RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Inadequate nutrient intake and physical inactivity may have adverse health consequences. The present study aimed to describe young female students' dietary intake, food choices and physical activity (PA) patterns, and also to determine the influence of dietary avoidance of meat and poultry on nutrient intake. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of female university students was conducted. Questionnaires were used to measure dietary intakes, food habits and PA. Anthropometric measurements of participants included height, weight and calculated body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: There were 308 participants with a mean (SD) age of 22.9 (3.9) years and a BMI of 21.5 (2.8) kg m(-2) ; 78% were in the BMI range 18.5-24.9 kg m(-2) . Of those who responded to the PA questionnaire (n = 218), 53% reported activity ≥150 min per week, with walking being the largest contributor. Completed food frequency questionnaires were returned by 256 participants. National recommendations for servings of cereals, vegetables, meat, fish and energy-dense 'extra foods' were not met by the majority of participants. Avoidance of animal foods was reported in 23% of women, and resulted in lower intakes of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 , selenium and zinc (P < 0.05) compared to non-avoidance. Iron intake from animal sources decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with the increase in meat and poultry avoidance. CONCLUSIONS: Female students had a healthy weight and reported adequate physical activity. However, in comparison to meat and poultry consumers, the avoidance of these foods was associated with a lower intake of some micronutrients. A sustained low intake of micronutrients may lead to adverse health effects in the longer-term, such as compromised immune function and iron deficiency anaemia.
Asunto(s)
Ácidos Grasos Omega-3/administración & dosificación , Conducta Alimentaria , Selenio/administración & dosificación , Vitamina B 12/administración & dosificación , Zinc/administración & dosificación , Adolescente , Adulto , Animales , Estatura , Índice de Masa Corporal , Peso Corporal , Estudios Transversales , Ingestión de Energía , Femenino , Humanos , Estilo de Vida , Carne , Actividad Motora , Aves de Corral , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
The aging process is paralleled by two- to fourfold increases in plasma/serum levels of inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and acute-phase proteins. In this study we assessed the inflammatory profile and polymorphism of healthy elderly subjects and the influence of a nutraceutical supplement. Forty elderly, generally healthy subjects were recruited, divided into two matched groups, and given either a fermented papaya preparation 9 g/day by mouth or the same amount of placebo. Treatments were carried out in a cross-over manner with a 3-month supplementation period followed by a 6-week washout period between treatments. Ten healthy young subjects served as controls. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) promoter -174 G/C polymorphism genotype was determined together with blood levels for redox status, proinflammatory cytokines, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, and serum 70 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp70) concentrations. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IL-6 were higher in elderly subjects (P < 0.05 versus young controls). The concentration of Hsp70 inversely correlated with markers of inflammation in -174 G/C-negative subjects (r = 0.62, P < 0.05). Nutraceutical intervention normalized the inflammatory parameters (P < 0.05) with a rise of Hsp70 (P < 0.05). This suggests that healthy elderly individuals may have a proinflammatory profile playing as a downregulating factor for inducible Hsp70, particularly if -174 G/C-negative. A nutraceutical intervention seems able to beneficially modulate such a phenomenon.
Asunto(s)
Envejecimiento/sangre , Envejecimiento/genética , Carica , Interleucina-6/sangre , Interleucina-6/genética , Preparaciones de Plantas/administración & dosificación , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Regiones Promotoras Genéticas/genética , Administración Oral , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Envejecimiento/efectos de los fármacos , Proteína C-Reactiva/análisis , Proteína C-Reactiva/genética , Carica/química , Estudios Cruzados , Proteínas HSP70 de Choque Térmico/sangre , Proteínas HSP70 de Choque Térmico/genética , Humanos , Mediadores de Inflamación/sangre , Masculino , Oxidación-Reducción/efectos de los fármacos , Preparaciones de Plantas/química , Distribución Aleatoria , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/sangre , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/genéticaRESUMEN
Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with chromosome 21-specific cosmid clones was used to identify trisomy 21 in cultured and uncultured amniotic cells. Two novel site-specific cosmid clones (regions 21q22 and 21qtel) were compared with a cosmid contig (Zheng et al., 1992). Correct identification of chromosome 21 copy number was made in 65-75 per cent of trisomic cells and in 70-75 per cent of normal disomic cells by using all the tested probes. However, the chromosome 21-specific telomeric probe (cos 17F8) showed the best results due to more intense and clearly visible hybridization. Utilization of a directly fluorophorated telomeric probe using Cy3-dCTP and FluorX-dCTP allows accurate detection of chromosome 21 in a fast 'one-step' FISH procedure on uncultured interphase nuclei. In addition, we compared the efficacy of FISH analysis for the total population of interphase cells and cells in the post-replication (late S, G2) periods of the cell cycle. Selective scoring of cells in the post-replicative period (showing a pair of hybridization signals on each chromatid of the replicated interphase chromosome) increased the number of informative nuclei by up to 95-97 per cent. This approach allows cells with overlapping chromosomes, artificial double hybridization signals on separate chromatids in interphase chromosomes, background hybridization, and polyploid cells to be analysed. Application of directly labelled telomeric cosmid probes and integral analysis of hybridized nuclei in the pre- and post-replication periods of the cell cycle may help to further improve the prenatal detection of trisomy 21.