Association of healthy eating index (2015) with depression and anxiety symptoms among Iranian adolescent girls.

Adolescence is a period of rapid growth, with changes in body composition and cognitive and psychosocial development. Teenagers who eat properly and participate in daily physical activities have a healthy lifestyle. Healthy living promotes optimal growth and performance at school and in the workplace and minimizes the risk of chronic nutrient-related diseases. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the relationship between the healthy eating index (2015) (HEI-2015) and depression and anxiety among Iranian adolescent girls. This cross-sectional study was designed based on the updated version of HEI-2015. The study population consisted of 412 high school girls aged 12-17 years old. Data were collected about the diet, sociodemographic, and anthropometric characteristics of the participants. HEI and anthropometric characteristics of the participants were measured. The depression, anxiety, and stress scale 42 (DASS-42) questionnaire was used to detect adolescents suffering from depression and anxiety. The relationships of the HEI and anthropometric measures with depression and anxiety were also assessed. The results showed that the HEI is inversely correlated with depression and anxiety in Iranian adolescent girls. HEI was greater in the healthy participants than in those suffering from depression and anxiety (P < 0.0001).

Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern is positively associated with polycystic ovary syndrome: A case control study.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, is influenced by various factors. Because there is evidence linking inflammation with chronic diseases, we hypothesized that there is a relationship between an empirical dietary inflammatory pattern score (EDIP) with odds of PCOS among the adult population. This case control study was conducted on Tehranian women in Iran. A total of 494 participants (203 women with PCOS in the case group and 291 healthy people in the control group), aged 18 to 45 years, were recruited for the study. Demographic information, anthropometric indices, physical activity level, and dietary intake were collected by a trained nutritionist. EDIP score was calculated to estimate overall dietary inflammatory potential based on 18 food groups. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 19. Based on the results, the mean age of participants in the case and control groups were 28.98 ± 5.43 and 30.15 ± 6.21 years, respectively. Individuals with PCOS had a significantly higher difference in EDIP score compared with healthy participants (2.03 ± 1.13 vs 1.70 ± 0.93, P < .001). Also, the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for the risk of PCOS across quartiles of EDIP showed a significant direct relationship (P = .003). In conclusion, our study showed that there was a direct association between PCOS risk and EDIP score. Findings suggest that inflammatory index might be a potential mechanism linking diet and PCOS development.

The reverse association of dietary antioxidant index with osteoporosis in postmenopausal iranian women: A case-control study.

Background: Osteoporosis, a prevalent bone malady, is prevalent in Iran. Several studies have represented the role of dietary antioxidants on osteoporosis. The dietary antioxidant index (DAI) is a valid and reliable index, which indicates a comprehensive view of dietary antioxidant capacity. This study aimed to survey the relationship of the DAI with the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women in Iran. This research aimed to examine the association between the DAI and the risk of osteoporosis among postmenopausal women in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 440 postmenopausal women (220 cases and 220 controls) were enrolled. The dietary intake of contributors was evaluated using a 147-item food frequency questionnaire. To estimate the DAI, the amount of six antioxidant micronutrients such as Vitamins A, C, and E, selenium, manganese, and zinc was standardized. Then, the DAI was estimated by collecting the standardized consumption of these antioxidant micronutrients. Results: Our findings represented the participants in the first (crude odds ratio [OR] = 1.79, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13-2.85, P = 0.013) and second (crude OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.01-2.55, P = 0.043) tertiles of the DAI scores had significantly higher odds of osteoporosis compared to those in the third one; while after modifying for confounding factors, this significant reverse relationship was observed just between women in the first and third tertiles of the DAI scores (adjusted OR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.34-3.18, P = 0.015). Conclusion: The consequence of this study suggested that adherence to a diet rich in antioxidant compounds may have protective effects against osteoporosis.

Higher lacto-vegetarian dietary score is associated with reduced risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis: A case-control study in a sample of Iranian postmenopausal women.

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease manifesting as weak and fragile bones. Dietary patterns have been described as an affecting constituent of bone metabolism. There is no consensus on the advantages or harms of vegetarian diets on bone health. This study aimed to design a lacto-vegetarian dietary score (LVDS) to evaluate the similarity of an individual's dietary pattern to the lacto-vegetarian dietary pattern and assess its association with postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO). We hypothesized that individuals with greater LVDS will have a lower risk for PMO. In this hospital-based, case-control study, 220 cases (definitively diagnosed with osteoporosis) and 220 age-matched controls were registered. Usual dietary intakes were evaluated by a validated 147-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. To design the LVDS, the energy-adjusted intakes of 12 food groups were categorized into quintiles, and positive or reverse points were assigned. To determine the association between the LVDS and PMO, binary logistic regression was used. Those in the top tertile of the LVDS had a lower chance of PMO compared with those in the bottom tertile (odds ratio, 0.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.06-0.22). An inverse relation was obtained between vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, dairy, soy protein, and egg consumption and PMO. Higher consumption of vegetable and animal oils significantly increased the risk of PMO. A dietary pattern similar to the lacto-vegetarian dietary pattern and concentrated on greater consumption of legumes, nuts, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and soy protein can be suggested as a protective method against PMO. Further, longitudinal studies are required to confirm these findings.

Association between dietary fat quality indices with anthropometric measurements in children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The association between anthropometric measures and dietary fat quality indices is unclear in pediatric age groups. The present study aimed to assess the association between dietary lipophilic index (LI) and thrombogenic index (TI) as dietary fat quality indices with anthropometric measurements in children and adolescents. METHOD: This nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted on 4323 students aged 6-18 years that were selected by multistage cluster sampling from 31 provinces of Iran. Dietary intake was collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire and dietary LI and TI were calculated by formula. Data on anthropometric measures were collected by standard protocols. RESULTS: The multivariate regression analysis revealed that TI and LI had inverse association with neck circumference Z-score (ß = 0.11, p = 0.013 and ß = 0.12 p = 0.006, respectively). There was a positive correlation between LI with height Z-score (ß = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.01, p = 0.009). However, there was no significant association between LI and TI with other anthropometric indices (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The quality of dietary fats was associated with some anthropometric indices. Further large-scale studies are required to highlight the importance of dietary fat quality indices in relation to cardio-metabolic risk factors in pediatric age groups. Reducing intake of saturated fatty acids, increasing consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids and a balanced intake of omega-3 and omega-6 to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases risk factors are recommended.

The dietary inflammatory index is directly associated with polycystic ovary syndrome: A case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: The association between diet and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) might be mediated by the inflammatory properties of the diet. The study aimed to investigate the relationships between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) with odds of PCOS among the adult population. METHODS: In the hospital-based case-control study, 203 patients with PCOS and 291 non-PCOS controls were enroled. DII was calculated via a validated 147-item quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Thirty-six macro- and micronutrients were extracted from FFQ and used to calculate DII. Employing a case-control design, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained, with a dose-response effect confirmed by the test for trend (p for trend). RESULTS: The mean ± SD age and body mass index (BMI) of the study participants were 29.67 ± 5.92 years and 24.51 ± 4.71 kg/m2 , respectively. Compared with controls subjects, PCOS patients had significantly higher weight, BMI, and waist circumferences, but had lower physical activity. PCOS subjects had higher intakes of carbohydrate, cholesterol, and refined grains, but lower intakes of polyunsaturated fatty acids, fibre, vitamin B12 , vitamin D, and dairy as compared to controls. Compared with participants in the lowest quartile of DII, those in the highest quartile had a significantly higher OR for PCOS after further adjustment for potential confounders (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 0.95-3.22). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that high DII was associated with an increased odds of PCOS diagnosis. Prospective dietary intervention studies and observational prospective cohorts are required to confirm these findings.

Effects of alpha lipoic acid supplementation on serum lipid profile in patients with metabolic syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is considered a strong antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, a number of previous studies have shown its lipid-lowering properties. Therefore, we designed this study to investigate the effects of ALA on lipid profile in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), which can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and premature mortality. METHODS: A total 46 patients with MetS were randomly divided into two groups. They received either 600 mg ALA (n = 23) or 600 mg placebo (n = 23) for 12 weeks. The body weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), fasting blood sugar (FBS), hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), and blood pressure (BP) were assessed at baseline of the study. Physical activity level and dietary intake were assessed at baseline and end of the study. Serum lipid profile including triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and total cholesterol (TC) were measured before and after 12 weeks of intervention. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar in the ALA and placebo groups (P > 0.05). However, there were statistically significant differences in plasma levels of TG (-36.82 ± 42.48 versus 6.15 ± 25.04 mg/dl, P = 0.001) and TC (-8.91 ± 20.65 versus 10.84 ± 22.97 mg/dl, P = 0.01) after 12 weeks between the ALA group and the placebo group. Yet, there were no statistically significant differences in plasma levels of HDL-C and LDL-C after 12 weeks between the ALA group and the placebo group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that daily supplementation of 600 mg ALA for 12 weeks may improve the lipid profile in patients with MetS.

Dietary diversity score is inversely related to the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome in Tehranian women: a case-control study.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age and is affected by various dietary factors. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary diversity score (DDS) and the risk of PCOS. Our case-control study was conducted in the summer and autumn of 2019 in Taleghani and Arash hospitals in Tehran, Iran. A total of 494 participants (203 cases and 291 controls) were included in the study. Thereafter, their demographic information, dietary intake, and anthropometric and physical activity assessments were gathered. A validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was then used to calculate the DDS by scoring 5 food groups. To evaluate the risk of PCOS in association with DDS, the subjects were categorized based on the quartile cut-off points of the DDS. The mean ± SD age of the participants in both the case and control groups was 28.98 ± 5.43 and 30.15 ± 6.21 years, while mean ± SD body mass index was 25.74 ± 5.44 and 23.65 ± 3.90 kg/m2, respectively. The comparison between the case and control groups indicated that total DDS was 5.19 ± 1.19 for the cases and 5.51 ± 1.19 for the controls. The comparison of DDS in the highest versus the lowest quartiles showed a decreased risk of PCOS (p < 0.05). We demonstrated an inverse association between DDS and PCOS compared with the control group. Furthermore, a higher DDS was significantly associated with a lower risk of PCOS (odds ratio = 0.40). Novelty: This is the first investigation on the relationship between DDS and PCOS. Results depicted an inverse relationship between DDS and PCOS.

The Associations Between Tea and Coffee Drinking and Risk of Calcium-Oxalate Renal Stones.

Findings regarding the association between tea and coffee consumption and oxalate-calcium stone are sparse and uncertain. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relations of tea and coffee with the risk of calcium oxalate stone formation. A total sample of 215 newly diagnosed patients with calcium oxalate stones and 215 controls matched for sex and age were recruited. Dietary intake of participants was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire over the preceding year and participants were asked to determine how many glasses of tea and cups of coffee they usually use. The associations between tea and coffee and kidney stone were examined using multivariable logistic regression. Compared with controls, cases had greater intake of tea (2.18±0.76 vs. 1.82±0.79 glasses/d) but lower intake of coffee (1.18±0.38 vs. 1.26±0.44 cups/week). After adjustment for potential confounders, compared with those who drank <2 glasses of tea/d, individuals with tea consumption of ≥4 glasses/d had greater risk for having calcium oxalate stone (OR= 2.73; 95 % CI: 1.50, 4.99). In the crude model, compared with coffee consumption for <1 cup/week, consumption of ≥1 cup/week was associated with a 38 % decrease in the risk of calcium oxalate stone. However, adjustment for potential confounders disappeared the significance (OR=0.81; 95 % CI: 0.48, 1.35). These results suggest that while high consumption of tea is associated with increased risk of calcium oxalate kidney stone, coffee drinking is not pertinent. However, due to low consumption of coffee in this population, our results should be interpreted cautiously.

Effect of sleep duration on dietary intake, desire to eat, measures of food intake and metabolic hormones: A systematic review of clinical trials.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Sleep, as well as diet and physical activity, plays a significant role in growth, maturation, health, and regulation of energy homeostasis. Recently, there is increasing evidence indicating a possible causal association between sleep duration and energy balance. We aimed to examine the relationship between sleep duration and food consumption, energy intake, anthropometric characteristics, and appetite-regulating hormones by randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: Electronic literature searches were conducted on Medline, Web of Science, and Google Scholar until July 2020. The search was conducted with the following words: "Sleep Duration", "Circadian Rhythm", "Sleep Disorders" in combination with "Obesity", "Overweight", "Abdominal Obesity", "Physical Activity", "Energy Intake", "Body Mass Index", "Lipid Metabolism", "Caloric Restriction", Leptin, "Weight Gain", and "Appetite Regulation" using human studies.methods RESULTS: After screening 708 abstracts, 50 RCTs (7 on children or adolescents and 43 on adults) were identified and met the inclusion criteria. In general, the findings suggested that sleep restriction may leads to a significant increment in energy intake, fat intake, body weight, appetite, hunger, eating occasions, and portion size, while protein and carbohydrate consumption, total energy expenditure, and respiratory quotient remained unaffected as a result of sleep restriction. Serum leptin, ghrelin, and cortisol concentrations were not influenced by sleep duration as well. CONCLUSION: Insufficient sleep can be considered as a contributing factor for energy imbalance, weight gain, and metabolic disorders and it is suggested that to tackle disordered eating it may be necessary to pay more attention to sleep duration.

The alternate-day fasting diet is a more effective approach than a calorie restriction diet on weight loss and hs-CRP levels.

Background and Objective: The aim of present study was to compare, and determine, the effects of a modified alternate-day fasting diet vs. calorie restriction on inflammatory indices and coagulation factors. Methods: This was a randomized clinical trial consisting of 80 metabolic syndrome patients, who were enrolled and randomly dichotomized into a modified alternate-day fasting diet or calorie restriction group for 4 months. We measured weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumstance (WC), waist-hip-ratio (WHR) and fat mass as primary outcomes and assessed high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and coagulation factors levels as secondary outcomes before and after intervention. Results: Compared to the calorie restriction diet, following a modified alternate-day fasting diet led to a greater reduction in body weight (kg) (-6.43 ± 4.34 vs -4.11 ± 4.27; P = 0.02), BMI (kg/m2) (-3.19 ± 2.90 vs -1.43 ± 2.72; P = 0.01), fat mass (kg) (-4.88 ± 2.09 vs -3.72 ± 2.43; P = 0.03), WC (cm) (-5.57 ± 5.64 vs -2.32 ± 5.95; P = 0.01) and WHR (-0.05 ± 0.06 vs -0.02 ± 0.07; P = 0.04). Furthermore, a greater change was found in hs-CRP levels (mg/L) (-2.06 ± 1.18 vs -0.97 ± 0.82; P = 0.03), prothrombin time (s) (1.41 ± 2.34 vs -0.41 ± 2.17; P < 0.001), activated partial thromboplastin time (s) (0.26 ± 3.70 vs -1.78 ± 3.56; P = 0.04) in modified alternate-day fasting diet when compared to calorie restriction diet. However, there was no difference in TNF-α or IL-6 and fibrinogen between groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that a modified alternate-day fasting diet can be a beneficial alternative for the management of body weight, fat mass and WC as well as hs-CRP and coagulation factors levels among metabolic syndrome patients.

Higher Dietary Acid Load Is Associated With an Increased Risk of Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stones.

OBJECTIVES: Diet-dependent net acid load may influence the risk of kidney stone formation by affecting calcium and citrate excretion. However, to date, little research has investigated the relationship between dietary acid load and kidney stones. Therefore, this study sought to assess whether a diet high in potential acid load was related to the risk of calcium oxalate stone formation. METHODS: This case-control study was conducted on 430 participants (including 215 newly diagnosed patients with calcium oxalate stones and 215 controls matched for sex and age). Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire over the preceding year. Dietary acid load was estimated based on the potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAP). The association between dietary acid load indices and kidney stone was examined using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Mean PRAL (standard error) was significantly lower in cases versus controls (-5.3 ± 1.3 vs. -1.7 ± 1.3, P = .048). Corresponding values for NEAP were 39.4 ± 0.8 and 41.8 ± 0.8, respectively (P = .032). After adjustment for potential confounders, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of calcium oxalate stones in the top tertile of PRAL and NEAP were 1.45 (0.89-2.38, P = .136) and 1.88 (1.14-3.09, P = .013), respectively. Adjustment for potassium and protein in 2 separate models did not substantially change the results. CONCLUSIONS: A diet high in potential acid load, measured by NEAP, was associated with higher risk of calcium oxalate stone formation, independent of potassium and protein intake. Prospective longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm the veracity of our results.

The correlation between dietary fat quality indices and lipid profile with Atherogenic index of plasma in obese and non-obese volunteers: a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic case-control study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Abnormalities in lipid metabolism are commonly observed in patients who were obese. Alongside dyslipidemia, one of the markers in predicting the risk of cardiovascular disease is the Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP), which is related to dietary intake. Healthy fat quality indices might affect on AIP. The purpose of this study is to find the possible relationship between dietary fat quality, and AIP and comparison of these indices among obese and non-obese volunteers. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic case-control study with 157 normal and overweight and obese volunteers (n = 71 normal, Age: 38.90 ± 10.976 vs n = 86 overweight/obese, Age: 38.60 ± 9.394) in the age range of 18-65 years. Food intake was measured using FFQ, anthropometric indices (weight, height, body mass index and waist to hip ratio), body composition (visceral fat level, total body water, body fat mass), and lipid profile were measured. RESULTS: Based on the present results, comparable biochemical parameters including TC (P = 0.580), TG (P = 0.362), LDL (P = 0.687) and HDL (P = 0.151) among overweight/obese volunteers as compared to normal ones were noticed. Effects of dietary fat quality, including Atherogenicity (AI) and Thrombogenicity (TI) hypo/hypercholesterolemic ratio (h/H), the Cholesterol-Saturated Fat Index (CSI) showed significantly higher AI (P = 0.012) in the overweight/obese group as compared to the normal group. Whereas, h/H (P = 0.034) and ω-6/ω-3 ratio (P = 0.004) were significantly higher in normal-weight volunteers. There was a positive correlation between AI, TI, CSI, SFA, MUFA, PUFA and ω-6/ω-3 ratio with AIP and negative correlation between h/H with AIP in both groups. Despite the significances of these correlations no strong relation was observed by doing multiple regression among normal and overweight/obese groups (R2 = 0.210, R2 = 0.387). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the present work proposes a direct relationship between dietary fat quality, increased BMI, and lipid abnormalities with AIP. Nevertheless, further large-scale studies are required to sustain a clear conclusion in this wish.

Modified alternate-day fasting vs. calorie restriction in the treatment of patients with metabolic syndrome: A randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of present study was to compare the effect of calorie restriction and modified alternate-day fasting diet on treatment of adults with metabolic syndrome. DESIGN: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 70 participants diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. SETTING: Patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups to follow either calorie restriction or a modified alternate-day fasting diet for 8 weeks. Diets was prescribed by dietitians and specialized for each participant. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and lipid profile were measured at baseline and after trial conclusion. RESULTS: 69, out of 70, participants completed the study and were included in the final analysis. The results showed that, compared with calorie restriction, following the modified alternate-day fasting diet significantly reduced body weight (P = 0.003), waist circumference (P = 0.026), systolic blood pressure (P = 0.029) and fasting plasma glucose (P = 0.009). However, no significant difference was observed between the 2 groups in triglyceride (P = 0.614), total cholesterol (P = 0.759), LDL-C (P = 0.289), HDL-C (P = 0.909), diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.262), HOMA- IR (P = 0.425) and fasting insulin concentrations (P = 0.496). In addition, the participants did not report any complaint due to difficulties with diet adherence when following calorie restriction or modified alternate-day fasting diet. CONCLUSIONS: the present study suggests that modified alternate-day fasting diet may be a more effective option in managing body weight, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, and fasting plasma glucose, compared with common calorie restriction. Further studies are needed to confirm the veracity of our results.

Smoking habits and incidence of cardiovascular diseases in men and women: findings of a 12 year follow up among an urban Eastern-Mediterranean population.

