Healthy eating index and different fruit dietary habits in Slovak adult female

The healthy index is a tool for evaluation of nutrition recommendation aimed at prevention of chronic diseases. A lot of studies have been devoted to HEI of different aged groups of people but dates about Slovak population have been still missed. The goal of the study was to evaluate the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) in nutrition of adult female, determine their components in relation of parameters of anthropometry and body composition. Secondly, the research work was also aimed at the comparison of partial score HEI among groups of female with different fruit intake. Daily nutrition was evaluated by 24 hours dietary recalls. In set of female (average age 31.1 ±9.1 years) the average HEI index reached up 53.0 ±8.8 points in accord with medium degree of diet, it means dietary improvement has been highly recommended. In respect of all assayed components of index the best results achieved the variety of diet (8.8 ±1.3 points) and the worst the natrium intake (0.7 ±2.0 points). The average score for the individual components pointed to neccesary of increase in the grain intake and vegetable, on the other hand the intake of cholesterol, saturated fats and especially natrium should be decreased. The differences between groups with various intake of fruit (with recommended intake and insufficient intake) in the rest 9 components have not been proved as significant. The occurrence of risk values of body index, body fats determined by bioelectric impedance and android risk based on circumference of hips can not be considered between groups as significant. Average HEI has been in significance correlation with age (r = 0.240; p <0.05), circumference of hips (r = 0.2312; p <0.05) and body weight r = 0.1748; p <0.05). Future studies have been needed to evaluate diet according to the HEI in different groups of population in Slovakia

The comparative study of medicinal plants utilization as herbal antibiotics by college students

The medicinal plant utilization has become more and more popular and increasing number of consumers prefer alternative medicine to synthetic antibiotic. Research dealing with evaluation of medicinal plant usage as herbal antibiotics including the sample of 584 quizzed college students aged 19 - 25 years (337 women, 217 men) originated from Slovak Republic (n = 338), Czech Republic (n = 112) and Hungary (n = 134). According to university and the study programme the following groups were evaluated: Constantine the Philosopher University CPU (PEES - Pre-school and elementary education in Slovak language, PEEH - Pre-school and elementary education in Hungarian language, BI - Biology, RT - Regional Tourism), Mendel University in Brno MU (H - Horticulture), Slovak University of Agriculture SUA (H - Horticulture), University of Pécs UP (PE - Physical education), Comenius University CU (PE - Physical education). The study was aimed at the evaluation of the significance of the country and the study programme for the use of the most commonly used herbs: plantain, elderberry, stinging nettle, ginger and coneflower (Echinacea). Our results showed that the choice of preferred medicinal plants as herbal antibiotics during illness had not been clearly influenced by country or field of study programme. Plantain was the most frequently used herb by students of UP/PE (51.5%), CPU/PEES and CPU/PEEH (47.9%; 41.1%). Elderberry was the most popular herb among the students CPU/BI (52.9%), CPU/RT and SUA/H (37.8%). Stinging nettle was preferred as the most popular herb in groups of CPU/RT (46%). The significantly lower consumption of Echinacea was noticed in MU/H 4.5% in comparison with groups, CU/PE 26.4% (p < 0.05), CPU/PEEH 27.4% (p < 0.01), UP/PE 17.2% (p < 0.05) and CPU/RT 28% (p < 0.05). Regularly, all the year round the highest utilization of Echinacea was evident in CPU/BI 30.0%. The highest percentage formed respondent's utilized Echinacea only during illness. Otherwise, the differences between the frequencies of Echinacea usage cannot be considered as statistically significant. Generally, a significantly higher level of ginger usage was assayed within groups SUA/H 80.0% (p < 0.001), CPU/PEEH 66.3% (p < 0.001), UP/PE 36.6% (p < 0.001), CPU/BI 58.8% (p < 0.001), CPU/RT 56.0% (p < 0.001), MU/H 78.6% (p < 0.001) and CPU/PEES 77.1% (p < 0.001) in comparison with the rest of the groups. Daily the respondents from CU/PE 20.8% consumed ginger significantly more often than students belonging to CPU/BI 0.0% (p < 0.05) and MU/H 0.0% (p < 0.05). Respondents from CPU/PEEH consumed statistically significantly more ginger once a week in comparison with students belonged to MU/H 0.9% (p < 0.05). To sum up the research results, we can claim that state or study programme had no clear statistically significant evidence on the regular consumption of medicinal plants as herbal antibiotics. © 2019 Potravinarstvo Slovak Journal of Food Sciences