Nutrition
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Childhood obesity rates are increasing as well as chronic disease and cardiovascular risk factors for patients at young ages. In this study, we evaluate the correlation between cardiac parameters, body mass index (BMI), and other body composition indicators in children and adolescents. ⋯ Obesity is associated with cardiac disturbances at a very early age and these changes are closely related to the degree of adiposity. Cardiac structural parameters are significantly correlated with BMI and waist circumference in pediatric patients ages 7 to 15 y.
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Higher dietary total antioxidant capacity is inversely related to prediabetes: A case-control study.
Dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) has been proposed as a tool for assessing the intake of antioxidants. The relationship between DTAC and blood glucose levels has been investigated mostly in healthy people. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between DTAC and prediabetes morbidity in a case-control study. ⋯ The DTAC score appears useful when assessing the antioxidant capacity of diet and to better understand the relationship between diet and prediabetes morbidity. Future studies are needed to confirm the findings from the present study in other populations.
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Review
Can chocolate consumption reduce cardio-cerebrovascular risk? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was performed to assess the relationship between chocolate intake and cardio-cerebrovascular risk in the general population. A structured search of the literature was performed in the PubMed database up to September 26, 2016, using predetermined keywords. Epidemiologic studies evaluating the risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs; i.e., stroke, acute myocardial infarction [MI], heart failure, coronary heart disease) were included according to different rates of chocolate intake. ⋯ The risk related to subgroups of CVD and in particular, the risk for MI was further analyzed: ES = 0.78 (95% CI, 0.64-0.94; P = 0.009) without statistical heterogeneity (I2 = 46.56%; P = 0.13). Moreover, the analysis performed based on sex found an ES = 0.85 (95% CI, 0.77-0.95; P = 0.003) for women, with a very low grade of heterogeneity (I2 = 62.21%; P = 0.005). The results of the meta-analysis showed a potential protective effect of moderate consumption of chocolate on cardiovascular risk, especially for women, and against MI for both sexes.
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The aim of this study was to investigate the association between anthropometric measurements of sarcopenic obesity and all-cause mortality. ⋯ All-cause mortality was increased in men with sarcopenic obesity defined by WC, but not BMI and %BF. Sarcopenia was a stronger predictor of all-cause mortality in this cohort >70 y of age. These results suggest that anthropometric definitions for sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity are clinically useful as a predictor of all-cause mortality.
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Consumption of fruits and vegetables (FV) remains lower than recommended by the 2015 to 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The aim of this study was to assess average FV and frozen FV consumption and the effect on nutrient intakes across sex and 10 age categories. ⋯ Results of this study suggested that when frozen FV are not consumed, other forms, such as fresh, canned, or dried, do not fill the FV gap. Government food programs and health professionals should encourage frozen FV as another way to increase FV consumption.