Browsing by Author "Moreira, Carla"
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- Associations between fruit and vegetable variety and low-grade inflammation in Portuguese adolescents from LabMed physical activity studyPublication . Almeida-de-Souza, Juliana; Santos, Rute; Lopes, Luís; Abreu, Sandra; Moreira, Carla; Padrão, Patrícia; Mota, Jorge; Moreira, PedroPurpose: The dietary guidelines for the consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables have been recognized as an important factor for achieving healthy eating patterns to reduce the risk of chronic disease throughout the lifespan. Our aim is to assess the association between fruit and vegetable variety and low-grade inflammation in adolescents. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis was conducted with 412 adolescents (ages 14.4 ± 1.7 years; 52% girls). The consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables was assessed with a food-frequency questionnaire, considering the number of individual/category of fruit or vegetable intake at least once month, and categorized into tertiles. Blood samples were collected to determine C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), complement component 3 (C3), and 4 (C4). We created categories of lower or higher (inflammatory state) for each biomarker, considering sex- and age-adjusted median values. Then, we computed an overall inflammatory score, by adding all points awarded wherein one point was assigned if biomarker was higher or zero if lower, and created categories of 0–1 or 2–4 biomarkers above the median. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% interval confidence (95% CI) were calculated from binary logistic regression to estimate the magnitude of association between fruit and vegetable variety and inflammatory biomarkers. Results: Adolescents with a greater variety of vegetable consumption (≥13 categories/month) had lower odds of having a higher CRP (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.15–0.64, ptrend = 0.004) when compared to those with lower variety consumption (≤6 categories/month), independent of vegetable quantity intake. However, a greater variety of fruit consumption (≥12 categories/month) had higher odds of having a higher IL-6 (OR 4.41, 95% CI 1.67–11.71, ptrend = 0.012), C3 (OR 3.30, 95% CI 1.23–8.86, ptrend = 0.047), and inflammatory score (OR 4.90, 95% CI 1.62–14.86, ptrend = 0.017), when compared to those with lower variety consumption (≤9 categories/month), independent of fruit quantity intake, only for girls. Conclusions: The consumption of a variety of vegetables is inversely associated with lower CRP. This finding supports the current dietary guidelines regarding the consumption of a variety of vegetables. The role of fruit variety in low-grade inflammation should be further studied.
- Dietary inflammatory index and inflammatory biomarkers in adolescents from LabMed physical activity studyPublication . Almeida-de-Souza, Juliana; Santos, Rute; Barros, Renata; Abreu, Sandra; Moreira, Carla; Lopes, Luís; Mota, Jorge; Moreira, PedroBackground/objectives The dietary inflammatory index (DII) is a tool to measure the diet’s inflammatory potential and has been used with adults to predict low-grade inflammation. The present study aims to assess whether this dietary score predicts low-grade inflammation in adolescents. Subjects/methods The sample comprises 329 adolescents (55.9% girls), aged 12–18 years, from LabMed Physical Activity Study. DII score was calculated based on a food-frequency questionnaire and categorized into tertiles. We collected blood samples to determine the follow inflammatory biomarkers: C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), complement component 3 (C3), and 4 (C4). In addition we calculated an overall inflammatory biomarker score. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were computed from binary logistic regression models. Results DII score, comparing first with third tertile, was positively associated with IL-6 in crude model (OR = 1.88, 95% CI:1.09–3.24, ptrend = 0.011) and in fully adjusted (for biological and lifestyle variables) (OR = 3.38, 95%CI:1.24–9.20, ptrend = 0.023). Also, DII score was positively associated with C4, when fully adjusted (OR = 3.12, 95%CI:1.21–8.10, ptrend = 0.016). DII score was negatively associated with C3 in crude model, comparing first with second but not with third tertile, and no significant associations in fully adjusted model were observed, although a trend was found (OR = 1.71, 95% CI:0.63–4.66, ptrend = 0.044). No significant associations were observed between DII score and CRP. However, DII score was positively associated with the overall inflammatory biomarker score, when fully adjusted (OR = 5.61, 95% CI:2.00–15.78, ptrend = 0.002). Conclusions DII score can be useful to assess the diet’s inflammatory potential and its association with low-grade inflammation in adolescents.
- Total body percentage and motor coordination among Portuguese schoolchildrenPublication . Lopes, Luís; Santos, Rute; Vale, Susana; Moreira, Carla; Pereira, Beatriz; Lopes, Vitor P.Children’s motor coordination may affect their activity pattern and thereby influence their bodyfatness. The aim of the present study was to analyse the relationship between motor coordination and total body fat percentage, in a Portuguese sample of schoolchildren aged 9–12 years. Method: The sample comprised 596 urban schoolchildren (girls 46?9%), aged 9–12 years (mean 9?61 ( SD 0?55) years) from North of Portugal. Total body fat percentage was cal- culated with Tetrapolar Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, model Tanita TBF-300. Age- and sex-adjusted Z-scores computed total body fat percentage. Motor coordination levels were assessed with the Ko¨rperkoordination Test fu¨r Kinder (KTK) and children were classified according to age and sex KTK criteria (Schiling 1974). Date of birth, gender and school socio-economic status (eligible for benefit A, B or not eligible) were extracted from the school administrations records systems. School socio-economic status was used as a proxy measure of family socio-economic status. Results: In motor coordination, 22?4 % girls showed disturbance of coordination; 37?7 % insufficiencies of coordination; 39?5 % normal coordination and 0?4 % good coordination. Corresponding figures for boys were 7?3 %; 36?5 %; 54?3 % and 1?9 %, respectively. Linear regression analysis showed that Z-scores total body fat percentage (unstandardized B 5 20?258, SE 0?021, P , 0?001) were negatively associated with motor coordination, after adjustment for socio-economic status. Conclusions: Low motor coordination levels are nega- tively associated with total body fat percentage Z-scores. The early identification of children with poor motor coor- dination and/or high body fat percentage is crucial in order to implement and develop health-related behaviours. Funding: Research relating to this abstract was funded by FCT-MCTES Grant (BD/43808/2008). Reference: Schiling, F (1974) Korperkoordination Test fur Kinder, KTK. Beltz Test Gmbh, Weinheim.