Evaluation of lipoproteins and high sensitivity crp in consumers of bakery products.

Background: In recent years, a wider range of bakery products with a lower glycaemic response can be observed in the food industry. This contributes to the provision of a wider range of cereal bakery products. The gradual increase in the consumption of brown bread is significant, but despite this, white bread remains a part of the typical Western diet. Studies showed high intake of carbohydrates increase TG levels by enhancing hepatic synthesis of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and decrease activity of lipoprotein lipase. White bread consumption has been therefore associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the consumption of gluten bakery products on lipids and inflammatory parameters of the probands. Material and Methods: The monitored group consisted of 30 probands from the general population. The average age of the monitored group was 29.7 years. The intervention dose consisted of a different combination of several types of bakery products containing gluten (bread, pastries, soft pastries) within the individual weeks of consumption, while the intervention lasted 6 weeks. An intervention dose of 150 to 200 g per day was set for women and 200 to 250 g per day for men. Biochemical blood parameters were determined using a fully automatic Biolis 24i Premium blood serum biochemical analyzer, by end-point photometry method. We tested the differences between the biochemic parameters by one-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) and compared them by Tuckey's Post Hoc Test. Results: The measurement of the lipid profile showed that the average levels of total cholesterol (TC) were above the reference value (<5.00 mmol. l-1) in each of the three performed measurements (P˂0.01). In the case of LDL, we found a similar trend in the development of lipoprotein values, while we positively evaluate a slight reduction of LDL in the measurement immediately after the intervention (P˂0.001). Certain changes during the study were also noted in HDL parameters with high statistical significance (P˂0.001). During the TG analysis, we found that probands have normal values(0.45-2.70 mmol. l-1). A reduction in average TG values was achieved in individual measurements, but without statistical significance (P˃0.05). In high sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) parameters was achieved a bell curve of the development of average values, with a maximum measured immediately after the intervention. Changes in hs-CRP during the study were without statistical significance (P˃0.05). Conclusions: The measurement of the lipid profile showed that the average levels of TC, LDL and HDL, there were above the reference value in each of the three measurements performed. Through the analysis of TG, we found normal values and during the study there was a slight decrease. Furthermore, we found that intervention with bakery products containing gluten was associated with an increase in hs-CRP levels in our probands.

The use of portable abdominal bioimpedance analyzer Yscope in the assessment of abdominal obesity.

BACKGROUND: Obesity, especially abdominal obesity, is strongly correlated with metabolic and other health risks. Diagnosis and assessment of obesity is important in clinical and routine preventive practice. From the point of view of risk, it is necessary to distinguish not only the area of fat tissue accumulation, but also its type. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to use a new portable abdominal bioimpedance analyzer, which is intended for the area of abdominal adipose tissue, as part of the evaluation of the body structure of a selected group of volunteers with a focus on the differentiation of subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue and to assess its usefulness in practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Body composition was analyzed using a portable abdominal bioimpedance analyzer Yscope (PA-BIA) in combination with a bioimpedance device InBody 970 (high-frequency bioelectrical impedance/HF-BIA). Eighty-three volunteers at the age of 24.92±7.24 years with representation of both sexes participated in the study. RESULTS: Abdominal fat did not differ significantly between the sexes, women reached an average value of 2.01±1.14 kg, men 2.22±1.60 kg (p>0.05). Gender differentiation was manifested in the case of visceral fat (p<0.01) and visceral fat area (p<0.01), the values of which were lower in women than in men. In the case of subcutaneous fat, we found the opposite trend of values in relation to gender, where lower values were achieved by men, but there were no significant differences (p>0.05). Visceral fat was most correlated with abdominal fat (r=0.86) and waist circumference (r=0.85), subcutaneous fat had the strongest positive correlations with abdominal fat (r=0.93) and with body fat mass (r=0.93). CONCLUSIONS: PA-BIA in combination with HF-BIA makes it possible to determine the representation of subcutaneous and visceral fat in the abdominal area, which the conventional MFS-BIA method does not allow. When evaluating body composition, significant gender differentiation is confirmed, which is an important factor affecting different health risks related to gender and the representation of different types of fat tissue localized and accumulated in different parts of the body.

The effect of regular chokeberry juice consumption on anthropometric and lipid parameters in women with overweight or obesity.

