Assessing the Impact of Religion and College Life on Consumption Patterns of Ultra-Processed Foods by Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

(1) Background: University students, often constrained by time and influenced by socio-economic factors such as culture and religion, frequently adopt diets centred on ultra-processed foods (UPFs), increasing the risk of long-term non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to assess UPF consumption among Spanish university students and explore the potential impact of religion and the academic year on their eating habits. (2) Methods: In a cross-sectional study of 257 university students aged 18-31, UPF consumption was assessed using NOVA food classification at the academic year's start and end. Chi-square and Wilcoxon tests analysed UPF consumption changes, while binary logistic regression identified associations between religion and weekly UPF consumption. (3) Results: Muslim students had a consumption of industrial bakery products almost five times [95% CI: 2.694-9.259] higher than that observed among Christians. Similar data were observed for artificial juice consumption (OR = 3.897, 95% CI = 2.291-6.627) and candy consumption (OR = 3.724, 95% CI = 2.051-6.762). Moreover, a greater percentage of calories and grams of saturated fats from UPFs was observed for Muslims at the end of the study. (4) Conclusions: Highlighting the impact of religion on UPF consumption among students underscores the necessity of monitoring and intervening in dietary habits to prevent undesirable long-term complications such as cardiovascular diseases.

Interplay of Postprandial Triglyceride-Rich Lipoprotein Composition and Adipokines in Obese Adolescents.

In the context of the alarming rise of infant obesity and its health implications, the present research aims to uncover disruptions in postprandial lipid metabolism and the composition of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in obese adolescents. A double-blind, controlled clinical trial in the postprandial phase on 23 adolescents aged 12 to 16 years was carried out. Twelve participants were categorized as obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2 and percentile > 95) and 11 as normal-weight (BMI = 20-25 kg/m2, percentile 5-85). Blood samples were collected after a 12-h overnight fast and postprandially after consumption of a standardized breakfast containing olive oil, tomato, bread, orange juice, and skimmed milk. Obese adolescents exhibited elevated triglyceride concentrations in both fasting and postprandial states and higher TG/apo-B48 ratios, indicating larger postprandial triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (TRL) particle size, which suggests impaired clearance. Obese subjects also exhibited higher n-6 PUFA concentrations, potentially linked to increased TRL hydrolysis and the release of pro-inflammatory adipokines. In contrast, TRL from normal-weight individuals showed higher concentrations of oleic acid and DHA (n-3 PUFA), with possible anti-inflammatory effects. The results indicate an interplay involving postprandial TRL metabolism and adipokines within the context of adolescent obesity, pointing to potential cardiovascular implications in the future.

Bioavailability and systemic transport of oleanolic acid in humans, formulated as a functional olive oil.

Evidence of the pharmacological activity of oleanolic acid (OA) suggests its potential therapeutic application. However, its use in functional foods, dietary supplements, or nutraceuticals is hindered by limited human bioavailability studies. The BIO-OLTRAD trial is a double-blind, randomized controlled study with 22 participants that received a single dose of 30 mg OA formulated as a functional olive oil. The study revealed that the maximum serum concentration of OA ranged from 500 to 600 ng mL-1, with an AUC0-∞ value of 2862.50 ± 174.50 ng h mL-1. Furthermore, we discovered a physiological association of OA with serum albumin and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRL). UV absorption spectra showed conformational changes in serum albumin due to the formation of an adduct with OA. Additionally, we demonstrated that TRL incorporate OA, reaching a maximum concentration of 140 ng mL-1 after 2-4 hours. We conjecture that both are efficient carriers to reach target tissues and to yield high bioavailability.

Bioactive compounds in pomace olive oil modulate the inflammatory response elicited by postprandial triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in BV-2 cells.

Modulation of microglial response could be a target to reduce neuroinflammation associated with Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we propose that lipophilic bioactive molecules present in pomace olive oil (POO), transported in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs), are able to modulate microglial high-oleic sunflower oil (HOSO, points) or pomace olive oil (POO, stripes). In order to prove this hypothesis, a randomized crossover postprandial trial was performed in 18 healthy young women. POO was assayed in opposition to high-oleic sunflower oil (HOSO), a common dietary oil which shares with POO an almost identical fatty acid composition but lacks certain biomolecules with recognized antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. TRLs were isolated from blood at the baseline and 2 and 4 hours postprandially and used to treat BV-2 cells to assess their ability to modulate the microglial function. We found that the intake of POO leads to the constitution of postprandial TRLs that are able to modulate the inflammatory response in microglia compared to HOSO. TRL-derived POO reduced the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukins 1ß and 6) and nitric oxide and downregulated genes codifying for these cytokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in BV-2 cells. Moreover, the ingestion of POO by healthy women slightly improved glycemic control and TRL clearance throughout the postprandial phase compared to HOSO. In conclusion, we demonstrated that consuming POO results in postprandial TRLs containing lipophilic bioactive compounds capable of regulating the inflammatory response prompted by microglial activation.

Virgin Olive Oil Ranks First in a New Nutritional Quality Score Due to Its Compositional Profile.

Dietary oils play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy diet. However, with the increasing number of oils available, it became a challenging task for food producers and consumers to select the best oil for their needs. In this work, an easy-to-understand nutrition quality score was created, using a model that included beneficial lipid compounds criteria according to the dietary recommendations published by international food and health organizations. The algorithm assigned points for each component of the model considering their content in each particular oil. The points were added up and the fats and oils were classified by the corresponding percentile. As a result, among the 32 edible oils that were evaluated, virgin olive oil ranked first with a score of 100. All plant oils, except for margarine and coconut oil, ranked above the 50th percentile. Receiver-operator curves and regression models showed that saturated fatty acids may be able to predict the score, and thus, the nutritional quality of the oils. In conclusion, the proposed nutritional quality score would promote healthy and nutritious food options for consumers and would provide food producers with a valuable tool to select high-quality oils for their products, ensuring that they meet the nutritional requirements.

Potential Molecular Targets of Oleanolic Acid in Insulin Resistance and Underlying Oxidative Stress: A Systematic Review.

Oleanolic acid (OA) is a natural triterpene widely found in olive leaves that possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and insulin-sensitizing properties, among others. These OA characteristics could be of special interest in the treatment and prevention of insulin resistance (IR), but greater in-depth knowledge on the pathways involved in these properties is still needed. We aimed to systematically review the effects of OA on the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in the development of IR and underlying oxidative stress in insulin-resistant animal models or cell lines. The bibliographic search was carried out on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, and CINHAL databases between January 2001 and May 2022. The electronic search produced 5034 articles but, after applying the inclusion criteria, 13 animal studies and 3 cell experiments were identified, using SYRCLE's Risk of Bias for assessing the risk of bias of the animal studies. OA was found to enhance insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake, and was found to suppress the hepatic glucose production, probably by modulating the IRS/PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway and by mitigating oxidative stress through regulating MAPK pathways. Future randomized controlled clinical trials to assess the potential benefit of OA as new therapeutic and preventive strategies for IR are warranted.

Lipophilic Bioactive Compounds Transported in Triglyceride-Rich Lipoproteins Modulate Microglial Inflammatory Response.

Microglial cells can contribute to Alzheimer's disease by triggering an inflammatory response that leads to neuronal death. In addition, the presence of amyloid-ß in the brain is consistent with alterations in the blood-brain barrier integrity and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRL) permeation. In the present work, we used lab-made TRL as carriers of lipophilic bioactive compounds that are commonly present in dietary oils, namely oleanolic acid (OA), α-tocopherol (AT) and ß-sitosterol (BS), to assess their ability to modulate the inflammatory response of microglial BV-2 cells. We show that treatment with lab-made TRL increases the release and gene-expression of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α, as well as NO and iNOS in microglia. On the other hand, TRL revealed bioactive compounds α-tocopherol and ß-sitosterol as suitable carriers for oleanolic acid. The inclusion of these biomolecules in TRL reduced the release of proinflammatory cytokines. The inclusion of these biomolecules in TRL reduced the release of proinflammatory cytokines. AT reduced IL-6 release by 72%, OA reduced TNF-α release by approximately 50%, and all three biomolecules together (M) reduced IL-1ß release by 35% and TNF-α release by more than 70%. In addition, NO generation was reduced, with the inclusion of OA by 45%, BS by 80% and the presence of M by 88%. Finally, a recovery of the basal glutathione content was observed with the inclusion of OA and M in the TRL. Our results open the way to exploiting the neuro-pharmacological potential of these lipophilic bioactive compounds through their delivery to the brain as part of TRL.

