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Although edible insects (EI) have been consumed for ages in many countries around the world, in most European countries, this is not a traditional practice. Still, it has been encouraged as a sustainable source of animal protein besides other nutrients. The Food and Agricultural Organization and the United Nations, recommend consuming EI as a way to contribute to the sustainable development goals. Hence, this research investigated how participants from Portugal and Romania perceive EI, and how these can be useful as a source of nutrients and other benefits for human health, as well as possible risks. For that, it was undertaken a questionnaire survey, with data collected online in the two countries. For the analysis of data, basis statistics and chi-square tests were used. Results showed significant differences between Portuguese and Romanian participants in six out of ten questions, namely regarding safety (p < 0.001), use in traditional medicine (p < 0.001), possible infection with parasites (p = 0.021), of pesticides (p = 0.031), their usage as therapeutics (p = 0.001) and being potential sources of allergens (p < 0.001) and aflatoxins (p < 0.001). Also, differences were tested for other sociodemographic variables. The results showed significant differences according to age for only three questions, gender for only two questions, and Education for most of the questions, i.e., six out of the ten. These results highlighted the greater influence of variables like country of origin and education in the perception of the effects of EI in human health.

Aim: Most pregnant women can achieve their caloric and nutritional needs by careful food choices during pregnancy, but there are fairly common situations when pregnant women develop anaemia, which needs to be managed properly to avoid maternal-foetal complications. The main objective of the study was to identify the nutritional factors favoring the occurrence of iron deficiency anaemia in pregnant women.

Copyright of Romanian Journal of Nutrition is the property of MEDICHUB MEDIA, S.R.L. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Romanian Journal of Nutrition is the property of MEDICHUB MEDIA, S.R.L. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The adequate intake of dietary fibers is essential to human health. Hence, this study intended to evaluate the level knowledge of about food fibers and investigate what factors might be associated with it. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample composed of 6,010 participants from ten different countries. The survey was based on a questionnaire of self-response, approved and complying with all ethical issues. The data collected were subjected to the factor analysis (FA) and the cluster analysis (CA). Validation was done by splitting the data set into two equal parts for confirmation of the results. FA concluded that ten from the 12 variables used to measure the knowledge about dietary fibre (DF) should be grouped into two dimensions or factors: one linked to health effects of DF (α = 0.854) and the other to its sources (α = 0.644). CA showed that the participants could be divided into three groups: Cluster 1 – good knowledge both about sources and health effects of DF; Cluster 2 – good knowledge about the sources of DF but poor knowledge about its health effects; Cluster 3 – poor knowledge both about sources and health effects of DF. The data were appropriate for the analysis by means of factor and CA, so that two factors and three clusters were clearly identified. Moreover, the cluster membership was found varying mostly according to the country, living environment, and level of education but not according to age or gender.

Background. Alongside food, dietary supplements are the most consumed products. Their safety involves the res)ponsible application of the seven principles of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) system and the applicable legislative regulations. Food intolerances and allergies, including anaphylactic reactions, represent the main categories of possible adverse events or reactions caused by food or food supplements. In addition to these, other adverse reactions or drug interactions may occur and require unplanned hospitalization, leading to increased costs for the healthcare system in any country. These cases of adverse reactions or changes in drug clearance can be avoided through population education programs and by applying nutrivigilance in the research-development stage of food and food supplements, based on HACCP principles. Method and results. In this review, the method of applying nutrivigilance in the research stage – development of food and food supplements – is presented. This study emphasizes the importance of their multidisciplinary approach, simultaneously with the monitoring of nutrivigilance in the post-sale stage of food and food supplements, or in the stage of experimental research in vivo/in vitro or clinical trials, in the case of foods for special nutritional states. Challenges and prospects were assessed. Conclusions. Nutrivigilance is the relationship between diet, disease and drug treatments prescribed by health professionals, that contribute to improving consumer behavior. It's a new tool to be taken into account by the Romanian health system, along with interdisciplinary medical interventions for the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Totaling about 60% of all causes of death, chronic illnesses are the main cause of global mortality. Unhealthy behaviors, such as unbalanced eating or insufficient physical activity, can trigger metabolic changes, manifested by hypertension, high blood sugar, hyperlipidemia, obesity. These changes are grouped into the category of metabolic risk factors. Over time, these factors can cause cardiovascular diseases associated with a high mortality rate.

Copyright of Romanian Journal of Nutrition is the property of MEDICHUB MEDIA, S.R.L. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Adopting a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet, weight control, regular exercise, smoking cessation, and alcohol limitation, plays an important role in treating high blood pressure and cardiovascular and chronic diseases.

