No Abstract

Background: Malnutrition has been the most prevalent problem in hospitalized patients during recent years, which accentuate the paramount importance of comprehensive nutritional  support  among  these  patients. This  study aimed  to provide a review of the recent literature about intensive care unit (ICU) inpatients and their nutritional care.
Methods: This review on energy and nutrient requirements for feeding the ICU inpatients focused on literature in English language. An on-line search using the keywords “nutritional support, malnutrition, ICU inpatients, micronutrient deficiencies, critically ill” in ISI web of science, PubMed, Scopus journals published  during  the  years (June  1979-November 2014)  was  run.  The  cross- sectional and prospective studies, as well as the clinical trials, were recruited into this investigation.
Results: Recent studies propose energy provision with 20-25 Kcal/Kg/day or 25-35 Kcal/Kg/day for critically ill patients. The recommended carbohydrate and protein intakes are 2-4 g/Kg/day, 1.2-1.5 g/Kg/day, respectively. The suggested fat intake is 25-30% of a total calorie. The latest studies stressed the need for antioxidant vitamins and trace elements such as A, C, β-carotene, E, selenium, magnesium and zinc among ICU inpatients.
Conclusion: High prevalence of malnutrition among ICU inpatients caution to provide a nutritional health care team, including professionals and dietitians who evaluate the effectiveness of treatment and supplementations. Energy requirement should be determined according to their nutritional and clinical status; then macro and micronutrient needs should be considered for ICU inpatients.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the association between dietary intakes of vitamin D and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Tehranian adults, Iran.
Methods: In this population-based prospective study, a sample of 2357 subjects, aged 20-74 years, who had completed a validated food frequency questionnaire, were  studied.  MetS  was  defined  according to  the modified  guidelines of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adults Treatment Panel III.
Results: Median intakes of vitamin D were 1.5 and 1.6 µ g/day in men and women respectively. After adjustment for confounding factors, dietary vitamin D intake was inversely associated with fasting blood glucose (β = -0.085, p = 0.004) and waist circumference (β = -0.065, p = 0.035); these associations were attenuated following  further  adjustment  for demographics,  body  mass  index  (BMI)  and dietary factors ((β = -0.066, p = 0.030) and (β = -0.065, p = 0.044), respectively. An association was observed between incidence of MetS and vitamin D intake (p trend = 0.040), independent of age, gender, smoking, physical activity; this association remained following further adjustment for BMI (p for trend = 0.044) and dietary factors (p for trend = 0.051).
Conclusion: Our findings suggest a significant inverse association between dietary vitamin D intake, MetS, and some of its components after controlling for confounding factors.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a prevalent chronic disease in children aging from 6 months to 12 years old. Recent studies have shown a positive effect of prebiotics in the prevention and treatment of AD. The mechanism of this effect has not been clearly established. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of supplementation of prebiotic on serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and total SCORing AD (SCORAD) score in 7-24 months old children with AD.
Methods: A total of 70 children with AD in a double-blind controlled clinical trial were randomly divided into two groups. For 3 months, the treated group received prebiotic (inulin + fructooligosaccharide), and the control group received placebo (dextrin powder). At the beginning and at the  end  of  the  intervention,  the  SCORAD  test questionnaire  was completed for all children by a physician and serum levels of IgE were determined. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS Ver. 18 software, using   independent   and   paired   t-tests   and   regression   analysis.   p < 0.050 was considered statistically significant.
Results:  The  total  SCORAD  score  and  serum  IgE  levels  before intervention were similar in the treated and control groups, and no correlation was found between these variables. The intervention resulted in a significant improvement in the total SCORAD score in the treatment group  compared  to  control  group  (p  <  0.001). Moreover,  prebiotic supplementation resulted in significant decrease in serum IgE levels in the treated compared to control group (p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between total SCORAD score and serum IgE levels in the intervention group (r2 = 0.20; p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Prebiotic supplementation may have beneficial effects on serum IgE, which may improve SCORAD. Our findings suggest prebiotic consumption as an adjuvant treatment of dermatitis.

