A study on the relationship between zinc nutrition status and the parameters of growth and physical development was carried out in a group of school children aged 9 to 12 years, selected from a population showing a higher prevalence of "below average" hair zinc concentrations. The growth of the children was assessed as the attained height for age in comparison with the reference population median, whereas the physical development was assessed on the basis of the weight for height and upper arm circumference. Taste acuity was also examined. The results showed an increased prevalence of the "below average" and "low" zinc values in hair and plasma in children of shorter stature and poorer nutrition status. The examination of taste acuity has shown that the occurrence of moderate to severe hypogeusia was statistically significantly associated with the reduction of hair zinc content. The children with moderate and more severe hypogeusia also belonged to the most poorly nourished in the examined population.

In summary, we confirm the association of the FTO gene single-nucleotide polymorphism rs9939609 with obesity in Chilean Amerindian children. Furthermore we show an association between the risk allele (A) and insulin resistance-related markers in prepubertal obese girls.

HIIT improved significantly maximal oxygen uptake (6.1 + 3.6 mL/kg/min or 24.6%), reduced 2 h post load blood glucose (-33.7 + 47.9 mg/dL or -12.5%) and body fat (-4.3 + 5.6 kg). No significant changes were observed in the non-adherent group. Conclusions: HIIT exercise reduces blood glucose after an oral load in glucose intolerant patients. (Rev Med Chile 2014; 142: 34-39)

Congenital Chagas disease (CChD) has been reported in different countries, mostly in Latin America. In 1987 a fatal case of CChD of second generation (CChDSG) was published. Within a period of six months--1989-1990--two cases of CChDSG were diagnosed and studied in the city of Santiago. Two premature newborns, sons of two sisters, with moderate liver and spleen enlargement, were found to have positive serology for Chagas disease and xenodiagnoses. The mothers, urban residents all their lives, without antecedents of triatomine bugs contact or blood transfusions, showed positive serology and xenodiagnoses. Their mother (grandmother of the infants), lived 20 years in a Northern rural Chagas disease endemic locality, in a triatomine infested house. Afterwards, she moved to Santiago, where she married and has resided up to now. Serology and xenodiagnoses were also positive. All the Trypanosoma cruzi infected individuals were successfully treated with nifurtimox.

High prevalence of dyslipidemia and high atherogenic index of plasma in children and adolescents Background: Dyslipidemias in childhood increase the risk of cardiovascular events in adult life. Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of dyslipidemia and risk of atherogenicity based in the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) in a sample of school children and adolescents. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study of 208 children aged 10.4 ± 1.0 years (107 women). Demographic data were obtained, and a clinical evaluation was conducted, including pubertal development according to Tanner and anthropometric parameters. A fasting blood sample was obtained to measure total cholesterol (CT), HDL cholesterol (cHDL) and triglycerides (TG), glucose and insulin. LDL cholesterol (cLDL), Non-HDL cholesterol and the indices CT/cHDL, cLDL/cHDL and AIP (log[TG/cHDL]) were calculated. Risk categories according to AIP for the pediatric population were also determined (low: AIP < 0.11, intermediate: AIP 0.11-0.21, high: AIP > 0.21). Results: Thirty eight percent of participants had dyslipidemia, without differences by gender and pubertal development. The frequency of dyslipidemia was significantly higher in children with obesity (54%, p < 0.01) and a waist circumference over percentile 90 (61%; p < 0.01). The later conditions had also higher CT/cHDL, cLDL/cHDL and AIP. According to AIP, 54% of children had a high atherogenicity risk along with alterations in anthropometric parameters and insulin resistance. All anthropometric and insulin resistance parameters were significantly correlated with the AIP. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of dyslipidemia in the studied population, which is associated with an increased cardiometabolic risk. The indices of atherogenicity and particularly AIP are correlated with nutritional status, abdominal obesity and parameters of insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is a prevalent condition commonly associated with unhealthy lifestyles. It affects several metabolic pathways, increasing risk of abnormalities at different organ levels. Thus, diverse medical specialties should be involved in its diagnosis and treatment. With the purpose of unifying criteria about this condition, a scientific-based consensus was elaborated. A questionnaire including the most important topics such as cardio-metabolic risk, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and polycystic ovary syndrome, was designed and sent to national experts. When no agreement among them was achieved, the Delphi methodology was applied. The main conclusions reached are that clinical findings are critical for the diagnosis of insulin resistance, not being necessary blood testing. Acquisition of a healthy lifestyle is the most important therapeutic tool. Insulin-sensitizing drugs should be prescribed to individuals at high risk of disease according to clinically validated outcomes. There are specific recommendations for pregnant women, children, adolescents and older people.

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