Waist circumference as high blood pressure predictor in school age children / Circunferência da cintura como preditora da pressão arterial elevada em escolares

Abstract Childhood hypertension is becoming more common with the increasing numbers of child obesity, which has encouraged new studies to identify a good anthropometric marker for high blood pressure levels. The objective this study was to identify the best anthropometric predictor of risk of hypertension in children between 8-10 years of age. The Children were evaluated for socioeconomic status and their blood pressure (BP), weight, height, waist circumference (WC) and percentage of body fat (PBF) were measured. The study included 445 children, of which 50.1% were females. The prevalence of obesity defined by body mass index (BMI) was 14.6%. Increased BP was found in 3.4% and 2.2% of the children, considering the pre-hypertension and hypertension classifications respectively. The arithmetic mean of BP value correlated significantly with BMI, WC and PBF. After height control, the correlations that were maintained significant were between WC and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and between WC and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The variable with the highest predictive power of the occurrence of hypertension was WC. The results indicate that, in this population of children between 8 and 10 years old, WC is a measurement of higher value in predicting increased BP.

Resumo A hipertensão na infância está aumentando com a epidemia de obesidade infantil, o que tem incentivado estudos para identificar um bom marcador antropométrico dos níveis pressóricos aumentados. O objetivo do presente estudo foi identificar o melhor preditor antropométrico de risco de hipertensão arterial em crianças entre 8 e 10 anos de idade. Foi realizada avaliação socioeconômica e aferidos pressão arterial (PA), peso, estatura, circunferência da cintura (CC) e percentual de gordura corporal (%GC). Das 445 crianças que participaram do estudo, 50,1% eram do sexo feminino. A prevalência de obesidade definida pelo índice de massa corporal (IMC) foi 14,6%. A PA aumentada foi observada em 3,4% e 2,2% das crianças, considerando as classificações pré-hipertensão e hipertensão, respectivamente. As médias dos valores pressóricos correlacionaram-se significativamente com IMC, CC, e %GC e, após o controle da estatura, as correlações que se mantiveram significativas foram entre CC e pressão arterial sistólica (PAS) e CC e pressão arterial diastólica (PAD). A variável que apresentou maior poder preditivo da ocorrência de hipertensão foi a CC. Os resultados indicam que na população estudada de crianças entre 8 e 10 anos de idade a CC é uma medida de valor superior para predizer PA aumentada.

Use of defatted flaxseed meal reduces precancerous colon lesions in C57BL/6 mice

PURPOSE: To investigate the hemopreventive effect of defatted flaxseed meal in C57BL/6 mice after induction of precancerous colon lesions with 1.2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). METHODS: Thirty-six 12-week-old C57BL/6 mice were divided into three treatment groups(n=12 in each group): (1) diet with 10% defatted flaxseed meal; (2) diet with defatted flaxseed meal and precancerous colon lesions induced by DMH; and (3) precancerous colon lesions induced by DMH, without defatted flaxseed meal. The incidence of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), oxidative processes, expression of tumor suppressor proteins and cyclins, as well as the profile of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in animal feces were investigated in the presence and absence of DMH. RESULTS: The rats consuming defatted flaxseed meals showed lesions with lower multiplicity and a reduced incidence of lesions. No changes in the expression of tumor suppressor proteins and those involved in cell cycle control were detected. CONCLUSION: Defatted flaxseed meal protected the distal colon of mice from precancerous lesions.