Mineral Intake in Urban Pregnant Women from Base Diet, Fortified Foods, and Food Supplements: Focus on Calcium, Iron, and Zinc.

In the Chinese national nutrition surveys, fortified foods were not investigated separately from the base diet, and the contribution of fortified foods to micronutrients intake is not very clear. This study investigated the diet, including fortified foods and food supplements, of urban pregnant women and analyzed the intake of calcium, iron, and zinc to assess the corresponding contributions of fortified foods, food supplements, and the base diet. The results demonstrated that the base diet was the major source of calcium, iron, and zinc, and was recommended to be the first choice for micronutrients intake. Furthermore, consumption of fortified foods and food supplements offered effective approaches to improve the dietary intake of calcium, iron, and zinc in Chinese urban pregnant women.

Birth weight and subsequent blood pressure: a meta-analysis.

Hypertension is becoming an important health problem in many countries. The 'small baby syndrome hypothesis' suggests that an inverse linear relationship exists between birth weight and later risk of hypertension; however, this relationship is under debate. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the association between birth weight and subsequent blood pressure. Among 78 studies reporting on the association between birth weight and subsequent blood pressure, 20 articles (reporting 27 original studies) were eligible for inclusion. Low birth weight (< 2500 g) compared with birth weight greater than 2500 g was associated with an increased risk of hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13, 1.30); high birth weight (> 4000 g) compared with birth weight less than 4000 g was associated with a decreased risk of hypertension (OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.71, 0.86). When low birth weight (< 2500 g) was compared with birth weight greater than 2500 g, mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) increased by 2.28 mmHg (95% CI 1.24, 3.33); when high birth weight (> 4000 g) was compared with birth weight less than 4000 g, mean SBP decreased by 2.08 mmHg (95% CI -2.98, -1.17). These findings indicate that there is an inverse linear association between birth weight and later risk of hypertension, and that this association primarily exists between birth weight and SBP.

[Dietary patterns and its influencing factors among freshmen students in college].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the dietary pattern in college freshmen students and to analyze the influencing factors on their dietary patterns. METHODS: A questionnaire survey on situation of dietary pattern and influencing factors was conducted among 1319 freshmen students. RESULTS: Four major dietary patterns were noticed and they were: I, high consumption in hamburger, fried food, nuts, biscuit, chocolate, cola, coffee, sugars, II, high consumption in pork, mutton, beef, poultry meat, animal liver, III, high consumption in fresh fruits, eggs, fish and shrimps, kelp laver and sea fish, milk and dairy products, beans and bean products, IV, high consumption in rice and grain, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, pork. Risk factors on dietary pattern were presented as follows: (1) boys:having the food pattern I and II showed a strong positive association with the place where they live (OR = 1.67, 95%CI: 0.87 - 3.19; OR = 1.51, 95%CI: 0.79 - 2.88), eating place (OR = 1.63, 95%CI: 1.03 - 2.59;OR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.04 - 3.23), level of mother's education (OR = 2.52, 95%CI: 1.07 - 5.95; OR = 3.38, 95%CI: 1.50 - 7.63), family income (OR = 2.24, 95%CI: 1.30 - 3.88; OR = 3.06, 95%CI: 1.77 - 5.29) and the status of passive smoking (OR = 1.80, 95%CI: 0.70 - 4.59; OR = 1.83, 95%CI: 0.75 - 4.45). Inverse correlations was found on the level of mother's education (OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.17 - 1.79). The food pattern IV showed a strong positive association with place of eating (OR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.04 - 3.23) but having an inverse correlation with the level of mother's education (OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.17 - 1.79). (2) girls when compared with boys, the food pattern I showed minor association with the places of living and eating; while the food pattern II and III had minor association with the status of passive smoking. CONCLUSION: Socio-demographic factors and lifestyle had influenced on the dietary patterns among college freshmen students who should be guided to have a reasonable, balanced diet in the college.