Nutrition for health and during illness

Diet quality refers to intake adequacy relative to recommendations. Diet diversity refers to the variety of plants, animals and other organisms that we consume, and this is less well researched. However, because of its link to planetary biodiversity, it is today receiving increased attention. Still, its relation to human health is less clear but mechanisms include a more diverse gut microbiota and wider intakes of micronutrients and bioactive compounds.

The aim of this project is to describe diet diversity in a representative sample of the Swedish population and to evaluate its associations with risk for cardiovascular diseases using unique in-depth bioimaging data. Interactions with socio-economic status and sex will be evaluated, as will associations with diet quality. The national population-based Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS) with 25 580 participants 50-64 years is used. Diet diversity is captured as count/summary scores of food groups, as evenness/intake distribution with Berry Index and as dissimilarity with Jaccard Distance. Main outcome is concurrent subclinical coronary and carotid atherosclerosis. Secondary outcomes include risk markers for CVD, e.g. overweight/obesity and high blood lipids, blood sugar and blood pressure, and diabetes. Associations between diet diversity and diet quality also will be investigated.

The principal investigator for this research is Anna Winkvist

More information about the research project

Visit the project page Diet for chronic inflammatory diseases for more information.

Visit the project page FILIP – Fat, Intake, Inflammation and LIPid Profile for more information.

Visit the project page PI – Postprandial Inflammation for more information.

Visit the project page Breastfeeding and cardiometabolic health for more information.

Choline is an essential nutrient necessary for various functions, including fat metabolism and the formation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Choline can be obtained from food or synthesized in the body, but endogenous production is insufficient to meet the body’s needs, making choline an essential nutrient. It is found in a variety of foods. Meat, dairy products, eggs, and grains are the most common dietary sources of choline in the Nordic region. Studies in both humans and animals have shown that choline intake is crucial for fetal development during pregnancy and may play a role in the development of several diseases in adults. However, there is limited data specifically linking choline intake to health and disease in the Nordic population.

With access to several Swedish cohorts, researchers will investigate choline intake and its associations with the development of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, cognition, and mortality. Gaining more knowledge about choline intake and its impact on health and disease will allow us to provide safe and evidence-based dietary recommendations.

The principal investigator for this research is Therese Karlsson.

Dementia is on the rise due to the aging population in Sweden and worldwide. It causes significant suffering for the affected individuals and their families, as well as imposing substantial societal costs. Since effective treatment options for these diseases are lacking, it is crucial to find prevention strategies. Prevention is especially important for individuals carrying risk genes for dementia or other risk factors.

There are well-founded hypotheses that suggest diet likely plays a role in dementia development, but research confirming these associations is lacking. The specific dietary patterns and components that influence dementia risk and the reasons behind them need to be studied and clarified.

The overall aim of this project is to characterize the relationship between diet and the risk of developing dementia, as well as to investigate the significance of cardiometabolic and genetic risk factors in these associations.

The principal investigator for this project is Associate Professor Linnea Bärebring, with collaboration from researcher Stefan Söderberg at Umeå University.

The environmental impact of the food we consume is significant. Previous calculations indicate that the average Swedish diet exceeds the established planetary boundaries for environmental impact by up to four times in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, land use, nitrogen, and phosphorus. The biodiversity threshold is exceeded six times, while water usage remains within the set limits. To develop measures for reducing the environmental impact of our diet, we also need to understand how different population groups eat and how it affects various environmental effects. While this has been studied among Swedish women and men aged 56 to 96, data on younger population groups are lacking both in Sweden and internationally. Adolescents are a crucial group to target with efforts to achieve more sustainable eating habits. Generally, dietary patterns established during youth tend to persist throughout life.

The project aims to analyze the environmental impact across six environmental indicators: greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, land use, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water consumption among Swedish girls and boys aged 11 to 18. Additionally, it describes how different food groups contribute to these environmental effects. Dietary intake data was collected through the national dietary survey “Riksmaten Youth 2016-2017,” and the environmental indicators linked to dietary intake were developed by researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).

Responsible researcher: Associate Professor Anna Karin Lindroos. Collaborators: Associate Professor Elinor Hallström and Professor Anna Winkvist. The project is funded by Formas.

