Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
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Acceptance rate8%
Submission to final decision119 days
Acceptance to publication14 days
CiteScore5.200
Journal Citation Indicator0.480
Impact Factor2.2

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Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism has recently been accepted into Food Science and Technology Abstracts.

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Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism publishes original research articles and review articles covering the broad and multidisciplinary field of human nutrition and metabolism.

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Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism maintains an Editorial Board of practicing researchers from around the world, to ensure manuscripts are handled by editors who are experts in the field of study.

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Research Article

The Effects of an Eight-Week Swimming Program on Body Composition and Assessment of Dietary Intake in Post-COVID-19 Patients

COVID-19 infection and its consequences (long-term COVID-19 syndrome) have implications for weight loss, body composition, and diet quality. In the context of the “PostCovSwim” project, which is part of a broader international study, the impact of an eight-week swimming program on post-COVID-19 patients’ nutritional status (i.e., body composition and dietary intake) was evaluated. Body composition and dietary intake were assessed by medically approved and calibrated bioelectrical impedance (Tanita 780 S MA) and food frequency questionnaires. At the baseline, most participants were classified as overweight based on their body mass index (BMI). However, their body fat percentage (BF%) classification indicated normal weight, although females were near obesity thresholds. Furthermore, at the baseline, according to the BMI classification, 62% of females and 61% of males were female, whereas according to the BF% for obesity classification, 44% of females and 43% of males were considered overweight or obese. Surprisingly, despite the eight-week program, there were no significant changes in body composition. Additionally, the assessment of dietary intake, which remained consistent throughout the study, revealed dietary imbalances characterized by an unhealthy low-carbohydrate, high-fat dietary pattern. This dietary pattern entailed excessive consumption of ultraprocessed foods; reduced carbohydrate intake (39% E vs. 37% E); increased total fat intake (46% E vs. 47% E); increased saturated fatty acids (14% E vs. 13% E); increased cholesterol (412 mg/d vs. 425 mg/d); increased free sugars (7% E vs. 7% E); and inadequate intake of fibre (24 g/d vs. 20 g/d), polyunsaturated fatty acids (6.6% E vs. 7.7% E), vitamin B12 (in females: 3.1 µg/d), vitamin C (86 mg/d vs. 66 mg/d), vitamin D (2 µg/d vs. 3.2 µg/d), folate (in males: 258 µg/d), calcium (777 mg/d vs. 743 mg/d), and selenium (in males: 66 µg/d). After an eight-week swimming program following COVID-19, no significant changes were observed in the subjects’ body composition. Their dietary intake was found to not align with the dietary recommendations. These findings underscore the urgency of implementing comprehensive dietary and lifestyle interventions for post-COVID-19 patients to optimize their recovery and overall well-being. Physical activity, like a swimming program, may positively affect various aspects of human well-being.

Research Article

Associations between Zinc Deficiency, Taste Changes, and Salivary Flow Rates following Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgeries

Background. The prevalence of taste change (hypogeusia) and its association with zinc deficiency is unclear due to differences in methods of assessment. We investigate the prevalence of hypogeusia using mixed methods and link it with changes in zinc levels following mini gastric bypass (MGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Methods. This was a prospective observational study of MGB (N = 18) and SG (N = 25). Hypogeusia was evaluated by using a validated questionnaire and by taste strips procedure along with serum zinc levels and salivary flow rate measurements. Results. The mean age was 40.0 ± 9.7 years; 60.5% were female. By using a questionnaire, MGB patients experienced greater hypogeusia than SG at 3 months (72.0% vs 36.0%; ()), but not at 6 months (56.0% vs 45.0%; ()), respectively. Using taste strips, at 6 months, more MGB patients experienced hypogeusia compared with SG (44.0% vs 11.0%; ). Zinc level was reduced following MGB at 6 months (85.6 ± 16.9 μgm/dl vs 67.5 ± 9.2 μgm/dl; ()) but was increased at 6 months following SG (76.9 ± 11.4 vs 84.9 ± 21.7 μgm/dl). Reduction in the rate of salivary flow was observed in 66.0% and 72.0% of MGB and SG patients, respectively, at 3 months and in 53.0% and 70.0% at 6 months. Conclusion. Taste change is more prevalent following MGB compared with SG, especially at 6 months postoperation which parallel with changes in zinc levels. More than half of all patients who had undergone bariatric surgery (BS) had low to very low salivary flow rates during the follow-up. This study suggests an association between low zinc levels and reduced salivary flow with hypogeusia following BS.

Research Article

Risk Factors Associated with Acute Sarcopenia in Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic is an extraordinary global emergency. The pandemic has changed profoundly people’s lifestyles. This resulted in reductions in physical activity and changes in dietary intakes that have the potential to accelerate sarcopenia. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors associated with acute sarcopenia in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study conducted from January/2021 to March/2022 in a private hospital in Cuiabá/MT, central region of Brazil. The main variable was the prevalence of acute sarcopenia among adults hospitalized with COVID19. Patients were assessed for acute sarcopenia using the SARC-F ≥4 questionnaire (strength, assistance with walking, rise from a chair, climb stairs, and falls), grip strength (<20 kg (female) and <35 kg (male)), and calf circumference (<33 cm (female) and <34 cm (male)). Results. In all, 213 patients aged 57.4 ± 15.4 years, 63.8% male, were studied. Thirty-four (16.0%) patients were diagnosed with acute sarcopenia. Advanced age (older people) and the percentage of weight lost ≥3% before hospitalization were independent risk factors for acute sarcopenia in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Conclusion. Acute sarcopenia was present in 16% of patients. Advanced age and percentage of weight lost ≥3% were independent risk factors for acute sarcopenia in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Research Article

