What is the best anthropometric predictor for identifying higher risk for cardiovascular diseases in afro-descendant Brazilian women? A cross-sectional population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: Excessive adiposity is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Anthropometric indices are useful in screening individuals at higher risk for these diseases. However, there are no studies that show which of these indices has the best discriminatory power among Afro-descendant Brazilian women. The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of anthropometric indices in identifying risk factors for CVD in Afro-descendant Brazilian women and define the one most suitable for use under the operating conditions prevailing in Quilombola communities. METHODS: A household random sample of 1661 women descendants of African slaves were analyzed. The anthropometric predictors analyzed were waist circumference (WC), body mass index, waist-to-height ratio, conicity index (C-index), body shape index, and percentage of body fat (%BF; estimated by bioimpedance). The assessed risk factors for CVD were arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemias (hypertriglyceridemia; hypercholesterolemia; low high-density lipoprotein). To identify the statistical significance between the differences in the areas under the ROC curves (AUC) obtained with the different predictors and outcomes, was used the Bonferroni test adjusted for multiple analyses by the Sidak method. RESULTS: The AUC obtained with WC was higher (p < .05) or similar (p > .05) to those obtained with the other predictors 29 times out of 30 possibilities (six predictors x five outcomes). Only the AUC obtained with C-index in identifying hypercholesterolemia was significantly higher than that with WC. CONCLUSION: Due to its accuracy and greater operational simplicity, WC was the most adequate predictor for identifying Afro-descendant women at greatest risk for CVD.

Prevalence of anaemia in Brazilian children in different epidemiological scenarios: an updated meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To update the estimation of the prevalence of anaemia in Brazilian children according to four different epidemiological scenarios. DESIGN: A new systematic review was conducted with a meta-analysis of the results published between 2007 and May 2019. Literature search was carried out in the PubMed and LILACS databases using keywords anaemia, child and Brazil. A total of thirty-seven articles (17 741 children) were selected and categorised according to the origin of their respective samples: childcare centres (Childcare; n 13 studies/2697 individuals), health services (Services; n 4/755), populations with social inequities (Inequities, n 7/6798) and population-based studies (Populations; n 13/7491). Assuming a prevalence of 20·9 % as reference (Health National Survey; n 3455), the combined prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated. A random-effects model was used. PARTICIPANTS: Brazilian children 6-60 months of age. RESULTS: The prevalence of anaemia, by scenario, was: Childcare 24·8 % (PR 1·06; 95 % CI 0·81, 1·40); Services 39·9 % (PR 1·76, 95 % CI 1·33, 2·35); Inequities 51·6 % (PR 2·02, 95 % CI 1·87, 2·18); and Populations 35·8 % (PR 1·42, 95 % CI 1·23, 1·64). Therefore, the values were all higher than the national prevalence; the Inequities had the highest prevalence, and only Childcare did not reach statistical significance. Concerning the previous meta-analysis, there was a reduction in anaemia prevalence in all scenarios: -52·3, -33·7, -22·4 and -10·7 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the situation revealed in the previous meta-analysis, anaemia, although observed to a lesser extent, remains an important public health problem in the different scenarios analysed, especially for children living in Inequities. Access to Childcare mitigates the risk for this condition.

Agreement between the total energy expenditure calculated with accelerometry data and the BMR yielded by predictive equations v. the total energy expenditure obtained with doubly labelled water in low-income women with excess weight.

Low-income women are the group with the highest levels of obesity worldwide. In low-income settings, the use of predictive equations, which yield a measure of the individuals' BMR, is a feasible approach to estimate the individuals' total energy expenditure (TEE), using the factorial method (calculated-TEE = BMR × physical activity level), an important step of the obesity nutritional care. The present study aimed to identify the predictive equation that, in conjunction with metabolic equivalents of tasks (MET) data from accelerometers, yields the calculated-TEE with better agreement compared with the TEE measured by doubly labelled water (TEE-DLW). Forty-five women aged 19-45 years, with excess weight and mothers of undernourished children, were included. They received DLW to determine TEE (14 d); at the same time, they used triaxial accelerometers (7 d) to estimate their MET. The Bland-Altman method, paired-sample t tests, concordance correlation coefficient and root-mean-square error were used to assess the agreement. Maximum allowed differences were defined as 24 %, based on the within-variance coefficient of the energy intake of the sample. Eleven equations were studied. The calculated-TEE obtained by five equations showed non-significant bias: Dietary Reference Intake (Institute of Medicine (2005) Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids), FAO/WHO/UNU ((2001) Food and Nutrition Technical Report Series), Harris & Benedict ((1919) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA4, 370-373), Henry & Rees ((1991) Eur J Clin Nutr45, 177-185) and Schofield ((1985) Hum Nutr Clin Nutr39, 5-41). The mean percentage differences were -1·5, -0·8, 2·2, -2·2 and 2·0 %, respectively. Considering all parameters, FAO/WHO/UNU ((2001) Food and Nutrition Technical Report Series) equation performed slightly better than the others; nevertheless, no equation in conjunction with the estimated-MET showed a calculated-TEE with its CI for the Bland-Altman limits of agreement inside the pre-defined acceptable range.