Research shows that changing dietary patterns have significant potential to contribute to both improved health and reduced environmental impact. However, there can also be trade-offs between different sustainability perspectives. A more plant-based diet with limited meat consumption is highlighted as a key change for more sustainable eating habits in Sweden and other Western countries. Nevertheless, meat is an important source of iron, and the bioavailability of non-heme iron (the form of iron found in plant-based foods) is lower compared to heme iron found exclusively in animal-based foods. Reduced meat intake may therefore increase the risk of iron deficiency.

In Sweden, approximately one in four women of childbearing age experiences iron deficiency, and about one in three girls in middle and high school also faces this risk. It is crucial to examine how dietary patterns with varying environmental impact affect individuals’ iron intake and iron status.

The main objective of this project is to provide better knowledge about the prevalence of iron deficiency among Swedish youth based on their dietary climate impact. To enhance understanding, we investigate the associations between iron intake (total iron, heme iron, non-heme iron) and specific food groups with iron status. The study relies on dietary data and ferritin levels from blood samples collected during the national dietary survey Riksmaten Youth conducted in 2016-2017. The climate impact of the diet has been estimated using life cycle analysis based on data from the RISE climate database.

The responsible researcher for this project is Associate Professor Elinor Hallström. Collaborators include Dr. Josefin Edwall Löfvenborg, Associate Professor Anna-Karin Lindroos, and Professor Anna Winkvist. The project is funded by Formas.  

Visit the project page Strategies for D-Vitamin Intake – Health and Climate for more information.

The research programme MISTRA Food Futures is a national initiative funded by Stiftelsen för miljöstrategisk forskning (Mistra). It focuses on transforming the Swedish food system into a more sustainable and resilient system that delivers healthy food to everyone without negative environmental impact. The programme is led and coordinated by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in collaboration with the research institute RISE and the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University. The programme was initiated on September 1, 2020.

The programme has the following website: Mistra Food Futures

At the University of Gothenburg, Anna Winkvist and Elinor Hallström from the Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition are actively involved. Their work focuses on Work Package 4, ”Next-generation indicators for measuring and monitoring sustainability performance within the food system”, which aims to develop measurable indicators for both production and consumption within the Swedish food system. These indicators allow tracking of changes over time.

One notable outcome of their work is a manuscript titled “An Indicator Framework to Guide Food System Sustainability Transition: The Case of Sweden.” In this framework, they propose a model called the Food System Sustainability House, which illustrates the interconnections between social aspects (including dietary intake and health), environmental aspects of production, and the economic system. Using this framework, they demonstrate how to measure the effects on key indicators across all these aspects when the Swedish food system undergoes changes.

Responsible Researcher: Anna Winkvist

A transition to a more plant-based diet is encouraged to reduce climate impact, and a diet rich in whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, and seeds has long been associated with positive health effects. However, certain nutritional aspects, such as choline content, must be considered. Although animal-based dietary patterns typically contain more choline, several plant-based foods have the potential to be good sources of choline. Positioning plant-based foods as important choline sources is therefore possible, but further research into their choline content is necessary.

Choline is an essential nutrient with important functions in the body. It originates both from dietary intake and de novo synthesis; however, endogenous production is insufficient to meet the body's needs. Studies in humans and animals suggest that adequate choline intake is crucial for maintaining good health. In 2023, choline recommendations were published for the first time in the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR), further emphasizing its importance as an essential nutrient. Despite this, there is currently no national database on the choline content of foods. To assess choline consumption in the Nordic population and to inform dietary recommendations and policies, a national database on the choline content of foods is needed. Comprehensive knowledge of the choline content in various plant-based foods is the first step in developing food products and dietary patterns that provide sufficient choline.

The aim of this project is to quantify the choline content in cereals, legumes, nuts, seeds, and related products, with a focus on Swedish plant-based foods. The impact of food processing, cooking, and preservation methods on choline content will also be examined. Based on these findings, key foods and raw materials will be identified to model plant-based dietary patterns that meets choline requirements.

Responsible researcher: Therese Karlsson. Collaborator: Professor Rikard Landberg, Chalmers University of Technology.

