[Knowledge and Practice of the students in Tabriz about iron deficiency and iron supplementation]

Iron supplements, is the most cost effective and common strategy used in developed countries for the control of iron deficiency. Weekly iron supplementation programs in high schools and middle schools for girls in 2006, has been carried out. This study aimed to determine the status and practice of female students about iron deficiency and iron supplementation and its relation to personal and social factors. In this cross-sectional study in 2012, 920 pupils from 10 schools were questioned. The questionnaire included demographic information and questions about knowledge and practice. School choice as a quota of five school districts in Tabriz took place. Collected data was analysed by SPSS 13, using inferential statistics methods. The mean [SD] scores of students was 52.4 [13] and practice score was 63.4 [11.3], respectively. 61.6% of the students stated that they "often or always" use tablet distribution. 8% of the sample stated that they had "never" iron distribution in their schools. The most common reason for not taking the tablets was expressed color and taste of the tablets. For better and more effective implementation of iron supplementation programs in schools, iron supplementation and nutrition education classes for students or their mothers and distribution of quality iron tablets are required

[Effect of moderate-carbohydrate and low-calorie diet on metabolic risk factors, liver enzymes and sonographic findings in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD]]

At present, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] as the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome is the most common chronic liver disease. Although there is no cure for it yet, it is considered a priority among approaches for lifestyle modifications. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of moderate-carbohydrate, low-calorie diet in patients with NAFLD. A total of 19 overweight or obese subjects with NAFLD were studied for 6 weeks in a randomized controlled clinical trial. A low-calorie moderate-carbohydrate diet [55% energy from carbohydrate] was designed based on dietary habits, age, gender, height and weight of patients. At beginning and end of the study, biochemical parameters including fasting glucose, liver enzymes, insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein [HDL-C] and low-density lipoprotein [LDL-C] cholesterol were assessed and height, weight and blood pressure were measured. Data were analyzed by SPSS software. The average age was 38.94 +/- 8.56 years and body mass index [BMI] was 29.44 +/- 2.88 kg/m2. After six weeks of dietary intervention, weight, fasting glucose levels and enzyme aspartate amino transferase [AST] decreased significantly and HDL cholesterol increased. Hepatic ultrasound findings also showed a relative improvement in 6 patients, and one patient who had a complete remission, statistical significance borderline [p=0.055]. The findings of the present study suggest the role of carbohydrate in low-calorie diets, which significantly improved metabolic status of the liver in NAFLD patients, in more than one third of the subjects over a period of 6 weeks

[Pattern of diet and supplement consumption among multiple sclerotic patients pre and post diagnosis and their attitudes toward the effects of these parameters on disease progression]

Multiple Sclerosis [MS] is one of the central nervous system white matter disorders, with variable prevalence in various districts. Some researches proposed the probable effects of diet as a risk factor in the etiology and control of MS due to its variety of patterns in diverse cultures and regions. Determination of the MS patients' dietary habits, before and after diagnosis of the disease and their attitude toward the effect of dietary parameters on the disease progression. In this cross-sectional study, A total of 166 confirmed MS patients referred to Tabriz MS society during 2005 to 2006 were assessed by a pretested questionnaire composed of 3 sections of questions about demographic informations, dietary habits pre and post disease diagnosis, weight and appetite changes and also changes in dietary patterns after diagnosis. Data were analyzed by t-student test and qi2 in SPSS version 16. A total of 122 women and 44 men participated with the mean age of 31.97 +/- 9.21 years, and the mean age of diagnosis 28.33 +/- 8.84 years, in this study. As revealed, 79.8% of the patients didn't change their dietary patterns mainly because of their inattention to probable effect of nutrition on symptoms of disease in 80% of cases. There was a significant change in the type of using oil that reduced the disease severity among 50% of the patients. Also, there was a significant increase in the usage of dietary supplement and fish oil and a significant decrease in tendency toward egg, sugar, and pickles, following the disease. The patients suggested that fruits, milk, olive and its oil, vegetables, fish and nuts are sequentially alleviating the symptoms but pickles, hot [chilli] foods, confectionary products, fried foods, conserved food and red meat aggrevating the symptoms. From patients' viewpoints, dietary patterns and supplements are somehow effective on the symptoms of multiple sclerosis

Association between modifiable lifestyle factors and inflammatory markers in patients with metabolic syndrome

There is accumulating evidence suggesting that inflammation is the bridging link between cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Recent studies have shown a relationship between inflammatory markers and modifiable lifestyle factors including fitness, diet, exercise and smoking. We carried out a cross-sectional study of 195 patients with metabolic syndrome. Data on nutritional intake, physical activity level and smoking habits were collected through a questionnaire. Weight and body composition were determined and C-reactive protein and interluekin-6 concentrations were measured. C-reactive protein level had a significant association with body mass index [r = 0.18], adiposity [r = 0.23], smoking [r = 0.20], carbohydrate intake [r = 0.19] and saturated fatty acid [r = 0.20]. Interluekin-6 concentration was significantly correlated with dietary carbohydrate [r = 0.15], saturated fatty acid [r = 0.15] and glycaemic load [r = 0.15]. No association was observed between physical activity level and inflammatory markers