Protective effect of breastfeeding against overweight can be detected as early as the second year of life: a study of children from one of the most socially-deprived areas of Brazil.

Millions of children live in Brazil's semi-arid region, one of the most socially-deprived areas of the country, where undernutrition co-exists with obesity as a consequence of the nutrition transition. There is evidence that childhood obesity predisposes adult obesity and, thus, that obesity should be prevented as early as possible. Some studies have shown that breastfeeding is a protective factor against overweight and obesity while other studies have not found this association. There have been few studies on this association in developing countries and of children below two years of age. The present study aimed to investigate whether children exposed to exclusive breastfeeding for ≥ 6 months showed a lower prevalence of overweight in the second year of life, based on a probability sample of 2,209 children (aged 12 to 24 months). The dependent variable was overweight, defined as weight-for-length z-scores of >2, based on the WHO 2006 standard while the independent variable was exclusive breastfeeding (≥ 6 months). The prevalence ratio (PR) and its 95% CI were estimated using Poisson regression with robust adjustment of variance. After adjusting for potential confounding factors (socioeconomic, demographic and health-related variables), children on exclusive breastfeeding for ≥ 6 months showed a lower prevalence of overweight (5.7% vs 9.1%, PR 0.62, 95% CI 0.45-0.89). It was found that exclusive breastfeeding for six months or more is a protective factor against overweight in children in the second year of life living in the Brazilian semi-arid region.

Coverage and educational actions related to the national vitamin A supplementation program: a study in children from the state of Alagoas.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the coverage of the National Vitamin A Supplementation Program (Programa Nacional de Suplementação de Vitamina A) in children from Alagoas, to identify factors associated with this coverage, and to analyze the adequacy of nutrition education actions. METHODS: Household survey involving a representative probabilistic sample of children aged 6 to 59 months from Alagoas and their mothers (n=509). Coverage was defined by the percentage of children with supplementation records in the last semester. The association between the independent variables (socioeconomic, demographic, and health) and the National Vitamin A Supplementation Program coverage was analyzed based on the prevalence ratio and its 95% CI. The mothers' knowledge of questions related to vitamin A was considered as an indicator of the adequacy of nutrition education actions. RESULTS: Program coverage was 91.9% in children aged 6-11.9 months and 38.6% in children aged 12-59 months. In the adjusted analysis, the factors that were associated with greater coverage were: age between 6-11.9 months (PR=2.50, 95% CI: 2.10-2.96), living in rural areas (PR=1.45, 95% CI: 1.20-1.76) and living in a house with ≤ 4 rooms (PR=1.33, 95% CI: 1.09-1.63). Only 26.1% of the mothers were able to mention some food source of vitamin A and only 19.2% were aware of the consequences of vitamin deficiency for health. CONCLUSIONS: The National Vitamin A Supplementation Program coverage is below the targets set by the Ministry of Health (except for children <12 months). The factors associated with greater coverage indicate an adequate focus of the program. The nutrition education activities have not demonstrated satisfactory results. This information should guide actions to improve the program.

Short stature of mothers from an area endemic for undernutrition is associated with obesity, hypertension and stunted children: a population-based study in the semi-arid region of Alagoas, Northeast Brazil.