Background: Previous studies have suggested that sex may be a factor influencing basal metabolic rate (BMR) in adults and school age children. However, few data are available about the effects of sex on BMR in pre-school children. In the present study, we investigated whether sex differences contribute to variations in BMR in pre-school age children.
Methods: Measurements were made on thirty children aged 2-6 years (14 male and 16 female). Measurements were taken of height, age, weight, and total body composition, which  was  determined  using  both  dual-energy X-ray  absorptiometry (DXA)  and deuterium dilution.  The  DXA  was  also  used  to  determine  body composition  in different regions of the body. BMR was measured by indirect calorimetry.
Results: We  found  no  significant sex  differences with  respect  to  age  (F  =  0, p = 0.998), weight (F = 0.02, p = 0.884), height (F = 0.33, p = 0.570), and body mass index standard deviation score (F = 0.51, p = 0.480). In addition, no significant difference was found between boys and girls for total fat free mass (FFM) (F = 1.30, p = 0.265) and fat mass (FM) (F = 3.16, p = 0.090) measured by DXA, and total FFM (F = 0.79, p = 0.380) and FM (F = 3.38, p = 0.080) obtained by deuterium dilution. There was no significant difference between pre-school boys and girls for BMR (F = 0.16, p = 0.690). In a multiple regression analysis, only log weight was significantly associated to BMR. The explain variation was 75.3%.
Conclusion: In conclusions we found no significant differences in body composition between pre-school boys and girls and no sex effect on BMR in this age group.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the type and frequency of dietary supplements use among elite soccer players in 2011/12 season of Iran’s Premier Football League.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. We randomly selected 13 teams from 18 teams in 2011/2012 season. All players of each team took part in our study. A total  of  234  soccer  players  enrolled  in  the  study.  Data were collected  in seven-point times using a questionnaire.
Results: All players consumed at least one single supplement. The most common used  supplements  among athletes were  vitamins  C  and  E.  No  significant association was  found  between  position  played  and  the type  or frequency of supplements use by athletes (p  > 0.05). There was no significant relationship between the ranks of teams at the end of season and types or frequency of dietary supplements consumed by players (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the usage of dietary supplements among Iranian elite soccer players is prevalent. Future studies are required to reveal the beneficial and potential hazards of these supplements on athletes’ physical performance and their health.

Background: Type  2  diabetes  (T2D)  is  an  increasing  public  health  problem primarily because of increase in the prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of self-management education on metabolic control in adults with T2D.
Methods: In a quasi-experimental study, 300 patients with T2D recruited from the Diabetes Society of Natanz, Isfahan, Iran, from October 2012 to January 2013. The patients participated in a 16-week educational program held by trained dietician. At baseline, the intervention group attended a 20 minutes lifestyle and nutritional oral education program. Participants were assessed at baseline, 2 and 4 months follow-up for changes in body mass index, glycemic status, and lipid profile. Non-parametric  and  parametric  descriptive  and  group  ×  time  (pre-post)  repeated measure analysis of variance was done.
Results: The mean (± standard deviation) amount of weight lost between baseline and the end of 16 weeks was 0.66 ± 1.62 kg in compared to baseline (p < 0.0010). Significant  time  ×  treatment  interaction  effects  were  found  for triglycerides (p < 0.0001), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (p = 0.0010), fasting blood sugar (FBS) (p < 0.0001), 2-hour postprandial glucose (p < 0.0001), systolic blood pressure (BP)  (p  <  0.0001), diastolic BP  (p < 0.0001), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (p = 0.0010). Mean FBS concentrations decreased by 30 mg/dl at week16. There was a non-significant increase in the HbA1c.
Conclusion: Nutritional/lifestyle counseling may improve metabolic control in T2D patients. Hence, it is possible to improve T2D control by means of non- pharmacologic interventions.

Background: The objective was to investigate the relationship between serum interleukin-18 (IL-18), pentraxin 3 (PTX3), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels with body mass index (BMI) and abdominal obesity and also the interaction between genetic variants of apolipoprotein A-II (Apo A-II) and obesity on the levels of these factors in type 2 diabetes patients (T2D).
Methods:  A  comparative  cross-sectional study  was  conducted  in  21  diabetes centers in Tehran. Totally, 180 (35-65 years) T2D patients were divided into two groups of 90 obese (BMI ≥ 30) and 90 non-obese (BMI < 30), according to the BMI with equal numbers of each genotype of Apo A-II: 30 TT, 30 CC, and 30 TC. Serum IL-18, PTX3, and hs-CRP concentrations were compared between two obese  and  non-obese  groups  and  between  subjects  with  and  without  central obesity. To investigate the interaction of Apo A-II genetic variants and BMI with inflammatory factors, general linear model was used.
Results: After adjusting data with confounding factors, the mean of serum PTX3 was significantly lower (p < 0.050) in the obese diabetes than non-obese diabetes subjects. Moreover, obese diabetes had higher serum hs-CRP level that on obese subjects (p < 0.010). No significant interaction between Apo A-II 265 T > C polymorphism and BMI on inflammatory biomarkers was observed.
Conclusion: There was a significant difference in inflammatory markers (PTX3 and hs-CRP concentration) between obese and non-obese diabetes. In addition, there was no interaction of Apo A-II 265 T > C genotypes and BMI on inflammatory markers. Weight control may be recommended to modulate inflammation and its complications in obese patients.