Browsing by study line "Ihmisen ravitsemus"

Background: The effects of vegan and vegetarian diets on children's health are not yet well-understood due to limited research, and the relationship between plant-based diets and children's serum amino acid levels remains unclear. Amino acids play a vital role in growth and well-being, particularly for children. Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to investigate potential differences in serum amino acid concentrations among children following vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous diets. The secondary objective is to explore whether the diet of a child can be inferred based on their serum amino acid profiles. Methods: Conducted as part of the MIRA2 research, the study involved 69 children from Helsinki day care centers, following vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore diets, with dietary data gathered from parents and validated by 3-day food diaries. Serum amino acid concentrations were analyzed using UHPLC in a laboratory, and group comparisons were conducted using Kruskal-Wallis tests with post-hoc analyses. A decision tree model was constructed based on amino acid concentrations to classify children as vegan or non-vegan. Results: Serum amino acid median concentrations of glycine, arginine, cysteine, conditionally indispensable amino acids, sulfur amino acids and amino acids participating in urea cycle were higher in vegans compared to omnivores. Concentrations of lysine were lower in vegans and vegetarians compared to omnivores. The decision tree model, based on amino acid concentrations, successfully classified 70,3% of children as vegan or non-vegan. Conclusions: Plant-based diets appeared to influence serum amino acid concentrations of children to some extent. Further research, especially regarding the health implications and reference values for amino acid levels, particularly in children on plant-based diets, is still needed. Tausta: Vegaani- ja kasvisruokavalioiden vaikutukset lasten terveyteen eivät ole vielä täysin ymmärrettyjä rajallisen tutkimustiedon vuoksi, ja yhteys kasvipohjaisten ruokavalioiden ja lasten seerumin aminohappopitoisuuksien välillä on epäselvä. Aminohapot ovat keskeisiä kasvun ja hyvinvoinnin kannalta, erityisesti lapsille. Tavoitteet: Tutkimuksen ensisijainen tavoite oli selvittää mahdollisia eroja seerumin aminohappopitoisuuksissa lapsilla, jotka noudattavat vegaani-, kasvis- tai sekasyöntiruokavaliota. Lisäksi tutkittiin, voiko lasten ruokavalion päätellä heidän seerumin aminohappoprofiilinsa perusteella. Menetelmät: Tutkimus tehtiin osana MIRA2-tutkimusta, ja siihen osallistui Helsingin päiväkodeissta yhteensä 69 lasta, jotka noudattivat vegaani-, kasvis- tai sekaruokavaliota. Tieto ruokavaliosta kerättiin vanhemmilta ja validioitiin 3 päivän ruokapäiväkirjoilla. Seerumin aminohappopitoisuudet analysoitiin laboratoriossa UHPLC-menetelmällä, ja ryhmävertailut suoritettiin Kruskal-Wallis -testeillä post-hoc-analyyseineen. Päätöspuumalli luotiin aminohappopitoisuuksien perusteella lasten luokittelemiseksi vegaaneiksi tai ei-vegaaneiksi. Tulokset: Vegaaneilla glysiinin, arginiinin, kysteiinin, ehdollisesti välttämättömien aminohappojen, rikkipitoisten aminohappojen ja ureasykliin osallistuvien aminohappojen mediaanipitosuudet olivat korkeammat verrattuna sekasyöjiin. Lysiinin pitoisuudet olivat alhaisemmat vegaaneilla ja kasvissyöjillä verrattuna sekasyöjiin. Aminohappopitoisuuksiin perustuva päätöspuumalli luokitteli onnistuneesti 70,3 % lapsista vegaaneiksi tai ei-vegaaneiksi. Johtopäätökset: Kasvipohjaiset ruokavaliot vaikuttivat jossain määrin lasten seerumin aminohappopitoisuuksiin. Lisätutkimusta tarvitaan erityisesti terveysvaikutusten ja aminohappopitoisuuksien viitearvojen suhteen, erityisesti kasvipohjaisilla ruokavaliolla olevilla lapsilla.

