Current perspectives on food: from nutritionism to healthy, supportive, and sustainable food / Perspectivas actuales sobre alimentación: del nutricionismo a la alimentación saludable, solidaria y sustentable

Abstract Of the many discourses on nutrition and food, two opposing perspectives stand out. On the one hand, "nutritionism" emerged strongly in the last decades, reducing the concept of food to the presence or absence of nutrients and the concept of health to the absence of diseases, a discourse that has influenced modern nutritional and food sciences, as well as the conceptualization of the current corporate food regime. On the other hand, "healthy, supportive, and sustainable food" is a re-emerging perspective associated with the traditional ancestral food system and is founded on the principle of common good since millennia ago. This paper presents a reflection on these two perspectives, taking into account the historical scenario and the socio-political context that characterize them, in order to contribute to the recognition of a food paradigm consistent with the Millennium Development Goals and the human right to food. In addition, this reflection aims to assess the progress that has been made in Colombia to achieve healthy, supportive, and sustainable eating practices in the general population.

Resumen Entre los múltiples discursos sobre nutrición y alimentación, hay dos perspectivas opuestas que se destacan: por una parte, el "nutricionismo", que emergió con gran protagonismo en las últimas décadas y reduce el concepto de alimentación a la presencia o no de nutrientes, y el de salud, a la ausencia de enfermedades, discurso que ha influenciado las ciencias nutricionales y alimentarias modernas y la conceptualización del actual régimen alimentario corporativo, y por otra parte, la "alimentación saludable, solidaria y sustentable", una perspectiva reemergente asociada al sistema alimentario tradicional ancestral constituido a partir de la ética del bien común desde hace miles de años. El presente artículo presenta una reflexión sobre estas dos perspectivas, teniendo en cuenta el panorama histórico y el entorno sociopolítico que las caracterizan, con el propósito de contribuir al reconocimiento de un paradigma alimentario que esté en línea con los objetivos de desarrollo del milenio y con el derecho humano a la alimentación. Además, esta reflexión pretende valorar los avances que se han realizado en Colombia para lograr una alimentación saludable, solidaria y sustentable en la población general.

Policy action initiatives against obesity in Colombia: a literature review using the NOURISHING framework methodology Colombian policy actions against obesity / Iniciativas de acción de política contra la obesidad en Colombia: una revisión de la literatura a partir de la metodología del marco NOURISHING

Abstract Introduction: In Colombia, obesity is a public health problem that must be addressed by the government through policy action initiatives (PAIs), that is, governmental actions that may or may not be implemented. Objective: To identify PAIs and policy action evaluations (PAEs) against obesity formulated in Colombia since 2005 using the NOURISHING framework methodology. Materials and methods: The search for evidence was conducted between March and August 2019 (with an update in August 2020) as follows: PAIs in government and civil society organization websites. and PAEs in PubMed, SciELO and the Sinergia repository. PAIs were classified according to NOURISHING policy areas. Results: A total of 42 PAIs with 82 lines of action were found: 16 (24 lines) implemented, 17 (37 lines) not implemented, and 9 (21 lines) with insufficient information to determine their implementation (21 lines). These PAIs encompassed all the NOURISHING framework policy areas. The implemented PAIs have more lines of action in the "Harness food supply chain and actions across sectors" area (8/24), while those that have not been implemented have more lines in the "Restrict food and beverage advertising" area (10/37). There were 13 PAEs, and most of them were about food security PAIs focused on food supply (4/13). Conclusions: Colombia has PAIs against obesity that address all the policy areas of the NOURISHING framework. Implemented PAIs focus on food supply, while non-implemented PAIs focus on regulatory measures. A greater government commitment is required in the implementation of PAIs that allow improving the dietary habits of the Colombian population, which will help reduce obesity rates in the country in the medium and long term.

