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Aim:There is a need to understand autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patients’ dietary habits since dietary interventions may have potential effects on ADPKD. In this study, we aimed to analyze the relationship between dietary nutrient intake and total kidney volume (TKV).Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted on 54 ADPKD patients recruited from the Nephrology outpatient clinic between June and July 2014. TKV was determined by magnetic-resonance imaging and general characteristics, biochemical and urinary parameters were determined. The nutrient intakes of patients were calculated using the three-day dietary records obtained on three consecutive days.Results:The total kidney-volume median was found to be 1407 mL. Patients’ total dietary energy and protein intakes were 25.8±9.4 kcal/kg, 0.9±0.3 g/kg, respectively. The percentage of carbohydrates, protein, and fat in energy was 49±7%, 14±3%, 37±7%, respectively. The mean intakes of thiamin, riboflavin, B6, calcium, magnesium, and zinc were sufficient, the mean dietary potassium intake was insufficient; and sodium intake was excessive in both sexes. In females, there was a negative but weak correlation between dietary vitamin C intake and TKV. In males, a negative but weak correlation was found between TKV and dietary intake of fiber, water, vitamin B6, vitamin K, magnesium, and iron.Conclusions:Dietary micronutrient intake may affect TKV according to sex.

Advances in the medical field and healthcare sector during the last few decades have resulted in increased longevity. Increased lifespans have in turn led to a rapid global rise of the elderly population. However, ensuring the health and quality of life, especially in the context of chronic age-related ailments, among the growing geriatric population is a challenge. Ageing is associated with several changes in body composition including a decline in the lean body mass usually accompanied by an increase in body fat content which have a bearing on the nutrient requirements for the elderly. The nutrient requirements currently recommended for Indian adults are primarily computed using a factorial approach, that considers the cumulative loss of nutrients and is adjusted for optimal body weights and bioavailability. It is logical that physiological and metabolic changes associated with ageing influence several of these factors: body weight, lean mass, energy expenditure, nutrient retention and bioavailability and thus alter nutrient requirements compared to the adult population. Acknowledging these age-related changes, some international organizations have suggested nutrient requirements specific to the elderly. Given the contextual differences in physiology, caution needs to be exercised in adopting these guidelines for the Indian elderly. In addition, in the Indian context, there is sparse information on the diet and nutrient intakes vis-à-vis nutritional status and physiology of the elderly. This status paper highlights some of the pertinent issues related to nutritional requirements for the elderly that advocate a need for deriving nutritional requirements for the elderly in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundFood energy under-reporting is differentially distributed among populations. Currently, little is known about how mental health state may affect energy-adjusted nutrient intakes among food energy under-reporters.MethodsStratified analysis of energy-adjusted nutrient intake by mental health (poor vs. good) and age/sex was conducted using data from Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) respondents (14–70 years; n = 8,233) who were deemed as under-reporters based on Goldberg's cutoffs.ResultsMost were experiencing good mental health (95.2%). Among those reporting poor mental health, significantly lower energy-adjusted nutrient intakes tended to be found for fiber, protein, vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12, C, and D, and calcium, potassium, and zinc (probability measures (p) < 0.05). For women (51–70 years), all micronutrient intakes, except iron, were significantly lower among those reporting poor mental health (p < 0.05). For men (31–50 years), B vitamin and most mineral intakes, except sodium, were significantly lower among those reporting poor mental health (p < 0.05). Among women (31–50 years) who reported poor mental health, higher energy-adjusted intakes were reported for vitamin B9 and phosphorus (p < 0.05).ConclusionsAmong food energy under-reporters, poor mental health tends to lower the report of specific energy-adjusted nutrient intakes that include ones critical for mental health. Future research is needed to discern if these differences may be attributed to deviations in the accurate reports of food intakes, measurement errors, or mental health states.