A Cross-Sectional Study of General Nutrition Knowledge among Nursing Students in the UAE

Background. Adolescence is a crucial time for establishing long-lasting healthy habits, but many university students often engage in unhealthy eating behaviors. Increased independence, social influences, and mental stress all play a role in leading to poor dietary choices that can impact overall health and well-being. It is important to have a good grasp of nutrition to make informed food choices and avoid the development of chronic illnesses. Purpose. To assess the nutrition knowledge of nursing students and examine the interconnections between participants’ beliefs about diet, disease, and weight management Methods: A total of 100 nursing students participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study. Data gathering was conducted from March 2023 to May 2023 at a nursing college in the UAE. Participating students completed a self-reported validated revised general nutrition knowledge questionnaire (GNKQ-R). Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation were used for analysis, along with univariate and multivariate analyses as a statistical methodology to examine individual variables within the dataset independently. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the scale in this study is 0.880. A cut-off point of 50 percent correctness was employed to signify a high level of knowledge. Results. All participating students were female, with the majority (94%) being single. Most students (68%) had a normal mass index of 23.6, whereas 32% were overweight. The analysis showed that more than half of the students (57%) rated their overall health condition as good. The analysis also found that the only variable detected to predict the good nutrition knowledge level among studied students was having children less than 18 in the same family. Conclusion. The results of the current study indicate that future wellness actions should prioritize increasing students’ general nutrition knowledge while also considering individual and academic factors impacting NK in college.

Research Article

Anthropometric and Biochemical Correlations of Insulin Resistance in a Middle-Aged Maltese Caucasian Population

Background. Insulin resistance (IR) is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk, and with increased all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. A number of surrogate markers are used in clinical practice to diagnose IR. The aim of this study was to investigate the discriminatory power of a number of routinely available anthropometric and biochemical variables in predicting IR and to determine their optimal cutoffs. Methods. We performed a cross-sectional study in a cohort of middle-aged individuals. We used receiver operator characteristics (ROC) analyses in order to determine the discriminatory power of parameters of interest in detecting IR, which was defined as homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance ≥2.5. Results. Both the lipid accumulation product (LAP) and visceral adiposity index (VAI) exhibited good discriminatory power to detect IR in both males and females. The optimal cutoffs were 42.5 and 1.44, respectively, in males and 36.2 and 1.41, respectively, in females. Serum triglycerides (TG) and waist circumference (WC) similarly demonstrated good discriminatory power in detecting IR in both sexes. The optimal cutoffs for serum TG and WC were 1.35 mmol/L and 96.5 cm, respectively, in men and 1.33 mmol/L and 82 cm, respectively, in women. On the other hand, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, liver transaminases, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, serum uric acid, ferritin, waist-hip ratio, “A” body shape, thigh circumference, and weight-adjusted thigh circumference all had poor discriminatory power. Conclusions. Our data show that LAP, VAI, TG, and WC all have good discriminatory power in detecting IR in both men and women. The optimal cutoffs for TG and WC were lower than those currently recommended in both sexes. Replication studies are required in different subpopulations and different ethnicities in order to be able to update the current cut points to ones which reflect the contemporary population as well as to evaluate their longitudinal relationship with longer-term cardiometabolic outcomes.

Research Article

Efficacy of Hot Tea Infusion vs. Ethanolic Extract of Moringa oleifera for the Simultaneous Treatment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver, Hyperlipidemia, and Hyperglycemia in a Murine Model Fed with a High-Fat Diet

Moringa oleifera (MO) is a native tree of Asia and is cultivated in some areas of Mexico as part of traditional horticulture. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of MO infusion vs. MO ethanolic extract for the simultaneous treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD), hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia in a murine model fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). BALB/c mice were fed a balanced diet (healthy control) or an HFD for 6 months. With this, the NAFLD model was established before starting a therapeutic intervention with MO for two months. The phytochemical analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance in 1H and 13C experiments showed signals for pyrrole alkaloids and triterpenes as the main constituents of the extract and infusion preparation. A significant reduction of SGPT, SGOT, lipids, urea, and glucose in blood among NAFLD groups treated with MO (infusion or extract) was found, when compared to the NAFLD-placebo group. Steatosis and liver inflammation were found to be decreased in the MO groups, as infusion or ethanolic extract. Infusion produced a better therapeutic effect than the extract in all parameters, except glycemic control, where the extract was better. As an additional finding, it is noteworthy that treatment with MO, particularly through infusion, resulted in improved motor activity. Moreover, a reduction in anxiety-like behavior was observed exclusively with the administration of infusion. These observations provide valuable insights into the potential broader effects of Moringa oleifera beyond the primary aim of the study.

Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
 Journal metrics
See full report
Acceptance rate8%
Submission to final decision119 days
Acceptance to publication14 days
CiteScore5.200
Journal Citation Indicator0.480
Impact Factor2.2
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