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PubMed1999

Subjectively healthy elderly consuming a liquid nutrition supplement maintained body mass index and improved some nutritional parameters and perceived well-being.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate regular use of a liquid nutrition supplement by subjectively healthy elderly persons in terms of body mass index, nutrient intake, selected biochemical parameters, and perceived quality-of-life changes, and to identify advantages and limitations of use. DESIGN: A 16-week intervention study in which subjects were assigned randomly to either a supplemented group or a control group and compared in terms of intergroup and intragroup differences in weight, food intake, blood values, and quality-of-life indexes. Adherence to protocol was monitored by monthly visits with an interviewer and food intake records. SUBJECTS/SETTING: Seventy-one independent living, older Canadian adults (mean age = 70 +/- 7 years) consuming on average less than 4 servings of fruit and vegetables daily and a supplement-free diet before the study. Subjects were without functional limitations and did not require therapeutic diets or medical treatments that affect nutritional status. Data were collected in home interviews. Blood for analysis was obtained from a subsample of 36 subjects. INTERVENTION: Inclusion of six 235-mL cans of liquid nutrition supplement weekly into the self-selected dietary patterns of the supplemented group. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Results were analyzed by Student t tests or Wilcoxon rank sum test, analysis of variance, and multiple stepwise regression. RESULTS: Body mass index, energy intake, and consumption of fruit and vegetables did not change throughout the study. In the supplemented group, statistically significant increases occurred from baseline to termination of the study in these nutrients: protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, and folate. Serum albumin, folate, ferritin, hemoglobin, and zinc values were within the normal range for the supplemented and control groups. Scores for the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Status scales increased for the supplemented group from baseline to termination for vitality and general health perception. Values for the General Well-Being Questionnaire improved for anxiety and general well-being. Of the dietary predictors, folate intake explained the most variance for vitality and for general well-being, 8.6% and 14.2%, respectively. APPLICATIONS: A liquid nutrition supplement could be recommended to the elderly when energy maintenance and increases in nutrient intake are necessary and convenience is an important consideration. Dietetics professionals should address the issues of affordability of the supplement, the role of food in achieving nutritional adequacy, and overall quality of life of clients. Folate intake as a predictor of perceived general well-being and vitality requires further investigation.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Fermented dairy products, calcium, and colorectal cancer in The Netherlands Cohort Study.

Experimental studies suggest that an increased consumption of fermented dairy products and calcium might decrease the risk of colorectal cancer. The associations between fermented dairy products, dietary calcium, and colorectal cancer risk were investigated in a population with a wide variation in intake of dairy products. The Netherlands Cohort Study of diet and cancer started in 1986 when 120,852 Dutch men and women, ages 55-69, filled out a questionnaire concerning dietary patterns and lifestyle. The present analysis is based on 3.3 years of follow-up and includes 215 incident cases of colon cancer and 111 incident cases of rectal cancer, excluding cases diagnosed in the first year of follow-up. After adjustment for potential confounding variables, colorectal cancer risk was weakly inversely associated with the consumption of fermented milk [relative rate (RR) in the highest category of intake compared to nonusers, 0.89; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.60, 1.33], unfermented milk (RR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.57, 1.29), and cheese (RR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.59, 1.33). However, category-specific relative rates and tests for trends were not statistically significant. For fermented milk, the inverse association was limited to colon cancer (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.43, 1.15; trend, P = 0.33). In crude and multivariate models, total dietary calcium intake (highest versus lowest quintile, RR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.64, 1.34) and calcium from fermented dairy products (RR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.77, 1.68) were not significantly associated with colorectal cancer risk. Calcium from unfermented dairy products was inversely associated with rectal cancer risk (RR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.30, 1.04; trend, P = 0.03). After 3.3 years of follow-up, these data are not consistent with a substantially decreased risk of colorectal cancer with increased intake of fermented dairy products and dietary calcium.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Pandemic obesity and the contagion of nutritional nonsense.

