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Background: Inconsistent epidemiological evidence between uric acid (UA) and bone mineral density (BMD) has been observed. Therefore, we evaluated the association between UA and BMD in Mexican adults. Methods: This analysis was conducted on 1423 participants from the Health Workers Cohort Study. We explored cross-sectional associations using linear regression and longitudinal associations using fixed-effects linear regression by sex and age groups (

Front-of-pack labeling (FOPL) is a tool that enables consumers to compare foods and select healthier options. Due to low understanding of the Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) labeling among Mexicans, a law was implemented in October 2020 that modified the FOPL to a warning labeling (WL) system. The purpose of this study was to compare the perception and understanding of GDA and WL during the law modification period. We conducted a panel design with two measurements: (1) using GDA label (September 2020) and (2) using WL (October–November). We estimated differences in GDA vs. WL through multinomial logistic regression models and changes were measured through predictive margin contrasts and Wald tests. When comparing the same products with different labels, the participants reported that it would be unlikely/very unlikely that they would consume products packaged with the WL (81.5%; 95%CI: 79.2, 83.8) compared to those with GDA (24.2%; 95%CI: 21.7, 26.7). Consumers’ perception was that the quantities of packaged products they should consume was small or very small when they used the WL (93.8%; 95%CI: 92.4, 95.5) compared to GDA (41.6%; 95%CI: 39.7, 44.6). When comparing food groups, participants were more confident about choosing healthy products when using the WL compared to the GDA. During the implementation of WL in Mexico, the studied population had a better perception and understanding of less healthy packaged foods when using WL, compared to the GDA label.

Supplementation in malnourished pregnant women should not displace natural healthy foods. Objective: To estimate the differential effects of three nutritional supplements on macro- and micronutrient intake of pregnant women beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer program Prospera (CCT-POP). Methods: Prospective cluster randomized trial. Communities were randomly assigned to receive a fortified beverage (Beverage), micronutrient tablets (Tablets), or micronutrient powder (MNP). Pregnant women (at p < 0.001). Compared to Beverages, median increases were higher for the MNP for vitamins C (31.2 ± 11.7, p < 0.01), E (1.67 ± 0.81, p < 0.05), and B12 (0.83 ± 0.27, p < 0.01) from baseline to 37 wk; from baseline to 1 mpp, there was a higher median increase in B12 (0.55 ± 0.25, p < 0.05) and folate (63.4 ± 24.3, p < 0.01); and from baseline to 3 mpp, a higher median increase in iron (2.38 ± 1.06, p < 0.05) and folate (94.4 ± 38.1, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Intake of micronutrients was higher for MNP and Tablets, likely due to food displacement among Beverage consumers. Although iron bioavailability and absorption inhibitors were not considered for the present analyses, the distribution of Tablets or MNP had several advantages in this context where micronutrient deficiency remains high among pregnant women, but macronutrient intake is generally adequate or even high.

The objective of this study was to compare the effect of three micronutrient products on biomarkers of iron and zinc status of Mexican children 6–12 months of age. As part of research to improve the impact of a national program, 54 communities were randomly assigned to receive: (1) fortified food (FF), provided by the program at the time, or (2) micronutrient powders (MNP) or (3) syrup. Each product contained 10 mg each of zinc and iron, plus other micronutrients. Children consumed the product 6 days/week for four months. Primary outcomes were changes in serum zinc, ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, hemoglobin concentrations, and their deficiencies. Zinc concentration increased significantly from baseline to follow-up in all groups, with the largest change in the syrup group (geometric mean difference: +4.4 µmol/L; 95%CI: 3.2, 5.5), followed by MNP (+2.9 µmol/L; 95%CI: 2.1, 3.6) and FF (+0.9 µmol/L; 95%CI: 0.3, 1.6). There was a significant increase in hemoglobin concentration (+5.5 g/L; 2.5, 8.4) and a significant reduction in anemia prevalence (44.2% to 26.8%, p < 0.01) only in the MNP group. Compliance differed significantly among groups (MNP vs. FF, p = 0.04; MNP vs. syrup, p = 0.04), but may not fully explain the greater improvement in zinc and iron status in the syrup and MNP groups. The food matrix may influence nutrient utilization from supplements.

Background: vitamin D (VD) may be a protective factor for retinoblastoma, though no temporal association has been reported during pregnancy or the child’s first year of life. Serum VD concentrations are determined by both distal (DF) and proximal factors (PF). Objective: To identify if DF and PF can predict VD insufficiency (VDI) and VD deficiency (VDD) in women of childbearing age; and to test whether maternal exposure to DF and PF during pregnancy and a child’s exposure during the first 11.9 months postpartum are associated with sporadic retinoblastoma (SRb) in children. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of data from the Epidemiology of SRb in Mexico (EpiRbMx) study and the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2018–2019 (ENSANUT 2018–2019, for its acronym in Spanish). The association of DF and PF with VDD or VDI was estimated using ENSANUT 2018–2019, and the association of DF and PF with SRb using EpiRbMx. All were estimated using logistic regression, with comparable samples selected from ENSANUT 2018–2019 and EpiRbMx. Results: Altitude, latitude and obesity predicted VDI and VDD in ENSANUT women. In EpiRbMx, residence in a rural location during pregnancy increased the risk of SRb. For children, rural residence and latitude increased the risk of SRb, while the number of days exposed to the spring–summer season during months 6 to 11.9 of life was protective. Conclusions: risk of VDI and VDD in women (ENSANUT 2018–2019) increased with altitude, urban dwelling, overweight and obesity. The child and mother’s place of residence, including altitude, latitude and rural classification were important predictors of SRb in EpiRbMx.

Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) could help prevent malnutrition. Our primary objective was to examine the acceptability and consumption of sweetened and unsweetened versions of SQ-LNS before and after 14-days of repeated exposure. A total of 78 mother-infant dyads recruited from health centers in Morelos, Mexico, were randomized to two groups of SQ-LNS (sweetened, LNS-S; unsweetened, LNS-U). During the study, infants were fed SQ-LNS (20 g) mixed with 30 g of complementary food of the caregiver’s choice. The amount of supplement-food mixture consumed was measured before, during and after a 14-day home exposure period. We defined acceptability as consumption of at least 50% of the offered food mixture. At initial exposure, LNS-U consumption was on average 44.0% (95% CI: 31.4, 58.5) and LNS-S 34.8% (25.3, 44.0); at final exposure, LNS-U and LNS-S consumption were 38.5% (27.8, 54.0) and 31.5% (21.6, 43.0). The average change in consumption did not differ between the groups (2.2 p.p. (−17.2, 24.4)). We conclude that the acceptability of sweetened and unsweetened SQ-LNS was low in this study population. Since consumption did not differ between supplement versions, we encourage the use of the unsweetened version given the potential effects that added sugar may have on weight gain especially in regions facing the double burden of malnutrition.

Genome-wide association studies in people with European ancestry suggest that polymorphisms in genes involved in vitamin D (VD) metabolism have an effect on serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. However, nothing is known about these polymorphisms in populations with Amerindian ancestry. Our aim was to evaluate the association between genetic variants on the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and the vitamin D binding protein (GC) genes, involved in the VD pathway, and VD deficiency in 689 unrelated Mexican postmenopausal women. We also described the frequencies of these variants in 355 postmenopausal women from different ethnic groups. Based on our preliminary results of 400 unrelated Mexican postmenopausal women, three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected for genotyping. The SNPs rs4516035 in VDR and rs2282679 in GC were associated with VD deficiency. Additionally, women who carried three risk alleles had a 3.67 times higher risk of suffering VD deficiency, compared to women with no risk alleles (p = 0.002). The rs4516035-C allele frequency in the Amerindian population was enriched in the South East region of Mexico. In contrast, the highest frequency of the rs2298850-C allele, a proxy for the tag SNP rs2282679, was observed in the South region. Our results indicate that genetic variants in VDR and GC genes are associated with VD deficiency in Mexican postmenopausal women. Moreover, an association was observed for the variants rs3794060 and rs4944957 of the DHCR7/NADSYN1 gene with osteopenia/osteoporosis.

