Long-term leucine supplementation reduces fat mass gain without changing body protein status of aging rats

Objective: Aging is characterized by alterations in body composition such as an increase in body fat and decreases in muscle mass (sarcopenia) and bone density (osteopenia). Leucine supplementation has been shown to acutely stimulate protein synthesis and to decrease body fat. However, the long-term effect of consistent leucine supplementation is not well defined. This study investigated the effect of leucine supplementation during aging. Methods: Six-month-old rats were divided into three groups: an adult group (n = 10) euthanized at 6 mo of age, a leucine group (n = 16) that received a diet supplemented with 4% leucine for 40 wk, and a control group (n = 19) that received the control diet for 40 wk. The following parameters were evaluated: body weight, food intake, chemical carcass composition, indicators of acquired chronic diseases, and indicators of protein nutritional status. Results: Body weight and fat were lower in the leucine group after 40 wk of supplementation compared with the control group but still higher than in the adult group. The lipid and glycemic profiles were equally altered in the control and leucine groups because of aging. In addition, leucine supplementation did not affect the changes in protein status parameters associated with aging, such as decreases in body and muscle protein and total serum protein. Conclusion: The results indicate that leucine supplementation attenuates body fat gain during aging but does not affect risk indicators of acquired chronic diseases. Furthermore, supplemented animals did not show signs of a prevention of the decrease in lean mass associated with aging. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bioactive compounds with effects on inflammation markers in humans

Obesity and other chronic diseases are accompanied by adipose tissue, liver, pancreas, muscle and brain low-grade chronic inflammation. Indeed, the obese condition and metabolic syndrome are characterized by an increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and infiltration of immune cells in adipocytes. The inflammatory response promotes the activation of transcriptional factors and pro-inflammatory cytokines, which can lead to an unresolved inflammatory response associated with an inhibition of insulin signalling and high risk for cardiovascular events. Epidemiological and intervention studies have been carried out to find out dietary patterns, foods and bioactive compounds with protective anti-inflammatory actions. The most studied compounds are polyphenols, especially isoflavone and anthocyanin, but quercertin, catechin and resveratrol have also been investigated. Furthermore, some studies have reported the effects of milk peptides, plant sterol and stanol, L-carnitine and alpha-lipoic acid on inflammatory processes. This review aimed to collect and discuss those relevant studies reported in the scientific literature following a systematic scientific search about the effect of such bioactive compounds on inflammation in humans.

Quality of diet of working college students

Considering the scarcity of studies with young workers and the role of diet in the prevention of chronic diseases, the objective of the study was to assess the quality of diet of working college students. The present study investigated 43 university students, aged between 18 and 25 years old who had systematically being involved in a working activity in the past 6 months, paid or unpaid, at least 6 hours daily, five days a week. Dietary intake measured by seven dietary records covering every day of the week was used to calculate the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index Revised (B-HEIR). It was observed a low B-HEIR score (53.43,+/- 7.81) indicating a risk of a poor quality of diet, with high intake of sodium and sugar and low consumption of fruits and whole grains. This poor quality of diet can result in an inadequate nutritional status that may increase the risk of obesity and chronic diseases.

Iniquidades socioeconômicas na conformação dos padrões alimentares de crianças e adolescentes

