Combined effects of yacon flour and probiotic yogurt on the metabolic parameters and inflammatory and insulin signaling proteins in high-fat-diet-induced obese mice.

BACKGROUND: Prebiotics and probiotics may be effective dietary components that can alter the gut microbiota of the host and, consequently, overcome imbalances associated with obesity. This work aimed to evaluate the synergistic and isolated effects and mechanisms by which probiotic yogurt containing Bifidobacterium animalis and/or Lactobacillus acidophilus and yacon flour alter metabolic parameters and inflammatory and insulin signaling proteins in diet-induced obese mice. Swiss mice were fed a high-fat diet (n = 48) or a standard diet (control; n = 6) for 56 days. The 42 mice that gained the most weight were selected and divided into seven groups that received different combinations of probiotic yogurt and yacon flour. After 30 days, biochemical parameters (blood glucose, serum total cholesterol, and triacylglycerols), crude fat excretion in feces, and periepididymal fat were assessed and an immunoblotting analysis of insulin signaling proteins and interleukin-1ß was conducted. RESULTS: The combination of yacon flour and a yogurt with two strains of probiotics exerted positive effects on the parameters evaluated, such as decreased body weight (-6.5%; P < 0.05), fasting glucose (-23.1%; P < 0.05), and triacylglycerol levels (-21.4%; P < 0.05) and decreased periepididymal fat accumulation (-44.2%; P < 0.05). There was a decrease in inflammatory markers (P < 0.001) and an improvement in insulin signaling (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of a prebiotic with two strains of probiotics in a food matrix may exert a protective effect against obesity-associated inflammation, improving insulin resistance, even in the short term. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Perception of health-related quality of life, sleep quality and sleepiness index in an educational environment at a dental school in Southeast Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: University entrance is often associated with changes in quality of life, individuals' cognitive and physical behavior. The present study aimed to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL), sleep quality and sleepiness index in dentistry students at a university in Southeast Brazil, in different semesters of their course. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples were obtained from 55 students from the dentistry course at the Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG). For collecting information, validated SF-36 questionnaires (Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey), namely, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), were used as instruments in an educational environment. The relationship between the association of demographic factors and academic performance with SF-36, PSQI and ESS was assessed with an alpha of 0.05. RESULTS: The worst HRQoL parameters reported by the participants were observed in the domains of body pain, vitality, general health perception, and limitations due to emotional and social aspects when associated with the investigated variables. Regarding the relative sleep quality index, differences in the PSQI domains were observed when related to demographic factors and academic performance. There was no significant difference in the sleepiness index of these students according to the mean values of the ESS domains. CONCLUSION: The SF-36, PSQI and ESS questionnaires indicated that it is a reliable instrument for measuring the impact of quality of life on dentistry students. In addition, dentistry students of UNIFAL-MG had poor indicators of quality of life associated with health and an inadequate index of quality of sleep.