The rowan (
L.) is a small tree in the Rosaceae family with characteristic orange-red fruits. The raw fruits can be used for making jams, juices and puree, while the dried fruits are used for teas. ...In folk medicine, they have been used to prevent scurvy and bleeding or as a diuretic and laxative. The aim of this study is to characterize the proximate chemical composition, antioxidant potential and macro- and trace elements of the rowan fruits for their potential use as a functional food.
The fruits were collected from 12 populations in the Alpine-Dinaric region of Croatia. After collection, the samples were transported to the laboratory, cut into small pieces, placed in plastic containers and stored at -20 °C until analysis. Proximate chemical composition, including ash, water, cellulose, crude fat and crude protein, was determined according to standard methods and total carbohydrates as non-structural carbohydrates. Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (TAC) were also measured. For multielement analysis, fruits were cleaned from the dust, lyophilised, homogenised and acid-digested in a microwave system. Concentrations of elements were determined using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
The basic constituents in the analysed fruits were (in %): water 76.53, total carbohydrates 17.45, crude proteins 2.98, crude fats 1.49, cellulose 1.07 and ash 1.29. On average, the TPC was 932 mg/100 g and the TAC was (60.1±14.5) % and (4.1±1.2) mmol/100 g, determined by DPPH and FRAP assay, respectively. Mass fractions of elements decreased as follows (in mg/kg): K 2485>Ca 459>P 206, Mg 193>Na 6.29>Fe 3.68>Mn 3.58>Zn 1.11>Cu 0.731>Mo 0.098>Co 0.003>Se 0.001. Compared to the literature, the phenolic and element content of the rowan fruits is similar to that of blueberry and raspberry. The obtained results suggest that rowan fruits have valuable nutritional properties and could be useful for fortification in the food industry.
The importance of the obtained results is reflected in filling in the gaps in the literature on the composition of elements, especially on the content of essential macro- and trace elements as well as the antioxidant potential of rowan fruits.
Background: Childhood obesity is a global public health concern. Development of effective public health interventions represents the only viable option for decreasing the prevalence of childhood ...obesity. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a school-based “PETICA—Play for Health” obesity prevention program in urban and rural areas in Croatia. Methods: This before-and-after study included 28 elementary schools in Croatia focused on pupils (n = 753, 2nd grade) and their guardians (n = 753) during the school year 2022/2023. “PETICA” multicomponent lessons and workshops (10) were implemented in the school curriculum and home settings (parents) as part of the intervention. Knowledge and lifestyle habit changes were evaluated via the questionnaire on knowledge and habits regarding nutrition and physical activity pre-/post-education. The Wilcoxon test for paired samples, Student’s t-test (dependent and independent samples), multiple Mann Whitney U tests (p < 0.05), Spearman’s correlation, and heatmaps were used. Results: The analysis showed a significant increase in acquired knowledge among pupils (both settings) and habits in the rural setting (increase in sports activities participation, breakfast, and vegetables consumption (p < 0.001, p = 0.003, p = 0.004)), decrease of sweets and salty snacks intake (p = 0.027, p = 0.011), and also, the link between parents’ and children’s physical activity levels (p = 0.028 vs. p = 0.022), emphasizing the importance of parents as healthy lifestyle role-models. Conclusion: The study shows that “PETICA” is an efficient school-based educational model that contributes to positive changes in children’s knowledge and lifestyle habits that are a prerequisite for childhood obesity prevention.
Interdisciplinaran pristup koji uključuje suradnju između liječnika i nutricionista ključan je u liječenju bolesti i stanja povezanih s prehranom. Taj holistički pristup omogućuje cjelovitu brigu o ...pacijentima, uzimajući u obzir njihove prehrambene potrebe i ciljeve. Cilj ovog rada bio je procijeniti opće znanje o prehrani među liječnicima, specijalistima gastroenterologije, endokrinologije, medicine rada, opće prakse te nutricionistima. Podaci o znanju prikupljeni su pomoću validiranog upitnika modificiranog za potrebe istraživanja kako bi se procijenili različiti aspekti znanja o prehrani. Rezultati su pokazali značajne razlike u odgovorima s obzirom na liječničku specijalizaciju, pri čemu su endokrinolozi postigli najbolje rezultate (71,5 ± 3,54). Nutricionisti su postigli općenito bolje rezultate (71,31 ± 3,59) u usporedbi s liječnicima (63,23 ± 6,23), što ukazuje na važnost njihove uključenosti u područje prehrambene skrbi. Dobiveni rezultati naglašavaju važnost multidisciplinarnog pristupa i uspostavljanja suradnje između liječnika i nutricionista kako bi se osigurala optimalna prehrambena skrb za pacijente.
