Eating Habits in Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia from North-Eastern Romania

(1) Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic autosomal dominant disorder characterized by elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) that develops deposits of lipids in the arterial wall. Since it is underdiagnosed and undertreated, the disease has a high risk of premature cardiovascular disease and death. Patients are not always aware of the changes they should make in their diet. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate through a food frequency questionnaire their eating habits. (2) Methods: We included 70 patients with FH and 20 subjects in a control group that were evaluated through a physical examination and blood tests. They also completed a food frequency questionnaire. (3) Results: Throughout our study, we observed several aspects: regardless of age, patients with FH had higher carbohydrate intakes compared to the control group; from the same group, a positive correlation was observed between salami intake and the levels of glucose and glycated hemoglobin. Moreover, the sour cream preference was associated with higher liver function tests. In the control group, we observed a higher intake of pasta and fast food and fewer fruit portions. (4) Conclusions: As far as we know, this is the first study from Romania that evaluated the eating habits of patients diagnosed with FH. Our study reveals that, although patients with FH avoid junk food, they still have a high intake of carbohydrates when compared to the control group. Further research is needed in order to get a comprehensive nutritional evaluation of these patients.     

Analysis of Dietary Habits and Nutritional Status of Children with Down Syndrome in the Context of Lipid and Oxidative Stress Parameters

Introduction: The risk of obesity in children with Down syndrome is high. Undoubtedly, proper nutrition plays an important role in the prevention of excess body weight and is associated with a reduction of metabolic complications. The aim of the study was to assess the problem of disturbances in the nutritional status and eating habits of children with DS. Methods: A total of 39 patients were included in the study. The nutritional status was assessed by anthropometric tests and Dual X-ray Absorptiometry. Eating habits were assessed using the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire and the Food Frequency Questionnaire. Blood samples were taken to determine the oxidative stress and lipid parameters. Results: Obesity was recognized in 15% of subjects and 23% were overweight. Children that were overweight were characterized by higher levels of triglycerides, atherogenic index of plasma, and apoA2 and apoE levels. Fat mass, fat mass/height² index, and visceral fat mass correlated with thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and advanced oxidative protein product level. The analysis of the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire showed that children struggling with being overweight were more interested in food compared to those with normal body weight. A positive correlation was identified between waist circumference and food interest categories. Insufficient consumption of dairy products, vegetables, whole grain products, as well as fruits, seeds, nuts, and fatty fish was noted. Patients were less likely to consume products that are a good source of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Conclusions: In children with Down syndrome and obesity, disturbances in lipid and oxidative stress parameters are observed. Abnormal eating habits in all children with Down syndrome regardless of their nutritional status were noted. Proper nutritional education, nutritional control, and management of metabolic problems are essential in this group of patients.     

京沪两地小学生早餐行为及影响因素分析

目的　了解京沪两地小学生早餐现状及影响早餐的行为因素 ,为深入研究小学生早餐问题 ,制定和开展“学生营养早餐计划”提供科学依据。方法　采用分层整群抽样方法 ,对北京、上海两个城市 86 88名 6～ 1 1岁学生的早餐行为进行问卷调查。调查内容包括家庭一般情况、饮食喜好、早餐食物选择、奶类摄入等情况。结果　小学生不能保证每天吃早餐的比例北京男生为 2 5.8% ,女生为 2 1 .6 % ;上海男生为 1 1 .4 % ,女生为 1 3.3%。学生不吃早餐的原因主要是没有食欲、没有时间吃和家长没时间做。学生早餐食物品种单调 ,质量较差。学生早餐 55%以上由母亲准备 ,食用早餐的地点以家里为主 ,其次为上学路上和饭馆或小摊。早餐费用在 2～ 3元之间。学生吃早餐的行为与其母亲的吃早餐行为密切相关 (P <0 .0 1 )。结论　京沪两地小学生的早餐质量均有待改善。应加强家长的营养知识教育 ,重视早餐 ,倡导合理营养。     

我国4城市儿童少年食用早餐频度和肥胖率关系分析

目的分析我国城市儿童少年食用早餐频度与肥胖率之间的关系，为制定肥胖干预措施提供理论依据。方法采用分层整群随机抽样的方法，从广州、上海、济南、哈尔滨等4城市的城区及近郊区抽取4～16岁的儿童少年及家长进行问卷调查，共调查9356名儿童及其家长，同时收集儿童少年的身高、体重资料。结果4城市儿童少年中每周食用早餐7次，5～6次，3．4次，1．2次和0次的比例分别为83．1％，10．6％，3．6％，1．6％和1．1％，其肥胖率依次为11．5％，13．7％，13．7％，13．1％和17．8％。每天食用早餐的儿童少年的肥胖率显著低于每天不吃早餐的儿童少年，不吃早餐的儿童少年发生肥胖的危险是每天食用早餐儿童少年的1．656倍。结论不吃早餐的儿童少年发生肥胖的危险性大于每天食用早餐的儿童少年。不吃早餐是影响儿童肥胖的一个独立危险因素。     

Factors Affecting Dental Caries Experience in 12-Year-Olds,Based on Data from Two Polish Provinces

(1) Background: Dental caries is a chronic disease that affects a child’s dentition from the first stages of life. Several factors contribute to the development of the disease, including an improper diet. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify risk factors of dental caries in 12-year-old adolescents from Greater Poland and Lubusz Provinces (Poland). (2) Material and methods: The research was conducted in adolescents from five primary schools. A questionnaire consisted of close-ended questions on socioeconomic characteristics on family, diet, and oral hygiene habits. An assessment of the dentition was carried out in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. In addition to cavitated carious lesions, incipient caries lesions were noted according to the International Caries Detection and Assessment System, adapted for epidemiological studies (ICDASepiDMFt). (3) Results: The mean number of teeth with untreated caries; removed due to caries; and restored because of caries (DMFt) was 1.52 ± 1.90, while the ICDASepiDMFt index amounted to 2.64 ± 2.55, respectively. Children who did not brush every day had significantly higher odds of having ICDASepiDMFt > 0 than children brushing at least once daily (OR = 10.32, 95% CI = 1.36–78.32, p = 0.0240). Adolescents who drank sweet carbonated drinks every day had significantly higher ICDASepiDMTt than children who drank sweet carbonated drinks less frequently (p = 0.0477). (4) Conclusions: The research revealed that dental caries indices of 12-year-old adolescents from Greater Poland and Lubusz Provinces depend mainly on oral hygiene behaviors. The only significant nutritional factor that differentiated the caries intensity was the daily consumption of sweet carbonated drinks.     

Consumption of Vegetables Is Associated with Systemic Inflammation in Older Adults

It is hypothesized that healthy diets rich in fruits and vegetables (FV) can modulate the inflammatory status in older adults. However, to determine the actual impact of FV on inflammatory status, adiposity level and objectively assessed physical activity (PA) behaviors need to be considered. The aim of the present study was to explore associations between FV intake and biomarkers of systemic inflammation in older adults. Based on a sample of 233 older adults (65–70 years old), the following inflammatory biomarkers were assessed: C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10, IL-18, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). FV intake was assessed by self-report, and PA behaviors encompassing time spent sedentary and in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) were determined using accelerometers. Associations between FV intake and inflammatory biomarkers were analyzed using stepwise linear regression models while adjusting for several covariates, including health-related food groups, adherence to the MVPA guidelines, total sedentary time, and waist circumference. While no significant associations were observed for the total FV intake, the vegetable intake was inversely associated with levels of IL6 (β = −0.15; p < 0.05). In contrast, fruit intake was not associated with any inflammatory biomarker. In conclusion, our findings indicate beneficial associations between vegetable intake and levels of a pro-inflammatory biomarker in older adults, which strengthens public health efforts to promote vegetable-rich diets in older adults to mitigate age-related systemic inflammation.     

分析探讨唾液pH值及个人生活行为习惯对患龋的影响

目的分析探讨唾液pH值及个人生活行为习惯对患龋的影响。方法筛选2013年1月—2014年1月于该院就诊的普通患者266例,作为研究对象。采集所有患者的唾液并测量其pH指标,调查患者的个人生活行为习惯,其中包括日常饮食、个人卫生及生活状态。并分析唾液pH值及个人生活行为习惯对龋齿发病的影响。结果 pH值由8下降到5时,患龋均数分别为（1.1±0.2）、（3.0±0.7）、（5.5±1.2）、（8.9±1.5）,表示患者唾液pH值越高则其龋齿发生数目、发生率越低;调查结果显示零食食用频率、刷牙次数、个人卫生习惯等均为龋齿发生的相对相关影响因素,在患龋发生率上比较存在显著差异。结论个人生活行为习惯是影响儿童或成年人患龋发生的主要因素,同时唾液pH值可作为龋齿发病的独立危险因素,针对纠正患者唾液pH及改善个人生活行为习惯可有效预防及控制龋齿的发生。     

