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Oxidative stress may cause functional disorders of vascular endothelia which can lead to endothelial apoptosis and thus alter the function and structure of the vascular tissues. Plant antioxidants protect the endothelium against oxidative stress and then become an effective option to treat vascular diseases. Cocoa flavanols have been proven to protect against oxidative stress in cell culture and animal models. In addition, epidemiological and interventional studies strongly suggest that cocoa consumption has numerous beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. The objective of this study was to test the chemo-protective effect of realistic concentrations of a cocoa phenolic extract and its main monomeric flavanol epicatechin on cultured human endothelial cells submitted to an oxidative challenge. Both products efficiently restrained stress-induced reactive oxygen species and biomarkers of oxidative stress such as carbonyl groups and malondialdehyde, and recovered depleted glutathione, antioxidant defences and cell viability. Our results demonstrate for the first time that a polyphenolic extract from cocoa and its main flavonoid protect human endothelial cells against an oxidative insult by modulating oxygen radical generation and antioxidant enzyme and non-enzyme defences.

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Resumen La ansiedad y la insatisfacción corporal son factores de riesgo para los trastornos de conducta alimentaria y de la ingesta de alimentos. La presente investigación busca analizar los niveles de ansiedad e insatisfacción corporal, y su relación con las diferencias en función del género, curso y centro de estudios en 516 universitarios de Burgos, España -el 42.8 % fueron varones y el 57.2 %, mujeres; M = 21.7 años (DT = 4.1)-, utilizando un muestreo aleatorio estratificado. Para ello, se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal en el que se aplicó el Cuestionario de Ansiedad Estado-Rasgo y la subescala Insatisfacción Corporal del Inventario de Trastornos de Conducta Alimentaria. Como resultados, alrededor del 20 % de los participantes presentó niveles altos de ansiedad, aunque no se encontraron diferencias por género, curso o centro; adicionalmente, el 61.4 % presentó alta o moderada insatisfacción corporal, principalmente si eran mujeres, personas ansiosas, o de segundo curso en la universidad. También se encontró interrelación entre estos factores, por lo cual en algunos universitarios se pudo identificar determinado riesgo para la aparición de trastornos de la conducta alimentaria y de la ingesta de alimentos.

Resumo A ansiedade e a insatisfação corporal são fatores de risco dos transtornos de comportamento alimentar e da ingestão de alimentos. Esta pesquisa procura analisar os níveis de ansiedade e de insatisfação corporal, bem como sua relação com as diferenças em função do gênero, do curso e do centro de estudos em 516 universitários de Burgos, Espanha - 42.8 % homens e 57.2 %, mulheres; M = 21.7 anos (DP = 4.1) -, utilizando uma amostra aleatória estratificada. Para isso, foi realizado um estudo descritivo transversal, no qual foi aplicado o Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado e a subescala Insatisfação Corporal do Inventário de Transtornos de Comportamento Alimentar. Como resultados, ao redor de 20 % dos participantes apresentaram níveis altos de ansiedade, embora não se tenham encontrado diferenças por gênero, curso ou centro de estudos; além disso, 61.4 % apresentaram alta ou moderada insatisfação corporal, principalmente mulheres, pessoas ansiosas ou de segundo curso na universidade. Também foi encontrada inter-relação entre esses fatores, razão pela qual, em alguns universitários, pôde ser verificado determinado risco para o surgimento de transtorno de comportamento alimentar e da ingestão de alimentos.

Abstract Anxiety and body dissatisfaction are risk factors for eating behavior disorders (ACT). This research analyzes the levels of anxiety and body dissatisfaction, the relationship between these variables, and the differences according to gender, course and center in 516 university students of Burgos (Spain), using a stratified random sampling. 42.8 % were males and 57.2 % females, M = 21.7 years (SD = 4.1). Was carried descriptive study a cross-sectional. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the subscale Body Dissatisfaction of the Eating Disorders Inventory are applied. About 20 % of participants have high levels of anxiety, not finding differences by gender, course and center. 61.4 % present high and median body dissatisfaction, mainly women, the more anxious and those of 2nd. In addition, there is an interrelation between factors. Therefore, in some students there are conditioning factors that are risk factors for the appearance of eating behavior disorders.

