Barriers in the Management of Obesity in Mexican Children and Adolescents through the COVID-19 Lockdown-Lessons Learned and Perspectives for the Future.

The COVID-19 lockdown caused health system issues, including the need for long-term care for patients with conditions like childhood obesity. We wanted to know how the lockdown had changed our patients' health and which variables had greater influence in preventing and managing overweight and obesity in kids and teens during and after the lockdown. METHODS: Our study comprised two phases. The initial descriptive cross-sectional phase included surveys of children who are overweight or obese and their parents/guardians from the Pediatric Obesity Clinic at the Child Welfare Unit (UBI, acronym in Spanish) in the Hospital General de México "Dr. Eduardo Liceaga" (n = 129). The participants were studied to explore changes in lifestyle, physical activity, sleep patterns, eating behaviors, food consumption, anxiety, and depression. In the second phase, the biochemical, body composition, and anthropometric parameters of 29 pre-COVID-19 patients were compared before and after the lockdown. RESULTS: The survey showed more moderate anxiety and depression, alterations in sleep, physical inactivity, and an increase in the consumption of animal products, fruits, cereals, tubers, sugary drinks, and ultra-processed food. In the study's comparative phase, we observed a substantial increase in BMI z-score (p = 0.01), waist circumference (p < 0.001), fat mass (p < 0.001), percentage of adiposity (p = 0.002), and basal glucose (p = 0.047) and a drop in lean mass (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic led to a loss of routines and socioeconomic changes that made it difficult to address weight and obesity in young people. The results show that managing obesity in our patients involves considering both lifestyle and the social environment. This encourages us to consider a comprehensive and personalized approach.

Adaptación en español y validación en México de la herramienta de tamizaje nutricional STAMP (Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics) / Adaptation in Spanish and validation in Mexico of the Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP)

Antecedentes: la desnutrición pediátrica es una de las principales causas de complicaciones en niños hospitalizados, por ello, el tamizaje nutricional al ingreso es indispensable. La Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP) es una herramienta sencilla, reproducible y fácil de interpretar, sin embargo, en México no se encuentra validada. El objetivo del estudio fue validar y adaptar a la población mexicana la herramienta de tamizaje nutricional STAMP. Metodología: la validación se realizó en dos fases: en primer lugar, se realizó la traducción y adaptación cultural; y en segundo lugar, se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal comparando la herramienta STAMP con una evaluación nutricional completa (ENC). Un médico pediatra especialista en nutrición realizó la ENC con la evaluación de parámetros antropométricos, clínicos y dietéticos y, posteriormente, dos nutriólogas realizaron la misma evaluación con la herramienta STAMP. Finalmente, se tamizaron todos los pacientes en leve y moderado o grave riesgo de desnutrición. Resultados: de los 300 pacientes incluidos en el estudio, 160 fueron niños (53,3 %) y 140, niñas (46,7 %), con una media de edad de 9,44 ± 5,73 años. Las valoraciones realizadas con la herramienta STAMP tuvieron una concordancia del 100 %. Comparado con la ENC, se obtuvo un índice kappa de 0,480 (p < 0,01). La prueba STAMP mostró una sensibilidad del 92 %, una especificidad del 75 %, valor predictivo positivo (VPP) del 45 %, valor predictivo negativo (VPN) del 97 %, LR- de 3,68 y LR- de 0,10. Conclusiones: la herramienta de tamizaje STAMP cuenta con los elementos necesarios para evaluar de forma objetiva el riesgo de desnutrición en niños mexicanos y es una prueba altamente sensible y específica. (AU)

Background: pediatric malnutrition is one of the main causes of complications in hospitalized children. Nutritional screening at admission is essential. The Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP) is a simple, reproducible and easy-to-interpret tool, but it is not validated in Mexico. The objective of the study was to validate and adapt the STAMP nutritional screening tool to the Mexican population. Methods: the validation was carried out in two phases: firstly, the translation and cultural adaptation was carried out; and secondly, a cross-sectional study was performed comparing the STAMP tool with a complete nutritional assessment (CNA). A pediatrician specialized in nutrition performed the CNA with the evaluation of anthropometric, clinical and dietary parameters; later, two nutritionists carried out the same evaluationwith the STAMP tool. Finally, the patients were graded as low risk and moderate or severe malnutrition risk. Results: of the 300 patients included in the study, 160 were boys (53.3 %) and 140 were girls (46.7 %), with a mean age of 9.44 ± 5.73 years. The assessments made by with the STAMP tool had a 100 % concordance. Compared with CNA, a kappa index of 0.480 (p < 0.01) was obtained. The STAMP test showed a sensitivity of 92 %, a specificity of 75 %, positive predictive value (PPV) of 45 %, negative predictive value (NPV) of 97 %, RVN of 3,68, and RVN of 0,10. Conclusions: the STAMP screening tool has the necessary elements to objectively assess the risk of malnutrition in Mexican children and is a highly sensitive and specific test. (AU)

[Adaptation in Spanish and validation in Mexico of the Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP]. / Adaptación en español y validación en México de la herramienta de tamizaje nutricional STAMP (Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics).

