MSCNPT / Department of Nutrition / Context: A survey made worldwide (including South Africa) revealed that most teenagers are overweight and obese and that they eat little nutritious food. Obesity and overweight are public health problems and need to be addressed from a community perspective. The reason for exploring this problem in this study was that South Africa has one of the highest rates of overweight and obesity in the world among urban and rural black women. Objective: Investigating the eating and lifestyle habits of overweight and obese female teenagers in Thulamela Local Municipality, Limpopo province, South Africa. Design, setting and participants: This was an exploratory, descriptive study conducted in 2006–2007 amongst 125 female teenagers aged 13 to 18 years from rural schools in Thulamela Local Municipality. A hundred and twenty-five questionnaires were completed and data were gathered on the demographics, social and lifestyle habits, nutrition-related problems, dietary patterns and dietary history of the participants. Measurements: Eating and lifestyle habits, physical activity, meaning of healthy and unhealthy dietary habits, weight, height and body mass index were measured. Results: Seventy percent of the respondents actively consumed three meals in a day, 83% consumed starchy snacks between meals, whilst 72% of the respondents carried lunchboxes to school. Regarding lifestyle habits, 88% of the respondents slept more hours than recommended (8 hours) 88% performed sedentary activities and 66% did physical activities such as walking. Conclusion: The results pointed out unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits influencing teenagers’ weight. Identified factors must be considered in order to develop tailored nutrition interventions to improve teenagers’ consciousness about adopting a healthy lifestyle. / NRF

No description available.

Subject: Active senior lifestyle Author's name: Bc. Iveta Dušková Supervizor: profesor Ing. Václav Bunc CSc. Objective: To verify whether biological age of tested seniors is in line with their calendar age. The differnce towards calendar age will be evaluated via ECM/BCM ration based on body content analysis. I will investigate the influence of physical activity on slower ageing physiology and the effect of physical activity on status of net muscle mass and on frequency of civilazation diseases. The goal is to figure out if active lifestyle is available also for seniors. Methods: The core of the work is qualitative and quantitative survey mapping antropometric parameters by bioimpedancy method. The functional values were collected by motorical step est and by handgrip. Further the subjective quality life judgment interview with yes/no options was used for the target senior group. Results: The relationship was found for the bioimpedancy results and the the volume of physical weekly activity (in hours) and level of BMI and pecentage of body fat. Further the realtionship was found for physical activity volume and for the dynamometric and motorical test results. Thjere is a difference between men and women. There was no relationship found for ECM/BCM coefficient and physical activity volume. The type...

Síndrome do túnel do carpo (STC) está associada à diabetes mellitus (DM), mas a associação não está claramente demonstrada com pré-diabetes (PD). Objetivo: Determinar a prevalência de PD e fatores de risco associados em pacientes com STC. Métodos: Foi realizado estudo transversal incluindo 115 pacientes com STC idiopática e 115 controles pareados por idade, gênero e índice de massa corporal (IMC). Avaliação clínica, laboratorial e neurofisiológica foi realizada em todos os indivíduos para confirmar o diagnóstico e gravidade da STC de acordo com a classificação neurofisiológica de STC. PD foi definido usando critérios estritos. Resultados: A prevalência de PD foi similar no grupo STC e controles (27% vs. 21,7%, P=0,44). Sintomas noturnos (91,3%) e classificação moderada de STC (58,3%) foram os mais frequentemente observados. Pacientes com STC com PD apresentaram média de idade significativamente mais alta comparada à pacientes com STC sem PD (53,8 +- 10,2 vs. 49,5 +- 8,6 anos, P=0,027). Tendência de média mais alta de IMC (30,6 +- 4,1 vs. 28,7 +- 4,8 kg/m2, P=0,059) e duração dos sintomas (21,5 +- 29,6 vs. 14,8 +- 20,6 meses, P=0,062) e menor frequência de gênero feminino (80,6% vs. 92,9%, P=0,057) foram observados em pacientes com STC com PD. Frequências de pacientes com STC com PD e idade > 60 anos (29,0% vs. 8,3%, P=0,04) e IMC > 30 kg/m2 (64,5% vs. 33,3%, P=0,03) foram significativamente mais altas que em pacientes com STC sem PD. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas em ambos os grupos com relação aos sintomas (P > 0,05) e classificação neurofisiológica da STC (P > 0,05). Conclusões: Nossos achados apóiam fortemente a noção de que a STC não está associada à PD, mas está intimamente ligada a idade e sobrepeso / Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is associated to Diabetes mellitus (DM) but not clearly demonstrated to Prediabetes (PD). Objective: Determine prevalence of PD and risk factors in CTS. Methods: A cross-sectional study including 115 idiopathic CTS patients and 115 age-, gender- and body mass index (BMI)- matched controls was performed. Clinical, laboratorial and neurophysiological evaluations were performed in all subjects to confirm CTS diagnosis and severity according to CTS classification. PD was defined using strict criteria. Results: Prevalence of PD was similar in CTS and control groups (27% vs. 21.7%, P=0.44). Nocturnal symptoms (91.3%) and moderate classification of CTS (58.3%) were most frequently observed in CTS patients. CTS with PD had a significant higher mean age compared to CTS without PD (53.8 +- 10.2 vs. 49.5 +- 8.6 years, P=0.027). A trend of higher mean BMI (30.6 +- 4.1 vs. 28.7 +- 4.8 kg/m2, P=0.059) and duration of symptoms (21.5 +- 29.6 vs. 14.8 +- 20.6 months, P=0.062) and lower female gender frequency (80.6% vs. 92.9%, P=0.057) were observed in CTS with PD. Frequencies of CTS with PD patients with age > 60 years (29.0% vs. 8.3%, P=0.04) and BMI > 30 kg/m2 (64.5% vs. 33.3%, P=0.03) were significantly higher than CTS without PD. No significant differences were observed in both groups regarding each symptoms (P > 0.05) and neurophysiological classifications of CTS (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings strongly supports the notion that CTS is not associated with PD but is closely linked to age and overweight

Estudos experimentais e clínicos amparam a participação do estresse oxidativo na progressão da doença renal na doença renal policística autossômica dominante (DRPAD). A administração do agente antioxidante N-acetilcisteína (NAC), por sua vez, apresenta efeitos benéficos em vários modelos animais de injúria renal. Neste estudo, utilizamos um camundongo cístico gerado por meio do cruzamento de uma linhagem portadora de um alelo floxed Pkd1 com outra que expressa nestin-Cre para avaliar os efeitos da NAC sobre um modelo ortólogo à DRPAD humana. O tratamento de longo prazo com NAC foi iniciado na concepção, nascimento, desmame ou oito semanas de idade, de modo a permitir a avaliação de seus efeitos em diferentes fases da vida. Nossas análises revelaram que a administração de NAC reduziu o nível de substâncias reativas com ácido tiobarbitúrico e aumentou o de glutationa nos rins de camundongos císticos tratados com NAC desde a concepção (Ci-NAC-Conc) comparados a animais císticos não tratados (Ci-Co). A excreção urinária de óxido nítrico também foi maior em camundongos císticos tratados com NAC. Animais Ci-NAC-Conc apresentaram ureia sérica, número de cistos renais, índice cístico e fibrose intersticial renal mais baixos que os camundongos Ci-Co. Animais Ci-NAC-Conc apresentaram, além disso, fração de ejeção e fração de encurtamento de ventrículo esquerdo maiores que camundongos Ci-Co, assim como menor fibrose cardíaca. O tratamento com NAC iniciado na concepção aumentou a sobrevida dos animais císticos. Notavelmente, o peso corpóreo mostrou-se significantemente menor em camundongos Ci-NAC-Conc que nos animais Ci-Co em todas as idades avaliadas, uma diferença não observada entre animais não císticos tratados e não tratados com NAC. Ainda é incerto se todas as ações observadas da NAC são causadas por suas propriedades antioxidantes. Esses resultados apóiam efeitos benéficos de tratamento precoce com NAC em camundongos císticos deficientes em Pkd1, determinados pela melhora de seus fenótipos renal, cardíaco e sistêmico. Nossos achados também revelam uma redução não deletéria no crescimento corpóreo, induzida pela administração de longo prazo de NAC no background deficiente em Pkd1 avaliado. Nossos dados abrem uma linha de pesquisa significativa