Dietary sources of inorganic microparticles and their intake in healthy subjects and patients with Crohn's disease

Dietary microparticles are non-biological, bacterial-sized particles. Endogenous sources are derived from intestinal Ca and phosphate secretion. Exogenous sources are mainly titanium dioxide (TiO2) and mixed silicates (Psil); they are resistant to degradation and accumulate in human Peyer's patch macrophages and there is some evidence that they exacerbate inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD). However, whether their intake differs between those with and without CD has not been studied. We aimed to identify dietary microparticle sources and intakes in subjects with and without CD. Patients with inactive CD and matched general practice-based controls (ninety-one per group) completed 7 d food diaries. Intake data for dietary fibre and sucrose were compared as positive controls. All foods, pharmaceuticals and toothpastes were examined for microparticle content, and intakes of Ca and exogenous microparticles were compared between the two groups. Dietary intakes were significantly different between cases and controls for dietary fibre (12 (SD 5) v. 14 (SD 5) g/d; P=0.001) and sucrose (52 (SD 27) v. 45 (SD 18) g/d; P=0.04) but not for Ca. Estimated median TiO2 and Psil intakes (2.5 and 35 mg/individual per d respectively, totalling 10(12)-10(13) microparticles/individual per d) were broadly similar to per capita estimates and while there was wide variation in intakes between individuals there was no significant difference between subjects with CD and controls. Hence, if exposure to microparticles is associated with the inflammation of CD, then the present study rules out excess intake as the problem. Nonetheless, microparticle-containing foods have now been identified which allows a low-microparticle diet to be further assessed in CD.     

Long-term vitamin status and dietary intake of healthy elderly subjects. 1. Riboflavin.

1. Long-term clinical and biochemical riboflavin status and dietary intake of riboflavin were monitored for 18 months in a group of twenty-three relatively-healthy elderly subjects living at home in the north of England. 2. Both dietary intake and biochemical status, as measured by the activation coefficient (stimulated:basal activity) of NAD(P)H2:glutathione oxidoreductase (EC 1.6.4.2), remained fairly constant for each individual and for most subjects the usual intake and biochemical status were characterized quite accurately by a single week's intake dietary record and a single measurement of the activation coefficient. 3. The expected relationship between biochemical status and dietary intake was present, but not strongly evident. There was a significant within-subject correlation between alpha values and the immediately preceding dietary intake; however the between-subject correlation between alpha values and dietary intake approached zero if the two subjects receiving long-term riboflavin supplements were omitted. Over the limited range of intakes observed in unsupplemented subjects, non-dietary factors evidently obscure the relationship. 4. Although eight subjects had average values above 1.2 for the activation coefficient, no excessively high values were observed, and no subject showed any clear-cut clinical deficiency symptoms.     

骨髓移植患儿移植前后饮食摄入的改变

目的分析骨髓移植患儿移植期间营养摄入及营养状况的改变,评估营养干预的重要性。方法以2012年1月至2012年11月在上海交通大学医学院附属上海儿童医学中心血液肿瘤科行骨髓移植的共计65名患儿为研究对象。以预处理前收集的患儿资料为基线值。预处理开始后至移植后30d每周2次、移植后30-100d每周1次收集患儿营养相关资料,并对患儿日常营养摄入进行膳食分析。在相应时间点收集患儿24h小便行定氮分析。结果患儿总能量和各项宏量营养素口服摄入基线值分别为：总能量（5844．9±2490．4）kJ/d,蛋白质（56．4±28．6）g/d,脂肪（49．7±38．9）g／d,碳水化合物（190．9±91．1）g/d。随着移植预处理开始,各项摄入均明显减少（P均=0．000）。移植后恢复期,患儿能量摄人自第6周开始与基线值差异无统计学意义,蛋白质自第13周开始与基线水平差异无统计学意义,碳水化合物和脂肪摄入分别自第4周和第6周起与基线水平差异无统计学意义。移植前患儿尿氮排出量为（3．9±2．4）g/d,进行预处理后尿氮量达到（16．7±11．0）g／d,显著高于基线尿氮量（P=0．000）。患儿移植后第1周的体重（P=0．000）、三头肌皮褶厚度（P=0．003）、中上臂围（P=0．000）、血清白蛋白（P=0．000）、前白蛋白（P=0．000）均显著低于基线值;移植后第9周的去脂百分比（P=0．010）、肌肉百分比（P=0．001）和蛋白质百分比（P=0．000）显著低于基线值,体脂百分比显著高于基线值（P=0．000）。结论骨髓移植患儿早期即有营养摄入量的改变,在移植恢复期逐渐恢复,其中蛋白质摄入恢复最慢,可能是影响患儿血清蛋白水平的重要因素。因此,骨髓移植患儿需要更为详细的营养指导,尽量以口服摄入满足营养需求,必要时可提供高蛋白营养配方。     