We utilize metabolomics to validate self-reported dietary information from participants in our studies. This applies to both less) controlled dietary interventions and larger epidemiological cohorts. We measure metabolites in serum or urine and analyze them using NMR or LC-MS methods. Among our investigations, we’ve explored fatty acid patterns, compared mixed diets to vegan diets, and examined British versus Scandinavian breakfasts. Additionally, we explore whether it’s possible to predict which individuals respond to different dietary interventions by measuring metabolomics before and after interventions.

The following are various studies that we have conducted/are currently working on.

Nutritional metabolomics: capturing habitual diet patterns and their relation to health outcomes in the population

Globally sub-optimal diet is a leading risk factor for premature death. Dietary intake is difficult to measure, hampering research and preventive measures. The overall goal of the metabolomics program at Clinical Nutrition is to use nutritional metabolomics to objectively describe intake of major food groups in healthy diets, combined with self-reported intake, among individuals in large epidemiological cohorts and link the intake to later health.

The BARITONE project (Biomarker pAtterns rEflecting habITual fOod iNtakE) funded by the Swedish Research Council 2026-2029, aims to discover putative biomarkers for different protein sources, for berries, fruit and vegetables and for whole grain.

A sample of 210 healthy adults will be extensively characterized on habitual diet and phenotype. Of these 60 will be included in a cross-over feeding trial. Prediction models of trial diets will be developed from metabolite patterns in blood and urine using machine learning. These models will thereafter be validated in data on habitual intake from the initial group of 210 adults. The models will subsequentially be applied to a subsample of the Västerbotten cohort with metabolomics data to calibrate self-reported intake data. Dietary intake data from the entire Västerbotten cohort will then be linked to later mortality and morbidity.

The principal investigator for this research is Anna Winkvist. 
Collaborator: Helen Lindqvist 

Acute metabolomic responses to intakes of different brans and breakfasts in randomized cross-over trials—proof of concept: Here, we demonstrated that MS and NMR serum and urine metabolomics could be used to describe acute metabolic fingerprints from individual meals and to identify new biomarkers for dietary intake.

• Rådjursöga, M., Lindqvist, H.M., Pedersen, A., Karlsson, G., Malmodin, D., Brunius, C., Ellegård, L., Winkvist, A. The ¹H NMR Serum Metabolomics Response to a Two Meal Challenge: a Cross-Over Dietary Intervention Study in Healthy Human Volunteers. Nutr J 2019. Apr 8;18(1):25.
• Rådjursöga, M., Karlsson, G., Lindqvist, H., Pedersen, A., Persson, C., Pinto, R.C., Ellegard, L., Winkvist, A. Metabolic profiles from two different breakfast meals characterized by ¹H NMR-based metabolomics. Food Chemistry 2017;231:267-74.
• Rådjursöga, M., Lindqvist, H.M., Pedersen, A., Karlsson, G., Malmodin, D., Ellegård, L., Winkvist, A. Nutritional metabolomics: postprandial response of meals relating to vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, and omnivore diets. Nutrients. 2018 Aug 10;10(8).
• Rådjursöga, M., Karlsson, G., Persson, C., Malmendal, A., Moritz, T., Pinto, R.C., Winkvist, A., Ellegård, L. Discriminating between oat bran and wheat bran intake by nutritional metabolomics—a pilot study. 13^th Scandinavian Symposium on Chemometrics, Stockholm, Sweden, June 17-20, 2013.
• Rådjursöga, M., Karlsson, G., Lindqvist, H., Pedersen, A., Persson, C., Pinto, R.C., Ellegård, L., Winkvist, A. Metabolic profiles from two different breakfast meals characterized by ¹H NMR-based metabolomics. 12^th Annual Conference of the Metabolomics Society, Dublin, Ireland, June 27-20, 2016.
• Bay Nord, A., Lindqvist, H., Rådjursöga, M., Winkvist, A., Karlsson, G., Malmodin, D. Experimental design of blending samples to increase precision of NMR urine metabolomics. Inskickat manuscript.

Identifying habitual intake patterns with metabolomics in the cross-sectional VOV study: We demonstrated that NMR serum and urine metabolomics, as well as hair isotope analysis, could differentiate individuals based on habitual dietary patterns such as omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. We also showed that metabolite patterns could serve as biomarkers for meat consumption and animal product intake.” 

