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Surveys and Studies

Depression and Anxiety: A Systematic Review to Assess it's Link with Nutrient Intake Across the Lifespan”.

This systematic review was conducted to understand the relationship and interaction between nutrition and mental health across the lifespan. The results of the review suggests that healthy eating pattern, including green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits, polyunsaturated fatty acids, like alpha-linoleic acid and minerals like magnesium positively impact mental health.

The study can be downloaded from: https://tinyurl.com/4xmfcn5k
 
Micronutrient Status of COVID-19 Hospitalized Patients –A Systematic Review
This Review examined the micronutrient status with special focus on Vitamins A, B, C, D and K along with Zinc and Selenium, of hospitalized Covid-19 patients/ Critically Ill Covid-19 patients. It showed that lower micronutrient levels among Covid19 patients. Hypovitaminosis mainly Vitamin D and lower levels of minerals pose a great jolt on the body’s immunity and other prognostic parameters such as mortality, longer hospital stay, ICU admissions, and higher CRP levels among Covid- 19 patients.
 
Dairy Products Consumption and Risk of Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to examine the available literature from prospective cohort studies and nested case-control studies for association between dairy and T2D. This meta-analysis suggests that there is a significant inverse association between intake of total dairy, fermented dairy, yogurt, and risk of T2D. Other dairy products such as high-fat dairy, milk, cheese and low-fat dairy showed no association with new onset T2D. With regards to ethnicity, total dairy and yogurt are found to be protective against incident diabetes in both Asian and Western populations.
 
Nutrition, Lifestyle and Brain Health: A Lifecycle Approach

The scope of this study encompassed developments at national and international level,
particularly over the last 10 years in the area of Brain Development and Health. The study
points out that genetic variations interact with early life environment and affect child’s brain
development mainly through epigenetic mechanisms; leading to individual differences in
human cognitive abilities.

 

The study further points out that there are multiple factors that affect brain health from
conception till old age: modifiable and non-modifiable. The modifiable factors include diet,
physical activity, social engagement, cognitive activity, smoking and alcohol consumption.
Strategies to promote brain health throughout the lifespan should target individuals at each
phase of life to adopt a healthy lifestyle (diet and physical activity), be engaged in cognitively
stimulating activities and be socially active.


This study can be downloaded from: https://tinyurl.com/3892txuw
 
Nutritional Benefits of Enriching Dairy Foods with Probiotics

The Review points out that though consumption of foods with healthy microbes is not new to the world, but preparing novel products with clinically tested Probiotics is more specific and reliable to give desired health attribute. Incorporation of Probiotics in different food matrices is therefore important.


Probiotic foods will deliver the inherent nutrients present in the carrier foods apart from metabolites produced by culture. They also help in improving the biological and functional value of the food. While Probiotic foods are generally dairy based they can be used in raw materials like Cereals, Pulses, Fruits, Vegetables, Tubers, Fish and Meat. Probiotic foods have been proved to provide excellent quality proteins rich in essential Amino Acids, Vitamins, easily absorbable Minerals, Vital Fatty Acids and many more Micronutrients for the body.


Application of Probiotics in prevention and supplementary treatment of several ailments is well known and several clinical trials to prove their worth are going on.


The study can be downloaded from: https://tinyurl.com/2uhhzcps
 
Efficacy of Nutraceuticals (Probiotics or Prebiotics or Synbiotics) in the Prevention or Treatment of COVID -19: A Systematic review and Meta- Analysis
This study assessed efficacy and safety of nutraceuticals in preventing or treating Covid-19. The authors conclude that evidence in hand suggests that probiotics may make little or no difference in reducing mortality and days of hospitalization for people with Covid-19. Therefore, the use of probiotics for the treatment of Covid-19 is currently not evidence‐based. Methodologically robust RCTs must be undertaken in large samples of populations so that the evaluation of their therapeutic potential gives us quality evidence for their efficacy and safety in clinical practice.
 
Prebiotic Contents in Indian Food at NIN (2017- 2018)
This is a study of prebiotic content of Indian foods using NIN database.
 
Optimal Vitamin D Supplementation Strategies for Vitamin D Deficient Boys With Type 4 & 5 Skin (2016-2018)
This study evaluated the optimal daily dose of vitamin D in Indian children 9-15 years of age with type 4 & 5 skin. It estimated the vitamin D content of commonly consumed foods by Indians and studied the nutritional status of healthy school going children with regard to intake of calcium, vitamin D and other micronutrients. This study concluded that vitamin D deficient children seem to benefit maximum with the daily dose of 2000 IU/day with 95% achieving serum levels of ≥ 20ng/ml following supplementation.
 
