Obesity and intestinal microbiome: is there correlation?

A obesidade é uma doença multifatorial, em que muitos dos fatores associados ao seu desenvolvimento estão relacionados com o microbioma intestinal (MI). O objetivo deste estudo é apresentar, de uma forma simples e sucinta, os últimos dados publicados na literatura científica que correlacionam obesidade e MI, identificando os fatores que estão subjacentes a essa relação. A pesquisa bibliográfica foi realizada através da base de dados Pubmed/U.S. National Library of Medicine. Identificaram-se diversos tipos de fatores que relacionam o MI à obesidade, que vão desde fatores externos a fatores internos, que de alguma forma estão interligados e que se influenciam mutuamente. Os fatores externos encontram-se associados às escolhas individuais (ex.: alimentares – tipo de dieta), hábitos (ex.: horário das refeições, qualidade do sono) e/ou ambiente (ex.: stress, ansiedade) e os fatores internos associados aos processos metabólicos que ocorrem no organismo. Muitos dos fatores identificados têm relação direta ou indireta com os hábitos alimentares, revelando assim o impacto profundo que estes exercem sobre o MI, ao influenciarem a sua composição e funcionalidadeObesity is a multifactorial disease, in which many of the factors associated with its development are related to the intestinal microbiome (IM). The study aims to present the latest papers published on the relationship between obesity and IM, identifying the factors that underlie this relationship in a simple way. The bibliographic search was carried out through the Pubmed/U.S. National Library of Medicine database. Several types of factors were identified that relate the intestinal microbiota to obesity, ranging from external to internal factors, which are somehow interconnected and mutually influencing. External factors are associated with individual choices (e.g.: food – type of diet), habits (e.g.: mealtime, sleep quality) and/or environment (e.g.: stress, anxiety) and internal factors associated with metabolic processes that occur in the body. Many of the factors identified are directly or indirectly related to eating habits, which reveals the profound impact these have on IM, by influencing its composition and functionality.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Trends in breakfast patterns in Portuguese children. COSI Portugal 2010-2013

O Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) é o sistema europeu de vigilância nutricional infantil, coordenado pelo Gabinete Regional Europeu da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS).N/

Breakfast Cereals Intended for Children: Opportunities for Reformulation and Potential Impact on Nutrient Intake

This article belongs to the Section Food NutritionReady-to-eat cereals (RTECs) have become a popular breakfast option claiming to provide important nutrients to children’s diets, despite being a source of excess sugar and, therefore, a health concern. Thus, food reformulation constitutes an important public health strategy that could benefit from inputs provided by nutrient profiling. This study aimed to assess the adequacy of the RTECs for children available in Portuguese supermarkets, applying three nutrient profile models (NPMs)—the nutrient profile model of the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe (WHO-EURO), the profile of the private-sector EU Pledge (EU-Pledge), and the national model developed by the Directorate-General of Health (NPM-PT)—in order to explore the potential for reformulation of the RTECs identified as not adequate and evaluate the impact of RTECs’ reformulation on the nutritional quality of Portuguese children’s diets. In total, 78 RTECs intended for children were assessed and two scenarios—current (not considering reformulation) and alternative (considering reformulation to accomplish the nutrient profile requirements)—were considered to assess the impact of reformulation on nutritional quality. Across all RTECs, only 5.1% could be promoted to children according to the considered NPMs. The most common nutrients requiring reformulation were sugar, saturated fatty acids (SFA), salt, and dietary fiber. The scenarios of reformulation considered could reduce the RTECs average content of total sugars, SFA, and salt by 43%, 8.7%, and 1.1%, respectively, and dietary fiber intake could be increased by 34%. Thus, these results support policies to implement reformulation strategies for developing healthier food products to be promoted to children.The authors appreciate the financial support of AHFES project (EAPA_1071_2018AHFES). This project was co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Atlantic Area Program. Ricardo Assunção thanks FCT/MCTES for the financial support to CESAM (UIDP/50017/2020+UIDB/50017/2020) through national funds, and the FCT Individual CEEC 2018 Assistant Researcher Grant CEECIND/01570/2018. The IAN-AF 2015–2016 was supported by funding received from the EEA Grants Program, Public Health Initiatives (PT06-000088SI3).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A study of commercially available complementary foods for infants and young children under 36 months

