Maternal obesity is associated with several disorders, and its neonatal impacts include macrosomia. Botryosphaeran, a (1→3)(1→6)-β-D-glucan, produced by the fungus Botryosphaeria rhodina exhibits antiobesogenic effects in rats. The objective of this work was to evaluate, for the first time, the effects of botryosphaeran on obese and non-obese rats during the pregnancy period and its effects on offspring. Female Wistar rats (n = 18) were separated into two groups: control, which received commercial ration and water; and obese, that received high-fat ration and water with sucrose (300 g/liter), for 8 weeks. In the 8th week, the rats were divided in the proportion of two rats to one breeding male. After confirmation of pregnancy, the females were subdivided into 4 groups: Pregnancy Control, Botryosphaeran Pregnancy Control, Pregnancy Obese, and Botryosphaeran Pregnancy Obese. In the last 2-thirds of gestation, rats of the botryosphaeran group received the -glucan solution (12 mg/kg/day, via gavage), the control and obese rats received saline solution. At the end of the experiment, the mothers and their offspring were evaluated. Obese mothers had fat accumulation, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. Botryosphaeran significantly reduced blood glucose, corrected insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. The female and male offspring of the obese group showed higher weight gain, adipose tissue accumulation, soleus muscle reduction, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. Botryosphaeran was effective in correcting these parameters. In conclusion, botryosphaeran exerts significant and promising effects, including antiobesogenic, hypocholesterolemic, and insulin sensitizing action in mothers and their offspring, demonstrating botryosphaeran as a potential agent to prevent obesity and its comorbidities.

Carotenoids, a diverse family of isoprenoid pigments obtained exclusively through dietary sources, have emerged as promising modulators of metabolic health through their antioxidant properties and regulation of key signalling pathways. Both provitamin A carotenoids (β-carotene, α-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin) and non-provitamin A carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene) enhance insulin sensitivity, reduce oxidative stress and regulate adipogenesis through activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathways while suppressing NF-κB-mediated inflammation. Despite promising preclinical and clinical evidence, the complexities of carotenoid metabolism, especially their bioavailability in metabolic diseases, remain inadequately understood. Brassicaceae microgreens, particularly broccoli sprouts, have emerged as promising functional foods for diabetes and obesity management. Given their high carotenoid content (162–224 mg β-carotene equivalents per 100 g dry weight) and enriched in other bioactive compound, this review synthesizes current evidence on carotenoid metabolism and bioavailability in relation to T2DM and obesity. It further emphasises mechanistic insights and the highlights therapeutic potential of Brassicaceae microgreens as accessible dietary strategies for metabolic health disparities.

This study aimed to assess the associations of dietary medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) intakes with obesity-related outcomes in children and adolescents. Records of children and adolescents in this cross-sectional study were extracted between 2007 and 2023. Weighted univariate and multivariable Logistic models were used to evaluate the relationship of MCFA (total, C8:0, C10:0 and C12:0) with overweight/obesity, obesity and central obesity, with OR and 95 % CI. The associations were further explored by subgroups (age and sex). To adjust for total energy intake, the exposure variables for sensitivity analyses were expressed as energy density. Among the 11 482 included participants, 4713 had overweight/obesity, 2710 had obesity and 2474 had central obesity. High intakes of total MCFA were associated with lower odds of overweight/obesity (OR = 0·71, 95 % CI: 0·60–0·85), obesity (OR = 0·64, 95 % CI: 0·50–0·82) and central obesity (OR = 0·70, 95 % CI: 0·54–0·92). A similar relationship was observed for C8:0, with the inverse association found for obesity-related outcomes (overweight/obesity, OR = 0·69, 95 % CI: 0·57–0·84; obesity, OR = 0·60, 95 % CI: 0·48–0·76; central obesity, OR = 0·68, 95 % CI: 0·52–0·87). Significant protective associations were also consistently present for C10:0 and C12:0. Subgroup analyses showed generally similar inverse associations across age and sex groups, although interactions with age were observed for selected MCFA components and outcomes. In conclusion, higher MCFA intakes were associated with lower odds of overweight/obesity, obesity and central obesity. Future prospective cohort studies are needed to confirm these associations.

