Reference Values for Serum Zinc Concentration and Prevalence of Zinc Deficiency in Adult Iranian Subjects

Zinc, as an essential trace element for health, plays various biological roles in human body functions. Serum zinc reference values are essential for assessing zinc-associated abnormalities and the prevalence of zinc deficiency. This study aims at determining age- and sex-specific reference values for serum zinc concentrations in adult Iranian subjects. Serum zinc concentration was measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry in 4,698 adult subjects, aged 20?C94?years, randomly selected from the population of the Tehran, Lipid, and Glucose Study. After application of exclusion criteria, reference values for serum zinc were determined in 2,632 apparently healthy subjects according to guidelines of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (nonparametric method). Dietary zinc was assessed in 2,906 individuals, of which 1,685 were healthy subjects, using a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Reference values for serum zinc concentrations ranged between 9.6 and 31.6, 8.9 and 29.9, and 9.3 and 30.8???mol/L in men, women, and the total population, respectively. Prevalence of serum zinc deficiency was 3.0 and 2.4?% in men and women, respectively (p?=?0.267); in men, but not in women, the prevalence increased significantly with age (p for trend <0.001). Of the total participants, 10.3?% (6.5 men and 3.8?% women, p?<?0.01) had lower zinc intake compared to dietary reference intakes. The zinc density of the population was 6.3?mg/1,000?kcal. In conclusion, this study presents reference values for serum zinc concentration in adult Iranian subjects for both sexes and different age groups. Prevalence of serum zinc deficiency and dietary zinc inadequacy seems to be lower in Iranians, compared to some other populations.     

Nanoselenium Supplementation of Heat-Stressed Broilers: Effects on Performance,Carcass Characteristics,Blood Metabolites,Immune Response,Antioxidant Status,and Jejunal Morphology

Magnesium (Mg) is an essential nutrient as a structural constituent of bone and regulator of >300 enzymes. However, studies on intake and urinary excretion of Mg are limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Mg intake and its relation to 24-h urinary excretion in healthy adults. Anthropometric measurements and dietary intake by the 24-h recall method were conducted in 80 adults aged 21–69 (average 44.3) years. Urine was collected for 24 h on the day following the dietary survey. Dietary assessment and 24-h urine collection were repeated 3 days later. Daily intake and urinary excretion of Mg were analyzed using Can-Pro and ICP-OES, respectively. The statistical analysis was conducted using SAS program. Mg intake of the subjects was 319 ± 129 mg/day for men and 277 ± 94 mg/day for women and the proportion of subjects who did not meet the estimated average requirement was 50 and 67.5 % for men and women, respectively. Urinary Mg excretion was 30.3 % of the daily Mg intake. Urinary Mg excretion was not significantly correlated with the daily Mg intake. Korean adults are not meeting the recommended intake of Mg, but its urinary excretion suggests homeostasis is not compromised.     

Seven Dietary Minerals (Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn) and Their Relationship with Blood Pressure and Blood Lipids in Healthy Adults with Self-Selected Diet

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the dietary intakes of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) and investigate their correlation with blood pressure and blood lipids. Targeting 258 healthy men and women, blood pressure was measured, and blood samples were collected to analyze serum lipids, and then the intakes of seven minerals were assessed through a food intake survey for 3 days using a 24-h recall method. The average age of the men and women was 49.55 and 49.19, respectively. The daily energy intake of the men was 1,830.57 kcal, which was significantly higher than that of women, 1,476.23 kcal (p?<?0.001). The mineral intake of the subjects was as follows: 450.95 mg/day for Ca, 915.24 mg/day for P, 279.23 mg/day for Mg, 12.60 mg/day for Fe, 8.25 mg/day for Zn, 1.23 mg/day for Cu, and 4.22 mg/day for Mn. These accounted for 63.83, 130.76, 90.74, 129.75, 97.50, 154.49, and 113.50 % of adequate intake or the recommended intake of each mineral, respectively. Subjects who did not satisfy the estimated average requirement were 74.00 % for Ca, 63.18 % for Mg, and 41.86 % for Zn. After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and energy intake, Mg intake had a negative correlation with systolic blood pressure (SBP), and Cu intake had a significant negative correlation with SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Also, Mn intake was negatively correlated with DBP, serum total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Thus, it is concluded that the dietary intakes of Mg, Cu, and Mn may play an important role in controlling blood pressure and lipids in Korean adults.     

