Adherence to dietary recommendations, nutrient intake adequacy and diet quality among pediatric cystic fibrosis patients: results from the greecf study

Nutrition is an important component of cystic fibrosis (CF) therapy, with a high-fat diet being the cornerstone of treatment. However, adherence to the dietary recommendations for CF appears suboptimal and burdensome for most children and adolescents with CF, leading to malnutrition, inadequate growth, compromised lung function and increased risk for respiratory infections. A cross-sectional approach was deployed to examine the degree of adherence to the nutrition recommendations and diet quality among children with CF. A total of 76 children were recruited from Aghia Sophia’s Children Hospital, in Athens, Greece. In their majority, participants attained their ideal body weight, met the recommendations for energy and fat intake, exceeding the goal for saturated fatty acids consumption. Carbohydrate and fiber intake were suboptimal and most participants exhibited low or mediocre adherence to the Mediterranean diet prototype. It appears that despite the optimal adherence to the energy and fat recommendations, there is still room for improvement concerning diet quality and fiber intake.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

New and Old Challenges in Pediatric Health Policies

Pediatric Health Policies represent a complex context, which integrates various aspects of children’s health and well-being, along the continuum of fetal life, infancy, childhood and adolescence [...

Nutritional Status of Pediatric Cancer Patients at Diagnosis and Correlations with Treatment, Clinical Outcome and the Long-Term Growth and Health of Survivors

Malnutrition is caused either by cancer itself or by its treatment, and affects the clinical outcome, the quality of life (QOL), and the overall survival (OS) of the patient. However, malnutrition in children with cancer should not be accepted or tolerated as an inevitable procedure at any stage of the disease. A review of the international literature from 2014 to 2019 was performed. Despite the difficulty of accurately assessing the prevalence of malnutrition, poor nutritional status has adverse effects from diagnosis to subsequent survival. Nutritional status (NS) at diagnosis relates to undernutrition, while correlations with clinical outcome are still unclear. Malnutrition adversely affects health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children with cancer and collective evidence constantly shows poor nutritional quality in childhood cancer survivors (CCSs). Nutritional assessment and early intervention in pediatric cancer patients could minimize the side effects of treatment, improve their survival, and reduce the risk of nutritional morbidity with a positive impact on QOL, in view of the potentially manageable nature of this risk factor

Changes over time of the lipids availability in Greece in the context of the total consumer pattern

