Annals of nutrition & metabolism
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Despite multiple and often overlapping definitions of disability and frailty, both are common clinical characteristics of aged individuals though not identical. The geriatric syndrome of frailty is described as status of global impairment of physiological reserves involving multiple organ systems. The clinical correlate of frailty manifests as increased vulnerability, impaired capability to withstand intrinsic and environmental stressors, and limited capacity to maintain physiological and psychosocial homeostasis. ⋯ These above-mentioned clinical symptoms could be explained by (or related to) some 'preclinical' diagnoses such as sarcopenia, osteopenia, nonspecific balance disorders, nutritional problems, and overall deconditioning. More recent studies found the frailty clinical phenotype to be associated with pathologic laboratory markers (IL-6, CRP, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, IGF-1, D-dimers), which suggest possible pathogenesis involving hormonal dysregulation, immuno-aging, pro-coagulation and pro-inflammatory status. In the article, current recommendations for future research strategies of frailty syndrome will be discussed.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of meal replacement on metabolic risk factors in overweight and obese subjects.
Our objective was to assess alterations in metabolic risk factors, body weight, fat mass and hormonal parameters following 6 weeks of lifestyle intervention with increased physical activity and either a meal-replacement regimen or a low calorie diet. ⋯ Our data suggest that even over a short period of time, a meal-replacement diet is more effective in reducing metabolic risk factors, insulin, and leptin, and in improving anthropometric measures than a fat-restricted low-calorie diet.
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Aged people are an increasing population group worldwide, and nutritional impairments may contribute to additional health problems. The characterization of food consumption of elderly people is a good approach to implementing adequate nutritional policies in order to improve their nutritional status. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze specific aspects of food intake based upon the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) test in a representative country sample. ⋯ While age, gender and BMI considered together are responsible for 11.3% of the total MNA score, dietary-related items can predict the 62.4% of the total MNA classification in the overall elderly Spanish population.
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There are no population-based studies that have examined the association between vitamin D and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and the role of lifestyle habits and dietary factors in young children in the Arabian Gulf and Middle East region. Little data on the intake of these nutrients in Mediterranean countries exist, and predictors of their suboptimal intake are not well defined. ⋯ The present study revealed that vitamin D deficiency is a common problem in Qatari children, but the incidence of vitamin D deficiency becomes very severe in T1DM children, compared with healthy children. This suggests that there is an association between vitamin D deficiency and T1DM. The data show that vitamin D status is dependent on sunshine exposure and dietary vitamin D intake. The results suggest the necessity of nutrition education to promote healthy eating habits among adolescents and their parents.
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The aim of this study was to explore possible changes in body composition, blood glucose regulation, plasma growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and insulin concentrations of trained athletes in response to the intermittent fasting and dehydration of Ramadan observance. ⋯ Ramadan fasting induces positive changes in body composition without disturbing glucose regulation or activity of the GH/IGF-1 system.