e provavelmente robusta para se intervir nos fenótipos renal, cardíaco e sistêmico da DRPAD / Oxidative stress has been postulated to participate in the progression of renal disease in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC), in turn, has been shown to determined beneficial effects on several animal models of renal injury. In the current study, a cystic mouse generated by breeding a Pkd1 floxed allele with a nestin Cre expressing line was used to evaluate the potential therapeutic effects of NAC on a model orthologous to human ADPKD. Long-term NAC treatment was initiated at conception, birth, weaning or 8 weeks of life, to allow the evaluation of its effects on different phases of life. Our analyses revealed that NAC decreased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and increased glutathione levels in the kidneys of mice treated with NAC since conception (CY-NAC-Con) compared with non-treated cystic animals (CY-Ctl). Nitric oxide urinary excretion was also higher in NAC-treated cystic mice. These animals showed lower serum urea nitrogen (SUN), number of renal cysts, cystic index and renal interstitial fibrosis than CY-Ctl mice. CY-NAC-Con animals displayed, in addition, higher left ventricle ejection fraction and fractional shortening compared with CY-Ctl mice, as well as decreased cardiac fibrosis. NAC treatment started at conception increased the survival of cystic mice, demonstrating beneficial systemic effects. Interestingly, body weight was significantly lower in CY-NAC-Con than CY-Ctl mice at all evaluated times, a difference not observed between non-cystic animals treated and not treated with NAC Whether all observed NAC actions are caused by its antioxidant properties is yet not clear. These results support beneficial effects of early treatment with NAC on Pkd1-deficient cystic mice, by determining improvement in their renal, heart and systemic phenotypes. Our findings also reveal a non-deleterious reduction in body growth induced by long-term NAC administration in the evaluated Pkd1-deficient background. Our data open a likely significant and robust research track to intervene in renal, extra-renal and systemic ADPKD phenotypes

Síndrome do túnel do carpo (STC) está associada à diabetes mellitus (DM), mas a associação não está claramente demonstrada com pré-diabetes (PD). Objetivo: Determinar a prevalência de PD e fatores de risco associados em pacientes com STC. Métodos: Foi realizado estudo transversal incluindo 115 pacientes com STC idiopática e 115 controles pareados por idade, gênero e índice de massa corporal (IMC). Avaliação clínica, laboratorial e neurofisiológica foi realizada em todos os indivíduos para confirmar o diagnóstico e gravidade da STC de acordo com a classificação neurofisiológica de STC. PD foi definido usando critérios estritos. Resultados: A prevalência de PD foi similar no grupo STC e controles (27% vs. 21,7%, P=0,44). Sintomas noturnos (91,3%) e classificação moderada de STC (58,3%) foram os mais frequentemente observados. Pacientes com STC com PD apresentaram média de idade significativamente mais alta comparada à pacientes com STC sem PD (53,8 +- 10,2 vs. 49,5 +- 8,6 anos, P=0,027). Tendência de média mais alta de IMC (30,6 +- 4,1 vs. 28,7 +- 4,8 kg/m2, P=0,059) e duração dos sintomas (21,5 +- 29,6 vs. 14,8 +- 20,6 meses, P=0,062) e menor frequência de gênero feminino (80,6% vs. 92,9%, P=0,057) foram observados em pacientes com STC com PD. Frequências de pacientes com STC com PD e idade > 60 anos (29,0% vs. 8,3%, P=0,04) e IMC > 30 kg/m2 (64,5% vs. 33,3%, P=0,03) foram significativamente mais altas que em pacientes com STC sem PD. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas em ambos os grupos com relação aos sintomas (P > 0,05) e classificação neurofisiológica da STC (P > 0,05). Conclusões: Nossos achados apóiam fortemente a noção de que a STC não está associada à PD, mas está intimamente ligada a idade e sobrepeso / Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is associated to Diabetes mellitus (DM) but not clearly demonstrated to Prediabetes (PD). Objective: Determine prevalence of PD and risk factors in CTS. Methods: A cross-sectional study including 115 idiopathic CTS patients and 115 age-, gender- and body mass index (BMI)- matched controls was performed. Clinical, laboratorial and neurophysiological evaluations were performed in all subjects to confirm