Nutrition
-
A proposed cutoff point of waist-to-height ratio for metabolic risk in African township adolescents.
A waist:height ratio (WHtR) higher than 0.5 has been proposed as a cutoff point for abdominal obesity in both sexes and at all ages. It is unknown if this cutoff point is appropriate for previously undernourished adolescents. We assessed the cutoff value of the WHtR associated with an increased metabolic risk in 178 black South African 14- to 18-y-old adolescents (69 boys, 109 girls). ⋯ The WHtR cutoff to indicate metabolic risk for black South African adolescents is 0.41, which is lower than the proposed international cutoff of 0.5. The WHtR can be used for screening adolescents with components of the metabolic syndrome in intervention programs.
-
Arab populations lack data related to nutritional assessment in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), especially micronutrient deficiencies such as folate and vitamin B12. ⋯ These data showed that Omani children with ASDs exhibit significant deficiencies in folate and vitamin B12 and call for increasing efforts to ensure sufficient intakes of essential nutrients by children with ASDs to minimize or reverse any ongoing impact of nutrient deficiencies.
-
The effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Aloe vera (AV) gel on lipid profiles in rats with induced hypercholesterolemia were studied. ⋯ The combination of LGG and AV gel may have a therapeutic potential to decrease cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of zinc and iron supplementation fail to improve motor and language milestone scores of infants and toddlers.
To assess the effects of zinc and iron-folic acid supplementation on motor and language milestones in Nepali children. ⋯ After 1 y, neither zinc nor iron-folic acid supplementation in Nepali children improved the attainment of motor or language milestones.
-
Citrulline possesses a highly specific metabolism that bypasses splanchnic extraction because it is not used by the intestine or taken up by the liver. The administration of citrulline may be used to deliver available nitrogen for protein homeostasis in peripheral tissues and as an arginine precursor synthesized de novo in the kidneys and endothelial and immune cells. ⋯ Oral citrulline could be used to deliver arginine to the systemic circulation or as a protein anabolic agent in specific clinical situations, because recent data have suggested that citrulline, although not a component of proteins, stimulates protein synthesis in skeletal muscle through the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway. Hence, citrulline could play a pivotal role in maintaining protein homeostasis and is a promising pharmaconutrient in nutritional support strategies for malnourished patients, especially in aging and sarcopenia.