The United States is the epicenter of an obesity pandemic. As more countries acculturate to a Western lifestyle, rates of obesity and its sequelae are rising steadily in both adults and children. In response, a variety of weight-loss diets emphasizing alternative distributions of macronutrient classes have been promoted with considerable success. Among the most popular is the so-called "Atkins Diet," in which carbohydrate restriction is touted as the key to weight loss. Despite claims, however, evidence that weight loss is enhanced by means other than caloric restriction is lacking. Also lacking is evidence that fad diets produce sustainable weight loss. Most important, fad diets generally ignore or refute what is known about fundamental associations between dietary pattern and human health. Cancer, cholera, and AIDS induce rapid weight loss, highlighting the potential incompatibility of weight loss by any means with health. Available data suggest that long-term weight loss is most consistently achieved by adherence to a fat-restricted diet abundant in grains, vegetables, and fruit, along with regular physical activity, a lifestyle notably conducive to the promotion of overall health. Fad diets, potential harms of which are well characterized, should be presumed "guilty" of incompatibility with human health until or unless proved otherwise; the burden of proof should reside with proponents. In the interim, the clinical and public health communities should work to empower individuals with knowledge needed to reconcile weight control with health promotion; support policies that mitigate obesogenic environmental conditions; and offer unified resistance to the contagion of dietary propaganda.

Bias↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fatness and overweight in women and children from riverine Amerindian communities of the Beni River (Bolivian Amazon).

Obesity is a worldwide public health problem impacting not only industrialized nations but also developing countries. The main objective of this paper was to analyze risk factors for overweight among Amerindian children and their mothers. Data were collected in 15 Amerindian riverside communities from the Beni River (Bolivia). The total sample was of 195 mothers and 452 children, 0-15 years of age. Information about family activity and dietary patterns was collected, and a clinical examination was performed. Stool samples were collected in children for parasitological screening. Anthropometric measurements, including weight, height, arm circumference, and four skinfolds, were taken. A bioelectrical impedance analysis was performed in mothers. In total, 12.2% (95% confidence interval (CI(95%)) 9.1-15.9%) of the children were considered overweight; less than 1% were overtly obese International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria. Among their mothers, 35.3% (CI(95%), 28.7-42.5%) were overweight (BMI (weight/height (2)) >25 kg/m(2)), and 5% (CI(95%), 2.5-5.1%) were obese (BMI >30 kg/m(2)). BMI was moderately related to anthropometric indices of body composition in children, but was highly correlated with fatness in mothers. The risk of overweight was not associated with environmental factors in children. In mothers, there was a significant relationship between BMI, health status, and dietary diversity score. There was a moderate association in boys between fatness and the BMI of their mothers (R(2) = 0.12, P < 0.001), but not in girls. These findings suggest a trend toward accumulation of fat related to possible changes at the economic and agricultural levels, even in remote rural areas.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Diet and physical activity in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Patients with type 1 diabetes require adequate amounts of macronutrients to support their training and sustain performance during regular exercise and during competitions. A frequent goal in competitive sports is to improve performance, and athletes may resort to a number of practices that can adversely affect blood glucose control and health in general in an attempt to gain a competitive advantage. These may include unsafe dietary patterns, and the use of nutritional supplements, other ergogenic aids and illegal substances. In this paper we review data on the relationship between insulin therapy and needs of single macronutrients before, during and after regular and competitive exercise in young subjects and athletes with type 1 diabetes. We also list nutrition integrators, available in the gymnasium or as over-the-counter drugs, which are increasingly being used by athletes, and describe their interactions with diabetes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Self-efficacy, perceived benefits, and weight satisfaction discriminate among stages of change for fruit and vegetable intakes for young men and women.

