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Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes are at high risk for developing multiple chronic complications. However, there is a lack of studies of the cumulative number of diabetic complications in China. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed from 2009 to 2021. Type 2 diabetes patients who were first diagnosed after the age of 35 years between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2017, were included. Five states were defined according to the number of chronic complications: no (S0), one (S1), two (S2), three (S3), and four or more complications (S4). A multi-state Markov model was constructed to estimate transition probability, transition intensity, mean sojourn time, and the possible factors for each state. Results: The study included 32653 type 2 diabetes patients (mean age, 59.59 years; 15929 (48.8%) male), and mean follow-up time of 7.75 years. In all, 4375 transitions were observed. The 12-year transition probability of from state S0 to S1 was the lowest at 16.4%, while that from S2 to S3 was the highest, at 45.6%. Higher fasting blood glucose, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, higher total cholesterol, and an unhealthy diet were associated with higher risk of progression from S0 to S1. Being female, less than 60 years old, weekly physical activity, and vegetarian diet decreased this risk. Being female and less than 60 years old reduced the likelihood of transition from S1 to S2, whereas lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased this likelihood. Conclusions: Following the occurrence of two complications in type 2 diabetes patients, the risk for accumulating a third complication within a short time is significantly increased. It is important to take advantage of the stable window period when patients have fewer than two complications, strengthen the monitoring of blood glucose and blood lipids, and encourage patients to maintain good living habits to prevent further deterioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dietary patterns play an important role in regulating serum uric acid levels in the body, but evidence for the association between different kinds of plant-based and animal-based dietary patterns and individual serum uric acid levels is scarce and inconsistent. Methods: We analyzed data from the sixth wave of the China Health and Nutrition Survey. The plant-based diet of 7,806 participants was determined using three consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls, and latent profile analysis was used to identify dietary patterns among participants. Serum uric acid levels were analyzed using the enzymatic colorimetric method. The association between intakes of different types of dietary pattern and individual serum uric acid levels was analyzed using linear regression analysis, after adjusting for confounding variables. Results: We identified three types of plant-based dietary patterns, namely, low tuber starches and vegetable plant-based diet (LTVP), high cereal, tuber starches and vegetable plant-based diet (HCTVP), and high legume and fruit plant-based diet (HLFP). We also identified three types of animal-based dietary patterns, namely, high milk and egg animal-based diet (HMiEA), low egg and fish animal-based diet, and high meat and fish animal-based diet (HMeFA). Significant coefficients for participant serum uric acid levels were observed for the HCTVP diet (β = −0.022, P = 0.031) and HMeFA diet (β = 0.061, P < 0.001). The median intake of foods in the HCTVP diet was as follows: cereals and cereal products, 444.83 g/d; tubers and starch products, 166.67 g/d; dried legumes and legume products, 8.33 g/d; vegetables and vegetable products, 333.33 g/d; and fruits and fruit products, 0 g/d. The median intake of foods in the HMeFA diet was as follows: meat and meat products, 73.33 g/d; poultry and poultry products, 0 g/d; milk and milk products, 0 g/d; eggs and egg products, 26.67 g/d; and fish, shellfish, and mollusks, 180.00 g/d. Conclusion: We showed that individual serum uric acid levels (1) might decrease under the plant-based HCTVP diet, (2) might increase under the animal-based HMeFA diet, (3) might not decrease under the plant-based HLFP diet, and (4) might not increase under the animal-based HMiEA diet. Further studies are needed to confirm these associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What did Western Christian missionaries eat in China and why, for the most part, was it not Chinese food? This study focuses on two groups of missionaries and their foodways - the Portuguese Jesuits (Catholics) based in Macau between the 16th and 17th centuries, and the British and American Protestants in Hong Kong and Shanghai in the 19th and early 20th centuries - and aims to reveal what they ate, what they refused to eat, and why. While examining ideological and cultural factors that modelled the diet of Christian missionaries, this study also analyzes Western ideas, perceptions, and phobias regarding Chinese food. While the Jesuits did have some religious concerns when approaching Chinese cuisine, they, for the most part, embraced