CTS diagnosis and severity according to CTS classification. PD was defined using strict criteria. Results: Prevalence of PD was similar in CTS and control groups (27% vs. 21.7%, P=0.44). Nocturnal symptoms (91.3%) and moderate classification of CTS (58.3%) were most frequently observed in CTS patients. CTS with PD had a significant higher mean age compared to CTS without PD (53.8 +- 10.2 vs. 49.5 +- 8.6 years, P=0.027). A trend of higher mean BMI (30.6 +- 4.1 vs. 28.7 +- 4.8 kg/m2, P=0.059) and duration of symptoms (21.5 +- 29.6 vs. 14.8 +- 20.6 months, P=0.062) and lower female gender frequency (80.6% vs. 92.9%, P=0.057) were observed in CTS with PD. Frequencies of CTS with PD patients with age > 60 years (29.0% vs. 8.3%, P=0.04) and BMI > 30 kg/m2 (64.5% vs. 33.3%, P=0.03) were significantly higher than CTS without PD. No significant differences were observed in both groups regarding each symptoms (P > 0.05) and neurophysiological classifications of CTS (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings strongly supports the notion that CTS is not associated with PD but is closely linked to age and overweight

Among the species of Diomedea albatrosses, diverse foraging strategies during breeding have been described, indicating species differences in foraging ecology and behaviour. Foraging strategies of Southern Royal Albatrosses, Diomedea epomophora (SRA) breeding on Campbell Island were studied in January – early February 1999 during the latter half of incubation. Movements and activity of ten birds were monitored using satellite transmitters and wet-dry activity recorders. Three birds from a pilot tracking study in February 1997 were also included in some analyses. Foraging strategies, zones used, factors influencing the duration of foraging trips, and the influence of wind conditions were investigated. Foraging activity took place at sites with bathymetric characteristics associated with high productivity: outer shelf and shelf-break zones, with a concentration of activity on a shelf contour south of the Snares Islands. This is in contrast to Wandering (D. exulans) and Gibson’s (D. gibsoni) albatrosses, typically deep oceanic foragers, but is similar to Northern Royal Albatross (D. sanfordi). The maximum distance of foraging trips from the colony was 1250 kilometres (mean 584 +351(SD)). This was closer than for incubating Wandering and Gibson’s Albatrosses but more distant than for Northern Royal Albatross from the Otago Peninsula. The mean duration of 77 foraging trips from 52 nests was 10.11 days for females and 8.76 for males (ns). Foraging trips became shorter as incubation progressed. Foraging trips were shorter, but not significantly so, when the median wind speed throughout the foraging trip was higher. No significant relationship was found between bird mass and duration of foraging trips. The mean cumulative distance flown by the ten birds tracked in 1999 was 4262 km + 1318 (SD). Eight of the ten SRA employed a ‘commute, forage, commute’ foraging strategy, and the other two alternated short bouts of commuting and foraging. Commuting phases were characterised by rapid directional flight with a straight-line distance (range) of 180 km to 800 km between positions 24 hours apart. Foraging phases were characterised by a range of less than 180 km per 24 hour interval and frequent tight turns. Displacement rate between successive uplinks was significantly higher during commuting phases (28.6 kph + 1.93 SE) than foraging phases (15.1 kph + 1.4 SE). Wind strength and direction influenced the timing of the return commute to the colony. SRA covered greater distances at more favourable wind angles relative to flight track (broad reach and close reach) than in head, tail or direct side winds. Birds of low mass (< 8kg) made fewer landings in winds above 40 kph than in lighter winds, whereas heavier birds had a similar level of landing activity across all wind speed bands. One bird was delayed for several days by light winds, and another flew off course during strong winds. Two birds exploited the same window of wind conditions to return to the colony, each flying a similar course in both timing and route. These results define the foraging strategies of SRA during incubation, and demonstrate the influence of wind conditions and other factors on the overall duration of foraging trips and on the timing of commuting and foraging phases.

