OBJECTIVE:Recent evidence suggests that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with diet. Our aim was to investigate the dietary patterns of a Brazilian population with this condition and compare them with the recommended diet.METHODS:A cross-sectional study was conducted on 96 non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients before any dietetic counseling. All patients underwent abdominal ultrasound, biochemical tests, dietary evaluations, and anthropometric evaluations. Their food intake was assessed by a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire and 24-hour food recall.RESULTS:The median patient age was 53 years, and 77% of the individuals were women. Most (67.7%) participants were obese, and a large waist circumference was observed in 80.2% subjects. Almost 70% of the participants had metabolic syndrome, and 62.3% presented evidence of either insulin resistance or overt diabetes. Most patients (51.5, 58.5, and 61.7%, respectively) exceeded the recommendations for energy intake, as well as total and saturated fat. All patients consumed less than the amount of recommended monounsaturated fatty acids, and 52.1 and 76.6% of them consumed less polyunsaturated fatty acids and fiber, respectively, than recommended. In most patients, the calcium, sodium, potassium, pyridoxine, and vitamin C intake did not meet the recommendations, and in 10.5-15.5% of individuals, the tolerable upper limit intake for sodium was exceeded. The patients presented a significantly high intake of meats, fats, sugars, legumes (beans), and vegetables and a low consumption of cereals, fruits, and dairy products compared with the recommendations.CONCLUSIONS:Although patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease exhibited high energy and lipid consumption, most of them had inadequate intake of some micronutrients. The possible role of nutrient-deficient intake in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease warrants investigation.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has recently emerged in various urban and peri-urban areas of Brazil and other countries. Understanding the urbanization of VL requires identification of risk factors associated with human and canine infection. To determine the predictors of risk for canine VL, a survey was conducted of 1,443 dogs, from which a cohort was selected (n = 455) and evaluated for approximately 26 months. Serology was conducted with two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA): one conducted in the Laboratory of Zoonosis of the Belo Horizonte Health Department (LZOON) and the other in the Laboratory of Immunopathology of the Federal University of Ouro Preto (LIMP). A molecular diagnostic method (PCR–restriction fragment length polymorphism) and a structured questionnaire were also used. To identify the factors associated with seroconversion, two time-dependent Cox regression models were performed with different sensitivities (model 1, seroconversion by ELISA/LZOON; model 2, seroconversion by ELISA/LIMP). The overall incidences of seroconversion were 6.5/1000 dogs-months and 11.2/1000 dogs-months for ELISA/LZOON and ELISA/LIMP, respectively. Increased risk of seroconversion was associated with short fur (model 1: hazard ratio [HR] 1.9), the presence of dry leaves (model 1: HR 2.8) or manure (model 1: HR 3.5) in the backyard, dogs sleeping predominantly in the backyard (model 2: HR 2.1), the presence of symptoms (model 2: HR 2.0), and positive molecular results during follow-up (model 2: HR 1.5). Decreased risk was associated with insecticide spraying in the house (model 2: HR 0.5). These results indicate that more-vulnerable domiciles, certain dog behaviors, lack of vector control measures, and positive molecular results were associated with the occurrence of canine VL. Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that PCR-positive dogs should be monitored, owing to the possibility of seroconversion. Identifying risk factors for seroconversion in dogs is crucial for developing adequate strategies for VL prevention and control.

Background: Alcoholic beverages are widely available in the university environment, particularly at the parties. There are few studies addressing the relationship between alcohol consumption and academic performance among college students. Objective: This study evaluated the behavior of college students regarding the profile of alcohol consumption and its academic consequences. Methods: The volunteers (343 students) answered a questionnaire about their pattern of alcohol consumption and possible related behaviors, especially academic performance. Participants were classified as "non-drinkers" (ND), "non-binge drinkers" (nBD), "binge drinkers" (BD) and "heavy drinkers" (HD). Results: 88.1% of the students reported ingesting alcoholic beverages, 44% as BD. Most of the drinker students (75.5% -nBD, BD or HD) stated getting intoxicated at least once a month. Binge drinking was the predominant pattern (66.2% of those who drank). HD students presented a risk 9.2 times higher of not being in the ideal period of the course. Discussion: The college students evaluated presented high rates of alcohol abuse. Binge drinking might have interfered in their academic performance. Organic, social and behavioral consequences were also reported.

No abstract

Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most common nutritional disorders worldwide. The aim was to identify the prevalence and incidence of anemia in children and to identify predictors of this condition, including intestinal parasites, social, nutritional and environmental factors, and comorbidities. A population-based cohort study was conducted in a sample of 414 children aged 6–71 months living in Novo Cruzeiro in the Minas Gerais State. Data were collected in 2008 and 2009 by interview and included socio-economic and demographic information about the children and their families. Blood samples were collected for testing of hemoglobin, ferritin and C-reactive protein. Anthropometric measurements and parasitological analyses of fecal samples were performed. To identify risk factors associated with anemia multivariate analyses were performed using the generalized estimating equations (GEE). In 2008 and 2009, respectively, the prevalence rates of anemia were 35.9% (95%CI 31.2–40.8) and 9.8% (95%CI 7.2–12.9), the prevalence rates of iron deficiency were 18.4% (95%CI 14.7–22.6) and 21.8% (95%CI 17.8–26.2), and the incidence rates of anemia and iron deficiency were 3.2% and 21.8%. The following risk factors associated with anemia were: iron deficiency (OR = 3.2; 95%CI 2.0-.5.3), parasitic infections (OR = 1.9; 95%CI 1.2–2.8), being of risk of or being a low length/height-for-age (OR = 2.1; 95%CI 1.4–3.2), and lower retinol intake (OR = 1.7; 95%CI 1.1–2.7), adjusted over time. Nutritional factors, parasitic infections and chronic malnutrition were identified as risk factors for anemia. These factors can be verified in a chronic process and have been classically described as risk factors for these conditions.

