[Relationship between food habits and serum cholesterol levels in a suburban population in Argentina]. / Relación entre hábitos alimentarios y niveles de colesterol sérico en una población suburbana de Argentina.

Studies of cholesterol levels in a population of Gran Buenos Aires was made in 1983, 1988, 1993 and 1996, and the Argentinian alimentary habits in this period were analyzed. It was noticed a change in food consumption, with reduction in the intake of fatty foods, such as meat, butter, milk, and other dairy products, with the concomitant increment in fiber rich products and oil, meat and dairy products reduced in fats. Changes in serum cholesterol level were analysed in 3051 persons along 1983-1996. They were grouped according their age and sex: A) 1-6 years old, B) 6-12, C) 12-17, D) 17-30, E) 30-60, F) 60-80. It was observed an increment in cholesterol level with age. For each group during the first 10 years of study was noticed a constant decrease in total cholesterol being higher in women than in men and according with the alimentary changes. Group D in 1983 became group E in 1993, maintained their cholesterol level along 10 years of life, being lower than the corresponding E group of 1983, while the older ones did not present differences. Values of cholesterol/cholesterol-HDL index over 6.5 correlate with a high incidence in cardiovascular diseases. The 40% of the population studied during 1993 and 1996 was evaluated, and the maximum average value found was 4.90. These results suggest that reduction in fat intake and diversification in food consumption during this period has contributed to decrease cholesterol levels and cholesterol/cholesterol-HDL index, particularly in younger than 30 years old and women, contributing to reduce metabolical cardiovascular diseases.

[Current status of higher education of food technology in Argentina, with reference to the place of nutrition in study plans]. / Estado actual de la enseñanza superior de la tecnología de alimentos en la Argentina, con referencia al lugar de la nutricion en los planes de estudio.

A survey of federal and private universities where Food Technology courses can be taken was carried out. According to the length of the studies, the courses were classified as "technical-intermediate" (up to four years) or "superior" (over four years). At present there are six federal and three private universities where Food Technology courses are offered (Table 1). From the discussion of the professional profile of the Food Technologist it was concluded that the curricula of "superior" courses should have a 100-hour course of Nutrition. General and specific objectives of a model Nutrition course are outlined.

[Serum creatine phosphokinase activity: analysis of information provided by different ways of expressing the results]. / Actividad de creatin-fosfoquinasa en suero: análisis de la información suministrada por differentes formas de expresión de los resultados

An experimental model with undernourished rats fed experimental diets containing either imbalanced proteins or low amount of well balanced proteins was used to evaluate the utility of serum CPK activity determination in human malnutrition. Special attention was given on the information provided by four ways of expression of the enzymatic activity. CPK activity was expressed as: 1) Specific activity, 2) Activity per ml serum, 3) Total activity per rat and 4) Total activity per 100 g body weight. Statystical analysis showed: a) Activity expressed per mg serum protein or per ml serum did not agree with the known physiological phenomena induced on muscle by the experimental diets: CPK activity values expressed in these ways are not useful in malnutrition studies. b) Serum total activity of CPK per rat provides a similar information to the creatinin/height index, which is easier to perform. c) Total CPK activity per 100 g body weight demonstrated to be adequate to provide information about muscle mass in rats under controlled experimental conditions. However, it is not possible to use this form of expressing CPK activity in human malnutrition, because it would be also necessary to know: plasma volumen, age, actual body weight, clinical and the nutritional background, etc., of the patient for an accurate interpretation of results.