Weight loss in women participating in a randomized trial of low-fat diets

We examined weight changes over 1 and 2 y in 303 women enrolled in a low-fat dietary-intervention trial. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group that received intensive instruction in maintaining a low-fat diet or to a control group. After 1 y intervention-group women had decreased fat intake by 45.3 g (from 39.2% to 21.6% energy from fat) and weight by 3.1 kg (all P less than 0.0001); control-group women decreased fat intake by 8.8 g (from 38.9% to 37.3% energy from fat) and weight by 0.4 kg. In both univariate analyses and multivariate models, weight loss was more strongly associated with change in percent energy from fat than with change in total energy intake. These data, which are consistent with both epidemiologic and clinical studies, suggest that body adiposity is a function both of energy balance and the proportion of energy derived from fat.     

Plasma lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase activity and plasma lipoprotein composition and concentrations in kwashiorkor

Plasma lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity, lipoprotein composition, and lipoprotein concentrations were measured in 21 children with kwashiorkor before (day 1), during (day 10), and after treatment (day 30). Day 1 LCAT activity (78.2 mumol.L-1.h-1) was decreased with respect to day 10 (139.2 mumol.L-1.h-1, P less than 0.001) and day 30 (108.0 mumol.L-1.h-1, P = 0.08). Plasma total cholesterol (TC), cholesterol ester (CE), and lipoprotein CEs (VLDL, IDL, LDL, and HDL) were reduced relative to days 10 and 30 (P less than 0.001). Before treatment HDL composition was abnormal. On days 1, 10, and 30, the respective mean HDL-apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I) concentrations were 23.33, 39.66, and 36.08 mumol/L. LDL-apo B concentrations were 0.40, 0.68, and 0.56 mumol/L (P less than 0.01, days 10 and 30 vs day 1). LDL particles on day 1 were decreased in number, depleted of CE, and laden with triacylglycerol and surface lipids. LCAT activity on day 1 correlated with LDL-CE linoleate (P less than 0.05, r = 0.48). Reduced plasma LCAT activity is an important factor related to abnormalities in lipoprotein composition and concentrations.     

Weight reduction interventions for persons with a chronic illness: findings and factors for consideration

Obesity in persons with a concomitant chronic illness poses complex issues relating to the choice of appropriate interventions. More recent emphasis on modification of risk factors has resulted in the need to prescribe complex therapeutic regimens with multiple treatment goals. The traditional approach to weight reduction in such persons has been nutrition education. Studies have shown, however, that knowledge alone does not translate into self-care behaviors that in turn result in weight loss and weight maintenance. Although the latter outcomes continue to be primary goals of therapy in obese individuals with a chronic illness, improvement in the physiologic parameters associated with the illness is also a desired outcome. Behavior therapy and group support appear to be enabling factors that go beyond knowledge to facilitate behavior change and subsequent changes in health-related indexes. This article describes various approaches to the problem of combined interventions for patients education and weight reduction. Findings and factors are discussed about whether the primary goal of weight reduction interventions for persons with a chronic illness should focus on pounds lost or improvement in metabolic or physiologic status.     

Lipid-lowering diets in patients taking pravastatin, a new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor: compliance and adequacy

We examined seven 1-d diet records kept during 1 y by 272 men and women instructed to follow a lipid-lowering diet while participating in a clinical trial of pravastatin, a new 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor. The mean percentage of calories from total fat and saturated, unsaturated, and monounsaturated fatty acids was similar throughout the year even though the patients knew they were taking an effective lipid-lowering agent. However, the diets of greater than 40% of women included less than two-thirds of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of folic acid, vitamins B-6 and D, and calcium and zinc; in men, folic acid and zinc intakes were low. We conclude that patients comply with lipid-lowering diets even when they know that they are receiving an effective serum lipid-lowering agent. However, for both men and women special attention should be given to the intake of several nutrients.     

Effects of low and high dose oral contraceptives on blood coagulation and thrombogenesis induced by vascular subendothelium exposed to flowing human blood.