Oleanolic Acid: Extraction, Characterization and Biological Activity.

Oleanolic acid, a pentacyclic triterpenoid ubiquitously present in the plant kingdom, is receiving outstanding attention from the scientific community due to its biological activity against multiple diseases. Oleanolic acid is endowed with a wide range of biological activities with therapeutic potential by means of complex and multifactorial mechanisms. There is evidence suggesting that oleanolic acid might be effective against dyslipidemia, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, through enhancing insulin response, preserving the functionality and survival of ß-cells and protecting against diabetes complications. In addition, several other functions have been proposed, including antiviral, anti-HIV, antibacterial, antifungal, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, hypolipidemic and anti-atherosclerotic activities, as well as interfering in several stages of the development of different types of cancer; however, due to its hydrophobic nature, oleanolic acid is almost insoluble in water, which has led to a number of approaches to enhance its biopharmaceutical properties. In this scenario, the present review aimed to summarize the current knowledge and the research progress made in the last years on the extraction and characterization of oleanolic acid and its biological activities and the underlying mechanisms of action.

Assessment of Different Atherogenic Indices as Predictors of Metabolic Syndrome in Spanish Adolescents.

Background: Inconsistent results due to age, ethnic, and geographic differences have been found on the predictive capacity of atherogenic indices in previous studies. The aim of this study was to assess the predictive value of 6 atherogenic indices for MetS in a Spanish adolescent population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 981 adolescents (13.2 ± 1.2y) that were randomly recruited from schools in Southeastern Spain. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were evaluated to identify the presence of MetS. The following atherogenic indices were calculated: triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides to HDL-cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-c), LDL-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol ratio (LDL-c/HDL-c), and total cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol ratio (TC/HDL-c). Results: The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curves was used for discrimination purposes. AIP was the atherogenic index most strongly associated with MetS with an unadjusted odds ratio (OR) of 37.98 in boys and of 28.75 in girls. A high OR was maintained after adjustment by different factors. AUC values for all atherogenic indices were above 0.83 and 0.88 in boys and in girls, respectively. Conclusions: Among the 6 atherogenic indices studied, AIP was the one most strongly associated with MetS in Spanish adolescents. The AUC values obtained from ROC analyses suggest that all atherogenic indices have the ability to predict MetS. These atherogenic indices are interesting and useful predictive indicators for MetS. However, more studies are needed to explore in-depth this predictive capacity.

cMetS Based on Z-Scores as an Accurate and Efficient Scoring System to Determine Metabolic Syndrome in Spanish Adolescents.

The definition of metabolic syndrome (MetS) based on dichotomous cut-off points is efficient in the adult population. However, to date, there is no international consensus on how to define MetS in the pediatric population. For that reason, a continuous MetS score (cMetS) has been proposed for the pediatric population. However, despite multiple attempts, cMetS has not been fully validated as there is no agreement about the most accurate score to calculate it. The purpose of the present study was to compare the validity of different scores (three siMS scores, z-score, principal components analysis (PCA), the sum of PCA, and confirmatory factor analysis) to calculate cMetS and determine MetS in Spanish adolescents. There were 981 subjects, ranging 11-16 years old, recruited for this cross-sectional study. Seven different approaches to pediatric cMetS scores were calculated. All cMetS scores calculated strongly correlated with each other, especially siMS scores. The area under the curve obtained from receiving operating characteristic curves was particularly elevated for z-scores 0.81 (95% CI: 0.784-0.838), showing a specificity of 64.4%. Our study shows that cMetS based on z-scores is accurate and efficient to be used for research instead of the dichotomized definition of MetS in adolescents; and cMetS based on siMS scores is useful for clinical practice.

Oleanolic Acid-Enriched Olive Oil Alleviates the Interleukin-6 Overproduction Induced by Postprandial Triglyceride-Rich Lipoproteins in THP-1 Macrophages.