The objectives of the study were to investigate whether the health conditions of mothers with short stature differed from those with normal stature, and to establish if these aspects were associated with the health of the offspring. Data relating to health and socio-economic, demographic and anthropometric conditions were collected from a probabilistic sample population consisting of 1180 mothers and 1511 children ( < 10 years) living in the semi-arid region of the State of Alagoas, Brazil. Mothers were categorised according to stature, with those in the 1st quartile being defined as of short stature and those in the 4th quartile being defined as of normal stature and serving as a reference for the comparison of variables of interest. Following verification that maternal stature fulfilled parametric assumptions, its associations with the other variables were determined by calculating Pearson correlation coefficients. After excluding strongly self-correlated variables (r >or= 0.70), the remaining variables were analysed by multiple linear regression. The results showed that low maternal stature was independently associated with obesity (percentage body fat >or= 30; P = 0.045), abdominal adiposity (waist:hip ratio >or= 0.85; P = 0.007) and high systolic blood pressure ( >or= 140 mmHg; P = 0.006). Short maternal stature was associated with low birth weight ( < 3000 g; P = 0.01) and stunting (height-for-age Z score < - 2; P = 0.019) in the offspring. Thus, in the semi-arid region of Alagoas, women of short stature presented a higher prevalence of chronic degenerative diseases and produced less healthy children than women of normal stature.

Prevalence of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (ENOS) gene G894T polymorphism and its association with hypertension: a population-based study with Brazilian women.

INTRODUCTION: Hypertension is one of the most prevalent diseases in the world, accounting for millions of deaths each year. The reduction in the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) produced by the catalysis of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is associated with higher blood pressure (BP) levels. This reduction might be because of genetic polymorphisms. This study investigated the prevalence of the eNOS gene G894T polymorphism in women from northeast Brazil and its association with hypertension. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 810 women (aged 19-49 years). Sociodemographic, health, anthropometric, and BP data were collected. Hypertension was defined according to the following criteria: systolic BP ≥ 140 mm Hg, diastolic BP ≥ 90 mm Hg, the regular use of antihypertensive medication, or some combination thereof. Epithelial cells from the cheek mucosa were obtained for DNA extraction. Genotyping was performed via real-time PCR. The measure of association was the prevalence ratio (PR) and its 95% CI as calculated via Poisson regression. RESULTS: The frequencies of the GG, GT, and TT genotypes were 57.1%, 35.7%, and 7.2%, respectively. For each of these genotypes, the prevalence of hypertension in women was 17.9%, 23.6%, and 34.4%, respectively. Relative to the GG genotype, the PRs after adjusting for cofounding factors were 1.24 (95% CI: 0.95-1.61, p = 0.11) for GT and 1.76 (95% CI: 1.16-2.67, p < 0.01) for TT. CONCLUSIONS: The T allele of the G894T polymorphisms is associated with hypertension in women. This may have implications for prevention and treatment.

Short stature and food habits as determining factors for the low productivity of sugarcane labourers in the State of Alagoas, north-eastern Brazil.

Undernutrition, especially in the prenatal period and/or until 5 years of age, can cause stunting. Adults with short stature resultant from this process show a series of functional deficits, amongst which is a reduced capacity to do physical work. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the dietary pattern, nutritional status and stature of sugarcane cutters, and to determine possible associations with worker productivity. Sixty-two male sugarcane cutters (18-50 y) were selected randomly from a population of 600 workers from a plantation in Alagoas (Brazil), and classified as underweight, normal weight or overweight according to BMI (BMI = 21.5, 21.5 to = 25 and >25 kg/m2, respectively). Body fat composition (%) was estimated by electrical bioimpedance and dietary intake by the direct weighing of food consumed. Whilst the average productivity was 8.13 ton/day, labourers with normal BMI values were more productive (9.12 ton/dia) and ingested significantly (p<0.05) greater amounts of energy (16506.4 kJ/dia) than their underweight (7.48 +/- 1.5; 12380.7 +/- 4184.1) or overweight (9.12 +/- 1.5; 16506.4 +/- 6360.0) counterparts, respectively. There were associations (p<0.05) between productivity, stature, energy intake and age. The tallest individuals (= 170 cm) had higher productivity and tended to have a higher energy intake, whilst those with the shortest stature (= 160 cm), had a significantly lower productivity, however ingested a similar quantity of energy, and tended to have a large accumulation of body fat. Multiple regression analysis identified stature as the parameter most associated with productivity, independent of age and body fat percentage. Productivity of the tallest individuals was 1.87 ton/day higher than that of the shortest individuals. The results emphasise the importance of good nutritional status throughout life for full development of working productivity.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Food Insecurity in the Context of the Economic Crisis in Brazil.