Aim: There is a need to understand autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patients' dietary habits since dietary interventions may have potential effects on ADPKD. In this study, we aimed to analyze the relationship between dietary nutrient intake and total kidney volume (TKV). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 54 ADPKD patients recruited from the Nephrology outpatient clinic between June and July 2014. TKV was determined by magnetic-resonance imaging and general characteristics, biochemical and urinary parameters were determined. The nutrient intakes of patients were calculated using the three-day dietary records obtained on three consecutive days. Results: The total kidney-volume median was found to be 1407 mL. Patients' total dietary energy and protein intakes were 25.8±9.4 kcal/kg, 0.9±0.3 g/kg, respectively. The percentage of carbohydrates, protein, and fat in energy was 49±7%, 14±3%, 37±7%, respectively. The mean intakes of thiamin, riboflavin, B6, calcium, magnesium, and zinc were sufficient, the mean dietary potassium intake was insufficient; and sodium intake was excessive in both sexes. In females, there was a negative but weak correlation between dietary vitamin C intake and TKV. In males, a negative but weak correlation was found between TKV and dietary intake of fiber, water, vitamin B6, vitamin K, magnesium, and iron. Conclusions: Dietary micronutrient intake may affect TKV according to sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundSeveral studies about humans and animals have separately examined the effects of prenatal nutrition and stress on fetal development, pregnancy, and birth outcomes, and subsequent child health and disease risk. Although substantial evidence from non-pregnant literature supports the presence of bidirectional interactions between nutrition and stress at various psychological, behavioral, and physiological levels, such interaction effects have not yet been systematically examined in the context of pregnancy.SummaryThis paper discusses the multifaceted and multilevel relationship between nutrition and stress. It then reviews the currently available observational and experimental evidence in animals and humans regarding the interplay between maternal psychosocial stress, dietary intake, and nutritional state during pregnancy, and implications for maternal and child health-related outcomes. Key Messages: During pregnancy, maternal psychosocial stress, dietary behavior, and nutritional state likely regulate and counter-regulate one another. Emerging evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may attenuate maternal psychosocial stress, and that high maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index exacerbates unhealthy dietary behaviors under high-stress conditions. Longitudinal studies are warranted in order to understand the interplay between prenatal psychosocial stress, diet, and stress- and nutrition-related biomarkers to obtain further insight and inform the development and design of future, more effective intervention trials for improved maternal and child health outcomes.

The present paper outlines current issues in the nutritional care of women during pregnancy and potential resources to address them. Globally, overnutrition, undernutrition and nutritional imbalances are widespread among women of reproductive age; increasing the risk of pregnancy complications and non-communicable diseases in both mothers and their children. Most women do not meet dietary guidelines for pregnancy. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends nutrition and weight counselling during pregnancy for all women. However, clinical practices focusing on nutrition vary and there is no consensus on which outcomes are most important for pregnancy nutrition interventions, with little consideration for the 'patient voice'. The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) nutrition checklist is a clinical practice tool that is available for healthcare professionals that will address this issue. The pregnancy nutrition core outcome set will also support advancement of antenatal nutrition by identifying the most critical nutrition-related outcomes from the perspective of healthcare professionals, researchers and women with experience of pregnancy. While poor nutrition can result in adverse outcomes across women of all weight categories, those with obesity may require specialist care to reduce their risk. Obesity is a chronic, progressive, relapsing disease that has high individual variability in its prognosis. The use of obesity staging systems, which consider mental, physical and functional health, can stratify individuals into risk categories and aid in treatment prioritisation in pregnancy. As the prevalence of obesity continues to rise, an obesity staging approach may support clinicians, especially those in limited resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth deficit is a common comorbidity and one of the supportive criteria in Rett syndrome (RTT). This study aimed to investigate the impact of dystonia, dietary intakes, and clinical severities on growth patterns in a Taiwanese cohort of RTT. We recruited 44 RTT patients with MECP2 mutation for analysis. For individuals ≤18 years of age, in comparison to the RTT‐specific growth chart which comprised American RTT cohort, the body height was right‐shifted to a higher percentile, whereas the body weight was left‐shifted to a lower percentile. Furthermore, the body mass index was significantly decreased when compared to RTT‐specific growth chart (p = 0.01). Higher degree of overall disease severity (odd ratio = 1.159; 95% CI = 1.063–1.264; p = 0.001) and hand use impairment (odd ratio = 2.017; 95% CI = 1.037, 3.921; p = 0.039) were associated with more severe growth patterns. All individuals had dystonia at certain variable degrees. The dystonia worsened with age (p < 0.001) but did not have significant impact on growth deficit. Most of our cohort had adequate protein (97.37%) and energy (58.97%) intakes. The fiber intakes were generally low, with about 38 (97.4%) individuals did not meet the daily reference intakes of fiber. The protein intake was significantly lower in individuals with severe growth deficit (p = 0.04). Our study shows that ethnicity should be considered when comparing RTT individuals' growth pattern to the RTT‐specific growth chart. Further, disease