Purpose: Household Budget Surveys can be of great importance for the assessment of dietary intakes in countries where nutritional surveys are not organised, as well as for the implementation of a national nutrition strategy. Differences in dietary patterns according to the socio - economic characteristics of the households can be accessed through the analysis of Household Budget Surveys data. The Greek raw data of 1981/1982 and 1987/1988 Household Budget Surveys have been analysed in order: 1. to determine whether and to what extend certain socio-economic variables (location, size and composition of the household as well as the education and the occupation of the household's head) are related to the lipids' availability of each population group, 2. to study the changes over time of the lipids availability as well as the main food group availability in the time period between the two surveys for both Greece and each population group separately, 3. to compare the Household Budget Surveys food availability data with data from other surveys, which are organized in limited population groups in Greece, and 4. to compare the Household Budget Surveys lipids' availability data with relevant data from other national or international sources. Methodology: The Greek Household Budget Surveys are conducted regularly by the National Statistical Office of Greece within a time interval of 6-7 years. A multistage stratified random sampling is used and a representative sample of the Greek households is covered. The sampling fraction is 0.2 % and a total number of 6,037 and 6,486 households participated in the surveys of 1981/1982 and 1987/1988 respectively. Although Household Budget Surveys (HBS) are conducted mainly for the evaluation of econometric variables, a serious amount of nutritional information in terms both of value and quantity is collected as well. The reference period for the food purchases is 1 week for most food items. In the 1987/1988 survey data on 129 and 88 food items in-terms of value and of quantity respectively were collected. The SPSS/PC statistical programme has been used for the analysis of the raw data of the 1981/1982 and 1987/1988 Greek Household Budget Surveys. The raw data consisted of both socio-economic and food variables. Results: The consumer pattern has been changing rapidly in Greece. The proportion of food expenditure to the total expenditure has been decreasing dramatically since 1957 from 42.8 % to 29.9 % in 1988. According to Engel's law this is a sign of financial improvement for a country. An overall decrease with certain fluctuations in the proportion of the alcoholic beverages and tobacco expenditure to the total expenditure has also been observed during the last years. The main characteristic of the Greek diet according to the Household Budget Surveys is the very high consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, bread and olive oil. However, the fact that the availability of meat and milk is considerably high has to be taken seriously into account. Both surveys have resulted in very important differences of food availability among the various population subgroups. The most important change of the Greek nutrition pattern, which has occurred during the time period 1981/1982-1987/1988, is the serious increase of bread availability (+ 24%) and the simultaneous decrease of flour availability. This is a sign that home - made bread has been replaced by those found in the market. Although an increase of milk availability (+ 8%) has been observed during the same period, the availability of pulses, potatoes, fresh vegetables and sugar has shown a slight decrease. Olive oil is the main lipid used by the Greek households. Animal fats and seed oils are of limited importance. A small increase of the lipids' availability has been observed mainly due to the increase of seed oils availability that has been increased by 450%. Serious consideration must be taken due to the fact that the proportion of olive oil availability to the total lipids' availability has been decreasing during this period. Conclusions: According to the Household Budget Surveys conducted during 1981/1982 and 1987/1988 the Greek diet has preserved the main characteristics of the Mediterranean diet, which are the high consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, bread and olive oil. On the other hand we must take under consideration the influences of the west-type diet, which is expressed by the increased seed oils and milk availability and the relatively high meat consumption.