Balanced nutrition has a major impact on the nation health

In the world, one of four people is overweight. Despite food availability and its caloric value, modern people have significant shortage of nutrients. Significance of the balanced diet for maintaining health, as well as ways of solving problems of deficiency of vital substances, were discussed by participants in the Conference «Food Quality and Balanced Nutrition as the Key to the Nation Health» to be held as part of the 33rd International Agroindustrial Exhibition «Agrorus».

Sergey Varzin, Professor at the Department of Faculty Surgery of St. Petersburg State University’s Medical Faculty, Doctor of Medical Sciences, said that in recent years, there has been the negative population dynamics in the country. According to Sergey Varzin, the birth rate decreases for several reasons. One of them is the large number of divorces. So, in 2022, in Russia, 1.05 million marriages and 683 thousand divorces were registered.

The lack of protein also has a negative impact on the population’s health. 70% of the population is in the state of protein starvation, explained Sergey Varzin. This leads to changes in the human phenotype (the structure of cells, tissues and organs). Protein deficiency, in turn, is often a consequence of low income.

«In January 2023, the median salary reached 43.5 thousand rubles. However, in January-July 2023, incomes of 64.4% of the population amounted to 27 thousand rubles, of which 1.7% had income less than 7 thousand rubles. Two thirds of the working population have such a salary. People don’t have enough money for balanced nutrition», said Sergey Varzin.

At the Conference, Anastasia Kim, a graduate student of the Faculty of Biotechnology at ITMO University, spoke about the project on creating a probiotic food product based on fermented red beans. According to her, it is about an analogue of natto, a traditional Japanese food product, which is rich in protein, fiber, folic acid, B vitamins, phenolic compounds and iron. She explained that, within the scientific project, the technology of this product for storage in the refrigerator, as well as in frozen and dried form, is being developed.

«In Russia, this food is not produced, so it is sold at a cosmic price», said Anastasia Kim.

Leonid Churilov, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor, leading researcher, Head of the Department of Pathology at St. Petersburg State University’s Medical Institute, decided to remind about importance of vitamin C for the human body. Ascorbic acid is an essential regulator of systemic neuroendocrine processes, and plays an important role in the immune system to function. This vitamin has also proven itself well in treatment of the post-COVID syndrome and the chronic fatigue syndrome, explained the expert.

«It is necessary for synthesis of serotonin, which affects mood and vitality. Vitamin C is involved in activation of almost all stress-regulating systems that make our stress response appropriate. It has proven antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects», said Leonid Churilov.

Besides the lack of nutrients, obesity, the epidemic of the 21st century, is raging in the world. Aleksander Shishkin, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Head of the Department of Faculty Surgery of St. Petersburg State University’s Medical Institute, noted that 1.7 billion people in the world (one of four) are overweight. He stressed that in this regard, the World Health Organization mentions the pandemic of the metabolic obesity syndrome, which is twice as widespread as diabetes mellitus and continues growing. The scientist noted that this problem causes damage to the global economy by 2.8% of global GDP, conceding only to smoking and military conflicts.

Among the causes of obesity, Aleksander Shishkin highlighted physical inactivity, increased availability of high-calorie food and growth in the number of stressful situations. The expert also stated that an increasing number of recent studies have confirmed significant contribution of the intestinal microbiota to obesity development and progression.

«This relationship is proved with a series of experiments, during which intestinal microbiota was transplanted into microbial-free mice that grew up in the sterile environment», he added.

Overweight leads not only to damage of the cardiovascular system, but also to liver diseases, diabetes mellitus and acute arthrosis.

Aleksander Shishkin listed factors to help in the struggle against obesity: physical activity, changes in lifestyle, smoking cessation and the hypocaloric diet.

«The situation also determines the need for searching new approaches to obesity therapy, such as neurostimulation methods using non-invasive brain stimulation», he is sure.

Besides, according to the scientist, regulation of eating behavior is important, given the role of the microbiota.

