[The role of nutrition in the development of circulatory system diseases]. / Rola zywienia w powstawaniu chorób ukladu krazenia.

In the paper the authors synthetically discuss the aetiology and pathogenesis and point to the possibilities of prevention of one of the most important groups of diseases developing as the result of faulty nutrition--circulatory system diseases. In the first part the epidemiology is discussed of the system's diseases--ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, cerebrovascular diseases--stressing the extent of the health problem caused by them--over 50% of deaths each year are due to these diseases. Then, the main cause is discussed of the development of cardiovascular system diseases, that is atherosclerosis. The risk factors are characterized in which nutrition plays an essential role - blood level of cholesterol, its content in low (LDL) and high (HDL) density lipoproteins, triglyceride level, content of saturated fatty acids in diet. Nutritional preventive factors are briefly described--mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, cellulose. The beneficial effect of increased fish consumption is stressed. The last part deals with arterial hypertension as the disease of the vascular system and as the risk factor of ischaemic heart disease. The attention is paid to the necessity of changes in nutrition mode--increase of the supply of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids with predominance of the former, decrease of the supply of saturated fatty acids, salt, ensuring of adequate supply of antioxidant vitamins and cellulose. In the paper it is stressed that the modern state of knowledge, used in practice may significantly decrease in Poland, through nutrition, the epidemic of circulatory system diseases similarly as it has been done in other countries.

[Sodium chloride in food rations and dinners in mass catering institutions]. / Chlorek sodu w racjach pokarmowych i posilkach obiadowych wydawanych w wybranych zakladach zywienia zbiorowego.

The sodium chloride content in meals given by mass catering institution in all over country in 1988-1998 years was estimated. This study included daily food rations from 183 mass catering institution as hospitals, sanatoriums for both children and adults, boarding schools, infant schools and social welfare homes. We assessed also school dinners from 422 randomized selected schools and dinners from 55 internal and 56 surgical departments of provincial and regional hospitals in Poland. The mass of each meal was evaluated and sodium chloride content by Mohr's method was assessed. In most cases the salt content by 100 g of meal of 1000 kcal was calculated. The dinners and daily food rations analyze showed that sodium chloride content in meals was much higher than value recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). Salt amount in daily food rations of both children and adults was above 16 g. This value didn't include salt added to meals by boarders. School dinners provided about 7-10 g of salt. The average sodium chloride content in hospital dinners was about 16-20 g. In each studied group the NaCl content per 100 g of meal was similarly high and was 0.7-0.9 g. The results of this study show that meals given by mass catering institutions can increase risk of hypertension, strokes and gastric cancers because of high sodium chloride content.

Counteraction against obesity--is it possible?

The obesity epidemic is one of the most serious public health problems across many countries. In Poland more than half of the adult population has excessive body weight, while approx. 20% are obese. 15-20% of children and adolescents suffer from excessive body weight, while 4% of them are obese. Moreover, the number of overweight or obese children is growing alarmingly. Obesity can lead to many serious health consequences. Though the most serious disorders are cardiovascular diseases, diabetes type 2 and some cancers. In the nearest future diseases related to obesity will probably become the main cause of death in many countries. This may lead to shorter average life expectancy. The treatment costs of obesity and related diseases are constantly increasing. The most important preventive measure aiming at curbing the effects of obesity involves lifestyle change, including a change in diet and physical activity. The best results should be obtained by multifaceted programmes, which cover activities aiming at the improvement of both diet and physical activity. Due to the spread of the obesity epidemic, the countries of WHO European Region signed the European Charter on Counteracting Obesity, in which they declared their commitment to combat obesity. Activities aiming at combating obesity in Poland should be closely connected with the implementation of the National Programme for the Prevention of Overweight, Obesity and NonCommunicable Diseases through Diet and Improved Physical Activity, which will be implemented in 2007-2016.