severity, genotypes, and nutrition exert important impacts on RTT‐growth pattern. Lay Summary Growth impairment is an important issue in Rett syndrome and the underlying patho‐mechanism is multifactorial. Higher degree of overall disease severity and hand use impairment were associated with more severe growth pattern deficits. Although all individuals had dystonia at certain variable degrees and the dystonia worsened with age, but it did not have significant impact on growth deficit. Nutritional intakes may partially affect growth. Furthermore, ethnicity should be considered when comparing RTT individuals' growth pattern to the RTT‐specific growth chart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant compound, is well recognized for its beneficial effects to protect from oxidative stress and free radicals. However, the effects of long period of use of astaxanthin on biological parameters, health indicators, and energy intake are still largely unknown. A total of 33 healthy participants aged 21-54 years with body mass index in the range of 18.50-24.90 kg/m2 were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial and were assigned into astaxanthin and placebo groups. The participants in the astaxanthin group received 4 mg of astaxanthin once daily for 12 consecutive weeks. Dietary intakes, as well as blood levels of astaxanthin and biological parameters, were investigated at baseline and week 12. The significant elevation of blood astaxanthin level in the astaxanthin group was notified at week 12. Regarding basic characteristics of blood biochemical parameters, results indicated that the fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were not significantly different between astaxanthin and placebo groups at week 12. Interestingly, the significant decrease in total energy and carbohydrate intakes of the participants in the astaxanthin group (P < 0.05) was found after 12-week supplementation, compared to the baseline. The findings support the safety of long-term supplementation and reveal potential dietary intake lowering effect of astaxanthin in healthy individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about sex-based dietary differences in middle-income countries, particularly those undergoing the nutrition transition. This study aims at examining sex disparities in energy and macronutrients' intakes, food consumption patterns, and micronutrients' adequacy in Lebanon, while adopting a life course approach.Methods: Data were derived from a national cross-sectional survey conducted in Lebanon in 2008/2009. The study sample consisted of 3636 subjects: 956 children and adolescents aged 6-19.9 years; 2239 adults aged 20-59.9 years and 441 older adults aged above 60 years. At the households, trained nutritionists conducted face-to-face interviews with participants to complete a sociodemographic questionnaire and one 24-h diet recall. Food items were categorized into 25 food groups. The Nutritionist Pro software was used for the analysis of dietary intake data and the estimation of energy, macronutrients', and micronutrients' intakes.Results: In all age groups, males had significantly higher energy intakes, while females had significantly higher fiber intakes. In addition, in adolescents aged 12-19.9 years, females had higher fat intakes as compared to males (37.02 ± 0.6% vs 35.03 ± 0.61%), and in adults aged 20-59.9 years, females had significantly higher total fat (37.73 ± 0.33% vs 36.45 ± 0.38%) and saturated fat intakes (11.24 ± 0.15% vs 10.45 ± 0.18%). These differences in macronutrient intakes were not observed in younger children nor in older adults. Sex-based differences in food groups' intakes were also observed: men and boys had significantly higher intakes of red and processed meat, bread, fast food, soft drinks, and alcohol, while girls and women had higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, milk, and sweets. In all age groups, females had lower micronutrient intakes compared to males, including calcium, iron, and zinc.Conclusions: This study identified sex-specific priorities that ought to be tackled by context-specific interventions to promote healthier diets in Lebanon. The fact that sex-based differences in nutrient intakes and food consumption patterns were the most noticeable in the adolescent and adult years, hence women's reproductive years call for concerted efforts to improve nutrition for women and girls as this would lay the foundation not only for their future education, productivity, and economic empowerment, but also for the health of future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food intolerance is becoming increasingly prevalent, and increasing numbers of athletes have celiac disease.This poses challenges as dietary recommendations for exercise are largely based on gluten-containingcarbohydrate-rich foods. The K4 cycle race covers 384 km around the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand.Lack of sleep, darkness, and temperature variations pose a number of nutritional challenges. Limited foodchoices present those with celiac disease with even greater challenges. This case study describes the intakesof one such athlete during training and competing in the K4. Nutritional intakes were obtained during trainingusing weighed-food records and during the race via dietary recall and the weighing of foods pre- and postrace.As simple substitution of gluten-containing foods for gluten-free foods leads to increased energy intake,alternatives need to be considered. During the race, insufficient energy was consumed to meet the nutritionalguidelines for endurance performance. This was probably due