• Lindqvist, H., Rådjursöga, M., Torstenson, T., Jansson, L., Ellegård, L., Winkvist, A. Urine metabolite profiles and nutrient intake based on 4-day weighted food diary in habitual vegans, vegetarians and omnivores. J Nutr 2021;151(1):30-39.
• Lindqvist, H., Rådjursöga, M., Malmodin, D., Winkvist, A., Ellegård, L. Serum metabolite profiles of habitual diet: evaluation by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Am J Clin Nutr 2019. Jul 1;110(1):53-62.
• Ellegård, L., Alstad, T., Rutting, T., Johansson, P.H., Lindqvist, H.M., Winkvist, A. Distinguishing vegan-, vegetarian-, and omnivorous diets by hair isotopic analysis. Clin Nutr 2019;38(6):2949-51.
• Karlsson, T., Winkvist, A., Rådjursöga, M., Ellegård, L., Pedersen, A., Lindqvist, H.M. Identification of single and combined serum metabolites associated to food intake. Metabolites. 2022;12(110):908.
• Karlsson, T., Winkvist, A., Ellegård, L., Pedersen, A., Lindqvist, H.M. Identification of single and combined urine metabolites associated with food intake. Manuscript.
• Lindqvist, H.M., Rådjursöga, M., Malmodin, D., Winkvist, A., Ellegård, L. Metabolite profiles of habitual diet in serum- a metabolomics approach to evaluate intake of meat or foods of animal origin by NMR-analysis of serum samples.1st Nordic Metabolomics Conference, Örebro, Sweden, August 26-28, 2018.
• Rådjursöga, M., Lindqvist, H., Pedersen, A., Karlsson, G., Malmodin, D., Ellegård, L., Winkvist, A. ¹H-NMR serum metabolomics to characterize meal consumption patterns in healthy humans. The 15^th Scand Symposium on Chemometrics, June 19-22, 2017, Finland.

Identification of biomarkers of a complex diet in the dietary cross-over trial ADIRA: 

ADIRA is a randomized controlled cross-over trial and MIRA was a pilot to ADIRA. Main outcomes of the study are described under profile area Nutrition, inflammation and cardiometabolic health. We also analyzed serum and urine samples with NMR metabolomics. The possibility of separating individuals who ate an anti-inflammatory diet and those who ate a traditional Swedish diet was investigated. Patterns of metabolites differed between these dietary periods, but habitual diet had a large impact on the metabolome. Specific metabolites that reflected the two different diets were identified and used in the study as measures of adherence.

• Lindqvist, H.M., Gjertsson, I., Andersson, S., Calder, P.C., Bärebring, L. Influence of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) intake on fatty acid composition in erythrocytes and plasma phospholipids and serum metabolites in women with rheumatoid arthritis. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2019 Nov;150:7-15.
• Lindqvist, H.M., Bärebring, L., Gjertsson, I., Jylhä, A., Laaksonen, R., Winkvist, A., Hilvo, M. A randomized controlled dietary intervention improved the serum lipid signature towards a less atherogenic profile in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Metabolites 2021;11:632.
• Wadell, A.T., Bärebring., L., Hulander, E., Gjertsson, I., Landberg, R., Lindqvist, H.M., Winkvist, A. Dietary biomarkers and food records indicate compliance to study diets in the ADIRA (Anti-inflammatory Diet In Rheumatoid Arthritis) trial. Frontiers Nutrition 2023Jun 22;10:1209787.
• Lindqvist, H., Gjertsson, I., Hulander, E., Bärebring, L., Winkvist, A. Exploring the differences in serum metabolite profiles after intake of red meat in women with rheumatoid arthritis and a matched control group. Eur J Nutr 2023 Oct 9.
• Lindqvist, H., Winkvist, A., Gjertsson, I., Calder, P.C., Armando, A.M., Quehenberger, O., Coras, R., Guma, M. Influence of dietary n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids intake on oxylipins in erythrocytes in women with rheumatic arthritis. Molecules 2023 Jan 11;28(2)717.

Identification of biomarkers of acute postprandial response to single meal in the cross-over trial PIRA: Biomarkers of response to a single meal of red meat, fatty fish or vegan alternative were investigated.

• Lindqvist, H., Gjertsson, I., Hulander, E., Bärebring, L., Winkvist, A. Exploring the differences in serum metabolite profiles after intake of red meat in women with rheumatoid arthritis and a matched control group. Eur J Nutr 2023 Oct 9.

Identification of biomarker patterns in the large population-based cohort NSDD: A random selection of 2000 serum samples from Västerbottensprojektet (VIP) was analyzed with NMR metabolomics. In the entire VIP database of 120,000 individuals, we examined dietary patterns using cluster analysis and PCA analysis. Patterns among metabolomics were then compared to dietary patterns from the subjective dietary data of the 2000 individuals who had both parts.

• Huseinovic, E., Hörnell, A., Johansson, I., Esberg, A., Lindahl, B., Winkvist, A. Changes in food intake patterns during 2000-2007 and 2008-2016 in the population-based Northern Sweden Diet Database. Nutr J 2019 Jul 12;18(1):36.
• Winkvist, A., Johansson, I., Ellegård, L., Lindqvist, H. Towards objective measurement of habitual dietary intake patterns: comparing NMR metabolomics and food frequency questionnaire data in a population-based cohort. Nutrition J 2024: Under revision.

Identifying response and predicting responders in the dietary trial KRIBS: In the randomized intervention KRIBS, two dietary treatments were compared among patients with IBS. The possibility of using NMR metabolomics to predict which patients would respond to each treatment was investigated in serum and urine samples taken before and after treatment. Diets that affected carbohydrate intake did not change the metabolic footprint very much. It was therefore not possible to capture response to low-carbohydrate diet with NMR metabolomics. Signals from FODMAPs such as mannitol were identified.

• Nybacka, S, Simrén, M., Störsrud, S., Törnblom, H., Winkvist, A., Lindqvist, H.M Changes in serum and urinary metabolomic profile after a dietary intervention in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. PlosOne 2021;16(10):e0257331.

Identifying response and predicting responders in the dietary trial LEVA: Serum and urine samples from 68 overweight/obese women collected before and after a controlled weight loss intervention in the LEVA study were investigated by NMR metabolomics. Neither urine nor serum metabolites could predict who responded to treatment with weight loss.

• Bachmann, R., Lindqvist, H.M., Brekke, H.M., Bertz, F., Pedersen, A., Winkvist, A. Serum and urine metabolomics was unable to predict responders in a weight loss trial. Manuskript.

Responsible researcher: Anna Winkvist. Collaborator: Helen Lindqvist

Anna Winkvist serves as the Principal Investigator for the Northern Sweden Diet Database (NSDD), a repository housed at Umeå University. The NSDD contains meticulously curated and refined dietary data collected from two cohort studies: the Västerbottens Interventionsprogram and the Norra Sveriges MONICA-studie.

The NSDD captures dietary information through the use of a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) administered to study participants since 1985. Presently, data from approximately 140,000 unique individuals are available, with around 40,000 of them having undergone repeated measurements. The FFQ data is linked to the food database maintained by the Swedish Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket), enabling the calculation of macro- and micronutrient content.

Until 2022, the FFQ was administered as a paper-based survey, consisting of either 84 or 64 questions. These questions remained consistent over time, allowing researchers to study changes in dietary intake. However, this approach had limitations, as it did not adequately cover newer food items, resulting in a decreasing representation of contemporary Swedish diets. To address this, a more modern FFQ was developed in 2021-2022, featuring approximately 110 food items, and it is now available as a digital tool. This updated FFQ was used in the MONICA study during spring 2022 and is being introduced in the Västerbottens Interventionsprogram.

The validation process for this digital FFQ involves comparing it with six repeated 24-hour recalls, collected using the Swedish National Food Agency’s digital tool called RiksmatenFlex (relative validation). Additionally, results are compared with biomarkers such as alkylresorcinol, carotenoids, and fatty acid patterns measured through metabolomics (objective validation). Anna Winkvist, who served as a guest professor at Umeå University from 2019 to 2023, continues to be associated with this research.

Responsible Researcher: Anna Winkvist.

Diet is one of the most significant modifiable risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases. Several epidemiological studies indicate that a high intake of highly processed food may be associated with poorer health. Although there is no official system for classifying processed food, the most commonly used classification system is NOVA. According to this system, food is divided into four groups, ranging from “minimally processed” to “ultra-processed.”