Dynapenic abdominal obesity (DAO), characterised by the combination of low muscle strength and abdominal fat accumulation, is an emerging health risk phenotype. Its association with incident stroke remains inadequately explored. This prospective cohort study investigated the relationship between DAO and new-onset stroke in middle-aged and older adults. We analysed data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, n 10 153) and used the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA, n 5421) for external validation, over a seven-year follow-up. Participants were categorised into four groups: no dynapenia or abdominal obesity (ND/NAO), isolated abdominal obesity, isolated dynapenia and DAO. After adjusting for socio-demographic, lifestyle and comorbidity factors, multivariable logistic regression revealed that DAO was significantly associated with a higher risk of stroke in both CHARLS (OR = 1·96, 95 % CI: 1·37–2·76, P < 0·001) and ELSA (OR = 2·38, 95 % CI: 1·11–5·10, P = 0·025) compared with the ND/NAO group. The risk conferred by DAO exceeded that of either condition in isolation. Stratified analysis suggested a potentially stronger association in urban Chinese men; however, effect modification was not statistically significant. We conclude that DAO is a significant, independent risk factor for stroke in both populations, with combined effects exceeding isolated conditions. This phenotype represents a practical, cross-population marker for clinicians and nutritionists to identify individuals at elevated stroke risk warranting targeted intervention, with potentially important implications for urban Chinese men.

This 12-wk randomised trial evaluated weight loss, body composition changes and metabolic responses to a time-restricted eating with energy restriction (TRE + ER) diet in adults with severe obesity. One hundred participants (20–60 years; BMI > 40 kg/m2) were randomised to TRE + ER (n 50; eating window 10 am–6 pm) or continuous energy restriction (CER, n 50). Diets provided 60 % of total energy expenditure. Body composition, by DXA, and RMR, by indirect calorimetry, were assessed at baseline and after 1, 5, 9 and 12 wk. Subjective appetite ratings and biochemical markers were also determined. After 12 wk, both groups experienced reductions in body weight, fat mass (FM) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT), with no significant change in fat-free mass. Compared with CER, TRE + ER produced similar reductions in weight (−4·3 ± 0·4 kg v. −3·8 ± 0·4 kg; P = 0·46) and VAT (−270 ± 4 g v. −188 ± 4 g; P = 0·24), but greater FM loss (−3·5 ± 0·3 kg v. −2·4 ± 0·3 kg; P = 0·040). TRE + ER showed a greater decline in RMR (P = 0·032) and a trend towards greater adaptive thermogenesis (P = 0·061). Our findings suggest that combining ER with the TRE strategy does not enhance weight loss, despite the modestly greater FM loss after 12 wk. The greater decline in RMR and the greater increase in adaptive thermogenesis suggest limited long-term benefit of the TRE strategy in individuals with severe obesity. Registered at REBEC (RBR-45fpgqh – https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-45fpgqh).

Time-restricted eating (TRE) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) are promising strategies for improving cardiometabolic health in women with overweight or obesity, but whether they interact synergistically remains unclear. We evaluated their independent and combined effects on cardiometabolic outcomes. This prespecified secondary analysis of a 2 × 2 factorial randomised controlled trial assigned 131 women with overweight or obesity (median BMI 30·7 kg/m2; age 18–45 years) to TRE, HIIT, TRE + HIIT or control for 7 weeks. TRE limited daily intake to a ≤10-hour eating window; HIIT comprised three supervised treadmill sessions weekly. The primary analysis followed the intention-to-treat principle after multiple imputation; linear mixed-effects models estimated TRE and HIIT main effects and their interaction, with Holm–Bonferroni-adjusted interaction p-values; per-protocol sensitivity analyses excluded dropouts. No significant TRE × HIIT interaction was detected. In intention-to-treat main-effect analyses, TRE reduced body weight (–3·36 kg, p = 0·008), fat mass (–1·53 kg, p = 0·025) and visceral fat area (–12·82 cm2, p < 0·001), but also reduced muscle mass (–0·80 kg, p = 0·020) and modestly lowered HDL-C. HIIT main effects were minimal in the intention-to-treat analysis, while per-protocol sensitivity analyses suggested reductions in BMI, fat mass, total cholesterol, LDL-C and HbA1c, although these findings are more susceptible to attrition bias. Within the constraints of limited power and short duration, no interaction between TRE and HIIT was detected. TRE-related adiposity benefits should therefore be weighed against concurrent reductions in muscle mass and changes in lipid profiles. Larger, adequately powered, longer-term trials are needed to confirm these findings and clarify their clinical relevance.

