Scientific news

A systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the association between fruit, vegetable and fruit juice consumption and the risk of gestational diabetes. A total of 12 studies involving 32,794 participants were included in this work. The results show that total fruit consumption is associated with a lower risk of gestational diabetes. A dose-response analysis (8 studies) showed that a 100g/day increase in fruit consumption reduced the risk of gestational diabetes by 3%. However, no association was found between vegetable and fruit juice consumption and the risk of gestational diabetes. Further work is needed to provide more data on the involvement of vegetable intake in the prevention of gestational diabetes.

A Spanish study assessed the adherence of children and adolescents aged 8 to 16 to the Mediterranean diet. Data from two cross-sectional studies representative of the Spanish population were compared using the KIDMED questionnaire. According to this work, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was significantly lower among participants in the most recent study (2019-2020) compared to the oldest one (1998-2000). This trend is reflected in a poorer quality diet, with lower consumption of fish, legumes and fruit, and higher consumption of sweet and processed foods A significant association between level of education, place of residence and adherence to the Mediterranean diet was also observed. These results show that eating habits are deteriorating among Spanish children and adolescents and underline the urgent need for action to promote healthier diets.

A recent study investigated the relationship between diet and cognitive performance among children aged 6 to 8 from deprived areas of Montevideo, Uruguay. The dietary intakes of 270 children were determined using the 24-h dietary recall method . Two types of diet were identified: « processed » (high calorie) foods and « nutrients dense ». Cognitive performances were assessed using the Woodcock-Muñoz scale. The results showed that the nutrient-dense diet was positively associated with children’s reading ability and may benefit written language acquisition at the beginning of schooling. On the other hand, no association was found between the « processed foods » diet and cognitive performance.

A review describes the various interventions implemented in schools to strengthen the sustainability of food systems. This analysis is the first to gather available data on the subject. A total of 6016 articles were examined of which 24 were selected. According to this work, there are 4 types of intervention commonly deployed in schools: 1/designing more sustainable menus, 2/ reducing food waste, 3/ sustainable food system education using school gardens, and 4/ dietary interventions integrating environmental concepts. Examples of interventions that can positively influence environmental sustainability are also provided.

Reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity is a major public health issue. A qualitative study was conducted with middle-school students aged 12 to 14, to understand their perceptions of healthy eating habits and lifestyles. During the 2021-2022 school year, 10 focus groups were created and participated in two 90-minute working sessions. According to the data collected, the family environment was one of the most influential factors, followed by professionals, media and high schools. Among the perceived barriers, the socioeconomic level, lack of time, food supply in canteens and social pressure were reported.