OBJETIVO: Identificar e quantificar a influência dos fatores socioeconômicos sobre os padrões alimentares. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal de base populacional com amostra de 1.136 crianças e adolescentes de 7 a 14 anos de idade, de ambos os sexos, matriculados na rede pública de Salvador (BA), Brasil. O consumo alimentar foi medido por meio do questionário qualitativo de frequência alimentar. Os padrões de consumo foram identificados por meio de análise de componentes principais. Para o estudo da influência dos indicadores socioeconômicos na conformação dos padrões alimentares, foram utilizados modelos de regressão quantílica. RESULTADOS: Os padrões alimentares extraídos foram classificados em padrão obesogênico e padrão tradicional. Nos modelos de regressão quantílica, ajustados por faixa etária e por sexo, o menor grau de instrução materna esteve associado negativamente, em níveis significantes, na maioria dos percentis, ao consumo de alimentos que integram o padrão obesogênico. A baixa renda associou-se negativamente aos maiores percentis (p>95). Os dados indicam não haver influência dos indicadores socioeconômicos sobre o consumo de alimentos que integram o padrão tradicional. CONCLUSÃO: Conclui-se que há influência dos fatores socioeconômicos na adesão ao padrão obesogênico de consumo. Esse conjunto de resultados requer a atenção dos gestores públicos para a identificação de um padrão de consumo ocidental, visualizado amplamente nos estudos em que se avaliam padrões de consumo adotados na atualidade pela população brasileira - sobretudo por crianças e adolescentes -, caracterizados por englobar componentes alimentares de risco para as doenças crônicas não transmissíveis.

Antioxidant intake among Brazilian adults - The Brazilian Osteoporosis Study (BRAZOS): a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Antioxidant nutrient intake and the lesser formation of free radicals seem to contribute to chronic diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the intake profile of the main dietary antioxidants in a representative sample of the adult Brazilian population and discuss the main consequences of a low intake of these micronutrients on overall health. Methods The sample comprised 2344 individuals aged 40 years or older from 150 cities and was based on a probabilistic sample from official data. The research was conducted through in-home interviews administered by a team trained for this purpose. Dietary intake information was obtained through 24-h recall. The Nutrition Data System for Research software program was used to analyze data on the intake of vitamins A, C and E, selenium and zinc, which was compared to Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). Differences in intake according to sex, anthropometrics, socioeconomic status and region were also evaluated. The SPSS statistical package (version 13) was used for the statistical analysis. P-values < 0.05 were considered significant. Results Higher proportions of low intake in relation to recommended values were found for vitamin E (99.7%), vitamin A (92.4%) and vitamin C (85.1%) in both genders. Intake variations were found between different regions, which may reflect cultural habits. Conclusion These results should lead to the development of public health policies that encourage educational strategies for improving the intake of micronutrients, which are essential to overall health and prevention of non-communicable diseases.

Comparison between the six-minute walk test and the six-minute step test in post stroke patients

Abstract Background The Stroke remains one of the major chronic diseases worldwide, and is considered a major cause of disability, which results not only in persistent neurological deficits, but also in the high physical deconditioning, nevertheless there are not many forms of assessing functional capacity in this population. We aimed to investigate the feasibility of the Six Minute Walk Teste and the Six-Minute Step Test (6MST) in post-stroke patients and compare the behavior of physiological variables during the 6MST and the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), by correlating the functional performance obtained in both tests. Method The 6MWT was carried out according to the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the 6MST was performed in six minutes in order to compare it to the 6MWT in a 20 cm step. Was included post-stroke individuals able to walk without aid. All of them did the 6MWT and the 6MST. Results 12 patients participated in the study. There was no statistical difference in the parameters analyzed when tests were compared. There was poor correlation between the functional performance in both tests. Conclusion The 6MWT and the 6MST is feasible for post-stroke patients and physiological responses are equal during the performance of both tests. However, there was no correlation with respect to functional performance, which was assessed by the distance walked in the 6MWT and by the number of steps climbed in the 6MST.

Periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus

Periodontal disease (PD) is one of the most commonly known human chronic disorders. The relationship between PD and several systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus (DM) has been increasingly recognized over the past decades. Objective The purpose of this review is to provide the reader with knowledge concerning the relationship between PD and DM. Many articles have been published in the English and Portuguese literature over the last 50 years examining the relationship between these two chronic diseases. Data interpretation is often confounded by varying definitions of DM, PD and different clinical criteria were applied to determine the prevalence, extent and severity of PD, levels of glycemic control and diabetes-related complications. Methods This paper provides a broad overview of the predominant findings from research conducted using the BBO (Bibliografia Brasileira de Odontologia), MEDLINE, LILACS and PubMed for Controlled Trials databases, in English and Portuguese languages published from 1960 to October 2012. Primary research reports on investigations of relationships between DM/DM control, PD/periodontal treatment and PD/DM/diabetes-related complications identified relevant papers and meta-analyses published in this period. Results 7This paper describes the relationship between PD and DM and answers the following questions: 1- The effect of DM on PD, 2- The effects of glycemic control on PD and 3- The effects of PD on glycemic control and on diabetes-related complications. Conclusions The scientific evidence reviewed supports diabetes having an adverse effect on periodontal health and PD having an adverse effect on glycemic control and on diabetes-related complications. Further research is needed to clarify these relationships and larger, prospective, controlled trials with ethnically diverse populations are warranted to establish that treating PD can positively influence glycemic control and possibly reduce the burden of diabetes-related complications.

Loss of interest, depressed mood and impact on the quality of life: Cross-sectional survey

Abstract Background Depressive symptoms and chronic disease have adverse effects on patients' health-related quality of life (H-RQOL). However, little is known about this effect on H-RQOL when only the two core depressive symptoms - loss of interest and depressed mood - are considered. The objective of this study is to investigate H-RQOL in the presence of loss of interest and depressed mood at a general medical outpatient unit. Methods We evaluated 553 patients at their first attendance at a general medical outpatient unit of a teaching hospital. H-RQOL was assessed with the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Depressed mood and loss of interest were assessed by the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD)-Patient Questionnaire. A physician performed the diagnosis of chronic diseases by clinical judgment and classified them in 13 possible pre-defined categories. We used multiple linear regression to investigate associations between each domain of H-RQOL and our two core depression symptoms. The presence of chronic diseases and demographic variables were included in the models as covariates. Results Among the 553 patients, 70.5% were women with a mean age of 41.0 years (range 18-85, SD ± 15.4). Loss of interest was reported by 54.6%, and depressed mood by 59.7% of the patients. At least one chronic disease was diagnosed in 59.5% of patients; cardiovascular disease was the most prevalent, affecting 20.6% of our patients. Loss of interest and depressed mood was significantly associated with decreased scores in all domains of H-RQOL after adjustment for possible confounders. The presence of any chronic disease was associated with a decrease in the domain of vitality. The analysis of each individual chronic disease category revealed that no category was associated with a decrease in more than one domain of H-RQOL. Conclusion Loss of interest and depressed mood were associated with significant decreases in H-RQOL. We recommend these simple tests for screening in general practice.

Prospective surveillance study of acute respiratory infections, influenza-like illness and seasonal influenza vaccine in a cohort of juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients

Background Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are frequent in children and complications can occur in patients with chronic diseases. We evaluated the frequency and impact of ARI and influenza-like illness (ILI) episodes on disease activity, and the immunogenicity and safety of influenza vaccine in a cohort of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients. Methods Surveillance of respiratory viruses was conducted in JIA patients during ARI season (March to August) in two consecutive years: 2007 (61 patients) and 2008 (63 patients). Patients with ARI or ILI had respiratory samples collected for virus detection by real time PCR. In 2008, 44 patients were immunized with influenza vaccine. JIA activity index (ACRPed30) was assessed during both surveillance periods. Influenza hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers were measured before and 30-40 days after vaccination. Results During the study period 105 ARI episodes were reported and 26.6% of them were ILI. Of 33 samples collected, 60% were positive for at least one virus. Influenza and rhinovirus were the most frequently detected, in 30% of the samples. Of the 50 JIA flares observed, 20% were temporally associated to ARI. Influenza seroprotection rates were higher than 70% (91-100%) for all strains, and seroconversion rates exceeded 40% (74-93%). In general, response to influenza vaccine was not influenced by therapy or disease activity, but patients using anti-TNF alpha drugs presented lower seroconversion to H1N1 strain. No significant differences were found in ACRPed30 after vaccination and no patient reported ILI for 6 months after vaccination. Conclusion ARI episodes are relatively frequent in JIA patients and may have a role triggering JIA flares. Trivalent split influenza vaccine seems to be immunogenic and safe in JIA patients.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in elderly people from Vitória-ES, Brazil

