Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
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Acceptance rate8%
Submission to final decision119 days
Acceptance to publication14 days
CiteScore5.200
Journal Citation Indicator0.480
Impact Factor2.2

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Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism has recently been accepted into Food Science and Technology Abstracts.

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Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism publishes original research articles and review articles covering the broad and multidisciplinary field of human nutrition and metabolism.

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Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism maintains an Editorial Board of practicing researchers from around the world, to ensure manuscripts are handled by editors who are experts in the field of study.

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Research Article

Risk Factors Associated with Acute Sarcopenia in Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic is an extraordinary global emergency. The pandemic has changed profoundly people’s lifestyles. This resulted in reductions in physical activity and changes in dietary intakes that have the potential to accelerate sarcopenia. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors associated with acute sarcopenia in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study conducted from January/2021 to March/2022 in a private hospital in Cuiabá/MT, central region of Brazil. The main variable was the prevalence of acute sarcopenia among adults hospitalized with COVID19. Patients were assessed for acute sarcopenia using the SARC-F ≥4 questionnaire (strength, assistance with walking, rise from a chair, climb stairs, and falls), grip strength (<20 kg (female) and <35 kg (male)), and calf circumference (<33 cm (female) and <34 cm (male)). Results. In all, 213 patients aged 57.4 ± 15.4 years, 63.8% male, were studied. Thirty-four (16.0%) patients were diagnosed with acute sarcopenia. Advanced age (older people) and the percentage of weight lost ≥3% before hospitalization were independent risk factors for acute sarcopenia in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Conclusion. Acute sarcopenia was present in 16% of patients. Advanced age and percentage of weight lost ≥3% were independent risk factors for acute sarcopenia in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Research Article

A Cross-Sectional Study of General Nutrition Knowledge among Nursing Students in the UAE

Background. Adolescence is a crucial time for establishing long-lasting healthy habits, but many university students often engage in unhealthy eating behaviors. Increased independence, social influences, and mental stress all play a role in leading to poor dietary choices that can impact overall health and well-being. It is important to have a good grasp of nutrition to make informed food choices and avoid the development of chronic illnesses. Purpose. To assess the nutrition knowledge of nursing students and examine the interconnections between participants’ beliefs about diet, disease, and weight management Methods: A total of 100 nursing students participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study. Data gathering was conducted from March 2023 to May 2023 at a nursing college in the UAE. Participating students completed a self-reported validated revised general nutrition knowledge questionnaire (GNKQ-R). Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation were used for analysis, along with univariate and multivariate analyses as a statistical methodology to examine individual variables within the dataset independently. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the scale in this study is 0.880. A cut-off point of 50 percent correctness was employed to signify a high level of knowledge. Results. All participating students were female, with the majority (94%) being single. Most students (68%) had a normal mass index of 23.6, whereas 32% were overweight. The analysis showed that more than half of the students (57%) rated their overall health condition as good. The analysis also found that the only variable detected to predict the good nutrition knowledge level among studied students was having children less than 18 in the same family. Conclusion. The results of the current study indicate that future wellness actions should prioritize increasing students’ general nutrition knowledge while also considering individual and academic factors impacting NK in college.

Research Article

Anthropometric and Biochemical Correlations of Insulin Resistance in a Middle-Aged Maltese Caucasian Population

Background. Insulin resistance (IR) is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk, and with increased all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. A number of surrogate markers are used in clinical practice to diagnose IR. The aim of this study was to investigate the discriminatory power of a number of routinely available anthropometric and biochemical variables in predicting IR and to determine their optimal cutoffs. Methods. We performed a cross-sectional study in a cohort of middle-aged individuals. We used receiver operator characteristics (ROC) analyses in order to determine the discriminatory power of parameters of interest in detecting IR, which was defined as homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance ≥2.5. Results. Both the lipid accumulation product (LAP) and visceral adiposity index (VAI) exhibited good discriminatory power to detect IR in both males and females. The optimal cutoffs were 42.5 and 1.44, respectively, in males and 36.2 and 1.41, respectively, in females. Serum triglycerides (TG) and waist circumference (WC) similarly demonstrated good discriminatory power in detecting IR in both sexes. The optimal cutoffs for serum TG and WC were 1.35 mmol/L and 96.5 cm, respectively, in men and 1.33 mmol/L and 82 cm, respectively, in women. On the other hand, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, liver transaminases, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, serum uric acid, ferritin, waist-hip ratio, “A” body shape, thigh circumference, and weight-adjusted thigh circumference all had poor discriminatory power. Conclusions. Our data show that LAP, VAI, TG, and WC all have good discriminatory power in detecting IR in both men and women. The optimal cutoffs for TG and WC were lower than those currently recommended in both sexes. Replication studies are required in different subpopulations and different ethnicities in order to be able to update the current cut points to ones which reflect the contemporary population as well as to evaluate their longitudinal relationship with longer-term cardiometabolic outcomes.