Resumen Introducción. En Colombia, la obesidad es un problema de salud pública que el gobierno debe abordar mediante iniciativas de acción de política (IAP), es decir, acciones gubernamentales que pueden estar implementadas o no. Objetivo. Identificar, mediante la metodología del marco NOURISHING, las IAP y las evaluaciones de acción de política (EAP) contra la obesidad formuladas en Colombia desde 2005. Materiales y métodos. La búsqueda de la evidencia se realizó entre marzo y agosto de 2019 (con una actualización en agosto de 2020) de la siguiente manera: IAP: en sitios web del gobierno y de organizaciones de la sociedad civil; EAP: en PubMed, SciELO y el repositorio Sinergia. Las IAP se clasificaron en las áreas de política del marco NOURISHING. Resultados. Se encontraron 42 IAP con 82 líneas de actuación: 16 (24 líneas) implementadas, 17 (37 líneas) no implementadas, y 9 (21 líneas) sin información suficiente para determinar su implementación (21 líneas). Las IAP abordan todas las áreas de política del marco NOURISHING. Las IAP implementadas tienen más líneas en el área "Habilitar acciones multisectoriales y de suministro de alimentos" (8/24), mientras que las no implementadas, en "Restringir la publicidad de alimentos y bebidas" (10/37). Se identificaron 13 EAP, donde la mayoría fueron sobre IAP en seguridad alimentaria orientadas al suministro de alimentos (4/13). Conclusiones. Colombia tiene IAP contra la obesidad que abarcan todas las áreas de política del marco NOURISHING. Las IAP implementadas se enfocan en el suministro de alimentos y las no implementadas, en medidas regulatorias. Se requiere un mayor compromiso del gobierno en la implementación de IAP sobre medidas regulatorias que permitan mejorar los hábitos alimentarios de la población colombiana, lo que, en el mediano y largo plazo, ayudará a reducir las tasas de obesidad en el país en el mediano y largo plazo.

Can Food and Beverage Advertising Questionnaire Predict Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents from Low- and Middle-Income Countries?

Background: Information about the reliability and validity of questionnaires in low- and middle-income countries remains scarce. Objective: To test the reliability and predictive validity of a food and beverage marketing/advertising questionnaire for South American children and adolescents. Methods: A sample of 330 children (3-10 years old) and 215 adolescents (11-18 years old) was included from seven South American cities: Buenos Aires, Lima, Medellín, Montevideo, Santiago, Sao Paulo, and Teresina. The questionnaire consisted of seven questions about food and beverage marketing/advertising and decision influence. We assessed the reliability using temporal stability (2-week interval) and internal consistency. We assessed the predictive validity based on the risk of excess weight. Results: In children, reliability agreement from κ coefficients ranged from 63.7% to 86.3%, and Cronbach's α (internal consistency estimate) ranged from 0.14 to 0.75. In adolescents, the reliability agreement ranged from 78.9% to 85.7%, and Cronbach's α ranged from 0.14 to 0.76. Exploratory factor analysis revealed two factors for both age groups. The predictive probabilities for excess weight ranged from 22.3% to 61.1% in children and from 24.9% to 64.1% in adolescents. Conclusions: The screen/marketing media questionnaire is a reliable and valid measure for the pediatric population from low- and middle-income countries. This subjective tool provides a feasible screening measure for the influence of advertising on children and adolescents at risk of overweight and obesity.

Evaluation of the Validity of a Food Frequency Questionnaire and 24-Hour Dietary Recall to Assess Dietary Iron Intake in Children and Adolescents from the South American Youth/Child Cardiovascular and Environmental Study.

BACKGROUND: A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for South American children and adolescents was developed, but its validity for assessing dietary iron intake has not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the validity of the FFQ and 24-hour dietary recalls (24h-DR) for assessing dietary iron intake in children and adolescents. DESIGN: The South American Youth/Child Cardiovascular and Environmental study is a multicenter observational study, conducted in five South American cities: Buenos Aires (Argentina), Lima (Peru), Medellin (Colombia), Sao Paulo, and Teresina (Brazil). The FFQ assessed dietary intake over the previous 3 months, and the 24h-DR was completed three times (2 weekdays and 1 weekend day) with a minimum 5-day interval between recalls. Blood samples were collected to assess serum iron, ferritin, and hemoglobin levels. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Data of 99 children (aged 3 to 10 years) and 50 adolescents (aged 11 to 17 years) from public and private schools were collected during 2015 to 2017. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Dietary iron intake calculated from the FFQ (using the sum of daily iron intake in all food/food groups) and 24h-DR (mean of 3 days using the multiple source method). STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Dietary iron intake in relation to blood biomarkers were assessed using Spearman rank correlations adjusted for sex, age, and total energy intake, and the quadratic weighted κ coefficients for agreement. RESULTS: Spearman correlations showed very good coefficients (range = 0.78 to 0.85) for the FFQ in both age groups; for the 24h-DR, the coefficients were weak in children and adolescents (range = 0.23 to 0.28). The agreement ranged from 59.9% to 72.9% for the FFQ and from 63.9% to 81.9% for the 24h-DR. CONCLUSION: The South American Youth/Child Cardiovascular and Environmental study FFQ exhibited good validity to rank total dietary iron intake in children and adolescents, and as well as the 24h-DR, presented good strength of agreements when compared with serum iron and ferritin levels.

