Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
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665
(FIVE YEARS 121)

H-INDEX

15
(FIVE YEARS 3)

Published By Ios Press

1973-7998, 1973-798x

Author(s):  
Murat Urhan ◽  
Reci Meseri ◽  
Fahrettin Oksel

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that the quality of life and diet quality in individuals with rheumatological diseases are poor and may adversely affect the course of the disease. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare the quality of life and diet of individuals with Behçet’s Disease (BD) compared to healthy controls. METHODS: This study was planned as a case-control study, and 60 adult patients with BD were compared with age (±1) and sex paired match healthy controls concerning the quality of life and diet. Diet quality was assessed using nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) and the mean adequacy ratio (MAR) values calculated from 24 h dietary food recall and obesity was also evaluated by various anthropometric measurements. The Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) was used to evaluate the quality of life (QoL). In addition, the 24-hour physical activities were recorded to calculate physical activity levels (PAL). Data were analyzed by SPSS 25.0 via paired sample t-test and McNemar (and McNemar-Bowkers) test. p <  0.05 was deemed significant. RESULTS: The findings showed that cases were more obese (p = 0.005), less physically active (p <  0.001), had lower QoL (p <  0.01 for all subscales) and had higher Beck depression scores (p = 0.001). Controls had higher means of energy (p <  0.001), CHO% (p = 0.025), fat% (p = 0.004), and fiber (p = 0.007) intake and mean MAR value (p <  0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to healthy controls, patients with BD were more obese, had lower QoL and lower diet quality. Therefore, people with BD should be evaluated for comorbid diseases and be supported by health professionals, such as dietitians and psychologists.


Author(s):  
Abdellah Moukal ◽  
Abdallah El Farouqi ◽  
Mohamed Aghrouch ◽  
Smail Chadli ◽  
Abderrahmane Zekhnini ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVES: Assessing Vitamin-D status and checking if low serum 25(OH)D is a factor in breast cancer (BC) for Southern Moroccan women. MATERIALS/METHODS: Study conducted in Morocco about women with BC (n = 90) and controls (n = 90). 25-hydroxy-vitamin-D Biological analyzes executed during the first consultation. Social data and anthropometric parameters were collected for all participants. RESULTS: These women constituted 67.78 % for the cases and 85.6% for the controls. The average age was 48.72±9.71 (cases) and 46.40±12.52 (controls). We found that 53.33% of cases and 40% of controls were postmenopausal and that hypovitaminosis-D affected 80 and 64.4% of cases and controls, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that hypovitaminosis-D was a significative risk factor for BC in Southern Moroccan women. The Odds Ratio was of 5 (p <  0.0001). The BC subtypes had Odds Ratios greater than 1. The highest value was obtained with Luminal B subtype (Odds ratio = 6.25; p = 0.0007). CONCLUSION: This study reinforces the evidence implicating hypovitaminosis-D among modifiable risk factors for BC. Further studies are needed to assess the extent of hypovitaminosis-D in Moroccan women with BC.


Author(s):  
Ammar Waham Ashor ◽  
Thaer M. M. Al-Rammahi ◽  
Vian Mohammed Abdulrazzaq ◽  
Mario Siervo

BACKGROUND: Healthy dietary patterns are typically associated with improved metabolic and cardiovascular health in population-based cohorts. This study aims to investigate whether a healthy dietary score, derived from UK Diabetes and Diet Questionnaire (UKDDQ), is significantly associated with measures of metabolic health and nutritional status in patients with T2DM. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 85 patients with T2DM (age: 51.7±9.4, BMI: 30.6±5.3) and 20 healthy volunteers (age: 48.4±8.6, BMI: 29.5±5) recruited from the Al-Hassan Diabetes and Endocrinology Specialized Center, Karbala, Iraq. Body weight, height and body mass index (BMI) and resting clinic blood pressure were measured. All participants completed the UKDDQ to assess the quality of the diet. Metabolic and nutritional biomarkers were measured in fasting blood samples. A composite nutritional heathy index score (CNHI-score) based on the sum of z-scores for plasma vitamin A, C and E concentrations was derived. RESULTS: In patients with T2DM the UKDDQ score was associated with lower fasting blood glucose (FBG) (r = –0.33; P <  0.01), hemoglobin A1C (r = –0.49; P <  0.001), total cholesterol (TC) (r = –0.26; P = 0.02) concentrations. In patients with T2DM, the CNHI-score significantly associated with UKDDQ (r = 0.43; P <  0.001). In addition, a higher CNHI-score was associated with FBG (r = –0.61; P <  0.001), HbA1C (r = –0.83; P <  0.001), TC (r = –0.30; P <  0.01) and triglyceride (r = –0.30; P <  0.01) concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: A healthy diet is associated with a higher concentration of anti-oxidant vitamins and better glycemic and lipid profile in healthy subjects and in patients with T2DM.


Author(s):  
Satvinder Kaur ◽  
Ng Choon Ming ◽  
Yap Wern Lli ◽  
Teoh Ai Ni ◽  
Chew Wan Ling

BACKGROUND: Recognizing food groups consumption in young adults offers an opportunity to improve dietary pattern in early adulthood. OBJECTIVE: Hence, this cross-sectional study aimed to determine food groups’ intake of young adults and to identify food groups associated with adiposity. METHODS: Youths aged 18–25 years old from private universities in Klang Valley, Malaysia, participated in the study (n = 294). Three days 24-hour dietary recall assessed youths’ food groups intake. Adiposity (BMI, body fat percentage, visceral fat level, waist circumference) was determined based on standard protocol. Height was measured using SECA 206 body meter, while weight, body fat percentage, and visceral fat level were measured using the Omron HBF-356 Body Fat Analyzer. Waist circumference was determined using a measuring tape. RESULTS: In total, 49.3% and 34.7% of youths were overweight/obese and abdominally obese, respectively. The median visceral fat level was 4 (6). Youths consumed 214 (247) kcal of ultra-processed foods daily and exceeded the sugar [32.43 (41.20) g] and sodium recommendation [2425.26 (1455.18) mg]. Fruits [0.29±0.72 servings/day], vegetables [0.95±0.77 servings/day] and milk [0.24±0.38 servings/day] were below recommendations. Increased intake of meat and sodium were associated with higher BMI, waist circumference, body fat percentage, and visceral fat (p <  0.001). Greater intake of ultra-processed food was associated with high BMI (p = 0.009), waist circumference (p = 0.046), and visceral fat (p = 0.014). Besides, high sugar intake was associated with greater BMI (p = 0.003), body fat percentage (p = 0.020), and visceral fat (p = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Meat, sugar, sodium, and ultra-processed foods were high-risk foods associated with adiposity among young adults. There is a need to improve education and support to promote healthy eating for chronic disease prevention related to metabolic abnormalities.


Author(s):  
Özlem Özpak Akkuş ◽  
Betül Gülşen Atalay ◽  
Eda Parlak

BACKGROUND: During the Covid 19 pandemic, the increase in the anxiety levels of individuals is associated with the increase in body weight. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of changes in individuals’ experiences and mood on eating habits and body weights in during social restrictions due to COVID-19. METHODS: The study included 623 adults in Turkey. Demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, information about nutritional habits during the pandemic period were questioned via an online survey. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to evaluate individuals’ negative perspectives. RESULTS: The rate of patients who experienced body weight changes during the pandemic period was 61.4% (40.2% experienced increase), the mean BDI value was found to be higher in individuals whose body weight increased/decreased compared to those who experienced no change in body weight (p = 0.008, p = 0.02, respectively). Variables that positively affected the BDI scores, which was performed in individuals with increased body weight, main meal numbers (p < 0.03), and change in dried fruit consumption (p = 0.05). The variables that negatively affected the BDI scores were body weight increase (p = 0.05) and changes in cheese consumption. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the changes in the emotional state during COVID-19 had an effect on dietary habits and body weight. There is a need for more comprehensive randomized studies on the interaction between lifestyle changes during the social intervention period due to the Covid 19 epidemic, quality of life, emotional state and eating habits.


Author(s):  
Bahman Cheraghian ◽  
Majid Karandish ◽  
Seyed Jalal Hashemi ◽  
Mohadeseh Zendehdel ◽  
Zahra Rahimi ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Dietary diversity score (DDS) is recognized as an essential factor of a high-quality diet. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between DDS and cardiometabolic risk factors in hypertensive patients. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 972 hypertensive patients (322 males and 650 females) aged 35–70y participated were recruited. Dietary intake was evaluated using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and DDS was calculated. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the IDF/AHA criteria. The anthropometric parameters, fasting blood sugar, lipid profile, and liver enzymes were measured. RESULTS: Male subjects who assigned to the top DDS tertile had 51% lower risk of having low serum HDL-C (OR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.24–0.96) in the crude model. A similar association was observed for men in the second tertile of DDS after adjusting for covariates (OR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.23–0.97). A significant inverse association was found between vegetable diversity score and odds of hyperglycemia in the male group in the adjusted model (OR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.22–0.91). The vegetable diversity score was inversely associated with 67% decreased metabolic syndrome risk in the adjusted model (OR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.15–0.70). CONCLUSION: These findings clarify the possible preventive role of higher DDS against metabolic syndrome.


Author(s):  
Sema Akkaya Demir ◽  
Rana Nagihan Akder ◽  
Reci Meseri

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers are susceptible to obesity, anxiety and depression. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and association of obesity, anxiety and depression symptoms in individuals working in a hospital. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study all of the employees of a hospital were invited to participate (n = 150). Anxiety (via Beck Anxiety Scale) and depression symptoms (via Beck Depression Scale) and obesity were dependent and independent variables. Obesity was determined both with body mass index (BMI) and abdominal obesity (Waist circumference-WC). Data were collected with face-to-face interviews and anthropometric measurements were done. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0 with student t-test, chi-square and correlation tests. Significance was set at a p-value <  0.05. RESULTS: Among the participants who agreed to participate (n = 131, 64.1% females), 35.1% were obese and 50.4% were abdominally obese. The 35.9% had moderate-severe anxiety symptoms, 19.1% had moderate-severe depression symptoms. Both BMI and WC had positive, moderate and significant correlation with anxiety and depression scores. After adjusting for socio-demographic variables obesity (both with BMI and WC) was an independent factor for anxiety and depression symptom presence, whereas after adjusted for these variables anxiety and depression symptom presence was an independent factor for obesity and abdominal obesity (p = 0.001 for all). CONCLUSIONS: There is a correlation between anxiety, depression and obesity. In addition to nutrition interventions in combating obesity, services that will improve mental health should be provided together as teamwork.


Author(s):  
Azam Mohamadi ◽  
Amir Reza Moravejolahkami ◽  
Gholamreza Askari ◽  
Mohammad Javad Tarrahi ◽  
Mohammadreza Hajiesmaeili ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Some researchers suggested a positive effect of Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) on Blood Pressure (BP) and lipid profile. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of ALA for improving BP and lipid profile in critically ill patients. METHODS: In the present study, eighty patients (aged 18–80 years old) were randomly assigned to receive daily either ALA (600 mg/day) or placebo for eight weeks. Systolic BP (SBP), Diastolic BP (DBP), Triglyceride (TG), Total cholesterol (TC), Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) were measured before and after intervention. RESULTS: LDL decreased significantly in the ALA group (110.6±34.9 vs. 107.9±33.4 mg/dl; P <  0.05). There was also a significant difference in terms of HDL in both groups (Δ= +1.8 vs. Δ= –0.3 mg/dl; P <  0.05). A marginal non-significant reduction was also observed for SBP. There were no significant differences in other variables between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: ALA supplementation did not improve the BP and some serum lipid markers in critically ill patients. Larger and longer trials will be needed to determine efficacy of ALA.


Author(s):  
Simin Haghravan ◽  
Fatemeh Mohammadi-Nasrabadi ◽  
Maryam Rafraf ◽  
Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi

Diabetes prevention programs have been developed in the different countries and it is therefore necessary to gain a better understanding of factors affecting the effectiveness of these programs for each society. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the National Diabetes Control and Prevention Program (NDCPP) on the biochemical and anthropometric indices among a sample of Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A total of 384 patients with T2DM from the primary health care system of Tehran and Tabriz cities during January to June 2020, were included in the study. A two-part questionnaire consisting of items related to socio-economic and demographic characteristics was used and biochemical and anthropometric indices were measured at the beginning and the end of the 3-month intervention period. There was a significant difference in fasting blood sugar (FBS), hemoglobin glycosides (HbA1 C), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and weight before and after the NDCPP (P <  0.001). Also, there was significant improvement in carbohydrate (P = 0.015) and protein intake (P = 0.027) after the NDCPP compared to before the study. No significant difference was observed in waist circumference (WC) (P = 0.689), body mass index (P = 0.784), diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.647), and other dietary nutrient intake before and after the NDCPP. Repeated measure ANOVA revealed a significant decrease in FBS (Time effect P = 0.019) and weight (Time effect P = 0.006) after the NDCPP. Also, residing in different cities had a significant effect on FBS (time×city effect P <  0.001), HbA1 C (time×city effect P <  0.001), and SBP (time×city effect P = 0.037) after the NDCPP. The NDCPP resulted in weight loss, improved HbA1 C, and FBS. These findings suggested that NDCPP had a positive effect on controlling T2DM among Iranian population and can be considered as a way to prevent complications of T2DM.


Author(s):  
Arezoo Rezazadeh ◽  
Sara Sadeghzadeh ◽  
Kosar Namakin ◽  
Atena Tamimi ◽  
Zahra Khanjani

Destructive outcomes of coronavirus pandemic call for medical research which can report all of the influential agents not only for the treatment of the disease but also preventing its severe impacts on the societal health in the most efficient manner. Zinc plays an integral role in the function of cellular enzymes and transcription factors. Owing to its anti-inflammatory and cellular immunity regulation activity, zinc is regarded to be effective on strengthening the immune system. Its crucial antiviral effects have long been established as well. Studies suggest that low serum zinc level predisposes the patient to severe COVID-19 infection, which makes patient’s zinc profile a potential determinant of prognosis and severity of this disease. Furthermore, zinc supplementation has indicated promising outcomes of coronavirus infection management. Zinc modulates cell-mediated immunity and participates in the killing of microorganisms in cytotoxic immune cells. Zn2 + has anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting IL-6 production. Although there is still not enough evidence, it seems that zinc could be a promising supplementary treatment for COVID-19 especially in zinc-deficient patients. The aim of this review is to clarify the role of zinc in pathogenesis and therapy of COVID-19 in detail.


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