Background: The Brazilian economy has been officially in recession since 2014. Since then, there has been an increase in the unemployment rate, cost of food, and cuts in the budgets of social programs, among other situations that may interfere with the food security of the population. Objectives: The aims of this study were to identify the prevalence of and factors associated with food insecurity (FI) in Alagoas, one of the poorest states in Brazil, and to discuss the results in the context of the national economic crisis. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in a probabilistic sample of 3366 families. FI was identified on the basis of the Brazilian Food Insecurity Measurement. The associations with independent variables that achieved P < 0.2 (by chi-square test) in the crude analysis were submitted to multivariable analysis. Results: The observed prevalence of FI was 58.3% (33.1%, 17.9%, and 7.3% for mild, moderate, and severe FI, respectively), which is considerably higher than the 34.6% found in 2013 by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics before the worsening of the economic crisis. The factors independently associated with FI in this study included the following: female head of household, head of the family having no income, female head of household being overweight, ≥4 family members, ≤4 rooms in the house, household income less than the minimum wage, family belonging to the lower economic classes (D or E), using the Bolsa Família program, residing in a nonmasonry house, or not residing in their own house. Conclusions: The prevalence of FI in Alagoas is very high, and considering previous studies, there was a marked increase in FI during the Brazilian economic crisis. All associated factors are related to the greater social vulnerability of the family. The present data point to the need to strengthen public policies for health promotion, education, employment, and income and to ensure the human right to adequate food, with the aim of reducing social vulnerability within the family in a sustainable way. In addition, this study contributes to the understanding of how national conditions can influence household-level FI.

Waist-to-height ratio is the best anthropometric predictor of hypertension: A population-based study with women from a state of northeast of Brazil.

The WHO recommends the use of some anthropometric parameters as a screening resource for individuals under cardiometabolic risk. However, in the validation of these indicators, Brazilian women were not included. These women have different anthropometric profile compared to women who integrated the samples of the validation studies. We aimed to verify the accuracy of anthropometric indicators as a resource for the screening of women with hypertension. A cross-sectional study, with a probability sample of 3143 women (20-49 years) from the state of Alagoas (northeast of Brazil), was carried out. Hypertension was identified by systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥140 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP ≥90 mm Hg and/or regular use of antihypertensive drugs. The anthropometric indicators analyzed were BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body fat percentage, and conicity index. The accuracy definition of the indicators and the identification of best cut-off points were carried out on the basis of ROC curve analysis and Youden index, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension was 21.8%. All indicators used in hypertension identification had area under the ROC curve (AUC) >0.5. The WHtR with cut-off point of 0.54 was the best performance indicator (AUC = 0.72; P < 0.05; sensitivity = 67%, specificity = 66%). The WHtR with cut-off point of 0.54 has constituted the most accurate indicator in the screening of women with hypertension. In the absence of specific studies and considering the largest ethnic proximity and environmental/epidemiological similarity, the findings now obtained can be extended to women of other Brazilian states, especially those in the Northeastern region.

Coverage and educational actions related to the national vitamin A supplementation program: a study in children from the state of Alagoas / Cobertura e ações educativas no âmbito do programa nacional de suplementação de vitamina A: estudo em crianças do estado de Alagoas

Abstract Objectives: To estimate the coverage of the National Vitamin A Supplementation Program (Programa Nacional de Suplementação de Vitamina A) in children from Alagoas, to identify factors associated with this coverage, and to analyze the adequacy of nutrition education actions. Methods: Household survey involving a representative probabilistic sample of children aged 6 to 59 months from Alagoas and their mothers (n = 509). Coverage was defined by the percentage of children with supplementation records in the last semester. The association between the independent variables (socioeconomic, demographic, and health) and the National Vitamin A Supplementation Program coverage was analyzed based on the prevalence ratio and its 95% CI. The mothers' knowledge of questions related to vitamin A was considered as an indicator of the adequacy of nutrition education actions. Results: Program coverage was 91.9% in children aged 6-11.9 months and 38.6% in children aged 12-59 months. In the adjusted analysis, the factors that were associated with greater coverage were: age between 6-11.9 months (PR = 2.50, 95% CI: 2.10-2.96), living in rural areas (PR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.20-1.76) and living in a house with ≤ 4 rooms (PR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.09-1.63). Only 26.1% of the mothers were able to mention some food source of vitamin A and only 19.2% were aware of the consequences of vitamin deficiency for health. Conclusions: The National Vitamin A Supplementation Program coverage is below the targets set by the Ministry of Health (except for children < 12 months). The factors associated with greater coverage indicate an adequate focus of the program. The nutrition education activities have not demonstrated satisfactory results. This information should guide actions to improve the program.

