Association between Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Breakfast Quality with Physical Fitness in School Children: The HIIT Project

Dietary habits have been linked with health in childhood. However, few studies have examined the association between healthy dietary patterns and physical fitness. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the associations of adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) and breakfast quality with physical fitness in children. Further to this, we examined the role of physical activity in these associations. A total of 175 children (86 girls, 9.7 ± 0.3 years) participated. Adherence to MDP and breakfast quality were assessed by the KIDMED questionnaire and 24 h recall, respectively. Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and speed–agility were assessed. Physical activity was evaluated by wrist-worn accelerometers. Greater adherence to the MDP was related with higher cardiorespiratory fitness, lower-limbs muscular strength, and speed–agility (all β ≥ 0.189, all p ≤ 0.02). No significant associations were observed between breakfast quality and physical fitness (all p > 0.05). However, all the significant associations disappeared after adjusting for physical activity (all p > 0.05). Our study sheds light on the relevance of adhering to the MDP over physical fitness in school children. However, there is no association between breakfast quality and physical fitness. Furthermore, physical activity seems to explain, at least partially, these findings.The HIIT project was supported by the Plan de Promoción de Grupos de Investigación of the Public University of Navarra. C.C.-S. is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (FJC2018-037925-I). L.A. is supported by the Education Department of the Government of the Basque Country (PRE_2016_1_0057, PRE_2017_2_0224, PRE_2018_2_0057, PRE_2019_2_0004). M.A. is supported by a grant from the University of the Basque Country (PIF17/186). M.O. is supported by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, grant number; BES-2017-080770

The Effect of a Family-Based Lifestyle Education Program on Dietary Habits, Hepatic Fat and Adiposity Markers in 8–12-Year-Old Children with Overweight/Obesity

Healthy lifestyle education programs are recommended for obesity prevention and treatment. However, there is no previous information on the effects of these programs on the reduction of hepatic fat percentage. The aims were (i) to examine the effectiveness of a 22-week family-based lifestyle education program on dietary habits, and (ii) to explore the associations of changes in dietary intake with percent hepatic fat reduction and adiposity in children with overweight/obesity. A total of 81 children with overweight/obesity (aged 10.6 ± 1.1 years, 53.1% girls) and their parents attended a 22-week family based healthy lifestyle and psychoeducational program accompanied with (intensive group) or without (control) an exercise program. Hepatic fat (magnetic resonance imaging), adiposity (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) and dietary habits (two non-consecutive 24 h-recalls) were assessed before and after the intervention. Energy (p < 0.01) fat (p < 0.01) and added sugar (p < 0.03) intake were significantly reduced in both groups at the end of the program, while, in addition, carbohydrates intake (p < 0.04) was reduced exclusively in the control group, and simple sugar (p < 0.05) and cholesterol (p < 0.03) intake was reduced in the exercise group. Fruit (p < 0.03) and low-fat/skimmed dairy consumption (p < 0.02), the adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and teenagers (KIDMED, p < 0.01) and breakfast quality index (p < 0.03) were significantly higher in both control and intervention groups after the intervention. Moreover, participants in the exercise group increased the adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet (p < 0.001), whereas the ratio of evening-morning energy intake was significantly lower exclusively in the control group after the program (p < 0.02). Changes in energy intake were significantly associated with changes in fat mass index (FMI) in the exercise group, whereas changes in sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) consumption was associated with percent hepatic fat reduction (p < 0.05) in the control group. A 22-week family-based healthy lifestyle program seems to be effective on improving diet quality and health in children with overweight/obesity and these should focus on SSB avoidance and physical activity.The current project was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Industry and Competitiveness (DEP2016-78377-R), by European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) and by the University of the Basque Country (GIU14/21). This work was also supported by grants from Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (RYC 2010-05957; RYC-2011-09011; BES-2017-080770), by the Education Department of the Government of the Basque Country (PRE_2016_1_0057, PRE_2017_2_0224, PRE_2018_2_0057, PRE_2019_2_0004) and by the University of the Basque Country (PIF17/186). This study has been partially funded by the Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidades and by ERDF, (ref. SOMM17/6107/UGR)

Mortality Risks after Two Years in Frail and Pre-Frail Older Adults Admitted to Hospital

