[Effect of nutrition education program on the recommended weight gain in during pregnancy application of health belief model: a randomized clinical trial]

Nutrition in pregnancy has an important role in fetus and mother health, and also in the pregnancy outcome. One of the significant changes related to nutrition is weight gain of pregnant women as one of the influencing indicators which is measured by Body Mass Index [BMI]. This study was conducted to determine nutritional education effect upon pregnancy weight gain in pregnant women on the basis of health belief model [HBM] in Gonabad, Iran. This is a quasi-experimental randomized and controlled study on 110 pregnant women referring to health centers in Gonabad, Iran. They were divided into experimental and control groups who participated in the study, in the year of 2009. The data of two groups were collected by reliable and valid questionnaires during the first part of pregnancy care in pre-test stage. Then, two educational sessions were held for the experimental group. Post test was done for both groups in the last stage of pregnancy care, and the data were analyzed by paired T, T independent, the correlation coefficient, Mann-Whitney, and Chi-square. A p<0.05 was considered to be significant. No significant differences were found between the education, parity, abortion, jobs and the mean age of the two groups. After the intervention, the mean score of knowledge, perceived susceptibility, severity, threat, benefits and barriers and nutritional behavior in the experimental group, significantly changed in the control group [p<0.01]. Moreover, statistical analyses showed a significant difference between the two groups in gaining recommended weight in pregnancy. While 77.78% of the experimental group members achieved recommend MBI, just 32.29% of those in the control group had a gain in this criterion. This study proved that HBM application in nutritional education was successfully effective to gain recommended weight in pregnancy, so that increasing suitable weight gain reached maximum and un-standardized weight gain reached minimum in accordance with women BMI

Nutritional and biochemical status of copper, zinc, Zn/Cu ratio, iron and iron stores, in hyperlipidemic and healthy men

There are evidences suggesting associations between serum Cu, Zn/Cu, Fe and ferritin and hyperlipidemia. Considering the increasing prevalence of hyperlipidemia, the objective of this study was to determine and compare serum Zn, Zn/Cu, Fe and ferritin status in normo- and hyperlipidemic men. This cross-sectional study investigated 96 adult men divided into three groups [32 persons in each group] according to their lipid profiles [hypercholestrolemic, hypercholestrolemic + hypertriglyceridemic, normolipidemic]. For all subjects, 10cc samples of fasting venous blood samples were obtained. Serum lipids and iron were measured using the enzymatic method. Serum levels of copper and zinc were measured by atomic absorption spec, and ferritin by Elisa. Dietary intakes were estimated using a 24-hr recall and 2 days dietary records. Dietary data were analyzed using the food processor II software. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software. Iron intake was considerably higher in the hypercholestrolemic + hypertriglyceridemic group, compared to normolipidemic subjects [28.9 +/- 1.6 mg vs 23.2 +/- 1.8 mg, p < 0.05]. Iron serum levels in the hypercholesterolemic [99.3 +/- 2.9 micro g/dL] and hypercholestrolemic + hypertriglyceridemic [122 +/- 5.8 micro g/dL] groups were significantly higher than healthy males [85 +/- 9.3 micro g/dL] [p < 0.05]. There were no differences between the other variables among study groups. Considering the changes of iron status in the hyperlipidemic group in this study, it is recommended that serum and dietary status of iron shoud be evaluated in these individuals

effect of consuming eggs enriched with omega-3 fatty acid on plasma lipid and blood pressure

Background and Purpose: Hyperlipidemia, particularly hypercholesterolemia, is commonly accepted as a major risk factor for atherosclerosis and coronary heart diseases. Egg yolk is one of the richest sources of dietary cholesterol in human nutrition. As egg yolk has relatively lower cholesterol level in eggs enriched with Omega-3, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of consuming eggs enriched with omega-3 fatty acids on serum lipid profile and blood pressure

Methods and Materials: In this quasi-experimental research, twenty-six [8 male and 18 female] university students were randomly selected from healthy volunteers for this study. Two well-cooked moderately sized eggs were added to the subjects' breakfast in addition to their regular diet for 4 weeks. Anthropometric and metabolic measurements, their intake of energy, and other nutrients were compared using paired t-test in SPSS before and after the new diet was given

Results: The consumption of enriched eggs for 4 weeks [2 eggs per day] significantly decreased the average level of triglyceride [p=0.0001], systolic [p=0.0001] and diastolic [p=0.001] blood pressures from 93.8 mg/dl, 117.3 mmHg, and 78.84 mmHg before the new diet to 67.5 mg/dl, 95.38 mmHg, and 69.46 mmHg, respectively, after consuming eggs. However, HDL-C [p=0.0001], PUFA [p=0.03], and cholesterol intake [p=0.0001] significantly increased from 46.26 mg/dl, 20.3 gr/day and 231.1 gr/day to 65.6 mg/dl, 25.7 gr/day and 510.1 gr/day, respectively, at the end of the study. No significant changes were found in other parameters

Conclusion: The enrichment of eggs with omega-3 fatty acids raises HDL-C levels and decreased the triglyceride and blood pressure