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Comparative analysis of methods to address childhood obesity

RESUMO - Introdução: A obesidade infantil constitui, na actualidade, um dos mais sérios desafios de saúde pública, tendo atingindo níveis epidémicos em vários países do Mundo. A obesidade na infância e adolescência aumenta a probabilidade de obesidade na idade adulta assim como está associada a uma série de efeitos adversos em termos da saúde e do bem-estar das crianças e dos adolescentes. Como tal, a sua prevenção e o seu tratamento tornam-se prioritários. Objectivo: Não estando definido um modelo único padrão no tratamento da obesidade infantil, pretende-se identificar e valorizar neste artigo os elementos essenciais da abordagem desta doença. Material e métodos: Foram analisados maioritariamente estudos aleatorizados controlados que enfatizam importantes desenvolvimentos ao nível das intervenções no âmbito da alimentação, da actividade física, da mudança comportamental, do ambiente familiar e da participação da comunidade. Conclusão: Concluiu-se que as intervenções em ambiente familiar de base comportamental que incorporam modificações ao nível da alimentação e da actividade física parecem ser as mais efectivas no controlo do peso corporal. As intervenções de base comunitária, apesar de ainda serem escassas, parecem assumir um eixo estratégico no combate a esta doença.ABSTRACT - Introduction: Childhood obesity represents one of the most serious public health challenges, as it has reached epidemic levels in several countries around the world. Obese children and adolescents are more likely to be obese in adulthood. In addition, childhood and adolescent obesity has adverse psychological, social and health consequences in childhood and later in life. Thus, the prevention, early identification and treatment of this disease should be a priority for the health sector. Objective: Since there hasn’t been determined one single intervention model that can address and tackle childhood obesity, the aim of this review is to identify the key elements frequently used in the most common approaches to address childhood obesity. Material and methods: The review included mostly randomised controlled trials which have been used to emphasise important developments and contributions of intervention programs concerning diet, physical activity and behaviour modification and also in family and community based programmes. Conclusion: The conclusion was that the interventions used within the childhood obesity approach should be family based and should essentially lie upon behaviour modification regarding diet and physical activity. Interventions targeting a variety of population groups can have potent effects on reducing overweight prevalence and reverse trends particularly the one that takes action at community level.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Association between marketing of high energy food and drinks and childhood obesity

RESUMO - Este artigo tem como objetivo fazer uma revisão sobre o marketing de géneros alimentícios dirigido a crianças e sobre a sua possível relação com a obesidade infantil. O marketing de alimentos e bebidas, particularmente de elevada densidade energética e pobres em micronutrientes, pode ser, entre outros, um dos fatores que contribuem para a obesidade infantil pela sua influência negativa nos padrões de consumo alimentar das crianças. Existe alguma evidência de que o marketing influencia as crianças relativamente às suas escolhas, consumos e preferências alimentares, compras de alimentos e bebidas e pedidos que fazem destes produtos aos pais. Apesar dos níveis crescentes da prevalência da obesidade infantil, a maior parte dos alimentos publicitados dirigidos a crianças são ricos em calorias, gordura, açúcar e/ou sal, o que levanta sérias preocupações Éticas e de Saúde Pública, já que as crianças representam um alvo bastante vulnerável pela sua incapacidade de perceção das intenções persuasivas da publicidade. Medidas para controlar o marketing de alimentos dirigido a crianças poderão ser importantes na prevenção da obesidade infantil.ABSTRACT - This article is a review about food marketing directed to children and its possible relation to childhood obesity. Marketing of food and beverages, especially of those high in energy density and poor in micronutrients, can be one factor, among others, that contributes to childhood obesity by its negative influence on food consumption behaviour of children. There is some evidence that marketing influences children’s food choices, preferences and consumption, food and beverage purchases and requests of these products to parents. Although the prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing, most of the advertised foods to children are rich in calories, fat, sugar and/or salt, which is a main concerning of Ethics and Public Health. Children represent a vulnerable target of marketing because of their inability to understand its persuasive intentions. Measures to control food marketing directed to children could be important in preventing childhood obesity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nutritional quality of foods consumed by the Portuguese population according to the Nutri-Score and consistency with nutritional recommendations