Σκοπός: Οι Έρευνες Οικογενειακών Προϋπολογισμών μπορούν να είναι πολύτιμες για τη διερεύνηση των διατροφικών συνηθειών, ιδιαίτερα σε χώρες στις οποίες δεν είναι δυνατό να οργανωθούν διατροφικές έρευνες, καθώς επίσης και για την εφαρμογή μιας εθνικής διατροφικής στρατηγικής. Από την ανάλυση των στοιχείων των Ερευνών Οικογενειακών Προϋπολογισμών είναι δυνατό να προσδιοριστούν διαφορές των διατροφικών συνηθειών διαφόρων πληθυσμιακών ομάδων σε συνάρτηση με τα κοινωνικό-οικονομικά χαρακτηριστικά των νοικοκυριών που τις απαρτίζουν. Οι σκοποί της ανάλυσης των πρωτογενών στοιχείων των Ελληνικών Ερευνών Οικογενειακών Προϋπολογισμών των ετών 1981/1982 και 1987/1988 ήταν οι ακόλουθοι: 1. να διερευνηθεί εάν και κατά πόσο ορισμένα κοινωνικό - οικονομικά χαρακτηριστικά (αστικότητα, υπηρεσίες περιφερειακής ανάπτυξης, μέγεθος και σύνθεση του νοικοκυριού, καθώς επίσης και η εκπαίδευση και το επάγγελμα του αρχηγού του νοικοκυριού) και η χρονική στιγμή της συλλογής των στοιχείων επηρεάζουν τη διαθεσιμότητα των λιπιδίων σε κάθε πληθυσμιακή ομάδα. 2. να μελετηθεί η διαχρονική εξέλιξη της διαθεσιμότητας των λιπιδίων και των κύριων ομάδων τροφίμων στο χρονικό διάστημα μεταξύ των δύο ερευνών στο σύνολο των νοικοκυριών και στις διάφορες πληθυσμιακές υποομάδες ξεχωριστά. 3. να συγκριθούν τα στοιχεία της διαθεσιμότητας των τροφίμων, όπως αυτά προκύπτουν από τις Έρευνες Οικογενειακών Προϋπολογισμών με δεδομένα από άλλες έρευνες που έχουν διενεργηθεί σε μικρότερες πληθυσμιακές ομάδες στην Ελλάδα, και 4. να συγκριθούν τα στοιχεία της διαθεσιμότητας των λιπιδίων με σχετικά δεδομένα από άλλες έγκυρες εθνικές ή διεθνείς πηγές. Υλικό και μέθοδοι: Οι Έρευνες Οικογενειακών Προϋπολογισμών διενεργούνται από την Εθνική Στατιστική Υπηρεσία της Ελλάδας ανά 6-7 χρόνια. Για την επιλογή του δείγματος χρησιμοποιείται η μέθοδος της πολυσταδιακής στρωματοποιημένης τυχαίας δειγματοληψίας με ενιαίο γενικό κλάσμα δειγματοληψίας 0.2 % και καλύφθηκε αντιπροσωπευτικό δείγμα των νοικοκυριών όλης της χώρας. Στις Έρευνες Οικογενειακών Προϋπολογισμών των ετών 1981/1982 και 1987/1988 έλαβαν μέρος 6,037 και 6,486 νοικοκυριά αντίστοιχα. Αν και ο πρωταρχικός σκοπός των Ερευνών Οικογενειακών Προϋπολογισμών είναι η αξιολόγηση ορισμένων οικονομετρικών στοιχείων, στο πλαίσιο αυτών των ερευνών συλλέγονται σημαντικές πληροφορίες σχετικά με τη διαθεσιμότητα των τροφίμων, με την έννοια τόσο της αξίας όσο και της ποσότητας. Η περίοδος αναφοράς για την απόκτηση των περισσότερων τροφίμων είναι μία εβδομάδα. Στην έρευνα της περιόδου 1987/1988 συλλέχθηκαν στοιχεία για την ποσότητα και την αξία 88 και 129 ειδών τροφίμων αντίστοιχα. Για την ανάλυση των πρωτογενών στοιχείων των Ερευνών Οικογενειακών Προϋπολογισμών των ετών 1981/1.982 και 1987/1988 χρησιμοποιήθηκε το στατιστικό πρόγραμμα SPSS/PC. Τα πρωτογενή στοιχεία περιελάμβαναν κοινωνικό-οικονομικά και διατροφικά δεδομένα. Αποτελέσματα: Το καταναλωτικό πρότυπο της Ελλάδας μεταβάλλεται με μεγάλη ταχύτητα. Η αναλογία της δαπάνης για τρόφιμα ως προς το σύνολο των δαπανών έχει μειωθεί σημαντικά (από 42.8 % σύμφωνα με τα στοιχεία της έρευνας του 1957 σε 29.9 % σύμφωνα με την έρευνα του 1987/1988). Σύμφωνα με το νόμο του Engel αυτή η μείωση αποτελεί ενδεικτικό στοιχείο της βελτίωσης του εισοδήματος μιας χώρας. Κατά τα τελευταία χρόνια παρατηρήθηκε γενικά μείωση της αναλογίας της δαπάνης για οινοπνευματώδη ποτά και καπνό ως προς το σύνολο των δαπανών, αν και υπάρχουν μικρές αυξομειώσεις αυτού του ποσοστού από έρευνα σε έρευνα. Τα κύρια χαρακτηριστικά των διατροφικών συνηθειών του Ελληνικού πληθυσμού σύμφωνα με τα στοιχεία των Ερευνών Οικογενειακών Προϋπολογισμών είναι η ιδιαίτερα υψηλή κατανάλωση φρέσκων φρούτων, λαχανικών, ψωμιού και ελαιολάδου. Σημαντικό είναι επίσης το γεγονός ότι η διαθεσιμότητα του γάλακτος και του κρέατος είναι αρκετά υψηλή. Από την ανάλυση των στοιχείων και των δύο ερευνών προκύπτουν σημαντικές διαφορές της διαθεσιμότητας των τροφίμων μεταξύ των διαφόρων πληθυσμιακών ομάδων. Η κυριότερη μεταβολή των διατροφικών συνηθειών στην Ελλάδα στο χρονικό διάστημα 1981/1982 και 1987/1988 συνίσταται στη σημαντική αύξηση της διαθεσιμότητας του ψωμιού κατά 24% και στην ταυτόχρονη μείωση της διαθεσιμότητας του αλεύρου. Το γεγονός αυτό υποδηλώνει την αισθητή μείωση της παρασκευής σπιτικού ψωμιού. Η διαθεσιμότητα του γάλακτος αυξήθηκε κατά 8 % κατά τη διάρκεια της ίδιας χρονικής περιόδου, ενώ η διαθεσιμότητα των οσπρίων, της πατάτας, των φρέσκων λαχανικών και της ζάχαρης παρουσίασε μικρή μείωση. Το ελαιόλαδο αποτελεί το κύριο λιπίδιο που καταναλώνεται από τα Ελληνικά νοικοκυριά, ενώ η σημασία των ζωικών λιπών και των σπορέλαιων είναι περιορισμένη. Όμως είναι ιδιαίτερα σημαντικό το γεγονός ότι στο χρονικό διάστημα 1981/1982 έως 1987/1988 η διαθεσιμότητα των σπορέλαιων πενταπλασιάστηκε, ενώ ταυτόχρονα η αναλογία της διαθεσιμότητας του ελαιολάδου ως προς το σύνολο της διαθεσιμότητας των λιπιδίων έχει μειωθεί σε όλες σχεδόν τις πληθυσμιακές ομάδες. Η αύξηση της διαθεσιμότητας των σπορέλαιων οδήγησε τελικά σε μικρή αύξηση τη διαθεσιμότητα των λιπιδίων QTO ίδιο χρονικό διάστημα. Συμπεράσματα: Σύμφωνα με τα στοιχεία των Ερευνών Οικογενειακών Προϋπολογισμών των ετών 1981/1982 και 1987/1988 οι διατροφικές συνήθειες του Ελληνικού πληθυσμού έχουν διατηρήσει πολλά από τα παραδοσιακά χαρακτηριστικά της Μεσογειακής δίαιτας, δηλαδή μεγάλη κατανάλωση φρέσκων φρούτων, λαχανικών, ψωμιού και ελαιολάδου. Είναι όμως ήδη εμφανείς οι ισχυρές επιδράσεις του δυτικό-ευρωπαϊκού τρόπου διατροφής, που εκφράζονται με την αύξηση της κατανάλωσης των σπορέλαιων και του γάλακτος και την καθόλου ευκαταφρόνητη κατανάλωση του κρέατος