Dietary intake and nutritional status in Italian elderly subjects

Dietary intake and nutritional status was assessed in a random sample of 190 Italians (70-75 years of age) participating in the Survey in Europe on Nutrition and the Elderly (EURONUT-SENECA). The daily energy intake as assessed by a Modified Dietary History, was 2208+/-562 Kcalories in men and 1742+/-527 Kcalories in women. The alcohol intake was significantly higher in men than in women (35. 9+/-32.5 g/day vs 14.7+/-15.4 g/day; p<0.0001). As for calcium, there was a high percentage of men (77%) and women (86%) with a lower intake than the recommended values. The subjects underweight (BMI<20) were only 4.1% men and 9.7% women, while the great part was normal (BMI= 20-24.9) and overweight (BMI=25-29.9). The body composition parameters showed a significant difference between two genders. Men had a Total Body Water (56.5+/-4.5% vs 51.3+/-5.4%; p<0. 001) and Fat-Free Mass (80.4+/-5.2% vs 70.9+/-6.8%; p<0.001) higher than women. Few subjects were at high risk of deficiency with regard to plasma levels of vitamins, haemoglobin and albumin. If we analyse the composition of the diet consumed, we can remark the characteristics of a typical Mediterranean diet. We conclude that the general nutritional status of our sample was fairly good.     

Prospective comparison of modified fat-high-carbohydrate with standard low-carbohydrate dietary advice in the treatment of diabetes: one year follow-up study

1. A prospective randomized study of two dietary regimens has been started in newly-diagnosed diabetics to determine their effect on circulating metabolites and on diabetic complications. 2. During the first year of treatment the fasting plasma glucose concentrations on both the low-carbohydrate diet and the high-carbohydrate, modified-fat (MF) diet showed a similar decrease. 3. Plasma cholesterol showed a sustained decrease only in patients recommended a MF diet. Transient changes in plasma triglyceride concentrations occurred in patients on both dietary regimens. 4. Increased plasma cholesterol levels are associated with atheromatous disease which is common in diabetics in Europe and North America. A MF diet may therefore have an advantage in that it lowers the plasma cholesterol as well as being effective in lowering the plasma glucose.     

Dietary glycemic load and macronutrient intake in healthy Italian children

The objective is of this study is to examine the relationship of dietary glycemic load (GL) and overall glycemic index (OGI) with macronutrients intake, body mass index (BMI) and insulin sensitivity in healthy children. The subjects comprised of 105 healthy non-obese eight-years old children, 60 boys and 45 girls. A Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) evaluating dietary habits, GL and OGI. Insulin sensitivity was evaluated by the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA). GL was positively associated with dietary total (correlation coefficient, r=0.57) and starch (r=0.67) carbohydrates, daily consumption of pasta and white bread, cooked potatoes, bakery products and cookies, and negatively with dietary fats (r=-0.52). OGI was positively associated with daily consumption of white bread and cookies, and negatively associated with soluble carbohydrates (r=-0.35), and consumption of fibres, proteins, fruit, legumes and carrots. No significant association was found of GL or OGI with BMI or insulin sensitivity. In healthy children, GL and OGI may represent a useful indicator of quality of diet.     

Dietary fat and the regulation of energy intake in human subjects

The role of dietary fat in the regulation of energy intake was assessed by manipulating a conventional diet and measuring spontaneous food consumption. Twenty-four women each consumed a sequence of three 2-wk dietary treatments in which 15-20%, 30-35%, or 45-50% of the energy was derived from fat. These diets consisted of foods that were similar in appearance and palatability but differed in the amount of high-fat ingredients used. Relative to their energy consumption on the medium-fat diet, the subjects spontaneously consumed an 11.3% deficit on the low-fat diet and a 15.4% surfeit on the high-fat diet (p less than 0.0001), resulting in significant changes in body weight (p less than 0.001). A small amount of caloric compensation did occur (p less than 0.02), which was greatest in the leanest subjects (p less than 0.03). These results suggest that habitual, unrestricted consumption of low-fat diets may be an effective approach to weight control.     

Publicist's advice: hire a PR firm before you need one

Tom Rees, self-confessed former PR representative for the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, addresses the value healthcare organizations can find in public relations consultation.     

