ABSTRACT
Background: The close relationship between diet and disease emphasizes the need for optimal diet evaluation. The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency by which each of Healthy Eating Index [HEI]-2010, Diet Quality Index-International [DQI], Mediterranean Diet Score [MDS], and Diet Diversity Score [DDS] evaluates the diet
Methods: In a cross-sectional design, 438 adults aged 20-50 years were recruited. Dietary intakes were assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. HEI-2010, DQI, MDS, and DDS were calculated and scored according to their corresponding criteria
Results: Energy [1917 +/- 554 kcal to 2898 +/- 933 kcal], saturated fats [17.0 +/- 6.8 g to 28.1 +/- 11.5 g], and cholesterol [244 +/- 195 g to 414 +/- 343 g] increased across tertiles of DDS and energy [2017 +/- 699 kcal to 2621 +/- 748 kcal] increased across tertiles of DQI. In contrast, saturated fats decreased [23.9 +/- 12.0 g to 20.8 +/- 8.1 g for HEI- 2010 and 23.7 +/- 10.0 g to 20.5 +/- 10.4 g for MDS], but energy and cholesterol did not change significantly across tertiles of HEI-2010 and MDS. Other nutrients either did not change or changed appropriately across tertiles of the different indices
Conclusion: DDS and, to a less extent, DQI may not be good indicators of healthy diet especially in terms of obesity and cardiovascular diseases
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Middle Aged , Diet, Healthy , Energy Intake , Cross-Sectional Studies , Surveys and Questionnaires , FoodABSTRACT
Background: Dietary pattern is an effective way of studying the effect of diet on diseases. We investigated the association between dietary patterns and blood pressure [BP] in adults aged 20-50 years
Methods: In a cross-sectional design, 418 individuals were selected through stratified multistage random sampling from households living in different regions of Shiraz. Information on demographic characteristics, anthropometric features, dietary intakes, and systolic [SBP] and diastolic [DBP] blood pressure was gathered. Dietary patterns were determined using a validated food frequency questionnaire
Results: Three dietary patterns were specified: vegetable [high in vegetables and legumes], Western-like [high in meat, sugar sweetened beverages, salty and sweet snacks, refined grains, high-fat dairy], and Mediterranean-like [rich in low-fat dairy, fruit, vegetables, nuts, olive, fish, and low in hydrogenated fats]. After adjustment for confounders, Mediterranean-like dietary pattern had an inverse association with SBP [beta =-0.24; 95% CI: -5.25, -1.27] and DBP [beta =-0.17; 95% CI: -3.65, -0.20] in males but not females. Vegetable and Western-like dietary patterns were not associated with BP in either sex after adjusting for confounders. Positive relationships were observed between BP and body mass index [r=0.28 and 0.33 for SBP and DBP, P<0.001], waist circumference [r=0.51 and 0.45 for SBP and DBP, P<0.001], and waist-to-hip ratio [r=0.54 and 0.44 for SBP and DBP, P<0.001]. Dietary energy and carbohydrates were positively and fats inversely associated with BP. Among micronutrients, vitamin E had a significant inverse association with BP
Conclusion: Mediterranean-like dietary pattern may lower the risk of hypertension in Shiraz males
ABSTRACT
Background: Vitamin D deficiency is implicated in a wide range of pathological situations including cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25[OH]D] and risk factors of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases
Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted on 169 adults [88 males, 81 females] aged 19-52 years living in Shiraz, Iran. Anthropometric characteristics and blood pressure were measured using standard methods. Blood samples were collected in fasting state for determination of blood glucose, lipids, and 25[OH]D. Data were analyzed with one-way analysis of variance and linear regression using SPSS software
Results: Serum 25[OH]D concentrations were considerably higher in males. One third of females had vitamin D deficiency [25[OH]D <10 ng/ml] while one third of males exhibited 25[OH]D levels >50 ng/ml. In males, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and metabolic syndrome score increased and high-density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol decreased across tertiles of serum 25[OH]D. On the contrary, in females body mass index [BMI] and metabolic syndrome score decreased and HDL cholesterol increased across tertiles of 25[OH]D. Linear regression, after controlling for confounding factors, showed that diastolic blood pressure [B=0.07; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.11; P=0.006], triglycerides [B=0.54; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.85; P=0.001], and metabolic syndrome score [B=0.01; 95% CI: 0.001, 0.01; P=0.02] positively and HDL cholesterol [B=-0.05; 95% CI: -0.09, -0.01; P=0.02] inversely associated with tertiles of 25[OH] D concentrations in males. In contrast, BMI [B=-0.06; 95% CI: -0.11, -0.02; P=0.01], waist circumference [B= -0.12; 95% CI:- 0.23, -0.01; p=0.04], and metabolic syndrome score [B=-0.02; 95% CI:-0.03, -0.01; P=0.01] were inversely and HDL-C [B=0.16; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.31; P=0.02] positively associated with 25[OH] D tertiles in females
Conclusion: The results suggest that both low and upper normal levels of 25[OH]D are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome
ABSTRACT
