Analysis of food intake profile among women from the oasis of southeastern Morocco.

Nutritional status is the best indicator of the global well-being of women and food intake is known to reflect a healthy diet. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of socioeconomic status on the food intake in women living in the southeastern oasis of Morocco by exploring their nutritional intake through 24-h dietary recall (n=387). Analysis of the relationship between food intake and the socioeconomic characteristics in women showed a positive correlation between daily vegetable, cereals, red and white meat intake and region of residence (p<0.001, p=0.005, p=0.001 and p=0.04 respectively). The number of persons living at home showed a positive significant correlation with the daily intake of vegetables (p=0.01) and beverage (p=0.004). For fish and cereals, a positive significant correlation with the occupation variable has been shown (p=0.04 and p<0.001 respectively). In addition, a positive correlation has been noticed between the daily intake of vegetables, cereals, white meat, and dairy product and family status in housing (p=0.03, p=0.02, p=0.03 and p=0.04 respectively). In conclusion, the level of education, family size and occupation influence the daily intake of food in this region.

Effect of vitamin A deficiency on retinol and retinyl esters contents in rat brain.

In the present study, the pattern of vitamin A (retinol and retinyl esters) contents in discrete brain areas was investigated in Wistar rats (both sexes of 10-12 weeks old) fed on vitamin A deficient diet. The animals were placed on standard laboratory diet for the control animals and a vitamin A deficient diet for the experimental animals for 20 weeks. At the end of this period, brain retinol and retinyl esters contents from control and vitamin A deficient diet animals were measured by HPLC. Retinol was the predominant form of retinoids in male rat brains (77 to 92% of total retinol) and retinyl esters were the predominant form in female brain rats (4 to 44% of total retinol). The abundant ester in both sexes was the retinyl linoleate. Olfactory bulb and the midbrain contained the highest quantities of retinol and retinyl esters in both sexes. On the other hand, the vitamin A deficient diet significantly decreased the retinoid contents in male brain, in olfactory bulb (-30.7%), hindbrain (-46.2%) and increased it in forebrain (84.3%) and midbrain (2.2%). Total retinol was decreased in olfactory bulb (-38.7%), forebrain (-44.5%) and midbrain (-30.7%) and increased in hindbrain (23.4%) of vitamin A deficient female rats. In conclusion, retinol and retinyl esters were the brain compounds heterogeneously distributed throughout the brain areas in both the sexes and were significantly affected by vitamin A deficiency status as well.