Hugo Valente

Food Patterns According to Sociodemographics, Physical Activity, Sleeping and Obesity in Portuguese Children

Our study aimed to describe the association between food patterns and gender, parental education, physical activity, sleeping and obesity in 1976 children aged 5−10 years old. Dietary intake was measured by a semi quantitative food frequency questionnaire; body mass index was calculated and categorized according to the IOTF classification. Factor analysis and generalized linear models were applied to identify food patterns and their associations. TV viewing and male gender were significant positive predictors for fast-food, sugar sweetened beverages and pastry pattern, while a higher level of maternal education and longer sleeping duration were positively associated with a dietary patterns that included fruit and vegetables.

Antioxidants do not prevent postexercise peroxidation and may delay muscle recovery.

PURPOSE This study aimed to determine the effects of 4 wk of antioxidants (AOX) supplementation on exercise-induced lipid peroxidation, muscle damage, and inflammation in kayakers. METHODS Subjects (n = 20) were randomly assigned to receive a placebo (PLA) or an AOX capsule (AOX; 272 mg of alpha-tocopherol, 400 mg of vitamin C, 30 mg of beta-carotene, 2 mg of lutein, 400 mug of selenium, 30 mg of zinc, and 600 mg of magnesium). Blood samples were collected at rest and 15 min after a 1000-m kayak race, both before and after the supplementation period, for analysis of alpha-tocopherol, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein plus zeaxanthin, vitamin C, uric acid, total AOX status (TAS), thiobarbituric reactive acid substances (TBARS) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and creatine kinase (CK), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (Gr), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. RESULTS With supplementation, plasma alpha-tocopherol (P = 0.003) and beta-carotene (P = 0.007) augmented significantly in the AOX group. IL-6 (exercise, P = 0.039), TBARS (exercise, P < 0.001), and uric acid (exercise, P = 0.032) increased significantly in response to the exercise regardless of treatment group. Cortisol level raised more from pre- to postsupplementation period in the PLA group (time x supplementation, P = 0.002). Although TAS declined after exercise before intervention, it increased above preexercise values after the 4-wk period in the AOX group (supplementation x time x exercise, P = 0.034). CK increased after exercise in both groups (exercise effect, P < 0.001) and decreased from week 0 to week 4 more markedly in the PLA group (supplementation x time, P = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS AOX supplementation does not offer protection against exercise-induced lipid peroxidation and inflammation and may hinder the recovery of muscle damage.

Sugar-sweetened beverage intake and overweight in children from a Mediterranean country.

OBJECTIVE To assess the association between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and overweight in children from a Mediterranean country. DESIGN The childrens dietary intake was measured using a semi-quantitative FFQ completed by the parents. Overall, 2512 questionnaires were returned and 837 children were removed, leaving a final sample of 1675 children, aged between 5 and 10 years. Height and weight were measured according to international standards, and BMI was calculated. The definition of overweight and obesity was based on average centiles according to the International Obesity Task Force cut-offs. To determine the magnitude of the association between SSB consumption and overweight, OR estimates, including CI, were computed using unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for confounders. SETTING Elementary schools throughout the city of Porto, Portugal. SUBJECTS We invited 5867 children, randomly selected, and their parents to participate in the study. Of those schools that agreed to take part, 3391 parents signed and returned the fully filled out consent form. RESULTS The prevalence of overweight (including obesity) was 36.6 % for girls and 38.8 % for boys. With regard to SSB consumption (serving/d), no differences between with overweight and non-overweight children were found even after adjustment for confounders (1-2 servings/d: OR = 1.67, 95 % CI 0.76, 3.66, in girls; OR = 1.63, 95 % CI 0.76, 3.47, in boys; and >2 servings/d: OR = 0.63, 95 % CI 0.33, 1.22, in girls; OR = 0.64, 95 % CI 0.33, 1.52, in boys). CONCLUSIONS The intake of SSB was not associated with increased risk of overweight in Portuguese schoolchildren.