Nutritional status of school-age children - A scenario of urban slums in India

Objectives

This article aims at describing, in a Belgian town, the frequency of the fear of falling and of subsequent activity restriction among non-institutionalised people aged 65 years and over, and at identifying persons affected by these two issues.

Methods

Cross-sectional survey conducted in Fontaine l'Evêque (Belgium) in 2006, using a self-administered questionnaire.

Results

The participants could fill in the questionnaire on their own or with the help of a third party if needed. The latter were not taken into account in this article. Analyses covered 419 questionnaires. Fear of falling and activity restriction were reported by, respectively, 59.1% and 33.2% of participants. They were more frequent among fallers but also affected non-fallers. In logistic regression analyses: gender, the fact of living alone and the number of falls were significantly associated with fear of falling; gender, age and the number of falls were significantly associated with activity restriction.

Conclusions

Our study, despite various limitations, shows the importance of fear of falling and of subsequent activity restriction among older people, among fallers as well as among non-fallers. It also provides information, though limited, concerning persons affected by these two issues in Belgium, and in other contexts as well. Given the ageing of our populations, it is important to take these problems into account when caring for older people.     

Malnutrition Prevalence in Lasa Xizang Children and Adolescents

Objective To assess the prevalence of malnutrition among children and adolescents in Xizang （Tibet）. Methods We analyzed data from the Chinese National Survey on Students＇ Constitution and Health for the years 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010 pertaining to Tibetan children and adolescents in Lase （Lhasa）, aged 7-18 years old. Numbers of survey subjects for these years were：2 393, 2 754, 2 397, and 2 643, respectively. Results Our results indicated that the rate of occurrence of stunting in Tibet has evidenced a gradual decline：for boys, from 26.8%in 2000 to 9.3%in 2010;and for girls, from 25.8%in 2000 to 10.8%in 2010. In general, the wasting rate for both boys and girls in Tibet has gradually decreased over time：for boys, from 17.7%in 1995 to 4.6%in 2005;and for girls from 12.5%in 1995 to 2.3%in 2005. The stunting rates of boys aged 7-13 years old and of girls aged 7-11 years old were 67.5%and 53.1%, respectively, while these rates for boys aged 14-18 years old and girls aged 12-18 years old were 32.5%and 46.9%, respectively. Conclusion Stunting and wasting rates of Tibetan children and adolescents indicate a gradual declining trend over time. The stunting rates of both boys and girls during early puberty were significantly higher than those during late puberty.     

中国和国际标准用于评价中国3～6岁儿童营养状况的比较研究

目的 采用中国2005年标准、中国疾病预防控制中心(CDC)2000生长发育标准和世界卫生组织(WHO) 2006-07标准评价中国部分地区3～6岁儿童营养状况,比较中国和国际标准评估结果之异同. 方法 依据3个标准,描述河北、江苏、浙江21县(市)210 308名3～6岁儿童消瘦、生长迟缓、低体重和超重/肥胖的发生率.采用配对卡方检验,比较中国标准与WHO和CDC标准评价结果之差异;采用Kappa统计量,评价国内与国际标准评价结果的一致性. 结果 依据中国、CDC和WHO标准计算的消瘦率依次为2.1％、4.1％和1.5％,生长迟缓率为28.3％、11.5％和15.4％,低体重率为9.3％、6.9％和4.2％,超重/肥胖率为18.9％、14.3％和15.3％.依据中国标准计算的营养不良指标以及超重/肥胖的发生率均高于WHO标准;依据中国标准计算的低体重、生长迟缓以及超重/肥胖的发生率均高于CDC标准,但消瘦率低于CDC标准.中国标准与国际标准对各指标评价结果的Kappa值范围是0.5 ～0.9. 结论 中国标准计算的4项指标的发生率均高于WHO新标准;除消瘦外,其他3项指标的发生率均高于CDC标准.中国与国际标准对4项儿童营养指标评价结果的一致性强度属中等偏高.     

Effects of a single exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on macro- and microstructures of feeding and drinking in two differently TCDD-sensitive rat strains

In rats, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) causes anorexia that may lead to fatal wasting but has hitherto been poorly characterized. Therefore, we studied in-depth feeding and drinking behaviors of TCDD-sensitive L-E rats for 5 (100 μg/kg; lethal dose) or 10 (10 μg/kg; sublethal) days and of TCDD-resistant H/W rats for 14 (100 or 1000 μg/kg; both sublethal) days postexposure to TCDD. The 1000-fold higher resistance of H/W rats to acute lethality of TCDD results from a mutation in their AH receptor (AHR). We split days into four (morning, daytime, evening, and night) or two (light/dark) circadian periods and took the repeated nature of the data into account. In L-E rats at 100 μg/kg, the feed intake dropped precipitously, due to reduced meal sizes. In H/W rats, the hypophagia remained moderate and stemmed from a reduced meal frequency. While the suppression in L-E rats peaked during the morning (at 100 μg/kg), the main effects in H/W rats were seen during the constant light or dark phases. Furthermore, chronologic data analysis revealed alterations in consecutive feeding and drinking patterns. Thus, striking differences were found between these strains in the timing and structure of consummatory behaviors, suggesting involvement of the AHR in these behaviors.     

