Food addiction (FA) is an important contributor to obesity. Alterations in gut microbiota (GM) diversity and composition have also been proposed to play a pivotal role in obesity pathogenesis. This...

This participant-blinded parallel-group randomized placebo-controlled study demonstrated that alfacalcidol (vitamin D analogue) preserves beta cell function in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes (T1DM) in children. Subjects from outpatient clinic were randomized to intervention and control groups. Inclusion: (1) age 8-15, (2) T1DM, (3) duration <8 weeks, (4) no chronic diseases, (5) stable diet. Exclusion: (1) vitamin D, calcium supplements or fortified foods, (2) hypercalcemia. Intervention group received alfacalcidol 0.25 μg twice daily, while control group received placebo. Insulin given physician-titrated to blood glucose. Safety monitored by serum calcium and phosphate. Beta cell function assessed at 0, 3, 6 months using fasting C-peptide (FCP) and daily insulin dosage per body weight (DID). Primary outcome measured using multivariate repeated measures GLM-ANOVA, with FCP and DID as primary measures and age, gender, sunlight exposure, 25-hydroxy vitamin D, and HbA1c as covariates. Of 61 subjects, 7 dropped out. GLM-ANOVA showed that groups were different (p=0.019, Eta-squared=0.087), with no significant covariates. FCP was higher and DID lower in the intervention group, with males having stronger responses to alfacalcidol (p=0.001). No adverse effects were observed. The study confirmed that alfacalcidol can safely preserve beta cell function in newly diagnosed T1DM in children, with a stronger effect in males. IRCT201205159753N1.

The rising incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major public health problem. The inflammatory potential of diet contributes to the development of MetS. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between empirical dietary inflammatory pattern (EDIP) and risk of MetS among the Tehranian population. Our hypothesis was that high EDIP would increase the risk of MetS and its components. In this prospective study, 2216 adults were selected from among the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study participants. The usual dietary intakes were estimated using a valid and reliable food frequency questionnaire. Biochemical and anthropometric measurements were assessed at baseline and over 6.2 years of follow up. MetS components were defined according to the modified national Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. The inflammatory potential of diet was calculated using EDIP score; more positive scores means higher pro-inflammatory diet. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to estimate the occurrence of MetS and its components across quartiles of EDIP score. Mean ± SD for EDIP score was 0.61 ± 0.40 (range − 2.3 to 6.9). Participants with the highest EDIP scores, had a higher risk of MetS incidence compared to those with the lowest score (OR: 1.75, 95% CI 1.21–2.54, Ptrend = 0.003). Among the MetS components, hyperglycemia, abdominal obesity, and low HDL-C had a significant positive association with EDIP score; (OR: 1.46, 95% CI 1.03–2.08, Ptrend = 0.026), (OR: 1.43, 95% CI 1.03–1.97, Ptrend = 0.046), and (OR: 1.57, 95% CI 1.34–2.19, Ptrend = 0.015), respectively. No significant association was found between EDIP score, hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia. Our finding indicated that higher intake of the pro-inflammatory diet may be an independent risk factor for the development of MetS, hyperglycemia, low HDL-C and abdominal obesity in Tehranian adults.

Background: In this study, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was assessed in a group of children and adolescent patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Methods: Fifty-three patients with age 8–18 years and duration of T1DM less than 8 weeks were recruited. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess dietary vitamin D and calcium intake. Sunshine exposure was measured using a questionnaire to quantify the amount of time children spent in the sun and other sun-related habits, and a sun index score was generated. Serum 25(OH)D < 20 ng/ml was considered as vitamin D deficiency. Logistic regression was used to assess predictors of vitamin D deficiency. Results: All patients were vitamin D deficient (77%) or insufficient (23%). In a logistic regression model, it was shown that the risk of being vitamin D deficient was significantly decreased by sunlight exposure ≥ 15 minutes during the weekends versus < 15 minutes (OR: 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01–0.75; P=0.029). In addition, vitamin D deficiency in boys was lower than girls in this model (OR: 0.164 [95% CI: 0.02–1.11]; P = 0.063). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among children and adolescents with T1DM in Iran. Boys and children with ≥ 15 minutes sunlight exposure in weekends were less likely to be vitamin D deficient than girls and those with < 15 minutes sunlight exposure.

The current study aimed to evaluate the interaction of the dietary diversity score (DDS) and FTO polymorphisms concerning obesity phenotypes. The 4480 subjects of this cohort study were selected. The polymorphisms rs1121980, rs14211085 and rs8050136 were selected and genotyped. The weighted method was used to calculate the genetic risk score (GRS). Obesity marker changes were calculated. Those with minor allele carriers of rs1121980 had lower body mass index changes (Q1: 1.58 ± 0.60 vs. Q4: 0.13 ± 0.59) and visceral adiposity index (VAI) (Q1: −0.00 ± 0.02 vs. Q4: −0.04 ± 0.02) when they had higher DDS (P interaction = 0.05). Carriers of the minor allele of rs8050136 had significant VAI change across DDS quartiles (Q1: −0.01 ± 0.02 vs. Q4: −0.02 ± 0.02, P interaction = 0.05). No significant interaction was found between the GRS and DDS on general obesity. The pattern of dietary diversity may have a mediatory role in improving obesity markers in subjects with a more genetic predisposition to adiposity.