135 research outputs found
A Novel Approach to Improve the Estimation of a Diet Adherence Considering Seasonality and Short Term Variability – The NU-AGE Mediterranean Diet Experience
No full textIn this work we present a novel statistical approach to improve the assessment of the adherence to a 1-year nutritional intervention within the framework of the NU-AGE project. This was measured with a single adherence score based on 7-days food records, under limitations on the number of observations per subject and time frame of intervention. The results of the NU-AGE dietary intervention were summarized by variations of the NU-AGE index as described in the NU-AGE protocol. Food and nutrient intake of all participants was assessed by means of 7-days food records at recruitment and after 10 to 14 months of intervention (depending on the subject availability). Sixteen food groups and supplementations covering the dietary goals of the NU-AGE diet have been used to estimate the NU-AGE index before and after the intervention. The 7-days food record is a reliable tool to register food intakes, however, as with other tools used to assess lifestyle dietary compliance, it is affected by uncertainty in this estimation due to the possibility that the observed week is not fully representative of the entire intervention period. Also, due to logistic limitations, the effects of seasonality can never be completely removed. These variabilities, if not accounted for in the index estimation, will reduce the statistical power of the analyses. In this work we discuss a method to assess these uncertainties and thus improve the resulting NU-AGE index. The proposed method is based on Hierarchical Bayesian Models. This model explicitly includes country-specific averages of the NU-AGE index, index variation induced by the dietary intervention, and country based seasonality. This information is used to evaluate the NU-AGE index uncertainty and thus to estimate the “real” NU-AGE index for each subject, both before and after the intervention. These corrections reduce the possibility of misinterpreting measurement variability as real information, improving the power of the statistical tests that are performed with the resulting index. The results suggest that this method is able to reduce the short term and seasonal variability of the measured index in the context of multicenter dietary intervention trials. Using this method to estimate seasonality and variability would allow one to obtain better measurements from the subjects of a study, and be able to simplify the scheduling of diet assessments
A systematic review on micronutrient intake adequacy in adult minority populations residing in Europe: The need for action
No full textThis systematic review evaluated micronutrient intake inadequacy of ten micronutrients for adult ethnic minority populations residing in Europe. Pubmed was searched for studies, related references were checked and experts consulted. Ten studies were identified and six were included in the final analysis representing Albanian, Roma, Sub-Saharan African, South Asian and African-Caribbean minority groups. The Estimated Average Requirement cut point was applied to estimate inadequate intake. With the exception of a sub-Saharan African study, of seven micronutrients analysed, inadequate intakes were markedly elevated (>50 % of the population in most cases) in both genders for folate, vitamin B12, calcium and iron (the latter in females only). A pressing need exists for intake adequacy studies with sound methodologies addressing ethnic minority groups in Europe. These populations constitute a vulnerable population for inadequate intakes and results substantiate the need for further investigation, interventions and policy measures to reduce their nutritional ris
Projected prevalence of inadequate nutrient intakes in Europe
No full textBackground: The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of nutrient intake inadequacy in Europe, applying the Nordic Nutritional Recommendations in the context of the EURRECA Network of Excellence. Methods: Nutrient data was obtained from the European Nutrition and Health Report II. Those nutritional surveys using a validated food frequency questionnaire or diet history and a food diary/ register with at least 7 days of registers or with an adjustment for intraindividual variability were included. The nutrients analyzed were: vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B12, folic acid, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, copper, and iodine. The estimated average requirement cut point was applied to estimate inadequacy. The Nordic and Institute of Medicine nutrient recommendations were used as references. Results: The mean prevalence of inadequacy was below 11% for zinc, iron, and vitamin B12 (only in the elderly), and it was 11–20% for copper in adults and the elderly and for vitamin B12 in adults and vitamin C in the elderly. The prevalence was above 20% for vitamin D, folic acid, calcium, selenium, and iodine in adults and the elderly and for vitamin C in adults. Conclusions: Vitamin C, vitamin D, folic acid, calcium, selenium, and iodine were the nutrients showing a higher prevalence of inadequate intakes in Europ
Overview of methods used to evaluate the adequacy of nutrient intakes for individuals and populations
No full textThe objective of the present paper is to review the methods of measuring micronutrient intake adequacy for individuals and for populations in order to ascertain best practice. A systematic review was conducted to locate studies on the methodological aspects of measuring nutrient adequacy. The results showed that for individuals, qualitative methods (to find probability of adequacy) and quantitative methods (to find confidence of adequacy) have been proposed for micronutrients where there is enough data to set an average nutrient requirement (ANR). If micronutrients do not have ANR, an adequate intake (AI) is often defined and can be used to assess adequacy, provided the distribution of daily intake over a number of days is known. The probability of an individual's intake being excessive can also be compared with the upper level of safe intake and the confidence of this estimate determined in a similar way. At the population level, adequacy can be judged from the ANR using the probability approach or its short cut - the estimated average requirement cut-point method. If the micronutrient does not have an ANR, adequacy cannot be determined from the average intake and must be expressed differently. The upper level of safe intake can be used for populations in a similar way to that of individuals. All of the methodological studies reviewed were from the American continent and all used the methodology described in the Institute of Medicine publications. The present methodology should now be adapted for use in Europe.S11S663,446Q1SCI
