Evaluation of relationship between nutritional status and oral health related quality of life in complete denture wearers

The prevalence of malnutrition increases with old age, especially in developing countries like India, and it is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality, because of many factors out of which dentate status is one. Aim and Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate and determine the effect of nutritional status and dietary intake on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) of elderly edentulous complete denture-wearing patients and to know whether elderly complete denture wearers have a higher risk of malnutrition. The objective was to assess the need to include dietary and nutritional counseling during prosthodontic rehabilitation of elderly edentulous patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 elderly denture-wearing patients above 60 years of age from Nagpur, Maharashtra. Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire was used to assess nutritional status, and Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) questionnaire was used to determine the OHRQOL of these patients. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data using SPSS version 21 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results: Among the assessed participants, nearly 95% of them had total scores of GOHAI between 12 and 57 which require “needed dental care.” As per MNA, 10.5% had adequate nutrition, 70% were at risk of malnutrition, and remaining 19.5% of participants were malnourished. There was a significant correlation between GOHAI and MNA scores. Conclusion: Low nutritional status was associated with the poor OHRQOL among the elderly. A strong association was found between mean GOHAI and MNA scores and thereby nutritional status and OHRQOL. The use of conventional dentures increases the risk of malnutrition in the elderly due to inability to eat and chew food properly. Dietary analysis and counseling should be strictly incorporated into geriatric treatment planning during prosthetic rehabilitation.

The Importance of Nutritional Assessment and Dietary Counseling in Infants and Young Children with Common Illnesses / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

The influence of nutrition during early life on physical growth as well as mental development has been thoroughly discussed in the literature. The physical dimensions of the body are greatly influenced by nutrition, particularly during the period of rapid growth in early childhood. Nutritional status affects every pediatric patient's response toillness. Good nutrition is important for achieving normal growth and development. It is indicated that permanent impairment of the central nervous system may result from dietary restriction of imbalance during certain periods of life. If children under 3 years of age show a good nutritional status, it may be assumed that they are well nourished. Several common diseases of children such as iron deficiency, chronic constipation and atopic dermatitis are known food related diseases. Patients with chronic illness and those at risk of malnutrition should have detailed nutritional assessments done. Components of a complete nutritional assessment include a medical history, nutritional history including dietary intake, physical examination, anthropometrics (weight, length or stature, head circumference, midarm circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness), pubertal staging, skeletal maturity staging, and biochemical tests of nutritional status. The use of age, gender, and disease-specific growth charts is essential in assessing nutritional status and monitoring nutrition interventions. Nutrition assessment and dietary counseling is helpful for the cure of disease, and moreover, the prevention of illness.

Dietary counseling on long-term weight loss in overweight hypertensive patients

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate long-term weight loss in overweight hypertensive patients receiving dietary counseling. METHODS: Longitudinal study included overweight hypertensive patients who had an initial individual consultation with a nutritionist between January 2002 and December 2005 and were followed for four years in a hypertension clinic. Patients who had at least four consultations during the follow-up period were included in the dietary counseling group. Those who scheduled their first consultation but missed that appointment or had fewer than four consultations during the follow-up period were allocated to the control group. Target Energy intake was calculated at 20-25 kcal/kg actual body weight/day. RESULTS: The study included 102 patients aged 55 + 1 years old (58 in the dietary counseling group). As compared with the control group, patients in the dietary counseling group showed a significantly greater reduction in body weight (-3.6 + 0.8 vs. 0.8 + 0.7 kg), which remained significant after controlling for age, gender, baseline body mass index, and the use of different antihypertensive and antidiabetic drugs. Weight loss between 5.0 percent and 9.9 percent was observed in a significantly higher percentage of patients in the dietary counseling group (28 percent vs. 11 percent). A weight loss of at least 10 percent was only observed in dietary counseling group patients, who had a significantly lower odds ratio for increasing the number and/or dosage of antihypertensive agents, even after controlling for age, gender, and baseline body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary counseling may be associated with long-term weight loss in overweight hypertensive patients.

Development of Program Based on the Website for Individual Meal Planning / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to develop the website-based program for individual meal planning. The program consisted of the basic information of clients, dietary habits, analysis of nutrient intakes and menu planning. The first part of the program consisted of general information such as general characteristics and anthropometric data of clients. The second part was designed to investigate the dietary habits, food intake frequency, nutrition knowledge, and drinking and smoking habits of the clients. The third part consisted of analysis of nutrient intakes including three major nutrients, calorie intake by foods and alcohol, and ratio of individual fatty acid intake. Nutrient intakes was evaluated by comparing with dietary reference intakes. In the final part, the program included the menu planning by using standard recipe. This system was also designed to insert, remove or change the food items or amount according to the user need. It is expected that the development of a meal planning system based on the internet can facilitate the professional dietary counseling, and thus help to improve the health of people.