BACKGROUND: Aronia melanocarpa is nowadays valued for its high content of biologically active substances, the main group of which are polyphenols, which include anthocyanins, flavonols, flavanols, proanthocyanidins and phenolic acids. From the available sources, we can conclude that extracts and juices from black chokeberry have a great potential in human nutrition and influence on their health. OBJECTIVE: The research was to evaluate the effect of regular consumption of 100% organic chokeberry juice on selected anthropometric and lipid parameters of overweight or obese women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A clinical study consisted of 19 women with overweight and obesity, age from 44 to 63. The probands consumed 50 ml of chokeberry juice daily for 8 weeks as part of their regular diet. Body composition and biochemical indicators were monitored before consumption, after 4 and 8 weeks of nutritional intervention. Body composition was determined using multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (MFBIA) - InBody 720. Biochemical analyzes of blood serum were performed using standard methods in an accredited laboratory using automatic biochemical analyzer a BioMajesty JCA-BM6010/C. RESULTS: The monitored group of probands is characterized by menopausale and postmenopausale women, overweight or obese women with hypercholesterolemia without pharmacological treatment. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were observed when evaluating the amount of body fat (BFM) of the probands before the start of consumption and after the consumption of chokeberry juice. We noted a statistically significant reduction especially in the assessment of visceral fat (VFA) (p<0.001). There were no fundamentally significant changes in the lipid profile of women in this intervention study. With short-term consumption of chokeberry juice (after 4 weeks), we recorded an average reduction in total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, but without statistical significant. We also focused on the evaluation of the inflammatory marker CRP and noted a significant beneficial reduction of CRP (p˂0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In the research, we evaluated the effect of 8 weeks consumption of 100% chokeberry juice on selected anthropometric parameters, focusing on changes in visceral fat and total fat in overweight and obese women. In conclusion, we can state that the regular consumption of chokeberry juice has a beneficial effect on fat tissue in women of reproductive age, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the changes in dietary habits, lifestyle and physical activity in the Slovak population.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus was accompanied by the emergence of various adverse conditions, as well as the deterioration of health from the point of view of chronic diseases, as well as lifestyle changes related to the preference of certain foods and changes in body weight due to the restriction of free movement. Objective: The objective of our survey was to assess the impact of the pandemic and lockdown on selected key lifestyle elements affecting the overall health status of the Slovak population and subsequently to evaluate subjectively assessed changes in the respondents' eating habits, daily routine, physical activity and body weight. Material and Methods: The research group consisted of 528 participants who took part in an online distributed questionnaire survey. Results: Respondents subjectively evaluated the change in lifestyle rather negatively. Up to 48.37% of men and 38.93% of women reported a change for the worse. Almost 59% of participants reported no change in their health, while almost a quarter reported a slight deterioration in their health. A change in eating habits for the worse was reported by 22.88% of men and 28.26% of women (p<0.05). Increased appetite during the lockdown was reported by 24.18% of men and 35.47% of women (p<0.05), more frequent overeating during the pandemic occurred in 30.07% of men and 38.13% of women. When evaluating the consumption of individual food commodities, the increased consumption of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables (p<0.01), homemade bread (p<0.05), homemade pastries (p<0.05) and dairy products (p<0.05) is very favourable. We also found a significant increase in the consumption of sweets (p<0.01) and coffee (p<0.001). When evaluating the sleep pattern, we noted an increase in sleep during the pandemic, as well as more time spent sitting. Over half of the respondents reported a change in body weight, in most cases it was an increase in both sexes. Conclusions: The results show that the pandemic and the restrictions during it caused changes not only in diet, but also in physical activity, daily routine and overall lifestyle. However, this is a very specific issue that needs to be assessed in a comprehensive and strictly personalized manner. The positive or negative impact of the pandemic on the health of the population will be the subject of research in the near future.

The effect of 6-week consumption of bakery products on changes in selected anthropometric parameters in women.

Background: The changes in consumers' eating habits are one of the most important factors affecting the consumption of selected foods. The most important factors for bakery products consumers are freshness, taste, price, durability, composition, and country of origin. Objective: The aim of this study was to monitor changes in selected anthropometric characteristics in women from the general population in Slovakia, after 6 weeks of bakery products consumption. Material and Methods: The study was conducted on healthy adult women from the general population (n=78), who were divided into four subgroups ("gluten" group, "gluten-free" group, "whole-grain" group and "control" group). The intervention dose consisted of a different combination of several types of bakery products (bread, pastries, soft pastries) within the individual weeks of consumption, while the intervention lasted 6 weeks, women consumed 150-200 grams per day. Anthropometric characteristics were measured by body composition analyser InBody 720 (Biospace Co. Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea), which works on the principle of bioelectrical impedance analysis. We also used the Lookin´Body 3.0 software to process the results. The collected data from these measurements were evaluated statistically and graphically in Microsoft Office Excel 2010 (Los Angeles, CA, USA). The levels of statistical significance were set at P<0.05 (*); P<0.01 (**); P<0.001 (***). Differences among subgroups of probands were tested with Pared Student t-test. Results: The amount of fat mass (FM) in the participants changed along a similar curve as their body weight. After the 6-week intervention, there was a slight decrease in FM with statistical significance (P<0.01). In the third measurement, i.e., two months after the intervention, there was an increase in the amount of FM, but without statistical significance. Fat free mass (FFM) values in women increased very slightly after 6 weeks of consumption and remained approximately at the same level two months after the intervention (without statistical significance). We noted the most significant changes in the visceral fat area (VFA) parameter, which had a steadily increasing tendency. Changes in VFA values were statistically significant after the 6-week intervention (P<0.01) and also after two months of the intervention (P<0.05). Conclusions: Changes in body composition in women were noted already after 6 weeks of bakery products consumption, especially in the FM, FFM, VFA and partially BMI parameters, but no changes were recorded in the WHR parameters during the entire duration of the study. One of the most significant results is the finding that there was an increase in VFA when consuming all types of bakery products (gluten, gluten-free and whole grain).