Midlife Factors that Influence the Aging Process: An Indian Perspective (2015- 2017)

Increasing number of oldest old worldwide has made human longevity a major area of scientific research. It is a well-established fact that the health of an individual and the population in general are the result of interactions between genetics and a number of environmental factors; nutrition and physical activity being of major importance. The Asian Indian phenotype predisposes Indians to NCDs, more so at an earlier age. Indian diets are in a state of transition with increasing amounts of refined carbohydrates and fats being consumed. Physical activity levels are markedly low. Concomitantly, a sharp rise in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and cancers has been observed. Although some of the physiological changes experienced by older adults occur primarily as a result of the biological process of aging, lifestyle factors – such as diet and physical activity – are important modulators of the risk factors associated with chronic disease and even age related decline. Most NCDs have shared risk factors (tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, alcohol use) and integrated interventions targeting these risks from middle age will not only help to prevent and control NCDs, but also ensure a good quality of life in advancing years.

 

Under this study information was collected on broad profile of people 60 years and above. Factors contributing to healthy vs. pathological aging in India were identified. The study is a review of published articles and government reports. 273 articles and reports have been studied.

 

The Report includes following components:

  • Demography of ageing in India; concepts of ageing;
  • Health and morbidity status of Indian elderly; nutritional status, physical activity and lifestyle  of Indian elderly;
  • Midlife factors that influence the ageing process: the Asian Indian phenotype, non- communicable diseases, intrauterine and perinatal nutrition, physical activity, overweight/obesity, dyslipidaemia;
  • Best practices that promote healthy and successful ageing and
  • Identification of  gaps, research and policy needs for India to achieve healthy and successful ageing

The study has been published in the Journal of Aging Research & Clinical Practice.
 
Evaluation of UV Index in Different Regions in India (2013- 2015)
This study revealed that the peak UV-B radiation was between 11 AM and 1 PM in all the 7 different zones of the country; South (Madurai), North (Delhi, Leh), East (Guwahati), West (Pune and Goa) and Central (Hyderabad). The maximum UV irradiation was recorded during monsoon/autumn season suggesting role of pollution in blocking adequate UV-B rays reaching the earth surface. There was no increase in the serum 25(OH) D levels following sun exposure for one month in winter necessitating the need for vitamin D supplementation during these months.
 
Survey on Nutrition Labeling and Health Claims in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka (2013- 2014)
The survey looked at the current regulations on nutrition labelling and health claims in South Asian Countries.
 
Growth Velocity Reference Standards in Healthy School Going Children Aged 5-16 years (2012- 2014)
This study reports, for the first time in India, normative centile charts for height, weight and annual height velocity of apparently healthy school children in the age group of 4-17 years from northern India. This will help in   early detection, timely investigation and treatment of children with short stature and poor growth velocity.
 
The Effect of A Short Term Lysine Supplementation in Improving Muscle Strength in Pre-Pubertal Indian Girls (2013)
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a short term lysine supplementation in improving muscle strength in pre-pubertal Indian girls. The researchers have concluded that the supplementation increased the lysine score from 45mg/g to 74mg/g protein / day in the experimental arm. There was significant increase in the non-dominant muscle strength in the lysine supplemented group compared to control group. This was independent of the haemoglobin status. There was an increase in height also in the lysine supplemented group although it was not significant.
 
Impact of Vitamin D Fortified Milk Supplementation on Vitamin D Status of Healthy School Children Aged 10-14 Years (2011 – 2012)
The study was conducted in Delhi schools.  Primary objective of the study was to investigate the impact of vitamin D fortified milk on serum 25(OH) D levels. Primary outcome measure included: changes in vitamin D status as measured by serum 25 (OH) D levels. The study concluded that supplementing milk fortified with vitamin D is an effective and safe method of addressing the major public health issue of vitamin D deficiency in children. The study has been published in the International Journal of Osteoporosis.
 

Exploratory Study on Need and Feasibility of a Food Fortification Intervention in the Mid-Day School Meal Programme in North Karnataka (2012)

This study assessed the quantity of specific macro and micronutrients (protein quantity and quality, iron) supplied to school children under the mid-day school meals scheme in Northern Karnataka. It also looked at the processes involved in mid-day school meal programme such as distribution of food grains, food preparation and transport, distribution of cooked food to school children, intake of food by children, wastage and financing mechanisms.