Are virtual RD's on the menu?
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In this week's newsletter:
Latest research, Sifter snags investment, MyAir launches health platform, new app offers virtual RD, Panaceutics receives patent and more!!!
Yours in health,
Mariette & the rest of the Qina team
Research update
Associations between Genetically Proxied Inhibition of Lipid-Lowering Drug Targets and Serum Micronutrients among Individuals of European Descent: A Mendelian Randomization Study
This study examined the relationship between lipid-lowering drugs (for example, statins) and 15 blood micronutrients. Using available genetic data the study conducted Mendelian randomization analyses to explore gene variants. The results have shown that "genetically proxied inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (an enzyme involved in the synthesis of cholesterol, which is a target of statins), lowered blood concentrations of iron, zinc, magnesium, and potassium. Genetically proxied inhibition of Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (a protein that mediates intestinal cholesterol absorption, which is a target of the lipid-lowering drug Ezetimibe), increased calcium, and vitamin A levels. And, genetically proxied inhibition of PCSK9 protein, which controls the number of low-density lipoprotein receptors, was found to increase vitamin D".
Personalized Nutrition in the Management of Female Infertility: New Insights on Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation
“In this review, we report on new insights into the nutritional management of infertile patients, discussing the main nutrigenetic, nutrigenomic, and microbiomic aspects that should be investigated to achieve effective personalized nutritional interventions. Specifically, we will focus on the management of low-grade chronic inflammation, which is associated with several infertility-related diseases.”
Long-term secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet and a low-fat diet (CORDIOPREV): a randomised controlled trial
In this study, patients with coronary heart disease (aged 20-75 years) were randomized to receive a Mediterranean diet (n=502) or a low-fat diet intervention (n= 500), with a follow-up of 7 years. The mean age was 59·5 years (SD 8·7) and 827 (82·5%) of 1002 patients were men. Through data analysis, the Mediterranean diet was shown to be superior to the low-fat diet in preventing major cardiovascular events.
Health Indicators as a Measure of Individual Health Status: Public Perspectives
This review "provides a baseline for prioritizing 29 health indicators, which can be used by electronic health records, personal health record system designers or developers to determine what can be included in a system to capture an individual's health status". Of the 29 health indicators analyzed, 13 were categorized by rank into seven levels (Levels 1-3 were rated significantly higher than Levels 4-7): Level 1: blood sugar level and immunization/vaccination; Level 2: LDL cholesterol; Level 3: HDL cholesterol, blood triglycerides, cancer screening detection, and total cholesterol; Level 4: health literacy rate; Level 5: personal care needs and air quality index > 100; Level 6: self-rated health status and HIV testing; and Level 7: the supply of dentists. So, in conclusion, "among the 13 health indicators, blood sugar level and immunization/vaccination status were the most important, and the supply of dentists was the least important"
Characteristics of the gut microbiota in women with premenstrual symptoms: A cross-sectional study
This study "examined the characteristics of the microbiota in women with premenstrual disorders (PMDs) and the association between premenstrual symptoms and the microbiota". By comparing 21 women with premenstrual symptoms (PMDs group) and 22 women with no serious premenstrual symptoms (control group), the study results showed that the properties of the gut microbiota are associated with premenstrual symptoms. In blood samples, "Inflammatory markers (C reactive protein, soluble CD14, and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein) did not differ significantly between the PMDs and control groups", however, in terms of microbiota, the results revealed a difference in beta, but not alpha diversity. The relative abundance of the Bacteroidetes phylum, Extibacter, Butyricicoccus, Megasphaera, and Parabacteroides was lower in the PMDs group. On the other hand, Anaerotaenia bacterias were higher in the PMDs group.
The interaction between Alternative Healthy Eating Index and MC4R rs17782313 gene variants on central and general obesity indices in women: a cross-sectional study
This cross-sectional study investigates the interaction between MC4R rs17782313 variants and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) and their association with central and general obesity indices, in 291 women with BMI ≥25 and aged 18-48 years. The results have shown that "interaction between MC4R rs17782313 and AHEI was associated with hip circumference (HC), body mass index (BMI), fat mass (kg), and visceral fat area. The other measures that seem to be suggestively related to this interaction (0.05< P <0.07) are waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), trunk fat (TF) (%), TF (kg), fat mass (%), and fat mass index (FMI).
We have just published our latest Executive data brief on Mental health and Personalised nutrition. This fascinating topic is critical to many companies and their employees at this delicate time in our lives.