This study determined whether psychosocial, weight satisfaction, and dietary pattern variables discriminate between the Stages of Change for fruit and vegetable intakes among young men and women. A random sample of 18 to 24 year-olds, from 10 states returned 1438 surveys. Discriminant analyses for fruit intake conveyed that between precontemplation and contemplation/preparation, pro-scores and self-efficacy predicted the men's but not women's stages. Between contemplation/preparation and action/maintenance, self-efficacy and breakfast consumption best predicted stage for women, whereas men were discriminated only by self-efficacy. Discriminant analyses for vegetable intake were similar by gender. Precontemplation and contemplation/preparation were discriminated by pro-score and staging into contemplation/preparation versus action/maintenance was best predicted by self-efficacy and weight satisfaction. Young men and women are at different places in the Stages of Change process and few are meeting the vegetable guidelines. Dietary interventions can be most effective if specifically tailored to food group, stage, and gender.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Sociodemographic and lifestyle determinants of food patterns in Spanish children and adolescents: the enKid study.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse prevailing food patterns among Spanish children and young people and their relationship to sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional population survey. SETTING: Population study. Data were collected at participants' home addresses. SUBJECTS: Random sample of the Spanish population aged 2-24 y (n=3534; 1629 boys and 1905 girls). INTERVENTIONS: Food consumption was assessed by means of a 24-h recall and a food frequency questionnaire. Sociodemographic and lifestyle related data were collected by specially designed questionnaires, previously pretested and validated. All the information was collected during a personal interview by trained dietitians. DATA COLLECTION: May 1998-April 2000. RESULTS: Average consumption of fruit and vegetables was low. The youngest age group (2-5 y) showed the lowest proportions of inadequacy for the dairy group (P<0,001; chi(2)=39.11 boys; chi(2)=49.60 girls). Factor analysis identified five main components of dietary patterns. The 'Snacky' pattern was characterised by more frequent and higher consumption of bakery products (buns, cakes and biscuits), sweets, salted snacks and soft drinks. Higher intakes of fruit, vegetables and fish were associated to the 'Healthy' pattern. Children whose mother had a low level of education and those who spent more than 2 h daily watching TV were more likely to follow the 'Snacky' pattern. Girls were more likely to follow the 'Healthy' pattern, while children and young people whose mother had a lower level of education were less likely. CONCLUSION: Results from this study highlight the importance of enhancing school-based and community-based actions to promote healthy eating and physical activity addressed to children and young people.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

The nutrition and health transition in the North West Province of South Africa: a review of the THUSA (Transition and Health during Urbanisation of South Africans) study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe how urbanisation influences the nutrition and health transition in South Africa by using data from the THUSA (Transition and Health during Urbanisation of South Africans) study. DESIGN: The THUSA study was a cross-sectional, comparative, population-based survey. SETTING: The North West Province of South Africa. SUBJECTS: In total, 1854 apparently healthy volunteers, men and women aged 15 years and older, from 37 randomly selected sites. Pregnant and lactating women, those with diagnosed chronic diseases and taking medication, with acute infections or inebriated were excluded but screened for hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Subjects were stratified into five groups representing different levels of urbanisation in rural and urban areas: namely, deep rural, farms, squatter camps, townships and towns/cities. OUTCOME MEASURES AND METHODS: Socio-economic and education profiles, dietary patterns, nutrient intakes, anthropometric and biochemical nutrition status, physical and mental health indicators, and risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were measured using questionnaires developed or adapted and validated for this population, as well as appropriate, standardised methods for the biochemical analyses of biological samples. RESULTS: Subjects from the rural groups had lower household incomes, less formal education, were shorter and had lower body mass indices than those in the urban groups. Urban subjects consumed less maize porridge but more fruits, vegetables, animal-derived foods and fats and oils than rural subjects. Comparing women from rural group 1 with the urban group 5, the following shifts in nutrient intakes were observed: % energy from carbohydrates, 67.4 to 57.3; from fats, 23.6 to 31.8; from protein, 11.4 to 13.4 (with an increase in animal protein from 22.2 to 42.6 g day(-1)); dietary fibre, 15.8 to 17.7 g day(-1); calcium, 348 to 512 mg day(-1); iron from 8.4 to 10.4 mg day(-1); vitamin A from 573 to 1246 mug retinol equivalents day(-1); and ascorbic acid from 30 to 83 mg day(-1). Serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and plasma fibrinogen increased significantly across groups; systolic blood pressure >140 mmHg was observed in 10.4-34.8% of subjects in different groups and diabetes mellitus in 0.8-6.0% of subjects. Women in groups 1 to 5 had overweight plus obesity rates of 48, 53, 47, 61 and 61%, showing an increase with urbanisation. Subjects from group 2 (farm dwellers) showed the highest scores of psychopathology and the lowest scores of psychological well-being. The same subjects consistently showed the lowest nutrition status. CONCLUSIONS: Urbanisation of Africans in the North West Province is accompanied by an improvement in micronutrient intakes and status, but also by increases in overweight, obesity and several risk factors for NCDs. It is recommended that intervention programmes to promote nutritional health should aim to improve micronutrient status further without leading to obesity. The role of psychological strengths in preventing the adverse effects of urbanisation on health needs to be examined in more detail.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Food intake during and outside Ramadan].

