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Leila Itani

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Leila Itani

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Nutrition & Dietetics

Google Scholar Citations: 2583

H-Index: 28

l.itani@bau.edu.lb

01 300110 Ex: 2746

Beirut

Leila Itani

Associate Professor

 

Graduated from the American University of Beirut in 1989 with an MSc. degree in Nutrition and completed a Ph.D. focusing on Nutrition education in December 2018. Before joining BAU I taught at the Lebanese University and the Lebanese International University and worked at AUB as a research associate. I also served as the nutrition program coordinator at LIU. In addition, served as a co-consultant for the herbal and dietary supplement committee at the Ministry of Health for several years. I joined the faculty of Health Sciences at BAU in 2010. Currently, serving as an Associate professor at the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics in the Faculty of Health Sciences and actively involved in nutrition-related research. Additionally, I am a breastfeeding specialist and through my courses I supervise the development of outreach nutrition education interventions involving BAU nutrition and dietetics students for community service.

Google Scholar citation=2583; H-index=28

Teaching

 

Courses

Undergraduate Courses 

  • Community Nutrition (3 Crs.)
  • Nutrition education (2 Crs.)
  • Nutrition in Life Span (3 Crs.)
  • Dietary Analysis Simulation (3Crs.)
  • Malnutrition and Nutrition Interventions (3 Crs.)
  • Research Project (3 Crs.)
  • Breastfeeding Essentials (3 Cr.)

Graduate Courses

  • Human Nutrition and Metabolism (3 Crs.)
  • Maternal Child Nutrition ( 3 Crs.)
  • Nutrition Epidemiology (3Crs.)
  • Nutrition Tutorial (3Cr.)

Research Interest

 

Dietary patterns studies, assessment of nutritional status and services, school based nutrition education, Food and Nutrition literacy

 

Publications

  1. Nasereddine L., Nashelian O., Naja F. , Itani L., Parrent Massin D., Nabahani-Zeidan M., Hwalla N Dietary exposure to essential and toxic trace elements from a total diet study in adult lebanse urban population. Food chem. Toxicol. 2010 may;48(5):1262-9.
  2. Naja F, Nasreddine L, Itani L, Chamieh MC, Adra N, Sibai AM, Hwalla N. Dietary patterns and their association with obesity and sociodemographic factors in a national sample of Lebanese adults. Public Health Nutr. 2011 Sep;14(9):1570-8. doi: 10.1017/S136898001100070X. Epub 2011 May 4. PubMed PMID: 21557871.
  3. Naja F, Nasreddine L, Itani L, Adra N, Sibai AM, Hwalla N. Association between dietary patterns and the risk of metabolic syndrome among Lebanese adults. Eur J Nutr. 2013;52(1):97-105.
  4. Naja F, Hwalla N, Itani L, Salem M, Azar ST, Zeidan MN, Nasreddine L. Dietary patterns and odds of Type 2 diabetes in Beirut, Lebanon: a case-control study. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2012 Dec 27;9(1):111.
  5. Naja F, Nasreddine L, Itani L, Dimassi H, Sibai AM, Hwalla N. Dietary patterns in cardiovascular diseases prevention and management: review of the evidence and recommendations for primary care physicians in Lebanon. J Med Liban. 2014 Apr-Jun;62(2):92-9.
  6. Hwalla, l. Nasreddine, a. Sibai, l. Itani, f. Naja. Pp212-sun: Mediterranean diets between europe and the middle east: the case of Lebanon. N. Clinical nutrition. Volume 33, supplement 1, page s99.
  7. Naja F, Hwalla N, Itani L, Baalbaki S, Sibai A, Nasreddine L. A novel Mediterranean diet index from Lebanon: comparison with Europe. Eur J Nutr. 2015 Dec;54(8):1229-43. doi: 10.1007/s00394-014- 0801-1. Epub 2014 Nov 20.
  8. El-Kassas, G., Itani, L., & El Ali, Z. (2015). Obesity risk factors among Beirut Arab University students in Tripoli-Lebanon. Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences, 5(6), 1.
  9. Naja F, Mousa D, Alameddine M, Shoaib H, Itani L, Mourad Y. Prevalence and correlates of complementary and alternative medicine use among diabetic patients in Beirut, Lebanon: a cross-sectional study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014 Jun 6;14:185
  10. Naja F, Hwalla N, Itani L, Karam S, Sibai AM, Nasreddine L. A Western dietary pattern is associated with overweight and obesity in a national sample of Lebanese adolescents (13-19 years): a cross-sectional study. Br J Nutr. 2015 Dec 14;114(11):1909-19.
  11. Naja, F., Alameddine, M., Itani, L., Shoaib, H., Hariri, D., & Talhouk, S. (2015). The use of complementary and alternative medicine among Lebanese adults: results from a national survey. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015.
  12. Jomaa L, Hwalla N, Itani L, Chamieh MC, Mehio-Sibai A, Naja F. A Lebanese dietary pattern promotes better diet quality among older adults: findings from a national cross-sectional study. BMC Geriatr. 2016 Apr 19;16:85.
  13. Easter Joury, Farah Naja, Amira Nour, Leila Itani, Bayan Rafii, Ahmad Manadili. Dietary patterns and the risk of oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer in Syria: a factor analysis study. BMC Nutrition (2016) 2
  14. Matta J, Nasreddine L, Jomaa L, Hwalla N, Mehio Sibai A, Czernichow S, Itani L, Naja F. Metabolically Healthy Overweight and Obesity Is Associated with Higher Adherence to a Traditional Dietary Pattern: A Cross-Sectional Study among Adults in Lebanon. Nutrients. 2016 Jul 20;8(7). pii: E432.
  15. Itani L, Chatila H, Dimassi H, El Sahn F. Development and validation of an Arabic questionnaire to assess psychosocial determinants of eating behavior among adolescents: a cross-sectional study. J Health Popul Nutr. 2017 Apr 7;36(1):10.
  16. Naja F, Shivappa N, Nasreddine L, Kharroubi S, Itani L, Hwalla N, Mehio Sibai A, Hebert JR. Role of inflammation in the association between the Western dietary pattern and metabolic syndrome among Lebanese adults. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2017 Dec;68(8):997-1004.
  17. Farah Naja, Lamis Jomaa, Leila Itani, Jeremy Zidek, and Nahla Hwalla. A Western Dietary Pattern Has The Highest Environmental Footprints Among Lebanese Adults: Findings From A Cross Sectional Study Among Lebanese Adults. The FASEB Journal 2017 31 (1_supplement), 651.1-651.1
  18. Saleh F, Itani L, Calugi S, Grave RD, El Ghoch M. Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in theTreatm ent of Obesity: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies on Preclinical Evidence. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther. 2018;13(6):466-475.
  19. Nasreddine L, Tamim H, Itani L, Nasrallah MP, Isma'eel H, Nakhoul NF, Abou-Rizk J, Naja F. A minimally processed dietary pattern is associated with lower odds of metabolic syndrome among Lebanese adults. Public Health Nutr. 2018 Jan;21(1):160-171.
  20. Kreidieh D, Itani L, El Kassas G, El Masri D, Calugi S, Grave RD, El Ghoch M. Long-term Lifestylemodification Programs for Overweight and Obesity Management in the Arab States: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2018;14(6):550-558.
  21. Itani L, Calugi S, Dalle Grave R, Kreidieh D, El Kassas G, El Masri D, Tannir H, Harfoush A, El Ghoch M. The Association between Body Mass Index and Health-Related Quality of Life in Treatment- Seeking Arab Adults with Obesity. Med Sci (Basel). 2018 Mar 13;6(1).
  22. Dana El Masri, Dima Kreidieh , Hana Tannir , Leila Itani and Marwan El Ghoch. Long-Term Weight- Loss Lifestyle Modification Programme in a Patient with Severe Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Degeneration and Obesity: A Case Report. Reports 2018, 1, 21.
  23. Kreidieh D, Itani L, El Masri D, Tannir H, Citarella R, El Ghoch M. Association between Sarcopenic Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Hypertension in Overweight and Obese Treatment-Seeking Adult Women. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis. 2018 Oct 20;5(4). pii: E51
  24. Naja F, Jomaa L, Itani L, Zidek J, El Labban S, Sibai AM, Hwalla N. Environmental footprints of food consumption and dietary patterns among Lebanese adults: a cross-sectional study. Nutr J. 2018 Sep 12;17(1):85.
  25. Khazem S, Itani L, Kreidieh D, El Masri D, Tannir H, Citarella R, El Ghoch M. Reduced Lean Body Mass and Cardiometabolic Diseases in Adult Males with Overweight and Obesity: A Pilot Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Dec 5;15(12). pii: E2754.
  26. Citarella R, Itani L, Intini V, Zucchinali G, Scevaroli S, Kreidieh D, Tannir H, El Masri D, El Ghoch M. Nutritional Knowledge and Dietary Practice in Elite 24-Hour Ultramarathon Runners: A Brief Report. Sports (Basel). 2019 Feb 16;7(2). pii: E44
  27. Chehade L, Jaafar ZA, El Masri D, Zmerly H, Kreidieh D, Tannir H, Itani L, El Ghoch M. Lifestyle Modification in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Dietary and Physical Activity Recommendations Based on Evidence. Curr Rheumatol Rev. 2019 Jan 21.
  28. F Naja, L Itani, R Hamade, MC Chamieh, N Hwalla. Mediterranean Diet and Its Environmental Footprints Amid Nutrition Transition: The Case of Lebanon. Sustainability (2019)11 (23), 6690
  29. L Nasreddine, H Shatila, L Itani, N Hwalla, L Jomaa, F Naja. A traditional dietary pattern is associated with lower odds of overweight and obesity among preschool children in Lebanon: A cross-sectional study European journal of nutrition (2019) 58 (1), 91-102
  30. L Itani, S Calugi, D Kreidieh, G El Kassas, D El Masri, H Tannir, RD Grave, Marwan El Ghoch. Validation of an Arabic version of the obesity-related wellbeing (ORWELL 97) questionnaire in adults with obesity Current diabetes reviews 2019 15 (2), 127-132
  31. D Khadra, L Itani, H Tannir, D Kreidieh, D El Masri, M El Ghoch. Association between sarcopenic obesity and higher risk of type 2 diabetes in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. World journal of diabetes 2019 10 (5), 311
