Nutrition
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Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a serious public health problem worldwide. In clinical studies, weight loss has been reported in 11% to 29% of patients treated with pegylated interferon-α-2a/2b. Few reports have tried to explain such a weight loss. The aim of this study was to evaluate nutritional status, body composition, and resting energy expenditure (REE) in patients with chronic hepatitis C before and during treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. ⋯ Our study of patients with hepatitis C treatment showed that these patients had significant weight loss and this was not associated with changes in energy expenditure. However, we observed a significant decrease in energy intake, pointing to a possible need for intervention measures to decrease the damage.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Postprandial substrate use in overweight subjects with the metabolic syndrome after isomaltulose (Palatinose™) ingestion.
Dietary interventions with a low glycemic index have shown to be successful for the prevention and therapy of the metabolic syndrome. In the present study, we investigated the postprandial metabolic response at rest and during physical activity the low glycemic carbohydrate isomaltulose (Palatinose™) intake compared with a conventional carbohydrate (glucose syrup/sucrose [glc/suc]) with a higher glycemic index. ⋯ In obese subjects with insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome, the partial substitution of carbohydrates with a higher glycemic index in foods and drinks by Palatinose™ resulted in greater postprandial fat oxidation at rest and during physical activity. It is hypothesized that this increased fat oxidation may confer further benefits for long-term weight management and for an improvement in metabolic risk factors.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, cognition, and behavior in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a randomized controlled trial.
To determine the effects of an eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-rich oil and a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich oil versus an ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid-rich safflower oil (control) on literacy and behavior in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a randomized controlled trial. ⋯ Increases in erythrocyte ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically DHA, may improve literacy and behavior in children with ADHD. The greatest benefit may be observed in children who have comorbid learning difficulties.
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To estimate the prevalence of anemia and analyze the factors associated with anemia in elderly residents of long-term care institutions. ⋯ There is a high prevalence of anemia in the institutionalized elderly and hypoalbuminemia is a factor associated with this outcome. Interventions are necessary to promote improvements in the health and welfare of this population.
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Obesity is a serious health problem implicated in many metabolic disorders (i.e., hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease). We examined whether the mRNA of tested genes were linked to blood lipid concentrations and vascular endothelial function as features of obesity. ⋯ Significant upregulations of ARG1 and VLDLR were observed in the overweight condition and their expression levels are likely to be closely linked to the phenotypic biomarkers for obesity (disturbed lipid profiles and endothelial dysfunction).