A Clustering Study of Dietary Patterns and Physical Activity among Workers of the Uruguayan State Electrical Company.

Recent studies have shown that certain nutrients, specific food groups, or general dietary patterns (DPs) can promote health and prevent noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCCDs). Both developed and developing countries experience a high prevalence of NCCDs due to poor lifestyle habits, DPs, and low physical activity levels. This study aims to examine the dietary, physical activity, sociodemographic, and lifestyle patterns of Uruguayan State Electrical Company workers (the IN-UTE study). A total of 2194 workers participated in the study, providing information about their sociodemographics, lifestyles, and dietary habits through different questionnaires. To identify DPs from 16 food groups, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. A hierarchical cluster algorithm was used to combine food groups and sociodemographic/lifestyle variables. Four DPs were extracted from the data; the first DP was related to the intake of energy-dense foods, the second DP to the characteristics of the job, the third DP to a Mediterranean-style diet, and the fourth DP to age and body mass index. In addition, cluster analysis involving a larger number of lifestyle variables produced similar results to the PCA. Lifestyle and sociodemographic factors, including night work, working outside, and moderate and intense PA, were significantly correlated with the dietary clusters, suggesting that working conditions, socioeconomic status, and PA may play an important role in determining DPs to some extent. Accordingly, these findings should be used to design lifestyle interventions to reverse the appearance of unhealthy DPs in the UTE population.

Study of Food Intake and Physical Activity Patterns in the Working Population of the Uruguayan State Electrical Company (UTE): Design, Protocol and Methodology.

Noncommunicable diseases are the main cause of death globally, and most are potentially preventable; they are long term diseases and generally evolve slowly. In Uruguay 64.9% of the population between 25 and 64 years of age are either overweight or obese. The available scientific data show that workplaces are good for developing food-intake interventions for a healthier life. The present study aims to report the design, protocol and methodology for the evaluation of the food intake and physical activity patterns of the Uruguayan State Electrical Company (UTE) workers, as it is distributed across the whole country, and has established associations with overweight and obesity in order to establish institutional strategies to improve the situation. This study uses a population and a cross-sectional, randomized, representative sample of UTE workers with a precision of 3% and a confidence level of 95%. The considered anthropometric variables are weight, height, waist circumference, percentage of fat mass and percentage of visceral fat. A questionnaire on frequency of consumption of different foods and two 24-h dietary recalls (24-h DR) will be performed to evaluate the food intake. Accelerometry will be used to evaluate physical activity, and the International physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) will be applied. Clinical data will be obtained from the UTE clinical charts. This is the first study of its kind that will be undertaken in Uruguay. It is registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier nº NCT04509908.

Exploring Dietary Behavior Changes Due to the COVID-19 Confinement in Colombia: A National and Regional Survey Study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of coronavirus SARS-Cov2 (COVID-19) confinement measures in Colombia on the dietary behaviors of a large population sample, at national and regional levels. A survey was conducted to assess dietary behaviors during the COVID-19 confinement. The survey involved 2,745 participants, aged 18 years or older, from six regions of the country (Atlántica, Bogotá, Central, Oriental, Orinoquía and Amazonía, and Pacífica). Dietary intake of foods and foods groups in grams per day before and during the confinement was estimated by considering standard serving sizes of foods. One-way ANOVA was used to analyze differences between the regions with regard to dietary behavior changes during the confinement. Differences were deemed significant at p-value < 0.05. Dietary patterns (DPs) before and during the confinement were derived from principal component analysis. Certain dietary habits were adopted by the study population during the confinement (e.g., higher frequency of snacking and home cooking), with significant differences by regions with regard to these habits, as well as regarding culinary processes. The levels of consumption of several foods also changed during the confinement, nationally and regionally. We identified three DPs before the confinement (protein-rich, carbohydrate-rich, and sugar foods patterns) and four DPs during the confinement (westernized, carbohydrate-rich, protein-rich, fish and fruits-vegetable patterns), with an explained total variance of 33 and 45%, respectively. The profile of these DPs varied to some extent between the regions; their adherence to each DP also varied (p-value < 0.001). Our results show that there were marked differences by regions in the dietary behaviors of this population during the confinement, with an overall trend toward unhealthier DPs. These results may help to shape public health nutrition interventions in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic and in a post-COVID stage.

