Identifying malnutrition risk in hospitalized patients: an analysis of five tools in the light of GLIM criteria.

BACKGROUND: The prompt identification of malnutrition among hospitalized patients using the appropriate screening tool is paramount. The objective of our study is to compare the most recommended screening tools concerning the new GLIM criteria for malnutrition in hospitalized patients. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the data on 1,397 patients receiving inpatient treatment at Bandirma Training and Research Hospital between August 2022 and May 2023 to assess and compare malnutrition in them. Patients who received inpatient treatment in the internal and surgical clinics of Bandirma Training and Research Hospital. In addition to the GLIM criteria, we used nutritional screening and assessment tools such as NRS-2002, MST, GMS, MUST, and SNAQ. The GLIM criteria were considered the gold standard for the evaluation of sensitivity and specificity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the five screening tools were also used to assess the ability to distinguish malnutrition-risk patients accurately. RESULTS: The comparison of the performances of different screening tools in detecting malnutrition demonstrated that while the GMS had the highest sensitivity (87.40%), the NRS-2002 had the highest specificity (91.70%). The area under the Curve (AUC) value indicated that the predictive values of the NRS-2002, MST, GMS, and SNAQ were excellent, and the predictive value of the MUST was good (p < 0.001). While the GLIM criteria in particular appear to be an effective tool for detecting malnutrition in hospitalized individuals, other screening tools are also useful in assessing their malnutrition risk. CONCLUSIONS: We emphasized MST's alignment with GLIM criteria, underscoring the importance of a multidisciplinary approach for early malnutrition diagnosis. Patients at risk of malnutrition can be diagnosed more quickly and accurately with appropriate screening tools and the effectiveness of treatments can be increased.

Decoding dietary myths: The role of ChatGPT in modern nutrition.

In today's world, where nutrition forms the cornerstone of human health, the potential harms of misinformation are concerning. Nutritional myths, whether originating from age-old superstitions, misinterpreted scientific findings, or commercial interests, can lead astray. In the digital age, the proliferation of such misleading information is alarmingly accelerated, thanks to the dominance of social media and search engines. Modern artificial intelligence tools, exemplified by ChatGPT, promise a potential revolution in dispelling these nutrition-related misconceptions. ChatGPT, by offering users immediate and scientifically-backed information, aids in illuminating nutritional myths and misconceptions. However, such AI models come with inherent limitations and potential ethical concerns. Therefore, while tools like ChatGPT are undoubtedly powerful, they are not a panacea. In conclusion, AI stands as a pivotal tool in the dissemination of nutritional knowledge and debunking myths, but a careful and critical approach must be adopted in its usage.

Evaluation of night eating syndrome and food addiction in esports players.

PURPOSE: Esports players' training takes long periods and they sit for a long time during competitions, which increases their risk of obesity and urges them to develop inappropriate eating behaviors. In this study, we aimed to investigate the night-eating syndrome and food addiction in esports players. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 248 esports players who were members of a university's esports community. The study data were collected using an online questionnaire consisting of the descriptive information form, Night Eating Questionnaire, and Yale Food Addiction Scale. RESULTS: The mean age of the sports players participating in the study was 22.19 ± 5.97 years. Of them, 55.6% had a normal body weight, 13.4% were obese, 54.4% played esports for 3 years or more, 13.3% experienced night eating syndrome, and 21.4% experienced food addiction. While the weekly duration of playing esports and skipping meals were associated with night eating syndrome, the weekly duration of playing esports and smoking were associated with food addiction (p < 0.05). Additionally, although there was no statistically significant difference, the risk of food addiction was 2.12 times higher in those with poor perceived sleep quality. CONCLUSION: We observed that night eating syndrome was very common in esports players and that these individuals were at risk in terms of food addiction. Since esports has a more sedentary structure than traditional sports, we suggest that esports players should be evaluated in terms of their unhealthy eating behaviors and risk of eating disorders.

Is food insecurity related to sustainable and healthy eating behaviors?

In this cross-sectional study, it was aimed to investigate the relationship between sustainable and healthy eating behaviors such as nutritional insecurity and a healthy and balanced diet, interest in regional and organic food products, consumption of seasonal food and avoidance of food waste, preference for locally produced foods, reduction of meat consumption, preference for eggs from free-range chickens, and sustainable fishery products, and consumption of low-fat food products in adults. The study included 410 adults who were reached through social media applications. Data were collected through an online questionnaire including the Descriptive Information Form, the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), and the Sustainable Healthy Eating Behaviors Scale (SHEBS). The proportion of participants determined as mildly food insecure, moderately food insecure, and severely food insecure was 10.2%, 6.6%, and 7.6%, respectively. Linear regression analysis revealed that in Models 1, 2, and 3, there was a statistically significant negative association between food insecurity and the components of sustainable and healthy eating behaviors such as healthy and balanced diet (ß - 0.226, p < 0.001), quality labels (ß - 0.230, p < 0.001), seasonal foods, which are of avoidance of food waste (ß - 0.261, p < 0.001), animal welfare (ß - 0.174, p < 0.001), and fat intake (ß - 0.181, p < 0.001). In conclusion, food insecurity negatively affects healthy and balanced diet behaviors, interest in regional and organic food products, seasonal food products consumption and avoidance of food waste, consumption of low-fat food products, and the choice of products such as free-range chicken eggs, and sustainable fisheries.

Exploring the Potential of Chat GPT in Personalized Obesity Treatment.

Obesity has become a serious global health problem. For some patients who cannot be treated with traditional methods, artificial intelligence technologies are a new source of hope. Chat GPT is a language model that has become popular in recent times and has many applications in natural language processing. This article focuses on the potential use of Chat GPT in obesity treatment. Chat GPT can provide personalized recommendations on topics, such as nutrition plans, exercise programs, and psychological support. In this way, a personalized treatment plan can be created based on the individual needs of patients and a more effective approach to obesity treatment can be achieved. However, some ethical and security concerns should also be considered regarding the use of this technology. In conclusion, the potential of Chat GPT in obesity treatment is promising, and with the effective use of this technology, better results can be achieved in obesity treatment.

Effects of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on fatigue and activities of daily living in geriatric individuals with COPD.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Fatigue is a commonly diagnosed symptom in cancers and many other chronic debilitating diseases. The second most important complaint after dyspnea in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the feeling of fatigue. Fatigue can have significant consequences on health status as it can limit patients' activities of daily living, lead to worsening prognosis, and is an indicator of mortality. It remains unclear how fatigue affects the daily life of COPD patients and what physical, social, and emotional challenges it brings. Some studies are showing that adhering to the Mediterranean diet significantly improves fatigue. In this study, the relationship between fatigue and adherence to a Mediterranean diet in COPD patients was investigated. METHODS: The present study is a descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study. The study population included ≥65-year-old patients with a diagnosis of COPD who were hospitalized in Chest Diseases Clinics of Izmir Dr. Suat Seren Chest Diseases and Surgery Training and Research Hospital and Chest Diseases Clinic of Sivas Cumhuriyet University Hospital. The Personal Information Form, Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS), COPD and Asthma Fatigue Scale (CAFS), and KATZ Activities of Daily Living Scale (Katz ADL) were used as data collection tools. RESULTS: Of the total 526 participants, 58.7% were men, 52.1% were overweight, 54.3% were ex-smokers, and 65.8% were non-drinkers. In the variables related to the disease, the mean duration of having COPD was 16.41 (SD 5.26) years. According to the GOLD classification of the participants, the severity of the disease was determined as Stage III in 57.4% of them, and the severity of dyspnea was determined as "3" (moderate severity) in 54.5% of them according to the mMRC scale. According to the results of the analysis, the mean MEDAS score was 7.84 (SD: 2.76). According to the participants' levels of adherence to the MD, of them, 43.8% had high adherence to MD and 29% had low adherence to MD. The mean CAFS score indicating the level of disease-related fatigue was 69.17 (SD: 15.73), and the lowest and highest scores were 25 and 100 respectively. According to the independence in activities of daily living of the participants, 77.3% were semi-dependent and 6.4% were independent. The comparison of the level of the participant's adherence to the MD according to their mean CAFS scores demonstrated that those who had high adherence to the MD obtained significantly lower scores than the participants in the other groups (p < 0.05). The comparison of the participants' mean MEDAS scores according to their KATZ ADL independence status demonstrated that there was a significant difference (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to the MD was associated with fatigue and independence in older COPD patients. It was found that high adherence to MD is associated with decreased fatigue and increased independence in activities of daily living in older COPD patients.

Relationship between food insecurity and geriatric syndromes in older adults: A multicenter study in Turkey.

