Association of eating frequency with anthropometric indices and blood pressure in children and adolescents: the CASPIAN-IV Study / Associação da frequência de alimentação com índices antropométricos e pressão arterial em crianças e adolescentes: o Estudo CASPIAN-IV

Abstract Objectives: This study was conducted to explore the association of eating frequency (EF) with anthropometric indices and blood pressure (BP) in children and adolescents. Methods: This nationwide cross-sectional study was performed on a multi-stage sample of 14,880 students, aged 6–18 years, living in 30 provinces in Iran. Parents were asked to report dietary intake of children as frequency of food groups and/or items. EF was defined as the sum of the daily consumption frequency of main meals and snacks. Association of EF with weight disorders, abdominal obesity, and elevated BP was assessed using different logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounding factors. Results: Eating more frequently (≥6 vs. ≤3) was found among students who were at younger age (11.91 vs. 13.29 years) (p < 0.001). Students who reported an EF of 4 (OR: 0.67, CI: 0.57–0.79), 5 (OR: 0.74, CI: 0.62–0.87), and 6 (OR: 0.54, CI: 0.44–0.65) had lower odds of being obese compared to those who had EF ≤ 3. Having EF of 4 (OR: 0.82, CI: 0.71–0.94), 5 (OR: 0.86, CI: 0.74–0.99), and ≥6 (OR: 0.73, CI: 0.63–0.85) was related to lower prevalence of abdominal adiposity. Conclusion: Higher EF was associated with lower mean values of anthropometric and BP measures, as well as with lower prevalence of generalized and abdominal obesity in children and adolescents. Longitudinal studies are needed to assess the long-term effects of EF on body composition in the pediatric age group.

Resumo Objetivos: Este estudo foi feito para explorar a associação da frequência de alimentação (FA) com índices antropométricos e pressão arterial (PA) em crianças e adolescentes. Métodos: Este estudo transversal nacional foi feito em uma amostra de várias etapas de 14.880 estudantes entre seis e 18 anos de 30 províncias do Irã. Foi pedido que os pais relatassem o consumo alimentar das crianças, como a frequência de grupos e/ou itens alimentares. A FA foi definida como a soma da frequência de consumo diária das principais refeições e lanches. A associação entre FA e disfunções do peso, obesidade abdominal e PA elevada foi avaliada com diferentes modelos de regressão logística ajustados pelos possíveis fatores de confusão. Resultados: Foi constatada uma alimentação mais frequente (≥ 6 em comparação com ≤ 3) entre estudantes mais novos (11,91 em comparação com 3,29 anos) (P < 0,001). Estudantes que relataram quatro [razão de chance (RC): 0,67; intervalo de confiança (IC): 0,57-0,79], cinco (RC: 0,74; IC: 0,62-0,87) e seis (RC: 0,54; IC: 0,44-0.65) refeições apresentaram menores chances de se tornar obesos em comparação com os que apresentaram FAs ≤ 3. FA de quatro (RC: 0,82; IC: 0,71-0,94), cinco (RC: 0,86; IC: 0,74-0,99) e ≥ sei (RC: 0,73; IC: 0,63-0,85) foi associada a menor prevalência de adiposidade abdominal. Conclusão: A FA mais alta foi associada à redução nos valores médios das medidas antropométricas e de PA, bem como à menor prevalência de obesidade generalizada e abdominal em crianças e adolescentes. São necessários estudos longitudinais para avaliar os efeitos de longo prazo da FA sobre a composição corporal na faixa etária pediátrica.

Porções de alimentos e número de refeições realizadas por adultos e idosos do muncípio de São Paulo: relação com excesso de peso e perfil lipídico / Food portion sizes and eating frequency of adults and elderly of São Paulo relationship with overweight and lipid profile

As contribuições do tamanho das porções dos alimentos e do número de refeições realizadas por dia para o aumento da prevalência do excesso de peso e para alterações no perfil lipídico em populações consumindo dieta ad libitum ainda não são bem estabelecidas, visto que a literatura apresenta resultados contraditórios. Objetivo: Avaliar a associação entre porções dos alimentos e o número de refeições realizadas com o excesso de peso e o perfil lipídico de adultos e idosos residentes do município de São Paulo. Métodos: Foram utilizados dados do estudo transversal de base populacional ISA - Capital 2008, referentes à amostra probabilística de residentes do município de São Paulo com 20 anos ou mais, de ambos os sexos. As informações, como dados socioeconômicos, antropométricos, de estilo de vida e inquérito alimentar, foram coletadas entre 2008 e 2010 por meio de visitas domiciliares e inquérito telefônico. No primeiro manuscrito da presente dissertação, os 1042 indivíduos foram classificados segundo o Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC) em duas categorias: com e sem excesso de peso. Dados de consumo alimentar foram obtidos por dois recordatórios alimentares de 24 horas (R24h). Os alimentos citados foram classificados em grupos e avaliados. Foi calculada a mediana da porção, percentual de relato e contribuição energética para homens e mulheres com e sem excesso de peso...