We investigated the effect of oral contraceptives with low and high estrogen concentration on blood coagulation and thrombogenesis, induced by vascular subendothelium of rabbit aorta exposed to flowing human blood. Twenty healthy women intending to take oral contraceptives were studied [1] before drug ingestion (control), and subsequently during the intake of oral contraceptives with [2] low estrogen content (20 micrograms ethinyl estradiol and 150 micrograms desogestrel per day) and [3] high estrogen content (50 micrograms ethinyl estradiol and 125 micrograms desogestrel per day). All experiments were performed between day 17 and 21 of the menstrual cycle and drug effects were studied during the third tablet cycle. Deposition of fibrin, platelets and platelet thrombi on vascular subendothelium was tested at a defined blood flow and wall shear rate (10 ml/min, 650 s-1) and was quantified by morphometrical techniques. Treatment with the low and high dose contraceptive increased the plasma levels of ethinyl estradiol (728 +/- 139 and 1438 +/- 212 vs. 0 fmol/l [low and high dose vs. control], means +/- SEM, P less than 0.001) and fibrinogen (2.3 +/- 0.1 and 2.6 +/- 0.1 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.1 g/l, P less than 0.05); and decreased antithrombin III activity (95 +/- 3 and 92 +/- 3 vs. 101 +/- 3 %, P less than 0.05). Fibrin deposition on vascular subendothelium was enhanced by the high dose contraceptive only (47 +/- 4 vs. 35 +/- 4 % coverage of the subendothelial surface with fibrin, high dose vs. control, P less than 0.05). The subendothelial deposition of platelets and platelet thrombi was not changed by contraceptive treatment. These results indicate that treatment with high dose contraceptives leads to an increase of fibrin-subendothelial interactions, whereas low dose contraceptives do not significantly alter the blood-subendothelium interactions. observed in this ex vivo model of thrombogenesis.     

Human immunodeficiency virus infection in urban Rwanda. Demographic and behavioral correlates in a representative sample of childbearing women

OBJECTIVE.--To determine behavioral and demographic risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in central Africa. DESIGN.--Cross-sectional survey. SETTING.--Kigali, Rwanda. PARTICIPANTS.--A representative sample of 1458 childbearing women aged 19 to 37 years who were recruited from outpatient prenatal and pediatric clinics at the only community hospital in the city. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE.--Antibodies to HIV assessed by enzyme immunoassay and confirmed by Western blot or indirect immunofluorescence. RESULTS.--The HIV seroprevalence was 32% overall. Infection rates were higher in women who were single, in those in steady relationships that began after 1981, and in the 33% of women reporting more than one lifetime sexual partner. Women in legal marriages or monogamous partnerships had lower rates of infection, but even low-risk women had prevalences on the order of 20%. History of venereal disease in the past 5 years, although the strongest risk factor in a multiple logistic analysis (odds ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 2.0 to 3.7), was reported by only 30% of those infected. Having a male sexual partner who drank alcohol or who had higher income were significant risk factors for HIV infection in the multivariate analysis, but use of oral contraceptives and having an uncircumcised partner were not. CONCLUSIONS.--The epidemic of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in Rwanda has spread beyond high-risk groups to the general population of women without known risk factors. For most of these women, a steady male partner is the source of their HIV risk and therefore a vital target for intervention efforts.     

Health care use among young children in day care. Results in a randomized trial of early intervention

Exposure of young children to group day-care settings increases the risk of illness and may result in higher use of medical care. These observations raise concerns that the use of such settings for early intervention programs for low-birth-weight infants may increase the already high burden of medical care costs incurred by these children and their families. To address the question of medical care use associated with center-based care, we examined the hospital-based and ambulatory care reported for participants of the Infant Health and Development Program. This project is a multisite randomized trial of an early intervention program for preterm low-birth-weight infants with an intervention including 2 years of center-based care. The Intervention group did not differ in hospital-based care and averaged only two more physicians' visits over the 3-year observation period than the comparison group. We conclude that early intervention programs involving high-quality group care are not accompanied by substantial increases in health care use.     

An experiment in medical education. A critical analysis using traditional criteria

In 1984, in addition to its standard traditional curriculum, Rush Medical College (Chicago, Ill) developed a Socratic problem-based method of teaching basic science material called the alternative curriculum. As part of an evaluation of this new curriculum, students in the two curricula were compared using three traditional measurements: (1) test scores from the National Board of Medical Examiners, Part I; (2) test scores from the National Board of Medical Examiners, Part II; and (3) performance on an oral examination. Alternative curriculum students did not differ significantly from their traditional curriculum classmates on National Board of Medical Examiners, Part I and Part II total scores, although their subset scores on Part I did tend to be lower, reaching significance in one subset area. Differences in performance favoring the traditional curriculum were primarily seen in the early years of the program. Alternative curriculum students in the class matriculated in 1987 scored significantly higher in three of five categories on the oral examination.