The Reference Intervals of Hair Trace Element Content in Hereford Cows and Heifers (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bos taurus</Emphasis>)

Numerous observations suggest a possible connection between the levels of Mg, Zn, Fe, and Zn and the incidence of depressive symptoms. Depression is two to three times more common in women than in men. The menopausal period is extremely conducive to depressive disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the severity of depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women depending on the levels of Mg, Zn, Ca, Cu, and Fe. The study included 198 healthy postmenopausal women at the average age of 56.26 ± 5.55 years. In the first part of the study, standardized research tools were used, namely the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The second part involved biochemical analysis of Mg, Zn, Ca, Cu, and Fe levels in blood serum. The lowest Cu levels were observed in women without depressive symptoms (1.07 ± 0.22 mg/l) and the highest in those with severe depressive symptoms (1.19 ± 0.17 mg/l), (p ≤ 0.05). The lowest Mg levels were observed in women with depressive symptoms (14.28 ± 2.13 mg/l), and the highest in women without depressive symptoms (16.30 ± 3.51 mg/l), (p ≤ 0.05). The average serum Mg levels (15.75 ± 3.23 mg/l) decreased compared to the reference values (18.77–24 mg/l). What is striking is a potential relation between the levels of Mg and Cu and depressiveness. Our results indicate to a higher vulnerability to depression in a group of women with lower levels of Mg and higher levels of Cu.     

Association Between Serum Magnesium and Anemia: China Health and Nutrition Survey

The role of magnesium in anemia remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of anemia and its association with serum magnesium in a nationally representative sample. A total of 8,511 participants aged 18 years and over were recruited in this cross-sectional survey in 2009. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin concentration less than 130 g/l for men and less than 120 g/l for women. Multiple logistic regression models were applied to explore the association of magnesium and anemia. The prevalence of anemia in total was 14.0 % with 8.8 % for men and 18.5 % for women (P?<?0.0001), respectively. The interaction terms between magnesium and gender and ferritin were significant (P?<?0.001). In men with serum ferritin ≥15 ng/ml, compared with the first quartile of magnesium, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for those in the second, third, and fourth quartile of magnesium were 0.65 (0.46, 0.91), 0.77 (0.55, 1.09), and 0.63 (0.45, 0.89), respectively, after adjusting multiple confounders. Likewise, in women with serum ferritin ≥15 ng/ml, the corresponding ORs (95 % CIs) were 0.71 (0.56, 0.91), 0.64 (0.49, 0.84), and 0.53 (0.40, 0.71). The associations between magnesium and anemia were not significant in neither men nor women with serum ferritin <15 ng/ml. Serum magnesium was inversely associated with anemia in both men and women, in particular among adults with high serum ferritin levels.     

Association Between Serum Level of Magnesium and Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Meta-analysis

There are conflicting reports as to the association between serum level of magnesium (Mg) and postmenopausal osteoporosis (OP). The purpose of the present study is to clarify the association between serum level of Mg and postmenopausal OP using a meta-analysis approach. We searched articles indexed in Pubmed and the Chinese Journal Full-text Database (CJFD) published as of October 2013 that met our predefined criteria. Seven eligible studies involving 1,349 postmenopausal women from 12 case-control study arms were identified. Overall, pooled analysis indicated that postmenopausal osteoporotic women had a lower serum level of Mg than the healthy controls (standardized mean difference [SMD]?=??0.55, 95 % confidence interval [CI]?=??0.83 to ?0.26). Further subgroup analysis found a similar pattern in Turkey (SMD?=??0.66, 95 % CI?=??0.99 to ?0.32) and Belgium (SMD?=??0.98, 95 % CI?=??1.91 to ?0.05), but not in China (SMD?=?0.02, 95 % CI?=??0.21 to 0.26). And the difference of serum level of Mg between postmenopausal osteoporotic women and healthy controls below the age of 60 years (SMD?=??0.61, 95 % CI?=??1.09 to ?0.13) was similar to that among the population over 60 years (SMD?=??0.49, 95 % CI?=??0.80 to ?0.18).In conclusion, this meta-analysis suggests that the low serum level of Mg seems to be a risk factor for OP among the postmenopausal women. However, the subgroup analysis found that there was contradiction regarding races and geography, like China and Turkey. Thus, this finding needs further confirmation by trans-regional multicenter study to obtain better understanding of causal relationships between serum Mg and postmenopausal OP.     