We explored the effect of fasting in the month of Ramadan on the dietary pattern of a group of 130 healthy adults. During Ramadan, there was an increase in total energy intake, as a result of protein and lipid intake but not carbohydrate intake compared to the diet througout the rest of the year, in both students and parents. The meal eaten after sunset was an important contributor to calories (65%), lipids (74%), proteins (71%) and carbohydrates (56%). These findings show the eating behaviour during Ramadan may contribute to improved nutritional status of people at risk of nutritional deficiency.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Dietary fiber, energy intake and nutritional status during the treatment of children with chronic constipation.

The present prospective study was carried out to determine dietary fiber and energy intake and nutritional status of children during the treatment of chronic constipation. Twenty-five patients aged 2 to 12 years with chronic constipation were submitted to clinical evaluation, assessment of dietary patterns, and anthropometry before and after 45 and 90 days of treatment. The treatment of chronic constipation included rectal disimpaction, ingestion of mineral oil and diet therapy. The standardized diet prescribed consisted of regular food without a fiber supplement and met the nutrient requirements according to the recommended daily allowance. The fiber content was 9.0 to 11.9 g for patients aged less than 6 years and 12.0 to 18.0 g for patients older than 6 years. Sixteen patients completed the 90-day follow-up and all presented clinical improvement. The anthropometric variables did not change, except midarm circumference and triceps skinfold thickness which were significantly increased. Statistically significant increases were also found in percent calorie intake adequacy in terms of recommended daily allowance (55.5 to 76.5% on day 45 and to 68.5% on day 90; P = 0.047). Percent adequacy of minimum recommended daily intake of dietary fiber (age + 5 g) increased during treatment (from 46.8 to 52.8% on day 45 and to 56.3% on day 90; P = 0.009). Food and dietary fiber intake and triceps skinfold thickness increased during follow-up. We conclude that the therapeutic program provided a good clinical outcome.

Body Composition↗
PubMed2003

Variations in plasma lycopene and specific isomers over time in a cohort of U.S. men.

Epidemiologic and laboratory studies suggest a possible role for tomato products, a rich source of the carotenoid lycopene, in the prevention of certain cancers and cardiovascular disease. Lycopene is consumed primarily as the all-trans-isomer, but the majority of lycopene in blood and tissue exists as a variety of cis-isomers. Specific isomers may be involved in different biological reactions, and patterns of isomers may provide insight into the risk or pathogenesis of disease processes. Total lycopene concentration and the concentrations of the cis- and trans-lycopene isomers were measured by HPLC in plasma samples taken 3-4 y apart from 144 mostly nonsmoking male participants in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Correlations between plasma concentrations determined 3-4 y apart ranged from 0.55 (all-trans-isomer) to 0.70 (cis-isomer 5 -cis) (P < 0.001). For total lycopene, the correlation was 0.63 (P < 0.001). Total cis-lycopene contributed approximately 67% of total lycopene (range 50-79%). At each time point, the various lycopene isomer concentrations were highly correlated with one another with Spearman correlation coefficients ranging from 0.90 to 0.99 (P < 0.001). Plasma concentrations of total lycopene and its most abundant isomers in samples taken 3-4 y apart were strongly correlated, indicating that dietary patterns and metabolic processes defining lycopene concentrations are stable over time. Because the patterns of lycopene isomers showed limited between-person variability, our results suggest that measuring specific lycopene isomers in epidemiologic studies may not provide additional information beyond that provided by total lycopene concentration. Single plasma samples quantitating plasma lycopene are a valid predictor of long-term exposure for epidemiologic studies.

Carotenoids↗
PubMed2002

Hungarian cancer mortality and food availability data in the last four decades of the 20th century.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the dietary risk factors present in the nutrition of the Hungarian population. METHOD: We evaluated Hungarian cancer mortality data, and carried out a comparative analysis of the Hungarian National Food Balance Sheets (food availability) and dietary surveys (energy and nutrient intake). RESULTS: The cancer mortality rate in Hungary is the highest in Europe and an analysis of the past 40 years has revealed a worsening trend. Assessment of the Hungarian dietary pattern suggests that the high fat intake could be a possible risk factor in the development of lung, colon, rectum, female breast and prostate cancer. The availability of fats in Hungary was found to be the highest in a European comparison in the second half of the 1990s, while the average fat energy percentage in the diet of the male and female population was 38.0% (SD 5.7) between 1992 and 1994. Apart from the high fat consumption, the insufficient intake of vegetables and fruits could be identified as a major, convincing risk factor present in the nutrition of Hungarians, and plays a role in the development of mouth and pharynx, esophagus, lung, stomach, colon and rectum cancers, and is a probable risk factor in the development of pancreatic tumors. The availability of vegetables and fruits in the Hungarian population is one of the lowest in Europe and, in addition, the intake of dietary fiber, carotenoids, and ascorbic acid is also inadequate. CONCLUSION: Hungary has the highest cancer mortality rate in Europe, and the death rate associated with this disease is increasing. Our analysis of food balance sheets and dietary survey data clearly demonstrate the presence of certain known dietary risk factors in the nutrition of the Hungarian population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Diet, pregnancy estrogens and their possible relevance to cancer risk in the offspring.

