Search

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To determine seasonal variation in vitamin D status in healthy Caucasian adolescent girls and elderly community-dwelling women living in Denmark, and to quantify the impact of sun exposure and intake on the seasonal changes in vitamin D status. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A 1-year longitudinal observational study of 54 girls (11-13 years) and 52 women (70-75 years). The participants were examined three times (winter-summer-winter). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (S-25OHD) concentration and vitamin D intake were measured at each visit. Sun exposure was measured during summer. RESULTS: S-25OHD concentrations (winter, summer, winter) were median (25, 75 percentiles) 23.4 (16.5, 36.4), 60.3 (42.7, 67.7), 29.5 (22.2, 40.4) and 47.2 (27.3, 61.1), 67.3 (35.1, 79.2), 50.5 (32.7, 65.5) nmol/l for girls and women, respectively. The usual sun habits were determinant (P = 0.002) for change in vitamin D status from winter to summer. Vitamin D intake from supplements (P CONCLUSIONS: Low vitamin D status among adolescent girls and elderly women during two consecutive winter seasons, improved vitamin D status during the summer and better vitamin D status in women than in girls was found. The estimations show that a summer S-25OHD concentration ~ 100 nmol/l is needed to achieve a concentration of ~50 nmol/l the following winter. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2013) 67, 270-274; doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.3 published online 6 February 2013 Keywords: vitamin D status and intake; sun exposure; UV; adolescent girls; elderly women; season, INTRODUCTION Vitamin D is obtained through synthesis in the skin by ultraviolet (UV)B radiation and by intake from food or supplements. In Northern Europe, vitamin D status is highest during [...]

Objective: To assess the prevalence of old people at risk of undernutrition according to the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), characterise the at risk group with regard to nutritional state, energy intake, and physical and mental functioning, and to assess the consequences of the MNA score over a 6 month period. Design: A cross-sectional prospective study. Setting: The clinic of a general practitioner. Subjects: Ninety-four patients 65 +-y-old with no acute illness contacted at the clinic. Sixty-one subjects (65%) agreed to participate at baseline and 34 (56%) showed up at the follow-up 6 months later. Results: At baseline, 23 (38%) participants were assessed as being at risk of undernutrition (17-23.5 MNA points). The remaining were classified as well-nourished (> 23.5 MNA points). The 23 participants at risk had a higher prevalence of body mass index (BMI) < 20kg/[m.sup.2] (44 vs 11%, P < 0.001) and insufficient energy intake (36 vs 9%, P < 0.05), compared with the well-nourished group. Also, they had a higher need of meals-on-wheels (39 vs 8%, P < 0.01) and home-care for shopping (48 vs 18%, P < 0.05) at baseline. At the 6 months&apos; follow-up, there was a tendency to a higher non-participation rate among the participants assessed at risk of undernutrition at baseline (44 vs 18%, 0.05 < P < 0.1), compared with the well-nourished group. There was a tendency to a higher prevalence of hospitalisation (38 vs 19%, 0.05 < P < 0.1) in the at risk group. Conclusion: MNA seems to be a useful tool to identify old people who need help from the public sector. However, many in the group at risk of undernutrition already have low BMI values. This might have influenced the findings. Descriptors: screening; dietary record; body mass index; MMSE; home-care; hospitalisation, Introduction The Mini Nutritional Assessment (NINA) method has recently been designed to provide a single rapid assessment of nutritional risk in old people (Guigoz et al, 1994). The NINA is [...]

Microwave heating of human milk below 60 degree centigrade has little effect on the immunoglobulins, vitamins B1 and E, and linoleic and linolenic acids. While heating the milk at 77 degree centigrade results in total inactivation of immunoglobulin, components of vitamins and polyunsaturated fatty acids remain unaffected even at higher temperatures. Microwave heating and conventional heating with various power levels, and thawing have similar effects on immunoglobulins and nutrients.

Thirty-two patients with small cell lung cancer were examined for protein and energy intake at the start of cyclical chemotherapy and after one and three months to evaluate the effect of aggressive chemotherapy on dietary intake. Results of the study show that weight-losing patients had lower post treatment energy intake compared to weight stable patients. These results suggest that weight loss is associated with later resumption of habitual food intake.

The nutritional status of forty-six patients with cancer of the breast, ovary and lung were evaluated after starting cyclical chemotherapy to determine whether changes in food intake were related to treatment response. It was shown that nochanges in anthropometric status related to treatment response and that protein intake in treatment responders p-albumin increased significantly compared to pretreatment value. It was further proposed that initial chemotherapeutic treatment is not necessarily followed by improved nutrition.