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BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Infant feeding decisions made by new parents have significant health implications. The study aimed to investigate: influences on infant feeding decisions; characteristics of mothers reporting reliance on alternative information sources; associations between reliance on different sources and intentions to exclusively breastfeed and introduce complementary foods later; and subsequent breastfeeding and weaning behaviours. SUBJECTS/METHODS: First-time mothers in five European countries (England, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Spain) completed questionnaires about the importance of 17 influences on infant feeding choices at birth and 8 months later, during 2007-2008. Use of individual sources and reliance on four categories (family and friends, health professionals, written materials, audio-visual media) were compared between countries. Associations between information sources used and mother characteristics, feeding intentions and behaviours were investigated using appropriate statistical tests. RESULTS: In all, 2071 first-time mothers provided baseline data; 78% at 8 months. Variation exists between countries in the influence of different sources on feeding decisions of first-time mothers. Across all countries, the most important influences at both time points were books, partner and antenatal midwife. Mothers in higher income quintiles and remaining at school beyond age 16 years reported greater reliance on written sources (P<0.0005). Mothers relying most on written sources reported longer exclusive breastfeeding (P=0.002), and a tendency to introduce foods other than milk later (P=0.079) than mothers relying most on personal or professional contacts. CONCLUSION: Further research is required about which dissemination strategies are most effective at improving infant feeding behaviours in varied cultural settings, and for different socio-economic groups.

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Introducción: La genética y la alimentación de la madre antes y durante el embarazo, las distintas patologías metabólicas maternas, así como la ingesta de nutrientes en los primeros meses de vida del recién nacido parecen estar implicados en la etiología de la obesidad y sus consecuencias a largo plazo. La posible contribución de estos y otros factores, los mecanismos y sus efectos en el metabolismo y desarrollo de la enfermedad están aún en fase de investigación. Objetivo: Obtener un mayor conocimiento del desarrollo del tejido adiposo fetal y la influencia de factores genéticos, dietéticos y ambientales sobre el riesgo a largo plazo de padecer obesidad. Metodología: Se han establecido cuatro grupos de estudio de 30 madres gestantes cada uno: 1) grupo control; 2) madres con intolerancia a la glucosa/diabetes gestacional; 3) madres con escasa ganancia ponderal durante el embarazo, y 4) madres con sobrepeso/obesidad al inicio del embarazo. Se realizará un análisis de los siguientes parámetros: 1) ingesta dietética; 2) hábitos y estilo de vida; 3) actividad física; 4) antropometría y composición corporal; 5) estudio hematológico; 6) estudio bioquímico (biomarcadores lipídicos y metabólicos); 7) perfil inmunológico; 8) perfil psicológico; 9) marcadores genéticos, y 10) marcadores microbiológicos; todos ellos relacionados con la formación del tejido adiposo fetal en las primeras etapas de la vida y el riesgo de padecer obesidad en el futuro. Conclusión: En este proyecto, coordinado por el Departamento de Pediatría de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Granada y que cuenta con la participación de otros grupos de investigación de larga y acreditada experiencia, se pretende obtener un mayor conocimiento de los orígenes de la obesidad en la infancia y posterior desarrollo de esta enfermedad en etapas posteriores de la vida (AU)

Background: Maternal genetics and feeding before and during pregnancy, different maternal metabolic pathologies, as well as nutrient intakes of newborns in their first months of life may be involved in the obesity aetiology and its long-term consequences. The possible role of these and others factors, the mechanisms and the effects on the metabolism, and the development of this disease need further research. Objective: To acquire more knowledge about foetal adipose tissue development and the influence of genetic, dietetic and environmental factors on the risk to suffer from obesity. Methodology: Four study groups have been established with 30 pregnant women in each one: 1) control group; 2) mothers with glucose intolerance/gestational diabetes; 3) women with low weight gain during pregnancy, and 4) women with overweight/obesity at the beginning of the pregnancy. The magnitudes to be studied are: 1) dietary intake; 2) life-style habits; 3) physical activity; 4) anthropometry and body composition; 5) haematological study; 6) biochemical study (lipid and metabolic biomarkers); 7) immune function profile related to nutritional status; 8) psychological profile; 9) genetic biomarkers, and 10) microbiological markers; all of them in relation to the development of the foetal adipose tissue in the first stages of life and the risk of suffering from obesity in the future. Conclusion: This project, coordinated by the Department of Paediatrics of the School of Medicine in the University of Granada, and with the collaboration of well-known and expert research groups, tries to contribute to the knowledge about the obesity aetiology in infancy and its subsequent development in later periods of life (AU)