Relationship between Dietary Magnesium, Manganese, and Copper and Metabolic Syndrome Risk in Korean Adults: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007–2008)

Recent studies have reported correlations between mineral intake and metabolic syndrome (MS), but accurate relationships and consistency in the results are difficult to confirm. Accordingly, this study aims to assess the dietary intakes of magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) to determine their relationship with MS. Data from a total of 5,136 adults (2,084 men, 3,052 women) was collected from the 2007–2008 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), and the intakes of Mg, Mn, and Cu of the MS patients were compared with those of healthy adults. The relationship between the intakes of these minerals and the MS risks was analyzed. Diagnosis of MS was evaluated by the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) standards. Among all study subjects, 25.9 % (540 subjects) of the men and 24.5 % (748 subjects) of the women met diagnostic criteria for inclusion in the MS group. In the men, daily intakes of Mg and Cu in the MS group were significantly lower than those in control group, and in the women, daily intakes of energy, Mg, Mn, and Cu in the MS group were significantly lower than those of the control group. The women subjects with high blood pressure showed significantly lower intakes of Mg, Mn, and Cu than control subjects. In addition, in the women, the highest quartile of Mg and Cu was inversely associated with MS, but with adjustment were not maintained. However, in the postmenopausal women, MS was significant and inversely associated with the highest quartiles of Cu intake and the association remained significant after adjustments. Considering that MS incidence increases and dietary intake and nutrient density decrease with increasing age, and mineral intake is reduced accordingly, these results suggest that meal management with adequate mineral intake is advisable to control MS.     

The Severity of Depressive Symptoms vs. Serum Mg and Zn Levels in Postmenopausal Women

The aim of this study was to assess the severity of depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women, depending on serum Mg and Zn levels. The study involved 171 postmenopausal women from Poland, who were not using menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). The intensity of depressive symptoms was evaluated using a standard research technique, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The plasma Mg and Zn concentrations were measured. Depressive symptoms of different severity levels were diagnosed in 36.8 % of the women. The mean serum Mg level was 1.53?±?0.28 mg/dL, and Zn level was 72?±14 μg/dL. The women with higher serum Mg and Zn levels had less depressive symptoms, and this observation is a precious information which can be used when planning depressive disorder prevention programmes.     

Hair Mercury Association with Selenium,Serum Lipid Spectrum,and Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase Activity in Adults

The primary objective of the research is to estimate the dependence between hair mercury content, hair selenium, mercury-to-selenium ratio, serum lipid spectrum, and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity in 63 adults (40 men and 23 women). Serum triglyceride (TG) concentration in the high-mercury group significantly exceeded the values obtained for low- and medium-mercury groups by 72 and 42 %, respectively. Serum GGT activity in the examinees from high-Hg group significantly exceeded the values of the first and the second groups by 75 and 28 %, respectively. Statistical analysis of the male sample revealed similar dependences. Surprisingly, no significant changes in the parameters analyzed were detected in the female sample. In all analyzed samples, hair mercury was not associated with hair selenium concentrations. Significant correlation between hair mercury content and serum TG concentration (r?=?0.531) and GGT activity (r?=?0.524) in the general sample of the examinees was detected. The respective correlations were observed in the male sample. Hair mercury-to-selenium ratios significantly correlated with body weight (r?=?0.310), body mass index (r?=?0.250), serum TG (r?=?0.389), atherogenic index (r?=?0.257), and GGT activity (r?=?0.393). The same correlations were observed in the male sample. Hg/Se ratio in women did not correlate with the analyzed parameters. Generally, the results of the current study show the following: (1) hair mercury is associated with serum TG concentration and GGT activity in men, (2) hair selenium content is not related to hair mercury concentration, and (3) mercury-to-selenium ratio correlates with lipid spectrum parameters and GGT activity.     

