Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Autism Stigma and Informal Caregiver Mental Health

Families play a crucial role in determining the mental health of the autistic individual(s) they are caring for. However, the stigma associated with autism can impair caregiver health. To investigate this, empirical evidence pertaining to stigma’s impact on informal caregivers’ mental health was systematically reviewed. All twelve included studies (n = 1442 informal caregivers) consistently reported the impact of autism related stigma upon caregiver mental health to be significant, meaningful and complex. A new theoretical framework describing the relationship between stigma and caregiver mental health is constructed. Moderating variables include those both changeable through intervention (e.g. hopelessness, self-esteem, self-compassion) and not changeable (gender, culture, financial burden and time since diagnosis). Implications and recommendations for professionals, interventions and future research are proposed

A workshop on ‘Dietary Sweetness—Is It an Issue?’

This report summarises a workshop convened by ILSI Europe on 3 and 4 April 2017 to discuss the issue of dietary sweetness. The objectives were to understand the roles of sweetness in the diet, establish whether exposure to sweetness affects diet quality and energy intake, and consider whether sweetness per se affects health. Although there may be evidence for tracking of intake of some sweet components of the diet through childhood, evidence for tracking of whole diet sweetness, or through other stages of maturity are lacking. The evidence to date does not support adverse effects of sweetness on diet quality or energy intake, except where sweet food choices increase intake of free sugars. There is some evidence for improvements in diet quality and reduced energy intake where sweetness without calories replaces sweetness with calories. There is a need to understand the physiological and metabolic relevance of sweet taste receptors on the tongue, in the gut and elsewhere in the body, as well as possible differentiation in the effects of sustained consumption of individual sweeteners. Despite a plethora of studies, there is no consistent evidence for an association of sweetness sensitivity/preference with obesity or type 2 diabetes. A multifaceted integrated approach, characterising nutritive and sensory aspects of the whole diet or dietary patterns, may be more valuable in providing contextual insight. The outcomes of the workshop could be used as a scientific basis to inform the expert community and create more useful dialogue among health care professionals

The Human Sweet Tooth

Humans love the taste of sugar and the word "sweet" is used to describe not only this basic taste quality but also something that is desirable or pleasurable, e.g., la dolce vita. Although sugar or sweetened foods are generally among the most preferred choices, not everyone likes sugar, especially at high concentrations. The focus of my group's research is to understand why some people have a sweet tooth and others do not. We have used genetic and molecular techniques in humans, rats, mice, cats and primates to understand the origins of sweet taste perception. Our studies demonstrate that there are two sweet receptor genes (TAS1R2 and TAS1R3), and alleles of one of the two genes predict the avidity with which some mammals drink sweet solutions. We also find a relationship between sweet and bitter perception. Children who are genetically more sensitive to bitter compounds report that very sweet solutions are more pleasant and they prefer sweet carbonated beverages more than milk, relative to less bitter-sensitive peers. Overall, people differ in their ability to perceive the basic tastes, and particular constellations of genes and experience may drive some people, but not others, toward a caries-inducing sweet diet. Future studies will be designed to understand how a genetic preference for sweet food and drink might contribute to the development of dental caries

Consumo de bebida alcoólica e adiposidade abdominal em doadores de sangue Consumo de bebida alcohólica y adiposidad abdominal en donadores de sangre Alcohol consumption and abdominal fat in blood donors

