The aging process is often accompanied by increase in body weight. Older adults with overweight or obesity might have an overconsumption in energy that is accompanied by inadequate intake of protein, vitamin D, and calcium. It is unclear if intake of protein and vitamin D and calcium is sufficient in older adults with overweight/obesity, and whether it differs from older adults with normal weight, since a recent overview of the literature review is lacking. Therefore, we systematically analyzed the current evidence on differences in nutrient intake/status of protein, vitamin D and calcium between older adults with different body mass index (BMI) categories. Randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies were identified from PubMed and EMBASE. Studies reporting nutrient intake/status in older adults aged ≥50 years with overweight/obesity and studies comparing between overweight/obesity and normal weight were included. Nutrient intake/status baseline values were reviewed and when possible calculated for one BMI category (single-group meta-analysis), or compared between BMI categories (meta-analysis). Nutrient intake/status was compared with international recommendations. Mean protein (N = 8) and calcium intake (N = 5) was 0.98 gram/kilogram body weight/day (g/kg/d) [95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.89–1.08] and 965 mg [95% CI: 704–1225] in overweight/obese. Vitamin D intake was insufficient in all BMI categories (N = 5). The pooled mean for vitamin D intake was 6 ug [95% CI 4–9]. For 25(OH)D, the pooled mean was 54 nmol/L [95% CI 45–62], 52 nmol/L [95% CI 46–58], and 48 nmol/l [95% CI 33–62] in normal (N = 7), combined overweight and obese (N = 12), and obese older adults (N = 4), respectively. In conclusion, older adults with overweight and obesity have a borderline sufficient protein and sufficient calcium intake, but insufficient vitamin D intake. The 25(OH)D concentration is deficient for the obese older adults.
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Studies monitoring vitamin D status in athletes are seldom conducted for a period of 12 months or longer, thereby lacking insight into seasonal fluctuations. The objective of the cur-rent study was to identify seasonal changes in total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concen-tration throughout the year. Fifty-two, mainly Caucasian athletes with a sufficient 25(OH)D concentration (>75 nmol/L) in June were included in this study. Serum 25(OH)D concentra-tion was measured every three months (June, September, December, March, June). Addition-ally, vitamin D intake and sun exposure were assessed by questionnaires at the same time points. Highest total 25(OH)D concentrations were found at the end of summer (113±26 nmol/L), whereas lowest concentrations were observed at the end of winter (78±30 nmol/L). Although all athletes had a sufficient 25(OH)D concentration at the start of the study, nearly 20% of the athletes were deficient (<50 nmol/L) in late winter.
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The purpose of these systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of dairy components on nutritional status and physical fitness in older adults, as evidence for efficacy of the supplementation of these components is inconclusive. Scopus and MEDLINE were searched. Main inclusion criteria for articles were as follows: double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials including participants aged ≥55 years who received dairy components or a placebo. Outcome measures were nutrient status (body weight and body mass index) and physical fitness (body composition, muscle strength, and physical performance). Thirty-six trials with 4947participants were included. Most trials investigated protein and vitamin D supplementation and showed no effect on the outcomes. Meta-analysis on the effect of protein on body weight showed a significant increase in mean difference of 1.13 kg (95% confidence interval, 0.59-1.67). This effect increased by selecting trials with study a duration of 6 months in which less nourished and physically fit participants were included. Trials where the participants were (pre-)frail, inactive older adults or when supplementing ≥20 g of protein per day tended to increase lean body mass. Only small significant effects of vitamin D supplementation on Timed Up and Go (mean difference -0.75 seconds; 95% confidence interval -1.44 to -0.07) were determined. This effect increased when vitamin D doses ranged between 400 and 1000 IU. Additional large randomized controlled trials of ≥6 months are needed regarding the effect of dairy components containing an adequate amount of vitamin D (400-1000 IU) and/or protein (≥20 g) on nutritional status and physical fitness in malnourished or frail older adults.
