Dietary habits are major determinants of the plasma antioxidant status in healthy elderly subjects

Previous studies indicate that regular consumption of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk for age-related diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the often-reported age-related decrease of plasma antioxidants in man depends on differences in dietary intake or on other age- and gender-related factors. In this observational case-control study, thirty-nine community-dwelling healthy subjects aged 65 years and older consuming high intakes of fruits and vegetables daily (HI) and forty-eight healthy subjects aged 65 and older consuming low intakes of fruit and vegetables daily (LI) were enrolled. Plasma levels of retinol, tocopherols, carotenoids and malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as content of protein carbonyls in Ig G were measured. Plasma levels of retinol, tocopherols and carotenoids were significantly higher in group HI than in group LI subjects independent of age and gender. MDA levels were inversely correlated with vitamin A and α-carotene. Protein carbonyls were inversely correlated with γ-tocopherol. In the elderly, a higher daily intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with an improved antioxidant status in comparison to subjects consuming diets poor in fruits and vegetables. Modification of nutritional habits among other lifestyle changes should be encouraged to lower prevalence of disease risk factors in later life. © The Authors 2005.

Studies on the nutrition and metabolism of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L) with reference to fish farming

This thesis provides the first detailed study of maximal oxygen consumption of turbot on a fish farm over a range of fish sizes and temperatures. Also provided is a study of the diets used in turbot farming and the development of a diet that contains no fresh fish. A detailed study of previous research on flatfish nutrition, identified fresh fish, sprat in particular, as the optimum diet for turbot farming. A series of experiments was undertaken that confirmed this and also identified one possible explanation for the optimum performance of sprat, as a function of high non-protein energy ratios in sprat. This factor was exploited in the production of a diet containing no fresh fish and which produced superior results to diets containing fresh fish; the optimum level of lipid in the diet was determined as 18%. The study of oxygen consumption was on fully-fed fish so that maximum demand could be quantified. Continuous monitoring of tank water oxygen levels enabled the calculation of the Specific Dynamic Action (SDA) effect in turbot and the relation of it to dietary energy. Variation of SDA with the dietary energy profile was identified as a contributing factor to differential fish growth on various diets. Finally, the implications of this work to fish farming were considered. Economic appraisal and comparison of the diets routinely used in turbot farming identified that the diet developed as a result of this work, ie the diet containing no fresh fish protein, was more cost effective on the basis of the production of one tonne of turbot. The study of oxygen consumption enables water supply to be calculated for any fish size between 1g and 1000g between the temperatures of 7® C and 16® C. The quantification of SDA enables correct adjustment of oxygen flows according to the feeding status of the fish.

Are dieting-related cognitive impairments a function of iron status?

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the impairments in cognitive function observed in unsupported dieting are related to compromised Fe status. During a non-clinical intervention, overweight participants (age: 18-45 years, BMI: 25-30 kg/m2) either participated in a commercially available weight-loss regimen (n 14), dieted without support (n 17) or acted as a non-dieting control group (n 14) for a period of 8 weeks. Measurements of cognitive function and blood chemistry were taken at a pre-diet baseline, after 1 week and 8 weeks of dieting. After 1 week, unsupported dieters displayed impaired verbal memory, executive function and slower reaction speeds than the other two groups, this difference disappearing by the end of the study. There were no significant group-related changes in blood chemistry over the course of the study, although there were group-related changes in a number of self-reported food-related cognitions. In conclusion, impaired cognition among unsupported dieters is not due to compromised Fe status and is most likely to result from psychological variables. © 2012 The Authors.

Association of depression and anxiety status with 10-year cardiovascular disease incidence among apparently healthy Greek adults:the ATTICA study

Background: Chronic stress frequently manifests with anxiety and/or depressive symptomatology and may have detrimental cardiometabolic effects over time. As such, recognising the potential links between stress-related psychological disorders and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is becoming increasingly important in cardiovascular epidemiology research. The primary aim of this study was to explore prospectively potential associations between clinically relevant depressive symptomatology and anxiety levels and the 10-year CVD incidence among apparently healthy Greek adults. Design: A population-based, health and nutrition prospective survey. Methods: In the context of the ATTICA Study (2002–2012), 853 adult participants without previous CVD history (453 men (45 ± 13 years) and 400 women (44 ± 18 years)) underwent psychological evaluations through validated, self-reporting depression and anxiety questionnaires. Results: After adjustment for multiple established CVD risk factors, both reported depression and anxiety levels were positively and independently associated with the 10-year CVD incidence, with depression markedly increasing the CVD risk by approximately fourfold (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 3.6 (1.3, 11) for depression status; 1.03 (1.0, 1.1) for anxiety levels). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that standardised psychological assessments focusing on depression and anxiety should be considered as an additional and distinct aspect in the context of CVD preventive strategies that are designed and implemented by health authorities at the general population level.