Fat and fat-free mass as important determinants of body composition assessment in relation to sarcopenic obesity.

Background: Fat and fat-free/muscle mass and their ratio reflecting the possible presence of obesity or sarcopenic obesity are important in assessing body composition. Objective: The aim of the work was to assess the use of fat and fat-free mass and their ratio in the diagnosis of sarcopenic obesity, as well as correlations with selected anthropometric, somatic and biochemical parameters and indices. Material and Methods: The object of the study was a group of 201 women (20-68 aged) randomly selected from the population without the presence of a serious disease or without the use of medication. Body composition was assessed by the MFBIA method (InBody 720). We used the ratio of fat to fat-free mass (FM/FFM) to define sarcopenic obesity. A Biolis 24i Premium biochemical analyzer was used to determine biochemical parameters. Results: Using FM and FFM values and their mutual ratio, we identified women with a healthy body weight (28.9%), obese women (58.2%) and women with sarcopenic obesity (12.9%). Values of anthropometric parameters (body weight, BMI, WC, WHR, WHtR, BAI, FM (kg, %), FMI, VFA, FFM (kg), FFMI, SMM (kg), SMMI, ICW, ECW, TBW, CHC, HC), with the exception of FFM (%), SMM (%) and TBW (%), increased significantly with increasing FM/FFM values, so the highest values were found in subjects with sarcopenic obesity. In the case of biochemical parameters, with increasing FM/FFM values, the values of T-CH, LDL, TAG, GLU, hs-CRP, UA, systolic and diastolic blood pressure also increased, so the highest values were again found in women with sarcopenic obesity. HDL values, on the contrary, decreased. FM/FFM had the strongest positive association with the proportion of fat mass on body weight (r=0.989), then with FMI (r=0.980), FM (r=0.965), VFA (r=0.938), WHtR (r=0.937), BMI (r=0.922), WC (r=0.901. We found the strongest negative association with the proportion of FFM on body weight (r=-0.989), the proportion of total body water (r=-0.988) and the proportion of skeletal muscle mass (r=-0.987). Conclusions: FM/FFM correlates excellently with FM and VFA and can be implemented to diagnose obesity. In order to comprehensively evaluate the state of health and body composition, the proportionality of not only fat, but also fat-free/muscle mass should be analyzed, because it turns out that a negative impact on health and survival is associated not only with an excessive amount of adipose tissue, but also with a lower muscle mass.

Nutritional value of gluten-free products using the front-of-pack labeling nutri-score.

Background: Nutri-score is a useful and comprehensible system of extended nutrition labeling of food, which is intended to provide the consumer with simple guidance in choosing food products, taking into account the consumer's healthy diet. In several countries, in addition to the mandatory nutritional value of food indicated on the product packaging, the use of the so-called food traffic lights, which, based on a simple graphic display, make it easier for consumers to concentrate on choosing healthier food options. Objective: The aim of the work was to evaluate the nutritional composition of gluten-free food products based on the nutritional data indicated on the packaging of these products in order to find out how useful the use of Front-of-Pack labeling (FOPL) Nutri-score will be in distinguishing the nutritional value of products. Material and Methods: We analyzed 206 randomly selected gluten-free food products obtained from commercial retail chains (semi-finished products, other bakery products, biscuits, flour mixtures, porridges, pasta, muesli, snacks, confectionery, etc.) intended for celiacs. Based on the obtained data, we evaluated the composition of the products using a modified algorithm for calculating the Nutri-score. Results: We found that gluten-free products are a very rich source of energy, especially fats, carbohydrates and sugars, while the proportion of fiber and protein is very low. More than one third of the products had a nutritional score of category A or B, which are healthier variants, but over 40% of the analyzed products already fell into categories D or E. We found the lowest average energy value in the case of products classified in category B, the lowest average fat content and saturated fatty acids were found in products labeled A, the highest sugar content was found in products labeled D and E, the highest average protein content in products labeled A. The highest average salt content was found in products labeled C, fiber in products labeled B and A. Conclusions: Nutritional profiling can significantly contribute to several health-beneficial decisions, especially when choosing and buying healthier food options, including gluten-free foods.