to the nature of the course, racing conditions,the consistency of gluten-free food, and, toward the end of the race, sensory-specific satiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 1776 Chinese adults, aged 40-60 years, had been recruited to participate in the Hefei Nutrition and Health Study started in 2012. Three major dietary patterns were identified, "High-salt and high-fat", "Traditional Chinese" and "Western" dietary patterns. After adjusting for potential confounders, there is no significant difference in the effect of different dietary pattern quintiles on the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, compared with lowest quintile intakes, the adjusted odds ratio of T2D for highest quintile intakes of bread and noodle, rice noodle and coarse grain were 2.45 (95% CI: 1.17, 5.12), 0.34 (95% CI: 0.17, 0.92), 0.27 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.51), with corresponding p trend being .002, .375, .003, respectively. Our study suggests that high intakes of bread and noodle are significantly associated with increased risk of T2D, while high intakes of rice noodle and coarse grain are remarkably correlated with decreased risk of T2D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence on effective workplace dietary interventions is limited. The comparative effectiveness of a workplace environmental dietary modification and an educational intervention both alone and in combination was assessed versus a control workplace on employees' dietary intakes, nutrition knowledge and health status.Methods: In the Food Choice at Work cluster controlled trial, four large, purposively selected manufacturing workplaces in Ireland were allocated to control (N=111), nutrition education (Education) (N=226), environmental dietary modification (Environment) (N=113) and nutrition education and environmental dietary modification (Combined) (N=400) in 2013. Nutrition education included group presentations, individual consultations and detailed nutrition information. Environmental dietary modification included menu modification, fruit price discounts, strategic positioning of healthier alternatives and portion size control. Data on dietary intakes, nutrition knowledge and health status were obtained at baseline and follow-up at 7-9months. Multivariate analysis of covariance compared changes across the four groups with adjustment for age, gender, educational status and other baseline characteristics.Results: Follow-up data at 7-9months were obtained for 541 employees (64% of 850 recruited) aged 18-64years: control: 70 (63%), Education: 113 (50%),Environment: 74 (65%) and Combined: 284 (71%). There were significant positive changes in intakes of saturated fat (p=0.013), salt (p=0.010) and nutrition knowledge (p=0.034) between baseline and follow-up in the combined intervention versus the control. Small but significant changes in BMI (-1.2kg/m(2) (95% CI -2.385, -0.018, p=0.047) were observed in the combined intervention. Effects in the education and environment alone workplaces were smaller and generally non-significant.Conclusion: Combining nutrition education and environmental dietary modification may be an effective approach for promoting a healthy diet and weight loss at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate dietary assessment is key to understanding nutrition-related outcomes and is essential for estimating dietary change in nutrition-based interventions.Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the pan-European reproducibility of the Food4Me food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in assessing the habitual diet of adults.Methods: Participants from the Food4Me study, a 6-mo, Internet-based, randomized controlled trial of personalized nutrition conducted in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Greece, and Poland, were included. Screening and baseline data (both collected before commencement of the intervention) were used in the present analyses, and participants were included only if they completed FFQs at screening and at baseline within a 1-mo timeframe before the commencement of the intervention. Sociodemographic (e.g., sex and country) and lifestyle [e.g., body mass index (BMI, in kg/m(2)) and physical activity] characteristics were collected. Linear regression, correlation coefficients, concordance (percentage) in quartile classification, and Bland-Altman plots for daily intakes were used to assess reproducibility.Results: In total, 567 participants (59% female), with a mean ± SD age of 38.7 ± 13.4 y and BMI of 25.4 ± 4.8, completed both FFQs within 1 mo (mean ± SD: 19.2 ± 6.2 d). Exact plus adjacent classification of total energy intake in participants was highest in Ireland (94%) and lowest in Poland (81%). Spearman correlation coefficients (ρ) in total energy intake between FFQs ranged from 0.50 for obese participants to 0.68 and 0.60 in normal-weight and overweight participants, respectively. Bland-Altman plots showed a mean difference between FFQs of 210 kcal/d, with the agreement deteriorating as energy intakes increased. There was little variation in reproducibility of total energy intakes between sex and age groups.Conclusions: The online Food4Me FFQ was shown to be reproducible across 7 European countries when administered within a 1-mo period to a large number of participants. The results support the utility of the online Food4Me FFQ as a reproducible tool across multiple European populations. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01530139. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Accurate data on dietary habits are crucial for understanding impacts on disease and informing policy priorities. Nation-specific food balance sheets from the United Nations FAO provided the only available global dietary estimates but with uncertain validity. OBJECTIVES: We investigated how FAO estimates compared with nationally representative, individual-based dietary surveys from the Global Dietary Database (GDD) and developed calibration equations to improve the validity of FAO data to estimate dietary intakes. DESIGN: FAO estimates were matched to GDD data for 113 countries across the following 9 major dietary metrics for 30 y of data (1980-2009): fruit, vegetables, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, red and processed meats, fish and seafood, milk, and total energy. Both absolute and percentage differences in FAO and GDD mean estimates were evaluated. Linear regression was used to evaluate whether FAO estimates predicted GDD dietary intakes and whether this prediction varied according to age, sex, region, and time. Calibration equations were developed to adjust FAO estimates to approximate national dietary surveys validated by using randomly split data sets. RESULTS: For most food groups, FAO estimates substantially overestimated individual-based dietary intakes by 74.5% (vegetables) and 270% (whole grains) while underestimating beans and legumes (-50%) and nuts and seeds (-29%) (P < 0.05 for each). In multivariate regressions, these overestimations and underestimations for each dietary factor further varied by age, sex, region, and time (P < 0.001 for each). Split-data set calibration models, which accounted for country-level covariates and other sources of heterogeneity, effectively adjusted FAO estimates to approximate estimates from national survey data (r = 0.47-0.80) with small SEs of prediction (generally 1-5 g/d). CONCLUSIONS: For all food groups and total energy, FAO estimates substantially exceeded or underestimated individual-based national surveys of individual intakes with significant variation depending on age, sex, region, and time. Calibration models effectively adjusted the comprehensive, widely accessible FAO data to facilitate a more-accurate estimation of individual-level dietary intakes nationally and by age and sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present systematic review examined the relationship between nutrition knowledge and dietary intake in adults (mean age ≥ 18 years). Relevant databases were searched from the earliest record until November 2012. Search terms included: nutrition; diet or food knowledge and energy intake; feeding behaviour; diet; eating; nutrient or food intake or consumption. Included studies were original research articles that used instruments providing quantitative assessment of both nutrition knowledge and dietary intake and their statistical association. The initial search netted 1 193 393 potentially relevant articles, of which twenty-nine were eligible for inclusion. Most of them were conducted in community populations (n 22) with fewer (n 7) in athletic populations. Due to the heterogeneity of methods used to assess nutrition knowledge and dietary intake, a meta-analysis was not possible. The majority of the studies (65·5 %: community 63·6 %; athletic 71·4 %) reported significant, positive, but weak (r< 0·5) associations between higher nutrition knowledge and dietary intake, most often a higher intake of fruit and vegetables. However, study quality ranged widely and participant representation from lower socio-economic status was limited, with most participants being tertiary educated and female. Well-designed studies using validated methodologies are needed to clarify the relationship between nutrition knowledge and dietary intake. Diet quality scores or indices that aim to evaluate compliance to dietary guidelines may be particularly valuable for assessing the relationship between nutrition knowledge and dietary intake. Nutrition knowledge is an integral component of health literacy and as low health literacy is associated with poor health outcomes, contemporary, high-quality research is needed to inform community nutrition education and public health policy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Nutritional status assessment is a method for nutritional care which aims to determine nutritional needs and to meet nutritional requirements. Pregnant and lactating mothers are considered vulnerable groups. The use of this method, especially for determination of calorie and protein intake has positive effects on growth of neonates. Thus, the purpose of this study is to assess the nutritional status of pregnant women. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 80 pregnant mothers were selected from private and public hospitals in Arak. Data were gathered through a questionnaire including general information concerning pregnant mothers and their nutritional diet. The analysis of dietary intake was done by nutritionist IV software. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: The average weight gain for pregnant mothers at the end of pregnancy was 10.1kg. The mean of body mass index for the mothers was 22.2 kg/m2 , and the average weight for neonates was 2.5 kg. The average energy intakes in mothers were equal compared with RDA, and the average protein intake was greater compared with RDA. There was a significant positive correlation between weight gain during and total body weight at the end of pregnancy (r=0.93) (P<0.01). Also, there was a significant negative correlation between weight of pre pregnancy and percent of weight gain at the end of pregnancy (r=-0.39) (P<0. 01). A significant positive correlation was found between total body weight at the end of pregnancy and birth weight of neonates (r=0.34) (P<0. 01). Conclusion: Adequate nutritional status of mothers influenced normal body weight in neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including the long-chain (LC) ω-3 PUFAs, are important for health. The aim was to assess if the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria Dietary Questionnaire (ACC DQ) accurately determines PUFA intakes compared with the recently validated electronic PUFA food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Methods: Forty-one study volunteers were recruited from the local Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The method of triads was used to determine validity coefficients by comparing the ACC DQ intakes against a 3-d weighed food record and appropriate blood biomarkers (erythrocytes and plasma fatty acids). These validity coefficients were subsequently compared with previously published validity coefficients from the PUFA FFQ. Results: Using erythrocytes as the biomarker, the electronic PUFA FFQ had much higher validity coefficients compared with the ACC DQ for eicosapentaenoic acid (0.92 versus 0.19), docosahexaenoic acid (0.69 versus 0.26), and total LC ω-3 PUFAs (0.78 versus 0.23), respectively, whereas ω-6 PUFAs were comparable. Using plasma as the biomarker, the electronic PUFA FFQ had much higher validity coefficients compared with the ACC DQ for α-linolenic acid (0.96 versus 0.49), eicosapentaenoic acid (0.87 versus 0.19), docosahexaenoic acid (0.64 versus 0.24), and total LC ω-3 PUFAs (0.73 versus 0.21), respectively, whereas ω-6 PUFAs were comparable. Conclusion: The validated electronic PUFA FFQ is better suited to determine ω-3 PUFA intakes than the ACC DQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Obesity is a disorder associated to an inappropriate food intake and psychological problems predisposing to complications such as metabolic syndrome (MS), which has been related to chronic stress due to hypercortisolism-mediated impairments of the hypothalamus-hypophysis-adrenal (HHA) axis activity. Objective: To determine the relationship between serum cortisol and MS components, the food intake, and anxiety disorder in 8-12 years old obese children. Methods: 78 children, 40 with obesity and 38 with appropriate weight. The following serum and clinical indicators were assessed: cortisol, glucose, HDL-cholesterol (c-HDL) and triglycerides; anthropometrical and clinical indicators: weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and blood pressure (BP); food intake: deficient or excessive consumption and intake of energy and nutrients; psychological indicator: anxiety. Results: There exists a significant relationship between cortisol level and the number of MS components in obese children (p < 0.05). When assessing the cortisol level against each one of these components, there were no significant differences. When analyzing the total sample, the cortisol level showed a negative relationship with c-HDL (r = -0.228, p = 0.045). We found a significant relationship between the cortisol level and excessive intake of foods of animal origin and sugars and with the subsets of fats and sugars (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in energy or nutrients intake or anxiety in obese children. Conclusion: There exists a relationship between the cortisol level and the number of MS components as well as with excessive intake of foods of animal origin, sugars, and fats in obese children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis is a major public health problem. Diet is an important modifiable risk factor for the prevention of osteoporosis. While vitamin D has received significant attention, emerging evidence indicates that other vitamins also play an important role in skeletal health. This Perspective highlights current understanding of the non-D vitamins (A, B, C, E, and K) and bone health in adults. Several studies of vitamin A (pre-formed retinol) have reported that excessive vitamin A has negative effects on bone. Yet, pro-vitamin A carotenoids, which can convert into retinol, have shown positive associations with bone mass, protection against bone loss and lower risk of hip fracture. Low levels of B vitamins may influence bone through homocysteine metabolism. While large observational studies have reported negative associations of homocysteine with bone mineral density (BMD) and positive associations with fracture, more controlled trials are needed to clarify the associations. Studies have shown mixed results for vitamin C and bone, indicating complex interactions of vitamin C with smoking, hormone replacement, calcium and vitamin E intake. Vitamin E affects bone formation and remodeling, and appears to be important for the skeleton. However, there is insufficient evidence to conclusively link vitamin E with bone health. Some vitamin K studies have shown that low level intakes increase hip fracture risk, however, intervention trials have been inconsistent. There is little research on multivitamin use and bone health. For most vitamins, prospective studies are needed to explore their mechanisms and pathways. Longer-term controlled trials are needed to determine whether treatment with specific vitamin supplements can improve bone health or reduce fracture risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To examine the effects of perceived availability of fast-food shops, restaurants, and convenience stores on adolescent dietary intakes. Methods. Survey data from 34 369 students in 42 Hong Kong secondary schools were collected in 2006–7. Respondents reported the availability