2005年至2014年中国7~18岁儿童青少年营养不良流行现状及趋势变化分析

目的：了解2005年至2014年中国7~18岁儿童青少年营养不良的流行现状及其变化趋势,为改善学生的营养状况提供依据。方法：利用2005年、 2010年和2014年3次“中国学生体质与健康调研”数据,按照2014年颁布的国家卫生标准《学龄儿童青少年营养不良筛查标准》（WS/T456-2014）, 对中国31个省市自治区（除港澳台）7~18岁儿童青少年的营养不良检出率分性别、分年龄、分地区和省市自治区以及年份进行分析,西藏自治区为藏族学生,其他30个省市自治区均为汉族学生。结果：2014年中国7~18岁汉族学生的营养不良检出率为10.0%,其中生长迟缓、中重度消瘦、轻度消瘦分别为0.8%、 3.7%、 5.5%,较2005和2010年营养不良检出率分别下降了5.0和2.6个百分点,其中生长迟缓、中重度消瘦、轻度消瘦分别下降1.0、 1.8、 2.2个百分点和0.4、 1.1、 1.2个百分点;2014年7~18岁男生营养不良检出率高于女生（11.1% vs. 8.9%）,乡村高于城市（11.0% vs. 9.1%）,7~9岁、10~12岁、13~15岁和16~18岁4个年龄段的检出率分别为10.5%、 9.0%、 9.1%、 11.5%,东、中、西部分别为9.0%、 9.2%和11.7%;我国学生营养不良主要以轻度消瘦为主,汉族和藏族学生的生长迟缓检出在营养不良中仅占到8.0%和7.5%; 2005年至2014年的3次调查中,中国7~18岁汉族和藏族学生的营养不良检出率均逐次下降,差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）; 2005年至2014年全国31个省市自治区男女生的营养不良检出率较高,多集中在西南地区,东部省市自治区营养不良检出率较低;与2005年和2010年相比,2014年全国31个省市自治区营养不良检出率均出现下降,且营养不良检出率较高的地区逐渐减少,检出率较低的地区逐渐增多。结论：2005年至2014年全国31个省市自治区的7~18岁儿童青少年的营养不良检出率呈持续下降趋势,但总体检出率仍然较高,以消瘦型营养不良为主,生长迟缓检出率低,西南地区各省市自治区营养不良检出率较高。     

Environmental variability and child growth in Nepal

Data from the 2011 Nepal Demographic Health Survey are combined with satellite remotely sensed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data to evaluate whether interannual variability in weather is associated with child health. For stunting, we focus on children older than 24 months of age. NDVI anomaly averages during cropping months are evaluated during the year before birth, the year of birth, and the second year after birth. For wasting, we assess children under 59 months of age and relate growth to NDVI averages for the current and most recent growing periods. Correlations between short-run indicators of child growth and intensity of green vegetation are generally positive. Regressions that control for a range of child-, mother- and household-specific characteristics produce mixed evidence regarding the role of NDVI anomalies during critical periods in a child's early life and the subsequent probability of stunting and wasting. Overall findings suggest that the relationship between environmental conditions and child growth are heterogeneous across the landscape in Nepal and, in many cases, highly non-linear and sensitive to departures from normality.     

An intermediate dose of LCMV clone 13 causes prolonged morbidity that is maintained by CD4+ T cells

Wasting is a sign of various underlying disorders and is a common feature of cancer, sepsis, and AIDS. We have developed an in vivo model to study the various stages of wasting following infection of mice with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus cl-13. Using this model we have identified four distinct stages of wasting and have discovered that all stages occur in the different groups of mice regardless of whether the virus is cleared or persists. However, the degree and extent of wasting vary between groups of mice, depending upon the dose of virus administered. Blocking IFNγ or TNFα, which are believed to take part in the wasting process, did not affect the wasting state. Finally, we found that CD4+ T cells control the maintenance stage of wasting. We believe this model will be useful in studying the regulation of wasting during a persistent viral infection, hopefully leading to improved therapies to ameliorate the disorder.     

Síndrome de desgaste proteico energético en la enfermedad renal crónica avanzada: prevalencia y características clínicas específicas

Introduction

Protein-energy wasting (PEW) is associated with increased mortality and differs depending on the chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage and the dialysis technique. The prevalence in non-dialysis patients is understudied and ranges from 0 to 40.8%.