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The aim of the present study was to analyze the association of socioeconomic (SES) and lifestyle factors, with the conditions of overweight (OW), general (OB) and abdominal obesity (AO) in Spanish adults. A representative sample of 1655 Spanish adults (18 to 65 years) from the ANIBES Study was investigated. Collected data included measured anthropometry (weight, height and waist circumference), demographic and SES data (region and habitant population size, educational level, family income, unemployment rate), physical activity (PA) and other lifestyle factors (sleeping time and frequency of viewing television). OW, OB and AO were determined in each participant. Being male, older than 40 years, and watching television more frequently were associated with higher risk of OB and AO, whereas those with a higher level of education, smokers, and more time in sleeping and in vigorous PA, but not in moderate-vigorous PA, were associated with a lower risk. Living in the Atlantic region and stating no answer to the question regarding family income were also associated with lower risk of AO. Strategies for preventing and reducing OB and AO should consider improving sleeping habits and PA. They should also pay more attention to the most vulnerable groups such as those less educated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most important and prevalent diseases suffered by the elderly. Evidence exists that its onset and severity might be conditioned by antioxidant status. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between antioxidant status and COPD in institutionalised elderly people. In all, 183 elderly people aged >65 years (twenty-one had COPD and 160 healthy controls) were studied. The subjects’ diets were investigated via the use of precise individual weighing for 7 d. Body weight, height, and biceps and triceps skinfold thickness were measured, and body fat (kg) and BMI (kg/m2) were calculated. Serum retinol, α-tocopherol, β-carotene and vitamin C levels were determined. Subjects with COPD ate less fruits than healthy controls (117 (sd 52) v. 192 (sd 161) g/d), their coverage of the recommended intake of vitamin C was smaller (150 (sd 45) v. 191 (sd 88) %; note that both exceeded 100 %) and their diets had a lower antioxidant capacity (6558 (sd 2381) v. 9328 (sd 5367) mmol trolox equivalent/d). Those with COPD had lower serum vitamin C and α-tocopherol concentrations than healthy controls (32·4 (sd 15·3) v. 41·5 (sd 14·8) µmol/l and 12·1 (sd 3·2) v. 13·9 (sd 2·8) µmol/l, respectively). In addition, subjects with α-tocopherol <14·1µmol/l (50th percentile) were at 6·43 times greater risk of having COPD than those subjects with ≥14·1µmol/l (OR 6·43; 95 % CI 1·17, 35·24; P<0·05), taking sex, age, use of tobacco, body fat and vitamin E intake as covariables. Subjects with COPD had diets of poorer antioxidant quality, especially with respect to vitamins C and E, compared with healthy controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo study the relationship between diet quality and 24 h urinary K excretion.DesignK was measured in 24 h urine samples, while diet was studied using a 24 h recall method over two consecutive days. Diet quality was determined using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). The body weight, height and body composition of all participants were recorded, and the BMI of each calculated.SettingRepresentative members of the adult Spanish population from the FANPE Study (‘Fuentes Alimentarias de Nutrientes en Población Española’; Dietary Sources of Nutrients in the Spanish Population).SubjectsThe final sample size was 329 participants aged 18–60 years.ResultsParticipants with a 24 h urinary K excretion ≥93 mmol/d (group AP = adequate potassium) had greater self-reported K intakes, consumed more fruit and vegetables, had a more varied diet and had better HEI scores than those with a 24 h urinary K excretion <93 mmol/d (group IP = inadequate potassium). A significant positive correlation was seen between 24 h urinary K and dietary variety and the number of servings of fruits, vegetables and dairy products consumed, and between each of these and the HEI after correcting for age, sex, BMI, coefficient of activity, energy intake and the under-reporting of energy intake. AP participants were less likely to have an inadequate diet (HEI score <50) than IP participants (OR =0·439; 95 % CI 0·201, 0·961; P=0·039).ConclusionsDiet quality, measured by the HEI, is correlated with 24 h urinary K excretion in Spanish adults. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this work was to study the relationship between dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and current asthma in a group of Spanish schoolchildren. A total of 78 Spanish schoolchildren (26 asthmatic and 52 healthy controls) were randomly selected from a cohort of 564 children (9-12 years of age). The weight and height of all subjects were recorded. A questionnaire, completed by the subjects' parents, was used to obtain personal and health information. Current asthma was established when children had ever had asthma, they had been diagnosed with asthma by a physician, and they had been treated with medications at some time in the previous 12 months. Food intake was monitored using a 3-day food record. All consumed foods were converted into energy and nutrients. Dietary TAC was evaluated using the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP), and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays. The