Association between vitamin B12 intake and EURRECA’s prioritized biomarkers of vitamin B12 in young populations: a systematic review
No full textObjective To review evidence on the associations between vitamin B12 intake and its biomarkers, vitamin B12 intake and its functional health outcomes, and vitamin B12 biomarkers and functional health outcomes. Design A systematic review was conducted by searching electronic databases, until January 2012, using a standardized strategy developed in the EURRECA network. Relevant articles were screened and sorted based on title and abstract, then based on full text, and finally included if they met inclusion criteria. A total of sixteen articles were included in the review. Setting Articles covered four continents: America (n 4), Europe (n 8), Africa (n 1) and Asia (n 3). Subjects Population groups included healthy infants, children and adolescents, and pregnant and lactating women. Results From the total number of 5815 papers retrieved from the initial search, only sixteen were eligible according to the inclusion criteria: five for infants, five for children and adolescents, and six for pregnant and lactating women. Conclusions Only one main conclusion could be extracted from this scarce number of references: a positive association between vitamin B12 intake and serum vitamin B12 in the infant group. Other associations were not reported in the eligible papers or the results were not provided in a consistent manner. The low number of papers that could be included in our systematic review is probably due to the attention that is currently given to research on vitamin B12 in elderly people. Our observations in the current systematic review justify the idea of performing well-designed studies on vitamin B12 in young populations
DHA status influences effects of B-vitamin supplementation on cognitive ageing: a post-hoc analysis of the B-proof trial
No full textPURPOSE: Trials aiming to lower homocysteine by B-vitamin supplementation have reported mixed results on slowing cognitive decline. We investigated if efficacy of B-vitamin supplementation is affected by baseline plasma omega-3 fatty acid levels. METHODS: This post-hoc analysis of the B-proof trial included 191 adults aged 65 years or older with baseline plasma total homocysteine ≥ 12 μmol/L, randomly assigned to 400 µg folic acid and 500 µg vitamin B12 or placebo daily for 2 years. Global and domain-specific cognitive functioning were assessed at baseline and after 2 years. The effect of B-vitamin supplementation was analyzed according to tertiles of baseline plasma omega-3 fatty acids concentrations combined, and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) individually using multiple linear regression analyses. RESULTS: The mean ± SD age of the participants was 71.6 ± 5.9 years and median [IQR] Mini-Mental State Examination was 29 [28-30]. The treatment effect of B-vitamins on global cognition was larger in participants in the high compared to the middle DHA tertile (difference in z-score, mean ± SE 0.22 ± 0.10, p = 0.03). There was no significant interaction between B-vitamin supplementation and combined omega-3 fatty acid (p = 0.49) and EPA (p = 0.99) tertiles. Similarly, the efficacy of B-vitamin treatment on domain-specific cognitive functioning did not link to omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, or EPA plasma levels. CONCLUSION: This post-hoc analysis indicated that efficacy of B-vitamin supplementation in slowing cognitive decline relates to DHA status, with individuals with higher plasma DHA levels benefitting more from vitamin B12 and folic acid use. The results support earlier observations that positive effects of B-vitamins in cognitive ageing may be subgroup-specific. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00696514) on June 12, 2008
Protein Supplementation Augments Muscle Fiber Hypertrophy but Does Not Modulate Satellite Cell Content During Prolonged Resistance-Type Exercise Training in Frail Elderly
No full textThis is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.OBJECTIVE: Protein supplementation increases gains in lean body mass following prolonged resistance-type exercise training in frail older adults. We assessed whether the greater increase in lean body mass can be attributed to muscle fiber type specific hypertrophy with concomitant changes in satellite cell (SC) content. DESIGN: A total of 34 frail elderly individuals (77 ± 1 years, n = 12 male adults) participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 2 arms in parallel. INTERVENTION: Participants performed 24 weeks of progressive resistance-type exercise training (2 sessions per week) during which they were supplemented twice-daily with milk protein (2 × 15 g) or a placebo. METHODS: Muscle biopsies were taken at baseline, and after 12 and 24 weeks of intervention, to determine type I and type II muscle fiber specific cross-sectional area (CSA), SC content, and myocellular characteristics. RESULTS: In the placebo group, a trend for a 20% ± 11% increase in muscle fiber CSA was observed in type II fibers only (P = .051), with no increase in type I muscle fiber CSA. In the protein group, type I and II muscle fiber CSA increased by 23% ± 7% and 34% ± 10% following 6 months of training, respectively (P .05). No changes in myonuclear content and SC contents were observed over time in either group (both P > .05). Regression analysis showed that changes in myonuclear content and domain size are predictive of muscle fiber hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Protein supplementation augments muscle fiber hypertrophy following prolonged resistance-type exercise training in frail older people, without changes in myonuclear and SC content.The project is partly funded by TI Food and Nutrition, a public-private partnership on precompetitive research in food and nutrition. The researchers are responsible for the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, and preparation of the manuscript. The industrial partners have contributed to the project through regular discussion
Attenuated strength gains during prolonged resistance exercise training in older adults with high inflammatory status
No full textAttenuated strength gains during prolonged resistance exercise training in older adults with high inflammatory statu
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