A recent article explored the mediating role of gut microbiota in the relationship between dietary habits and gestational diabetes. 107 women with gestational diabetes and 78 healthy pregnant women were included in this case-control study. Dietary intakes were assessed in the month prior to the intervention using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Intestinal microbiota were analysed using stool samples. A mediation analysis was performed to explore the link between dietary habits, gut microbiota profile and type 2 diabetes. Of the 5 dietary patterns assessed, the fruit and vegetable pattern was associated with a 67% reduction in the risk of developing gestational diabetes compared to the low pattern. Moreover, this model was associated with a significant change in the composition of the intestinal microbiota among women with gestational diabetes. Adhering to a diet rich in fruit and vegetables during pregnancy could therefore reduce the risk of gestational diabetes, by moduling intestinal microbiota.
A study has evaluated the effectiveness of participatory research interventions on obesity-related health parameters and on the lifestyle of adolescents from high-income countries. 8 databases were consulted between 1990 and 2024. A total of 16 studies were included: 6 focused on physical activity, 2 on nutrition and 8 on a combination of the two. Overall, 10 studies showed at least one significant effect of participatory interventions on physical activity, nutrition and/or obesity-related health parameters. A positive effect on fruit consumption was reported. These findings suggest that empowering young people through their involvement in research can have a positive effect on health. Nevertheless, further work is still needed due to the limited number of studies included in this review. Future research are encouraged to involve and empower adolescents in public health interventions.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies investigated the correlation between fruit and vegetable consumption levels and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A total of 11 studies involving 493,682 patients were selected after consultation of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases. The results suggest that higher consumption of fruit and vegetables is inversely associated with the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. However, this correlation varies according to ethnic group and sex, due in particular to variations in diet. Further work, particularly prospective studies, is needed to clarify this link.
A literature review sought to determine the barriers and levers to fruit and vegetable consumption among Australian adults living in rural areas. Quantitative and qualitative data from 13,464 adults who participated in the 2019 Census of Working Life were collected. Overall, 48% and 19% of participants consume the recommended two servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables per day respectively. Factors favorable to fruit consumption included never having smoked and not consuming alcohol. Most favorable factors to vegetable consumption included having been a smoker, living in a household with more than 3 people, and using community gardens. Obstacles to fruit and vegetable consumption included a preference for other snacks, a desire to limit sugar intake, lack of time and difficulty in meeting guidelines considered unattainable. Authors call for strategies acting at individual, social and physical levels to improve fruit and vegetable consumption.
A study examined the prospective associations between adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet and depression, anxiety and their co-occurrence among 180,446 participants from the UK Biobank. Degrees of adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet were converted into 3 different dietary scores – Knuppel EAT-Lancet, Stubbendorff EAT-Lancet and Kesse-Guyot EAT-Lancet indices – and assessed over a follow-up of 11.62 years. The results show that greater adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet is associated with a lower risk of depression, anxiety and their co-occurrence. This association was consistent across all three EAT-Lancet indices. This work thus suggests that adopting a sustainable diet may help prevent depression and anxiety.