BACKGROUND: Despite the strong association of smoking with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cerebral stroke, the consequences of smoking have not been elucidated among Iranian populations. This study aimed to assess sex-specific incidence of CVDs among an urban Iranian population with different smoking habits. METHODS: Participants were recruited from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS). Data on socio-demographic features and smoking habits from a sample of 10,400 individuals (4378 men and 6022 women), aged ≥20 years without prior CVD history were analyzed. Participants were followed up for 12 years for incidence of CVD/CHD events. Men were categorized in six groups, including never-, passive, ex-, passive and ex-, occasional and daily smokers. Women were categorized in three groups, i.e. never smokers, passive smokers and ever smokers. Using cox regression model, adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of incident CVD/CHD were calculated for each group, given never smokers as the reference. RESULTS: In men, HR of CVD was 1.13 (95%CI: 0.80-1.59) in passive smokers, 1.23 (95%CI: 0.91-1.66) in ex-smokers, 1.46 (95%CI: 0.90-2.36) in passive and ex-smokers, 2.33 (95%CI: 1.25-4.33) in occasional smokers and 2.05 (95%CI: 1.57-2.67) in daily smokers. In smokers of ≥21 cigarettes/day, HR of CVD was 3.79 (95%CI: 2.25-6.37), with less risk observed in those who smoked lesser numbers of cigarettes/day. Quitters of ≥15 years were almost risk free. In women, none of the HRs of CVD/CHD were significant. CONCLUSION: An increased risk of incidence of CVD/CHD was found in current male smokers. To confirm and further elaborate these findings, more data of sex-specific studies are required from culturally diverse urban and rural areas of Iran.

A Report of Health Related Anthropometric Indices in 2-5 Years Old Children of Golestan Province of Iran in 2015.

Pediatric malnutrition is an enormous health issue all around the world and its distribution is different in distinct areas of a country. This study has been designed to report the anthropometric status and some socio-economic factors among 2-5 years old children from Golestan province of Iran to show a better view of pediatric health status and better planning for future actions. This study was carried out by clustered-randomized sampling method on 1,382 of 2-5 years old children in urban and rural areas of Golestan province. Anthropometric measurements were performed and World Health Organization child growth standards were used for further analyses. The prevalence of stunting in boys and girls were 7.4% and 7.5% in urban and 4.1% and 5.4% in rural areas. The prevalence of underweight in boys and girls were 6.9% and 4.7% in urban and 5.7% and 4.4% in rural areas. The prevalence of subjects being at risk for overweight were 17.8% and 11.7% in boys and girls, respectively, in urban areas and were 11.1% and 9.2% in rural areas, respectively. There was a marginally significant difference between urban boys and girls in terms of weight status (p = 0.067). In this study remarkably high prevalence of malnutrition, especially a high dominance of overweight, was reported in Golestan province of Iran. Follow-up investigation to identify the cause of malnutrition and to establish public health policies are needed to revise these health issues in Golestan province of Iran.

Weight associated factors in relation to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Iranian adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore body weight factors associated with HRQoL of Iranian adolescents. METHODS: A total of 584 adolescents (12-18 years) were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling method from schools located in Isfahan city in Iran. Body weight, height and waist circumference of adolescents were measured according to standard protocol and body mass index-for-age was determined using Anthroplus software. Adolescents completed a set of self-administered questionnaires which included questions about perceptions of adolescents regarding their body weight status and adolescents' satisfaction regarding their body weight. To assess HRQoL, adolescents completed the Iranian version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ version 4.0 (PedsQL™ 4.0). RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 15.1 ± 1.3 years. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity were higher in boys compared to girls (34.5 vs. 26.7% respectively). More boys (49.5%) had incorrect perceptions regarding their body weight status compared to girls (37.0%), and more girls (39.0%) were dissatisfied with their body weight compared to boys (28.8%). HRQoL scores were not significantly different among body weight status groups except for significantly lower physical functioning scores in underweight adolescents compared to their counterparts (p = 0.049; power = 64%). Based on perception of body weight status, only boys who perceived themselves as underweight or overweight reported lower scores in different subscales of HRQoL compared to those who perceived themselves as normal weight (p < 0.05; power > 85%). In girls, body weight dissatisfaction was significantly associated with poorer HRQoL in psychosocial dimensions, while in boys, body weight dissatisfaction was significantly associated with poorer HRQoL in physical and social functioning subscales (p < 0.05; power > 85%). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, impairment in HRQoL mainly depends on adolescents' perception and dissatisfaction regarding their body weight and less on their actual body weight status. These findings implying that more attention should be paid to body image as an important target for interventions aiming at promoting HRQoL during early years of life.

Association between major dietary patterns and polycystic ovary syndrome: evidence from a case-control study.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifactorial endocrine disorder in women. Change in lifestyle, especially dietary pattern, might have a role in the prevalence of PCOS. The limited number of studies has made it difficult to draw any conclusion about the relationship of dietary patterns with PCOS. This study aimed to investigate the association between dietary patterns and PCOS. A case-control study was performed on 225 patients newly diagnosed with PCOS and 345 healthy women in Isfahan, Iran. The presence of PCOS was confirmed by expert gynecologists based on Rotterdam criteria. Usual dietary intake was assessed by a 168-item food frequency questionnaire. Dietary patterns were identified by principal component analysis. Three major dietary patterns including Western, plant-based, and mixed were identified that explained 53.93% of the variance in food intake. The top tertile of the Western dietary pattern significantly increased the odds of PCOS (odds ratio (OR), 2.03; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12-3.67), both before and after adjustments for covariates. After adjustments for potential confounders, the highest tertile of the plant-based dietary pattern was related to higher odds of PCOS than the lowest tertile (OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.23-4.37). In addition, those in the second tertile of the mixed dietary pattern were 66% less likely to have PCOS compared with those in the lowest tertile (OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.18-0.61). In conclusion, we found that Western and plant-based dietary patterns were associated with an increased risk of PCOS. Also, moderate adherence to the mixed dietary pattern was associated with a reduced risk of PCOS. Additional studies with a longitudinal design are required to confirm our findings.

Evaluation of Dietary Intakes, Body Composition, and Cardiometabolic Parameters in Adolescent Team Sports Elite Athletes: A Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Nutritional intake is an important issue in adolescent athletes. Proper athletes' performance is a multifactorial outcome of good training, body composition, and nutritional status. The aim of the present study was to assess nutritional status, body composition, and cardiometabolic factors in adolescent elite athlete's province of Isfahan, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 100 adolescent elite athletes from volleyball, basketball, and soccer teams were selected for the study. Demographic, anthropometric, and cardiometabolic parameters were assessed. Nutritional intakes of participants were recorded using three 24-h recall questioners. RESULTS: Thirty-four female athletes and 66 male athletes participated in this study. Body mass index had not significantly different between the sexes. Energy, protein, carbohydrate, iron, and fat intakes were significantly higher in male athletes (P = 0.02), but calcium and folic acid intakes were not significantly different between the sexes, and Vitamin D intake was significantly higher in females (P = 0.01). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher in males (P = 0.04) and heart rate had not significantly different between the sexes (P = 0.09). Heart murmurs and heart sounds in the majority of participants were normal. CONCLUSION: All the evaluated anthropometric and cardiometabolic parameters were in normal range in the majority of participants. The results showed that dietary intake in these athletes is approximately normal but micronutrients intake status in these athletes needs to be investigated further and longer.

Kidney Function Improvement by Soy Milk Containing Lactobacillus plantarum A7 in Type 2 Diabetic Patients With Nephropathy: a Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Even with the ultimate medical management, more than one-third of diabetic patients develop diabetic nephropathy. To our knowledge, there is no study that has examined the effect of probiotic soy milk on kidney function in type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy. This clinical trial aimed to assess the effects of consumption of probiotic soy milk, compared with conventional soy milk, on kidney-related indexes in patients with diabetic nephropathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial, 44 patients were randomly assigned to receive 200 mL/d of either soy milk containing Lactobacillus plantarum A7 or conventional soy milk for 8 weeks. Primary endpoints included urinary albumin excretion, estimated glomerular filtration rate, interlukin-18, serum sialic acid, and serum creatinine. Fasting blood samples and morning fasting spot urine samples were collected at the beginning and after 8 weeks for evaluation of biochemical parameters. RESULTS: Forty patients completed the study. Administration of probiotic soymilk resulted in a significant reduction in albuminuria (P = .03), serum creatinine (P < .001), serum interleukin-18 (P = .002), and serum sialic acid (P = .001) compared with conventional soy milk. Probiotic soymilk supplementation also led to a significant improvement in estimated glomerular filtration rate (15.9 ± 10.8 mL/min versus 3.2 ± 8.4 mL/min, P < .001) compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Probiotic soy milk was safe and well-tolerated by patients with diabetic nephropathy for 8 weeks. Probiotic soy milk also improved indexes of kidney function in type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy.