Parental nutrition knowledge and nutrient intake in an atherosclerosis prevention project: the impact of child-targeted nutrition counselling

Most of the counselling in health care targeted at child nutrition is delivered via the parents, but little is known about the effects of such counselling on the nutrition knowledge and dietary habits of the parents. In the Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children (STRIP), we studied how 6.5 years of child-targeted nutrition counselling affected the knowledge, attitudes and dietary habits of the parent mainly responsible for food purchase and preparation. We used a questionnaire and a 24-h recall interview in a time-restricted cohort of 98 families belonging to the intervention group and 89 families belonging to the control group in the STRIP project. After controlling for background variables, the intervention parents had better knowledge than the control parents of causal relationships between food choices and coronary heart disease and of the nutritional composition of foods. Knowledge of nutrition concepts did not differ between the two groups. The quality of fat was better in the diet of the intervention parents, they consumed less salt and they also had more knowledge concerning these subjects compared to the control parents (higher behavioural capability scores). The behavioural capability scores of the total group correlated poorly with their nutrient intakes. Thus, child-targeted nutrition intervention delivered to the parents increased parental nutrition knowledge and improved the quality of the parents' diet. However, as nutrition knowledge of the parents correlated poorly with their nutrient intakes, other factors than knowledge appear to influence parental dietary decisions.     

Cholera in India: an analysis of reports, 1997�C2006

Objective

To more accurately define the annual incidence of cholera in India, believed to be higher than reported to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Methods

We searched the biomedical literature to extract data on the cases of cholera reported in India from 1997 to 2006 and compared the numbers found to those reported annually to WHO over the same period. The latter were obtained from WHO’s annual summaries of reported cholera cases and National health profile 2006, published by India’s Central Bureau of Health Intelligence.

Findings

Of India’s 35 states or union territories, 21 reported cholera cases during at least one year between 1997 and 2006. The state of West Bengal reported cases during all 10 years, while the state of Maharashtra and the union territory of Delhi reported cases during nine, and Orissa during seven. There were 68 outbreaks in 18 states, and 222 038 cases were detected overall. This figure is about six times higher than the number reported to WHO (37 783) over the same period. The states of Orissa, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam and Chhattisgarh accounted for 91% of all outbreak-related cases.

Conclusion

The reporting of cholera cases in India is incomplete and the methods used to keep statistics on cholera incidence are inadequate. Although the data are sparse and heterogeneous, cholera notification in India is highly deficient.     

四川省自贡市儿童1型糖尿病发病率研究

为摸清我省儿童１型糖尿病的发病情况,按ＷＨＯ儿童糖尿病多国研究计划方案,我们在自贡市（四区,两县）对１９８９～１９９６年儿童１型糖尿病发病率进行了调查研究。１　材料与方法１．１　病例来源　第一来源：自贡市３０个县区级有１型糖尿病诊断能力的医院。第二来...     

牛奶和钙盐在胃肠道内的钙吸收

目的和方法目前尚不清楚，摄入非水溶性钙盐的钙吸收是否比摄入水溶性差的钙盐钙吸收更好；另外也不清楚，牛奶制品的钙吸收是否比钙盐钙吸收更好。作者采用一种单次服用就能精确测定钙的净吸收率的方法，给８例健康空腹受试者服用含５００mg钙的５种不同水溶性的钙盐和牛奶，服用顺序是随机的。结果按钙盐的水溶性递减次序排列，以平均钙的净吸收率±标准误表示：醋酸钙（３２±４）％，乳酸钙（３２±４）％，葡萄糖酸钙（２７±３）％，柠檬酸钙（３０±３）％；碳酸钙（３９±３）％。按方差分析，钙盐和牛奶的钙吸收率差异无统计学意义…     

Serum zinc and copper: associations with cholesterol and triglyceride levels in children and adolescents. Cardiovascular risk in young Finns.

Associations among serum lipids (total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides) and levels of serum zinc (S-Zn), serum copper (S-Cu), and their ratio were analyzed in 3373 3-, 6-, 9-, 12-, 15-, and 18-year-old Finnish girls and boys. S-Zn was positively related to total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol; S-Cu related negatively to HDL-cholesterol. Obesity did not affect these relationships. The few exceptionally high lipid levels found were not associated with very low or high S-Zn or S-Cu. S-Zn and S-Cu were related to serum lipids; causality between the variables, however, remains to be studied.     

The effect of conventional vitamin D(2) supplementation on serum 25(OH)D concentration is weak among peripubertal Finnish girls: a 3-y prospective study

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of vitamin D supplementation and the impact of summer season on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (S-25(OH)D) in Finnish 9-15-y-old girls. DESIGN: Three-year follow-up study with vitamin D(2) supplementation using D(2) 10 microg daily from October to January for the first and from October to February for the second winter as well as 20 microg daily from October to March for the third winter. SETTING: Paavo Nurmi Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. SUBJECTS: A total of 171 female volunteers aged 9-15 y. METHODS: Vitamin D and calcium intakes were estimated by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). S-25(OH)D was measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: The median daily dietary intakes of vitamin D and calcium were 3.8 microg (interquartile range (IQR) 2.7-5.0) and 1451 mg (IQR 1196-1812), respectively, over 3 y. The prevalence of severe hypovitaminosis D (S-25(OH)D<20 nmol/l) was 14% and of moderate hypovitaminosis D (20 nmol/l < or = S-25(OH)D < or = 37.5 nmol/l) 75% at baseline in winter. None of the participants had severe hypovitaminosis D in summer. The effect of 10 microg of D(2) daily was insufficient to raise S-25(OH)D from baseline. The daily supplementation of 20 microg of D(2) increased S-25(OH)D significantly in wintertime compared with the non-supplement users (to 45.5 vs 31.8 nmol/l; P<0.001). None of the subjects with vitamin D(2) supplementation approximately 20 microg daily had severe hypovitaminosis D; however, 38% of those participants had moderate hypovitaminosis D at 36 months. Sun exposure in summer raised mean S-25(OH)D to 62.0 nmol/l. Both the daily supplementation of approximately 20 microg of D(2) and summer sunlight exposure had more effect on those who had severe hypovitaminosis than those who had a normal vitamin D status (increase of 24.2 vs 0.9 nmol/l (P<0.001), and 38.8 vs 18.2 nmol/l (P<0.001), respectively). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D supplementation daily with 20 microg is needed to prevent hypovitaminosis D in peripubertal Finnish girls in winter. Sunlight exposure in summer is more effective than approximately 20 microg of D(2) supplementation daily in winter to raise S-25(OH)D. Both the daily supplementation with 20 microg of D(2) and summertime sunlight exposure had more effect on those who had severe hypovitaminosis D than those who had a normal vitamin D status. SPONSORSHIP: Supported by the Yrj? Jahnsson Foundation and the Medical Research Foundation of the Turku University Central Hospital.     

Experimental intrahepatic portacaval anastomosis: use of expandable Gianturco stents

Original Gianturco expandable stents and their modifications were used to create an experimental intrahepatic portacaval anastomosis (EIPCA) in 30 young domestic swine without portal hypertension. The study focused on the design of a suitable stent, the technique of its application, and the evaluation of short-term patency of the EIPCA. A stent with a 2.5-cm-long body and wire skirts on both ends was most suitable for EIPCA creation. Well-positioned stents shunted most of the portal blood in the inferior vena cava circulation and remained patent for 4-6 weeks. Ingrowth of liver parenchyma and abundant proliferation of the intima and connective tissue inside the stent lumen in these rapidly growing animals gradually decreased EIPCA patency, and thrombus formation with diminished blood flow closed them completely.