We present a case of “gloves and socks” syndrome associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in a 6-year-old child hospitalized for febrile syndrome associated with monomorphic purpuric papular eruption localized on the distal part of extremities, in a “gloves and socks” pattern. Clinical diagnosis was confirmed by positivity of specific IgM against Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Favorable outcome was obtained by administration of oral clarithromycin.

Exposure to smoking during pregnancy is known to be one of the main modifiable risk factors, which threatens maternal and child health. Along with this factor, are not to be neglected also other risk factors belonging to lifestyle sphere, such as alcohol, sedentary, irregular daily meal serving plan, lack of knowledge.

Copyright of Dietetician.ro is the property of MEDICHUB MEDIA, S.R.L. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Dietetician.ro is the property of MEDICHUB MEDIA, S.R.L. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Dietetician.ro is the property of MEDICHUB MEDIA, S.R.L. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to investigate the level of knowledge about edible insects (EIs) in a sample of people from thirteen countries (Croatia, Greece, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey). Data collection was based on a questionnaire survey applied through online tools between July and November 2021. For data analysis, techniques such as factor analysis, cluster analysis, and chi-square tests were used, with a significance level of 5%. A total of 27 items were used to measure knowledge on a five-point Likert scale. Applying factor analysis with principal components and Varimax rotation, a solution that explains about 55% of variance was obtained. This accounts for four factors that retained 22 of the 27 initial items: F1 = Sustainability (8 items), F2 = Nutrition (8 items), F3 = Production Factors (2 items), and F4 = Health Concerns (4 items). Internal consistency was evaluated through Cronbach's alpha. The cluster analysis consisted of the application of hierarchical methods followed by k-means and produced three clusters (1—'fearful', 2—'farming,' and 3—'ecological' individuals). The characterisation of the clusters revealed that age did not influence cluster membership, while sex, education, country, living environment, professional area, and income all influenced the composition of the clusters. While participants from Mexico and Spain were fewer in the 'fearful' cluster, in those from Greece, Latvia, Lebanon, and Turkey, the situation was opposed. Participants from rural areas were mostly in cluster 2, which also included a higher percentage of participants with lower income. Participants from professional areas linked with biology, food, and nutrition were mostly in cluster 3. In this way, we concluded that the level of knowledge about EIs is highly variable according to the individual characteristics, namely that the social and cultural influences of the different countries lead to distinct levels of knowledge and interpretation of information, thus producing divergent approaches to the consumption of insects—some more reluctant and measuring possible risks. In contrast, others consider EIs a good and sustainable protein-food alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The processing of silk threads secreted by the silkworm Bombyx mori leads to large amounts of sericin as textile waste. Its biochemical and medical properties open a new perspective for its use in the food industry and its authorization as a new food ingredient in the European Union, by the European Commission and the European Food Safety Authority. (2) Methods: Experimental and physico–chemical analyzes were carried out to obtain a sustainable prebiotic dessert with low energy value, containing Sericin produced by Bombyx Mori, which does not contain sugar and can be consumed both by people who want a healthy diet and people who need food for special nutritional conditions, such as diabetes, dysphagia or inflammatory diseases. (3) Results: The sustainable jelly was made from depectinized apple juice, pectin, sericin, lactoferrin, stevia and pectin. This dessert is natural and can be certified organic and HALAL. (4) Conclusions: Sericin can be used in the manufacture of a very wide range of foods. Being a glycoprotein, it can also be used to obtain jelling foods with low energy value, including foods for patients with dysphagia. This represents an important sustainable resource of essential amino acids for the normal homeostasis of the human body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the relationship between the maternal body mass index (BMI) and total gestational weight gain (GWG) with the characteristics of newborns, taking into consideration the birth weight (BW), weight for age score (WfA), length for age (LfA), and weight for length (WfL), APGAR score, and premature delivery. We conducted a study, from March 2015 to 2016. We included a number of 1218 pregnant women who delivered single babies, from three different hospitals that serve the entire Mures County and who met our inclusion criteria. We did not find significant differences regarding weight, length at birth, and gestational age, between girls and boys, neither between total GWG during pregnancy and the measured anthropometric parameters of the newborns, or between maternal GWG and gestational age of the newborns. We found a positive correlation between the mothers' BMI and the BW of the newborns (p =.03, r = 0.06, 95% CI = 0.0036–0.1169), but not between BMI and the birth length and nor with APGAR score. The statistical analysis showed a positive correlation between BMI and LfA (p =.01, r = 0.07, 95%CI = 0.0141–0.1269), but not with WfA and WfL. Women with higher BMI before getting pregnant showed significantly higher frequency of preterm delivery (p =.0078). We found a statistically significant correlation between GWG and BW (p<.0001). Excessive GWG correlates statistically significant with BW (p <.0001). We found a positive correlation between the mothers' BMI and excessive GWG and the BW of their newborns in women delivering a single baby. Women with higher BMI showed significantly higher frequency of preterm delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]