TAC measured using all the assays was significantly lower in children with asthma than in children without this condition (2.95 (2.10-3.75) mmol Fe(II)/day vs. 3.70 (3.08-4.49) mmol Fe(II)/day, p < 0.01; 1.50 (1.06-2.05) mmol Trolox equivalents/day vs. 2.10 (1.40-2.65) mmol Trolox equivalents/day, p < 0.05; and 1.60 (1.08-2.00) mmol Trolox equivalents/day vs. 1.85 (1.50-2.68) mmol Trolox equivalents/day, p < 0.05 for FRAP, TEAC, and TRAP, respectively). After adjusting for energy intake, children with FRAP values higher than 3.5 mmol Fe(II)/day (p50) and TEAC values higher than 1.9 mmol Trolox equivalents/day (p50) had 22.6 and 35.0 %, respectively, lower likelihood of suffering asthma episodes than children with lower values. When logistic regression analysis was performed separately for children with nonsmoker and smoker (at least one) parents, the association between dietary TAC and asthma was only observed in the nonsmoker group (OR = 0.257, 95 % CI = 0.107-0.618, p = 0.002 for FRAP; OR = 0.212, 95 % CI = 0.069-0.639, p = 0.006 for TEAC; and OR = 0.264, 95 % CI = 0.091-0.769, p = 0.015 for TRAP assay). Conclusion: Dietary TAC may have a favorable role in asthma in children and, specially, in those with nonsmoker parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the association between vitamin D status and the serum lipid profile in children. Methods: The subjects of this cross-sectional study were 149 Spanish school children (8-13 years of age). The anthropometric data collected were weight and height, from which the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured by chemiluminescent assay. Triglycerides were determined by enzyme colorimetry; total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol were determined by the cholesterol esterase method. The LDL-cholesterol concentrations were determined mathematically. Results: Compared to children with serum 25(OH)D concentrations in the fourth quartile, those in the first had higher triglyceride (86.0 ± 35.7 vs. 64.1 ± 26.7 mg/dL; p < 0.05). After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and physical activity, the serum 25(OH)D level was found to be inversely proportional to the triglyceride ( r = −0.857; p = 0.010). While age, sex, BMI, and physical activity explained 12% of the variance of the HDL-cholesterol figures, the inclusion of serum 25(OH)D allowed 23% of the variance to be explained. Conclusion: A low serum vitamin D levels in children is associated with high triglyceride levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present work was to study the association between different anthropometric parameters and insulin resistance (IR) in Spanish schoolchildren without a previous diagnosis. A total of 443 Spanish schoolchildren (9-11 years of age) were studied in this cross-sectional study. The anthropometric measurements collected were weight, height, body circumferences and skinfolds. Body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio, percentage body fat and fat-free body mass were determined. Overnight-fasted blood lipids, insulin and glucose levels were analysed, and estimation of IR, taking into account the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), was calculated. The children with IR had higher serum triglycerides and insulin levels, were heavier and taller, and had a higher BMI, a larger waist circumference, a larger hip circumference, a larger waist/hip ratio and thicker bicipital and tricipital skinfolds than those who did not have IR. Age, sex, BMI and waist circumference explained 32.0% of the variance in the HOMA values; only sex, triglycerides and waist circumference independently influenced this variable. A 1-cm increase in waist circumference was associated with approximately a 3.8% increase in the mean HOMA value. The children with a waist circumference of over the p90 for their age and sex were at greater risk of showing IR as measured by the HOMA: odds ratio = 6.94 (2.01-23.91; P < 0.001). In conclusion, according to these results, waist circumference is the best anthropometric parameter associated with IR in children, and those with a waist circumference of over the p90 for their age and sex would appear to be at particular risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to analyse the thiamine status in a group of young, overweight/obese women and to analyse the changes in this status produced by two weight-control programmes based on approximating the diet to the theoretical ideal, increasing the relative consumption of vegetables (V) or cereals (C) (especially breakfast cereals). The study subjects were 57 Spanish women with a body mass index (BMI) of 24-35 kg/m2, all of whom were randomly assigned to one of two slightly hypocaloric diets. Dietetic, anthropometric and biochemical data were collected at the beginning of the study and at 2 and 6 weeks. C and V subjects showed a reduction in their energy intake, body weight and BMI, both at 2 and 6 weeks. Thiamine intake and blood thiamine levels only increased with diet C (both at 2 and 6 weeks). 21.8% cf the women, 21.8% had blood thiamine levels <150 nmol/L at the beginning of the study, but at 6 weeks of intervention only 3.7% of the women in diet C, as compared with 30.8% of the women in diet V, showed blood thiamine levels <150 nmol/L. Although both diet C and diet V induced weight loss and a reduction in BMI, diet C would appear to be more useful in the maintenance of an adequate thiamine status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]