[The use weight loss menues for overweight Icelanders aged 20-40 years]. / Notkun naeringarútreiknadra matsedla til ad framkalla thyngdartap medal of thungra Islendinga á aldrinum 20-40 ára.

OBJECTIVE: To carry out an intervention study on weight loss menues for young overweight Icelanders giving 30% less energy than calculated energy need for unchanged body weight, with the percentage of energy giving nutrients in congruity with official recommendations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Subjects were women (n=71) and men (n=43) aged 20-40 y, having a body mass index (BMI) in the range 28-32 kg/m2. The daily energy for weight balance at baseline was estimated for each individual and a menu prepared to give 30% less energy. Energy distribution was 50% from carbohydrates, 20% from proteins and 30% from fat. Nutritionists gave advice and taught the participants how to use the menus. Weight and height were measured at baseline and at the end of the eight weeks intervention. RESULTS: According to a 30% energy reduction from the daily energy need the menus were prepared to give on average (-/+SD) 1693-/+108 kcal and 1349-/+53 kcal for men and women, respectively. The average weight loss was five kg during the eight weeks intervention, 625 g per week (<0.001). Men lost more weight (around 740 g/week) than women (525 g/week, P=0.003). The proportion of obese (BMI> or =30 kg/m2) decreased from being 47% to 15% during the intervention. CONCLUSION: Menus with the proportion of energy giving nutrients in line with official recommendations, together with nutritional counseling, prove to be a successful mean to bring off weight loss among young overweight Icelandic individuals. The method can be useful in clinical settings in the battle against increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity. It is likely that thorough follow-up treatment is necessary to maintain the weight loss.

[Validity of a food frequency questionnaire to access dietary intake of adults.].

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to assess the validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Participants (n=84, aged 36-/+6) filled in a food frequency questionnaire, and the intake of nutrients and food items was estimated. Vitamin-C and beta-carotene blood concentration was measured as well as sodium (Na), potassium (K) and nitrogen (N) excretion in the urine. Correlation between results from the FFQ and biological measurements was assessed. PABA test (para-amino benzoic acid) was used to assess the completeness of the urine collection. RESULTS: There was a correlation between plasma vitamin-C concentration and vitamin-C intake (r=0.294, P=0.008). A correlation was also seen between plasma vitamin-C concentration and intake of tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and green salat (r=0.231, P=0.039), as well as to the total consumption of vegetables (r=0.291, P=0.009). There was no correlation between beta-carotene concentration in the blood and in the diet. However, beta-carotene concentration in the blood correlated with intake of onion, leak, and garlic (r=0.240, P=0.032). There was a strong correlation between all the groups of fruits and vegetables (P<0.001). Potassium intake correlated with potassium excretion (r=0.452, P<0.001), but sodium intake was not associated with sodium excretion. There was no statistical difference between nitrogen intake and total nitrogen excretion in the urine. CONCLUSION: FFQ developed by the Icelandic Nutrition Council is valid to assess intake of vitamin-C, potassium as well as vegetables. It also gives estimates of protein intake, but should not be used to assess sodium (salt) intake.

[Erosive drinks on the icelandic market.].

OBJECTIVE: Dental erosion seems to be a growing health problem in Iceland. The international literature indicates that beverages such as carbonated drinks and fruit juices have considerable potential to causes tooth erosion. The aim of this study was to assess the erosive potential of drinks on the Icelandic market. MATERIALS AND METHOD: This study measured, on three occasions: (1) pH before titration and (2) the volume of 1.0M sodium hydroxide required to raise the pH of 50 ml of the beverages to pH 5.5, pH 7.0 and pH 10.0. RESULTS: The pH before titration ranged from pH 2.03-6.79 and the volume of 0.1M sodium hydroxide required to bring the beverages to pH 5.5 ranged from 0.54 to 5.92ml, pH 7.0 ranged from 0.42 to 7.73ml and pH 10.0 ranged from 2.23 to 9.10ml. This study showed that citrus fruit juices (grapefruit and orange juice) needed the most base to neutralize of the beverages tested. The milk-based beverages had an initial pH above 5.5 and are therefore non-erosive, with the exception of milk-derived lactic acid and drinks containing lactic acid aimed especially at the child market. Carbonated drinks, sport drinks and energy drinks were relatively easy to neutralize despite having a lower pH than fruit drinks. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that many soft drinks have considerable erosive potential and several of these are particularly targeted at the age groups found in other Icelandic studies to consume large amounts of soft drinks and to have tooth erosion.