Laura Maccarini

Eating Habits and Behaviors, Physical Activity, Nutritional and Food Safety Knowledge and Beliefs in an Adolescent Italian Population

Objective: The present study evaluates eating habits and behaviors, and nutritional and food safety knowledge of a group of Italian adolescents. Design: A dietary questionnaire previously constructed and tested was self-administered during school time. Each section was evaluated using a separate score. Setting: The study was carried out as a part of a nutritional surveillance project in the Aosta Valley Region, Northern Italy. Subjects: Five hundred and thirty-two adolescent subjects, aged 15.4 ± 0.7 years, attending the second year of secondary schools participated in the study. Measures: We evaluated eating habits, physical activity, meaning of healthy and unhealthy dietary habits and food, self-efficacy, barriers affecting healthy food choices, nutritional and food safety, weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI). Results: Only 37.0% of the sample have satisfactory eating habits; 18.5% have a very active lifestyle; only 8.6% have quite good nutritional knowledge, 2.4% have satisfactory food safety knowledge, although 43.7% have good hygiene practices. Conclusions: The results point out unhealthy behaviors influencing adolescents’ eating habits and suggest which of these must be considered in order to develop tailored nutrition interventions, improving adolescents’ consciousness aimed at adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Nutritional status, dietary habits, nutritional knowledge and self‐care assessment in a group of older adults attending community centres in Pavia, Northern Italy

BACKGROUND The population of industrialised countries is ageing as a consequence of an increase in life expectancy. As a result of the increasing ageing process, the assessment of nutritional status and dietary habits, as well as the assessment of self-care, is needed to plan selected actions aimed at improving the quality of life in the third and fourth life spans. METHODS A cross-sectional study was carried out on a randomly selected sample of 200 healthy older adults (≥65 years old), attending community centres for older people in Pavia, Northern Italy. Ninety-two percent of the recruited subjects participated in the survey. Anthropometric measurements and the Mini Nutritional Assessment were performed. Dietary habits, nutritional knowledge and self-care were investigated using a questionnaire administered by two dietitians. RESULTS The majority of subjects were low socio-economic status and overweight [mean (SD) body mass index = 28.4 (4.3) kg/m(2) ], 12% were malnourished according to their Mini Nutritional Assessment score and the majority of the arm muscle circumference measurements were below the 10th percentile, predicting accelerated loss of lean mass, even in the healthy independently living older adults. Only 30% of the sample had adequate dietary habits, whereas the ability to self-care was good for the whole sample. CONCLUSIONS The unhealthy and unbalanced diet, frequently too rich in sugar and fats and low in protein intake, might explain being overweight and the loss of lean mass in the study subjects.

Plasma lysosomal glycohydrolases in a general population

In this study we evaluated the differences in plasma levels of some glycohydrolases of lysosomal origin that appear to be the most interesting for possible usefulness for diagnosis (N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, beta-D-glucuronidase, alpha-D-galactosidase, beta-D-galactosidase, alpha-L-fucosidase and alpha-D-mannosidase) in a general population of 417 subjects, as related to age and sex and also to body mass and to some habits, such as smoking and consumption of alcohol. The enzymatic activities were assayed by fluorimetric techniques with 4-methylumbelliferyl-glycosides as substrates. Particular attention was given to some technical aspects. Enzymatic activity was preserved by addition of ethylene glycol and stable liquid material was employed for calibration purposes. Blood was sampled rigorously at the same time of day and all the samples were obtained within a short period of time to exclude effects of the circadian and circannual rhythms. beta-Glucuronidase levels were the most affected by sex and body mass. beta-D-Galactosidase was not affected by differences in age, sex, body mass or by smoking, but appeared to be the most sensitive to modification by alcohol consumption. The data in this report emphasize that, whenever changes or differences in the levels of lysosomal enzymes in body fluids are studied, it is essential to have a reference population rigorously correlated with the study population. When possible, repetitive measurements in the same subject could better indicate a clinical trend.

The lysosomal N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAG) isoenzymes in plasma: Study of distribution in a general population by a simple routine chromatofocusing procedure

We have adapted for routine analysis a pre-existing method for separating the three major N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) isoenzyme forms--A, B+I1 and I2--by chromatofocusing followed by fluorimetric assay of the enzyme activity. This method combines good resolution, accurate quantification of the different isoenzymes and high reproducibility with an acceptable degree of analytical precision. We have applied it to studying the isoenzyme levels in the plasma of a general population of 417 subjects and have analysed these enzyme activities as functions of age, sex, body mass and declared alcohol consumption. Unlike the levels of unfractionated enzyme, levels of all the isoenzymes were higher in men than in women at all ages except in the 20-29 year group. Isoenzyme I2 showed the greatest sex difference. On the whole, with increasing age, both sexes showed more or less regular increases in plasma levels of all the isoenzymes. We also found significant correlations for the population as a whole with age and with body mass index. The only significant correlation with alcohol consumption was for B+I1 in men.

Acceptability, Waste and Nutritional Adequacy of Primary School Canteen Menus: An Observational Study in Pavia, Northern Italy

The aim of the study was to determine the acceptability, waste and nutritional adequacy of lunches served in all public primary school canteens in Pavia, Northern Italy. School canteens of all public primary schools were investigated to determine the acceptability, waste and nutritional adequacy of their menus. In addiction, the environment of the canteens (brightness, noisiness, size, crowding, cleanliness, attractiveness) was observed. The observations were conducted from April to June 2012. In each school canteen, lunch was supervised for three consecutive days by 5 trained dietitians. In total, 13 schools, 22 classes and 448 schoolchildren aged 7-8.5 years were investigated. The school canteens were found to be hygienically appropriate and homely. The menus offered appeared nutritionally adequate but portion sizes were often too big for the children’s age. Consequently a lot of waste was encountered, especially fruit and vegetables (70% of children refused vegetables), but first and main courses were also wasted (50% of children consumed a first course and the same proportion consumed a main course). The meals offered by the school canteens appeared nutritionally appropriate although portion-sizes were often too large for 7-8.5 aged schoolchildren. The quality and variety of the menus were good and the raw materials were usually D.O.P. (Protected Denomination of Origin) as a guarantee of high quality. This study has drawn attention to the need to adapt the menus to the children’s age in order to reduce waste.

The Mediterranean Diet Replaced By the Fast-Food Diet: An Observational Study in Pavia, Northern Italy

Giovanna Turconi1*, Stefania Moro2, Eleonora Porzio2, Lidia Testa1, Miriam Rossi2, Carla Roggi1 and Laura Maccarini2 1Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Unit of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Italy 2Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Unit of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Italy Journal of Nutritional Health & Food Science Open Access Research Article

What are Children's Breakfast Habits and How is Breakfast Meal Perceived by them? A Study Carried out in Pavia, Northern Italy

Citation: Turconi G, Moro S, Testa L, Rossi M, Porzio E, et al. (2015) What are Children’s Breakfast Habits and How is Breakfast Meal Perceived by them? A Study Carried out in Pavia, Northern Italy. J Nutr Health Sci 2(2): 201. doi: 10.15744/2393-9060.2.201 Volume 2 | Issue 2 Journal of Nutrition and Health Sciences