Impact of Synbiotic Therapy on the Quality of Life in Patients with Mild-to-Moderately Active Ulcerative Colitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease which is affecting the quality of life, workforce and nutrition of patients negatively in the active periods due to its symptoms. This study aims to explore how synbiotic treatment affects the quality of life in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis. METHODS: Forty ulcerative colitis patients with mild-to-moderate activity were enrolled in the study. Patients were split into two even randomized groups as synbiotic (20 patients) and control (20 patients). The synbiotic group received synbiotic therapy and the control group received placebo for 8 weeks. Both groups were compared at the start and the end of therapy according to the quality of life scores. Quality of life was determined using a short form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. RESULTS: An increase in mean SF-36 scores were found in both groups at the end of the study. Altough this increase was higher in patients received synbiotic therapy, the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).  SF-36 scores were higher in patients with mild activity or those in remission in both groups. CONCLUSION: Synbiotic use provides an increase in the SF-36 score, however, this increase is not statistically significant.

Nutrition Status, Muscle Mass, and Frailty in Older People: A Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in Cyprus.

OBJECTIVE: Aging is a worldwide serious public health problem. Frailty is also becoming an alarming geriatric syndrome. This study was conducted to analyze the relationship of frailty with nutritional and muscle status in individuals aged 65 and older. METHOD: The study was carried out between July 2018 and September 2019 among 347 people aged 65 and older residing in Cyprus. All the data were collected and measured with face-to-face interview method by the researcher which includes demographic information, a retrospective 1-day food consumption record, Edmonton Frailty Scale (EFS), anthropometric measurements, hand grip strength, muscle mass, and walking speed. RESULTS: The average age of individuals was 73.12 ± 6.78 years. When sex, education levels, and drug usage were compared with EFS levels, severity of frailty was found to be significantly higher in females, non-educated individuals, and in individuals using 3 or more drugs everyday (p < 0.05). Body mass index (BMI) values of non-frail participants were found significantly higher than mildly, moderately, and severely frail participants (p < 0.05). It was observed that there was a statistically significant and negative correlation between the participants' EFS scores and muscle mass (p < 0.05). A negative correlation between hand grip strength and EFS scores was also observed. Energy and protein intake was not found to be significantly different in EFS level groups, while calcium intake of participants with mild, moderate, and severe frailty was found to be significantly lower than in those who were not frail or apparently vulnerable (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Being female, having low education levels, using more than 3 drugs per day, and having lower muscle mass increases frailty levels. As a consequence, higher education, decreasing the number of drugs used per day, and preserving muscle mass with adequate activity are important cornerstones of decreasing frailty risk.

Association between Dietary Glycaemic Index and Glycaemic Load and Adiposity Indices in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Objective: Obesity is a key contributor to metabolic and reproductive outcomes in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The role of the dietary glycemic index (GI) and load (GL), and adiposity has been debated and studies on PCOS are scarce. We aimed to compare the dietary GI and GL and several anthropometric measurements in PCOS and control women. The association between dietary GI and GL and adiposity indices was examined in this cross-sectional study.Methods and materials: A study population consisted of 65 previously diagnosed with PCOS and 65 healthy women. All participants underwent detailed anthropometric, dietary and physical activity evaluation and categorized based on GI and GL tertiles.Results: When dietary GL was adjusted for age, physical activity level (PAL), and duration of diagnosis, there was a statistically significant inverse association between dietary GL and waist/hip ratio (WHR) (OR: 0.136; 95% CI: 0.021-0.874; p = 0.036) in women with PCOS. Both dietary GI (OR: 8.869; 95% CI: 1.194-65.910; p = 0.033 for tertile 2 in adjustment model) and GL (OR: 7.200; 95% CI: 1.635-31.712; p = 0.009 for tertile 3 in crude model; OR: 5.801; 95% CI: 1.242-27.096; p = 0.025 for tertile 3 in adjustment model) positively associated with WHR in healthy subjects. Also, positive association was observed between dietary GI and waist/height ratio (WHtR) (OR: 0.229; 95% CI: 0.063-0.826; p = 0.024 for tertile 2; OR: 0.277; 95% CI: 0.078-0.988; p = 0.048 for tertile 3) in healthy controls, however after adjustment for age and PAL, statistical significance was lost (OR: 1.051; 95% CI: 0.152-7.261; p = 0.959 for tertile 2; OR: 1.522; 95% CI: 0.225-10.297; p = 0.667 for tertile 3).Conclusion: The results of this study consistent with the literature that PCOS is associated with increased adiposity indices. There was no association between dietary GI/GL and BMI, WC, WHtR, and ABSI but dietary GL was inversely associated WHR in PCOS patients.

A follow-up study of metabolic syndrome in schizophrenia.

