Nutrition
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Both observational studies and randomized trials have shown that a diet rich in antioxidants can reduce systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, two conditions that, together with obesity and smoking, are established risk factors for stroke. However, the association between antioxidant intake and risk for stroke is poorly understood, particularly when studying possible interaction with sex. We investigated the relationship of nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity (NEAC) on risk for stroke in a large Swedish prospective cohort. ⋯ Findings from the present study suggest that dietary antioxidant capacity from different foods and beverages is inversely associated with risk for stroke, more specifically ischemic stroke, in women.
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Comparative Study
Obesity paradox in patients with community-acquired pneumonia: Is inflammation the missing link?
Positive associations between body mass index (BMI) and clinical outcomes have been found and are called "the obesity survival paradox." However, whether obesity has protective effects or if this paradox is because of confounding remains unclear. Herein, we analyzed the effects of weight on long-term mortality in a large cohort of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and investigated whether the differential effects of obesity on inflammation pathways accounted for mortality differences. ⋯ Over a 6-y long-term follow-up, we found obesity to be associated with lower all-cause mortality in CAP patients, confirming the obesity paradox in this population. However, differences in inflammatory pathways did not explain these findings.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Natural antioxidant ice cream acutely reduces oxidative stress and improves vascular function and physical performance in healthy individuals.
The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of several diseases. Polyphenols have been shown to be beneficial against ROS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a natural antioxidant ice cream on oxidative stress, vascular function, and physical performance. ⋯ To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that a natural ice cream rich in polyphenols acutely improved vascular function and physical performance in healthy individuals through a reduction in oxidative stress.
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Deficits in weight gain and linear growth are seen frequently among children in areas where malnutrition and recurrent infections are common. Although both inflammation and malnutrition can result in growth hormone (GH) resistance, the interrelationships of infection, inflammation, and growth deficits in developing areas remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate relationships between low levels of systemic inflammation, growth factors, and anthropometry in a case-control cohort of underweight and normal weight children in northern Brazil. ⋯ Infection and inflammation were linked to evidence of GH resistance, whereas levels of GH, IGF-1, and IGFBP-3 were associated with growth indices independent of hsCRP. These data implicate complex interrelationships between infection, nutritional status, GH axis, and linear growth in children from a developing area.
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Known risk factors do not fully explain the comparatively high susceptibility to coronary heart disease (CHD) in South Asians (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Sri Lankan populations in South Asia and overseas). The search for explanatory hypotheses and cofactors that raise susceptibility of South Asians to CHD continues. The aim of this study was to propose "the high-heat food preparation hypothesis," where neo-formed contaminants (NFCs) such as trans-fatty acids (TFAs) and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are the cofactors. ⋯ We hypothesize that South Asians' susceptibility to CHD is partly attributable to high-heat treated foods producing high NFCs. Research to accrue direct evidence is proposed.