-[β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 2)]-O-β-D-glucopyranoside), and several hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives were identified. Considerable variations in levels of individual polyphenols were found but apigenin-7-O-β-apiofuranosyl-6,8-di-C-β-glucopyranoside was the predominant polyphenol in all samples accounting for 73.08–82.89% of the total free polyphenols. These results suggest that ASL seed coat could be valuable dietary source of polyphenols. © 2018 Elsevier Lt

Dietary practices in nutritional transition: the case of Malaysian urban Chinese

In this study involving 336 urban Chinese adults, more than 40% belong to at least the second generation in Malaysia. The result shows the persistence of several Chinese traditional dietary habits. Almost all the subjects take rice daily and an assortment of noodles weekly. A wide variety of vegetables are consumed frequently. Soup is consumed daily or weekly. Steaming and stir frying are preferred methods of cooking. Majority reported adding salt lightly in cooking, eating little fat on meat, and not adding sugar to tea or coffee, but they use sweetened condensed milk. Urban Malaysian Chinese do not appear to manifest a high-fat high-meat diet that is becoming characteristic of rapidly developing countries. Their dietary practices seem to reflect an inclination towards the "behavioural change" dietary pattern away from the "degenerative disease" pattern according to the concept of nutritional transition as described by Popkin

Computation tools for the combat of cardiovascular heart disease

The paper discusses two potential applications of computational technologies to combat cardiovascular heart disease in Singapore. The first application involves the exploitation of neural networks for the risk prediction of coronary heart disease. The second application involves the potential integration of artificial intelligence and high performance modelling with clinical biology for the analysis and visualisation of atherosclerosis related structure. The implementation of these computation tools in phases constitutes initial efforts in the development of a digital clinical atherosclerosis laboratory to assist in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular heart disease

The demography of food in health security: current experience with dairy consumption in Taiwan

To establish a food guide, the &apos;total diet&apos; needs to be considered, based on prevailing patterns of food and nutrient intake; these will be culturally acceptable and recognize the prevailing social and economic conditions that affect food availability. Dairy produce is a good source of high quality protein, and provides significant amounts of vitamins and minerals. People who consume more dairy have higher intakes of calcium and vitamin B2 with less chance of deficiency. We used four National Nutrition Surveys in Taiwan (NAHSITs) to establish the current demographic predictors of dairy intakes, an indicator of food security in an affluent society. There was a U shape relationship between dairy consumption practices (whether or not) and age. In Taiwanese, the practice is higher in school children (49.3%), adolescents (32.1%) and elderly (43.6%) than it is in middle age (22.2-25.9%). Average daily dairy intake decreases with age; in the elderly, the intake is less than half a serving. Forty seven percent of first grade children consumed a serving or more of dairy while the 6 th graders dropped to 37%. Less than 20% adults consume one serving or more a day. The rate increases to 40% for elderly. Physiologic limitation and dietary habit account for 25% and 50% of dairy avoidance, respectively. Education, financial status, ethnicity, regionality and health seeking behaviors are determinants of dairy consumption in all age groups. There is a need for alternative Food Guides for non-dairy consumers. Attention to dairy intake for socioeconomically disadvantaged groups is required

Three-dimensional food printing: Its readiness for a food and nutrition insecure world

Three-dimensional (3D) food printing is a rapidly emerging technology offering unprecedented potential for customised food design and personalised nutrition. Here, we evaluate the technological advances in extrusion-based 3D food printing and its possibilities to promote healthy and sustainable eating. We consider the challenges in implementing the technology in real-world applications. We propose viable applications for 3D food printing in health care, health promotion and food waste upcycling. Finally, we outline future work on 3D food printing in food safety, acceptability and economics, ethics and regulations. .

Nutrition, sarcopenia and frailty: an Asian perspective

Despite a growing body of evidence that nutrition plays a key role in the pathophysiology, prevention and intervention programs of frailty and sarcopenia, as well as in promoting brain health, the awareness and the need to study the relationship between nutrition and functional goals of healthy ageing have not received as much attention or support from research or policy makers. This review reports on the state of knowledge relating to availability of nutrition survey data for older people relating to prevalence of frailty and sarcopenia in Asia, using data from Netherlands for comparison. Data were obtained from a meeting of a group of nutrition experts from Asia supplemented by literature search using key terms of nutrition, frailty, and sarcopenia. Although nutrition surveys may be carried out regularly in several countries, surveys are mainly carried out for the general adult population rather than specifically among the elderly population, and little data is available relating to the impact of nutrition on sarcopenia and frailty. There is an urgent need for more nutritional data relating to maintaining function with age as opposed to disease prevention, to guide health promotion policies and clinical management of increasingly older population and patients. A shift in the gathering of national nutrition data may need to include such functional measurements in relation to older people, as the latter forms the rapidly growing sector of ageing populations world-wide