Cocoa and unripe banana flour beverages improve anthropometric and biochemical markers in overweight women: A randomised double-blind study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a functional cocoa and unripe banana flour (UBF) beverage intake on the anthropometric and biochemical markers of overweight women. Methods: This prospective, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial involved 60 female volunteers aged between 20 and 50 years. One group received a cocoa beverage (n = 30) and one group received a cocoa and UBF beverage (n = 30), for 6 weeks. The cocoa beverage showed 3.07 total g dietary fiber/serving and 29.55 mg gallic acid equivalentes/portion (GAE/portion). Cocoa and UBF beverage contained 8.48% resistant starch by weight, 4.37 g dietary fiber/full portion and 69.24 mg GAE/portion. Weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and fractions were evaluated. Results: The UBF and cocoa beverage reduced waist circumference (-2.03 cm, P < 0.001) and the cocoa beverage reduced total cholesterol (-19.3 mg/dL, P < 0.001) and the LDL/HDL ratio (-0.32, P < 0.001); in addition, both beverages promoted the reduction of body fat percentage (-1.98%, P = 0.001 and -1.15%, P < 0.001 Cocoa/UPF group and Cocoa group respectively). Conclusion: The additional dietary fiber did not further improve health status.

A beverage containing ora-pro-nobis flour improves intestinal health, weight, and body composition: A double-blind randomized prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the effect of a beverage containing ora-pro-nobis (OPN) flour on intestinal microbiota, gastrointestinal symptoms, and anthropometric parameters in women. METHODS: This prospective, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial included 24 women volunteers. For 6 wk, the test group received a beverage supplemented with OPN, and the control group received the same beverage without OPN. Fecal microbiota were evaluated by the fluorescence in situ hybridization method. Each participant responded to a questionnaire based on the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale. The data were analyzed by Student's t test to compare the effects between treatments (P < 0.05). RESULTS: Supplementation with the OPN beverage reduced weight (P = 0.008), waist circumference (P = 0.010), and body fat (P = 0.000). Additionally, the treatment increased satiety (P = 0.039), reduced eructation (P = 0.038) and constipation (P = 0.017), and improved feces consistency (P = 0.017). CONCLUSION: The OPN flour beverage has an effect on weight reduction, body fat composition, and improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms. These results highlight the beneficial effects of ora-pro-nobis flour beverage against the development of obesity.

Effect of Pereskia aculeata Mill. in vitro and in overweight humans: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata Mill.) flour on the adhesion of probiotics to intestinal epithelial cells and to evaluate the effect of a product based on this flour on gastrointestinal symptoms, weight, body fat, glycemia, and lipid profile in overweight men. METHODS: Microbiological counts (probiotic count, survival after in vitro gastrointestinal resistance, Caco-2 cell adhesion) were analyzed. A randomized, cross-over intervention was performed. Intestinal microbiota was indirectly assessed on the basis of consistency, color of feces, and gastrointestinal symptoms. RESULTS: P. aculeata did not affect Lactobacillus casei adhesion to Caco-2 cells. Ora-pro-nobis flour improved gastrointestinal symptoms and increased satiety. CONCLUSION: The consumption of ora-pro-nobis flour improved intestinal health. In addition, it maintained the high adherence of L. casei to intestinal cells as well as patient anthropometric and biochemical parameters. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Pereskia aculeata Mill. is well known in folk medicine and has several nutrients; however, there are few studies on this plant. This is the first study to analyze the influence of P. aculeata on bacterial adherence and the first cross-over clinical trial to evaluate the beneficial potential of ora-pro-nobis flour in overweight men. Thus, this study will contribute to the promotion of ora-pro-nobis as a functional ingredient and will arouse the interest of industries to develop related healthy foods. In addition, it is an effective dietary strategy to improve the gastrointestinal health of men.

Ethnicity, Obesity and Emotional Factors Associated With Gestational Hypertension.

Identifying factors that can be related to the occurrence of gestational arterial hypertension. The sample was composed by 105 pregnant women in their third trimester of gestation, during the period between September 2013 and August 2014. General assessment questionnaires together with a questionnaire to evaluate anxiety (STAI-A-STATE) were applied; arterial blood pressure values were collected. To classify anxiety, a mean of the final result of all the questionnaires gotten was calculated. Pregnant women who showed scores higher than the mean were considered anxious. All data were analyzed by a logistic regression. The significance level adopted was 0.05. A data analysis allowed us to verify that 92.38% of the pregnant women had an anxious personality STAI-A-STATE and 12.38% of them had a momentary hypertension. The momentary hypertension showed a correlation between the hypertension and the state anxiety score (p = 0.049). The hypertension showed an association with the presence of depression (OR 8.69), obesity (OR 6.45), anxiety (OR 7.77), nausea (OR 12.79) and non-white race (OR 8.18). According to the study realized, the factors non-white race, depression, nausea, obesity and anxiety can be considered risk factors for the occurrence of gestational arterial hypertension. Based on these findings, a high quality prenatal assistance is considered of prime importance.

Prevalence of anxiety symptoms and depression in the third gestational trimester.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of anxiety and gestational depression and to determine the risk factors associated to its development. METHOD: Pregnant women during their third quarter of pregnancy were invited to participate to the study, and they signed an informed consent form. After that, they filled in a general assessment questionnaire in which socio-economical and obstetrical characteristics together with general health conditions and behaviors harmful for the pregnancy were evaluated. To determine the anxiety symptoms a STAI A-trait scale and a STAI-A-state scale were used and to measure the depression a CES-D scale was used. A data logistic regression was realized to determine significant associations. The significance level adopted was 0.05 for all statistical tests. RESULTS: The final sample was represented by 207 pregnant women and the prevalence of depression was the highest value (73.5%), followed by state anxiety (58.5%) and finally by trait anxiety (53.2%). Only trait anxiety was explained by the variables studied and it was associated to the realization of a treatment for chronic diseases (OR = 2.93; IC = 1.02-8.41; p = 0.045) and the usage of continuous prescription drugs (OR = 2.30; IC = 1.06-4.97; p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of anxiety and depression among pregnant women were both high and only trait anxiety was explained by treatment for chronic diseases and the usage of continuous prescription drugs.