Background: Inconsistent epidemiological evidence between uric acid (UA) and bone mineral density (BMD) has been observed. Therefore, we evaluated the association between UA and BMD in Mexican adults. Methods: This analysis was conducted on 1423 participants from the Health Workers Cohort Study. We explored cross-sectional associations using linear regression and longitudinal associations using fixed-effects linear regression by sex and age groups (

Genome-wide association studies in people with European ancestry suggest that polymorphisms in genes involved in vitamin D (VD) metabolism have an effect on serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. However, nothing is known about these polymorphisms in populations with Amerindian ancestry. Our aim was to evaluate the association between genetic variants on the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and the vitamin D binding protein (GC) genes, involved in the VD pathway, and VD deficiency in 689 unrelated Mexican postmenopausal women. We also described the frequencies of these variants in 355 postmenopausal women from different ethnic groups. Based on our preliminary results of 400 unrelated Mexican postmenopausal women, three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected for genotyping. The SNPs rs4516035 in VDR and rs2282679 in GC were associated with VD deficiency. Additionally, women who carried three risk alleles had a 3.67 times higher risk of suffering VD deficiency, compared to women with no risk alleles (p = 0.002). The rs4516035-C allele frequency in the Amerindian population was enriched in the South East region of Mexico. In contrast, the highest frequency of the rs2298850-C allele, a proxy for the tag SNP rs2282679, was observed in the South region. Our results indicate that genetic variants in VDR and GC genes are associated with VD deficiency in Mexican postmenopausal women. Moreover, an association was observed for the variants rs3794060 and rs4944957 of the DHCR7/NADSYN1 gene with osteopenia/osteoporosis.

The contributions of processed foods to the overweight and obesity problem in Latin America are well known. Engagement with the private and public sectors on possible solutions requires deeper insights into where and how these products are sold and the related implications for diet quality. This article characterizes the diversity of wheat and maize processed foods (WMPFs) available to consumers in Mexico City. Data were gathered across nine product categories at different points of sale (supermarkets, small grocery stores, convenience stores) in high and low socioeconomic (SE) areas. We assessed WMPFs based on Nutri-Score profile, price, and health and nutrition claims. Roughly 17.4% of the WMPFs were considered healthy, of which 62.2% were pastas and breads. Availability of healthy WMPFs was scarce in most stores, particularly in convenience stores Compared to supermarkets in the low SE area, those in the high SE area exhibited greater variety in access to healthy WMPFs across all product categories. In the low SE area, healthy WMPFs were priced 16–69% lower than unhealthy WMPFs across product categories. The extensive variety of unhealthy WMPFs, the limited stock of healthy WMPFs in most retail outlets, and the confusing health and nutrition claims on packaging make it difficult for urban consumers to find and choose healthy WMPFs.

Background: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential to child growth and development. Objective: To assess the effect of PUFAs-fortified infant formula on lipid profile, growth and micronutrient status in children 12 to 30 months old. Methods: This study is a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial. Two study groups were assessed: (a) milk-based infant formula with micronutrients and PUFAs (PUFAs) and (b) milk-based infant formula with micronutrients, no PUFAs added (Non-PUFAs). Children received prepared formula (240 mL) twice a day, according to the color-code assigned to each infant. Anthropometric measurements and venous blood samples were taken at each day-care center at baseline, and again after four months. Total serum lipid extraction was 0.5 mL. Samples were treated and modified by the Folch method and analyzed with gas chromatography. Results: Changes in serum lipid profile (expressed as % FA) between baseline and four months showed a statistically significant increase in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (0.22 vs. −0.07, p < 0.05) and Alpha-Linoleic acid (0.08 vs. 0.02, p < 0.05) in infants who consumed PUFAs-fortified formula compared to Non-PUFAs-fortified formula. Infants increased their length/height-for-age Z-score: median change for the PUFAs group was 0.16 (95% CI = 0.08, 0.28) and 0.23 (95% CI = 0.14, 0.33) for Non-PUFAs, with no differences between groups. Median folate level was significantly higher among the PUFAs group compared to Non-PUFAs: −0.87 (95% CI = −1.38, −0.44) and −3.83 (95% CI = −4.65, −3.03) respectively. Consumption of both supplements was adequate and stable during the intervention. Conclusion: A significant improvement was observed in the lipid profile of children who received the PUFAs-fortified milk-based formula.