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The seaweed aquaculture sector, aimed at cultivation of macroalgal biomass to be converted into commercial applications, can be placed within a sustainable and circular economy framework. This bio-based sector has the potential to aid the European Union meet multiple EU Bioeconomy Strategy, EU Green Deal and Blue Growth Strategy objectives. Seaweeds play a crucial ecological role within the marine environment and provide several ecosystem services, from the take up of excess nutrients from surrounding seawater to oxygen production and potentially carbon sequestration. Sea lettuce, Ulva spp., is a green seaweed, growing wild in the Atlantic Ocean and North Sea. Sea lettuce has a high nutritional value and is a promising source for food, animal feed, cosmetics and more. Sea lettuce, when produced in controlled conditions like aquaculture, can supplement our diet with healthy and safe proteins, fibres and vitamins. However, at this moment, Sea lettuce is hardly exploited as resource because of its unfamiliarity but also lack of knowledge about its growth cycle, its interaction with microbiota and eventually, possible applications. Even, it is unknown which Ulva species are available for aquaculture (algaculture) and how these species can contribute to a sustainable aquaculture biomass production. The AQULVA project aims to investigate which Ulva species are available in the North Sea and Wadden Sea which can be utilised in onshore aquaculture production. Modern genomic, microbiomic and metabolomic profiling techniques alongside ecophysiological production research must reveal suitable Ulva selections with high nutritional value for sustainable onshore biomass production. Selected Ulva spp lines will be used for production of healthy and safe foods, anti-aging cosmetics and added value animal feed supplements for dairy farming. This applied research is in cooperation with a network of SME’s, Research Institutes and Universities of Applied Science and is liaised with EU initiatives like the EU-COST action “SeaWheat”.
Cupplement; Koffie voor sporters. Een dagelijks kopje verrijkt in vitamines kan sporters helpen om te voorzien in de extra behoefte van deze vitamines. Uit HU onderzoek blijkt dat koffie uit cups in principe kunnen worden verrijkt met vitamines. In dit project voorstel zullen de volgende vervolg activiteiten worden verricht, namelijk: • Analyse van de beschikbaarheid van vitamines in koffie namelijk; o wateroplosbare vitamines, (andere vitBs). o vetoplosbare vitamines (vitD). • Kwaliteit en shelf life testen. • Smaakoptimalisatie na verrijking. Het uiteindelijk resultaat zal zijn, een koffie blend in cups verrijkt met vit B en D waarvan de smaak is geoptimaliseerd.
De LTO heeft aangekaart wat het belang van licht is voor het welzijn van paarden. Zowel de lichtsterkte, als de kleur en de lichtduur hebben effect op het welzijn van het paard. Licht is noodzakelijk voor een goede gezondheid en zorgt voor het aanmaken van vitaminen en het aansturen van de voortplantingscyclus. Ook de Federatie van Nederlandse Ruitersportcentra (FNRS) heeft recent (april jl.) geschreven over het belang van natuurlijk daglicht. Ledverlichting in de stal die zonlicht nabootst zorgt voor meer rust en minder stress bij paarden, wat meetbaar is in de hormoonspiegels in het bloed. Er zijn commercieel verkrijgbare lampen die natuurlijk daglicht nabootsen, maar er is nog geen lamp die rekening houdt met meerdere kleuren (rood, blauw, groen en geel) licht, wat belangrijk is voor paarden. . Geel licht zou bijvoorbeeld bijdragen aan een betere wateropname. De lichaamstemperatuur van het paard blijkt toe te nemen bij blauw en rood licht, maar af te nemen bij groen of geel licht. Rood licht zorgt voor het stimuleren van de nachtelijke stijging in melatonine, terwijl blauw licht juist een verlaging in melatonine veroorzaakt wat bijdraagt aan meer alertheid. Signify® heeft verschillende modulaire lichtsystemen op de markt gebracht voor kippen, vissen en varkens, maar nog niet voor paarden. De innovatie is hier de aanpasbaarheid en modulariteit van het systeem. Voordat deze lichtsystemen ook voor paarden ontwikkeld kunnen worden, wil Signify® eerst meer onderzoek laten doen naar wat nu écht belangrijk is voor een paard. Signify heeft deze vraag neergelegd bij Lentiz MBO Maasland. In samenwerking met EquInnoLab. en de HAS green academy wil Lentiz daarom een onderzoek uitvoeren naar het effect van de aanwezigheid en de kleur van licht op het (slaap)gedrag en fysiologie van het paard.