it. The Protestants, on the other hand, who arrived much later and during the peak of Western domination in China, acted from a position of power and rejected local food on cultural and ideological grounds as inferior, unhygienic, and potentially poisonous. The early missionaries came to "sell" Christianity and were willing to negotiate their way with Chinese cuisine and culture, "christening" some aspects of them and adopting them as their own. In the age of imperialism, on the other hand, Christian missionaries intended to "civilize" the Chinese by imposing on them both their religious beliefs and their lifestyle, including their foodways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buddhist environmentalism in its varieties across the world is an integral part of the global environmental discourse centered on exploring new planetary ethics for sustainable futures. While recognizing the Buddhist role in global environmental movements, the author of this article proposes that the observable strength of Buddhist environmentalism is in local and global environmental advocacy grounded in the Buddhist ethics of interdependence, even as, canonically, Buddhism does not offer what is commonly recognized by scientists and scholars as traditional ecological knowledge or religious ecology. To substantiate this, this article offers a textual assessment of the Buddhist canon's lack of systematic ecological knowledge, and a case study of how freeing domestic animals and advocating vegetarianism among contemporary Tibetan Buddhists in China, inclusive of non-Tibetan converts, mainly benefits human wellbeing and at the same time is entangled in social affairs that have little to do with the ecological wellbeing of the Tibetan Plateau and urban China. This debate is by no means intended to negate the successes of Buddhist environmentalism; instead, it draws fine lines between the claimed canonic basis of Buddhist ecology, the strength of Buddhist environmental advocacy, the everyday practices of Buddhism, and the aspirations for strengthening the ecological foundation of Buddhist environmental activism. Thinking in line with eco-Buddhists, the author concludes the article by proposing an Earth Sutra, a hypothetical future canonic text as the ecological basis of Buddhist environmentalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Vegetarian documentary on Chinese social media sparked resistance despite a solid cultural foundation. • Ethical vegetarianism of the documentary conflicts with Chinese views of a balanced diet. • Vegetarian messages must align with local cultural norms. • Celebrity advocacy can appear elitist and ineffective. • Flexitarian approaches may better resonate for vegetarian promotion. The shift to a vegetarian diet has multiple benefits, including the promotion of public health, sustainability, and animal welfare. Despite these advantages, vegetarian food choices often provoke controversy, particularly on social media platforms. On International Vegetarian Day 2021, renowned Chinese actress Zhang Jingchu endorsed a documentary titled "Vegetarian" on Weibo, igniting widespread discussion among Chinese netizens. Considering China's deep cultural and practical roots in vegetarianism, the predominantly negative response to the documentary was surprising. This study employs frame analysis to dissect the portrayal of vegetarianism in the documentary, utilizing topic modeling based on Latent Dirichlet Allocation and sentiment analysis to examine over 26,000 related comments. Our findings indicate that the documentary predominantly utilizes health and ethical frames to represent vegetarianism, with a greater emphasis on ethical considerations. Topic modeling of the comments uncovered 14 topics that reflect netizens' dissatisfaction with various facets of the vegetarian advocacy presented in the documentary. Moreover, the comments reveal three primary strategies netizens use to justify meat consumption and alleviate cognitive dissonance: rationalization of meat eating, skepticism towards vegetarianism, and resistance to the advocacy message of "Vegetarian". The results imply that for vegetarian advocacy to be more effective, it should align with local everyday concerns, food culture, and the current stage of social development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: India is a second largest producer of vegetables after China. Fruits and vegetables are essential parts of our diets and vegetables recommended highest by ICMR. Therefore, the vegetables require extra emphasis to improve production and productivity of it to feed the second largest population in the world. Methods: Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd. (IFFCO) has introduced its nanotechnology-based products i.e., Nano-N, Nano-Zn and Nano-Cu for initial testing on 11 important vegetable crops grown during winter season in Gujarat with 5 treatment combinations. Result: We tested 5 treatment combinations among which treatment T5 i.e., 50% farmer fertilizer practices plus 1 spray of Nano-N, 1 spray of Nano-Zn and 1 spray of Nano-Cu give 5.34% higher return then all there treatments in all crops. Which conclude