Trial registration: NCT04019860.

Positive attitudes toward healthy nutrition and food literacy have been associated with healthy eating habits in previous research. However, evidence regarding the relationships among food literacy, attitudes toward healthy nutrition, and BMI among school teachers remains limited. This study examined the associations among self-perceived food literacy, attitudes toward healthy nutrition, and BMI among school teachers. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 294 primary, secondary, and high school teachers. An online questionnaire including demographic characteristics, eating habits, anthropometric measurements, the Self-Perceived Food Literacy Scale (SPFLS), and the Attitude Scale for Healthy Nutrition (ASHN) was used to collect data. A total of 294 school teachers aged 20–59 years completed the study, of whom 73.5% were female. Obese participants had lower food literacy (p < 0.001) and healthy nutrition attitude scores (p < 0.05) than normal-weight participants. Food literacy and attitudes toward healthy nutrition were positively correlated with age and years of experience, and negatively correlated with BMI (p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that attitudes toward healthy nutrition and BMI were associated with self-perceived food literacy (R2adj = 0.501, p < 0.001). These findings contribute to the limited evidence regarding the relationships among food literacy, attitudes toward healthy nutrition, and BMI among school teachers.

n-3 PUFA, DHA and EPA possess anti-inflammatory properties, yet their association with obesity-depression comorbidity remains unclear. This study investigated the association among USA adults and explored underlying mechanisms. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 4,423 adults participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2004 and 2011–2014. Serum fatty acids were quantified by gas chromatography. Obesity was defined using anthropometric criteria, and depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 or antidepressant use. Multivariable logistic regression estimated odds ratio (OR) per sd increase in PUFA levels. Mechanistic explore through network pharmacology identified potential pathways, which were examined using correlation analyses with inflammatory indices. Higher n-3 PUFA levels were associated with lower odds of central obesity comorbid depression in females (OR: 0·82, 95 % CI: 0·69–0·96) and older adults (OR: 0·79, 95 % CI: 0·64–0·97). DHA was significantly associated with lower odds of central obesity (OR: 0·83, 95 % CI: 0·73–0·95), depressive symptoms (OR: 0·88, 95 % CI: 0·77–1·00) and their comorbidity (OR: 0·85, 95 % CI: 0·74–0·98), whereas no significant associations were found for EPA. Mechanistic exploration implicated DHA in TNF and IL-17 signalling pathways, supported by inverse correlations with monocyte:HDL ratio (r: −0·138, P < 0·001) and lymphocyte:HDL ratio (r: −0·108, P < 0·001). In conclusion, serum DHA is inversely associated with obesity-depression comorbidity, with potential involvement of anti-inflammatory pathways. These findings underscore the potential of DHA for the management of obesity comorbid depression and the need for further interventional trials.

The aim of this study was to provide robust evidence on the long-term use of non-nutritive sweetened (NNS) beverages on weight management, by comparing NNS beverages and water during 1 year of assisted weight management followed by a voluntary, unassisted 1-year extension. In this parallel-group, open-label, controlled equivalence trial, 493 adults with BMI 27–35 kg/m2 who regularly consumed cold beverages were randomised 1:1 to water (n 246) or NNS beverages (n 247). Participants joined a group behavioural weight-management programme comprising assisted meetings weekly (12-week weight-loss phase) then monthly (40-week weight-maintenance phase), followed by unassisted monitoring for 52 weeks with a final meeting at week 104. The final 52-week unassisted phase was completed by 220 participants (water: n 117; NNS beverages: n 103), 27·7 % of whom were NNS beverage-naïve (naïve was defined as NNS beverages comprising ≤ 25 % of beverages in the 5 years before screening). In the unassisted monitoring phase, the primary endpoint was weight change from baseline at week 104 (equivalence: two-sided P > 0·05). Participants consuming water maintained a weight loss of 3·7 kg over 104 weeks, compared with 4·8 kg with NNS beverages; the between-group difference was not significant. After the final 52-week unassisted phase of the 104-week behavioural weight-management programme, water and NNS beverages showed equivalence regarding weight change from baseline. Our findings suggest people can lose weight and maintain it for 2 years, when drinking either NNS beverages or water and taking part in weight-management programmes.

This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02591134.