Background: Preschoolers suffer frequently from infections. Large group sizes and varying hygiene practices may enhance pathogen transmission within preschool settings. Preschool-attributable infections cause economic consequences for society, which is why identifying the related risk factors is of importance. One such may be diet. Appropriate immune defence requires sufficient intakes of energy, protein, polyunsaturated fat, dietary fibre, and numerous micronutrients, whereas excess sugar and saturated fat may be harmful. However, previous nutritional research examining preschoolers’ infections has mainly focused on probiotics. Little research has been done on the role of whole-diet in preschoolers’ susceptibility to infections. Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the associations of dietary patterns with common colds, gastroenteritis, and antibiotic courses among Finnish preschoolers. Methods: The study sample included 721 children aged 3-6 years attending the cross-sectional DAGIS survey. The parents reported retrospectively how many common colds, gastroenteritis, and antibiotic courses their children had experienced during the past year. Children’s food consumption was recorded using a 47-item food frequency questionnaire filled in by the parents. The parents also reported background factors of their children and family. The following three dietary patterns were identified based on the food consumption frequencies using principal component analysis: 1) sweets-and-treats pattern (high loadings of e.g. biscuits, chocolate, and ice cream); 2) health-conscious pattern (high loadings of e.g. nuts, natural yoghurt, and berries); and 3) vegetables-and-processed meats pattern (high loadings of e.g. vegetables, colds cuts, and fruits). Dietary pattern scores were calculated for each child to describe the strength of adherence to each identified dietary pattern. The distributions of the dietary pattern scores were divided into thirds that were labelled low, moderate, and high adherence groups. Negative binomial regression analysis was used to examine the associations between thirds of the dietary pattern scores and the prevalence of common colds and antibiotic courses. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the associations between thirds of the dietary pattern scores and a chance of experiencing at least one gastroenteritis. Results: Prevalence of common colds was lower in moderate and high adherences to the sweets-and-treats pattern compared to low adherence (PR=0.89, 95% CI=0.80-1.00; and PR=0.88, 95% CI=0.79-0.99, respectively) and higher in high adherence to the health-conscious pattern compared to low adherence (PR=1.13, 95% CI=1.01-1.27) after adjusting for age, sex, number of children living in the same household, frequency of preschool attendance, probiotic use, and the highest educational level in the family. Moderate adherence to the sweets-and-treats pattern was associated with a lower chance of at least one gastroenteritis (OR=0.63, 95% CI=0.44-0.92) and lower prevalence of antibiotic courses (PR=0.77, 95% CI= 0.59-1.00) compared to low adherence. No significant associations were observed between the vegetables-and-processed meats pattern and the infectious outcomes. Adjustments for the background factors did not modify the associations. Conclusion: The results were unexpected. The associations observed would suggest that favouring unhealthier foods but avoiding healthier foods was linked to better immunity, which is difficult to accept as true. Parents who were most health-conscious of their children’s diet might also have been more conscious of their children’s illness conditions than less health-conscious parents, which may explain the results. Further research with longitudinal designs is needed to determine whether dietary habits play a role in preschoolers’ susceptibility to infections.

BACKGROUND: Diet has a major influence on the human gut microbiome, which has been linked to health and disease. However, epidemiological studies on the association of a healthy diet with the gut microbiome utilizing a whole-diet approach are still scant. OBJECTIVES: To assess associations between healthy food choices and human gut microbiome composition, and to determine the strength of association with the functional potential of the microbiome. DESIGN: The study sample consisted of 4,930 participants in the FINRISK 2002 study. Food intake was assessed using a food propensity questionnaire. Intake of food items recommended to be part of a healthy diet in the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations were transformed into a healthy food choices (HFC) score. Microbial diversity (alpha diversity) and compositional differences (beta diversity) and their associations with the HFC score and its components were assessed using linear regression and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA). Associations between specific taxa and HFC were analyzed using multivariate associations with linear models (MaAsLin). Functional associations were derived from KEGG orthologies (KO) with linear regression models. RESULTS: Both microbial alpha (p = 1.90x10-4) and beta diversity (p ≤ 0.001) associated with HFC score. For alpha diversity, the strongest associations were observed for fiber-rich breads, poultry, fruits, and low-fat cheeses. For beta diversity, most prominent associations were observed for vegetables followed by berries and fruits. Genera with fiber-degrading and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) producing capacity were positively associated with the HFC score. HFC associated positively with KO-based functions such as vitamin biosynthesis and SCFA metabolism, and inversely with fatty acid biosynthesis and the sulfur relay system. CONCLUSIONS: These results from a large and representative population-based survey confirm and extend findings of other smaller-scale studies that plant and fiber-rich dietary choices are associated with a more diverse and compositionally distinct microbiome, and with a greater potential to produce SCFAs.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurological disease impacting over six million people in the world. In addition to the motor symptoms of the disease, the disorder is accompanied with gastrointestinal problems. These include delayed transit time, disturbances in the microbial composition of the gut, inflammation in the intestine, structural changes in the epithelial lining and increased intestinal permeability. Paracellular permeability is regulated by tight junctions (TJ) which are complexes formed by proteins such as claudins, occludin and zonula occludens proteins. Probiotics are live microorganisms which when administered have beneficial effects on the host. Probiotic bacteria can modulate intestinal permeability and the expression of TJ proteins. These microbes are also able to improve the gastrointestinal symptoms, such as constipation, in PD patients. As a part of a larger study, the aim was to examine whether the expression of TJ proteins is altered in the lactacystin-induced mouse model of PD and to investigate whether probiotic supplementation elicits changes in their expression. The study was conducted in eight- to nine-week-old C57Bl/6JRccHsd mice, to which PD symptoms had been induced by lactacystin injection to the substantia nigra. Starting at one to two weeks after the injection, four groups of mice were treated with one out of four specific probiotic strains (A, B, C and D) for two weeks. At the end of the experiment, jejunal and colonic samples were collected from the mice. These samples were analyzed using Western Blot to determine the expression of TJ proteins claudin-1, claudin-4 and occludin. Based on the WB results, the jejunal gene level expression of these proteins in one probiotic group (D) was compared to the untreated group with reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The expression of TJ proteins was not altered as a result of the lactacystin injection in jejunum or colon, suggesting that lactacystin model is not optimal for investigating PD-related alterations in TJ proteins. Supplementation with microbe D increased the jejunal expression of claudin-1 on both protein and gene level, whereas in the colonic protein expression there was no change. Clear effects were not detected on claudin-4 or occludin nor when treated with microbes A, B or C. Therefore, microbe D might influence intestinal TJ function and permeability through regulating the expression of claudin-1.