皖西农村地区留守居民饮食习惯及其影响因素调查

目的 调查皖西农村地区留守居民的饮食习惯及其影响因素,为预防和控制一系列慢性病提供线索.方法 采用整群抽样方法从安徽六安三个地区抽取18个行政村,对4 040位留守居民进行饮食习惯问卷调查.结果 共收集有效问卷3 936份.本次调查发现:(1)92.53％的农民饮食规律,98.02％经常吃蔬菜;(2)较少摄入(7.93％～28.38％)酸、甜、油炸、加工食品等食品;(3)农民饮食偏咸(98.98％),爱吃腌制食品(74.87％),米/面等谷物摄入多(80.31％),半数以上农民经常吃肉类、热烫、辛辣等食品;(4)白肉、水果、牛奶等食品摄入很少;(5)性别、年龄、经济收入、文化程度和地区分布是很多饮食习惯的重要影响因素.结论 需重视农村留守居民这一个弱势群体,对农村居民的饮食习惯积极进行健康干预并引导预防和控制相关疾病.     

北京市小学4～6年级在校流动儿童卫生习惯现状及其影响因素

目的初步了解北京市小学4~6年级在校流动儿童卫生习惯的现状,分析影响卫生习惯形成的多方面因素;为进一步完善针对北京市小学在校流动儿童卫生习惯养成的健康教育机制提供依据与指导。方法在大量文献查阅的基础上编制自填式问卷;通过分层整群抽样方法在北京市共6所招收流动儿童为主的小学抽取4、5、6年级户籍为流动人口的小学生共516名,由项目组工作人员现场指导学生进行自填式问卷调查。结果共回收514份有效调查问卷,其中59.92%的流动儿童来自公立小学,40.08%来自私立打工子弟小学,其中男生占53.31%,女生占46.69%。多元线性回归统计结果显示,流动儿童卫生习惯得分女性高于男性(P0.01),公立学校高于私立学校(P0.01),抚养人文化程度好的高于抚养人文化程度差的(P0.05),家庭经济情况好的高于家庭经济情况差的(P0.01),卫生习惯知识掌握好的高于卫生习惯知识差的(P0.01)。结论流动儿童卫生习惯养成受性别、年龄、学校类型、抚养人文化程度、家庭经济情况和卫生习惯知识影响显著,私立打工子弟学校的低年级男学生应作为重点人群,相应组织开展有针对性的健康教育宣传教育工作。     

Dietary habits, ethanol and tobacco consumption as predictive factors in the development of esophageal carcinoma in patients with head and neck neoplasms

SUMMARY.  Patients with primary head and neck cancers have a higher risk of developing esophageal cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate esophageal cancer prevalence, its risk factors (ethanol and tobacco consumption) and dietary habits in patients with head and neck cancer. Three hundred and twenty-six adults with primary head and neck cancer were followed by a retrospective observational study in a general university hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Flexible videoendoscopy with lugol chromoscopy was the method used to investigate esophageal cancer prevalence. All subjects were interviewed face-to-face, revealing detailed information about their tobacco and alcohol use, as well as their dietary habits. Thirty-six patients with esophageal cancer were diagnosed and the overall prevalence rate was 11.04%. Patients who developed second esophageal tumors had the following characteristics: earlier age of initial ethanol consumption ( P  < 0.05), longer duration period of ethanol consumption ( P  < 0.05) and higher weekly consumption rate ( P  < 0.05). There was an increased risk of esophageal carcinoma in those patients who both smoked and drank ( P  < 0.05). There was no association between carcinoma of the esophagus and dietary habits in patients who developed esophageal neoplasms, compared with those who did not. Prevalence rate of esophageal neoplasms was 11.04% in patients with head and neck carcinoma, whose ethanol consumption was associated with esophageal cancer. There was an increased risk between ethanol and tobacco consumption and esophageal carcinoma development. On the other hand, there was no association regarding dietary habits between patients who developed esophageal cancer and those who did not.