Background:Assessing nutrition knowledge provides useful information especially if coupled with the self-perception of nutrition knowledge that could lead to bias and personal conviction. The objective of this study was to assess nutrition knowledge (NK) and its relationship with eating habits in a group of adults.Methods:A cross-sectional study with the administration of self-reported questionnaires was conducted on a sample of 591 parents (43 ± 5.82 years old) of primary school pupils recruited from the municipality of Rome (urban) and province (rural). The fieldwork was carried out in May 2017. An indicator to evaluate adherence to Italian dietary guidelines was developed. ANOVA (Welch's ANOVA in case of unequal variances) test and chi-squared test were used fixing the significance level at 5% (p< 0.05).Results:The percentage of correct answers to nutrition knowledge was 46%, with the expert recommendation section having the highest percentage (59%). The majority of the respondents (66%) were confident that they had a high level of nutrition knowledge. In 37% of the sample, nutrition knowledge and self-perception nutrition knowledge levels were found to be associated. A total of 40% of the sample showed eating habits congruent with nutrition knowledge level. In the investigated sample, living in rural areas, being young, and having low school education level were factors associated with low nutrition literacy or/and unhealthy eating habits.Conclusions:This study provided a demonstration that an assessment based on a multidimensional and multilevel approach is helpful to identify knowledge gaps and to profile critical segments to put in place targeted policy interventions.

We investigated the effects of dietary zinc deficiency on skeletal metabolism in an animal model. Thirty 21-d-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed for 28 d either a zinc-deficient (ZD) diet (1 mg zinc/kg) or a normal diet ad libitum (AL, 50 mg zinc/kg) or in the same quantity as the ZD (pair-fed, PF). Only in the ZD group were general physical signs of zinc deficiency observed. Compared with the AL and PF rats, ZD rats showed significantly lower mean values in ponderal growth rate, femur weight and length, circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor-I, bone mechanical properties and concentration of zinc and, on histomorphometry, a decrease in the thicknesses of the overall growth plate and hypertrophic cartilage. In contrast, although bone volume was significantly lower in the ZD and PF rats than in the AL rats, no difference was observed between the ZD and PF rats. Osteoclast surface/bone surface and osteoclast number/bone surface ratios were significantly greater in PF rats than in the other two groups and not different in ZD and AL rats. Collectively, these data indicate that zinc deficiency has profound effects on the skeletal system of growing rats. In particular, the effects of zinc deficiency on bone growth and mass are the result of the reduced activity of the growth plate, likely mediated by impairment in the insulin-like growth factor-I system. We did not demonstrate an effect on bone mass via increased bone resorption.

Strawberries contain many antioxidant phytochemicals such as vitamin C, carotenoids and phenolic compounds including anthocyanins (ACN). In the present study, antioxidant composition of fresh strawberries (FS) and stored strawberries (SS) and the bioavailability of the main strawberry bioactive compounds were determined in human subjects. Thirteen healthy volunteers consumed 300 g of FS and SS on two separate occasions. Blood, before and at different time points from meal consumption, as well as 24 h urine, was collected, and parent compounds and metabolites of the different compounds were determined by HPLC or LC/MS/MS. A reduction in α-carotene plasma concentrationsv.baseline values was recorded after the consumption of FS, although the amount of this carotenoid was higher in the SS. On the contrary, a significant increase of plasma vitamin C after 2, 3 and 5 h (P < 0·05) of FS and SS consumption was recorded. No quercetin and ACN were found in plasma, while coumaric acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4HBA, 56 and 54 % of pelargonidin-3-glucoside (Pel-glc) ingested with FS and SS, respectively) and protocatechuic acid (59 and 34 % of cyanidin-3-glucoside ingested with FS and SS, respectively) over 8 h from strawberry consumption were retrieved in the plasma. Pelargonidin glucuronide, pelargonidin glucoside and pelargonidin aglycone peaked in urine within 2 h of strawberry consumption, and the 24 h amount excreted was always approximately 0·9 % of the Pel-glc dose ingested. The data indicated that the content of phytochemicals in strawberries may influence the bioavailability of individual compounds. Furthermore, in the present study, the metabolism of Pel-glc was elucidated, and, for the first time, 4HBA was suggested to be a major human metabolite of Pel-glc.

