La escuela como formadora de hábitos alimentarios a través de los comedores escolares : un estado del arte

La falta de seguridad alimentaria, producto de la actual fase del capitalismo, afecta principalmente a las familias que destinan a la comida la mayor parte de sus ingresos. Como resultado, los niños pertenecientes a esas familias, están más expuestos a padecer obesidad, sobrepeso y a no recibir una alimentación que garantice su derecho a la salud, presente y futura. Si bien es principalmente en la familia donde se desarrollan las pautas alimentarias, el placer, el gusto y el rechazo por distintos alimentos, por distintos factores, muchas familias se ven impelidas en la actualidad a completar la alimentación de sus hijos a través de los comedores escolares. En situaciones de pobreza, la escuela pública contribuye a enfrentar situaciones de vulnerabilidad alimenticia. Los sectores medios y altos, en tanto, depositan cada vez más en las escuelas de doble escolaridad la responsabilidad por el almuerzo de los hijos. En momentos en que la obesidad infantil, sin distingo de países, avanza de modo alarmante, se valora que los comedores escolares y la escuela como institución educativa, pueden contribuir a disminuir el sobrepeso en la edad adulta. De allí que muchos estudios han empezado a poner foco en qué comen y cómo comen los niños en escuela, tema hasta ahora, poco problematizado en nuestro medio. El propósito de esta ponencia es presentar un estado del arte sobre el papel de los comedores escolares y sus efectos sobre las prácticas alimentarias de los niños así como las posibles interacciones entre alimentación escolar y promoción de hábitos alimentarios y de comensalidad con potencialidades para prevenir la obesidad infantil.Fil: Bustos, Rosa María . Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y SocialesFil: Illobre, Graciela . Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y SocialesFil: Molina, Cecilia . Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y SocialesFil: Weisstaub, Sergio G. . Universidad de Chil

Influences of family and school on the present and future feeding and health of children

Las formas en que las familias y las escuelas median en la alimentación de los niños es un tema central de la agenda de investigación en áreas de convergencia entre ciencias sociales y salud, una vez que se asume que la obesidad y el sobrepeso entre es-colares constituyen problemas que no reconocen fronteras ni sectores sociales

Cognitive impairment induced by delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol occurs through heteromers between cannabinoid CB1 and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound of marijuana, induces numerous undesirable effects, including memory impairments, anxiety, and dependence. Conversely, THC also has potentially therapeutic effects, including analgesia, muscle relaxation, and neuroprotection. However, the mechanisms that dissociate these responses are still not known. Using mice lacking the serotonin receptor 5-HT2A, we revealed that the analgesic and amnesic effects of THC are independent of each other: while amnesia induced by THC disappears in the mutant mice, THC can still promote analgesia in these animals. In subsequent molecular studies, we showed that in specific brain regions involved in memory formation, the receptors for THC and the 5-HT2A receptors work together by physically interacting with each other. Experimentally interfering with this interaction prevented the memory deficits induced by THC, but not its analgesic properties. Our results highlight a novel mechanism by which the beneficial analgesic properties of THC can be dissociated from its cognitive side effects

GOCS cohort: children's eating behavior scores and BMI.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: In Chile, approximately one in three children under 6 years of age reported overweight/obese, while one in four children in elementary school suffer from obesity. There is a paucity of population-based information on the influence of childhood eating behavior on anthropometric measures related to obesity. To assess the association between eating behavior scores and Body Mass Index (BMI) z-scores in 7-10-year-old Chilean children. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 1058 children aged 7-10 (51% girls) from the 'Growth and Obesity Chilean Cohort Study' (GOCS). Direct measures of weight and height were used to compute BMI z-scores according to World Health Organization (WHO) curves. Children were classified as normal weight (-1<1 s.d.), overweight (1<2 s.d.) and obese (⩾2 s.d.). Eating behavior scores were measured through the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ), previously adapted and validated for Chilean children. Multiple linear regressions were carried out using BMI z-score as the outcome and eating behavior scores as explanatory variables. All models were adjusted by age and gender. RESULTS: BMI z-scores were positively associated with pro-intake scores in the subscales 'enjoyment of food', 'emotional overeating' and 'food responsiveness' (P<0.0001). Contrary to other studies, 'desire for drinks' scores were also associated with BMI z-scores (P<0.0001). In contrast, food-avoidant 'satiety responsiveness', 'slowness in eating' and 'food-fussiness' scores were negatively associated with BMI z-scores (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: We found a significant relationship between eating behavior scores and BMI z-scores in Chilean children, showing that BMI in 7-10-year-old Chilean children is positively associated with pro-intake eating behavior scores and negatively associated with anti-intake eating behavior scores. The identification of specific eating behaviors patterns related to obesity will provide important information for the implementation of prevention programs for this disease

Plasma zinc concentration, body composition and physical activity in obese preschool children

Zinc (Zn) deficiency and obesity can be observed together in some developing countries. Zn deficiency may enhance fat deposition and decrease lean mass accrual, which in turn, appears to influence physical activity (PA), although this has not yet been evaluated in obese children. The objective of the study was to find out the association between measurements of plasma Zn and serum leptin, body composition, and PA in Chilean obese preschool children. Seventy-two 18- to 36-month-old obese children [weight-for-length/height z score (WHZ)&gt;2.0 SD], belonging to low socioeconomic communities, participated in the study. Plasma Zn, serum leptin, weight, waist circumference, height, total body water (TBW) assessed by deuterium isotopic dilution technique and daily activity, measured by registering 48 h with an accelerometer, were evaluated. We found 82% of children with WHZ&gt;3 SD. The geometric mean Zn intake was 6.2±2.5 mg/day. The mean plasma Zn was 91.8±11.4 μg/dL, with 10% of the children h