Total estrogens, estradiol and estriol were determined by radioimmunoassay in the blood of 141 pregnant women during their 26th and 31st weeks of pregnancy, and the results were correlated with dietary patterns and nutrient intakes during pregnancy, assessed through a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. No food group or nutrient showed a significant (p less than 0.05) association with any of the examined hormones at both the 26th and the 31st week of pregnancy. Relatively more consistent were a positive association between consumption of starchy roots (potatoes) and all the indicated hormones, and a negative association between vitamin A and estradiol and total estrogens; however, the multitude of comparisons hinders a biologic interpretation at this time. There was suggestive evidence that weight gain up to the 31st week of pregnancy was positively associated with both total estrogens (p = 0.09) and estradiol (p = 0.11). The present study has limitations reflecting the relatively small sample size and the problems inherent in epidemiologic methods assessing nutritional intakes. However, the findings suggest that quantitative aspects of diet, as reflected in pregnancy weight gain, may be more important than dietary composition in influencing levels of pregnancy estrogens and in affecting the occurrence of gonadal germ cell tumors and other conditions that may be associated with them.

Body Weight↗
PubMed2002

Hyperinsulinemia in african-american children: decreased insulin clearance and increased insulin secretion and its relationship to insulin sensitivity.

African-American (AA) children are hyperinsulinemic and insulin resistant compared with American White (AW) children. This study investigated 1) whether AA/AW differences in insulinemia are associated with differences in insulin clearance; 2) whether dietary patterns, mainly carbohydrate and fat intake, play a role; and 3) whether the quantitative relationship between insulin sensitivity and secretion is similar between AA and AW children. Forty-four prepubertal children (22 AA and 22 AW) with comparable body composition and visceral adiposity were studied. All underwent a 3-h hyperinsulinemic (40 mU x m(-2) x min(-1))-euglycemic clamp to calculate insulin sensitivity and insulin clearance and a 2-h hyperglycemic clamp (12.5 mmol/l) to assess first- and second-phase insulin responses. Twenty-four-hour food recalls were analyzed for macronutrient intake. Insulin clearance (19.5 +/- 0.7 vs. 22.9 +/- 1.1 ml x min(-1) x kg(-1) fat-free mass [FFM]; P = 0.011) and insulin sensitivity were lower in AA versus AW children (14.8 +/- 1.0 vs. 18.9 +/- 1.4 micro mol x min(-1) x kg(-1) FFM; P = 0.021). Both insulin clearance and insulin sensitivity correlated inversely with dietary fat/carbohydrate ratio, which was higher in AA than in white children. Fasting C-peptide and insulin were higher in AA children with no difference in proinsulin levels. First- and second-phase insulin concentrations and glucose disposition index (insulin sensitivity x first-phase insulin) were higher in AA than in white children (12.8 +/- 2.1 vs. 7.2 +/- 0.6 micro mol. min(-1) x kg(-1) FFM; P = 0.019). In conclusion, the hyperinsulinemia observed in AA children is due to both lower insulin clearance and higher insulin secretion compared with their white peers. The quantitative relationship between insulin secretion and sensitivity is upregulated in AA children. This suggests that increased insulin secretion in AA children is not merely a compensatory response to lower insulin sensitivity. Dietary factors may have a role. Additional studies are needed to determine whether metabolic/nutritional factors, possibly mediated through free fatty acids, may play a role in the hyperinsulinism observed in AA children.

Basal Metabolism↗
PubMed2002

Prevalence of dementia in the older Japanese-Brazilian population.

