Sociodemographic, Anthropometric, and Dietary Predictors of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Adipose Tissue Among Mesoamerican Children and Their Parents.

BACKGROUND: Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake is low throughout Latin America. Improving PUFA status could be an effective intervention against chronic disease, but information on sociodemographic and dietary patterning of PUFA status in the region is limited. OBJECTIVE: To characterize sociodemographic, anthropometric, and dietary predictors of PUFA status biomarkers in adipose tissue among children and their parents from Mesoamerica. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 220 children aged 7 to 12 years and 471 parents from capital cities of Guatemala, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, and Belize, as well as Tuxtla Gutiérrez in Mexico. The PUFA from gluteal adipose tissue was quantified using gas chromatography. Participants reported sociodemographic information and the type of vegetable oil used for cooking. We estimated percent mean differences in linoleic acid (LA), total long-chain n-6 PUFA (n-6 LCPUFA), α-linolenic acid (ALA), and total long-chain n-3 PUFA (n-3 LCPUFA) between levels of predictors using multivariable-adjusted linear regression models. RESULTS: Country was the strongest predictor of any PUFA, whereas body mass index was positively associated with n-6 LCPUFA in children and adults. Cooking primarily with soybean oil was positively associated with LA in children and adults and ALA in adults. Cooking with canola oil was positively related to n-6 LCPUFA in adults and n-3 LCPUFA in children and adults. Cooking with palm oil was associated with low adipose tissue levels of all n-6 and n-3 PUFA. CONCLUSIONS: Adipose tissue PUFA status in Mesoamerica is associated with country of origin and the type of oil used for cooking.

Correlates and family aggregation of vitamin D concentrations in school-aged children and their parents in nine Mesoamerican countries.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the associations of sociodemographic characteristics, diet and outdoor activity as an indicator of sun exposure with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations in children and their parents from Mesoamerica. We also quantified family aggregation of serum 25(OH)D. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were quantified using immunoassay. We compared the distribution of 25(OH)D concentrations in adults and children by levels of each correlate with the use of linear regression. Family aggregation was estimated using Pearson and intraclass correlation coefficients. SETTING: Capital cities of Guatemala, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Belize, and Tuxtla Gutiérrez in Mexico. SUBJECTS: Children (n 223) aged 7-12 years and 492 parents. RESULTS: Mean (sd) 25(OH)D concentrations in adults and children were 81·3 (21·1) and 79·5 (18·1) nmol/l, respectively. Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD; 25(OH)D <50 nmol/l) was 3·9 % among adults and 3·6 % among children. In adults, adjusted mean 25(OH)D concentrations were highest in Nicaragua (P<0·0001). Serum 25(OH)D was positively related to time spent gardening (P=0·03). Among children, 25(OH)D concentrations were positively associated with male sex (P=0·005), dairy intake (P=0·03) and mother's serum 25(OH)D concentrations (P<0·0001); and inversely associated with mother's BMI (P=0·02) and number of home assets (P=0·04). Family membership explained 31 % of the variability in 25(OH)D concentrations; aggregation was highest between mothers and children. CONCLUSIONS: VDD prevalence was low in this study. Sociodemographic characteristics, diet and outdoor activity predict serum 25(OH)D. Family aggregation of serum 25(OH)D is high between mothers and children.

Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of metabolic syndrome in school-aged children and their parents in nine Mesoamerican countries.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of cardiometabolic risk factors in adults and school-aged children from Mesoamerica. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study with convenience sampling. In adults, metabolic syndrome was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria. In children, we calculated a continuous sex- and age-standardized metabolic risk score using variables corresponding to adult ATP III criteria. Metabolic syndrome prevalence in adults and risk score distribution in children were compared across levels of sociodemographic characteristics with use of Poisson and linear regression, respectively. SETTING: Capital cities of Guatemala, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, the Mexican State of Chiapas (Tuxtla Gutiérrez city) and Belize. SUBJECTS: Families (n 267), comprising one child aged 7-12 years and their biological parents. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 37·9 % among women and 35·3 % among men. The most common component was low HDL cholesterol, 83·3 % in women and 78·9 % in men. Prevalence was positively associated with age. In women, metabolic syndrome was inversely related to education level whereas in men it was positively associated with household food security and height, after adjustment. The metabolic risk score in children was inversely related to parental height, and positively associated with height-for-age and with having parents with the metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent in Mesoamerica. The burden of metabolic risk factors disproportionately affects women and children of lower socio-economic status and men of higher socio-economic status.

