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Abstract: Background: Adolescent girls are vulnerable to dietary inadequacy in general and micronutrients (viz, Iron, Calcium, Vitamin A and C etc) inadequacy in particular due to variety of reasons including their own food preferences. Lack of protective foods in their diet can have serious consequences. Objective: To assess dietary inadequacy of micronutrients in urban adolescent girls and to pinpoint their correlates. Methodology: A community based cross sectional study was undertaken on 400 adolescent girls (10-19 years) of urban Varanasi, selected by adopting multistage sampling technique. Their socio-demographic and personal characteristics were obtained by interviewing parents or other responsible family member. Dietary intake of subjects was assessed by 24 hours recall oral questionnaire method and their micronutrients intake was computed by using nutritive value of Indian foods. Result: In case of 72.8%, 71.2%, 88.2% and 6.2% subjects calcium, iron, Vitamin A and Vitamin C intakes were <50% of Recommended Dietary Allowances. Taking 10-14 years as reference risk of less iron intake was more (AOR; 3.66 CI: 1.30-10.30) in subjects aged 18-19 years. When Scheduled Caste was taken as reference category, risk of less iron intake was more in subjects from other caste category (AOR; 2.91, CI: 1.07-7.91). In comparison to subjects having sibling <4 risk of less calcium intake was more (AOR; 4.37 CI: 1.10-17.39) in subjects having sibling >7.With reference to vegetarians, odds of less vitamin C intake was more in nonvegetarian (AOR=2.01: CI-1.10-3.65) and eggitarian (AOR=2.53: CI-1.03-6.19). Conclusion: Micronutrients deficiency in urban adolescents is quiet predominant and calls for community based interventions to streamline micronutrients supplementation and therapeutic strategies. Keywords: Dietary habit, Dietary reference intakes, Recommended dietary allowances, Socioeconomic status, Under nutrition.Download Full Article |
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Abstract: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with long-chain omega-3 (LCn-3) fatty acid deficits and indices of chronic sustained inflammation including elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. The present study combined a case-control analysis and a prospective 10-week open-label fish oil (FO) supplementation trial to investigate the relationships among plasma phospholipid LCn-3 fatty acid levels, plasma CRP concentrations, and depressive symptoms in adolescent MDD patients. Compared with healthy controls (n=20), MDD patients (n=20) exhibited significantly lower EPA+DHA levels (-62%, p£0.0001) and a higher ratio of arachidonic acid (AA) to EPA+DHA (+78%, p=0.0002). CRP concentrations did not differ between controls and MDD patients (0.16 vs. 0.17 mg/dL, p=0.96), and were positively correlated with depression symptom severity scores in MDD patients (r = +0.55, p=0.01). CRP concentrations were positively correlated with BMI in MDD patients (r = +0.63, p=0.005) and controls (r = +0.69, p=0.002). Low-dose (2.4 g/d) and high-dose (15 g/d) FO supplementation significantly increased EPA+DHA levels in MDD patients, but did not significantly alter CRP concentrations. Baseline and baseline-endpoint change in CRP levels were not correlated with baseline-endpoint reductions in depression severity. Together, these data demonstrate that the lower plasma phospholipid LCn-3 fatty acid composition exhibited by adolescent MDD patients is not associated with higher CRP levels, and that increasing LCn-3 fatty acid status reduces depression symptom severity independent of changes in CRP concentrations. Collectively, these data suggest that CRP concentrations are dissociable from LCn-3 fatty acid status and antidepressant response in adolescent MDD patients. Keywords: Major depressive disorder, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Fish oil, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).Download Full Article |
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Abstract: The term “metabolic syndrome” was used in 1977 by Herman Haller who was studying the risk factors associated with atherosclerosis. In the same year, Dr. Singer used the term to describe the associations between hyperlipoprotenemia and obesity, gout, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. In1988, Gerald Reaven hypothesized that insulin resistance could be the underlying factor linking this constellation of abnormalities, which he went on to name “syndrome X or Reaven’s syndrome”. Regardless of the clinical term that is utilized, the global impact on health care resources and humanity is massive.
Metabolic syndrome is a preventable life threatening disease process. With its roots in childhood, this vicious cycle slowly destroys lives while we spend billions in the process. Delegating responsibility of financing our health and wellness to the insurance industry, Americans are ill prepared to deal with the reality that health is neither a luxury nor an entitlement. The impact of accepting the responsibility of prevention through nutritional counseling and education combined with regular exercise could save billions of dollars annually. More importantly aggressively preventing metabolic syndrome would save millions of lives. Keywords: Metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, type II diabetes mellitus, obesity, hyperlididemia, syndrome - X.Download Full Article |
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Editorial |