Reported food intake and distribution of body fat: a repeated cross-sectional study

The number of individuals with age-related cognitive impairment is rising dramatically in the UK and globally. There is considerable interest in the general hypothesis that improving the diet of older people may slow the progression of cognitive decline. To date, there has been little attention given to the possible protective role of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPs) most commonly found in oily fish, in age-related loss of cognitive function. The main research hypothesis of this study is that an increased dietary intake of n-3 LCPs will have a positive effect on cognitive performance in older people in the UK. To test this hypothesis, a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial will be carried out among adults aged 70–79 years in which the intervention arm will receive daily capsules containing n-3 LCP (0.5 g/day docosahexaenoic acid and 0.2 g/day eicosapentaenoic acid) while the placebo arm will receive daily capsules containing olive oil. The main outcome variable assessed at 24 months will be cognitive performance and a second major outcome variable will be retinal function. Retinal function tests are included as the retina is a specifically differentiated neural tissue and therefore represents an accessible window into the functioning of the brain. The overall purpose of this public-health research is to help define a simple and effective dietary intervention aimed at maintaining cognitive and retinal function in later life. This will be the first trial of its kind aiming to slow the decline of cognitive and retinal function in older people by increasing daily dietary intake of n-3 LCPs. The link between cognitive ability, visual function and quality of life among older people suggests that this novel line of research may have considerable public health importance.     

Psychosocial correlates of dietary fat intake in African-American adults: a cross-sectional study

Background  

Current dietary guidelines recommend that dietary fat should comprise 20–35% percent of total energy intake, with less than 10% of energy from saturated fat. However, many Americans exceed these goals and data suggest that African Americans tend to consume a higher percentage of energy from dietary fat than Whites. Because diets low in dietary fat, particularly saturated fat, are associated with lower risk for many chronic illnesses, it is important to identify strategies to reduce high fat intakes. This study examined associations of psychosocial factors with dietary fat intake in African American adults 18 to 70 years.     

Modification of food to control fat intake

National trends in amounts and types of fat consumed have not alleviated our problems in nutrition and health. The dilemma of the public, as well as of the medical and nutritional sectors of society, has been what to do about atherosclerosis and obesity. Various methods and approaches are suggested where-by the fat intake may be reduced or controlled. Several unique classes of compounds are suggested as possible candidates for novel nutritional foods. Nutritional education is stressed as the long range prerequisite for an enlightened public which can meet the challenge of tomorrow.     

Dietary intakes and food sources of fat and fatty acids in Guatemalan schoolchildren: A cross-sectional study

Background  

Consumption of healthy diets that contribute with adequate amounts of fat and fatty acids is needed for children. Among Guatemalan children, there is little information about fat intakes. Therefore, the present study sought to assess intakes of dietary fats and examine food sources of those fats in Guatemalan children.     

Implications of fat replacement for nutrition and food intake

The expanding development and marketing of fat replacers and reduced-fat foods is primarily directed at nutritional concerns regarding excessive fat and energy consumption. Existing and proposed ingredients used to replace fat span a range of physical and chemical properties, with varied functionality and differences in their potential physiological effects. Although the safety and functionality of such ingredients and technologies have been scrutinized by industrial and governmental bodies, there has been rather less consideration given to assessments of their likely effects on food intake and nutritional status. It is often assumed that products made using fat replacement technologies would help to reduce fat intake and aid in weight control, despite little research directly assessing the effects of purchase and consumption of these products by normal consumers in the domestic environment. This review considers existing and proposed fat replacers and reduced-fat foods, focusing on their potential beneficial and adverse influences on diet and nutrition, highlighting the possible implications for fat intake and energy balance.     

Body Mass Index,percent body fat,and regional body fat distribution in relation to leptin concentrations in healthy,non-smoking postmenopausal women in a feeding study

Background  

The relationship between BMI and leptin has been studied extensively in the past, but previous reports in postmenopausal women have not been conducted under carefully controlled dietary conditions of weight maintenance using precise measures of body fat distribution. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between serum leptin concentration and adiposity as estimated by BMI and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) measures (percent body fat, central and peripheral fat, and lean mass) in postmenopausal women.     

Dietetic determinants on food intake and effects in body weight regulation

Obesity is a multifactorial pathology currently considered one of the main public health problems. Its prevalence is increasing dramatically in the last decades, reaching huge rates in Brazil and many other countries. Regardless of the factors associated with genetic predisposition, this pathology is often associated with abnormal food intake, and also with high consumption of caloric foods and sedentary habits. Thus, obesity is the result of an imbalance between food intake and energy expenditure. One of the greatest research interests in nutrition has currently been the dietetic determinants that may exert an influence on the process of food intake, as well as the role of foods on physiological, physical and chemical factors most related to the processes of satiation and satiety. Based on these aspects, this paper analyzes several research works to gain a better insight of the dietetic factors affecting food intake and body weight regulation.     