Benefits of sea buckthorn juice consumption in women of productive age with hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Sea buckthorn contains almost 200 nutrients and bioactive substances, including phenolic compounds such as flavonoids, vitamins, proteins, amino acids, minerals, alkaloids, chlorophyll derivatives, amines, organic acids, fatty acids and phytosterols. Human and animal studies suggest that sea buckthorn may have a variety of beneficial effects: cardioprotective, antiatherogenic, antioxidant, anticancer, immunomodulatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antiinflammatory. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of regular consumption of 100% sea buckthorn juice on the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases in women of productive age with hypercholesterolemia. Material and Methods: A clinical study involved 19 women with a mean age of 54.06 ±2.97 years who consumed 50 mL of sea buckthorn juice daily for 8 weeks. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters in blood serum were monitored before the start of sea buckthorn consumption and after 8 weeks of consumption. Body composition was determined using an multifrequency analyzer InBody720. Routine biochemical analyzes were performed by standard methods in an accredited laboratory of the University Hospital by automatic biochemical analyzer BioMajesty JCA-BM6010/C. Statistical comparison between individual measurements was performed using a paired t-test, using Statistica Cz version 10 (TIBCO Software, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA). Results: We observed significant decrease of body weight, body mass index (P<0.05), body fat and visceral fat (P<0.001) after 8 weeks of consumption of 100% sea buckthorn juice. In this intervention study, we observed a significant decrease in low-density cholesterol (P˂0.05) and a significant increase in high-density cholesterol (P˂0.001). The level of triglycerides was similar at the end of the study (P>0.05). After the intervention, we observed decrease of orosomucoid, immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M (P<0.001) and C-reactive protein (P<0.01). Conclusions: The obtained results support the hypothesis that the daily consumption of sea buckthorn juice for eight weeks could contribute to the beneficial effects of reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as the reduction of body and visceral fat, LDL-C, CRP and the increase of HDL-C.

Diagnosis of obesity and evaluation of the risk of premature death (ABSI) based on body mass index and visceral fat area.

Background: Body mass index (BMI) is the most commonly used parameter for identifying obesity. However, it is a tool that can distort the diagnosis as misdiagnose. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the BMI and visceral fat area (VFA) and to determine the presence of obesity in a group of young people and to assess their suitability for use together with other parameters indicating excessive body fat and increased risk of non-communicable disease and premature death. Material and Methods: The study group consisted of 339 university students. We used InBody 720 for diagnosis body composition. The following body composition parameters were measured - BMI, waist circumference (WC), fat-free mass (FFM), VFA, percentage of body fat (PBF). Results: The BMI values by gender indicate overweight in the male group compared to females (25.2 ± 3.1 and 22.2 ± 3.4 kg.m-2, respectively; p<0.001). Women had higher values of VFA than men (70.1 ± 26.4 and 56.2 ± 28.3 cm2, respectively; p<0.001). Although the group of men had an increased average BMI, which allows us to talk about overweight, the risk of premature death was low. In the case of the male group, a high proportion of fat-free mass had a major impact on BMI. Lower values of fat parameters also contributed to the low risk of premature death. We found a nonlinear relationship in the BMI assessment in terms of premature risk of death. Higher values of the premature death risk were found in the subgroups of underweight and obesity. In the case of the VFA and ABSI relationship a linear increase in the curve and the risk of premature death was observed. Conclusions: In order to evaluate the presence of overweight or obesity it is necessary to use not only BMI but other diagnostic elements for this purpose. The components of the body composition need to be evaluated comprehensively. Evidence of this is the risk of premature death, where optimal BMI values may pose an increased risk and vice versa.

Changes of body composition among university students depending on the consumption frequency of selected bakery products.

