The present study reports the Na intake of a representative sample of Spanish young and middle-aged adults aged 18-60 years (n 418, 53·1 % women, selected from the capitals of fifteen provinces and the surrounding semi-urban/rural area), measured with a 24 h urinary Na excretion method. To validate the paper collection of 24 h urine, the correlation between fat-free mass determined by electrical bioimpedance (50·8 (SD 11·3) kg) and that determined via urinary creatinine excretion (51·5 (SD 18·8) kg) was calculated (r 0·633, P, 0·001). Urinary Na excretion correlated with systolic and dyastolic blood pressure data (r 0·243 and 0·153, respectively). Assuming that all urinary Na (168·0 (SD 78·6) mmol/d) comes from the diet, Na excretion would correspond with a dietary salt intake of 9·8 (SD 4·6) g/d, and it would mean that 88·2 % of the subjects had salt intakes above the recommended 5 g/d. Logistic regression analysis, adjusted for sex, age and BMI, showed male sex (OR 3·678, 95 % CI 2·336, 5·791) and increasing BMI (OR 1·069, 95 % CI 1·009, 1·132) (P, 0·001) to be associated with excreting .200 mmol/d urinary Na -a consequence of the higher salt intake in men and in participants with higher BMI. The present results help us to know the baseline salt intake in the Spanish young and middle-aged adult population, and can be used as the baseline to design policies to reduce salt consumption.

Background: Physical activity plays an important role in the maintenance of health, and it is especially important during childhood. However, the lack of information about differences in physical activity practice and sports preferences of children considering gender differences can result in non-effective policies that enhance inequalities between sexes. The aim of this study is to identify the sports preferences of Spanish schoolchildren and their physical activity practice behaviors depending on their sex and their parental care, analyzing the possible differences from a gender perspective. Method: Three hundred sixty-four Spanish schoolchildren (179 girls, 185 boys) participated in this cross-sectional study. A daily physical activity questionnaire was used to evaluate physical activity level (PAL), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sports preferences and a socio-health questionnaire were used to collect data about parental care. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and applying Student's T-test for normal variables, Mann-Whitney U-test for non-parametrical variables, and chi-square (χ2) test for categorical variables. Subsequently, odds ratios were used to analyze associations between the physical activity practice of the children and parental care. Results: PAL and time spent in MVPA was significantly lower for girls compared to boys (1.44 ± 0.07 vs. 1.46 ± 0.07, p < 0.001 and 0.74 ± 0.40 h/day vs. 0.90 ± 0.45 h/day; p < 0.001, respectively). Dancing, rhythmic gymnastics, skating, and water sports were practiced more by girls, while football, wrestling sports, handball, and racket sports were practiced more by boys (p < 0.05). Children cared for by their fathers had higher odds for physical activity practice (OR = 1.995 (1.202-3.310), p = 0.008). Conclusion: Physical activity among girls was less frequent and less intense. Girls opted for individual sports with artistic connotations, while boys often practiced more team contact sports. Furthermore, children are more physically actives when their father is in charge of them.

Objectives: To study the relationship between lipid, fatty acid and lipid-rich food intake and current asthma in a group of Spanish schoolchildren. Subjects/Methods: The subjects of this cross-sectional study were 638 Spanish schoolchildren (8-13 years of age). The weight and height of all the subjects were recorded. A questionnaire, completed by the subjects' parents, was used to obtain personal and health information. Current asthma was established when the children had ever had asthma, if they had been diagnosed with asthma by a doctor and if they had been treated with medications at some time in the previous 12 months. Food intake was monitored using a 3-day food record. All foods consumed were converted into energy and nutrients. Results: The energy derived from lipids, saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and myristic and palmitic acids was independently associated with current asthma (Odds Ratio (OR) third tertile 2.85 (1.01-8.07) P ¼ 0.049, 10.00 (0.89-111.97) P ¼ 0.002, 11.21 (1.36-92.24) P ¼ 0.002, 7.58 (1.40-41.03) P ¼ 0.022, respectively), as was the intake of butter (OR third tertile 2.97 (1.01-8.68) P ¼ 0.001). No relationship was seen between this condition and the intake of any other fatty acid, the n-6/n-3 ratio, nor the consumption of margarine, milk products, fish, meat, eggs or vegetable oils. Conclusions: Increased intakes of SFAs, myristic and palmitic acids and butter seem to be related to the risk of current asthma in children.

