Body mass index through self-reported data and body image perception in Spanish adults attending dietary consultation.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore, based on sex and age, knowledge regarding weight, height, and the perception of body shape in Spanish adults who attend dietary consultation. We also wanted to determine the participants' desired body shapes and what they considered their best health status. METHODS: The sample consisted of 8100 women and 1220 men from Spain. They were between the ages of 18 and 75 y. Weight (kg) and height (cm) were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Participants were nutritionally classified following the cutoffs proposed by the World Health Organization. Each individual was asked about his or her weight and height and self-reported BMI was calculated. They also answered a test of body image perception through drawings of human silhouettes that corresponded to an exact BMI. With this, perceived BMI, desired BMI, and BMI considered healthy were estimated. Parametric statistic tests for contrast of mean and percentages were applied. RESULTS: Self-reported and perceived BMI underestimate the BMI obtained through anthropometry. Differences between measured and self-reported BMI are lower in women and increase with age in both sexes. The same result was obtained when comparing measured BMI with perceived BMI through silhouette test. On average, desired BMI and healthy BMI were in the limits of normal weight for all ages and both sexes. However, the difference between them was also lower in women. CONCLUSION: Age and sex influence the perception of excess weight and body image. This could condition the demand of dietary treatment to improve the nutritional status.

Association between adiposity and blood pressure levels between the ages of 6 and 16 years. Analysis in a student population from Madrid, Spain.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The increase in the incidence of hypertension in children can be attributed to the rising prevalence of obesity. The objective is to analyze the impact of overweight and the degree or distribution of adiposity on blood pressure levels in a population of Spanish schoolchildren. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 1511 schoolchildren between 6 years and 16 years of age. We measured weight, height, waist circumference, subcutaneous skinfolds, and blood pressure. Nutritional categories were established on the basis of body mass index, waist-to-height ratio, and percent body fat. According to the National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working Group, subjects whose blood pressure was above the 90th percentile of the standard normal distribution were considered to have high blood pressure. RESULTS: In all, 3.17% of the boys and 3.05% of the girls had high blood pressure. According to odds ratio analysis, the risk of high blood pressure increased in individuals with a body mass index indicative of obesity (7.87-fold in boys, 12.32-fold in girls), with a percent body fat>97th percentile (6.98-fold in boys, 18.51-fold in girls), or with a waist-to-height ratio ≥0.5 (10.56-fold in boys, 7.82-fold in girls). CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obesity increase the risk of high blood pressure in children between 6 years and 16 years of age, although the risk level varies depending on the amount and distribution of adipose tissue. Anthropometric indicators of relative adiposity and fat distribution are especially useful in the identification of children and adolescents with high blood pressure.

Mitos y errores en el diseño de dietas para la recuperacion de un peso saludable / No disponible

Se ha realizado un estudio crítico de los principales gruposde dietas milagro o mágicas, de su aparición, del por quétienen una gran incidencia en muchos núcleos de la población,haciendo especial mención de los errores más gravesque existen en las de mayor significación y llegando a laconclusión de que no son útiles y debemos luchar para queno tengan la importancia que hoy por hoy poseen(AU)

There have carried out a critical study of the principalgroups of diets miracle or magic, of their appearance, ofwhy they have a great incident in many nucleuses of thepopulation, doing special mention of the most seriousmistakes that exist in those of major meaning and comingto the conclusion from that are not useful and that we mustfight in order that they do not have the importance thattoday they possess(AU)

Publicidad de alcohol y tabaco en revistas de divulgación científica españolas / Advertising of alcohol and tobacco in Spanish scientific magazines

Objetivo: comparar diversos aspectos de la publicidadsobre tabaco y bebidas alcohólicas aparecidaen revistas de divulgación científica españolas.Material y método: se realizó un estudio descriptivotransversal analizando la publicidad de variasrevistas durante cuatro años.Resultados: la publicidad de tabaco y alcohol ocupabacasi un 32% de la superficie total de las revistasestudiadas. Predominaba la publicidad debebidas de alta graduación como el whisky, situándosela cerveza entre las que menos espacios publicitariosutiliza.Conclusiones: las revistas de divulgación científicadedican un tercio de su superficie a la publicidad,predominando la de bebidas alcohólicas frente altabaco, aspecto que justifica la necesidad urgentede desarrollar la capacidad de análisis y del espíritucrítico de los consumidores ante la publicidad

Objective: to compare the different aspects of theadvertising of tobacco and alcoholic beverages inSpanish scientific magazines.Material and method: This transversal descriptivestudy analyses the advertising appearing in severalmagazines over a 4-year period.Results: the advertising of tobacco and alcohol occupiednearly a 32% of the total surface of the studiedmagazines. High content beverages such aswhisky were predominant, being beer the least advertisedbeverage.Conclusions: scientific magazines dedicate a thirdof their surface to advertising, with a predominanceof alcoholic beverages vs tobacco. This justifiesthe urgent need to develop the capacity for analysisand critical spirit of consumers in the light ofthis advertising bombardment