Resumo Objetivos Estimar a cobertura do Programa Nacional de Suplementação de Vitamina A em crianças de Alagoas, identificar fatores associados a essa cobertura e analisar a adequação das ações de educação nutricional. Métodos Inquérito domiciliar que envolveu amostra probabilística representativa das crianças de 6 a 59 meses de Alagoas e suas mães (n = 509). A cobertura foi definida pelo percentual de crianças com registro de suplementação no último semestre. A associação entre as variáveis independentes (socioeconômicas, demográficas e de saúde) e a cobertura do Programa Nacional de Suplementação de Vitamina A foi analisada com base na razão de prevalência e seu IC95%. O conhecimento das mães sobre questões relacionadas à vitamina A foi assumido como indicador da adequação das ações de educação nutricional. Resultados A cobertura do programa foi de 91,9% entre crianças de 6-11,9 meses e de 38,6% entre as de 12-59 meses. Na análise ajustada, os fatores que se associaram à maior cobertura foram ter idade entre 6-11,9 meses (RP = 2,50; IC95%: 2,10-2,96), residir em zona rural (RP = 1,45; IC95%: 1,20-1,76) e morar em domicílio com ≤ 4 cômodos (RP = 1,33; IC95%: 1,09-1,63). Somente 26,1% das mães souberam citar algum alimento fonte de vitamina A e apenas 19,2% conheciam as consequências da deficiência dessa vitamina para a saúde. Conclusões A cobertura do Programa Nacional de Suplementação de Vitamina A encontra-se aquém das metas estabelecidas pelo Ministério da Saúde (exceto para crianças < 12 meses). Os fatores associados à maior cobertura evidenciam adequada focalização do programa. As atividades de educação nutricional não ocorrem de forma satisfatória. Essas informações devem nortear ações de aperfeiçoamento do programa.

High Blood Pressure among Students in Public and Private Schools in Maceió, Brazil.

UNLABELLED: The prevalence of hypertension in childhood is increasing, and investigation of its distribution is important for planning timely interventions. This study assessed the prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP) and associated factors in students between 9 and 11 years of age enrolled in public and private schools in Maceió, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was performed in a probabilistic sample of students (10.3 ± 0.5 years). The students were selected from a systematic sampling of 80 schools (40 public and 40 private). To maintain similar proportions of students existing in public and private schools in Maceió, 21 and 14 students were randomly selected from each public and private school, respectively. The prevalence ratio (PR) was estimated using Poisson regression. A total of 1,338 students were evaluated (800 from public schools and 538 from private schools). No differences were observed between school types in terms of student age and gender (p > 0.05). The prevalence of obesity (19.9% vs. 9.0%; PR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.67-2.92) and hypertension (21.2% vs. 11.4%; PR = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.45-2.40) were higher in private schools. The association between high blood pressure and type of school (public or private) remained statistically significant even after adjustment for obesity (PR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.19-1.97). IN CONCLUSION: (a) students from private schools have higher socioeconomic status, BMI, and HBP prevalence compared to those of public school; (b) among the evaluated students, the prevalence of obesity only partially explained the higher prevalence of high blood pressure among students from private schools. Other factors related to lifestyle of children from private schools may explain the higher prevalence of HBP. This results show the need to implement measures to promote healthy lifestyles in the school environment, since children with HBP are more likely to become hypertensive adults. Therefore, early detection and intervention in children with HBP is an important action for the prevention of hypertension in adulthood.

The use of protein hydrolysate improves the protein intestinal absorption in undernourished mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni.

Patients residing in endemic areas for schistosomiasis in Brazil are usually undernourished and when they develop the hepatosplenic clinical form of the disease should usually receive hospital care, many of them being in need of nutritional rehabilitation before specific treatment can be undertaken. In the mouse model, investigations carried out in our laboratory detected a reduced aminoacid uptake in undernourished animals which is aggravated by a superimposed infection with Schistosoma mansoni. However, in well-nourished infected mice no dysfunction occurs. In this study, we tried to improve the absorptive intestinal performance of undernourished mice infected with S. mansoni by feeding them with hydrolysed casein instead of whole casein. The values obtained for the coefficient of protein intestinal absorption (cpia) among well-nourished mice were above 90% (either hydrolysed or whole protein). In undernourished infected mice, however, the cpia improved significantly after feeding them with hydrolysed casein, animals reaching values close to those obtained in well-nourished infected mice.

