JournalTOCs School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK Email: journaltocs@hw.ac.uk Tel: +00 44 (0)131 4513762  Your IP address: 44.197.111.121 | ||||||
JournalTOCs School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK Email: journaltocs@hw.ac.uk Tel: +00 44 (0)131 4513762 Your IP address: 44.197.111.121 | ||||||
Hybrid journal (It can contain Open Access articles)
The relationship of obesity with mortality rate, and subsequently, the impact of weight loss on mortality, has been questioned by researchers for many years. Although weight loss in an individual with obesity can improve metabolic outcomes, the impacts on mortality are less clear. This has caused some to question the importance of weight loss because most individuals who lose weight through diet and lifestyle interventions gain all or a substantial portion of the weight back within 5 years. Furthermore, individuals who attempt to lose weight again may enter weight cycling (yo-yo dieting), which some have suggested may be detrimental to metabolism, eating behaviors, quality of life, and, ultimately, mortality rate. Beyond weight loss and weight cycling, the relationship between diet composition and dietary patterns has also been investigated for their relationship to longevity and mortality. This narrative review will examine the existing human and animal research evaluating the relationship between weight loss, weight cycling, and dietary composition on mortality and longevity, and identify research gaps that still exist.
Increases in life expectancy are contributing to rapid growth in the aging population around the globe. Aging is accompanied by physiological decline and susceptibility to age-related diseases. To enable healthy aging, it is important to understand the independent effects of aging on biological systems and how comorbidities and lifestyle factors may influence the health of these systems. The digestive system is a multifunctional set of tissues and organs that not only enable the digestion and absorption of nutrients, but also serves as a physical and immunological barrier to the external environment and the primary interface to commensal microbes. This review examined current evidence regarding the effects of aging on gastrointestinal function, including digestion, absorption, motility, microbiome, and barrier function. Overall, the digestive system is quite resilient to the normal aging process with comorbidities and other lifestyle factors contributing to most digestive health issues associated with aging. Emerging research on the gut microbiome and barrier function suggests an important role for the digestive system in the etiology of many age-related diseases and demonstrates how diet may be able to modify the effects of chronic diseases.
History teaches us that while public health advocates can do much, a country needs well informed and courageous members of Congress to put useful public health measures into law. In the late 20th century, the work of one such individual, Congressman Joseph Moakley (D-MASS), helped to revolutionize the laws on food advertising and labeling and resulted in major gains in information for consumers. Given the recent modernization of nutrition labeling, this article attempts to highlight the initiatives led by the unsung hero of recent past, Congressman Moakley. Specifically, in the practice of nutrition, the behind-the-scenes initiatives that have helped standardize food labels and better educate the consumers to improve public health often go underrecognized. This article presents a brief overview of Moakley's contributions in these domains and identifies gaps for future works in the field of nutrition labeling.
The topic of “alternative proteins,” a field comprised of both plant-based animal product alternatives and the nascent field of cellular agriculture (eg, cultivated meat), has become a flashpoint for contemporary food system debate. This article introduces the “alternative protein ideological circle” as a framework for understanding the nature of this contestation, as well as the key stakeholder groups who animate the landscape. It argues that perspectives on alternative proteins coalesce around 2 primary ideological poles: (1) meat attachment or carnism, the extent to which people believe or do not believe that eating animals is a natural, normal, and necessary part of contemporary life; and (2) sociotechnical imaginaries, divided between techno-optimistic “wizards” and technoskeptical “prophets.” From there, 4 key stakeholder groups emerge: (1) the “high-tech vegans” (techno-optimists with low levels of carnism); (2) the “ecomodernists” (techno-optimists with high levels of carnism); (3) the “good foodies” (technoskeptics with low levels of carnism); and (4) the “carnivore traditionalists” (technoskeptics with high levels of carnism). The article offers illustrative examples of these groups, drawing from popular media and advocacy. It concludes with reflections on the implications of this framework for nutrition research and practice.
The latest version of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program (OAANP) enacted in 2020 targets those most at risk of nutritional deficiencies, social isolation, and institutionalization. Racial, ethnic, cultural, and sexual minority populations are at high risk for all 3, and yet, these populations are underrepresented in the OAANP. To reach people at risk in neighborhoods with high racial and ethnic diversity, outreach, targeting, and retention are essential. This article synthesizes information obtained through peer-reviewed and gray literature, telephone interviews of nutrition leads/directors of 9 state units on aging, and online review of state plans to present approaches and best practices in increasing equity and inclusion in the OAANP and in other similar programs.