Individualised prognosis for risk of developing abdominal obesity in the paediatric population.

AIMS: To develop and validate risk scores for predicting abdominal obesity in South American children and adolescents based on extrinsic and intrinsic variables. METHODS: Children (n = 358) and adolescents (n = 369) from seven South American cities from the South American Youth Cardiovascular and Environmental (SAYCARE) Study. The primary outcome was abdominal obesity. Potential predictors were based on sociodemographic, maternal, environmental, and behavioural factors and nutritional status. In multilevel logistic models, associated variables were tested to build the scores, which were internally validated. RESULTS: We identified 120 children and 98 adolescents who were abdominally obese. We found at least five variables associated with the outcome in children with unacceptable predictive capacity. However, in adolescents, we found that biological sex, age, maternal body mass index (BMI), active commuting by bike, soft drink consumption (for risk score A), and weight (for score B) can predict abdominal obesity. Both scores, A and B, showed acceptable performance in the ROC curve [areas under curve: 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56-0.82) and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.89-1.00), respectively]. CONCLUSION: The SAYCARE risk scores present accurate, individualised estimates for identifying adolescents who are at risk of developing abdominal obesity. However, these have not been externally validated.

Enfermedades cardiometabólicas y la mortalidad por el COVID-19 en el inicio de la pandemia en Colombia / Cardiometabolic Diseases and Mortality due to COVID-19 During the Pandemic's Onset in Colombia / Doenças cardiometabólicas e mortalidade por COVID-19 no início da pandemia na Colômbia

Resumen: el escenario de la pandemia actual derivada del COVID-19, infección causada por el virus denominado SARS-CoV-2, ha permitido develar la interacción entre enfermedades infecciosas y enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles, de manera que ha aportado hallazgos que sugieren un aumento en las tasas de mortalidad por COVID-19. El objetivo de este artículo es describir las características sociodemográficas y de morbilidad en los fallecimientos ocurridos en Colombia por COVID-19 al 19 de mayo del 2020. Es un estudio descriptivo a partir de reportes del Instituto Nacional de Salud, sobre fallecimientos de casos positivos por COVID-19, del 6 de marzo al 19 de mayo del 2020. La información sobre factores preexistentes se obtuvo de reportes del periódico El Tiempo en notas de prensa publicadas al respecto. Se realizó análisis descriptivo en Excel y SPSS v25. Se identificaron 613 fallecimientos en el periodo. El mayor número de muertes ocurrió en Bogotá D. C. (35,0 %), seguida de Valle de Cauca (10,4 %), Cartagena (8,6 %), Amazonas (7,2 %) y Meta (5,6 %). La edad promedio de las defunciones fue 67,26 ± 16,28 años, siendo el grupo de edad de 60-79 años en el que más muertes se presentaron, con el 50,7 % de los casos. El 60,8 % de las defunciones ocurrió en personas de sexo masculino, y un 80,1 % tenían alguna morbilidad: 36,2 % padecía hipertensión, 19,2 % diabetes mellitus, 17,1 % EPOC, 16,5 % alguna enfermedad cardiovascular, 11,1 % obesidad y un 16,2 % padecía otro tipo de enfermedad sin especificar. El antecedente de morbilidad por patologías cardiometabólicas asociadas con factores alimentarios y nutricionales favorece la mortalidad en personas infectadas por COVID-19 en Colombia.

Abstract: the current scenario derived from the COVID-19 Infection caused by the virus denominated SARS-CoV-2 has uncovered the interaction between infectious diseases and chronic non-communicable diseases, thus providing findings that suggest an increase in covid-19 mortality rates. The objective of this article is to describe the sociodemographic and morbidity characteristics of deaths occurring In Colombia due to COVID-19 as at May 19,2020. This Is a descriptive study based on reports from the National Institute of Health, on deaths of positive cases due to COVID-19, from March 6 to May 19, 2020. Information on pre-existing factors was obtained from reports on the newspaper El Tiempo in press releases published on the subject. Descriptive analysis was performed in Excel and SPSS v25. 613 deaths were Identified In the period. The highest number of deaths occurred in Bogota D. C. (35.0%), followed by Valle de Cauca (10.4%), Cartagena (8.6%), Amazonas (7.2%) and Meta (5.6%). The average age of the deaths was 67.26 ± 16.28 years, with the 60-79 age group accounting for 50.7 % of the deaths. A total of 60.8 % of the deaths occurred In males, and 80.1 % had some form of morbidity: 36.2% suffered from hypertension, 19.2% from diabetes mellitus, 17.1 % EPOC, 16.5% some cardiovascular disease, 11.1 % obesity and 16.2% other type of unspecified disease. The history of morbidity due to cardiometabolic pathologies associated with dietary and nutritional factors favors mortality In persons infected by COVID-19 in Colombia.

