Sauerkraut inoculated with Lactobacillus casei as a potent immunomodulator in Escherichia coli infected mice

The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory property of sauerkraut (in the presence and absence of Lactobacillus casei culture) on Escherichia coli infected Balb -C mice. Fermentation of freshly washed, shredded cabbage was fulfilled by adding 2% salt to prepare ‘sauerkraut control’, whereas ‘inoculated sauerkraut’ was prepared by adding 2% salt, 2% sugar and 20% Lactobacillus casei culture. After incubation for five days at room temperature, fermented sauerkrauts were tested in vivo on mice and the stimulation process was carried out orally for 19 days. Both ‘sauerkraut control’ and ‘inoculated sauerkraut’ have shown an increased number of T cell populations namely: CD4+ CD8+ IFN-γ + , TNF-α + . These findings were associated with enhanced performance of macrophages and reduction in a number of CD68+ IL-6 + cell populations [a proinflammatory cytokine]. The impact of the immunomodulatory property of inoculated sauerkraut was higher compared to control sauerkraut.

Formulation and Characterization of Phytostanol Ester Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for the Management of Hypercholesterolemia: An ex vivo Study

BACKGROUND

Phytostanols are naturally occurring compounds that reduce blood cholesterol levels significantly. However, their aqueous insolubility poses formulation challenges.

AIM

To formulate and characterize solid lipid nanoparticle carriers for phytostanol esters to enhance the bioavailability of phytostanols.

METHODS

Phytostanol ester solid lipid nanoparticles were formulated by the microemulsion method. They were characterized for particle size distribution, polydispersity index, shape, surface charge, entrapment efficiency, stability, chemical structure, and thermal properties. The uptake of the formulation by cell lines, HepG2 and HT-29, and its effect on cell viability were evaluated.

RESULTS

The formulation of solid lipid nanoparticles was successfully optimised by varying the type of lipids and their concentration relative to that of surfactants in the present study. The optimised formulation had an average diameter of (171 ± 9) nm, a negative surface charge of (-23.0 ± 0.8) mV and was generally spherical in shape. We report high levels of drug entrapment at (89 ± 5)% in amorphous form, drug loading of (9.1 ± 0.5)%, nanoparticle yield of (67 ± 4)% and drug excipient compatibility. The biological safety and uptake of the formulations were demonstrated on hepatic and intestinal cell lines.

CONCLUSION

Phytostanol ester solid lipid nanoparticles were successfully formulated and characterized. The formulation has the potential to provide an innovative drug delivery system for phytostanols which reduce cholesterol and have a potentially ideal safety profile. This can contribute to better management of one of the main risk factors of cardiovascular diseases.

Investigating chemical changes during Snake fruit and Black tea Kombucha fermentation and the associated immunomodulatory activity in Salmonella typhi-infected mice

This study uncovered the chemical changes during kombucha's fermentation process and revealed the associated immunomodulatory activity in Salmonella typhi-infected mice. The snake fruit juice and black tea extract were processed into kombucha (a beverage known for its health benefits) by fermentation with SCOBY culture at room temperature for  14 days. Snake fruit kombucha showed high changes in fermentation parameters (total acidity, pH, and total sugar), as well as bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. Salmonella typhi demonstrated a reduction in the population of CD8+TNFα+ and CD4+IFNγ+ of infected experimental animals. Both snake fruit kombucha and black tea kombucha have the potential to be utilized as an immunomodulator to circumvent unstable conditions of the immune system caused by Salmonella typhi. Black tea kombucha and snake fruit kombucha cancan raise the production of CD8+TNFα+ and CD4+IFNγ+ in mice infected with Salmonella typhi. In the group of normal mice, black tea and snake fruit kombucha were able to lower down the production of CD8+TNFα+, which is a potent mechanism to modulate the immune system. Further research is required to highlight the mechanism and role of black tea kombucha and snake fruit kombucha in the immune response that modulates and treats infection by Salmonella typhi.

High omega arachidonic acid/docosahexaenoic acid ratio induces mitochondrial dysfunction and altered lipid metabolism in human hepatoma cells

BACKGROUND

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common cause of liver disease worldwide and is a growing epidemic. A high ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids in the diet has been implicated in the development of NAFLD. However, the inflicted cellular pathology remains unknown. A high ratio may promote lipogenic pathways and contribute to reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated damage, perhaps leading to mitochondrial dysfunction. Therefore, these parameters were investigated to understand their contribution to NAFLD development.