Metabolic effects of dietary fructose in healthy subjects.

To determine if dietary fructose causes adverse metabolic effects, we used a crossover design to compare a diet containing 20% of energy from fructose with an isoenergic high-starch diet that contained less than 3% fructose. Fourteen healthy subjects consumed each diet for 28 d. There were no significant differences between the diets in the mean values of hemoglobin A1C, serum glycosylated albumin, fasting plasma glucose, peak postprandial plasma glucose, integrated plasma glucose, fasting serum lactate, or fasting serum triglycerides. Peak postprandial serum lactate was significantly higher during the fructose diet at days 1, 7, and 14 but not at days 21 or 28. Peak postprandial serum triglycerides were significantly higher only at day 1 of the fructose diet. Day-28 fasting serum total and LDL cholesterol for the fructose diet were 9.0% and 11.0% higher, respectively, than the corresponding values for the starch diet. A high-fructose diet compared with a high-starch diet resulted in significantly higher fasting serum total and LDL cholesterol and also caused transient changes in postprandial serum lactate and triglycerides.     

A study of the eating habits of 11- and 12-year-old children before and one year after the start of a healthy eating campaign in Northumberland

In 1987/88 a marketing orientated 'Healthy Eating' campaign was introduced across all Northumberland schools. Six middle schools (9–13 year olds) also piloted an additional change in school meals policy to a restricted 'fixed price' menu. A before and after evaluation of this campaign is described using questionnaires, self-completed by some 700 children aged 11–13 years in 4 middle schools chosen to represent contrasting policies and socio-economic status. There were important favourable changes associated with the campaign both in food 'aggregates' (e.g. sugary, fibrous) and also of individual 'indicator' foods (e.g. chips, low fat milk) eaten during the previous day. These changes were detected in both cross sectional and longitudinal analyses.     

Effects of dietary fructose on plasma lipids in healthy subjects

BACKGROUND: About 9% of average dietary energy intake in the United States comes from fructose. Such a high consumption raises concern about the metabolic effects of this sugar. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary fructose on plasma lipids. DESIGN: The study was conducted in the General Clinical Research Center at Fairview-University of Minnesota Medical Center. The participants were 24 healthy adult volunteers (12 men and 12 women; 6 of each sex were aged <40 y and 6 of each sex were aged >/=40 y). All subjects received 2 isoenergetic study diets assigned by using a randomized, balanced crossover design. One diet provided 17% of energy as fructose. The other diet was sweetened with glucose and was nearly devoid of fructose. Each diet was fed for 6 wk. Both diets were composed of common foods and contained nearly identical amounts of carbohydrate, protein, fat, fiber, cholesterol, and saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. All meals were prepared in the metabolic kitchen of the General Clinical Research Center. RESULTS: The responses to the study diets differed by sex. In men, the fructose diet produced significantly higher fasting, postprandial, and daylong plasma triacylglycerol concentrations than did the glucose diet. The daylong plasma triacylglycerol concentration after 6 wk of the fructose diet was 32% greater in men than the corresponding concentration during the glucose diet (P: < 0.001). The fructose diet had no significant effect on fasting or postprandial plasma triacylglycerol concentrations in women. The fructose diet also had no persistent effect on fasting plasma cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol in either men or women. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary fructose was associated with increased fasting and postprandial plasma triacylglycerol concentrations in men. Diets high in added fructose may be undesirable, particularly for men. Glucose may be a suitable replacement sugar.     

Relationships between food consumption and dietary intake among healthy volunteers and implications for meeting dietary goals

Quantitative food frequency questionnaires and 5-day food records were used to explore relationships between food consumption and nutrient intake among 65 healthy volunteers who were willing to participate in a dietary fiber intervention study. Spearman's correlation coefficient was calculated between the nutrient intake and the frequency of consumption of each food item, as well as the amount consumed per month. Percentage of calories from fat was related to frequency of consumption and amount of consumption, respectively, of bacon (r = .48, .49), frankfurters and sausage (r = .45, .45), and french fries and fried potatoes (r = .43, .39). Frequency and amount, respectively, of consumption of fruits were most highly correlated with intake of vitamin A (r = .45, .46), vitamin C (r = .44, .48), and dietary fiber (r = .43, .43). We conclude that specific food consumption amounts and/or frequency of eating foods such as legumes, fruits, and whole-grain or bran-rich cereals should be recommended to assist individuals in meeting dietary goals.