Gender specificity of a genetic variant of angiotensin-converting enzyme and risk of coronary artery disease

Etiological factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) involve a wide range of gene and environmental interactions. One of the systems being implicated in the pathophysiology of CAD is the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). However, the genetic polymorphisms of this system have not been widely studied in Iranian patients diagnosed with CAD. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between six gene polymorphisms of RAS components and CAD in a sample of Iranian population. A total of 374 participants were enrolled in a case/control study. The presence of CAD was determined by coronary angiography. Genotyping of six RAS gene polymorphisms was performed using a modified PCR–RFLP method. Our results revealed, for the first time, a significant independent association of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) A-240T polymorphism and incidence of CAD among Iranian women (P = 0.005, OR = 20.4, 95 % CI = 2.49–41.2). There has also been a significant difference in genotype distribution of ACE A-240T (P = 0.008) and angiotensin II receptor type 2 C3123A polymorphism (P = 0.032) in Iranian female participants. In conclusion, TT genotype of ACE A-240T seems to be a genetic risk factor for CAD in Iranian women.     

Diagnostic value of serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in growth hormone disorders in adults

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic value of serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) measurements in adult patients with acromegaly and GH deficiency (GHD). METHODS: Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were measured in 39 active acromegalic patients, 34 adult patients with GHD and 150 healthy adults. Disease activity in patients with acromegaly was confirmed by nadir GH levels during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Among patients with acromegaly, 15 had not been treated previously and 24 had been treated but not cured. GHD in adults was diagnosed by an insulin tolerance test (ITT). Among patients with GHD, 15 were aged 20-40 years (9 men and 6 women) and 19 were aged over 40 years (9 men and 10 women). One hundred and fifty healthy subjects were recruited as a control group. To compare the individual serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels of patients with the results of the gold standard, we calculated age- and sex-corrected standard deviation scores (SDS) for individual IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels. The sensitivities of serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 measurements for the disease diagnosis were analyzed using the mean +/- 2 SD of the values of healthy control subjects as a diagnostic cutoff, defining 95% specificity. RESULTS: The mean IGF-I and IGFBP-3 SDS levels were significantly higher in active acromegalic patients, both untreated and treated but not cured, than in the control subjects (p < 0.05). The sensitivities of serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 measurements for the diagnosis of acromegaly were 97.4 and 81.8%, respectively. In untreated patients with acromegaly, the sensitivities of serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 measurements for the diagnosis of disease were 100 and 100%, while these were 95.8 and 72.7% in treated patients with acromegaly. In adult patients with GHD, the mean IGF-I and IGFBP-3 SDS were significantly lower than those of the control subjects (IGF-I, -2.2 +/- 0.8 vs. 0.0 +/- 1.0 SDS, p < 0.0001); IGFBP-3, -1.7 +/- 1.2 vs. 0.0 +/- 1.0 SDS, p < 0.0001), but there was a considerable overlap between GHD in adults and the controls. In all patients with GHD, the sensitivities of serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 measurements were 64.7 and 52.9%, respectively. In the group of women aged 20-40 years, the sensitivity of IGF-I measurement for the diagnosis of GHD was 100%, although the number of patients was only 6. CONCLUSION: Both serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 measurements are comparable to an oral glucose tolerance test in patients with untreated acromegaly, but in acromegalic patients that have undergone surgery and/or radiotherapy, serum IGF-I is more valuable for determining disease activity than serum IGFBP-3. Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 measurements are not valuable for the diagnosis of GHD in adults, but in women aged 20-40 years serum IGF-I measurement appears to be useful in the diagnosis of GHD.     

Incidence of Chronic Kidney Disease and Its Risk Factors,Results of Over 10 Year Follow Up in an Iranian Cohort

To examine, the predictors of incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a community-based cohort of Middle East population, during a mean follow-up of 9.9 years. In a sample of 3313 non-CKD Iranian adults ≥20 years the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated at baseline and at three year intervals during three consecutive phases. The eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 was defined as CKD. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent variables associated with incident CKD. The incidence density rates of CKD were 285.3 and 132.6 per 10,000 person-year, among women and men, respectively. Female gender per se was associated with higher risk of CKD, compared with males. Among women, age, eGFR, known diabetes, being single or divorced/widowed, hypertension (marginally significant) and current smoking were independent risk factors for CKD; however the intermediate degree of education and family history of diabetes decreased the risk by 40% (P<0.05). Among male subjects, independent predictors of developing CKD included aging and hypertension (with significantly higher risk than in women, P for interaction<0.05), eGFR, new diagnosed diabetes, high normal blood pressure; abdominal obesity decreased the risk of CKD about 30% which was marginally significant. In the Iranian population,>2% of individuals develops CKD each year. Our findings confirmed that sex- specific risk predictors should be considered in primary prevention for incident CKD.     

Screening for hemochromatosis in routine medical care: an evaluation of mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin

Our aim was to evaluate the potential utility of mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) to detect hemochromatosis. We computed the accuracy of MCV and MCH cut-off points > or = upper reference limits using data from 94 probands and 132 white controls. Our reference ranges are MCV 80.0-97.0 fL and MCH 26.0-32.0 pg. Sensitivity of MCV was 8.6-48.3% for men and 2.8-44.4% for women (cut-off points > or = 105.0 - > or = 97.0 fL, respectively). Sensitivity of MCH was 33.9-70.7% for men and 19.6-50.0% for women (cut-off points > or = 34.0 - > or = 32.0 pg, respectively). Using MCV and a hemochromatosis frequency typical of many western Caucasian populations (0.005), positive predictive values (PV+) were 2.1-100.0% in men and 4.2-100.0% in women. Using MCH, PV+ were 1.7-8.2% in men and 1.8-6.8% in women. We also calculated PV+ using the hemochromatosis frequency 0.015, which could occur in persons receiving medical care. Using MCV cut-off points > or = 101.0 fL, PV+ were 8.9-100.0% in men and 100.0% in women with maximum sensitivities of 24.1% and 25.0%, respectively. Using MCH testing, PV+ was 21.5% in men (cut-off point > or = 34.0 pg) and 18.2% in women (cut-off point > or = 33.0 pg) with sensitivities of 33.9% and 37.0%, respectively. Using MCV or MCH, sensitivity and PV+ for the HFE genotype C282Y/C282Y were generally greater than for "nonclassical" HFE genotypes. All negative predictive values in our study were > or = 98.5%. We conclude that supranormal values of MCV or MCH could be used to detect hemochromatosis in white persons of western European descent who are receiving routine medical care. Comparisons of MCV, MCH, and transferrin saturation testing and other implications of MCV and MCH testing for hemochromatosis in medical care are discussed.     

Effects of Selenium Nanoparticles on Reproductive Performance of Male Sprague-Dawley Rats at Supranutritional and Nonlethal Levels

It was studied that cancer-causing processes are related with the disproportions of essential and toxic elements in body tissues and fluid. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the levels of magnesium (Mg) and cadmium (Cd) in serum and blood samples of smokers and nonsmokers who have chronic myeloid (CML) and lymphocytic (CLL) leukemia, age ranged 31–50 years. For comparative study, age-matched smokers and nonsmoker males were chosen as controls/referents. The levels of elements in patient were analyzed before any treatment by atomic absorption spectrophotometer, after microwave assisted acid digestion. The validation of the method was done by using certified reference materials of serum and blood samples. The resulted data indicated that the adult male smokers and nonsmokers have two- to fourfold higher levels of Cd in the blood and sera samples as compared to the referents (p < 0.01), whereas two- to threefold lower levels of Mg was found in blood and serum samples of both types of leukemia patients as related to referent values. The resulted data indicates significant negative correlation among Mg and Cd in leukemia patients and smoker referents. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of these elements in pathogenesis of chronic leukemia.     

