Cluster analysis and food group consumption in a national sample of Australian girls

Background: Food preferences develop early in life and track into later life. There is limited information on food consumption and dietary patterns in Australian girls. The present study aimed to: (i) determine the frequency of food groups consumed over 1 day; (ii) identify dietary clusters based on food group consumption; and (iii) compare dietary intakes and activity variables between clusters. Methods: A cross‐sectional analysis of 9–16‐year‐old girls (n = 1114) from the 2007 Australian National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey was performed. Results: Over the whole day, 30% of all girls consumed carbonated sugar drinks, 46% consumed take‐away food, 56% consumed fruit, 70% consumed at least one vegetable, and 19% and 30% consumed white and/or red meat, respectively. K‐means cluster analysis derived four clusters. Approximately one‐third of girls were identified in a Meat and vegetable cluster; these girls had the highest intakes of red meat and vegetables, and tended to have higher intakes of fruit, whole grain breads, low fat yoghurt, and lower intakes of take‐away foods and soft drinks. They also had the highest intakes of protein, fibre and micronutrients; and tended to perform more physical activity, compared to girls in the remaining clusters. Conclusions: Girls identified in the Meat and vegetable cluster, on average, consumed more lean red meat, vegetables, fruits, and low‐fat dairy products, and had a higher intakes of many nutrients. The high percentage of girls not identified in this cluster suggests the need to inform them on how to make healthy, nutrient dense food choices, and why they require increased nutrient intakes at this time.     

蔬菜、水果、鱼类、豆类膳食模式与乳腺癌关系的Meta分析

目的 总结不同人群健康膳食模式特征及其与乳腺癌的关联证据,为我国乳腺癌的预防提供科学依据.方法 中文文献检索1997年1月-2014年6月国内公开发表的相关研究文献,检索数据库包括：中国知网、万方医学网、中文生物医学文献库和维普电子资源,英文文献检索1997年1月-2014年6月公开发表的相关研究,检索数据库包括：Pubmed、Embase、Cochrane database、Medline和Google Scholar.检索词包括膳食模式/饮食（dietary pattern/ food pattern）和乳腺癌/乳腺肿瘤（breast neoplasma/breast cancer/breast carcinoma/mammary cancer）.文献排除标准：（1）重复发表的仅保留样本量大、信息全的一篇.（2）内容为男性乳腺癌的文章.（3）实验性研究、综述、Meta分析、病例-对照研究以及信息不全的文章.用Meta分析对高摄入蔬菜、水果、鱼类和豆制品的膳食模式与乳腺癌关联的效应量进行合并.总结在该类膳食模式上高摄入人群与低摄入人群乳腺癌患病率的合并效应量.合并效应量采用固定效应模型.统计分析采用Stata11.0软件完成.结果 最终纳入英文文献12篇,均为队列研究,未发现符合纳入标准的中文文献.队列研究样本量总数为623 536例,乳腺癌病例为19 707例.结果显示以高摄入蔬菜、水果、鱼类和豆类健康膳食模式对乳腺癌具有保护作用.在这类膳食模式上高摄入人群同低摄入人群相比,队列研究合并乳腺癌发生的风险比（95％可信区间）为0.86（0.80～0.92）.结论 富含蔬菜、水果、鱼类和豆类的健康膳食模式对乳腺癌发病具有保护作用.     

A Study of Dermatoglyphic Patterns in Epileptic Patients

The aim of study was to establish a relation of dermatoglyphic patterns of palm in epileptic and normal subjects so that it may be used as a diagnostic tool for identifying cases at risk. The dermatoglyphic study was carried out on 50 patients of epilepsy and 50 normal subjects. The dermatoglyphic traits, which presented a significant difference, were a-b ridge count, lateral deviation, c-line pattern, palmar pattern and finger tip pattern. Mean values of a-b ridge count were more in epileptic patients, especially in left hand, than controls. The ratio of ulnar and radial lateral deviation in control was 1:3 while in epileptic it was 1:5. C-line pattern presented less frequency of proximal and ulnar type patterns in cases. Radial type of C-line pattern was higher in cases. On the other hand this pattern was absent in 29% of controls than cases (8%). Arch type of palmar patterns were showing a very significant difference between controls (79%) and cases (2%). Frequency of loops were much more and vestiges were absolutely absent in cases. The frequency of Arch type of finger tip pattern was more in control. These findings suggest that antenatal factors may contribute to the etiology of epilepsy. A considerable progress in dermatoglyphics has been established as a useful diagnostic and research tool in medicine.     

Principles of effective communication with patients who have intellectual disability among primary care physicians

ObjectiveExamine physicians’ implementation of effective communication principles with patients with intellectual disabilities (ID) and its predictors.MethodsFocus groups helped construct a quantitative questionnaire. The questionnaire (completed by 440 physicians) examined utilization of effective communication principles, attitudes toward individuals with ID, subjective knowledge and number of patients with ID.ResultsSubjective knowledge of ID and more patients with ID increased utilization of effective communication principles. Provision of knowledge that allows patients to make their own medical decisions was predicted by more patients with ID, lower attitudes that treatment of this population group is not desirable, less negative affect and greater perception that treatment of this group is part of the physician's role. Effective preparation of patients with ID for treatment was predicted by higher perception of treatment of this group as part of the physician's role, lower perception of this field as undesirable and higher perception of these individuals as unable to make their own choice. Simplification of information was predicted by a greater perception of treatment of this group as part of the physician's role and more negative affect.ConclusionGreater familiarity may enhance care for these patients.Practice implicationsIncrease exposure to patients with ID within training.