Background. Bakery products such as bread, rolls, croissants and others are an important part of eating habits. Recently, their consumption has been associated with an undesirable increase and prevalence of overweight or obesity.Objective. The aim of the work was to analyze the influence of the consumption frequency of selected types of bread / bakery products on anthropometric parameters in a group of university students.Material and Methods. The group was composed of 120 volunteers consuming different types of bread / bakery products with different consumption frequencies during the week. The anthropometric parameters were measured by InBody 720. To obtain information on the frequency of consumption we used the questionnaire method.Results. The results suggest that in most cases it is not the type of product that is decisive, but its quantity consumed and frequency of consumption supported by low daily physical activity, resp. sedentary lifestyle. We found similar results of the influence of the consumption frequency on anthropometric parameters for all types of bread. Low levels of physical activity, basal metabolism and consumption of selected types of bakery products (wheat bread, wheat rolls, sweet pastries and gluten-free variants) can cause an increase in visceral as well as total body fat, weight gain, BMI, at the expense of fat-free mass. Our results showed that the groups of participants who did not consume a certain type of bread at all, rarely or 1 to 3 times a week, showed higher values of the examined parameters (BMI, body weight, body fat percentage, WHR) compared to the group which consumed a particular type of bakery products on average 4 to 7 times a week. The parameter´s values were largely influenced by the levels of physical activity.Conclusions. Based on the results it is possible to assume that if the bakery products are the part of a balanced diet with regard to the individual energy needs, it should not be the main cause of overweight / obesity in humans.

The relationship between seeds consumption, lipid profile and body mass index among patients with cardiovascular diseases.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide and largely preventable through improving diet quality and other lifestyle factors. In recent years, dietary recommendations have shifted towards diets high in plant-based foods and low in animal-based foods for the prevention of chronic diseases. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between seeds consumption, lipid profile and body mass index (BMI) in a group of 889 (313 female and 576 male) randomly selected patients hospitalized in the Nitra Cardio Center, Slovakia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data necessary for the evaluation the relationship between seeds consumption, lipid profiles and BMI were obtained by a questionnaire method in closed-ended format. Data collection was carried out simultaneously with the anthropometric and biochemical examinations of the respondents ensured by the Nitra Cardio Center. The following parameters were assessed in the blood: total cholesterol (T-C), low-density cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and glucose (GLU). Comparisons between groups were made utilizing one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's post hoc test. RESULTS: Respondents indicated pumpkin seeds as the most commonly consumed seeds (45.19% of women and 53.06% of men) and their preference did not cause changes in lipid profile. Women who consume seeds 1-2 times/month had significantly lower levels of T-C and LDL-C compared to women non-consuming seeds (P < 0.05). In men, we did not observed any changes in lipid profile. The lowest BMI in women was associated with flaxseed preference and in men with sunflower preference. Increasing frequency of seeds consumption of women and men did not cause changes in BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Based on beneficial effects of seeds on cardiovascular risk factors, it seems that seeds consumption can be considered as a useful therapeutic approach for reducing lipid profile and body mass index.

Obesity, smoking status and their relationships in selected population groups.

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Obesity is associated with many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and recently the role of overweight and obesity in lung disease has received new interest. Chronic obstructive lung disease is the third-leading cause of death globally, and both obesity and diet appear to play roles in its pathophysiology. Cross-sectional studies have demonstrated an inverse association between obesity and the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). OBJECTIVE: Objective. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between smoking, lipid profile and obesity (body composition changes) in a selected groups of population (30 non-smokers, 30 smokers and 60 COPD patients). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated fat mass, fat free mass, body mass index and lipid profile in a group of 120 randomly selected probands (60 COPD patients; 30 smokers without COPD; 30 non-smokers without COPD) to identify possible negative relationships of smoking to body composition. To the measurement of fat mass (FM) and fat free mass (FFM) was used a device Bodystat Quadscan 4000 (Bodystat Ltd, British Isles). The device works by using four-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. Laboratory parameters as total cholesterol (T-C), high-density cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density cholesterol (LDL-C) and triacylglycerols (TG) were investigated by automated clinical chemistry analyzer LISA 200th. The measured values were statistically processed and evaluated in a statistical program STATISTICA Cz. Version 7.1. (Kruskall-Wallis test). RESULTS: A comparison of the mean fat mass we found statistically highly significant differences between the group of COPD patients and non-smokers (P <0.001) and insignificant differences (P ≥ 0.05) between the other groups of our experiment. A comparison of the mean fat mass values of all three groups of the experiment shows a steady increase in fat from non-smokers (17.66 ± 10.04 kg) to COPD patients with the highest mean value (25.08 ± 10.14 kg). In the group of COPD patients we recorded the lowest average value of FFM (51.76 ± 13.84 kg), in group of smokers the middle (56.06 ± 10.76 kg) and in non-smokers the highest average value of FFM (59.91 ± 9.90 kg) at relatively the same body weight in the groups. Based on calculated body mass index (BMI), we found in group of COPD patients overweight in 15 cases (25%), obesity in 7 patients (11.67%), severe obesity in 14 patients (23.3%) and morbid obesity in 2 patients (3.33%); in the group of smokers overweight in 16 cases (53.33%), obesity in 5 cases (16.6%) and severe obesity in 1 case (3.33%); in non-smokers we recording overweight in 14 cases (46.67%), obesity in 5 cases (16.67%) and severe obesity in 2 cases (6.67%). In the lipid profile of the monitored groups of probands, we observed statistically significant differences only for LDL cholesterol (LDL-C). There was a statistically significant difference (P <0.001) between the group with COPD and smokers, as well as between the group of smokers and non-smokers (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In the vast majority of patients with COPD, the lung damage that leads to COPD is caused by long-term cigarette smoking. The presence and absence of risk factors such as smoking, inappropriate lipid profile and obesity (amount of fat mass) in selected population groups were observed. Additional studies to explore both the quantitative and qualitative changes in body composition with disease process of COPD are required.

