How a new personalized nutrition platform is leading to lasting weight loss
Sep 20, 2021
Conference season is here! and what a season it will be this year. I am looking forward to listening in, participating, and leading on some events. Make sure to check out the events calendar if you don’t want to miss out on any Personalised nutrition sessions. Our schools are back on Friday, so fingers crossed we all stay healthy and safe!
This week’s newsletter is a tad skewed towards AI, but that seems to be the flavour of the month! The latest research, results of AI survey are out, a food label that speaks to the blind, DNAnudge pivots to COVID testing, FOODsmart platform demonstrates success in personalized nutrition recommendations leading to lasting weight loss.
Happy reading and stay safe!
Mariette
Research update
A predictive index for health status using species-level gut microbiome profiling
In this hot-off the press publication, scientists at the Mayo clinic have developed a microbiome index that can distinguish a diseases from a healthy gut microbiome. Is this latest development the holy grail we have been waiting for? For the study the researchers analyszed over 4000 publicly available stool metagenomes with nearly 1700 coming from "non-healthy" individuals. Based on a validation cohort of 700 individuals, their model was able to distinguish between a healthy and non-healthy gut with 74% accuracy.
Carbohydrate and fat intake associated with risk of metabolic diseases through epigenetics of CPT1A
This recent study aimed to determine whether carb and fat intake modulate cg00574958 methylation and risk of metabolic disease in 3 population groups. The findings indicate that there is a strong association between the cg00574958 methylation with metabolic phenotypes. This means that the total energy supplied from carbs and fat can have a causal effect on the risk of metabolic disease via the epigenetic status of the carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1A gene (CPT1A).
Probiotics, Prebiotics and Other Dietary Supplements for Gut Microbiota Modulation in Celiac Disease Patients
This review debates the role of probiotics and prebiotics in the symptomatology of celiac disease (CD) patients. (...) "Despite rigid compliance to a gluten-free diet (GFD) patients struggle in achieving a full restoration of the gut microbiota, which plays a role in the nutritive compounds processing, and absorption. Pivotal studies on the supplementation of GFD with probiotics, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacilli, reported the potential to restore gut microbiota composition and to pre-digest gluten in the intestinal lumen. Reducing the inflammation associated with gluten intake, the intestinal permeability, and the cytokine and antibody production. These findings could explain an improvement in symptoms and quality of life in patients treated with GFD and probiotics. On the other hand, the inclusion of prebiotics in GFD could also be easy to administer and cost-effective as an adjunctive treatment for CD, having the power to stimulate the growth of potentially health-promoting bacteria strains''.
Weight Reduction Through a Digital Nutrition and Food Purchasing Platform Among Users With Obesity: Longitudinal Study
"The objective of this observational longitudinal study was to examine weight loss and predictors of weight loss among individuals with obesity who are users of a digital nutrition platform that integrates tools to provide nutrition recommendations and changes in the food purchasing environment grounded in behavioral theory". This study performed on 8977 adults with obesity used the digital Foodsmart platform between January 2013 and April 2020. It analyzed user characteristics and their associations with weight loss (for example, age, gender, height, at least 2 measures of weight, and dietary intake). The results showed "Over a median (IQR) of 9.9 (0.03-54.7) months of enrollment, 59% of participants lost weight. Of the participants who used the Foodsmart platform for at least 24 months, 33.3% achieved 5% weight loss. In the fully adjusted logistic regression model, we found that baseline BMI (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.02-1.03; P<.001), baseline Healthy Diet Score (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.05-1.08; P<.001), greater change in Healthy Diet Score (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.11-1.14; P<.001), and enrollment length (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.23-1.32; P<.001) were all significantly associated with higher odds of achieving at least 5% weight loss". In conclusion, "a digital app that provides personalized nutrition recommendations and change in one’s food purchasing environment appears to be successful in meaningfully reducing weight among individuals with obesity".
Technology News
“The study was carried out for the European Commission by the market research company Ipsos together with iCite. A robust survey instrument was designed and fielded in the EU Member States, as well as Norway, Iceland, and the UK. A total of 9640 enterprises took part between January and March 2020. The five key performance indicators measured by the survey were AI awareness, adoption, sourcing, external and internal obstacles to adoption. The study used Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing to obtain representative country estimates”. This study was “the first quantitative overview on the uptake of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies among European enterprises. This study will help monitor the adoption of AI in the Member States and further assess the challenges faced by enterprises, for their internal organisation and externally”
A food label that speaks to the blind? Inclusive label tech developed to promote independence
The Italian ag- and food-tech start-up Sistemi (in collaboration with other entities) has developed the "Narrative Label”. An app specially designed for blind people and composed of a software platform consisting of photos, videos, texts, and voice narration. The SISSPre´s platform generates a QR Code, which can be placed on food product packaging. When the code is scanned with a smartphone, the user can touch the screen to kickstart the narration of the label, giving detail such as the product's name, description, nutritional table, expiration date, and manufacturer.