Background: Frailty is characterized by a progressive decline in the physiological functions of multiple body systems that lead to a more vulnerable condition, which is prone to the development of various adverse events, such as falls, hospitalization, and mortality. This study aims to determine whether frailty increases mortality compared to pre-frailty and to identify variables associated with a higher risk of mortality. Materials: Two cohorts, frail and pre-frail subjects, are evaluated according to the Fried phenotype. A complete examination of frailty, cognitive status, comorbidities and pharmacology was carried out at hospital admission and was extracted through electronic health record (EHR). Mortality was evaluated from the EHR. Methods: Kaplan–Meier estimates of survival probability functions were calculated at two years censoring time for frail and pre-frail cohorts. The log-rank test assessed significant differences between survival probability functions. Significant variables for frailty (p < 0–05) were extracted by independent sample t-test. Further selection was based on variable significance found in multivariate logistic regression discrimination between frail and pre-frail subjects. Cox regression over univariate t-test-selected variables was calculated to identify variables associated with higher proportional hazard risks (HR) at two years. Results: Frailty is associated with greater mortality at two years censoring time than pre-frailty (log-rank test, p < 0.0001). Variables with significant (p < 0.05) association with mortality identified in both cohorts (HR 95% (CI in the frail cohort) are male sex (0.44 (0.29–0.66)), age (1.05 (1.01–1.09)), weight (0.98 (0.96–1.00)), and use of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) (0.60 (0.41–0.87)). Specific high-risk factors in the frail cohort are readmission at 30 days (0.50 (0.33–0.74)), SPPB sit and stand (0.62 (0.45–0.85)), heart failure (0.67 (0.46–0.98)), use of antiplatelets (1.80 (1.19–2.71)), and quetiapine (0.31 (0.12–0.81)). Specific high-risk factors in the pre-frail cohort are Barthel’s score (120 (7.7–1700)), Pfeiffer test (8.4; (2.3–31)), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) (1200 (18–88,000)), constipation (0.025 (0.0027–0.24)), falls (18,000 (150–2,200,000)), deep venous thrombosis (8400 (19–3,700,000)), cerebrovascular disease (0.01 (0.00064–0.16)), diabetes (360 (3.4–39,000)), thyroid disease (0.00099 (0.000012–0.085)), and the use of PPIs (0.062 (0.0072–0.54)), Zolpidem (0.000014 (0.0000000021–0.092)), antidiabetics (0.00015 (0.00000042–0.051)), diuretics (0.0003 (0.000004–0.022)), and opiates (0.000069 (0.00000035–0.013)). Conclusions: Frailty is associated with higher mortality at two years than pre-frailty. Frailty is recognized as a systemic syndrome with many links to older-age comorbidities, which are also found in our study. Polypharmacy is strongly associated with frailty, and several commonly prescribed drugs are strongly associated with increased mortality. It must be considered that frail patients need coordinated attention where the diverse specialist taking care of them jointly examines the interactions between the diversity of treatments prescribed.The work in this paper has been partially supported by FEDER funds for the MICIN project PID2020-116346GB-I00, and 2016111138 of the health funding program of the Basque Government. The author M.G. has received research funds from the Basque Government as the head of the Grupo de Inteligencia Computacional, Universidad del Pais Vasco, UPV/EHU since 2007 until 2025. The current code for the grant is IT1689-22. Additionally, the authors are participating in Elkartek projects KK-2022/00051 and KK-2021/00070

Malnutrition and Poor Physical Function Are Associated With Higher Comorbidity Index in Hospitalized Older Adults

BackgroundThe Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) is the most widely used method to measure comorbidity and predict mortality. There is no evidence whether malnutrition and/or poor physical function are associated with higher CCI in hospitalized patients. Therefore, this study aimed to (i) analyze the association between the CCI with nutritional status and with physical function of hospitalized older adults and (ii) examine the individual and combined associations of nutritional status and physical function of older inpatients with comorbidity risk. MethodsA total of 597 hospitalized older adults (84.3 +/- 6.8 years, 50.3% women) were assessed for CCI, nutritional status (the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form [MNA-SF]), and physical function (handgrip strength and the Short Physical Performance Battery [SPPB]). ResultsBetter nutritional status (p < 0.05) and performance with handgrip strength and the SPPB were significantly associated with lower CCI scores among both men (p < 0.005) and women (p < 0.001). Patients with malnutrition or risk of malnutrition (OR: 2.165, 95% CI: 1.408-3.331, p < 0.001) as well as frailty (OR: 3.918, 95% CI: 2.326-6.600, p < 0.001) had significantly increased the risk for being at severe risk of comorbidity. Patients at risk of malnutrition or that are malnourished had higher CCI scores regardless of being fit or unfit according to handgrip strength (p for trend < 0.05), and patients classified as frail had higher CCI despite their nutritional status (p for trend < 0.001). ConclusionsThe current study reinforces the use of the MNA-SF and the SPPB in geriatric hospital patients as they might help to predict poor clinical outcomes and thus indirectly predict post-discharge mortality risk.This study was supported by the Basque Government (2016111138). MA was supported by a grant from the University of the Basque Country (PIF17/186) and IE was supported by a grant from the University of the Basque Country in collaboration with the University of Bordeaux (UBX) (PIFBUR16/07)

