Association of Healthy Eating Index and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index with the cell blood count indices.

OBJECTIVES: There is an association between diet quality and markers of inflammation. We aimed to investigate the relationship between diet quality with cell blood count (CBC) and inflammatory indices such as red cell distribution width (RDW) and white blood cell count (WBC). STUDY DESIGN: A total of 367 male subjects aged 20-69 yrs, who were employees of Shahid Hasheminejad Gas Processing Company (SGPC) completed the study. METHODS: All participants completed a questionnaire that contained questions about demography. Standard protocols were used for measuring anthropometric indices in all subjects. Blood samples were collected after a 12 hrs fast from all participants. Biochemical parameters were determined in all participants using an auto-analyzer (Eppendorf, Germany). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. CBC was measured using the Sysmex auto analyser system (KX-21 N). The HEI/AHEI scores extracted from a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to evaluate the diet quality. Data analyses were performed using SPSS 16 (SPSS Inc., IL, and USA). RESULTS: A total of 674 men (aged 43.68±9.09 yrs) completed the study. The CBC indices were not significantly different between the HEI/AHEI classifications among the Iranian men (p-value >0.05 for all variables). Moreover, there was no association between HEI/ AHEI with the CBC indices in our population (p-value >0.05 for all variables). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, there was no association between the diet quality with the cell blood count parameters among Iranian men.

Obese subjects have significantly higher serum prooxidantantioxidant balance values compared to normal-weight subjects.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that obesity is associated with higher levels of oxidative stress. We aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that pro-oxidant antioxidant balance (PAB) values could be affected by adiposity and to assess the association between PAB levels and indices of obesity. METHODS: Subjects (n = 733) were recruited and tlen were divided into 3 groups of normal-weight (BMI < 25, n = 207), overweight (25 < BMI < 30, n = 375), and obese (BMI > 30, n = 151). PAB values were measured in all participants. RESULTS: There was a significant association between PAB values and weight when the correlation was determined for all subjects (p < 0.05). Obese subject had significantly higher levels of PAB values [40.8 (34.3 - 51.1) HK unit] compared with overweight [37.5 (29.7 - 47.3) HK unit] and normal-weight subjects [37.2 (29.6 - 45.2) HK unit] (p < 0.05 in each case). However, there was no significant difference in PAB values between normal and over-weight subjects (p > 0.05). On performing the analysis of covariance, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) was found to have a significant independent association with PAB values (j = 0.046, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The high levels of PAB values in obese subjects without overt signs/symptoms of cardiovascular disease may be related to a heightened state of oxidative stress associated with obesity.

Association between C-reactive protein, pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance and traditional cardiovascular risk factors in an Iranian population.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory states are known to cause an imbalance in the redox status. We aimed to study the possible associations between pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) and serum high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentrations and traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in an unselected Iranian population and in groups of individuals with specific disease. METHODS: The study was conducted among an unselected population of 758 male subjects. Biochemical markers, including hs-CRP and PAB values, were measured. RESULTS: Serum hs-CRP concentrations were positively associated with serum PAB values (r = 0.260, P ≤ 0.001). Univariate analysis showed that PAB values were statistically higher in individuals who were obese or smokers compared with non-obese and non-smokers individuals (P < 0.01). While serum hs-CRP concentrations were significantly higher in older subjects, subjects with obesity, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, central obesity, hypertriglyceridaemia, higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, positive history of CVD and lower physical activity than subjects without these risk factors (P < 0.05). Comparing hs-CRP and PAB values in different CVD risk score subgroups showed a significant incremental rise in both parameters as CVD risk score increased (P < 0.05). Using multiple linear regression analysis we found a strong association between PAB values and hs-CRP concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that among Iranian subjects, the inflammatory marker, hs-CRP, was strongly and positively associated with a marker of oxidative stress and also with several traditional risk factors of CVD. Moreover, the impact of traditional cardiovascular risk factors on hs-CRP concentrations and PAB values differed.