Foodstuff Storage and Phthalates: Effects on Human Health

Concern about how exposure to environmental contaminants may interfere with human health and its consequences is in constant rise. Phthalates, unlike other environmental contaminants, are not persistent or bioaccumulative but its broad use makes them ubiquitous in today’s world. Although concentrations of phthalates in different products vary it has been proven that the most significant source of human exposure to phthalates is packaging material of various food products. Other contamination can occur also during production process, transportation and storage time in different packaging and wrapping materials. People could be exposed to phthalates through food, water, cosmetics and personal care products, toys and environment depending on dietary habits as well as personal lifestyle. Large number of studies has proved effects of phthalate exposure on human male reproductive development, sperm quality, risk factors for cancer, allergies, asthma and obesity, while impact on cardiovascular health remains unclarified. This article gives a quick, brief and insightful overview on numerous literature data of phthalate exposure in humans due to food storage and their impact on health

Foodstuff Storage and Phthalates: Effects on Human Health

Concern about how exposure to environmental contaminants may interfere with human health and its consequences is in constant rise. Phthalates, unlike other environmental contaminants, are not persistent or bioaccumulative but its broad use makes them ubiquitous in today’s world. Although concentrations of phthalates in different products vary it has been proven that the most significant source of human exposure to phthalates is packaging material of various food products. Other contamination can occur also during production process, transportation and storage time in different packaging and wrapping materials. People could be exposed to phthalates through food, water, cosmetics and personal care products, toys and environment depending on dietary habits as well as personal lifestyle. Large number of studies has proved effects of phthalate exposure on human male reproductive development, sperm quality, risk factors for cancer, allergies, asthma and obesity, while impact on cardiovascular health remains unclarified. This article gives a quick, brief and insightful overview on numerous literature data of phthalate exposure in humans due to food storage and their impact on health

The Prevalence and the Risk Factors of the Cervical Colonization by the Genital Mycoplasmas among Pregnant Women from Eastern Croatia

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the genital mycoplasmas cervical colonization among the pregnant women from the Eastern Croatia and to evaluate its correlation with the demographic and the behavioural risk factors. Study was conducted from March 2010 to April 2011 at the Microbiology Department of the Institute of Public Health for the Osijek-Baranja County. The study included 456 pregnant women in the first and the second trimester of pregnancy. Demographic data and data on their possible risk behaviour during the lifetime were collected with the usage of an anonymous questionnaire consisting of the 16 questions. The Mycoplasma Duo kit test was used to diagnose the mycoplasma infections. Due to the fact that the results were generally similar for the women with U. urealyticum or M. hominis and in order to dichotomize the analyses, 164 (36%) participants with U. urealyticum, M. hominis or both were considered positive, whereas 292 (64%) participants without U. urealyticum or M. hominis were considered negative. A higher genital mycoplasmas prevalence was statistically significantly associated with the younger group of the pregnant women (16–29 y), 5 or more sexual partners during lifetime and the age on the first intercourse £16. The study has showed that both the demographic and the behavioural risk factors were associated with the higher genital mycoplasmas colonization in the observed population

Doping Attitudes, Beliefs, and Practices among Young, Amateur Croatian Athletes

Recent studies revealed that amateur athletes, especially young ones, have an increasing tendency of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) usage. The aim of this study was to explore PEDs attitudes, beliefs, and practices among young, amateur Croatian athletes. This cross-sectional study using a specially designed questionnaire as a research tool was done during the August 2019 to January 2020 period among a convenient sample of 400 amateur athletes of median age 18 (interquartile range 15 to 21) years. The prevalence of current PEDs usage was 1.3%, while past PEDs usage prevalence was 3.3%. Current PEDs usage was more frequent among young adults (p = 0.048) and athletes playing individual sports (p = 0.001). Athletes who were engaged in sports from one to five years had more permissive attitudes toward PEDs (p p = 0.008). The study did not establish any correlation between current or past PEDs usage and attitudes toward PEDs as well as beliefs about PEDs usage. However, there was a weak positive correlation between attitudes toward PEDs and athletes’ beliefs about PEDs usage (rs = 0.465, p < 0.001). PEDs usage is present among young Croatian amateur athletes. There is a need for interventions directed toward the prevention of PEDs usage in an observed subgroup of athletes

Consumption of Energy Drinks among University Students in Eastern Croatia

The modern lifestyle today creates a certain pressure on people who are forced to adapt to such a way of living. Energy drinks (EDs), beverages containing certain stimulating ingredients, are increasingly being offered on the market. Given the unclear impact of EDs consumption on the health of the individual, the focus of this study was to determine the prevalence of EDs consumption among the student population at the University of Osijek (Eastern Croatia). The cross-sectional study via an anonymous questionnaire included 424 students, with an average age of 22.8 years. It was discovered that 52.4% of participants consume EDs. Males were significantly more likely to drink EDs than females (χ2-test; p = 0.006). They more frequently consume EDs six or more times per month (χ2-test; p = 0.045) as well as consume more EDs on one occasion (χ2-test; p 2-test; p = 0.024) as well as smokers in comparison to non-smokers (χ2-test; p = 0.034). In conclusion, the study proved the frequent consumption of EDs among Croatian university students consequently highlighting the need to raise awareness of the possible adverse effects of EDs consumption