The contribution of food portion sizes and eating frequency to the rising prevalence of overweight and to lipid profile changes in populations consuming ad libitum diet is not well established, as contradictory results are presented in literature. Objective: Verify the association between food portion sizes, eating frequency, being overweight and lipid profile in a representative population sample of adults and elderly in São Paulo. Methods: The study considered data from cross-sectional population-based ISA-Capital 2008 with random sample of residents of São Paulo aged above 20 years and both sexes. Socioeconomic, anthropometric, lifestyle and diet information was collected between 2008 and 2010 in personal or phone interviews. In the first article of this dissertation, 1042 individuals were classified according to Body Mass Index (BMI) into two categories: with and without excess body weight. Food consumption data were obtained by two 24-hour food recall (R24h). The reported foods were classified into groups and evaluated. The median portion, reported percentage and energy contribution for men and women with and without EBW were calculated. Logistic Regression models were used to evaluate the association of food portion sizes with being overweight...

Eating frequency and weight loss: results of 6 months follow up of a public health campaign at Aurangabad.

Obesity is a major health problem in developed as well as developing countries. The “carbo-insulin connection” theory was popularized by late Dr. Shrikant Jichkar from 1997 to 2004. He advocated the idea of eating only twice a day to lose weight and prevent obesity. The author tried this theory on himself from January to March 2013 and lost 8kg of weight and 2 inches from his belly! Since then the author is conducting lectures for lay people educating them about eating twice and losing weight. Author has addressed audiences in many cities and towns of Maharashtra. The present study provides the encouraging results of this public health campaign. Methods: This study was a self-controlled community trial. The tenure of the study was from 1st July 2013 to 30th June 2014. The subjects were enrolled in the study after taking their informed consent during the author’s lectures on weight loss arranged in various cities and towns of Maharashtra. The author got pretested questionnaires filled from the audience who attended his lectures on weight loss. The follow up was done on phone every fortnightly. Total 446 individuals participated in this campaign. Results: The weight loss and decrease in waist circumference in participants was as below: weight loss: average 1.5 kg in first month, 4.2 kg in 3 months and 6.8 kg in 6 months; inches loss: average 0.5 cm in 1st month, 1.5 cm in 3 months and 3.5 cm in 6 months. No side effects were observed. Conclusions: The weight loss activities have taken a form of exploitative business for many. Poor and ignorant people are being looted. This simple method of weight loss costs nothing, there is no requirement of a doctor and contrary to many other successful methods of weight loss, can be followed for a life time. Hence such a simple method should be advocated for all. There is a need to spread this message in the form of a public health campaign.

Factors Associated with Fruit and Vegetable Consumption of Subjects Having a History of Stroke: Using 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010, 2011) / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: Intake of fruits and vegetables has protective effects against stroke attack. This study intended to examine the status of consuming fruits and vegetables and to find out which factors may influence the frequency of consumption of fruits and vegetables in individuals with a history of stroke. METHODS: The data of 208 subjects from 5th (2010, 2011) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES) who reported a stroke diagnosis was used for analysis. To identify major factors influencing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, a classification-tree analysis was carried out. RESULTS: Among those who reported a stroke diagnosis, the frequencies of consumption of fruits and vegetables were influenced by their age, place of residence (urban or rural), economic status, educational level, occupation, number of family members, frequency of eating out, and having meals (breakfast or lunch) with family members. Two factors from fruits and three factors from vegetables were generated by exploratory factor analyses. Urban residents ate fruits and vegetables more frequently in all factors than rural residents. Eating frequencies of 'seasonal fruits (orange, apple, strawberry, melon, pear and watermelon)', 'easily-accessible fruits (persimmon, tangerine, grape, peach, banana)', and 'Western-style vegetables (cabbage, mushroom, carrot, tomato, spinach)' were influenced by the socioeconomic status. Eating frequencies of 'Korean-style vegetables (bean sprout, radish leaves, pumpkin/squash, sea weed)', 'preserved vegetables (Korean cabbage, radish, laver, cucumber)' were influenced by having breakfast with amily members. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggested that by eating more fruits and vegetables, more preventive effects against secondary stroke attack are expected in stroke patients who live in the rural areas and who do not eat breakfast with family members. In addition, more outreach and education programs are needed for them.