Obesity is an epidemic nutritional disease caused mainly by excessive dietary intake and/or insufficient exercise. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between a number of demographic characteristics and eating habits with prevalence of overweight and obesity in hospital employees. The study was cross-sectional performed on employees of Namazi Hospital in Shiraz, Iran. Subjects were selected from different departments of the hospital. Demographic characteristics, eating habits, and exercise were questioned by interview. Overweight and obesity was defined as a body mass index >/= 25 kg/m[2]. The rate of overweight/obesity was 30.2%. Among demographic characteristics, only age [OR=5.6 for older ages, p=0.001] and sex [OR=0.4 for females, p=0.04] were significantly associated with overweight/obesity. Skipping breakfast was not associated with overweight/obesity, but skipping meals [OR=2.8, p=0.08] and consuming >/= 3 snacks per day [OR=0.2, p=0.05] had associations with it, although non-significantly. Performing >/= 60 min/day [but not >/= 45 min/day] exercise was associated with a lower risk of overweight/obesity [OR=0.1, p=0.01]. The association between exercise and overweight/obesity existed in both sexes, but the association between skipping meals and obesity was present only in females [OR=3.8, p=0.05]. Females skipped meals especially breakfast more frequently than males [p=0.001] but snack consumption and exercise was not statistically different between the two sexes. Eating 3 meals and at least 3 snacks per day and performing 1 hour or more exercise may be introduced as helpful strategies in prevention of obesity
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Background: The association between snacking patterns, sleep hours, and physical activity with growth status and appetite of preschool children was investigated
Methods: Sixty three children aged 3-7 years with low appetite and weight for age ratio below the 25[th] percentile were enrolled from those referring to Nader Kazemi Polyclinic in Shiraz. Information regarding the parents' education, sleep hours, physical activity, appetite, and snacking patterns was obtained by interview. Height and weight were measured and energy intake was estimated by 2-day food recall. Appetite was rated on a 5-point scale based on the maternal report
Results: Mother's education, the number of children in the household, and physical activity were not associated with either growth failure, energy intake, or appetite, but the fathers' education more than Diploma was associated with higher energy intake in children [P=0.015]. Children who slept <11 hours a day had higher energy intake [P=0.026] but worse weight status [P=0.015]. Children who always ate snacks close to the main meals had significantly higher energy intake but more severe growth failure. High consumption of fruit drinks, cakes, and potato chips was associated with exacerbated growth faltering whereas nuts consumption was related to better height status. None of the evaluated parameters was associated with children's appetite
Conclusion: Overall, the results suggest the importance of sufficient sleep, limited consumption of snacks, and the type and time of snack consumption in growth of children with poor appetite. Nutritious snacks such as nuts may be more beneficial than nutrient-poor snacks for growth of children
ABSTRACT
Snacks are important parts of diabetes patients' diet. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of moderate amounts of dates and raisins, as nutritious snacks, on blood glucose, and to compare these effects with sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. This crossover clinical trial was performed on 15 patients with type 2 diabetes. In each experimental day, fasting blood glucose [FBG] was initially measured, and a breakfast containing 90 g bread was consumed. Two hours later, blood glucose was measured. Then a snack containing 15 g available carbohydrate from dates, raisins, or sugar was given, and postprandial blood glucose was measured at 30, 60, and 120 min. The procedure was performed on 3 days, each day with one of the aforementioned snacks. Comparisons between the different snacks were done with the Friedman's test. Consumption of dates, raisins, or sugar did not increase blood glucose [alterations in blood glucose at 30 min compared to the time point before snack consumption were -2.23 +/- 32.0, -6.33 +/- 24.3, and -2.30 +/- 16.9 for dates, raisins, and sugar, respectively], and there was no significant difference between the snacks in blood glucose levels at any time point after their consumption, and also in the area under the curve of blood glucose alterations. In moderate quantities, the effects of dates, raisins and sugar on the blood glucose of diabetes patients were similar. However, considering their nutrient content, dates and raisins may be more suitable snacks than sugar for patients with type 2 diabetes
ABSTRACT
Background: Malnutrition is one of the most common hazards which compromise children's health. Previous studies have reported high rates of malnutrition in Kohkilouyeh and Boyer Ahmad
Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of child malnutrition in Yasuj and to explore the association between family characteristics and malnutrition
Methods: Data were collected from healthcare files of 285 infants aged 18 months and younger in Yasuj health care centers. Data included demographic information and anthropometric measurements at birth and at the last referral to health centers
Results: Rates of underweight, stunting, wasting, and low head circumference at birth were 17.9%, 13.4%, 27.8%, and 19%, and at the last referral they were 22.5%, 11.3%, 29%, and 15.5%, respectively. The frequency of underweight and wasting had significantly increased and that of stunting and low head circumference significantly decreased during the period between birth and the last referral. Birth wasting was significantly more common in younger mothers, families with fewer children, and shorter birth interval. Birth underweight and small head circumference was significantly associated with shorter birth interval. Child stunting was related to father's education level and child wasting was associated with mother's education. Parents' education did not have any association with birth malnutrition
Conclusion: Wasting appeared to be the major form of malnutrition among infants in Yasuj. It was very high at birth, and continued to elevate after birth. Elevating educational level of parents [over Diploma], educating parents to keep sufficient interval between pregnancies, and paying more attention to young mothers and those who are delivering their first baby are among strategies to ameliorate child wasting