Background: Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common diseases characterized by disturbing gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in the absence of structural or biochemical changes in GI tract. Well identified group of compounds responsible for GI symptoms are FODMAPs (fermentable oligo-, di- and monosaccharides and polyols). Legumes contain α-galacto-oligosaccharides (α-GOS), unabsorbed, osmotically active and rapidly fermented fibres, known for colonic gas formation. The role of phytic acid (PA) and its effects on GI symptoms as complex-forming agent is not fully understood. These antinutrients can be removed by enzymatic treatments. However, usefulness of these treatments on reducing GI symptoms is not known. Aims: The aim of this research was to investigate whether two different enzymatic treatments of pea-based products have an impact on experienced GI symptoms. α-GOS and PA content was reduced in the test products. Material and methods: This was a 3–week randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled cross-over-designed study. Participants (n=26) were healthy males and females aged 21–70 who claimed to experience GI symptoms after consuming legumes. Each participant received weekly two portions of either α-galactosidase-treated, double-enzyme-treated or control, spoonable pea-based product. They reported severity of nine GI symptoms within 72–hour time period via web-based survey using visual analog scale (VAS). Maximum values, the time for experiencing the maximum values, maximum values in 8 time points and symptom sum scores were analyzed. To study differencies in GI symptoms caused by the study products, data was analyzed statistically using mainly non-parametric Friedman’s test. Dependence of baseline symptoms and symptom scores were examined using crosstabulation and analyzed statistically with Fisher’s exact test. Results: Participants’ median symptom scores were rather low throughout the intervention, indicating that the participants were after all not very sensitive for legume GOS. Maximum pain score was significantly higher with the double-enzyme-treated product compared to the control product (p=0,038). At time point 5 bloating score was significantly higher with the α-galactosidase-treated product than with the double-enzyme-treated product (p=0,051), and flatulence score was significantly higher with the α-galactosidase-treated product than with the control product (p=0,021). There were no statistically significant differencies in any other examined variables between the study products. Although there was a slight trend towards more severe symptoms with the enzyme-treated products compared to the control product. Conclusions: The enzyme-treated pea-based products were not better tolerated than the control product, but that may be due to the fact that the experienced GI symptoms were rather mild in general. There are some evidence on the use of α-galactosidase supplement to alleviate GOS-induced GI symptoms. In future, the products should be tested in specifically α-GOS- and/or PA sensitive population.