[Evolution of nutritional status in hospitalized children]. / Evolução do estado nutricional de crianças submetidas à internação hospitalar.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the evolution of nutritional status in children admitted to the Teaching Hospital of Universidade Federal de Alagoas. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 52 children (0-10 yrs) whose length of hospital stay exceeded 10 days (from February to July/2001). We compared their nutritional status, expressed in terms of Z score of the weight-for-age ratio at the beginning (T1) and at the end of the hospitalization period (T2). RESULTS: The predominant age range (44.2%) was less than 1 year (median=1.4 yrs). The hospitalization period varied from 10 to 77 days (median=20 days). Although the prevalence rates of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in T1 and T2 were, respectively, 71.2% and 69.2%, only 15.4% had this diagnosis on the medical records. These children diagnosed with protein-energy malnutrition presented extreme wasting and greater length of hospital stay than the others (PEM, n=8: -4.38 +/- 2.1, T=30 +/- 4.5; undiagnosed PEM, n=13: -3.13 +/- 0.9, T=23 +/- 18; other conditions, n=31: -0.63 +/- 1.1, T=21 +/- 13). Among the 52 children analyzed, only 29 showed positive weight variation. However, the average magnitude of negative Z values was higher than that of positive values: -0.56 and 0.50. Children who remained in hospital for a longer period of time showed larger weight deficits, indicating that hospitalization did not contribute towards the improvement of their initial nutritional status. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of weight-for-age deficit among children at hospital admission was very high. This situation remained unchanged at hospital discharge.

Evolution of the biochemical profile of children treated or undergoing treatment for moderate or severe stunting: consequences of metabolic programming?

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate changes in the biochemical profile of children treated or being treated for moderate or severe stunting in a nutrition recovery and education center. METHODS: this was a retrospective longitudinal study of 263 children treated at this center between August of 2008 to August of 2011, aged 1 to 6 years, diagnosed with moderate (z-score of height-for-age [HAZ] < -2) or severe stunting (HAZ < -3). Data were collected on socioeconomic conditions, dietary habits, and biochemical changes, as well as height according to age. RESULTS: the nutritional intervention showed an increase in HAZ of children with moderate (0.51 ± 0.4, p = 0.001) and severe (0.91 ± 0.7, p = 0.001) stunting during the monitoring. Increased levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) (initial: 71.7 ng/dL; final: 90.4 ng/dL; p = 0.01) were also observed, as well as a reduction in triglycerides (TG) in both severely (initial: 91.8mg/dL; final: 79.1mg/dL; p = 0.01) and in moderately malnourished children (initial: 109.2mg/dL; final 88.7mg/dL; p = 0.01), and a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol HDL-C only in the third year of intervention (initial: 31.4mg/dL; final: 42.2mg/dL). The values of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels remained high throughout the treatment (initial: 165.1mg/dL; final: 163.5mg/dL and initial: 109.0mg/dL; final: 107.3mg/dL, respectively). CONCLUSION: the nutritional treatment for children with short stature was effective in reducing stunting and improving TG and HDL-C after three years of intervention. However, the levels of LDL-C and TC remained high even in treated children. It is therefore speculated that these changes may result from metabolic programming due to malnutrition.

Overweight and associated factors in children from northeastern Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of overweight and its association with socioeconomic, biological, and maternal factors in children under 5 years of age in the semiarid region of the state of Alagoas. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study with a representative sample. We evaluated child variables (excess weight, sex, birth weight, prematurity, duration of breastfeeding, and origin) and mother variables (excess weight, central obesity, income, education, and smoking during pregnancy). Excess weight in children was defined based on the weight-for-height ≥ 1 z score; in mothers, overweight and central obesity were identified by mass body index ≥ 30 kg/m2 and waist circumference ≥ 80 cm, respectively. We conducted logistic regression, adopting overweight as an outcome, considering as significant p < 0.05. RESULTS: The sample comprised 963 children, with a mean age of 27.7 months (SD ±17.3). The prevalence of overweight children was 28.5%, directly associated with central obesity in the mother (odds ratio = 1.46; 95%CI 1.07-1.98) and duration of non-exclusive breastfeeding for a period of less than 6 months (odds ratio = 1.82, 95%CI 1.31-2.51). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a high prevalence of overweight children under 5 years of age associated with central obesity in the mother and non-exclusive breastfeeding for a period less than 6 months. These findings suggest that breastfeeding may protect children against overweight and point to the need for primary and secondary prevention of maternal central obesity.

