Fruit and vegetable intake, body mass index and waist circumference among young female students in Isfahan

Association of plant-based dietary patterns with metabolic syndrome: baseline results from the Persian Kavar cohort study (PKCS)

Plant-based diets (PBDs) have gained a positive reputation among experts as a solution to combat the epidemic of MetS. A total of 2225 healthy Iranian individuals aged 35-70 years were considered eligible to be included in this cross-sectional investigation. Various dietary, anthropometric, and biochemical assessments were conducted using standard, valid methods/tools. Relevant PBD scores were calculated using three a posteriori indices, including the overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful PDI (hPDI), and unhealthful PDI (uPDI). Our findings showed that women with the highest adherence to hPDI had a lower chance of MetS. Also, participants in the top tertiles of hPDI were more likely to have a lower risk of low serum HDL-c and abnormal glucose homeostasis. Additionally, a significant increasing trend was observed for low serum HDL-c across tertiles of uPDI. Our observations suggest that healthful-rich plant foods may have a protective effect against MetS, especially in women.

Does the Association of Sedentary Time or Fruit/Vegetable Intake with Central Obesity Depend on Menopausal Status among Women?

(1) Background: The prevalence of central obesity is growing rapidly among women, and the prevalence differs by menopausal status. Longer sedentary time and less fruit/vegetable (F/V) intake increased the risk of central obesity. Among women of different menopausal statuses, controversy surrounds the association between sedentary time or F/V intake and central obesity. This study aimed to explore whether the independent and joint associations between sedentary time or F/V intake and menopausal status are correlated with central obesity, respectively. (2) Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Hunan, China. Self-reported questionnaires were used to gather information on demographic characteristics, menopausal status, sedentary time, and F/V intake. Waist circumference was measured at the study site. Binary logistic regression and multiple interaction models were used to explore the independent and joint associations of menopausal status and the above two lifestyle variables with central obesity. (3) Results: A total of 387 women with a mean age of 47.7 ± 6.6 years old participated in the study. The prevalence of central obesity was 52.8%. Peri- and post-menopause statuses and not taking five servings of F/V per day were risk factors of central obesity (p < 0.05), whereas no significant association was found between sedentary time and central obesity (p > 0.05). Among peri-menopausal (mutual odds ratio (OR): 2.466, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.984−6.182; p < 0.05) and post-menopausal women (mutual OR: 2.274, 95% CI: 1.046−4.943; p < 0.05), more than 4 h of sedentary time per day was associated with a high risk of central obesity. Among pre-menopausal women, the consumption of five servings of F/V per day was associated with a low risk of central obesity (mutual OR: 0.444, 95%CI: 0.236−0.837, p < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: More than half of women in the central south of China presented with central obesity, spent >4 h of sedentary time per day, or did not engage in recommended F/V intake. Healthier lifestyle intervention is warranted to prevent central obesity development, including reducing the sedentary time to <4 h per day for peri- and post-menopausal women, while increasing taking five servings of F/V per day for pre-menopausal women.

Association between dietary diversity score and anthropometric indices among children and adolescents: the weight disorders survey in the CASPIAN-IV study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to determine the association between the dietary diversity score (DDS) and anthropometric indices in a nationally representative sample of Iranian children and adolescents.

METHODS

The nationwide cross-sectional study included 5178 students aged 6-18 years. A validated 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used. The DDS was assessed by dividing food items into five groups.

RESULTS

An increase of 1 in the total DDS score was associated with 0.08 increase in the body mass index z-score (BMIz), 0.06 increase in waist circumference z-score (WCz), and 0.07 increase in hip circumference z-score (HCz) (P < 0.05) in girls. An increase of 1 in the DDS score of the dairy group was associated with an 0.11 increases in BMIz (P < 0.05). An increase of 1 in the DDS score of the fruit-vegetable group was associated with 0.09 and 0.08 increase in BMIz and HCz among girls respectively (P < 0.05). The odds of excess weight (overweight or obesity) and abdominal obesity increased with each unit increase in total DDS in girls (odds ratio, OR _{excess weight}  = 1.11 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.003-1.23), OR _{abdominal obesity}  = 1.11 (95% CI: 1.001-1.23)). The odds of excess weight increased with each unit increase in dairy DDS (OR _{excess weight}  = 1.20 (95% CI: 1.002-1.43) among boys.

CONCLUSION

Higher DDS was associated with higher anthropometric indices and greater risk of obesity among children and adolescents. Our findings emphasize the importance of increasing the diversity of healthy food items to reduce weight disorders in the pediatric age group. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Association of plant-based dietary patterns with psychological profile and obesity in Iranian women

BACKGROUND

A bidirectional association exists between psychological disorders and obesity. Also, diet could impact on both of these disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between plant-based dietary patterns and psychological profile and obesity.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was performed in a sample of 435 Iranian women. A validated and reliable semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire was used to collect dietary data. Three dietary indices including an overall plant-based diet (PDI), healthful plant-based diet (hPDI), and unhealthful plant-based diet (uPDI) were determined. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were used to define general and abdominal obesity, respectively. Psychological profile status was determined from the DASS-21 questionnaire.