Background and aim Limited global research is available on the nutritional status of preschool-aged children following a vegan diet. Significant disparities in the absorption of animal and plant-based iron call for an investigation into the iron status of vegan children. The aim of the study was to assess the iron status of preschool-aged children and their caregivers following vegan or vegetarian diets compared to their omnivorous counterparts using multiple iron biomarkers. An additional aim was to capture the variation of dietary intake within the diet groups by constructing a dietary variable and exploring its association with iron biomarkers. Methods In a cross-sectional MIRA 2 study 2-6-year-old children following either a vegan, vegetarian or mixed diet, and their family members, were recruited from daycare centres in Helsinki. Parents reported their own and their children's diets and completed a short screener of dietary intake. Haemoglobin, transferrin receptor and ferritin concentrations were analysed from blood samples. The data used in this study included children (N=61) and parents (N=72) who provided a blood sample and answered the background questionnaire. Diet groups were formed based on the screener. Iron biomarker distributions were examined by diet groups with the Kruskal-Wallis test and iron deficiency prevalence was examined using the Fisher’s exact test. Dietary variables were constructed by principal component analysis and linear regression models were used to assess the association between the variables and iron biomarkers. Results Compared to omnivorous children, children following a vegan diet had lower haemoglobin concentrations (median -7 g/L), and children following a vegetarian diet were found to have haemoglobin values below the reference value (<112 g/L) more often. Vegan men had lower ferritin concentrations compared to omnivorous men (median -55 µg/l). Animal-based dietary pattern was associated with higher haemoglobin concentrations in children and ferritin concentrations in men. In women, a negative linear association was found between animal-based dietary pattern and ferritin concentrations. Of all children and women, 26% and 28 % had ferritin concentrations below the reference value (<12/15 µg/L). Conclusions Iron biomarker concentrations of vegetarians and vegans were lower compared to omnivores. While the popularity of plant-based diets is increasing, studies assessing the long-term effects of childhood vegetarian diets are warranted.

Introduction: Fitness athletes change their nutrition a week before competition during “peak week” in the hope of achieving a better physique in competition. There is little evidence of the benefits of peaking in fitness sports and current literature suggests that these peaking methods might even be harmful to athletes’ condition or pose a risk to their health. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional strategies of fitness athletes during the peak week and the effects of these strategies on body composition, anthropometry, and hormonal markers. Materials and methods: Participants consisted of 6 female and 10 male fitness athletes preparing for the 2019 Finnish championships. The participants’ hormone levels (cortisol, estradiol, T4, FSH, T3, insulin, free testosterone, leptin, and ghrelin) were measured from blood samples collected before the beginning of the peak week and on the day after the competition. Body composition and anthropometric measurements (weight, fat mass, fat free mass, intracellular water, total body water, chest circumference, waist circumference, vastus lateralis CSA) were taken at the same time points. The energy and nutrient intake of the athletes was estimated based on self-reported food diaries. The associations between nutritional factors and changes in body composition and hormonal markers were investigated with regression analysis. Results: The competitors were found to significantly (p < 0,05) increase their energy intake, carbohydrate and sodium intake, and to decrease their protein intake when transitioning to peak week. During the peak week body weight, fat free mass, intracellular and total body water, waist circumference and vastus lateralis CSA increased statistically significantly (p < 0,05). A statistically significant decrease was found in cortisol, estradiol, free testosterone and ghrelin levels, whereas T4, FSH, T3, insulin, and leptin levels increased significantly (p < 0,05). Conclusions: We found that fitness athletes change their nutrition a week before the competition in the hope of achieving a better competition physique. The changes in energy and nutrient intake were not associated with changes in body composition, but they may be connected to hormonal changes. The hormonal changes detected during the peak week indicate that athletes start to recover from a long period of energy restriction, which may lead to a better competition physique.

The socioeconomic status (SES) of the family is associated with the food consumption of the children and this association is mediated by different mediators. This study had two aims; firstly, to determine the associations between the determinants of SES and children’s food consumption, secondly to assess the mediating effects of food availability and parental role-modeling of the above associations. Parental educational level and relative income of the family were studied as the determinants of SES. Children’s food consumption was measured under two categories; fruits & vegetables (FV) and sugary food & drinks (SFD). Data was obtained from the baseline data collection of the DAGIS intervention study in 2017 which was conducted in 32 preschools in Salo (N=29) and Riihimäki (N=3). A FFQ filled by the parents was used to determine children’s food consumption. Information on parental educational level, family income, food availability, and parental role-modeling was extracted from the self-administered parental questionnaire. Parents of 698 preschool children aged from 3 to 6 years filled the parental questionnaire. Spearman’s correlations tests were conducted to determine the associations between SES determinants and children’s food consumption. Mediating roles of food availability and parental role-modeling were assessed through mediation analysis using PROCESS version 3 macro for SPSS. Parental educational level was a statistically significant predictor of children's FV consumption. Family relative income did not predict FV or SFD consumption of the children. The multiple mediators model revealed that the association between the parental educational level and children’s consumption of FV was partially mediated by three mediators: the availability of FV, parental role-modeling of FV, and the availability of SFD. The association between the relative income of the family and children's consumption of FV was fully mediated by two mediators: home availability of FV, and parental role-modeling of FV. This study suggested parental educational level is a better predictor of children’s food consumption compared to family income. The mediation roles of food availability and parental role-modeling should be taken into account in developing interventions to improve the FV and SFD consumption of children in Finland.