The development and evaluation of the Australian child and adolescent recommended food score: a cross-sectional study

Vitamin D may have a role in many chronic conditions in addition to bone health. Nutritional surveys among Americans have reported high levels of vitamin D insufficiency, especially among Blacks and Latinos. Our study examined variation in vitamin D supplementation practices in an adult health plan population by age, gender, and race-ethnicity. Self-report data from a 2008 general health survey in a large Northern California health plan were used to characterize number and types of sources of vitamin D supplementation (multivitamin, calcium with D, singular D) among women and men aged 25-85, overall, by race-ethnicity, and for obese, diabetic, and hypertensive subgroups. In this population, 40% of women and 54% of men ≤ 50, and 24% of women and 53% of men aged 51-85 get no vitamin D from dietary supplements. Higher vitamin D supplementation among women > 50 is associated with higher reported intake of calcium with D. Black and Latina women aged 25-85 and Filipinas in the ≤ 50 age group were significantly less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to get vitamin D from supplements, whereas vitamin D supplementation practices among Chinese women did not significantly differ from non-Hispanic Whites. Among men, Latinos aged 25-85 and Black and Chinese ≤ 50 were significantly less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to get vitamin D from supplements. Similar race-ethnic differences in vitamin D supplementation patterns were observed for people in the obese, diabetic, and hypertensive groups. Our survey results suggest that in 2008, a large percentage of women and an even larger percentage of men in a large Northern California health plan get no vitamin D from dietary supplements, and that Blacks and Latinos and obese adults, who are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency, are also the least likely to get any vitamin D from dietary supplements.     

Impact of fat substitutes on fat intake

Dietary fat is the number one nutrition concern of Americans. In response to rising consumer demand for reduced-fat foods, the food industry has developed a multitude of nonfat, lowfat, and reduced-fat versions of regular food products. To generate reduced-fat or fat-free products that have the same organoleptic characteristics of the regular fat version, food manufactures frequently employ fat substitutes in the formulation of these foods. Fat substitutes are made from either carbohydrate, protein, or fat, or a combination of these components. Researchers have questioned the impact of fat substitutes on both fat and caloric intake. The majority of research studies in which fat substitutes were either covertly or overtly substituted for dietary fat indicate that in short-term, carefully-controlled conditions, fat substitutes can decrease both dietary fat intake and percentage of calorie intake from fat. However, individuals compensate for the caloric deficit created by the fat substitutes by increasing their consumption of other macronutrients, primarily carbohydrate. The long-term effect of fat substitutes on the fat intake of free-living individuals and weight control are unknown. People tend to eat more of a food when they know that food is reduced in fat. Fat substitutes should not be considered a substitute for sound nutrition education and a healthy lifestyle which includes regular exercise.     

Antioxidant intake among Brazilian adults - The Brazilian Osteoporosis Study (BRAZOS): a cross-sectional study

Background  

Antioxidant nutrient intake and the lesser formation of free radicals seem to contribute to chronic diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the intake profile of the main dietary antioxidants in a representative sample of the adult Brazilian population and discuss the main consequences of a low intake of these micronutrients on overall health.     

Healthy and unhealthy body fat

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing co‐morbidities such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. However, not all obese subjects have an increased risk of developing these co‐morbidities. It has been suggested that triacylglycerols stored in subcutaneous adipose tissue protect the body against the accumulation of triacylglycerols in other tissues such as heart, skeletal muscle, liver and the β‐cells of the endocrine pancreas which would impair their function. This phenomenon of lipotoxicity probably explains the defects in insulin action and insulin secretion seen in type 2 diabetes and perhaps impaired diastolic function of the heart. A distinction needs to be drawn between this ‘unhealthy’ ectopic body fat which is detrimental to human health and ‘healthy’ subcutaneous body fat which may protect it.     

喷射式浮选机槽体断面形状的试验研究

FJCA型煤用喷射式浮选机将倒梯形槽体断面改为矩形槽体断面,增加了槽深,提高了泡沫区和浮选区的高度;减小了槽宽,从而缩短了泡沫层水平运动的距离,成倍提高槽底充气均匀程度,浮选完善指标显著提高。     

Dietary fat and body weight control

The global obesity epidemic has heightened the debate about dietary factors contributing to weight gain. Media stories have promulgated the notion that obesity has increased despite reductions in dietary fat intake. Some have even speculated that lower dietary fat levels may be driving the rapid rise in weight gain within the population. A close examination of the science reveals a different picture and supports the hypothesis that dietary fat, within the context of the total dietary composition consumed by many populations, promotes obesity. Hence, dietary fat control is still an important strategy as part of an overall approach to body weight management in our modern environment. Dietary fat increases the energy density of foods. Abundant evidence from preclinical and clinical studies indicates that fat promotes excess energy intake and positive energy balance. Dietary fat does not promote its own oxidation in the body and is stored efficiently, promoting a positive fat balance. Thus, both the behavioral and metabolic responses to dietary fat increase the probability of positive energy balance and body fat gain. Restoring fat balance when consuming diets rich in fat requires increasing the size of the body fat mass, increasing physical activity, or reducing dietary fat intake. Numerous epidemiologic, preclinical, and controlled clinical studies have shown that body fat is positively associated with dietary fat intake and that dietary fat manipulation leads to appropriate changes in body fat mass. Finally, data from the National Weight Control Registry, a database of >3000 individuals who have successfully maintained a substantial weight loss, indicate that moderating dietary fat intake is a key strategy for long-term management of body weight.     