Sociodemographic correlates and family aggregation of leukocyte telomere length in adults and children from Mesoamerica.

OBJECTIVE: Telomere length is a biomarker of cumulative stress and inflammation related to chronic disease risk. We examined the associations of leukocyte telomere length (LTL) with sociodemographic and anthropometric variables and estimated LTL family aggregation in Central America, a region with a high burden of chronic disease where LTL has not been studied. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 174 school age children and their parents in the capital cities of Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and the city of Tuxtla-Gutierrez in Mexico. We measured LTL by quantitative PCR in DNA extracted from whole blood. We compared the distribution of LTL by categories of sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics using linear regression. Family aggregation was estimated with correlation coefficients and intraclass correlations. RESULTS: In mothers, LTL was inversely associated with age (P, trend < .0001) and positively associated with height (P = .0002). Among fathers, LTL was inversely associated with food insecurity (P, trend = .0004). In children, boys had 0.10 log units shorter LTL than girls (95% CI: -0.17, -0.03; P = .004). LTL was inversely associated with parental education (P, trend = .01) and positively associated with paternal age at birth (P, trend < .0001), maternal LTL (P, trend = .007), and paternal LTL (P, trend = .02). LTL varied significantly by country of origin among all family members. Aggregation was greatest between children and their mothers, and mostly occurred at the country, rather than family, level. CONCLUSION: LTL is associated with age and height in women; food insecurity in men; and sex, parental education, parental LTL, and paternal age at birth among children.

Aceptabilidad y uso en el hogar de un alimento complementario listo para consumir en el área rural de Guatemala / Acceptability and use at home of ready to use complementary food in families of rural Guatemala

Con el objetivo de apoyar el plan del Gobierno de Guatemala para reducir las tasas de desnutrición crónica, el Instituto de Nutrición de Centro América y Panamá (INCAP) desarrolló un Alimento Complementario Listo para Consumir (ACLC), el cual está hecho con una base de pasta de maní, leche y micronutrientes para aportar un rango entre el 50 y el 60% de las recomendaciones diarias en micronutrientes, según el INCAP para niños de 6-24 meses de edad. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la aceptabilidad y uso del ACLC en niños de 6 a 24 meses de edad (estratificados en grupos de 6-12, 13-18 y >18 meses de edad) y sus madres, en una comunidad rural maya q'eqchi' con alta vulnerabilidad a la desnutrición crónica infantil, ubicada al norte de Guatemala. 46 fueron evaluadas por medio de pruebas sensoriales y grupos focales. 43 niños fueron evaluados a través del consumo del alimento, durante un período de ocho semanas. La aceptabilidad global del alimento por parte de la madre ("le gusta") fue de un 89.8%. La aceptabilidad en 43 niños, evaluada en la séptima semana de intervención (S7), mostró una mediana de consumo de 31.9 + 1.7 g por día (93.8% del producto disponible, cuyo peso promedio fue de 34.0 g por paquete), lo cual fue comparable en los tres grupos etarios estudiados. En conclusión, el ACLC tuvo una aceptabilidad y uso adecuados en la población estudiada, lo que respalda continuar el desarrollo y uso de esta formulación, como una alternativa en la implementación de programas preventivos de la desnutrición crónica infantil en Guatemala