AI tech used by NHS to be sped up with £50m investment
As part of the £140 million AI in the Health and Care Award program, the NHS is committed to becoming a world leader in the use of AI and machine learning. To do this a range of AI-powered innovations are being tested such as breast cancer screening scans and assess emergency stroke patients. An addition of take-home technology could see patients given devices and software that can turn their smartphone into a clinical-grade medical device for monitoring kidney disease, or a wearable patch to detect irregular heartbeats, one of the leading causes of strokes and heart attacks.
In the future, subject to contract, successful products to be used in the NHS include:
- Healthy IO - will utilise its AI-powered app that turns a smartphone into a clinical-grade medical device capable of detecting albuminuria, an early warning sign of Chronic Kidney Disease which could help patients with diabetes.
- iRhythm Technologies - will use its wearable ECG monitoring patch and service that utilises AI-led processing and analysis to help diagnose atrial fibrillation
- Brainomix will share its digital tools, to assess emergency stroke patients, in a number of NHS sites following recent successful deployment at Royal Berkshire NHS Trust
Machine Detects Covid-19 In 90 Minutes
DnaNudge initially launched a personalized nutrition based-software using DNA testing to tailor individuals diets. But nowadays, the small UK-based DNA testing company rises up to other health areas. The company had designed a toaster-sized machine that can detect COVID-19 in just 90 minutes without lab analysis. "All the machine needs is a nose swab or some saliva to detect traces of coronavirus. It can even detect other diseases such as the flu and a common virus infection called Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). It will also notify the user if a proper sample has been taken or if a test needs to be retaken". A big promise to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and “the UK’s National Health Service has already ordered 5,000 of the machines, as well as cartridges to start testing coronavirus patients, as part of a $211 million contract.”
Register for the 2nd European AI Alliance Assembly
As a member of the European AI alliance, I am looking forward to this full day virtual event on AI.
Now is a critical time to get updated and involved as digitization is sped up around the globe.
For more details and the draft program click here
The key to healthy and sustainable diets… more processed foods?
According to the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF)'s new special edition "Food reformulation and innovation: Future solutions for healthier and more sustainable diets", processed foods don't have to be necessarily unhealthy. According to this special edition, the acceptance of new ingredients will be key to ensure a healthier and sustainable future for the food supply as demand for food grows alongside rises in the global population. The food industry should be encouraged to create healthier processed foods, rather than demonizing all processed foods. Good examples of this are Nestle's development of cocoa pulp (a waste product of the cocoa bean) as a sugar replacement in chocolate and Amai Proteins development of a sweet-tasting protein also used as a sugar substitute. According to McClements, nutrition expert: "Over the last few years, the emphasis in terms of food research and development has been gradually changing from new product formulation to reformulation and now, as we are seeing in these case studies, to a more intelligent form of reformulation. One that attempts to balance desired dietary changes with consumer acceptability and other factors such as environmental considerations and supply constraints."
Gen Z not ready to eat lab-grown meat: study
Researchers of the University of Sydney and Curtin University have performed an exploratory study on 227 Gen Z consumers (people born between 1995-2015), about their perceptions and opinions on cultured meat. Using an online questionnaire, the Australian-based respondents were asked about their demographics, dietary preferences, and their preference for different meat alternatives (such as insects, plant-based and cultured meat). The results showed that "the majority (72%) of the participants are not ready to accept cultured meat; nonetheless, many think that it is a viable idea because of the need to transition to more sustainable food options and improve animal welfare. When faced with a choice between different alternatives to farmed meat, a third of the participants reject cultured meat and edible insects but accept plant-based substitutes finding them more natural". This survey concludes that Australian "Gen Z is putting the future of cultured meat under scrutiny."
Nutraingredients Sports nutrition summit 7-9 October 2020 (Online)
Chairing the Foodmatterslive seminar on Personalised nutrition 14th October 16.30pm (Virtual event)
ANA Personalized nutrition virtual event 2020 12 -13th November (Online)
Panellist at the Foodtech matters Personalised nutrition 14th October 9am (Online)
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