Sangeetha Shyam | Universitat Rovira i Virgili (original) (raw)

Papers by Sangeetha Shyam

Research paper thumbnail of More Adult Women than Men at High Cardiometabolic Risk Reported Worse Lifestyles and Self-Reported Health Status in the COVID-19 Lockdown

Nutrients, Jun 24, 2024

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding the Food Environment and Its Impact on Diet and Health in Asia: A Scoping Review

Asia-Pacific journal of public health, Mar 1, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Microbial Phenolic Metabolites Are Associated with Improved Cognitive Health

Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, Dec 6, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Protocol: A Delphi Survey to Gather Feedback on a CONSORT Extension Proposal for Nutrition Intervention Trials

Data generated by nutrition intervention trials may be used to inform public health policy and de... more Data generated by nutrition intervention trials may be used to inform public health policy and decision making, though inadequate and non-standardized reporting can hinder application of results and ultimately the success of health policies.The CONSORT guidelines are widely used as a guide for reporting of RCTs in nutrition. Yet, nutrition interventions may benefit from a tailored approach to address specific challenges that have been identified for trials in this domain. A Federation of European Nutrition Societies working group was created to improve quality and completeness of reporting of nutrition trials and has proposed an extension to the CONSORT guidelines specific to nutrition RTCs. The objective of this Delphi survey is to gather opinions from a panel of nutrition and health experts and related stakeholders regarding the development of a CONSORT extension for nutrition intervention trials. The results of this survey will guide further development of the proposed extension.

Research paper thumbnail of Natural Dietary Antioxidants and Bone Health

The Royal Society of Chemistry eBooks, Jun 9, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of probiotic microbial cell preparation (MCP) on fasting blood glucose, body weight, waist circumference, and faecal short chain fatty acids among overweight Malaysian adults: a pilot randomised controlled trial of 4 weeks

Malaysian journal of nutrition, 2017

Introduction: Probiotic microbial cell preparation (MCP) supplementation is one of the approaches... more Introduction: Probiotic microbial cell preparation (MCP) supplementation is one of the approaches to modulate alterations in gut microbiota (GM). This double-blind randomised controlled trial investigated the effect of 4 weeks of MCP supplementation on fasting blood glucose levels (FBG), body weight (BW), waist circumference (WC), and faecal short chain fatty acids (SCFA) among 24 healthy and overweight (with BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2) Malaysian adults. Methods: Twenty-six subjects were randomised to receive either MCP (n= 12) or placebo (n=14), twice daily, for 4 weeks. The probiotic powder contained a mix of six strains namely, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus casei,Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium infantis (3.0 x 10 10 cfu). FBG, BW, WC, WHR, faecal SCFA, physical activity levels and dietary intake were measured and changes were determined using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Twenty-four subjects successfully completed the 4-week study period. Changes in FBG, BW, WC and SCFA were not significantly different between the groups. Only subjects in the MCP group significantly reduced their energy intake compared to baseline (1671±476 vs 1386±447 kcal, P=0.045). Conclusion: A 4-week supplementation of the MCP mix powder did not have significant effects on the variables studied. However, the significant reduction in dietary energy intake in the MCP group suggests the potential of probiotics as an adjuvant to dietary therapy for weight loss.

Research paper thumbnail of Ultra-processed foods consumption as a promoting factor of greenhouse gas emissions, water, energy, and land use: A longitudinal assessment

Science of The Total Environment, Sep 1, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Major dietary patterns in the United Kingdom Women's Cohort Study showed no evidence of prospective association with pancreatic cancer risk

Nutrition Research, Oct 1, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Perspectives on the application of CONSORT guidelines to randomised controlled trials in nutrition

European journal of nutrition, Apr 26, 2023

Reporting guidelines facilitate quality and completeness in research reporting. The CONsolidated ... more Reporting guidelines facilitate quality and completeness in research reporting. The CONsolidated Standards Of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement is widely applied to dietary and nutrition trials but has no extension specific to nutrition. Evidence suggests poor reporting in nutrition research. The Federation of European Nutrition Societies led an initiative to make recommendations for a nutrition extension to the CONSORT statement towards a more robust reporting of the evidence base. Methods: An international working group was formed of nutrition researchers from 14 institutions in 12 different countries and on five continents. Using meetings over a period of one year, we interrogated the CONSORT statement specifically for its application to report nutrition trials. Results: We provide new nutrition-specific recommendations or emphasized recommendations for the reporting of the introduction (three), methods (twelve), results (five) and discussion (eight). We also added two additional recommendations that were not allocated under the standard CONSORT headings. Conclusion: We identify a need to provide guidance in addition to CONSORT to improve the quality and consistency of the reporting and propose key considerations for further development of formal guidelines for the reporting of nutrition trials. Readers are encouraged to engage in this process, provide comments and conduct specific studies to inform further work on the development of reporting guidelines for nutrition trials.

