Understanding heterogeneity of consumers' food choice is critical in formulating tailored nutrition interventions. To illustrate this, we survey urban and rural consumers from low- and middle-income households in eastern India to unravel five sources of heterogeneity (5 Ws) in gastronomic systems that affect diets: (i) socioeconomic characteristics of the target population (who); (ii) food environments (where); (iii) eating occasions (when); (iv) consumed dishes (what); and (v) ingredient attributes and consumer attitudes towards food (why). Diets in eastern India are predominantly starch-based featuring infrequent intake of fruits and vegetables. Accounting for heterogeneity in gastronomic systems can help policy makers and nutritionists develop more targeted nutrition interventions, which can aid in the development of planetary health diets in various contexts around the world.

Poor infant young child feeding (IYCF) practices result in malnutrition, poor psychosocial development, poor school performance and less productivity in later life, thereby perpetuating a vicious cycle. The current study aims to characterize the IYCF practices during the first year of life in a maternal–child birth cohort (DHANI) in Belagavi, Karnataka, India. We collected data from the dyad at birth, 6 and 12 months postpartum. We examined dietary diversity among these infants at 12 months using WHO criteria. A total of 902 live births were recorded, and 878 mother–child pairs completed the 12-month follow up. The overall prevalence of early (within 1 h of delivery) initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) was 77.9%, and that of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) at 6 months was 52.4%. At 12 months, most (90%) infants were breastfed, while 39% also received formula. The large majority (94.4%) of infants met minimum meal frequency (MMF), but only 55% of infants were receiving a minimum acceptable diet (MAD). The mean dietary diversity (DD) score was 4.7 ± 1.1. Only 21.9% of infants consumed egg and/or flesh food. A large proportion (33.8%) of infants received no vegetables and/or fruits till 12 months of age. Consumption of sweet beverage was 4.8%, but consumption of ultra-processed foods high in trans-fats, sugars and salt was high (85.8%). High-quality, sustainable and scalable interventions to enhance knowledge and support positive behaviour change for adopting and implementing better IYCF practices may be urgently needed in low- and middle-income group settings to improve diet diversity and overall nutritional intake amongst young children.

Modern world is marked by several lifestyle and non-communicable diseases and cancer is perhaps the most common of them all, taking the proportions of a pandemic. There is a complex relationship between postbiotic compounds and human health, as numerous studies have shown. Postbiotics appear to be important mediators of the intricate and direct relationship between these variables. The word "postbiotics" describes a group of biological micro- and macromolecules that, when taken in sufficient quantities, have a variety of positive health benefits on the host. Due to their anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer capabilities, postbiotics may be able to regulate the efficiency of cancer treatment and lessen the negative effects of conventional medicines in cancer patients, according to several reports. Postbiotics have since drawn considerable scientific interest due to their distinctive properties and are regarded as a novel option for adjuvant therapy in patients with cancer. The antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic activity of postbiotics will be summarised in this review paper.

We develop the Food Choice App (FCA) based on the Gastronomic Systems Research (GSR) framework to study how behavioral change communication (BCC) on healthier diets influences diet planning under income shocks. A sample of 192 low- and middle-income households in West Bengal use the FCA to plan their diets by allocating a randomized weekly food budget among 162 Bengali dishes across five eating occasions over seven weekdays. Budget constraints drive carbohydrate prioritization, but BCC exposure and women’s empowerment significantly increase dietary protein density. Findings underscore the importance of targeted nudges across multiple levels of the Gastronomic System to promote healthier diets.