RESULTS

We found that higher uPDI scores increased the odds of overall (PDI: 2.62; 95% CI 1.28-5.35, P_trend = 0.01) and abdominal (PDI: 2.36; 95% CI 1.11-5.02, P_trend = 0.03) obesity in comparison with lower scores. Moreover, an inverse association was observed between higher PDI and hPDI scores and depression (PDI: 0.41; 95% CI 0.23-0.71, P_trend = 0.001, hPDI: 0.44; 95% CI 0.25-0.76, P_trend = 0.003), anxiety (PDI: 0.56; 95% CI 0.33-0.94, P_trend = 0.03, hPDI: 0.55; 95% CI 0.33-0.94, P_trend = 0.03), and psychological distress (PDI: 0.44; 95% CI 0.26-0.75, P_trend = 0.003, hPDI: 0.49; 95% CI 0.29-0.82, P_trend = 0.009). For uPDI, higher scores were associated with depression (uPDI: 1.91; 95% CI 1.03-3.55, P_trend = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

A plant-based diet, particularly healthful-rich plant foods were inversely associated with psychological disorders. Furthermore, unhealthy plant foods were associated with increased risk of obesity as well as depression.

The impact of sociodemography, diet, and body size on serum retinol in women 16-35 years of age: SANHANES-1

To determine the current vitamin A status of a nationally representative sample of women aged 16-35 years, compare it with previous national data, and determine the impact of sociodemography, diet, and body size on vitamin A status, we performed secondary analysis of data on South African women who participated in the first South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1). Vitamin A status was assessed by serum retinol, and the findings are reported as means and prevalences with corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Overall, the age-standardized vitamin A deficiency prevalence was 11.7%, a decrease from previous national data, but serum retinol levels remained lower than in other developing countries. Overall, unweighted, multilevel, multivariate logistic regression showed that vitamin A deficiency was influenced by race only (odds ratio (OR) = 1.89, P = 0.031), while weighted multiple logistic regression for 16- to 18-year-olds showed that vitamin A deficiency was influenced by locality (OR = 9.83, P = 0.005) and household income (intermediate (OR = 0.2, P = 0.022) and upper (OR = 0.25, P = 0.049)). Despite the decreased prevalence, vitamin A deficiency remains a moderate public health problem in the country. Opportunities for targeted interventions have been identified.

BMI and WHR Are Reflected in Female Facial Shape and Texture: A Geometric Morphometric Image Analysis

Facial markers of body composition are frequently studied in evolutionary psychology and are important in computational and forensic face recognition. We assessed the association of body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) with facial shape and texture (color pattern) in a sample of young Middle European women by a combination of geometric morphometrics and image analysis. Faces of women with high BMI had a wider and rounder facial outline relative to the size of the eyes and lips, and relatively lower eyebrows. Furthermore, women with high BMI had a brighter and more reddish skin color than women with lower BMI. The same facial features were associated with WHR, even though BMI and WHR were only moderately correlated. Yet BMI was better predictable than WHR from facial attributes. After leave-one-out cross-validation, we were able to predict 25% of variation in BMI and 10% of variation in WHR by facial shape. Facial texture predicted only about 3–10% of variation in BMI and WHR. This indicates that facial shape primarily reflects total fat proportion, rather than the distribution of fat within the body. The association of reddish facial texture in high-BMI women may be mediated by increased blood pressure and superficial blood flow as well as diet. Our study elucidates how geometric morphometric image analysis serves to quantify the effect of biological factors such as BMI and WHR to facial shape and color, which in turn contributes to social perception.

Fruit, Vegetable and Dietary Carotenoid Intakes Explain Variation in Skin-Color in Young Caucasian Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Fruit and vegetables contain carotenoid pigments, which accumulate in human skin, contributing to its yellowness. This effect has a beneficial impact on appearance. The aim was to evaluate associations between diet (fruit, vegetable and dietary carotenoid intakes) and skin color in young women. Ninety-one Caucasian women (Median and Interquartile Range (IQR) age 22.1 (18.1–29.1) years, BMI 22.9 (18.5–31.9) kg/m²) were recruited from the Hunter region (Australia). Fruit, vegetable and dietary carotenoid intakes were estimated by a validated food frequency questionnaire. Skin color was measured at nine body locations (sun exposed and unexposed sites) using spectrophotometry. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the relationship between fruit and vegetable intakes and skin yellowness adjusting for known confounders. Higher combined fruit and vegetable intakes (β = 0.8, p = 0.017) were associated with higher overall skin yellowness values. Higher fruit combined fruit and vegetable intakes (β = 1.0, p = 0.004) were associated with increased unexposed skin yellowness. Combined fruit and vegetables plus dietary carotenoid intakes contribute to skin yellowness in young Caucasian women. Evaluation of interventions using improvements in appearance as an incentive for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in young women is warranted.