Nutrition research
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Comparative Study
Dietary intake and nutritional status of vegetarian and omnivorous preschool children and their parents in Taiwan.
The aim of this study was to assess and compare dietary intake and nutritional status of vegetarian and omnivorous preschool children and their parents. Fifty-six omnivores (28 children and 28 parents) and 42 vegetarians (21 preschool children with 18 lacto-ovo-vegetarians and 3 ovo-vegetarians; 21 parents with 16 lacto-ovo-vegetarians, 2 ovo-vegetarians, 1 lacto-vegetarian, and 2 vegans) were recruited. Anthropometric measurements were taken; body mass index and weight-for-height index (WHI) were calculated. ⋯ However, both vegetarian parents and children had significantly lower mean total cholesterol and serum ferritin concentrations than those of omnivorous parents and children. Our vegetarian and omnivorous preschool children had normal growth and adequate nutritional status. However, both parents and children had inadequate calcium intakes, which may potentially affect bone health, especially for preschool children in the growing stage.
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Because of the restricted intake of high-biologic-value protein, children with phenylketonuria (PKU) may have lower than normal plasma concentrations of copper, zinc, and selenium. The purpose of the present study was to investigate erythrocyte zinc levels and serum copper and selenium levels in children and adolescents with PKU by analyzing the relation between their diet and the laboratory profiles of these elements. The study was conducted in 32 children and adolescents with PKU, who were on a special diet. ⋯ Metabolic formulas were the only source of 86.9% of the zinc, 65.6% of the copper, and 32.4% of the selenium. Despite this, there was no significant correlation between the zinc formula supply and erythrocyte zinc levels (rho = -0.143, P = .435) or the supply and serum levels for copper (rho = -0.117, P = .523) and selenium (rho = 0.113, P = .538). These results suggest that Brazilian patients with PKU present with low ingestion levels, low serum selenium levels, and low erythrocyte zinc levels.
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This article describes the use of operations research methods to study the minimum possible cost of a low-carbohydrate diet. The study compares this cost to the minimum cost of a diet with no limitation on carbohydrate. The rationale for this study is the popularity of the low-carbohydrate diets and their perceived high cost. ⋯ Furthermore, the minimum cost of a diet low in both carbohydrate and fat is 5 to 10 times the cost of the cheapest diet, depending on the relative amounts of these nutrients. As carbohydrate and fat are constrained, cost increases dramatically and nonlinearly. The study identifies which nutrients had the greatest effect on cost for a low-carbohydrate and low-fat diet.