Determinants of Participation in a Post-Hospitalization Physical Exercise Program for Older Adults

Background: Older patients often experience a decline in physical function and cognitive status after hospitalization. Although interventions involving physical exercise are effective in improving functional performance, participation in physical exercise interventions among older individuals is low. We aimed to identify factors that contribute to exercise refusal among post-hospitalized older patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study of recruitment data from a randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 495 hospitalized people >= 70 years old. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained from the Basque Public Health System database. We determined physical function with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), nutritional status with the Mini-Nutritional Assessment, frailty according to the Fried phenotype criteria, and cognitive function with the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ). Student's t, Mann-Whitney U, or chi-squared tests were applied for bivariate analysis. Parameters significantly associated with participation were introduced in a logistic multivariate regression model. Results: Among the analyzed patients, 88.8% declined participation in the physical exercise program. Multivariate regression revealed that older age (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.07-1.19), poor nutritional status (OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.69-0.95), and reduced home accessibility (OR: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.08-0.94) were predictors of participation refusal. Moreover, patients who declined participation had worse performance on the SPPB (P < 0.05) and its tests of balance, leg strength, and walking speed (P < 0.05). No differences were found between groups in other variables. Conclusions: This study confirms low participation of older adults in a post-hospitalization physical exercise program. Non-participation was associated with increased age, poor nutritional status, and reduced home accessibility. Our findings support the need for intervention design that accounts for these factors to increase older patient participation in beneficial exercise programs.The study was funded by the Department of Education, Language Policy and Culture (2016111138) and a Programme Contract of the Department of Health, both departments of the Government of the Basque Country, which provided financial support during the research. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis and interpretation or writing the manuscript

Guía para el desarrollo y evaluación continua de las competencias transversales en el Trabajo de Fin de Grado mediante dinámicas colaborativas

Disponible también en EuskaraLa presente publicación es el resultado de la experiencia llevada a cabo en el marco de un Proyecto de Innovación Educativa financiado por el Servicio de Asesoramiento Educativo de la Universidad Pública del País Vasco (UPV/EHU). El proyecto contó con la participación de un equipo docente multidisciplinar integrado por personas con diferentes perfiles (geología, salud pública, tecnología de alimentos, nutrición, bromatología y físico-química) y tuvo como objetivo el desarrollo de una metodología activa aplicarla en la realización del Trabajo Fin de Grado (TFG). Esta asignatura, común a la mayoría de los grados universitarios y que se desarrolla en la etapa previa a la incorporación a la práctica profesional, supone una gran oportunidad para que los futuros egresados profundicen y afiancen las competencias transversales recogidas en los planes de estudio de cada titulación. El desarrollo de la propuesta metodológica tuvo como eje principal fomentar la adquisición de competencias transversales tales como la capacidad de reflexión y crítica, habilidad para la comunicación oral y escrita, capacidad de trabajo en equipo o el manejo adecuado de las fuentes bibliográficas.Servicio de Asesoramiento Educativo de la Universidad del País Vasco (SAE/HELAZ), 6570-Proyecto de Innovación Educativa 2012-2014

Gradu Amaierako Lanean zeharkako gaitasunak lankidetza-dinamiken bidez garatzeko eta era jarraituan ebaluatzeko gida

Gaztelerazko bertsioan ere argitaratua Itzultzailea: Gilen MejutoHezkuntza Berrikuntzarako Proiektu baten barruan burututako esperientziaren emaitza da argitalpen hau. Delako proiektua Euskal Herriko Unibertsitate Publikoaren (UPV/EHU) Hezkuntzarako Laguntza Zerbitzuak finantzatu zuen. Proiektuan, diziplina anitzeko irakasle talde bat aritu zen, hainbat profiletako pertsonek osatutakoa (geologia, osasun publikoa, elikagaien teknologia, nutrizioa, bromatologia eta fisikokimika), eta helburua izan zen metodologia aktibo bat garatzea, gero Gradu Amaierako Lana (GrAL) egiteko prozesuari aplikatzekoa. Irakasgai hau komuna izaten da unibertsitate-gradu gehienetan, eta lanbidean hasi aurreko etapan garatzen da. Gainera, aukera ezin hobea da graduatuko diren pertsonek sakondu eta finkatu ditzaten titulazio bakoitzeko ikasketa-planetan jasotzen diren zeharkako gaitasunak. Proposamen metodologikoa garatzeko orduan, ikasleek zeharkako gaitasunak eskuratzeko prozesua izan zen ardatz nagusia. Hona zeharkako gaitasun horietako batzuk: hausnarketa eta kritika egiteko ahalmena, ahozko eta idatzizko komunikaziorako trebetasuna, taldean lan egiteko ahalmena eta iturri bibliografikoen erabilera egokia.Euskal Herriko Unibertsitateako Hezkuntzarako Laguntza Zerbitzua (SAE-HELAZ), 6570-Hezkuntzaren Berrikuntzarako Proiektua 2012-2014

Birth weight and blood lipid levels in Spanish adolescents: Influence of selected APOE, APOC3 and PPARgamma2 gene polymorphisms. The AVENA Study

Es reproducción del documento publicado en http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2350-9-98Background: There is increasing evidence indicating that genes involved in certain metabolic processes of cardiovascular diseases may be of particular influence in people with low body weight at birth. We examined whether the apolipoprotein (APO) E, APOC3 and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma-2 (PPAR gamma 2) polymorphisms influence the association between low birth weight and blood lipid levels in healthy adolescents aged 13-18.5 years. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 502 Spanish adolescents born at term was conducted. Total (TC) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein (apo) A and B, and lipoprotein(a) [ Lp(a)] were measured. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), TC-HDLc, TC/HDLc and apoB/apoA were calculated. Results: Low birth weight was associated with higher levels of TC, LDLc, apoB, Lp(a), TC-HDLc, TC/HDLc and apoB/apoA in males with the APOE epsilon 3 epsilon 4 genotype, whereas in females, it was associated with lower HDLc and higher TG levels. In males with the APOC3 S1/S2 genotype, low birth weight was associated with lower apoA and higher Lp(a), yet this association was not observed in females. There were no associations between low birth weight and blood lipids in any of the PPAR gamma 2 genotypes. Conclusion: The results indicate that low birth weight has a deleterious influence on lipid profile particularly in adolescents with the APOE epsilon 3/epsilon 4 genotype. These findings suggest that intrauterine environment interact with the genetic background affecting the lipid profile in later life.Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS PI021830), the Spanish Ministry of Health, FEDER-FSE funds FIS n 00/0015, CSD grants 05/UPB32/0, 109/UPB31/03 and 13/UPB20/04, Ministerio de Educación (AP-2004-2745; EX2007-1124

Gradu Amaierako Lanean zeharkako gaitasunak lankidetza-dinamiken bidez garatzeko eta era jarraituan ebaluatzeko gida

Gaztelerazko bertsioan ere argitaratua Itzultzailea: Gilen MejutoHezkuntza Berrikuntzarako Proiektu baten barruan burututako esperientziaren emaitza da argitalpen hau. Delako proiektua Euskal Herriko Unibertsitate Publikoaren (UPV/EHU) Hezkuntzarako Laguntza Zerbitzuak finantzatu zuen. Proiektuan, diziplina anitzeko irakasle talde bat aritu zen, hainbat profiletako pertsonek osatutakoa (geologia, osasun publikoa, elikagaien teknologia, nutrizioa, bromatologia eta fisikokimika), eta helburua izan zen metodologia aktibo bat garatzea, gero Gradu Amaierako Lana (GrAL) egiteko prozesuari aplikatzekoa. Irakasgai hau komuna izaten da unibertsitate-gradu gehienetan, eta lanbidean hasi aurreko etapan garatzen da. Gainera, aukera ezin hobea da graduatuko diren pertsonek sakondu eta finkatu ditzaten titulazio bakoitzeko ikasketa-planetan jasotzen diren zeharkako gaitasunak. Proposamen metodologikoa garatzeko orduan, ikasleek zeharkako gaitasunak eskuratzeko prozesua izan zen ardatz nagusia. Hona zeharkako gaitasun horietako batzuk: hausnarketa eta kritika egiteko ahalmena, ahozko eta idatzizko komunikaziorako trebetasuna, taldean lan egiteko ahalmena eta iturri bibliografikoen erabilera egokia.Euskal Herriko Unibertsitateako Hezkuntzarako Laguntza Zerbitzua (SAE-HELAZ), 6570-Hezkuntzaren Berrikuntzarako Proiektua 2012-2014