In 1229 subjects, 521 males and 708 females, with a wide range in body mass index (BMI; 13.9-40.9 kg/m2), and an age range of 7-83 years, body composition was determined by densitometry and anthropometry. The relationship between densitometrically-determined body fat percentage (BF%) and BMI, taking age and sex (males = 1, females = 0) into account, was analysed. For children aged 15 years and younger, the relationship differed from that in adults, due to the height-related increase in BMI in children. In children the BF% could be predicted by the formula BF% = 1.51 x BMI-0.70 x age -3.6 x sex + 1.4 (R2 038, SE of estimate (SEE) 4.4% BF%). In adults the prediction formula was: BF% = 1.20 x BMI+0.23 x age-10.8 xsex-54 (R2 079, SEE = 41% BF%). Internal and external cross-validation of the prediction formulas showed that they gave valid estimates of body fat in males and females at all ages. In obese subjects however, the prediction formulas slightly overestimated the BF%. The prediction error is comparable to the prediction error obtained with other methods of estimating BF%, such as skinfold thickness measurements or bioelectrical impedance.
Objectives: To compare effects on plasma total-, LDL-, and HDL-cholesterol concentrations of margarines enriched with different vegetable oil sterols or sitostanol-ester. Design: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled balanced incomplete Latin square design with ®ve treatments and four periods of 3.5 weeks. Margarines enriched with sterols from soybean, sheanut or ricebran oil or with sitostanol-ester were compared to a non-enriched control margarine. Sterol intake was between 1.5 ± 3.3 gad. Two thirds of the soybean oil sterols were esteri®ed to fatty acids. Setting: Unilever Research Laboratory, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands. Subjects: One hundred healthy non-obese normocholesterolaemic and mildly hypercholesterolaemic volunteers aged 45 AE 12.8 y, with plasma total cholesterol levels below 8 mmolaL at entry. Main outcome measures: Plasma lipid, carotenoid and sterol concentrations, blood clinical chemistry and haematology, fatty acid composition of plasma cholesterylesters and food intake. Results: Ninety-®ve volunteers completed the study. None of the margarines induced adverse changes in blood clinical chemistry, serum total bile acids or haematology. Plasma total-and LDL-cholesterol concentrations were signi®cantly reduced by 8 ± 13% (0.37 ± 0.44 mmolaL) compared to control for margarines enriched in soybean oil sterol-esters or sitostanol-ester. No effect on HDL-cholesterol concentrations occurred. The LDL-to HDLcholesterol ratio was reduced by 0.37 and 0.33 units for these margarines, respectively. Effects on blood lipids did not differ between normocholesterolaemic and mildly hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Plasma sitosterol and campesterol levels were signi®cantly higher for the soybean oil sterol margarine and signi®cantly lower for the sitostanol-ester margarine compared to control. Dietary intake was very similar across treatments. The fatty acid composition of plasma cholesterylesters con®rmed the good compliance to the treatment. All sterol enriched margarines reduced lipid-standardized plasma a-plus b-carotene levels. Plasma lycopene levels were also reduced but this effect was not signi®cant for all products. Conclusions: A margarine with sterol-esters from soybean oil, mainly esters from sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol, is as effective as a margarine with sitostanol-ester in lowering blood total-and LDL-cholesterol levels without affecting HDL-cholesterol concentrations. Incorporation in edible fat containing products of such substances may substantially reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in the population. Sponsorship: Unilever Research.
Carotenoids are thought to contribute to the beneficial effects of increased vegetable consumption. Various dietary factors have an effect on the bioavailability of carotenoids. The type of food matrix in which carotenoids are located is a major factor. The bioavailability of beta-carotene from vegetables in particular has been shown to be low (14% from mixed vegetables) compared with that of purified beta-carotene added to a simple matrix (e.g., salad dressing), whereas for lutein, the difference is much smaller (relative bioavailability of 67% from mixed vegetables). Processing, such as mechanical homogenization or heat treatment, has the potential to enhance the bioavailability of carotenoids from vegetables (from 18% to a sixfold increase). The amount of dietary fat required to ensure carotenoid absorption seems low (approximately 3-5 g per meal), although it depends on the physicochemical characteristics of the carotenoids ingested. Unabsorbable, fat-soluble compounds reduce carotenoid absorption, and interaction among carotenoids may also result in a reduced carotenoid bioavailability. Research into the functional benefits of carotenoids should consider the fact that the bioavailability of beta-carotene in particular is one order of magnitude higher when provided as a pure compound added to foods than when it is present naturally in foods.
Objective: To investigate the dose-response relationship between cholesterol lowering and three different, relatively low intake levels of plant sterols (0.83, 1.61, 3.24 gad) from spreads. To investigate the effects on lipidsoluble (pro)vitamins. Design: A randomized double-blind placebo controlled balanced incomplete Latin square design using ®ve spreads and four periods. The ®ve study spreads included butter, a commercially available spread and three experimental spreads forti®ed with three different concentrations of plant sterols. Subjects: One hundred apparently healthy normocholesterolaemic and mildly hypercholesterolaemic volunteers participated. Interventions: Each subject consumed four spreads, each for a period of 3.5 week. Conclusions:The three relatively low dosages of plant sterols had a signi®cant cholesterol lowering effect ranging from 4.9 ± 6.8%, 6.7 ± 9.9% and 6.5 ± 7.9%, for total, LDL-cholesterol and the LDLaHDL cholesterol ratio, respectively, without substantially affecting lipid soluble (pro)vitamins. No signi®cant differences in cholesterol lowering effect between the three dosages of plant sterols could be detected. This study would support that consumption of about 1.6 g of plant sterols per day will bene®cally affect plasma cholesterol concentrations without seriously affecting plasma carotenoid concentrations.
A method is presented for assessing childhood obesity in a more objective way than most other routine methods used for diagnosing childhood obesity. The sum of bicipital, tricipital, subscapular, and suprailiacal skinfold thicknesses is related to total body density by use of theoretically defined prediction equations. Total body density is used to estimate total body fat percentage by use of age- and sex-dependent equations on the relation between body fat percentage and body density. These equations are constructed on the basis of published data on changes in the density of fat-free mass with age in children. With the proposed method childhood obesity can be assessed routinely in a more consistent way than with most other routine methods used to diagnose obesity in children. A preliminary validation study indicated that in children aged 7-10 y predicted body density differed on average less than 1% from measured body density. In addition, predicted body density was highly correlated (r greater than 0.7) with measured body density.
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