that application of nano-fertilizers through foliar spray significantly increase crop yield over control or without application of nano-fertilzer due to its higher Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE). So it was recommended to use farmers fertilizers practices (FFP) 50% N, 1 spray of Nano-N, 1 spray of Nano-Zn and 1 spray of Nano-Cu to get more economic yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The popularity of takeaway has caused health problems. To analyse the basic nutrients and composition of popular takeaway meals in Chengdu, China.Methods and Study Design: We randomly collected 105 takeaway meals from takeaway platforms. The quality of ingredients such as grains, vegetables, and meat were assessed and weighed. The samples were then homogenised, and the nutrients were detected following the AOAC Official Methods of Analysis.Results: Compared with Chinese and US dietary reference intakes, the average energy, protein, salt, fat, vitamin, and available carbohydrate contents exceeded dietary recommendations for one takeaway meal. By contrast, the whole grain, vegetable, fruit, dairy product, egg, mineral, and dietary fibre contents were insufficient. Food compositions and basic nutrients differed among takeaway meals prepared with various cooking methods and meats. Fried rice had the lowest nutritional value. The fried dish set meal had high energy density. The nutrient content of poultry takeaway meals was more balanced compared with other meals assessed, and salt and fat were excessive in mixed meat meals. In addition, meatless takeaway meals tended to have high fat content because of excess vegetable oil added for better taste.Conclusions: Takeaway meals should have lower contents of energy, fat, carbohydrate, and salt and higher contents of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and eggs. Attention should be paid to the high energy density of the fried dish set meal to prevent resultant health problems such as obesity. Consumers, takeaway outlets, and government agencies need to work together to address the health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the association of dietary patterns with gestational depression and sleep disturbance. Methods: Women in early pregnancy were recruited from the Chinese Pregnant Women Cohort Study (CPWCS) through July 25th, 2017 to November 26th, 2018, and eventually 7615 participants were included in this study. The qualitative food frequency questionnaire (Q‐FFQ), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to assess dietary, depression and sleep quality during pregnancy, respectively. Dietary patterns were derived by factor analysis. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of each outcome according to quartiles of each dietary pattern. Results: Five dietary patterns were identified. Participants with the highest quartile in plant‐based pattern had a significantly lower likelihood of mental problems (OR: 95% CI for depression: 0.66, 0.55–0.79; sleep disturbance: 0.80, 0.68–0.93); Similar results were observed in vitamin‐rich pattern (OR: 95% CI for depression: 0.46, 0.38–0.55; sleep disturbance: 0.76, 0.65–0.89); However, contrary results were found in high‐fat pattern (OR: 95% CI for depression: 2.15, 1.25–1.85; sleep disturbance: 1.43, 1.22–1.67); In animal protein‐rich pattern, participants with the highest quartile had a decreased likelihood of depression (OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.67–0.96). As for bean products pattern, participants with the highest quartile had an increased risk of depression (OR: 1.28, 95% CI:1.06–1.53). Interactions of dietary patterns and lifestyles on mental disorders were observed. Conclusion: Dietary patterns were associated with gestational depression and sleep disturbance. Relevant departments and maternal and child health personnel should conduct health education for pregnant women and guide them to eat properly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between selenium (Se) and insulin resistance remains unclear. We aim to explore the association between toenail Se levels and insulin resistance through a cross-sectional study comprising Chinese vegetarians and matched omnivores. Methods: In this study, we enrolled 220 vegetarians and 220 omnivores matched by age and sex from Shanghai. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method was used to measure toenail Se levels. Dietary Se intakes were assessed by the 24-h dietary recall method. Blood samples were collected to measure fasting blood glucose level and fasting insulin concentrations. Insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and insulin secretion index (HOMA-B) were calculated to evaluate insulin resistance. Multi-linear regression analysis was performed to determine the association between toenail Se levels and insulin resistance, after adjusting for confounders. Results: The mean ages of vegetarians (76 vegans, 144 lacto-ovo-vegetarians) and omnivores were 35.96 ± 8.73 years and 35.23 ± 8.93 years, respectively. Of these, 180 (81.8%) were female and 40 (18.2%) were male. No association was found between toenail Se levels and insulin resistance