The aim of this study was to examine associations between vitamin E status and cognitive performance in elderly people. The study subjects were a group of 34 men and 86 women, aged 65-91 y, who were free of significant cognitive impairment. Dietary intake was monitored using a "weighed food record" for 5 consecutive days including a Sunday. Serum levels of alpha-tocopherol and cholesterol were determined by HPLC and colorimetric methods, respectively. The cognitive capacity of subjects was tested using the Pfeiffer's Mental Status Questionnaire (PMSQ). Subjects with vitamin E intakes lower than 50% of those recommended had higher PMSQ scores, demonstrating a greater number of errors in comparison to participants with a greater intake of the vitamin (0.91 +/- 1.22 vs. 0.47 +/- 0.60, respectively, P < 0.05). Subjects who made no errors in the PMSQ test had significantly higher serum alpha-tocopherol concentrations (19.7 +/- 8.6 micromol/L in men and 20.0 +/- 8.4 micromol/L in women) and alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol ratios (3.5 +/- 2.0 micromol/mmol in men 2.9 +/- 1.4 micromol/mmol in women) compared with those who made errors (alpha-tocopherol 15.1 +/- 5.6 micromol/L in men and 14.9 +/- 6.1 micromol/L in women; alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol ratio 2.4 +/- 0.8 and 2.3 +/- 1.3 micromol/mmol in men and women, respectively). This study shows there to be a relationship between vitamin E status and cognitive function, and that vitamin E status could be improved in this population of elderly individuals.

People who are overweight/obese commonly experience poorer antioxidant protection. The aim of the present study was to determine whether overweight/obesity is associated with children's selenium status. The study subjects were 573 Madrid schoolchildren aged 8 - 13 years. Their selenium intake was monitored via a three-day food record. Serum selenium concentration and blood glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity of each subject was also determined, as was body mass index (BMI). Children with excess of weight (BMI>P85) had lower serum selenium concentrations than those of normal weight (64.6 ± 16.8 µg/L compared to 75.3 ± 12.2 µg/L; p < 0.001). Their selenium intake was also lower (1.99 ± 0.62 µg/kg compared to 2.73 ± 0.88 µg/kg; p < 0.001). A positive correlation was found between serum selenium and selenium intake (the best being obtained when intake was measured in µg/kg/day, r = 0.338, p < 0.05), while a negative relationship was seen between serum selenium and all the anthropometric variables recorded (the strongest correlation was seen between serum selenium and BMI, r = -0.390, p < 0.05). Logistic regression showed the risk of selenium deficiency (<70 µg/L) to increase with BMI [OR = 1.5031 (1.3828 - 1.6338)] and to decrease with selenium intake [OR = 0.9862 (0.9775 - 0.9949)] and age [OR = 0.6813 (0.5434 - 0.8542)] (p < 0.001). A correlation was also detected between serum selenium and GPx activity (r = 0.177; p < 0.05) but there were no significant relationships between GPx activity and any anthropometric variables, excluding the correlation with waist/hip ratio (r = -0.298; p < 0.01). Children with excess of weight have a poorer selenium status than children of normal weight, which can contribute to poor antioxidant protection. This situation could be more evident in children with central adiposity.