Highly processed food is a current and debated topic. The appropriateness of the classification system has been questioned because foods that could contribute to a nutritious diet may be classified as highly processed based on their ingredients. It is also essential to identify the metabolic changes that might mediate any harmful effects of highly processed food, although this remains unclear. If a high intake of highly processed food can be reflected in robust and specific metabolite profiles in the blood, this information would be crucial for understanding potential mechanisms and could serve as biomarkers for assessing highly processed food intake.

In this project, we will identify blood-based biomarker signatures for metabolites that reflect highly processed food consumption. The project aims to strengthen the evidence for dietary recommendations, and the discovered biomarkers could potentially be used as monitoring tools for highly processed food intake, as well as shedding light on biological mechanisms.

The principal investigator is Therese Karlsson. Collaborators include Associate Professor Helen Lindqvist and Professor Anna Winkvist.

In dietary surveys, it is crucial to employ methods that accurately capture participants’ food intake. To understand how well a method captures dietary intake, it needs to be evaluated in validation studies. RiksmatenFlex is a web-based dietary examination method where participants record all their food and beverage consumption over two days. While a previous validation study demonstrated its effectiveness for adolescents, it has not been evaluated for young children.

The purpose of this research is to validate how well RiksmatenFlex captures dietary intake among young children. This is achieved by comparing food intake data from two days using RiksmatenFlex with data obtained from two 24-hour interviews.

Additionally, in a subgroup, children’s energy intake will be compared to their energy expenditure as a way to assess the reasonableness of reported food and beverage quantities. In this subgroup, children will drink a glass of juice containing stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen, followed by providing urine samples over the next 14 days. The urine samples will be analyzed to track how quickly the isotopes leave the body, allowing calculation of the child’s energy expenditure during the study period. Approximately 100 children (with parents) have been recruited for the study, including 38 children participating in the energy expenditure component.

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Anna Karin Lindroos

Visit the project page for more information.

Visit the project page for more information.

Visit the project page for more information.

Visit the project page for more information. 

Diet during pregnancy has a strong impact on the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as the child’s future health. A healthy diet can reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy such as diabetes, high blood pressure, preterm birth, and emergency cesarean delivery.

In recent years, it has also been realized that a healthy diet during pregnancy reduces the risk of overweight in the child. Although knowledge about the importance of a healthy diet in connection with childbirth has grown in recent decades, there is still much that is unknown regarding how diet affects health during pregnancy and thereafter.

In the project Mutaba’ah: The Mother and Child Health Study, we are investigating the relationship between dietary intake and health in pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates. The project will contribute important knowledge about the dietary intake among pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates, and about the relationship between diet and health during pregnancy.

The project is conducted in collaboration with Prof. Luai Ahmed at United Arab Emirates University. The project group at the University of Gothenburg includes Associate Professor Linnea Bärebring, Associate Professor Hanna Augustin, and doctoral student Aisha Almulla.

Histamine intolerance is a non-IgE mediated hypersensitivity that can cause allergy-like symptoms. The prevalence of histamine intolerance is unknown, but some studies estimate that about 1% of the adult population is affected. Histamine is primarily found in matured protein-rich foods such as fish, meat, cheese, and in fermented foods. There are no reliable diagnostic methods in healthcare to determine histamine intolerance. An enzyme called Diamine Oxidase (DAO) participates in the breakdown process of histamine and has been considered important in assessing the condition. However, there has been a lack of substantial evidence to assess the reliability of DAO levels in healthy individuals and in those with hypersensitivity. There is only limited knowledge about whether DAO levels change depending on the dietary content of histamine.

Together with the Krefting Research Centre at the University of Gothenburg, we have analyzed DAO in a large cohort. In an ongoing clinical study, we are investigating whether DAO is affected by the type of diet the person consumes. This study is being conducted at the Allergy Clinic at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. The studies provide us with more information that can form the basis for the investigation and advice given to patients with food hypersensitivity.

Principal Investigator: Jenny van Odijk

The Use of DAO as a Marker for Histamine Intolerance: Measurements and Determinants in a Large Random Population-Based Survey. Jenny van Odijk ,Adina Weisheit ,Monica Arvidsson ,Nicolae Miron ,Bright Nwaru and Linda Ekerljung. Nutrients 2023, 15(13), 2887. 

