Perspective: Challenges and Future Directions in Clinical Research with Nuts and Berries.

Consumption of nuts and berries are considered part of a healthy eating pattern. Nuts and berries contain a complex nutrient profile consisting of essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and phenolics in quantities that improve physiological outcomes. The spectrum of health outcomes that may be impacted by the consumptions of nuts and berries includes cardiovascular, gut microbiome, and cognitive, among others. Recently, new insights regarding the bioactive compounds found in both nuts and berries have reinforced their role for use in precision nutrition efforts. However, challenges exist that can affect the generalizability of outcomes from clinical studies, including inconsistency in study designs, homogeneity of test populations, variability in test products and control foods, and assessing realistic portion sizes. Future research centered on precision nutrition and multi-omics technologies will yield new insights. These and other topics such as funding streams and perceived risk-of-bias were explored at an international nutrition conference focused on the role of nuts and berries in clinical nutrition. Successes, challenges, and future directions with these foods are presented here.

Arterial Stiffness and Endothelial Function are Comparable in Young Healthy Vegetarians and Omnivores.

Vegetarians (VEG) are reported to have lower body weight, blood pressure (BP), and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk compared with omnivores (OMN), yet the mechanisms remain unclear. A vegetarian diet may protect the vascular endothelium, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and CVD. This cross-sectional study compared vascular function between OMN and VEG. We hypothesized that VEG would have greater vascular function compared with OMN. Fifty-eight normotensive young healthy adults participated (40 women [W]/18 men [M]; 28 OMN [15W/13M] and 30 VEG [25W/5M]; 26 ± 7 years; BP: 112 ± 11/67 ± 8 mm Hg). Arterial stiffness, assessed by carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (OMN: 5.6 ± 0.8 m/s, VEG: 5.3 ± 0.8 m/s; P = .17) and wave reflection assessed by aortic augmentation index (OMN: 6.9 ± 12.3%, VEG: 8.8 ± 13.5%; P = .57) were not different between groups. However, central pulse pressure (OMN: 32 ± 5; VEG: 29 ± 5 mm Hg; P = .048) and forward wave reflection were greater in omnivores (OMN: 26 ± 3; VEG: 24 ± 3 mm Hg; P = .048). Endothelial-dependent dilation measured by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation was not different between groups (OMN: 6.0 ± 2.9%, VEG: 6.9 ± 3.3%; P = .29). Percent change in femoral blood flow from baseline during passive leg movement, another assessment of nitric oxide-mediated endothelial dilation, was similar between groups (OMN: 203 ± 88 mL/min, VEG: 253 ± 192 mL/min; P = .50). These data suggest that in healthy young adults, normotensive VEG do not have significantly improved vascular function compared with OMN; however, they have a lower central pulse pressure and forward wave amplitude which may lower the risk of future CVD.

Effects of short-term consumption of strawberry powder on select parameters of vascular health in adolescent males.

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in the United States and much of the developed world, costing billions of dollars in lost work time, lower productivity and high health care expenditures. Research on foods and bioactive food components that have cardioprotective benefits may provide new insights as to how modest changes in one's diet may result in a reduced risk of vascular disease. In intervention trials, the consumption of strawberries, either fresh or freeze-dried, has been reported to improve select markers of cardiovascular health, including improved lipid profiles, microvascular function, and platelet reactivity. Consistent with the above, epidemiological studies suggest beneficial effects of strawberries on vascular function. Preliminary studies on the effects of freeze-dried strawberry powder on vascular health are reviewed in the current paper.

Adolescent Obesity: Diet Quality, Psychosocial Health, and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors.

Obesity is a multifaceted chronic condition with several contributing causes, including biological risk factors, socioeconomic status, health literacy, and numerous environmental influences. Of particular concern are the increasing rates of obesity in children and adolescents, as rates of obesity in youth in the United States have tripled within the last three decades. Youth from historically disadvantaged backgrounds tend to have higher rates of obesity compared to other groups. Adolescents often do not meet intake recommendations for certain food groups and nutrients, which may contribute to a heightened risk of obesity. With obesity disproportionately affecting adolescents (ages 12-19 years), negative effects of excess adiposity may be particularly salient during this critical period of development. The presentation of chronic cardiometabolic disease symptoms typically observed in adults, such as hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and inflammation, are becoming increasingly common in adolescents with obesity. Additionally, there is dynamic interplay between obesity and psychosocial health, as adolescents with obesity may have increased levels of stress, depressive symptoms, and reduced resilience. To reduce and prevent adolescent obesity, the implementation of theory-driven multicomponent school- and community-based interventions have been suggested. These interventions promote knowledge and self-efficacy for healthful practices that have the potential to progress to sustained behavior change.