To support national government plan to reduce infant chronic malnutrition rates in Guatemala, (Spanish acronym of: Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama) INCAP developed a formula called Complementary Food Ready for Consumption (Spanish acronym: ACLC). It is made of peanut paste, milk and micronutrients. This formula covers around 50 to 60% of daily micronutrients recommendations (INCAP 2012) for 6-24 months' infants. The objective of this study was to assess the acceptability and use of ACLC (Maní+) in mothers and infants between 6-24 months (stratified in groups of 6-12, 13-18 y >18 months of age), in a Q'eqchi´ Mayan rural community located in the north of Guatemala, which has a high chronic child malnutrition rate. Forty six mothers were evaluated through sensory tests and focus groups. Furthermore, forty three infants were evaluated through the formula consumption during a period of eight weeks. Food Global acceptability from mothers (they like it) was 89.8 %. Acceptability in forty-three infants was assessed after seven weeks of intervention. It showed a food consumption of 31.9 +1.7 g per day (93.8% of available product, which average weight was 34.0 g per sachet), which was compared among three age range. Therefore this study showed that ACLC had a good acceptability and appropriate use in the study population. This study bears to continue the use and development of this formula, as an option for preventive programs implementation of infant chronic malnutrition in Guatemala.

Fumonisins disrupt sphingolipid metabolism, folate transport, and neural tube development in embryo culture and in vivo: a potential risk factor for human neural tube defects among populations consuming fumonisin-contaminated maize.

Fumonisins are a family of toxic and carcinogenic mycotoxins produced by Fusarium verticillioides (formerly Fusarium moniliforme), a common fungal contaminant of maize. Fumonisins inhibit ceramide synthase, causing accumulation of bioactive intermediates of sphingolipid metabolism (sphinganine and other sphingoid bases and derivatives) as well as depletion of complex sphingolipids, which interferes with the function of some membrane proteins, including the folate-binding protein (human folate receptor alpha). Fumonisin causes neural tube and craniofacial defects in mouse embryos in culture. Many of these effects are prevented by supplemental folic acid. Recent studies in LMBc mice found that fumonisin exposure in utero increases the frequency of developmental defects and administration of folate or a complex sphingolipid is preventive. High incidences of neural tube defects (NTD) occur in some regions of the world where substantial consumption of fumonisins has been documented or plausibly suggested (Guatemala, South Africa, and China); furthermore, a recent study of NTD in border counties of Texas found a significant association between NTD and consumption of tortillas during the first trimester. Hence, we propose that fumonisins are potential risk factors for NTD, craniofacial anomalies, and other birth defects arising from neural crest cells because of their apparent interference with folate utilization.

Evaluación biológica de un alimento infantil a base de soya, arroz y banano / Biological evaluation of an infant food based on soybean, rice and banana

Se llevaron a cabo tres estudios con el propósito de evaluar biológicamente, un alimento infantil preparado a base de soya, arroz y banano, utilizando ratas de la cepa Sprague-Dawley. En el primer ensayo se estudió el efecto de la suplementación calórica y la complementación con proteína de leche, en el valor nutritivo del producto. La información recabada indica que la mezcla alcanza un valor nutritivo semejante a la leche al sustituir 50% de la proteína vegetal por proteína animal. Se encontró, asimismo, que bajo las condiciones en que se realizó el estudio, la suplementación calórica no ejerce ningún efecto positivo sobre el valor nutritivo del alimento infantil con sabor a banano. En el segundo ensayo se evaluó el efecto de la suplementación con aminoácidos lisina y metionina. Los resultados revelaron que la suplementación con lisina sí mejora significativamente la calidad del alimento, lo que implica un daño térmico a la proteína causada por el proceso industrial a que éste se somete en el cursos de su producción. En el tercer estudio se investigó el efecto de una suplementación con leche íntegra a los niveles que el producto se podría servir en los comedores escolares o en centros de educación y nutrición. Estos valores correponden a 343 a 655 ml de leche fluida por cada 100 g del cereal. Se encontró que la leche íntegra complementa y mejora el valor nutritivo del alimento en cuestión a valores estadísticamente iguales (P <0.05) a la leche completa