Nutrition Reviews: Conversations with the Authors

Can everyday foods help combat zinc deficiency? In this episode, we explore the potential of zinc-biofortified staple crops as an affordable and sustainable solution to a major global nutrition challenge. Editor-in-Chief Douglas Taren speaks with the lead author Prasenjit Mondal to discuss his team's findings from a systematic review of studies investigating whether zinc-enriched crops can improve zinc status. Join us as we discuss what the evidence tells us and what further research is needed to understand the potential of biofortified foods to improve global nutrition.

Can the people around us influence how well we eat? In this episode, Douglas Taren speaks with lead author Halimatou Alaofè to discuss how support from family, friends, and peers may help people with Type 2 Diabetes make and maintain healthier dietary choices.

Childhood obesity and micronutrient deficiencies are two major public health concerns in Mexico, but how closely are they connected? In this episode, Editor in Chief Douglas Taren speaks with Dr. Magaly Aceves-Martins about her work on this month's featured article.  

What does it really take to nourish a child? In this episode, Editor in Chief Douglas Taren speaks with Dr. Jennifer Black of the University of British Columbia about the concept of "food care" and the often overlooked work involved in meeting children's food needs. Their conversation explores how nutrition research has traditionally focused on what children eat while paying less attention to the people, relationships, systems, and policies that make healthy eating possible. Dr. Black discusses the role of parents, schools, communities, and food workers in supporting child nutrition, highlights gaps in current research, and shares insights into how a broader understanding of food care could inform future nutrition policy, school meal programs, and pediatric health research.

Time-restricted eating (TRE) is a chrono-nutrition approach that limits daily food intake to a consistent window of time. Although many studies have explored the effects of TRE on weight, glycemic control, and other metabolic markers, the impact of TRE on overall diet quality remains unclear. In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Douglas Taren talks with Dr. Brooke Devlin, co-author of the featured article.

Eating cereal fiber has been linked to health benefits, including lower body weight. One possible reason is that it may help people feel fuller and less hungry.

However, studies have shown mixed results about whether different types of cereal fiber actually increase feelings of fullness.

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Douglas Taren talks with Dr. Eleanor Beck, co-author of the featured article. They discuss their research on how eating more cereal fiber affects feelings of hunger and fullness.

High levels of homocysteine have been linked to brain atrophy and dementia. Taking B vitamins may be a low-cost way to help protect brain health.

However, past research reviews have shown mixed results, and it’s not clear why the findings have been inconsistent. The overall quality of the evidence has also not been carefully evaluated.

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Douglas Taren talks with Ross Grant, co-author of the featured article. They discuss the results of his team’s systematic review and meta-analysis, which looked at how B vitamin supplements affect overall cognitive function in older adults.

Pediatric feeding disorders (PFDs) present challenges involving food intake, feeding skills, and psychosocial or clinical dysfunctions affecting children and caregivers. Early identification and accurate evaluation are essential for improving outcomes. Despite the availability of various instruments, evidence for their reliability and validity in clinical practice and research remains limited. Join us this episode as  Editor-in-Chief Douglas Taren speaks with Haissa Cardoso, MSc, lead author of our featured article, as they discuss her team's systematic review assessing the evidence of the validity of instruments used to evaluate PFDs.

Join us this episode as Dr. Taren speaks with Dr Elizabeth Ryan, co-author of two recently featured papers on rice bran. Rice bran is a by-product of paddy rice milling that has emerged as a versatile source of nutritional, preventive, and therapeutic compounds. To extend shelf life and bioactive components, rice bran goes through further processing beyond the initial separation from the hull and germ. Press play to here more about this fascinating grain that is a staple in many diets across the world.

Early dietary habits play a crucial role in shaping long-term health outcomes. Understanding the effects of different carbohydrate types on physiological markers is essential for developing evidence-based nutritional guidelines for toddlers. Join us for this conversation between Editor-in-Chief Douglas Taren and our featured authors, Dr. Bartlomiej Zalewski (Medical School of Warsaw) and Ching-Yu Chang (Scientific Project Manager, ILSI Europe) as they discuss their findings as well as the impact it may have on future research.