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BACKGROUND: Maternal genetics and feeding before and during pregnancy, different maternal metabolic pathologies, as well as nutrient intakes of newborns in their first months of life may be involved in the obesity aetiology and its long-term consequences. The possible role of these and others factors, the mechanisms and the effects on the metabolism, and the development of this disease need further research. OBJECTIVE: To acquire more knowledge about foetal adipose tissue development and the influence of genetic, dietetic and environmental factors on the risk to suffer from obesity. METHODOLOGY: Four study groups have been established with 30 pregnant women in each one: 1) control group; 2) mothers with glucose intolerance/gestational diabetes; 3) women with low weight gain during pregnancy, and 4) women with overweight/obesity at the beginning of the pregnancy. The magnitudes to be studied are: 1) dietary intake; 2) life-style habits; 3) physical activity; 4) anthropometry and body composition; 5) haematological study; 6) biochemical study (lipid and metabolic biomarkers); 7) immune function profile related to nutritional status; 8) psychological profile; 9) genetic biomarkers, and 10) microbiological markers; all of them in relation to the development of the foetal adipose tissue in the first stages of life and the risk of suffering from obesity in the future. CONCLUSION: This project, coordinated by the Department of Paediatrics of the School of Medicine in the University of Granada, and with the collaboration of well-known and expert research groups, tries to contribute to the knowledge about the obesity aetiology in infancy and its subsequent development in later periods of life.

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The present study analysed the effects of hydroxytyrosol (HT) on blood lipids, antioxidant status and the progression of aortic lesions in hyperlipemic rabbits. Sixty-four rabbits were distributed into eight groups of animals (n = 8). Animal groups C, A and H were fed for 1-month with a control diet containing sunflower oil (C), an atherogenic diet (A) high in saturated fat and cholesterol or the A diet together with HT, respectively. The other five groups were fed for 2-months with diets C or A (groups CC or AA, respectively), or for 1-month with the A-diet followed by a further month with diet C, extra virgin olive oil diet (O) or diet C with HT (groups AC, AO and AH, respectively). Four milligram of HT/kg body weight were used in the study. Fifty and 42% decrease in total cholesterol and triacylglycerols, respectively, and a 2.3-fold increase in HDL-cholesterol were observed in the AH group but not in the H group. The HT-supplemented groups improved their antioxidant status and reduced the size of atherosclerotic lesions measured as intimal layer areas of the aortic arch when compared with control animals. We conclude that HT supplementation may have cardioprotective effects in vivo.

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Cardiovascular diseases are the main mortality cause in Europe, the USA and a great extent of Asia. There are several risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases, such as increased total cholesterol, homocysteine and triglycerides, hypertension, diabetes, and reduced levels of HDL-cholesterol. Many of these risk factors are diet influenced. In spite of the great amount of foods enriched with n-3 fatty acids available at the market, the knowledge about the effects produced by regular intake of these foods still is a challenge in the majority of cases. It appears that intake of foods enriches with n-3 polyunsatured fatty acids is an option that may be effective in reducing risk factors for diseases, by substituting supplements without modifying consumer's alimentary habits. Also shown are the outcomes from a nutritional study undergone with a functional milk-bases food that contains n-3 fatty acids, oleic acid and vitamins.

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Las enfermedades cardiovasculares son la principal causa de mortalidad en Europa, Estados Unidos y gran parte de Asia. Existen varios factores de riesgo asociados a las enfermedades cardiovasculares, entre ellos están el colesterol total, la homocisteína y los triglicéridos elevados, la hipertensión, la diabetes y niveles reducidos de colesterol HDL. Muchos de estos factores de riesgo son influenciables por la dieta. A pesar de la gran cantidad de alimentos enriquecidos en ácidos grasos n-3 disponibles en el mercado, el conocimiento de los efectos originados por el consumo regular de estos alimentos supone aún un reto en la mayoría de los casos. La ingesta de alimentos enriquecidos en ácidos grasos poliinsaturados n-3 parece ser una opción que puede ser eficaz en la reducción de factores de riesgo de enfermedades, sustituyendo a los suplementos sin originar cambios en los hábitos alimentarios del consumidor. También se muestran los resultados procedentes de un estudio nutricional que hemos llevado a cabo con un alimento funcional de base láctea que contiene ácidos grasos n-3, ácido oleico y vitaminas (AU)

Cardiovascular diseases are the main mortality cause in Europe, the USA and a great extent of Asia. There are several risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases, such as increased total cholesterol, homocysteine and triglycerides, hypertension, diabetes, and reduced levels of HDL-cholesterol. Many of these risk factors are diet influenced. In spite of the great amount of foods enriched with n-3 fatty acids available at the market, the knowledge about the effects produced by regular intake of these foods still is a challenge in the majority of cases. It appears that intake of foods enriches with n-3 polyunsatured fatty acids is an option that may be effective in reducing risk factors for diseases, by substituting supplements without modifying consumer's alimentary habits. Also shown are the outcomes from a nutritional study undergone with a functional milk-bases food that contains n-3 fatty acids, oleic acid and vitamins (AU)

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