Effect of sodium restriction on blood pressure of unstable or uncontrolled hypertensive patients in primary care

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aims of the present study are: 1) to quantify sodium consumption of patients with unstable or uncontrolled hypertension, 2) to investigate if reduced sodium intake can lower BP in these patients, and 3), to assess the acceptability and feasibility of this approach. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study included 25 adults (age: 50+ years) with frequently elevated BP or patients with uncontrolled, uncomplicated hypertension despite drug treatment in a general practice setting. BP and salt intake (24h urinary excretion and food records) were measured at baseline and after a sodium reduced diet. RESULTS: Mean (+/- SD) systolic (SBP) over diastolic (DBP) blood pressure (mmHg) at baseline was 150.7 (+/- 9.5)/84.149 (+/- 5.6). Mean urinary sodium excretion was 146 mmo1/24h. A reduction of 28 mmol sodium excretion decreased SBP/DBP to 135.5 (+/- 13.0)/82.5 (+/- 12.8) (P < 0.001). After one month of no dietary advice, only in 48%, SBP was still <= 140 mmHg. CONCLUSION: Assessment of sodium intake using food records, 24h urine collections and probing questions to identify use of sodium containing supplements or drugs are essential for tailored advice targeted at sodium intake reduction. The results of the present study indicate that reduced sodium intake can lower BP after 4 weeks in unstable or uncontrolled hypertensive patients

Longitudinal study on the association between three dietary indices, anthropometric parameters and blood lipids

Background: From a health promotion perspective, the use of dietary indices is preferred above single nutrients and foods to evaluate diet quality. Longitudinal research about the association between dietary indices and respectively anthropometric parameters and blood lipids is lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the longitudinal association between three dietary indices (Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI), Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) and Diet Quality Index (DQI)) and respectively anthropometric parameters and blood lipids. Methods: A three day diet record was completed by 373 men and 197 women in 2002-2004 and 2012-2014. HEI, MDS and DQI were calculated. Waist circumference (WC) and Body Mass Index (BMI) were used as anthropometric parameters. A linear regression analysis was performed to investigate associations between changes in dietary indices and changes in respectively anthropometric parameters and blood lipids, adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Only in men an increase in all three dietary indices was associated with a decrease in WC and BMI in the non-adjusted analysis and for HEI and DQI also in the adjusted analysis. No longitudinal associations were found between dietary indices and blood lipids both in men and women. Conclusions: Only few associations were found between dietary indices and anthropometric parameters, whilst no associations were found with blood lipids. An increase in dietary indices was associated with an improvement in anthropometric parameters only in men. As this is the first study investigating associations between changes in dietary indices and changes in respectively anthropometric parameters and blood lipids, further research is needed to evaluate these possible associations

Children’s body composition and stress, the ChiBS study : aims, design, methods, population and participation characteristics

BACKGROUND: The last decades, the prevalence of childhood obesity has increased. Apart from other lifestyle factors, the effect of chronic psychosocial stress on the development of obesity has been recognized. However, more research is needed into the influence of chronic stress on appetite regulation, energy balance and body composition, as well as on the interaction with physical activity/sedentary behavior, diet and sleep in children. In this regard, the ChiBS study (Children’s Body composition and Stress) was designed at the Ghent University. Within this paper, we describe the aims, design, methods, participation and population characteristics of the ChiBS study. METHODS: The influence of chronic stress on changes in body composition is investigated over a two-year follow-up period (February-June 2010, 2011 and 2012) in primary-school children between 6 and 12 years old in the city Aalter (Flanders, Belgium). Stress is measured by child- and parent-reported stress-questionnaires, as well as by objective stress biomarkers (serum, salivary and hair cortisol) and heart rate variability. Body composition is evaluated using basic anthropometric measurements and air displacement plethysmography. Additional information on socio-economic status, medical history, physical activity, dietary intake and sleep are obtained by questionnaires, and physical activity by accelerometers. RESULTS: The participation percentage was 68.7% (N = 523/761), with 71.3% of the children willing to participate in the first follow-up survey. Drop-out proportions were highest for serum sampling (12.1%), salivary sampling (8.3%) and heart rate variability measurements (7.4%). DISCUSSION: The ChiBS project is unique in its setting: its standardized and longitudinal approach provides valuable data and new insights into the relationship between stress and changes in body composition in a large cohort of young children. In addition, this study allows an in-depth investigation of the validity of the different methods that were used to assess stress levels in children

Dietary pattern analysis : a comparison between matched vegetarian and omnivorous subjects

Background: Dietary pattern analysis, based on the concept that foods eaten together are as important as a reductive methodology characterized by a single food or nutrient analysis, has emerged as an alternative approach to study the relation between nutrition and disease. The aim of the present study was to compare nutritional intake and the results of dietary pattern analysis in properly matched vegetarian and omnivorous subjects. Methods: Vegetarians (n = 69) were recruited via purposeful sampling and matched non-vegetarians (n = 69) with same age, gender, health and lifestyle characteristics were searched for via convenience sampling. Two dietary pattern analysis methods, the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) and the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) were calculated and analysed in function of the nutrient intake. Results: Mean total energy intake was comparable between vegetarians and omnivorous subjects (p > 0.05). Macronutrient analysis revealed significant differences between the mean values for vegetarians and omnivorous subjects (absolute and relative protein and total fat intake were significantly lower in vegetarians, while carbohydrate and fibre intakes were significantly higher in vegetarians than in omnivorous subjects). The HEI and MDS were significantly higher for the vegetarians (HEI = 53.8.1 +/- 11.2; MDS = 4.3 +/- 1.3) compared to the omnivorous subjects (HEI = 46.4 +/- 15.3; MDS = 3.8 +/- 1.4). Conclusions: Our results indicate a more nutrient dense pattern, closer to the current dietary recommendations for the vegetarians compared to the omnivorous subjects. Both indexing systems were able to discriminate between the vegetarians and the non-vegetarians with higher scores for the vegetarian subjects