Oleanolic acid (OA), a triterpene that is highly present in olive leaves, has been proposed as a component of functional foods for the prevention of metabolic syndrome, due to its anti-inflammatory activity. We analyzed the effects of OA on inflammatory parameters and signaling proteins in LPS-stimulated THP-1 macrophages. Thus, THP-1 macrophages were incubated with LPS for 48 h after pretreatment with OA at different concentrations. Pretreatment with OA was significantly effective in attenuating IL-6 and TNF-α overproduction induced by LPS in macrophages, and also improved the levels of AMPK-α. We also evaluated the effects of human triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) derived from individuals consuming an OA-enriched functional olive oil. For this purpose, TRLs were isolated from healthy adolescents before, 2 and 5 h postprandially after the intake of a meal containing the functional olive oil or common olive oil, and were incubated with THP-1 macrophages. THP-1 macrophages incubated with TRLs isolated at 2 h after the consumption of the OA-enriched olive oil showed significant lower levels of IL-6 compared to the TRLs derived from olive oil. Our results suggest that OA might have potential to be used as a lipid-based formulation in functional olive oils to prevent inflammatory processes underlying metabolic syndrome in adolescents.

Concordance among diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome is inconsistent in Spanish adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The metabolic syndrome (MetS), although more frequent in adults, is a growing health problem in adolescent population. There are different criteria for the diagnosis, however without a consensus of which is the best to be used in this population. The heterogeneity of the different diagnostic criteria makes it necessary to carry out more studies that analyse the degree of agreement among these criteria. The present study was aimed to evaluate the agreement between different criteria for diagnosis of MetS in adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on 981 adolescents (13.2 ± 1.2 years) randomly recruited from 18 schools in south-east Spain. MetS was diagnosed by eight different criteria. RESULTS: The criteria proposed by the IDF showed the highest mean values for WC and systolic blood pressure in boys and girls with MetS, and the lowest for glucose and triglycerides in boys. Depending on the diagnostic criteria used, the prevalence of MetS cases in boys ranged from 5.5% to 14.9%, while in girls varied from 3.4% to 32.6%. Both in boys and girls, the criteria proposed by the IDF was the less concordant with the other suggested criteria, while those proposed by Duncan et al, Rodriguez-Moran et al and Cruz and Goran, were very concordant among each other. However, in girls, concordance values were not as high as those found for boys. CONCLUSION: The variability observed in the agreement among the existing criteria suggests the need to validate uniform criteria for the diagnosis of MetS in adolescents.

Modulation of Lipid Transport and Adipose Tissue Deposition by Small Lipophilic Compounds.

Small lipophilic molecules present in foods of plant origin have relevant biological activities at rather low concentrations. Evidence suggests that phytosterols, carotenoids, terpenoids, and tocopherols can interact with different metabolic pathways, exerting beneficial effects against a number of metabolic diseases. These small molecules can modulate triacylglycerol absorption in the intestine and the biosynthesis of chylomicrons, the lipid carriers in the blood. Once in the bloodstream, they can impact lipoprotein clearance from blood, thereby affecting fatty acid release, incorporation into adipocytes and triglyceride reassembling and deposit. Consequently, some of these molecules can regulate pathophysiological processes associated to obesity and its related conditions, such as insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and type-2 diabetes. The protective capacity of some lipophilic small molecules on oxidative and chemotoxic stress, can modify the expression of key genes in the adaptive cellular response, such as transcription factors, contributing to prevent the inflammatory status of adipose tissue. These small lipophilic compounds can be incorporated into diet as natural parts of food but they can also be employed to supplement other dietary and pharmacologic products as nutraceuticals, exerting protective effects against the development of metabolic diseases in which inflammation is involved. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge of the influence of dietary lipophilic small biomolecules (phytosterols, carotenoids, tocopherols, and triterpenes) on lipid transport, as well as on the effects they may have on pathophysiological metabolic states, related to obesity, insulin resistance and inflammation, providing an evidence-based summary of their main beneficial effects on human health.

Oleanolic Acid Exerts a Neuroprotective Effect Against Microglial Cell Activation by Modulating Cytokine Release and Antioxidant Defense Systems.

