Volume 11 Issue 1

▪ Keyword : body composition, Chinese, ethnic groups, impedance, Indians, Malays

▪ Content : Body fat percentage (BF%) was measured in 298 Singaporean Chinese, Malay and Indian men and women using a chemical four-compartment model consisting of fat, water, protein and mineral (BF%4C). In addition, weight, height, skinfold thickness and segmental impedance (from hand to hand) was measured. Body fat percentage was predicted using prediction equations from the literature (for skinfolds BF%SKFD) and using the manufacturer’s software for the hand-held impedance analyser (BF%IMP). The subjects ranged in age from 18–70 years and in body mass index from 16.0 to 40.2 kg/m2.

▪ Keyword : Australia, dietary supplements, personal values, soy bread, survey

▪ Content : A two-stage random telephone/mail survey was conducted during the last quarter of 1998 among Adelaide residents to determine consumers’ use of soy bread and other soy products and their health expectations of soy products. One in five (21%) of 1477 telephone subscribers usually consumed soy bread and related soy products. Comparisons of soy bread consumers and non-consumers, based on the mail survey sample, showed that more soy bread consumers used dietary supplements and ate low fat and vegetarian diets, though their experiences of ill health were similar.

▪ Keyword : fatty acid patterns, fish intake, food frequency questionnaire, n-3 and n-6 fatty acids, percentage fatty acids

▪ Content : There is considerable interest in the potentially protective effects of high fish consumption on many chronic diseases. Many epidemiological studies use food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) to quantify usual dietary fish intake, so it is important to validate this assessment against objective markers. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between plasma percentage fatty acids and dietary fish intake as assessed by a FFQ.

▪ Keyword : Chinese, elderly, green leaf, Hong Kong, nursing home, osteoporosis

▪ Content : There is strong evidence supporting the importance of vitamin K in bone health and the aetiological role of vitamin K deficiency in osteoporosis. In view of the common occurrence of osteoporosis among older subjects in Hong Kong, we have studied the dietary vitamin K intakes in 100 residents of a nursing home (43 men, 57 women; median age 81.0 years) and 88 free-living subjects attending a day care centre (13 men, 75 women; median age 71.5 years).

▪ Keyword : abdominal obesity, Andhra Pradesh, blood pressure, coronary heart disease risk, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol

▪ Content : The relationship of body mass index (BMI), conicity index (CI) and waist circumference to four coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors (systolic and diastolic blood pressures, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels) was examined in urban (n = 110) and rural (n = 102) men aged ≥ 20 years, drawn from the ‘Reddy’ population of Southern Andhra Pradesh, India.

▪ Keyword : cholesterol oxides, dairy foods, eggs, egg products, food processing

▪ Content : Eight cholesterol oxides are commonly found in foods with high cholesterol content, such as meat, egg yolk and full fat dairy products. Factors known to increase the production of cholesterol oxides in foods are heat, light, radiation, oxygen, moisture, low pH, certain pro-oxidising agents and the storage of food at room temperature. Processes, such as pre-cooking, freeze-drying, dehydration and irradiation, have all been reported to result in increased production of cholesterol oxides in meats. As prepared consumer foods are becoming increasingly popular, the consumption of higher levels of cholesterol oxides in foods is inevitable. An understanding of the mechanisms involved in the generation of cholesterol oxides may assist in their reduction in foods and possibly reduce the ...

▪ Keyword : anticancer activity, antioxidant activity, bioactive components, citrus fruit, limonoids

▪ Content : Accumulated evidence from experimental and epidemiological studies indicates that there is a low risk of degenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cataract, stroke and, in particular, cancers in people with a high intake of fruit and vegetables. This protective effect is assumed to be associated mainly with the antioxidant activities of either individual or interacting bioactive components present in the fruits and vegetables, and with other biochemical and physical characteristics of the identified and unknown bioactive components. The implicated bioactive components present in citrus fruits include vitamin C, β-carotene, flavonoids, limonoids, folic acid, and dietary fibre. A high intake of citrus fruits may reduce the risk of degenerative diseases.

▪ Keyword : body fatness, diabetes mellitus, dietary patterns, Fijian, impedance, Japanese

▪ Content : Diabetes mellitus is now a serious and increasing problem in Asian countries, where dietary patterns have shifted toward Westernized foods and people are becoming more sedentary. In order to elucidate the relationship of dietary habits to the development of diabetic risk factors, the dietary patterns of 200 Fijian, 171 Japanese and 181 Vietnamese women of 30–39 years of age were investigated using 3 day–24 h recall or dietary records.

▪ Keyword : Chinese women, cross-sectional study, dietary patterns, food consumption, nutrient intake

▪ Content : This study documents the dietary patterns and nutrient intake of 652 adult women living in south-east China. Compared with data from previous national surveys and other nutrition studies in China, the results show different dietary patterns. The major differences include a greater consumption of vegetables, fruits and animal foods, but a lower consumption of cereal and tuber foods. The mean daily nutrient intakes of the urban women met the Chinese recommended dietary allowances. However, the situation was different in rural areas, where women had lower mean intakes of vitamins and minerals. There were also significant differences in dietary pattern and food consumption between these two groups of women. Further improvements in dietary intake for those residing in the south-east rur...

▪ Keyword : Arabs, β-carotene, cholesterol, Kuwait, lycopene, micronutrient antioxidants

▪ Content : Serum concentrations of retinol, α-tocopherol, β-carotene and lycopene were measured by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (r-P HPLC) in 260 randomly selected healthy adult Kuwaitis (159 men and 101 women) aged 18–63 years (mean 33.3 years) to established reference ranges of the micronutrient antioxidants. Total cholesterol concentrations were assayed by an enzymatic method to determine α-tocopherol : cholesterol ratios.

▪ Keyword : barnyard millet, foxtail millet, India, Kumaon hills, malting, soybean

▪ Content : A weaning food based on malted foxtail millet flour (30%), malted barnyard millet flour (30%), roasted soybean flour (25%) and skim milk powder (15%) was prepared. The mix contained 18.37 g protein and 398 kcal energy per 100 g. The nutrient composition of this unfortified weaning (UW) mix met the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) standards, except in total ash. In order to meet the minor constituent requirements, the UW mix was fortified.

▪ Keyword : iodine deficiency disorders, goitre, India, iodised salt, Kerala

▪ Content : Iodine is one of the essential micro-elements required for normal human growth and development. Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) are an important public health problem in India. There has been no data on the prevalence of IDD from the Kottayam district, India and hence, the present pilot study was conducted in the year 1999 to assess whether iodine deficiency existed in the district or not and to estimate the iodine content of salt consumed by the population.

▪ Keyword : adolescents, anaemia, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, iron supplementation, Kupang

▪ Content : To investigate the efficacy of two different iron supplements administered either on a weekly basis or during menstruation, a 16-week community experimental study was carried out among postmenarcheal female adolescent students in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Forty eight students received a placebo tablet weekly, 48 other students got an iron tablet weekly and 41 students took an iron tablet for four consecutive days during their menstruation cycle.

▪ Keyword : Australia, body mass index (BMI), children, Geelong, socioeconomic status

▪ Content : Weight and height from infancy to age 15 years was studied in the Geelong population (n = 1200 in infancy; n = 213 at adolescence), Victoria, Australia. Body mass index (BMI) increased from 3 months to 12 months and then decreased again until 80 months after which it increased to 20.5 kg/m2 at the age of 15 years. The extent of tracking of BMI in infants classified as overweight or underweight was similar and differed from that of subjects of normal weight.

▪ Keyword : antihepatotoxic activity, Aphanamixis polystachya, carbon tetrachloride, hepatoprotective

▪ Content : Aphanamixis polystachya is a traditional medicinal plant of the Meliaceae family in India. A crude ethanolic extract of the leaf of this plant shows a beneficial effect on toxic liver injury. Its antihepatotoxic activity was evaluated on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury in a rat model.