The effect of consumption of pork enriched by organic selenium on selenium status and lipid profile in blood serum of consumers.

The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of consumption of selenium-enriched pork on selected health indicators of probands. The intake of feed mixture with increased organic selenium at the dose of 0.3 mg.kg-1 probably increases selenium concentration in MSM (musculus semimembranosus). In the pork enriched with organic selenium, the concentration was higher by 1.045 ± 0.10 mg.kg-1 compared with the control group 0.701 ± 0.05 mg.kg-1 at significance P < 0.001. Sixteen participants in the experiment were represented by 8 men at the average age of 41.5 ± 11.9 years and 8 women at the average age of 41.4 ± 7.9 years. All the probands consumed meat enriched with selenium three times a week during one month. By consumption of the enriched pork, there was an increase of the selenium concentration in blood serum of probands traced with selenium increase from 73.19 ± 15.68 µg.L-1 to 73.73 ± 15.13 µg.L-1 (P > 0.05). From the results we can see that consumption of enriched pork with selenium was significantly manifested in lowering of total cholesterol levels, which was associated with LDL cholesterol lowering (P < 0.05). Differences among the HDL cholesterol and triglycerides samples were not significant.

Uric acid alterations by consumption of gluten-free bakery products in relation to cardiovascular and metabolic syndrome risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Serum uric acid (UA) levels are one of the determinants of the cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome but none of criteria for that syndrome include serum UA. Consumption of bakery products (with or without gluten) is associated with an increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity and hyperuricemia frequently occurs in subjects with overweight and obesity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to find out how 6-weeks consumption of gluten-free bakery products can affect risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, and especially uric acid levels. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The group was composed of 27 female volunteers consuming gluten-free bakery products during 6-week period. The biochemical parameters levels were measured by Biolis 24i Premium, the anthropometric parameters by InBody 720 and blood pressure by OMRON Microlife. RESULTS: We found a non-significant increase in total cholesterol and decrease in triglycerides, in the case of LDL cholesterol a significant reduction in values and increase of HDL cholesterol. Glucose level increased significantly, but uric acid has not changed significantly. We found the highest total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL concentrations in the third UA quartile. The highest glucose concentrations were found in the lower UA quartiles, while the lowest in the highest quartiles. Linear increases in UA concentrations were not observed in any of the parameters. Evaluation of the anthropometric parameters showed that while values of BMI, VFA, fat mass and waist circumference were the highest at the beginning of the study in the second quartile, after intervention the highest values were shifted to the third quartile. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the consumption of gluten-free bakery products the risk values of the monitored parameters shifted to higher UA quartiles.

Obesity diagnosis and mortality risk based on a body shape index (ABSI) and other indices and anthropometric parameters in university students

Background: Obesity is a global epidemic and belongs to major risk factors for the most prevalent diseases. Anthropometric measures are simple, inexpensive, non-invasive tools to diagnosis obesity and to assess the risk of morbidity and mortality. The most widely used are body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip (WHR) and waist-to-height ratios, visceral fat area (VFA), body fat (BFP) and a new body shape index (ABSI). Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of the ABSI in obesity diagnosis compared with other anthropometric parameters like WC, WHR, BMI, VFA, and BFP. We also compared the predictability between ABSI and above mentioned common anthropometric indices. Material and methods: The study group was composed of 236 university students. Body height, weight, WC was measured and BMI, WHR, ABSI and ABSI z-score were calculated. The anthropometric measurements were made by using InBody 720 (Biospace Co. Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea). Body composition, especially VFA, BFP, FFM was diagnosed by multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. We evaluated the collected data statistically and graphically in Microsoft Office Excel 2010 (Los Angeles, CA, USA). Statistical analyses were performed using the program STATISTICA Cz version 10. Results: The diagnosis of obesity among participants according to anthropometric measures and indices showed considerable differences. We found that obesity was diagnosed according to waist circumference in 31% of participants. According to BMI 20.3% of subjects were overweight and 5.1% obese. With increasing BMI values, the values of WC, WHR and VFA also increased linearly. According to visceral fat area 11.4% of participants were in the risk obese group and by ABSI mortality risk there were 22% of subjects with high risk (4.8% and 28.3% for men and women, respectively) and 19.1% with very high risk (11.1% and 22% for men and women, respectively). VFA and BFP values increased with increasing risk of mortality, and in men also waist circumference values. When evaluating the ABSI in relation to BMI, the U-shaped curve was confirmed and in the case of WC the J-shaped curve. The FFM evaluation showed that the very low ABSI mortality risk group reached the highest values of this parameter and the lowest values showed the average mortality risk group, not only in the study group but also in male and female groups. Conclusions: Our findings suggest the relevance of ABSI to screen at-risk population.

Influence of long-term consumption of bitter apricot seeds on risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

The present study was designed to reveal whether long-term consumption of bitter apricot seeds causes changes in lipid profile and other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The study group consisted of 12 healthy adult volunteers (5 females and 7 males). The average age of women was 41.60 ± 11.28 years and the average age of men was 36.71 ± 13.70 years. Volunteers consumed 60 mg kg-1 of body weight of bitter apricot seeds divided into 8-12 doses daily for 12 weeks. Volunteers were recruited from the general population of Slovak Republic. After 12 weeks, mean body weight of the participants increased from 77.34 to 78.22 kg (P > 0.05). The average total cholesterol levels decreased from 4.86 mmol L-1 at the beginning of the study to 4.44 mmol L-1 at the end of the study (P < 0.05). We did not observe any significant increase in high-density cholesterol (from 1.55 to 1.60 mmol L-1). The average low-density cholesterol levels decreased from 2.93 mmol L-1 at the beginning of the study to 2.31 mmol L-1 at the end of the study (P < 0.001). Concentration of triglycerides increased significantly over the 12-week intervention period from 0.84 to 1.17 mmol L-1. After the intervention, the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level decreased from 1.92 to 1.23 mg L-1, but results were non-significant (P > 0.05). Creatine kinase serum levels increased from 2.31 to 2.77 mg L-1 (P > 0.05) over the 12-week intervention period. The results suggest that regular intake of bitter apricot seeds may be considered potentially useful for prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Comparison of selected parameters of body composition in a group of sporting and non-sporting women

Background: Physical activity is bodily movement produced by skeletal muscle that requires energy expenditure and promotes health benefits. Appropriate physical activity is important in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, metabolic syndrome, breast cancer, and others. Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the body composition of the selected group of women in relation to physical activity (group of sporting women (S) versus group of non-sporting women (N-S) using an InBody 230 instrument based on the principle of bioelectric impedance. Material and Methods: The group consisted of 140 women (nS = 70 vs nN-S = 70) aged 20-63 years (the average age of women doing sport was 41.1 ± 11.9 and 42.3 ± 10.87 for non-sporting women). Anthropometric measurements were made using the InBody 230 (Biospace Co. Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea). The Lookin'Body 3.0 software to process the results was used. The collected data concerning the anthropometric measurements were evaluated statistically and graphically in Microsoft Office Excel 2010 (Los Angeles, CA, USA). Results: The average value of BMI (Body Mass Index) of sporting women was 24.20 ± 3.54 kg.m-2 and non-sporting women 27.30 ± 5.97 kg.m-2 (P<0.5). Average values of WHR (Waist hip ratio) were higher than 0.85 for both groups. Average BMR (Basal metabolic rate) values of women doing sport ranged from 1364-1585 kcal. The higher percentage of TBW (Total body water), ICW (Intracellular water) and ECW (Extracellular water) from the average body weight was achieved by the group of women doing sport, where the average TBW was 51.51% of body weight, ICW 31.93% and ECW 19.58% of body weight. Higher values of FFM (Fat free mass) were achieved by a group of sporting women. The average BFM in the group of women doing sport was 20.10 ± 6.73 kg, in the non-sporting group 27.60 ± 12.73 kg. The minimum PBF in the sporting group of women was 16.40% and a maximum of 43.30%; the minimum value in the group of women doing not sport was 19.30% and a maximum of 50.40% (p <0.01). The average VFA (Visceral fat area) in the group of women doing sport was 86.70 ± 28.79 cm2 and in the group of non-sporting women 113.90 ± 44.95 cm2 (p<0.01). Conclusions: The results of the measurements show the positive influence of physical activity on components of body composition in all age categories. Physical activity, along with rational nutrition, should be part of a healthy lifestyle for each individual.

