Food frequency questionnaire as an indicator of the serum composition of essential n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in early pregnancy, according to body mass index.

BACKGROUND: We investigated whether food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) may be indicative of the serum composition of essential n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in early pregnancy and if correlations are affected by body mass index (BMI). METHODS: The present study comprised a prospective cohort conducted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The sample was composed of 248 women, aged 20-40 years, between 6 and the 13 weeks of gestation. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated FFQ. Fatty acid serum compositions were determined in fasting serum samples, employing a high-throughput robotic direct methylation coupled with fast gas-liquid chromatography. Spearman's correlation (r(s)) was used to assess the relationship between fatty acid intake and corresponding serum composition. Women were classified according to BMI (kg m(-2) ) as underweight/normal weight (BMI < 25 kg m(-2) ; n = 139) or excessive weight (BMI ≥ 25 kg m(-2) ; n = 109). RESULTS: In the total sample, dietary report was significantly correlated with the serum composition of total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA; r(s) = 0.232, P < 0.001), linoleic acid (LA; 18:2n-6; r(s) = 0.271, P < 0.001), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3; r(s) = 0.263, P < 0.001) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3; r(s) = 0.209, P = 0.001). When analyses were stratified by BMI, significant correlations between FFQ and serum composition among underweight/normal weight women were observed for total PUFA (r(s) = 0.323, P < 0.001), LA (r(s) = 0.322, P < 0.001), EPA (r(s) = 0.352, P < 0.001) and DHA (r(s) = 0.176, P = 0.039). Among women of excessive weight, significant correlations were observed only for alpha linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3n-3; r(s) = 0.199, P = 0.040) and DHA (r(s) = 0.236, P = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: FFQ in early pregnancy may be used as a possible indicator of serum concentrations of fatty acids. Higher correlations were observed among underweight/normal weight women.

Combined effects of caloric restriction and fish oil attenuated anti-depressant and anxiolytic-like effects of fish oil: association with hippocampal BDNF concentrations.

Omega-3-enriched fish oil (FO) and caloric restriction (CR) are nutritional therapeutic approaches that exert an important impact on brain function, behavior, memory, and neuroprotection. Here, we investigate the synergic effects of both therapeutic approaches combined (CR + FO) on behavior (memory, anxiety-like behavior, antidepressant-like behavior), as well as its association with hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into four dietary groups: Control group (C) - chow ad libitum; CR group - 30 % CR, considering C group food intake; FO group - FO-enriched chow ad libitum; and CR + FO group - FO-enriched 30 % CR chow. After 12 weeks of dietary treatment, behavioural analysis set was conducted, and hippocampal BDNF concentrations were measured. FO group presented anxiolytic-like and antidepressant-like behaviors as well as improved memory in the Morris' water maze. These effects were attenuated by the combined CR + FO treatment. FO group also presented higher BDNF concentrations. There was a positive association between the number of entries in the platform quadrant in the MWM and hippocampal BDNF concentrations (ß = 0.39; R² = 0.15; p = 0.042) and an inverse association between forced swim immobility time and BDNF concentrations (ß = -0.39; R² = 0.15; p = 0.041). Taken together, our data showed that the 12-week FO dietary treatment promoted anxiolytic-like and antidepressant-like behaviors as well as memory improvement, and these effects were associated with BDNF concentrations. Synergic effects of interventions attenuated FO-related behavioral responses and BDNF concentrations and probably reduced hippocampal neuroplasticity.

Highly palatable diet consumption increases protein oxidation in rat frontal cortex and anxiety-like behavior.

Obesity is frequently associated with consumption of high amounts of sugar and/or fat. Studies have demonstrated a high prevalence of overweight and obesity associated or not with increase rates of psychiatry disorders, in particular mood and anxiety disorders. Recent works have demonstrated an association between specific genes involved in oxidative stress metabolism and anxiety-like behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a highly palatable diet enriched with sucrose in body fat mass composition, anxiety behavior and brain oxidative status. Twenty male Wistar rats received two different diets during four months: standard chow (SC) and highly palatable (HP). Metabolic parameters, behavioral tests and oxidative stress status were evaluated. Body fat mass, insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance were altered in the HP group (p<0.01). The same group spends less time in light compartment and had a lower risk assessment behavior (p<0.05) but no differences were observed in the open field test habituation (p>0.05). Protein degradation, DCF and TBARS levels were not different in the hippocampus between groups; however, there were higher levels of protein degration in frontal cortex of HP groups (p<0.05), although DCF and TBARS levels don't differ from the SC group (p>0.05). In conclusion, our data suggest that the consumption of HP diet leads to an obese phenotype, increases protein oxidation in frontal cortex and appears to induce anxiety-like behavior in rats.

Chronic sulforaphane oral treatment accentuates blood glucose impairment and may affect GLUT3 expression in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus of rats fed with a highly palatable diet.

Obesity and insulin resistance are the key factors underlying the etiology of major health problems such as hypertension, diabetes and stroke. These important health issues lead researchers to investigate new approaches to prevent and treat obesity and insulin resistance. Good candidates are the phytochemical compounds that have been extensively studied in the field. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test whether sulforaphane (SFN, 1 mg kg⁻¹, 4 months treatment), a potent inducer of antioxidant enzymes present in cruciferous vegetables, had some beneficial effects on obesity and insulin resistance induced by a highly palatable (HP) diet in male Wistar rats. Glucose tolerance, serum and hepatic lipid levels, lipid profile, ALT, AST, urea and creatinine, GLUT1 and GLUT3 levels in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus were analyzed. Glucose tolerance was lower in the HP diet groups, especially in the HP group treated with SFN. Except for the liver triacylglycerols, no differences were found in serum lipids, hepatic and kidney markers of the HP diet groups. Although expression of GLUT1 was similar between groups for all three brain structures analyzed, expression of GLUT3 in the cortex and hypothalamus had a tendency to decrease in the HP diet group treated with SFN. In conclusion, SFN at the specific dose was able to accentuate glucose intolerance and may affect GLUT3 expression in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus.