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Biomedical subjects

C Morón

Publications and source records attributed to C Morón.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Nutritional status, food consumption and physical activity among Chilean school children: a descriptive study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the nutritional status, food consumption and physical activity (PA) habits of Chilean school children, as a baseline for developing an educational intervention. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: A total of 1701 children from 3rd to 7th grade in nine schools located in three geographical regions. METHODS: We determined body mass index, food consumption (quantified FFQ which we categorised into five groups), PA in terms of TV viewing and frequency of after school PA. The data were analysed according to age, nutritional status and gender. A logistic regression analysis was performed using obesity as outcome. RESULTS: Obesity was higher among boys; younger children presented higher prevalence in both genders. Daily intake of dairy products varied between 240 and 308 g, fruits/vegetables, between 197 and 271 g, energy-dense foods between 343 and 460 g. In all, 22.3 and 47% of the children watched over 3 h of TV during the week and weekend, respectively. Older children watched significantly more TV during the week, while on weekends all children increased this time significantly. Boys were more active than girls after school. The logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between obesity and low intake of dairy products. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of obesity among Chilean children is high. Although TV time, intake of energy dense foods and fruits/vegetables appeared as risk factors for obesity, only dairy consumption was significantly associated with obesity. SPONSORSHIP: FAO

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

[Iron absorption of the habitual diet in a population of low socioeconomic level].

Iron absorption using the extrinsic double-tag method was determined in the habitual diet consumed by a group of 32 volunteers of both sexes, pertaining to the low socioeconomic strata. The diet was made up of bread, spaghetti, vegetables and meat, totalling 2,022 kcal, 65.0 g protein, 17.57 mg iron, and 28.75 mg ascorbic acid. According to our findings, men were found to be neither anemic nor iron-deficient. Among the women, however, 4.8% had anemia and 57.1% suffered from iron deficiency. The non-heme iron absorption was very low: 1.35% at breakfast, 3.29% at lunch, and 3.82% at dinner. Among those subjects found to be normal, the absorption was half the above figures, whereas among those with iron deficiency it was threefold, the differences being highly significant. The absorption of heme-iron for lunch and dinner was 17.53%. The iron deficient group had an absorption value four times greater than the normal group, the differences also being highly significant. The daily availability of non-heme, heme and total iron was 0.44, 1.13 and 1.57 mg, respectively. In the subjects who formed the normal group, total iron available was 1.14 mg, barely covering a man's daily requirements, but not those of a woman. In the iron-deficient group, it was 4.31 mg, that is, four times greater than in the normal group; while this value improves the balance, it does not prevent deficiency in women, with great blood losses. Bearing these results in mind, it is suggested that measures tending to improve dietary iron content and bio-availability, be enforced.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

[Endemic goiter in school children of Salta Province, Argentina].

The Province of Salta, located in the northwest of Argentina, showed severe endemic goiter-cretinism. The purpose of our work, therefore, was to evaluate the results of the iodized salt prophylaxis measure implemented since 1963. In 1980-1981 the prevalence of goiter was determined in 16,935 school children whose ages ranged from four to 15 years. The urinary iodine/creatinine index was also determined in a subsample of 401 children. Findings revealed that the goiter prevalence in the Province was 16.1%. In 10 Departments of the Province, those with greater socioeconomic development and denser population, the prevalences found were below 10%, limit established as endemic. In the remaining 13 Departments, especially in those less developed--where mountainous regions make their access difficult and hence, their populations consume non-iodized salt obtained from natural salt basins--values exceeded this limit. The average ioduria was 104.0 micrograms I/g Cr, with 4.5% presenting values below 25 micrograms. After 20 years of prophylaxis, endemic goiter has therefore been partially eradicated. It is suggested, however, that consumption of iodized salt and, even the supply of iodized oil in those areas where prevalence is high, be recommended.

Adolescent↗