Medium- and Short-Term Interventions with Ma-Pi 2 Macrobiotic Diet in Type 2 Diabetic Adults of Bauta, Havana

Background. In Cuba, the Ma-Pi 2 macrobiotic diet has shown positive results in 6-month assays with type 2 diabetic patients. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of this diet at short and medium terms. Methods. Sixty-five type 2 diabetic volunteers were included for dietary intervention, institutionally based for 21 days and followed later at home, until completing 3 months. 54 of them stayed until assay end. Before intervention, and after both assay periods, they were submitted to anthropometric records, body composition analyses and measurements of serum biochemical indicators, glycemic profile in capillary blood, blood pressure, and medication consumption; food intake was evaluated by the 3-day dietary recall. Results. During the intervention, the energy intake was 200 kcal higher at instance of more complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber and despite less fat and protein. Blood pressure and serum biochemical indicators decreased significantly in both periods; the safety nutritional indicators (hemoglobin, serum total proteins, and albumin) showed no variations. The global cardiovascular risk decreased and insulin consumption dropped by 46% and 64%, in both periods, respectively. Conclusions. The Ma-Pi 2 macrobiotic diet was a successful therapy at short term and after 3-month home-based intervention, for type 2 diabetics

Nutritional screening and prevalence of hospital malnutrition risk. University Hospital of the UANL, Monterrey

Introduction: Hospital malnutrition risk has prevalence values of 20%-50%, and it is a major health problem in the health institutions worldwide. Objective: To assess the accomplishment of nutritional screening and the prevalence of hospital malnutrition risk in a University Hospital. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out with nutritional screening, using primary data from six clinical areas obtained in the period between July 2012 and December 2013. According to previous results in Mexican health institutions and considering a mean malnutrition risk prevalence of 50%, it was calculated that a sample size of 3200 subjects was required for the assessment of valid risk values. Patients with values ≥3 on the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS, 2002) were classiied as carriers of nutritional risk. Results: A total of 5611 patients (38% of all patients admitted) were studied. The rate of screening declined from 55% in 2012 to 31% in 2013. During the whole period, 3034 patients were classiied with risk of malnutrition (54% prevalence). Conclusions: The prevalence of hospital malnutrition risk was high. The accomplishment of the nutritional screening was deicient, and declined between 2012 and 2013. The lack of nutritional screening does not meet the vital care requirements of hospitalized patients and prevents the timely treatment of those at malnutrition risk

Personality profiles of cultures: aggregate personality traits

Personality profiles of cultures can be operationalized as the mean trait levels of culture members. College students from 51 cultures rated an individual from their country whom they knew well (N = 12, 156). Aggregate scores on Revised NEO Personality Inventory scales generalized across age and gender groups, approximated the individual-level Five-Factor Model, and correlated with aggregate self-report personality scores and other culture-level variables. Results were not attributable to national differences in economic development or to acquiescence. Geographical differences in scale variances and mean levels were replicated, with Europeans and Americans generally scoring higher in Extraversion than Asians and Africans. Findings support the rough scalar equivalence of NEO-PI-R factors and facets across cultures, and suggest that aggregate personality profiles provide insight into cultural differences