Research paper thumbnail of Coronavirus disease 2019 is associated with long-term depressive symptoms in Spanish older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome

Psychological Medicine

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has serious physiological and psychological co... more Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has serious physiological and psychological consequences. The long-term (>12 weeks post-infection) impact of COVID-19 on mental health, specifically in older adults, is unclear. We longitudinally assessed the association of COVID-19 with depression symptomatology in community-dwelling older adults with metabolic syndrome within the framework of the PREDIMED-Plus cohort. Methods Participants (n = 5486) aged 55–75 years were included in this longitudinal cohort. COVID-19 status (positive/negative) determined by tests (e.g. polymerase chain reaction severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, IgG) was confirmed via event adjudication (410 cases). Pre- and post-COVID-19 depressive symptomatology was ascertained from annual assessments conducted using a validated 21-item Spanish Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Multivariable linear and logistic regression models assessed the association between COVID-19 and depression sympt...

Research paper thumbnail of Association of adiposity and its changes over time with COVID-19 risk in older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome: a longitudinal evaluation in the PREDIMED-Plus cohort

BMC Medicine

Background Cross-sectionally, older age and obesity are associated with increased coronavirus dis... more Background Cross-sectionally, older age and obesity are associated with increased coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) risk. We assessed the longitudinal associations of baseline and changes in adiposity parameters with COVID-19 incidence in older adults at high cardiovascular risk. Methods This analysis included 6874 men and women (aged 55–75 years) with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome in the PREDIMED-Plus lifestyle intervention trial for cardiovascular risk reduction. Body weight, body-mass-index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and a body shape index (ABSI) were measured at baseline and annual follow-up visits. COVID-19 was ascertained by an independent Event Committee until 31 December 2021. Cox regression models were fitted to evaluate the risk of COVID-19 incidence based on baseline adiposity parameters measured 5–6 years before the pandemic and their changes at the visit prior to censoring. Results At the time of censoring, 653 incident COVID...

Research paper thumbnail of Prospective Association Between Video and Computer Game Use During Adolescence and Incidence of Metabolic Health Risks: Secondary Data Analysis (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Video and computer games are popular activities, with 72% of adolescents aged 13 to 17... more BACKGROUND Video and computer games are popular activities, with 72% of adolescents aged 13 to 17 years reporting video game use on either a computer, game console, or portable device. Despite high levels of video and computer game use in adolescence, relatively little scientific literature exists examining the association and effects of video and computer games on adolescents. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of video and computer game use among US adolescents and rates of positive screens for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure (BP), and high cholesterol. METHODS A secondary data analysis was conducted using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) data, including adolescents aged 12 to 19 years between 1994 and 2018. RESULTS Respondents (n=4190) who played the most video and computer games had a significantly (P=.02) higher BMI and were more likely to self-report having at least one of the evaluated metabolic...

Research paper thumbnail of Dietary Patterns Associated with Abnormal Glucose Tolerance following Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: The MyNutritype Study

Nutrients

Abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT), which includes type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes, is highly prev... more Abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT), which includes type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes, is highly prevalent in women post gestational diabetes mellitus (post-GDM). Dietary patterns have been associated with the risk of developing AGT in women post-GDM, but evidence in Asian populations is sparse. This study aimed to determine the association between a posteriori dietary patterns and AGT in women post-GDM. This cross-sectional study recruited 157 women post-GDM (mean age 34.8 years) from Seri Kembangan Health Clinic and Universiti Putra Malaysia. AGT was diagnosed according to the Malaysian Clinical Practice Guidelines using a 75 g 2 h oral glucose tolerance test or HbA1c. Food intake was assessed using the 2014 Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey food frequency questionnaire. Five dietary patterns were derived using principal component analysis: ‘Unhealthy’, ‘Fish-eggs-fruits-vegetables’, ‘Cereals-confectionaries’, ‘Legumes-dairy’, and ‘Meat-sugar-sweetened-beverages’. After adjusting for s...