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Technology News
Digital dietician may help people make better choices
IVAN (Immersive Virtual Alimentation and Nutrition Application) was developed at Penn State and uses virtual reality headsets to help make the user feel like they are speaking to a real nutritionist in an office setting. The program walks the user through interactive activities designed to teach them about nutrition concepts like portion size and calorie density. In the future, IVAN can be a powerful tool to help nutritionists/ dietitians through high-quality science-backed information and basic nutritional concepts, leaving space for professionals to help individuals improve their diets in an individualized and personal way.
Fighting unaffordable nutrition: DSM partners with WFP to scale up rice fortification
Royal DSM is extending its partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) in the scale-up of rice fortification across the globe for three more years. As part of the partnership, DSM offers the WFP its technical and scientific expertise in nutrition, quality assurance, and marketing, as well as its financial assistance, to improve the availability and affordability of fortified, nutritious foods for people in need. This partnership reaches 35 million people per year.
Related Articles:
PNU 14.2022: DSM to help digitize Nigerian fortified food transparency in NGO collaboration
PNU 37.2021: DSM to acquire Vestkorn Milling to accelerate growth in plant-based proteins
Sifter Snags $5M in Funding
Sifter has announced a rise-up of $5 million in funding to grow their nutrition-as-a-service (NaaS) platform and launch the "Sifter Retailer Solutions". Sifter’s NaaS platform powers the consumer wellness journey beyond the store, allowing shoppers to plan meals with the right ingredients for them, manage various diet profiles for different family members, and conveniently purchase healthy food items online. And, Sifter Retailer Solutions offers technology on the supermarket shelves by allowing consumers to instantly find and buy products that match the dietary and medical preferences in their profiles. The round was led by Valor Siren Ventures, with participation by Hyde Park Angels (HPA) and Wintrust Ventures.
Related Articles:
PNU 11.2022: Sifter Report: Gluten Tops List of Food Avoidances
PNU 02.2022: Walmart partners with Sifter to offer personalized nutrition tool
myAir Launches New Corporate Wellness Platform that Harnesses Data & Nutrition to Create Stress Resilience
myAir it's a company that uses the powers of adaptogens and personalized nutrition to help consumers reduce their stress levels. Through a questionnaire that measures stress levels and preferences, users can buy/ subscribe to a personalized box of nutrition bars targeted to help lower their specific stress levels and have the help of 1:1 coaching. Then, through a Garmin smartwatch app, myAir can measure the consumer’s vital signs and deliver instant feedback on how the bars are impacting their bodies. MyAir has now announced the launch of a new Corporate Wellness Program that is an extension of the company’s "Stressless Routine" solution. Besides helping employees, myAir’s Corporate Wellness Program also helps employers better understand the stress patterns within their organization in accordance with privacy compliance regulations.
Related Articles:
PNU 11.2022: myAir Smartfood Develops Innovative Bundled Solution to Manage Employee Stress
PNU 01.2022: myAir Smart-food Launches Personalized, Super Plant Bars to Naturally Relieve Stress
PNU 08.2021: Israel: Stress-reduction foodtech myAir conducts study with Garmin wearables
Panaceutics Nutrition, Inc, are excited to announce
“Panaceutics Nutrition, Inc, are excited to announce the issuance of US 11,337,918 B2 “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MAKING PERSONALIZED NUTRITIONAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATIONS USING ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING". This patent grants a system and method to create personalized bars for both nutritional and pharmaceutical applications. This allows the exclusive licensee for nutrition applications of the 13 patents issued to OneFul Health, Inc, to continue to be the leader in personalized nutrition manufacturing.”
Intestinal Permeability: the Bacterial link to Aging, Brain Barrier Dysfunction and Metabolic Disorder
“The intestinal barrier serves as a gatekeeper to the human body. The loss of the health and integrity of this barrier influences multiple aspects of human health – including cardiometabolic function, neurological health, behaviour, and more – in surprising and possibly unexpected ways.” Dr. Rhonda Patrick describes the role that intestinal permeability and bacterial products play in ageing, inflammation and chronic disease.
Food & Consumer Trends
UK scientists boost vitamin D levels with genetically edited tomatoes
In the post-Brexit era, the UK is now allowed to explore gene-editing technology, if the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) bill is approved. As a result, UK tomatoes may be enriched with vitamin D3 in the near future. Researchers at the John Innes Centre, UK, have used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to allow the building blocks of D3 – 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) in tomato fruit. After treatment with UVB light on tomato slices, one tomato contained as much vitamin D as two medium-sized eggs or 28 g of tuna.
Upcoming Events
Food Innovation and Investment Summit, Kisaco Research, San Francisco, California, 18-19 May 2022
2022 KoSFoST International Symposium and Annual Meeting
New Era in Food Science and Biotechnology - Bexco, Busan, Korea July 6-8, 2022
NutraEvent, Nantes, France, October 4th & 5th 2022
Personalized nutrition summit - ANA, San Diego 26-29 October
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