Food allergy and food intolerance are conditions that affect many patients and their environment. For patients that have not been offered  conclusive  investigations of their condition there is a risk of both under and overestimation of their intolerance that may led to nutritional consequences and impaired quality of life. There are few studies available that focus on measuring whether there is an effect on quality of life if the adult patient undergoes oral food provocations. The oral provocation is regarded as gild standard in the investigation where medical history and allergy tests are helpful tools bot not always complete for the diagnosis.

 Adult patients with suspected food allergy or inconclusive condition that needs to be reconsidered are included. Quality of life instrument is measured before and after an oral food provocation. The instrument is validated and documented in several studies.  

Collection of data will end during late 2024. Through this study we will collect more information if the oral provocation can affect the patient’s quality of life and further set eyes on the risk of avoiding more foods than necessary.

Overweight and especially obesity is associated with several adverse outcomes related to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) such as increased shortness of breath, lower quality of life, affected exercise capacity, and increased mortality. Obesity and concurrent COPD are becoming increasingly common according to several studies. BMI is a useful marker for assessing the risk of disease and disease progression at the group level but does not provide information about the distribution of fat mass and fat-free mass.  The distribution of fat and fat-free mass may play  a role in the disease prognosis for the patient group and that the location can be an important marker for measuring the patient’s inflammatory state and thereby lung function and disease progression.

In this prospective study We aim to investigate how body composition is affected by planned weight reduction with an energy-reduced diet. We will also measure lung function, inflammatory markers, and COPD-related symptoms before and after   intervention with energy restricted diet in people with COPD and concurrent obesity.

The study is part of a doctoral project and is a collaboration with the COPD Center at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and the Lung Clinic at Angered Närsjukhus.

The results from our study may be significant for  further knowledge whether there are health benefits connected to weight loss in  patient  with overweight and obesity and concurrent COPD disease.

Responsible researcher: Jenny van Odijk

Visit the project page for more information.

Dementia is on the rise due to the aging population in Sweden and worldwide. It causes significant suffering for the affected individuals and their families, as well as imposing substantial societal costs. Since effective treatment options for these diseases are lacking, it is crucial to find prevention strategies. Prevention is especially important for individuals carrying risk genes for dementia or other risk factors.

There are well-founded hypotheses that suggest diet likely plays a role in dementia development, but research confirming these associations is lacking. The specific dietary patterns and components that influence dementia risk and the reasons behind them need to be studied and clarified.

The overall aim of this project is to characterize the relationship between diet and the risk of developing dementia, as well as to investigate the significance of cardiometabolic and genetic risk factors in these associations.

The principal investigator for this project is Associate Professor Linnea Bärebring, with collaboration from researcher Stefan Söderberg at Umeå University.

The Metabolic kitchen and laboratory at the Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition is situated at Medicinaregatan 13. We have the facilities and competence to plan and conduct studies of nutrition, including dietary interventions, collection of dietary data and biological samples and measurements of body composition.   

We can help researchers plan and conduct studied of diet or nutrition. We offer the following services and competences:

• Provide tools to collect data on dietary or nutritional intake, using diet records or food frequency questionnaires
• Calculate nutritional content of collected dietary data
• Plan recipes or dietary advice to achieve a desired nutritional intake or dietary pattern
• Provide facilities to prepare meals
• Provide facilities to serve meals for postprandial studies
• Provide examinations room, toilets and equipment for handling of biological samples
• Measure body composition using Bioelectrical impedance analysis, Bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy or Dual X-ray Absorptiometry
• Analyze energy content of food or feces by Bomb calorimetry

Do you want to know more about The Metabolic kitchen and laboratory? Contact linnea.barebring@gu.se

• Hanna Augustin
• Linnea Bärebring
• Helen Lindqvist
• Anna Winkvist

• Hanna Augustin
• Linnéa Bärebring
• Michael Hoppe
• Lena Hulthén
• Therese Karlsson
• Sofia Klingberg
• Anna-Karin Lindroos
• Helen Lindqvist
• Andrea Mikkelsen 
• Jenny van Odijk
• Anna Winkvist