Dietary assessments hold significant importance within the field of public health. However, the current methods employed for dietary assessments face certain limitations and challenges that necessitate improvement. The aim of our study was to develop a reliable and practical dietary assessment tool known as photo-assisted dietary intake assessment (PAD). In order to evaluate its validity, we conducted an analysis on a sample of 71 college students’ dinners at a buffet in a canteen. We compared estimates of food weights obtained through the 24-h recall (24 HR) or PAD method with those obtained through the weighing method; we also evaluated the feasibility of PAD for recording dinner intakes among a sample of college students (n = 76) and elderly individuals (n = 121). In addition, we successfully identified the dietary factors that have a significant impact on the bias observed in weight estimation. The findings of the study indicated that the PAD method exhibited a higher level of consistency with the weighing method compared to the 24 HR method. The discrepancy in D% values between cereals (14.28% vs. 40.59%, P < 0.05), vegetables (17.67% vs. 44.44%, P < 0.05), and meats (14.29% vs. 33.33%, P < 0.05) was clearly apparent. Moreover, a significant proportion of the food mass value acquired through the PAD method fell within the limits of agreement (LOAs), in closer proximity to the central horizontal line. Furthermore, vegetables, cereals, eggs, and meats, for which the primary importance lies in accuracy, exhibited a considerably higher bias with the 24 HR method compared to the PAD method (P < 0.05), implying that the PAD method has the potential to mitigate the quality bias associated with these food items in the 24 HR method. Additionally, the PAD method was well received and easily implemented by the college students and elderly individuals. In conclusion, the PAD method demonstrates a considerable level of accuracy and feasibility as a dietary assessment method that can be effectively employed across diverse populations.

Globally, cognitive impairment (CI) is the leading cause of disability and dependency among the elderly, presenting a significant public health concern. However, there is currently a deficiency in pharmacological interventions that can effectively cure or significantly reverse the progression of cognitive impairment. Methyl donor nutrients (MDNs), including folic acid, choline, and vitamin B12, have been identified as potential enhancers of cognitive function. Nevertheless, there remains a dearth of comprehensive research investigating the connection between the dietary intake of MDNs and CI. In our study, we comprehensively assessed the relationship between MDNs’ dietary intake and CI in older adults, utilizing 16S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate the potential underlying mechanisms. The results showed an obvious difference in the methyl-donor nutritional quality index (MNQI) between the dementia (D) group and the dementia-free (DF) group. Specifically, there was a lower MNQI in the D group than that in the DF group. For the gut microbiome, the beta diversity of gut flora exhibited higher levels in the high methyl-donor nutritional quality (HQ) group as opposed to the low methyl-donor nutritional quality (LQ) group, and lower levels in the D group in comparison to the DF group. Subsequently, we performed a correlation analysis to examine the relationship between the relative abundance of microbiota, the intake of MDNs, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores, ultimately identifying ten genera with potential regulatory functions. Additionally, KEGG pathway analyses suggested that the one-carbon metabolism, chronic inflammation, and DNA synthesis potentially serve as pathways through which MDNs may be promising for influencing cognitive function. These results implied that MDNs might have the potential to enhance cognitive function through the regulation of microbiota homeostasis. This study offers dietary recommendations for the prevention and management of CI in the elderly.

Nucleotides (NTs), important biomolecules involved in numerous cellular processes, have been proposed as potential candidates for anti-aging interventions. However, whether nucleotides can act as an anti-aging supplement in older adults remains unclear. TALENTs is a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial that evaluates the efficacy and safety of NTs as an anti-aging supplement in older adults by exploring the effects of NTs on multiple dimensions of aging in a rigorous scientific setting. Eligible community-dwelling adults aged 60–70 years were randomly assigned equally to two groups: nucleotides intervention group and placebo control group. Comprehensive geriatric health assessments were performed at baseline, 2-months, and 4-months of the intervention. Biological specimens were collected and stored for age-related biomarker testing and multi-omics sequencing. The primary outcome was the change from baseline to 4 months on leukocyte telomere length and DNA methylation age. The secondary aims were the changes in possible mechanisms underlying aging processes (immunity, inflammatory profile, oxidative stress, gene stability, endocrine, metabolism, and cardiovascular function). Other outcomes were changes in physical function, body composition and geriatric health assessment (including sleep quality, cognitive function, fatigue, frailty, and psychology). In the RCT, 301 participants were assessed for eligibility and 122 were enrolled. Participants averaged 65.65 years of age, and were predominately female (67.21%). All baseline characteristics were well-balanced between groups, as expected due to randomization. The majority of participants were pre-frailty and had at least one chronic condition. The mean scores for physical activity, psychological, fatigue and quality of life were within the normal range. However, nearly half of the participants still had room for improvement in cognitive level and sleep quality. This TALENTs trial will represent one of the most comprehensive experimental clinical trials in which supplements are administered to elderly participants. The findings of this study will contribute to our understanding of the anti-aging effects of NTs and provide insights into their potential applications in geriatric healthcare.