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in schizophrenia patients is increasing worldwide. The aim of the current study was to examine the progress of MetS in a schizophrenia cohort we had previously investigated and determine the role of various related factors, including sociodemographic and clinical variables, nutritional status and physical activity. Of the 319 patients investigated in the first study, 149 patients agreed to be included in the follow-up. Physical measurements and laboratory tests were performed in addition to evaluations with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Udvalg for Kliniske Undersogelser Side Effects Scale, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, 24 h dietary recall method and Nutrition Information Systems Package Program. According to the ATPIII, ATPIIIA and IDF criteria, the MetS prevalences had increased from 35.6 to 44.3%, 38.9 to 53% and 43.6 to 55.7%, respectively. Patients with MetS had a shorter period of hospitalization and a higher UKU total side effects score, and most of them were married or divorced/widowed. Patients with MetS also had a higher daily consumption of added sugar, cholesterol, polyunsaturated fatty acids and omega 3 fatty acid, and the daily added sugar intake was found to be related to the increase in MetS. Unexpectedly, the physical activity level was not found to significantly differ in the patients with and without MetS. In conclusion, the MetS prevalence was found to be increased among schizophrenia patients over time, and the increase in the young age group was particularly striking. Among all of the factors investigated, nutritional status was found to play a major role in this increased prevalence.

Effects of synbiotic therapy in mild-to-moderately active ulcerative colitis: A randomized placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the effects of probiotics and prebiotics on ulcerative colitis (UC). In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of synbiotic therapy on the clinical and endoscopic activities of the disease in patients with mild-to-moderately active UC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Overall, 40 patients with mild-to-moderate UC activity were included in the study and were randomized to the synbiotic and control groups. Synbiotic therapy was administered in the synbiotic group and placebo was administered in the control group for 8 weeks. Both groups were evaluated and compared in terms of the acute phase reactants and clinical and endoscopic activities of the disease at the beginning and at the end of the 8-week therapy. RESULTS: At the end of the study duration, the decrease in the serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and sedimentation values in the synbiotic group was statistically significant (p=0.003). In both groups, a statistically significant improvement was observed in the clinical and endoscopic activity levels at the end of the treatment (symbiotic: p=0.001 and p=0.002, respectively; control: p=0.005 and p=0.001, respectively). When the groups were compared with each other, improvement in the clinical activity was significantly higher in the synbiotic group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The use of synbiotic therapy in patients with UC has a significant effect on the improvement in clinical activity. Moreover, although it appears to positively affect the acute phase reactants and endoscopic activity levels, the difference was not significant when compared with the patients who did not receive synbiotic therapy.

Trends in fluid consumption and beverage choices among adults reveal preferences for ayran and black tea in central Turkey.

AIM: Beverages are globally significant sources of water in the diet. There is a lack of knowledge about fluid intake from beverage and water consumption in Turkey. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the type of drinks preferred at meals and snacks as well as the daily fluid, beverage and water intakes based on age and gender. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 3411 randomly chosen adult participants (n = 1522 male, n = 1919 female) representing the general profile of central Turkey. The survey consisted of a demographic/personal information questionnaire, 24-hour dietary recalls and mealtime-based beverage frequency questionnaires. Body weights and heights were measured. RESULTS: Daily average total fluid consumption was 2270 mL/day, of which water was 1470 mL/day, and other beverages were 800 mL/day. More than 90% of the participants drank black tea at breakfast and snacks. For lunch and dinner, young participants' major choices were carbonated soft drinks followed by ayran (diluted salty plain yoghurt); middle aged and older participants' choices were ayran followed by black tea. Carbonated soft drinks were preferred over ayran in subjects aged 19-39 years. CONCLUSIONS: Older participants prefer healthy, traditional choices such as ayran and black tea, but younger participants prefer high energy-containing drinks with low nutritional value. Thus, this unique information contributes to the data on beverage consumption patterns in different countries and might be useful for increasing consumption of nutritious fluids and decreasing sugar usage in Turkey.

Energy and nutrient intake and food patterns among Turkish university students

The goal of this study was to determine the nutritional value and nutrients provided by each meal and snack of consumed by university students. Subjects were randomly selected from volunteer students at five universities in Ankara. A sample of 400 students (167 female and 233 male) aged between 19 and 24 years participated in this study. A questionnaire designed to assess general characteristics, anthropometric measurements, and 24 hours dietary records was administered using face to face interviews. According to body mass index classifications, 69.5% of male students, and 77.7% of female students were found to be in the normal weight categories. Overweight categories were found to be 25.1% and 5.6% for males and females, respectively. Breakfast and lunch were the most frequently skipped meals, with a total of 47.7% of students skipping breakfast and 25.2% skipping lunch. The percentages of energy deficiency were found to be 78.4% in males, and 81.1% in females. Dinner was the main meal for consumption of energy and the other nutrients, except saturated fatty acids, for both genders. Also, dinner was the largest contributor of energy in both genders. Students ate more bread, cereals, and meat at dinner than during the other meals and snacks. Fruit was consumed more during snacks than at the other meals by all students. It was concluded that students need more nutritional information about healthy nutritional habits, adequate intake of nutrients, and ideal body weights.