RESUMO
Justification: In view of easy availability and increasing trend of consumption of fast foods and sugar sweetened beverages (fruit juicesand drinks, carbonated drinks, energy drinks) in Indian children, and their association with increasing obesity and related non-communicable diseases, there is a need to develop guidelines related to consumption of foods and drinks that have the potential toincrease this problem in children and adolescents. Objectives: To review the evidence and formulate consensus statements related toterminology, magnitude of problem and possible ill effects of junk foods, fast foods, sugar-sweetened beverages and carbonated drinks;and to formulate recommendations for limiting consumption of these foods and beverages in Indian children and adolescents. Process:A National Consultative group constituted by the Nutrition Chapter of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), consisting of variousstakeholders in private and public sector, reviewed the literature and existing guidelines and policy regulations. Detailed review ofliterature was circulated to the members, and the Group met on 11th March 2019 at New Delhi for a day-long deliberation on framing theguidelines. The consensus statements and recommendations formulated by the Group were circulated to the participants and aconsensus document was finalized. Conclusions: The Group suggests a new acronym ‘JUNCS’ foods, to cover a wide variety ofconcepts related to unhealthy foods (Junk foods, Ultra-processed foods, Nutritionally inappropriate foods, Caffeinated/colored/carbonated foods/beverages, and Sugar-sweetened beverages). The Group concludes that consumption of these foods and beveragesis associated with higher free sugar and energy intake; and is associated with higher body mass index (and possibly with adversecardiometabolic consequences) in children and adolescents. Intake of caffeinated drinks may be associated with cardiac and sleepdisturbances. The Group recommends avoiding consumption of the JUNCS by all children and adolescents as far as possible and limittheir consumption to not more than one serving per week. The Group recommends intake of regional and seasonal whole fruits over fruitjuices in children and adolescents, and advises no fruit juices/drinks to infants and young children (age <2 y), whereas for children aged 2-5 y and >5-18 y, their intake should be limited to 125 mL/day and 250 mL/day, respectively. The Group recommends that caffeinatedenergy drinks should not be consumed by children and adolescents. The Group supports recommendations of ban on sale of JUNCSfoods in school canteens and in near vicinity, and suggests efforts to ensure availability and affordability of healthy snacks and foods. TheGroup supports traffic light coding of food available in school canteens and recommends legal ban of screen/print/digital advertisementsof all the JUNCS foods for channels/magazines/websites/social media catering to children and adolescents. The Group further suggestscommunication, marketing and policy/taxation strategies to promote consumption of healthy foods, and limit availability and consumptionof the JUNCS foods
RESUMO
Background & objectives: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with unknown aetiology. So far studies have confirmed that interleukins, pro-inflammatory factors and T-cell activation play major role in the development of disease. Interleukin-17 (IL-17) a T helper inflammatory cytokine, was found to be positively correlated with severity of psoriasis. However, the specific mechanism has not been clarified. IL-17A and IL-17F are group members of IL17 family cytokines and found to be located adjacent to one another on the same human chromosome, 6p12. The present study was designed to identify the association between IL-17A and IL-17F gene polymorphism with susceptibility of psoriasis in north Indian population. Methods: A total of 166 psoriasis patients and 150 healthy controls were genotyped for IL-17A and IL-17F gene polymorphism by amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction method. One single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was analysed in IL-17A (rs10484879) and one SNP in IL-17F (rs763780) to look for an association with psoriasis. Results: Our study indicated decreased frequency of IL-17A (rs10484879) G allele (51.8 vs. 65.0%), and IL-17F (rs763780) C allele (36.5 vs. 45.7%) in psoriatic patients as compared to healthy controls. Interpretation & conclusions: The present findings suggest that IL-17A (rs10484879) G/T and IL-17F (rs763780) C/T gene polymorphisms may contribute in pathogenesis of psoriasis. Further studies need to be done to confirm these findings.