Background and aims: Infants under two years of age have significant nutritional demands to promote growth and development, and to prevent malnutrition. However, in low-income countries, complementary feeding practices are often inadequate. In Kenya, there is a low availability of nutrient-dense complementary foods for infants in this age group. Thus, micronutrient deficiencies are widespread among infants and young children. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the gaps in the nutritional intake of infants aged 6-23 months living in Nairobi City County and Chuka Town, Kenya, and to examine if there were any specific dietary patterns associated with those gaps. Further, since earlier studies have demonstrated the high nutritional value and potential of amaranth to improve the diet of Kenyan infants, the suitability of amaranth foods for the improvement of infants’ diets in the study areas will be discussed. Methods: This thesis uses data from the InnoFoodAfrica Food Consumption Survey in Kenya in 2021. Single 24-hour recalls, and background questionnaires were available from 407 infants aged 6-23 months (207 from Nairobi City County and from 200 Chuka Town). Median nutrient intakes and interquartile range were compared to the recommendations by the WHO to define a nutrient gap. Dietary patterns were extracted with principal component analysis. The association between dietary patterns and nutrient gaps was evaluated using logistic regression analysis with age, gender, and infant’s energy intake as confounding variables. Results: Among infants aged 6-23 months assumed nutritional gaps were identified in folate, niacin, thiamin, vitamin B12, calcium, and zinc. Three dietary patterns were extracted based on the dietary data: “high-carbs” (high in cereals, bakery products, sugars) “high-fat” (high in oils, fats, fried potatoes, chips, popcorn), and “healthy” (high in egg dishes, roots and tuber dishes, vegetables, and fruits). Both the “high-carbs” and “healthy” patterns were associated with a higher likelihood of meeting the recommendations for most of the nutrients. The “high-fat” pattern was only associated with the likelihood of meeting the recommendations of vitamin B12 and zinc. Conclusions: In this population of infants from Nairobi City County and Chuka Town, Kenya, assumed nutritional gaps are present in the intake of niacin, thiamin, folate, vitamin B12, calcium and zinc. The “high-fat” pattern, associated with a lower likelihood of meeting the recommended intakes for most nutrients, may be associated with the nutritional gaps. Based on nutrient composition of amaranth flour (analyzed in the InnoFoodAfrica project), amaranth would not be suitable for the preparation of snacks to fill the gaps of the infants’ diets.

Some diets strain the environment more than others and have disadvantageous effects on population health. Ecological impact of animal protein production is often particularly high; it bears about three quarters of the greenhouse gas emissions of food. Consequently, ecological impact of plant-based protein sources, pulses and nuts, is generally considered small. The food consumption varies between different sociodemographic groups, and unhealthy diets, that are significant exposers for many lifestyle diseases, are more common in certain population groups. To improve the population health and reduce the ecological impacts of food consumption, it is important to recognize the population groups whose diets reveal disadvantageous food consumption. Utilizing Finnish loyalty card data (LoCard-data), this study investigates the sociodemographic variables related to daily consumption of three separate protein sources: meat, milk products and plant proteins. Customer responses to a questionnaire on their food consumption preferences and demographics were used. The probability of consuming different protein sources on daily basis was obtained using logistic regression model. In other words, daily consumption of meat, milk products and plant-based protein sources was explained by the following independent variables: age, sex, education, income, household size and place of residence. Statistically significant association was found between the daily meat consumption and all the independent variables in both unstandardized and standardized models. In the unstandardized model, sex was not associated with daily consumption of milk products, and income was not associated with daily consumption of plant-based protein sources. However, in the standardized model, the association of the daily milk product consumption and sex became significant, whereas the association with education and urbanization level was not statistically significant. Association of the daily plant protein consumption with income and region was insignificant. In the standardized model, the probability of daily meat consumption increased with age, income and household size or when the respondent was male or had a low level of education. The probability of daily milk product consumption increased with age, income and household size or if the respondent was female. The probability to consume plant proteins on daily basis was in association with female sex, older age, having a higher education and a bigger household. The results are largely in line with other studies. However, contrary to most of the studies, the greater age was associated with daily consumption of all the examined protein sources. Future studies are needed to examine sociodemographic factors related to consumption of milk products and plant protein sources in total, but also related to consumption of different meat and milk products. Moreover, it is important to investigate the motives, attitudes and cultural meanings of the food choices as those cannot be captured with this approach. Differences in food cultures may impact on the results as well, which increases the need for additional research.