  32. L Jomaa, F Naja, S Kharroubi, L Itani, N Hwalla. A Lebanese Mediterranean Dietary Pattern Is Associated with Lower Food Insecurity Among Lebanese Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional National Study (P04-055-19) Current developments in nutrition 2019 3 (Supplement_1), nzz051. P04-055-19
  33. Reem Baalbaki, Leila Itani, Lara El Kebbi, Rawan Dehni, Nermine Abbas, Razan Farsakouri, Dana Awad, Hana Tannir, Dima Kreidieh, Dana El Masri, Marwan El Ghoch. Association Between Smoking Hookahs (Shishas) and Higher Risk of Obesity: A Systematic Review of Population-Based Studies. Journal of cardiovascular development and disease 2019 6 (2), 23
  34. S Traboulsi, L Itani, H Tannir, D Kreidieh, D El Masri, M El Ghoch.Is Body Fat Percentage a Good Predictor of Menstrual Recovery in Females with Anorexia Nervosa after Weight Restoration? A Systematic Review and Exploratory and Selective Metaanalysis Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology 2019 26 (2), e25-e37
  35. F Naja, L Itani, MP Nasrallah, H Chami, H Tamim, L Nasreddine. A healthy lifestyle pattern is associated with a metabolically healthy phenotype in overweight and obese adults: a cross-sectional study European journal of nutrition 2019, 1-14
  36. Leila Chehade, Zeinab A Jaafar, Dana El Masri, Hassan Zmerly, Dima Kreidieh, Hana Tannir, Leila Itani, Marwan El Ghoch. Lifestyle Modification in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Dietary and Physical Activity Recommendations Based on Evidence. Current rheumatology reviews 2019 15 (3), 209-214
  37. Tannir H, Itani L, Kreidieh D, El Masri D, Traboulsi S, El Ghoch M. Body Composition in Adolescents and Young Adults with Anorexia Nervosa: A Clinical Review. Curr Rheumatol Rev. 2020;16(2):92-98.
  38. Tannir H, Kreidieh D, Itani L, El Masri D, El Ghoch M. Reduction of Resting Energy Expenditure and Sarcopenic Obesity in Adults with Overweight and Obesity: A Brief Report. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2020;16(4):376-380.
  39. El Masri D, Itani L, Kreidieh D, Tannir H, El Ghoch M. Predictive Equations Based on Body Composition for Resting Energy Expenditure Estimation in Adults with Obesity. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2020;16(4):381-386.
  40. Itani L, Kreidieh D, El Masri D, Tannir H, El Ghoch M. The Impact of Sarcopenic Obesity on Health-Related Quality of Life of Treatment-Seeking Patients with Obesity. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2020;16(6):635-6
  41. Khadra D, Itani L, Chebaro Y, et al. Association Between Sarcopenic Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Curr Cardiol Rev. 2020;16(2):153-162.
  42. Itani L, El Masri D, Kreidieh D, Tannir H, El Ghoch M. How valuable is cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with severe obesity undergoing bariatric surgery? [published online ahead of print, 2020 Feb 20]. Intern Emerg Med. 2020;10.1007/s11739-020-02285-4.
  43. Kreidieh D, Itani L, Tannir H, El Masri D, El Ghoch M. Sarcopenic Obesity Predicts Early Attrition in Treatment-Seeking Patients with Obesity: A Longitudinal Pilot Study. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis. 2020;7(1):5.
  44. Itani, L., Radwan, H., Hashim, M., Hasan, H., Obaid, R. S., Ghazal, H. A., ... & Al Rifai, H. Dietary patterns and their associations with gestational weight gain in the United Arab Emirates:results from the MISC cohort. Nutrition journal, 2020:19, 1-12.
  45. El Tannir H, Itani L, El Masri D, Kreidieh D, El Ghoch M. Lifetime Weight Cycling and Central Fat Distribution in Females With Obesity: A Brief Report. Diseases. 2020;8(2):E8. Published 2020 Mar 26
  46. Deek H, Itani L, Davidson PM. Literacy critical to heart failure management: a scoping review [published online ahead of print, 2020 Apr 20]. Heart Fail Rev. 2020;10.1007/s10741-020-09964-6
  47. Itani L, Kreidieh D, El Masri D, Tannir H, Chehade L, El Ghoch M. Revising BMI Cut-Off Points for Obesity in a Weight Management Setting in Lebanon. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(11):3832. Published 2020 May 28
  48. Itani L, Tannir H, El Masri D, Kreidieh D, El Ghoch M. Development of an Easy-to-Use Prediction Equation for Body Fat Percentage Based on BMI in Overweight and Obese Lebanese Adults. Diagnostics (Basel). 2020 Sep 21;10(9):728. 
  49. Naja F, Itani L, Kharroubi S, Diab El Harake M, Hwalla N, Jomaa L. Food insecurity is associated with lower adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern among Lebanese adolescents: a cross-sectional national study. Eur J Nutr. 2020 Oct;59(7):3281-3292.
  50. Chaer R, Nakouzi N, Itani L, Tannir H, Kreidieh D, El Masri D, El Ghoch M. Fertility and Reproduction after Recovery from Anorexia Nervosa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Long-Term Follow-Up Studies. Diseases. 2020 Dec 16;8(4):46
  51. F Naja, L Itani, S Kharroubi, MD El Harake, N Hwalla, L Jomaa. Food insecurity is associated with lower adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern among Lebanese adolescents: a crosssectional national study European Journal of Nutrition 2020, 1-12
  52. Nezameddin R, Itani L, Kreidieh D, El Masri D, Tannir H, El Ghoch M. Understanding sarcopenic obesity in terms of definition and health consequences: a clinical review [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jan 8]. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2020;10.2174/1573399816666200109091449
  53. Itani L, Tannir H, Kreidieh D, El Masri D, El Ghoch M. Validation of predictive equations for resting energy expenditure in treatment-seeking adults with overweight and obesity: Measured versus estimated. J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol. 2020;27(1):e32-e47. Published 2020 Jan 18.
  54. Kreidieh D, Itani L, El Masri D, Tannir H, El Ghoch M. Association Between Reduced Daily Steps and Sarcopenic Obesity in Treatment-Seeking Adults With Obesity. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020;11:22. Published 2020 Jan 30.
  55. Jaafar ZA, Kreidieh D, Itani L, Tannir H, El Masri D, El Ghoch M. Cross-validation of prediction equations for estimating the body fat percentage in adults with obesity. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2021 Feb;41:346-350.
  56. Cena H, Porri D, De Giuseppe R, Kalmpourtzidou A, Salvatore FP, El Ghoch M, Itani L, Kreidieh D, Brytek-Matera A, Pocol CB, Arteta Arteta DS, Utan G, Kolčić I. How Healthy Are Health-Related Behaviors in University Students: The HOLISTic Study. Nutrients. 2021 Feb 19;13(2):675
  57. Naja F, Itani L, Hammoudeh S, Manzoor S, Abbas N, Radwan H, Saber-Ayad M. Dietary Patterns and Their Associations With the FTO and FGF21 Gene Variants Among Emirati Adults. Front Nutr. 2021 May 19;8:668901.
  58. El Masri D, Itani L, Kreidieh D, Tannir H, El Ghoch M. Relationship between multiple weight cycles and early weight loss in patients with obesity: a longitudinal study. Eat Weight Disord. 2021 Aug;26(6):2083-2087.
  59. Itani L, Sammarco R, El Ghoch M. Editorial: Nutrition and Health-Related Quality of Life: Is It an Ignored Outcome? Front Nutr. 2021 Oct 7;8:778816
  60. Saadeddine D, Itani L, Kreidieh D, El Masri D, Tannir H, El Ghoch M. Association between Levels of Physical Activity, Sarcopenia, Type 2 Diabetes and the Quality of Life of Elderly People in Community Dwellings in Lebanon. Geriatrics (Basel). 2021 Mar 18;6(1):28
  61. Taleb S, Itani L. Nutrition Literacy among Adolescents and Its Association with Eating Habits and BMI in Tripoli, Lebanon. Diseases. 2021 Mar 29;9(2):25
  62. Citarella R, Itani L, Intini V, Zucchinali G, Scevaroli S, Tannir H, El Masri D, Kreidieh D, El Ghoch M. Association between dietary practice, body composition, training volume and sport performance in 100-Km elite ultramarathon runners. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2021 Apr;42:239-243.
  63. Tannir H, Itani L, Kreidieh D, El Masri D, El Ghoch M. Can Intentional Weight Loss Ameliorate Sarcopenia in Individuals with Obesity? A Longitudinal Interventional Study. Clin Pract. 2022 Feb 17;12(1):106-112.