In a cross-sectional study, the prevalences of intestinal parasitic infection and the associated risk factors were explored among children aged 0-10 years attending outpatient clinics in Manaus, the capital city of the north Brazilian state of Amazonas. Data indicating socio-economic level and demographic factors were collected in interviews with the accompanying parent or guardian of each child. Parasitic infections were detected by the microscopical examination of faecal samples, while nutritional status was categorized by reference to the growth curves published by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. The data collected were analysed in a mixed, logistic-regression model. Of the 451 children tested, 58.7% were found to have intestinal parasitic infection, the most prevalent parasites being Giardia lamblia (21.5%), Endolimax nana (17.9%), Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar (13.7%), Ascaris lumbricoides (13.5%) and Trichuris trichiura (4.9%). The prevalences of stunting, underweight and wasting among the children were 17.5%, 14.7% and 9.8%, respectively. There was no association between intestinal parasite infection and any of these indicators of malnutrition. Children whose accompanying parent/guardian was poorly educated and the elder children investigated were found to be at relatively high risk of intestinal parasitic infection (P<0.05 for each). Intestinal parasitic infections still clearly represent an important public-health problem in the northern region of Brazil.

Este estudo teve como objetivos determinar o perfil e o estado nutricional da clientela e a composição química e nutricional das refeições oferecidas no restaurante universitário da Universidade Estadual Paulista de Araraquara, Brasil. Realizou-se a determinação química do teor de proteínas, lipídios, carboidratos, fibra, cinzas e umidade de amostras das refeições fornecidas. A amostra populacional foi constituída de 403 usuários (212 mulheres e 191 homens). Em relação ao perfil do usuário, constatou-se que 82,60% encontravam-se na faixa etária de 18 a 25 anos e 75,44% dos indivíduos apresentaram índice de massa corporal dentro da faixa de normalidade. Em média, as refeições continham 4,74% de proteínas, 10,84% de lipídeos, 24,32% de carboidratos, 3,30% de fibras, 1,00% de cinzas e 55,00% de umidade. Os dados mostraram que as refeições do restaurante universitário continham excesso de proteínas e de energia e que se faz necessário realizar ajustes na sua composição para adequá-la ao perfil da clientela atendida.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate growth parameters assessed by weight and length in infected and uninfected infants born to HIV-1-infected mothers and followed from birth to 18 months. Methods: A cohort consisting of ninety-seven uninfected and forty-two infected infants born to HIV-infected mothers enrolled from 1995 to 2004, and admitted during their first 3 months of life at a referral Pediatric AIDS Clinic in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Infants were followed until 18 months of age. Data were analysed using mixed-effects linear regression models for weight and length fitted by restricted maximum likelihood. Results: Infected infants contributed to 466 weight and 411 recumbent length measurements. Uninfected infants provided 924 weight and 907 length measurements. Mean birth weight and length were similar in both groups, 3?1 (SD 0?4) and 3?0 (SD 0?5) kg, and 48?7 (SD 1?4) and 48?8 (SD 2?9) cm for uninfected and infected infants, respectively. However, HIV-1 infection had an early impact in growth impairment: at 6 months of age, HIV-infected children were 1 kg lighter and 2 cm shorter than the uninfected. Conclusions: Growth faltering in weight, but not length, in HIV-infected children in Brazil is more marked than that reported in a European cohort, probably reflecting background nutritional deficiencies and concomitant infections. In these settings, early and aggressive nutritional management in HIV-1-infected infants should be a priority intervention associated with the antiretroviral therapy. (2) , of which 9965 (2?7 %) were perinatally infected children. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 (PMTCT) was introduced in Brazil in 1995, resulting in significant reduction of transmission rates (2) . The assessment of weight at birth and of child growth is one of the indicators of their nutritional status. In developed countries, HIV vertically infected children present similar weight and length at birth compared to those of non-infected children (3) . Differences in weight and length growth of infected and uninfected children start to appear in the first months of life (3,4) . The growth assessment of HIV-infected children is important both to determine the disease stage and prognosis and to assess the effectiveness and toxicity of ART regimens and to study the nutritional implications of the infection (5) . Growth seems to be one of the most sensitive indicators of the disease progression in children living with HIV/AIDS (6) . Even in children who have been using antiretroviral drugs, the absence of growth is a poor prognostic indicator. Weight gain is also an important indicator of ART effectiveness (7) . For these reasons, anthropometric methods are useful to monitor the disease progression and to assess response to treatment. Studies involving infants born to HIV-1-infected mothers can provide useful insights into the nutritional implications of the infection, and can contribute to the establishment of intervention strategies for this segment of the...