in vegetarians. However, the concentration of Se in toenails was positively correlated with fasting insulin levels (β = 1.030, 95%CI: 0.393 to 1.667) and HOMA-IR (β = 0.245, 95%CI: 0.098 to 0.392) in omnivores, after multivariate adjustment for age, sex, BMI, alcohol consumption, income, and daily dietary intakes (energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and fiber). This positive relationship persisted only in omnivores whose dietary Se intake was above 60 μg/d. Conclusions: Higher toenail Se levels were associated with increased insulin resistance risk in Chinese omnivores whose dietary Se intake was above 60 μg/d, but not in vegetarians. These findings create awareness on the association of dietary Se intake above 60 μg/d with the risk of insulin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) are typical components of various plant-sourced and animal-sourced foods. However, the associations of MUFA consumption from different sources with mortality remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between MUFA intakes from plant and animal sources and mortality. Methods: A total of 14,305 participants from China Health and Nutrition Survey were prospectively followed up for 14 years. Dietary intake of MUFAs was assessed by 3-day 24-h dietary records in each round. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 1006 deaths occurred during 199,091 person-years of follow-up. Intake of total MUFAs was not associated with mortality (P-trend = 0.17). The plant-sourced MUFA intake was strongly associated with lower mortality [HRQ4vsQ1 (95% CI) 0.72 (0.58–0.89); P-trend = 0.008], whereas animal-sourced MUFA intake showed no significant association. Likewise, oleic acid (OA) and palmitoleic acid (PA) intakes from plant sources were also inversely associated with mortality [HRQ4vsQ1 (95% CI) 0.66 (0.52–0.84) for OA and 0.73 (0.59–0.91) for PA], while animal-sourced OA and PA were not related to mortality. Theoretically replacing saturated fatty acids (SFAs) (5% of total energy) with isocaloric plant-sourced MUFAs was associated with 15% (95% CI 5–25%) lower mortality. In addition, 18% (95% CI 10–26%) lower mortality was observed when theoretically replacing the sum of SFAs and animal-sourced MUFAs with isocaloric plant-sourced MUFAs. Conclusions: Intakes of MUFAs, including OA and PA, from plant but not animal sources were associated with lower total mortality. These findings suggested the importance of consuming MUFAs from plant-based foods for overall health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Previous literature has consistently shown a positive association between negative self-perception of aging and mortality in middle-aged and older adults. However, two questions remain unsolved: (a) whether such association holds among very old people (i.e., the fourth age) and (b) the potential mediators that could contribute to the positive association. This study sought to fill in the research gap by examining the association between self-perception of aging and mortality in a group of very old Chinese participants (i.e., aged over 78 years). Methods Four waves of data across a span of 8 years (2000–2008) were obtained from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, which measured a total of 9,683 participants' negative self-perception of aging, survival status, cognitive functioning, diet, as well as other demographic information. Results Latent growth models with survival analysis were conducted, and the results replicated previous findings indicating an association between negative self-perceptions of aging and reduced survival. Moreover and more importantly, a potential mediator—healthy lifestyle (e.g., eating fresh vegetables and fruits, exercising regularly, and no smoking)—was identified, such that older adults with more negative self-perception of aging tended to engage in less healthy lifestyle, which could lead to increased risk of mortality. Discussion The findings provided support for a longitudinal behavioral pathway of health, linking negative perceptions of aging to mortality, and also yielded important practical implications for older adults to reach longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equivalent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) by Mahayana Buddhists with vegetarian diets is quantitatively evaluated. The Buddhists in seven Mahayana-dominated countries or regions, i.e., China, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, are studied. Assessments of the vegetarian population among these Mahayana-dominated countries or regions are performed. Correlation formulas based on data from a national survey are developed to quantify the GHGEs of various dietary groups by using the meat consumption as the only required input. To demonstrate its reliability, the prediction from the formulas developed is first compared with the results of a food production-and-consumption study using a different approach. Then, the formulas are used to assess the GHGE reduction due to Mahayana Buddhists with vegetarian diets. The assessment indicates that Mahayana Buddhists with vegetarian diets account for the equivalent