Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Latest Diet & Nutrition News and Research

Researchers call for nutritional guidelines and regulations on use of vitamin D

The professional perception of vitamin D as a medicine, rather than as a key nutrient, is constraining practice and jeopardizing the health of elderly care home residents in England, conclude researchers in the journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.

13 Oct 2020

Zinc deficiency linked to poor COVID-19 outcomes

A team of researchers from various universities and institutes in Spain recently published a paper on the preprint server medRxiv,* in which they hypothesize that serum zinc levels have a significant influence on COVID-19 progression and thus may be a useful biomarker in predicting severe disease in early stages of COVID-19 infection.

12 Oct 2020

Report: Nearly two million babies are stillborn annually

Nearly two million babies are stillborn every year, with 84 per cent of cases occurring in low- and lower middle-income countries, says an 8 October report by WHO, UNICEF and partners.

12 Oct 2020

Study elucidates the role of ERβ in growth of skeletal muscle in female mice

Researchers at Kumamoto University, Japan generated mice lacking the estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) gene, both fiber-specific and muscle stem cell-specific, which resulted in abnormalities in the growth and regeneration of skeletal muscle in female mice.

12 Oct 2020

Pregnant and postpartum women more likely to suffer from constipation

Women are 2–3 times more likely to suffer from constipation during pregnancy and right after childbirth than at any other time in their life, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows.

9 Oct 2020

Genomic study shows the evolutionary history of banyan trees and their wasp pollinators

The banyan fig tree Ficus microcarpa is famous for its aerial roots, which sprout from branches and eventually reach the soil.

9 Oct 2020

Study reveals how ovaries maintain a female's fertility

Recently published work from Carnegie's Allan Spradling and Wanbao Niu revealed in unprecedented detail the genetic instructions immature egg cells go through step by step as they mature into functionality.

9 Oct 2020

WHO’s report may lead to greater awareness and deliver better eye health for all

Of the world's 7.8 billion people, 2.2 billion have impaired vision. Of this number, about half are treatable. In effect, they are one-eyed kings who are better off than the 39 million who are completely blind. Nevertheless, they are handicapped for normal living, as we gleaned from the first world report on vision by WHO.

9 Oct 2020

Study provides a better understanding of the abundance of species in savannas

African savannas are renowned for their huge diversity of wildlife, yet some animal species are much more abundant than others. What causes these differences?

9 Oct 2020

Higher HMBGB1 levels associated with obesity, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease in younger black adults

A "danger molecule" is higher in the blood of younger black adults than whites, females than males and increases with weight and age, researchers report in the first large, longitudinal study associating circulating HMGB1 levels with obesity, inflammation promoters and early indicators of cardiovascular risk in humans.

9 Oct 2020

Diet and folic acid can influence pregnancy outcomes

Healthy dietary choices are not only important for expectant mothers during the early months of pregnancy but equally important in the months prior to conception.

8 Oct 2020

Study shows flash glucose monitors help youth with type1 diabetes

A world-first Otago study has revealed flash glucose monitors help youth with type 1 diabetes better monitor their blood sugar levels, however it does not improve glucose control.

8 Oct 2020

Novel feed ingredient can reduce effects of coccidiosis in broiler chickens

Broiler chicken producers the world over are all too familiar with coccidiosis, a parasite-borne intestinal disease that stalls growth and winnows flocks.

8 Oct 2020

New report estimates the global burden of stillbirths

Almost 2 million babies are stillborn every year – or 1 every 16 seconds – according to the first ever joint stillbirth estimates released by UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank Group and the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

7 Oct 2020

Wearing facemask does not affect indicators of cognitive performance, shows study

A novel study shows that facemask use does not affect indicators of cognitive performance when the wearers are resting or performing moderate physical work in hot environments.

7 Oct 2020

Why do we need sleep?

In this interview, Dr. Gina Poe speaks to News-Medical about why we sleep, and the importance of REM sleep for brain development.

7 Oct 2020

Study: Leukocyte telomere length may offer key insights into woman's longevity

No one knows for sure how long they will live. A new study, however, suggests that leukocyte telomere length may offer some key insights into a woman's longevity and further demonstrates how maternal age at birth of last child affects telomere length and long-term health.

7 Oct 2020

Life-long olfactory sensory neurogenesis may have a key adaptive function

Olfactory sensory neurons are nasal neurons that make use of hundreds of different types of odorant receptors to analyze odorous chemicals in our external world and send that information to our brain.

7 Oct 2020

Genetic risk scoring of lipoprotein(a) can predict risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

Elevated levels of a little-known lipoprotein in the blood that may put people at high risk of cardiovascular disease can be as accurately detected by genetic testing as by conventional laboratory measurement, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have found.

6 Oct 2020

Maternal sugary beverage intake during breastfeeding impacts cognitive development in children

A diet high in sugar during adulthood is associated with weight gain, and has also been linked to risk of type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and heart disease.

6 Oct 2020