Nutritional assessment of elderly people.

Since today's society is characterised by an increase in the number of elderly persons, who are subject more than any other group to an alteration in their state of nutrition, in this review we propose the possible methods that can be used for an accurate nutritional diagnosis in this age group. Considering that malnutrition, sarcopenia and motor disability are factors that are more likely to occur with aging, it is extremely important for certain clinical anamnestic parameters, such as biohumoral and anthropometric indicators, but also specific tables and questionnaires, to become standard routine practice in health care in order to facilitate the diagnosis of these possible events.

BMI values and other anthropometric and functional measurements as predictors of obesity in a selected group of adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is well known to be a problem all over the world: WHO data report that one billion subjects are overweight and 300 million are obese. Epidemiological data (IOTF) show that prevalence rates are increasing not only in industrialized countries, but also in developing countries, especially as far as the adolescent population is concerned. AIM OF THE STUDY: To select adolescents at risk of obesity by BMI calculation and by other anthropometric and functional measurements in the Aosta Valley Mountain Region (Northern Italy). METHODS: 532 adolescents were recruited and participated in the study (254 males and 278 females, aged 15.4 +/- 0.7). According to standard methods, the following parameters were measured: weight and height for BMI calculation, four skin folds (mid-triceps,mid-biceps, subscapular and supra-iliac) to compute body fat mass,waist and hip circumferences, systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure. Parental weight and height, educational and socio-economic status were requested from the parents using a questionnaire. RESULTS: Percentages of overweight and obese boys were 20.9% and 4.7% respectively, and percentages of overweight and obese girls were 14.7% and 1.1% respectively (using Cole's cut off point reference standard). Mean body fat mass percentages (males = 19.3 +/- 5.6%, females 23.3 +/- 4.4%) showed males at risk of obesity, as indicated by a higher prevalence rate of overweight and obesity in this gender. Positive correlations (p <0.01) were found between BMI and the following parameters: mid-triceps skinfolds, body fat mass percentage,waist and hip circumferences, but no correlation emerged with WHR; body fat mass positively correlates (p <0.01) with waist and hip circumferences; students' BMI positively correlates with blood pressure (p <0.01),with parental BMI and shows a positive trend towards parental low education and socioeconomic levels. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obesity prevalence rates are higher in males than in females according to literature data; family influences weight condition. The correlations that emerged show that BMI is a good adiposity index also in adolescents, it acts as an indicator of cardiovascular risk condition and is influenced by parental BMI.

[Obesity etiology: role of leptin]. / Eziologia dell'obesità: il ruolo della leptina.

A huge interest in the scientific community has been aroused since leptin's discovery (from greek leptos=thin), due to its important role in the body energetic balance regulation. This protein is synthesized from ob gene and secreted by the adipose tissue when fat mass increases, decreasing hunger and increasing energy expenditure in order to restore energetic balance. In the latest years many human genetic studies have been conducted showing that sometimes obesity may be due to mutations of genes involved in energetic balance mediated by leptin. These findings amplified the knowledge of obesity etiopathogenesis, thus arousing hopes and expectations for new therapeutic horizons in this disease. Latest researches also outlined many other functions of leptin, some of which are presented in this review. In this paper we collected the most significant data about leptin's physiology and its role in body energetic homeostasis, looking also to the effects on hypothalamus-hypophysis-endocrine axes regulation, on body thermoregulation, on the reproductive function and on foetus and child growth. A wide section is thus reserved to the most recent findings about the role of leptin in obesity and about its therapeutic applications in this field.

Impairment of dopaminergic and opioidergic activity in patients with polycystic ovarian disease is restored by treatment for the induction of ovulation.

The luteinizing hormone (LH) response to metoclopramide (MCP), a dopamine receptor antagonist, and naloxone (NAL), an opioid receptor antagonist, was evaluated in 7 patients with polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) before and during treatment with purified human urinary follicle-stimulating hormone (hFSH), and in 6 control women during spontaneously ovulating cycles. Before treatment, in all patients both MCP and NAL administration did not increase plasma LH levels. In the 6 subjects ovulating following hFSH treatment the LH response to MCP and NAL at preovulatory and midluteal phases was restored, as it occurred in control women. Our results suggest that in PCOD the dopamine and opioid activity in the hypothalamus are decreased. The reversal of peripheral ovarian response induced by treatment for the induction of ovulation may restore these impaired neuroendocrine activities.