Resumo: o cenário da atual pandemia decorrente da COVID-19, Infecção causada pelo virus chamado SARS-CoV-2, revelou a interação entre doenças Infecciosas e doenças crónicas não transmissíveis, de modo que tem fornecido achados que sugerem um aumento nas taxas de mortalidade por COVID-19. O objetivo deste artigo é descrever as características sociodemográficas e de comorbidade das mortes na Colombia por COVID-19 até o día 19 de maio de 2020. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo baseado em relatórios do Instituto Nacional de Saúde, sobre mortes de casos positivos para COVID-19, de 6 de março a 19 de maio de 2020. Informações sobre fatores pré-existentes foram obtidas de reportagens do jornal El Tiempo em comunicados à imprensa sobre o assunto. A análise descritiva foi realizada no Excel e no SPSS v25. Foram identificadas 613 mortes no período. O maior número de mortes ocorreu na cidade de Bogotá D. C. (35,0 %), seguida por Valle de Cauca (10,4 %), Cartagena (8,6 %), Amazonas (7,2 %) e Meta (5,6 %). A média de idade dos óbitos foi de 67,26 ± 16,28 anos, em que a faixa etária de 60 a 79 anos teve mais óbitos, com 50,7 % dos casos. 60,8 % dos óbitos ocorreram no sexo masculino, e 80,1 % apresentaram alguma comorbidade: 36,2 % sofriam de hipertensão, 19,2 % diabetes mellitus, 17,1 % DPOC, 16,5 % doenças cardiovasculares, 11,1 % obesos e 16,2 % tinham outra doença não especificada. A história de comorbidade por patologias cardiometabólicas associadas a fatores alimentares e nutricionais favorece a mortalidade em pessoas infectadas com COVID-19 na Colômbia.

Metabolic syndrome may be associated with a lower prevalence of iron deficiency in Ecuadorian women of reproductive age.

The present study aimed to assess the associations of the stages of Fe deficiency (Fe deficiency without anaemia (ID) and Fe-deficiency anaemia (IDA)) and anaemia with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Ecuadorian women. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 5894 women aged 20-59 years, based on data from the 2012 Ecuadorian National Health and Nutrition Survey. The sample was stratified by age. A χ2 test was used to assess the possible associations of ID, IDA and anaemia with MetS. The prevalence ratio (PR) for each stage of Fe deficiency and anaemia was estimated considering women without MetS as a reference. The total prevalence of MetS, ID, IDA and anaemia was 32⋅3 % (se 0⋅6), 6⋅2 % (se 0⋅3), 7⋅1 % (se 0⋅3) and 5⋅0 % (se 0⋅3), respectively. In women aged 20-29, 30-39 and 40-49 years, MetS was associated with a lower prevalence of ID (PR (95 % CI; P-value)): 0⋅17 (0⋅06, 0⋅46; P < 0⋅001), 0⋅69 (0⋅48, 0⋅99; P = 0⋅044) and 0⋅44 (0⋅29, 0⋅67; P < 0⋅001), respectively. In women aged 50-59 years, MetS was associated with IDA and anaemia (PR (95 % CI; P-value)): 0⋅12 (0⋅02, 0⋅96; P = 0⋅026) and 0⋅22 (0⋅07, 0⋅64; P = 0⋅002), respectively. In conclusion, Ecuadorian women of reproductive age with MetS have a lower prevalence of ID compared with those without MetS. Furthermore, the MetS and IDA coexist at the population level. These findings require an analysis from a dietary pattern approach, which could provide key elements for developing public policies that simultaneously address all forms of malnutrition.

Inequalities in food consumption the Colombian households: Results from the National Survey of Nutritional Status / Desigualdades en el consumo de alimentos en hogares colombianos: Resultados de la Encuesta Nacional de Situación Nutricional / Desigualdades no consumo de alimentos em lares colombianos: Resultados da Enquete Nacional de Situação Nutricional

Abstract Introduction: adverse socioeconomic conditions may cause food intake characterized by inequality that derives in malnutrition increases. Objective. To identify inequalities in food consumption among the Colombian population according to socioeconomic status and the food security classification for households. Methods. The data were obtained from the 2005 National Survey of Nutritional Status, and the analysis used the first 24-hour recall n=39,413 Colombians. The statistical analysis took into account descriptive statistics and 95% confidence intervals. A multivariate analysis was performed through multinomial logistic regression models, with each of the food groups as a dependent variable. Finally, a latent class analysis was performed to understand the heterogeneity of the inequalities in food consumption in the households. Results. Low-socioeconomic status households showed higher consumption of cereals, tubers and plantains, non-alcoholic beverages, and fats. I contrast, higher socioeconomic status households showed higher consumption of dairy products, fruit, vegetables, and sugars/sweets. The food security classification found that food-secure households had a higher consumption of meat, dairy, vegetables, fruit, and sugars/sweets. Households classified as food-insecure showed a higher consumption of cereals, tubers and plantains, and non-alcoholic beverages. The consumption of tubers and plantains showed a clear social gradient, in higher socioeconomic status there was lower consumption probability of those products. Conclusion. There are inequalities in food consumption in Colombia according to socioeconomic status and the food security classification; therefore, people and families with the most unfavorable socioeconomic status have diets with less nutritional value.

Resumen Objetivo: Identificar las inequidades en el consumo de alimentos según nivel socioeconómico y clasificación de seguridad alimentaria de los hogares colombianos. Métodos: Los datos provienen de la Encuesta Nacional de la Situación Nutricional de 2005, y se utilizó el primer recordatorio de 24 horas n=39,413 colombianos. El análisis estadístico tuvo en cuenta estadística descriptiva e intervalos de confianza del 95%. Se realizó un análisis de regresión logística multinomial, con cada uno de los grupos de alimentos como una variable dependiente. Finalmente, se realizó un análisis de clases latentes para capturar la heterogeneidad de las inequidades en el consumo de alimentos en los hogares. Resultados: Los hogares clasificados con un nivel socioeconómico bajo mostraron un mayor consumo de cereales, tubérculos/plátanos, bebidas no alcohólicas y grasas. Por otro lado, se observó que un nivel socioeconómico alto conllevó un mayor consumo de lácteos, frutas, verduras y azúcares/postres. Según clasificación de seguridad alimentaria, los hogares considerados en seguridad tenían un mayor consumo de carne, lácteos, verduras, frutas y azúcares/postres. Los hogares clasificados en inseguridad alimentaria mostraron mayor consumo de cereales, tubérculos/plátanos, y bebidas no alcohólicas. El consumo de tubérculos y plátanos mostró un gradiente social, con menor probabilidad de consumo a mayor nivel socioeconómico. Conclusión: Existen inequidades en el consumo de alimentos en Colombia según nivel socioeconómico y clasificación de seguridad alimentaria, por tanto, las personas y familias en estado socioeconómico más desfavorable tienen dietas con menor valor nutricional.

Resumo Objetivo: Identificar as desigualdades no consumo de alimentos segundo o nível socioeconômico e classificação de segurança alimentar dos lares colombianos. Métodos: Os dados provêm da Enquete Nacional da Situação Nutricional de 2005, e se utilizou o primeiro lembrete de 24 horas n=39,413 colombianos. A análise estatístico levando em conta Estatísticas descritiva e intervalos de confiança de 95%. Realizou-se uma análise de regressão logística multinominal, com cada um dos grupos de alimentos como uma variável dependente. Finalmente, realizou-se uma análise de classes latentes para capturar a heterogeneidade das desigualdades no consumo de alimentos nos lares. Resultados: Os lares classificados com um nível socioeconómico baixo amostraram um maior consumo de cereais, tubérculos/ banana da terra, bebidas não alcoólicas e gorduras. Por outro lado, observou-se que um nível socioeconómico alto tem um maior consumo de lácteos, frutas, verduras e açúcares/sobremesas. Segundo a clasificação de segurança alimentar, os lares considerados em segurança tinham um maior consumo de carne, lácteos, verduras, frutas e açúcares/sobremesas. Os lares classificados em insegurança alimentar evidenciaram maior consumo de cereais, tubérculos/banana da terra, e bebidas não alcoólicas. O consumo de tubérculos e banana da terra evidenciou uma desigualdade social, com menor probabilidade de consumo no nível socioeconômico mais alto. Conclusão: Existem desigualdades no consumo de alimentos na Colômbia de acordo com o nível socioeconômico e classificação de segurança alimentar. Deste modo, as pessoas e famílias em condições socioeconômicos mais desfavoráveis têm dietas com menor valor nutricional.

Reliability and validity of an FFQ for South American children and adolescents from the SAYCARE study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyse the reliability and validity of a semi-quantitative FFQ to assess food group consumption in South American children and adolescents. DESIGN: The SAYCARE (South American Youth/Child cARdiovascular and Environmental) study is an observational, multicentre, feasibility study performed in a sample of 3- to 18-year-old children and adolescents attending private and public schools from six South American countries. Participants answered the FFQ twice with a two-week interval and three 24-h dietary recalls. Intraclass and Spearman's correlations, weighted Cohen's kappa (κw), percentage of agreement and energy-adjusted Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated. SETTING: Seven cities in South America (Buenos Aires, Lima, Medelin, Montevideo, Santiago, Sao Paulo and Teresina). SUBJECTS: A sample of 200 children and 244 adolescents for reliability analyses and 252 children and 244 adolescents for validity analyses were included. RESULTS: Depending on the food group, for children and adolescents, reliability analyses resulted in Spearman's coefficients from 0·47 to 0·73, intraclass correlation coefficients from 0·66 to 0·99, κw coefficients from 0·35 to 0·63, and percentage of agreement between 72·75 and 83·52 %. In the same way, validity analyses resulted in Spearman's coefficients from 0·17 to 0·37, energy-adjusted Pearson's coefficients from 0·17 to 0·61, κw coefficients from 0·09 to 0·24, and percentages of agreement between 45·79 and 67·06 %. CONCLUSION: The SAYCARE FFQ achieved reasonable reliability and slight-moderate validity for almost all food groups intakes. Accordingly, it can be used for the purpose of ranking the intake of individuals within a population.

Metabolic Syndrome Among Young Health Professionals in the Multicenter Latin America Metabolic Syndrome Study.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components increase the risk of a number of chronic diseases. Evidence regarding its prevalence among health professionals, particularly in Latin America, is limited. The purpose of this study was to assess the overall prevalence of MS and its components among health professionals and students from five Latin American countries. Methods: A cross-sectional multicenter study entitled LATIN America METabolic Syndrome (LATINMETS) was conducted on five groups of apparently healthy volunteer subjects. Sociodemographic factors, lifestyle variables (smoking and physical activity), anthropometric measurements (weight, height, and waist circumference), standard biochemical analyses [triglycerides, glucose, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)], and blood pressure measurements were assessed. MS was diagnosed based on internationally harmonized criteria. Associations between MS components and sociodemographic, lifestyle, and anthropometric variables were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Results: A total of 1,032 volunteers (n = 316-Mexico, n = 285-Colombia, n = 223-Brazil, n = 132-Paraguay, and n = 76-Argentina) were recruited. The majority of them were women (71.9%), students (55.4%), and younger than 28 years (67.2%). The overall prevalence of age-standardized MS was 15.5% (23.1% men and 12.2% women). The majority (59.3%) presented at least one MS component, mainly abdominal obesity (29.7%) and low HDL-C levels (27.5%). After adjusting for age and sex, MS and its components were positively associated with being overweight or obese. Conclusions: MS prevalence in this study was similar to that generally found among young populations in Latin-American countries. More than half of the sample had at least one MS component, suggesting that preventive measures and treatments aimed at achieving low-risk health status are essential in this population.

Global benchmarking of children's exposure to television advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages across 22 countries.

Restricting children's exposures to marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages is a global obesity prevention priority. Monitoring marketing exposures supports informed policymaking. This study presents a global overview of children's television advertising exposure to healthy and unhealthy products. Twenty-two countries contributed data, captured between 2008 and 2017. Advertisements were coded for the nature of foods and beverages, using the 2015 World Health Organization (WHO) Europe Nutrient Profile Model (should be permitted/not-permitted to be advertised). Peak viewing times were defined as the top five hour timeslots for children. On average, there were four times more advertisements for foods/beverages that should not be permitted than for permitted foods/beverages. The frequency of food/beverages advertisements that should not be permitted per hour was higher during peak viewing times compared with other times (P < 0.001). During peak viewing times, food and beverage advertisements that should not be permitted were higher in countries with industry self-regulatory programmes for responsible advertising compared with countries with no policies. Globally, children are exposed to a large volume of television advertisements for unhealthy foods and beverages, despite the implementation of food industry programmes. Governments should enact regulation to protect children from television advertising of unhealthy products that undermine their health.

Reliability and validity of body weight and body image perception in children and adolescents from the South American Youth/Child Cardiovascular and Environmental (SAYCARE) Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability and validity of body weight (BW) and body image (BI) perception reported by parents (in children) and by adolescents in a South American population. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. BW perception was evaluated by the question, 'Do you think you/your child are/is: severely wasted, wasted, normal weight, overweight, obese?' BI perception was evaluated using the Gardner scale. To evaluate reliability, BW and BI perceptions were reported twice, two weeks apart. To evaluate validity, the BW and BI perceptions were compared with WHO BMI Z-scores. Kappa and Kendall's tau-c coefficients were obtained. SETTING: Public and private schools and high schools from six countries of South America (Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil).ParticipantsChildren aged 3-10 years (n 635) and adolescents aged 11-17 years (n 400). RESULTS: Reliability of BW perception was fair in children's parents (κ=0·337) and substantial in adolescents (κ=0·709). Validity of BW perception was slight in children's parents (κ=0·176) and fair in adolescents (κ=0·268). When evaluating BI, most children were perceived by parents as having lower weight. Reliability of BI perception was slight in children's parents (κ=0·124) and moderate in adolescents (κ=0·599). Validity of BI perception was poor in children's parents (κ=-0·018) and slight in adolescents (κ=0·023). CONCLUSIONS: Reliability of BW and BI perceptions was higher in adolescents than in children's parents. Validity of BW perception was good among the parents of the children and adolescents with underweight and normal weight.

Unhealthy dietary patterns among healthcare professionals and students in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: While dietary patterns (DPs) enable the combination of foods that make up a person's habitual diet to be known, little is known about the DPs of health sector professionals. The objective of this study was to describe the DPs of healthcare students and professionals and assess their association with sociodemographic, lifestyle, anthropometric and biochemical characteristics. METHODS: Cross-sectional design. A sample (n = 319) of healthcare students and professionals in apparent good health who studied or worked at the University of Guadalajara (Mexico) was selected. A semiquantitative food intake frequency questionnaire validated on a Mexican population was administered. Questions covering sociodemographic factors, smoking habits and physical activity were asked. Weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure, triglycerides, glucose, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and total cholesterol were also measured. DPs were generated from a principal components analysis of 25 food groups, and associations were analyzed using logistic regression adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS: The majority of participants were younger than 29 years (84%), women (71.2%) and students (59.6%). Three DPs were identified: "Traditional Westernized", "Healthy" and "Animal protein and alcoholic beverages". After adjustment, the "Traditional Westernized" DP was positively associated with being younger than 22 years (OR: 2.15; 95%CI: 1.1-4.1); the "Healthy" DP was positively associated with having a daily energy expenditure from physical activity greater than 605 kcal (OR: 4.19; 95%CI: 2.3-7.5), and it was negatively associated with being younger than 22 years (OR: 0.48; 95%CI: 0.2-0.9); and the "Animal protein and alcoholic beverages" DP was positively associated with being male (OR: 3.07; 95%CI: 1.8-5.1) and a smoker (OR: 2.77; 95%CI: 1.2-6.3). No association was found between DPs and anthropometric and biochemical characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Among the participants evaluated, healthy DP was associated with being physically active while unhealthy DPs were associated with being younger than 22 years, male and a smoker. These data suggest that being knowledgeable about health does not ensure that individuals will engage in healthy behaviors. As is the case among the general population, training and individual efforts aimed at achieving healthy behaviors must be reinforced by initiatives undertaken by social groups, social institutions, the community at large as well as political and business leaders.

Measuring Socioeconomic Status and Environmental Factors in the SAYCARE Study in South America: Reliability of the Methods.

OBJECTIVE: This paper aimed to test the reliability of two questionnaires in studies involving children and adolescents (aged 3-18 years) in seven South American cities. One assesses socioeconomic status (SES) and the other measures environmental factors. METHODS: The SES questionnaire was composed of 14 questions, which included the presence of several consumer goods, domestic services, family income, parental education level, and current parental occupation status. The environmental questionnaire was composed of 15 questions to measure the social and infrastructure characteristics of the area of residence. Parents or guardians completed the questionnaires on behalf of their children. Adolescents answered the questions themselves for environmental factors, while those related to SES factors were answered by their parents or guardians. We analyzed the reliability of the questionnaires through kappa coefficient determination. Multilevel linear regression models were applied to calculate the correlation between the total household scores, the household income, and parents' education level. RESULTS: The environmental questionnaire showed good reproducibility in both age groups (k = 0.132-0.612 in children and k = 0.392-0.746 in adolescents). The SES questionnaire showed strong reliability in both age groups for all indicators (k = 0.52-1.00 in children and k = 0.296-0.964 in adolescents). CONCLUSIONS: Our multiple indicator questionnaires focused on environmental factors and SES in pediatric health surveys provided useful and easily applicable additional indicators to measure these important determinants of cardiovascular health.

