The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2020–2025): Pulses, Dietary Fiber, and Chronic Disease Risk—A Call for Clarity and Action

The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) were recently released [...]

Detecting Diabetes Risk: Philanthrocapitalism, Diagnostic Innovation and Epistemic Power in Mexico

An expanding class of mega-philanthropic institutions, most often based in the Global North but increasingly based in the Global South, has emerged as a driving force in global health. Among them, the Carlos Slim Foundation—located in Mexico City and funded by Mexican-born telecommunications tycoon Carlos Slim Helú—has spearheaded an ongoing strategy to boost chronic disease prevention in Mexico, principally through the development and promotion of a series of cutting-edge diagnostic tests. In this research article I trace the Foundation’s efforts to develop these technologies and integrate them into Mexican health policy. With these technologies serving as powerful conduits of the Foundation’s epistemic power, I show that Carlos Slim’s philanthropic investments are reshaping goals in the public health field and fostering new understanding of chronic disease risk among health officials and experts in Mexico and beyond.

DNA Methylation of TXNIP Independently Associated with Inflammation and Diabetes Mellitus in Twins

Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) plays a key role in diabetes development and prognosis through its role in pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and death as well as in upregulating the inflammatory response in hyperglycemia. DNA methylation (DNAm) of TXNIP (TXNIP-cg19693031) is associated with the prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D); however, its role in inflammation and its relationship with T2D remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the epigenetic associations of TXNIP-cg19693031 with a panel of inflammatory biomarkers and to examine whether these inflammatory biomarkers modify the association between TXNIP-cg19693031 methylation and diabetes in 218 middle-aged male twins from the Emory Twin Study. We confirmed the association of TXNIP-cg19693031 DNAm with T2D, as well as with HbA1c, insulin and fasting glucose. We found that hypomethylation at TXNIP-cg19693031 is strongly associated with both type 2 diabetes and higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers (VCAM-1, ICAM-1, MMP-2, sRAGE and P-selectin); however, the relationship between TXNIP-cg19693031 and T2D is independent of the levels of these inflammatory biomarkers. Our results suggest that DNA methylation of TXNIP is linked with multiple biological processes, through which the TXNIP may have broad influence on chronic disease risk.

Impact of Environmental and Health Risks on Rural Households’ Sustainable Livelihoods: Evidence from China

China has entered a “post-poverty alleviation” era, where the achievement of sustainable livelihoods by farmers has become a focus. This study used the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) database, which was constructed based on an analysis of the DFID sustainable livelihood framework, and built a sustainable livelihood index system for farmers using the entropy weight method to measure the weights of sustainable livelihood indexes and calculate a sustainable livelihood index. This study used the Tobit model to discuss the impacts of different types of risk on the achievement of a sustainable livelihood by farmers. The results showed that environmental risk, chronic disease risk, and major disease risk all had significant negative impacts on the ability of farmers to achieve a sustainable livelihood. The impacts of major disease and chronic disease risks on the achievement of a sustainable livelihood by farmers living in plain areas were stronger than those associated with environmental risk. In China, the environmental risks were complex and diverse and were the most important factors that affect the achievement of a sustainable livelihood by rural households in mountainous areas. Chronic disease risk was also an important adverse factor that affected the achievement of a sustainable livelihood by rural households in mountainous areas.

Current and Future Implications of COVID-19 among Youth Wheelchair Users: 24-Hour Activity Behavior

Preventative measures taken worldwide to decrease the transmission of COVID-19 have had a tremendous impact on youth. Following social restrictions, youth with and without physical disabilities are engaging in less physical activity, more increased sedentary behavior, and poor sleep habits. Specifically, youth wheelchair users (YWU) are likely disproportionately affected by COVID- 19 and have a higher risk of contraction due to underlying comorbidities. While we cannot control all of the negative long-term implications of COVID-19 for YWU, participation in positive 24-h activity behaviors can decrease chronic disease risk and the likelihood of long-term complications resulting from infection. This commentary is to extend the discourse on the importance of 24-h activity behaviors by focusing on YWU. Specifically, we discuss the importance of chronic disease prevention, provide a brief overview of 24-h activity behaviors, and outline some of the lessons that can be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ketogenic Diets and Chronic Disease: Weighing the Benefits Against the Risks

Very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets have been long been used to reduce seizure frequency and more recently have been promoted for a variety of health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, and liver disease. Ketogenic diets may provide short-term improvement and aid in symptom management for some chronic diseases. Such diets affect diet quality, typically increasing intake of foods linked to chronic disease risk and decreasing intake of foods found to be protective in epidemiological studies. This review examines the effects of ketogenic diets on common chronic diseases, as well as their impact on diet quality and possible risks associated with their use. Given often-temporary improvements, unfavorable effects on dietary intake, and inadequate data demonstrating long-term safety, for most individuals, the risks of ketogenic diets may outweigh the benefits.

Acute exercise improves glucose and triglyceride metabolism in young and older adults following high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal intake

A single high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal (HFHC) results in elevated postprandial glucose (GLU), triglycerides (TRG) and metabolic load index (MLI; TRG (mg/dL) + GLU (mg/dL)) that contributes to chronic disease risk. While disease risk is higher in older adults (OA) compared to younger adults (YA), the acute effects of exercise on these outcomes in OA is understudied. Twelve YA (age 23.3 ± 3.9 yrs, n = 5 M/7 F) and 12 OA (age 67.7 ± 6.0 yrs, n = 8 M/4 F) visited the laboratory in random order to complete a HFHC with no exercise (NE) or acute exercise (EX) condition. EX was performed 12 hours prior to HFHC at an intensity of 65% of maximal heart rate to expend 75% of the kcals consumed in HFHC (Marie Callender’s Chocolate Satin Pie; 12 kcal/kgbw; 57% fat, 37% CHO). Blood samples were taken at 0, 30, 60, 90 minutes, and then every hour until 6 hours post-meal. TRG levels increased to a larger magnitude in OA (Δ˜61 ± 31%) compared to YA (Δ˜37 ± 34%, p < 0.001), which were attenuated in EX compared to NE (p < 0.05) independent of age. There was no difference in GLU between OA and YA after the HFM, however EX had attenuated GLU independent of age (NE: Δ˜21 ± 26%; EX: Δ˜12 ± 18%, p = 0.027). MLI was significantly lower after EX compared to NE in OA and YA (p < 0.001). Pre-prandial EX reduced TRG, GLU and MLI post-HFHC independent of age.