OBJETIVO: Analisar a associação entre o consumo de bebidas alcoólicas e adiposidade abdominal. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com uma amostra de homens doadores de sangue (N=1.235), de 20 a 59 anos, em Cuiabá (MT), realizado de agosto/1999 a janeiro/2000. Os indicadores de adiposidade abdominal foram circunferência da cintura e relação cintura/quadril, ajustados pela adiposidade total. As medidas aferidas foram: peso, estatura, circunferências da cintura e do quadril. O consumo de álcool foi avaliado utilizando-se um questionário sobre tipo, freqüência e quantidade da bebida consumida. A associação entre o consumo de álcool e adiposidade abdominal foi analisada por regressão linear múltipla, com os modelos ajustados para idade, atividade física, tabagismo e adiposidade total. RESULTADOS: Após ajuste, a circunferência da cintura e a relação cintura quadril mantiveram-se associadas positivamente ao consumo de cerveja (p=0,02) e ao total de álcool consumido (p=0,01 e 0,03, respectivamente). O consumo de aguardente mostrou associação somente com a circunferência da cintura (p=0,04). CONCLUSÕES: O consumo de álcool, particularmente de cerveja, associou-se com a localização abdominal de gordura.<br>OBJETIVO: Analizar la asociación entre el consumo de bebidas alcohólica y adiposidad abdominal. MÉTODOS: Se efectuó estudio transversal con una muestra de hombres donadores de sangre (N= 1.235), de 20 a 59 años, en Cuiabá (Centro-Oeste de Brasil), realizado de agosto/1999 a enero/2000. Los indicadores de adiposidad abdominal fueron circunferencia de la cintura y relación cintura/cuadril, ajustadas por la adiposidad total. Las medidas verificables fueron: peso, estatura, circunferencias de la cintura y del cuadril. El consumo de alcohol fue evaluado utilizándose un cuestionario sobre tipo, frecuencia y cantidad de la bebida consumida. La asociación entre el consumo de alcohol y adiposidad abdominal fue analizada por regresión lineal múltiple, con los modelos ajustados para la edad, actividad física, tabaquismo y adiposidad total. RESULTADOS: Posterior al ajuste, la circunferencia de la cintura y la relación cintura/cuadril se mantuvieron asociados positivamente al consumo de cerveza (p=0,02) y al total de alcohol consumido (p=0,01 y 0,03, respectivamente). El consumo de aguardiente mostró asociación solamente con la circunferencia de la cintura (p=0,04). CONCLUSIONES: El consumo de alcohol, particularmente de cerveza, se asoció con la localización abdominal de gordura.<br>OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between alcohol consumption and abdominal fat. METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out in a sample of male blood donors (n=1,235), aged 20-59 years, in the city of Cuiabá, Central-West Brazil, between August 1999 and January 2000. Waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were indicators of abdominal fat, adjusted for total adiposity. Weight, height, waist and hip circumferences were measured. Alcohol consumption was evaluated using a questionnaire collecting information on type, frequency, and amount of consumption. The association between alcohol consumption and abdominal fat was assessed through multiple linear regression models adjusted for age, physical activity, smoking, and percent of body fat. RESULTS: After adjustment, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were positively associated with beer (p = 0.02) and total alcohol consumption (p=0.01; p=0.03, respectively). Waist circumference was positively associated with spirit consumption (p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol intake, particularly beer, was positively associated to abdominal fat

Acurácia da circunferência da cintura e da relação cintura/quadril como preditores de dislipidemias em estudo transversal de doadores de sangue de Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brasil Accuracy of waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio as predictors of dyslipidemia in a cross-sectional study among blood donors in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso State, Brazil

Avaliou-se a acurácia dos indicadores antropométricos de localização de gordura (circunferência da cintura e relação cintura/quadril) como preditores de dislipidemias, apresentando seus pontos de corte. A amostra consistiu-se de 416 homens saudáveis, de 20 a 58 anos, doadores de sangue do hemocentro de Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brasil. Os lipídios séricos foram determinados por método enzimático. A análise dos dados foi feita através da curva ROC para identificar o melhor ponto de corte dos indicadores e a maior área estatisticamente significante sob a curva. Os melhores pontos de corte para relação cintura/quadril e circunferência da cintura foram 0,90 e 85cm, respectivamente. O IC95% da área sob a curva ROC entre a circunferência da cintura e a relação colesterol/HDL elevada incluiu o valor 0,50, limitando a capacidade da circunferência da cintura como preditor de dislipidemias. Valores de sensibilidade e especificidade foram melhores no grupo mais jovem. A relação cintura/quadril foi mais associada às dislipidemias do que a circunferência da cintura. Circunferência da cintura mostrou melhor poder discriminatório na detecção de hipertrigliceridemia. Os pontos de corte de melhor acurácia foram menores do que os estabelecidos pela Organização Mundial da Saúde.<br>This study evaluated the accuracy of anthropometric fat location indices (waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio) as predictors of dyslipidemia, in addition to defining their respective cut-offs. The sample consisted of 416 healthy male blood donors from 20 to 58 years of age at the Blood Center in Cuiabá, capital of Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Serum lipids were determined through the enzymatic method. Data analysis through the ROC curve identified the best indicator and the cut-off with the largest statistically significant area under the ROC curve. The best cut-off points for waist-to-hip ratio and waist circumference were 0.90 and 85cm, respectively. The area under the ROC curve between waist circumference and high cholesterol/HDL relation included the 0.50 value, so waist circumference could not be considered a predictor of dyslipidemia. The best sensitivity and specificity were in the youngest group. Waist-to-hip ratio was a better predictor of dyslipidemia than waist circumference, although the latter showed better discriminating power to detect hypertriglyceridemia. The most accurate cut-off points were lower those set by the World Health Organization