Relationship of the dietary phytochemical index to weight gain, oxidative stress and inflammation in overweight young adults.

BACKGROUND: Phytochemicals are bioactive nutrients that help reduce disease risk. A high intake of these compounds is important for optimal health and prevention of disease, but quantification of these nutrients in vivo is costly and time consuming. The present examined whether an alternative, simple 'phytochemical index' (PI) ratio calculation (PI = the ratio of the energy from high-nutrient phytochemical-rich foods to overall daily energy consumed [kJ phytochemical rich foods/total kJ consumed]) was related to several precursors of future disease: annual weight gain, adiposity, oxidative stress and inflammation. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, quantitative, descriptive study (n = 54, age range 18-30 years). Participants were stratified into normal weight and overweight groups. Three-day dietary records were analysed for food items, food groups, energy and the PI score at repeated time points. Blood plasma samples were analysed by colorimetric or an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay for cholesterol subfractions, glycated haemoglobin, total antioxidant status, lipid hydroperoxides, cytokines (interleukins-1beta and -6) and C-reactive protein). RESULTS: PI values were higher in the overweight-obese group. Correlation values between the PI score and body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and plasma oxidative stress were significant. The PI score did not correlate with any cytokine levels. The PI score was a significant contributor to yearly weight gain. CONCLUSIONS: The PI is inversely related to adiposity and oxidative stress in healthy young adults, and is responsive to body weight changes. This simple, easy to administer index might be useful as a dietary target for appropriate proportion consumption of nutrient-rich foods in weight reduction or management programmes.

Pain behaviors in LBW infants accompany some "nonpainful" caregiving procedures.

Painful procedures may lead to both long- and short-term complications in low birth weight (LBW) infants. This study investigated neonatal pain responses (grimace, slight cry expression, increased cry expression, and knee/leg flexion) during six painful and three nonpainful procedures. The 30 LBW infants studied were less than 48 hours of age and less than 34 weeks gestation, with a mean birth weight of 1,320 gm. The design was comparative; data analysis included repeated measures of analysis of variance, independent t-tests, and paired t-tests. The four pain responses were found to be present 75 to 100 percent of the time after painful procedures (suctioning, skin puncture, dressing change or removal, discontinuation of intravenous line, and insertion of a nasogastric tube). They were also found to be present 49 to 69 percent of the time after nonpainful procedures (total position change, addition/withdrawal of fluid from umbilical catheter, and IV administration of medication).