Dyslipidaemia and undernutrition in children from impoverished areas of Maceió, state of Alagoas, Brazil.

Chronic undernutrition causes reduced growth and endocrine adaptations in order to maintain basic life processes. In the present study, the biochemical profiles of chronically undernourished children were determined in order to test the hypothesis that chronic undernutrition also causes changes in lipid profile in pre-school children. The study population comprised 80 children aged between 12 and 71 months, including 60 with moderate undernutrition [height-for-age Z (HAZ) scores ≤ -2 and > -3] and 20 with severe undernutrition (HAZ scores ≤ -3). Socioeconomic, demographic and environmental data were obtained by application of a questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements and information relating to sex, age and feeding habits were collected by a trained nutritionist. Blood samples were analysed for haemoglobin, vitamin A, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and serum lipids, while cortisol was assayed in the saliva. Faecal samples were submitted to parasitological investigation. Analysis of variance and χ² methods were employed in order to select the variables that participated in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. The study population was socioeconomically homogeneous, while the lack of a treated water supply was clearly associated with the degree of malnutrition. Most children were parasitised and anaemia was significantly more prevalent among the severely undernourished. Levels of IGF-1 decreased significantly with increasing severity of undernutrition. Lipid analysis revealed that almost all of the children had dyslipidemia, while low levels of high-density lipoprotein were associated with the degree of undernutrition. It is concluded that chronic malnutrition causes endocrine changes that give rise to alterations in the metabolic profile of pre-school children.

Association between malnutrition in children living in slums, maternal nutritional status, and environmental factors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of malnutrition in children living in substandard settlements (slums) of Maceió, Brazil, with maternal nutritional status and environmental conditions. METHODS: Cross-sectional study involving a probability sample of 2,075 mothers (18 to 45 years) and their children (4 months to 6 years), living in the slums of the city of Maceió. First, we conducted a cluster analysis with the purpose of choosing the settlements and the administrative region of the city of Maceió with the lowest human development index. After this analysis, the 7th Administrative Region was designated for the study, including its 23 substandard settlements. Socioeconomic, demographic, anthropometric, and maternal and child health data were collected by means of household survey. The statistical analysis included the odds ratio of a child to be malnourished, and the univariate regression was used to check which maternal variables were associated with this malnutrition. RESULTS: Chronic malnutrition (-2 standard deviations/height for age) was found in 8.6% of children and was associated with mother's age and educational level, type of residence, number of rooms, flooring, water supply, and low birth weight (< 2,500 g) in children aged < or = 24 months. We also found an association between child malnutrition and maternal height. Such association was not observed regarding body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of malnutrition observed in these settlements was related to social and environmental conditions and short maternal height, who had weight deficit or weight excess.

Effects of dietary coconut oil on the biochemical and anthropometric profiles of women presenting abdominal obesity.

The effects of dietary supplementation with coconut oil on the biochemical and anthropometric profiles of women presenting waist circumferences (WC) >88 cm (abdominal obesity) were investigated. The randomised, double-blind, clinical trial involved 40 women aged 20-40 years. Groups received daily dietary supplements comprising 30 mL of either soy bean oil (group S; n = 20) or coconut oil (group C; n = 20) over a 12-week period, during which all subjects were instructed to follow a balanced hypocaloric diet and to walk for 50 min per day. Data were collected 1 week before (T1) and 1 week after (T2) dietary intervention. Energy intake and amount of carbohydrate ingested by both groups diminished over the trial, whereas the consumption of protein and fibre increased and lipid ingestion remained unchanged. At T1 there were no differences in biochemical or anthropometric characteristics between the groups, whereas at T2 group C presented a higher level of HDL (48.7 +/- 2.4 vs. 45.00 +/- 5.6; P = 0.01) and a lower LDL:HDL ratio (2.41 +/- 0.8 vs. 3.1 +/- 0.8; P = 0.04). Reductions in BMI were observed in both groups at T2 (P < 0.05), but only group C exhibited a reduction in WC (P = 0.005). Group S presented an increase (P < 0.05) in total cholesterol, LDL and LDL:HDL ratio, whilst HDL diminished (P = 0.03). Such alterations were not observed in group C. It appears that dietetic supplementation with coconut oil does not cause dyslipidemia and seems to promote a reduction in abdominal obesity.

Evolution of the biochemical profile of children treated or undergoing treatment for moderate or severe stunting: consequences of metabolic programming? / Evolução do perfil bioquímico de crianças tratadas ou em tratamento para déficit estatural moderado ou grave: consequências da programação metabólica?

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate changes in the biochemical profile of children treated or being treated for moderate or severe stunting in a nutrition recovery and education center. METHODS: this was a retrospective longitudinal study of 263 children treated at this center between August of 2008 to August of 2011, aged 1 to 6 years, diagnosed with moderate (z-score of height-for-age [HAZ] < -2) or severe stunting (HAZ < -3). Data were collected on socioeconomic conditions, dietary habits, and biochemical changes, as well as height according to age. RESULTS: the nutritional intervention showed an increase in HAZ of children with moderate (0.51 ± 0.4, p = 0.001) and severe (0.91 ± 0.7, p = 0.001) stunting during the monitoring. Increased levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) (initial: 71.7 ng/dL; final: 90.4 ng/dL; p = 0.01) were also observed, as well as a reduction in triglycerides (TG) in both severely (initial: 91.8 mg/dL; final: 79.1 mg/dL; p = 0.01) and in moderately malnourished children (initial: 109.2 mg/dL; final 88.7 mg/dL; p = 0.01), and a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol HDL-C only in the third year of intervention (initial: 31.4 mg/dL; final: 42.2 mg/dL). The values of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels remained high throughout the treatment (initial: 165.1 mg/dL; final: 163.5 mg/dL and initial: 109.0 mg/dL; final: 107.3 mg/dL, respectively). CONCLUSION: the nutritional treatment for children with short stature was effective in reducing stunting and improving TG and HDL-C after three years of intervention. However, the levels of LDL-C and TC remained high even in treated children. It is therefore speculated that these changes may result from metabolic programming due to malnutrition. .

OBJETIVO: avaliar as mudanças no perfil bioquímico de crianças tratadas ou em tratamento para déficit estatural moderado ou grave em um centro de recuperação e educação nutricional. MÉTODOS: estudo longitudinal retrospectivo com 263 crianças semi-internas no Centro no período de agosto/2008 a agosto/2011, com idade entre 1 e 6 anos e diagnóstico de déficit estatural moderado, escore-Z da altura-para-idade (AIZ) < -2 e grave (AIZ < -3). Foram coletados dados socioeconômicos, dietéticos e bioquímicos e a evolução estatural segundo a idade. RESULTADOS: com a intervenção nutricional observou-se incremento no escore-z das crianças com déficit estatural moderado (0,51 ± 0,4; p = 0,001) e grave (0,91 ± 0,7; p = 0,001) durante o período de acompanhamento. Observou-se, ainda, aumento nos níveis de fator de crescimento insulina-símile (IGF-1) (inicial: 71,7 ng/dL; final: 90,4 ng/dL; p = 0,01), redução nos triglicérides (TG) tanto nas crianças graves (inicial: 91,8 mg/dL; final: 79,1 mg/dL; p = 0,01) como nas moderadamente desnutridas (109,2 mg/dL para 88,7 mg/dL; p = 0,01) e aumento significativo do lipoproteína de alta densidade (HDL-C) apenas no terceiro ano de intervenção (inicial: 31,4 mg/dL; final: 42,2 mg/dL). Os valores de colesterol total (CT) e lipoproteína de baixa densidade (LDL-C) continuaram elevados durante todo o tratamento (inicial: 165,1 mg/dL; final: 163,5 mg/dL e inicial: 109,0 mg/dL; final: 107,3 mg/dL, respectivamente). CONCLUSÃO: o tratamento nutricional para as crianças de baixa estatura mostrou-se eficaz na redução do déficit estatural e dos TG e melhora dos níveis de HDL-C após três anos de intervenção. Porém, os níveis de LDL-C e CT mostraram-se sempre elevados mesmo nas ...