To limit the spread of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, a nationwide lockdown started in Italy in March 2020. In this unpredictable situation, a cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was carried out by the Observatory on Food Surplus, Recovery and Waste of CREA Food and Nutrition Centre. The aim of this work was to evaluate how Italian habits changed during this period, the determinants of changes, and the effect on food waste prevention. In a sample of 2678 respondents, 62% showed low Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (AMD). During lockdown many of participants improved the quality of their diet, increasing their consumption of fruit (24.4%), vegetables (28.5%), legumes (22.1%), nuts (12%), and fish or shellfish (14%). Unfavorable changes were observed with the excessive consumption of sweets or pastries (36.9%) and comfort foods (22.7%), and a lack of physical activity (37.2%). The main novelty of this study was the examination of dietary changes identified by a cluster analysis. Respondents with generally high AMD improved their eating habits, while the habits of the respondents with generally low AMD remained unchanged. In addition, nearly 80% of respondents were sensitive to food waste. The study provides a useful contribution to the debate on nutritional recommendations in case of further lockdown.

Objective: The aim of this study is to define a healthy and sustainable diet model with low GHGE, fulfilling dietary requirements, and considering current Italian food consumption patterns. Design: A duly designed database was developed, linking food nutritional composition and GHGE based on 921 food items consumed in Italy according to the last national food consumption survey (INRAN-SCAI 2005–2006). Linear programming was used to develop new diet plans separately for males and females, aged 18–60 years (n = 2,098 subjects), in order to minimize GHGE. The program is based on dietary goals and acceptability constraints as well as on 13 nutrient requirement constraints aiming to reach a healthy and acceptable diet for the Italian population. Results: Diet optimization resulted in a nutritionally adequate pattern minimizing GHGE values (4.0 vs. 1.9 kg CO₂e/day for males and 3.2 vs. 1.6 kg CO₂e/day for females). In both sexes, the nutrient intake of the optimized diet was at the established lower bound for cholesterol and calcium and at the established upper bound for free sugar and fiber. In males, intake of zinc was at the established lower bound whereas iron was at the established upper bound. Consumption of red meat and fruit and vegetables was at the established lower and upper bound, respectively, in both males and females. Despite the decrease in meat consumption, especially red meat, in the optimized diet with respect to the observed diet, levels of iron intake in females increased by 10% (10.3 vs. 11.3 mg/day) but remained below the adequate intake established in Italian national DRIs. Conclusions: An attainable healthy dietary pattern was developed that would lead to the reduction of GHGE by 48% for males and by 50% for females with respect to current food consumption in the Italian adult population. Health-promoting dietary patterns can substantially contribute to achieve related Sustainable Development Goals.

The fourth edition of the Italian Dietary Guidelines (IDGs) for Healthy Eating was published in 2019. The objective of this paper is to describe the developmental process of IDGs, the main recommendations, the differences with previous revisions, and the concordance and differences with international guidance on a healthy diet. A National Commission oversaw IDG development. A Scientific Dossier (SD), including analysis on nutrition, health, and risk factors status in Italy, was the reference for IDGs preparation. The IDGs are based on the principles of the Mediterranean Diet and are mainly aimed to prevent obesity and nutrition-related non-communicable diseases. The IDGs included 13 directives that were divided into four conceptual blocks: i) how to balance weight; ii) foods to be promoted; iii) foods to be limited; and iv) how to ensure a varied and sustainable diet. Each directive has a box summarizing the key recommendation, myths lists, and false beliefs to be dispelled. The topics of sustainability and the correct approach to food supplementation and weight-loss diet were introduced in the present edition of IDGs. This paper contributes to the debate on the complexity of derivation of Dietary Guidelines and their adaptation to the national context.