GHGE reduction of 48.83 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is a huge amount and is equal to 11.3 or 8.9% of the GHGEs from France or the UK in 2012, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Substantial outbreaks of scrub typhus, coupled with the discovery of this vector-borne disease in new areas, suggest that the disease remains remarkably neglected. The objectives of this study were to map the contemporary and potential transmission risk zones of the disease and to provide novel insights into the health burden imposed by scrub typhus in southern China. Methods Based on the assembled data sets of annual scrub typhus cases and maps of environmental and socioeconomic correlates, a boosted regression tree modeling procedure was used to identify the environmental niche of scrub typhus and to predict the potential infection zones of the disease. Additionally, we estimated the population living in the potential scrub typhus infection areas in southern China. Results Spatiotemporal patterns of the annual scrub typhus cases in southern China between 2007 and 2017 reveal a tremendous, wide spread of scrub typhus. Temperature, relative humidity, elevation, and the normalized difference vegetation index are the main factors that influence the spread of scrub typhus. In southern China, the predicted highest transmission risk areas of scrub typhus are mainly concentrated in several regions, such as Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, and Fujian. We estimated that 162 684 million people inhabit the potential infection risk zones in southern China. Conclusions Our results provide a better understanding of the environmental and socioeconomic factors driving scrub typhus spread, and estimate the potential infection risk zones beyond the disease's current, limited geographical extent, which enhances our capacity to target biosurveillance and help public health authorities develop disease control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of Buddhist vegetarianism views on the equivalent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE s) is evaluated. The vegetarianism views from three major Buddhist schools in China are first presented, since different views on vegetarianism can dictate the assessment of the equivalent of GHGE reduction. The populations of Chinese Buddhists in these three Buddhist schools are then estimated. A correlation formula is used to evaluate the equivalent GHGE reductions attributed to the vegan and vegetarian populations in the Chinese Buddhists from 2017 to 2027. The reduction results enable us to conclude that Chinese Buddhists with vegan or vegetarian diets account for the equivalent GHGE reduction of 54.560 MtCO2e in 2017 and 60.927 MtCO2e in 2027 with an average annual growth rate of 1.11 %. The reductions of 54.560 and 60.927 MtCO2e equal to 11.66 % and 13.02 % of the total GHGE s from the United Kingdom in 2016, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The association between a vegetarian diet and bone mineral density (BMD) remains unclear, particularly in young adults. This study was designed to compare the bone health status of young vegetarians and omnivores in Shanghai, China.Methods and Study Design: A total of 246 vegetarians (following a vegan or lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet for at least 1 year) and 246 age- and sex-matched omnivores were recruited among young adult residents of Shanghai, China. The ultrasound bone mineral density analyser CM-200 was employed to measure calcaneus mineral densities, and blood samples were collected to determine serum 25- hydroxyvitamin D status. Intakes of protein, calcium and vitamin D were assessed by the 24-hour dietary recall method.Results: The average age of the vegetarians was 32.7±6.5 years, 83.3% of whom were female; 71.3% of the participants had been vegetarians for no more than 5 years. After adjusting for some potential cofounding factors, the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration of vegans (15.0±13.4 μg/L) was significantly lower than that of omnivores (17.6±8.8 μg/L, p<0.05). The protein, calcium and vitamin D intakes of vegetarians were all lower than those of omnivores (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in calcaneus mineral density between vegetarians and omnivores or between vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians.Conclusions: Serum 25- hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in vegans, but not in lacto-ovo vegetarians, were slightly lower than those in omnivores. However, short-term vegetarian diets did not result in adverse effects on bone mineral density in young Chinese adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vegetarianism is linked with better physical health, but also to increased anxiety and depression. The aim of the present study is to examine the relationship between vegetarianism and both positive and negative mental health, across cultures and over time.Method: Self-report questionnaire data were obtained from a large-scale multi-national cross-sectional sample including 2007 representative adult members of the German population, 3020 