Nutrition Reviews: Conversations with the Authors

What does it really take to nourish a child? In this episode, Editor in Chief Douglas Taren speaks with Dr. Jennifer Black of the University of British Columbia about the concept of "food care" and the often overlooked work involved in meeting children's food needs. Their conversation explores how nutrition research has traditionally focused on what children eat while paying less att...

Time-restricted eating (TRE) is a chrono-nutrition approach that limits daily food intake to a consistent window of time. Although many studies have explored the effects of TRE on weight, glycemic control, and other metabolic markers, the impact of TRE on overall diet quality remains unclear. In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Douglas Taren talks with Dr. Brooke Devlin, co-author of the featured art...

Eating cereal fiber has been linked to health benefits, including lower body weight. One possible reason is that it may help people feel fuller and less hungry. However, studies have shown mixed results about whether different types of cereal fiber actually increase feelings of fullness. In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Douglas Taren talks with Dr. Eleanor Beck, co-author of the featured article....

High levels of homocysteine have been linked to brain atrophy and dementia. Taking B vitamins may be a low-cost way to help protect brain health. However, past research reviews have shown mixed results, and it’s not clear why the findings have been inconsistent. The overall quality of the evidence has also not been carefully evaluated. In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Douglas Taren talks with Ross...

Pediatric feeding disorders (PFDs) present challenges involving food intake, feeding skills, and psychosocial or clinical dysfunctions affecting children and caregivers. Early identification and accurate evaluation are essential for improving outcomes. Despite the availability of various instruments, evidence for their reliability and validity in clinical practice and research remains limited. Joi...

Join us this episode as Dr. Taren speaks with Dr Elizabeth Ryan, co-author of two recently featured papers on rice bran. Rice bran is a by-product of paddy rice milling that has emerged as a versatile source of nutritional, preventive, and therapeutic compounds. To extend shelf life and bioactive components, rice bran goes through further processing beyond the initial separation from the hull and...

Early dietary habits play a crucial role in shaping long-term health outcomes. Understanding the effects of different carbohydrate types on physiological markers is essential for developing evidence-based nutritional guidelines for toddlers. Join us for this conversation between Editor-in-Chief Douglas Taren and our featured authors, Dr. Bartlomiej Zalewski (Medical School of Warsaw) and Ching-Yu...

Adequate nutrition is crucial during adolescence due to significant physical, mental, and emotional changes, yet in many adolescents poor dietary behaviors lead to inadequate nutrient intake and increased health risks. Peer-led interventions have shown promise in improving these behaviors. Join us this episode as  Editor-in-Chief Douglas Taren speaks with Daniale T Ekubagewargies, lead author of o...

The thermic effect of food (TEF) represents a promising therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of obesity. In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Douglas Taren speaks with Nassib Bezerra Bueno, co-author of our featured article, about their analysis of how various biological and nutritional factors influence TEF in humans.

High adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) has been associated with a reduced risk of depression in prospective cohort studies, but whether MD interventions are effective among adults with depression is uncertain. Join us this episode for a conversation with Rubén Fernández-Rodríguez, co-author of this week's featured article.

The impact of unhealthy foods and beverages, namely those high in sugar, salt, and saturated or trans fats, has been studied extensively in relation to weight, body composition, and noncommunicable diseases, but less so in relation to the risk of dental caries. Join us for a discussion with the co-authors of this episode's featured article, Jessica Large and Emily Rousham, as we discuss their find...

Intermittent fasting regimens have emerged as a dietary tool to improve the glycemic profile, but a critical appraisal of clinical studies assessing the effects of IF regimens in patients with diabetes is needed. Join us for this episode where Douglas Taren speaks with Heitor Santos, author of this episode's featured article, a review of glycemic control and safety of intermittent fasting for the...

Vitamin  D plays an important role in immune function, and the deficiency thereof has been associated with several infections, most notably respiratory tract infections. However, data from intervention studies investigating the effect of high-dose vitamin D supplementation on infections have been inconclusive. Join us for this episode where Douglas Taren speaks with Janet Carboo and Martani Lombar...

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is prevalent in 25–30% of British and European populations, representing a potential global public health crisis. Marine omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids offer well-evidenced benefits to NAFLD biomarkers; however, the effect of plant-based n-3 has not been evaluated with a systematic review and meta-analysis. Join us for this episode where Douglas...

Food labelling is a global strategy recommended to reduce noncommunicable diseases. Few reviews, however, have focused on food label use in sub-Saharan Africa. In this episode, lead author Dumisani Nkhoma from the Nkhata Bay District Hospital, Nkhata Bay District Health Office, Malawi, discusses with Douglas Taren the finding of his systemic review and meta-analysis of food label use and comprehen...

Telehealth-delivered nutrition interventions are effective in practice; however, limited evidence exists regarding their cost-effectiveness. In this episode, lead author Jaimon Kelly from the Centre for Online Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, discusses with Douglas Taren his evaluation of twelve randomized controlled trials on the cost-eff...

Intermittent energy restriction (IER) and periodic fasting (PF) has become a popular dietary trend and topic of research for metabolic outcomes and weight loss. This episode, editor-in-chief Dr. Douglas Taren speaks with featured article authors Elske van den Burg and Marjolein Schoonakker on their systematic review summarizing current knowledge of the effects of IER and PF in patients with T2D on...

Retirement is an opportune time for people to establish new healthy routines. Exercise and nutritional interventions are promising in the prevention and treatment of sarcopenic obesity. The authors of this featured article conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of nutritional and exercise interventions for the treatment of sarcopenic obesity in persons of retir...

Middle childhood and early adolescence have received disproportionately low levels of scientific attention relative to other life stages, especially as related to nutrition and health. Nevertheless, this age bracket, which encompasses most of the primary education and basic schooling years for most individuals, is marked by significant changes, inflection points, and sexually driven divergence in...

Portion size norm is described as the perception of how much of a given food people choose to eat. The authors of this featured article conducted a systematic review to examine the portion size norm of discretionary foods and assess the methodologies used to investigate the norm. Join us this episode as editor-in-chief Dr. Douglas Taren speaks with Qingzhou (Monica) Liu and Anna Rangan from The Un...

Diet quality is a multidimensional concept that incorporates healthy food choices, nutrient adequacy, food variety, moderation/excess, and overall balance. The authors of this episode's featured article conducted a review to examine the consumption of both nutrients and foods or food groups in recognition of the importance of the relationships between nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns tha...

Poor sleep is increasingly seen as an issue of public health concern. In recent years, there has been growing interest in protein as a route to improve sleep outcomes; however, the evidence is limited and inconclusive. Join us this episode as Dr. Douglas Taren speaks with authors Janine Wirth and Lorraine Brennan from the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, for t...

Aging is an essential milestone that governments worldwide must plan for. At a global level, Japan currently has the highest share of population older than 65 years. Elderly individuals living alone encounter many challenges typically not faced by those living in a multiperson household. Nutrition status and diet are 2 such challenges, both of which are crucial determinants of health and well-bein...

To mitigate the age-related decline in skeletal muscle quantity and quality, and the associated negative health outcomes, it has been proposed that dietary protein recommendations for older adults should be increased alongside an active lifestyle and/or structured exercise training. The question therefore arises as to where this dietary protein required for meeting the protein demands of the rapid...

This episode, Dr. Douglas Taren speaks with Mateus de Lima Macena and Dr. Nassib Bezerra Bueno from Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil. Their article assesses effects of dietary polyphenols, from food sources or supplements, on the anthropometric, glycemic, renal, inflammatory, and oxidative stress markers in adults with diabetic nephropathy (DN). Join us for this conversatio...