Patients with long-standing Crohn disease in remission showed significant nutritional and functional deficiencies, especially in males with high prednisone doses. This study highlights the importance of comprehensive nutritional assessment over single-dimensional assessments.
A longitudinal study found that pregnant women have higher intestinal calcium absorption rates compared to pre-pregnancy levels, indicating increased calcium demand. Postpartum, maternal calcium absorption returns to normal, while breast milk calcium is provided through renal conservation and bone loss.
This study found that baseline overweight and overfatness were the strongest predictors of status at follow-up in a multiethnic pediatric population. Children in the overweight group had higher cardiovascular risk factors, including lower HDL-cholesterol concentrations.
This study investigated the association of dietary components with iron stores in an elderly population. The results found five significant dietary factors positively associated with serum ferritin, including heme iron, supplemental iron, and vitamin C.
Elevated plasma leptin levels in obese individuals may indicate resistance to leptin's appetite-suppressing effects. Additionally, new evidence suggests a link between leptin concentrations and blood glucose changes, potentially connecting obesity and adult-onset diabetes.
A study of 40 newly diagnosed celiac disease patients found that those with total mucosal villous atrophy had lower erythrocyte folate and serum ferritin values, but no significant differences in nutritional status among other groups. After a gluten-free diet, most abnormal biochemical values normalized.
Children and adolescents with celiac disease have significantly lower lumbar spine and whole-body bone mineral density than healthy peers. A gluten-free diet rapidly increases BMD, leading to complete recovery of bone mineralization, emphasizing the need for early diagnosis and treatment.
Research found large differences in mean plasma leptin concentrations among Nigerian, Jamaican, and US black populations. Women showed higher leptin levels than men at every level of body fat. The study also suggests an exponential response of leptin to increases in body fat stores.
A lifestyle profile with low folate intakes, smoking, and high coffee consumption is associated with high plasma homocysteine levels. Folate intake, smoking status, and coffee consumption are major determinants of plasma homocysteine concentration in the general population.
Smoking in French men is associated with reduced vitamin E, C, and carotene intake, as well as altered oxidative stress indexes. This study highlights the importance of public health intervention for smokers in France.
A review of 20 published trials found that combining estrogen replacement with at least 1200 mg calcium daily preserves better bone health than using either treatment alone. This review suggests a combination therapy approach to managing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.