Regular daily intake of black tea improves oxidative stress biomarkers and decreases serum C-reactive protein levels in type 2 diabetic patients

BACKGROUND

This study was undertaken to evaluate the possible effects of different daily doses of black tea intake on certain oxidative stress, inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

Forty-six patients with known T2DM were randomly assigned either to the test (n = 23, 57.0 +/- 7.9 years) or the control (n = 23, 55.4 +/- 8.3 years) group. Following a one-week 'run-in' period, the test group received 150, 300, 450 and 600 ml of black tea extract (BTE) during the weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The control group received 150 ml BTE a day throughout the intervention period. Dietary, anthropometric and biochemical assessments were performed at the end of each week.

FINDINGS

Serum total antioxidant capacity was enhanced similarly in both test and control groups. However, daily intake of 2 cups of BTE by the test group showed a suppressing effect on serum malondialdehyde. Serum C-reactive protein significantly decreased and glutathione levels increased following the intake of 4 cups (600 ml) of BTE a day.

CONCLUSION

Regular intake of BTE had anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects in patients with T2DM. These findings may, to some extent, explain the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of drinking tea against cardiovascular disease.

Calcium Intake, Major Dietary Sources and Bone Health Indicators in Iranian Primary School Children

Background:

Adequate calcium intake may have a crucial role with regards to prevention of many chronic diseases, including hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, different types of cancer, obesity and osteoporosis. In children, sufficient calcium intake is especially important to support the accelerated growth spurt during the preteen and teenage years and to increase bone mineral mass to lay the foundation for older age.

Objectives:

This study aimed to assess daily calcium intake in school-age children to ensure whether they fulfill the FGP dairy serving recommendations, the recommended levels of daily calcium intake and to assess the relationship between dietary calcium intake and major bone health indicators.

Patients and Methods:

A total of 501 Iranian school-age children were randomly selected. Calcium intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Bone health indicators were also assessed.

Results:

Dairy products contributed to 69.3% of the total calcium intake of the children. Daily adequate intake of calcium was achieved by 17.8% of children. Only 29.8% met the Food guide pyramid recommendations for dairy intake. Dietary calcium intake was not significantly correlated with serum calcium and other selected biochemical indicators of bone health.

Conclusions:

The need for planning appropriate nutrition strategies for overcoming inadequate calcium intake in school age children in the city of Tehran is inevitable.

Nutritional status of the Iranian children with physical disability: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition can potentially prone a disabled child to further morbidities thus imposing further suffering to the affected child and his/her family. This is the first report on the nutritional status of physically disabled children from Iran.

METHODS

A total of 290 physically disabled children aged 6-12 years old, of both sexes, and from all specialized schools in Tehran, Meshed and Rasht were enrolled in a descriptive cross-sectional study. Dietary assessment was performed for disabled children using 24hr and food-frequency questionnaires. Weight and height were assessed and body mass index (BMI) was calculated for all subjects.

RESULTS

In disabled children, while the mean energy intake was more than 90% of the amount required, mean calcium and iron intakes were 75.8% and 58.7% of the corresponding required amounts. Despite absence of significant difference in energy and fat intake, the intakes of protein, calcium and riboflavin were significantly lower in girls than in boys. Z score of weight showed that over 40% of disabled girls and boys were underweight. Comparison with anthropometric data from other studies showed that low weight was more prevalent in disabled than in non-disabled children (p<0.001). Moreover, both disabled boys and girls had significantly shorter statures than their non-disabled counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

Malnutrition (low weight and stunting) is quite prevalent among Iranian children with motor disabilities and it is more prevalent in girls than in boys. It seems that poor food composition is a more important contributing factor than total low calorie intake. These data warrant further studies.

Determination of the actual height predictors in Iranian healthy children

Height measurement is an important part of nutritional assessment especially in children. However, in such cases as hospitalized or certain kinds of malformations or disabilities, height cannot be measured accurately. We aimed to determine appropriate height predictors in Iranian healthy children for further use in disabled and/or hospitalized children. A total of 730 apparently healthy children aged 7-11 years old from both sexes from Tehran, Meshed and Rasht were enrolled in a cross sectional study. Height, demispan (DS), halfspan (HS), arm length (AL) and tibia length (TL) were all measured using a measuring tape. Linear regression models were established between height, DS, HS, AL and TL. For boys AL (R2=0.783) and TL (R2=0.837) and for girls AL (R2=0.720), TL (R2=0.765), HS (R2=0.771) and age (R2=0.775), respectively, entered the linear regression model. When height predictors were evaluated individually for each city, only in Tehran DS also entered the regression model. Concordance of different percentiles of height estimates based on AL with those of actual height proposed this measure as a reliable height proxy for this age group in clinical as well as field practice.