Development of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Assessing Dietary Intake in Children and Adolescents in South America.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the development of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess dietary intake in South American children and adolescents. METHODS: A total of 345 children (aged 3-10 years) and 357 adolescents (aged 11-17 years) were included for analysis. The FFQ was designed to be self-administered and to assess dietary intake over the past 3 months. It was developed in Spanish and translated into Portuguese. Multiple approaches were considered to compile the food list, and 11 food groups were included. A food photo booklet was produced as supporting material. RESULTS: The FFQ items maintained a common core list among centers (47 items) and country-specific foods. The FFQ for Buenos Aires and Lima had a total of 63 items; there were 55 items for the FFQ in Medelin, 60 items for Montevideo, 58 items for Santiago, 67 items for Sao Paulo, and 68 items for Teresina. Alcohol was also incorporated in the adolescents' FFQ. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a semiquantitative, culturally adapted FFQ to assess dietary intake in children and adolescents in South America. It has an optimal size allowing its completion in a high proportion of the population; therefore, it can be used in epidemiological studies with South American children and adolescents.

Design and Objectives of the South American Youth/Child Cardiovascular and Environmental (SAYCARE) Study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to introduce the overarching study design of the South American Youth/Child Cardiovascular and Environmental (SAYCARE) study, which is an observational multicenter feasibility study held in seven South American cities: Buenos Aires (Argentina), Lima (Peru), Medellin (Colombia), Montevideo (Uruguay), Santiago (Chile), and São Paulo and Teresina (Brazil). Children and adolescents (3-17 years of age) were studied. METHODS: The data management systems, quality assurance monitoring activities, standardized operating procedure manuals, and training and study management are addressed in this paper. Various quality controls to ensure the collection of valid and reliable data are also discussed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Data were obtained from 237 preschoolers and schoolchildren and 258 adolescents during the validation phase measurements. The results of the SAYCARE study are expected to provide higher accuracy in the assessment of cardiovascular disease risk factors, including eating behaviors, body composition, physical activity, sedentary behaviors, lipid profiles and cardiovascular health biomarkers, oral health, social conditions, environmental factors and home environment, and their determinants in children and adolescents from ages 3 to 17 in seven South American cities.

Concentrations of Plasma Free Palmitoleic and Dihomo-Gamma Linoleic Fatty Acids Are Higher in Children with Abdominal Obesity.

Increased plasma free fatty acids (FFAs) are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in adults with abdominal obesity (AO). However, this association remains controversial in children. This study analyzed plasma FFA concentration in children with and without AO. Twenty-nine children classified with AO were matched by age and sex with 29 non-obese individuals. Blood samples were collected after fasting for 10-12 h. Plasma concentration of glucose, insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were determined by automatized methods. FFAs were analyzed by gas chromatography. Children with and without AO had similar age (7.1 ± 2.6 vs. 7.2 ± 2.7 years; p > 0.05) but obese children showed higher (p < 0.05) body mass index (BMI) (+4.3 kg/m²), systolic blood pressure (+5.1 mmHg), and insulin (+27.8 pmol/L). There were no significant differences in plasma total FFA concentration between groups (1.02 ± 0.61 vs. 0.89 ± 0.37 mmol/L; p > 0.05). However, children with AO had higher palmitoleic acid (0.94 vs. 0.70 wt %; p < 0.05) and dihomo-gamma linoleic acid (DHGL) (2.76 vs. 2.07 wt %; p < 0.05). Palmitoleic and DHGL acids correlated (p < 0.05) with BMI (r = 0.397; r = 0.296, respectively) and with waist circumference (r = 0.380; r = 0.276, respectively). Palmitoleic acid correlated positively with systolic blood pressure (r = 0.386; p < 0.05) and negatively with HDL-C (-0.572; p < 0.01). In summary, children with AO have higher plasmatic concentrations of free palmitoleic and DHGL fatty acids, which correlate with cardiometabolic risk factors.

Gaceta Sanitaria se suma a la iniciativa REWARD para mejorar la investigación biomédica y reducir el desperdicio en ciencia / Gaceta Sanitaria joins the REWARD initiative to improve biomedical research and reduce waste in science

No disponible

Gaceta Sanitaria en 2016. Una nueva etapa, fortalecimiento de eGaceta e internacionalización / Gaceta Sanitaria in 2016. A new stage; the strengthening of e-Gaceta and its internationalisation

No disponible