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Balanced nutrition has a major impact on the nation health

In the world, one of four people is overweight. Despite food availability and its caloric value, modern people have significant shortage of nutrients. Significance of the balanced diet for maintaining health, as well as ways of solving problems of deficiency of vital substances, were discussed by participants in the Conference «Food Quality and Balanced Nutrition as the Key to the Nation Health» to be held as part of the 33rd International Agroindustrial Exhibition «Agrorus».

Sergey Varzin, Professor at the Department of Faculty Surgery of St. Petersburg State University’s Medical Faculty, Doctor of Medical Sciences, said that in recent years, there has been the negative population dynamics in the country. According to Sergey Varzin, the birth rate decreases for several reasons. One of them is the large number of divorces. So, in 2022, in Russia, 1.05 million marriages and 683 thousand divorces were registered.

The lack of protein also has a negative impact on the population’s health. 70% of the population is in the state of protein starvation, explained Sergey Varzin. This leads to changes in the human phenotype (the structure of cells, tissues and organs). Protein deficiency, in turn, is often a consequence of low income.

«In January 2023, the median salary reached 43.5 thousand rubles. However, in January-July 2023, incomes of 64.4% of the population amounted to 27 thousand rubles, of which 1.7% had income less than 7 thousand rubles. Two thirds of the working population have such a salary. People don’t have enough money for balanced nutrition», said Sergey Varzin.

At the Conference, Anastasia Kim, a graduate student of the Faculty of Biotechnology at ITMO University, spoke about the project on creating a probiotic food product based on fermented red beans. According to her, it is about an analogue of natto, a traditional Japanese food product, which is rich in protein, fiber, folic acid, B vitamins, phenolic compounds and iron. She explained that, within the scientific project, the technology of this product for storage in the refrigerator, as well as in frozen and dried form, is being developed.

«In Russia, this food is not produced, so it is sold at a cosmic price», said Anastasia Kim.

Leonid Churilov, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor, leading researcher, Head of the Department of Pathology at St. Petersburg State University’s Medical Institute, decided to remind about importance of vitamin C for the human body. Ascorbic acid is an essential regulator of systemic neuroendocrine processes, and plays an important role in the immune system to function. This vitamin has also proven itself well in treatment of the post-COVID syndrome and the chronic fatigue syndrome, explained the expert.

«It is necessary for synthesis of serotonin, which affects mood and vitality. Vitamin C is involved in activation of almost all stress-regulating systems that make our stress response appropriate. It has proven antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects», said Leonid Churilov.

Besides the lack of nutrients, obesity, the epidemic of the 21st century, is raging in the world. Aleksander Shishkin, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Head of the Department of Faculty Surgery of St. Petersburg State University’s Medical Institute, noted that 1.7 billion people in the world (one of four) are overweight. He stressed that in this regard, the World Health Organization mentions the pandemic of the metabolic obesity syndrome, which is twice as widespread as diabetes mellitus and continues growing. The scientist noted that this problem causes damage to the global economy by 2.8% of global GDP, conceding only to smoking and military conflicts.

Among the causes of obesity, Aleksander Shishkin highlighted physical inactivity, increased availability of high-calorie food and growth in the number of stressful situations. The expert also stated that an increasing number of recent studies have confirmed significant contribution of the intestinal microbiota to obesity development and progression.

«This relationship is proved with a series of experiments, during which intestinal microbiota was transplanted into microbial-free mice that grew up in the sterile environment», he added.

Overweight leads not only to damage of the cardiovascular system, but also to liver diseases, diabetes mellitus and acute arthrosis.

Aleksander Shishkin listed factors to help in the struggle against obesity: physical activity, changes in lifestyle, smoking cessation and the hypocaloric diet.

«The situation also determines the need for searching new approaches to obesity therapy, such as neurostimulation methods using non-invasive brain stimulation», he is sure.

Besides, according to the scientist, regulation of eating behavior is important, given the role of the microbiota.

More