[Comprehensive geriatric assessment in a marginal community of Ecuador]. / Valoración geriátrica integral en una comunidad marginal de Ecuador.

INTRODUCTION: Background: older adults suffer from diseases that can affect their functional, psychological and social parameters. The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is used as an evaluation tool for these parameters through the use of validated, simple and easy-to-apply instruments. Objective: to report the health status of older adults who attend a primary care center in an urban-marginal area of Guayaquil (Ecuador) through CGA, as a first step in order to establish a coordinated care plan in the areas studied. Material and Methods: a cross-sectional assessment of 196 aged subjects with a median age of 70.9 years (83 % females) who attended a Primary Care Community Health Center in Guayaquil. Nutritional, social, demographic, functional, and cognitive variables were assessed. Results: participants had a mean age of 70.9 ± 7.1 years. Demographic variables: 73 % were Afro-Ecuadorian, 69 % had basic education, and 57 % performed no physical activity. Clinical assessment: 47.4 % presented with vision impairment, and 37.8 % with hearing problems; 52 % had nutritional risk and 6 % malnutrition. Social valuation: 13 % had severe social deterioration; 40 % had some cognitive impairment, and 8.2 % had depression; 46.9 % were functionally dependent, and 16.8 % had dynapenia. Conclusions: CGA allows to identify major health problems in this population, which is why it is considered a practical and easy tool to apply in primary care centers in marginal urban populations as a first step to improve health status for this older population, which in recent years is growing significantly in developing countries such as Ecuador.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Antecedentes: los adultos mayores presentan enfermedades que pueden repercutir en sus parámetros funcionales, psicológicos y sociales. La Valoración Geriátrica integral (VGI) se utiliza como herramienta de evaluación de estos parámetros a través del uso de instrumentos validados, sencillos y de fácil aplicación. Objetivo: determinar el estado de salud de los adultos mayores en un área urbano-marginal de Guayaquil (Ecuador) mediante la VGI, como primer paso para poder establecer un plan de cuidados coordinado en las áreas estudiadas. Material y métodos: estudio transversal de 196 sujetos mayores de 65 años que acuden a un centro de salud comunitario de atención primaria en Guayaquil y a los que se les ha realizado una VGI. Resultados: los participantes tenían una edad media de 70,9 ± 7,1 años. Variables demográficas: el 73 % eran afroecuatorianos, el 69 % tenían instrucción básica y el 57 % no realizaban ninguna actividad física. Evaluación clínica: el 47,4 % presentaban dificultad de visión, el 52 % riesgo nutricional y el 6 % desnutrición. Valoración social: el 13 % tenían deterioro social severo; el 40 % presentaban algún deterioro cognitivo y el 8,2 % tenían depresión; el 46,9 % eran funcionalmente dependientes y el 16,8 % presentaban dinapenia. Conclusiones: la VGI permite identificar los principales problemas de salud de esta población, por lo que se considera una herramienta práctica y fácil de aplicar en los centros de atención primaria de las poblaciones urbano-marginales, como primer paso para mejorar el estado de salud de esta población mayor que en los últimos años está creciendo de forma importante en los países en vías de desarrollo tales como Ecuador.

Glycemic index, glycemic load, and metabolic syndrome in Mexican adolescents: a cross-sectional study from the NHNS-2012.

