[Nutritional status and associated non-dietary factors in the elderly living in nursing homes of Tehran and Shemiranant, 2004]

To determine nutritional status and associated non-dietary factors in the elderly living in nursing homes of Tehran and Shemiranat, 2004. In a cross-sectional study that used two-stage cluster sampling, 290 elderly subjects were randomly selected from 15 nursing homes. We measured anthropometric indices and filled the MNA questionnaire] Mini Nutritional Assessment] and another one dealing with non-dietary factors associated with nutritional status. We calculated the total MNA score for nutritional status and determined the correlations between factors and total point were analyzed. In this survey, 12.8% of the subjects were malnourished and 56.2% were at risk of malnutrition. Data analysis indicated that the use of drugs, psychological stress or acute disease, mobility, neuropsychological problems, depression, time spend, self assessment of nutritional and health status had significant relationship with nutritional status as measured by the MNA. According to high percentage of malnourished subjects and those at risk of malnutrition, nutritional interventions seem necessary. In addition, to diagnose early malnutrition; we suggest filling the MNA questionnaire for every elderly person upon admission to the nursing home

effect of a nutritional teaching booklet concerning breakfast on the knowledge of fourth grade girls: Tehran's sixth educational and teaching district

Nutrition as an important factor in health can be effective in educational success of students. Malnourished students have less concentration and attention. Lack of breakfast consumption for a long period has negative effect in behavior and health. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of a nutritional teaching booklet about breakfast on the knowledge of fourth grade girls at Tehran's 6th educational and teaching district. This interventional study performed on 100 fourth grade girls from 10 schools in Tehran city, randomly divided into two groups; case who received booklet and control group. Subject: At first a pretest of knowledge was done for all the students [case and control]. The case group was given the booklet to read by themselves. No teaching provided for the control group. A knowledge posttest was performed two weeks later. Two types of questionnaires [general and knowledge] were used to collect data. The following methods were used: chi-square test for comparing case and control groups from the aspect of independent variables, pair t- test for comparing the knowledge scores between case and control groups and one-way ANOVA for assessment of independent variables effect on the mean difference of knowledge in samples. The mean score of knowledge in the case group against the control increased 2.22 [p < 0.001]. The one-way ANOVA method showed that none of the independent variables [family size, parents' career and educational level, dinner breakfast sleeping and waking up time, the person who prepares breakfast at home, breakfast consumption status in other members of family] had significant effect on the mean of the knowledge scores' difference. The results of this study showed the nutritional teaching booklet about breakfast caused an increase in the knowledge of this age group of girl students

[Effect of 2-week ascorbic acid supplementation on plasma lead levels in workers occupationally exposed to lead]

The role of ascorbic acid [AA] in plasma lead reduction under lead exposure conditions, has been investigated in both human and animal studies for several decades. These studies had contradictory results, especially concerning lead toxicokinetics. This investigation has been performed to study the effects of ascorbic acid supplementation on plasma lead levels of workers who were occupationally exposed to lead. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo- controlled clinical trial, a total of 24 men were randomly divided into two similar groups. Each group received one of the following daily supplements for two weeks 1000mg AA in cases and placebo [starch] in controls. At baseline, at the end of the 2 week supplementation, and also 4 weeks after the end of the supplementation, plasma and total blood ascorbic-acid levels as well as plasma lead levels were measured. The differences between the ascorbic acid, blood lead as well as plasma lead levels in 2 groups and also in different stages were assessed. Results indicated that at the end of a 2 week supplementation, lead plasma levels in cases significantly decreased compared to those of the controls [p<0.05] and also to baseline levels [p<0.01]. In addition, 4 weeks after the end of the supplementation, plasma levels of lead decreased significantly in case group compared to those of the controls [p<0.05] and also to baseline levels [p<0.05]. Using AA supplementation can be considered as a useful harmless, economical and convenient prophylactic agent for lead-exposed population

Plasma level of antioxidant vitamins and lipid peroxidation in breast cancer patients

Oxidative stress arises when there is an imbalance between reactive oxygen species [ROSs] and scavenging capacity of antioxidants, and it can induce and progress many diseases such as breast cancer. The present study was conducted to investigate the status of plasma antioxidative vitamins [E and C] and lipid peroxidation on 50 untreated breast cancer patients and 50 healthy age-matched women. The results revealed that plasma vitamin E and vitamin E adjusted for the sum of cholesterol and triglycerides decreased significantly in patients group [P< 0.05]. We could also observe that vitamin E adjusted for lipid was significantly different in various stages of breast cancer. On the other hand, the level of malondialdehyde increased significantly in patients as compared to the controls [P <0.05]. There were no significant changes in plasma vitamin C between two groups. According to the findings, attention to the level of plasma antioxidant vitamins and lipid peroxidation is of great importance to promote the level of health in women suffering from breast cancer

Survey of the nutritional status and relationship between physical activity and nutritional attitude with index of BMI-for-age in Semnan girl secondary school, winter and spring, 2004

Nutritional status assessment of adolescents is very important because of the physiologic changes and rapid increase in the growth rate. The attitude of the adolescent toward food and nutrition is also a primary component of a comprehensive evaluation. There is no enough information available about adolescence nutritional status and associated factors in adolescent of different area of Iran specially in Semnan. Thus this study with object of determining of the nutrition status and relationship between physical activity and nutritional attitude with index of BMI-for-age in Semnan girl secondary school inducted. In a cross-sectional study, using two stage cluster sampling 256 girl students aged 14-15 year old were randomly selected from 8 Semnan secondary schools. Weight and height were measured and BMI was calculated. Nutritional status was defined by indice of BMI-for-age, weight-for-age, height-for-age from reference CDC 2000, as having <5th percentile [wasting or stunting], between 5th and 85th [normal], between 85th and 95th percentile [overweight or tall] and >/= 95th [obese]. Physical activity and nutritional attitude were collected by questionnaires. In this survey high percent of students, respectively 8.6% and 9% were wasting and stunting [expected 5%].Overweight rate according to index BMI-for-age was 11.7% [expected 10%]. Data analyzed indicated that score physical activity and mean nutritional attitude had significant relationship with index of BMI-for-age in girl's pupils. Overweight, specially wasting and stunting rate in Semnan girl secondary school was high and preventive actions like, make physical activity enjoyable and education to increase nutritional attitude level are necessary to induct