The prevalence of dementing disorders in Campo Grande of a community of Japanese-Brazilians who immigrated from Okinawa was studied. Previous reports showed that the dietary pattern in Japanese immigrants in Brazil, which characterized by a low fish and large meat intake, is possibly responsible for increased risk of cardiovascular diseases compared with Japanese in Okinawa. A total of 157 persons over 70-year-old were examined, and 19 cases were diagnosed as having dementia. The prevalence (cases/100 aged 70-year-older) was 12.1 for all types of dementia, 5.7 for Alzheimer's disease (AD), 0.6 for vascular dementia (VD), 4.5 for mixed dementia (AD/VD) and 1.3 for other types of dementia. There was no case of dementia with Lewy bodies or frontotemporal lobar degeneration. These results are similar to many previous studies in Western countries and some recent surveys in Japan, and clearly show that more AD than VD appears even in the Japanese-Brazilian population. The higher prevalence rate of dementia in Japanese-Brazilians compared with several studies in Japan may indicate the importance of dietary factors rather than genetic factors.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2005

Essential nutrients: food or supplements? Where should the emphasis be?

The consumption of adequate levels and proper balance of essential nutrients is critical for maintaining health. The identification, isolation, and purification of nutrients in the early 20th century raised the possibility that optimal health outcomes could be realized through nutrient supplementation. Recent attempts using this approach for cardiovascular disease and lung cancer have been disappointing, as demonstrated with vitamin E and beta carotene. Moreover, previously unrecognized risks caused by nutrient toxicity and nutrient interactions have surfaced during intervention studies. The most promising data in the area of nutrition and positive health outcomes relate to dietary patterns, not nutrient supplements. These data suggest that other factors in food or the relative presence of some foods and the absence of other foods are more important than the level of individual nutrients consumed. Finally, unknown are the implications on public health behavior of shifting the emphasis away from food toward nutrient supplements. Notwithstanding the justification for targeting recommendations for nutrient supplements to certain segments of the population (eg, the elderly), there are insufficient data to justify an alteration in public health policy from one that emphasizes food and diet to one that emphasizes nutrient supplements.

Biomedical Research↗
PubMed2005

The association of fat patterning with blood pressure in rural South African children: the Ellisras Longitudinal Growth and Health Study.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is one of the major causes of death in developed and underdeveloped nations. Essential hypertension and obesity may have their inception in childhood, with little data in African children to support these findings. Objectives were to determine the prevalence of overweight and hypertension in rural children in South Africa. Additionally, the association between fat-patterning ratios and blood pressure (BP) was investigated. METHODS: Data were collected from 1884 subjects (967 boys and 917 girls), aged 6-13 years, participating in the Ellisras Longitudinal Study. Height; weight; and triceps, biceps, subscapular, and suprailiac skinfolds were measured according to the protocol of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry. Skinfold ratio was used as an indicator of the central pattern of body fat. Internationally recommended cut-off points for body mass index (BMI) were used. Hypertension, defined as the average of three separate BP readings where the systolic BP or diastolic BP is >or=95th percentile for age and sex, was determined. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension ranged from 1 to 5.8% for boys and 3.1 to 11.4% for girls, and that of overweight from 1.1 to 2.9% for boys and 0.6 to 4.6% for girls. The association between high systolic BP and high BMI was -3.0, while that for high diastolic BP and high BMI was -0.68. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of hypertension is evident from the age 6 years for girls, while that of overweight was low. Overweight became evident from the age 10 to 13 years for both sexes. A significant association between high diastolic BP and high BMI was noted, while children with low BMIs were less likely to be hypertensive. Investigating habitual physical activity, fitness and dietary patterns will shed more light on the association of fat patterning and BP in this population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

[Validity of nutrition survey methods].

The aim of all dietary surveys is to discover what the persons under investigations are in habit of eating. They could be used to collect data on a single individual and on several hundred of individuals. There are two types of methods used: --evaluation of global consumption, --precise dietary studies. Additional studies research conscious and unconscious factors of dietary consumption. Whatever the aim, dietary patterns are used to trace trends both retrospectively and prospectively. But the nutritionist must be aware of limitations of the methods and be constantly improving them. It is imperative, therefore, that critical evolution be made at every stage of the procedure. The interest of those studies is to identify the current nutrient intake of a group or an individual likewise during a longer period, so that we can define the evoluation and perhaps the reason behind them. In epidemiological work, they are a part of the whole given data. They could permit the evaluation of correlation with clinical or biological parameters or with a particular disease.

Dietary Carbohydrates↗