representative adults from Russia, and 3038 representative adults from the USA. Participants for the longitudinal analyses include university students from Germany (1608) and China (12,744). Statistical models included multiple linear regression, longitudinal linear models and longitudinal logistic models.Results: Vegetarianism diet is not reliably related to positive or negative mental health in US and Russian representative samples or in German representative or student samples. Vegetarianism is related to slight increases over time in anxiety and depression in Chinese students.Conclusions: Vegetarianism is not associated with mental health in the US, Russia, or Germany, but is associated with anxiety and depression in China in this study. Future studies should examine the nuances of vegetarianism in more detail and their links with mental health, including dietary composition and cultural beliefs and economic circumstances. Future researchers in this area may also want to consider the effects of experimental manipulation of diet on mental health outcomes over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A vegetarian diet may be a risk factor for depression, but this relationship was unclear in the elderly Chinese population.Methods: Self-report data were gathered from 1051 elderly persons using the Cohort of Elderly Health and Environment Controllable Factors, which was created in West Anhui, China. The depressive symptoms were set as binary, ordinal, and continuous outcomes, respectively, whereas the dietary structures were computed as an ordinal variable and a dummy variable. Multiple logistic regression, ordinal regression, and linear regression were used to assess the relationship by adjusting the potential confounding variables with p-values of <0.1 in univariate analysis.Results: The elderly participants who had a vegetable-based diet had the highest GDS scores of 8.78 ± 6.894 (p = 0.001) and the highest rate of depression (32.9%, p = 0.003). After adjustment for the potential confounders, elderly men who had a vegetable-based diet had a higher rate of depression (OR[95%CI]: 1.62[1.07-2.46], 4.71[1.38-16.03]), more severe symptoms of depression (OR[95%CI]: 8.85[2.94-34.12]), and higher GDS scores (β[95%CI]: 1.46[0.70-2.22], 2.97[1.28-4.67]) than male participants who had a meat-based diet, but this was not the case in women.Limitations: All data were self-reported. The study lacked quantitatively evaluated dietary intake. The duration of the current dietary structures and comorbidities were not reported. The cross-sectional study made the causal role uncertain.Conclusions: Vegetarian diets may pose a greater risk of depressive symptoms among the elderly Chinese population, especially elderly men. Given the cross-sectional nature of this study, the causal role was uncertain. Further prospective studies, in particular among elderly women, are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Meat substitute experience strongly predicts meat reduction intentions in China and US. • Meat substitute experience strongly predicts meat reduction policy support in China and US. • Factual information can increase meat reduction intentions and respective policy support. • Meat substitute experience can potentially boost the positive effect of information. • Strategic policy sequencing can increase support and create positive political feedback. The food system causes more than a third of the global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, of which half are from livestock. Shifting towards plant-based diets could significantly reduce deforestation, protect biodiversity, and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris climate targets. Arguably, large-scale shifts in meat consumption require ambitious policy change. Yet, deep-rooted eating habits, pleasure, cultural status, and personal freedom are just a few of many obstacles to adopt ambitious demand-side policies and reduce meat consumption. Here, we hypothesize that technological innovation in meat substitutes, if effectively combined with social norm and factual informational triggers for behavioral changes, can foster positive political feedback to transform the food system. To test our hypothesis, we conducted survey experiments with citizens (N = 2590) in China and the US – the globally largest meat markets – and analyzed data using different machine learning methods. Our findings show that personal experience with novel plant-based meat substitutes strongly predicts individuals' intentions to reduce their meat consumption, eat more substitutes, and support public policies to catalyze a transition to more plant-based diets. We also find that in both countries factual and social norm information about the benefits of more plant-based diets can increase citizens' behavioral change intentions and support for meat reduction policies. Overall, however, social norm information had no significant additional effects on the outcomes compared to the simple factual information treatments. In the US, prior experience with innovative meat substitutes potentially can boost the positive effects of informational campaigns on public support for meat reduction policies. The results offer promising implications for a policy sequencing strategy to create positive political feedback and enable socio-technical tipping dynamics for sustainable food system transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: The aims of this study were to investigate the regional differences in seroepidemiology of toxoplasmosis in preconception period among Chinese women of reproductive age and to evaluate associated risk factors. Methods: This national, population‐based, cross‐sectional serosurvey covered all 31 provinces and province‐level municipalities in Mainland China. Married women intending to get pregnant within 6 months between 2010 and 2012 were recruited. Information on demographic characteristics (age, place of residence, occupation, dietary habits and exposure to cat) was obtained using interviews, and venous blood samples were collected to screen for Toxoplasma gondii infection. Results: Of 2 008 561 women recruited to the study, 45 405 (2.3%) were Toxoplasma gondii IgG positive, and 6884 (0.3%) were IgM positive. Geographical variation for seropositivity ranged from 0.2% in Heilongjiang to 11.2% in Tianjing for IgG and from 0% in Tibet to 0.9% in Anhui for IgM. Advanced maternal age, occupation of a farmer, vegetarian diet and exposure to cat was significantly associated with Toxoplasma gondii IgM seropositivity, and its association with occupation of farmer and exposure to cat was significant after adjusting for province of residence (P < 0.05). Conclusion: There were significant regional variations in Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and associated risk factors among Chinese women of reproductive age during preconception period. This calls for a targeted primary prevention strategy. Screening and treatment before conception and preconception health education may have potential for reducing congenital Toxoplasmosis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores five leading factors influencing Chinese Buddhists to observe vegetarian diets. The first one is the influence from the precepts and teachings of the important Mahayana sutras on vegetarianism. The second factor is the influence of Chinese imperial authority, leading political figures who promoted Buddhism to popularize vegetarianism. The third and fourth factors are the influences of Chinese indigenous religions, which consider the contributions of Confucianism and Taoism, respectively, to the vegetarianization of Chinese Buddhists. The final one explores the sociocultural influence, including societal norms or other aspects of one’s lived environment, which can smooth the path to vegetarian eating. We then conduct an assessment to gauge the influence of each factor. By studying and comparing the gauging data, we discover that the second factor, the advocacy of the imperial authority, is the most influential factor for the vegetarianization of ordained Chinese Buddhists. Although the influence levels of Buddhist sutras and Taoism are not as strong as that of the imperial authority, their influences are higher than that of Confucianism and sociocultural influence. Finally, we present a closing remark on future efforts to promote vegetarianism worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diet plays an important role in the development of hyperuricemia (HUA), but evidence for association between overall dietary patterns and HUA is scarce and inconsistent. The present study aims to explore association of dietary patterns and HUA among the Yi ethnic group of China. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving people aged more than 18 years. Principal component factor analysis (PCFA) on food groups from a semi-quantitative 52-item food frequency questionnaire was applied to identify dietary patterns. HUA status was regressed on tertiles of factor scores to estimate prevalence ratio (PR) by using log-binomial model. Results: Of the 1,893 participants (18-96 years), 398 (21.0%) were diagnosed with HUA. Three dietary patterns were identified: 'plant-based', 'animal products', and 'mixed food'. The 'animal products' was characterized by high intake of fish, animal giblets, fresh meat, and wheat products. After adjustment for potential confounders, the highest tertile of 'animal products' pattern score was associated with higher prevalence of HUA when compared with the lowest tertile (PR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.06-1.70). The other two patterns were not related to HUA. Conclusions: 'Animal products' dietary pattern was correlated with HUA among the Yi ethnic group of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The main purpose of this study was to explore the associations between frequency of vegetables intake and osteoporosis (OP) in Chinese postmenopausal women.Methods: We conducted a large-scale, community-based, cross-sectional study to investigate the associations by using self-report questionnaire to access frequency of vegetables intake. The total of 1903 participants was available to data analysis in this study. Multiple regression models to include frequency of vegetables variable were performed to investigate the relationships for OP, after controlling for confounding factors.Results: Multiple regression analysis indicated that the frequency of vegetables intake was independently and significantly associated with OP (P < 0.1 for model 1 and model 2). The postmenopausal women with high frequency of vegetables intake had a higher prevalence of OP.Conclusion: The findings indicated that frequency of vegetables intake was independently and significantly associated with OP. The prevalence of OP was more frequent in Chinese postmenopausal women preferring vegetables food habits.Trial Registration: (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02451397 ; date of registration: 2015-05-28). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The aim of this study was to investigate whether a vegetarian diet correlates with a potential reduced risk of uterine fibroids. Material and Methods We used data from a case-control study conducted in Southeast University Zhongda Hospital between February 2010 and December 2014. Cases included 600 Chinese Han women with uterine fibroids (case group) whose clinical diagnosis dated back no more than 1 year. Controls were 600 patients without uterine fibroids as well as healthy volunteers (control group). All of the information gathered through the questionnaire survey was analyzed for the risk factors of the uterine fibroids pathogenesis. Results The multifactor analysis showed that women with uterine fibroids reported a less frequent consumption of broccoli (odds ratio [OR]: 0.552; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.316-0.964), cabbage (OR: 0.446; 95%CI: 0.211-0.943), Chinese cabbage (OR: 0.311; 95%CI: 0.102-0.946), tomato (OR: 0.453; 95%CI: 0.241-0.853), and apple (OR: 0.416; 95%CI: 0.213-0.814) ( P < 0.05). Conclusion The original evidence from this epidemiological investigation shows that a high consumption of broccoli, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, tomato and apple seems to be a protective factor for uterine fibroids. We suggest that greater intake of fresh fruits and cruciferous vegetables may be able to reduce the incidence of uterine fibroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the role of human behavior for bringing about dietary changes. Topics include switching over to a vegetarian diet, high proportion of vegetarians in Germany and high consumption of pork in China, and use of interactive learning as well as progressive campaigns for promoting a vegetarian diet.

Encouraging greater consumption of vegetarian foods could be a strategy to improve plant-based food intake among non-vegetarians. Prior research on vegetarianism has focused mostly on people's motivations to be a vegetarian. However, the factors that motivate non-vegetarians to consume vegetarian meals remain largely unknown. The current research tested associations between attitudes, self-identity, and vegetarian meal consumption among 746 U.S. college students and 484 Chinese college students. Two types of attitudes were assessed: attitudes towards vegetarian food (ATF), which represents the personal benefits (including healthiness, tastiness, and enjoyableness) and attitudes towards people who are vegetarians (ATP), which represents the social benefits (perceived as being environmentally friendly, nice, and good-looking). Results showed that U.S. college students were more likely to be either vegetarians or non-vegetarians, while more Chinese college students tended to report being semi-vegetarians. In both samples, ATF and ATP were positively associated with self-identity and vegetarian meal consumption. Moderation analyses suggested that associations between attitudes and consumption were significant only among people who do not hold a definite self-identity as a vegetarian. In addition, ATP was significantly associated with vegetarian meal consumption among U.S. non- and semi-vegetarians alike, but among Chinese non-vegetarians only. These findings suggest that self-identity and cross-cultural differences are important to consider in promoting consumption of vegetarian meals through improving the public's attitudes towards vegetarian food and vegetarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the threat posed by food culture and agricultural policies in the U.S. on food security among the poor, farmers, and indigenous peoples in the world. Particular focus is given to the problems arising from U.S. food exporting to China and India. It examines how the obesity epidemic in the U.S., which is said to be a result of its food culture and industrial agriculture model, is also being exported to the rest of the world. It notes that vegetarianism has direct impact on global warming and food security.

The article discusses the struggle of women in determining what diet best supports overall health for themselves and their families. Topics discussed include whether a switch to a vegetarian diet is the healthiest choice, the health benefits of a vegetarian diet including the lower rate of death from cardiosvacular disease and incidence of cancer and the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics favoring vegetarian diets as healthful.