Studies on the association between maternal dietary diversity and birth weight in offspring are limited, and the impact of such an adjustable factor on birth weight requires investigation to promote neonatal health. This study used data from a larger-scale population-based survey conducted in northwest China to evaluate the association of maternal dietary diversity with neonatal birth weight with a generalized estimating equation model. The results found that maternal dietary diversity was positively associated with neonate birth weight. Furthermore, a higher minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W) score during pregnancy was related to a lower risk of low birth weight (LBW) in offspring. The mothers with the highest MDD-W score had a 38% (OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.43–0.89) lower risk of LBW than those with the lowest score. Similarly, the mothers with the highest animal-based food dietary diversity score (DDS) had 39% (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.38–0.98) lower risk of LBW in offspring compared with those with the lowest animal-based food DDS. Moreover, the ratio of animal-based food DDS to non-animal-based food DDS could play an important role in predicting neonate birth weight. In conclusion, increasing maternal dietary diversity would improve birth weight in offspring, especially by increasing the intake of animal-based foods among the Chinese population.

Introduction: This study examines dietary network in Northwest China, focusing on food group consumption and regional trends using network analysis. Methods: Data from 106 424 participants in the Regional Ethnic Cohort Study were calculated using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. We compared intake with the 2022 Chinese Dietary Guidelines and employed the EBICglasso method to construct dietary and staple food-related network, assessing its stability and accuracy. Results: Northwest China’s staple food intake was 37.5% of total consumption, dominated by wheat. Compared with the Chinese dietary guidelines, participants’ intake of staple foods, soybeans and nuts was within the acceptable range, with insufficient intake of whole grains and beans, animal source of foods, eggs, fruits and vegetables but excessive intake of salt. Intake varied by province, sex and age. In overall participants, the strongest correlations were found between the two food groups, namely fruits and vegetables (0.33), and animal source of foods and dairy products (0.24) in dietary network. Soybeans and nuts appeared to connect to more other foods and also higher correlation with other foods and were followed by animal source of food. The staple food-related food network indicated that the intake of rice, whole grains and beans, and potatoes was positively correlated with the intake of most other foods, while intake of wheat was negatively correlated with foods of animal source of food, milk and dairy products. Conclusions: Northwest China’s diet exhibits irrational patterns, highlighting the importance of assessing overall dietary patterns in nutritional evaluation.

A healthy lifestyle is related to metabolic syndrome (MetS), but the mechanism is not fully understood. This study aimed to examine the association of components of MetS with lifestyle in a Chinese population and potential mediation role of serum uric acid (SUA) in the association between lifestyle behaviors and risk of components of MetS. Data were derived from a baseline survey of the Shaanxi urban cohort in the Regional Ethnic Cohort Study in northwest China. The relationship between components of MetS, healthy lifestyle score (HLS), and SUA was investigated by logistic or linear regression. A counterfactual-based mediation analysis was performed to ascertain whether and to what extent SUA mediated the total effect of HLS on components of MetS. Compared to those with 1 or less low-risk lifestyle factors, participants with 4–5 factors had 43.6% lower risk of impaired glucose tolerance (OR = 0.564; 95%CI: 0.408~0.778), 60.8% reduction in risk of high blood pressure (OR = 0.392; 95%CI: 0.321~0.478), 69.4% reduction in risk of hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 0.306; 95%CI: 0.252~0.372), and 47.3% lower risk of low levels of HDL cholesterol (OR = 0.527; 95%CI: 0.434~0.641). SUA mediated 2.95% (95%CI: 1.81~6.16%) of the total effect of HLS on impaired glucose tolerance, 14.68% (95%CI: 12.04~18.85%) on high blood pressure, 17.29% (95%CI: 15.01~20.5%) on hypertriglyceridemia, and 12.83% (95%CI: 10.22~17.48%) on low levels of HDL cholesterol. Increased HLS tends to reduce risk of components of MetS partly by decreasing the SUA level, which could be an important mechanism by which lifestyle influences MetS.

Introduction: Previous studies have linked demographics and dietary habits to health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but the interrelationships among these factors have not been extensively explored using network analysis. We aimed to describe network patterns of demographics, dietary intake and HRQoL in northern Chinese population. Methods: We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study using baseline survey data from the Shaanxi cohort of the Regional Ethnic Cohort Study in Northwest China, collected from June 2018 to May 2019 (n=32 110). HRQoL was assessed using the Short-Form Health Survey 12, dietary intake was evaluated via a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire, and demographic information was collected. Mixed graphical models were used for network analysis. We derived centrality indices and evaluated network model’s stability and accuracy. Results: Dietary foods such as beef, mutton, beans, aquatic products, potatoes, poultry and beans intake were the most central and bridge food groups in the dietary network. Significant complex interaction was found between HRQoL, key demographics and dietary intake. Physical Component Score (PCS) positively correlated with chronic diseases (0.45), education (0.26) and income (0.15), but negatively correlated with age (−0.25), occupation (−0.18), residence (−0.06), and sex (−0.06). Mental Component Score (MCS) had positive correlations with residence (0.20), age (0.11) and chronic diseases (0.10), but negative correlations with marital status (−0.17), education (−0.09) and income (−0.04). PCS had positive correlations with wheat (0.14), fresh fruits (0.13), beef (0.10) and mutton (0.09). MCS had positive correlation with oil (0.12), wheat (0.11) and tea (0.09), but negative correlations with rice (−0.08), carbonated beverage (−0.08), poultry (−0.07) and animal innards (−0.06). Among various factors, education, income, chronic disease and physical activity, along with multiple food items, exhibited the highest centrality indices. The network was stable (stability coefficient of 0.75) for all centrality measures. Conclusions: Identifying demographics and dietary factors with high centrality indices in multidimensional network may provide opportunities for enhancing HRQoL, suggesting potential avenues for health interventions.

Piglets are deprived of the touch, sound, and smell of their sow after weaning which results in biological stress. The present study investigated continuing exposure of sow vocalization and scent during the early weaning period on complete blood cell count. A total of 12 litters, 8 piglets (4 male and 4 female) per litter were selected at weaning and assigned to 1 of 4 experimental treatments: control, O (olfactory group with scent and no vocal stimulation), V (non-olfactory with vocal stimulation), VO (vocal stimulation and olfactory stimulation) as a 2x2 factorial arrangement. Vocal stimulation was emulated by an audio recording of the sows, which was gathered between day-7 and day-14 of sow lactation. It was collected from 6 sows and compiled into a comprehensive audio file including all the vocal output of the sow. The VO group was exposed to sow vocal for 20 minutes, followed by an empty hour on loop for seven days postweaning. For olfactory stimulation, cotton fabric was rubbed on the udders of the sow and vacuum sealed. The respective scent of the sow was placed in a mesh basket outside of the pen for approximately 48 hours. Blood samples were collected on day-1, day-2, day-6, and day-28 into K₂EDTA vacutainer tubes. The blood was processed within 6 hours of collection using an automatic hematological analyzer (Hemavet 950S). Data were analyzed using mixed procedure of SAS (Cary, NC) with vocal, scent and day as main effects. Interactions between day x vocal showed statistical significance (P = 0.0215) with both the vocal and non-vocal groups having a reduction on mean platelet volume (MPV) from d 0 to d 2 and while the non-vocal group continued an upward trend from d 2 to d 28, vocal group failed to restore MPV levels until d 28. As for Platelet (PLT) in the day x scent interaction, non-scent group increased PLT from d 0 to d 2 and a sharp decrease from d 2 to d 6. However, a similar level PLT from d 0 to d 2 observed in scent group (P = 0.0433). Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) decreased from d 0 to d 2 in all treatment groups. While control, V, and VO groups showed similar levels of NLR from d 2 to d 6, O group had increased NLR. This response on NLR is mainly driven by percentage of neutrophil (P = 0.0028) since no statistically significant difference on lymphocyte percentage was found. Results of this study indicated that continuing exposing scent potentially influences complete blood cell of weaning pigs, while the same effect was not found in sow vocal.