In the last few years, public health authorities have shown interest in introducing front-of-pack labelling (FOPL), as one of the main policies to combat diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Nutri-Score is a FOPL that categorizes a food product into five categories according to its nutritional value. This study aimed to investigate the ability of Nutri-Score to discriminate the nutritional quality of foods consumed by the Portuguese population and the consistency with the food-based dietary guidelines. The applicability of Nutri-Score was assessed by applying it to 165 food products that were considered under the PT-Total Diet Study (PT-TDS). At least three categories (colours/letters) of the Nutri-Score were observed for most of the food groups and for sub-groups a minimum of two categories were identified. The Nutri-Score showed moderate agreement with the Portuguese Nutrient Profile Model (PT-NPM) (k = 0.416). The food classification according to the Nutri-Score was consistent with the nutritional recommendations. Food groups in which consumption is encouraged were more favourably classified than those in which consumption should be limited (i.e., Vegetables and Pastries were classified as A (93.0%) and E (57.1%), respectively). Appropriate food labelling with a system such as Nutri-Score can be relevant to health-promoting purchasing choices, improving diet quality and consequently public health.This work has been funded by the National Health Institute Doutor Ricardo Jorge, I.P., under the project ‘Incentivo aos Estudos de Dieta Total’ (Reference number 2016DAN1260). Elsa Vasco and M. Graça Dias previous work (unpublished) contributed to this study, and they were responsible for the sampling plan, collection and treatment of food products, which we thank. This manuscript was developed under the scope of WHO Collaborating Centre on Nutrition and Childhood Obesity—National Health Institute Dr. Ricardo Jorge. Ricardo Assunçao ˜ thanks FCT/MCTES for the financial support to CESAM (UIDP/50017/2020 + UIDB/50017/2020), through national funds.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Childhood overweight and obesity abatement policies in Europe

Over the past two decades, a concerted effort to combat the rising tide of childhood overweight and obesity has taken shape. The World Health Organization (WHO) Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) provides recommendations for six priority areas of action, including the promotion of healthy food consumption, promotion of physical activity, preconception and pregnancy care, early childhood diet and physical activity, healthy nutrition and physical activity for school-aged children, and community-based weight management. This paper provides a snapshot of policies and measures aligned to these areas of action within the WHO European Region in order to encourage other countries to make similar efforts. Examples are drawn from Portugal (sugar-sweetened beverage tax, integrated nutrition strategy), the United Kingdom (soft drink levy, active commuting programs, urban design principles), Lithuania (prohibition of energy drinks), Norway (industry and government partnerships to promote healthier foods, nutrition education curriculum for schools), Hungary (tax subsidies to promote healthy diets), the European Union (cross-border marketing regulations, preconception and pregnancy care), Slovenia (food marketing restrictions), Spain (marketing restrictions within educational settings), Poland (investing in sports infrastructure), Russia (increasing sports participation), Estonia (redevelopment of the physical education curriculum), Netherlands (preconception and pregnancy care), Croatia (conditions to support breastfeeding), Austria (perinatal and early childhood nutrition), Czechia (life-course strategy), San Marino (nutrition and physical activity for school-aged children), Ukraine (potable water for schools), Ireland and Italy (community-based weight management approaches). Our findings suggest that a large disparity exists among the type and breadth of policies adopted by Member States, with a mix of single-issue policy responses and more cohesive strategies. The role of data, implementation research, and ongoing surveillance of country-level progress related to childhood overweight and obesity policies are discussed as an essential part of the iterative process of policy development. Additional work to systematically gather context-specific information on policy development, implementation, and reach according to ECHO's six areas of action by WHO European Region countries will inform future policy paradigms within the region.The authors gratefully acknowledge support through a grant from the Russian government in the context of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. Acesso de acordo com página web do editor da revista.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Papa Bem dos 6 aos 12 meses

A coleção "Papa Bem: Alimentar e Educar" inclui 40 fichas.Este Projeto é financiado por fundos nacionais Portugueses através da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, QREN e COMPET

Alimentos e porções para crianças de 1 a 5 anos

Este Projeto é financiado por fundos nacionais Portugueses através da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, QREN e COMPETE