Introduction: Low birth weight (LBW, birth weight less than 2500 g) is associated with infant mortality and childhood morbidity. Poor maternal nutritional status is one of several contributing factors to LBW. We systematically reviewed the evidence for nutrition-specific (addressing the immediate determinants of nutrition) and nutrition-sensitive (addressing the underlying cause of undernutrition) interventions to reduce the risk of LBW and/or its components: preterm birth (PTB) and small-for-gestational age (SGA). Methods: We conducted a comprehensive literature search in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (September 2015). Systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials focusing on nutritional interventions before and during pregnancy to reduce LBW and its components were eligible for inclusion into the overview review. We assessed the methodological quality of the included reviews using A Measurement Tool to Assess Reviews (AMSTAR), PROSPERO: CRD42015024814. Results: We included 23 systematic reviews which comprised 34 comparisons. Sixteen reviews were of high methodological quality, six of moderate and only one review of low quality. Six interventions were associated with a decreased risk of LBW: oral supplementation with (1) vitamin A, (2) low-dose calcium, (3) zinc, (4) multiple micronutrients (MMN), nutritional education and provision of preventive antimalarials. MMN and balanced protein/energy supplementation had a positive effect on SGA, while high protein supplementation increased the risk of SGA. High-dose calcium, zinc or long-chain n-3 fatty acid supplementation and nutritional education decreased the risk of PTB. Conclusion: Improving women’s nutritional status positively affected LBW, SGA and PTB. Based on current evidence, especially MMN supplementation and preventive antimalarial drugs during pregnancy may be considered for policy and practice. However, for most interventions evidence was derived from a small number of trials and/or participants. There is a need to further explore the evidence of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions in order to reach the WHO’s goal of a 30% reduction in the global rate of LBW by 2025.

Bonding is crucial to perinatal mental health. Despite an extensive body of literature on maternal bonding, few studies have focused on paternal bonding. This scoping review aimed to clarify the current state of the concept of paternal–infant/fetus bonding. The eligibility criteria were drawn from the population concept and context elements to answer the following questions: “what is paternal bonding?” and “what are the constructs of the concept of paternal bonding?” The review comprised 39 studies. Paternal bonding was associated with both positive and negative paternal behavior and thought and may be determined based on fathers’ beliefs and rearing history. Most studies showed that father–child interaction is one of the factors promoting paternal bonding. However, fathers generally felt more distant from their babies post-delivery than mothers. Only a few studies originally defined paternal bonding; most relied on the definitions of maternal bonding. We found different descriptions lacking consensus. Few studies examined the differences between paternal and maternal bonding. No consensus exists on the concept, constructs, and assessment of paternal bonding. The causal relationship between paternal bonding and other variables is unexplored. Future studies should explore fathers’ perspectives and experiences, focusing on the unknown aspects of paternal bonding identified in this review.

Cancer-related anorexia/cachexia syndrome (CACS) is characterized by anorexia and loss of body weight. Evidence is insufficient to strongly endorse any pharmacologic agent for the treatment of CACS. In this systematic review, we assessed the efficacy of oral anamorelin treatment for patients with CACS. On July 6, 2022, we systematically searched the following databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of adults with CACS comparing oral anamorelin versus placebo: CENTRAL, PubMed, EMBASE, and ICHUSHI. The primary outcomes were total body weight (TBW), patient-reported quality of life (QOL), and adverse events (AEs). Secondary outcomes included lean body mass (LBM), overall survival (OS), non-dominant hand grip strength (HGS), and appetite. We included seven RCTs with a total of 1944 CACS patients. Anamorelin significantly increased TBW (mean difference (MD) 1.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34–2.13, p < 0.00001), LBM (MD 1.06, 95% CI 0.30–1.81, p = 0.006), and QOL (standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.16, 95% CI 0.04–0.27, p = 0.006) compared with placebo without a significant difference in all AEs, severe AEs, OS, HGS or appetite. Anamorelin may be an effective treatment for CACS patients; however, further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of this drug.

Background: Electronic health (eHealth) refers to the use of information and communication technologies for health. It plays an increasingly important role in patients’ medication management. Objective: To assess evidence on (1) whether eHealth for patients’ medication management can improve drug adherence and health outcomes in nonhospital settings and (2) which eHealth functions are commonly used and are effective in improving drug adherence. Methods: We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, EmCare, ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and IEEE Xplore, in addition to other published sources between 2000 and 2018. We evaluated the studies against the primary outcome measure of medication adherence and multiple secondary health care outcome measures relating to adverse events, quality of life, patient satisfaction, and health expenditure. The quality of the studies included was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias (RoB) tool. Results: Our initial search yielded 9909 records, and 24 studies met the selection criteria. Of these, 13 indicated improvement in medication adherence at the significance level of P<.1 and 2 indicated an improved quality of life at the significance level of P<.01. The top 3 functions that were employed included mechanisms to communicate with caregivers, monitoring health features, and reminders and alerts. eHealth functions of providing information and education, and dispensing treatment and administration support tended to favor improved medication adherence outcomes (Fisher exact test, P=.02). There were differences in the characteristics of the study population, intervention design, functionality provided, reporting adherence, and outcome measures among the included studies. RoB assessment items, including blinding of outcome assessment and method for allocation concealment, were not explicitly reported in a large number of studies. Conclusions: All the studies included were designed for patient home-based care application and provided a mechanism to communicate with caregivers. A targeted study population such as older patients should be considered to maximize the public health impact on the self-management of diseases. Trial Registration: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) CRD42018096627; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=96627

This systematic review assessed genotypes and changes in calcium homeostasis. A literature search was performed in EMBASE, Medline and CENTRAL on 7 August 2020 identifying 1012 references. Studies were included with any human population related to the topic of interest, and genetic variations in genes related to calcium metabolism were considered. Two reviewers independently screened references, extracted relevant data and assessed study quality using the Q-Genie tool. Forty-one studies investigating Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in relation to calcium status were identified. Almost half of the included studies were of good study quality according to the Q-Genie tool. Seventeen studies were cross-sectional, 14 case-control, seven association and three were Mendelian randomization studies. Included studies were conducted in over 18 countries. Participants were mainly adults, while six studies included children and adolescents. Ethnicity was described in 31 studies and half of these included Caucasian participants. Twenty-six independent studies examined the association between calcium and polymorphism in the calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) gene. Five studies assessed the association between polymorphisms of the Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene and changes in calcium levels or renal excretion. The remaining ten studies investigated calcium homeostasis and other gene polymorphisms such as the CYP24A1 SNP or CLDN14. This study identified several CASR, VDR and other gene SNPs associated with calcium status. However, to provide evidence to guide dietary recommendations, further research is needed to explore the association between common polymorphisms and calcium requirements.