Zinc Fractional Absorption from a Representative Diet in Young Chinese Men and Women of the Shandong Rural Region

The objective of this study was to investigate the zinc fractional absorption of young Chinese men and women from the Shandong rural region under the routine dietary pattern by stable isotope technique. Ten men and 10 women, aged 20 to 35 years, and with a representative diet during the experiment were recruited from the Shandong rural region. Stable ⁶⁷Zn was used as a tracer to label ZnCl₂, and Yb was used to monitor the excretion of ⁶⁷Zn in urine and feces. All volunteers were given rice containing 4.0 mg ⁶⁷Zn and 1.0 mg Yb on the fourth day. Then the food and fecal samples of all subjects were collected for 12 consecutive days. The total zinc and the stable zinc isotope ratio of all samples were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer and thermal ionization mass spectrometer, respectively. The determination of the other nutrients was performed based on the Chinese National Standard Methods. Among volunteers, the daily intake of zinc was 15.50 mg, 103.33 % of recommended nutrient intake (RNI, set by the Chinese Nutrition Society) in men and 15.43 mg, 134.17 % in women. The fractional absorption of Zn was 23.42 ± 2.23 % in men, and 22.49 ± 2.19 % in women. The protein candidates got from the typical diets was 93.96 % of RNI in women. Calcium and ascorbic acid intakes were 76.23 % of RNI and 27.91 % of RNI in men, respectively and 51.17 % of RNI and 34.23 % of RNI in women, respectively. Our results showed that a typical meal for someone in the Shandong rural region presented an adequate intake of zinc and a moderate Zn bioavailability. The shortage of protein and the inappropriate protein pattern may play important roles in reducing zinc bioavailability.     

Body segment inertial parameter estimation for the general population of older adults

The practical determination of accurate body segment inertial parameters for the general older adult population remains a problem, especially in estimating these parameters for women and accounting for variations in body type. A method is presented for determining the mass and center of mass location of the body segments of individuals within the general population of older adults. Effects of sex and body type on older adult mass distribution are accounted for using 32 easily obtainable body measurements. The method is based on existing results from different data sources and employs a combination of validated estimation approaches, including: body mass and segment length proportions, linear and nonlinear regression equations, and a mathematical model of the trunk. The method was applied to a validation sample of healthy, community-dwelling older adults (29 men, 50 women). Predicted body mass was 96.7+/-4.8% and 95.7+/-3.7% of measured body mass in the men and women, respectively. The estimates of body segment mass and trunk center of mass location for the sample population approximate those reported in the literature, supporting the validity of the described method. By producing practical, subject-specific estimates of body segment inertial parameters, the method should allow more accurate biomechanical analyses of the older adult population.     

Control of blood pressure in Scotland: the rule of halves.

OBJECTIVE--Audit of detection, treatment, and control of hypertension in adults in Scotland. DESIGN--Cross sectional survey with random population sampling. SETTING--General practice centres in 22 Scottish districts. SUBJECTS--5123 Men and 5236 women aged 40-59 in the Scottish heart health study, randomly selected from 22 districts throughout Scotland, of whom 1262 men and 1061 women had hypertension (defined as receiving antihypertensive treatment or with blood pressure above defined cut off points). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE--Hypertension (assessed by standardised recording, questionnaire on diagnosis, and antihypertensive drug treatment) according to criteria of the World Health Organisation (receiving antihypertensive treatment or blood pressure greater than or equal to 160/95 mm Hg, or both) and to modified criteria of the British Hypertension Society. RESULTS--In half the men with blood pressure greater than or equal to 160/95 mm Hg hypertension was undetected (670/1262, 53%), in half of those in whom it had been detected it was untreated (250/592, 42%), and in half of those receiving treatment it was not controlled (172/342, 50%). In women the numbers were: 486/1061, 46%; 188/575, 33%; and 155/387, 40% respectively. Assessment of blood pressure according to the British Hypertension Society''s recommendations showed an improvement, but in only a quarter of men and 42% of women was hypertension detected and treated satisfactorily (142/561, 215/514 respectively). IMPLICATIONS--The detection and control of hypertension in Scotland is unsatisfactory, affecting management of this and other conditions, such as high blood cholesterol concentration, whose measurement is opportunistic and selective and depends on recognition of other risk factors.     

Dietary and Non-dietary Factors Associated with Serum Zinc in Indian Women

Women in low-income settings, common in India, are at risk of inadequate zinc intake due to poor diet quality and low consumption of flesh foods rich in zinc. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of zinc status of non-pregnant rural and tribal women living in central India and to identify dietary and non-dietary factors associated with the biochemical zinc status of these women. Rural and tribal non-pregnant women 18–30 years of age were selected using proportion to population sampling near Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. Sociodemographic, biochemical (serum zinc), clinical, and dietary data (1-day interactive 24-h recall) were collected. The mean age of women (n?=?109; rural?=?52; tribal?=?56) was 23.2 years and mean BMI was 17.9 kg/m². The majority of the participants identified as being non-vegetarian (72 %). The mean?±?SD serum zinc concentration was 10.8?±?1.6 μmol/L, and 52 % of participants had a low serum zinc concentration according to the International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group (IZiNCG). The median (first and third quartile) energy, zinc intake, and phytate/zinc molar ratio was 5.4 (4.2, 6.7)?MJ/day, 5.3 (3.8, 7.0)?mg/day, and 26 (22, 28), respectively. Zinc intakes were well below IZiNCG recommendations for dietary zinc of 9 mg/day for non-pregnant women aged 14–18 years and 7 mg/day for non-pregnant women aged ≥19 years. Using linear regression analysis to identify non-dietary and dietary factors associated with serum zinc, a significant association was only found for current lactation (p?=?0.012) and energy intake (p?相似文献   

Serum zinc levels in healthy subjects from southeastern Spain

The serum zinc (Zn) concentrations of 80 healthy subjects (48 male, 32 female) from southeastern Spain were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The samples were digested by heating in a 4:1 mixture of nitric and perchloric acids. The concentration of Zn was determined against a Contox Trace Metal Serum Control Panel A standard reference. Zn concentrations in the standard were found to be 2.332 ±0.489 mg/L, with a mean recovery of 102.7%. In the serum samples, the relative standard deviation was <6% for the range of concentrations determined: 0.420-1.540 mg/L for women (mean value 0.947 ±0.265 mg/L) and 0.490-1.480 mg/L for men (mean value 0.951 ±0.243 mg/L). In healthy subjects, no statistically significant differences were observed in the Zn levels with respect to their sex (p > 0.05) or the location where they lived (mountainous vs coastal zones). It is concluded that the dietary Zn intake and Zn status for healthy adults in this region of Spain are within normal values.     

Relationship between Body Mass Index and Percent Body Fat in Vietnamese: Implications for the Diagnosis of Obesity

BackgroundThe burden of obesity in Vietnam has not been well defined because there is a lack of reference data for percent body fat (PBF) in Asians. This study sought to define the relationship between PBF and body mass index (BMI) in the Vietnamese population.MethodsThe study was designed as a comparative cross-sectional investigation that involved 1217 individuals of Vietnamese background (862 women) aged 20 years and older (average age 47 yr) who were randomly selected from the general population in Ho Chi Minh City. Lean mass (LM) and fat mass (FM) were measured by DXA (Hologic QDR 4500). PBF was derived as FM over body weight.ResultsBased on BMI ≥30, the prevalence of obesity was 1.1% and 1.3% for men and women, respectively. The prevalence of overweight and obesity combined (BMI ≥25) was ~24% and ~19% in men and women, respectively. Based on the quadratic relationship between BMI and PBF, the approximate PBF corresponding to the BMI threshold of 30 (obese) was 30.5 in men and 41 in women. Using the criteria of PBF >30 in men and PBF >40 in women, approximately 15% of men and women were considered obese.ConclusionThese data suggest that body mass index underestimates the prevalence of obesity. We suggest that a PBF >30 in men or PBF >40 in women is used as criteria for the diagnosis of obesity in Vietnamese adults. Using these criteria, 15% of Vietnamese adults in Ho Chi Minh City was considered obese.