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Cow's milk is a staple food for human consumption at all stages of life. Industrial processing has allowed widespread access to its consumption by the population, which has helped to significantly improve their health. From its composition point of view, milk is a complete and balanced food that provides high nutrient content in relation to its calorie content, so its consumption should be considered necessary from childhood to elderly. The benefits of cow's milk are not limited to its nutritional value, but extend beyond and are a factor of prevention in certain non communicable pathologies as cardiovascular disease, some cancers, high blood pressure or bone or dental pathology. It can also help in the fight against childhood overweight and obesity. In recent years we have seen a worrying decline in milk consumption among the Spanish population, at least in part influenced by misconceptions about its consumption and of other dairy products. This consensus document aims to review the current state of the topic regarding the effects of milk consumption on health, while making a call to the institutions and scientific societies to develop programs and information campaigns about the benefits of milk and dairy products consumption., (Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess the adequacy of predictive equations for estimation of energy expenditure (EE), compared with the EE using indirect calorimetry in a sample of Brazilian and Spanish women with excess body weight., Methods: It is a cross-sectional study with 92 obese adult women [26 Brazilian -G1- and 66 Spanish - G2- (aged 20-50)]. Weight and height were evaluated during fasting for the calculation of body mass index and predictive equations. EE was evaluated using the open-circuit indirect calorimetry with respiratory hood., Results: In G1 and G2, it was found that the estimates obtained by Harris-Benedict, Shofield, FAO/WHO/ ONU and Henry & Rees did not differ from EE using indirect calorimetry, which presented higher values than the equations proposed by Owen, Mifflin-St Jeor and Oxford. For G1 and G2 the predictive equation closest to the value obtained by the indirect calorimetry was the FAO/WHO/ONU (7.9% and 0.46% underestimation, respectively), followed by Harris-Benedict (8.6% and 1.5% underestimation, respectively)., Conclusion: The equations proposed by FAO/WHO/ ONU, Harris-Benedict, Shofield and Henry & Rees were adequate to estimate the EE in a sample of Brazilian and Spanish women with excess body weight. The other equations underestimated the EE., (Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)

Prebiotics were defined in 1995 as non-digestible food ingredients beneficially affecting the host by stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or more bacteria in the colon, thus improving health. The proliferation of certain bacteria by fermentation of non-digestible carbohydrates has been shown to be able to inhibit the colonization of the intestine by pathogens, thus giving a protective effect vis-à-vis acute or chronic intestinal disorders. The fermentation of prebiotics may promote some specific physiological functions through the release of metabolites from the bacteria, especially short chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate, butyrate, lactate, etc.) into the lumen of the intestine. Short chain fatty acids may act directly or indirectly (by modifying the pH) on intestinal cells and may be involved in the control of various processes such as the proliferation of mucosa, inflammation, colorectal carcinogenesis, mineral absorption and the elimination of nitrogenated compounds. Curiously, numerous papers have hinted at the possibility that prebiotics may have systemic physiological effects that are related to beneficial effects on lipid metabolism and various cardiovascular risk factors.