AIM

To examine the effect of increasing ratios of omega-6:3 fatty acids on mitochondrial function and lipid metabolism mediators.

METHODS

HepG2-derived VL-17A cells were treated with normal (1:1, 4:1) and high (15:1, 25:1) ratios of omega-6: omega-3 fatty acids [arachidonic acid (AA): docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] at various time points. Mitochondrial activity and function were examined via MTT assay and Seahorse XF24 analyzer, respectively. Triglyceride accumulation was determined by using EnzyChrom™ and levels of ROS were measured by fluorescence intensity. Protein expression of the mediators of lipogenic, lipolytic and endocannabinoid pathways was assessed by Western blotting.

RESULTS

High AA:DHA ratio decreased mitochondrial activity (P < 0.01; up to 80%) and promoted intracellular triglyceride accumulation (P < 0.05; 40%-70%). Mechanistically, it altered the mediators of lipid metabolism; increased the expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (P < 0.05; 22%-35%), decreased the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (P < 0.05; 30%-40%) and increased the expression of cannabinoid receptor 1 (P < 0.05; 31%). Furthermore, the high ratio increased ROS production (P < 0.01; 74%-115%) and reduced mitochondrial respiratory functions such as basal and maximal respiration, ATP production, spare respiratory capacity and proton leak (P < 0.01; 35%-68%).

CONCLUSION

High AA:DHA ratio induced triglyceride accumulation, increased oxidative stress and disrupted mitochondrial functions. Stimulation of lipogenic and steroidal transcription factors may partly mediate these effects and contribute to NAFLD development.

Vitamin D and Elevated Serum Uric Acid as Novel Predictors and Prognostic Markers for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Aim:

To ascertain the active role of uric acid and vitamin D as potential biomarkers for impaired glucose metabolism among people living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Turkish community.

Subjects and Methods:

This study was based on 680 patients with T2DM and 680 healthy subjects aged between 25 and 70 years, who visited the diabetes and endocrinology department of Istanbul Mega Medipol University Teaching Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey, during January 2016 to April 2018. The investigated biochemical indices included lipid profiles (low-density lipoprotein [LDL], high-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, and triglyceride [TG]), uric acid, blood pressure (BP), serum creatinine, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), postprandial glucose, and any related comorbidities.

Results:

This study reported significant differences between family history duration of patients with T2DM of ≤5 and >5 years when compared to that of control subjects with respect to body mass index (BMI), smoking habit, sheesha smoking, income, family history of metabolic syndrome, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and nephropathy. Similarly, significant differences were found between patients with T2DM (with family history T2DM duration of less than 5 years and more than 5 years in contrast to healthy subjects’ level of LDL, TG, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, systolic BP (SBP), bilirubin, albumin, magnesium, potassium, calcium, number of sleeping hours, and TSH. We uncovered the correlation between serum uric acid level with the clinical biochemical indices related to T2DM: serum calcium (r = 0.336), magnesium (r = 0.272), potassium (r = 0.205), HbA1c (r = 0.638), fasting blood glucose (P = 0.486), bilirubin (r = 0.251), albumin (r = 0.285), LDL (r = 0.322), TG (r = 0.434), diastolic BP (DBP) (r = 0.392), SBP (r = 0.344), BMI (r = 0.482), waist circumference (WC) (r = 0.366), age (r = 0.217), number of sleeping hours (r = 0.275), and TSH (r = 0.445). Multivariate stepwise logistic regression showed that variables, such as serum vitamin D, uric acid, TSH, HbA1c, DBP, WC, BMI, and SBP, were considered at higher risk as significant (P < 0.001) predictors for T2DM.

Conclusion:

The results suggest strong positive correlation between serum uric acid level with BP (SBP and DBP), age, BMI, and WC among patients with T2DM. This study ascertains that an increase in uric acid level may be due to elevated level of HbA1c, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, and/or hypertension.

Evaluation of a photographic food atlas as a tool for quantifying food portion size in the United Arab Emirates

Although, United Arab Emirates (UAE) has one of the highest prevalence of overweight, obesity and type 2 diabetes in the world, however, validated dietary assessment aids to estimate food intake of individuals and populations in the UAE are currently lacking. We conducted two observational studies to evaluate the accuracy of a photographic food atlas which was developed as a tool for food portion size estimation in the UAE. The UAE Food Atlas presents eight portion sizes for each food. Study 1 involved portion size estimations of 13 food items consumed during the previous day. Study 2 involved portion size estimations of nine food items immediately after consumption. Differences between the food portion sizes estimated from the photographs and the weighed food portions (estimation error), as well as the percentage differences relative to the weighed food portion for each tested food item were calculated. Four of the evaluated food items were underestimated (by -8.9% to -18.4%), while nine were overestimated (by 9.5% to 90.9%) in Study 1. Moreover, there were significant differences between estimated and eaten food portions for eight food items (P<0.05). In Study 2, one food item was underestimated (-8.1%) while eight were overestimated (range 2.52% to 82.1%). Furthermore, there were significant differences between estimated and eaten food portions (P<0.05) for six food items. The limits of agreement between the estimated and consumed food portion size were wide indicating a large variability in food portion estimation errors. These reported findings highlight the need for further developments of the UAE Food Atlas to improve the accuracy of food portion size intake estimations in dietary assessments. Additionally, recalling food portions from the previous day did not seem to increase food portion estimation errors in this study.

A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial to Study the Impact of a Nutrition-Sensitive Intervention on Adult Women With Cancer Cachexia Undergoing Palliative Care in India

PURPOSE

Advanced cancer patients with disease progression develop cachexia. Nevertheless, cancer patients at nutritional risk have shown improved body weight and quality of life with oral nutritional supplements.

METHOD

This was a randomized controlled trial in adult female cancer patients (n = 63) attending palliative clinics, with symptoms of cachexia. Eligible patients were randomly distributed into control (n = 33) and intervention (n = 30) groups. Both groups were provided with nutritional and physical activity counseling, but the intervention group received an additional 100 g of Improved Atta (IAtta) for 6 months daily consumption. This study was designed to assess the efficacy of IAtta (with counseling) in enhancing the health status of cachexic patients. Anthropometric measurements, dietary intake, physical activity level and quality of life parameters were assessed at baseline, after 3 months, and at the end of 6 months.

RESULTS

Patients in the control group (n = 15) had significantly decreased body weight ( P = .003), mid-upper-arm circumference ( P = .002), and body fat ( P = .002) by the end of intervention. A trend of body weight gain in the intervention group (n = 17; P = .08) and significant increase of body fat ( P = .002) was observed; moreover, patients reported a significant improvement in fatigue ( P = .002) and appetite scores ( P = .006) under quality-of-life domains at the end of intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Embedding a nutrition-sensitive intervention ( IAtta ) within Indian palliative care therapy may improve quality of life and stabilize body weight in cancer cachexia patients.

Fad Diets: Lifestyle Promises and Health Challenges

Chronic excess of dietary intake combined with reduced energy expenditure increase the positive energy balance. This transition in behaviour contributes significantly to prevalence of obesity, impairment of health, reduction in quality of life and increases health-care costs. While obesity has turned into a public health threat, with the government failing to reverse this growing trend, good number of people is undertaking fad diets with the hope to lose weight fast and easy. Furthermore, media and peers contribute to the popularity of fad diets as they put pressure to individuals who desire a certain body image, which leads to low self-esteem and perhaps eating disorders. Despite the fact that fad diets may appeal as simple way to lose weight, recent studies have shown that such diets in the long term are unsustainable and can bring adverse side effects to health. Consideration of the reviewed literature suggests that long-life changes in diet and lifestyle might be the best approaches to maintain a healthy weight in the long term. Overweight individuals should consult nutrition professions before adopting any fad diets to minimise the health risks and psychological impacts.

A comparative study: long and short term effect of a nutrition sensitive approach to delay the progression of HIV to AIDS among people living with HIV (PLWH) in Nigeria

ABSTRACTBackground: Malnutrition has a negative impact on optimal immune function, thus increasing susceptibility to morbidity and mortality among HIV positive patients. Evidence indicates that the prevalence of macro and micronutrient deficiencies (particularly magnesium, selenium, zinc, and vitamin C) has a negative impact on optimal immune function, through the progressive depletion of CD4 T-lymphocyte cells, which thereby increases susceptibility to morbidity and mortality among PLWH. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a nutrition sensitive intervention to delay the progression of human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) to AIDS among people living with HIV in Abuja, Nigeria.Methods: A randomised control trial was carried out on 400 PLWH (adult, male and female of different religious background) in Abuja, Nigeria between January and December, 2012. Out of these 400 participants, 100 were randomly selected for the six months pilot study (January to June, 2012). The participants in the pilot study overlapped to form part of the scale-up participants (n 400) monitored from June to December, 2012. The comparative effect of daily consumed 354.92 kcal/d optimised meal for six and twelve months was ascertained through the nutritional status and biochemical indices of the study participants (n 100 pilot and n 400 scale-up interventions) who were/were not taking the intervention meal. The meal consisted of: Glycine max 50g; Pennisetum americanum 20g; Moringa oleifera 15g; Daucus carota spp.sativa 15g.Results: At the end of six months of the scale-up intervention, mean CD4 cell count (cell/mm3) for Pre-ART and ART Test groups increased by 6.31% and 12.12% respectively. Mean mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) for Pre-ART and ART Test groups increased by 2.72% and 2.52% within the same period (n 400). Comparatively, participants who overlapped from pilot to scale-up intervention (Long term use, n 100) were assessed for 12 months. Mean CD4 cell count (cell/mm3) for Pre-ART and ART Test groups increased by 2.21% and 12.14%. Mean MUAC for Pre-ART and ART Test groups increased by 2.08% and 3.95% respectively. Moreover, Student’s t-test analysis suggests a strong association between the intervention meal,  MUAC and CD4 count on long term use of optimised meal in the group of participants on antiretroviral therapy (ART) (P<0.05). Conclusion: Although the achieved results take the form of specific technology, it suggests that a prolong consumption of the intervention meal will be suitable to sustain the gained improvements in the anthropometric and biochemical indices of PLWHIV in Nigeria. Keywords: HIV; AIDS; Nutrition-sensitive approach; CD4 cell count; Macro and Micronutrients; ART; Tailored Functional Recipe - TFR.

Dietary Patterns of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Study Based in Egypt

AIM:

In the hope to assist in tailoring individualized nutritional therapy, this study aimed to assess the nutritional status of autistic children.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

This cross-sectional study included 80 autistic children, divided into two groups: group 1 (aged 3- 5 years) and group 2 (aged 6-9 years). Diagnosis was performed based on the criteria for autistic disorder as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised and Autism Rating Scale.

RESULTS:

Socio-demographic data, anthropometric measurements and dietary intake patterns were recorded using a validated questionnaire. The daily intakes of calories and nutrients were converted to percentages of the Recommended Dietary Allowance or Dietary Reference Intake based on age- and gender-normalized DRIs. Plotting on the Egyptian sex-specific growth chart, BMI-z scores of both age groups were slightly overweight. Autistic children suffered inadequate intake of some micronutrients such as vitamin D and C, calcium, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron, some deficiencies were highly significant especially at older age.

CONCLUSIONS:

Tailoring a specially designed balanced diet with appropriate micronutrient supplementation may ameliorate the severity of autism symptoms and related abnormal behaviours.

The impact of tailored nutrition intervention and dietary counseling on body weight in female cancer cachexia patients in India

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Background: The prevalence of malnutrition, amongst cancer palliative patients, is 81%. As cancer progresses, patients’ develop malnutrition owing to metabolic changes and ill-effects of treatment. The aim of this study was to improve nutritional status of female cancer patients and their quality of life by counseling and providing nutrient rich natural food (IAtta). Methods: Female cancer patients (n=45) attending palliative care clinic (AIIMS, New Delhi); with symptoms of cachexia were randomly distributed into control (Group one, n=23) and intervention group (Group two, n=22). Both groups were provided with nutritional counseling while the intervention group also received 100grams of IAtta, to be consumed daily for three months. Anthropometric measurements [weight, muscle mass, percentage body fat (%BF) and mid upper arm circumference (MUAC)], dietary intake (two day dietary recall) and quality of life (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life C30 Questionnaire) were assessed at baseline and after three months. Data was analysed using paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test on the variables assessed. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant at 95% confidence interval. Results: Patients in group one had significantly decreased body weight (p= 0.001), muscle mass (p= 0.021), MUAC (p= 0.005) and %BF (p= 0.001) by end of three months. While patients in group two reported significant improvement in fatigue (p= 0.001) and appetite loss score (p= 0.002) under quality of life domains. Conclusions: Nutritional counseling along with IAtta food supplementation helps in stabilising weight and improves quality of life of cancer cachexia patients undergoing palliative care treatment. Clinical trial information: RP- 02/17.06.2013. [Table: see text]

The impact of dietary and lifestyle factors on the risk of dental caries among young children in Qatar

AIM

The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between dietary intake, type of feeding during infancy, other lifestyle and sociodemographic factors, and dental caries.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTING

The study was carried out on children younger than 16 years of age who visited Primary Health Care Centers. The study was carried out over a period from October 2010 to June 2011 in Qatar.

PARTICIPANTS

A random sample of 1752 children aged 6-15 years old who visited the Primary Health Care Centers was approached, and parents of 1284 children provided their consent and fulfilled the inclusion criteria (corresponding to a response rate of 73%).

METHODS

The study was based on a questionnaire that included variables such as sociodemographic information, lifestyle, family history, and feeding patterns during infancy, information on oral hygiene practices, and clinical examination. The status of dental caries was recorded on the basis of the WHO criteria.

RESULTS

The prevalence of dental caries [decayed, missed, or filled tooth (DMFT)] in the permanent dentition among children was 73% [95% confidence interval (CI): 71-75%], with a mean DMFT value of 4.5 (SD: 4.2). The numbers of children consuming sea food, cod liver oil, and vitamin-D-fortified milk less than once a week were significantly higher in the dental caries group compared with those without caries (11.7 vs. 8.3%; P=0.05, 92.4 vs. 87.5%; P=0.005, and 10.6 vs. 6.3%; P=0.011, respectively). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that being female [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.41; 95% CI: 1.07-1.84], having a BMI greater than the 95th percentile versus less than the 85th percentile (adjusted OR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.17-3.84), a monthly household income of at least 10 000 QAR (adjusted OR: 2.61; 95% CI: 1.69-4.02), consumption of cod liver oil less than once a week (adjusted OR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.35-3.37), 1-year increase in age (adjusted OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01-1.11), being formula fed during infancy (adjusted OR: 2.27; 95% CI: 1.59-3.21), and frequency of tooth brushing once a day or less (adjusted OR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.01-1.83) were associated independently with the risk of dental caries among children in Qatar.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Being female, overweight or obese, and monthly household income higher than US$2747 (≥10,000 QAR) were independent risk factors for dental caries. However, consumption of cod liver oil (at least once a week) and frequency of tooth brushing (more than once a day) were protective against dental caries. Health awareness and education on frequent tooth brushing, adequate nutrition, and obesity prevention should be promoted to avoid dental caries among children.

Hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction induced by fatty acids and ethanol

Understanding the key aspects of the pathogenesis of alcoholic fatty liver disease particularly alterations to mitochondrial function remains to be resolved. The role of fatty acids in this regard requires further investigation due to their involvement in fatty liver disease and obesity. This study aimed to characterize the early effects of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids alone on liver mitochondrial function and during concomitant ethanol exposure using isolated liver mitochondria and VA-13 cells (Hep G2 cells that efficiently express alcohol dehydrogenase). Liver mitochondria or VA-13 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of palmitic or arachidonic acid (1 to 160 μM) for 24 h with or without 100 mM ethanol. The results showed that in isolated liver mitochondria both palmitic and arachidonic acids significantly reduced state 3 respiration in a concentration-dependent manner (P<0.001), implicating their ionophoric activities. Increased ROS production occurred in a dose-dependent manner especially in the presence of rotenone (complex I inhibitor), which was significantly more prominent in arachidonic acid at 80 μM (+970%, P<0.001) than palmitic acid (+40%, P<0.01). In VA-13 cells, ethanol alone and both fatty acids (40 μM) were able to decrease the mitochondrial membrane potential and cellular ATP levels and increase lipid formation. ROS production was significantly increased with arachidonic acid (+110%, P<0.001) exhibiting a greater effect than palmitic acid (+39%, P<0.05). While in the presence of ethanol, the drop in the mitochondrial membrane potential, cellular ATP levels, and increased lipid formation were further enhanced by both fatty acids, but with greater effect in the case of arachidonic acid, which also correlated with significant cytotoxicity (P<0.001). This study confirms the ability of fatty acids to promote mitochondrial injury in the development of alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Impact of lifestyle and dietary habits on hypovitaminosis D in type 1 diabetes mellitus and healthy children from Qatar, a sun-rich country

BACKGROUND

There are no population-based studies that have examined the association between vitamin D and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and the role of lifestyle habits and dietary factors in young children in the Arabian Gulf and Middle East region. Little data on the intake of these nutrients in Mediterranean countries exist, and predictors of their suboptimal intake are not well defined.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the association between vitamin D status and T1DM and assess the impact of lifestyle and dietary habits on hypovitaminosis D in the young population of the State of Qatar. A matched case-control study was carried out among T1DM children and healthy subjects <16 years of age at the pediatric endocrinology outpatient clinics of the Hamad General Hospital and the primary health care clinics center. The survey was conducted over a period from 6 August to 25 December 2007. The sample included 170 cases and 170 controls matched by age, gender and ethnicity.

METHODS

Face to face interviews were based on a questionnaire that included variables such as sociodemographic information, assessment of non-dietary covariates, assessment of dietary intake including vitamin D, type of feeding, clinical manifestations and laboratory investigations. Their health status was assessed by medical conditions, family history, body mass index, past or present clinical manifestations, serum 25(OH) vitamin D, calcium, alkaline phosphates, phosphorus, hemoglobin A1C, parathyroid hormone, magnesium and creatinine analysis.

RESULTS

The study revealed that the incidence of severe vitamin D deficiency was considerably higher in T1DM (28.8%) compared with healthy children (17.1%). Although the mean serum level of vitamin D was significantly lower in T1DM children (15.80+/-9.23 ng/ml), compared with nondiabetic children (18.45+/-9.56 ng/ml), both groups belonged to the mild-moderate vitamin D deficiency category. A family history of vitamin D deficiency (35.3%; p=0.012) and diabetes mellitus (56.5%; p<0.001) was significantly higher in diabetic children. More than half of the diabetic (67.1%) and healthy children (51.2%) had no physical activity in their daily life. Both groups (65.9 vs. 62.9%) had very limited exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D supplement intake was very poor in diabetic children compared with healthy children; 60% of diabetic and 40.6% of healthy children never had any vitamin D supplement. The study revealed that vitamin D serum concentration, phosphorus, hemoglobin A1C, magnesium and creatinine show statistically significant differences between T1DM and healthy control subjects. A significant difference was noted between diabetic and healthy children for fractures (p=0.005), weakness (p=0.001) and gastroenteritis (p=0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study revealed that vitamin D deficiency is a common problem in Qatari children, but the incidence of vitamin D deficiency becomes very severe in T1DM children, compared with healthy children. This suggests that there is an association between vitamin D deficiency and T1DM. The data show that vitamin D status is dependent on sunshine exposure and dietary vitamin D intake. The results suggest the necessity of nutrition education to promote healthy eating habits among adolescents and their parents.

Would it Still be Possible to Identify Irradiated Lipid-containing Foods Towards the End of their Shelf-life?

The current British and European Standard (BS EN1785: 2003) for the identification of gamma irradiated foods is based on the isolation and detection of a group of lipid derived 2-alkylcyclobutanone compounds that are formed following irradiation. The 2-alkylcyclobutanones (2-dodecylcyclobutanone {DCB}, and 2-tetradecylcyclobutanone {TCB}) have been validated as radiolytic markers in the routine chemical identification of irradiated foods. This study was carried out with the view to answering a key question in relation to the fate of irradiated foods post irradiation and during storage; would it still be possible to correctly identify foods as having being irradiated towards the end of their shelf-life? Chemical detection method was employed to closely follow and plot the loss of each of these radiolytic markers throughout shelf-life. Significant levels of DCB and TCB were detected in all irradiated beef samples, which have been stored over 12-month period. Despite the considerable drop in the levels of both markers with time, it was still possible to detect both markers and therefore confirm that the stored samples had in fact been previously irradiated. These reported findings confer additional traceability choice to the global market of irradiated foods that may consequently, raise confidences among concerned parties.

Inter-laboratory Trial to Validate the Direct Solvent Extraction Method for the Identification of 2-dodecylcyclobutanone in Irradiated Chicken and Whole Liquid Egg

The main objective of this interlaboratory trial was to assess the qualitative performance of new rapid direct solvent extraction (DSE) method as potential detection method to differentiate between irradiated and unirradiated food samples. The trial was designed and carried out between four European laboratories that agreed to use 2-dodecylcyclobutanone (DCB) as radiolytic marker to detect irradiated minced chicken and liquid whole egg. Chicken samples were irradiated at 3 and 7 kGys while egg samples were irradiated at 3 and 6 kGys. Every laboratory had received 12-blind coded `unknown' and 4-known coded samples to be analyzed. All four laboratories were able to correctly identify all 12-blind coded samples as either irradiated (at medium and/or high doses) or unirradiated samples. The tested DSE method is regarded as fast, cheap, suitable and recommended for use in laboratories which are involved in screening large number of food samples for irradiation.

Does prolonged breastfeeding reduce the risk for childhood leukemia and lymphomas?

AIM

Prolonged breastfeeding was shown to reduce the risk of childhood acute leukemia. The aim of the study was to investigate the protective effect of longer breastfeeding on the risk of lymphoid malignancies in children and its dependent socio-economic factors.

METHODS

The study group comprised of 169 patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), Hodgkin's (HL) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), age =or<15 years, and 169 healthy controls, matched to patients by age and sex. Mothers of all study subjects provided information via telephone about the history of breastfeeding and parameters seen as proxies for viral infection.

RESULTS

The mean age+/-SD of cases was 5.44+/- 3.29 years and of control subjects 5.51+/-3.62 years. The male/female ratio was 1.73. Overall, the mean number of months of breastfeeding in the male patients and controls was 9.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.9-10.4) and 12.1 (95% CI 11.0-13.4), respectively (P<0.001), and in the female patients and controls 8.4 (95% CI 6.9-10.1) and 11.5 (95% CI 10.0-13.0), respectively (P<0.01). In 103 ALL patients, a shorter period of breastfeeding (0-6 months duration), was associated with increased odds ratio (OR) for males (OR=3.1, 95% CI 1.4-6.8) and females (OR=2.2, 95% CI 0.8-6.32) as compared to breastfeeding longer than 6 months. In 103 ALL patients, 32 HL and 34 NHL patients, there were no statistically significant differences in the duration of breastfeeding between the male and female patients and their respective controls. In multivariate analysis, statistically significant risk factors for the development of childhood lymphoid malignancy were: a shorter duration of breastfeeding, lower age and level of education of mother and higher income, larger size of accommodation and birth order in the family.

CONCLUSION

The current study confirmed that a longer duration of breastfeeding has protective effect against ALL and HL. Additional factors found to be associated with an elevated risk of lymphoid malignancy were low age and low education of mother. All these factors can be related to an increased risk of early childhood infections.

Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and associated psychological problems in Qatari's female population

Dissatisfaction with body weight and the use of unhealthy weight reduction practices have been reported among adolescents. It is important to conduct rigorous studies using large representative samples of female adolescents to assess accurately the frequency of dieting, overweight and eating disorders and accompanying attitudes. The aim of the present study was to examine the severity of dieting and its association with obesity, body satisfaction and psychological problems in female adolescents. A representative sample of 800 girls aged 14-19 years were approached during the period of October to December 2004, and 566 girls gave consent and participated in the study, thus giving a response rate of 70.8%. Self-reports were obtained from 566 teenage girls using the Adolescent Dieting Scale and the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) for psychopathology. Subjects were classified into three categories: acceptable weight (BMI < 25 kg m(-2)); overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg m(-2)); and obese (BMI > 30 kg m(-2)). The prevalence of overweight and obesity for female adolescents were 13.4% vs. 1.8%; 39.9% were intermediate dieters, and 8.3% were extreme dieters. Dieting was not associated with age but was significantly associated with body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.045). Extreme dieting was strongly associated with peer perception of respondent's figure (P < 0.001) and self-perception of figure (P = 0.016). Additionally, in adult Qatari population overweight and obesity for males were (34.4% vs. 34.6%) and for females were (33.0% vs. 45.3%). This is significantly higher than adolescent girls. (P < 0.01). The SRQ score was significantly highest in the extreme dieters group (P = 0.005). The extreme dieters get most of their education about dieting from school (14.0%) and TV (43.6%). The present study revealed strong evidence for the association between frequent dieting and overweight, body image dissatisfaction and psychological problems among adolescent females.