Leptin and insulin in young adulthood are associated with weight in infancy.

Low weight in early infancy is a known risk factor for cardio-metabolic syndrome in adult life. However, little is known either about developmental programming in subjects of normal birthweight or about events between the ages which separate early programming and the occurrence of disease at late adulthood. We tested the hypothesis that circulating concentrations of leptin, adiponectin and insulin in young, healthy adults, born with a birth size within the normal range, are influenced by early life growth patterns.

Improving selection of markers in nutrition research: evaluation of the criteria proposed by the ILSI Europe Marker Validation Initiative.

The conduct of high-quality nutrition research requires the selection of appropriate markers as outcomes, for example as indicators of food or nutrient intake, nutritional status, health status or disease risk. Such selection requires detailed knowledge of the markers, and consideration of the factors that may influence their measurement, other than the effects of nutritional change. A framework to guide selection of markers within nutrition research studies would be a valuable tool for researchers.

Manipulating the gut microbiota to maintain health and treat disease.

Background: The intestinal microbiota composition varies between healthy and diseased individuals for numerous diseases. Although any cause or effect relationship between the alterations in the gut microbiota and disease is not always clear, targeting the intestinal microbiota might offer new possibilities for prevention and/or treatment of disease.

Objective: Here we review some examples of manipulating the intestinal microbiota by prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbial transplants.

Markers for nutrition studies: review of criteria for the evaluation of markers.

Introduction: Markers are important tools to assess the nutrition status and effects of nutrition interventions. There is currently insufficient consensus in nutrition sciences on how to evaluate markers, despite the need for properly evaluating them.

Objectives: To identify the criteria for the evaluation of markers related to nutrition, health and disease and to propose generic criteria for evaluation.

Guidelines for the design, conduct and reporting of human intervention studies to evaluate the health benefits of foods.

There is substantial evidence to link what we eat to the reduction of the risk of major chronic diseases and/or the improvement of functions. Thus, it is important for public health agencies and the food industry to facilitate the consumption of foods with particular health benefits by providing consumer products and messages based on scientific evidence. Although fragmentary advice is available from a range of sources, there is a lack of comprehensive scientific guidelines for the design, conduct and reporting of human intervention studies to evaluate the health benefits of foods.

Scientific issues related to Codex Alimentarius goals: a review of principles, with examples.

The Codex Alimentarius provides the food standards and guidelines recognized by the World Trade Organization as the primary authority for use in settlement of related trade disputes. Codex bases its decisions primarily on scientific principles and evidence, although other legitimate factors such as economic and societal values may be considered. Codex has two primary aims: to protect consumers' health and assure fair practices in food trade.

Guidance for substantiating the evidence for beneficial effects of probiotics: current status and recommendations for future research.

Probiotic bacteria are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. There is a growing interest in probiotics within the scientific community, with consumers, and in the food industry. The interactions between the gut and intestinal microbiota and between resident and transient microbiota define a new arena in physiology, an understanding of which would shed light on the "cross-talk" between humans and microbes.

Guidance for substantiating the evidence for beneficial effects of probiotics: prevention and management of allergic diseases by probiotics.

Allergy is a hypersensitivity reaction mediated by specific antibody-mediated or cell-mediated immunologic mechanisms and clinically manifested as atopic eczema, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, or asthma. During the recent decades there has been an increase in allergy prevalence, which is attributed to changes in environmental factors. The so-called "hygiene hypothesis" suggests that a lack of exposure to microbial stimulus early in childhood is a major factor involved in this trend.

Guidance for substantiating the evidence for beneficial effects of probiotics: probiotics in chronic inflammatory bowel disease and the functional disorder irritable bowel syndrome.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, the 2 distinct idiopathic pathologies of inflammatory bowel diseases, are spontaneously relapsing, immunologically mediated disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Selected probiotics strains have been proven to be clinically effective in maintaining remission in patients with ulcerative colitis. None of the probiotics thus far tested has been shown to be effective in induction of remission or in maintenance of remission in patients with Crohn's disease.

Guidance for substantiating the evidence for beneficial effects of probiotics: impact of probiotics on digestive system metabolism.