In the treatment of nutrition-related diseases and conditions, an interdisciplinary approach involving collaboration between physicians and nutritionists is essential. This holistic approach enables comprehensive patient care, considering their nutritional needs and goals. The aim of this work was to assess general knowledge about nutrition among specialists in gastroenterology, endocrinology, occupational medicine, general practice and nutritionists. Data were collected using a modified questionnaire “General Nutrition Questionnaire”, which was designed to cover different aspects of nutritional knowledge. The results showed significant differences in responses between specialties, with endocrinologists achieving the best results (71.5 ± 3.54). Nutritionists (71.31 ± 3.59) showed generally better results compared to physicians (63.23 ± 6.23) which indicates their focus in the field of nutritional care. These results emphasize the importance of a multidisciplinary approach and the establishment of collaboration between physicians and nutritionists to ensure optimal nutritional care for patients.
Background: Fermented dairy products are known for their many positive effects on human health and are consumed worldwide. The supplementation of food with plant extracts as sources of valuable ...nutritional compounds has recently gained a lot of attention. Milk and fermented products are deficient in bioactive components such as phenolic compounds and iron. Moringa oleifera leaf extract is rich in vitamins, minerals (iron), polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins and proteins. Its addition to milk before fermentation might represent an excellent way to enrich fermented milk products. Methods: Yoghurts enriched with moringa extract (ME) (1, 3 and 4-%, v/v) were produced and compared to a control yoghurt without ME. In all samples, acidity, microbiological parameters, syneresis and water holding capacity, rheology parameters, total colour difference, mineral content, total phenols and antioxidant capacity (FRAP method) and sensory properties were determined. Results: The addition of ME to milk before fermentation resulted in a shorter fermentation time, lower yoghurt pH, increased growth of yoghurt bacteria, better rheological properties and an increased total phenols content as well as antioxidant capacity of yoghurts. Moreover, yoghurts with ME addition had a higher mineral content and gained a better sensory score when compared to the control sample.
Limited scientific evidence shows that alpha lipoic acid (ALA) can induce regression rates of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs), but the mechanisms of these effects have not been ...elucidated. To gain a broader insight into its therapeutic potential and mechanisms of action, the effects of 3 months of supplementation with 600 mg of ALA on antioxidant and lipid status parameters in 100 patients with LSILs were investigated in a randomized, placebo-controlled study. The obtained results are discussed in terms of patients’ initial metabolic status and diet quality (particularly nutritional intake of antioxidants). The obtained results showed that oxidative status biomarkers were not significantly affected by ALA supplementation. However, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was positively affected in the subgroup of patients with higher dietary antioxidant intake. Surprisingly, ALA supplementation resulted in a small but statistically significant increase in serum low density lipoprotein (LDL), and the observed effect was significantly affected by the initial lipid status of the participants. Larger studies are necessary to gain additional insights on the clinical significance of ALA as an antioxidant and hypolipemic agent and to optimize its potential application in LSIL treatment.
: Obesity in children and adolescents results in a number of serious health-related consequences necessitating early treatment. Support from family members and family-focused lifestyle interventions ...can improve effectiveness of the treatment. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of parental characteristics and family-based dietary habits on the adherence and success of a body mass reduction program in children with obesity included in a lifestyle intervention program after 1 year.
: The program included dietetic, psychosocial, and endocrine counseling given to individuals either alone or in groups and was conducted by a multidisciplinary team (consisting of endocrinologists, nurses, psychologists, social counselors, dietitians, and physiotherapists). A total of 113 children aged 10-17 years (mean age 12.9 ± 2.0; 60 girls, 53 boys) were included in the program. After 1 year of participation, the rate of adherence and success were assessed. The effect of the participants' general characteristics, including anthropometric data, as well as parental characteristics (marital status, employment, education, body mass index (BMI), duration of breastfeeding) and the circumstances of meal consumption (eating at home or outside, fast food consumption), was analyzed.
: The most important factors predicting body mass reduction success were baseline BMI (
< 0.0001) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) (
= 0.04), but they did not predict body mass reduction adherence.
: The meal consumption habits and support from family members may be among the determinants of adherence to a body mass reduction program for preadolescents and adolescents with obesity. However, the results of the presented study suggested that baseline BMI and WHR are the most important determinants of the body mass reduction success.
Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) is a cytologic diagnosis etiologically related to human papilloma virus (HPV) infection that leads to the release of inflammation mediators, the ...formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased levels of antioxidants in tissues, which is why antioxidants might be considered effective against SIL progression. This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation (600 mg/day) on the regression of low-grade SIL in 100 patients. Low-grade SIL was determined after the cytological screening, colposcopic examination and targeted biopsy and histological confirmation of cytological−colposcopic diagnosis. Inflammation parameters and the presence of HPV were determined by standard laboratory methods. Dietary and lifestyle habits were investigated using a standardized and validated semi-quantitative food questionnaire (FFQ). ALA supplementation significantly reduced the proportion of patients with low-grade cytological abnormalities, in comparison to placebo. Given the obtained level of significance (p < 0.001), the presented results indicate that short-term ALA supplementation shows a clinically significant effect on cervical cytology. Future studies should focus on the use of innovative formulations of ALA that might induce bioavailability and therapeutic efficiency against HPV infection and the investigation of synergistic effects of concurrent dietary/lifestyle modification and ALA supplementation in both low-grade and high-grade SIL.
The increase in childhood obesity is one of the biggest public health problems of the 21st century. Among the contributing dietary factors is the high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) ...and sweetened fruit juices (SFJ). On the other hand, regular consumption of milk and dairy products has decreased in many countries over the years, although research has shown an inverse association between dairy consumption and obesity. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a dietary intervention within a multidisciplinary structured programme on reducing the consumption of SSB and SFJ and simultaneously increasing the consumption of milk and diary products in obese children/adolescents. The study included 100 participants of both sexes who had been diagnosed with obesity and participated in a five-day multidisciplinary structured programme focused on dietary intrevention. Standard anthropometric measurements and a validated questionnaire were used during the study. The mean age of the participants was 12.61±1.90 years, body mass index (BMI) was 98.38±1.26 percentiles; mean consumption of SSB was 1.68 ± 2.89 dL; SFJ was 3.72±5.09 dL and milk and dairy products was 3.10±2.35 dL per day at the start of the intervention. After the five-day programme, patients were reeducated once a month for the first six months, then every two months for up to 24 months. After 24 months, a significant decrease in SSB and SFJ intake (p<0.001) and an increase in milk and dairy products intake (p=0.002) were observed. The percentiles of the BMI also decreased after 24 months (p<0.001). The dietary intervention had a positive effect on the anthropometric values and the change in the dietary habits of the participants, with a focus on the consumption of milk and dairy products.
Summary
In
N
= 400 women (46.9 ± 15.5 years), the prevalence of severe (< 25 nmol/l) and mild (≥ 25 and < 50 nmol/l) 25(OH)D deficiency was 7 and 32.2%, respectively, while 60.8% women had adequate ...status. Serum iPTH increased (> 37.0 pg/ml) when 25(OH)D was < 46.9 nmol/l. BMD was not significantly lower in the participants with iPTH > 37.0 pg/ml.
Purpose
Bone mineral density (BMD) is affected by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH). Our objective was to analyze the association between serum 25(OH)D and iPTH and their mutual regulatory influence on BMD in women with 25(OH)D deficiency. We also attempted to establish a threshold for the serum 25(OH)D below which serum iPTH increases.
Methods
The participants were 400 generally healthy women (46.9 ± 15.5 years) recruited from local communities. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and serum 25(OH)D, iPTH, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and C-telopeptide (CTX) were analyzed from the fasting blood samples. Multivariate regression models were used to investigate the relationships among serum 25(OH)D, iPTH, and BMD.
Results
Serum iPTH increased when 25(OH)D concentrations were below 46.9 nmol/l. Severe 25(OH)D deficiency (< 25 nmol/l) was found in 7% of the participants and was associated with significantly higher iPTH compared to participants with serum 25(OH)D ≥ 25 nmol/l. BMD was negatively associated with iPTH only in the group with severe 25(OH)D deficiency. However, BMD was not significantly lower in the participants with severe 25(OH)D deficiency compared to those with mild deficiency or with adequate status.
Conclusions
Our results showed that threshold level of 25(OH)D below which iPTH started to rise was 46.9 nmol/l. There was no negative impact of iPTH on BMD or bone turnover markers in women with severe 25(OH)D deficiency. This might be due to the relatively young age of our participants in whom the unfavorable effect of 25(OH)D deficiency on bone might have not yet appeared.
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