High starch intake favours body weight control in neutered and spayed cats living in homes fed ad libitum

Different starch-to-protein ratios were compared among neutered and spayed domiciled cats. Male and female obese and non-obese cats were fed kibble diets ad libitum for 4 months high in starch (HS (38 % crude protein (CP)): starch 32 %, protein 38 %; DM basis) or high in protein (HP (55 % CP): starch 19 %, protein 55 %) but similar in energy and fat in a crossover design. Physical activity was evaluated using an accelerometer, and body composition (BC), energy expenditure (EE) and water turnover (WT) using the doubly labelled water method. Results were compared in a 2 diet × 2 sex × 2 body condition factorial arrangement. Cats fed the HS (38 % CP) diet maintained a constant body weight, but lean mass (LM) tended to be reduced in female obese but to be increased in male non-obese (P < 0·08) and increased in female non-obese cats (P = 0·01). The HP (55 % CP) diet induced an increase in cat body weight and LM (P < 0·05) without altering BC proportion. EE tended to be higher in males (351 (se 8) kJ/kg0·67/d) than females (330 (se 8) kJ/kg0·67/d; P = 0·06), was unaffected by diet or BC, decreased as age increased (R 2 0·44; P < 0·01) and increased as physical activity increased (R 2 0·58; P < 0·01). WT was higher for the HP (55 % CP) diet (P < 0·01) and increased with EE (R 2 0·65; P < 0·01). The HS (38 % CP) diet favoured body weight control during 4 months of ad libitum feeding. Caution is necessary to balance protein in diets of female obese cats over 5 years, as they may have low energy and food intake, with LM loss.

Subjective memory complaint and its relationship with cognitive changes and physical vulnerability of community-dwelling older adults

Memory complaint (MC) is common in older adults and can be confirmed by people close to them, such as family members and caregivers. Studies show an association between MC and cognitive impairment and, hence, physical vulnerability may exacerbate MC. However, the relationship between MC and physical vulnerability is not yet clear in the literature.\.

Objective

to investigate the association between MC, cognitive impairment, and physical vulnerability.

Methods

this is a cross-sectional study. We evaluated 100 older adults with a mean age of 65 years or over. The Memory Complaint Scale (MCS), Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Vulnerable Elderly Research-13 (VES-13), Geriatric Depression Scale and a sociodemographic questionnaire were applied.

Results

participants were divided into two groups according to results on the MCS-A (elderly) and MCS-B (informant). Correlations were found between the MCS-A and the MMSE (p=.045/ρ=.201), ACE-R/Visual-Spatial (p=.048/ρ=.199), and ACE-R/Attention-Orientation (p=.026/ρ=.223). For the MCS-B, correlations were found with total score on the ACE-R (p=.044/ρ=-.202) and the ACE-R/Visual-Spatial (p=0.003/ρ=-.291).

Conclusion

MC reported by the informant indicate the need to assess, in more depth, the cognition of the older adult. Thus, for clinical practice, screening of MC through an informant is advised.

Subjective cognitive impairment, cognitive disorders and self-perceived health: The importance of the informant

There is great divergence of results in the literature regarding the clinical relevance and etiology of subjective cognitive impairment (SCI). Currently, SCI is studied as a pre-clinical symptom of Alzheimer's disease, before establishing a possible diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The hypothesis was that SCI is associated with low cognitive performance and poor self-perceived health.

Percepção da perda auditiva: utilização da escala subjetiva de faces para triagem auditiva em idosos

Resumo A presbiacusia é uma alteração prevalente na população idosa, porém subdiagnosticada, desta forma, é importante aprimorar instrumentos de triagem simples. A escala subjetiva de faces foi proposta como forma de avaliar a autopercepção auditiva do idoso e sua correlação com exames audiológicos. Foram avaliados todos os pacientes encaminhados para o serviço de audiologia de um centro de referência de atenção à saúde do idoso no período de fevereiro a novembro de 2013. Os pacientes foram examinados por meatoscopia, audiometria tonal e vocal e responderam a escala subjetiva de faces e o teste do sussurro. Participaram 164 idosos com média de idade de 77 anos. Encontrou-se boa correlação entre a escala subjetiva de faces e o limiar audiométrico (r = 0,66). Houve correspondência entre as faces e o grau da perda auditiva, sendo a face 1 correspondente a audição normal, face 2 a perda auditiva leve e face 3 a perda auditiva moderada grau I. Ao avaliar as qualidades psicométricas da escala subjetiva de faces, verificou-se que as faces 2 e 3 apresentam bons índices de sensibilidade e especificidade, com área sob a curva ROC de 0,81. A escala subjetiva de faces parece ser um bom instrumento complementar de triagem auditiva em serviços gerontológicos, de fácil aplicação e baixo custo.