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Resumen Los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria (TCA) constituyen un problema de salud pública que ha venido incrementando. El objetivo de este estudio fue estimar la vulnerabilidad de los estudiantes universitarios a presentar un TCA. Se trabajó con una muestra probabilística de 561 estudiantes (M edad = 21.7; DE =4.1), 42.8% varones y 57.2% mujeres. Los datos fueron recabados con base al Inventario de Trastornos de la Conducta Alimentaria-Criterio de Remisión (EDI-3-RF), además de registrar algunos indicadores antropométricos. Destacan los siguientes resultados: las mujeres presentaron mayor obsesión por la delgadez e insatisfacción corporal que los varones; las conductas bulímicas estuvieron más presentes en estudiantes menores de 20 años; los varones recurren en mayor medida al ejercicio físico como forma de control del peso; 7.7% presentaron bajo peso y preocupación excesiva por la comida y el peso, condición que amerita remisión a atención especializada. Resulta apremiante reforzar los esfuerzos encaminados a la implementación de estrategias de prevención e intervención dirigidas específicamente a los estudiantes universitarios, a través del diseño de programas destinados a promover hábitos de alimentación saludables, mejorar la percepción de la imagen corporal y disminuir la preocupación obsesiva por la delgadez.

Abstract Eating disorders (ED) are a public health problem which it has been increasing. The aim of this study was to estimate the vulnerability of university students to an ED. We worked with a probabilistic sample of 561 students (M age = 21.7; SD = 4.1), 42.8% men and 57.2% women. They completed the Inventory Eating Disorder-Reference criterion (EDI-3-RF), also we took anthropometric measures. The results show that: women have a significantly more obsession with thinness and body dissatisfaction; the students under 20years old showed significant more bulimic behaviors; men prefer to do physical exercise as a way to control their weight; about 7.7% should be referred to a specialized center for having low weight along with excessive concern about food and weight. It is concluded that it is necessary to implement preventive programs and intervention measures aimed towards to the university students who promote healthy eating habits, improve the perception of their body image and diminish the obsessive preoccupation with thinness.

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Background: Increased oxidative stress by persistent hyperglycemia is a widely accepted factor in vascular damage responsible for type 2 diabetes complications. The plant Vochysia rufa (Vr) has been used in folk medicine in Brazil for the treatment of diabetes. Thus; the protective effect of a Vr stem bark extract against a challenge by a high glucose concentration on EA.hy926 (EA) endothelial cells is evaluated. Methods: Vegetal material is extracted with distilled water by maceration and evaporated until dryness under vacuum. Then; it is isolated by capillary electrophoresis-tandem mass spectrometry. Cell viability is evaluated on EA cells treated with 0.5-100 µg/mL of the Vr extract for 24 h. The extract is diluted at concentrations of 5, 10 and 25 µg/mL and maintained for 24 h along with 30 mM of glucose to evaluate its protective effect on reduced glutathione (GSH); glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reductase (GR) and protein carbonyl groups. Results:V. rufa stem bark is composed mainly of sugars; such as inositol; galactose; glucose; mannose; sacarose; arabinose and ribose. Treatment with Vr up to 100 µg/mL for 24 h did not affect cell viability. Treatment of EA cells with 30 mM of glucose for 24 h significantly increased the cell damage. EA cells treated with 30 mM of glucose showed a decrease of GSH concentration and increased Radical Oxygen Species (ROS) and activity of antioxidant enzymes and protein carbonyl levels; compared to control. Co-treatment of EA with 30 mM glucose plus 1-10 µg/mL Vr significantly reduced cell damage while 5-25 µg/mL Vr evoked a significant protection against the glucose insult; recovering ROS; GSH; antioxidant enzymes and carbonyls to baseline levels. Conclusion:V. rufa extract protects endothelial cells against oxidative damage by modulating ROS; GSH concentration; antioxidant enzyme activity and protein carbonyl levels.