Dietary sodium intake in young Korean adults and its relationship with eating frequency and taste preference

Dietary sodium intake is considered one of the major causal factors for hypertension. Thus, to control the increase of blood pressure and reduce the risk of hypertension-related clinical complications, a reduction in sodium intake is recommended. The present study aimed at determining the association of dietary sodium intake with meal and snack frequency, snacking time, and taste preference in Korean young adults aged 20-26 years, using a 125-item dish-frequency questionnaire. The mean dietary sodium intakes of men and women were 270.6 mmol/day and 213.1 mmol/day, which were approximately 310% and 245% of the daily sodium intake goal for Korean men and women, respectively. Dietary sodium intake was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure in the total group, and BMI in the total and men-only groups. In the total and men-only groups, those who consumed meals more times per day consumed more dietary sodium, but the number of times they consumed snacks was negatively correlated with dietary sodium intake in the total, men-only, and women-only groups. In addition, those who consumed snacks in the evening consumed more sodium than those who did so in the morning in the men-only group. The sodium intake was also positively associated with preference for salty and sweet taste in the total and women-only groups. Such a high intake of sodium in these young subjects shows that a reduction in sodium intake is important for the prevention of hypertension and related diseases in the future.

The Association Between Eating Frequency and Metabolic Syndrome

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Many studies have revealed that eating frequency influences the total serum cholesterol level, glucose tolerance and obesity. Hypothesizing that an increase in eating frequency decreases the prevalence of metabolic syndrome with total energy intake adjusted, we evaluated the association between eating frequency and the risk of metabolic syndrome in Koreans aged more than 20 years old. METHODS: We used the data from the 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III and the Asia-Pacific regional obesity guidelines. To examine the association of metabolic syndrome with eating frequency, snack frequency and meal frequency, we performed multiple logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, physical activity, daily caloric intake, smoking and drinking. RESULTS: Meal frequency was associated with metabolic syndrome in the 20-45 years group (P=0.011). Eating frequency was significantly related with metabolic syndrome in the group aged more than 45 years (P=0.025). Within the subgroup of subjects more than 45 years who had one or two meals a day, snack frequency showed a significant association with metabolic syndrome (P=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a decreased eating frequency is associated with a risk of metabolic syndrome, although the causal relationship is not exactly known. It would be useful to pursue this question through further studies.

Diferencias étnicas y de aculturación en el consumo de alimentos en la Región de la Araucanía, Chile / Ethnic and acculturation differences in food consumption of the Araucania Region of Chile

In order to detect differences in consumption habits according to ethnic background and degree of acculturation in mapuche people, a survey with a sample of 400 people, stratified by ethnicity, was performed in the city of Temuco, Araucania Region. Taking the food groups covered by the Family Budget Survey in consideration, the monthly amount spend is lower in mapuche households compared to non/mapuche. Differences were observed in the consumption frequency of milk, cheese, eggs and herbal tea according to ethnicity. However, ethnic origin is strongly associated only with the consumption of herbal tea. The degree of acculturation did not reveal any differences in the consumption frequency of these foods, but acculturation is strongly associated with the consumption offish and seafood, herbal tea and soft drinks. The degree of acculturation is also strongly associated with the consumption of foods traditional to the ethnic group; bicultural mapuches have higher probability of consuming traditional foods than acculturated mapuches.

Con el objetivo de detectar diferencias en los hábitos de consumo y gasto en alimentos según la etnia del consumidor y grado de aculturación en personas mapuche, se aplicó una encuesta personal a una muestra de 400 personas, estratificada por etnia con afijacion simple, en la ciudad de Temuco, Región de La Araucanía. Considerando los grupos de alimentos que contemplan las Encuestas de Presupuestos Familiares, el gasto mensual en alimentos es menor en los hogares mapuche. Según etnia se observaron diferencias en la frecuencia de consumo de leche, queso y huevos y hierba mate. No obstante, el origen étnico se asocia significativamente sólo al consumo de hierba mate. Según el grado de aculturación no se observaron diferencias en la frecuencia de consumo de estos alimentos, pero la aculturación está significativamente asociada al consumo de pescados y mariscos, hierba mate y bebidas. El grado de aculturación está significativamente asociado al consumo de alimentos tradicionales de la etnia, los mapuche biculturales tienen mayor probabilidad de consumir estos alimentos que los mapuche aculturados.