The scope of this study was to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity and its association with socio-economic status in a sample of non-institutionalized elderly people from Vitória-ES, Brazil. This was a cross-sectional survey with a sample of 882 elderly people aged 60 and over. Obesity and overweight were assessed using the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). All subjects answered a personal and socio-demographic questionnaire in relation to age, gender, marital status, physical activity, number of children, chronic diseases and smoking. Associations between categorical variables were tested using chi-square analysis with a 5% significance level. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was high (41.8% and 23.4%, respectively) and 50.7% of the elderly had a substantially increased waist circumference. About 4.3% of the individuals had diabetes, 50.4% had hypertension and 14.9% were found to have both diseases. It was observed that both the BMI and WC were significant associated (p<0.05) with sex, marital status, the presence of diseases and with cigarette smoking.

Resultados do monitoramento dos Fatores de risco e Proteção para Doenças Crônicas Não Transmissíveis nas capitais brasileiras por inquérito telefônico, 2008

OBJETIVO: Analisar os fatores de risco e proteção para Doenças Crônicas Não Transmissíveis - DCNT nas capitais do Brasil. METODOLOGIA: Foram analisadas informações provenientes do sistema de vigilância de fatores de risco e proteção para DCNT por inquérito telefônico - VIGITEL, em 2008. A amostra foi composta por 54 mil entrevistas sendo as frequências apresentadas para o conjunto das capitais por sexo, faixa etária e escolaridade. RESULTADOS: O estudo mostrou diferenças na prevalência de fatores de risco e proteção de DCNT entre sexos, idade e escolaridade. Os homens apresentaram maiores frequências de fatores de risco como fumo, excesso de peso, consumo de refrigerantes, carnes com excesso de gordura e bebidas alcoólicas. Os homens praticam mais atividade física no lazer. As mulheres se alimentam melhor e referem mais diagnóstico médico de doenças, como hipertensão arterial, dislipidemia e osteoporose, além de estado de saúde ruim. Em geral, os fatores de risco são mais frequentes na população de menor escolaridade. DISCUSSÃO: Estas informações devem redirecionar a implementação das políticas públicas com foco em um modo de viver mais saudável e escolhas individuais mais adequadas por parte da população adulta brasileira.

Estado nutricional e consumo alimentar de pacientes com psoríase dos tipos sistêmica e artropática sistêmica associada

OBJECTIVE: To identify the nutritional status and food intake of individuals with systemic psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis associated. METHODS: This is an exploratory and cross-sectional study with 34 men aged between 19 and 60 years seen at a Psoriasis Center. Participants were divided into systemic psoriasis group and arthritic-systemic psoriasis associated group. For nutritional assessment we used anthropometry, bioelectrical impedance analysis and whole-body plethysmography. Clinical and nutritional information were assessed using the clinical and nutritional history-taking, and the 24-hour dietary recall. For statistics the general linear model test (p < 0.05) was used. RESULTS: According to the body mass index 29.4% patients (n = 10) were eutrophic, 41.2% (n = 14) overweight and 29% (n = 10) obese. Almost all individuals (60%; n = 21) had body fat percentage above normal levels (> 25%) and a high risk for metabolic complications according to the waist circumference and the obesity index, however, there were no statistically significant differences between groups. The mean food intake, total fat, calories and protein were above recommended levels, being 58.8% for lipids (319.17 ± 241.02 mg of cholesterol and 17.42 ± 11.4 g saturated fatty acids); 29.4% for calories and 67.6% for proteins. Thus, regardless of the psoriasis type, an excessive consumption of calories, lipids, fatty acids, cholesterol and a higher incidence of overweight were found. CONCLUSION: The sample showed an abnormal nutritional condition, an increased risk for chronic diseases related to obesity, worsening of the psoriatic lesions, and poor quality of life.