AIMS: In this study, the aim was to determine the prevalence of geriatric syndromes such as frailty, sarcopenia risk and malnutrition in older adults and to investigate the relationship between food insecurity, and frailty, risk of sarcopenia and malnutrition. METHODS: The study was cross-sectional. It was conducted between February 2022 and June 2022 with 707 older adults. The data were collected through the face-to-face interview method with a questionnaire including the Descriptive Information Form, Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), Frail Scale, Sarcopenia Risk Screening Scale (SARC-F) and Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF). Numbers, percentages, mean, standard deviation, Pearson chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis were used in data analysis. RESULTS: In the present sample, 30% of the participants experienced some degree of food insecurity. The prevalence of frailty, sarcopenia risk, and malnutrition in the participants was 15.3%, 19.5%, and 1.3%, respectively. We determined that food insecurity was not associated with pre-frailty/frailty and sarcopenia risk. After adjusment for potential counfounders moderate and severe food insecurity was associated with higher odds of malnutrition risk and malnutrition (AOR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.21-3.51, p:0.007). CONCLUSION: While food insecurity is not associated with pre-frailty/frailty and sarcopenia risk, moderate and severe food insecurity is a modifiable risk factor for malnutrition risk and malnutrition. Thus, economic and social policies to eliminate food insecurity should be implemented, and efforts to prevent food insecurity should be planned through inter-sectoral cooperation.

The relationship between food and cooking skills, and eating behaviors in people with overweight or obesity.

BACKGROUND: In the present study, the authors aimed to determine food skills and cooking skills, and eating behaviors, and to evaluate the relationship between food skills and cooking skills, and eating behaviors in people with overweight or obesity. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 185 people with overweight or obesity. The researchers collected the study data using the face-to-face interview method through a questionnaire including the Descriptive Information Form, Cooking Skills and Food Skills Scale, and Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R21. Numbers, percentages, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, Student's t-test, Pearson Chi-Square test, and multiple linear regression analysis were used in the analysis of the data. RESULTS: The mean scores of the individuals obtained from the overall Cooking Skills and Food Skills Scale, and cooking skills, food skills, uncontrolled eating, cognitive restraint, and emotional eating sub-dimensions were 148.17 ± 52.20, 70.45 ± 27.48, 77.84 ± 28.90, 43.90 ± 22.74, 36.95 ± 23.93, and 38.94 ± 29.17 respectively. Multiple linear regression was fitted to determine the association between food skills and cooking skills and eating behaviors while adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics. Food skills and cooking skills were positively associated with uncontrolled eating (ß = 0.213, p = 0.030), cognitive restraint (ß = 0.245, p = 0.009), and emotional eating behaviors (ß = 0.338, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: In people with overweight or obesity, cognitive restraint and emotional eating behaviors improve as their food preparation and cooking skills improve. Therefore, education and public health practices on eating awareness, food skills, and cooking skills can play an important role in bringing healthy behavior change into practice in society.

The Potential Role of Dietary Antioxidant Capacity in Preventing Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Objectives: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disorder among people aged ≥50 years. Some dietary factors associated with the susceptibility to AMD include dietary glycemic index and glycemic load, as well as intake of antioxidants and other nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and dietary fatty acids. Methods: This case-control study was conducted between July 2015 and February 2016 on 100 case subjects with AMD and 100 healthy controls without AMD. The participants were recruited from the Department of Ophthalmology of Hacettepe University Hospitals in Ankara, Turkey. Dietary intake was estimated from a 3-day food intake record and food frequency questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements were recorded. The relationship between nutritional factors and AMD was assessed using logistic regression. Results: Dietary total antioxidant intake of AMD group was found to be lower (p < 0.05) than that of healthy individuals. In a multivariate analysis, smoking, daily red meat intake, omega-6 intake, and higher glycemic index were identified as risk factors for AMD development. Meanwhile, daily fruit intake, daily fish intake, omega-3 intake, and zinc intake were associated with a protective effect. However, no difference was found in dietary total antioxidant capacity. Conclusions: In this study, a high dietary intake of carotenoids, vitamins C and E, zinc, and omega-3, as well as maintaining optimal waist circumference, were found to substantially reduce the risk of developing AMD in people aged >50 years. By contrast, in addition to smoking and old age, obesity, high red meat intake, and omega-6 intake might increase the risk of developing AMD. Therefore, a better understanding of nutritional risk factors is necessary for preventing AMD.