Research paper thumbnail of Are plant-based alternatives healthier? A two-dimensional evaluation from nutritional and processing standpoints

Food Research International

Research paper thumbnail of Maternal and Dietary Factors Are Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Women with a Previous History of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

While it is known that women with a previous history of gestational diabetes mellitus (post-GDM) ... more While it is known that women with a previous history of gestational diabetes mellitus (post-GDM) have a higher risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS), evidence of lifestyle practices from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is still scarce. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with MetS in women post-GDM. This cross-sectional study involved 157 women post-GDM (mean age 34.8 ± 5.6 years) sampled from Selangor, Malaysia. We collected data on sociodemographic characteristics and obstetric history. Food intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and dietary patterns were derived from principal component analysis. MetS was diagnosed according to the 2009 Harmonized criteria. The prevalence of MetS in this study was 22.3%. Western dietary pattern consumption was correlated with MetS, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and triglyceride levels. Independent factors associated with MetS were lower education level (odds ratio, OR 4.017, p = 0.007), pre-p...

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on the omega-3 index, and exercise performance among Malaysian football players: a randomised controlled trial

British Food Journal

PurposeThe present randomised controlled trial aimed to assess the effects of 8-week supplementat... more PurposeThe present randomised controlled trial aimed to assess the effects of 8-week supplementation of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) on the n-3 index and performance of professional male football players.Design/methodology/approachA total of 27 professional male football players were randomly assigned into 2 groups: placebo (n = 14) and n-3 LCPUFA (n = 13). n-3 LCPUFA supplements containing 1.5 g eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 600 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were administered as 6 capsules (four in the morning and two in the evening, 30 min after a meal). Anthropometry, body composition, dried-blood spot n-3 LCPUFA levels, exercise performance and dietary intake of football players were measured at week 0, week 4 and week 8.Findingsn-3 LCPUFA supplementation improved blood levels of EPA and DHA levels, omega-3 index vs placebo (p time*group = 0.010, 0.041 and 0.018, respectively). n-3 LCPUFA supplemented group had significantly higher aerobic capacity t...

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of Personalized Nutrition on Dietary, Physical Activity, and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials

Nutrients

Personalized nutrition is an approach that tailors nutrition advice to individuals based on an in... more Personalized nutrition is an approach that tailors nutrition advice to individuals based on an individual’s genetic information. Despite interest among scholars, the impact of this approach on lifestyle habits and health has not been adequately explored. Hence, a systematic review of randomized trials reporting on the effects of personalized nutrition on dietary, physical activity, and health outcomes was conducted. A systematic search of seven electronic databases and a manual search resulted in identifying nine relevant trials. Cochrane’s Risk of Bias was used to determine the trials’ methodological quality. Although the trials were of moderate to high quality, the findings did not show consistent benefits of personalized nutrition in improving dietary, behavioral, or health outcomes. There was also a lack of evidence from regions other than North America and Europe or among individuals with diseases, affecting the generalizability of the results. Furthermore, the complex relation...

Research paper thumbnail of Data collection and analysis tools for food security and nutrition: towards enhancing effective, inclusive, evidence-informed, decision making. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security

Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe - HAL - SHS, 2022

HAL is a multidisciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific re... more HAL is a multidisciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.

Research paper thumbnail of Towards Sustainable Food and Nutrition – View Points from Early Career Researchers

International e-Journal of Science, Medicine & Education

Research paper thumbnail of Glycaemic Index – helping Malaysian consumers optimise food choice

International e-Journal of Science, Medicine & Education

Research paper thumbnail of More Adult Women than Men at High Cardiometabolic Risk Reported Worse Lifestyles and Self-Reported Health Status in the COVID-19 Lockdown

Nutrients, Jun 24, 2024

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding the Food Environment and Its Impact on Diet and Health in Asia: A Scoping Review

Asia-Pacific journal of public health, Mar 1, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Microbial Phenolic Metabolites Are Associated with Improved Cognitive Health

Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, Dec 6, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Protocol: A Delphi Survey to Gather Feedback on a CONSORT Extension Proposal for Nutrition Intervention Trials

Data generated by nutrition intervention trials may be used to inform public health policy and de... more Data generated by nutrition intervention trials may be used to inform public health policy and decision making, though inadequate and non-standardized reporting can hinder application of results and ultimately the success of health policies.The CONSORT guidelines are widely used as a guide for reporting of RCTs in nutrition. Yet, nutrition interventions may benefit from a tailored approach to address specific challenges that have been identified for trials in this domain. A Federation of European Nutrition Societies working group was created to improve quality and completeness of reporting of nutrition trials and has proposed an extension to the CONSORT guidelines specific to nutrition RTCs. The objective of this Delphi survey is to gather opinions from a panel of nutrition and health experts and related stakeholders regarding the development of a CONSORT extension for nutrition intervention trials. The results of this survey will guide further development of the proposed extension.

Research paper thumbnail of Natural Dietary Antioxidants and Bone Health

The Royal Society of Chemistry eBooks, Jun 9, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of probiotic microbial cell preparation (MCP) on fasting blood glucose, body weight, waist circumference, and faecal short chain fatty acids among overweight Malaysian adults: a pilot randomised controlled trial of 4 weeks

Malaysian journal of nutrition, 2017

Introduction: Probiotic microbial cell preparation (MCP) supplementation is one of the approaches... more Introduction: Probiotic microbial cell preparation (MCP) supplementation is one of the approaches to modulate alterations in gut microbiota (GM). This double-blind randomised controlled trial investigated the effect of 4 weeks of MCP supplementation on fasting blood glucose levels (FBG), body weight (BW), waist circumference (WC), and faecal short chain fatty acids (SCFA) among 24 healthy and overweight (with BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2) Malaysian adults. Methods: Twenty-six subjects were randomised to receive either MCP (n= 12) or placebo (n=14), twice daily, for 4 weeks. The probiotic powder contained a mix of six strains namely, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus casei,Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium infantis (3.0 x 10 10 cfu). FBG, BW, WC, WHR, faecal SCFA, physical activity levels and dietary intake were measured and changes were determined using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Twenty-four subjects successfully completed the 4-week study period. Changes in FBG, BW, WC and SCFA were not significantly different between the groups. Only subjects in the MCP group significantly reduced their energy intake compared to baseline (1671±476 vs 1386±447 kcal, P=0.045). Conclusion: A 4-week supplementation of the MCP mix powder did not have significant effects on the variables studied. However, the significant reduction in dietary energy intake in the MCP group suggests the potential of probiotics as an adjuvant to dietary therapy for weight loss.

Research paper thumbnail of Ultra-processed foods consumption as a promoting factor of greenhouse gas emissions, water, energy, and land use: A longitudinal assessment

Science of The Total Environment, Sep 1, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Major dietary patterns in the United Kingdom Women's Cohort Study showed no evidence of prospective association with pancreatic cancer risk

Nutrition Research, Oct 1, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Perspectives on the application of CONSORT guidelines to randomised controlled trials in nutrition

European journal of nutrition, Apr 26, 2023

Reporting guidelines facilitate quality and completeness in research reporting. The CONsolidated ... more Reporting guidelines facilitate quality and completeness in research reporting. The CONsolidated Standards Of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement is widely applied to dietary and nutrition trials but has no extension specific to nutrition. Evidence suggests poor reporting in nutrition research. The Federation of European Nutrition Societies led an initiative to make recommendations for a nutrition extension to the CONSORT statement towards a more robust reporting of the evidence base. Methods: An international working group was formed of nutrition researchers from 14 institutions in 12 different countries and on five continents. Using meetings over a period of one year, we interrogated the CONSORT statement specifically for its application to report nutrition trials. Results: We provide new nutrition-specific recommendations or emphasized recommendations for the reporting of the introduction (three), methods (twelve), results (five) and discussion (eight). We also added two additional recommendations that were not allocated under the standard CONSORT headings. Conclusion: We identify a need to provide guidance in addition to CONSORT to improve the quality and consistency of the reporting and propose key considerations for further development of formal guidelines for the reporting of nutrition trials. Readers are encouraged to engage in this process, provide comments and conduct specific studies to inform further work on the development of reporting guidelines for nutrition trials.

Research paper thumbnail of Coronavirus disease 2019 is associated with long-term depressive symptoms in Spanish older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome

Psychological Medicine

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has serious physiological and psychological co... more Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has serious physiological and psychological consequences. The long-term (>12 weeks post-infection) impact of COVID-19 on mental health, specifically in older adults, is unclear. We longitudinally assessed the association of COVID-19 with depression symptomatology in community-dwelling older adults with metabolic syndrome within the framework of the PREDIMED-Plus cohort. Methods Participants (n = 5486) aged 55–75 years were included in this longitudinal cohort. COVID-19 status (positive/negative) determined by tests (e.g. polymerase chain reaction severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, IgG) was confirmed via event adjudication (410 cases). Pre- and post-COVID-19 depressive symptomatology was ascertained from annual assessments conducted using a validated 21-item Spanish Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Multivariable linear and logistic regression models assessed the association between COVID-19 and depression sympt...

Research paper thumbnail of Association of adiposity and its changes over time with COVID-19 risk in older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome: a longitudinal evaluation in the PREDIMED-Plus cohort

BMC Medicine

Background Cross-sectionally, older age and obesity are associated with increased coronavirus dis... more Background Cross-sectionally, older age and obesity are associated with increased coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) risk. We assessed the longitudinal associations of baseline and changes in adiposity parameters with COVID-19 incidence in older adults at high cardiovascular risk. Methods This analysis included 6874 men and women (aged 55–75 years) with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome in the PREDIMED-Plus lifestyle intervention trial for cardiovascular risk reduction. Body weight, body-mass-index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and a body shape index (ABSI) were measured at baseline and annual follow-up visits. COVID-19 was ascertained by an independent Event Committee until 31 December 2021. Cox regression models were fitted to evaluate the risk of COVID-19 incidence based on baseline adiposity parameters measured 5–6 years before the pandemic and their changes at the visit prior to censoring. Results At the time of censoring, 653 incident COVID...

Research paper thumbnail of Prospective Association Between Video and Computer Game Use During Adolescence and Incidence of Metabolic Health Risks: Secondary Data Analysis (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Video and computer games are popular activities, with 72% of adolescents aged 13 to 17... more BACKGROUND Video and computer games are popular activities, with 72% of adolescents aged 13 to 17 years reporting video game use on either a computer, game console, or portable device. Despite high levels of video and computer game use in adolescence, relatively little scientific literature exists examining the association and effects of video and computer games on adolescents. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of video and computer game use among US adolescents and rates of positive screens for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure (BP), and high cholesterol. METHODS A secondary data analysis was conducted using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) data, including adolescents aged 12 to 19 years between 1994 and 2018. RESULTS Respondents (n=4190) who played the most video and computer games had a significantly (P=.02) higher BMI and were more likely to self-report having at least one of the evaluated metabolic...

Research paper thumbnail of Dietary Patterns Associated with Abnormal Glucose Tolerance following Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: The MyNutritype Study

Nutrients

Abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT), which includes type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes, is highly prev... more Abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT), which includes type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes, is highly prevalent in women post gestational diabetes mellitus (post-GDM). Dietary patterns have been associated with the risk of developing AGT in women post-GDM, but evidence in Asian populations is sparse. This study aimed to determine the association between a posteriori dietary patterns and AGT in women post-GDM. This cross-sectional study recruited 157 women post-GDM (mean age 34.8 years) from Seri Kembangan Health Clinic and Universiti Putra Malaysia. AGT was diagnosed according to the Malaysian Clinical Practice Guidelines using a 75 g 2 h oral glucose tolerance test or HbA1c. Food intake was assessed using the 2014 Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey food frequency questionnaire. Five dietary patterns were derived using principal component analysis: ‘Unhealthy’, ‘Fish-eggs-fruits-vegetables’, ‘Cereals-confectionaries’, ‘Legumes-dairy’, and ‘Meat-sugar-sweetened-beverages’. After adjusting for s...

