Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care
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Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care · Mar 2010
ReviewComparisons of different insulin infusion protocols: a review of recent literature.
To provide an update on the currently available insulin infusion protocols for treatment of hyperglycemia in critically ill patients and to discuss the major differences and similarities among them. ⋯ Insulin infusion is the most effective method for controlling hyperglycemia in critically ill patients. Clinicians should utilize a validated insulin infusion protocol that is well tolerated, and is most appropriate and practical for their institution based on the resources that are available.
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To review the prevalence, causes and functional significance of vitamin B12 deficiency in vulnerable subpopulations including older adults and the developing embryo. ⋯ The prevalence and impact of vitamin B12 deficiency varies throughout the life cycle, with older adults and potentially the developing embryo having the greatest risk and susceptibility. Additional research is needed to develop effective public health interventions that address the unique causes of this nutritional deficiency, which differ among at-risk subpopulations.
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To examine the impact of folic acid fortification, including its use as a functional food component, on human health. ⋯ The highly complex and critical biological importance of folic acid-related molecular nutrition makes it a difficult micronutrient to deploy as a simple intervention at a population level - it has far too many biochemical spheres of influence to predict effects in a generalized way. Additionally, several gene variants and other nutrients are interactive factors. It is, therefore, hardly surprising that the scientific community does not have a true consensus view on whether mandatory fortification is appropriate as a population measure. This latter point not withstanding, any ultimate decisions on fortification should be well rooted in scientific fact rather than political expediency.
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Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care · Nov 2009
ReviewSoft drinks and body weight development in childhood: is there a relationship?
The high sugar content of regular soft drinks brought up discussions on their influence on energy balance and body weight especially in childhood and adolescence. This review examines the evidence for a causal relationship between soft drink consumption and excess weight gain in childhood and identifies potential underlying mechanisms. ⋯ The replacement of soft drinks and other sugar-containing beverages such as fruit juices by noncaloric alternatives seems to be a promising approach for the prevention of overweight in childhood and adolescence. However, as the cause of overweight and obesity is multifactorial, the limitation of soft drink consumption needs to be incorporated in a complex strategy for obesity prevention.
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Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care · Sep 2009
ReviewAdvances in understanding and assessing malnutrition.
To describe the varying views on the pathophysiology of malnutrition in different populations and the definitions that result from these views. To propose an umbrella definition for different malnutrition syndromes and principles of assessment of nutritional state. ⋯ There is an increasing acknowledgement of the fact that malnutrition is caused by disturbances in nutrient balance and inflammatory activity. This leads to changes in body composition and diminished function. An umbrella definition has been proposed including the pathogenetic factors, underlying the different malnutrition syndromes and dictating the methods to assess malnutrition.