Consumption of different types of bakery products and its effect on visceral fat area in healthy population

Background: Bread is one of the world's most consumed food commodity. However, in the last years consumption of bread and bakery products has declined, especially in the Western population. The reason for concern is the weight gain and presence of gluten in these products. Gluten is unacceptable in the diet only in patients with celiac disease who are forced adhere the gluten-free diet all the time. The consequences of gluten-free diet in healthy people are the subject of many recent studies. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of visceral fat area in the general population after 6 weeks of consumption of gluten-free, gluten-containing and whole-grain bread and other bakery products. Material and Methods: The study group consisted of 120 volunteers divided into four subgroups each with 30 subjects. Anthropometric measurements were made using the InBody 720 (Biospace Co. Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea). We used the Lookin'Body 3.0 software to process the results. The collected data from anthropometric measurements were evaluated statistically and graphically in Microsoft Office Excel 2010 (Los Angeles, CA, USA). Results: After the intervention we found out that visceral fat area values increased in probands consuming gluten-free and gluten-containing bakery products, but these changes were not significant (P>0.05; 72.7±29.18 cm2 vs 73.26±30.32 cm2 and 69.6±34.06 cm2 vs 70.34±32.33 cm2, respectively). In whole-grain and control group we observed a reduction in visceral fat area, in the control group there was a significant change (P>0.05 ­ 91.58±33 cm2 vs 90.47±34.37 cm2 and P<0.05 ­ 77.3±21.65 cm2 vs 75.56±21.87 cm2, respectively). After the intervention the visceral fat area values increased in gluten-free group in 57% of subjects, in gluten group in 73% of subjects and in the whole-grain group in 43% of volunteers. Although visceral fat area values had inceased in gluten-free and gluten-containing groups, the number of probands with reference values increased from 80% to 86% in the gluten-free group and from 43% to 66% in the gluten-containing group. In the whole-grain group we found decrease in number of subjects with reference values of visceral fat area (from 70% to 63%). There were no changes in the control group (86% vs. 86%). Conclusions: Consumption of different types of bakery products has mostly changed the visceral fat area values in a positive direction.

Biochemical parameters as monitoring markers of the inflammatory reaction by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an airway inflammatory disease caused by inhalation of toxic particles, mainly cigarette smoking, and now is accepted as a disease associated with systemic characteristics. Objective: The aim of this work was to investigate and compare selected biochemical parameters in patients with and without COPD. Material and Methods: Observation group consisted of clinically stable patients with COPD (n = 60). The control group was healthy persons from the general population, without COPD, who were divided into two subgroups ­ smokers (n = 30) and non-smokers (n = 30). Laboratory parameters were investigated by automated clinical chemistry analyzer LISA 200th. Results: Albumin in our measurements showed an average value of 39.55 g.l-1 in the patient population; 38.89 g.l-1 in smokers and in non-smokers group 44.65 g.l-1. The average value of pre-albumin in the group of patients was 0.28 ± 0.28 g.l-1 and 0.30 ± 0.04 g.l-1 in smokers group. The average value of the orosomucoid in patients was about 1.11 ± 0.90 mg.ml-1. In the group of smokers, the mean value of orosomucoid was 0.60 ± 0.13 mg.ml-1. The level of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the patient group reached an average value of 15.31 ± 22.04 mg.l-1, in the group of smokers was 5.18 ± 4.58 mg. l-1. Prognostic inflammatory and nutritional index (PINI) in the group of patients showed a mean value of 4.65 ± 10.77 and 0.026 ± 0.025 in smokers. Conclusions: The results of this work show, that the values of index PINI in COPD patients are significantly higher than in smokers (P <0.001). This along with other monitored parameters indicative inflammation as well as a catabolic process that occurs in the organism of patients with COPD.

Effect of Crushed Flaxseed Consumption on Cardiovascular Risk Indicators in Menopausal Women.

Flaxseed is known for its numerous health benefits and is often used in the prevention and treatment of civilizational diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of consuming crushed flaxseed on cardiovascular risk in 51 menopausal women. The intervention lasted for 8 weeks, during which participants received a daily dose of 40 g of crushed flaxseed from two varieties with differing lignan contents. Participants were divided into three subgroups based on the variety of flaxseed consumed: (1) high-lignan group (HL), (2) low-lignan group (LL), and (3) control group (no flaxseed consumption). Biochemical blood parameters were measured using a BiOLis 24i Premium automatic analyzer. Body composition was assessed using an InBody 720 device. In the lipid profile, we observed a significant increase in total cholesterol (T-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, along with a significant decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in both the HL and LL groups. Triglyceride (TG) levels exhibited no significant change, whereas high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were significantly reduced in both the HL (p < 0.01) and LL (p < 0.01) groups. Visceral fat area (VFA) and percent body fat (PBF) showed a slight decreasing trend in the HL group, whereas in the LL group, VFA showed a slight increase. Body mass index (BMI) remained stable across all groups. These findings suggest that for the modulation of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, the daily dosage, duration of consumption, form of intake, and the specific variety of flaxseed (based on lignan content) are crucial factors.