Research paper thumbnail of Are plant-based alternatives healthier? A two-dimensional evaluation from nutritional and processing standpoints

Food Research International

Research paper thumbnail of Maternal and Dietary Factors Are Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Women with a Previous History of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

While it is known that women with a previous history of gestational diabetes mellitus (post-GDM) ... more While it is known that women with a previous history of gestational diabetes mellitus (post-GDM) have a higher risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS), evidence of lifestyle practices from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is still scarce. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with MetS in women post-GDM. This cross-sectional study involved 157 women post-GDM (mean age 34.8 ± 5.6 years) sampled from Selangor, Malaysia. We collected data on sociodemographic characteristics and obstetric history. Food intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and dietary patterns were derived from principal component analysis. MetS was diagnosed according to the 2009 Harmonized criteria. The prevalence of MetS in this study was 22.3%. Western dietary pattern consumption was correlated with MetS, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and triglyceride levels. Independent factors associated with MetS were lower education level (odds ratio, OR 4.017, p = 0.007), pre-p...

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on the omega-3 index, and exercise performance among Malaysian football players: a randomised controlled trial

British Food Journal

PurposeThe present randomised controlled trial aimed to assess the effects of 8-week supplementat... more PurposeThe present randomised controlled trial aimed to assess the effects of 8-week supplementation of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) on the n-3 index and performance of professional male football players.Design/methodology/approachA total of 27 professional male football players were randomly assigned into 2 groups: placebo (n = 14) and n-3 LCPUFA (n = 13). n-3 LCPUFA supplements containing 1.5 g eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 600 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were administered as 6 capsules (four in the morning and two in the evening, 30 min after a meal). Anthropometry, body composition, dried-blood spot n-3 LCPUFA levels, exercise performance and dietary intake of football players were measured at week 0, week 4 and week 8.Findingsn-3 LCPUFA supplementation improved blood levels of EPA and DHA levels, omega-3 index vs placebo (p time*group = 0.010, 0.041 and 0.018, respectively). n-3 LCPUFA supplemented group had significantly higher aerobic capacity t...

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of Personalized Nutrition on Dietary, Physical Activity, and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials

Nutrients

Personalized nutrition is an approach that tailors nutrition advice to individuals based on an in... more Personalized nutrition is an approach that tailors nutrition advice to individuals based on an individual’s genetic information. Despite interest among scholars, the impact of this approach on lifestyle habits and health has not been adequately explored. Hence, a systematic review of randomized trials reporting on the effects of personalized nutrition on dietary, physical activity, and health outcomes was conducted. A systematic search of seven electronic databases and a manual search resulted in identifying nine relevant trials. Cochrane’s Risk of Bias was used to determine the trials’ methodological quality. Although the trials were of moderate to high quality, the findings did not show consistent benefits of personalized nutrition in improving dietary, behavioral, or health outcomes. There was also a lack of evidence from regions other than North America and Europe or among individuals with diseases, affecting the generalizability of the results. Furthermore, the complex relation...

Research paper thumbnail of Data collection and analysis tools for food security and nutrition: towards enhancing effective, inclusive, evidence-informed, decision making. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security

Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe - HAL - SHS, 2022

HAL is a multidisciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific re... more HAL is a multidisciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.

Research paper thumbnail of Towards Sustainable Food and Nutrition – View Points from Early Career Researchers

International e-Journal of Science, Medicine & Education

Research paper thumbnail of Glycaemic Index – helping Malaysian consumers optimise food choice

International e-Journal of Science, Medicine & Education

Research paper thumbnail of Treatments with Low Glycaemic Index Diets in Gestational Diabetes

Diet therapy, the cornerstone of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) management aims to promote a... more Diet therapy, the cornerstone of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) management aims to promote adequate weight gain and ensure glycaemic control in the pregnant mother. Achievement of these maternal goals improves pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. The advocacy of low-GI foods is based on slower rate of carbohydrate absorption of these foods, which subsequently lowers postprandial glycaemic and insulinaemic responses. Glycaemic load (GL), a concept that merges carbohydrate quality and quantity of foods, accurately predicts postprandial glycaemia for single foods or mixed meals. Low-GI/GL diets have shown to improve management of body weight, glycaemia and cardiovascular risks, especially in hyperinsulinaemic and insulin-resistant populations. A 15% reduction in dietary GI bestows clinically significant health benefits, and this magnitude of GI reduction is made possible by substituting usual high-GI staples with lower GI alternatives, while maintaining their prescribed serving size. In this review, we assess the evidence for the treatment of GDM, a condition closely associated with hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance, with low-GI/GL diets.