Research Article

Efficacy of Hot Tea Infusion vs. Ethanolic Extract of Moringa oleifera for the Simultaneous Treatment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver, Hyperlipidemia, and Hyperglycemia in a Murine Model Fed with a High-Fat Diet

Moringa oleifera (MO) is a native tree of Asia and is cultivated in some areas of Mexico as part of traditional horticulture. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of MO infusion vs. MO ethanolic extract for the simultaneous treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD), hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia in a murine model fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). BALB/c mice were fed a balanced diet (healthy control) or an HFD for 6 months. With this, the NAFLD model was established before starting a therapeutic intervention with MO for two months. The phytochemical analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance in 1H and 13C experiments showed signals for pyrrole alkaloids and triterpenes as the main constituents of the extract and infusion preparation. A significant reduction of SGPT, SGOT, lipids, urea, and glucose in blood among NAFLD groups treated with MO (infusion or extract) was found, when compared to the NAFLD-placebo group. Steatosis and liver inflammation were found to be decreased in the MO groups, as infusion or ethanolic extract. Infusion produced a better therapeutic effect than the extract in all parameters, except glycemic control, where the extract was better. As an additional finding, it is noteworthy that treatment with MO, particularly through infusion, resulted in improved motor activity. Moreover, a reduction in anxiety-like behavior was observed exclusively with the administration of infusion. These observations provide valuable insights into the potential broader effects of Moringa oleifera beyond the primary aim of the study.

Research Article

Associations between Components of Metabolic Syndrome and Demographic, Nutritional, and Lifestyle Factors

Objectives. To evaluate the associations between individuals with and without changes in components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and demographic, nutritional, and lifestyle factors. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 224 individuals followed-up at a public hospital in Northeast Brazil. We used National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP) criteria to diagnose MetS. We assessed components of MetS as dependent variables, while sex, age, food consumption, smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, anthropometric parameters, and sleep hours were independent variables. Results. Comparing individuals with and without changes in components of MetS, the logistic regression models revealed that female sex was predictive of increased waist circumference and low HDL-c levels while advanced age was predictive of increased blood pressure and blood glucose levels. BMI emerged as a predictor for waist circumference and a protective factor for triglyceride levels. In addition, potassium intake, physical activity, and sleep duration were protective against decreased HDL-c, elevated triglyceride, and elevated blood pressure levels, respectively. Conclusion. This study demonstrated that sex, age, BMI, dietary potassium intake, physical activity, and hours of sleep are factors to be targeted in public health actions for prevention and treatment of MetS.

Research Article

The Effectiveness of Modified Atkins Ketogenic Diet on Children with Intractable Epilepsy: A Pilot Study from Indonesia

Background. The ketogenic diet has recently been explored as a potential treatment approach for intractable epilepsy in children and has been applied in various parts of the world. The ketogenic diet is also effective for the treatment of mood disorders, especially for adolescent and young adults with epilepsy. The Modified Atkins Diet (MAD) is the less restrictive type of ketogenic diet with similar principles as the classic type. However, no study has been conducted to evaluate the use of MAD in children with severe epilepsy in Indonesia. This study aims to assess the effectiveness, tolerance, compliance, and the adverse effects of MAD in children with intractable epilepsy during a 6-month monitoring period. Methods. This is a pilot experimental study involving children aged 2–18 years old with intractable epilepsy at the Pediatric Neurology and the Pediatric Nutrition & Metabolic Diseases Clinics at the Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital Jakarta between November 2021 and June 2022. Results. A total of 31 subjects met the inclusion criteria and received the MAD in the first month, followed by 13 (41.9%) subjects in the third month, and 9 (29%) subjects in the sixth month. The MAD reduced the seizure frequency by 50% (), 62% (), and 83.3% () in the first, third, and sixth months, respectively. The most frequent adverse effects are vomiting and diarrhea. Noncompliance was observed in 18 (58.1%) subjects. A sample of the MAD food menu guidebook was developed to make it easier for parents to adhere to the diet. Conclusions. The MAD reduces the mean seizure frequency in children with intractable epilepsy in the first, third, and sixth months, with a statistical significance in the sixth month. A further randomized, controlled, and multicenter clinical trial with a larger sample size and longer observation period is required. This trial is registered with Protocol ID 20-10-1323.

Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
 Journal metrics
See full report
Acceptance rate8%
Submission to final decision119 days
Acceptance to publication14 days
CiteScore5.200
Journal Citation Indicator0.480
Impact Factor2.2
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