Biomarkers for intake of dairy fat and dairy products

The aim of this study was to correlate the fatty acids characteristic of dairy fat (14:0, 14:1, 15:0, 17:0 and 17:1) in adipose tissue, serum lipid fractions and the estimated intake of dairy fat, and to investigate whether they can be used as biomarkers for dairy fat/product intake. The highest correlations were observed between 14:0 in adipose tissue and the estimated intakes of 14:0 (r = 0.60) and dairy fat (r = 0.50), and between 15:0 in adipose tissue and the estimated intakes of 15:0 (r = 0.55) and dairy fat (r = 0.55). Among the fatty acids in serum lipid fractions, 15:0 in cholesteryl esters (CE) and triacylglycerols showed the highest correlation to both 15:0 in adipose tissue, intakes of 15:0, dairy fat and dairy products. The results from our study suggest that the contents of fatty acids characteristic of dairy fat (14:0, 14:1, 15:0, 17:0, 17:1) in adipose tissue might be used as markers not only for the intake of dairy fat, but also of dairy products (times/day). When adipose tissue specimens are not available, 15:0 in serum CE appears to be the best marker for dairy fat intake. It was also observed that fatty acids from dairy fat are incorporated differently into serum lipid fractions and adipose tissue.     

Household food distribution behavior in periurban communities of Guatemala: lessons for food distribution programs

Do mothers of undernourished children recognize their offspring's needs? How do they feed these target children compared to other households members when food supplements are available? Which cultural principles of intra-household food distribution are associated with feeding behavior? How do household members perceive and use food supplements that are donated for undernourished target children? Answers were sought in a dietary-ethnographic study of 45 households receiving supplements for a low-weight child between one and five years, of age in two periurban low-income communities of the City of Guatemala. The central hypothesis was that we would find four cultural principles of food distribution: contributions, need, equity, and demand. The dietary survey combined direct measure and recall techniques and was done twice for all 230 individuals conforming these households. Ethnographic interviews were carried out with mothers of all target children. T-tests determined the relation between food distribution behavior and cultural rules. Findings revealed that the cultural principles of contributions, needs, and demand are present, but instead of the equity principle, we found one of equality. In the great majority of the feeding events observed, the child's mother prepares and distributes the food. The target child does not receive preferential treatment in the intra-household distribution of food supplements and other foodstuffs. Donated milk is destined principally for the children in the household; all other supplements are distributed among all members. Adult males are favored in the distribution of kcal at regular mealtimes. Children are favored in the distribution of kcal when total daily consumption is calculated. There are significant associations between the expressions of the cultural principle favoring equal distribution and that of contribution which favors adult men, and actual food distribution behavior. These principles seem to operate at formal meal events only. It was found that feeding behavior between meals (snacks, nibbling, etc.) is not subject to these salient principles and tends to compensate those household members who are not given preferential treatment in food distribution at formal mealtimes.     

Effects of housing conditions on food intake,body weight and spontaneous lesions in mice. A review of the literature and results of an 18-month study

Mice were housed in groups of one, two, four or eight/cage for 18 months. The more densely housed groups showed markedly reduced food consumption, slightly decreased mean body weights, and a smaller variance of body weights. Tumour incidence was not affected, but gastritis was more prevalent in the more densely housed groups.     

Nutrient adequacy during weight loss interventions: a randomized study in women comparing the dietary intake in a meal replacement group with a traditional food group

Background  

Safe and effective weight control strategies are needed to stem the current obesity epidemic. The objective of this one-year study was to document and compare the macronutrient and micronutrient levels in the foods chosen by women following two different weight reduction interventions.     

Evaluation of energy and dietary intake estimates from a food frequency questionnaire using independent energy expenditure measurement and weighed food records

Background  

We have developed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for the assessment of habitual diet, with special focus on the intake of fruit, vegetables and other antioxidant-rich foods and beverages. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relative validity of the intakes of energy, food and nutrients from the FFQ.     

Rice and beans--effect of milk, mineral, and vitamin A, on weight gain, food intake, and body protein retention

Weanling rats were fed on diets of rice/beans (RB) with or without mineral (M) supplement; vitamin A (A); M + A (MA); or milk (L), containing from 3 to 14% protein. As determined by various measures, the best results were observed in the group fed the RB diet, supplemented with L. This group was followed by those receiving the MA and M diets. Protein utilization in the RB diet, as well as minimum protein requirement for maintaining body weight, depend on the supplementary nutrients. The mechanism of this effect may be related to the appetite of the animals and to the voluntary intake, which is influenced and regulated by the diet composition.