Ultra-Processed Food Consumption Is Related to Higher Trans Fatty Acids, Sugar Intake, and Micronutrient-Impaired Status in Schoolchildren of Bahia, Brazil.

Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption impacts nutrient intake and plays an important role in non-communicable diseases (NCD), even among schoolchildren. This cross-sectional study aimed to characterize the food consumption of this population and its relationship with laboratory and anthropometric aspects. A sample of 190 subjects aged 5 to 19 y was randomly selected for dietary, laboratory, and anthropometric assessment. Statistical inference was calculated using Spearman's correlation. Excess weight was observed in 34%, a high Waist-to-Height Ratio in 9%, and hypertriglyceridemia in 17% of the subjects, higher among those from urban schools (45%, p = 0.011; 15%, p = 0.015; 24%, p = 0.026, respectively). UPF consumption represented 21% of caloric intake and showed a positive correlation with trans fatty acids (r = 0.70) and sugar (r = 0.59) intake. Unprocessed food consumption showed a weak, but significant, correlation with Body Mass Index (r = 0.22) and Waist Circumference (r = 0.23), while processed meat showed a negative correlation with serum ferritin (r = -0.16) and vitamins D (r = -0.20) and B12 (r = -0.15). These findings highlight the need for public policies to promote Food and Nutritional Security for schoolchildren to prevent NCD and nutritional deficiencies.

FioSchisto's expert perspective on implementing WHO guidelines for schistosomiasis control and transmission elimination in Brazil.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes schistosomiasis as one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases targeted for global elimination in the 2030 Agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals. In Brazil, schistosomiasis mansoni is considered a public health problem, particularly prevalent among vulnerable populations living in areas with poor environmental and sanitary conditions. In 2022, the WHO published a Guideline encompassing recommendations to assist national programs in endemic countries in achieving morbidity control, eliminating schistosomiasis as a public health problem, and advancing towards interrupting transmission. The perspectives presented here, collectively prepared by members of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation's (Fiocruz) Schistosomiasis Translational Program (FioSchisto), along with invited experts, examine the feasibility of the WHO recommendations for the Brazilian settings, providing appropriate recommendations for public health policies applicable to the epidemiological reality of Brazil, and suggests future research to address relevant issues. In Brazil, the provision of safe water and sanitation should be the key action to achieve schistosomiasis elimination goals. The agencies involved in measures implementation should act together with the Primary Care teams for planning, executing, monitoring, and evaluating actions in priority municipalities based on their epidemiological indicators. Host snails control should prioritize judicious ecological interventions at breeding sites. The Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) strategy should be associated with water and sanitation and other control actions, actively involving school community. To identify infected carriers, FioSchisto recommends a two-stage approach of immunological and molecular tests to verify transmission interruption during the intervention and beyond. Praziquantel administration should be done under medical supervision at the Primary Care level. MDA should be considered in exceptional settings, as a measure of initial attack strategy in locations presenting high endemicity, always integrated with water and sanitation, IEC, and snail control. To assist decision-making, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of strategic actions, there is a need for an Information System. FioSchisto considers this systematization essential to make investments in strategic research to support the improvement of schistosomiasis control actions. Efforts toward schistosomiasis elimination in Brazil will succeed with a paradigm shift from the vertical prescriptive framework to a community-centered approach involving intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration.

What nutritional factors influence bone mineral density in Crohn's disease patients?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Bone mineral density (BMD) is often low in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). This study aimed to evaluate the association between nutritional factors and BMD in a group of CD patients. METHODS: CD patients 18 years of age or older were included. The body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and dietary intake were evaluated during two 24-hour recalls. Bone densitometry was performed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the full body to assess body composition and of the lumbar vertebrae and femoral neck to assess BMD. RESULTS: In the 60 patients evaluated, there was no association between BMD and disease activity or between BMD and disease duration. We observed moderate correlations between BMD in at least one of the evaluated sites and BMI, lean mass, WC, and protein, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium dietary intakes (P<0.05). In the linear regression analysis for spinal BMD, only BMI and calcium dietary intake remained associated (P<0.05). In the linear regression analysis for femoral BMD, WC and phosphorus intake continued to be significant in the final model, although they had low explanatory power for BMD (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of low BMD was high in CD patients. BMI, WC, calcium and phosphorus dietary intake were positively correlated with BMD.

Associação entre concentração fecal de Bifidobacterium spp., parâmetros geográficos, antropométricos, laboratoriais e dietéticos de estudantes submetidos a uma intervenção na alimentação escolar no sertão da Bahia / Association between fecal concentration of Bifidobacterium spp., and geographic, anthropometric, laboratory and dietary parameters of students submitted to an intervention in school feeding in Bahia

Contexto: Hábitos alimentares não saudáveis estão relacionados ao desenvolvimento de Doenças Crônicas Não Transmissíveis (DCNT), também na população infantil. Um dos mecanismos associados é o desequilíbrio da microbiota intestinal. Com a prerrogativa de promoção de sustentabilidade social, econômica e ambiental, e de melhora das condições nutricionais e de saúde, uma intervenção que alcançou cerca de 32 mil estudantes do estado da Bahia fomentou a redução da oferta de alimentos de origem animal e ultraprocessados na alimentação escolar. O objetivo deste estudo de intervenção foi avaliar o estado nutricional desses estudantes e a sua associação com as concentrações fecais de Bifidobacterium spp. (BIF). Métodos: 190 indivíduos, de 5 a 19 anos, foram avaliados no início do ano letivo de 2019 e 124 deles, expostos à intervenção, foram novamente avaliados no final desse período. A avaliação do consumo alimentar foi feita por meio de Recordatório de 24 horas. Os parâmetros laboratoriais incluíram hemograma, perfil glicídico e lipídico, ferritina e vitaminas D e B12. A avaliação da abundância fecal de BIF foi feita pelo método de Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real. Os indicadores antropométricos incluíram Índice de Massa Corporal, Circunferência da Cintura e Relação Cintura-Estatura. Resultados: Observou-se alta ingestão de alimentos ultraprocessados e alta prevalência de LDL-colesterol elevado, hipertrigliceridemia, excesso de peso e risco cardiovascular, achados mais expressivos na população de escolas da zona urbana. A menor abundância fecal de BIF foi associada à maior prevalência de hiperglicemia, e a maior concentração foi associada à menor prevalência de risco cardiovascular. A exposição à intervenção resultou em redução dos níveis séricos de LDL colesterol e do risco cardiovascular, e aumento dos níveis séricos de triglicerídeos. Conclusão: A concentração fecal de BIF está associada com alterações metabólicas na população estudada e políticas públicas locais podem ser eficazes no enfrentamento às DCNT entre crianças e adolescentes da rede pública municipal de ensino. Sugere-se investigação da influência da prática de atividade física nesses desfechos.