Microglia respond to adverse stimuli in order to restore brain homeostasis and, upon activation, they release a number of inflammatory mediators. Chronic microglial overactivation is related to neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease. In this work, we show that oleanolic acid (OA), a natural triterpene present in food and medicinal plants, attenuates the activation of BV2 microglial cells induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cell pretreatment with OA inhibited the release of IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, and NO, which was associated with the downregulation of the expression of genes encoding for these cytokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and the reinforcement of the endogenous antioxidant cell defense. These findings advocate considering OA as a novel neuroprotective agent to inhibit oxidative stress and inflammatory response in activated microglia associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Potential Protective Effect of Oleanolic Acid on the Components of Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review.

The high prevalence of obesity is a serious public health problem in today's world. Both obesity and insulin resistance favor the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is associated with a number of pathologies, especially type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases. This serious problem highlights the need to search for new natural compounds to be employed in therapeutic and preventive strategies, such as oleanolic acid (OA). This research aimed to systematically review the effects of OA on the main components of MetS as well as oxidative stress in clinical trials and experimental animal studies. Databases searched included PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane, and CINAHL from 2013 to 2019. Thus, both animal studies (n = 23) and human clinical trials (n = 1) were included in our review to assess the effects of OA formulations on parameters concerning insulin resistance and the MetS components. The methodological quality assessment was performed through using the SYRCLE's Risk of Bias for animal studies and the Jadad scale. According to the studies in our review, OA improves blood pressure levels, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance. Although there is scientific evidence that OA has beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of MetS and insulin resistance, more experimental studies and randomized clinical trials are needed to guarantee its effectiveness.

Metabolic Syndrome and Its Associated Early-Life Factors among Chinese and Spanish Adolescents: A Pilot Study.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a growing problem worldwide in adolescents. This study compared two sample populations of young people in Spain and China, and analyzed the association of birth weight and breastfeeding duration with MetS. A cross-sectional study was conducted in adolescents (10-15 years old); 1150 Chinese and 976 Spanish adolescents. The variables analyzed were anthropometric characteristics, biochemical markers, and demographic characteristics using the same methodology and data collection protocol. Also, birth weight and breastfeeding were retrospectively analyzed during the first year of life. The results showed statistically significant differences between the two groups in reference to body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, triglyceride, glucose, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. The MetS prevalence was higher in Spanish adolescents (2.5%) than in the Chinese group (0.5%). Breastfeeding duration was inversely associated with hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-C, and MetS, whereas higher birth weight was associated with hyperglycemia, low HDL-C, hypertriglyceridemia, and abdominal obesity. Spanish adolescents showed more altered MetS components, and consequently, a higher MetS prevalence than the Chinese adolescents. This made them more vulnerable to cardiometabolic risk. Our results highlight the need for interventions designed by health professionals, which would encourage pregnant women to breastfeed their children.

Waist Circumference and Abdominal Volume Index Can Predict Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescents, but only When the Criteria of the International Diabetes Federation are Employed for the Diagnosis.

We previously reported, using the diagnostic criteria of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), that waist circumference (WC) and abdominal volume index (AVI) were capable of predicting metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adolescents. This study was aimed at confirming this finding when other diagnostic criteria are used. A cross-sectional study was performed on 981 Spanish adolescents (13.2 ± 1.2 years). MetS was diagnosed by eight different criteria. Ten anthropometric indexes were calculated and receiver-operator curves (ROC) were created to determine their discriminatory capacity for MetS. Of all diagnostic criteria, the ones proposed by the IDF showed the highest mean values for weight, WC and systolic blood pressure in boys and girls with MetS, and the lowest for glucose and triglycerides in boys. ROC analysis showed that only WC, AVI and body roundness index (BRI) achieved area under the curve (AUC) values above 0.8 in boys, and that fat content, body mass index (BMI), WC, AVI, BRI and pediatric body adiposity index (BAIp) showed AUC values above 0.8 in girls. Importantly, this occurred only when diagnosis was carried out using the IDF criteria. We confirm that WC and AVI can predict MetS in adolescents but only when the IDF's diagnostic criteria are employed.

