Current Issue : July - September Volume : 2013 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 7 Articles
Background: Avocados contain monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) dietary fiber, essential nutrients and\r\nphytochemicals. However, no epidemiologic data exist on their effects on diet quality, weight management and\r\nother metabolic disease risk factors. The objective of this research was to investigate the relationships between\r\navocado consumption and overall diet quality, energy and nutrient intakes, physiological indicators of health, and\r\nrisk of metabolic syndrome.\r\nMethods: Avocado consumption and nutrition data were based on 24-hour dietary recalls collected by trained\r\nNHANES interviewers using the USDA Automated Multiple Pass Method (AMPM). Physiological data were collected\r\nfrom physical examinations conducted in NHANES Mobile Examination Centers. Diet quality was calculated using\r\nthe USDAââ?¬â?¢s Healthy Eating Index-2005. Subjects included 17,567 US adults = 19 years of age (49% female),\r\nincluding 347 avocado consumers (50% female), examined in NHANES 2001ââ?¬â??2008. Least square means, standard\r\nerrors, and ANOVA were determined using appropriate sample weights, with adjustments for age, gender, ethnicity,\r\nand other covariates depending on dependent variable of interest.\r\nResults: Avocado consumers had significantly higher intakes of vegetables (p < 0.05); fruit, diet quality, total fat,\r\nmonounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, dietary fiber, vitamins E, K, magnesium, and potassium (p < 0.0001);\r\nvitamin K (p = 0.0013); and lower intakes of added sugars (p < 0.0001). No significant differences were seen in\r\ncalorie or sodium intakes. Body weight, BMI, and waist circumference were significantly lower (p < 0.01), and HDL-C\r\nwas higher (p < 0.01) in avocado consumers. The odds ratio for metabolic syndrome was 50% (95th CI: 0.32-0.72)\r\nlower in avocado consumers vs. non-consumers.\r\nConclusions: Avocado consumption is associated with improved overall diet quality, nutrient intake, and reduced\r\nrisk of metabolic syndrome. Dietitians should be aware of the beneficial associations between avocado intake, diet\r\nand health when making dietary recommendations....
Background: Recent evidence suggests that higher calcium and/or vitamin D intake may be associated with lower\r\nbody weight and better metabolic health. Due to contradictory findings from intervention trials, we investigated\r\nthe effect of calcium plus vitamin D3 (calcium) supplementation on anthropometric and metabolic profiles\r\nduring energy restriction in healthy, overweight and obese adults with very-low calcium consumption.\r\nMethods: Fifty-three subjects were randomly assigned in an open-label, randomized controlled trial to receive\r\neither an energy-restricted diet (-500 kcal/d) supplemented with 600 mg elemental calcium and 125 IU vitamin D3\r\nor energy restriction alone for 12 weeks. Repeated measurements of variance were performed to evaluate the\r\ndifferences between groups for changes in body weight, BMI, body composition, waist circumference, and blood\r\npressures, as well as in plasma TG, TC, HDL, LDL, glucose and insulin concentrations.\r\nResults: Eighty-one percent of participants completed the trial (85% from the calcium D group; 78% from the\r\ncontrol group). A significantly greater decrease in fat mass loss was observed in the calcium D group (-2.8�±1.3\r\nvs.-1.8�±1.3 kg; P=0.02) than in the control group, although there was no significant difference in body weight\r\nchange (P>0.05) between groups. The calcium D group also exhibited greater decrease in visceral fat mass and\r\nvisceral fat area (P<0.05 for both). No significant difference was detected for changes in metabolic variables\r\n(P>0.05).\r\nConclusion: Calcium plus vitamin D3 supplementation for 12 weeks augmented body fat and visceral fat loss in\r\nvery-low calcium consumers during energy restriction....
The objective of the present study was to collect different Lactic acid bacterial strains from culture collection centers and screen their functional probiotic characteristics such as acid tolerance, bile tolerance, antibacterial activity and antibiotic sensitivity for their commercial use. Among the six probiotic strains tested, all showed good survivability at high bile salt concentration (0.3 to 2.0 % oxgall) and good growth at a low pH of 1.5 to 3.5. These probiotic species showed good survival abilities in acidic pH of 2.0 to 3.5. Pediococcus acidilactici 252 was able to grow even at a pH of 1.5 also. Among the six lactic acid species, Lactobacillus paraplantarum 321 and Lactobacillus helveticus 194 (except Gentamycin) were resistant to all the antibiotics tested (Co-Trimoxazole, Gentamicin, Norfloxacin and Tetracycline). All these probiotic organisms were screened for their in vitro inhibition ability against pathogenic microorganisms namely, E.coli ATCC, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella paratyphi, Staphylococcus aureus. Lactobacillus paraplantarum 321 and Pediococcus acidilactici 252 inhibited the growth of all pathogenic bacteria tested. The study identified Lactobacillus helveticus 194 and Pediococcus acidilactici 252 as potential functional probiotics for future in vivo studies for commercialization in the food industry....
Introduction: Every year more than 20 million infants are born with low birth weight worldwide. About 3.6 million\r\ninfants die during the neonatal period. More than one third of child deaths are thought to be attributable to\r\nmaternal and child under nutrition.\r\nObjectives: To systematically review the effect of supplementing various combinations and types of micronutrients\r\non the course and outcomes of pregnancy.\r\nMethods: Electronic search of Medline, Pub Med, Health Internetwork access to Research Initiative, and Google\r\nScholar databases was conducted. Outcomes of interest were birth weight, low birth weight, small size for\r\ngestational age, prenatal mortality and neonatal mortality. After exclusion of irrelevant /incomplete ones, 17 out of\r\n115 articles were considered for the final analysis.\r\nFindings: Majority of the articles reviewed favored the supplementation of micronutrients to pregnant mother.\r\nSome studies suggested calcium supplementation is associated with a significant protective benefit in the\r\nprevention of pre-eclampsia. The remaining articles reviewed, showed significant benefit of Multiple Micronutrients\r\nsupplementation during pregnancy in reducing low birth weight, small for Gestational Age births as compared to\r\nthe usual iron-folate supplements.\r\nConclusions: Supplying micronutrients, mainly multiple micronutrients have beneficial effect in reducing the risk of\r\nlow birth weight and other complications. Further studies at various combination and doses of micronutrient\r\nsupplements are recommended....
In cows, retention of placenta (ROP) is one of the most common periparturient conditions occurring in the post-partum and is defined as the failure to expel the placenta or foetal membranes within 24 h of calving by the cow itself. Prevention and control of this disorder is very important from health and production and economic point of view than treating the affected animals. In order to prevent occurrence of ROP, the dairy animals should be fed with high energy and protein diet to overcome the negative energy balance, calcium and phosphorus should be in the ratio of 1.5:1, selenium at 0.08 and 0.07 mg/kg in dry period and period approximately 3 weeks before calving periods in diet by parental route along with vitamin E at the rate of 500 IU/cow/day, injection of vitamin A/β-carotene i.e. injection of β-carotene at 600 mg/cow per day to the animal before parturition. Along with good and balanced nutritious ration during the 45-60 day dry period, proper manage mental practices like maintaining a healthy, properly conditioned cow prior to, during and after parturition, daily exercise, clean, dry and comfortable calving areas, and proper sanitation during the calving period minimize the occurrences of ROP significantly....
Sickle cell anemia is a genetically inherited disease in which the ââ?¬Å?SSââ?¬Â individual possesses an abnormal beta globin gene. A single\r\nbase substitution in the gene encoding the human ??-globin subunit results in replacement of ??6 glutamic acid by valine, leading to\r\nthe devastating clinical manifestations of sickle cell disease. This substitution causes drastic reduction in the solubility of sickle\r\ncell hemoglobin (HbS) when deoxygenated. Under these conditions, the HbS molecules polymerize to form long crystalline\r\nintracellular mass of fibers which are responsible for the deformation of the biconcave disc shaped erythrocyte into a sickle\r\nshape. First-line clinical management of sickle cell anemia include, use of hydroxyurea, folic acid, amino acids supplementation,\r\npenicillinprophylaxis, and antimalarial prophylaxis to manage the condition and blood transfusions to stabilize the patientââ?¬â?¢s\r\nhemoglobin level. These are quite expensive and have attendant risk factors. However, a bright ray of hope involving research\r\ninto antisickling properties of medicinal plants has been rewarding. This alternative therapy using phytomedicines has proven to\r\nnot only reduce crisis but also reverse sickling (in vitro). The immense benefits of phytomedicines and nutraceuticals used in the\r\nmanagement of sickle cell anemia are discussed in this paper....
This study was conducted to quantitatively determine the fatty acid contents of 20 species of marine fish and four species of shellfish from Straits of Malacca. Most samples contained fairly high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 n3), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5 n3), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6 n3). Longtail shad, yellowstripe scad, and moonfish contained significantly higher (P < 0.05) amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), respectively. Meanwhile, fringescale sardinella, malabar red snapper, black pomfret, Japanese threadfin bream, giant seaperch, and sixbar grouper showed considerably high content (537.2ââ?¬â??944.1?mg/100g wet sample) of desirable omega-3 fatty acids. The polyunsaturated-fatty-acids/saturated-fatty-acids (P/S) ratios for most samples were higher than that of Menhaden oil (P/S= 0.58), a recommended PUFA supplement which may help to lower blood pressure. Yellowstripe scad (highest DHA,?-3/?-6=6.4,p/s=1.7 ), moonfish (highest ALA, ?-3/?-6=1.9, p/s=1.0), and longtail shad (highest EPA, ?-3/?-6=0.8,p/s=0.4) were the samples with an outstandingly desirable overall composition of fatty acids. Overall, the marine fish and shellfish from the area contained good composition of fatty acids which offer health benefits and may be used for nutraceutical purposes in the future....
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