Efecto terapéutico de la dieta macrobiótica Ma-Pi 2 en 25 adultos con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 Therapeutical effect of Ma-Pi2 macrobiotic diet on adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Se realizó un ensayo clínico, durante 6 meses, en 25 adultos con diabetes mellitus tipo 2, tratados con antihiperglicemiantes, para estudiar el efecto terapéutico de la dieta macrobiótica vegetariana Ma-Pi 2. Se evaluaron datos de encuesta dietética, evolución clínica, estado nutricional, indicadores bioquímicos de rutina y del metabolismo glucídico y lipídico, consumo de medicamentos y eventos adversos. La dieta tuvo presencia mayoritaria de cereales integrales, verduras y hortalizas, leguminosas y té verde; fue suficiente en energía, baja en grasa y adecuada en proteínas; elevada en carbohidratos complejos, fibra dietética, ß caroteno, manganeso y magnesio. Al final del estudio la glicemia disminuyó en 53 %, hemoglobina glucosilada 32 %, colesterol 21 %, triglicéridos 43 % y la relación colesterol-LDL/colesterol-HDL 61 %. El peso corporal y las circunferencias de cintura y cadera disminuyeron significativamente. Se normalizaron los valores de hemoglobina, creatinina, ácido úrico, urea, transaminasa glutámico pirúvica, frecuencia cardíaca y tensión arterial. Los niveles séricos de vitaminas A, E, C, B1, B12 y folatos resultaron adecuados. Del total de los pacientes, 88 % suprimió totalmente el tratamiento antihiperglicemiante. No se registraron eventos adversos. Mejoraron de manera notable los síntomas asociados, el bienestar y la calidad de vida. Se concluyó que la dieta Ma-Pi 2 resultó una alternativa terapéutica muy apropiada en los 25 pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 evaluados.A clinical assay of 25 adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus, who were treated with anti-hyperglycemic drugs was conducted for six months in order to study the therapeutical effect of vegetarian macrobiotic diet Ma-Pi2. Data from dietetic surveys, clinical evolution, nutritional status, biochemical indicators, glucose and lipid metabolism indicators, drug consumption and adverse effects were evaluated. The diet mostly comprised whole grains, vegetables, leguminosae and green tea; sufficient energy, low fat and adequate protein contents, high amount of complex carbohydrates, dietetic fiber, ß carotene, manganese and magnesium. At the end of the study, glycemic levels lowered by 53 %, glycosylated hemoglobin by 32 %, cholesterol by 21 %, triglycerides by 43 % and LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio by 61 %. Body weight, and waist and hip circumferences were significantly reduced. Hemoglobin, creatinine, uric acid, urea, piruvic glutamic transaminase, heart rate and blood pressure values stabilized. Vitamin A, E, C, B1, B12 and folates serum levels were satisfactory. Of the total number of patients, 88% totally ceased their antihyperglycemic treatment. No adverse effects were observed. Improvement in associated symptoms, well-being and quality of life was remarkable. It was concluded that the Ma-pi2 diet proved to be a very suitable therapeutical alternative in the 25 studied patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

The effect of the macrobiotic Ma-Pi 2 diet vs. the recommended diet in the management of type 2 diabetes: the randomized controlled MADIAB trial

Background: Diet is an important component of type 2 diabetes therapy. Low adherence to current therapeutic diets points out to the need for alternative dietary approaches. This study evaluated the effect of a different dietary approach, the macrobiotic Ma-Pi 2 diet, and compared it with standard diets recommended for patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A randomized, controlled, open-label, 21-day trial was undertaken in patients with type 2 diabetes comparing the Ma-Pi 2 diet with standard (control) diet recommended by professional societies for treatment of type 2 diabetes. Changes in fasting blood glucose (FBG) and post-prandial blood glucose (PPBG) were primary outcomes. HbA1c, insulin resistance (IR), lipid panel and anthropometrics were secondary outcomes. Results: After correcting for age, gender, BMI at baseline, and physical activity, there was a significantly greater reduction in the primary outcomes FBG (95% CI: 1.79; 13.46) and PPBG (95% CI: 5.39; 31.44) in those patients receiving the Ma-Pi 2 diet compared with those receiving the control diet. Statistically significantly greater reductions in the secondary outcomes, HbA1c (95% CI: 1.28; 5.46), insulin resistance, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and LDL/HDL ratio, BMI, body weight, waist and hip circumference were also found in the Ma-Pi 2 diet group compared with the control diet group. The latter group had a significantly greater reduction of triglycerides compared with the Ma-Pi 2 diet group. Conclusions: Intervention with a short-term Ma-Pi 2 diet resulted in significantly greater improvements in metabolic control in patients with type 2 diabetes compared with intervention with standard diets recommended for these patient

Universal features of personality traits from the observer’ s perspective: data from 50 cultures

To test hypotheses about the universality of personality traits, college students in 50 cultures identified an adult or college-age man or woman whom they knew well and rated the 11, 985 targets using the third-person version of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory. Factor analyses within cultures showed that the normative American self-report structure was clearly replicated in most cultures, and was recognizable in all. Sex differences replicated earlier self-report results, with the most pronounced differences in Western cultures. Cross-sectional age differences for three factors followed the pattern identified in self-reports, with moderate rates of change during college age and very slow changes after age 40. With a few exceptions, these data support the hypothesis that features of personality traits are common to all human groups

National character does not reflect mean personality trait levels in 49 cultures

Most people hold beliefs about psychological characteristics typical of members of their own and others' cultures. These perceptions of national character may be generalizations from personal experience, or stereotypes with or without a “ kernel of truth." We obtained national character ratings from 49 cultures and compared them to average personality scores of culture members as assessed by observer ratings and self-reports. National character ratings appeared to be reliable and valid measures, but they did not converge with assessed personality traits. Perceptions of national character thus appear to be unfounded stereotypes that may serve the function of maintaining a national identity