Frequency of food consumption and lipoprotein serum levels in the population of an urban area, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the association between food group consumption frequency and serum lipoprotein levels among adults. METHODS: The observations were made during a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of men and women over 20 years old living in Cotia county, S. Paulo, Brazil. Data on food frequency consumption, serum lipids, and other covariates were available for 1, 045 adults. Multivariate analyses adjusted by age, gender, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, educational level, family income, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption were performed. RESULTS: Consumption of processed meat, chicken, red meat, eggs and dairy foods were each positively and significantly correlated with LDL-C, whereas the intake of vegetables and fruits showed an inverse correlation. Daily consumption of processed meat, chicken, red meat, eggs, and dairy foods were associated with 16.6 mg/dl, 14.5 mg/dl, 11.1 mg/dl, 5.8 mg/dl, and 4.6 mg/dl increase in blood LDL-C, respectively. Increases of daily consumption of fruit and vegetables were associated with 5.2 mg/dl and 5.5 mg/dl decreases in LDL-C, respectively. Alcohol beverage consumption showed a significant positive correlation with HDL-C. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary habits in the study population seem to contribute substantially to the variation in blood LDL and HDL concentrations. Substantially CHD risk reduction could be achieved with dietary changes.

Relationship between stature, overweight and central obesity in the adult population in São Paulo, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To test association between overweight, central obesity and stature. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study carried-out between 1990-1991. SUBJECTS: 951 adults (387 male and 564 female) aged 20-64 y, resident in the metropolitan area of São Paulo, Brazil. MEASUREMENTS: Anthropometry, blood lipid concentrations (total, high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs) and blood glucose. Body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist circumference were used to identify overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2), abdominal obesity (WHR tertile 3 and waist circumference tertile 3), respectively. The subjects were categorised as those of short stature (women < 150 cm, men < 162cm) and those of normal stature (women > or = 150 cm, men > or = 162 cm). RESULTS: Prevalence of short stature was 19.6% and 15.4% in men and women, respectively. Short stature women had higher serum concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, TGs and glucose than those of normal stature. Among men, this difference was not observed, except for glucose concentrations. Short stature women had high BMI and WHR means in some age categories, compared with those of normal stature. Both overweight and high WHR frequencies were greater in short stature women than in those of normal ones. In multivariate analysis, adjusted by age, income, marital status, education, physical activity and tobacco use, only women group with short stature compared with normal stature had significantly risk of overweight an high WHR. In the same group there was no association with waist circumference. Among the men there was significant opposite association with waist circumference. CONCLUSION: Short stature in women can potentially be an independent risk factor for overweight and high WHR.

[Vitamin and mineral intake of adults living in a metropolitan area of São Paulo, Brazil]. / Consumo alimentar de vitaminas e minerais em adultos residentes em área metropolitana de São Paulo, Brasil.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to quantify mineral and vitamin concentration in habitual diet of adults of between 20 and 88 years of age. A dietary survey was carried out between 1990-1991 as a part of the cross-sectional study: "Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, lipemic disorders, hypertension, obesity and diabetes mellitus in a population of the metropolitan area of S. Paulo, Brazil". MATERIAL AND METHOD: The vitamin and mineral intake was examined in relation to age and sex using dietary intake based on the diet history method. Data were obtained from a sub-sample of 548 individuals. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In general, it was observed that the respective intakes of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, calcium and iron were more concentrated in the men's diet than in that of the women (p < 0.001). There are no statistical differences in the intake of vitamin A and vitamin C by sex. Elderly persons presented a lower intake of vitamins and minerals than did younger people. The intake of vitamin C had no association with age. This cross-sectional study showed that the habitual diet of the residents in the study area has low intake and low density of vitamin A and calcium.

Subcutaneous fat changes in low-income lactating mothers and growth of breast-fed infants.

OBJECTIVE: We studied changes in body fat of lactating mothers and its relationship to milk fat and growth of exclusively breast-fed infants during the first 3 months of life. METHOD: Changes in body fat measured by body mass index (BMI) and skinfold thickness (triceps, suprailiac, subscapular, pectoral) of 39 low socioeconomic status women were measured every 15 days during the first 3 months postpartum. Milk fat concentrations and growth of exclusively breast-fed infants were followed at the same intervals. Attained growth (ponderal and linear) of infants was analyzed through multivariate analyses against changes in maternal adiposity (BMI and sum of skinfolds), weight, and milk fat concentrations. RESULTS: There was a decrease in maternal skinfold thickness from the 15th day postpartum. Milk fat concentrations decreased significantly only at the second month of lactation. CONCLUSION: Statistical model adjustments for duration of study, milk fat concentration, and birth weight of infants explained 88% of variance in infant growth (r2 = 0.886, p = 0.0001).