Introduction: Background: pediatric malnutrition is one of the main causes of complications in hospitalized children. Nutritional screening at admission is essential. The Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP) is a simple, reproducible and easy-to-interpret tool, but it is not validated in Mexico. The objective of the study was to validate and adapt the STAMP nutritional screening tool to the Mexican population. Methods: the validation was carried out in two phases: firstly, the translation and cultural adaptation was carried out; and secondly, a cross-sectional study was performed comparing the STAMP tool with a complete nutritional assessment (CNA). A pediatrician specialized in nutrition performed the CNA with the evaluation of anthropometric, clinical and dietary parameters; later, two nutritionists carried out the same evaluation with the STAMP tool. Finally, the patients were graded as low risk and moderate or severe malnutrition risk. Results: of the 300 patients included in the study, 160 were boys (53.3 %) and 140 were girls (46.7 %), with a mean age of 9.44 ± 5.73 years. The assessments made by with the STAMP tool had a 100 % concordance. Compared with CNA, a kappa index of 0.480 (p < 0.01) was obtained. The STAMP test showed a sensitivity of 92 %, a specificity of 75 %, positive predictive value (PPV) of 45 %, negative predictive value (NPV) of 97 %, RVN of 3,68, and RVN of 0,10. Conclusions: the STAMP screening tool has the necessary elements to objectively assess the risk of malnutrition in Mexican children and is a highly sensitive and specific test. test.

Introducción: Antecedentes: la desnutrición pediátrica es una de las principales causas de complicaciones en niños hospitalizados, por ello, el tamizaje nutricional al ingreso es indispensable. La Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP) es una herramienta sencilla, reproducible y fácil de interpretar, sin embargo, en México no se encuentra validada. El objetivo del estudio fue validar y adaptar a la población mexicana la herramienta de tamizaje nutricional STAMP. Metodología: la validación se realizó en dos fases: en primer lugar, se realizó la traducción y adaptación cultural; y en segundo lugar, se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal comparando la herramienta STAMP con una evaluación nutricional completa (ENC). Un médico pediatra especialista en nutrición realizó la ENC con la evaluación de parámetros antropométricos, clínicos y dietéticos y, posteriormente, dos nutriólogas realizaron la misma evaluación con la herramienta STAMP. Finalmente, se tamizaron todos los pacientes en leve y moderado o grave riesgo de desnutrición. Resultados: de los 300 pacientes incluidos en el estudio, 160 fueron niños (53,3 %) y 140, niñas (46,7 %), con una media de edad de 9,44 ± 5,73 años. Las valoraciones realizadas con la herramienta STAMP tuvieron una concordancia del 100 %. Comparado con la ENC, se obtuvo un índice kappa de 0,480 (p < 0,01). La prueba STAMP mostró una sensibilidad del 92 %, una especificidad del 75 %, valor predictivo positivo (VPP) del 45 %, valor predictivo negativo (VPN) del 97 %, LR- de 3,68 y LR- de 0,10. Conclusiones: la herramienta de tamizaje STAMP cuenta con los elementos necesarios para evaluar de forma objetiva el riesgo de desnutrición en niños mexicanos y es una prueba altamente sensible y específica.

Ten-Week Sucralose Consumption Induces Gut Dysbiosis and Altered Glucose and Insulin Levels in Healthy Young Adults.

Sucralose consumption alters microbiome and carbohydrate metabolism in mouse models. However, there are no conclusive studies in humans. Our goals were to examine the effect of sucralose consumption on the intestinal abundance of bacterial species belonging to Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes and explore potential associations between microbiome profiles and glucose and insulin blood levels in healthy young adults. In this open-label clinical trial, volunteers randomly drank water, as a control (n = 20), or 48 mg sucralose (n = 20), every day for ten weeks. At the beginning and the end of the study, participants were subjected to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to measure serum glucose and insulin every 15 min for 3 h and provided fecal samples to assess gut microbiota using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Sucralose intake altered the abundance of Firmicutes without affecting Actinobacteria or Bacteroidetes. Two-way ANOVA revealed that volunteers drinking sucralose for ten weeks showed a 3-fold increase in Blautia coccoides and a 0.66-fold decrease in Lactobacillus acidophilus compared to the controls. Sucralose consumption increased serum insulin and the area under the glucose curve compared to water. Long-term sucralose ingestion induces gut dysbiosis associated with altered insulin and glucose levels during an OGTT.

Chronic sucralose consumption induces elevation of serum insulin in young healthy adults: a randomized, double blind, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are widely consumed by humans due to their apparent innocuity, especially sucralose. However, several studies link sucralose consumption to weight gain and metabolic derangements, although data are still contradictory. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of acute and chronic consumption of sucralose on insulin and glucose profiles in young healthy adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a randomized, parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted in healthy young adults from 18 to 35 years old, without insulin resistance. A hundred thirty seven participants were randomized into three groups: a) volunteers receiving 48 mg sucralose, b) volunteers receiving 96 mg sucralose, and c) controls receiving water as placebo. All participants underwent a 3-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) preceded by consuming sucralose or placebo 15 min before glucose load, at two time points: week zero (Wk0) and week ten (Wk10). Serum insulin and glucose were measured every 15 min during both OGTTs. RESULTS: Compared to Wk0, consumption of sucralose for 10 weeks provoked 1) increased insulin concentrations at 0 min (7.5 ± 3.4 vs 8.8 ± 4.1 µIU/mL; p = 0.01), 30 min (91.3 ± 56.2 vs 110.1 ± 49.4 µIU/mL; p = 0.05), 105 min (47.7 ± 24.4 vs 64.3 ± 48.2 µIU/mL; p = 0.04) and 120 min (44.8 ± 22.1 vs 63.1 ± 47.8 µIU/mL; p = 0.01) in the 48 mg sucralose group; 2) increased blood glucose at - 15 min (87.9 ± 4.6 vs 91.4 ± 5.4 mg/dL; p = 0.003), 0 min (88.7 ± 4 vs 91.3 ± 6 mg/dL; p = 0.04) and 120 min (95.2 ± 23.7 vs 106.9 ± 19.5 mg/dL; p = 0.009) in the 48 mg sucralose group; 3) increased area under the curve (AUC) of insulin in both 48 and 96 mg sucralose groups (9262 vs 11,398; p = 0.02 and 6962 vs 8394; p = 0.12, respectively); and 4) reduced Matsuda index in the 48 mg sucralose group (6.04 ± 3.19 vs 4.86 ± 2.13; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These data show that chronic consumption of sucralose can affect insulin and glucose responses in non-insulin resistant healthy young adults with normal body mass index (between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2), however, the effects are not consistent with dose; further research is required. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: NCT03703141.

A Single 48 mg Sucralose Sip Unbalances Monocyte Subpopulations and Stimulates Insulin Secretion in Healthy Young Adults.

Sucralose is a noncaloric artificial sweetener that is widely consumed worldwide and has been associated with alteration in glucose and insulin homeostasis. Unbalance in monocyte subpopulations expressing CD11c and CD206 hallmarks metabolic dysfunction but has not yet been studied in response to sucralose. Our goal was to examine the effect of a single sucralose sip on serum insulin and blood glucose and the percentages of classical, intermediate, and nonclassical monocytes in healthy young adults subjected to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). This study was a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Volunteers randomly received 60 mL water as placebo (n = 20) or 48 mg sucralose dissolved in 60 mL water (n = 25), fifteen minutes prior to an OGTT. Blood samples were individually drawn every 15 minutes for 180 minutes for quantifying glucose and insulin concentrations. Monocyte subsets expressing CD11c and CD206 were measured at -15 and 180 minutes by flow cytometry. As compared to controls, volunteers receiving sucralose exhibited significant increases in serum insulin at 30, 45, and 180 minutes, whereas blood glucose values showed no significant differences. Sucralose consumption caused a significant 7% increase in classical monocytes and 63% decrease in nonclassical monocytes with respect to placebo controls. Pearson's correlation models revealed a strong association of insulin with sucralose-induced monocyte subpopulation unbalance whereas glucose values did not show significant correlations. Sucralose ingestion decreased CD11c expression in all monocyte subsets and reduced CD206 expression in nonclassical monocytes suggesting that sucralose does not only unbalance monocyte subpopulations but also alter their expression pattern of cell surface molecules. This work demonstrates for the first time that a 48 mg sucralose sip increases serum insulin and unbalances monocyte subpopulations expressing CD11c and CD206 in noninsulin-resistant healthy young adults subjected to an OGTT. The apparently innocuous consumption of sucralose should be reexamined in light of these results.