Nutritional knowlegde and lifestyle of obese patients with diagnosed hypertension

Wstęp Celem pracy była ocena wiedzy żywieniowej i wybranych elementów stylu życia otyłych pacjentów ze zdiagnozowanym nadciśnieniem tętniczym, leczonych w Klinice Chorób Zawodowych i Nadciśnienia Tętniczego Szpitala Klinicznego Akademii Medycznej we Wrocławiu. Materiał i metody Badaniem objęto 52 osoby ze zdiagnozowanym nadciśnieniem tętniczym - pacjentów Kliniki Chorób Zawodowych i Nadciśnienia Tętniczego Szpitala Klinicznego Akademii Medycznej we Wrocławiu. Ankiety przeprowadzano od lutego do maja 2008 roku. Do oceny wiedzy żywieniowej i wybranych elementów stylu życia wykorzystano autorski, standaryzowany kwestionariusz opracowany w Zakładzie Żywienia Człowieka Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczego we Wrocławiu. Obejmował on różne zagadnienia, dotyczące między innymi rodzaju aktywności fizycznej, częstości palenia papierosów. Wyniki Wykonywanie ćwiczeń fizycznych trwających jednorazowo 20-60 minut w czasie wolnym od pracy zadeklarowało 85,7% kobiet oraz 74,2% mężczyzn. Prawie 26% mężczyzn oraz 14% kobiet nie wykonywało żadnych ćwiczeń fizycznych. W niniejszej pracy oceniano również zawodową aktywność fizyczną osób ankietowanych. Wśród badanych 66,7% kobiet oraz 35,4% mężczyzn nie pracowało zawodowo. Zapytani o dietę respondenci w większości odpowiadali, że nie stosują żadnej. Takiej deklarację złożyło 66,7% kobiet oraz aż 87,1% mężczyzn. Wysoki odsetek wskazuje, że pacjenci nie stosują się do zaleceń dietetycznych jako podstawowego elementu leczenia hipotensyjnego. Wnioski Wiedzę żywieniową pacjentów z nadciśnieniem tętniczym można uznać za zadowalającą. Niestety w większości przypadków znajomość zasad żywienia nie przekłada się na prawidłowe zachowania żywieniowe.Background The study was aimed at evaluating the nutritional knowledge and selected elements of lifestyle of obese patients with diagnosed arterial hypertension. Material and methods It covered 52 persons with diagnosed arterial hypertension - patients of the Clinic of Occupational Diseases and Arterial Hypertension, Clinical Hospital of the Medical Academy in Wrocław, and was conducted from February till May 2008. The nutritional knowledge and selected elements of lifestyle were evaluated by means of own-construct, standardized questionnaire developed at the Chair of Human Nutrition, Wrocław University of Life and Environmental Sciences. It included questions from different fields referring to knowledge on rational nutrition, types of physical activity, frequency of cigarette smoking, etc. Results Physical activity lasting each time for 20-60 minutes in free time was declared by 85.7% of the women and by 74.2% of the men. Nearly 26% of the men and 14% of the women did not perform any physical exercises. In the reported survey, evaluation included also patients’ occupational physical activity. Amongst the respondents surveyed, 66.7% of the women and 35.4% of the men did not work. When asked about applying therapeutic diet, in most cases the patients replied that they did not use any diet. Such replies were delivered by 66.7% of the women and by as many as 87.1% of the men. The high percentage of such answers indicates that the patients do not comply with dietetic recommendations as the basic element of the hypotensive therapy. Conclusions The nutritional knowledge of the patients with arterial hypertension may be evaluated as satisfactory. Unfortunately, in most of the cases the knowledge of principles of nutrition does not translate into proper nutritional behaviors

Circulating Insulin and IGF-1 and Frequency of Food Consumption during Pregnancy as Predictors of Birth Weight and Length

The aim of the study was to assess the relationships between maternal insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentration and food consumption frequency and the birth parameters of the newborn. A total of 157 mother-newborn pairs participated in the study. The study showed that more frequent consumption of sweet and salty snacks as well as fruit and fruit or vegetable juices may promote greater weight gain in pregnancy and higher newborn birth weight. A significantly higher insulin concentration was found among overweight women according to body mass index (BMI), and a significantly lower concentration of IGF-1 was demonstrated among women ≥35 years of age. There was no significant correlation between the concentration of insulin and IGF-1 in the mother’s blood plasma and the birth weight and length of the newborn. A significant relationship was only found between the concentration of IGF-1 in the mother’s blood and the Ponderal index of the newborn. A woman’s eating habits during pregnancy have a significant impact on the mother’s health and on the proper growth and development of the foetus