Waist circumference and abdominal volume index are the strongest anthropometric discriminators of metabolic syndrome in Spanish adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Waist circumference has been suggested as predictor for metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adolescents but it has not been compared with newly proposed anthropometric indexes. This study aimed to disclose the capacity of ten classic and novel anthropometric indexes to discriminate by the presence of MetS in this young population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on 981 adolescents (13.2 ± 1.2 years) randomly recruited from eighteen schools in south-east Spain. Body fat percentage (BF%), abdominal volume index (AVI), body roundness index (BRI), body mass index (BMI), body adiposity index (BAI), body adiposity index for paediatrics (BAIp), conicity index (C-Index), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and body shape index (ABSI) were measured and calculated. Receiver-operator curves (ROC) were created to determine the discriminatory capacity of these anthropometric parameters for MetS. RESULTS: The prevalence of MetS was 7.0% for boys and 6.1% in girls. Participants with MetS had significantly higher levels of blood pressure and plasma levels of lipids, glucose and insulin. All anthropometric indexes were elevated in MetS individuals compared to the non-MetS group. AVI and WC showed the highest AUC values (0.83 for boys and 0.86 for girls). In contrast, according to ROC analyses, no anthropometric index was capable of discriminating the components of MetS (hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperglycaemia and low-HDL levels), except for abdominal obesity. CONCLUSION: We suggest the use of WC and AVI, with the cut-off points presented herein, for the discrimination between adolescents with or without MetS.

Waist circumference shows the highest predictive value for metabolic syndrome, and waist-to-hip ratio for its components, in Spanish adolescents.

Both waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) have been proposed as predictors of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adolescents, but no consensus has been reached to date. This study hypothesizes that WC provides a greater predictive value for MetS in Spanish adolescents than WHR. A cross-sectional study was performed on 1001 adolescents (13.2 ± 1.2 years) randomly recruited from schools in southeast Spain. Anthropometric measures were correlated with the components of MetS (triglycerides, glucose, blood pressure, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) as well as inflammation markers (interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha , C-reactive protein, and ceruloplasmin). Receiver-operator curves were created to determine the predictive value of these variables for MetS. Boys had higher values of all anthropometric parameters compared with girls, but the prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in girls. WHR was the only parameter that correlated significantly with all biochemical and inflammatory variables in boys. In girls, WHR, body mass index, waist-to-height ratio, WC, and body fat percentage correlated only with plasma insulin levels, systolic and diastolic pressures, and ceruloplasmin. In both groups, all anthropometric measures were able to predict MetS (area under the curve > 0.94). In particular, WC was able to predict MetS with area under the curve = 1.00. However, WHR was able to predict a higher number of components of MetS. WHR was the anthropometric index that showed the highest predictive value for MetS components, whereas WC was the one that best predicted the MetS among the population of adolescents studied. These findings justify the need to incorporate WHR and WC determinations into daily clinical practice to predict the MetS.

Association of Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration With Systemic Inflammation Markers in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding duration has been associated with less low-grade inflammation in healthy adolescents, but there is scarce information regarding obese subjects. This study aimed to evaluate whether exclusive breastfeeding is related to serum concentrations of inflammatory markers in a population of Spanish adolescents. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was performed on 1,001 adolescents (13.2 ± 1.2 years) randomly recruited from schools in southeast Spain. Data on breastfeeding duration were collected via a parental questionnaire. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. C-reactive protein (CRP) was determined by solid-phase chemiluminescent immunometric assay. RESULTS: Nonadjusted and adjusted multivariate correlation analyses confirmed a strong association ( p < .001, 95% confidence interval) between the three markers of inflammation and exclusive breastfeeding duration. No significant differences were observed for IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP serum concentrations among normal weight, overweight, and obese adolescents, except for IL-6 between normal weight and obese subjects. Likewise, no significant association was found between these markers of inflammation and body mass index (BMI) z-score. CONCLUSIONS: We found a possible association between inflammatory markers and exclusive breastfeeding duration in adolescents, regardless of their BMI. This finding suggests that increased body weight or obesity might not mediate the association between breastfeeding and inflammation. These results contribute to the understanding of the relationship between breastfeeding and inflammatory markers in adolescents.