Influence of Dietary Supplementation of Propolis and Bee Pollen on Liver Pathology in Broiler Chickens

One of the major problems in intensive breeding of chickens is liver damage. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of dietary supplementation with propolis and bee pollen on liver pathology in broiler chickens. The study was conducted on 200 Ross 308 chickens equally distributed by sex that were divided into five groups. Throughout the whole study, the control group of chickens was fed with a basal diet, while the experimental groups of chickens were fed with the same diet further supplemented with propolis and bee pollen, each supplement given separately or in combination in a certain proportion. The study showed that the clusters of lymphocytes in the hepatocytes, the vacuolar degeneration and necrosis of the liver parenchyma, the bile ductule hyperplasia, and the various forms of pathological changes in the liver arteries and veins were more frequent in liver tissue samples of the control group compared to liver tissue samples of all the experimental groups (p &lt; 0.001). The study further showed that all the previously mentioned histopathological lesions of liver tissue were always more extensive in the liver tissue samples of the control group than in the liver tissue samples of all the experimental groups (p &lt; 0.001). The supplementation of broiler chickens with propolis and/or bee pollen has a strong protective effect on liver pathology in broiler chickens

Psoriasis Severity—A Risk Factor of Insulin Resistance Independent of Metabolic Syndrome

Background: It is still debatable whether psoriasis increases cardiovascular risk indirectly since it is associated with metabolic syndrome or is an independent cardiovascular risk factor. The aim of this study was to evaluate psoriasis severity as an independent predictor of insulin resistance (IR) irrespective of the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: This was a case control study including 128 patients stratified into two groups: patients with psoriasis and metabolic syndrome vs. patients with psoriasis and no metabolic syndrome. MetS was diagnosed according to ATP III criteria with homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), as well as a homeostatic model assessment of beta cell function (HOMA-&beta;) were calculated. Results: Compared to subjects without metabolic syndrome, patients with metabolic syndrome had a significantly higher Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) values (p &lt; 0.001). The strongest correlation was established for HOMA-IR and the PASI index (p &lt; 0.001), even after adjustment for body mass index (BMI) in regression analysis model. In patients without MetS and severe forms of disease, the HOMA-IR and HOMA-&beta; values were significantly higher compared to mild forms of disease (p &lt; 0.001 for all) while in subjects with MetS no difference was established for HOMA-IR or HOMA-&beta; based on disease severity. Conclusions: Psoriasis severity is an independent risk factor of HOMA-IR, the strongest association being present in the non-MetS group, who still had preserved beta cell function suggesting direct promotion of atherosclerosis via insulin resistance depending on the disease severity, but irrespective of the presence of metabolic syndrome

The Nutrition Knowledge of Croatian General Practitioners

Nutrition care delivered in primary health care setting is an effective and necessary preventive health care measure. General practitioners (GPs) nutrition knowledge is related to their nutrition care practice. The aim of this study was to explore the nutrition knowledge of Croatian GPs, and to investigate its connection with the implementation of nutrition care in GPs&rsquo; offices. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 17.0% of randomly selected GPs, from May to July 2013, via an anonymous questionnaire. The study showed that only 35.8% of the Croatian GPs had an adequate level of nutrition knowledge (five or more correct answers to nutrition questions). The study further revealed that females, GPs with additional education in nutrition and GPs who had not suffered from chronic diseases with poor nutrition posing as a risk factor had better nutrition knowledge (p = 0.029, p &lt; 0.001 and p = 0.041, respectively). The Spearman rank correlation between GPs&rsquo; nutrition knowledge and the implementation of nutrition care in their offices during daily work with patients was rs = &minus;0.190 (p &lt; 0.001). To provide nutrition care in GPs&rsquo; offices in Croatia, strategies for improving GPs&rsquo; nutrition knowledge are needed

Attitudes toward Nutrition Care among General Practitioners in Croatia

Nutrition care should be an integral part of general practitioners’ (GPs’) daily work with patients. The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of Croatian GPs toward nutrition and nutrition care, and to evaluate the interconnection between their attitudes and implementation of nutrition care in GPs offices. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 17.0% of randomly selected GPs, from May to July of 2013, via a specially designed anonymous questionnaire. The study showed that 36.0% of the Croatian GPs had satisfactory number of positive attitudes (5 or more) toward nutrition and nutrition care. There was statistically significant difference in the median number of positive attitudes based on the additional education of GPs in nutrition and their ailment from chronic diseases (p &lt; 0.001 and p = 0.022, respectively). The Spearman rank correlation between GPs’ attitudes toward nutrition and nutrition care and their practice, i.e., the implementation of nutrition care in GPs’ everyday work with patients was rs = −0.235 (p &lt; 0.001). In order to provide nutrition care in GPs’ offices in Croatia, strategies for changing GPs’ attitudes toward nutrition and nutrition care are needed