Maternal Anthropometric Factors and Circulating Adipokines as Predictors of Birth Weight and Length

Pregnancy is a period of serial metabolic and hormonal changes in the woman’s body. Factors such as circulating adipokines affect the fetal period and may cause long-term changes in metabolic pathways at the cellular, tissue, or organ level. The nutritional status of the pregnant woman affects the course of pregnancy, delivery, and confinement, as well as the health of the offspring following birth and in subsequent years. Adipokine hormones essential for modulating metabolism during pregnancy include adiponectin and leptin. This study aimed to assess maternal anthropometric parameters and plasma concentrations of specific adipokines as predictive measures of newborn birth weight, birth length, and ponderal index. Anthropometric measurements (prepregnancy body weight and height) were obtained from 168 surveyed Polish women. Data related to the birth parameters of 168 newborns (body length and mass) were derived from clinical records. Circulating maternal adiponectin and leptin levels at birth were determined. Significant correlations between newborn birth weight and maternal prepregnancy body mass index (p < 0.05) or maternal weight gain during pregnancy (p < 0.05) were observed. Women with below normal weight gain during pregnancy were more likely to give birth to newborns with significantly lower birth weight than women with excessive weight gain during pregnancy (p < 0.05). Maternal plasma concentrations of leptin were significantly related to prepregnancy maternal body mass index (p < 0.05), and concentrations of adiponectin and leptin were significantly related to weight gain during pregnancy (p < 0.05). However, they did not affect the birth parameters of the newborn

Longer Breastfeeding in Infancy Decreases Systolic Hypertension Risk in Young Adults

Many studies show that breastfeeding is associated with numerous direct and indirect health benefits for children in later life, although the relationship between breastfeeding and cardiovascular risk is still equivocal. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between duration of breastfeeding and cardiovascular risk in young adults. The cross-sectional study was conducted on a group of 128 volunteers (71 women and 57 men) at the age of 19 years. It consisted of a questionnaire, together with anthropometric and blood pressure measurements. It was demonstrated that 90.3% of the participants had been breastfed and the mean duration of breastfeeding was 8.8±7.6 months. Participants who were breastfed for longer than six months had a significantly lower systolic blood pressure than those breastfed for less than six months. Results of analyses were consistent for the female group, the male group and the combined group. The results suggest that breastfeeding for longer than six months decreases systolic hypertension risk in young adults. The promotion of breastfeeding may decrease the rate of cardiovascular disease and thus improve health status of the population

Comparison of vegetables and fruit consumption frequency by athletes before and after marathon

Background. One of the prerequisites to achieve high sports scores is to ensure the proper supply of nutrients. Both deficiency and excess of these components can cause malfunctions of bodies in athletes, which adversely affects their health and performance. Objective. Comparison of the frequency of intake of groups of vegetables and fruits, being sources of vitamins and minerals, by marathon runners in periods before and after the long-distance run. Material and Method. The frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption by marathoners was analyzed among women (n = 105) and men (n = 87) aged between 19 and 73 years, before and after running competition. The Block’s questionnaire was used to evaluate the consumption of groups of vegetables and fruits (leafy, root and cruciferous vegetables, as well as stone, berry and tropical fruits). Their consumption was assessed on a point scale. Results. Sufficient vegetable and fruit intake was found in about 55% of the marathon runners. Diets of about 20% of the respondents were poor in fruits and vegetables. Higher fruit and vegetable intake was reported in both men and women after the marathon compared to the pre-run period. Conclusion. Daily food rations of about 1/4 of the surveyed marathoners provided insufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables, and daily food rations of about 20% of the athletes were poor in these products. After the marathon, the consumption of vegetables and fruits improved in 15% of the surveyed women and in 10% of the men compared to the pre-marathon period

Relation between the Recipe of Yeast Dough Dishes and Their Glycaemic Indices and Loads

