May Measurement Month 2018: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Slovenia.

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a growing burden worldwide, contributing to over 10 million deaths each year. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global initiative organized by the International Society of Hypertension aimed to raise awareness of high BP. In May 2018, we carried out an opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers from different parts of the country aged ≥18 years. Blood pressure measurement followed the standard MMM protocol and statistical analysis mean of the last 2 of 3 readings was used, where these were unavailable additional imputations were performed. In total, 4883 individuals (61.0% female) were screened during the whole month of May in 91 primary and secondary health facilities, pharmacies and through an online survey. After multiple imputation, 2841 (58.2%) had HTN. Of individuals not receiving antihypertensive medication, 850 (29.4%) were hypertensive. Of those receiving antihypertensive medication, 1025 (51.5%) had uncontrolled BP. MMM18 was the largest BP screening campaign undertaken in Slovenia. A substantial number of people with possible HTN were identified and referred to general practitioners for further management. The high number of individuals with HTN, with newly diagnosed HTN and with uncontrolled BP despite medication, confirms a real need for such screening programmes in our country.

Consumption of fruits and vegetables and probabilistic assessment of the cumulative acute exposure to organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides of schoolchildren in Slovenia.

OBJECTIVE: Adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables is a part of recommendations for a healthy diet. The aim of the present study was to assess acute cumulative dietary exposure to organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides via fruit and vegetable consumption by the population of schoolchildren aged 11-12 years and the level of risk for their health. DESIGN: Cumulative probabilistic risk assessment methodology with the index compound approach was applied. SETTING: Slovenia, primary schools. SUBJECTS: Schoolchildren (n 1145) from thirty-one primary schools in Slovenia. Children were part of the PRO GREENS study 2009/10 which assessed 11-year-olds' consumption of fruit and vegetables in ten European countries. RESULTS: The cumulative acute exposure amounted to 8.3 (95% CI 7.7, 10.6) % of the acute reference dose (ARfD) for acephate as index compound (100 µg/kg body weight per d) at the 99.9th percentile for daily intake and to 4.5 (95% CI 3.5, 4.7) % of the ARfD at the 99.9th percentile for intakes during school time and at lunch. Apples, bananas, oranges and lettuce contributed most to the total acute pesticides intake. CONCLUSIONS: The estimations showed that acute dietary exposure to organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides is not a health concern for schoolchildren with the assessed dietary patterns of fruit and vegetable consumption.

Fruit and vegetable consumption in a sample of 11-year-old children in ten European countries--the PRO GREENS cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVE: To describe fruit and vegetable intake of 11-year-old children in ten European countries and compare it with current dietary guidelines. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. Intake was assessed using a previously validated questionnaire containing a pre-coded 24 h recall and an FFQ which were completed in the classroom. Portion sizes were calculated using a standardized protocol. SETTING: Surveys were performed in schools regionally selected in eight countries and nationally representative in two countries. SUBJECTS: A total of 8158 children from 236 schools across Europe participating in the PRO GREENS project. RESULTS: The total mean consumption of fruit and vegetables was between 220 and 345 g/d in the ten participating countries. Mean intakes did not reach the WHO population goal of ≥400 g/d in any of the participating countries. Girls had a significantly higher intake of total fruit and vegetables than boys in five of the countries (Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Bulgaria and Slovenia). Mean total fruit intake ranged between 114 and 240 g/d and vegetable intake between 73 and 141 g/d. When using the level ≥400 g/d as a cut-off, only 23·5 % (13·8-37·0 %) of the studied children, depending on country and gender, met the WHO recommendation (fruit juice excluded). CONCLUSIONS: Fruit and vegetable consumption was below recommended levels among the schoolchildren in all countries and vegetable intake was lower than fruit intake. The survey shows that there is a need for promotional activities to improve fruit and vegetable consumption in this age group.

Sodium and Potassium Intake in Residents of Retirement Homes.

Excessive salt intake and its impact on health is a public health problem in many regions of the world. The currently estimated dietary intake of salt among free-living adults is well above the WHO recommendations. Over the years, the number of residents in retirement homes has increased. Besides this, the nutrition of elderly people may be affected by physiological changes that occur with aging. The question is whether residents of retirement homes receive a more balanced diet, or whether the trend of excessive salt consumption continues even among institutionalised elderly people. Salt and potassium intake were assessed by measuring sodium and potassium excretion over 24 h in urine collected from a sample of residents of three retirement homes in the Goriska region, Slovenia. The average salt intake was 8.3 (2.9) g/day, which was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in men than in women (10.1 (3.1) vs. 7.3 (2.2) g/day, respectively). The estimated total daily potassium intake was 2.6 (0.6) g/day in men and 2.0 (0.8) g/day in women (mean 2.2 (0.8) g/day). The ratio of sodium to potassium was 1.53 (0.48). The salt intake among residents of retirement homes in the Goriska region, especially in men, exceeds the WHO recommended daily intake of <5 g. The mean daily potassium intake was below the WHO recommendations of 3.5 g/day.