Protein quality evaluation in rats of typical diets for 4- to 6-year-old children from different socioeconomic areas living in Oaxaca, Mexico

Dietary sources of animal and plant protein intake among Flemish preschool children and the association with socio-economic and lifestyle-related factors

Background

The aims of this study were to assess the intake of animal, plant and food group-specific protein, and to investigate their associations with socio-economic and lifestyle-related factors in Flemish preschoolers.

Methods

Three-day estimated dietary records were collected from 661 preschoolers aged 2.5-6.5 y (338 boys and 323 girls). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the association between animal, plant, and food group-specific protein intake and socio-economic and lifestyle factors.

Results

Animal proteins (mean 38 g/d) were the main source of total protein (mean 56 g/d), while mean plant protein intake amounted to 18 g/d. The group of meat, poultry, fish and eggs was the main contributor (51%) to animal protein intake, followed by milk and milk products (35%). Bread and cereals (41%) contributed most to the plant protein intake, followed by low-nutritious, energy-dense foods (21%). With higher educated fathers and mothers as reference, respectively, preschoolers with lower secondary and secondary paternal education had lower animal, dairy-, and meat-derived protein intakes, and those with lower secondary and secondary maternal education consumed less plant, and bread and cereal-derived proteins. Compared to children with high physical activity levels, preschoolers with low and moderate physical activity had lower animal and plant protein intakes. Significantly higher potatoes and grains-, and fish- derived proteins were reported for children of smoking mothers and fathers, respectively, compared to those of non-smoking mothers and fathers.

Conclusions

The total protein intake of Flemish preschoolers was sufficient according to the recommendations of the Belgian Superior Health Council. Parental level of education and smoking status might play a role in the sources of children's dietary proteins.

Effects of calcium and phosphorus intake and excretion on bone density in postmenopausal women in Hermosillo, Mexico

Calcium (Ca) is important in bone formation and as aging progresses, bone loss gradually occurs. With the onset of menopause, reduced estrogen levels and insufficient Ca in the diet often create serious problems with fractures. Since little is known about the diet and other factors related to risk factors in postmenopausal women in northern Mexico, it was the objective of this study to determine the effects of dietary Ca and phosphorus (P) and their excretion, anthropometric measurements, and blood serum estradiol on bone density in women aged 45-63 years. No studies are available on the dietary intake of Ca and P and the effects on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women in northern Mexico, so this study reports some of the first data on this population. Women with an average age of 55 years showed a positive relation of Ca intake and Ca excretion, however, dietary intake of Ca and P had no relation to bone density. Age, urinary Ca, Ca/creatinine and years of postmenopause had the highest negative correlation. Weight and body mass index had a positive correlation with BMD in the forearm and heel. Only 15% of the women met the recommendation of 1,500 mg/day of Ca. A high Ca/creatinine ratio has been proposed to indicate excess Ca excretion and subsequent bone density loss. Thirty-five percent of the women exceed the Ca/creatinine indicator of >0.16. In this study, 1% of the subjects were classified as osteoporotic and 37% as osteopenic.