The aim of the study was to evaluate the glycaemic indices (GI) and glycaemic loads (GL) of four food dishes made from yeast dough (steamed dumplings served with yoghurt, apple pancakes sprinkled with sugar powder, rolls with cheese and waffles with sugar powder), based on their traditional and modified recipes. Modification of the yeast dough recipe consisted of replacing wheat flour (type 500) with whole-wheat flour (type 2000). Energy value and the composition of basic nutrients were assessed for every tested dish. The study was conducted on 50 people with an average age of 21.7 ± 1.1 years, and an average body mass index of 21.2 ± 2.0 kg/m2. The GI of the analysed food products depended on the total carbohydrate content, dietary fibre content, water content, and energy value. Modification of yeast food products by replacing wheat flour (type 500) with whole-wheat flour (type 2000) contributed to the reduction of their GI and GL values, respectively

Some Immune Parameters of Term Newborns at Birth Are Associated with the Concentration of Iron, Copper and Magnesium in Maternal Serum

The nutritional status of pregnant women is considered to affect fetal development and the health condition of newborns, including their immune system. We investigated the relationship between the concentrations of magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) in maternal serum (MS) and the concentrations of IgG antibodies and antineutrophil cytoplasmatic auto-antibodies against lactoferrin (Lf-ANCA) in umbilical cord serum (UCS). IgG was considered as a promoter of immunity, and Lf-ANCA as an inhibitor. The examined group consisted of 98 pregnant women and their healthy term newborn children. The concentrations of mineral elements were measured by FAAS/FAES, while the concentrations of antibodies were determined by ELISA. Excessive MS Fe and insufficient MS Cu were related to insufficient UCS IgG and excessive UCS Lf-ANCA. The correlation analysis showed confirming results. Adequate UCS IgG and Lf-ANCA were related to MS Mg at the strictly lower limit of the reference values. The results obtained seem to suggest that an excess of Fe and a deficiency of Cu in pregnancy may adversely affect some immune parameters of newborns. Reference values for MS Mg are likely to require reconsideration. It would be advisable to monitor the nutritional status of pregnant women with minerals in order to support the immune capacity of newborns

Oxidative Stress at Birth Is Associated with the Concentration of Iron and Copper in Maternal Serum

Oxidative stress (OS) in the foetal and neonatal periods leads to many disorders in newborns and in later life. The nutritional status of pregnant women is considered to be one of the key factors that triggers OS. We investigated the relationship between the concentration of selected mineral elements in the blood of pregnant women and the concentration of 3′nitrotyrosine (3′NT) as a marker of OS in the umbilical cord blood of newborns. The study group consisted of 57 pregnant women and their newborn children. The concentrations of magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in maternal serum (MS) were measured by the flame atomic absorption/emission spectrometry (FAAS/FAES) method. The concentration of 3′NT in umbilical cord serum (UCS) of newborns was determined by the ELISA method. A positive correlation between MS Fe and UCS 3′NT in male newborns was shown (rho = 0.392, p = 0.053). Significantly higher UCS 3′NT was demonstrated in newborns, especially males, whose mothers were characterized by MS Fe higher than 400 μg/dL compared to those of mothers with MS Fe up to 300 μg/dL (p < 0.01). Moreover, a negative correlation between the MS Cu and UCS 3′NT in male newborns was observed (rho = −0.509, p = 0.008). Results of the study showed the need to develop strategies to optimize the nutritional status of pregnant women. Implementation of these strategies could contribute to reducing the risk of pre- and neonatal OS and its adverse health effects in the offspring

Comparison of selected parameters of body composition in a group of sporting and non-sporting women

Background. Physical activity is bodily movement produced by skeletal muscle that requires energy expenditure and promotes health benefits. Appropriate physical activity is important in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, metabolic syndrome, breast cancer, and others. Objective. The aim of the study was to compare the body composition of the selected group of women in relation to physical activity (group of sporting women (S) versus group of non-sporting women (N-S) using an InBody 230 instrument based on the principle of bioelectric impedance. Material and Methods. The group consisted of 140 women (nS = 70 vs nN-S = 70) aged 20-63 years (the average age of women doing sport was 41.1 ± 11.9 and 42.3 ± 10.87 for non-sporting women). Anthropometric measurements were made using the InBody 230 (Biospace Co. Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea). The Lookin’Body 3.0 software to process the results was used. The collected data concerning the anthropometric measurements were evaluated statistically and graphically in Microsoft Office Excel 2010 (Los Angeles, CA, USA). Results. The average value of BMI (Body Mass Index) of sporting women was 24.20 ± 3.54 kg.m-2 and non-sporting women 27.30 ± 5.97 kg.m-2 (PConclusions. The results of the measurements show the positive influence of physical activity on components of body composition in all age categories. Physical activity, along with rational nutrition, should be part of a healthy lifestyle for each individual