  64. Vaccaro S, Itani L, Scazzina F, Bonilauri S, Cartelli CM, El Ghoch M, Pellegrini M. Do Lifestyle Interventions before Gastric Bypass Prevent Weight Regain after Surgery? A Five-Year Longitudinal Study. Nutrients. 2022 Aug 31;14(17):3609
  65. Pellegrini M, Itani L, Rossi AP, Kreidieh D, El Masri D, Tannir H, El Ghoch M. Approaching Sarcopenic Obesity in Young and Middle-Aged Female Adults in Weight Management Settings: A Narrative Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2022 Oct 15;10(10):2042
  66. Di Renzo L, Itani L, Gualtieri P, Pellegrini M, El Ghoch M, De Lorenzo A. New BMI Cut-Off Points for Obesity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Clinical Nutrition Settings in Italy: A Cross-Sectional Study. Nutrients. 2022 Nov 16;14(22):4848
  67. Al Rifai H, Shatila H, Nasreddine L, Yazbeck N, Kabakian-Khasholian T, Itani L, Naja F. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pediatricians in relation to breastfeeding support: A national survey in Lebanon. PLoS One. 2023 Apr 6;18(4):e0281865
  68. Itani L, Vassilopoulou E, Sammarco R, El Ghoch M. Editorial: Nutrition and health-related quality of life: is it an ignored outcome? Volume II. Front Nutr. 2023 May 30;10:1213059. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1213059. PMID: 37324734; PMCID: PMC10262042.
  69. Zmerly H, Milanese C, El Ghoch M, Itani L, Tannir H, Kreidieh D, Yumuk V, Pellegrini M. Personalized Physical Activity Programs for the Management of Knee Osteoarthritis in Individuals with Obesity: A Patient-Centered Approach. Diseases. 2023 Dec 14;11(4):182. doi: 10.3390/diseases11040182. PMID: 38131988; PMCID: PMC10742871.
  70. De Lorenzo A, Itani L, Gualtieri P, Pellegrini M, El Ghoch M, Di Renzo L. Association between Sarcopenia and Reduced Bone Mass: Is Osteosarcopenic Obesity a New Phenotype to Consider in Weight Management Settings? Life (Basel). 2023 Dec 21;14(1):21. doi: 10.3390/life14010021. PMID: 38276270; PMCID: PMC10817427.
  71. De Lorenzo A, Pellegrini M, Gualtieri P, Itani L, Frank G, El Ghoch M, Di Renzo L. The Association between Obesity and Reduced Weight-Adjusted Bone Mineral Content in Older Adults: A New Paradigm That Contrasts with the Obesity Paradox. Nutrients. 2024 Jan 25;16(3):352. doi: 10.3390/nu16030352. PMID: 38337637; PMCID: PMC10857150.
  72. Conti MV, Itani L, Beretta A, Yaghi K, Filosa A, Monti C, Cena H. An overview of the nutritional status of childbearing age women, children and adolescents living in a rural area of Madagascar: preliminary results of the Tany Vao project. Public Health Nutr. 2024 Jan 29;27(1):e52. doi: 10.1017/S1368980024000259. PMID: 38282033; PMCID: PMC10882536.
  73. De Lorenzo A, Itani L, El Ghoch M, Frank G, De Santis GL, Gualtieri P, Di Renzo L. The Association between Sarcopenic Obesity and DXA-Derived Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT) in Adults. Nutrients. 2024 May 27;16(11):1645. doi: 10.3390/nu16111645. PMID: 38892578; PMCID: PMC11174391.
  74. De Lorenzo A, Itani L, El Ghoch M, Gualtieri P, Frank G, Raffaelli G, Pellegrini M, Di Renzo L. Difference in Body Composition Patterns between Age Groups in Italian Individuals with Overweight and Obesity: When BMI Becomes a Misleading Tool in Nutritional Settings. Nutrients. 2024 Jul 25;16(15):2415. doi: 10.3390/nu16152415. PMID: 39125296; PMCID: PMC11314337.
  75. Rochira V, Greco C, Boni S, Costantino F, Dalla Valentina L, Zanni E, Itani L, El Ghoch M. The Effect of Tirzepatide on Body Composition in People with Overweight and Obesity: A Systematic Review of Randomized, Controlled Studies. Diseases. 2024 Sep 5;12(9):204. doi: 10.3390/diseases12090204. PMID: 39329873; PMCID: PMC11431103.
  76. Itani L, El Ghoch M. Waist-to-Height Ratio Cut-Off Points for Central Obesity in Individuals with Overweight Across Different Ethnic Groups in NHANES 2011-2018. Nutrients. 2024 Nov 8;16(22):3838. doi: 10.3390/nu16223838. PMID: 39599624; PMCID: PMC11597241.