Total urinary polyphenols and longitudinal changes of bone properties. The InCHIANTI study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of levels of urinary total polyphenols considered as a proxy measure of polyphenol intake, with longitudinal changes of bone properties, in the InCHIANTI study. Dietary intake of polyphenols appears to be associated with future accelerated deterioration of bone health. INTRODUCTION: Polyphenols, micronutrients ingested through plant-based foods, have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may contribute to osteoporosis prevention. We evaluated associations of high levels of urinary total polyphenols (UTP), a proxy measure of polyphenol intake, with longitudinal changes of bone properties in a representative cohort of free-living participants of the InCHIANTI study. METHODS: The InCHIANTI study enrolled representative samples from the registry list of two towns in Tuscany, Italy. Baseline data were collected in 1998 and follow-up visits in 2001 and 2004. Of the 1453 participants enrolled, 956 consented to donate a 24-h urine sample used to assess UTP, had dietary assessment, a physical examination, and underwent a quantitative computerized tomography (pQCT) of the tibia. From pQCT images, we estimated markers of bone mass (BM), diaphyseal design (DD), and material quality (MQ). Mixed models were used to study the relationship between baseline tertiles of UTP with changes of the bone characteristics over the follow-up. RESULTS: At baseline, higher levels of UTP were positively correlated with markers of BM, DD, and MQ. Compared with lower tertile of UTP, participants in the intermediate and highest tertiles had higher cortical bone area, cortical mineral content, and cortical thickness. However, participants in the intermediate and highest UTP tertiles experienced accelerated deterioration of these same parameters over the follow-up compared with those in the lowest UTP tertile. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary intake of polyphenols estimated by UTP and dietary questionnaire was associated with long-term accelerated deterioration of bone health. Our study does not support the recommendation of increasing polyphenol intake for osteoporosis prevention.

Mediterranean diet and physical activity improve posture, fat mass and salivary pH.

Many researchers have revealed that diet and physical activity influence metabolic function and posture in various stages of life. This paper aims to combine them and demonstrate how they could promote a healthy lifestyle. For this purpose, 14 healthy subjects followed a three-month protocol combining physical activity with dietary advice. At the end of the protocol, the results of the study underlined a significant reduction in fat mass, an improvement in salivary pH, and a realignment and rebalancing of body segments. .

Visual sensory disability: rehabilitative treatment in an aquatic environment.

The outcome of this study is based on the concept of the enormous potentiality that is expressed, after the elimination of myofascial and articular compensation, from the body system. 10 low vision and blind subjects aged between 35 and 50 years. The subjects performed 10 sessions (2/week) for 5 weeks. Each session consisted of a training in the gym (30 minutes) and hydrokinetic therapy (45 minutes) All the subjects at the beginning (T0) and at the end (T1) of the rehabilitation program were tested by static baropodometry and the stabilometric (Milletrix, Diagnostic support, Rome, Italy). Our results shows an increase of the total area of support surface (p0.05). The stabilometry results shows an improvement of the orthostatic balance, sway area and the ellipse area decrease respectively 15% (236,9vs201 p≤0.05) and 41% b(p≤0.05). Thus, the energy expenditure of the patient in maintaining the orthostatic position without visual afferences is lower. Rehabilitative treatment in an aquatic environment resulted effective in improving posture and balance in all patients with increased precision in the execution of the step, which implies less effort during walk, less energy consumption and better quality of life.