Existeix certa controvèrsia sobre els efectes del b-carotè com a promotor o protector del càncer de pulmó. A més, el b-carotè, com a precursor de l'àcid retinoic, podria estimular la termogènesi i regular l'adipositat corporal. La fura representa un bon model per estudiar els efectes de la ingesta de b-carotè ja que l'absorbeix de manera pràcticament intacta (semblant als humans). Hem demostrat que el b-carotè ingerit amb altres antioxidants no sembla tenir efectes inductors del càncer ja que no augmenta la proliferació cel·lular al pulmó i a més prevé els efectes del carcinogen benzo[a]pirè. D'altra banda, dosis farmacològiques de b-carotè fan a la fura efectes contraris als de l'àcid retinoic, ja que augmenten l'adipositat i resulten en una menor capacitat termogènica, principalment al teixit adipós retroperitoneal que, a la fura, presenta certes característiques de teixit adipós marró, ja que té un percentatge considerable d'adipòcits multiloculars i expressa quantitats significatives d'UCP1. / Existe controversia sobre los efectos del b-caroteno como promotor o protector del cáncer de pulmón. Además, el b-caroteno, como precursor del ácido retinoico, podría estimular la termogénesis y regular la adiposidad corporal. El hurón representa un buen modelo para estudiar los efectos de la ingesta de b-caroteno pues lo absorbe de manera prácticamente intacta (similar a los humanos). Hemos demostrado que el b-caroteno ingerido con otros antioxidantes no parece tener efectos inductores del cáncer puesto que no aumenta la proliferación celular del pulmón y además previene los efectos del carcinógeno benzo[a]pireno. Por otra parte, dosis farmacológicas de b-caroteno producen en el hurón efectos contrarios a los del ácido retinoico, ya que aumentan la adiposidad y reducen la capacidad termogénica, principalmente del tejido adiposo retroperitoneal que, en el hurón, presenta ciertas características de tejido adiposo marrón, al contener un porcentaje considerable de adipocitos multiloculares y expresar cantidades significativas de UCP1. / The effects of b-carotene promoting or protecting against lung cancer are unclear. Furthermore, b-carotene, as retinoic acid precursor, could induce thermogenesis and regulate body adiposity. The ferret represents a good model to study the effects of oral administration of b-carotene because it absorbs it almost intact (similarly to humans). We have shown that the intake of b-carotene together with other antioxidants does not seem to inducecancer as it does not increase cellular proliferation in lung and prevents the effects of the carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene. In addition, pharmacological b-carotene doses in ferrets have different effects from retinoic acid, increasing adiposity and decreasing thermogenic capacity, especially in the retroperitoneal adipose tissue which, in ferrets, resembles brown adipose tissue, since it has an important percentage of multilocular adipocytes and expresses significant amount of UCP1.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Univ., 2004. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Introdução: Estudos têm encontrado uma transição da obesidade da população adulta para crianças e adolescentes, que por sua vez, pode acarretar manifestações clínicas, como: doenças coronarianas, diabetes tipo 2, e complicações psicossociais cada vez mais precocemente. Contudo, métodos para avaliação da composição corporal para essa faixa etária, principalmente envolvendo técnicas de baixo custo como as medidas de dobras cutâneas (DC) apresentam imprecisões em estudos brasileiros. Fator o qual pode levar a uma interpretação equivocada da composição corporal dos avaliados. Objetivo: desenvolver novos modelos matemáticos utilizando medidas de DC, tendo como referência a absorciometria de raios-X de dupla energia (DXA), para estimativa de massa de gordura (G) em adolescentes. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo exploratório descritivo onde foram avaliados 416 adolescentes do gênero masculino de 12 a 17 anos, sendo 42 destinados para compor a amostra de validação da pesquisa. Foram coletadas medidas de massa corporal total, estatura, circunferência da cintura e quadril, nove pontos anatômicos baseados em DC: bíceps, tríceps, subescapular, peitoral, axilar média, abdominal, supra-ilíaca, coxa e panturrilha, além da G e densidade mineral óssea (DMO) aferida com a tecnologia de DXA. Para o desenvolvimento das equações foi utilizado um modelo de regressão linear múltipla através do método de mínimos quadrados ordinários (OLS). Resultados: O grupo apresentou índice de massa corporal (IMC) médio de 21,25±4,12kg/m² e %G = 20,57±5,80%. A partir do %G, a prevalência de excesso de gordura foi verificada em 38,3% dos adolescentes. O impacto da gordura na DMO dos adolescentes indicou uma associação na ordem de r = -0,358; p<0,005, sendo verificada redução de até 14% da DMO para a região da coluna em adolescentes com obesidade em comparação aos eutróficos. O desenvolvimento de novos modelos matemáticos que atendessem critérios de alto coeficiente de determinação (R²), baixo erro padrão de estimativa (EPE), controle de colinearidade, normalidades dos resíduos, homoscedasticidade e praticidade, possibilitaram a apresentação de três opções com R² = 0,932 e EPE 1,79; R² = 0,912 e EPE = 1,78; R² = 0,850 e EPE = 1,87, respectivamente. Em todas as opções, as variáveis idade e estatura foram empregadas, bem como as DC de tríceps e subescapular. Conclusão: Os resultados obtidos evidenciam a possibilidade de desenvolvimento de novos modelos matemáticos para a avaliação da gordura corporal em adolescentes com resultados superiores aos modelos existentes na literatura. / Introduction: Studies have found a transition from obesity of the adult population to children and adolescents, which in turn, can lead to clinical manifestations, such as: coronary diseases, type 2 diabetes, and psychosocial complications increasingly early. However, methods for evaluating nutritional status for this age group, mainly involving low cost techniques such as skinfold thickness measurements (ST), are imprecise in Brazilian studies. Factor which can lead to a mistaken interpretation of the body composition of the evaluated ones. Objective: To develop new mathematical models, based on DC measurements, based on dual energy X-rays absorptiometry (DXA), to estimate fat mass (G) in adolescents. Methods: This was an exploratory descriptive study in which 416 male adolescents aged 12 to 17 years were evaluated, 42 of whom were separated to compose the study validation sample. Measurements of total body mass, stature, waist and hip circumference were obtained, nine anatomical points based on ST: biceps, triceps, subscapular, pectoral, mid axillary, abdominal, suprailiac, thigh and calf muscles, as well as G and bone mineral density (BMD) measured with DXA technology. For the development of the equations, a multiple linear regression model was used by the ordinary least square (OLS) method. Results: The group had a mean body mass index (BMI) of 21.25± 4.12 kg / m² and %G = 20.57 ± 5.80%. From %G, the prevalence of excess fat was verified in 38.3% of adolescents. The impact of fat on adolescent BMD indicated an association in the order of r = -0.358; P <0.005, with BMD reduction up to 14% for the spine region in adolescents with obesity compared to eutrophic. The development of new mathematical models that meet criteria of high coefficient of determination (R²), low standard error of estimation (SEE), control of colinearity, residue normalities, homoscedasticity and practicality, allowed the presentation of three options with R² = 0.932 and SEE 1.79; R² = 0.912 and SEE = 1.78; R² = 0.850 and SEE = 1.87, respectively. In all the options, the variables age and height were employed, as well as triceps and subscapular ST. Conclusion: The results obtained evidenced the possibility of developing new mathematical models for the evaluation of body fat in adolescents with results superior to the existing models in the literature.