Weight Pressures and Eating Disorder Symptoms among Adolescent Female Gymnasts of Different Performance Levels in Greece

This study examined the weight pressures within the gymnastics environment and explored associations between these pressures and eating disorder (ED) symptoms in adolescent female gymnasts. One hundred and forty-seven competitive gymnasts and 122 recreational-level gymnasts (11–17 years old) completed the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Weight-Pressures in Sport-Females (WPS-F), the Social Desirability Scale (SDS) and provided information on their training. It was found that 16.3% of competitive gymnasts and 7.4% of non-competitive gymnasts scored ≥20 in EAT-26, indicating disordered eating behavior. Competitive gymnasts scored higher than non-competitive in the total score of EAT-26 (p = 0.027), as well as in the total score of WPS-F, the sport and coaches weight pressures sub-scale and the appearance and performance weight pressures sub-scale (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analyses indicated that sport and coaches weight pressures, appearance and performance weight pressures and body mass index accounted for 30.3% of the variance of EAT-26 in competitive gymnasts, while the appearance and performance weight pressures sub-scale accounted for 16.3% of the variance of EAT-26 in non-competitive gymnasts. Sport and coaches weight pressures are associated with ED in competitive gymnasts, while body appearance and performance demands correlate with ED in female gymnasts irrespective of competitive level

Level of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Weight Status among Adolescent Female Gymnasts: A Cross-Sectional Study

Adolescent female gymnasts are a vulnerable population in terms of their diet, as their nutritional needs are higher due to their growth and high daily training demands. The Mediterranean diet (MD) is a well-known dietary pattern that is associated with a greater nutritional adequacy and a lower prevalence of overweight. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the degree of adherence to the MD among adolescent female athletes who participated in all disciplines of gymnastics in Greece, as well as to explore the potential correlations between MD adherence, body weight, and body mass index (BMI). A total of 269 female gymnasts (between 11&ndash;18 years old) completed the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) and reported their weight and height. Approximately 10% of the participants were underweight and a mere 5.6% were classified as overweight. A high adherence to the MD was reported by 34.9% of the sample and this was correlated with a healthier BMI. Moreover, specific eating habits, such as eating nuts 2&ndash;3 times per week and eating fast-food less than once-weekly, were also associated with BMI. Athletes, parents, and coaches of gymnastics should be informed and educated regarding balanced nutrition habits. Future studies could evaluate adherence to MD, as well as the factors that influence the eating behaviors of adolescent female and male athletes in various sports

Orthorexia Nervosa in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Literature Review

Adolescents are a nutritionally vulnerable population; eating disorders are more common among adolescents and young adults. Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a non-formally recognized condition characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with eating healthy and &ldquo;pure&rdquo; foods; the quality and not the quantity of food is pivotal in ON. ON is a complex entity which can be associated with severe diet restrictions, a negative impact on social relationships, and with physical and mental health conditions, including obsessive&ndash;compulsive disorder. In light of this, a literature review regarding the background, diagnosis, features, risk factors, interplay with the social media, and management of ON is presented in this article, with a focus on adolescents and young adults

Parental Dieting and Correlation with Disordered Eating Behaviours in Adolescents: A Narrative Review

Adolescent eating disorders and disordered eating behaviours appear to be a growing public health concern. The aetiology of these conditions is complex, as many different factors contribute to their development. Among them, family factors such as parenting styles and comments regarding weight coming from family members are considered critical and are extensively researched. However, the impact of parental dieting has received less attention. A literature review was conducted in order to examine the relationship between parental engagement in weight-reduction dieting and their adolescent offspring’s disordered eating behaviours. The review was conducted in three databases (PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar) regarding the period between January 2000 and May 2023. The initial search retrieved 339 abstracts, and 113 full reports were evaluated for eligibility. Six studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the final literature review. A number of studies indicated that adolescents whose parents were engaged in dieting in order to lose weight are more likely to showcase disordered eating behaviours. However, research regarding this relationship is very scarce. More studies on the link between parental eating and dieting habits and the risk of disordered eating in adolescents are required. Moreover, parents should be informed regarding the possible risks when they choose to follow weight-loss diets and the importance of adopting healthy eating and weight-control habits for the whole family

Parental Misperceptions of Their Offspring’s Weight and Their Strategies for Child’s Eating Behavior: A Narrative Review of the Recent Evidence

The aim of the present review was to explore the effect of parental misperceptions of their offspring’s weight status during childhood and early adolescence on weight control strategies and children’s eating behavior. Literature searching was limited to the PubMed database and to the English language from January 2000 to August 2022. Eligible studies had clearly associated parental misperception of offspring’s weight with child eating habits or weight management and eating strategies in childhood to early adolescence. Sixteen studies (14 cross-sectional, 1 longitudinal and 1 with cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses) were included in the analysis. Weight loss attempts and child’s eating behavior were the main outcomes. Sixteen studies found significant associations. Parental misperceptions of their offspring’s weight status do influence their child’s weight and eating behavior, especially in overweight children. Parents tend to follow potentially harmful methods when they overestimate their children’s weight (food restriction) and when they underestimate their children’s weight (pressure to eat). However, additional longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the impact of parental weight status perception on health behaviors and children’s weight gain over time. The potential need for preventive intervention studies is warranted

Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating Behaviors in Cystic Fibrosis: A Neglected Issue

As with the majority of chronic diseases having specific nutrition recommendations, in cystic fibrosis (CF), the emphasis placed on patients regarding their diet and ideal body weight status often increases the risk of developing disordered eating behaviors and by inference, eating disorders (EDs). Body weight appears to be an important concern for patients with CF, with many patients struggling to lose weight. Between sexes, women appear more preoccupied with dieting compared to men, but exhibit a better body image, mainly due to their preference for a lower weight. Several comorbidities appear to change these dynamics, and visibly apparent factors, including scars, ports, and tubes, and the need for supplementary oxygen supply, may also influence body image perception. Disordered eating is usually initiated during a bout of pulmonary infection, with the patient feeling unwell to eat. Regarding the prevalence of EDs, research appears conflicting on whether it is higher among individuals with a CF diagnosis or not. As for comorbidities, anxiety and depression consist of the most common psychiatric diagnoses in CF, also greatly prevalent in EDs. Despite the plethora of studies, non-specific CF tools, small samples, and lack of data regarding important outcomes, including lung health, indicate the need for more research