Probiotic bacteria have been studied for their potential impact on the metabolism of dietary components in the small intestine lumen including lactose digestion, metabolism of lipids such as cholesterol, and oxalate metabolism. In the large intestine, they contribute to the metabolism of otherwise indigestible dietary carbohydrates (e.g.

Guidance for substantiating the evidence for beneficial effects of probiotics: prevention and management of infections by probiotics.

The rationale for the use of probiotics in the management of infectious diseases is supported by their potential to influence and stabilize the composition of gut microbiota, enhance colonization resistance, and modulate immune function parameters. A literature review was conducted to determine the efficacy of using probiotics in selected infections: 1) infectious diarrhea in infants and children, 2) traveler's diarrhea, 3) necrotizing enterocolitis in infants, 4) Helicobacter pylori infection, 5) respiratory tract infections in adults and children, 6) ear, nose, and throat infections, and 7) infectious complications in surgical and critically ill patients. The different types of infections that have been subject to clinical studies with different probiotics obviously prevent any generic conclusions.

Survival of yogurt bacteria in the human gut.

Whether Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus can be recovered after passage through the human gut was tested by feeding 20 healthy volunteers commercial yogurt. Yogurt bacteria were found in human feces, suggesting that they can survive transit in the gastrointestinal tract.

Markers to measure immunomodulation in human nutrition intervention studies.

Normal functioning of the immune system is crucial to the health of man, and diet is one of the major exogenous factors modulating individual immunocompetence. Recently, nutrition research has focused on the role of foods or specific food components in enhancing immune system responsiveness to challenges and thereby improving health and reducing disease risks. Assessing diet-induced changes of immune function, however, requires a thorough methodological approach targeting a large spectrum of immune system parameters.

SMEs and their co-operation with academia.

Co-operation between SMEs and Academia can be a win-win situation when each partner understands the constraints of the other. SMEs are often leaders in innovation; therefore more ready to share interest in research. They are flexible and dynamic.

From innovation to implementation.

Requirements for the safety and nutritional adequacy of infant formula are set by legislation and aim for the best possible substitute for human milk with regard to growth, development and biological effects. This is, however, a continuous process and has to be supported by science-driven innovative activities of manufacturers and be confirmed by adequate clinical studies performed according to agreed standards.

Trophic status of the small intestine in young and aged rats: modulation by a yogurt-supplemented diet.

Among the multifactorial causes of undernutrition in old age, gastrointestinal mucosa altered function and resulting specific malabsorption are the most relevant. Despite numerous studies that have dealt with the effects of aging on the digestive tract of mammals, results showed discrepancies in terms of proliferation and biochemical aging small intestine events. However, the slowing-down of the maturation process and the poor adaptation of metabolism and intestinal function are obvious and there is evidence that protective mechanisms are impaired with age and contribute to affecting the trophic activity and related systemic homeostasis.

PASSCLAIM--gut health and immunity.

Background: The gut and immune system form a complex integrated structure that has evolved to provide effective digestion and defence against ingested toxins and pathogenic bacteria. However, great variation exists in what is considered normal healthy gut and immune function. Thus, whilst it is possible to measure many aspects of digestion and immunity, it is more difficult to interpret the benefits to individuals of variation within what is considered to be a normal range.

The role of colonic microbiota in lactose intolerance.

In a previous study we observed a clear difference in lactose intolerance symptoms after a 25-g lactose load in two groups of persons with lactase nonpersistence and similar small intestinal lactase activity. From this observation we hypothesized a colon resistance factor. To identify this factor, the microbial composition of fecal samples of the two lactose intolerant groups (one with mild symptoms, n = 16, and one with diarrhea-predominant symptoms, n = 11) was compared using the fluorescent in situ hybridization technique.

Consequences of adrenalectomy on small intestine trophic parameters in aged and young rats: evidence of defective adaptation by aging and lack of corticoids.

Previous study pointed to an important role of adrenals and glucocorticoids in the trophic status of the adult small intestine mucosa, with possible implications during stress events. Small intestine morphological and biochemical consequences of 10-day bilateral adrenalectomy and also sham-related laparotomy were determined in 23-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats. As described in young rats, adrenalectomy in old rats leads to partial atrophy and disorganization of the proximal small intestine epithelium, with an increase in the number of Paneth cells and reduced crypt cell proliferation.