The loss of weight was analysed in a group of sixty overweight/obese women of childbearing age (20-35 years) according to their initial vitamin D status. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two slightly hypocaloric diets: Diet V, in which the consumption of vegetables was increased, or Diet C, in which the relative consumption of cereals (especially breakfast cereals) was increased. Dietetic, anthropometric and biochemical data were collected at the start of the study and again at 2 weeks after dividing the women into groups depending on their having an initial serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration of ,50 nmol/l (LD) or $50 nmol/l (HD). Dietary intervention led to a reduction in energy intake, body weight and BMI in all groups. The HD women showed greater body fat losses during the study than the LD women (1·7 (SD 1·8) kg compared to 0·5 (SD 0·8) kg). A better vitamin D status therefore aided the loss of body fat over the experimental period (OR 0·462; CI 0·271, 0·785; P, 0·001). However, when the dietary groups were analysed separately, this effect was only seen in the C subjects (OR 0·300; CI 0·121, 0·748; P,0·001). The present results suggest that women with a better vitamin D status respond more positively to hypocaloric diets and lose more body fat; this was especially clear among the C subjects who had a greater vitamin D supply during the experimental period.Vitamin D: Weight loss: Overweight: Obesity: Young women Vitamin D is essential for the regulation of serum calcium, phosphate and alkaline phosphatase, and thus helps to produce and maintain bone (1 -3) . It has also been associated with the prevention of certain cancers, diabetes mellitus, autoimmune disorders, CVD and osteoporosis (1,4) . Different studies have observed that there is an inverse correlation between vitamin D and BMI and fat mass (5,6) . It could be explained because an adequated vitamin D status results in lower blood parathyroid hormone, diminishing calcium influx into the adipocytes and increasing lipolysis (5) . An improvement of vitamin D status, especially when trying to lose weight, may contribute to regulating the accumulation of fat (3 -7) .The aim of the present work was to analyse the repercussion of vitamin D status on the loss of body fat in young overweight/ obese women group following two slightly hypocaloric diets. Materials and methods Study subjectsThe study subjects were sixty women aged 20 -35 years. According to the requirements of the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Pharmacy, all subjects signed a witnessed form of consent to be included.The study was performed during the winter (November to March). InterventionsThe experimental diets to which the subjects were randomly assigned were designed to provide a mean of approximately 20 % less than their theoretical energy requirements. Theoretical energy expenditure was established by taking into account the age, body weight and physical activity (8) of all subjects, using equations proposed by the WHO (9) . Both diets were structured with the i...

A study was conducted on the influence of maternal education level on food consumption, energy and nutrient intake, and dietary adequacy in 110 pre-school children from Madrid, Spain. With increasing maternal education, children consumed more sugar(p < 0.05), fruit (p < 0.05), and fish (p < 0.05). Snacking was more frequent with decreasing maternal education (p < 0.05). Though statistical significance was not reached, the consumption of pre-cooked foods was greater among children of mothers educated to a higher level, a phenomenon probably related to the work situation of these women. With respect to dietary composition, no significant differences were found between groups for macronutrient, fiber and energy intakes, except for energy supplied by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which was greater in the children of less educated women (p < 0.01). This is probably due to their greater consumption of sunflower seed oil. The diets of children belonging to well-educated mothers came closer to meeting the recommended intakes for folate, vitamin C, and iodine. It would seem that maternal educational level influences the food habits of children. Mothers with less education may require special advice in this area.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the desire to lose weight in a group of university students, and to analyse the influence of this desire on declared food habits. The degree of knowledge on what constitutes a balanced diet was also determined. Design: Cross-sectional population survey. Subjects: The study subjects were 234 university students (48 males and 186 females) aged 22.371.5 y. The weight and height of each were recorded. All subjects were questioned on their desire to lose weight, habitual food intake frequencies, and about what they considered to constitute a balanced diet.Results: Approximately half the population (47.9%), both male (47.8%) and female (47.9%), expressed a desire to lose weight, even though the percentage of overweight students was low (11.1% overall, although much greater among male students [39.6%] than female students [3.8]). The body mass index (BMI) of those who wanted to lose weight was greater than that of those who did not. Nonetheless, the majority of subjects (especially females) showed BMIs within the normal range (18-25 kg/m 2 ). Among those who wished to lose weight, the consumption of sweet foods was lower F although these subjects believed they ought to consume even less. It was also thought necessary that egg consumption be reduced, although no differences were recorded in declared consumption between those who wished to lose weight and those who did not. Conclusions:The results show that there is great concern over body weight, although no great differences were seen in the food habits and nutrition knowledge of those who wished to lose weight and those who did not.