Adult diet quality indices are shown to predict nutritional adequacy of dietary intake as well as all-cause morbidity and mortality. This study describes the reproducibility and validity of a food-based diet quality index, the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS). ARFS was developed to reflect alignment with the Australian Dietary Guidelines and is modelled on the US Recommended Food Score. Dietary intakes of 96 adult participants (31 male, 65 female) age 30 to 75 years were assessed in two rounds, five months apart. Diet was assessed using a 120-question semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The ARFS diet quality index was derived using a subset of 70 items from the full FFQ. Reproducibility of the ARFS between round one and round two was confirmed by the overall intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.87 (95% CI 0.83, 0.90), which compared favourably to that for the FFQ at 0.85 (95% CI 0.80, 0.89). ARFS was correlated with FFQ nutrient intakes, particularly fiber, vitamin A, beta-carotene and vitamin C (0.53, 95% CI 0.37–0.67), and with mineral intakes, particularly calcium, magnesium and potassium (0.32, 95% CI 0.23–0.40). ARFS is a suitable brief tool to evaluate diet quality in adults and reliably estimates a range of nutrient intakes.

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Wheat and dietary fats may play key roles in the generation of FD symptoms and reduction or withdrawal eased symptoms. Randomised trials investigating the roles of gluten, FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide and polyols) and high fat ingestion and naturally occurring food chemicals in the generation of functional dyspepsia symptoms are warranted and further investigation of the mechanisms is now required.

Early life, including the establishment of the intestinal microbiome, represents a critical window of growth and development. Postnatal factors affecting the microbiome, including mode of delivery, feeding type, and antibiotic exposure have been widely investigated, but questions remain regarding the influence of exposures in utero on infant gut microbiome assembly. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on exposures before birth, which affect the early intestinal microbiome. Five databases were searched in August 2019 for studies exploring pre-pregnancy or pregnancy 'exposure' data in relation to the infant microbiome. Of 1,441 publications identified, 76 were included. Factors reported influencing microbiome composition and diversity included maternal antibiotic and probiotic uses, dietary intake, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), diabetes, mood, and others. Eleven studies contributed to three meta-analyses quantifying associations between maternal intrapartum antibiotic exposure (IAP), BMI and GWG, and infant microbiome alpha diversity (Shannon Index). IAP, maternal overweight/ obesity and excessive GWG were all associated with reduced diversity. Most studies were observational, few included early recruitment or longitudinal follow-up, and the timing, frequency, and methodologies related to stool sampling and analysis were variable. Standardization and collaboration are imperative to enhance understanding in this complex and rapidly evolving area.

Parenting styles showed only weak to moderate associations with individual domains of child feeding. The most consistent relationship found was a negative association between permissive parenting and monitoring for both mothers and fathers in two studies. Progress in this field could be achieved by conducting studies targeting fathers and culturally diverse populations, and development of a tool which could reflect overall child feeding behaviour rather than individual domains.

Grandparents in caregiving roles may negatively influence the dietary intake and weight status of their grandchildren. More rigorous, targeted studies are required to further define the mechanisms by which grandparents' knowledge, attitudes and feeding behaviours may influence child dietary intake. This review suggests that grandparents may be an important audience to target in future child nutrition interventions.

The proportion of total EI from noncore foods in children in rural New South Wales is high and did not improve in response to a low-intensity nutrition intervention. Parents reported small changes in consumption frequency for core and noncore food intakes, leading to a reduction in total EI. Strategies to increase resource use such as prompting via e-mail are required to further explore the effectiveness of nutrition resource dissemination at a population level.

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common disorder of gut-brain interaction, characterised by upper gastrointestinal symptom profiles that differentiate FD from the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), although the two conditions often co-exist. Despite food and eating being implicated in FD symptom induction, evidence-based guidance for dietetic management of FD is limited. The aim of this narrative review is to collate the possible mechanisms for eating-induced and food-related symptoms of FD for stratification of dietetic management. Specific carbohydrates, proteins and fats, or foods high in these macronutrients have all been reported as influencing FD symptom induction, with removal of ‘trigger’ foods or nutrients shown to alleviate symptoms. Food additives and natural food chemicals have also been implicated, but there is a lack of convincing evidence. Emerging evidence suggests the gastrointestinal microbiota is the primary interface between food and symptom induction in FD, and is therefore a research direction that warrants substantial attention. Objective markers of FD, along with more sensitive and specific dietary assessment tools will contribute to progressing towards evidence-based dietetic management of FD.