BACKGROUND: The role of dietary glycemic index (GI) and dietary glycemic load (GL) on metabolic syndrome (MetS) in youth populations remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association among dietary GI, dietary GL, and MetS and its components in Mexican adolescents. METHODS: This study was conducted within the framework of the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012, a cross-sectional, probabilistic, population-based survey with a multistage stratified cluster sampling design. We analyzed a sample of 1346 subjects aged 12-19 years, representing 13,164,077 adolescents. Dietary habits were assessed through a validated semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. We assigned GI values using the International Tables of GI values. We defined MetS according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria developed for adolescents. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to evaluate the association between categories of dietary GI and GL and the prevalence of MetS and its components. RESULTS: We observed no associations between dietary GI or GL and MetS prevalence. Female adolescents in the highest category of dietary GI had higher odds of abnormal blood pressure (OR = 3.66; 95% CI, 1.46-9.22; P for trend = 0.012). A high dietary GL was also associated with higher odds of abnormal blood pressure in female adolescents (OR = 5.67; 95% CI, 1.84-17.46; P for trend = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: We found higher odds of abnormal blood pressure for female adolescents with a high dietary GI and dietary GL.

[The finut healthy lifestyles guide: beyond the food pyramid]. / GUÍA FINUT DE ESTILOS DE VIDA SALUDABLE: MÁS ALLÁ DE LA PIRÁMIDE DE LOS ALIMENTOS.

The World Health Organization has proposed that health be promoted and protected through the development of an environment that enables sustainable actions at individual, community, national and global levels. Indeed, food-based dietary guidelines, i.e., food pyramids, have been developed in numerous countries to disseminate nutritional information to the general population. However, wider recommendations are needed, with information on an active, healthy lifestyle, not just healthy eating. The objective of the present work is to propose a three-dimensional pyramid as a new strategy for promoting adequate nutrition and active healthy lifestyles in a sustainable way. Indeed, the Iberomerican Nutrition Foundation (FINUT) pyramid of healthy lifestyles has been designed as a tetrahedron, its three lateral faces corresponding to the binomials food and nutrition, physical activity and rest, and education and hygiene. Each lateral face is divided into two triangles. These faces show the following: 1. food-based guidelines and healthy eating habits as related to a sustainable environment; 2. recommendations for rest and physical activity and educational, social and cultural issues; 3. selected hygiene and educational guidelines that, in conjunction with the other two faces, would contribute to better health and provide measures to promote environmental sustainability. The new FINUT pyramid is addressed to the general population of all ages and should serve as a guide for living a healthy lifestyle within a defined social and cultural context. It includes an environmental and sustainability dimension providing measures that should contribute to the prevention of non-communicable chronic diseases.

La Organización Mundial de la Salud (World Health Organization: OMS) ha propuesto que la salud debe ser promovida y protegida a través del desarrollo de un medio ambiente que permita acciones sostenibles a nivel individual, comunitario, nacional y global. De hecho, se han desarrollado en numerosos países guías alimentarias (por ejemplo, las pirámides de alimentos) para divulgar información nutricional a la población general. Sin embargo, se necesitan recomendaciones más amplias sobre estilos activos de vida saludable, no restringidos únicamente a los alimentos. El objetivo de este trabajo es la propuesta de una pirámide tridimensional como una nueva estrategia para promover una nutrición adecuada y estilos activos de vida saludable de manera sostenible. En efecto, se ha diseñado la pirámide FINUT (Fundación Iberoamericana de Nutrición) sobre estilos de vida saludable como un tetraedro cuyas tres caras laterales se corresponden a los binomios alimentación y nutrición, actividad física y descanso, y educación e higiene. Cada cara lateral está dividida en dos triángulos. Estas caras muestran lo siguiente: 1. guías alimentarias y hábitos de alimentación saludable en relación a un medio ambiente sostenible; 2. recomendaciones sobre descanso y actividad física y temas de educación, sociales y culturales relacionados; 3. guías seleccionadas sobre higiene y educación que, en conjunto con las otras dos caras, puedan contribuir a una mejor salud para la población en un planeta sostenible. La nueva pirámide FINUT se dirige a la población general de todas las edades y debería servir como una guía para un estilo de vida saludable en un contexto social y cultural definido. La pirámide incluye una dimensión ambiental y sostenible que proporciona medidas para contribuir a la prevención de las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles.