Healthy eating is essential for the growth and development of children and adolescents. Eating habits established in childhood continue into adulthood. In Spain, the frequent promotion of foods with low nutritional value is already considered a threat to the health of the population, particularly to children and adolescents. In this work, we analyse 3209 foods from the Food Database, BADALI. Foods were classified as marketed to children or adolescents according to the advertising on the packaging, television or internet. We found that 17.5% of foods in the database were marketed to this population and 97% of those were considered unhealthy following the Pan American Health Organization Nutrient Profile Model (PAHO-NPM). In the total of foods for children or adolescents, 61.5% were high in fat, 58.5% in free-sugar, 45.4% in saturated fat and 45% in sodium. Foods marketed to them presented higher amounts of carbohydrates and sugar, while lower protein and fibre content than the rest. There was also considerable variability in levels of the other nutrients found in these products, which depended largely on the food group. According to our findings, there is a tendency for products marketed to children or adolescents to be unhealthy and of a poorer nutritional quality than those not targeted at them.

Background: Background: Childhood dietary habits are critical determinants of physical growth, cognitive development, and long-term health. In Ecuador, malnutrition remains a major public health concern, with both undernutrition and overweight/obesity affecting children—especially in rural and indigenous populations. Methods: This systematic review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines (PROSPERO ID: CRD420251080987). Searches were conducted in SciELO, Dialnet, and ScienceDirect (accessed August 2025) using Boolean operators to identify quantitative studies in Spanish or English published between 2018 and 2025 that assessed dietary habits and nutritional status in Ecuadorian children aged 1–11 years. Seventeen studies, including approximately 12,000 children, were included. Results: Prevalence of chronic undernutrition ranged from 15% to 35%, while overweight and obesity reached 20–30%. Undernutrition was higher among rural and indigenous children, whereas overweight predominated in urban and higher-income settings. Common dietary patterns included high consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, and insufficient intake of fruits, vegetables, and quality proteins. Maternal education, socioeconomic level, and school food environments were key determinants. Conclusions: Both malnutrition and overweight persist among Ecuadorian children, reflecting a nutrition transition influenced by socioeconomic and environmental factors. Context-specific public health actions are urgently needed, including school-based nutrition education, regulation of food marketing, improved access to affordable healthy foods, and community-level engagement to promote sustainable dietary habits. The included studies were mostly cross-sectional and often used non-validated dietary assessment tools, which may influence the reported prevalence estimates.

Background/Objectives: Potomania and beer potomania are rare but important causes of dilutional hyponatremia, resulting from excessive fluid intake combined with low solute consumption. This systematic review aimed to identify and describe the clinical presentations, underlying causes, complications, and management approaches in published case reports of these conditions. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. Inclusion criteria were case reports and letters to the editor with confirmed diagnoses of potomania or beer potomania. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist was used to evaluate study quality. The SPIDER framework guided the selection process. A qualitative, narrative synthesis was performed. Results: Forty-four cases were included. Hyponatremia was the most frequent finding, commonly accompanied by neurological symptoms such as confusion and seizures. Beer potomania was more prevalent among male patients and associated with alcohol consumption and poor nutrition. Potomania was linked to restrictive diets, psychiatric disorders, or excessive intake of various non-alcoholic fluids. Management typically involved fluid restriction, correction of electrolytes, nutritional support, and psychiatric care. Five cases developed osmotic demyelination syndrome due to rapid sodium correction. Conclusions: Increased clinical awareness of potomania and beer potomania is essential to prevent severe outcomes. Early identification, individualized management, and cautious correction of serum sodium are crucial. Despite the limitations of case report evidence, this review provides meaningful insights into diagnosis and treatment.

This study provides an integrative analysis of the implementation, acceptability, and operational dynamics of Ecuador's School Feeding Program in rural Andean contexts. By examining key stakeholders' perspectives, it offers evidence-based insights into the structural and nutritional challenges of school meal provision. To explore the perceptions, experiences, and barriers related to school breakfast served in public schools among children and teachers in rural Andean communities in the province of Chimborazo, Ecuador, an exploratory qualitative study was conducted based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with students and teachers involved in the Umiña Project. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis until data saturation was reached, and the findings were subsequently organized according to a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) framework, with inter-rater reliability showing high agreement (Kappa = 0.89). A total of thirty-two students and ten teachers participated in the study. The findings revealed significant weaknesses associated with the low sensory acceptability of the products distributed by the state program, which were frequently described by students as having a monotonous taste, unpleasant texture, or unattractive appearance. Conversely, among the strengths, teachers highlighted the logistical continuity of the government program, the universal coverage of the rations, and the institutional organization for their daily distribution. Ultimately, Ecuador's School Feeding Program demonstrates adequate coverage and operational continuity; however, its nutritional impact remains limited by the low sensory acceptability of the food, the limited cultural relevance of the menus, and a food environment characterized by the widespread availability of ultra-processed products.

Fluid intake is a key component of habitual dietary behaviour and plays an important role in health and disease prevention. Both insufficient and excessive fluid consumption have been associated with adverse health outcomes. However, beverage intake patterns and behaviours related to excessive fluid consumption remain underexplored in non-clinical populations, particularly in Spanish-speaking contexts. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and apply the Beverage Intake Questionnaire-15 (BEVQ-15) in Spanish-speaking adults from Spain and Ecuador, and to describe beverage consumption patterns with a focus on behaviours potentially associated with excessive fluid intake.A two-phase cross-sectional study was conducted. The BEVQ-15 was translated and culturally adapted following established international guidelines and semantically validated in a pilot sample of university students. The adapted version (BEVQ-15P) was subsequently applied to a validation sample of adults from Spain and Ecuador. Descriptive analyses were used to characterise total fluid intake and beverage consumption patterns by sex and country. Sex-specific intake thresholds derived from the literature were applied to explore categories of potential risk for excessive fluid consumption.Semantic validation confirmed good clarity, comprehension, and cultural relevance of the Spanish BEVQ-15P. In the validation sample, mean total daily fluid intake was 3.67 ± 2.34 L/day. Men reported significantly higher fluid intake than women, largely driven by beer consumption, while the highest intake profile identified was characterised by excessive water consumption in a female participant. Beverage consumption patterns differed by sex but were broadly comparable between Spain and Ecuador. Behaviours associated with potential risk for excessive fluid intake were infrequent in this non-clinical sample.Overall, this study offers an exploratory framework to understand beverage consumption and excessive fluid intake behaviours within their social and cultural contexts, contributing to discussions on food and drink as socially embedded practices beyond purely biomedical interpretations.

Beer potomania is a rare but potentially severe cause of hyponatremia due to excessive intake of low‐solute alcoholic fluids, particularly beer. In this systematic review, we aimed to synthesize the current literature on this condition, focusing on pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic criteria, and management approaches. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published up to December 2024. Five observational studies involving a total of 443 patients met the inclusion criteria, primarily involving alcohol‐dependent individuals or those with psychiatric disorders. Common clinical features included altered mental status, seizures, and weakness; treatments typically comprised isotonic saline infusion, fluid restriction, and—less frequently—desmopressin or loop diuretics. The methodological quality of included studies was moderate with heterogeneous diagnostic thresholds. Our findings highlight that beer potomania remains under‐recognized in clinical practice; prompt identification and tailored treatment—including cautious sodium (Na) correction and monitoring to prevent osmotic demyelination syndrome—is crucial. Further research is needed to establish standardized diagnostic criteria, evaluate the role of dietary sodium strategies, and develop evidence‐based management protocols.