During ageing, the permeability of the intestinal barrier increases, the integrity of the intestinal barrier decreases, and the physiology of intestinal cells changes. Furthermore, intestinal inflammation and excessive oxidative stress are both likely to cause systemic diseases. Ginseng oligopeptides have a positive significant effect in terms of improving human health and delaying ageing, but their role in the ageing of the intestine has not been studied much. In our experiment, we constructed a gut-on-a-chip model and induced senescence of the chip with H₂O₂ so as to explore the effects of ginseng oligopeptides on the senescent intestine. The experimental results showed that ginseng oligopeptides had no obvious effects on the integrity of the intestine, including the TEER value and the expression of tight junction proteins. However, ginseng oligopeptides might have other positive effects, such as inhibiting excessive cell proliferation, promoting mucin secretion, and increasing the antioxidant capacity of the intestine, to improve intestinal health.

As one of the most important barriers in the body, the intestinal barrier is a key factor in maintaining human health. Ageing of the intestine is a degenerative process that is closely associated with a variety of poor health conditions in the elderly. Inflammation and the immune system are anti-ageing targets that can regulate the function of the intestine. Nucleotides (NTs) are involved in important physiological and biochemical reactions in the body, but there are few studies about their effect on the ageing intestine. This paper examines the role of exogenous NTs in the ageing intestine. For this purpose, we used senescence-accelerated mouse prone-8 (SAMP8) mice and senescence-accelerated mouse resistant 1 (SAMR1) mice for the experiment, and randomly divided the mice into NTs-free, Normal Control, NTs-low, NTs-medium, NTs-high, and SAMR1 groups. After 9 months of intervention, we collected the colon tissue of mice for testing. In our study, exogenous NTs could increase bodyweight of mice during ageing and improve the morphological structure of the intestine, and we found that NTs could promote the secretion of intestinal protective factors, such as TFF3 and TE. Furthermore, supplementation with NTs suppressed intestinal inflammation and improved intestinal immunity, possibly by activating the p38 signaling pathway. These results suggest that exogenous NTs are able to maintain the health condition of the ageing intestine.

Background/Objectives: As the global population ages, cardiovascular disease (CVD) emerges as a critical challenge for public health, with chronic inflammation identified as a key contributing risk factor. As a modifiable lifestyle factor, diet plays a critical role in the prevention of CVD. Given the established link between diet and inflammation, clarifying the relationship between dietary inflammatory potential and cardiovascular health (CVH) is of significant public health importance. This study aimed to evaluate the association between dietary inflammatory potential and CVH in an elderly population, and to explore the related role of the gut microbiota. Methods: Dietary inflammatory potential was quantified using the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), CVH was assessed by the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) score, and gut microbiome analysis was profiled by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: Results showed that higher DII scores, indicative of a pro-inflammatory dietary pattern, were significantly linked to reduced LE8 scores, suggesting an inverse association between dietary inflammatory potential and CVH. Based on the gut microbiome, participants with high CVH exhibited greater α diversity compared with those with low CVH, while both α and β diversity were higher in the anti-inflammatory diet group than in the pro-inflammatory diet group. These results indicate that anti-inflammatory diets may be associated with better CVH, possibly through the preservation of the ecological balance of the gut microbiota. Correlation analyses further pointed to several genera potentially associated with both dietary inflammatory potential and CVH. Functional predictions suggested that variation in dietary inflammatory potential could be linked to differences in microbial metabolic functions relevant to energy, lipid and glucose metabolism, and inflammatory processes. Conclusions: In conclusion, this study provides novel evidence linking dietary inflammatory potential, gut microbiota, and CVH in older adults, and offers preliminary insights for dietary interventions and microbiota-targeted strategies in CVD prevention.