of fast-food shops, restaurants and convenience stores in the neighbourhood, and their intakes of fruit, vegetables, high-fat foods and junk food/soft drinks. For intakes of high-fat foods and junk food/ soft drinks, ≤once a week was defined as low consumption and the rest moderate/high consumption. At least three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit daily were defined as sufficient consumption. Logistic regression yielded adjusted odds ratios (OR) for each dietary intake in relation to the reported food shops. Potential effect modifications by socio-demographic factors were also examined. Results. Perceived availability of fast-food shops and convenience stores were positively associated with moderate/high consumptions of high-fat foods (ORfast =1.10 and ORcon =1.15) and junk food/soft drinks (ORfast=1.10 and ORcon =1.10). Significant negative associations of the perceived availability of restaurants with intakes of vegetables and fruit were observed (ORveg =0.87 and ORfruit =0.83). The positive relationship between reporting fast-food shops with intake of junk food/soft drinks were observed only in boys and those with low perceived family affluence. The negative association of reporting restaurants with fruit consumption was found in those with low and middle perceived family affluence only. Conclusions. Perceived availability of neighbourhood fast-food shops, restaurants, and convenience stores may have a negative impact on adolescent dietary intakes particularly for those from poorer families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE:: To estimate vitamin D intakes in a representative sample of Irish adults and to assess the contribution of foods to these intake estimates. DESIGN:: Vitamin D intakes in 1379, 18-64-y-old adults from the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey were estimated using a combination of new analytical data for vitamin D in foods, determined by HPLC, and used to revise recipe calculations, together with existing data from McCance and Widdowson's The Composition of Foods, 5th Edition plus supplements. RESULTS:: The total mean daily intake (MDI) of vitamin D (1?µg=40?IU) from all sources was 4.2?µg. The MDI was significantly higher (P<0.001) when the contribution from nutritional supplements was included (4.2?µg) compared with food sources only (3.2?µg). Men had significantly higher intakes (4.4?µg) than women (4.0?µg; P<0.001), which increased significantly (P<0.001) with age in both sexes. Meat/meat products (30.1%), fish/fish products (14.3%) and eggs/egg dishes (9.1%) were the main contributors to vitamin D intake. Supplements contributed 6.8 and 12%to MDI in men and women, respectively. In all, 74%of adults had an MDI of vitamin D that was less than the median (5?µg) of the recommended daily range of 0-10?µg. CONCLUSION:: The findings of this study suggest that a large number of Irish adults have low vitamin D intakes. This, along with emerging evidence of low vitamin D status in at least some population subgroups, suggests that strategies to increase vitamin D intakes, including fortification of food, should be investigated.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2004) 58, 1509-1517. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602001 Published online 12 May 2004 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE:: To compare the intakes of dietary fibre (DF) and dietary indigestible fraction (DIF) in the Spanish diet and also to show the limitations of DF values for nutritional and epidemiological studies. DESIGN:: This includes the following: (i) estimation of plant foods consumption in Spanish diet from national food consumption data obtained from annual surveys (6000 households, 700 hotels and restaurants and 200 institutions); (ii) determination of DIF content in plant foods using analytical methods that mimic physiological conditions; (iii) estimation of daily intakes of DIF and DF in the Spanish diet. RESULTS:: DIF intake in the Spanish population was estimated at 41.5?g/person/day. DF intake (18.3?g/person/day) was considerably lower than the amount of carbohydrate necessary to maintain the daily bacterial cell turnover in large intestine (‘carbohydrate gap’). The differences between DIF and DF values are a consequence of conceptual and methodological aspects. DIF, as the part of foods reaching the colon, comprises not only DF but also other indigestible compounds such as a fraction of resistant starch, protein, polyphenols and other associated compounds. Analytical conditions are closer to actual physiological conditions in the determination of DIF than in DF analysis. CONCLUSIONS:: DF intake underestimates a major part of the dietary substrates that enter the colon. DIF intake more closely matches the amount of substrates needed to maintain a typical human colonic microflora. DIF may be a good alternative to DF for nutritional and epidemiological studies.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2004) 58, 1078-1082. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601937 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human diet contains numerous naturally-occurring compounds that are aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists. This analysis compares the dietary TCDD-equivalent (TEQ) dose from specific vegetable indoles vs. the AhR-active PCDD/Fs. Daily dietary doses of indole-3-carbinole (ISC) and its condensation product indolo [3,2-b]carbazole (ICZ) were derived from the published literature. Relative estimate of potency (REP) values were developed for I3C (8.7 × 10-7) and ICZ (0.5). The TEQ doses of 13C and ICZ together comprised >99% of the total daily TEQ dose; the daily ICZ TEQ dose (1.4 × 106 pg TEQ/day) was approximately 45,000-fold greater than the current dietary PCDD/FTEQ dose (32pgTEQ/day). When 30-year accumulated body burden and area-under-the curve doses were calculated, I3C/ICZ still comprised a significant fraction (up to 95 and 96%, respectively) of the total TEQ dose. Further, reduction or elimination of meat and dairy products yielded a minimal (less than 4%) decrease in total TEQ dose. These findings indicate that reducing die intake of animal products (the primary source of dietary PCDD/Fs) might not achieve a significant reduction in total "dietary dioxin TEQ" dose; the comparisons also suggest that trace levels of PCDD/Fs in the human diet are unlikely to pose a significant health risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundAlthough there is a great interest in sports in Greece, there are very few data regarding dietary intakes and habits of Greek elite female athletes. The present study assesses the dietary intakes and the energy balance of elite female athletes of four different sports (volleyball, middle distance running, ballet dancing, and swimming) and a non-athletic control group. MethodsData were collected over two seasons, the training and the competitive, using 7-day weighed dietary records. Energy expenditure was calculated from 7-day activity records. Anthropometric measurements were also taken for all athletes. ResultsAthletes and controls had similar BMI values. Per cent body fat was lower for athletes compared with controls. Between sports, middle distance runners had the lowest per cent body fat. No significant differences were found between mean energy intake of athletes and controls. Mean energy intake was found lower than calculated energy expenditure, for all four teams. Macronutrient and micronutrient intakes of the athletes were not statistically different from those of the non-athletic control group. Mean micronutrient intakes were found above the recommended values with the exception of iron. Both athletes and controls had a high intake of vitamin C that is a characteristic of the population of the Mediterranean countries. ConclusionsEnergy intakes varied between sports and between athletes of the same sport. Calculated energy expenditure was higher from the reported energy intake for most athletes. Athletes with the lowest energy intakes reported menstrual abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The nutrient impact of ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal consumption was assessed in adults (men 45–60 years; women 35–60 years old) who regularly consumed RTE cereals anytime during the day, compared to those who did not or who were occasional eaters. Methods: Data were obtained for 2,188 men and 2,851 women living in France and participating in the SU.VI.MAX cohort, who reported twelve 24-hour dietary records during 2 years of follow-up (60,468 records). Results: In the heavy consumers group, RTE cereals provided 193 kcal/day for men and 168 kcal/day for women and contributed 8–10% of total daily energy intake; 15–17% of total daily carbohydrates intake; 4% of total daily lipids intake; 5–6% of total protein intake; and 19–23% of total fiber intake. Moreover, RTE cereals contributed 20–30% of total daily intake for vitamins B[sub 1] , B[sub 2] , B[sub 6] and folic acid, and 7% for vitamin B[sub 12] . For minerals, they provided, respectively, for men and women, 22 and 25% of total daily intake for iron, 12 and 14% for magnesium, and 4% for calcium. In both genders, heavy consumers of RTE cereals derived a greater proportion of daily energy from carbohydrates and a lesser proportion of energy from fats. Total daily fiber intake is higher for RTE cereal consumers than for nonconsumers and increases with the frequency of consumption. Frequent consumers of RTE cereals have higher dietary intakes of calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamins B[sub 1] , B[sub 2] , B[sub 6] , and folic acid than do nonconsumers. BMI and waist/hip ratio were significantly lower in heavy consumers of RTE cereals than in nonconsumers. Conclusion: The present data suggest that the consumption of RTE cereals contributes to a balanced diet. The strong association between cereal consumption and vitamin and mineral intakes confirm previous studies suggesting that RTE cereals make a major contribution to micronutrient intakes. The consumption of RTE cereals also appears to be associated with lower corpulence.Copyright © 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary intakes of 10-y-old children were examined in six cross-sectional surveys to observe secular trends in energy, macronutrient, cholesterol, sodium, and fatty acid intakes. Total energy intake remained unchanged from 1973 to 1988; however, when expressed as energy/kg body wt, intake decreased from 275.1 kJ (65.5 kcal) in 1973 to 254.9 kJ (60.7 kcal) in 1988 because children's weight increased. Linear trends over this time period were also noted for total fat (negative), saturated fatty acid (negative), polyunsaturated fatty acid (positive), dietary cholesterol (negative), and sodium intake (positive). There was a significant increase in percent energy from protein and carbohydrate and a significant decrease in percent energy from fat, primarily saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. An apparent increase over time is noted in the percent of children meeting dietary recommendations for total fat, saturated fatty acid, and cholesterol. Yet, few children meet the prudent diet recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]